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<DATE>2012-01-25</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>John Pas</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Checklist: x * Add TEMPHEAD, change DATE, validate x * Add DIV TYPEs, validate x * Review structure, use FRONT, BODY, BACK or rarely GROUP x * Survey book for troublesome formats of all kinds, including lists, illustrations, tables, music, math, end-notes, quasi-tabular arrangments, and marginalia. Made sure that it was correctly tagged. Decide how much is worth changing. x * Check PB placement and completeness, ensure sequence of N="" x * Proof title page(s) x * Check HEAD TRAILER ARGUMENT EPIGRAPH BIBL OPENER CLOSER SIGNED SALUTE BYLINE x * Check ^, oe, abq, italic I / J, _Initals, space between &amp;c. x * Check -- LB FIGURE x * Check q; Q x * Check all GAPs and quire signatures x * Check ligatures if in blackletter &abper; &abpro; &abus; &abquod; &absed; &abser; &abcon; &abrum; &abis; and any miscellaneous ABBR's x * Z's: medial capital Z's and final z's if in blackletter x * gr; entities x * 'd vs ld x * f&s; / &s;f x * Capital U / V's in black-letter, w\^[^t] x * accented letters x * ot / ol / of and tr / tb / th x * Correct illegibles from proofsheet x * Check for &punc; in the middle of words
* Check illegible page, para, line, span, word, dollar signs x * Look for unobtrusive numerations and other occult signs of structure. Do they mark divs? milestones? x * Examine marginalia. Is it all best tagged as NOTE? x * If appropriate, check for yoghs. x * Final validate Corrected [ ] illegible groups out of [ ]. Converted [ ] illegible groups to GAP DESC="illegible". DONE</ITEM>
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<STC T="W">V397</STC>
<STC T="T">E898_1</STC>
<BIBNO T="umi">99872311</BIBNO>
<VID>168435</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P><HI>Theoremata Theologica:</HI> THEOLOGICAL TREATISES.</P>
<P>Octo The&s;es Theologicae: <HI>Eght Th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;es of Divinity.</HI></P>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>1. Animae Humanae Productio:</HI> Production of Mans Soul.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>2. Pura Dei Praede&s;tinatio:</HI> Divine Prede&s;tination.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>3. Verum Eccle&s;iae regimen:</HI> The tru Church regiment.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>4. Praedictiones de Me&s;&s;ia:</HI> Predictions of Me&s;&s;ias.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>5. Duae Chri&s;ti Genealogiae:</HI> Chri&s;ts two Genealogies.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>6. Apocalyp&s;is patefacta:</HI> The Revelation reveled.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>7. Chri&s;ti regnum in Terra:</HI> Chri&s;ts Millenar reign.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>8. Mundi hujus di&s;&s;olutio:</HI> The Worlds Di&s;&s;olution.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<Q><LG>
<L>Scandala &s;i tulerit Criticus quicun&abque;; legendo:</L>
<L>Seria nil ni&s;i me velle movere &s;ciat.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>If Critics ought in reading &s;hal offend:</L>
<L>Know that I nought but weighty things intend.</L>
</LG></Q>
<P>Compiled or Collected by ROB. VILVAIN.</P>
<P><HI>Price at Pre&s;&s; in Sheets 3. s.</HI></P>
<P>LONDON, Printed by <HI>R. Hodgkin&s;onne</HI> (for the Author) and are to be &s;old at his Hou&s; in <HI>Thames-&s;treet</HI> neer <HI>Baynards-Ca&s;tle.</HI> A. D. 1654.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poems">
<PB REF="2">
<LG>
<HEAD><HI>Prefatio pro Theologis:</HI> A Foretouch for Divines.</HEAD>
<L><HI>SI Medicus crepidam Medicinae tran&s;iat ultra,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Parcite Theiologi: nil ni&s;i vera cupit.</HI></L>
<L>It a Phi&s;ition beyond his Art a&s;pires,</L>
<L>Bear with't Divines: he nought but truth de&s;ires.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<HEAD><HI>Ju&s;ta pro &s;e Vindicatio:</HI> A ju&s;t Defen&s; of him&s;elf.</HEAD>
<L><HI>DUm velut Eccho &s;onans aliena reverbero verba,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Ju&s;te nemo pote&s;t in&s;imulare probri.</HI></L>
<L>While I &s;hril Eccho-like others words relat,</L>
<L>Of wrong none can me ju&s;tly criminat.</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD><HI>Mendae omi&s;&s;ae emendandae:</HI> The Errats to be emended.</HEAD>
<P>This work hath few faults, and tho&s; of no moment; which every Ey can &s;oon e&s;py, and Pen emend: &s;o it &s;hal &s;av the Author a labor to &s;pecify them. Who in lieu therof, hath publi&s;hed <HI>extempore</HI> a pety Pamphlet of Chronography (3. d. price at Pre&s;&s;) wel worth peru&s;al, which he that wil may annex to this Theologic Theory, or buy by it &s;elf, or leav as he li&s;ts, being both of one Paper and Letter.</P>
<LG>
<L>Anglica Pro&s;a minus vitiis obnoxia Preli,</L>
<L>Carmina qu&agrave;m latio &s;cripta lepore &s;ient.</L>
<L>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tamen hocce libro mendae eva&s;cre minutae:</L>
<L>Quas lector calamo rectificare pote&s;t.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Engli&s;h Pro&s;e is to Pre&s;&s;-faults le&s;&s; inclined,</L>
<L>Then Ver&s;es are in Latin phra&s;e in&s;crited</L>
<L>Yet in this Book &s;om &s;mal faults hav pa&s;&s;d by.</L>
<L>Which Readers may with Pen &s;oon rectify.</L>
</LG>
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="coat of arms">
<PB REF="3">
<P><FIGURE>
<FIGDESC>coat of arms of the University of Oxford</FIGDESC>
<HEAD>ACADEMIA OXONIENSIS.</HEAD>
<Q>SAPIENTIA ET FELICITATE</Q>
</FIGURE></P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="half title">
<PB REF="3">
<P>THEOREMATA THEOLOGICA: THEOLOGICAL TREATISES.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="summary">
<PB REF="4">
<PB REF="4">
<HEAD><HI>Summa octo Theorematum:</HI> A Summary of eght The&s;es.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L><HI>OCTO Theiologi &s;ublimia dogmata tractant:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Quae tenue hoc liquido &s;tamine pandit opus.</HI></L>
<L>Divines of eght high My&s;teries doo treat:</L>
<L>Which this &s;light work doth with cleer &s;tile repeat.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><HI>Octo a Theiologis Theoremata tradita con&s;tant:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Alia<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Ordine quae certo &s;cripta &s;equente l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">bro.</HI></L>
<L>Eght Theories handled by Divines ther are:</L>
<L>Which in &s;et rank the folowing works declare.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>1. Humanae The&s;is e&s;t Animae Productio prima:</L>
<L>2. Q&ucirc;i Deus <HI>Adamum</HI> praede&s;tinat, altera tangit:</L>
<L>3. Tertia qua forma e&s;t moderata Eccle&s;ia pandit:</L>
<L>4. Quarta Propheteias de Me&s;sia explicat omnes:</L>
<L>5. Stemma Genethliacum de&s;cribit proxima Chri&s;ti: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Naturale &amp; legale.</NOTE></L>
<L>6. Maxima &s;exta aperit my&s;teria vi&s;a <HI>Joanni:</HI></L>
<L>7. Septima agit Chri&s;ti de regno mille per annos:</L>
<L>8 Extremum mundi excidium po&s;trema remon&s;trat.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Mans Souls Production in fir&s;t file doth proceed:</L>
<L>The next &s;hews, How of <HI>Adam</HI> God decreed:</L>
<L>The third in what form Church is rul'd, declareth:</L>
<L>The fourth al Prophecies of Me&s;&s;ia explaneth:</L>
<L>The fifth de&s;cribes Chri&s;t duple Pedigrees:</L>
<L>The &s;ixth unfolds <HI>Johns</HI> deepe&s;t my&s;teries:</L>
<L>The &s;eventh Chri&s;ts thou&s;and yeers reign doth de|bate:</L>
<L>The la&s;t this Worlds de&s;truction doth relate.</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="questions">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD><HI>Que&s;tiones Emergentes:</HI> Que&s;tions on the The&s;es.</HEAD>
<LIST>
<LABEL>An.</LABEL>
<ITEM><LIST>
<ITEM>Anima cuju&s;&abque;; Hominis po&s;t <HI>Adamum</HI> &s;it ex traduce?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Praede&s;tinatio &s;it ex puro Dei placito &amp; ab&s;oluto Decret<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Regimen Eccle&s;iae &s;it Monarchicum, Ari&s;tocraticum, vel mixtum?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Propbetiae de Me&s;sia venturo, prae&s;titae &s;int in &amp; per Chri&s;tu~?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Duae Chri&s;ti Genealogiae in Evangeliis, &s;int verae &amp; per|fectae?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Apocalypticae Revelationes futurae, &s;int certo praeno&s;cendae?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Chri&s;tus regnabit in terris cum Martyribus per mille annos?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Mundus hic materialis annihilabitur po&s;t ultimu~ Judicium?</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
<LABEL>Whether</LABEL>
<ITEM><LIST>
<ITEM>Every Mans Soul &s;ince <HI>Adams,</HI> be generated by the Parents Souls?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Prede&s;tination proced from Gods pure plea&s;ure and ab&s;olut Decree?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Church Government be Monarchic, Ari&s;tocratic, or mixed of both?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Al Prophecies of Me&s;&s;iah to com, were fulfilled in and by Chi&s;t?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Chri&s;ts two Genealogies in the Go&s;pel (natural and legal) be perfect?</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Apocalyptic Revelations to com, can be cer|tainly foreknown?</ITEM>
<ITEM>Chri&s;t &s;hal reign on Earth with his Martyrs one thou&s;and yeers?</ITEM>
<ITEM>This material World &s;hal be annihilated after the la&s;t Judgment?</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="author to friend">
<PB REF="5">
<HEAD><HI>Epi&s;tola gratulabunda:</HI> An Epi&s;tle gratulatory.</HEAD>
<HEAD>To the Right wor&s;hipful my deare&s;t of Friends <HI>John Mai|nard</HI> E&s;quire, Serjeant at Law.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Honored Sir,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_I Pre&s;ume to prefix your Name before this Book, not in expectance of per|functory protection (tho you be&s;t able to plead or patronize a good cau&s;, and a bad wil bewray it &s;elf wor&s; by defending) &s;ith every Au|thor mu&s;t an&s;wer for his own faults: but partly as a Te&s;timony of my tru gratitud for al former favors; and partly that it &s;hould try the touch-&s;tone of your exact cen&s;ure: who&s; intellectuals having attained <NOTE PLACE="marg">50. Yeer<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> the Jubile of your age; are now arrived to the zenith of perfection. Such &s;ublime &s;peculations here handled, &s;oar abov the Sphere of your and my Profe&s;&s;ion: yet &s;ith our Theological teachers hav tendred them to public view, with manifold jarrings or janglings among them&s;elfs; we both may boldly like the Bereans take leav to try whether the&s; things be &s;o: &s;pecialy &s;uch as concern our Souls &s;alubrity or &s;alvifical felicity.</P>
<P>I am &s;ufficiently con&s;cious by much mutual amity and acquaintance, of your rare rational endowments (for which you are bound to ble&s;&s; God the giver of
<PB REF="6"> al Goodnes) as &s;harpnes of invention, &s;oundnes of Judgment, &s;uddennes of Apprehen&s;ion; fa&s;tnes of Memory, firmnes of Entelechy, and fluentnes of Expre&s;&s;ion or Elocution (which I would not enu|merat, were they not evidently eminent to every ey) with other &s;trong practic parts fit for your Faculty; which make you de&s;irable of mo&s;t men. Howbeit I wil not accumulat Eulogies <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ho di&s;erved, le&s;t it may render me &s;u&s;pect of flattery, from which I was ever free: but wi&s;h you abundance of divine Grace, to di&s;pen&s; his Gifts like a faithful Steward for the general good of this Common-wealth: and even &s;o abruptly conclud with zelous wi&s;hes of welfare to you and yours, who wil &s;til remain ready to &s;erv you with the utmo&s;t of my Faculties:</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your mo&s;t intirely devoted at al E&s;&s;ais Rob. Vilvain.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><LG>
<L>Hunc, mihi vir multis titulis Chari&s;sime; Libr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"></L>
<L>Pro magnis meritis con&s;ecro jure tibi.</L>
<L>Non patrocinium cupio, non ambio grates:</L>
<L>Tantum ego grati <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nimi pendo tributa mei.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Sir, many wais mo&s;t Dear; this book I t' you</L>
<L>Devot, for great demerits ju&s;tly du.</L>
<L>I crav no Patronage, nor &s;eek thanks to find,</L>
<L>But only tribut pay of gratful mind.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><HI>Non adulatorem &s;imulo, aut mendacia <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ingo:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Sed refero meritis inferiora tuis.</HI></L>
<L>I play no Para&s;its part, nor lies invent:</L>
<L>But &s;om things much beneath your merits vent.</L>
</LG></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="6">
<HEAD><HI>Proloquium ad Lectores:</HI> A Preamble to al Readers.</HEAD>
<P>_THIS &s;acred work &s;elected from the learn|ed lucubrations of diver&s; deep Divines, I pre&s;um to pre&s;ent as borowed Feathers from &s;undry rare Birds: having a fa|culty or facility to ab&s;tract and abbreviat Authors, that the owners (muchle&s;&s; o|thers) &s;hal &s;car&s;e know they are collected from them; which hath much &s;teaded me in compiling the&s; Theological Theo|ries. For I am by Profe&s;sion a Phi&s;ition (no Prophet, nor Prophets Son) utterly unfit and unworthy to meddle with &s;uch my&s;terious matters. The fir&s;t The&s;is was penned in young yeers, but &s;ince poli&s;hed with intent to be publi&s;hed: and latly augmented by Mr. <HI>Woolnots</HI> labors. The next is taken mo&s;tly from Mr. <HI>Plaifers Appello Evangelium.</HI> The third from Dr. <HI>Tailor</HI> and Mr. <HI>Thorndike.</HI> The fourth from Mr. <HI>Smiths Arrow</HI> again&s;t Athei&s;ts. The <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">fth from Bi&s;hop <HI>Cowper</HI> of <HI>Galoway.</HI> The &s;ixth from Mr. <HI>Mede</HI> and a German Doctor. The &s;eventh from Mr. <HI>Baily</HI> a Scot. The la&s;t from Dr. <HI>H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">k<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s</HI> apology. In al which I can claim but indu&s;try in collecting, brevity in compiling, per&s;picuity in penning, and fidelity in rendring <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ch Authors intentions: leaving the cen&s;ure of al to the
<PB REF="7"> Readers, who are chief Carvers or Comptrolers. I hav gathered almo&s;t al the gleanings of every The&s;is or Theo|rem together, which lay &s;eattered in &s;everal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">elds, and brought them into this Barn, that every one may the ea&s;ier thre&s;h out what grain wil &s;erv <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">is turn.</P>
<P>Haply I &s;hal &s;eem &s;omwhat &s;awcy to put my &s;ickle into other harve&s;ts: but 'tis a time when al Laborers are bid welcom, and I plow with others Heifers. If any di&s;like the doctrins (as diver&s; wildi&s;ta&s;t, what mo&s;t Men approv, or contrarily) let them blame tho&s; who&s; Eccho I am: but if ought be mi&s;related, mi&s;pri&s;ed, or malitiou&s;ly torted, let it be laid to my &s;ole charge. For I ven<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> lale or nothing of mine own, nor dare po&s;itivly d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">fine, or peremptorily decide any point. So if any except again&s;t the dogmats or docu|ments, let the Authors an&s;wer it; unles I be found a fal&s;a|rian, which every one may compare, whether it <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> doon fully, fairly, and faithfully. Som<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ply wil di&s;gu&s;t the fir&s;t, as di&s;&s;onant to the general received Tenet of Soul-Creation: yet is it only alteratratly debated, not actualy determined. Many may no le&s;&s; &s;nar<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> at the next decried by Presbyterians: yet is it defended by diver&s; Zelous Pro|te&s;tants. The like virulence wil be &s;pued out again&s;t the third, as <HI>Demetrius</HI> the Silver&s;mith at <HI>Athens</HI> per&s;e|cuted St. <HI>Paul,</HI> becau&s; the great Godde&s;&s; <HI>Diana</HI> was con|temned: yet the Hi&s;tory only is handled <HI>de facto,</HI> not <HI>de jure.</HI> The two next wil pa&s;&s; current among al Chri&s;tians; but gain&s;aid by Jews and Infidels, who are of no regard. The &s;ixth cannot be greatly branded tho not generaly beleeved. The penultimat may be traduced by Anabapti&s;ts and their adherents, who dream of a dry Summer, that Chri&s;t &s;hal reign gloriou&s;ly on Earth 1000. yeers before or at the Day of Judgment. For the la&s;t, &s;om wil like, &s;om di&s;like ac|cording
<PB REF="7"> to their various palats. For partiality like mor|tality reigns over al Mankind, which none can ca&s;t off, no not with a furc; &s;o long as we fare in this fle&s;hy fabric: yea the &s;ounde&s;t &s;incere&s;t Jud<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ments are &s;o blinded with &s;elf conceipt, that they cannot po&s;sibly &s;ee it in them&s;elfs, yet di&s;cern it palpably in al Men el&s;. I am very cautious (as others are captious&punc; to di&s;cu&s;&s; al points mode&s;tly and mode|ratly, rather relating others opinions then mine own re&s;o|lutions: who can be co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tent Men &s;hal cen&s;ure freely, if they leav uncharitable de&s;pite and di&s;plea&s;ure. For ther is no ground in rea&s;on or Religion, why <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ne &s;hould be angry with another for di&s;&s;enting in opinions: &s;uch ther <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e &s;o many differing fancies and affections, as Faces and Complexions. If two cannot &s;ee with one ey, let them not &s;cratch out ech others eys, le&s;t both becom blind as Beetles. Al are wedded to their own wils, and overween their &s;elf-worth by nature, which is tolerable being indeclinable: but to break the bonds of charity, is contrary to the common rules of Chri&s;tianity and damnable. Li&s;ten how the Catholic Moderator checks al contenders about Articles of Religion, and givs good coun&s;il in the&s; metres:</P>
<LG>
<L>Why for Opinions interkil we thus,</L>
<L>Who&s; truth not force, but Rea&s;on mu&s;t di&s;cus?</L>
<L>Rea&s;on, who&s; chief force in Opinion lies;</L>
<L>Rea&s;on, who&s; fal&s; glo&s;&s; oft deceivs the wi&s;e.</L>
<L>God doth in peace, lov, concord, unity dwel:</L>
<L>Hate, envy, malice con&s;ines are to Hel.</L>
<L>If then Gods Vi&s;ion thou de&s;ire t' attain,</L>
<L>Shun &s;trife, teen, di&s;cord, &s;corn, and proud di&s;dain.</L>
</LG>
<P>My chief comfort in this ca&s;e is, what &s;om cen&s;ure or con|demn,
<PB REF="8"> others wil confirm or commend: but <HI>Cae&s;ars jacta e&s;t alea</HI> is the be&s;t bulwork of a re&s;olut &s;pirit. If any be apt to quarrel, he &s;hal fight a Sciomachy with his own &s;hadow, and be an&s;wered in &s;upine &s;ilence: for his teen wil be &s;pent on a &s;en&s;le&s;&s; &s;tock that regards it not, nor wil accept his chalenge, being &s;upernnited to fight combats. So many Sects &s;warm abroad, and al &s;o partial to their prin|ciples; that if any &s;hal &s;eem to cro&s;&s; their Tenets, they are ready to gna&s;h their teeth, and &s;tone him with bitter cen|&s;ures or calumnies (as the Jews &s;erved <HI>Stephan</HI>) which is the di&s;mal de&s;tiny of al writers: but I hope for better things from the godly. For why &s;hould Lutherans hate Calvini&s;ts, or th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y Lutherans; Presbyterians Cavaliers and Independents, or either of them Presbyterians, only upon di&s;cordance in points of Religion? St. <HI>J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hn</HI> exborted Catechumen Chri&s;tians, <HI>Filioli<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> diligite invicem:</HI> litle Children, lov one another: for lov is a Chri&s;tians cogni|&s;ance or Character and fulfilling of the Law: yea the chief Commandment (next to lov God abov al in the Go&s;pel unity in opinion is to be wi&s;hed, tho hardly hoped: but a|mity in common conver&s;ation &s;hould be embraced, and cha|rity in Chri&s;tian profi&s;sion chetfly practi&s;ed: without which none &s;hal ever enjoy eternal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">li&s;&s; or beatitud. For we have one Creator God the Father, one Redeemer God the Son, and one Sanctifer God the holy Gho&s;t; in which three Per&s;ons and one God we al beleev with one Faith one Bapti&s;m, and one Profe&s;sion: let us not then hate in heart for diver&s;ity of opinion. If any can cure Peoples &s;piritual pride or philauty in them&s;elfs; carnal affection or partiality toward their Faction; and Infernal hatred or prejudicacy again&s;t others (al three or either) he &s;hal be more famous then <HI>Apollo, Ae&s;oulapius,</HI> or <HI>Hippocrates;</HI> and hav
<PB REF="8"> far mo Patients for the Vertigo, Cardialgia, and Icteritia, (a Cephalical, Cardiacal, and Hepatical malady) then al the Emperics, Mountebanks, or Land skippers in this Land: but Iprofes my &s;elf no Phi&s;ition for &s;uch deplored di&s;ea&s;es. Over-weening expectation is a main Enimy to al writers; but factious emulation and previous prejudica|tion much more: when men prepo&s;trou&s;ly devov others works to <HI>Vulcan</HI> or <HI>Stercutins,</HI> yer they &s;ee the Sun. Preachers may vent what virulences they li&s;t in Pulpit, as Authors can at Pre&s;&s;: but with this difference or di&s;&s;onance,</P>
<LG>
<L>Dictio Praeconis tenues cito, tran&s;it in auras:</L>
<L>Scriptorum at remanent dogmata &s;aepe diu.</L>
<L>A Preachers wordst' empty Air turn again,</L>
<L>But Writers works oftimes doo long remain.</L>
</LG>
<P>Al Men are apt to er, but the mode&s;t ready to acknowledg and amend it, if detected or di&s;plaied; as I vow in pre|&s;ence of our great God freely to doo, if any &s;hal fairly &s;hew it, nor ever wilbe found a Bea&s;t perver&s;ly to per&s;evere therin. I wil &s;erv no Per&s;on, Sect or Faction for fear, favor or flattery; but only deliver my privat per&s;onal Judgment (how weak or worthle&s;&s; &s;oever) &s;incerely, ac|cording to verity or veri&s;imility: This, &s;uch as know my con&s;tant re&s;olut di&s;po&s;ition, wil ea&s;ily beleev; but others may take it on tru&s;t til they &s;hal hav time to try the contra|ry. Al the The&s;es are too redious, but ther prolixity con|&s;i&s;ts more in multitud of matter then words: for I could hav made the Work twi&s;e &s;o voluminous with half the toil:
<PB REF="9"> but doo &s;tudy brevity to &s;pare the Readers Pur&s; and Pains. The Speculations are &s;omwhat &s;ublime, but &s;tile facil and familiar, fit for vulgar under&s;tandings. Let every one take or leav, and take al in good part,</P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>Farewel.</SALUTE></CLOSER>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><LG>
<L>Ru&s;tica Ruricolae, Fabri&abque; Fabrilia tractent:</L>
<L>Tangere nec Medicos dogmata &s;acra decet.</L>
<L><HI>Let Clowns the Plow, and Smiths their Forge attend:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Nor &s;hould Phi&s;itians to things &s;acred bend.</HI></L>
</LG></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="articles of faith">
<PB N="1" REF="9">
<HEAD><HI>Articuli Fidei</HI> Anglicae: 39 Articles of our Faith.</HEAD>
<P><HI>_THE Articles of Religion concluded in Con|vocation, and confirmed by Act of Parlia|ment under Queen</HI> Elizabeth Anno 1562. <HI>but ratified or ree&s;tabli&s;hed under King</HI> James <HI>by the &s;ame duple authority</HI> Anno 1604. <HI>which are here pre&s;ented to &s;atisfy or gratify al, le&s;t men like</HI> Lynces <HI>&s;hould &s;eem &s;harp &s;ighted to look into the Confe&s;&s;ions of other Reformed Churches abroad; and</HI> Lamiae <HI>or blind Beetles at home, in be|ing ignorant of our own Principles and Doctrins: the gene|ral Catalog of which follows in order.</HI></P>
<P>1 Of Faith in the holy Trinity. 2 Of the Word which was made Man. 3 Of Chri&s;ts de&s;cent into Hel. 4 Of his Re&s;urre|ction. 5 Of the holy Gho&s;t. 6 Of the Scriptures &s;ufficience to &s;al|vation. 7 Of the old Te&s;tament. 8 Of the three Creeds. 9 Of original birth-&s;in. 10 Of free wil. 11 Of mans ju&s;tification, 12 Of good works. 13 Of works before ju&s;tification. 14 Of &s;uper trrogation. 15 Of Chri&s;t alone without &s;in. 16 Of &s;in after Bap|ti&s;m. 17 Of Prede&s;tination and Election. 18 Of obtaining &s;alva|tion only by Chri&s;t. 19 Of the Church. 20 Of the Churches authority. 21 Of general Councils. 22 Of Purgatory. 23 Of mini&s;tring in the Congregation. 24 Of &s;peaking ther in an un|known toung. 25 Of the Sacraments. 26 Of the Mini&s;ters un|worthines, which hinders not their effects. 27 Of Bapti&s;m.
