them their own Mercies choose Death rather then Life they shall most assuredly reap the fruit of their own Option in the latter end unless they will learn betimes to be wiser and make a better choice For what else can be expected when Christ hath prepared so Glorious an Inheritance for men in whom he professeth to have a peculiar Interest John 1.11 Mat. 25.41 and they shall lightly regard it And when there is a fire an everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels whom his Soul abhorreth and men shall wilfully plunge themselves into it O foolish people and unwise who hath deluded you A wretched Covetousness you will undoubtedly finde it to be in the end to be intruders upon the Devil a wosul ambition to be Usurpers upon Damnation and a folly not to be parallel'd unless it be by the reprobate Angels to leave your own Habitation so Gloriously repaired for you by Jesus Christ who not only Created you but Bought you at a dear Rate everlastingly to dwell in Surely it were much better for you to stand your ground and to preserve your Interest with all your strength preparing your selves against the time when an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into that everlasting Kingdom Rom. 8.23 waiting for the Adoption a Glory above the Creatures expectation viz. The redemption of our body when Body and Soul shall be reunited again and all things shall be ours in their perfectest Beauty purged throughly from that dross and corruption which now sticks upon them This I say should be our chiefest Ambition next unto God's Glory and if we were wise would be our utmost endeavour for then shall we be with Christ which is best of all then shall we experimentally finde the blessed effects of his immutable love towards us unto all eternity then shall the Creature yield unto us not a groaning Subjection but a willing and a cheerful Subjection rejoycing that it hath somewhat in it that shall conduce to the advancement of our Glory O let the consideration hereof work in us a holy Indifferency towards the things of this present life What though some be poor and of low account in the eyes of the world yet let not the hearts of such be troubled at it for our Lord when he comes if he finde them doing his will will make them as well as others who abound in wealth Rulers over all that he hath If Riches encrease Ps 62.10 Pro. 23.5 let us not set our hearts upon them Or if they decrease and take to themselves wings and flie away let us not be guilty of such folly as to let our hearts flie after them Bishop King upon Jonas but as Fabritius the Roman a late learned and laborious Bishop made the Comparison told King Pyrrhus who one day tempted him with Gold and another day terrified him with an Elephant which he had never seen before Plutarchus in vita Pyrrhi Vtimur mundo fruimur Deo Aug. Yesterday I was not moved with thy Money nor to day with thy Beast So whether we be tempted with gain or terrified with the loss of these worldly Commodities we do not trouble our selves either way Knowing that we have in Heaven a more enduring substance Heb. 10.34 And thus have we done with the second Interpretation of our Text viz. That Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same in reference to the whole Creation The Third Interpretation of the TEXT is this Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever With a more especial Respect unto his Peculiar People Adsis O JESV JEsus Christ is the same unto his Church from first to last that is from the first man that was created to the last that shall be born in this World or from the first Evangelical Promise given in Paradise viz The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head unto the last Sentence that shall be pronounced at the great Day Gen. 3.15 viz. Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 The same King and the same Priest and the same Prophet of his Church throughout all Ages the same in his Power over them the same in his Satisfaction and Intercession for them the same in his Doctrine unto them Semper idem alwaies the same And now that we may understand more fully the Sense of the Holy Ghost in this excellent Scripture according to this Third Interpretation of it let us confider distinctly the several Courses or Periods of Time here specified viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Yesterday to Day and for ever And in them all observe the Immutability of the Lord Jesus Christ towards his Church from Generation to Generation By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Yesterday must according to this sense be meant all the time of the Old Testament By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is To day is understood the time of the New Testament By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever the continuance of that time unto the end and that Eternity in order to the fruit and benefit of Christ's Immutability towards his Church when Time shall be no more CHAP I. Of Yesterday and the Benefit that the Church enjoyed by Christ's Oeconomy therein TO begin then with Yesterday which as it is said must in this sense which we are now upon be taken for all he time of the Old Testament that is from the Minority of the Church in her first springing unto her maturity in that fulness of Time when Christ came into the World In which long Tract of time notwithstanding he was the same in the Exercise of his Mediatory Office towards his selected People which he is to Day in the time of the Gospel when he was made Flesh and visibly appeared among us Two things are here to be considered by us 1. The Denomination of the Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yesterday 2. What is predicated of that time viz. Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only He or the same Yesterday Both which will afford unto us their several Instructions From the first we may learn that which will be of some use for us to know and that is this The Time of the Old Testament with the Legal Ordinances attending upon it is a Day that is set and expired being Yesterday and therefore not to be brought into our account neither are we to walk in the light of it I say not that the Old Testament it self Quoad scripturam vel spiritualem veritatem as it is a part of God's Revealed Will unto his Church is now at this time quite out of date for even Jesus Christ who is the Sun that shineth gloriously in this our Day was the Doctrine of the Prophets as well as of the Apostles and he commandeth us in the New Testament to enquire of him in the Old Search the Scriptures John 5.39 Luke 16.29 that
is enquire into Moses and the Prophets They are they that testifie of me But Quoad dispensationis modum c. The Manifestations of God's Presence with his People are not now after the same manner as in the time of old and the outward form of his Worship which he hath prescribed is not the same with us as it was with the Fathers yet nevertheless this doth no more impeach the Immutability of the Mediator by whom the change is made then a Covenant written and expressed more plainly with a distinct form of words from what it had before doth put an imputation of Inconstancy upon him that granted it Of which more shall be said hereafter The Scripture is very clear for the confirmation of the proposed Doctrine Even Yesterday was the setting of that Day foretold for Daniel prophecied of the putting out of the Light thereof Dan. 9.27 viz. Dan. 9.27 Jer. 31.31 Mal. 1.11 of the cessation of the old Sacrifices and Jeremy foretelleth of a new Covenant Jer. 31.31 c. and Malachy of a new Oblation and the Jews themselves acknowledge according to these Prophecies that when Messiah shall come he shall turn their Day into Night and change their Laws Answerable hereto is that of our Saviour Luke 16. The Law and the Prophets were untill John Luke 16.16 which John was indeed the true Janus who saw both daies the Concluder of the former and the Beginner of the latter There will be no great need to insist much upon the proof hereof the Epistle to the Galatians is in a manner wholly spent upon this Argument let us single out some places wherein the Apostle giveth very pregnant testimonies concerning this matter We saith he Gal. 4.3 Gal. 4.3 when we were children that is before we had that true manly knowledge and wisdom whereto we have now in the fulness of Time attained were in bondage under the elements of the world Heb. 9.10 Carnal Ordinances which were the Abecedarian Rudiments of the Paedagogy of the Law were the Light of that Day but these Elements are now utterly destitute of their former Influence Luster and Vigour being become but weak and beggarly Gal. 4.9 Gal. 4.9 of so mean account are they now even in the judgment of him who saith of himself When he was a childe he spake as a childe making his boast of them 1 Cor. 13.11 verily thinking with himself that he ought to do many things according to those Rudiments but when he became a man he put away all those childish things True it is they had as one saith well been Elements in their time and God had used them as the first Letters of the Book to schole his People with but their Office was ended that fulness of Time which brought Christ into the World and that fulness of Knowledge and Grace which Christ brought with him was their Diminution The Light which they gave though Glorious in that Day is by reason of a more excellent Brightness that now shineth quite extinct and of no value even as the poor light of a Candle is of no use when the Sun appeareth in his full strength Again the same Apostle tells us in the same Epistle Gal. 3.23 Gal. 5.18 Rom. 6.14 Gal. 3.23.5.18 and so also Rom. 6.14 that we are not under the Law And what is the priviledge that we have hereby Surely very great for we are not only not under the Curse of the Law but not under the guidance and conduct of the Law as it was in the hand of Moses John 1.17 He indeed gave the Law that is the Letter of it and that was all the light that he could give and the Veil upon his face did then shadow out the Veil upon the peoples hearts which was not taken away in the reading of the Old Testament 2 Cor. 3.14 2 Cor. 3.6 but the Ministry of the New Testament is not the Ministry of the Letter but of the Spirit and the Veil which was of old under the Law in the reading of the Old Testament is now under the Gospel done away by Christ So that I say again we are not under the Law in the Letter of it as they of old were neither can the Veil of Moses hinder us as it did the people formerly As here so likewise in other places of Scripture doth the Apostle bear witness to this truth Col. 2.14 v.g. Col. 2.14 * Or De crees Deleto quod adversum nos erat Chirographo Doctrinis Christ hath blotted out the Hand-writing or Obligation of Ordinances whereby is principally understood the Law of Ceremonies which was an Act of Yesterday Or Christ hath by his Doctrines that is new Statutes of the Gospel blotted out the Hand-writing viz. of the Law which was against us for so the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be rendred without the least perverting of the Apostles sense Let it be construed either way it plainly demonstrates that the Obligation which was of Yesterday in the time of the Old Testament in full force and virtue is now utterly cancelled made void and of none effect And least some might cast out a scruple that though it be blotted yet still it may be legible the Apostle further saith He hath taken it out of the way yea and that it may not be suspected that it should be afterwards brought to light again it is added for the removal of all fears and jealousies whatsoever that he nailed it for our greater security to his Cross that is to die with him and so rent it in pieces Again Col. 2.17 Col. 2.17 having spoken of certain Customs and Rites proper to the Time of the Old Testament he saith of them They were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shadow of things to come And what things were those Such things as many Prophets and Kings have desired to see Luke 10.24 but could not A Complication of all which glorious things the Apostle there ascribeth unto Christ calling him the Body which when it is come there is no more use at all of the shadow but it must give room thereto and vanish away Types are to endure but till the time of Rectifying Heb. 9.10 that is Heb. 9 10. the Evangelical Jubilee which sets all in their due Order and Station Lastly To insist upon no more in Heb. 1.1 2. there is set down a plain difference between Then and Now observe God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last daies spoken unto us by his Son To them at sundry times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by many parts as the word importeth now a part of his will and then a part the Lord was then in the way only of revealing his Minde to his Church letting forth Light by little and little till the Sun of Righteousness Jesus Christ arose he had not told his whole Will And so
from thence inferr that these Creatures have either an Articulate Voice to utter or hands or feet to act really that which is so Rhetorically predicated of them But that poor man may be affected with the Elegancy of the Spirit of God in Scripture and observe the excellency of that Nature which moveth constantly in the Creature to the praise and glory of the Creatour So the Apostle here writes of the Creature as of a humane person hoping and expecting and groaning not as if there were any of these Desires and Groans audibly expressed to the sense and apprehension of man but only to shew that natural Propensity that is in the Creature to be freed from those evils that lie upon it For as it is said of a Servant that if he may be made free he should choose it rather so doth the Creature also according to the nature thereof 1 Cor. 7.21 manifest such a kinde of Option because indeed it can take no pleasure in that Misery and Bondage as hath been before prescribed The words of the Apostle whereby the Creatures desire of deliverance is expressed are very emphatical First he makes mention of the expectation of the Creature and that not a naked careless supine Oscitancy but a vehement greedy longing earnest waiting and looking out The Original word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being as Pererius calls it Verbum Sesquipedale a word of an extraordinary Size It is a double Compound word viz. of the Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth of from or afar off and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an old word in use among the Greeks put for the Head and sometimes the whole Face and Countenance and the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or both which signifie to see observe conceive expect So that the sense hereof seems to be this Though the Deliverance that the Creature longeth for be somewhat afar off and though it be consin'd to a hard Service yet doth she Quasi porrecto capite as 't were with a frequent stretching out the head wait and look for that Relief which in due time shall surely come And if there were not some eagerness in the Creatures expectation the Apostle would have made use of another word viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which would have been sufficient for that purpose as it is in other places Luke 21 26. Act. 28.6 c. Again the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth saith the Apostle which words joyn'd together carry in them a Pleonasm saith Paraus adding the more weight making the expectation the fuller of desire Furthermore it groaneth and travelleth in pain V. 22. In which words is a Metaphor taken as it should seem from Women with Childe expressing the exceeding sorrow and earnest desire to be delivered And now we may with others from hence collect seeing the Holy Ghost useth in this Scripture so many and such significant words we may be bold to say that he doth it not in vain but rather that he would give us thereby to understand that though the Creature waiteth not nor hopeth as we do yet that there is in it some certain earnest desire to look for its Restauration If any man think this strange let him consider the nature of the Loadstone we see by experience that if we touch with the same stone the Pin or point of a Dial or Compass and set the Needle or Compass upon it it will not rest till it cause it to stand directly North and South And this is generally observed in all places of the known or habitable World whether a man be upon the Sea or upon the Land if on this side the Line it will forcibly point towards the North if on the other towards the South because the Iron hath contracted the nature of the Loadstone unto it wherewith it was touched and yet hath not the said stone any reason neither the Point of a Dial or Compass any sense Now then if this be true as it is past all contradiction that the Needle or Compass through the virtue of the Loadstone is by a certain affection and sympathy so carried that it slayeth not till it hath attained that Rest which Nature hath appointed it Shall we think it strange that the Creature here mentioned though void of Reason having yet a greater Instinct given it from God should be carried forward to desire its own Restitution as the Holy Ghost affirmeth in this place The third thing to be considered is the time of its Deliverance viz. When the Sons of God are manifested that is as I humbly conceive and let others that have their Conceptions free give me therefore leave also to conceive When the holy Angels shall appear in their Glory at the last Day For they are so called in Scripture by way of excellency The Sons of God Job 1.6 38.7 Heb. 1.14 Dan. 4.23 and these Sons of God have their several Offices assigned unto them in order to the Creatures both in the time of their Misery and of their Deliverance They are Ministring Spirits saith the Apostle Sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation And they are Watchers too as they are called Dan. 4 23. appointed by God to preserve that Order which he hath set in the Creation against the Machinations of Satan Quod sane negari non potest So Ravanellus Dan. 10.11 who is still seeking to disturb it Hence it is conceived that they have the guiding of the Celestial Orbes and the conservation of the Elements in their due order temper and moderation But very probable it is that God makes use of their Service and Ministry in the establishment and protection of Kingdoms and Common-wealths in the World And therefore Eph. 3.10 Col. 1.16 saith Pasor are they called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Principalities Quod Deus eorum ministerio utatur in Regnorum Gubernatione Because of the employment which they have from God in the Government of the Nations And as these Sons of God have this care of the Creature committed unto them in this time of Servitude and Bondage so shall they in a most eminent manner be set on work in its Manumission and Deliverance For their peculiar Office it will be one day to sever the Wicked from among the Just and to take away every thing that doth offend and them that work Iniquity and to cast them into the Furnace of sire which shall undoubtedly for ever put an end unto the Creatures misery for Sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus Take away the Cause and the Effect will follow But this must not be yet for indeed it is not meet that the Creature which is but the Servant should go out free and enjoy a Jubilee till all the Children of the Family have had their due Service at least not so long as any of the Children are in a capacity to know more and more sorrow