<PB REF="10"> 28 Of the Lords &s;upper. 29 Of the wicked, who doo not eat Chri&s;ts Body and Blood 30 Of both kinds. 31 Of Chri&s;ts Ob|lation fini&s;hed on the Cro&s;s. 32, Of Prie&s;ts marriage. 33 Of Ex|communicat Per&s;ons, how they are to be &s;hunned. 34 Of the Churches Traditions. 35 Of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">omilies. 36 Of Con&s;ecrating Bi&s;hops, &amp;c. 37 Of the Civil Magi&s;trat. 38 Of Chri&s;tians goods which are not common. 39 Of a Chri&s;tian mans Oath. The Particulars in&s;u.</P>
<P N="1">Article 1. THere is but one only tru living God, everla&s;ting, without body, parts or pa&s;&s;ions, of infinit power, wi&s;dom and good|ne&s;s: maker and pre&s;erver of al things both vi&s;ible and invi&s;i|ble: in unity of which Godhead ther be three Per&s;ons of one &s;ub&s;tance, power, and eternity; the Father, Son, and holy-Gho&s;t.</P>
<P N="2">Article 2. The Son who is the Word of the Father begot of him from everla&s;ting (the very eternal God of one &s;ub&s;tance with the Father) took mans Nature in the womb of the ble&s;&s;ed virgin of hir &s;ub&s;tance, &s;o that two whol perfect Natures (the God|head and Manhood) were joined in one Per&s;on never to be &s;evered, wherof one Chri&s;t con&s;i&s;ts perfect God and very Man: who &s;uffered, was crucified, dead, and buried to reconcile his Father to us, and be a &s;acrifice not only for Original guilt, but al&s;o for al actual &s;ins of men.</P>
<P N="3">Article 3. As Chri&s;t died for us and was buried: &s;o 'tis to be beleeved, that he went down into Hel.</P>
<P N="4">Article 4. Chri&s;t truly ro&s;e from death and took again his body, with fle&s;h, bones, and al things pertaining to the perfection of Mans Nature: wherwith he a&s;cended into Heaven, and ther &s;its til he &s;hal return to judg al men at la&s;t day.</P>
<P N="5">Article 5. The holy Gho&s;t proceding from the Father and the Son, is one &s;ub&s;tance, maje&s;ty, and glory with the Father and Son; very eternal God.</P>
<P N="6">Article 6. Holy Scripture contains al things nece&s;&s;ary for Salvation; &s;o that whatever is not read therin, nor may be proved therby; is not required of any man to be beleeved as an Article of Faith, or be thought needful to &s;alvation. By the name of holy Scrip|ture we under&s;tand tho&s; Canonical Books of the Old and New Te&s;tament, who&s; authority the Church never doubted of, and
<PB N="2" REF="10"> the other Books (as &s;aint <HI>Jerom</HI> &s;aith) the Church reads for exemple of life and in&s;truction of maners, but doth not apply them to &s;tabli&s;h any Doctrin. All the Books of the new Te|&s;tament, as commonly received, we receiv and reput them Ca|nonical. See their names and number in the holy Bible.</P>
<P N="7">Article 7. The old Te&s;tament is not contrary to the New; for in both everla&s;ting life is offred to mankind by Chri&s;t, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being both God and Man; Therfore they are not to be heard, which fain that the old Fa|thers looked only for tran&s;itory promi&s;es, though the Law given of God by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> touching Ceremonies or Rites doo not bind Chri&s;tians, nor the civil precepts of nece&s;&s;ity to be received in any Chri&s;tian Commonwealth; yet no Chri&s;tian man whate|ver is free from obedience of the Commandements caled moral.</P>
<P N="8">Article 8. The three Creeds (<HI>Nicen, Athana&s;ius,</HI> and that commonly caled the Apo&s;tles) ought throughly to be received and belee|ved: for the&s; may be proved by mo&s;t certain warrants of Scripture.</P>
<P N="9">Article 9. Original &s;in &s;tands not in imitating <HI>Adam</HI> (as the Pelagians vainly talk) but is the fault and corruption of every mans Na|ture, that is ingendred of <HI>Adams</HI> ofspring: wherby man is far gon from original Righteou&s;nes, and inclined to evil: &s;o that the fle&s;h lu&s;teth again&s;t the &s;pirit, and therfore in every per&s;on born into the world, it de&s;ervs Gods wrath and dam|nationthis infection of Nature remains, yea in the Regenerat, wherby the lu&s;t of the fle&s;h (caled in Greek <GAP DESC="foreign">) which &s;om expound the wi&s;dom, &s;om the &s;en&s;uality, &s;om the affe|ction, &s;om the de&s;ire of the fle&s;h, is not &s;ubject to the Law of God, and though ther is no condemnation to them that beleev and are baptized, yet the Apo&s;tle confe&s;&s;eth, that Concupi&s;|cence hath of it &s;elf the nature of Sin.</P>
<P N="10">Article 10. The condition of man after <HI>Adam's</HI> fal is &s;uch, as he can|not turn or prepare him&s;elf by his natural &s;trength and good works to Faith, for we hav no power to doc good or plea&s; God, without his grace preventing us: that we may hav a good wil, and working when we hav that wil.</P>
<P N="11">Article 11. We are accompted righteous before God, only for the me|rit of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t by Faith, not for our
<PB REF="11"> own works or de&s;ervings: which is a mo&s;t whol&s;om doctrin very ful of comfort.</P>
<P N="12">Article 12. Albeit works (which are fruits of Faith, and follow ju&s;tifica|tion) cannot put away our &s;ins and endure the &s;everity of Gods judgement, yet are they plea&s;ing and acceptable to God in Chri&s;t, and doo &s;pring nece&s;&s;arily from a tru lifely Faith: in&s;omuch that by them a lifely Faith may be &s;o evidently known as a Tree di&s;cerned by the fruit.</P>
<P N="13">Article 13. Works doon before the Grace of Chri&s;t and ju&s;tification of his Spirit, are not plea&s;ant to God, for as much as they &s;pring not from Faith in Je&s;us Chri&s;t, nor doo they make men meet to receiv Grace, or (as School-writers &s;ay) de&s;erv Grace of congruity: yea rather becau&s; they are not doon as God hath willed and commanded to be doon; we doubt not but they hav the nature of &s;in.</P>
<P N="14">Article 14. Voluntary works over and abov Gods Commandements (caled works of &s;upererogation) cannot be taught without arrogance and impiety, for by them men declare they doo not only render to God &s;o much as they are bound to doo for them&s;elfs; but doo more for his &s;ake then of duty is required, which &s;hal tran&s;cend to &s;av others: wheras Chri&s;t &s;aith plainly, When yee hav doon al which is commanded, &s;ay we be unpro|fitable &s;ervants.</P>
<P N="15">Article 15. Chri&s;t in truth of our Nature, is made like to us in al things except only &s;in; from which he was cleerly void both in Life and Spirit, he is the Lamb without &s;pot, who by &s;acrifice of him&s;elf once made, took away the &s;ins of the World, and no &s;in (as &s;aint <HI>John</HI> &s;aith) was in him: but we although bapti&s;ed and born again, yet offend in many things, and if we &s;ay we hav no &s;in, we deceiv our &s;elfs, and no truth remains in us.</P>
<P N="16">Article 16. Not every deadly &s;in willingly committed after Bapti&s;m, is &s;in again&s;t the holy Gho&s;t, and unpardonable: wherfore the grant of Repentance may not be denied to &s;uch as fal into Sin after B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pti&s;m. After we hav received the ho|ly. Gho&s;t, we may depart from Grace given and fal into &s;in, and by Gods grace we may ri&s;e again and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mend our lifes: therfore they are to be condemned, which &s;ay they can &s;in no
<PB N="3" REF="11"> more &s;o long as they liv here being once ju&s;tified, or deny place of forgivnes to &s;uch as truly repent.</P>
<P N="17">Article 17. Prede&s;tination to life is Gods everla&s;ting purpo&s;, wherby before the worlds foundation, he con&s;tantly decreed by his Coun&s;il &s;ecret to us, to deliver from cur&s; and damnation tho&s; whom he hath cho&s;en in Chri&s;t out of mankind; and to bring them by Chri&s;t to everla&s;ting Salvation, as ve&s;&s;els made to honor. Therfore they which are indu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d with &s;o excellent a benefit, be caled according to Gods purpo&s; by his Spirit work|ing in du &s;ea&s;on: they through Grace obey the caling, are ju|&s;tified freely, made &s;ons of God by Adoption, like the Image of his only begotten Son Je&s;us Chri&s;t, walk Religiou&s;ly in good works, and at length by Gods mercy attain everla&s;ting felicity. as the godly con&s;ideration of Prede&s;tination and Election in Chri&s;t, is ful of &s;weet, plea&s;ant, un&s;peakable comfort to god|ly per&s;ons, and &s;uch as feel the working of Chri&s;ts Spirit, mor|tifying the works of the fle&s;h and their earthly members, and drawing up their minds to high Heavenly things: a&s;wel be|cau&s; it doth greatly e&s;tabli&s;h and confirm their faith of eternal Salvation to be enjoied by Chri&s;t, as bicau&s; it fervently kindles their lov toward God: &s;o for curious carnal per&s;ons lacking his Spirit, to hav the Sentence of Gods Prede&s;tination conti|nualy before their eys, is a mo&s;t dangerous downfal, wherby the Devil thru&s;ts them into de&s;peration or rechle&s;nes of mo&s;t unclean living, no le&s;s perilous then de&s;pair. Farthermore we mu&s;t receiv Gods promi&s;es, as they be generaly &s;et forth in ho|ly Scripture, and that wil of God is to be folowed in our do|ings, which is expre&s;ly declared to us in his word.</P>
<P N="18">Article 18. They are al&s;o to be had accur&s;ed, who pre&s;um that every man &s;hal be &s;aved by the Law or Sect which he profe&s;&s;eth, &s;o that he be devour and diligent to frame his life according to that Law and Light of Nature: for holy Scripture &s;ets out unto us only the name of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, wherby we mu&s;t be &s;aved.</P>
<P N="19">Article 19. Chri&s;ts vi&s;ible Church is a congregation of faithful men, in which Gods Word is purely preached, and Sacraments duly admini&s;tred according to Chri&s;ts Ordinance, in al things of nece&s;&s;ity r<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">qu &s;it to the &s;ame: As the Church of <HI>J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">u&s;alem,
<PB REF="12"> Alexandria,</HI> and <HI>Antioch</HI> hav erred, &s;o hath that of <HI>Rome,</HI> not only in their living and matter of Ceremonies, but al&s;o in many matters of Faith.</P>
<P N="20">Article 20. The Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies, and authority in controver&s;ies of Faith: yet is it not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to Gods Word, nor may it &s;o expound any place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to a|nother; wherfore tho the Church be a witnes and Keeper of holy writ: yet as it may not decree any thing again&s;t the &s;ame, &s;o ought it not to enforce any thing be&s;id it, as an Article to be beleeved for nece&s;&s;ity of Salvation.</P>
<P N="21">Article 21. General Councils may not be gathered without command and wil of Princes: when they are gathered (being but an A&s;|&s;embly of men, and al not guided by the Spirit and Word of God) they may er, and &s;om times hav erred in matters per|taining to God. Wherfore things ordained by them as nece&s;|&s;ary to Salvation, hav neither &s;trength nor authority, unles it may be declared that they are taken out of holy Scripture.</P>
<P N="22">Article 22. The Romi&s;h Doctrins touching Purgatory, Pardons, Wor|&s;hipping both Images and Reliques, and Invocation of Saints, is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded on no warranty of Scripture, but rather repugnant to Gods word,</P>
<P N="23">Article 23. It is not lawfull for any man to undertake the office of pub|lic Preaching, or mini&s;tring the Sacraments before he be law|fully caled and &s;ent to execut the &s;ame: &s;uch we ought to judg lawfully caled and &s;ent, which be cho&s;en or caled to this work by men that hav public authority given them in the Con|gregation, to cal and &s;end mini&s;ters or laborers into the Lord's Vineyard.</P>
<P N="24">Article 24. 'Tis flatly repugnant to Gods word and primitiv Churches practi&s;, to hav public Praier or Sacraments mini&s;tred in a toung not under&s;tood of the People.</P>
<P N="25">Article 25. Sacraments ordained by Chri&s;t, be not only ba<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ges or tokens of Chri&s;tian mens profe&s;&s;ion; but rather &s;ure witne&s;&s;es and ef|fectual &s;igns of Grace and Gods good will toward us, by which he works invi&s;ibly in us: and not only quicken, but al&s;o &s;trengthen and confirm our faith in him. There be two Sacraments ordained by Chri&s;t in the Go&s;pel; <HI>viz.</HI> Bapti&s;m
<PB N="4" REF="12"> and the Lords Supper: tho&s; fiv commonly caled Sacraments (Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, extrem Un|ction) are not properly Go&s;pel Sacraments; being &s;uch as hav grown up partly of corrupt interpreting the Apo&s;tles, and partly are &s;tates of life alowed in Scripture; but hav not like nature of Sacraments with the o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">het two: for they hav no vi|&s;ible &s;ign or Element ordained by God. The Sacraments were not in&s;tituted by Chri&s;t to be gazed on or carried about; but that we &s;hould duly u&s;e them, and in &s;uch only as receiv them worthily, they hav a whol&s;om effect or operation: but they that receiv the &s;ame unworthily, purchas to them&s;elfs damna|tion, as &s;aint <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith.</P>
<P N="26">Article 26. Though in the vi&s;ible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and &s;omtime hav chief authority in mini&s;tration of the word and Sacraments: yet &s;ith they doo not the &s;ame in their own name but in Chri&s;ts, and mini&s;ter by his Commi&s;&s;ion or authority, we may u&s;e their mini&s;try, both in hearing Gods word and receiving the Sacraments; nor is the effect of Chri&s;ts Ordinances taken away by their wickednes, nor the grace of Gods gifts impaired from &s;uch as by Faith rightly receiv the Sacraments mini&s;tred to them: which are effectual by rea&s;on of Chri&s;ts in&s;titution and promi&s;&s;, tho they be mini&s;tred by e|vil men. Neverthele&s;&s; it apperta<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s to the Churches Di&s;ciplin, that inquiry be made of evil Mini&s;ters, and that they be accu&s;ed by tho&s; which hav knowledg of their offences; and finaly being found guilty, by ju&s;t judgment be depo&s;ed.</P>
<P N="27">Article 27. Bapti&s;m is not only a &s;ign of Profe&s;&s;ion, and mark of di&s;tin|ction; wherby Chri&s;tians are di&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">erned from others not Chri|&s;tned: but is al&s;o a &s;ign of Regeneration or new birth, wher|by as by an in&s;trument, they that receiv Bapti&s;m rightly, are grafted into the Church: the promi&s;es of &s;ins f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rgivnes, and our adoption to be &s;ons of God by the holy Gho&s;t, are vi&s;ibly &s;igned and &s;ealed, Faith confirmed, and Grace increa&s;ed by virtu of praier to God. The Bapti&s;m of young Infants in any wi&s;e is to be retained in the Church, as mo&s;t con&s;onant to Chri&s;ts in&s;titution.</P>
<P N="28">Article 28. The Lords Supper is not only a &s;ign of Chri&s;tians lov, which they ought to hav among them&s;elfs, but rather a Sacrament of
<PB REF="13"> our Redemption by Chri&s;ts death: &s;o that to &s;uch as worthily receiv the &s;ame, the Bread which we break is partaking of Chri&s;ts body, and the cup of Ble&s;&s;ing is a partaking of his Blood. Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation or change of the &s;ub&s;tance of Bread and Wine, cannot be proved by holy Writ, but repugns the plain words of Scripture, overthrows the nature of a Sacra|ment, and givs occa&s;ion to &s;undry &s;uper&s;titions. Chri&s;ts Bo|dy is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper only after a &s;piritual heavenly maner; and the mean wherby 'tis received and earen is Faith. This Sacrament by Chri&s;ts Ordinance, was not re&s;er|ved, carried about, lifted up, or wor&s;hipped.</P>
<P N="29">Article 29. The wicked and &s;uch as be void of life by Faith, tho they doo carnaly and vi&s;ibly pre&s;&s; with their teeth (as &s;aint <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith) the Sacrament of Chri&s;ts Body and Blood: yet in no wi&s;e are partakers of Chri&s;t; but rather doo eat and drink the Sign or Sacrament of &s;o great a thing to their condemnation.</P>
<P N="30">Article 30. The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to lay people: for both parts of the Lords Sacrament; by Chri&s;ts Ordinance and commandement ought to be admini&s;tred unto al Chri&s;tian men.</P>
<P N="31">Article 31. The Offering of Chri&s;t once made, is that right perfect Re|demption, Propitiation, and Satisfaction for al &s;ins of the whol world, both Original and Actual, and ther is no other &s;atisfaction but that alone. Wherfore the Sacrifices of Ma&s;&s;es, in which it was commonly &s;aid the Prie&s;ts did offer Chri&s;t for quick and dead, to hav remi&s;&s;ion of pain and guilt; are bla&s;phe|mous fables and dangerous deceipts.</P>
<P N="32">Article 32. Bi&s;hops, Prie&s;ts, and Deacons are not commanded by Gods Law either to vow the e&s;tate of &s;ingle life, or to ab&s;tain from mariage: but 'tis al&s;o lawful for them, as for al other Chri&s;ti|an men, to marry at their own di&s;cretion; as they &s;hal judg it to &s;erv better to godlines.</P>
<P N="33">Article 33. That per&s;on which by open denunciation of the Church, is rightly cut off from the unity therof and excommunicat, ought to be taken by the multitud of the whol Faithful as an Heathen or Publican, til he be openly reconciled by penance, and re|ceived into the Church by a Judg that hath authority therto.</P>
<P N="34">Article 34. It is not nece&s;&s;ary that Traditions and Ceremonies be one or utterly like in al places: for they hav bin diver&s; and changed
<PB N="5" REF="13"> at al times, according to diver&s;ity of Countries, Times, and mens maners; &s;o that nothing be ordained again&s;t Gods word. Who ever doth willingly or purpo&s;ly on his privat judgment openly break the Churches Traditions and Ceremonies, which be not repugnant to holy Writ; but be ordained and appro|ved by common authority; ought to be rebuked openly, that others may fear to doo the like, as one that offendeth again&s;t the public Order of the Church, and woundeth the con&s;cien|ces of weak Brethren. Every particular or Nationall Church hath authority to ordain, change, and aboli&s;h Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by mans authority, &s;o that al be done to edefying.</P>
<P N="35">Article 35. The &s;ecund book of Homilies (who&s; &s;everal titles are joyned to this Article) contain Godly whol&s;om doctrins, and nece&s;|&s;ary for the&s; times; as the former book doth, &s;et forth under <HI>Edward</HI> 6: therfore we judg them to be read in Churches by al Mini&s;ters diligently and di&s;tinctly, that the People may un|der&s;tand them. Their names are the&s;: 1 <HI>Of the right u&s;e of the Church. 2 Again&s;t peril of Idolatry. 3 Of repairing and keep|ing clean Churches. 4 Of good Works: fir&s;t of Fa&s;ting. 5 Again&s;t Gluttony and Drunkennes. 6 Again&s;t exce&s;s in Apparel. 7 Of Prayer. 8 Of the place and time of Prayer. 9 That Common Prayer and Sacraments ought to be in a known toung. 10 Of the reverend estimation of Gods Word. 11 Of Alm&s; doing. 12 Of Christs Nativity. 13 Of Christs Pa&s;&s;ion. 14 Of Christs Re&s;ur|rection. 15 Of the worthy receiving the Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood. 16 Of the Gifts of the holy Ghost. 17 For the Rogation days. 18 Of the state of Matrimony. 19 Of Repen|tance. 20 Against <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">lenes. 21 Against Rebellion.</HI></P>