command yet allowed by God and accepted and therefore not to be accounted as superstitious So those Ceremonies c. which have been and are again in use amongst us I mean such as are established by law may indeed be said to be a Will-worship wherein we in this time of the Gospel should rather excell those before us under the Law then to come short of them But to say that they are therefore Superstitious that is Anti-Christian and Idolatrous as some are apt most profanely to traduce them is a Soloecisme proper for those that are enemies unto reason Nevertheless though our Form of Divine Service and Ceremonies be a Will-worship yet we shall ever deny that they sprung out of Babylon that is according to the sense of these quarrelsome people that we received them from Rome It is the Lot it seemes of this poor Church of Christ to have this Cross laid upon her viz. to be on all sides upbraided still with Rome Papists on the one hand checking us that the first Plantation of the Gospel here came from thence and that therefore we are unnatural Children to separate our selves as we do from our Mother that gave us our being Schismaticks on the other hand charging us that we have not as we pretend separated from that Idolatrous Church but to this very day do hold too servile a compliancy with it crying out against us with open mouth as is the Mother so is the Daughter Rome like a false Strumpet hath devised a Superstitious Form of Religious Worship and England like a true Chip of the old Block doth follow her example therein But as Venerable Bede once gave the sense of those four famous and solemne Letters S. P. Q. R. So may we in this case Stultus Populus Quaerit Romam Senatus populusque Romanus foolish people cry out Rome not understanding what they say nor whereof they affirm As to the first of these reproaches if it were not out of our way we might reply that supposing not granting it to be true The people of this Nation received the Christian Faith from Rome We hold not our selves obliged thereby to follow Rome any otherwise then she followeth Christ for we have learned it from the mouth of our Lord himself that who so loveth Father or Mother more then him is not worthy of him But what Logick is this The Planters of the Faith here came from Rome Ergo the people of this Nation were ever after in the worshipping of God to keep the Order of Rome If this argument would hold saith Bishop Jewel then would I reason thus The Church of Rome was first planted by them that came from Graecia or from Jerusalem Ergo Rome is to keep the Order of Graecia or of Jerusalem which consequence I dare say will not down with her that takes upon her to be perpetual Dictatrix to all the Churches of the world But we shall let this pass as impertinent to our purpose neither is there need at any time to insist much upon it for it is sufficiently witnessed saith Bishop Godwin by many Histories without exception that our Island of Britain received the Faith of Christ even in the first infancy of the Church from Jerusalem That which is now before us is to make manifest the folly of these Schismatical Objectours who accuse us of Superstition in our Church-Service because as they say we received it from Rome It would be too large a digression here to undertake a Vindication of our Church in every particular that concerns this matter enough hath been written thereof already by sundry persons both Learned and Godly whose works praise them in the gates yet requisite it is that somewhat be here added to wipe off that aspersion before premised which may be reduced to this Argument Whatsoever Church hath received her forme of Divine-Service from Rome is therein guilty of gross Superistition But the Church of England hath received her form of Divine-Service from Rome therefore is the Church of England in the form of Divine-Service guilty of gross Superstition We will not meddle with the proposition of this argument Let Rome plead for her self against it But as for the assumption we shall by clear and plain demonstration prove that to be utterly false both in respect of the times of old as also of the later since the Protestant Reformation And first We may here by the way upon very good warrant affirm that Non fuit sic ab initio It was not wont to be thus with England in the times of old viz. To follow Rome in the forme of Divine Service The reason of our confidence herein we have from that venerable Authour our Country-man before mentioned who is by all parties acknowledged to be a faithful Witness worthy of an high esteem in the Church Hee I say in his Ecclesiastical History informes us Beda lib. 3 cap. 25. that the Church of this Island of Britain well near until seven hundred years after Christ in the keeping of easter-Easter-day and manner of Baptising followed the order of the Greek Church without any regard therein had to the Church of Rome And when Austin that imperious Monk was sent hither from Rome And when Austin that imperious Monk was sent hither from Rome here were saith Bede at that time one Arch-Bishop seven Bishops Lib. 2. cap. 2. and one and twenty hundred holy and religious Monks about Bangor who lived by the labour of their own hands the Countrey being for the most part Heathenish and as he further avoucheth plures viri doctissimi many moe great learned men that utterly refused to receive any Roman orders or customes from the said Austin in the Service of God though he urged them thereunto by many terrible threats Again Sain Gregory being then Bishop of Rome of whom it is said none of all his successours were for Holiness and Learning worthy to be compared with him when he had sent this Austin hither to preach the Gospel he gave him his instructions in this manner Where you finde any thing that seemeth ☞ better to the Service of God then is in the Church of Rome Choose you the same and do your endeavour to bring into the English Church the best and choicest things Choose out of many Churches for things are not to be loved for the place sake but the place is to be loved for the things that are good By these instances it may appear that this Church in those dayes did not in their publick service of God conform to the order of the Church of Rome neither did that Church impose any such order upon us In process of time indeed it came to pass that there were sundry Orders came here into use especially that of Sarum compiled by Osmund Earl of Dorset and Bishop of Salisbury which continued for above five hundred years till the reign of Edward the sixth In all which time the Romish Superstitions in Divine worship were too
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie for that is not a blindness in the mind onely but a spiritual obduration overspreading the whole soul whereby they are become utterly unsensible of their sin and misery And thus we finde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred before verse 7. by Beza and others reliqui occaluerunt that is the rest were hardened or covered all over with a brawny thickness Thus also is it written of them Act. 28.27 The heart of this people is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed least they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts c. For why God hath given them in his just displeasure saith the Apostle verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A slothful spirit a spirit that luls them asleep in their sin leading them in the dark or as the word may imply A spirit that pierceth them through railing them fast to their infidelity pricking their eyes that they should not see and boring their ears that they should not hear unto this day Hence it is that they obstinately reject all means of their conversion they blaspheme Christ in their Synagogues and whensoever any mention is made of him they cry out Deleatur nâ—men ejus let his name be forgotten and then spit thrice upon the ground in detestation of him they inure their Children from their Child-hood to curse the Lord Jesus and the blessed Virgin his Mother and if any do undertake to refute their errours out of the word they presently stop their ears refusing to hear c. Thereby verifying the Word of the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.15 2 Cor. 3.15 even unto this day when Moses is read the Vaâ—l is upon their Heart In a word as the same Apostle summeth up their wickedness in another place They killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets 1 Thess 2.15.10 and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men Forbidding to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Surely a very fearful and sore judgement it is that is fallen upon this people And what should we do in this day wherein the avenging hand of God lieth so heavy upon them Should we now forget the brotherly-Covenant and with Edom insult over them in the day of their calamity Obad. v. 12 speaking proudly in the day of their distress That be far from us Rather let us for our humiliation consider so long as they are under so severe a lash of Gods just indignation we that are sinners of the Gentiles shall still have a taste given us of the cup of Gods anger none of all our Churches must look to be delivered from their present troubles they must and shall be still haunted with a spirit of division among themselves and with persecution from the Devil and his Anti-Christ For loe the Lord hath begun to bring evil upon his people and upon the City which is called by his name and should we be utterly unpunished Thus argueth the Apostle Saint Peter 1 Pet. 4.17 18 Whose words we may make use of to this purpose When God had begun to cast off the Jews for of them it is probable the Apostle in this place is especially mindful because otherwise the order which he there observeth that God used in bringing his people under his rod before he poured out his fury upon his enemies was no new or strange matter but had been of old He thus writeth 1 Pet. 4.17 18. The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us that is the Jews for these Epistles were written to them whether it be those amongst us that profess the faith or the generality of our Nation that deny it what shall the end be of them viz. the Gentiles who obey not the Gospel of God that is Who when they have received it are not easie to be perswaded by it but are refractory and unruly under it as we all are to this very day And if the righteous such were all the Jews whiles they continued the house of God scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner of the Gentiles appear Whether this be the proper sense of the place or no I will not contend but will leave it to consideration nevertheless our argumentation cannot be refelled if the green tree suffer in this manner shall the dry tree escape If the children the dearly beloved of Gods soul be thus severely punished shall we in the mean time that were strangers reckoned no better then dogs feeding under our Masters table bee without chastisement especially when now grace hath abounded towards us there are with us also even with us sins against the Lord our God The consideration hereof may I say teach us to walk humbly and should put us to our prayers yea to earnest importunities that God would be pleased once again to look upon his antient people with an eye of compassion and the rather should we be willing hereunto because there is hope in Israel concerning this thing for behold here the unspeakable goodness of God in a mystery made manifest by this scripture of the Apostle according to the commandment of the everlasting God this obduration which is upon Israel is but in part till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in Observe first It is but in part that they are thus hardened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In part I say not as if the Jews for the generality had not wholly rejected the grace of God for alas the judgment written in that respect is as it hath been said before come upon them to the uttermost the whole way of God for their salvation being hidden from their eyes but it is in part How because all the Nation hath not fallen under this judgement say some so Saint Austin Ex parte dixit quia non omnes excoecati sunt He saith in part because all are not hardened Epist 59. Tom. 10. Molli locutione significare vellet plurimos non omnes aut non omnino Grotius Ambr. Tom. 5. But if this were the meaning wherein lay the mystery For it was manifest by the Apostle himself and sundry others with him that there was a remnant of Believers among the Jews in those dayes according to the election of grace Rather therefore I conceive with Saint Ambrose He saith in part because this obduration was to be but for a time so that this restriction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not set by the Apostle as Calvin and others would have it to temper the asperity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as to be an extenuation of their sin for that appears still to be exceeding sinful but it referreth to Gods decreed boundary for the time of the worlds continuance implying that
his own and his own c. John 1.14 The word was made flesh c. Acts 1.6 When they therefore were come together c. Acts 1.7 It is not for you to know the times c. Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the Creature c. Rom. 8.20 For the creature was made subject to vanity c. Rom. 8.21 Because the creature also it self shall be delivered c. Rom. 8.22 For we know that the whole Creation groaneth c. Rom. 8.29 The first-born among many Brethren c. Rom. 11.25 Blindness in part is hapned to Israel until c. Rom. 11.26 And so all Israel shall be saved c. Rom. 11.27 For this is my Covenant with them when c. Gal. 4.5 To redeem them that were under the Law that we c. Col. 1.15 Who is the Image of the invisible God c. 1 Tim. 2.5 For there is one God and one Mediatour c. Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Crete c. Tit. 1.7 For a Bishop must be blameless c. 1 Pet. 4.17 For the time is come that judgement must begin c. 1 Pet. 4.18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved c. Rev. 1.11 I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last c. The Interpretation of these Texts of Scripture Gentle Reader as they are rendred in this Treatise I do leave unto thy most serious consideration Not but that there are besides these sundry Expositions of other places of Scripture here also given that are not usual yet nevertheless may well be conceived to be according to truth without condemning those that have been commonly received These likewise you will meet with as you go along in your reading and will require your most ponderous meditations Onely I do desire that when you meet with an interpretation of the Holy Scripture which may seem somewhat strange unto you not to be hasty in passing censure upon it till you have found the whole discourse about it to be fully finished Again it will perhaps be objected unto me by some that I do here take but a slight occasion to be very large and vehement in maintaining the honour of our Church against her Adversaries by justifying the Order which she observeth in the Publick Worship of God and Ecclesiastical Government Whereto it may well be answered Is there not a cause When not onely the Church which is our Mother the most eminent Pillar and Stay of Divine Truth hath been miserably rent and torn by Schismes and Divisions but our Lord Jesus Christ himself also was very much dishonoured thereby being made by a sort of wretched people the very Authour and Fautor of their Divisions as if he had not been and were not still to be to his poor Church what the Text here insisted upon proclaims him to be viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same Cause enough then there is for every true Son of the Church to spend his Zeal in this Contrast upon all occasions and to marke them as the Apostle adviseth who cause these Divisions and Offences that they may be avoyded It must be confessed the late Schisme while it grew more and more prevalent in this Kingdome till it pleased God to reduce us to our pristine order by a merciful providence never to be forgotten did bring us especially of the Ministery into such a low despondency and pusillanimity of spirit that we had almost lost that Christian Valour yea and English courage pro aris focis for which our Church and Nation have in times before us been so much renowned But since the Lord God hath spoken who can but prophecy when deliverance hath been sent unto us by the out-stretched arm of an Almighty Power who can forbear to rejoyce in it And when God hath shewed us our Errour in suffering our selves to be deluded by a spirit of seduction who can but lament his back-slidings and appeare with his utmost strength in the vindication of that Truth and Church which have been so treacherously forsaken For my own part I do here in the truth and uprightness of my heart solemnly protest before God and men as I have been ashamed of my credulity in giving heed for some time to the cunning insinuations of those who pretended they were for the cause of God but were found Lyars so now though possibly it may be said of me as it was of Saint Paul 2 Cor. 10.10 that my bodyly presence is weak and my speech contemptible and therefore it is but little that can be expected from me that may be for the advantage of the Church in any kinde all which I will not deny yet I do and must account it my duty with that little strength that I have to endeavour what I can by all wayes and means the undeceiving of those poor seduced people who being bewitched with the like sorceries do yet continue in their perverseness against the Lord and against his Anointed What else should I do after so woful a defection that hath been among us when to my apprehension I hear often the word of our Saviour to his Apostle Saint Peter sounding in mine eares Luk. 22.32 tu conversus confirma fratres when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Let no man therefore blame me for my forwardness and vehemency in this matter upon any occasion for I cannot but speak the things which I have seen and heard as the same Apostle also said yea let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth and my right hand forget her skill how poor and slender soever it be if my tongue and pen both be not now ready for the Churches service to fill up the acclamation at the setting on the Head-stone of this great Work of Omnipotency in the re-establishment of Order among us both in point of Divine Worship and of Civil and Ecclesiastical Government with Grace Grace unto it Lastly I should now also be loth to be so far mistaken as that by giving new experiments of rendring the sense of Scripture otherwise then it hath been generally taken I should thereby incline to favour that upstart Sect of holders-forth of new Lights and new Truths against whom I have alwayes protested my dislike with much loathing and abhorrency and do still account of them no better then the smoke that comes out of the bottomless pit which would in time darken the light of the Gospel as much as the foggy mists of Popery ever did where it prevaileth Deplorable is their estate and accursed be their attempts whosoever they are that set up any of their pretended Lights in competition with the Holy Scripture and are not contented with that truth which hath already been revealed to the Church in those things that are necessary to salvation The bed of divine truth is green all the year long Cant. 1.16 no filthy weeds of spotted Errour so much as once appearing therein nor no room at all to be found
Text that the ground and foundation of their faith to which they did so constantly adhere was no novelty nor yet such as did fail them or expire with them but being the rock of Ages was co-equal with the Church from the beginning and would be also the only sure foundation for all the faithful to the end of the World and that is Jesus Christ the same yesterday to day and for ever Understand it thus It is as if the Apostle should have said They well knew whom they believed and you may also know him too if you will do as they did for Jesus Christ who is the unchangeable God blessed for ever as they made him their strength and their support so he never failed them Be you therefore followers of them looking unto Jesus who as he led them into all truth and preserved them in it so will he likewise do the same unto you and to all others that shall come after you who believe in his Name for he is the same Yesterday to day and for ever We may now glean up by the way some Doctrinal conclusions which shall be but named that so we may come without any further protraction to taste of the sweetness that springeth abundantly from the Fountain of the Text. 1. We learn hereby That people ought to be followers of their Teachers as they follow Christ and no otherwise 2. The way to abide stedfast in the faith is to stick to the Foundation that is Jesus Christ who is still the same 3. Whosoever they be that make a sincere profession of the Gospel of Jesus Christ shall never be ashamed of it for Christ will constantly without any change own and maintain that faith which hath once and but once been delivered by him to his Saints being first and last like himself This was Preached Decem. 26. These things premised let us now come to the Text whereof if I should undertake to speak any thing in order to this time of Solemnity which yesterday to day and some daies following is held up and continued among us as if it had reference unto it I should then indeed declare myself to be but of yesterday and to know nothing at least to know nothing of my Text as I ought to know But the words in their genuine sense will not lead us unto any such matter It is Insignis locus as Mr. Calvin calls it a most excellent and remarkable Scripture speaking out the Lord Jesus Christ in his due Altitude making the World and every creature in all Ages subject unto him It is the Argument of both the Testaments and to use the words applied by a Religious and Reverend Bishop of our times to another Scripture like unto this Dr. John King Bishop of London It is the staff and supportation of Heaven and Earth they would both sink and all their joynts be severed were it not that Jesus Christ were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same yesterday to day and for ever And what shall I more say as the Apostle said Hebr. 11. When he had spoken much and there was much more behind but that time failed him Rather what should I not say For our Theatre at this time is not only within the narrow bounds of the World but extends beyond it and our Meditations in handling of this Subject are to reach from Eternity to Eternity Let us then duly poize it and with the good blessing of God make use of it for our Edification A three-fold interpretation may be given First Jesus Christ may be said to be The same yesterday to day and for ever in respect of his Divine Nature Secondly This may be applied unto him with a reference to the whole Creation Thirdly It may so likewise with a more especial respect unto his Church and People And here because it may seem strange that I should give so many several interpretations of this Text Give me leave to premise an Apology for my understanding herein I would not be too vehement in forcing a Text to carry a sense which is not directly or by warrantable deduction to be found within the compass thereof And it is a great wrong that is done unto Divine Truths when Scriptures are produced for their foundation that are not Homogenial with them As for this three-fold interpretation which I have here given of this Text though the last be commonly accounted the most proper as being consonant to the scope of the Apostle yet the other two are not to be rejected as inconsistent with the sense of the Holy Ghost therein Nay is there not a greater latitude then ordinary to be allowed unto it when it is propounded as a Divine Theorem cutting asunder the thread as it were of the former Discourse that the eyes and thoughts of all men that read it may in a singular manner be fixed upon it as on a general Sentence or Proposition comprehensive of more then might alonely have reference to the preceding Verse Surely there is somewhat extraordinary to be found in it Therefore as I have already prescribed my Method so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall now prosecute it The first Interpretation of the Text. THe first sense then or interpretation that is given of the Text is this Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever in respect of his Divine Nature that is as he is God equal with the Father begotten of him from eternity to eternity And herein I am not alone but I find the Text so rendred both by Modern and Ancient Expositours Francis Junius writeth of it to the same purpose Hoc quarto ut Logicis lâ—quamur medo proprium Deitatis est This is a most transcendent property of the Godhead to be the same yesterday to day and for ever And from this very Text saith the same Authour do the Primitive Fathers in the purest times prove Jesus Christ to be the true and eternal God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantial and coessential with the Father and the Holy Ghost some instances of whom shall be given in the prosecution of this point Having then the concurrency of others that are sound and Orthodox whose Works praise them in the gates Let us consider how this Text may represent this great Mystery unto us in the several parts of it It is a most certain truth that the Divine Generation is that which gives unto the Son of God his personal Being which Generation is acknowledged by all that are sound in the faith to be from all eternity This is that which in the Text if it referreth at all to the eternal personality of Jesus Christ as it undoubtedly doth and will be here made to appear must be understood by Yesterday Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same or The only He yesterday that is begotten of the Father from all eternity As the word Hodie to Day Psal 2.7 Psal 2.7 is by Expositours truly rendred not only for the Day