<P N="36">Article 36. The Book of con&s;ecrating Archbi&s;hops and Bi&s;hops, and ordering of Prie&s;ts and Deacons &s;et forth under <HI>Edward</HI> 6, and then confirmed by Parliament, contains al things nece&s;&s;ary to &s;uch con&s;ecrating and ordering; nor hath it ought that of it &s;elf is &s;uper&s;ticious or ungodly. Therfore whoever are con&s;ecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that Book, &s;ince the &s;ecund yeer of that King to this time, or hereafter &s;hal be con&s;ecrated or ordered according to the &s;ame; We decree all &s;uch to be rightly, orderly, and lawfully con&s;ecrated and ordered.</P>
<P N="37">Article 37. <PB REF="14">The Kings Maje&s;ty hath chief Power in this Realm of <HI>Eng|land,</HI> and his other Dominions; to whom the chief Govern|ment of all e&s;tates (whether Eccle&s;ia&s;tic or Civil) in al Cau|&s;es doth appertain, nor ought to be &s;ubject unto any forren Juri&s;diction. Whereas we attribute chief Government to the Kings Maje&s;tie (wherby we under&s;tand the minds of &s;om &s;lan|derous folks to be offended) we giv not to our Prince the mi|ni&s;tring of Gods word or Sacraments; which thing the In|junctions al&s;o &s;omtime &s;et forth by our late Queen <HI>Elizabeth,</HI> doe plainly te&s;tify. But that only Prerogativ, which was ever given to al Godly Princes in holy Scripture by God him&s;elf; which is, That they &s;hal rule al E&s;tates and Degrees com|mitted to their charge (whether Eccle&s;ia&s;tic or Tempo|ral) and re&s;train with the Civil Sword al &s;tu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">born and evil doers. The Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome</HI> hath no Juri&s;diction in this Realm of <HI>England.</HI> The Laws of the Land may puni&s;h Chri&s;tian men with death for hainous grievous offences. It is lawful for Chri|&s;tians, at commandment of the Magi&s;trat, to wear Weapons and &s;erv in Wars.</P>
<P N="38">Article 38. The Goods of Chri&s;tians are not common touching the right, title, and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of the &s;ame, as Anabapti&s;ts fal&s;ly boa&s;t: yet every man ought of &s;uch things as he hath, liberaly to give Alms to the Poor according to his ability.</P>
<P N="39">Article 39. As we confe&s;s vain and ra&s;h &s;wearing to be forbid in Chri|&s;tian men, by our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and James his Apo&s;tle: &s;o we judg that Chri&s;tian Religion doth not prohibit, but a man may &s;wear when a Magi&s;trat requires it in a cau&s; of Faith and Charity; &s;o that it be done as the Prophets teach, accor|ding to Ju&s;tice, Judgment, and Truth, for the compo&s;ing of &s;trife.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="articles">
<PB N="6" REF="14">
<HEAD>Articuli Lambethae cu&s;i. <HI>The Articles of</HI> Lambeth.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">An Appendix of nine Articles touching Praede|&s;tination; agitated by <HI>John</HI> Archbi&s;hop of <HI>Canterbury,</HI> and others An. 1595. at Dr. <HI>Whitakers</HI> in&s;tance, again&s;t three Propo&s;itions of Dr. <HI>Baro</HI> a Frenchman, Lady <HI>Marga|rets</HI> Profe&s;&s;or at <HI>Cambridg.</HI></HEAD>
<P N="1">Article 1. GOd from eternity prede&s;tinated &s;om men to life, and reprobated the re&s;t to death or damnation.</P>
<P N="2">Article 2. The moving or efficient cau&s; of Prede&s;tination to life, is not any fore&s;ight of Faith, Per&s;everance, good Works, or any thing in the per&s;ons praede&s;tinated, but only in the Wil of Gods good plea&s;ure.</P>
<P N="3">Article 3. Of the Prede&s;tinat ther is a prefined certain number, which can neither be increa&s;ed nor dimini&s;hed.</P>
<P N="4">Article 4. They that are not prede&s;tinat to &s;alvation, &s;hal nece&s;&s;arily be condemned for their &s;ins.</P>
<P N="5">Article 5. Tru livly ju&s;tifying Faith, and &s;anctifying Spirit of God, is not extingui&s;hed, doth not fall off, nor vani&s;h in the Elect, ei|ther finaly, or totally.</P>
<P N="6">Article 6. A man truly beleeving or indued with ju&s;tifying Faith, is certain, by or with ful per&s;wa&s;ion of Faith, of his &s;ins for|givenes and everla&s;ting &s;alvation by Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="7">Article 7. Saving Grace is not given, nor communicated, nor granted to al men, whereby they may be &s;aved if they will.</P>
<P N="8">Article 8. No man can come to Chri&s;t unles it be given to him, and unle&s;s the Father draw him; nor are al men drawn of the Fa|ther, that they come to the Son.</P>
<P N="9"><PB REF="15">Article 9. It is not in the free choice and power of every man to be &s;aved.</P>
<P><HI>The&s;e A&s;&s;ertious or Po&s;itions, like many mo, are obtruded in general, ob&s;cure, ambiguous terms, &s;ubject to divers interpre|tations.</HI></P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Animadver&s;io appo&s;ita:</HI> A u&s;efull Animadver&s;ion.</HEAD>
<P N="1">THe fir&s;t Propo&s;ition is tru <HI>de facto,</HI> but treats not of the order and manner, why God elected &s;om and reprobated the re&s;t; which is the debate.</P>
<P N="2">The &s;econd de&s;igns the moving efficient cau&s; of election; but mentions not the object (whether it be man &s;imply, or man a &s;inner, or man repentant, or man per&s;i&s;ting ob&s;tinat and obdurat) which is al the que&s;tion: for Gods fore&s;ight is no efficient cau&s; of his Prede&s;tination, but his Wil.</P>
<P N="3">The third of a &s;et number not to be increa&s;ed or dimini&s;hed, is a very verity in regard of Gods infalli|ble foreknowledge and immutable Wil.</P>
<P N="4">The fourth is a bifront <HI>Janus</HI> mo&s;t ambiguous; for if it &s;uppo&s;e non-praede&s;tination to nece&s;sitat con|demnation for &s;in, it puts <HI>non cau&s;am pro cau|&s;a:</HI> but if it make non-praede&s;tination a meer nega|tiv in God, and &s;uppo&s;es &s;in unrepented the cau&s;;
<PB N="7" REF="15"> God may in true Ju&s;tice condemn the &s;inner that neg|lects the remedy; for every one peri&s;heth by his own default, as Preachers inculcat dayly.</P>
<P N="5">The fifth is generally granted, That the elect doo not fal away finaly or totaly: but who they are no mortal man knows, and al men may fal.</P>
<P N="6">The &s;ixth in a tru &s;en&s; is tru, That Beleevers, being reconciled to God by repentance, may be cer|tain of their pre&s;ent condition by a ful per&s;wa&s;ion of Faith; yet mu&s;t not pre&s;ume of infallible per&s;eve|rance, &s;ith many Saints through frailty have faln dangerou&s;ly.</P>
<P N="7">The &s;eventh is tru in part, That effectual &s;aving Grace is not given to al, that they may be &s;aved if they wil: but &s;ufficient is offered to al (and that &s;eri|ou&s;ly or intentionaly) if they wil u&s;e and not refu&s;e, reject, or re&s;i&s;t the means, working out their &s;alva|tion with fear and trembling.</P>
<P N="8">The eighth is to be rightly expounded, that no man can com to the Son unle&s;s the Father draw him; and al men are not drawn by him: but 'tis becau&s; he fore&s;ees that they be obdurat, and wil not com when caled; for his pre&s;cience is the condition (not the cau&s;) of proceeding.</P>
<P N="9">The la&s;t is indubitat, that 'tis not in every mans nay in no mans free choice and power to be &s;aved without Grace; but by help thereof, and u&s;e of the
<PB REF="16"> means pre&s;cribed in the Go&s;pel, any man may be &s;a|ved, if he wil cooperat with Gods Grace, and not wilfully reject the &s;ame.</P>
<P><HI>Dr.</HI> John Rainolds <HI>at</HI> Hampton-Court <HI>Con|ference (be&s;ide many mo both before and &s;ince) petioned, that the&s; 9</HI> Lambethian <HI>Arti|cles might be annexed to the other 39 by public authority; but could never obtain it, becau&s; their meaning or con&s;truction was very dubious or di&s;&s;onant to the tru &s;en&s; of our Churches &s;eventeenth Article, which handles the point of Prede&s;tination more plainly and perfectly then the&s;.</HI></P>
<P><HI>'Tis &s;aid that Dr.</HI> Whitgift <HI>Archbi&s;hop granted this di&s;cu&s;sion to gratify Dr.</HI> Whita|kers <HI>importunity, and pacify that pre&s;ent</HI> Cantabrigian <HI>fury; but left it in &s;uch doubt|ful terms, that no prejudice might occur to the &s;aid Article of Prede&s;tination prede|fined.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="1" TYPE="thesis">
<PB N="8" REF="16">
<HEAD>THESIS I.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>Animae Humanae productio:</HI> Production of Mans Soul.</HEAD>
<Q>1 A &s;olen Que&s;tion; Whether every Mans Soul, &s;ince <HI>Adams,</HI> be created or procreated?</Q>
<P>_THE Ca&s;e is cleer for creating <HI>Adams</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen 2. 3.</NOTE> Soul; God breathed into his no&s;trils the Spirit of life; whereof S. <HI>Austins</HI> Axiom (re&s;pect &s;til had to this fir&s;t Souls production) is infallibly tru; 'tis created in infu&s;ing, and infu&s;ed in crea|ting. Of <HI>Eve</HI> 'tis &s;aid, God in a deep <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 2. 21. 23.</NOTE> &s;leep took one of <HI>Adams</HI> ribs (clo&s;ing up fle&s;h in its &s;tead) and the Rib he made a Woman. The lear|ned &s;ay it was no dead bone, but animat, the material part be|ing extended to a &s;hapeful human body, and the &s;piritual at the &s;ame in&s;tant diffu&s;ed over the whol and every part, to make a perfect Woman; &s;o caled, becau&s; taken totaly out of Man &s;ans mention of any Soul infu&s;ion: It appears not that the Soul therein died, nor can her Soul be caled part of his more then her body, though both extracted from him: nor can two be confu&s;ed, but the &s;ame transfu&s;ed in al and every part (as
<PB REF="17"> the Souls Nature is) whol in the whol, and whol in every part of the body.</P>
<P>Of Chri&s;t S. <HI>Luke</HI> &s;peaks: God &s;ent the Angel <HI>Gabriel</HI> to a Virgin e&s;pou&s;ed to <HI>Jo&s;eph,</HI> who &s;aid <HI>Hail</HI> Mary; <HI>lo, thou &s;halt</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luke</HI> 1. 26. to the 36.</NOTE> <HI>bear a Son, and cal his name Je&s;us.</HI> Then &s;aid &s;he, <HI>How &s;hal this be &s;ith I know not a man?</HI> He an&s;wered, <HI>The Holy Ghost &s;hall com upon thee, and power of the most high over&s;hadow thee; therefore that holy thing to be born of thee, &s;hal be caled the Son of God:</HI> So the manner of his conception was metaphi&s;ical or miraculous without male-&s;eed ineffably and incomprehen&s;ibly by the Holy Gho&s;t: yet was he according to his whol humani|ty conceived, formed, fo&s;tered in the womb, nine Solar moneths or 39 weeks (the u&s;ual time or term of womens gravidation) as other Embryons, being like to us in al things, &s;ave &s;in only, from which he was priviledged, becau&s; the Ve&s;&s;el divinely pu|rified: So that if other Souls be created, his was; if generated, his was likewi&s;e. The debate then concerns al mankind and every individual Soul; which is a perplexed knot to unty, and intricat Maze to tread aright. This blindne&s;s bewrais our in|nat ignorance, who &s;car&s; know what a Soul is, whence it pro|ceeds, or how 'tis produced; <HI>No&s;ce teip&s;um</HI> being the harde&s;t le&s;&s;on to learn, which none ever wel attained.</P>
<LG>
<L>Ignorant Homines, quae &s;it Natura Animai: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Lucretius.</NOTE></L>
<L>Nata &s;it, an contra Na&s;centibus in&s;inuetur?</L>
<L>An &s;imul intereat nobi&s;cum morte dire<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pta?</L>
<L>An tenebras Erebi vi&s;at, va&s;ta&s;que lacuna&s;</L>
<L>An Pecudes alias divinitus ingrediatur?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What the Souls nature is, men know not wel;</L>
<L>Nor whether bred, or in Babes infus'd, can tel.</L>
<L>Whether by death, with us, it quit doth quel?</L>
<L>Or el&s; goes to the dark deep Cels of Hel?</L>
<L>Or by Gods power, in other Creatures dwel?</L>
</LG>
<P>God knows him&s;elf, and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hen al things intuitivly in him&s;elf; but man other things bette<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> then hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;elf: yet how can one take mea&s;ure of any thing (&s;aith <HI>Pliny</HI>) that is ignorant of him&s;elf?
<PB N="9" REF="17"> To pa&s;s by al ab&s;tru&s; virtues of Vegetals, arcane miracles of Minerals, admirable properties of precious Stones, and view their outer &s;urface or color only: Who can tel why Gra&s;s is green, a Ruby red, or Pearl pale? But what &s;trange &s;trife hath been about the principles of our Nature, and production of both Parts? For the corporeal, how doe Phi&s;itians and Philo|&s;ophers jar or jangle about the &s;eed, whence it &s;hould pro|ced? <HI>Archelaus</HI> a&s;&s;erts it a milky &s;lime or mud drawn from the earth: A cold muddy conceipt. <HI>Pythagoras,</HI> the &s;cum or froth of our be&s;t blood: A frothy fancy. <HI>Alcmaeon,</HI> part of the Brain: A brainle&s;s buz. <HI>Plato,</HI> a di&s;tilling marrow of the back bone. <HI>Democritus,</HI> a &s;ub&s;tance extracted from al members. <HI>Zeno&punc;</HI> Mans &s;pirit and &s;poil of his Soul. <HI>Epicurus,</HI> a fragment both of Body and Soul. <HI>Hippocrates,</HI> a portion of radical moi&s;ture. <HI>Ari&s;totle,</HI> an excrement of the la&s;t concoction in the &s;olid parts. Others, blood refined by heat of the Genitals. Al which are lame, not expre&s;&s;ing the efficient, matter, or form: For &s;eed materially con&s;i&s;ts both of Blood and Spirit, conco|cted into a white frothy humor by the Te&s;ticles (which Fe|males hav latent, tho not prominent) for the u&s;e of pro|creation; and from them (not of brain, back bone, or other part) &s;oly derived: But whether females &s;end or &s;pend any operativ geniture, is much controverted. The <HI>Perepatetics</HI> de|ny it: But <HI>Galeni&s;ts</HI> conte&s;t, that no conception can be with|out concurrence of both Parents &s;eed, which is indubitably the true&s;t Opinion.</P>
<P>The &s;piritual part affords much more matter or fuel of altercation about the Soul: 1. What it is? <HI>Ari&s;tole</HI> refels diver&s; Tenets; but his own de&s;cription halts at la&s;t: 'tis ea&s;y to &s;ay <MILESTONE N="1"> what 'tis not; not what 'tis. It is no temper of elements, nor blood, nor energy of life, nor <HI>Galens</HI> Cra&s;is: but in general, an e&s;&s;ential quickning form, which givs Plants a life vegetant, Bea&s;ts a &s;entient compri&s;ing the Former, and Men an intelli|gent including both; as a Pentagon contains a Tetragon, and that a Trigon. For Souls being Forms, and tho&s; relativs, not &s;ub&s;i&s;ting alone; but, as parts of compounds, are hatdly de|fined or di&s;quired.</P>
<P>2. What manner of &s;ub&s;tance it is; whether corporal or <MILESTONE N="2">
<PB REF="18"> incorporeal? for God only is &s;imply immaterial, and al things el&s;, in &s;om &s;ort corporal, tho not vi&s;ible; as neither is pure Air. Hence divers Divines aver Angels to be corporeal, becau&s; finit and limited to place; being bounded, as it were, with a &s;uper|fi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ies, that they cannot be ubiquitants every wher or el&s;wher at once: Much more then Mens Souls, which liv in Bodies. The Schools &s;ay a Body is in place circum&s;criptivly, a Spirit de|finitivly: be it &s;o: but is not definit &s;o to be here, as not to be el&s;where? Doo not Spirits a&s;cend, de&s;cend, and change place? Is not their motion made in time, tho very &s;wift? Are not the&s; acts proper pa&s;&s;ions of a Body, though impalpable, invi&s;i|ble, imperceptible? God then is a Spirit in creat, purely imma|terial; Angels creat comparatly material; and &s;o are Souls &s;eparat, much more tho&s; in Bodies. But what maner of &s;ub|&s;tance, whether aereal, etherial, or &s;ubtler &s;ublimer e&s;&s;ence, none, &s;ave the Father of Spirits can define or determin.</P>
<P>3. How it attains or acquires knowledg? Whether by re|membrance <MILESTONE N="3"> of what it knew before, as <HI>Plato</HI> affirms, &s;uppo&s;ing a precreation, which is improbable? Or by the &s;en&s;es &s;ervice, as <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI> a&s;&s;erts, which is ignoble? Or by her own inbred &s;eeds of under&s;tanding, which is mo&s;t honourable? the &s;en&s;es conduce much to manure the mind and improv &s;cience; but our Soul of it &s;elf apprehendeth, judgeth, retaineth, rea&s;oneth, re&s;olveth without in&s;truction, though better or wor&s;, according to the various temper or &s;ymetry of the brain, hir chief organ: For 'tis ab&s;urd that &s;o divine an e&s;&s;ence &s;hould rely on vile de|ceitful &s;en&s;, which only comprehends accidents (color, &s;ound, &s;avor, odor) not the forms or nature of things, much le&s;s Natures &s;ecrets, or univer&s;al in&s;en&s;ible objects. Nay if &s;ci|ence com from &s;en&s;e, then &s;uch as hav &s;harpe&s;t &s;ight, hearing, &amp;c. &s;hould be wi&s;e&s;t or wittie&s;t, which oft befals contrary; and men born deaf, dumb, or blind, are of acute&s;t entelechy: ther|fore that principle of <HI>Peripatum</HI> (Nothing is in the intellect, which was not fir&s;t under &s;en&s;) can &s;car&s; &s;tand &s;ound: for though it be furthered by &s;en&s;, yet it depends not thereon; &s;ith the &s;en&s;es are &s;ubordinat, and know nothing without it.</P>
<P>4. How many Souls cohabit in one body, whether three or <MILESTONE N="4"> but one? Som &s;ay three, whereof the Vegetativ and Sen&s;itiv
<PB N="10" REF="18"> dy with the body; but intellectiv livs eternaly. The mo&s;t or|thodox allow only one inve&s;ted or indowed with the faculties forenamed, which dy not with the body tho their acts and operations cea&s; for want of fit organs: as the power of &s;eeing remains when the eys ere dimmed or torn out. Nor doth di|ver&s;ity of faculties and functions derogat from the Souls unity, more then different offices or operations in the Sun to &s;often, harden, melt, dry up, &amp;c. el&s; ther mu&s;t be many Souls in the Microco&s;m, and Suns in the Macroco&s;m: but as the Sun &s;uffers no decay, when during an eclip&s; it neither &s;hines nor warms: &s;o the Soul dies not nor her faculties, though after &s;eparation &s;he u&s;eth no faculties being de&s;titut of organs. <HI>Zanohy</HI> holds the Souls unity con&s;i&s;ting of three e&s;&s;ential parts; wherof the Vegetal being fir&s;t infu&s;ed, at coming of the Sentient peri&s;h|eth (others of his opinion &s;ay vani&s;heth or removeth) and that upon acce&s;s of the Rational, which is har&s;h doctrin to dige&s;t: For hereby a duple death mu&s;t in&s;u by de&s;truction or departure of tho&s;e two fir&s;t Souls. Indeed they are di&s;tinct e&s;&s;ences in Plants, Bea&s;ts, and Men; but &s;ubordinat &s;ub&s;ervient faculties to Mans Soul, and cannot &s;ub&s;i&s;t without it.</P>
<P>5. Whence it coms, or how it enters this earthy man&s;ion, <MILESTONE N="5"> whether by infu&s;ion or generation? which is the main <HI>Sparta,</HI> &s;cope, or &s;ubject of this &s;ub&s;equent &s;peculation. For as ther be three productions of Man (be&s;ide the common) foretouched&punc; Fir&s;t, Without natural Father and Mother, as <HI>Adam</HI> created by God. The &s;ecund, From a carnal Father without Mother, as <HI>Eve</HI> out of <HI>Adams</HI> Rib. The third, Of a Mother without hu|man Father, as Chri&s;t of the Virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> by the Holy Gho&s;t. So are &s;aid to be three &s;everal origins of Mans Soul. 1. By in|fu&s;ion, as <HI>Adams.</HI> 2. By transfu&s;ion, as <HI>Eves.</HI> 3. By Traducti|on or procreation, as al their Po&s;terities &s;ince; which is the debat here to be di&s;cu&s;&s;ed, but hardly decided or defined.</P>
<P>Divers di&s;&s;ident opinions occur which &s;hal be fully and fairly vented or ventilated, &s;pecially the two principal of Creation and Traduction. They are reduced to three general heads: 1. The efficient, whence Souls com, whether of God, Angels, or Men? 2. The matter whereof, whether of &s;omthing or nothing? 3. The time when, whether from eternity or eviternity?