that put their trust in him The second Interpretation of the TEXT Jesus Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever In a reference to the whole CREATION Adsis O JESV HEnce it is that Christ calls himself the Alpha and Omega Rev. 1.11 the first and the last Being so in this sense as well as in that before-mentioned The first because he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1.16 The last Col. 1.16 in that he is after all things Or He shall stand the last on the earth as that place of Job may be rendred or with the last Job 19.25 Es 41.4 Col. 3.11 as the Prophet phraseth it that is continuing with or ruling this whole World to the end of it He is All and in all saith the Apostle in point of eternal salvation all meritoriously all efficiently all sufficiently so likewise is he All and in all in respect of the World and the Creatures therein for all had been nothing without him and all would fall to nothing without him the same good hand of his Power running constantly without the least Retractation or Interstitium through the whole from first to last which clearly demonstrates him what the Text proclaims him to be viz. The same yesterday to day and for ever That is The same in the work of Creation The same in the work of Preservation The same in the work of Restauration According to this triple Distribution of Time here in the Text Yesterday to day and for ever Let us therefore now consider these distinctly by themselves that we may so far as God shall be pleased to enable us take an exact view of the unchangeable power of the Lord Jesus in order to the Creatures CHAP I. How the Text is Applicable to Christ in the work of Creation JEsus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same mighty God or the only He as the word signifies in the work of Creation he is that great Jehovah as it hath been made to appear that Ens entium The beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 Not in a Passive sense but Active that giveth a Being to all Creatures Therefore when this Jehovah saith of himself Es 48.12 I am he Es 48.12 I am the first I am also the last He presently inferreth Mine hand hath laid the foundations of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens when I call them they stand up together Ob. But we are to believe will some say according to the Tenor of our Creed that the Father is the Creatour of Heaven and Earth Sol. I answer True but that is not to be taken exclusively of the Son and of the Holy Ghost for as there is a Divine Order between the Persons in the Trinity so this Order is the same towards the Creatures as it is amongst themselves Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa Talis agendo qualis existendo The same in working as in their existency one with another the Father is of himself the Son is of the Father the Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son so first the Counsel and Decree of the Father precedeth then the Son produceth that Decree into Act P.R. the Jesuit in his Treatise of Mitigati on against Dr. Morton tels us that Bellarmine Valentia c. Charge Calvin with Arianism for holding that Christ as he is the second person of the Trinity cannot properly be called the Creatour of Heaven and Earth for that say they implieth that he is not God nor equal to his Father Heb. 1.2 then the Holy Ghost maketh it effectual to all those ends and purposes for which it was ordained not as if there were any priority among them either in respect of Dignity or Time but the only wise God being the God of Order and delighting therein this Order is held in all proceedings amongst those three Heavenly Estates as it were who are not either in their Actions or Existence subordinate one to another but only co-ordinate one with another Excellently therefore according to this Rule is this Order in the work of Creation described by Arnobius an Orthodox Writer of the Fourth Century Ipse dixit facta sunt hoc est per verbum Dei facta sunt Patre loquente Filio creante Spiritu Sancto animante He spake and it was done that is By the Word of God were the Heavens and the Earth finished and all the Host of them by the Breath of his Mouth the Father decreeing the Son creating the Holy Ghost quickning Or as Basil the Great at the same time sweetly interprets it In creatione cogita principalem causam corum quae fiâ—nt Patrem conditricem Filium perfectricem Spiritum Sanctum In the work of Creation ever conceive the first Mover thereof to be the Father the working cause to be the Son the perfecting to be the Holy Ghost True it is the Father is said to work by the Son for by him that is the Son saith the Apostle Heb. 1.2 God made the World yet that will not necessarily imply as the Arians impiously construe it that the Son is only ministerial or instrumental to the Father herein as a Servant is to his Lord for this Preposition Per doth sometimes also signifie the very primary efficient cause of a thing that is acted or done v.g. A man may be said per liberum arbritrium by his free-will to undertake a Design his will though cannot be counted as his Instrument in the matter he undertakes but it is the efficient Mover of his undertaking And when a work-man per rationem Idaeam Artis that is by his skill doth perfect some rare artificial Piece we do not say that his Reason or Skill was either his Tool or his Servant that he used in his Work but the very Spring or Principle from whence the Work received its full and whole composure and formality which is so far from being an Impeachment of the Work-mans credit that it rather tends to his greater glory So when the Father is said by the Son to create the World the Son is not thereby subjected to the form of a Servant unto the Father as he was when he undertook to redeem the World but is declared thereby to be in all points 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Co-worker with him as the efficient cause of the Creation to the glory of the Father 1 Cor. 1.24 he being the wisdom of God and the power of God as saith the Apostle And yet to make this clearer we shall find that the said Preposition is in Scripture sometimes used with a reference also even unto the Father v.g. 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful 1 Cor. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son 2 Cor. 1.1 And 2 Cor. 1.10 Paul calls himself an Apostle of Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the will of
God Whereby surely is not meant that the Father is subservient in either of these respects but the first Mover and efficient cause in both so is the Son also in the work of Creation though the Father is said to work by him for he saith John 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto and I work John 5.17.19 And what things soever the Father doth these do the Son likewise V. 19. As the Father therefore is the sole Creatour of all things so in like manner is the Son John 10.30 because the Father and the Son are both one the Father by the Son and the Son from the Father excluding only all Creatures in Heaven or in Earth from having any concurrency herein To conclude Peter Lombard's sense concerning this Point or rather S. Chrysostom's quoted by him will give us some clear light in this Mystery and it is indeed well worthy to be remembred by us The Father Lib. 2. Dist 13. saith he worketh by the Son Quia tum genuit omnium opificem Because he begat him in that ineffable and eternal Generation the Creatour of all things and if the Father be the cause of the Son secundum quod Pater est As he is Father much more is he the cause of those Creatures which are created by the Son Hence it appeareth John 5.26 that as the Father hath life in himself and hath given to the Son to have life in himself so the Father hath this honour soo modo ordine In his glorious Rank and Order to be the Creatour of all things and he hath given to the Son in his order likewise to be the Creatour too the like we may say also of the Holy Ghost in his Order Since then it is the priviledge of the Son by virtue of his Divine Generation to be entituled to this Honour in an equality with the Father let him be as the Apostle calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bringer forth of every Creature Col. 1.15 And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Authour the Beginner Rev. 3.14 the Prince of the whole Creation the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he and none but he He it was that stretched forth the Heavens alone Es 44.24 Psal 104.9 Ps 147.4 and did spread abroad the Earth by himself he made his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flaming fire He telleth the number of the Stars and calleth them all by their names or as it is rendred Giveth names unto them He prepared the Light and the Sun Ps 74.16 Ps 104.19 Job 38.28 29. Job 38.22 Ps 135.7 Ps 33.7 Ps 24.1 the Moon also he appointed for seasons And what Father hath the Rain but he Or who but he hath begotten the drops of Dew Out of whose Womb came the Ice And the hoary Frost of Heaven who but he hath gendred it He created the treasures of the Snow the Hail and the Wind and he laid up the Depth in Storehouses The Earth is his and the fulness thereof whether it be in the Surface or in the Bowels of it the round World and they that dwell therein In fine the Apostle sums up altogether Col. 1.16 By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in the Earth visible and invisible Col. 1.16 whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And the Evangelist agrees in the same account saying All things were made by him John 1.3 and without him was not any thing made that was made Thus was Jesus Christ Yesterday that is in the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only he in the work of Creation He himself undertook it without the assistance of Angels whom Saturnius Basilides Cent 2. cap 5. and other Hereticks of old would obtrude upon him to be his Co-agents in the Work And he was likewise the same in carrying on his work there was no variableness in him whilest he continued in it exercising his Divine Artifice and Dexterity in the Magnitude Variety Multitude Distinction Order Harmony of his Creatures which he produced one day after another till all was finished At which time he look'd upon all with much complacency and delight beholding the Travel that he had gone over and was satisfied therewith not retracting the least thing that had passed through his fingers for he was not ashamed of his Work but set his Seal unto the whole giving this Testimony of it That it was all very good Gen. 1.31 With men indeed there is a marvellous mutability in their Works either they are not able to perfect what they begin and so are not the same when they have wearied themselves about their work as they were at first entrance upon it ashamed and vexed to see their expectations frustrated As it was with Solomon after he had stretched forth his uttermost Abilities which in truth surpassed all others to extract the most exquisite Spirits and purest Quintessence for his delight which the variety of the Creatures could afford how miserably alas was he deluded I locked saith he on all the works that my hands had wrought R◠2.11 and on the labour that I had laboured to do and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit Or else they are not wise enough to carry on their Enterprizes to such a progress and maturity as may probably produce any desirable Issue being fain to sit down many times re infectâ even as wise as they began or out of envy they are not willing to impart their Experiments to others Plutarchus in vita Alex. As Alexander would not have Aristotle to publish his Acroamatical Sciences for wherein saith he shall we excel others if those things which thou hast secretly taught us be made common to all O! but the Lord Jesus Christ is the same all along in his Works shewing forth the immutability of his Wisdom Coodness and Power therein for by his Wisdom he made the Heavens and by his Wisdom he made the Worms Gen. 1.25 which though they may be generated by corruption Ps 136.5 Gen. 1.25 yet they had their Original by virtue of the Principles of the first Production caused by that Omnipotent Fiat which gave Being to all things and the smaller the Creature is the more is the Divine Workmanship to be admired both in the shaping and in the using thereof The Hebrews have an opinion as it is observed that Enchanters cannot shew their skill in little things if they be less then a Barley-corn and therefore the Sorcerers of Egypt failed in producing Lice Exod. 8.18 But the Wisdom of the great Creatour is the same in the smallest Creature of the World as in the greatest the organical body of a little Ant is no less to be wondred at then the huge body of Behemoth His goodness also is the same shining clearly throughout the whole Creation It was not out of any need that he began this Work
his command shutting them up with Bars and Bolts within their decreed place Jer. 3.22 giving a charge to the poor inconsiderable Sand to be a boundary unto them and though they roar all like Bears and Lions yet they are not able to pass over it When we consider also the Earth the Center of the World as it may be called how stedfast and immoveable That though it be founded on the Seas and established on the Floods Job 38.6 Ps 104.5 Ps 104.24 yet the Corner-stone should be so surely laid that the Foundation shall not be removed for ever How vast and inexhaustible the Treasures thereof are it being full of the Riches of God How excellent and glorious the Attire wherewith it is every year adorned How fertile her Womb from whence such a numerous multitude of living Creatures do derive their Pedigree and Extraction Her uberous Breasts also still sending forth millions of streams to feed as with milk both her young and old Fruit In a word How that from it is ministred matter to defend or offend feed or famish cherish or starve make blind or receive sight to overturn or build up to procure health or sickness soe 's or friends peace or war pleasure or pain sorrow or mirth sleep or watchfulness sores or soundness barenness or fruitfulness life or death and what not When I say we consider these things and amongst them all in a more especial manner our selves made indeed a little lower then the Angels Ps 8.5 6. but crowned with glory and worship having dominion over the works of Gods hands How can we choose but be filled with admiration and say O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the World How glorious is thy Majesty How infinite is thy Power How incomprehensible is thy Greatness Thou who art the great Jehovah Exod. 15.11 Ps 89.13 the first born of every Creature the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that givest a Being to this All Who is like unto thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Surely thou hast a mighty Arm strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand Let therefore all the Earth fear thy Name Ps 33.8 yea let all the Inhabitants of the World stand in awe of thee and yield their homage unto thee And whatsoever is excellent in them let them lay it at thy feet and say Worthy art thou Rev. 4.11 O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Secondly Since it is so let then the Lord Jesus Christ enjoy that absolute Sovereignty which he hath as his Peculiar over all the Earth to dispose of it as seemeth good unto him for it is the greatest right that possibly can be in the world imagined to have a peculiar Title to those things that are of one's own making Poor Creatures will stand much upon their Priviledge herein Hath not the Potter power over the Clay of the same lump when he hath prepared and fitted it for his use to make one Vessel unto honour and another to dishonour And hath not the Gardener likewise liberty when he hath contrived his Plat in stretching forth his Line and treading out his Beds and Borders according to his mind to dispose of them for his delight planting and transplanting where and when and as often as he pleaseth Is it not lawful for me said the Master of the Vineyard to do what I will with mine own This liberty is justifiable even by the Law of Nature Seeing then that Jesus Christ is the Creatour of all things and that therefore the Earth is his and the fulness thereof having received from him both matter and form which no Creature in the world can contribute to the work of his hands it is but very meet and requisite that his power should be paramount at all times in giving of it to whomsoever he will and that all men of what Rank soever and to what Right soever they do pretend to be Paravale unto him In vain it is to make a flourish and according to the fashion of the world in a proud insolent manner to boast of our Pedigree and Ancestours and that such an Estate is derived unto me through the prudence and providence of my wise and careful Progenitours whereby I have a Propriety in it and therefore to be perpetuated to me and my Posterity for ever Alas alas these words are but wind empty and foolish only they carry with them an arrogant encroachment upon that supreme Right which belongs unto Jesus Christ as if their present possession notwithstanding their frequent forfeitures by their multiplied disobediences did settle upon them such an entailment as that it lay not in the power of the Lord of the whole Earth to make a re-entry whensoever he pleased and to pass a new Grant unto others that are not of their House and Linage But the wind shall blow no man to preferment out of what quarter soever it may arise for the Prophet tells us Psal 75.6 Promotion cometh neither from the East nor from the West Ps 75.6 nor from the South or Wilderness as the word is rendred containing both North and South Neque à desertis montibus saith S. Hierom. Canaan being on both side begirt with Deserts But God is the Judge in this case as well as in any else He putteth down one and setteth up another V. 7. which he can and doth justifie very well to the silencing of all contradiction even upon the account of his Creatourship I have saith he Made the Earth the Man and the Beast that are upon the ground by my great power and by my out-stretched Arm Jer. 27.5 and have given it unto whom it seemeth meet unto me And thus have we seen how Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same mighty God or the only He as the word signifies in the work of Creation CHAP II. How the Text is Applicable to Christ in the work of Preservation JEsus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same to Day in the work of Preservation and Government of the World which he was Yesterday in the work of Creation For Non minor est virtus quam condere facta tueri There is as much need of power and wisdom to Preserve as to Create What avails it to plant a Garrison without a Captain to defend it To Rigg a Ship for the Sea without a Pilot to guide it To throw Seed into the Ground with an expectation of an encrease at Harvest unless means be used to preserve it from the Incursions of wild Beasts which would utterly destroy it So unless the Lord Jesus Christ be the Preserver of that which he hath created be is not the same to Day which he was Yesterday his years are expired that is his Wisdom Power and Goodness in order to the Creatures have