<PB REF="19"> The particulars &s;hal be handled promi&s;cuou&s;ly.</P>
<P>1. <HI>Pythagoras</HI> and <HI>Plato</HI> thought Mans Soul to proced <NOTE PLACE="marg">Opinions.</NOTE> from the Worlds Soul of celical immortal &s;ub&s;tance; but crea|ted by God in &s;et number, not to be augmented or dimini&s;hed; which in du time de&s;cend to be united with bodies de&s;igned for them. The&s;, being &s;eparat, pa&s;s into other bodies, as the Jews deemed, or dreamed, when &s;om &s;aid Chri&s;t was <HI>John</HI> Bapti&s;t, or <HI>Elias,</HI> or one of the Prophets, who were dead.</P>
<P>2. <HI>Origen,</HI> the father of fancies or fopperies, held, That God created al at once, keeping them in a Trea&s;ury to be &s;ent into bodies prepared for them; becau&s; he re&s;ted from al crea|tific Works the &s;eventh day, and doth not &s;til form new Souls. His rea&s;on is better then his opinion.</P>
<P>3. <HI>Philo,</HI> the Maniches, and Pri&s;cilliani&s;ts, from the Stoics, &s;uppo&s; them al created at once of Gods own &s;ub&s;tance; becau&s; he breathed into mans face the Spirit of life, <HI>divina particulam aurae;</HI> which is not meant his own Spirit, but a new created by his word, <HI>Fiat:</HI> which <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> expre&s;&s;eth <HI>Catanthropopeian</HI> by breathing.</P>
<P>4. The Ma&s;&s;ilians, from <HI>Phila&s;ter,</HI> maintain them to be made by Angels of Fire and Spirit; but God is &s;ole Creator.</P>
<P>5. The Traductis are of two &s;orts: Som hold the Soul is corporeal, and begot carnally, as the Body; whom &s;aint <HI>Au|&s;tin</HI> ju&s;tly condemns. 6. Others, that 'tis a Spirit &s;piritualy de|rived from both Parents Souls, with the Seed, like light from light:</P>
<P>7. So <HI>Apollinaris,</HI> and many Godly Bi&s;hops defended, with mo&s;t of the We&s;tern Church, as S. <HI>Jerom</HI> te&s;tifies: whom &s;un|dry moderni&s;ts (<HI>Hunnius, Magirus, Goclenius, Brightman, &amp;c.</HI>) folow.</P>
<P>8. The Infu&s;ia&s;ts al&s;o are bipartit; Som imagin them crea|ted without (as <HI>Ari&s;tole</HI> intimats) and after in&s;tilled; which is generaly exploded. 9. Others, within the Body, That it is created in infu&s;ing, and infu&s;ed in creating. The two la&s;t of each &s;ide &s;hal be &s;ifted, but al the re&s;t excluded.</P>
<P>S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> and <HI>Eucherius</HI> hang <HI>in bivio</HI> between both, who neither deny lineal traduction from Parents Souls, becau&s; al are tainted one from another; nor jugial creation <HI>de novo &amp; nihilo,</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="19"> becau&s; univer&s;aly received; but conceiv it cannot be evidently evinced out of &s;acred Scripture. Many of no mean mark in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Traducti&s;ts Tenets.</NOTE> literary Republic a&s;&s;ert, That the Soul is produced or procrea|ted from Parents, by an Animific virtu conveied with the Seed imparted &s;ucce&s;&s;ively from the fir&s;t Soul; which had a power, property, or prerogativ given by Gods general ble&s;&s;ing (<HI>be fruitful and multiply</HI>) to beget a &s;piritual and immortal &s;ub|&s;tance like it &s;elf, in a mortal material Body; but contamined with the &s;tain of that &s;in, which was contracted by our Proto|parents primitiv di&s;obedience (in whom al Mankind offended, as the Root) again&s;t the Creators command and commination: &s;o Traduction, if duly weighed, doth no way wound or wea|ken its immortality: For God who in&s;pired an immortal e&s;&s;ence into a Casket of Clay, gav it a faculty or energy to pro|duce the like indued with the &s;ame immortal authoquality, no le&s;s in&s;eparable (though not e&s;&s;ential) then Rationality or Ri&s;i|bility; according to the received Rule, <HI>Naturae &s;equitur &s;emi|na quodque &s;uae.</HI> This is the ground work, or chief Ancher-hold, wherto they &s;tick like Limpets to a Rock. But on the other part, how that primeval pollution of our fir&s;t Parents prevari|cation (which at once defiles both Body and Soul) linealy tran&s;cending through the loins of Mankind, &s;hould infect a &s;piritual pure-made Soul (wherein no corporal thing can im|pre&s;s) unle&s;s it be derived from Parents polluted Souls, is a very hard Theory to conceiv or comprehend: Nor doo the many coyned curious di&s;tinctions of Schools &s;atisfy the &s;cruple, if &s;trictly &s;canned; though Cobweb-Lawns wil &s;uffice to Par|tiali&s;ts. 'Tis a lepry in&s;eparably hereditary, which may be &s;ullied or &s;lubbered over with palliativ &s;alvs: But al the wiles or wavings of mens wits in the world, cannot cleerly cure it, if it be created pure; which traduction ea&s;ily skinneth. The Souls immortality on one &s;ide, and original &s;ins traduction on the other, are two difficil tasks to reconcile; but neither repugning to evident Scripture, nor to any Article of Faith which con|cerns &s;alvation. Indeed the fir&s;t Council of <HI>Bracarum</HI> in <HI>Spain,</HI> cen&s;ured Pri&s;cilliani&s;ts for holding with <HI>Origen,</HI> That al Souls were created together and &s;inned in Heaven; but the Apollinarians, Tertulliani&s;ts, or mere Traducti&s;ts, never were
<PB REF="20"> condemned of error or here&s;y, for a&s;&s;erting the Souls tradu|ction from Parents Souls, which ever had pious Patrons in the Church; nor doth any ab&s;urdity ari&s;e therfrom.</P>
<P>The Infu&s;ia&s;ti&s;ts build on the&s; foundations. 1. That our <NOTE PLACE="marg">Infu&s;ia&s;ts Grounds.</NOTE> Protoparents per&s;onal &s;in becam natural or univer&s;al by deri|vation from the Root 2. That God in his prohibition and commination <HI>(Of the Tree of knowledg thou &s;halt not eat; for in the day thou eate&s;t, thou &s;halt dy the death)</HI> infolded an im|plicit Covenant for al his Po&s;terity to be liable therto, as Trai|tors Children are tainted: Hereof Saint <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>As by one</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 12.</NOTE> <HI>man &s;in entred into the World, and death by &s;in: &s;o death went over al men, &s;ith al hav &s;inned; viz.</HI> in him and by him: for when the Parents eat &s;our grapes, the Childrens teeth were &s;et on edg; and the whol race of man liable to duple death: <HI>dam|nati</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">S. <HI>Bernard.</HI></NOTE> <HI>antequam nati,</HI> forlorn before born. 3. The Soul &s;inned in con&s;enting and lu&s;ting, the Body in ta&s;ting and eating: &s;o both are guilty. 4. Neither Soul nor Body apart is the ade|quat &s;ubject of &s;in, but both united, or the whol man: the Bo|dy <HI>&s;ubjectum a quo</HI> of derivation, the Soul <HI>in quo</HI> of inhe&s;ion, the whol <HI>de quo</HI> of predication; to whom al accidents of both parts are denominatly a&s;cribed. 5. It cannot properly be &s;ti|led &s;in, til the Souls infu&s;ion, becau&s; the Embryo is inanimat and imperfect; but the rational Soul mu&s;t fir&s;t animat, yet it can be &s;tiled &s;in. For whatever is not capable of Gods Image (as &s;eed is not) is not liable to its privation; becau&s; the habit and privation belong to the &s;ame &s;ubject. 6. The <HI>Principium a quo</HI> is derived by &s;eed from Parents, begetting a depraved di&s;po&s;ition in Man, wherto a polluted womb ads more fuel; which by the Souls union breaks forth into a flame, and &s;ets the whol hou&s; on fire; both parts together corrupting and being corrupted by a kind of emanation. So before 'tis infu&s;ed, we are &s;aid to contract &s;in from Parents, as Infants draw di&s;ea&s;es (Stone, Gowt, Lepry, &amp;c.) that is, the impre&s;&s;ion or inclina|tion only. 7. This &s;in is no &s;imple privation, as blindne&s;s which deprivs &s;ight for ever; but potential only, including a po&s;itiv propen&s;ion therto. 8. Ther be three degrees of purity. 1. Ab|&s;olut of God. 2. Subordinat, according to the creatures ca|pacity, of Angels and Man in innocence. 3. Comparat, when
<PB N="12" REF="20"> being created pure, they decline from it: So our Souls being formed &s;ubordinatly pure, &s;oon degenerat by natural concu|pi&s;cence; being, in re&s;pect of <HI>Adam</HI> and Angels, le&s;s pure, be|cau&s; procliv to &s;in. 9. The maner of imparting it from <HI>Adam</HI> to al Po&s;terity, is rather to be beleeved (&s;aith Doctor <HI>Whitaker</HI>) then inquired, and better inquired then explored; but ea&s;ier explored then expre&s;&s;ed: For its nature is mo&s;t ar|cane, and the conveiance much more ob&s;cure. 10. Parents Souls work to frame the whol compound Man, not by giving being to the new Soul, but by preparing a place to unite it with the Body: So they may be &s;aid to concur in its production cua&s;aly, by di&s;po&s;ing the Body to receiv it; not formaly by pro|creating it, as <HI>Peter Lombard</HI> and his School Sectators de|fine.</P>
<P>The&s; are their curious Cautions, and be&s;t bulworks of de|fen&s;, yet al too little. To the Que&s;tion, Why God &s;ends a pure Soul into a polluted pri&s;on? They &s;ay, becau&s; &s;he hath a natural nece&s;&s;ary pronenes therto, being ordained to unite with a Human Body, and both guilty of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in. For 'tis not created a &s;imple Spirit to &s;ub&s;i&s;t by it &s;elf, but in the Body with relation to it: which being derived from <HI>Adam,</HI> draws the guilt of his &s;in by that preparation and union, without car|nal traduction; &s;o &s;he becoms guilty both privativly and po|&s;itivly; yet God no Author, Actor, nor Abettor therin. This &s;in then folows creation by accident: for at <HI>Adams</HI> Souls in|fu&s;ion, was <HI>mens &s;ana in corpore &s;ano;</HI> but in every union &s;ince is &s;in. So we mu&s;t di&s;tingui&s;h between Gods making and <HI>Adams</HI> marring: for he creats every Soul in &s;ub&s;tance &s;ound; but concupi&s;cence (which S. <HI>John</HI> &s;ais, <HI>is not of the Father</HI>) <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 <HI>Joh. 2. 16.</HI></NOTE> creeps in in&s;tantly by Gods de&s;ertion; &s;ith every Soul (even be|fore 'tis infu&s;ed) is virtualy guilty of <HI>Adams</HI> fal, as he was Fa|ther and Fountain of al Mankind, both in morals and naturals; becau&s; God covenanted either explicitly, as <HI>Cumel</HI> conte&s;ts; or implicitly, as <HI>Sotus</HI> &s;aith; that he &s;hould &s;tand or fal for him&s;elf and al his Of-&s;pring, by his proper power of unre&s;train|ed Free-wil. The Schoolmen di&s;&s;ent diver&s;ly, whether original &s;in be po&s;itiv, privativ, or mix'd? If po&s;itiv, whether <HI>Re</HI> or <HI>Ra|tione?</HI> whether God doth nece&s;&s;itat the act or entity, and Man
<PB REF="21"> the defect or obliquity? whether he pacted explicitly with <HI>Adam,</HI> or implicitly only? but &s;uch &s;ubtle nicities &s;hal be left to the Schools.</P>
<P><HI>Zanchy</HI> the be&s;t Patron of Soul-creation, ads mo Propo&s;i|tions. <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 2. <HI>de Hom. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">reat. c.</HI> 5.</NOTE> 1. That God decreed al things eternaly to be executed in time, and creats no mo nor fewer Souls then predecreed, and as they becom &s;tained by union. 2. That his Decrees are ju&s;t and immutable, nor is it unju&s;t to unite pure Souls with &s;in-tainted Bodies. 3. Though he made al Decrees at once, in re&s;pect of him&s;elf; yet mu&s;t they be effected or executed &s;uc|ce&s;&s;ivly in re&s;pect of the things: as his decree to permit &s;in, and deriv it by one to al Mankind; &s;ub&s;ervs to the decree of Ele|ction and Reprobation. 4. When <HI>Adam</HI> received integrity, he had it as the root of al, whence his righteou&s;nes is &s;tiled ori|ginal; and we were created in him ju&s;t after Gods Image. 5. His di&s;obedience and fal was &s;emblably ours; becau&s; the Pre|cept (<HI>Thou &s;halt not eat</HI>) belongs to al in him the Stock-father. 6. His tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion being the Head, is ju&s;tly imputed to us, as Members, and the coruption of Nature or proclivity to evil inflicted as the penalty thereof. This Saint <HI>Paul</HI> plainly pro|claims in the Antithe&s;is betwixt <HI>Adam</HI> and Chri&s;t: who&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 15.</NOTE> righteou&s;nes wherby we are ju&s;tified, hath two parts. 1. The Grace or gift, which with remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins by his obedience is imputed ours. 2. Regeneration or Renovation of Nature as the effect. So original &s;in is <HI>Adams</HI> di&s;obedience imputed to us together with its guilt; and corruption of Nature not only a &s;in, but a puni&s;hment on al, which &s;inned by his fal. 7. When the Soul is &s;aid to be &s;tained by union with the Body; 'tis not meant properly by any Phy&s;ical impre&s;&s;ion: but &s;o &s;oon as both are united, a man is formed, to whom the guilt of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in is in&s;tantly imputed; and by it a propen&s;ion to al evil inevita|bly folows, becau&s; the Command and Commination was given to al Mankind in <HI>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">am.</HI> Thus he is driven to decline &s;ins in|he&s;ion, inferring that the Soul is not infected by the Body, as Wine by a mu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y Cask; but by union of both a Man is born <HI>Adams</HI> &s;on, to whom his di&s;obedience is only imputed: but the corruption or contagion impo&s;ed as a pu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;hment by divine de|cree, and not by any action of the Body. This is a kind of Gal|limaufry;
<PB N="13" REF="21"> how &s;ound, let Divines define: but certainly ori|ginal &s;in is inherent in the principles of Nature like <HI>Gehezais</HI> lepry in al <HI>Adams</HI> Progeny, and not imputativ only.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Hinc lolium infoelix, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">vae hinc oriuntur a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">verbae.</HI></L>
<L>Hence baleful tares doo &s;prout,</L>
<L>From hence &s;our Grapes grow out.</L>
</LG>
<P>The grounds thus laid, and materials brought in place, the building will be better framed: But for fuller di&s;qui&s;ition, the Infu&s;ia&s;ti&s;ts Arguments with the Traducti&s;ts An&s;wers &s;hal fir&s;t be fairly filed: then their Objections with the others Solutions orderly mu&s;tered.</P>
<P><HI>Arg. Du&s;t</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Salomon) &s;halreturn to earth, as it was;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccl&s;. 12. 7.</NOTE> <HI>and the Spirit to God that gav it: Ergo</HI> every Soul or Spirit coms from God.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>This evidently relats to the fir&s;t creation of both: for no mans body &s;ince</HI> Adams <HI>is made of du&s;t as his was; but of Seed and Blood; and God gav or in&s;pired his Soul, whence al others derivativly or &s;ecundarily com, and &s;hal return to the original Giver, as the body &s;hal to earth its Mother: &s;o this provs the Souls immortality; but no way di&s;provs the Traducibility: &s;ith every particular Soul proceds mediatly from God the first Fountain.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg. The Lord</HI> (&s;aith <HI>Zechary) &s;pred the Heavens, laid the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 12. 1.</NOTE> <HI>Earths foundation, and formed Mans Spirit within him: Ergo</HI> God created it in the Body.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>This is the pregnant&s;t place, and be&s;t proof in al &s;acred Scripture, for intrin&s;ecal infu&s;ion by creation: but intends apert|ly (as the former did covertly) the protopla&s;m or primordial pro|duction: for when God &s;pread the Heavens, and founded the Earth, he then formed Mans Soul within him, but ever &s;ince cea&s;ed to creat either new Spirits or Souls: &s;o this is no plain evi|dence for jugial creation of every particular Soul.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> S. <HI>Paul</HI> makes an Antithe&s;is between the Father of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12 9.</NOTE> our Bodies, and Father of Spirits: <HI>Ergo</HI> God is &s;ole Author and Creator of Souls; not the P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="4 letters">ts.</P>
<PB REF="22">
<P>An&s;w. <HI>God is the Father of Spirits, as wel in regard of An|gels and Saints (which is not the Apo&s;tles aim) as &s;piritual rege|neration ther intended, without reference to Soul-creation: yet becau&s; he breathed the fir&s;t Soul (whence al &s;ince are derived) he may be caled the primitiv Father of Souls, though one imme|diatly beget another.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> God, in <HI>I&s;aiah,</HI> &s;aith, <HI>I have made the breath,</HI> mean|ing <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 57. 16.</NOTE> Mans Soul, which he originaly breathed in: <HI>Ergo</HI> he only creats it; nor is it carnaly generated.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>This is meant in S.</HI> Pauls <HI>&s;en&s;; in him we liv, mov, and hav our being: or it may be referred to the fir&s;t Souls in&s;pi|ration, without &s;ucce&s;&s;iv creation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg. Zedekiah</HI> &s;wore to <HI>Jeremy, As the Lord livs that made</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 38. 16.</NOTE> <HI>us the&s; Souls, I wil not &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ay thee: Ergo</HI> 'tis evident that he makes al mens Souls.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>Som interpret it by Synecdoche (like the &s;eventy Souls i&s;&s;ued from</HI> Jacobs <HI>loins) the principal part for the per&s;on; as the Lord livs that made us both: &s;om literaly of life, as the Lord livs by whom we liv, I wil not bereav thy life. Yet the words may be granted to imply the Souls creation (though he meant not properly or purpo&s;ly the Souls production) rather then per&s;ons or lifes: for 'tis a greater empha&s;is in the Oath, as the Lord liveth who created our Souls, I wil not take away t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ine which he crea|ted: Howbeit in this &s;en&s;, he could not de&s;troy the Soul it &s;elf (&s;av only &s;ever it from the body) but life the effect therof. Take it either way, or any way, the words may be aptly applyed to the Souls primitiv creation, &s;ans exception or contradiction.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg. Godfa&s;hions Mens Hearts</HI> (&s;aith <HI>David) and under|&s;tands</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 133. 14.</NOTE> <HI>al their Works: Ergo</HI> he forms our Souls, ther under|&s;tood by Hearts; as 'tis u&s;ual in Scripture.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>The inference is infirm; for by Hearts here, is meant the Wil and Affections; but by fa&s;hioning di&s;po&s;ing.</HI> Other Scriptural Texts are pre&s;&s;ed; but of no moment.</P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> Whatever is generated &s;hal be corrupted, which is an irrefragable principle in Philo&s;ophy and Theology: <HI>Ergo</HI> Mans Soul, if procreated mu&s;t be mortal.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>This authentic Axiom properly concerns compounds, which are the ad<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">quat &s;ubjects of generation and corruption;
<PB N="14" REF="22"> not principal parts, which are only ingenerated or congenerated; but 'tis verified in al things bred of a corruptible matter, el&s; not: For God the Son is bego<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of his Father, and the holy Gho&s;t pro|ceds from both; yet eternal, without beginning: &s;o Angels and Mans Soul were created</HI> ex nihilo, <HI>yet eviternal without ending: but al the re&s;t intire compo&s;ed of the common Chaos (Heavens, Elements, Meteors, Mixtils, Vegetals, Animals, and Mans Body) which are corruptible in whol or parts; and of the&s; that Maxime is rightly under&s;tood; not of Mens Souls, which are generated of Parents Souls, having al a divine faculty by divine ble&s;&s;ing to beget an immortal e&s;&s;ence like it&s;elf.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> 'Tis a di&s;paragement to Man, the noble&s;t Creature, that his divine part &s;hould proced of impure &s;eed like Bea&s;ts: <HI>Ergo</HI> this opinion is to be exploded.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>'Tis his chief dignity, that he hath power of or in him|&s;elf to beget both parts &s;pecialy one &s;o noble and divine; el&s; were he wor&s; then Bea&s;ts in that behalf: nor doth it proced of &s;eed; but from an Animific virtu of the Parents Souls conveied with the &s;eed. If then it be immortal, as undoubtedly 'tis, what skils it in that re&s;pect, whether it be created or generated? and what difference, whether God be immediat Pla&s;tes, or giv man power, with his general ble&s;&s;ing, to produce it by &s;ucce&s;&s;iv propa|gation, having the &s;ame power of immortality which the fir&s;t had by him&s;elf infu&s;ed; and power to beget the like incorruptible e&s;&s;ence by his &s;pecial benediction?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> If any Animific virtu be conveied with the &s;eed, then mu&s;t it be reduced to act in&s;tantly, at fir&s;t conception, which is mo&s;t imperfect; or gradualy, which argues divi&s;ibility: But both tho&s; are ab&s;urd, and abhorrent in Nature: <HI>Ergo</HI> no &s;uch virtu can be conveied with the &s;eed, much le&s;s proced from it.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>Both Soul and Body are begot in an in&s;tant, as every conception is made: but as bodily lims and lineaments are gra|dualy &s;haped and &s;trengthned from weak wateri&s;h rudiments, to more maturity: &s;o the Soul exerci&s;eth hir vegetativ funct<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ons of nutricion, &s;en&s;itiv of motion, and intellectiv of rea&s;on da<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly by &s;low degrees, as organs are apparated or accommod<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ed; whi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h argues no divi&s;ibility: For al things in Nature (as God proceded at Creation) attain to perfection by divi&s;ible degrees;
<PB REF="23"> yet no divi&s;ion in the Forms or Souls, which are conceived in a moment.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> If ther be virtu in or with the &s;eed, to beget a Soul; then when 'tis &s;hed, &s;pilt, or &s;pent upon barren or gravid wombs, &s;o many Souls are lo&s;t; which is har&s;h and horrid to hold: <HI>Ergo</HI> no &s;uch Animific energy is conveied with the &s;eed; but al Souls proced from God.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>No Souls are lost, by lo&s;s or &s;terility of &s;eed; but only a power or po&s;&s;ibility to produce and procreat them: which being not reduced into act peri&s;heth or is fru&s;trat: &s;o is the &s;aid virtu void to beget &s;o many Bodies, and prepare them for reception of Souls; which is alone, and no ab&s;urdity ari&s;eth of either, but pre&s;&s;eth both &s;ides alike.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> If Souls be begot, then every efflux, &s;hift, and abor|tiv is a Man: But what maner of Man wil &s;uch a &s;hapele&s;s &s;en&s;le&s;s &s;ub&s;tance be at the general Re&s;urrection, when every one &s;hal re&s;um his identic numerical Body? <HI>Ergo</HI> the genera|tion of Souls is &s;ubject to &s;undry ab&s;urdities in Nature and common Rea&s;on.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>Such as hold Infu&s;ion at time of conception (as Tra|ductists inferences violently inforce) are liable to the &s;ame dif|ficulties: &s;o are they that &s;et it at quickning: for if it mi&s;carries the day after (which a few hours di&s;tance makes no difference) what maner of Man wil that be? can|not God perfect the one &s;o wel as the other? doo not al bodies turn to du&s;t? doo not Divines &s;ay al &s;hal ri&s;e in &s;uch &s;tature as at Chri&s;ts age? Why not then the fir&s;t coagulation &s;o wel as an inform infirm Embryon? cannot omnipotence extend a Body into any dimen&s;ions, &s;o wel as amend al imperfections? The&s; are arcan my&s;teries, known only to him that knows al, and can doo al in al: But In&s;u&s;ia&s;ts are equaly engaged to an&s;wer it, &s;ith the power to prepare a Body for the Souls union is defeated or de&s;troyed, and by con&s;equence &s;o many Souls lo&s;t, which by di|vine preordination &s;hould be created and infu&s;ed: but it cro&s;&s;eth not Traduction; and men mu&s;t be wi&s;e to &s;obriety, not &s;earching into Gods &s;ecrets.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> 'Tis improbable, that impure material &s;eed &s;hould be the conduit to convey a power of producing &s;o pure