hath of late been sufficiently cleared by others Mr. Prinn c. Is not the Lord Jesus Christ called the Prince of the Kings of the Earth as being his honour to have those that are of the highest estimation to be Subjects unto him Which being so it should be the desire and ambition of all the people in the world to be ruled by those persons who are entituled to this subjective Regality And when Divine Providence shall with a strong hand and a stretched-out Arm lead them unto it as it hath done us here in this Kingdom and the Nations of our Vicinity for many Generations it will certainly be their sin if they should not submit cheerfully unto it as it was the sin of the people of Israel when they out of a diffidence of Gods care and protection of them and out of an Apish imitation of other Nations would in an unseasonable preposterous and tumultuous manner be catching at it And now all this considered how can a people with any serenity of Conscience profess Godliness and yet speak reproachfully of the Kingly Office yea account it Antichristian as some have done proclaiming open Hostility against it Were it indeed Heterogeneous to the Divine Ordinance of Civil Government or incongruous to the times of the Gospel or prejudicial to the interest of the Saints as it is said to be or an impeachment in the least degree to the Dignity and Prerogative Royal of the Lord Jesus Christ himself either in respect of his Natural or of his Donative Kingdom such persons might proceed upon warrantable grounds to proclaim their dislike in that kind But it may now appear to all the World that the clamour which is raised against Regal Power upon any of these before-named accounts is altogether causeless and of no moment It will not be expedient here to examine them severally for in so doing we should make too large a digression haply we shall meet with them obiter in our way wherein the inadvertency or to say truly the Seditious frowardness rather then the godly zeal of the Authors and Abettors of these Complaints will be made manifest unto all men In the mean time I cannot but protest against that pernicious Paradox which hath been vented by a leading Divine as he was accounted in these late times of Errour and Rebellion amongst us J. O. who in a Sermon preached at S. Margarets Westminster and afterwards Printed saith thus The Lord had of old erected a Kingly Government in the House of David not for any eminency in the Government it self or for the Civil Advantage of that people but that it might be a Type of the Spiritual Dominion of the Messiah and so was a part of their Paedagogy and Bondage as was the residue of their Types every one of them and consequently this form of Government not to be of any use in the time of the Gospel Were this true we then who are now of the Church of God as that people were before us acknowledging this Messiah to be come according to the Promise may indeed have just cause to say of that kind of Government as the Apostle doth of Circumcision If we should allow of it Christ shall profit us nothing the substance being come what should the shadow of a King do unto us But I hope that those who have through the subtlety of Satan been misled into this Opinion will hereafter find cause to retract it when they shall remember that the rule of the Gospel to which they pretend an exact Conformity requires them to pray and to give thanks for Kings which as the Apostle saith is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour 1 Tim. 2.1 2 3. 1 Tim 2.1 2 3. However seeing that Wisdom puts forth her Voice crying at the Gates at the entry of the City at the coming in at the Doors saying By me Kings Reign and Princes decree Justice by me Princes rule and Nobles even all the Judges of the eâ—rth Seeing I say this sound is heard from Heaven every day in the Consciences of men Wisdom will herein be justified of all her children And let this serve to terminate the first part of my Proposition viz. Government is an Ordinance of Divine Authorization Secondly It is ordained to be subservient unto Christ in the dispensation of his power and providence towards the preservation of Mankind 2. Branch For though Christ be All in all Col. 3.11 as the Apostle speaks Col. 3. yet to shew himself to be the Lord of all he hath ordained means to be subservient unto him in all the works of his Providence and hath accordingly made use of them To this purpose saith the Son of Sirach very pertinently Ec. 38.2 3 4 5. Of the most High cometh healing yet the Physician must be honoured with that honour that belongeth unto him The Lord also hath created Medicines out of the Earth and he that is wise will not abhor them He hath given skill unto men that he might be honoured in his marvellous works with such doth he heal men and taketh away their pains of such doth the Apothecary make a Confection c. Hence it is as the Prophet Jeremy speaketh Jer. 23.25 That his Covenant with Day and Night and the Ordinances of Heaven and Earth concerning their disposition motion order influences virtues and operations are inviolable They continue this day saith the Psalmist according to thine ordinance Ps 119.91 for all are thy servants not as if his Paramount Authority and power were thereby any whit diminished rather it is advanced nor as if he were necessitated thereunto for want of power in himself for we may see the course of Heaven c. hath sometimes been inverted by him Indulgentiae est non indigentiae non efficaciam quaerit sed congruentiam Ex. 14.16 John 3.16 2 Reg. 10.1 Dan. 3.25 But of his own free will in the abundance of his goodness it is that he governeth and preserveth Creatures by Creatures using the ministery of second Causes for in their present poor estate wherein they are in this world his own immediate hand and power would soon prove intolerable unto them Who alas among us here can dwell with devouring fire Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings Goodness then and mercy it is that is the ground of this Dispensation from Heaven towards poor creatures of all sorts but there is no creature under the Sun unto whom the Lord hath so much respect as he hath to Mankind all other indeed have their being and their well-being whatsoever it is from him as hath been said before But Man is his Favourite the Masterpiece of his wisdom power and goodness the work of his Faciamus not barely of his Fiat as other Creatures were in him he challengeth a special propriety accounting him his own in a peculiar manner for in that sense I conceive that place of the Evangelist John 1.11 He
came unto his own John 1 11. c. is to be understood viz. with a reference not unto any particular people as it is commonly interpreted of the Jews the Context about it utterly excluding that Interpretation but unto Mankind that is to his Rational Creature whereof he being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The man per excellentiam 1 Tim 2.5 1 Tim. 2.5 as being the Original of the whole Species that is the Spirit and Life he therefore like a good Father makes provision for his own that they may live under him quietly and peaceably one with another In order hereunto did this great Jehovah himself in the beginning rule over man exercising his absolute Sovereignty as seemed good unto him keeping Court as we may say and proceeding against Delinquents Adam Eve Cain the old World and there was none in a political Subordination unto him for God gave Sovereignty to Adam over Fishes and Birds Gen. 1.28 Pastores pecorum magis quam Reges gentium Gen. 11.25 c. not over Creatures made to his own likeness And the first Righteous men we read of were rather Shepherds and Herdmen over Beasts then Kings over Nations the name of Servant never imposed in Scripture till Noah bestowed it upon his accursed Son saying Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren Remarkably not Cham though the Offendour possibly because he was one of the old World not to be brought under such a censure whereupon it is probable as one makes the Collection Nomen illud culpa meruit non Natura it was not Nature that brought that Denomination into the World but sin So that it appeareth The Lord alone as saith the Psalmist was our King of old and for a space the justice that was done upon earth he did it himself In those daies to speak of this matter in the words of Moses In those years of many Generations when the most High not Adam Deut. 32.7 8.12 Seth Enos or any of the rest divided to the Nations their Inheritance when he separated the Sons of Adam the Lord alone was at that time the Leader and there was no strange God with him But in that golden Age there rose up a Generation of Rebels the Progeny of that Renegado Cain who would not submit themselves to that incomparable Government which was then established in the World but contrary to the Crown and Dignity of Heaven Gen. 6.11 12 13. of Jesher signifying righteousness or uprightness Gen. 6.3 corrupted their waies and filled the whole Earth with their Violence Gen. 6.11 12 13. This Jeshurun whom God made upright Ec. 7.29 grew lawless and unruly and like a fatted Bullock kicked against his Ieeder Now therefore because God would not have his Spirit alwaies to strive in that way and kind with man who was but flesh Gen. 6.3 He was pleased after he had made himself known by the Judgment which he executed upon the World of the ungodly to constitute a subordinate Power in his stead giving out his Decree for the confirmation of it in these words Who so hereafter sheddeth mans blood Gen. 9.6 by man shall his blood be shed The judiciaâ—y form of Gods proceeding against Man-slayers before was not it seems to transmit them over to men to be punished nor himself to punish them with death Gen. 4 15.23.24 as may be seen in the case of Cain and Lamech But now man is ordained to be a Servant unto God herein and to execute upon those of his own kind the Judgment written yet not every man neither for there is an express Law to the contrary Thou shalt not kill this honour hath the Magistrate who under God hath Jus vitae necis Power to punish and to preserve according to the laws and orders given him by his Superiour that is Jesus Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Irenaeus a holy and peaceable Servant of the Church in the Primitive times gives us his judgment concerning the Introduction of this subordinate Power into the World in these words Because man would not know the fear of the Lord therefore did God put upon him the fear of man that so fearing humane Laws men should not devour and consume one the other as the manner of Fishes is Clearly then the Powers that be are ordained of God and not only so but he who exerciseth the power let him be of what form soever in respect of the power or of what profession soever in respect of Religion or by what lawful way soever he came at first to be vested in his Authority whether by Conquest or by Contract or by Election or by Inheritance he I say with the Apostle is the Minister of God yea and more then so he is the Minister of God to man for good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 13.4 Rom 13.4 The Article there added is very emphatical noting the good which it attends upon to be very remarkable If it be demanded what is that Good I answer much every way Look what good the Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ was to bring unto the Sons of men if he himself had still continued his Personal Reign among them the same I say not in a gradual sense but Analogical is to be and undoubtedly shall be if the sins of men do not hinder it the blessed effect of those subordinate Powers that are now under him throughout the World If any shall desire to see this General branched out into particulars they may take notice of a fourfold good that under Christ accrueth unto men by Government viz. Natural Moral Civil Spiritual Natural Is it not good to have our Lives and the Lives of our Posterities preserved and secured against the rage and fury of unreasonable men whose feet are swift to shed bloud as Solomon speaks Pro. 1.16 Pro. 1.16 This is the fruit of Government Moral Is it not good to have Wickedness suppressed and Righteousness encouraged and advanced For Righteousness saith Solomon exalteth a Nation but sin is the shame of any people Pro. 14.34 This also is the fruit of Government Civil Is it not good that Laws and Ordinances be established for where no Law is to invert the Apostles word there will be all kind of Transgression Laws I say by virtue whereof men may sit quietly and safely under their Vines and Figg-trees and enjoy the good of all their labours live peaceably together Mich. 4.4 holding society one with another thereby preserving the honour of Mankind which of all Creatures under the Sun is the most lovely and most loving one to another if the malice of Hell did not mingle with them This again is the fruit of Government Spiritual It is very good doubtless that true Religion should prosper and flourish in a Nation that the Ordinances of Divine Worship be set up in their purity for this is the glory of a people But what alas would
the Lord Jesus Christ in order to the preservation of his Creatures A Doctrine it is that is profitable for Conviction for Encouragement and Instruction For conviction of many sinful practises too frequently appearing in these times to the great dishonour of Christ and his Government over the World and for the encouragement and instruction of all the faithful people of God who desire to walk worthy of that preservation which they enjoy under his Government First then this plainly layeth open the gross blindness that hath come upon many who notwithstanding think they see clearly When men will freely acknowledge this great Jehovah the Lord of all to be the sole Fountain of Being unto all Creatures both in Heaven and in Earth And yet in the several changes and revolutions that come upon the World have their thoughts fixed upon second Causes or such it may be as they have framed to themselves not at all regarding the work of the Lord nor the operation of his hands as if he were now no more then a mean Spectatour and had nothing to do in the various Transactions of his Creatures about him How impiously do some after the manner of the Heathen ascribe unto Fortune that good or ill success which attends upon their undertakings It was my good fortune saith one Si fortuna volet fies de Rhetore Conful si volet haec eadem fies de Consule Rhetor that brought me to this Honour to this Estate wherein now I am It was my hard hap saith another that I met with such a cross and that I am fallen into this misery even as the Poet once said If Fortune Will thou may'st of Poor be Consul made And if that will thou must unto thy former Trade This you 'l say is not as becometh Christians but behold yet more Abominations some there are yea too many who when they go about a matter of any great Import either to free themselves from some sad disaster as they call it or to enterprize a Design which they conceive may be for their advantage will usually like unto Heathens for the Scripture notes it as a part of their Infidelity consult with Astrologers a sort of people who if they will keep themselves within their own Sphere would have the Approbation of all that are wise but being excentrick they are the very Pest of a Common-wealth and when the success appeareth their Stars forsooth must be Idoliz'd as the cause of that which doth befal them And how unworthy alas is this of that Faith which we do profess But behold yet greater Abominations It is an Abomination souc'd in the very dregs of Heathenism when people will in time of any loss danger or distress of what kind soever it be not look up to him who is and alwaies was the great Preserver of men and upholdeth all things by the Word of his Power but consult with Witches and Conjurers for a supply and preservation And this alas is too commonly found amongst those that call themselves Christians As for the Heathen they were not ordinarily wont unless it were the ruder sort in plain down-right terms Acheronta movere Ab Aves Aspiciendo that is to seek to the Devil for help They had their Auspicium which was by flying of Birds to divine of their successes And they had their Aruspicium by looking into the Entrails of Beasts appointed for Sacrifice Ab Aras Inspiciendo Ezek. 21.21 to the same purpose as it is said of the King of Babylon that he looked into the Liver Ezek. 21.21 when he took up a Divination for Jerusalem They had also their Tripudium taking a conjecture of what should befall them by the rebounding of Corn thrown upon the ground to Chickens Quasi terripudium seu terripavium from whence the Southsayer was called Pullarius And their Augurium which was a Prediction from the chirping or chattering of Birds as also by the founds and voices which they heard they knew not whence Ab Avium Garritu All which and many more though abominable enough yet were not so bad as knowingly and willingly to seek for a remedy or supply so directly from the Devil which they do that consult with those who they are assured have for such ends and purposes made a compact with him To all whom it may be said is it because there is not a Divine Providence that ordereth and governeth the World nor a power in Heaven to help and to deliver Or rather is it not because you are faithless and have no confidence in this great Preserver of men that you betake your selves to the Devil and his Angels for help A most wicked and Atheistical Generation who deny the Lord that bought them and run a whoring after Satan to worship him with a most execrable Idolatry For it may well be said such persons they revolt from God to the Devil howsoever they plaister up their impiety with untempered Mortar as that they seek Gods help though by the means of the Magician But terrible is that threatning which the Lord hath denounced against these wretched people Lev. 20.6 The Soul that turueth after such as have familiar Spirits and after Wizzards to go a whoring after them I will even set my face against that Soul and will cut him off from among my people Bishop King upon Jonas Add unto this that common foolish Opinion as a reverend Bishop of our times hath well observed and I shall render it in his own words If ever Tempest arise more then common experience hath enured us unto especially with the havock and loss either of life or limb in our Selves our Cattel or Housings forthwith the judgment is given as if the Lord of Heaven and Earth were fallen asleep and minded nothing there is doubtless some Conjuring And what then is Conjuring A pestilent commistion convention stipulation betwixt men and Devils Men and Devils what are they Look upon the Sorcerers of Egypt for the one they cryed in the smallest Plague that was sent and past their cunning to remove this is the finger of God their power is limited therefore Look upon the Martyrings of Job for the other for though the Circuit of Satan be very large even to the compassing of the whole earth to and fro yet he hath his daies assigned him to stand before the presence of God for the renewing of his Commission And besides Oviculam unam auferre non potuit He could not take one poor sheep from Job till the Lord had given him leave saying Put forth thine hand Nor enter into the Herd of Swine Matt. 8. without Christ's permission To conclude therefore with the same learned Writer Whether Men or Devils be ministerial Workers in these Actions all cometh from him who is the Judge of all as from the higher Supreme Cause whose Judgments executed thereby no man can either fully comprehend or reprehend justly He professeth no less of himself Es 45.7 Es
Gentiles was no prevailing Inducement to us to take your God to be our God we were as willing to keep our Distance in those times of our Ignorance as you your selves could possibly desire we should but such hath been the exceeding goodness of your God and our God as to make himself known unto us in this our day as clearly and fully to say no more as he did unto your Fathers Yesterday and as he was pleased to make a Promise that the time should come Es 11.1 Jer. 23.5 when this root of Jesse should shoot forth a Branch Whose name should be called the Lord our righteousness whom he would give to be a Covenant to the people and a light to the Gentiles and that in him should the Gentiles trust Es 42.6 so hath he made good his word unto us blessed be his Name unto us I say who were a foolish people a people that did neither understand nor seek after him He hath brought us into the bond of the Covenant avouching us to be his People and we have avouched him to be our God yea and He shall be our God for ever and ever and we will have no other God besides him If then there be such a blessed Change in us must there not bee a Change in the divine dispensation of Grace if we own your God for our God Is it not clear that there hath a Light appeared which was not of Yesterday And whence comes it that we who were sometimes Darkness are now Light in the Lord surely flesh and bloud hath not revealed it unto us but we have received it by the hand of that true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World A Light that lightens the Gentiles as saith your Prophets and which alone must be the glory of Israel Now therefore O yee Jews I beseech you be as we are for in the knowledg of the true God according to the Scriptures we are as you are You have not injured us at all rather your I all hath been to our advantage neither will our Breaches be made up among one selves but by your conjunction with us O consider it is the purpose and decree of the Almighty to make you instrumental in bringing to pass his great Work which is the perfecting of his Church in these latter dayes for as your Fathers were not to be perfect without us so neither shall we be Perfect without you Behold this is that will make you as a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord Es 62 3 and as a royal Diadem in the hand of your God which when it is come to pass as it will surely come Oh how shall we flock together unto you Zech. 8.23 and hang upon you Ten of us taking hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew saying we will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Since therefore this honour is reserved for you What will you be still groping in the Dark will you be ever poring upon Yesterday shall the Day be almost spent before your Eyes be opened to see the Light that now shineth and the Glory that waiteth for you And if ever through the good Providence of God this paper may come to your perusal O let the good hand of God go along with it to rouze and quicken you This is not spoken to you with Disdain but with a hearty desire of your Restauration nor with any contempt or abhorrency at the appellation of Jew but with Pity For though the Name and Title of your Nation carrieth with it a reproach among us Gentiles because you Crucified the Lord of Glory yet we know it hath been a Title of the greatest dignity and honour upon earth and shall be so again unless as it is said by the Prophet you be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name Es 62.2 Yea so far is any shadow of scorn from this address unto you that I do here in the behalf of all the Churches that profess the Faith of Christ crucified declare unto you that upon your return unto that great Messiah whom you have hitherto rejected and besides whom it is in vain to seek for any other we will yeild unto you that Preheminence which is your due for though we were in Christ before you yet we must ever acknowledg you to be the First born the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power and as we have been first so we shall be contented according to the order and appointment that is given us to be Last and as you have been the Last so shall it be your lot and honour to be First again In the mean time we must confess that we poor Novices are grown up to be a wanton Generation quarelling and wrangling one with another oftentimes about trifles God knoweth to the blemishing of our holy Profession among those that are without and greiving of that good Spirit of the Lord that dwelleth in us and among us All which would undoubtedly be remedied if we had your Brotherly assistance to make us Wiser We know well what honourable Priviledges God hath of his abundant love graunted unto you Our great Apostle Saint Paul an Hebrew of the Hebrews who as you have heard was at first a bloudy Persecutour of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus yet afterwards even in the heat of his Fury was miraculously converted to the Faith which he before sought to destroy even he in his Epistles hath set us an Example to give you the Preheminence speaking in this manner once and again the Jew first and also the Gentile the Jew first and also the Gentile he hath also given us a Synopsis of your Prerogatives which we with gladness of heart are willing to look upon He hath told us that you are Israelites the noblest Generation in the World Rom. 9.4.5 a People that were wont to prevail like Princes with God himself even as Jacob your Father did whom therefore God was pleased to honour with the name of Israel which name was also by a special indulgence from God devolved upon you as the greatest blessing To you pertained the Adoption being the First born Exod. 4.22 upon whom the name of the Lord was called when we poor Strangers were not under his rule and governance neither were then called by his name Es 63.19 You had the Glory the Ark of the Covenant of your God the Symbol of his glorious presence in the midst of you You had the Covenants even those Tables written by the Finger of God To you was the Law given by the disposition of Angels that is the Oracles of God both Moral and Judicial The service of God was committed unto you which consisted in a Holy Typical use of Divine Rites and Sacrifices prescribed in the Ceremonial Law The Promises also were yours both Legal and Evangelical of this life and that which is to come You are
is come into the World Job 3.19 but they love Darkness rather then Light Nevertheless albeit that Yesterday be past and of no account with us in the Time of the Gospel yet it was of some account with Jesus Christ for he was even then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same which is the Second thing to be observed in order to this first Period of time here mentioned in the Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ the Same or the onely Hee Yesterday BUt what means the Apostle here by the Same or the onely Hee Yesterday what I say but this according to the sense of the Text which we are now upon and which is the Doctrine that falleth into our present Consideration viz. Jesus Christ the Saviour of his Church in the time of the Old Testament even as now in the time of the Now. A Common Saviour to them and us like as the Salvation wrought by him is called a Common Salvation Jud. v. 4. Then did the Faithful People of God believe that through the grace of the Messiah they should be saved even as we As we now believe that through the same Grace we shall be saved even as they Act. 15.11 For both They and We are fixed upon one and the same Foundation besides which never was there any other laid from the Beginning of the World To this purpose doth â—aint Paul joyn the Prophets of old with the Apostles of late in laying of this Foundation 1 Cor. 3.11 Eph. 2.20 which is Jesus Christ the chief Corner Stone insinuating thereby what a sweet Harmony and Agreement there is between them in the Doctrine of Salvation both intending one and the same thing Hence it is that the Apostles do frequently intersert the Testimony of the Prophets that the World might know it was no Novelty which they Preached but a Doctrine professed and maintained in all Ages which was That the way of Salvation was ever the same from the beginning viz by Faith in Jesus Christ and not by the Works of the Law But I hear a Question that must be resolved before we proceed any further least it should stick in the Minds of any to the Prejudging of that which may follow The Question is this Qu. How can this be seeing the Coming of Christ in the Flesh was not till the fulness of Time which the Scripture speakes of Gal. 4.4 could he be a Saviour to any before he was in a Capacity by taking upon him our Nature to suffer Death for the Expiation of Sin Ans 1 I answer first he was a Saviour notwithstanding from the Beginning of the World in two Respects viz. in the Acceptation of the Father and in the Application of the Faithful The Father gave his Approbation of him in that he did acquiesce in all those Sacrifices of old which had their Tendency unto him in which respect he is called the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World Rev. 13 8 The Faithful also according to that Paedagogy which led them did ever look through all those Mystical Types unto Christ alone expecting Salvation through him for els they were of no use at all unto them Heb. 10.4 The bloud of Bulls and Goates not being able to take away Sin which was indeed the onely Property of the bloud of the Lamb nor any other of those carnal Ordinances making them that did the Service of the Tabernacle perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which was also the Property of the Spirit that should afterwards be poured out abundantly in the Time of Reformation but of this their expectation more may be said hereafter Secondly Jesus Christ did in all the offices of a Mediatour shew himself effectually to be a Saviour to them of old albeit the work of Redemption was not really acted by him in the World till the Time appointed of the Father for it was but sutable to the superlative excellency of his Merit to have its Virtual operation long before his Appearance in the Flesh even as a Prince entituled to a Kingdom by Birth or Prowess is immediately vested with the Power and Government over the People though the Solemnity of his Coronation be for some Wise and Politick ends of State deferred to a longer Season Now therefore to give a clear Resolution in this matter which in truth is but requisite and which will be conducible also to the Confirmation of the Point in hand it shall here be made evident that the Lord Jesus Christ was the same Prophet King and Priest of his Church ever from the Beginning and if upon a due Inquiry we finde it to be so I hope it will then be granted on all hands that he was the Saviour of his Church from the Beginning also The same Prophet ab initio To begin with the first Jesus Christ fulfilled the office of a Prophet in all those Primitiar times of the World making known the Counsel of God unto Men which without him must for ever have been concealed from them and giving an effectual Virtue to those Sacraments which in their Order and Time were instituted and established in his Church Hence is he by the Prophet Esaiah called Wonderful Counsellour for so these two Words are to be joyned as much as to say Es 9 6 A Counsellour that revealeth Wonders and discovers Mysteries the greatest Wonder and profoundest Mystery indeed that ever was viz. of God being reconciled unto Man which hath been the Staff and Supportation of the World in all Ages And in this Counsellour doth the said Prophet with the People of God in that Age challenge a peculiar Interest for we finde it there spoken in the present Tense as a thing already done To us a Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be or is or hath been so the Word may be rendred laid upon his Shoulder and his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellour I deny not but that it is the manner of Prophets to speak of things to come as if they were presently acted in their sight and this interpretation is commonly given of the Prophet in this place unto which I do willingly Consent But withall I conceive that hinders not but that the People of God then might be Apprehensive of the present Spiritual Benesit which they had by Christ and in this regard might the Prophet render it in the present Tense The Septuagints translation differs from our Latine and English Version bringing in these Words viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Messenger of the great Counsel he that brought the Tidings of Salvation from Heaven the best that ever was heard of in the World even that which was the result of an eternal Decree enacted in the Privy Council of the Almighty This Counsel I say the Lord Jesus Christ hath imparted ever from the Beginning for how els could Adam Henoch Noah Abraham David or any other in those several Ages of old
manner declare his consent unto that Judgment Thou saith he hast driven me this day from the face of the earth But how could that be Gen. 4.14 But how could that be seeing it is after said of him that he went and dwelt in the Land of Nod and there he built him a City Gen. 4.16 where he became the prime Leader or Patriarch of an Antichristian Church in that Generation a cast-away-company of forlorn Miscreants both he and they giving themselves up to all sensuality Bishop Mountague Dr. Light-foot Jude v. 11 so to sweeten their misery and banishment as their corrupt fancy might suggest unto them which as one saith probably is that way of Cain mentioned by the Apostle S. Jude He was not therefore quite taken off from the earth but from that part of the earth where he had joyn'd with his Parents in the solemn and pure Worship of God as appears in the words following where he saith And from thy presence shall I be hid which clearly implieth that he was excommunicated by Christ out of his Church where the Lord is wont to manifest his Gracious presence among his people in his holy Ordinances After this the Church in process of time having degenerated from her purity by a corrupt Commistion with the accursed Progeny of Cain thereby contracting to it self the Guilt of all that prodigious Villany that was then acted in the world The Lord Jesus Christ as became a vigilant and faithful Governour over his Charge strove and travelled by his Spirit in the Ministry of his Servants to reclaim his people from the errour of their way 1 Pet 3.19 calling upon them to separate themselves from that wicked Generation but finding them to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immorigeri a people that would not be perswaded into Order when he had waited 120 years while the Ark was preparing he did at length like a righteous King and Judge execute his judgment by bringing in the â—loud upon the World of the ungodly 2 Pet. 2.5 so cutting off at one blow the whole Posterity of Cain together with a sort of treacherous Rebels that would not be ruled nor reclaimed by him But I shall not insist upon many Instances that might here be inserted to this purpose Ex. 23.20 take only one more That Angel which God promised he would send to the Israelites to keep them in their way and to bring them into the Land of Canaan was undoubtedly no other then Christ himself For as Pelargus noteth upon that place it could not be Moses according to Caictan's conceit for he did not lead the people into the Land of Promise neither could it be Joshuah for he did not keep the Israelites in the way nor punish their transgressions neither could it be a created Angel for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Adjuncts there specified are not applicable to any such they do only Quadrare i. e. Aptly sute with Jesus Christ Yea the Apostle S. Paul doth testifie so much 1 Cor. 10.9 1 Cor. 10. where it is plainly said of Christ That the Israelites tempted him in the Wilderness Now concerning this Angel God forewarned the people in these words Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions That is he will surely execute his judgment upon you if you rebel against him 1 Cor. 10.9 10. as he did one while by Serpents another while by the Destroyer viz. the destroying Angel Num. 14.37 For saith he Exod. 23.21 My Name is in him that is He is the Lord Jehovah as I am of the same Essence Power Majesty and Authority as one well interprets the place which agreeth with that of the Apostle Col. 2.9 In him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily that is not in Clouds and Ceremonies Col. 2.9 as between the Cherubims but essentially personally So that Orthodox and sound Divine Davenant and therefore it deeply concerned them to stand in awe of him And now to conclude this Point wherein possibly I may be charged with over-much Prolixity but that the advancement of the Honour of Jesus Christ will I hope be a sufficient excuse and plea for me among those that take pleasure in the promoting thereof It is I believe very clear and evident by what hath been here said That the Lord Jesus was the King of his Church Yesterday as well as to Day And therefore when the people of Israel did out of a proud affectation to be like other Nations desire a King to be set over them the Lord saith 1 Sam. 8.7 1 Sam. 8.7 that they had rejected him from being their King that is even Christ the Lord as not contenting themselves with that Church-state wherein by his Spiritual Government over them they were made a people happy and glorious above all other Nations in the world whom preposterously they would now all on a sudden without any direction from God seek to imitate In the next place we are to take into consideration the Priestly Office of Christ for even in this also we shall finde him to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ a Priest Yesterday the same yesterday i. a Priest to his Church from the beginning In the pursuance of this Point we shall fix our discourse principally upon two places of Scripture which will I believe make it evident and manifest unto all And first very remarkable is that which the Prophet David speaks of Christ in the 110 Psalm Ps 110.4 Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek In which words we may take notice of two things first the continuance of Christ's Priesthood Secondly the order of it For the continuance it is an eternal Priesthood to last for ever which word for ever comprehendeth in it the whole time and age of the Church from the beginning Or if it be limited to time to come it is to be understood with a reference unto Christ's first entrance upon his Mediatorial Office which was then when the new Covenant passed between God and Christ in the behalf of poor man immediately after the violation of the first as hath been said before And this possibly may be the reason why the Apostle speaking very frequently of Christ's eternal Priesthood Heb. 6 7 Chapters still renders this word for ever in the Singular Number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb 7.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat tum supra legem quam post legem ut Metaphysicâ—â— c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saepe ponitur pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Christ's Priestly Office was not to take in that time wherein our first Parents stood in the state of Innocency but only that seculum which was to ensue even unto the end of the world If it be objected that Christ was made Priest since the Law because the Apostle saith Heb. 7.28 That the Word of the Oath which was since the