<PB N="15" REF="23"> a &s;ub&s;tance or divine Spirit: <HI>Ergo,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>No more then that the Body, a meer putrid ma&s;s, &s;hould be the &s;eat or &s;ubject of the Soul it &s;elf, which is a divine, immortal, immaterial e&s;&s;ence.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> Spirits doo not multiply or beget one another; nor can Angels propagat or generat, becau&s; Spirits: but Mans Soul is a Spirit, &s;o &s;cripturaly &s;tiled: <HI>Ergo,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>Simple Spirits cannot propagat, and Angels are in|dividuals, &s;ub&s;i&s;ting alone: but human Souls organized and united to Bodies wherin they exi&s;t, being &s;o ordained to pre&s;erv the race of Mankind. Som di&s;tingui&s;h that Compounds generat, and principal parts only propagat: but this is a vain eva&s;ion, no veritable &s;atisfaction: for propagation properly pertains to Kinds, generation to Individuals, and both to Compounds: nor are the terms convertible in the ab&s;tract; for every generation is not propagation: but in the concret or &s;ubject, what ever is ge|nerated is propagat, and reciprocaly. To apply it, neither Soul nor Body is truly &s;aid to beget or be begot; but the whol Man, who begets and is begot completly, but the parts incompletly.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg. Mar&s;ilius Ficinus</HI> pre&s;cribes three &s;orts of production. 1. The making of Mans Soul from nothing into being, caled Creation. 2. The mutation of a lifele&s;s Body into an Animal by the Soul, hight Formation. 3. The change of an Embryo into the whol Compound, clyped Generation. The object or Terminus of Creation, is immortality, of Formation a Soul; not con&s;idered &s;imply, but as in a Body; of Generation an Animal, con&s;i&s;ting of both. Now (&s;aith he) in every Genera|tion is a deci&s;ion of &s;omthing from the Begetter, which a Soul hath not; becau&s; it admits no divi&s;ion nor deci&s;ion: <HI>Ergo</HI> it cannot generat.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>The Traductists exclud the fi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t branch, except with reference to</HI> Adams <HI>Soul &s;oly; yet grant immortality to be the Terminus in production of al. The other two they apply to Com|pounds only, wherein the Soul &s;ends no material &s;eed or &s;ub&s;tance by deci&s;ion&punc; as the Body doth; but only a procreativ virtu with the &s;pirit of &s;eed, to produce the like &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance: the ma|ner wherof is in&s;crutable, as is al&s;o original &s;in: for Man is Na|tures miracle and Epitom<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of al Creatures; yet differs from al,
<PB REF="24"> having an immortal &s;pirit in a corruptible casknet, and his gene|ration wonderful.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> Bea&s;ts Souls dy, becau&s; bred of &s;eed or with it: <HI>Ergo</HI> if Mens Souls be ingendred in the &s;ame &s;ort, by or with the conveience of &s;eed, they mu&s;t likewi&s;e peri&s;h.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>This is</HI> non cau&s;a pro cau&s;a; <HI>for Bea&s;ts &s;ouls dy not &s;oly, becau&s; bred of &s;eed; but &s;pecialy becau&s; formed at fir&s;t intirely of the common corruptible Chaos: But God made mans Body of du&s;t, wherto it mu&s;t return; but infu&s;ed or in&s;p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">red a Soul, which is im|mortal or eviternal, like Angels, partaking the &s;ame divine origin.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> If the Soul proceds from both Parents Souls, then ei|ther two grow into one, or their Souls are extracted, and they remain Soulle&s;s; or part of their Souls pa&s;&s;eth, and &s;o are di|vi&s;ible: But al the&s; are gro&s;s enormites, and neither po&s;&s;ible: <HI>Ergo</HI> Traduction is no way tolerable.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>Al the&s; inferences are impertinent: for both Parents con|cur to beget the Body too; yet two grow not together, nor are they impaired: but God ordained in cour&s; of Nature, that both Sexes &s;hal cooperat in generation: &s;o from their Bodies flows a material &s;eed with a corporific virtu, to beget a Body; and from their Souls proceds an animific power with the &s;eeds &s;pirit to produce a Soul: both which conjoining, is cald Prolific in regard of the Compound: yet neither are the Parents Souls nor any part of them (no more then their Bodies) extracted or exhau&s;ted; but only an energy, i&s;&s;uing from them to generat a new.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> The Soul exerci&s;eth her e&s;&s;ential operations, to Wil and Under&s;tand, without help of bodily organs, as appears being &s;eparat: <HI>Ergo</HI> it needs no Parents &s;eed to its production: for as every thing works, &s;o is its e&s;&s;ence and contrarily, as <HI>Ari|&s;totle</HI> avers: who concluds mans Soul not to depend of the bo|dy, <NOTE PLACE="marg">L 2. de gen. Anim. c. 3.</NOTE> becau&s; it works within it.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>The Soul, while it is in the Body, u&s;eth its organs in hir chief operations of Wil and Intellect, though when &s;eparat &s;he needs them not: nor is Parents &s;eed the efficient of producing, to depend thero<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">; but only the in&s;trum ut to carry virtu of pro|ducing a new Soul with the &s;eed which impeacheth not the exer|ci<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e of hir chief operations without organs in the Body: nor is ther any &s;ap or &s;olidity <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> this Argument again&s;t Tradu|ction,
<PB N="16" REF="24"> any way however wre&s;ted.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> The Soul dies not with the Body: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis not gene|rated with it: For ther is the &s;ame rea&s;on of generation and corruption; &s;ith the Souls pre&s;ence is the cau&s; of life, as the Suns is of light; and ab&s;ence of death, as his is of darknes: &s;o if the Bodies procreation cau&s; the Souls production, its death mu&s;t be hir perdition.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>This is pithier then a former;</HI> viz. <HI>whatever is gene|rated &s;hal be corrupted: But the Bodies generation doth not cau&s; the Souls production, &s;ith 'tis generated with it, not by it: and though it giv the Body life, as the e&s;&s;ential Form; yet dies not with it, as not proceding from it; but from the Parents Souls.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg. Ari&s;totle</HI> a&s;&s;erts, That the Mind or Intellect alone coms from without, and is of divine origin: <HI>Ergo</HI> not genera|ted by Parents, as Bodies be.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>'Tis thought tho&s; words</HI> (Sola mens foris adve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">it) <HI>were foi&s;ted into the Text without any coherence to antecedents or con&s;equents: for no man by meer rea&s;on can conceiv the my&s;tery of Soul-creating: nor doo they infer infu&s;ion; for that is doon within the Body: Haply he might learn of his Ma&s;ter</HI> Plato, <HI>that al Souls were created at once, and de&s;cend daily into Bodies de&s;igned for them: but he taught the Souls immortality more confidently (being Natures principal Secretary) by many evidences of com|mon rea&s;on: which if any Traducti&s;t or other Secti&s;t &s;hal doubt or deny, he is wor&s; then an Ethnic or Athei&s;t; &s;ith both Natures light and Scriptures lore &s;o evidently demon&s;trat it to every ey: nor doth Traduction oppo&s;e it.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg. Scaliger</HI> holds the Soul to be created apart, and infu|&s;ed after du organization; becau&s; if it be introduced at the in|&s;tant of conception, that fir&s;t coagulation mu&s;t be a Man, which is mo&s;t ab&s;urd: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis not infu&s;ed til the time of quickning; much le&s;s ingendred by way of Traduction.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>His opinion is no Oracle, and the rea&s;on re&s;olved afore; That 'tis no more ab&s;onous to cal the fi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t coagulation a Man (im|perfect or incomplet) then a weak wateri&s;h Embryo at in&s;tant of quickning: Or that a Bea&s;ts &s;oul being begot by &s;eed, &s;hould deno|minat the fir&s;t rudiments of conception a Bea&s;t, being brought gradualy to more maturity, til time of parturition; but the quick|ning
<PB REF="25"> is or may be retarded by many human contingents.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> Th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hool-men &s;ay, That <HI>Eves</HI> Soul was created, el&s; <HI>Adam</HI> would hav added &s;he is Soul of my Soul, &s;o w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l as bone of my bone, and fle&s;h of my fle&s;h, being a n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">erer relation then tho&s;e carnal ones, as Divines define: <HI>Ergo</HI> as their two fir&s;t Souls were created, &s;o con&s;equently are al others from genera|tion to generation.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>So &s;ay they, but other learned Clercs gain&s;ay:</HI> Scaurus ait, Varus negat, utri creditis? <HI>yet the con&s;equent halts, &s;ith their two productions differ from al el&s; becau&s; neither had two Parents, and al el&s;, except Chri&s;t, begot by carnal coition: but &s;pecialy be|cau&s; created within the fir&s;t &s;ix dais, wherafter God re&s;ted from al creatific works. To the Antecedent and rea&s;on therof, 'tis an|&s;wered, That &s;he was formed intirely of an anima<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Rib, and the Soul therin becam hirs by divine operature as the Text &s;eems to &s;peak; for 'tis &s;aid of</HI> Adam, God made Man (<HI>me<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ing the ma|terial part</HI>) of du&s;t; <HI>not made du&s;t a Man as if both parts cam from du&s;t: But of</HI> Eve, the Rib made he a Woman <HI>(intirely both Body and Soul) not the Woman of a Rib, as importing the material part only. Al parts were built of that bone; why not then the Soul too by diffu&s;ion, &s;o wel as the integrals by exten&s;ion? but &s;ith Scrip|ture is &s;ilent, let it pa&s;&s; in &s;u&s;pen&s;.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> If <HI>Eves</HI> Soul cam of a Rib, and had no divine origin; then either women hav no Souls (as &s;om Dotards dream) or tho&s; material, which wil &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ar&s; reli&s;h their palats.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>Not &s;o, nor &s;o: for that Rib had a Soul, which God, by diffu&s;ing made hirs, as he did her B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dy by di&s;tending the material part: &s;o both &s;avour of their &s;everal principles; one of &s;pirituality &amp; immarce&s;cibility, the other of materiality and mortality; but both apt or able to beget alike &s;ub&s;tance indowed with the &s;ame qualities</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg</HI> Chri&s;ts Soul was not traducted from <HI>Adam;</HI> for then it &s;hould be tainted with his &s;in, which is bla&s;phemy to a&s;&s;ert: <HI>E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">go</HI> not ours, &s;ith he is like us in al things except only &s;in.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>He was the Womans &s;eed and Son of</HI> Adam <HI>according to his whol humanity, and his Soul produced in the &s;ame &s;ort as ours (wh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">her by creation or generation, is the main Que&s;tion) being lik<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> things <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;in. For ours, if cre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ted, are infu&s;ed no le&s;&s; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words"> his; and his by union with a polluted Body, no freer
<PB N="17" REF="25"> from &s;in then ours: &s;o this Stork bites both before and behind alike: for if he took from his Mother inanimat fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;h only, his Soul mu&s;t therby be &s;tained (though created pure) as others are defiled: but one &s;alv &s;hal heal both &s;ores: for albeit &s;he was conceived in &s;in and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 1. 47.</NOTE> <HI>needed a Saviour, as &s;he her &s;elf confe&s;&s;eth (which Dominicans grant, and Franci&s;cans deny) yet was &s;anctified from al &s;tain, and purified from guilt by the wonderful working of the Holy Gho&s;t; being made a clean Ve&s;&s;el to receiv and conceiv that holy thing caled the Son of God, even the immaculat Lamb without &s;pot, &s;lain before the beginning of the World; who could contract no pollution from hir that had none, being perfectly purified, though he &s;hould a&s;&s;ume both Body and Soul from hir.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Repl. Zanchy</HI> &s;aith, Som Traducti&s;ts forced by this Argu|ment, confe&s;&s;, That Chri&s;ts Soul w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s created, but al el&s; tradu|cted; but the production is like: <HI>Ergo</HI> al created.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>Haply he dreams &s;o; but ther is no nece&s;&s;ity of any &s;uch confe&s;&s;ion or conce&s;&s;ion; for the Argument is already plenarily &s;a|tisfied. Certes Chri&s;t had his whol human Nature from his Mo|ther, by the Holy Gho&s;ts miraculous operature, in the &s;ame maner (by creation or generation) as others hav from Parents.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Arg.</HI> Three Sects or Septs of Heretics held Traduction. 1. Luciferians, by Souls transfu&s;ion. 2. Mar&s;ilians, who denied al Creation. 3. Tertulliani&s;ts and Apollinarians, who a&s;&s;ert that Souls generat Souls, as Bodies doo Bodies: <HI>Ergo</HI> Tradu|ction is an Heretical Tenet, condemned by the Church.</P>
<P>An&s;w. <HI>They were condemned Heretics; but Traduction no con|demned Here&s;y, nor a matter</HI> de fide; <HI>and in&s;erted for aggravati|on (as cro&s;&s;ing the common received opinion) to fil up a number, which was u&s;ual: yet the two fir&s;t erred circum&s;tantialy in that point: But al Hereticks held &s;om verities, and the be&s;t Orthodoxi&s;ts &s;om fal&s;ities; &s;ith al Mortals are obnoxius to manifold errors.</HI></P>
<P>The&s; are the Infu&s;ia&s;ti&s;ts chief Arguments, with the Tradu|cti&s;ts An&s;wers &s;incerely exhibited: Next follow the Traducti&s;ts Objections or offen&s;iv weapons; and Infu&s;ia&s;ti&s;ts defen&s;iv So|lutions, taken from their be&s;t Armories.</P>
<P>Ob. <HI>God bid Man</HI> bring forth fruit and fil the earth: <HI>but this</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ge<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 1. 28.</NOTE> <HI>Precept concerns the whol compound, conflated of Soul and Body:</HI> Ergo <HI>both parts proceed from Parents.</HI></P>
<PB REF="26">
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Man is &s;aid in &s;om &s;ort, to beget the whol, becau&s; by producing and preparing the material part, he is Author of the union, wherin con&s;i&s;ts the whol Humanity, which &s;ufficeth to univocal generation, though the principal part be not product by him: How &s;atisfactory this is, &s;hal be left to Arbitrement.</P>
<P>Ob. God cea&s;ed from al creatific works the &s;eventh day, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 2. 2.</NOTE> <HI>wherof the infu&s;ing of mans Soul was one:</HI> Ergo <HI>he doth not creat multituds of Souls every moment.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> He cea&s;ed from creating Compounds and Species or Kinds; but not from forms or E&s;&s;ential parts, &s;uch as Souls be.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>If he creat al individual Souls (ther being numberle&s;&s; births every in&s;tant in the va&s;t univer&s;) then he concurs as a parti|cular Agent or third Parent: but he is only univer&s;al Father of al Creatures:</HI> Ergo <HI>no particular third Parent in Mans pro|duction.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> God is Omnipotence and Infinity in the Ab&s;tract, who can creat millions of Souls (&s;o wel as Worlds) in a moment, by his word <HI>Fiat;</HI> yet is no particular Agent or Parent: &s;o the Sequel is denied, &s;ith his Word and eternal Decree doth al in al, without any particular concurrence.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>The Souls &s;uppo&s;ed creation nece&s;&s;arily concurs to Mans generation: But God is &s;ole Agent therin, u&s;ing no &s;ubordinat:</HI> Ergo <HI>a particular third Parent: for if Parents be particular A|gents, who only prepare the matter for union; why not God &s;o too, who creats the Cau&s;, without which no union can be?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Parents are particular Agents according to Natures or|dinary cour&s;, but God metaphy&s;ical and extraordinary; yet no particular third Parent.</P>
<P>Ob. <HI>If God concurs in every generation (whether lawful or lu&s;t|ful) to creat a Soul; then he a&s;&s;i&s;ts al Adulterous, Ince&s;tuous, Spurious coitions and conceptions, which is horrid to imagin or im|po&s;e; for a Pagan Poet tels us:</HI></P>
<Q>Non vacat ob&s;coenis rebus ade&s;&s;e <HI>Jovi.</HI></Q>
<LIST>
<LABEL>Ergo, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></LABEL>
<ITEM><LIST>
<ITEM>Jehov is not at lei&s;ure</ITEM>
<ITEM>To wait on ech mans ple&s;ure:</ITEM>
</LIST></ITEM>
</LIST>
<PB N="18" REF="26">
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> He concurs to the Entity or Naturality, not to the Obli|quity or Morality of evil acts, which is no way horrid to hold: for he givs the earth virtu to multiply al Grain, whether &s;toln or ones own; yet is not Author or acce&s;&s;ary to the &s;tealing: &s;o he decrees <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o infu&s;e new created Souls into human prepared Bo|dies, however begot in Adultery, In<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;t, or Fornication; yet is no Author, Actor, or A&s;&s;i&s;tant in the &s;in.</P>
<P>Ob. Jacobs <HI>of-&s;pring are by</HI> Synecdoche <HI>(taking the principal part for the whol per&s;on) &s;tiled &s;eventy Souls which cam out of his loins: But why are Souls &s;pecialy named, unle&s;s they, &s;o wel as the Bodies and per&s;ons tran&s;cend from Parents?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 'Tis &s;aid to be, becau&s; the preparation of matter for the Souls reception <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nd union proceeds from them. Be it &s;o: yet this re&s;olvs not, why their Progeny are caled &s;o many Souls, unle&s;s tho&s; i&s;&s;u from their loins.</P>
<P>Ob. <HI>God created Man in his own Image, and</HI> Adam <HI>begot</HI> Seth <HI>in his own likenes: but this Image and likenes con&s;i&s;ts &s;oly in the Soul, or in the Humanity; not in the Body:</HI> Ergo Adam <HI>be|got that part wherin Gods Image chiefly con&s;i&s;ts, if not &s;oly re&s;ides.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is &s;oon re&s;olved: God created Man in his Image of righteou&s;nes and tru holines, as S. <HI>Paul</HI> expounds it: but <HI>Adam</HI> begot <HI>Seth</HI> in his natural &s;imilitud both of body and whol humanity; not of Soul only.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>S.</HI> Paul <HI>indeed &s;peaks of &s;piritual Regeneration, by ca&s;t|ing off the old Man and putting on the new in righteou&s;nes and tru holines: But wher doth he cal it Gods Image wherin</HI> Adam <HI>was created? However, even that &s;piritual Image con&s;i&s;ts &s;oly in the Soul; and</HI> Adam <HI>begot</HI> Seth <HI>in his natural likenes:</HI> Ergo <HI>the &s;ub|ject of both re&s;emblances, is &s;p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cialy (if not &s;oly) the Soul; as by comparing the words</HI> (Gen. 5. 1. 3.) <HI>plainly appears.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol. Seths</HI> likenes to <HI>Adam</HI> con&s;i&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in his whol Nature, which he di&s;po&s;itivly begot (<HI>totum Hominem, non totum Homi|nis</HI>) by preparing the matter for the Souls introduction; and con&s;equently the whol Humanity, by union of both parts; though he had no intere&s;t in production of the Soul&punc;</P>
<P>Repl. Adam <HI>begot</HI> Seth <HI>in a triple &s;im litud (be&s;ide that of &s;in)</HI> viz. <HI>of Soul, Body, Per&s;on: which per&s;onal likenes of Ch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">dren to Pa|rents is al&s;o triple. 1. Specifical, as Men, which mo&s;tly folow the
<PB REF="27"> Mother becau&s; &s;he &s;uppeditats mo&s;t matter (both blood and &s;eed) in generation; and for another rea&s;on glanced at by</HI> Ari&s;tole, <HI>that the Male ingenders in another, the Female by another in it &s;elf: for if a Ram couples with a &s;hee-Goat, they produce a Kid of &s;oft hair; but if a Buck Goat with an Ew, a Lamb of hard wool, as</HI> Athaeneus <HI>avers. 2. Sexual, as Male or Female, which proceds from permixtion of both Parents &s;eed according to predominance: for both hav a hot, vigorous, ma&s;culin &s;perm; and a cold, weak, Feminin at &s;everal times, as</HI> Hippocrates <HI>tels. So if both bring Ma&s;culin, they beget brav Spirited Boies; if the Womans be weak and Mans &s;trong yet prepondering, they get a Son, though le&s;s lifely: If the Womans be ma&s;culin and Mans feminin, yet prevailing, they al&s;o procreat Males, but weak and womani&s;h: the like in Females: If both Parents &s;eed prov feminin, they engender dul Wenches: If the Mans ma&s;culin and Womans feminin, but exceding; they breed bold Girls of middle temper: If the Fathers feminin and Mothers ma&s;culin, but predomining, they produce lu&s;ty lifely Virago's. So the diver&s;ity and dominion of Parents &s;eed, makes the difference of Sex. 3. Individual, which is &s;een in peculiar properties of vigour, favour, feature, &s;tature, complexions, and conditions, ari&s;ing u&s;u|aly from the formativ faculty, and ca&s;ualy from Parents phan|ta&s;y: for the &s;eed flows &s;oly from the Te&s;ticles of both; yet al parts impart a pla&s;tic power by &s;ubtle &s;pirits to the Sperm; which, ac|cording to either Parents prevalence, produc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">th a &s;imilitud in par|ticular parts: Hence &s;om re&s;emble Father, &s;om Mother, &s;om both in &s;everal members more then others: yea, many are like their an|ce&s;tors, who&s; fa&s;hioning virt<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> lurks in &s;eed &s;ometimes four de&s;cents, as</HI> Ari&s;totle <HI>atte&s;ts, like a Load&s;tone which draws four or fi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> nee|dles appending. So</HI> Nicaeus <HI>a Poet of</HI> Con&s;tantinople, <HI>born of white Parents was Mauri&s;h as his Grand&s;ire; and</HI> Helides <HI>by an Ethiop had a fair Daughter like her Father: &s;o Children conform to Pa|rent both in Body and Mind:</HI> Ergo <HI>the Soul is Traduced.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This multiloq<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y may be an&s;wered briefly: That the maners of the Mind, and per&s;onal conditions of Children &s;em|blant to Parents, folow the temper of Body, as Phi&s;ick and Phi|lo&s;ophy teach; which argues not any traduction of the Soul, but a &s;everal di&s;po&s;ition of bodily Organs.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>One once a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;wered al</HI> Bellarmins <HI>works with two words,</HI>
<PB N="19" REF="27"> Thou lie&s;t: <HI>but ther be &s;undry Virtues and Vices of the Wil (which no way rely on the Bodies temper) proper and peculiar to &s;om Stock or Race; as whol Families by lineal de&s;cent or natural di&s;po&s;ition, are addict to generous qualities and various &s;ports, wherto</HI> Mantuan <HI>ap<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly alluds:</HI></P>
<LG>
<L>Qui viret in foliis, venit e radicibus humor:</L>
<L>Sic Patrum in Natos abeunt cum &s;emine morcs.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The lea&s;s fre&s;h juice doth from the root proceed:</L>
<L>So Parents maners pa&s;&s; to Sons by Seed:</L>
</LG>