Law maketh the Son high Priest who is Consecrated for evermore I answer first Although the Word of the Oath as it is mentioned by David came after the Law given upon Mount Sinai yet the Oath it self might notwithstanding be made at the first making of the Covenant and so the word of the Prophet implies being rendred in the Pretertense The Lord sware as a thing that had been done long before Secondly If the Law there be to be taken with a reference to the Covenant of Works given to Adam of which Covenant the Law given upon Sinai was in some respect a Renovation then it will be clear that this Oath was made in the time prefixed viz. upon the passing of the new Covenant Thirdly If it should be limited to the time after the Law was given by Moses yet it appeareth not by the words of the Apostle that the Priestly Office of Christ was not effectual before for though it be rendred in our English Version The Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son c. yet it is not so in the Original the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated Maketh not being in this latter clause of the Verse as it is in the former but possibly some other word signifying a Confirmation of the Son in his Office may be there by the Apostle understood or the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may carry with it such a signification But in these things I shall submit unto better Judgements Secondly The Order according to which Christ's Priesthood is confirmed is the Order of Melchizedek who this Melchizedek was is needless here yea unlawful at any time to search out But for his Order we are to enquire unto it And albeit he himself was not known by name in the world till about 2000 years after the Creation and consequently no real resemblance could be made of him before that time yet that hindreth not but that Christ's Priesthood from the beginning might be said to be according to his Order in the purpose and foreknowledge of God and have a virtual operation long before though the actual susception and administration of the Office by Melchizedek was not till 2000 years after By order then or similitude as it is called Heb. 7.15 Heb. 7.15 is meant the state or condition of Melchizedek in the execution of his Office and that was according to the words of the Apostle After the power of an endless life for he was without father Heb. 7.16 Heb. 7.3 without mother without descent having neither beginning of daies nor end of life according to his Scriptural being The meaning whereof in short is this His Priesthood was an everlasting Priesthood Answerable hereunto and home to our purpose such also is the Priesthood of Christ viz. An everlasting Priesthood for as Melchizedek in his Scriptural being had neither beginning nor end but a Priest he was before any mention is made of him Gen. 14.18 And the Apostle saith of him also that he abideth a Priest continually Heb. 7.3 So in like manner was the Lord Jesus Christ in effect a Priest long before his appearance in the world according to the flesh and continueth to be a Priest still now when he hath left the World Thus doth this Scripture witness that Jesus Christ was a Priest yesterday The next Scripture that we shall make use of to this end shall be that of the Apostle Heb. 5.1 Every high Priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God Heb 5.1 that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for sins Where we may see the properties of the high Priest described to shew the truth of them in Christ which upon due examination we shall finde to be fulfilled by him Yesterday as well as to day First It was requisite that the high Priest should be sever'd and set apart from the common multitude for so the words there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is being taken from Men do most properly signifie Ex 28.1 Thus was Aaron and his Sons sever'd and set apart for the Priests Office by the commandment of God And as the Aaronicall Priest was thus sever'd so was Christ for though he had not his bodily being amongst men till he was made of a woman yet he was set apart and destin'd by God to be the Priest of his Church from the beginning and his Office was virtually in force before his solemn and publick undertaking thereof in the daies of his flesh Which Assertion that it may not seem strange I shall endeavour to make it plain by an instance of somewhat the like nature When our first Parents had by their Disobedience thrown themselves under God's Displeasure all the whole Race of Mankinde was then involv'd in the same Hazard all of us I say were then before we had such an Alternate being as we have had since in the World by succeeding Generations brought under the Axe of Divine Justice and that by such a way and manner which we are not able now to comprehend every Mothers Childe as we say in our ordinary Proverb stood then at the Bar of God's dreadful Tribunal ready to be haled away to execution And this I suppose will be easily granted Well then If we were all present at that time in a likely way of an everlasting Perdition How came it to pass that a Pardon was then Actually given to some and Potentially for others if Christ our high Priest was not according to his Capacity of being a Mediatour at time present also But being so as continual experience hath given clear demonstration he was then unquestionably set apart by the Father from the common multitude to perform that Office which Office I say he then began and afterwards continued it in the first-born one Generation after another before the Law putting an excellency upon them and their Offerings which gave them a special Interest in the favour of God above their Brethren Again when it seemed good to the Divine Wisdom under the Law to divert the course of holy and religious Service at God's Altar from the first-born to the Tribe of Levi even those Levitical Priests had Christ's Concurrency with them in the execution of their Office for when God had commanded Moses Ex. 30.30 to Anoint the Priests with sacred Oyl Ex. 30.30.32 in the 32 Verse he forbiddeth to Anoint man's flesh with it How shall we untie this Knot saith Bishop Downham Priests must be Anointed with the holy Oyl but men may not Surely it implieth that that Priesthood surpassed the height of all humane Excellency because of the Relation it had to Jesus Christ in his virtual Concurrency with it It appeareth then that Christ was set apart for this Office from the beginning Again the high Priest saith the Apostle is ordained for men in things pertaining to God That is was appointed to employ all his Office with God for man's good He
which is Christ Jesus And other salvation can no man expect then that which hath been from the beginning there being no other name given under Heaven nor in Heaven neither whereby believers may ever get to Heaven Via seculi Via Antiqua Ps 139. ult It is the decree of Heaven not to be disanulled till time be no more It is the way everlasting wherein the Wisdome and Power of the Almighty shall be gloriously manifested to the eternal confusion of that grand apostate the Devil and all his Angels whose inveterate malice hath from the beginning been principally bent against Jesus Christ In the handling of this Subject our business should be to consider Jesus Christ in the execution of his Mediatorial Office For that indeed hath been the work of this day And which hath made this day more glorious then yesterday Yesterday 't is true he was as it is said before the onely Mediatour between God and man being ordained of the Father to that high honour but it was by virtue of that which he hath to day actually accomplished both in his life and in his death Whatsoever therefore hath been spoken concerning him must be understood with a reference unto the work of this day whereby all the former mediation in the High Court of Heaven for the Fathers of old is made good and effectual in the Law of God and ratified for eternity And this speaks him still to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same or the onely he who was willing in this day of his power to perfect for ever them that in all the Ages of the Church have been are or shall be sanctified that is consecrated and separated out of the world and dedicated to be vessels of honour unto God We shall not enter into a large survey of that which Christ hath done and suffered nor make any strict search into his office whereby it may in all points be made manifest that he hath now in this time of the Gospel fully perfected the work of redemption and so proved himself to be the same to day which he was yesterday We have spoken somewhat of these things before and therefore shall for bear to speak much of them now and there have been Writers of late who have magnified the Office of Christs Mediatourship therein doing eminent service both unto him and his Church Yet it is but meet that we should for our methods sake take this sweet subject also along with us though it be folded up but in some general termes which being opened particularly would enlarge our discourse too much wherein already I may be judged by some to have gone beyond my bounds In the first of the Revelation we read how the Lord Jesus Christ appears unto his beloved Disciple St. John clothed in his regal and pontifical attire Rev. 1.13 intimating that he is now ready fitted for that whole Oeconomy to which he was designed from the beginning and implying that he is now solemnly inaugurated into and possessed with that honour which did alwayes belong unto his Office Never did he in all his apparitions of old shew himself in such a manner as now he doth This garment was then laid up as I may say in the Cabinet of Gods Purpose and Decree wherein the smell of it was very acceptable to the Father inclining him to give out his blessing to his children who did then by faith according to their capacity lay hold upon it But now since that this our great Lord Advocate and Mediatour the first begotten among many brethren hath been actually called of God unto his office and assumed the right of his Primogeniture he appears vested with it exercising his authority fulfilling the will of his Father and confirming all that he hath done in the preservation of his people and their reception to himself since the World began With which confirmation Divine Justice rests her self fully satisfied and the Pleas of the Law and the clamours of Satan are all husht and silenced Having then thus put on this garment for the execution of his office what doth it argue but that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same which he was from the beginning A Prophet to day as he was yesterday teaching his people the way of God truly and fore-telling them what shall happen to them in the way A Priest to day as he was yesterday wherein he hath offered up a sacrifice for sin and maketh intercession for us A King to day as he was yesterday protecting preserving and providing for his Church ruling in the midst of his people ruling also in the midst of his enemies Precisely and punctually the same as yesterday without any variableness or shadow of turning Yea so far is he now from being defective in any thing that concerns his office that he rather is the same to day in a more transcendent manner then he was yesterday Heb. 6.20 For observe it he is said Heb. 6.20 to be made an High Priest after his entry into Heaven not that he had not been a Priest before for his Church but because it was never so clearly manifested in former times as it was after his ascension when he shed abroad his Grace and powred down his Spirit abundantly upon his Church We shall not multiply Proofes for this out of Scripture some mention having been hereof before Take onely one instance viz. Rev. 1.8 Rev. 1.8 Where the Lord saith I am Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the Ending which is and which was and which is to come In which last words the order that he useth in the description of himself as Mediatour is to our purpose very observable For mark first he saith I am which is and then followeth which was c. Whereas according to the course and method of time that which was should have had the precedence But here we see It is by Christ speaking of himself with a respect unto his Mediatourship as appears by the 11.13 and 18. verses following he doth put in the second place to note unto us that his present estate in his office is to be preferred before that which was and gives a Being unto it Objection But it may possibly be objected How can this be that Jesus Christ is the Same to day as yesterday when we see a revocation of Divine Ordinances that were of old instituted for the Publick Worship of God and the benefit of his People and others now appointed in their stead Was not the seventh day in the week commanded to be kept Holy to the Lord and is it not now changed to the first Did not God give unto Abraham the Covenant of Circumcision for an everlasting Covenant to him and to his seed adding also a terrible penalty upon the least failing thereof in these words Gen. 17.14 The Vncircumcised Man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not Circumcised that Soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant Yet now
we here the Apostle Saint Paul telling us that Circumcision is nothing Nay more 1 Cor 7.19 Gal. 3.2 If any should be now Circumcised Christ himself shall profit them nothing Was not the Passeover commanded to be kept by the people of God as a perpetual Ordinance throughout their Generations And do we not now hear Christ speaking unto his Church of a new ordinance in stead thereof saying This is my body which is broken for you and this is my bloud which is shed for you This do in remembrance of mee thereby taking away the first Sacrament viz The Paschal Lamb that he might instead thereof establish this second Is not the Temple and the Temple-Service quite removed and all those legal Ceremonies which were of Christ's own institution as hath been before observed now utterly abolished And is not all this change now brought about by his own express order and appointment How is he then the Same Solution I Answer briefly Albeit indeed there hath been a change in these things which are but Circumstantial yet the Foundation of God standeth sure and the Faithful Witness in Heaven will testifie unto us upon Earth that Jesus Christ is still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same Es 9.6 Hee who is the Eternity of Israel that Pater Aeternitatis as the Prophet Esay calleth him The Everlasting Father of the whole Israel of God in all Ages and Nations of the World shall never have the least Imputation of inconstancy in receding from the great work of Salvation which he hath undertaken according to the will of the Father charged upon him His Covenant he doth not break neither will he though the form and manner of the Administration thereof be in pursuance of it totally varied The same Salvation on Gods part towards his people he hath still propounded And the same termes of reconciliation with God to the Church he still proclaimed viz. To repent and believe Nothing new then in the Substance of this Covenant whereof he is the Mediatour but onely in the Accidents and Circumstances of manifestation which can never argue any variableness at all in him As love-tokens between friends may not alwayes be of the same kinde but may sometimes be interchanged yet the persons still continue the same to each other in love and faithfulness And as the clothes may differ sometimes when the body that wears them remaineth still the same We might here speak of the enlargement of the Church in this time of the Gospel beyond the former limits even from Sea to sea to the uttermost parts of the earth that promise being now fulfilled viz That her seed should inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate Cities to be inhabited Which enlargement did necessarily require an abolition of those rites which were affixed to the Mosaical Tabernacle We might also further shew how the dispensations of grace are in great wisdom and faith fulness proportioned not onely to the extent but the age and growth of the Church in regard whereof she being not fit now to live upon carnal ordinances as she did yesterday in her minority was therefore to have stronger meat provided for her viz. That which is more spiritual In fine We might consider that seing God doth vouchsafe his presence unto his Church in a more glorious manner more freely more clearly in this day of his power and grace then he hath been wont heretofore easing his people of those Yokes which they were not able to bear and performing the promises and predictions given out by his Prophets since the World began it is but meet therefore that there should be a removal of those shadows that were the appendants of his former appearances and that Memorials be kept and Monuments set up of the several discoveries of his present glory These things I say might have been insisted upon more largely but that it is fit now to draw towards a conclusion And that which hath been written may suffice to remove the objection laid in our way so that we may still proclaim before the World the Immutability of the Lord Jesus Christ that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same to day which he was yesterday Some inferences would now be derived from hence which may be of use in this time of the Gospel Let us consider of somewhat in order thereunto before we proceed any further to that which follows First We may hereupon again infer that those Churches which this day profess the faith of Christ Crucified according to this constant rule cannot justly be taxed with Novelty in their profession as those who this day follow the Romish Synagogue are apt to traduce them What though they have laid aside some corrupt Rites and superfluous Customes which by long tract of time and too neare a Vicinity and too sinful a compliancy with the World they had conâ—racted yet so long as they hold the Foundation and this Foundation still standeth sure the same that ever it was it must be accounted a soul slander to say that they are but of a late edition and that their Religion was never heard of in the world before Luther gave his Imprimatur unto it But we shall make no more mention of this here having also spoken of it before Nevertheless because these slanderers are so imperious in their censures of others and to the end they may be convinced of their own folly if at least they be not stark blinde it will not be amiss upon this occasion a little to retort upon them this imputation of Novelty and so lay it as it well deserveth at their own door We shall not need to seek far for our Warrant in this matter our present Text will present it unto us Jesus Christ is the Same throughout this day of the Gospel from the beginning to the end The Doctrine of life which he hath delivered in the holy Scripture is sure and stedfast not to be altered and revoked in the least Tittle or Iota of it It is not yea and noy as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 1.19 But Yea and Amen to the glory of God sooner will he overturn the whole frame of Nature then alter the word that is gone out of his Lips Whosoever therefore they be that maintain any doctâ—ine different from this infallible Standard and obtrude it upon the world as necessary to Salvation are notorious Innovatours Now is it not as clear as the Sun that the Church of Rome hath herein exceedingly erred teaching for doctrines the Precepts of men What a mass of Upstart Heterodox Opinions have they forged time after time which can never be justified by the everlasting Gospel of the Son of God which yet notwithstanding are pressed with so much violence that whosoever will not receive them must be Anathematized and persecuted to death with fire and fagot May we not therefore conclude that notwithstanding all their doting pretensions to Antiquity they are but Novellists a brood of yesterday and their recent
did to a greater perfection making this day to be more abundant then what hath been before for in so doing we shall also resemble Jesus Christ who made his work which the Father had given him to do to appear this day under the Gospel in a more spiritual glory then it did yesterday under the Law But my meaning is that we be still the same not forsaking our first love as the manner of some is nor declining from that close and sincere walking with God whereunto we have happily by reiterated vows and solemn engagements devoted our selves after we escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ A needful warning it will be to us for the truth is mans nature is a wondrous masterpiece of inconstancy No creature under the whole heaven being so variable as man is Nay it is a matter of some difficulty as the world goes amongst a multitude to finde a Man that is One who for a Masculine spirit indeed may deserve the name of a Man or as some render the original word in Scripture A Man A Man Lev. 15.2 Ps 49.12.20 that is A Man both wayes in regard both of the outward and inward man For there are some Men-Men and some Men-Beasts which made the Cynick at noon-day to go up and down in a throng of people with a Lanthorne and Candle in his hand searching as he said for a Man that is A Man for Constancy and Prudence as well as in outward appearance and Seneca also in his time counted it a great rarity Sen. Epi. 128. Magnam rem puta saith he unum hominem agere It is a hard thing to Act a Man kindly meaning to be alwayes One and the Same For one that doth so How many are there that disfigure themselves with diversities of shapes One while they will be frugal and grave another while prodigal and vain Such levity Holy Bernard sweetly taxeth Non paucos frequenter experimur c. We oftentimes meet with many who scarcely one houre continue in the same minde but are like drunkards nodding and reeling too and fro changing their judgment yea without judgment wavering still from what they had determined Semper quod non habent cupientes quod habent fastidientes Alwayes desiring what they have not and loathing that which they have This inconstancy speaks men to be like unto Reuben Vnstable as water Gen. 49.4 Far unlike this our Heavenly Pattern who was alwayes the same No nor like that honest Roman of whom it was said that it was as easie to turn the Sun out of his course as to make him go from his Word or change his resolution But especially in the high and weighty matters of Religion to be wavering and inconstant argues too much feebleness of spirit unbecoming those that are separated from the world to be the followers of Jesus Christ the Rock of ages who never changeth As Nehemiah said Is it for such a man as I to flee So say I for such to fall from their stedfastness One-while to be Zealous and forward in the wayes of Holiness another while backward and indifferent taking up a Form of Godliness according as their humour and fancy leads them like unto those of old whom Hilary speaks of that had a Monethly or a Yearly-Faith what a shame is it Sunt qui menstruan vel annu m fidem habent Yet alas too many there are in these dayes among us of this halting Generation who are apt to turn with every winde of temptation I speak not here with a reference unto changes in point of external order in the Church which may sometimes be excusable as we shall shew hereafter though there be a sort of dissolute and debauched people who can finde no other change to spend their invectives upon the better to palliate their own wickedness but when the life and power of Religion is so far neglected as that we can recede from those engagements and resolutions wherewith we have solemnly devoted our selves to God To turn aside after Vanity walking according to the course of this world in wayes of Licentiousness and Profaness this surely is matter of just complaint Alas we consider not it seemes what a dishonour we bring upon our holy profession How much we grieve the spirit of God nor what advantage we give unto Satan to encroach upon us when we are not Godly and Religious in a constant and continued Course but off and on fast and loose in the Covenant of our God which we made in our Baptisme When with Pilate we are inquisitive after Truth but presently as he did turn our backs upon it seeme to consult with God and his word about our spiritual estate and in the same breath many times cast him quite out of our thoughts as if we could do well enough without him Like unto Saul who in all haste calls out Bring hither the Ark But then go to it skills not greatly Socrates lib. 3. cap. 13. carry it back again Such unsavoury Salt as Ecebolius for his treacherous halting in Religion justly stiled himself can have no rellish in it acceptable to God or his Church Away therefore with this spirit of giddiness which hath too much prevailed in these dayes and let us quit our selves like men in being still the same When we have a Rock appointed for our standing by the wisdome and Faithfulness of the Almighty whereon we may be safe against all the stormes and tempests of the Prince of the power of the air shall we turn away from it and in our Conversation swim with the stream of this present evil world or in our judgement roll our selves upon the waves of new-fangled opinions where we may be tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of Doctrine and where nothing is to be expected but to be swallowed up at last in the bottomless gulfe of errour and confusion Oh shall we thus dally in a business of so great moment Far be it from us Rather let us Look unto JESUS and follow his Example in being still The Same And now that we may deal impartially herein Let it be a Word in season to us of this Nation who have not like our Pattern been the same of late what we have formerly been We have made it our boast since we separated from Rome and cast off the Yoke of Anti-Christ that we have received Christ Jesus the Lord professing his Gospel to be a Law unto us But how we have walked in him and been Obedient unto it as we have been taught yea taught of God in the Ministery of his faithful servants our deeds may declare Time was when truth was of so high account with us that if it had been possible we would have plucked out our own eyes rather then to have parted with it But we have seen the time wherein Servis dormientibus The Lord pardon us in this Truth was fallen in our Streets and