<P>Ergo <HI>the Soul is the &s;eat or &s;ubject of &s;uch Virtues and Vices, tran|&s;cends from Progenitors to their Progeny by Traducal propagation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Such hereditary properties folow the bodily tempera|tur of &s;om principal Organs (Brain, Heart, Liver, Spleen, Gal) more or le&s;s, as <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Mores Animi &s;eq<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">untur tempe|ramentum corporis:</HI> but not from the various inclination of the Soul.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>Maners of the Mind may be &s;omwhat inclined by bodily temper: but Childrens complexions oft-times by matches differ more from their proper Progenitors then &s;trangers; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">et &s;ymbolize in the Souls &s;ecret &s;ympathies with them:</HI> Ergo <HI>tho&s;innat re&s;em|blances proced from it rather then from bodily temperature, which is only accidental.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> In Mans frame or fabric are &s;undry &s;ecret &s;ympathies of principal parts, on who&s; temper the maners of the Mind and Faculties of Soul depend; wherin Children may re&s;emble their Progenitors; though in countenance, complexion, or con&s;titu|tion, more like to &s;trangers: &s;o ther is no certain or convincing Argument for Traduction to be taken from &s;uch variable ob|&s;ervations.</P>
<P>Ob. <HI>If aformativ faculty in &s;eed, to build the Body, proced from Parents Souls; then doth al&s;o an animific virtu to produce the Soul: But al &s;ides grant the one:</HI> Ergo <HI>the other folows. For if Parents Souls impart to it a power to prepare a place; that pow|er is able to beget a Soul.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The formativ animific (or rather Prolific) faculty pre|parativ
<PB REF="28"> to &s;it the matter for union, proceds from Parents Souls; but not procreativ to beget a Soul; being only able to build the bodily part, and make it ready for reception of the Soul, when it &s;hal be infu&s;ed.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>This &s;eems a meer</HI> Po&s;tulatum <HI>without proof, not ren|dring any rea&s;on why 'tis able to prepare a place, and not procreat the Soul: For what belongs to every Kind cannot, &s;ans derogation or di&s;paragement, be denied to the noble&s;t Creature: but the intire production of Individuals with their principal parts (both matter and form) pertains to al Species el&s;:</HI> Ergo <HI>to Mankind al&s;o.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 'Tis no di&s;paragement, but a dignity, that God deigns to creat in Man a divine pa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t: yet he may be &s;aid to beget Indivi|duals intire for perpetuity of his Kind; <HI>viz. praeparando &amp; uni|endo,</HI> though he begets not the Soul it &s;elf: <HI>hic murus abeneus e&s;to:</HI> this is the main Anchor-hold.</P>
<P>Ob. David <HI>&s;aith,</HI> Man is conceived in &s;in; <HI>which either is</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 51. 5.</NOTE> <HI>impre&s;&s;ed before the Souls infu&s;ion, or the Soul corrupted at con|ception and fir&s;t creation; or an inanimat Embryo the &s;ubject of &s;in; or el&s; the Soul is traducted, which &s;alvs and &s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">isfies al &s;cru|ples: but the three fir&s;t are ab&s;onous:</HI> Ergo <HI>the la&s;t alone authen|tic.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Som &s;ay Parents &s;in, committed in procreation, is ther meant: but that in al lawful Marriages is &s;anctified; and who can cal that polluted which God hath clean&s;ed? Others fly to the Souls infu&s;ion at fir&s;t conception; which mu&s;t eeds be, el&s; it wil not hold water. But mo&s;t &s;ay the very &s;eed is defiled with an hereditary &s;tain (as 'tis with the &s;eeds of &s;undry di&s;ea&s;es) which is not properly &s;in, til the Soul be infu&s;ed, being the &s;ole &s;ubject therof. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">trum horum mavis?</HI> for men wil never agree in this intricat Maze.</P>
<P>Ob. <HI>Al Accidents folow their Form, nor can &s;ub&s;i&s;t without their Subject: but vegetation is vi&s;ible and vigorous in an Em|bryo, before the quickning or motion:</HI> Ergo <HI>the Soul or Subject mu&s;t needs be ther at conception, and con&s;equently traducted or generated.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol. Zanchy</HI> an&s;wers (how orthodoxly, judg ye) that in build|ing <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 2. de Hom. creat. c. 5.</NOTE> Mans Body, as it hath fir&s;t the form of blood, next of milk, then of fle&s;h, and la&s;t a human &s;hape: &s;o at fir&s;t is no Soul, but
<PB N="20" REF="28"> only an energy in the &s;permatic &s;pirits to produce a vegetant Soul, when the Embryo livs as a Plant; then that Soul peri&s;h|ing, the Sentient is generated, and that livs as an Animal: which being al&s;o extinct, the Rational &s;ucceds or &s;upervens, not pro|duced from the &s;ame energy, nor from Parents Souls; but cre|ated and infu&s;ed by God. This implies a duple death, upon ex|tinction of the two fir&s;t Souls. Others &s;ay the Vegetant pow|ers ari&s;ing from &s;eed, &s;pirits, and blood, are cheri&s;hed by warmth of Natures Garden, the Womb, til time of motion; but ever after the new infu&s;ed Soul exerci&s;eth al functions, til it brings the Embryo to birth and perfection. Thus they are puz|led touching the time when 'tis infu&s;ed: but certainly the quick|ning is very uncertain.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>The proper &s;ource and principal &s;ubject of al &s;uch Fa|culties is a Soul; not &s;eed, &s;pirits, or blood:</HI> Ergo <HI>either the &s;eed had a Soul begetting energy, or they were faculties of the &s;ucceding Soul, and &s;o &s;ub&s;i&s;ted alone without a &s;ubject; or el&s; are Creatures di&s;tinct and remain divided: but the two later a&s;&s;ertions are gro&s;&s; ab&s;urdities; and the fir&s;t re&s;ts irrefragable, that the &s;eed carries an animific virtu or Soul-begetting energy from the Parents Souls by natural traduction, which be&s;t &s;alvs the propagation of original &s;in.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Som &s;ay tho&s; Faculties predepend on the Seminal Form til infu&s;ion of the Intellectual: yet how can that, being inani|mat, be the &s;ubject of vegetation or motion? Or if it were a Soul, how did it vani&s;h? it died not, as <HI>Zanchius</HI> dreams; nor is &s;walowed up of the &s;ucceding Soul; nor can ther be any coition or coalition of Souls. Others forced by the&s; pre&s;&s;ures, hold 'tis created at conception (which is more tenible of the two) exerci&s;ing hir functions gradualy, as organs are apparated and accommodated. For that time is fixed; but the quickning &s;ooner or later according to the Embryos vivacity and other various contingents: but God is not tied to creat Souls upon al human ca&s;ualties, til his &s;et appointed time: yea Chri&s;ts con|ception, at the Angels &s;alutation (<HI>Ave Maria</HI>) is cald his in|carnation, which is the production of his whol Humanity: and his Mother went immediatly to hir Co&s;in <HI>Elizabeth</HI> then im|pregnant of <HI>John</HI> Bapti&s;t; who being filled with the Holy
<PB REF="29"> Gho&s;t, caled hir, <HI>the Mother of our Lord:</HI> &s;o that he was then <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 1 43.</NOTE> perfect God and Man at fir&s;t conception, and <HI>the Babe leaped in her Womb for joy;</HI> being before quick as plainly appears.</P>
<P>Ob. <HI>Mans Soul is impure at fir&s;t conception, and the whol Man polluted; for,</HI> what is born of fle&s;h is fle&s;h, <HI>&s;aith Chri&s;t; but God</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 3 6.</NOTE> <HI>creats nothing impure:</HI> Ergo <HI>the Soul is not created, but conceived and generated impure from the Parents Souls.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> God creats the Soul in &s;ub&s;tance found, &s;ans &s;tain; but corruption or contagion caled <HI>Concupi&s;cence, is not of the Father</HI> (&s;aith S. <HI>John) but of the World:</HI> for the guilt of original &s;in is imputed to the whol Man, &s;o &s;oon as both parts are united.</P>
<P>Ob. Adams <HI>Rib was made a complet woman, and the Soul therin becam hirs, no new being infu&s;ed:</HI> Ergo <HI>every Soul is not created.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The School-men &s;ay <HI>Eves</HI> Soul was created and infu&s;ed, though it be not expre&s;&s;ed: yet the extraordinary creation of the fir&s;t Woman extends not to the ordinary production of al others: nor is it clear that the Rib was animat, or the Soul ther|of made hirs.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>In this ca&s;e it holds: for the Infu&s;ia&s;ts infer, that al Mens Souls are created, becau&s;</HI> Adams <HI>was:</HI> Ergo <HI>it folows of al Women from</HI> Eve.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The rea&s;on is not &s;emblable: for he was the root of al Mankind, Male and Female; therfore al our souls infu&s;ed, as his was: but not &s;he of Womankind: &s;o it skilleth not whether hirs was created <HI>ex nihilo,</HI> or diffu&s;ed from that animat Rib, &s;ith 'tis not reveled.</P>
<P>Ob. <HI>Chri&s;t took his whol Humanity from the Virgin, by the Ho|ly Gho&s;ts over&s;hadowing:</HI> Ergo <HI>both Body and Soul cam from hir.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> He took only Fle&s;h from her, which includs the whol Humanity; becau&s; when the Body is prepared, God hath decreed to infu&s;e a Rational Soul. This is &s;oon &s;aid <HI>gratis;</HI> but by what warrant? or wher doth it appear, that God &s;o decreed?</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>Fle&s;h animat is Mans whol Nature, not inanimat:</HI> Ergo <HI>the Fle&s;h which he a&s;&s;umed had a Rational Soul at fir&s;t conception.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Som &s;ay that Fle&s;h was potentialy animat, to be indow|ed with a Soul in du time. Others which hold Soul-creation at conception, grant it was actualy animat: But as &s;he is caled Mother of God, in regard of the Hypo&s;tatic union, though he
<PB N="21" REF="29"> had only his Humanity from hir. So Parents may be &s;aid to be|get the whol Man, in relation to the union, which God hath de|creed in du time; though they beget only the bodily part apt and apparated to entertain the Soul; which &s;ufficeth for denomination.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>The rea&s;on reache<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h not right. &s;ith Men are Parents to Children, becau&s; the whol Nature is derived from them, as Chri&s;ts Humanity was from the Virgin: but &s;he is &s;tiled Dei|parent; not in re&s;pect of his Deity, which depends not on hir; but for the &s;aid hypo&s;tatic union of both Natures in one Per&s;on; ha|ving his humanity intirely from hir:</HI> Ergo <HI>the Godhead &s;hal be better tied to his whol Manhood by Traduction of both parts, then barely to cloth him with inanimat Fle&s;h. Be&s;ide, &s;he is caled Mother of God for the hypo&s;tatic union actualy in being; but Pa|rents are &s;aid to beget a whol Man, in regard of the union to com.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> He had his whol Humanity from hir in maner fore|&s;hewed: For when the Body is accompli&s;hed and accommo|ded, the Soul &s;hal be nece&s;&s;arily in&s;tilled or infu&s;ed in du time; which is al that can be an&s;wered in this point, of the whol Hu|manity derived from Parents.</P>
<P>Ob. The Womans &s;eed &s;hal break the Serpents head: <HI>but Chri&s;t fulfilled this promi&s;s and prophecy, chiefly in Soul; which de&s;cended into Hel, to lead Captivity captiv, and bind the &s;trong Man in his own Kingdom; as his body triumphed over Death in his dominion the Grave, by his tridual Re&s;urrection: for how is he the Womans &s;eed unle&s;s he had his whol Humanity from hir? Or how can the Body break the Serpents head? Or how could this victory be atchieved, if his Soul had not de&s;cended?</HI> Er|go <HI>he a&s;&s;umed his Soul al&s;o from the Woman by the Holy Gho&s;ts cooperation.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Diver&s; Divines deny Chri&s;ts de&s;cent into Hel in Soul but that may re&s;t in debat, &s;ith it concerns not the production, &s;av only to &s;hew that by it he brok the Serpents head. Touching the promi&s;s and prophecy, it was performed principaly by his Soul (or rather per&s;on) and that derived potentialy or prepa|rativly from the Woman, in manner foretold; but primitivly and actualy from God the Creator or Infu&s;er.</P>
<PB REF="30">
<P>Ob. <HI>To bind up &s;undry bunches of &s;our Grapes in one bundle: If the Soul be created pure, how can it be defiled in an in&s;tant, by inanimat fle&s;h, not capable of &s;in? Or why doth God ca&s;t his own workman&s;hip into a &s;tinking Pri&s;on purpo&s;ly to be polluted? Or how can a &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance be &s;tained by a material ma&s;&s;? &s;pecialy &s;ith &s;in inheres &s;oly in the Soul; which is primarily guil|ty by willing or con&s;enting, and the Body only in obeying; the one activly as efficient, the other pa&s;&s;ivly as In&s;trument. Upon this ground of the Soul created pure, and in capacity to be polluted by lifele&s;s fle&s;h</HI> Pelagius <HI>built his branded Tene<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, That Children are born free from original &s;in: And S.</HI> Au&s;tin, <HI>&s;eeking to cru&s;h this Cockatrice in the Eg (like &s;uch as bow or bend a &s;tick back to bring it right) broched another error, That al dying unbaptized, are infallibly damned or deprived of Beatific vi&s;ion. being liable to the lack or lo&s;s of Heavenly happines; though not to the pain of Helli&s;h torments, whence be is &s;tiled</HI> durus Infantum Pater. <HI>La&s;tly our Protoparents per&s;onal &s;in, becam like &s;ap derived from the root participatly ours; not by imputation, as</HI> Zanchy <HI>con|te&s;ts, but by tru inhe&s;ion; infecting the whol Nature: which hereditary corruption or con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">agion is contracted linealy from Parents loins:</HI> Ergo <HI>the Soul, as &s;eat, &s;ource, and &s;ubject, is</HI> ex Traduce.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This Gordian knot many hav e&s;&s;aied, few extricated, or cut it a&s;under like <HI>Alexander;</HI> who &s;hadow it with a vele of windy words, but no real re&s;olution. Som &s;ay the &s;eed is &s;tain|ed <HI>ex traduce;</HI> which, like levan, &s;ours the whol lump; and the Soul &s;upervening, receivs &s;tain from it, as new Mu&s;t put into a mu&s;ty cask, which the be&s;t Divines di&s;claim: For ther can be no proper phy&s;ical action of material upon immaterial, and the Soul &s;hal be polluted pa&s;&s;ivly only, which &s;ufficeth not to make it guilty, unle&s;s it be a voluntary Agent: yea, the &s;imilitud halts; for ther the Ve&s;&s;el taints the Wine; here the Soul was fir&s;t &s;oi|led, and principal efficient: ther both be material; here the chiefe&s;t &s;piritual; nor can inanimat fle&s;h be capable of &s;in, be|fore it hath a Soul. <HI>Zanchy</HI> and others hold, That as Chri&s;ts righteou&s;nes, &s;o <HI>Adams</HI> guiltines, is ours imputativly only; but Natures corruption in&s;uing, a ju&s;t puni&s;hment by divine De|cree. Out alas! this &s;in is a lepry cleaving clo&s; to the fle&s;h, and
<PB N="22" REF="30"> con&s;equently corrupting our whol Nature; or el&s; could not beget and bring forth &s;uch a &s;erpentin &s;pawn of actual &s;ins. <HI>Pe|ter Moulin</HI> profe&s;&s;eth plainly, that the Soul is not vitiated by the Body; for to incarcerat an innocent Creature, his own ope|rature, in a plaguy Bridewel purpo&s;ly to be infected, repugns Gods Ju&s;tice and Goodne&s;s: but &s;in being a &s;piritual vice of the Wil, fir&s;t &s;eizeth the Soul before the Body becoms acce&s;&s;a|ry: as <HI>Adam</HI> fir&s;t &s;inned in Wil and Con&s;ent yer he &s;tretched his hand to touch or ca&s;t: &s;o &s;in pa&s;&s;eth from the Soul to the Body; not contrarily. For the maner of &s;preading, He &s;aith God creats the Soul &s;potle&s;s, but de&s;titut of &s;upernatural light, which Man lo&s;t by his fal: hence flows or folows perver&s;nes of Wil, purblindnes of Mind, and proclivnes to al evil, even from inordinat &s;elf lov not guided by metaphy&s;ical illumination; and the temper of Body doth much incen&s; or increa&s; this con|tagion according to every complexion; yet are not humors the cau&s;es, but incentivs to &s;in; nor doo impre&s;s or imprint on the Soul, but only incline it therto. <HI>Quot homines, tot &s;en&s;us,</HI> &s;o many men, &s;o many minds; but al driven to &s;undry &s;hifts, how &s;in can be propagated without traduction of the Soul; which being granted wil &s;oon &s;atisfy al &s;cruples.</P>
<P>Repl. <HI>This la&s;t devi&s;e, being newe&s;t, takes be&s;t; but is &s;car&s; &s;ounde&s;t: for &s;in is an effect of natural corruption, which is more then a defect of &s;upernatural illumination; and a po&s;itiv depra|vation of Wil, far beyond deprivation of Grace. Man indeed lo&s;t metaphy&s;ical light by his fal; yet if our Souls be created &s;potle&s;s, they mu&s;t at fir&s;t infu&s;ion be &s;inle&s;s: &s;o al the doubts re&s;t intire, how they can &s;o &s;uddenly contract this hereditary pollution, diffu|&s;ed over our whol Nature, unle&s;s the Soul bring that &s;tain with it? for we are for lorn before born, being conceived in &s;in, or at lea&s;t infected in the Womb:</HI> Ergo <HI>Traduction (which &s;alvs al &s;cruples, and is &s;ubject to none) is the &s;afer Tenet; nor can God otherwi&s;e be cleered from being Author of &s;in: for if he creats it pure, why did he decree to pollut it pre&s;ently, &s;ith he coula hinder it? Al which inormities, with the like, are voided by Trada|ction.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Let it &s;erv or &s;uffice for an&s;wer, That Gods Wil was &s;o to di&s;po&s;e it; and who can comptrol it? But to &s;hun an incon|venience,
<PB REF="31"> and run into an evident exploded error, is a remedy wor&s; then the Malady. To an&s;wer the la&s;t branch fir&s;t, God de|creed to make Man a freewild Creature <HI>ad utrumlibet;</HI> yet im|po&s;ed a command to try his obedience, and foreknew he would prevaricat; but determined to permit or not prohibit it; which was his Wil &s;o to doo: If any ask, why he willed not to hinder it (&s;ith <HI>Qui malum non prohibet cum po&s;&s;it, praecipit</HI>) either by forbearing the Command, or by inabling man to keep it, or by refraining to creat more Souls for Hel, as if he delighted to tor|ture his Creatures? S. <HI>Paul</HI> checks &s;uch curious Inqui&s;itors with an Interrogation; <HI>O man! Who art thou that pleade&s;t</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 20.</NOTE> <HI>with God? Who hath known the Lords mind, or bin his Coun|&s;iler? O the depth of the riches of his Wi&s;dom and knowledg; how</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 33, 34.</NOTE> <HI>in&s;earchable are his Judgments and his ways pa&s;t finding out?</HI> but &s;til <HI>ju&s;t in al his waies, and holy in al his works,</HI> as <HI>David &s;ings.</HI> Touching the re&s;t; 'Tis tru, that &s;in is a &s;piritual vice of the Soul or Wil; not of Body, &s;av pa&s;&s;ivly or organicaly only; which &s;tains the Soul at in&s;tant of infu&s;ion by &s;ubtraction of &s;piritual light; wherof being de&s;titut, it precipitats into al evil: for the Sun is not Author of darknes, but light; yet by with|drawing his rais induceth darknes. So God is no Author of Sin, but Grace; yet by with-holding his Spirit, &s;in in&s;tantly folows in a depraved Soul: &s;o &s;aith S. <HI>Au&s;tin,</HI> God hardned <HI>Pharaohs</HI> heart; not by impre&s;&s;ing of ob&s;tinacy, but &s;uppre&s;&s;ing of Grace: howbeit the maner how the Soul is &s;o &s;oon infected, and the Body by it, is in&s;crutable, and known only to the Father of Lights; which is a free confe&s;&s;ion in this Ca&s;e: But to &s;ay it was his Wil to creat every Soul pure, to be pre&s;ently polluted, is more then can be warranted by his reveled Wil in the Word: For it pre&s;uppo&s;eth a <HI>Po&s;tulatum</HI> to be granted, that Mans Soul is created pure, and in&s;tantly contracts &s;in, though the manner utterly unknown.</P>
<P>For up&s;hot, the Traducti&s;ts can better &s;hift the &s;cruple of Immortality then Infu&s;ia&s;ts &s;alv or &s;olv that of original &s;in; yet may they not claim the Laurel of Victory, &s;ith Verity lies in ob&s;curity.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Arduares haec e&s;t, &amp; &s;ic &s;ub Judice lis fit.</HI></L>
<L>This thing is hard and high,</L>
<L>So in &s;u&s;pence let it ly.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="23" REF="31">
<P>Thus the Infu&s;ia&s;ti&s;ts Arguments and Replies are 25. &s;o are the Traducti&s;ts Objections and Replications equal in number, with the An&s;wers of ech part to the other: but which are the mo&s;t ponderous or prevalent, let the learned Readers judg in|differently and impartialy between both.</P>
<P>The &s;um of the Traducti&s;ts Tenets is, That God cea&s;ed from <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary of both &s;ides.</NOTE> al Creatific Works (both Specifical and Individual, Com|pounds and principal Parts being al his Workman&s;hip) the &s;e|venth day: That he gav Man a benediction to multiply like other Animals, which beget their own Souls; but theirs mortal, be|cau&s; fir&s;t formed of the corruptible Chaos; and his immortal, as being breathed or infu&s;ed immediatly by God: that his Soul by that ble&s;&s;ing had a priviledg or dower to produce a like im|mortal e&s;&s;ence, though not exi&s;ting by it &s;elf, but in a mortal Body. That an Animific virtu is conveied with the Spirits of Parents &s;eed, to beget or build up a Soul, as light diffu&s;eth light: That this Soul is the &s;eat of &s;in, being a &s;piritual vice of the Wil, as the Body is the &s;ubject of material accidents; but Man the denominativ or predicativ &s;ubject of both their qualities: That this &s;in is propagated from our fir&s;t Parents (by explicit or implicit Covenant) to al their Po&s;terity with the Soul, which is produced &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly from Parents Souls, with the &s;ame &s;tain of &s;in.</P>
<P>The Orthodox opinion is fixed on the foundations: That as God primarily in&s;pired <HI>Adams</HI> Soul, and afterward <HI>Eves;</HI> &s;o he jugialy creats every Individual: That the new-made Soul in&s;tantly at infu&s;ion (whether at conception or quickning) ac|quires the guilt of our Protoparents &s;in; but the maner how, in&s;crutable and inexplicable: That this generical &s;in folows Soul-creating by accident, becau&s; God gav <HI>Adam</HI> Free-wil, to &s;tand or fal for him&s;elf and al his Of-&s;pring; having predecreed to creat a number of Souls, to be infu&s;ed into Bodies in du times: That though God be the Souls &s;ole Archipla&s;t; yet Pa|rents properly beget <HI>totum Hominem (non totum Hominis)</HI> in regard of preparing the matter or man&s;ion by the Formativ Fa|culty, whence the union nece&s;&s;arily in&s;ues by divine decree. That Man begets Man, becau&s; he &s;upplies one part intire, and con|curs to the union (though not e&s;&s;ence or exi&s;tence) of the other:
<PB REF="32"> That Mans Soul is not generated as Bea&s;ts, which peri&s;h with them; but hav a &s;ublimer origin from the Father of Spirits, and &s;hal liv for ever: La&s;tly, That this Soul, though created pure, is at the in&s;tant of union guilty of original &s;in; not by imputa|tion, but inherent corruption.</P>
<P>S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Hippo</HI> dur&s;t not pre&s;um to decide the debate, both parts being &s;o probable: But Doctor <HI>Goodman,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">In a Trea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> of Mans fal.</NOTE> lat Bi&s;hop of <HI>Gloce&s;ter</HI> a&s;&s;ums to attone them by a motly mo|deration; that the Soul is both created and generated: for God concurs in mans production, being to becom his Son by adoption (yet every one is not &s;o) and Man cooperats by the ordinary way of propagation: &s;o in re&s;pect of God 'tis Creati|on, which implies a beginning different from Natures cour&s;; but in re&s;pect of Man, a u&s;ual generation: &s;o 'tis created <HI>ex Traduce</HI> in re&s;pect of God, and procreated <HI>ex Traduce</HI> by Man: thus he.</P>