much obtruded upon the people of this Nation But those times of darkness are not within the verge of this Vindication But for our present Liturgy which hath been established since the Reformation that it should be originally taken out of the said Missal and consequently transmitted to us from Rome as they would make us believe is clearly as manifest an Untruth as that we have originally received our Religion from Rome True it is that that breviary as it is called secundum Salisburiensis Ecclesiae usum doth agree in some things with our Liturgy But it will not therefore follow that our Liturgy is a poor puisne extract taken out of it Sober and discreet men would rather infer thereupon that our Liturgy and as much of that Popish Portifory as is incorrupt are taken out of the Primitive Christian Liturgies which were devoutly used in several Churches persecuted for the faith of Christ long before any Romish Superstitions were in Being whereunto if there be with us a holy desire of Conformity to shew that we are in communion and fellowship with that poor persecuted Church of old that was valiant for the Truth resisting the enemies of Christ even unto bloud and upon whose unwearied labours and sufferings we are happily entred What offense is it Now that our Liturgy is such we might alledge the faithfulness of the Compilers of it who according to the trust reposed in them as master Fox reports it in his Martyrology had in this important business as well an eye and respect unto the most sincere and pure Christian Religion taught by the Holy Scriptures as also to the usages of the Primitive Church which the Act of Parliament made for the Confirmation of it attesteth in these words 5. 6. of Ed. 6. c. 1. The Common Prayer established by Law in England is agreeable to the word of God and the Primitive Church And as the King a Zealous and Religious Prince to satisfie some of his mutinous Subjects about it saith It is altered from that the Popes of Rome for their lacre brought it unto But it may be this will not be accounted argumentative with our techy Opponents though the faithfulness of some of those very Persons is by them oftentimes proposed unto us for our imitation We shall therefore here produce somewhat that is more convincing And first that we may see it is no new thing to follow the example of the Primitive times in the forms of Divine worship let an instance be considered by us out of Eusebius an Authour of good account as he is well known in all the Churches Eccl. Hist lib. 2. cap. 17. This Eusebius having taken notice of what Philo the Jew who lived in the dayes of Claudius Caesar above 200 years before him had observed in the religious Exercises of the Christians in his time about Alexandria where Saint Mark had then newly constituted a Church how they in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a place set apart and dedicated to Holy uses devoted themselves with marvellous austerity to the Service of God which they celebrated with a certain Order and form peculiar unto them Omnis geneâ—s metrorum carminum rythmis Uno cum rythmo psallente reliqui quiete auscultantes posteriores hymnorum partes ad extremum una decantent and with what Gravity and reverence they sang their spiritual Songs and Hymns of all sorts of tunes He I say noting these observations of Philo addeth thereupon Quae etiamnum apud nos durant which devout Order of religious exercise is in use amongst us to this very day Et praecipuè circa salutaris Domini Passionis Festum diem in jejuniis c. especially those which we use upon the Solemn day of the Lords Passion yea the very Hymns themselves and the manner of their singing Eusebius saith A nobis recitari solebant we our selves have been accustomed to recite in our Church-Assemblies Much more to this purpose is written in the said History But from hence we may infer First that the Christians in the purest Primitive times had places set apart for divine worship which were reserved onely for that use Secondly That they had their Forms of Divine worship when they met together in those places Thirdly that there were some special times of the year as appears by the instance of our Saviours Passion wherein they had their Forms proper for those times Fourthly which is the cause of the inserting of this Story the manner of their worshipping God and the very subject matter of their Forms were taken up and continued by the Church in the following ages Furthermore it will be requisite that an apologie be premised and admitted which is this It is not to be expected that the whole Frame of our Liturgy should be found in those Historians and others that have written of the Church in the Primitive times The dispensations of Gods providence towards his people are much varied now from those of old and therefore we are not obliged precisely to follow their exemplar in the whole Form of any of their Liturgies but are to make our Supplications according to the present state and exigency of the Church wherein we are concern'd They prayed heretofore pro mora finis That the final consummation of all things might be deferred because as it is supposed they were afraid to come under the tyranny of Antichrist which they knew would make havock of the Church in the last dayes But we on the contrary have reason to pray That the end may be hastned that so Antichrist may be destroyed If therefore we can finde that that spirit of devotion which we use in our Liturgy in the order of Prayers Psalms Lessons Collects Letany Versicles Responds c. be the same with that of the antient Churches before Rome usurp'd Authority over the Churches and that in their Ecclesiastick Ministrations there be sparsim found some of the same express terms which we use in ours I hope we shall not be far from giving a clear testimony in this matter As for reading the holy Scriptures and singing of Psalms no man can deny that we therein do conform to the practice of all Churches ever since the beginning And for our Collects this we shall say of them When the order of Sarum which probably was the ancientest wherein there was a compliancy with Romish Superstitions when I say that was first framed by that Osmund aforesaid the Tradition that was then generally received concerning some forms of Prayer that were derived from Primitive Liturgies was the less regarded and so might be swallowed up by time because they were in that Ordinale collected together and brought thereby into Common and Publick use whence it came to passe that the Collects of it which we have gathered into our Liturgy though according to the significancy of the term it is like they were collected from the Catholick Prayers of the Primitive Church yet have no certain Constat for them that
as they stand in their several relations to the Church wherein the wisdom of God and his good Providence hath placed them to bear up as with one shoulder the glory of Christ's Name against sin the World and the Devil Look now unto JESUS First It hath been his constant design to bring all those who believe in him into a Brotherly fellowship one with another not onely to unite them in several Societies as some would have it but to gather those Societies into one Body And the more there is of this Union among thern under Himself who is the sole head of the Body which Dignity none can challenge if it be but by way of Resemblance without Anti-Christian Usurpation and a presumptuous encroachment upon him it hath ever been most agreeable to his mind and will This I say hath been the product of his eternal wisdom for the establishment of his Kingdom in the midst of the Nations Secondly It hath always been his work to settle a Government in his Church for the well being of it that peace and love might be preserved amongst his people punishments inflicted upon the unpeaceable and unruly and that all things especially in the duties of his publick worship and service might be done according to the variety of emergencies arising in several Nations and Ages Decently and in order For that is decent and orderly in one place and time which by experience proveth to be uncomely and disorderly in another Which government being de facto to say nothing of it here de jure enough hath been said of that before continued from the beginning he hath been pleased to bless and prosper with a most happy success to the enlargement of his Kingdom and the propagation of his Gospel Which we may well presume he would not have done in so long a succession of time and so many vicissitudes of troubles and deliverances that have come upon his Church if it had not been according to his minde but since it is so and the Apostle here telling us that he is the Same for ever we may probably conclude that as he hath not left his Church without a care of her well-being in this particular so he will not digress from it but that such a Government so continued and made successful by him shall be perpetuated as own'd by him to the end of the world Let us then I say again look unto Jesus and see his goings in his Sanctuary in the midst of his people from the beginning Let us see also and acknowledge his Immutability therein for the Eternity of Israel is not as man that he should lye or the son of man that he should repent As in all other things that he hath undertaken for the advancement of his kingdome so undoubtedly in this he will be the Same for ever If therefore this hath been his work and design to establish unity and order in his Church and to settle and prosper this very government in it which is this day so much contradicted will it become those that pretend to have an interest in him to walk contrary to him Or will he cease to be the Same in the carrying on of his own work in his good old way to please those unquiet people that will never be satisfied but make the world believe they do him the greatest service when they do what they can to hinder his work What though some mens Tongues and pens run riot crying out still for liberty Liberty of Conscience not considering that to serve the Lord in a chearful submission to his sweet yoke wherewith he hath always kept his Church in good order is perfect freedom nor being willing to know nor understand that Conscientia in tantum libera in quantum ab errore liberata Conscience is so far free as it is freed from errour Yet we may be sure Jesus Christ will still keep on his course because he is the Same for ever And let Conscience it self for which all this clamour is made wheresoever it is not enthralled to lust or errour judge in this case Whether it be a liberty which Christ hath purchased for those that believe in him to cross him in his work which he hath hitherto wrought for the good of his Church I speak not here of what he hath permitted a long time for the trial of his people and the advancement of his truth as being able to bring good out of evil but what he hath alwayes acted as the King of his Church and which the very nature of his office did indeed require should be done For any to quarrel at his actings and to call in question all that he hath hitherto done in that kinde as if he had been ever since his ascension onely a spectatour of his Church to see how well she could shift for her self in her own preservation without the exercise of his power by settling a government in her what is this but to tax him with negligence in his office and to make him a Saviour but in part which in effect is to be none at all What though there be some things that are circumstantial to this Government and some Ceremonies in divine worship that have not an immediate stamp of Divine authority upon them to make them currant which will never be found in the whole institute and order of any Church should we therefore reject all that is in them good and warrantable Because people have not their desire in things indifferent should they not consent to that which is necessary for the honour of Christ and the welfare of his Church Two things that should be dearer to us then our lives much more are they to be preferred before a self-satisfaction in some scrupulous niceties the bare using 1 Cor. 8.8 or not using whereof as the Apostle speaks of meat commendeth us not to God But alas these things are not regarded as they ought to be Mens novel apprehensions of the Kingdome of Christ and their particular interests therein must counter-ballance all the publick concernments of Christ and his Church But O yee poor deluded people consider Hath not the Lord Jesus Christ been already too much dishonoured by your needless dissentions but that you will have him to dishonour himself by varying from his wonted course in the ordering of his Church Hath not the peace of his poor Church been too much disturbed and Christian Charity too much violated heretofore in the late times of Schisme Mr. Vines when as one of the prime Leaders amongst you said then too truely It was almost Popery to speak of it This was indeed the old mark for by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples said Christ if yee love one another But the truth is it was almost worn out and instead thereof Infelix Lolium unhappy Feuds Quarrels Divisions Rents abounded What fruit had you then in those things whereof you have been ashamed that you will now return unto them
again rather then to joyn with your Brethren in things that are indifferent It was a sweet and Christian resolution of devour Saint Bernard when he saw differences arise that might cause a breach between him and others with whom he had formerly held a brotherly correspondency He wrote unto them in these Words Adharebo vobis etsi nolitis adharebo vobis et si nolim ipse Epi. 252. I will be of you though you be unwilling I will be of you though I be unwilling my self O if there were in you brethren but this meekness of wisdom to bear and forbear and such a zeal for the publick peace which you are bound in Conscience to promote it would surely more adorn your Christian Profession then all your cariering with Spear in Rest against the established Orders of the Church in Polemical argutations If it be so that you have any peculiar priviledge granted unto you from heaven above others to go in untrodden paths by your selves to disavow that order and government under which the Church hath flourished in former times and to dissolve all ancient bonds of unity and Christian society in the publick worshipping of our God as some by their violent Impulses of spirit others by their Enthusiasms have pretended to have let it be produced that we may believe you But as the Apostle puts the question so may we Is Christ divided How is he then the Same 1 Cor. 1.13 Hath he been with his Church ever from the beginning exercising his Power in the establishment of order and government in it without which I say again it could not well have been so long preserved promising also that he will be with it for that end and purpose to the end of the world And hath he given a countermand or a connivence unto some to separate themselves from the said order and government yea to do what lyeth in them utterly to disanul it Verily it must not it cannot be imagined that he who is the Same yesterdâ—y to day and for ever should at all prevaricate or swerve so diametrally from his purpose and practice wherein he hath always manifested himself to be the Same If the consideration of these things will not bring on a composure of our differences and allay the shaâ—pness of contradicting spirits I know not what will And if when men see what the Lord hath done and hear what God the Lord that is God which is the Lord Psal 85.8 viz. Jesus Christ doth speak who doth use to speak peace unto his people and to his Saints to speak it as a Comforter and to speak it as a Counsellour for it hath always been the earnest desire of his soul to see his people live peaceably one with another they will neither acquiesce in his doing nor follow his counsel What shall we judge of them but that they are willing not onely to turn but to run after folly and that they delight in vain janglings which do minister endless debates rather then godly edifying Lastly this will afford strong consolation for all that do live godly in Christ Jesus both in respect of themselves and their posterity First for themselves When we sinde much uncertainty in Creature-Comforts about us This may be our rejoycing and our refuge that Christ will be the Same unto us for ever Though friends may fail though means may fail though health may fail though heart may sail yet Christ will never fail Look what Peter spake but did not perform Christ hath spoken and will surely make good Though all forsake thee yet will not I. Let therefore that sweet and precious Promise be laid up in the heart of every true believer as a cordial to comfort it in all changes and troubles whatsoever that may arise written not onely by the Apostle Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 but in sundry other places of Scripture for our greater confirmation I will never never never never never leave thee or forsake thee Secondly for posterity We may rejoyce in this that the Lord Jesus Christ will have as tender a care of them as he hath had of us before them because he is the Same for ever He will be the Same to instruct and teach them the Same to defend and protect them the Same to save them from their sins and to bring them to glory Thus argueth the Prophet Psal 102.27 28. Heb. 1.10 Psal 102.27 which the Apostle applieth unto Christ Hebr. 1.10 c Thou art the Same and thy years shall have no end The children of thy servants shall continue under thy protection and provision and their seed shall be established before thee Shortly then Is not this exceeding great comfort to godly parents in all ages That Christ will be a guardian to their children after their decease They shall not be left as we say to the wide world neither shall such parents be like unto him of whom the Psalmist speaketh who should have none to favour his fatherless children But because Christ is the Same for ever he will as he hath done ever take care of his people that are in Covenant with him not onely making his Work appear unto his Servants but his Glory also unto their Children For he remembreth his Covenant for ever the Word which he commanded viz. his Angels to observe in the preservation of his people Ps 105 8. or the blessing which he hath decreed and issued out with such Authority that it shall prevail against all opposition to a thousand generations Leave therefore your fatherless children unto him he will preserve them alive for with him the fatherless shall ever finde mercy CHAP. IV. Sheweth how JESUS CHRIST is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Same unto his Church in her Triumphant estate unto all Eternity HItherto have we seen Jesus Christ the Same unto his Church yesterday to day and for ever in all the Generations that have been are or shall be in this world while she abideth in her Militant estate which hath given occasion of sundry Instructions that may through the good blessing of God be profitable and seasonable for these last times But what then may some say Will Christ forsake his Church when she is in her triumph and cease to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same unto her when he hath finished his whole work and presented all her children before his Father in glory I answer still Jesus Christ will be the Same for ever unto his Church that is to say Not onely in this world but in that also which is to come To this purpose let us briefly consider two things First the full sense and utmost extent of the Apostles words here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Ever Secondly how Christ will be the Same unto his Church in the world to come As touching the First We must know that the Original word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Always