<P>This mixt mungrel action obveled in a mi&s;t of words, is a my|&s;tery beyond common capacity, and the terms contradictory, tho &s;hadowed w^t^h the word Re&s;pect: For how can one thing be both created and procreated? Or how can Creation be <HI>ex Tra|duce?</HI> the phra&s;e plainly imports, that the Soul proceds <HI>ex Tra|duce</HI> from Parents; though in re&s;pect of Gods concurrence, as univer&s;al Agent, it may be caled extraducal creation. So let it pa&s;s for a rare peece of new coined <HI>Logico-Philo&s;ophico</HI>-Theo|logy. But the two forecited Opinions rely on real principles, though very dubitable and di&s;putable. Six Que&s;tions are pre|viou&s;ly agitated. 1. What Seed is? 2. What a Soul is? 3. Whe|ther it be material? 4. How it attains knowledg? 5. How many are in Man? 6. Whether it be created or generated? which la&s;t is barely debated or di&s;cu&s;&s;ed; not boldly decided or deter|mined.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Spiritus an jugiter genitus &s;it, five creatus</HI></L>
<L><HI>Quim Deus infudit? lis violenta manet.</HI></L>
<L>Whether Mans Soul, which God breath'd and created,</L>
<L>Be &s;til infus'd, or bred? 'tis much debated.</L>
<L><HI>In dubio lis e&s;t, an Mens ex Traduce nata</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Aliter:</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Sit cuju&s;que Hominis, &s;ive creata magis?</HI></L>
<PB N="24" REF="32">
<L>'Tis doubt whether ech Mans Soul be generated</L>
<L>From Parents Souls, or rather by God created?</L>
<L><HI>Particula in nobis divinae Spiritus aurae,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Alias.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>(Quaeriter an genitus, &s;ive creatus?) ine&s;t.</HI></L>
<L>The Soul's in us a Part, by God in&s;pired:</L>
<L>Whether begot, or creat? 'tis inquired.</L>
<L><HI>Ne&s;cit Homo, an &s;ua mens generetur, &s;ive creetur?</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Secus.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Se tamen ostentat no&s;cere cuncta, mi&s;er.</HI></L>
<L>Poor Man knows not, if's Soul be bred or moulded?</L>
<L>Yet boa&s;ts, that he hath al things el&s; unfolded.</L>
</LG>
<DIV2 TYPE="appendix">
<HEAD>Appendix Additionalis. <HI>An additional Appendix.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THe en&s;uing Theory is taken mo&s;tly from Mr. <HI>Henry Wool|nots</HI> Treati&s;, intituled, <HI>The tru original of Mans Soul;</HI> which is brifly extracted. God hath a duple voice; one &s;peaking in Scriptures, which is his written word of Grace: another in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Preamble.</NOTE> Creatures, which is his wrought Word of Nature. For as Na|tural Works are his ordinary power, and miraculous extraor|dinary: &s;o Nature is his ordinary Voice, and divine Oracles ex|traordinary. What God &s;pake in his Word, he hath wrought in the World, who&s; Words and Works agree: for &s;ecret things belong to him; but reveled to us and our Children. Wher he hath no toung to &s;peak, we may not hav an ear to hear, nor heart to inquire: but as Creatures we mu&s;t &s;ubmit to our Creator, and as Chri&s;tians beleev wher rea&s;on cannot reach. Now to the Que&s;tion.</P>
<P>The Rational Soul, whether produced immediatly from <NOTE PLACE="marg">The&s;is.</NOTE> God, or mediatly by Man, is of immortal Nature: yet &s;tained with our fir&s;t Parents fir&s;t &s;in, by propagation: but how can we know how 'tis made, before it be in being, &s;ith we cannot con|ceiv what it is being made? For though we know 'tis a &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance realy &s;ub&s;i&s;ting in a Body; yet what maner of meta|phy&s;ical matter 'tis made of, none knows: No marvel then, if we be ignorant of the origin, which is harder to explore: For 'tis &s;piritual; and &s;uch are difficiler to di&s;cern or di&s;quire then
<PB REF="33"> corporals, &s;ubject to &s;en&s;: &s;pecialy &s;ith ours is an incomplet Spirit or part of a Creature; Man being compo&s;ed of a mor|tal Body and immortal Soul: the one indued with &s;en&s;es to re|ceiv al corporeal Images; the other furni&s;hed with a faculty of Rea&s;on, which from tho&s; Images draws di&s;cur&s;es and con&s;e|quents, wherby it gets knowledg of cau&s;es and effects, wherof Sen&s; is incapable. Hence it happens, that when we di&s;cur&s; of &s;piritual Natures, which tran&s;cend Sen&s;, we are put out of our u&s;ual way, and wander, as half lo&s;t, in incertainty, without any exact knowledg to content the Mind. Whatever excellences be in inferior Natures, are much more perfectly in &s;uperiors: as tho&s; of other Animals more eminent in Man, chiefly in his Soul; tho&s; of his Soul more con&s;picuous in Angels; and al perfections of al mo&s;t tra&s;cendent in God. So the knowledg of inferior Natures, is comprehended in &s;uperior; but not contrarily: Nor can any, &s;av God (who hath no &s;uperior) know it &s;elf purely or properly, but only by reflexion; as the Ey, which &s;ees al things, cannot behold it &s;elf, &s;av in a Gla&s;s: Nor can we know our own Soul, but as 'tis &s;hewed in a myrrhour of the Works: and as by it we know other things; &s;o by them we hav a glimp&s; of it.</P>
<P>To omit &s;everal Opinions of Pagan Philo&s;ophers and Chri|&s;tian <NOTE PLACE="marg">Opinions.</NOTE> Heretics: The orthodox jointly agree, that Mans Soul is either immediatly created by God, or mediatly generated by Man: both which are bipartit.</P>
<P>In point of Creation, <HI>Hilary,</HI> with others, hold it to be formed without the Body, and then infu&s;ed. But the general Tenet is, that 'tis created and infu&s;ed in the Body, which runs mo&s;t current.</P>
<P>So for propagation: Som &s;uppo&s;e it a corporeal &s;ub&s;tance, and begot in bodily maner; which is generaly exploded. Others hold it &s;piritual, &amp; &s;o produced, like light from light; which was the mind of mo&s;t We&s;tern Doctors: but S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> and <HI>Eucheri|us</HI> &s;tood in &s;u&s;pen&s; between both, inclining chiefly to Creation.</P>
<P>The ca&s;e is very dubious and difficil: For how can Spiritual &s;ub&s;tances beget one another? If it be daily created of nothing, how can it &s;tand with Gods re&s;t from farther creating, or his &s;etled cour&s; of al things to multiply their Kinds? 'tis a &s;illy &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ft
<PB N="25" REF="33"> to &s;ay, That he re&s;ts from creating new Kinds and Compounds; but not from Individuals or principal Parts: for the words im|ply no &s;uch limitation, nor any place el&s; in Scripture: &s;o 'tis &s;poken <HI>gratis,</HI> without warrant, and a bare begging of the Que&s;tion, or meer fiction: for they grant it tru in al things el&s;, except only this their own exception; which they obtrud with|out rea&s;on, when <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> makes it general of al Gods Works. A greater ob&s;tacle occurs, how it can &s;tand with original &s;ins propagation? This made the Pelagians and Anabapti&s;ts (who hold Soul-creation) to deny ther is any &s;uch &s;in, &s;av by imitati|on: yea diver&s; Divines, &s;eeing the ab&s;urdities ari&s;ing therhence, a&s;&s;ert Traduction. This makes the cheif Patrons of Creation &s;tagger, who decline it as a curious Que&s;tion, &s;ith they cannot giv &s;ufficient &s;atisfaction; exhorting to Faith beyond Rea&s;on, and forbid farther di&s;qui&s;ition: for if the Soul flow immediatly from God, how is it defiled, being created &s;inle&s;s? the Body cannot doo it, being drawn into &s;in by it: Nor can this contagi|on com from the union, &s;ith that is Gods Work; who wil not put a Soul in it &s;elf &s;imply good, and his own workman&s;hip, into an unclean Ve&s;&s;el, purpo&s;ly to make it guilty of death and damnation, for anothers fault: &s;hal not the judg of the World doo right? 'tis a poor po&s;ition, that 'tis created in infu&s;ing, and infu&s;ed in creating; which is al one as to &s;ay, 'tis made in mar|ring, and marred in making: Nor is it &s;afe to &s;ay, God &s;o willed or decreed, &s;ith it cannot be proved; and being unju&s;t, is ju&s;t|ly di&s;proved. It &s;tands not with his Ju&s;tice, that <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in &s;hould be imputed to us or reputed ours, &s;av as 'tis our own by &s;inning potentialy in him as the root; nor is it ours by imputa|tion (&s;av only in re&s;pect to propagation) but inhe&s;ion: for if we were &s;imply &s;inle&s;s (as a new created Soul is) his &s;in cannot ju&s;tly hurt us. God may puni&s;h al for <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in; yet not &s;oly for it, &s;ith he &s;aith, <HI>The Son &s;hal not bear the Fathers iniquity:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ezek.</HI> 18. 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> but becau&s; by his &s;in they becam &s;inful, or rather &s;inned in him; they are ju&s;tly puni&s;hed for their own &s;in: &s;o propagation is the &s;ole &s;ource of original corruption. Now if we receiv the wor&s;t part only from <HI>Adam,</HI> which is not the &s;ubject of &s;in; &s;ith not the parts, but whol Per&s;on &s;inned: How can a Man be guilty of &s;in (if his Soul com immediatly from God) &s;av only
<PB REF="34"> by propagation? Or how can <HI>Adam</HI> be our Father, if the whol Man de&s;cends not from him? One cannot be a proper Father of the whol, unle&s;s he beget both parts: for to &s;upply meer mat|ter (which is elementar) makes not a Father, &s;ith the Form only denominats; which if he doth not generat, he can no more be a Father then to Fleas and Lice, which are bred of his Body: Nay, if Fatherhood con&s;i&s;ts chiefly in giving the Form, God is rather the tru Father, from whom the principal part proceds, then Parents which beget the ba&s;er. The Soul is Mans e&s;&s;ential part, without which he is no Man: How then can he procreat a Creature like him&s;elf, if he produce not the Soul? &s;pecialy &s;ith al agree, that he propagats &s;uch an accident as &s;in, which inheres in the Soul as its &s;ole &s;ubject. Can he propagat an unnatural accident Sin, which cannot be without the Soul; and not a natural e&s;&s;ence the Soul, without which can be no Sin? The faculty of propagation pertains to the Soul &s;o wel as Body, yea hath its chif &s;eat in the Soul &s;oly; for the Body is as a Pen in the Writers hand, but the Soul principal Scribe or Se|cretary: &s;ith then &s;uch as the cau&s; is, &s;uch is the effect; the Soul mu&s;t produce a Soul, and whol Man a whol Man; not an in|form lump, which without a Soul is neither Man nor Bea&s;t: but the Soul &s;til accompanies the Seed at fir&s;t conception, and gradualy builds the Body, fitly framing al the organs from the fir&s;t rudiments to ful perfection: Nor can &s;uch effects be doon <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exer<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 6. 55. 5.</NOTE> but by a Soul, as &s;ubtle <HI>Scaliger</HI> provs. He allegeth many mo Arguments again&s;t Infu&s;ion, and an&s;wers al adver&s; Rea&s;ons; but becau&s; they are already produced on both parts, 'tis nau&s;ity to &s;erv forth twi&s;e &s;od Coleworts: but having refuted Infu&s;i|a&s;ts, and rejected Traducti&s;ts, he vents his own novel Inven|tion.</P>
<P>His Grounds are the&s;: 1. God created three &s;orts of &s;piritu|al <NOTE PLACE="marg">A new opinion</NOTE> Natures. 1. Angels &s;o &s;ublime, as they cannot join with Bo|dies. 2. Bea&s;ts Souls &s;o material, as they cannot be &s;eparat from Bodies. 3. Mens Souls, in a mean, which can both liv without Bodies after death, like Angels, and unite with Bodies in this life like Bea&s;ts Souls. So he ordained, That Angels &s;hal nei|ther increa&s; nor decrea&s;: Sen&s;itiv Souls both increa&s; and de|crea&s;: But Rational increa&s; or multiply, not decrea&s; or peri&s;h.
<PB N="26" REF="34"> Hence he infers, that Angels are crated immediatly by God on|ly: Bea&s;ts Souls procreated mediatly one from another: But Mens Souls partly produced by Gods immediat power, and partly by mediat propagation, or &s;uch a production as coms neere&s;t to creation.</P>
<P>2. Mans Soul is indued with power to u&s;e bodily organs in attaining knowledg of al &s;en&s;ible things: yea our knowledg of God ari&s;eth ordinarily from Sen&s; ordered by Rea&s;on; which is a mean between Bea&s;ts &s;en&s; and Angels Intelligence. Therfore God united the Soul with a Body, which it naturaly de&s;ires, be|ing incomplet without it, nor knows ought ordinarily but by it. As then al ordinary faculties and works are doon mediat|ly by corporal Natures; &s;o is their origin or Of-&s;pring, or el&s; could not hav &s;uch &s;ympathy with a Body. Yet as the Nature and Works therof are &s;om way extraordinary, without &amp; abov al Elementar Natures: &s;o God proportioaly hath a &s;upernatural extraordinary work in producing it different from al others.</P>
<P>3. Elementar Natures cannot be produced without a more excellent external efficient then them&s;elfs, <HI>viz.</HI> the Sun and ce|lical bodies, by their light, motion, and influence: for &s;o al &s;ub|lunars depend on them for being, be&s;ide the matter wherof they are particularly compounded, and peculiar Forms: but the Soul having a Spiritual kind of compo&s;ition, nobler then the re&s;t from Parents by &s;eed, requires a &s;piritual extern efficient be&s;ide it &s;elf, which mu&s;t needs be God the Father of Spirits; &s;ith Stars being bodies, cannot produce Mans Soul, to which they are far inferior.</P>
<P>4. Human conception often fails, and is not &s;o frequent as in other Creatures: which argues it is not of Nature alone, but by Gods more &s;pecial power and providence, then in other ge|nerations. If then he acts more in Mans conception, why &s;hal not the Soul be produced then, without a duple task of crea|ting and infu&s;ing at quickning? When <HI>Rachel</HI> ra&s;hly cried, <HI>Giv me Children, el&s; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> dy; Jacob</HI> wi&s;ely an&s;wered, <HI>Am <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in Gods &s;tead?</HI> &s;o 'tis &s;aid of <HI>Ruth, The Lord gav hir conception, who only opens and &s;huts the Womb:</HI> but 'tis no wher &s;aid, he creats Souls: For he &s;ets a con&s;tant cour&s; with his con&s;erving ble&s;&s;ing concurring, that like &s;hal produce their like.</P>
<PB REF="35">
<P>5. As God eternaly decreed of Man, both who &s;hal com into the World, how many, and when: &s;o he works in his con|ception more then in al others; which mu&s;t needs be as imme|diat efficient of his Soul, wherby he ble&s;&s;eth or bla&s;teth concep|tion, ordering it by a &s;pecial providence, according to his decree: contrarily, &s;undry inconveniences ari&s;e from creation, that &s;om Children are fully formed; which dying before the Soul is in|fu&s;ed, cannot com to Judgment, that God may be glorified; and &s;o his work &s;hal be fru&s;trated.</P>
<P>6. 'Tis evident in promi&s;cuous copulations of Men or Wo|men with Bea&s;ts, that Gods efficient power is joined with the Souls propagation; &s;ith &s;uch be&s;tial births are not indued with Rea&s;on, nor &s;hal com to Judgment, though their &s;en&s;itiv En|telechy is &s;harper and &s;ubtler then other Animals; as Apes and Baboons are &s;uppo&s;ed to &s;pring primitivly from &s;uch unnatural mixtions or conjunctions. Nor is the Soul immediatly created by God &s;ans natural means, &s;ith Children begot in Ince&s;t or Adultery hav it; which God &s;hal &s;eem to approv or further, when he might hinder it, being not bound to infu&s;e Souls. This Rea&s;on may be retorted, &s;ith he is not bound to a&s;&s;i&s;t at &s;uch coitions, being a mo&s;t free Agent, and not a Natural: &s;o he cannot be an external efficient, as the Sun is in other generati|ons.</P>
<P>7. Sith Nature by divine Ordinance, produceth daily out of dead Elementar matter admirable powers of Seing, Hearing, Phanta&s;y, Memory, belonging to brute Bea&s;ts; the maner wher|of our Rea&s;on cannot conceiv: how much more can the God of Nature produce out of Mans more excellent Nature others like to it, though we cannot comprehend the manner how? Nor is corporal Seed (which is of far purer temper and &s;ubtler Spirits then in other Animals) an unfit In&s;trument to propagat a Rational Soul; &s;pecialy &s;ith the Spirits in Seed are of &s;ublime Nature, which hav neer affinity with the Soul.</P>
<P>8. God hath &s;et a natural order, That a whol Man &s;hal beget the whol, both Body and Soul: yet not one the other, nor Soul a Soul alone, or Body a Body; but the Soul a Soul immediatly by the Body; and Body a Body by the Soul; but both jointly a whol Man: for they are Individualy united, and their opera|tions
<PB N="27" REF="35"> concur: &s;o Man propagats like other Animals, but by Gods immediat power in maner afor&s;aid.</P>
<P>9. The Soul being not produced &s;imply by Natures power, nor made of meer corporal matter, tran&s;cends the common condition of al corporeal Creatures, and is in it &s;elf immortal, having God the extern efficient to produce it.</P>
<P>10. The Soul being propagated from Parents, is polluted with Natures &s;tain contracted from <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in; which is deri|ved from Parents to Children, with the whol Man, as the ade|quat &s;ubject of it; yet God in no fault: &s;ith our Souls are not corrupted by him, but from our Parents and our &s;elfs. If any cannot conceiv how one Soul produceth another (which is the harde&s;t knot) let him con&s;ider how it can be united to a Body and organized with it, which wil allay the difficulty: For if Angels hav aereal bodies (as many Antients deem) or at lea&s;t are not pure Spirits, compared to God; mu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h more may Mens Souls hav &s;uch a &s;piritual compo&s;ure, as meerly re&s;embles Mat|ter and form in Bodies, which may wel accord with the maner of propagation pre&s;pecified, and no way repugn the Souls di|vine e&s;&s;ence. If this way oppugn Rea&s;on, yet 'tis &s;afer then that which repugns Religion.</P>
<P>By this Card our Author, &s;ailing betwixt <HI>Scilla</HI> and <HI>Charyb|dis,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Conclu&s;ion.</NOTE> di&s;covered <HI>Pachinus</HI> (a middle Promontory in <HI>Sicil,</HI> as <HI>Co|lumbus</HI> did <HI>Cuba) viz.</HI> that as the Sun is external efficient in the general generation of al Sublunars, be&s;ide their internal par|ticular principles: &s;o is God in the &s;pecial production of every Mans Soul, be&s;ide the peculiar Parents Souls working virtualy in the &s;eed, as his pretended premi&s;&s;es prov:</P>
<P>Which he farther confirms thus. 1. Ther is no diametral <NOTE PLACE="marg">Conformation.</NOTE> difference between Soul and Body, but they may be naturaly coupled together: For though the Soul be not vi&s;ible; yet hath it a &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance, not &s;imply pure, but the lowe&s;t degree of Spirits, prone to unite with corporeal natures, and &s;o may be propagated with them, as united to them. 2. Every Na|ture, the more excellent 'tis, hath a neerer union with the fir&s;t Being, on which it depends, and is more immediatly moved by it: whence it folows, that the Soul being more excellent and neerer to God then any corporal Creature; in which he works
<PB REF="36"> more immediatly then others, after they are made: &s;o he doth in the fir&s;t production of it. 3. Nothing is generated but hath &s;om extern efficient Cau&s;, which in Coporeals is the Celical bo|dies: whence 'tis &s;aid the Sun and Man be get a Man, as the Sun and Lion a Lion: But the Soul being a Spirit, and made at fir&s;t by God, can hav no other extern efficient &s;av the &s;ame immediat power: So it may more truly be &s;aid, God and Man generat the Soul; God as efficient, and Parents as his procreant in&s;tru|ments, to produce what, how and when he plea&s;eth, according to his eternal Decree: Nor is it ab&s;urd, that Man hath two ex|tern efficients; but rather an honor that God and Nature con|cur to his generation. 4. Mortality proceds not from natu|ral generation, but divine malediction: for had not Man &s;inned, his Body &s;hould be eviternal &s;o wel as Soul: <HI>Ergo</HI> if it were compounded and generated in a corporal way (which is not &s;o) yet it folows not to make it mortal. 5. Whatever hath being immediatly from God, cannot be annihilated but by his imme|diat power, which is the tru cau&s; of immortality. Hence the Body being produced &s;oly by Natures power, doth dy or peri&s;h; yet the Soul produced by immediat act of the Deity, can never dy but by the &s;ame power which gav it life.</P>
<P>Thus it appears, that though the Soul be produced as afore|&s;aid; yet is it immortal: &s;ith 'tis neither made of corporal mat|ter, nor generated in meer natural maner: Nor is God faulty, though we be &s;inful; &s;ith being wholy in <HI>Adam,</HI> and actualy one with him; our whol Nature is &s;o defiled, and Gods pure ordinance in producing Souls depraved; that a total corrupti|on pa&s;&s;eth in the very conception, and we &s;tained with original &s;in at our very fir&s;t being.</P>
<P>To cleer the Ca&s;e, he frames &s;om objections again&s;t this mid|dle way. 1. Ob. <HI>If the Soul be re&s;olved into a fir&s;t principle of</HI> Adams <HI>Soul, whence al are derived, as Mixtils are into Ele|ments; it mu&s;t needs be mortal as al &s;uch are:</HI> Ergo <HI>'tis not &s;o derived, or el&s; 'tis mortal.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The compari&s;on is unlike: for Mixtils are compact of Elements into which they re&s;olv; but Mens Souls not com|pounded of <HI>Adams</HI> (no nor Bodies) nor one of another; but of the &s;ame nature, and &s;o &s;imple as his. Nor doth it folow, if
<PB N="28" REF="36"> the Soul be compounded like Elements, it mu&s;t inevitably be mortal: for death and corruption coms not from compo&s;ition or propagation, but meerly from malediction for &s;in; the wa|ges wherof is death.</P>
<P>2. Ob. <HI>If God cooperats with Man in producing Souls, he no le&s;&s; re&s;ts from his works then in jugial creating them of nothing: for the thing is the &s;ame, and terms little differing:</HI> Ergo <HI>this novity of a middle way, to make God the external efficient, is ve|ry vanity and of no validity.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Here is no creation of nothing, but production of a thing from former principles: Nor doth it repugn Gods crea|tifie re&s;t, to concur in other works of providence, government, and the Souls &s;piritual acts; nor in a&s;&s;i&s;ting its production as an extern efficient, which tends only to pre&s;erv Mankind; &s;pecialy &s;ith it hath no mediat maner in ordinary cour&s; of nature, &s;av on|ly Gods immediat concurrence in extraordinary maner.</P>
<P>3. Ob. <HI>If Man cannot generat his like without Gods &s;pecial extraordinary help; he is in this behalf inferior to Bea&s;ts, as Tra|ducti&s;ts urge against Creation:</HI> Ergo, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Not &s;o: for Bea&s;ts beget al&s;o by the Heavens help, as exterior efficients: If then Mans Soul for excellence hath a far &s;ublimer &s;upercelical efficient: And he acts &s;o much in genera|tion of his like, as other Creatures doo in theirs; 'tis rather a dignity abov al, then any di&s;paragement at al. So this exception holds again&s;t jugial creation, wherin Man no whit concurs, which may &s;eem a derogation: but not again&s;t natural propa|gation.</P>
<P>4. Ob. <HI>If God be immediat extern efficient of our &s;in-polluted Souls by natural propagation; he is Author or acce&s;&s;ary to &s;in, rather then by creation:</HI> Ergo, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Nothing le&s;&s;: for he is only external efficient of the Soul, not of &s;in; w^c^h coms from corrupt Parents, who &s;upply the inter|nal matter of the whol Man, wherin &s;in con&s;i&s;ts, &s;ith generation is not of Parts, but Per&s;ons; it being his ju&s;t ordinance in nature, That as the Tree is, &s;o &s;hal the fruit be. Sith then he made Man perfectly good at fir&s;t, to beget Children perfect like him&s;elf; who prevaricated and polluted al his Progeny or Po&s;terity: God performs his part &s;til to confer his efficient power in the
<PB REF="37"> perpetual production of Mankind: And as he fir&s;t infu&s;ed his Soul, &s;o he &s;til concurs in producing it, though not in the &s;ame &s;ort: yet &s;in is meerly accidental in re&s;pect of him, who is nei|ther Author nor acce&s;&s;ary: but 'tis propagated in generation by the fir&s;t Mans fal or fault, through the loins of perpetual po|&s;terity one from another.</P>
<P>It re&s;ts to pre&s;ent &s;om gleanings, gathered from the &s;aid <NOTE PLACE="marg">Corollary.</NOTE> Treati&s;, which tends to this Theory. 1. Creation is a meta|phy&s;ical production of a Thing out of Nothing immediatly by God: &s;o the fir&s;t Chaos (caled Heaven and Earth) was made of meer nothing, and the re&s;t mediatly out of it: but <HI>Adams</HI> Body of Earth mediatly, and his Soul immediatly of nothing, by a middle way of Production.</P>