the Incarnation of our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ * Which agrees with Alstedius his account were 1721. years and since the Incarnation are 1660. Both which accounts make up 3381. So that to fill up the said number of Jubilean years there remaineth but one single Jubilee more which will fall out to be in the year of our Lord 1709. About which time the people of Israel called here Daniels people because of his care and tender affection towards them may become a people again according to the concurrency of Scriptural Prophecies their iniquity transgression and sin finished and taken away through the reconciliation that shall be then between their God and them in stead whereof they shall have an everlasting righteousness brought in by the good hand of God upon them whereby they shall become a righteous Nation for ever and so consequently the whole Vision and Prophecy concerning them will be sealed that is confirmed and concluded and the most Holy or the Holiness of Holinesses that is either the Holiness of Israel surpassing all the Holinesses of believing Gentiles shall be anointed that is exalted above all others or the Messiah even the Lord Jesus who is the Holiest of them all for there is Hoâ—ier then the Holiest and there is Holier then they shall be anointed that is reign as King over them and they by their unanimous acclamations and chearful subjection acknowledge him to be their Sovereign The sense of this Scripture I confess is new but it will not follow thereupon that it cannot be true Yet I am not confident that it is the onely meaning of the Spirit for then I should pretend to be wiser then Daniel But I will wait for the determination of the Holy Church about it and expect till the end be what Divine Providence will work in bringing of it to pass hoping to rest and to stand in my lot with Daniel at the end of the dayes Some intricacies I know will appear in this interpretation which I shall endeavour to unfold Yet sure I am they are not so many as other Expositions are perplexed with and so snarled that they can never be resolved First an account will be required of me why I should call and reckon those for Jubilees which are in our Translation called Weekes I answer though the word be translated Weekes which I do not take upon me to correct the word having a measure according to Scripture-phrase extending to various significations yet such as are skilful in the Original do well know that these words may be also rendred thus sevens seventy are pared out for thy people Now the Scripture speakes of three several sorts of sevens or septenaries in order to such times which the Lord hath sanctified First the seventh day secondly the seventh year thirdly the seventh Sabbatical year The seventh day was the Sabbath wherein the people were to rest Lev. 23.3 Lev. 23 3. The seventh year was the Sabbatical year wherein the ground rested Lev. 25.4 The seventh Sabbatical year was the Jubilean Sabbath Lev. 25.8 The acceptable year above all the rest Lev. 25.4 Lev 25.8 Es 61.2 Ezek. 49.17 the year of liking or good-will Es 61.2 or as Ezekiel calls it the year of liberty or general releasement proclaimed by sound of trumpet wherein every man was to return to his Inheritance again and every servant to his freedome which priviledges doubtless brought on much rejoycing and jubilation among them It was a year of great expectation insomuch that it is conceived to be the great Epoche or Cardo of their times as the Olympiads were among the Graecians Hospinian de Orig. Fest. c. 9. and the lustra of old and indictions of late among the Romans Hoc observa saith Alstedius Jubilaeos esse infallibiles Characteres secundum ques praecipua tempora in Scripturis definiri possunt This know that Jubilean Sabbatisins are the most infallible characters to decipher and dâ—stinguish the principal times of note in the Holy Scripture This septenary therefore seems to be worthy of more then ordinary regard And the rather because it did likewise in an especial manner shadow out our deliverance by Christ which was indeed the acceptable year of remission prophecied of before Es 61.1.2 and so interpreted by our blessed Saviour Luk. 4.18 As also thereby was signified our return into the Heavenly Paradise Luk. 23.43 from which we are fallen in Adam The seventh year may be applied to every mans particular consummation when his soule is received up into glory but by the Jubilean Sabbath wherein all the Israelites had their re-entry upon their Lands formerly sold is the general re-entry of all believers into the Kingdome of Heaven which they had formerly forfeited by their sins most happily prefigured These things then being so and the Angel leaving it undetermined which seven of the three it is that is here meant Did not our Saviour allude unto the 70. Jubilees when he spake of our sorgiving one another seventy times seven whether this great Septenary rather then that of weekes of years may not in reason be judged to be that which the Angel here intended when he said sevens seventy are cut out for thy people let the Church determine As for that objection which perhaps may here be cast in that the Jubilean year was not ordained before such time as Moses gave out the Law to the people in the Wilderness and therefore could not be reckoned on before it was in being And that also that the Jubilee was a part of the Ceremonial Law and therefore as out of date not to be reckoned on in the time of the Gospel these I say upon due consideration will appear to be of no force For first the seventh day Sabbaths and Sacrifices were a part of the Mosaical Institute yet were observed by Gods people from the beginning of the World so might Jubilees too for ought that may be objected to the contrary Yea it is apparent that Jubilees have been distinguished of old into two sorts viz. Jubilaei Mundani Jubilaei Mosaici that is Jubilees of the Creation and Jubilees of the Law so that this account by Jubilees might be before the Law But there is no need to go so far for an answer The Angel might here speak of such an account of years by way of Prolepsis or Anticipation a Figure usual in Scripture though there were no Jubilees to be observed by that people for above 200. years after Jacobs going down into Egypt And whereas it is objected in the second place that because the Jubilee is a part of the Mosaical Pedagogy therefore it is not now to be reckoned on I answer no more do we so as to observe it according to the Law of Moses nevertheless while the world standeth 49. years will be so many still and no more nor fewer then they were wont to be when Moses gave out the Law And the Angel might speak according to the Phraseology of
of the first of the Acts sixth and seventh verses Act. 1.6.7 The words are these When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel And he said unto them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own pâ—wer I know well the Apostles have been and are to this day charged here with an errour common among the Jews as it is reported of them namely That the time should come when the Messiah should reign as Lord and King upon the Earth according to the manner of the world and that all Nations should in that kinde be subject unto him and because the Jews were to have the preheminence among them therefore doth the Apostle speak here of his Dominion in this manâ—er calling it the kingdom of Israel But I must crave leave to enter my dissent unto this charge because it runs on too fast in the world without a warrant yea I cannot but account it too much rashness to impute a fault unto those eminent servants of Christ where the Holy Ghost in Scripture hath not given a clear demonstration thereof A fault indeed here is whereof they were too guilty in busying themselves about the knowledge of a time wherein they were not concerned and for which the Lord rebukes them But that they should now as for what they had done formerly in that kinde it is not here Material look for such a temporal Kingdome of the Messiah as the Jews generally did and do still expect this I confidently deny The grounds of which confidence will appear when I shall have proved that this discourse between Christ and his Apostles is a clear confirmation of the point in hand That we may understand aâ—ight the sense of this Scripture let us consider distinctly three things First the occasion of this Question Secondly the persons that put the Question Thirdly the Answer unto it First the occasion from whence the Question did arise is couched in this word therefore when they therefore were come together they asked of him c. By which word of connexion it is manifest that their Question was not suddainly started as of a thing impertinent to the purport of Christs Doctrine which he had been pressing upon them in those fourty dayes since his Resurrection but rather was produced by them as a result very consonant thereunto He had been speaking to them as it is said vers 3. of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God that is of the future estate of his Church for as for the Doctrine of Salvation he had fully made that known unto them before as appears Joh. 15.15 Where he saith All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you So that probable it is the Subject of his discourse now was as I have said concerning his Church giving instructions for the planting and governing of it and premonitions also what dangers and difficulties it was like to suffer and how it should prosper and prevaile over them all in the latter end And herein the Lord manifests his provident care and tender compassion which he had of his Church resembling thereby good old Jacob his Type in this very particular who when he was about to leave the world calls upon his sons to gather themselves together that he migh shew unto them what should befall them in the latter dayes Gâ—n 49 1. Whereas therefore the Lord Jesus Christ had been speaking to his Apostles of these things pertaining to the Kingdome of God and they thereupon enquire of him concerning the restoring the Kingdome to Israel is it not past all gain-saying that some at least of the things which he spake had reference to this restauration Especially when as it is well observed by Grotius In his Annota Luk. 21.24 non negat se id facturum sed quo id futurum esset tempore noluit ab ipsis inquiri he doth not deny that such a thing he would do but onely was not willing to be enquired of by them when it should be done Much was to be done as the sequel now proveth before this which they so hastily sought for could come to pass which they thought not of for it could never have entred into their hearts to conceive unless it had been revealed unto them wherein nevertheless they and their Successours for many Ages should be employed as servants and co-workers with Christ to the end that this much desired restauration might by the bringing in of others also to the faith of the Gospel be attended with the greater glory And hence it is that the Lord commands them that they should not depart from Jerusalem because from thence was the word of life to go out into the world till they were baptised with the Holy Ghost which was the promise of the Father whereby they were to be endued with power extraordinary as being the chief intruments under Christ for so great a work and to authorize others in an ordinary way to be their co-agents in it Secondly consider the persons that put the Question First it was the Apostles men not to be despised such as were legati à latere whom Christ had chosen above all others to be his witnesses of what he did and taught and to be his Embassadours to carry his name into all the world Who did eate and drinks with him after he arose from the dead Act. 10. Secondly the Apostles who though they were not yet baptised with the Holy Ghost according to the promise of the Father yet had received the Holy Ghost by Christs breathing on them whereby they had not onely power given them more then ordinary but knowledge also more then ever they had to discern what might be most conducible to the advancement of their Masters honour and so knew more of his minde in order thereunto then any others could or can possibly attain unto Thirdly the Apostles altogether not one or two of them separated from the rest desirous to winde themselves into their Masters favour above their fellows as it had unhappily fallen out in former time but the eleven with one consent joyned as one man to put this Question unto him for when they were come together it is said they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdome to Israel Which Kingdome if it were never any more to have a being in this World as a thing inconsistent with the manner of Christs Spiritual Kingdome their general agreement about it would doubtless have been adjudged no better then a conspiracy against the Dignity and Prerogative Royal of their Lord and Master and consequently had not gone without a severe check no more then their precipitant disquisition after the time did for which they are reproved Thirdly consider the answer that the Lord giveth It is not saith he for you to know the times or
the Chapter Now comes he vers 11 12 c. with variety of Arguments to shew the Probability Afterwards vers 25 c c. he proveth the Certainty thereof In the end applauding and magnifying the Wisdome and Knowledge of God his stupendious Wisdome in making the Desertion of the Jews and occasion of calling the Gentiles and his profound knowledge farre beyond the reach of all the heavenly Intelligences in knowing how to work upon the most obstinate Jews by bringing them to the obedience of the Gospel through their envy and emulation towards the Gentiles This in short is the summe of the Apostles undertaking And should we now follow his track throughout his whole Discourse upon this Subject though possibly some wou'd account it tedious to afford us their company yet we should not be found guilty of an inexcusable digression from the subject that we have before treated of in so doing For the Text being directed to the Hebrews to assure them of Christs immutability towards them which argues clearly that he would not finally forsake them though for the present they were as strangers scattered about the world 1 Pet. 1.1 The explicating therefore of these parallel Scriptures which the holy Ghost hath recorded for our confirmation therein cannot with any shadow of reason be reckoned as an impertinency especially when a point so material to the honour of the Lord Jesus Christ is called in question as it is this day Neither indeed could that which hath been here done in order thereto have been omitted unless we should have betrayed the Text to the gain-saying of men which God forbid And let this serve for a vindication against all those cavillers who are ready to object impertinencies unto me in the allegation of those Scriptures which have here been made use of to this purpose Nevertheless to avoyd more prolixity we shall not exactly trace the Apostle in the pursuance of this argument concerning the Probability of the reâ—ingrafting of the Jewish Nation into the Church of God onely give leave in the behalf of Gods glory and the special interest of his Church to put a Quaere or two which are the fruit and off-spring of an astonishing admiration The Resolution whereof shall be left unto the adversaries of this poor despised people to be determined by them either with a retractation of their errour here and repentance for it or hereafter before the Tribunal of the righteous Judge when he shall appear in his glory First then I demand 1. Quaere Whether it be not just and meet that God should obtain his end which he hath proposed unto himself concerning both Jews and Gentiles in the dispensation of his mercy He hath saith the Apostle vers 32. concluded them all in unbelief that is in his just Judgement shut them all up together as in the very verge of hell under the dominion of sin which misery nevertheless they had brought upon themselves by their contumacy against him but to what end Was it that he might destroy either one or the other No verily but rather that he might have mercy upon them all both Jews and Gentiles To the Gentiles who were first in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pertinaciously set against the Lord and his Anointed he would make known the riches of his Grace and take them into his Covenant as well as the Jews But because the Jews indignation was so great against the Gentiles that they would not vouchsafe to own them as brethren and co-partners with them in the same grace though they themselves also most unthankfully rejected this grace when it was offered unto them resembling thereby as the proverb is the Dog in the manger who would neither eat of the fodder himself nor suffer the poor hungry Ox standing by to eat of it that would therefore did God leave them to a woful blindness and hardness of heart that through their fall salvation might come to the Gentiles wherein notwithstanding God had a favourable respect unto the Jews likewise viz. That they seeing the Gentiles taken into his bosome enjoying the priviledges of children farre beyond their expectation and themselves despised of God and dispersed over the world might be provoked to emulation that is to an earnest desire of reconciliation with God as disdaining to be a Nation inferiour to any other Nations in his love and willing to be like unto them yea to surpass them in all things that might endear them unto him Now consider when God shall in the depth of his Wisdome contrive a glorious design for the exalting of his grace so glorious that next to the sending of his onely Sonne into the world would be the greatest that ever should be acted upon the Theater of the world and withall give notice of it in his Word to the children of men that they might wait for the accomplishment thereof Is it not an affront offered to the Wisdome of God and a check given unto his Grace for any to doubt whether it should come to pass or no Secondly 2. Quere Since not onely the glory of God but the interest of his Church is herein highly concern'd I demand in the next place Whether it be not very requisite that they who profess themselves children of the Church should rejoyce in those discoveries of Divine Providence that may any way tend to the promoting of that interest Saint Paul here who was called to be an Apostle of the Gentiles accounts it a magnifying of his office to make his boast of the great encrease of those spiritual riches which he fore-saw should be the portion of the Churches of the Gentiles upon the reception of the Jews in the latter dayes Hear how he argues If the fall of them that is the Jews be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness And again If the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world what shall the receiving of them be but life seem the dead Words indeed of an irresistable conviction unless we will say with the Laedicean We are rich and encreased in goods and have need of nothing Alas we have need of more grace because Satan now hath more wrath then ever having but a short time to work for his kingdome we have need of more holiness because the pollutions of the world are grown more filthy we have need of more acquaintance with our God because our hearts are grown more deceitful doubtless we are not so full but we have yet need of more at least we have need of more brotherly love and Christian unanimity then is at this day to be found amongst us and that those schisms and divisions under which the poor Church of Christ lyeth struggling as it were for life should be taken out of the way True it is we Gentiles who were before a beggarly people have upon the Jews falling into poverty been enriched by Divine bounty but have