<P>2. Propagation is a Natural act or faculty, wherby a living Creature begets his like, for continuance of the Kind: this is the proper perfection of every Animal (Vegetant, Sentient, Intel|ligent) being the mo&s;t excellent faculty ingrafted in Nature by Gods &s;pecial charge and ble&s;&s;ing of <HI>Increa&s; and multiply;</HI> which is duple. 1. Equivocal, when Plants or Animals are bred of putrefaction; as Weeds, Magots, Eeles, &amp;c. 2. Univocal, when ech Animat brings its like; as Wheat Wheat, Whale a Whale, Eagle an Eagle, Lion a Lion, Man a Man.</P>
<P>This is doon by the &s;eed of generation, which contains the whol Nature to continu the Species for ever; wheras Individu|als are al mortal or momentany. So Mans &s;eed, Natures quint|e&s;&s;ence containing the whol Kind, is lodged in a place fit for propagation of another con&s;pecifical: which generation being Mans perfection; he cannot be &s;aid propagat either part, but the whol, or a third con&s;i&s;ting both of Form and Matter. Hence our propagation from <HI>Adam,</HI> is a deduction of the whol Man, according to Natures cour&s;, in turning our potential be|ing into act, which derivs his Nature to us: but if the Soul be fetch'd from Heaven, and Body from Earth; how &s;hal both ends be brought together; or what &s;hal this mix'd action be caled? Simple Creation it cannot be, nor pure propagation; but a Mungrel like a Mule. For Creation and Propagation dif|fer dive&s;ly. 1. One is Gods work by him&s;elf, of meer nothing; wrought by his &s;ole Word and Wil: the other Natures of
<PB N="29" REF="37"> &s;om preexi&s;tent matter according to ech Creatures kind, by Gods ordinance &s;etled in Nature. 2. That is doon in an in|&s;tant by an infinit e&s;&s;ence which requires no time; this by pre|vious preparations or gradual perfections which take time, tho the very conception is acted in a moment. 3. One is perform|ed without any motion or mutation; but in the other the &s;ame matter is changed or varied into &s;everal forms. 4. In the fir&s;t, things are not made of one &s;ub&s;tance with the Creator; but in the la&s;t, both hav the &s;ame &s;ub&s;tance. 5. In Creation privati|on preceds the habit, power act, and darknes light: but in Pro|pagation contrary, habit foregoes privation (as &s;ight blindnes) act power, and light darknes.</P>
<P>The Rea&s;ons that Mans Soul cannot be propagated by cour&s; of Creation are the&s;. 1. It impugns Gods Ju&s;tice, to put a <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Rea&s;on.</NOTE> pure innocent e&s;&s;ence into a condition to be in&s;tantly damned for anothers &s;in; which it mu&s;t be, if an Embryo dies before born and bapti&s;ed. To this 'tis &s;aid the new Soul is guilty by union; which is a greater a&s;per&s;ion on divine Ju&s;tice, but no <HI>&s;alvo:</HI> for if it be in no fault, why &s;hal it be guilty and puni&s;hed for <HI>Adams</HI> fal? If it be replied, That God &s;o eternaly Decreed; this farther aggravats: nor doth it appear that he &s;o Decreed; w^c^h to aver without warrant, is mo&s;t hainous: for if he Decreed (as Supralap&s;arians har&s;hly hold) that al &s;hould &s;in and &s;uffer death in <HI>Adam,</HI> 'tis requi&s;it to be by ju&s;t means: which if it may be doon by Traduction rather then Creation; yea by that way and not this; then is that to be counted Gods Decree. Can Ju|&s;tice it &s;elf deal unju&s;tly? &s;urely in equity is no iniquity. God promi&s;eth and proclameth, that a faultle&s;&s; Child &s;hal not &s;uf|fer <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 18. 20.</NOTE> for his Fathers guilt: why then &s;hal a good Soul be &s;o deep|ly puni&s;hed for anothers &s;in, to whom it is &s;car&s; kin? &s;ith <HI>Adam</HI> that &s;inned was no &s;imple Soul, but a Man.</P>
<P>2. If the Soul be immediatly created pure, it cannot be pol|luted <MILESTONE N="2"> by a Body, which of it &s;elf is not the &s;ubject of &s;in, nor can defile a &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance, being the fir&s;t mover of al acts in the Body; and it &s;hould rather &s;anctify that, then be &s;tained by it. So it may better be defended, that we hav original righteou&s;nes, becau&s; the Soul coms from God; then original &s;in, becau&s; the Body coms from <HI>Adam.</HI> If it &s;hould be granted, that the Soul
<PB REF="38"> is polluted by yeelding to bodily lu&s;ts; yet this is actual &s;in, not original corruption: Nor can it com from a pure created Soul. To this 'tis &s;aid, That at the in&s;tant of Creation, God bereavs al &s;upernatural gifts for <HI>Adams</HI> lap&s;, which though it put not evil into the Soul; yet original &s;in nece&s;&s;arily flows or folows. This &s;eems uncouth, that God &s;hal at once doo and undoo, or make and mar &s;o &s;oon as 'tis made; or giv goodne&s;s and take it away in&s;tantly. Nay if it be created in infu&s;ing, 'tis void of &s;u|pernatural gifts, and &s;o cannot be deprived of what it never had. But if it be created without tho&s; gifts which to us are &s;uperna|tural, he creats it evil; as al Men are without &s;uch; nor can a Soul be good without them. If then God makes it &s;o that it mu&s;t needs be evil, he makes it evil; &s;ith he makes it that it can|not be good: Yet if al the premi&s;&s;es be conceded, 'tis never the neer to &s;alv original &s;in; &s;ith this is not to &s;in in <HI>Adam,</HI> but to becom &s;inful for him: So it re&s;ults, that the Soul if created good, cannot po&s;&s;ibly contract <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in: nor can al Mens wits or wiles cleerly &s;hew, how a Soul created pure can be pol|luted; and al &s;hifts hitherto devi&s;ed, are &s;illy Cobweb Lawns, pervious to every ey. The la&s;t refuge (that it coms neither by Soul nor Body, but by union of both; &s;ith by it we becom Sons of <HI>Adam,</HI> and &s;o his &s;in made ours) is Mr. <HI>Calvins</HI> curious con|ceipt, but &s;car&s; &s;atisfactory: For it is a &s;piritual Lepry which hereditarily infects the whol Man, with al parts and powers. If then the Soul at fir&s;t union be pure and Body polluted, the Child &s;hal be half holy and half &s;inful: Or if both be clean at fir&s;t, how can union make both or either unclean? for when two good are conjoined, both becom better. Hence &s;om &s;ay <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in is only imputed, not inherent; and &s;o we only re|puted corrupt. Indeed Chri&s;ts righteou&s;nes is realy ours by im|putation; and a voluntary in&s;titution, as a Covenant of Grace differs from ordinary Ju&s;tice in cour&s; of Nature; &s;ith 'tis free to &s;hew mercy without cau&s;, but not to puni&s;h without du de|&s;ert: Nor can this &s;in be ju&s;tly imputed to al, unles the whol Man be propagated; for 'tis a real infection of the whol Na|ture both Body and Soul.</P>
<P>3. As by Gods Ordinance original &s;in pa&s;&s;eth from one to al <MILESTONE N="3"> Mankind; &s;o by propagation al Mankind proceds out of one:
<PB N="30" REF="38"> and as that &s;in over&s;preads the whol Man; &s;o both parts being infected mu&s;t needs be propagated. Again as this &s;in is &s;eated &s;pecialy in the Soul; &s;o 'tis chiefly propagated according to Na|tures cour&s;. Hence three points re&s;t to be proved. 1. That original &s;in pa&s;&s;eth only by propagation, as Scriptures univer|&s;aly te&s;tify. By one man death pa&s;&s;ed upon al, becau&s; al &s;inned in him: and 'tis imputed to his Po&s;terity, becau&s; al were in him as the Root or Stock, and al de&s;cend out of him; &s;o his &s;in becoms ours both by imputation and propagation; but by the fir&s;t be|cau&s; of the la&s;t: For 'tis not anothers &s;in imputed, which is not ours, but that made ours by propagation actualy, which before was only potentialy. This is cleer by the Antithe&s;is between the fir&s;t and &s;ecund <HI>Adam;</HI> as in one al dy, &s;o in Chri&s;t &s;hal al be made aliv: The one being Root of Mankind, in whom al are by Nature; the other Head of the Elect, in whom they are al by Grace. Such then are deceived, as deem <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in only imputed, like Chri&s;ts righteou&s;nes; &s;ith this la&s;t is the Creators voluntary In&s;titution and work of meer Mercy; but the fir&s;t a nece&s;&s;ary operation of the Creature and work of Ju&s;tice. So the Antithe&s;is holds tru thus: As in Chri&s;t we fulfilled the Law, &s;uffered death and attained &s;alvation, being members of his Bo|dy by Grace: So in <HI>Adam</HI> we eat the forbiden fruit, becam Sa|tans bond&s;laves, and were in &s;tate of damnation, being al mem|bers of his Body by Nature. So Chri&s;t derivs his righteou&s;nes to his Children by &s;piritual regeneration, as <HI>Adam</HI> did his &s;in to al Men by natural generation: <HI>Ergo</HI> as Chri&s;ts righteou&s;nes is not imputed but by means of regeneration, wherby we becom members of his Body: So <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in cannot be imputed but by generation, wherby we de&s;cend from him as his members. If <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in be &s;imply imputed, becau&s; we are Men as he was, who received or lo&s;t for him&s;elf and al Mankind; then mu&s;t it be imputed to Chri&s;t as Man, &s;o wel as to us; which is not &s;o: for our &s;inning in him, and being &s;infully propagated from him, makes us liable; which Chri&s;t was not, becau&s; &s;anctified in the womb, by the holy Gho&s;t, at fir&s;t conception: but al el&s; derived from him, and his &s;in to us through one anothers loins. 2. Ori|ginal &s;in cannot be propagated, unles the whol Man and both Parts be; which nece&s;&s;arily flows from the premi&s;&s;es: for except
<PB REF="39"> the whol Man de&s;cends from him, the whol cannot be infected; &s;ith neither Soul nor Body alone is the &s;ubject of &s;in, but the Per&s;on. Or if the whol be not the &s;ubject, 'tis not properly &s;in|ful. The Law likewi&s;e is given to the whol, and the Per&s;on puni&s;hed or rewarded. 3. The whol Man cannot be propa|gated, unles the Soul be; &s;ith the whol con&s;i&s;ts of its parts. To &s;ay the Soul coms from <HI>Adam quoad exi&s;tentiam &amp; unionem, non quoad e&s;&s;entiam,</HI> is &s;ly Sophi&s;try, not real or rational: for then Man contributs but the wor&s;t part, not the whol nor half: Nor is it tru, that <HI>Adam</HI> is cau&s; of the union; but rather God, if he creats the Soul. Nor if the Soul be infu&s;ed, can any tel how long time after conception; during which &s;pace the Wo|man works alone. But if the whol Man be &s;aid properly to proced from <HI>Adam,</HI> becau&s; the body doth; much more may it be verified to com from God, becau&s; the Soul doth: &s;o the uni|on rather to be a&s;cribed to God, as the noble&s;t &s;uprem Agent, then to Man the ba&s;er and inferior. If then the whol Man and both parts be not propagated, it re&s;ults that we were in <HI>Adam</HI> wherin we are not, <HI>viz.</HI> the Per&s;on: that we &s;inned in him with|out that, without which he could not &s;in, <HI>viz.</HI> the Soul: That the whol Man was in <HI>Adam</HI> yet never cam from him: That we lo&s;t in him which we never had of him, <HI>viz.</HI> original righteou&s;|nes: That he &s;hal &s;til be ful of Souls which he never had: That the whol per&s;on proceds from him, yet not that which makes the whol.</P>
<P>4. Chri&s;ts Soul was not created; but his whol Humanity <MILESTONE N="4"> taken from the Virgin: for his birth, life, death are curio&s;ly and circum&s;tantialy recorded by the Evangeli&s;ts; but no Soul crea|tion: which they would not omit being &s;o pregnant a proof that he was without &s;in, if it was created pure: Nor is any Souls creation, &s;ince <HI>Adams</HI> &s;pecified in Scripture. Chri&s;t is caled <HI>the &s;eed of the Woman,</HI> and <HI>Davids &s;eed&punc; according to the fle&s;h:</HI> which imports the whol Humanity, as oppo&s;ed to his Deity. but if his Soul was created, the imputation of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in to al Men, mu&s;t be likewi&s;e l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">able to him as Man. Ad hereto, That the Soul and Body (as 'tis in al others) were conceived at once: for the divine Nature being immediatly united to the Soul, and by it to the Body; the Soul mu&s;t be produced in the moment
<PB N="31" REF="39"> of conception with the Body; or el&s; the Deity was fir&s;t united to a brute Body, which is bruti&s;h to imagin. The truth is, his Soul being united with the Body into one Nature at fir&s;t concepti|on, becam one Per&s;on with the eternal Word, by a miraculous working of the holy Gho&s;t, who purified the Womb, that the Birth becam exempt from &s;in. So his whol Humanity (Soul and Body) was deduced from <HI>Adam,</HI> and &s;eparated from the Virgin by the holy Gho&s;t: But a Soul cannot be produced by Natures ordinary cour&s; (no more then a Body) without con|currence of both Sexes Souls: yet being performed by &s;uperna|tural power; 'tis a tru Soul, and &s;o is the Body; both which joined in one Per&s;on make a perfect Man; as <HI>Eve</HI> was a very Woman, though taken out of Man; and Chri&s;t tru Man, taken only out of Woman. For in Mans quadruple production, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> a duple concordance: <HI>Adam</HI> made immediatly by God, without Man or Woman: <HI>Eve</HI> mediatly out of Man, without Woman: Chri&s;t immediatly out of Woman, without Man: but al el&s; me|diatly by both. 'Tis &s;aid the holy Gho&s;t &s;anctified part of the Virgins &s;ub&s;tance, a&s;&s;umed by the Godhead, to make Chri&s;ts Per&s;on: which terms are tru, if wel under&s;tood: For by part of hir &s;ub&s;tance is meant, the whol Nature, or both parts, (not Bo|dy only) whereof his Humanity was framed. By &s;anctifying is not meant clen&s;ing that portion from &s;in; but con&s;ecrating it to that holy purpo&s;, indowing it with gifts fit for &s;o divine union: yet was it free from &s;in, or rather never &s;inful, by rea&s;on of this union. For al &s;ub&s;tances were created exceeding good, and depend immediatly on God: Nor is &s;in e&s;&s;ential to Mans Nature, but accidental, cleaving to the per&s;on by <HI>Adams</HI> fal; and not properly in the &s;ub&s;tance of Human Nature. Nor are evil actions or affections &s;tiled &s;imply &s;inful; but the Man: &s;ith &s;in con&s;i&s;ts not in any pravity of matter; but in the corrupt Wil or intent of the dooer: Nor is ther any Law to puni&s;h parts or &s;ub&s;tances, but per&s;ons or malefactors. So 'tis cleer that Chri&s;ts &s;ub&s;tance, or whol Humanity, taken from the Virgin in &s;uch miraculous metaphy&s;ical maner, was not &s;tained with &s;in, becau&s; not propagat by ordinary generation: For if it had bin &s;inful, it could never be clen&s;ed, nor any Man &s;aved: &s;ith ther is one only Mediator, who&s; blood clen&s;eth us from al &s;in; which
<PB REF="40"> the holy Gho&s;ts &s;anctifying cannot doo, without virtu and re|ference to his redemption. If then his &s;ub&s;tance never was &s;in|ful, the holy Gho&s;t did nor clen&s; it from &s;in; but only &s;eparat what in it &s;elf was &s;inle&s;&s;, from a &s;inful Per&s;on, that it might unite and &s;ub&s;i&s;t with a divine Per&s;on: For his Soul and Body, though derived from <HI>Adam,</HI> like others, could not be propaga|ted, becau&s; he was conceived extraordinarily without Male|&s;eed, by &s;evering &s;om of the Virgins &s;inle&s;&s; &s;ub&s;tance from hir &s;inful per&s;on, and uniting it to Gods per&s;on. Lo here a &s;um|mary of this &s;ublime my&s;tery; but a Labyrinth which he traceth forth and back, to &s;hew that Chri&s;ts Humanity, being taken from &s;inle&s;&s; &s;ub&s;tance, could not be &s;inful.</P>
<P>Thus three di&s;&s;ident Opinions hav bin alterutratly agitated. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cen&s;ure.</NOTE> 1. For the Souls jugial creation, which is mo&s;t general. 2. For natural propagation from Parents Souls, as Lamps deriv light one from another, which &s;eems more rational. 3. for a mix'd production, betwixt both, which is meerly Mathematical. 'Tis a witty novity, or ca&s;tle in the air; yet likely to take better with mo&s;t Men then old received Tenets; being haply borowed from Dr. <HI>Goodmans</HI> crotchet, but much changed: howbeit if both deny the Souls creation, ther is no nece&s;&s;ity to make God an extern efficient in its production; &s;pecialy &s;ith al inconveniences may be &s;alved by &s;imple Traduction, &s;o wel as any other way. Nor is ther any warrant, that God concurs in extraordinary maner to propagat Mankind, more then any other Creatures; but leavs al indifferently to Natures cour&s;, fir&s;t in&s;tituted by him, with a general benediction to increa&s;, multiply, and propagat their &s;everal Kinds. Indeed his di&s;po&s;ing providence is univer|&s;al &s;uprem efficient of al things, that a Sparow cannot fal to ground without it: but that he is &s;pecial Agent in Mans gene|ration, more then other Creatures (as the Infu&s;ia&s;ts and Mr. <HI>Woolnot</HI> conte&s;t) hath no grounds. God is &s;aid to keep the keys of the womb, which he opens and &s;huts at free plea&s;ure: So he keeps the keys of the Clouds and al other works of Na|ture: But to make him a particular efficient with Man in the Souls production (as the Sun and celical bodies are &s;uperior &s;ubordinats in other generations) is a&s;&s;erted <HI>gratis,</HI> without grounds; nor wil <HI>Ip&s;e dixit</HI> &s;erv to induce a credulity for &s;uch a
<PB N="32" REF="40"> novity. He tartly taxeth the Infu&s;ia&s;ts, for a&s;&s;erting God to creat new Souls, and a&s;cribing it to his eternal Decree, without war|rant in his Word; yet he doth the &s;ame, having no author con|curing, as they hav. God created al things with a Word, which was no weary work; and could make millions of Worlds (as he did myriads of Angels) in a moment: but his Wil was to proced gradualy, taking &s;ix daies time to accompli&s;h one: which having ended, he re&s;ted on the &s;eventh from al &s;uch works (wherof creating of Mans Soul was one) for ever, and &s;ancti|fied or &s;et it a part for a Sabbath, in memory of his re&s;t; enjoin|ing it afterwards by a Law to be ob&s;erved by Man for ever. If then he creats Souls continualy, how doth he re&s;t from al &s;uch Works? Or how can it be &s;aid, that hw wil at la&s;t Judgment creat new material Heavens and Earth, when the old &s;hal be de|&s;troied? Or la&s;tly, that he &s;til a&s;&s;i&s;ts Man as an extern efficient in every Soul production, which emulats creation? If any wil &s;eek the premi&s;&s;es of this Po&s;t&s;cript in Mr. <HI>Woolnots</HI> &s;aid Trea|ti&s;, he &s;hal &s;o &s;oon find a needle in a Bottle of Hay: &s;o various are our garbs both for &s;tile, &s;tructure, method, and matter, one from another; as wil appear in al the re&s;t of the The&s;es.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>No&s;tram Animam ex nihilo negat Author hic e&s;&s;e creatam:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Externum efficiens vult tamen e&s;&s;e Deum.</HI></L>
<L>This Author our Soul made of nought denies:</L>
<L>Yet God to be extern efficient implies.</L>
<L><HI>Si po<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">erit &s;ummus Pater omni a&s;&s;i&s;tere partu;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Allter.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Sie Animas potuit Voce creare novas.</HI></L>
<L>If God a&s;&s;i&s;ts al births when propagat,</L>
<L>He can &s;o wel with's Word new Souls creat.</L>
</LG>
<P>The Ca&s;e is cleer as the Sun, to &s;alv immortality: For <HI>Adams</HI> Soul by Gods immediat infu&s;ion, <HI>Eves</HI> by transfu&s;ion from his, and al others &s;ince by traductiv derivation (either immediat or mediat) from both theirs; like light from a Lamp, which never wa&s;ts by kindling one another; together with Gods command and benediction to increa&s; and multiply their Kinds in ech kind; hav acquired that excellent dower or prerogativ of indubitat immortality, beyond al exception and eva&s;ion.</P>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="2" TYPE="thesis">
<PB REF="41">
<HEAD>THESIS II.</HEAD>
<HEAD>Pura Dei Praede&s;tinatio. <HI>Divine Prede&s;tination.</HI></HEAD>
<P>THis is a profound point and very ponderous: for better cleering wherof, certain previous Propo&s;iti|ons &s;hal lay a foundation.</P>
<P>1. Providence is Gods general Government of al <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Propo&s;i|tion.</NOTE> Things: Prede&s;tination his &s;pecial care over free Intelligent Creatures, Angels and Men. Of it are two parts or branches: <HI>viz.</HI> Election to Life or Salvation; and Reprobation to Death or Damnation. Election (as our Churches &s;eventeenth Article defines) is Gods chu&s;ing of &s;om in Chri&s;t out of Mankind be|fore the Worlds foundation; and his everla&s;ting purpo&s; &s;ecret to us, to deliver them from Cur&s; and Damnation, and bring them as Ve&s;&s;els of honor to eternal Salvation, by the &s;ame Chri&s;t in whom they are cho&s;en. So Reprobation mu&s;t be his &s;ecret wil <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 13. 5.</NOTE> not to deliver from Cur&s; and Damnation tho&s; whom he hath not found in Chri&s;t; but to pa&s;&s; them by and ca&s;t into everla|&s;ting fire, as Ve&s;&s;els of di&s;honor. Now this Theorem or Trea|ti&s; concerns the maner and means of Gods proceding in both; which mu&s;t be the Ba&s;is of this great &s;tupendious &s;tructure to be rai&s;ed or framed.</P>
<P>2. Gods Attributs or expre&s;&s;ions of his E&s;&s;ence (Omnipo|tence, <MILESTONE N="2"> Omni&s;cience, Infinity, Eternity, Ubiquity, Unchange|ablene&s;s, Under&s;tanding, Wi&s;dom, Wil, Goodnes, Lov, Mer|cy, Ju&s;tice, Truth, Patience, Holines, Ble&s;&s;ednes, Maje&s;ty, &amp;c.) mu&s;t be con&s;idered as con&s;piring in one, without confu&s;ion or contradiction; &s;pecialy tho&s; that mo&s;t concern this &s;ubject, which folow to be more preci&s;ely and particularly agitated.</P>
<P>3. Omni&s;cience or Pre&s;cience is two-fold, as Schools define. <MILESTONE N="3"> 1. Of pure &s;imple Intelligence, wherby God knows al things
<PB N="33" REF="41"> pa&s;t, pre&s;ent, to com (nece&s;&s;ary or contingent) and what might <NOTE PLACE="marg">Nota bone.</NOTE> hav bin, if he had plea&s;ed to giv them being: yea the very events of al that &s;hal be doon by him&s;elf or any Creature from eterni|ty to eternity. This the highe&s;t pitch of knowledg in an Intelli|gent Nature to work with Wi&s;dom, and therfore worthy of the wi&s;e&s;t Agent; &s;pecialy in the fir&s;t contriving and ordering of al things concerning contingent events of free Creatures. Hereby he foreknew <HI>Adams</HI> fal, before he decreed to creat or permit him to fal: or to &s;end his Son for a ran&s;om, if he &s;hould fal; upon which he contrived the whol work of Mans Redemption. This pure pre&s;cience being previous to Prede&s;tination in order of Nature (according to our weak apprehen&s;ion) yet al coe|ternal to God; did not look to the ma&s;&s; of Mankind as to be created incorrupt, nor as lap&s;ed in <HI>Adam;</HI> Nor to Chri&s;t be|leeved or not beleeved on: but beyond al to the fir&s;t, middle, and final e&s;tate of ech particular per&s;on, and univer&s;al of al Men. 2. Of Vi&s;ion, which is of things to be doon in time, with al acts and events therof, which depend on his free Wil and Plea&s;ure. <HI>Aquinas</HI> &s;peaks of both: God knows al things which neither are, were, or ever &s;hal be by his &s;imple under&s;tanding: but the re&s;t that hav bin, are, or &s;hal be, after what &s;ort &s;oever, by the &s;cience of Vi&s;ion. This di&s;tinction <HI>Zanchy, Junius,</HI> and other learned Reformi&s;ts approv to be authentic in the very terms.</P>
<P>4. Gods power or Omnipotence (who can doo what he wil <MILESTONE N="4"> which agrees to his Nature) is duple. 1. Ab&s;olut, wherby he can do al that he wil, and more then he wils. 2. Actual, by which he doth what ever he wil, and hinders what he wil not hav doon in Heaven and Earth, with al things therin; who&s; Maje|&s;ty ruleth and reigneth over al Creatures vi&s;ible or invi&s;ible; nor could ever any re&s;i&s;t his power, or defeat his providence.</P>
<P>5. Gods Wil (which comprehends his Lov, Mercy, Good|nes, <MILESTONE N="5"> Truth, Ju&s;tice, Wrath, Patience, Holines, &amp;c.) fir&s;t wil|leth him&s;elf, as chief Soveraign good, and in him&s;elf al other good things freely, which are out of him&s;elf. Hereby he decrees (for Decree is no Attribut, but an Act of his Wil joined with power and pre&s;cience) what of tho&s; infinit things pre&s;ented by his under&s;tanding &s;hal com into being. For Knowledg is his
<PB REF="42"> Coun&s;ilor, but Wil King, and both him&s;elf; <HI>who works al ac|cording</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 11.</NOTE> <HI>to the Coun&s;il of his Wil,</HI> as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith. By it he or|ders al things cau&s;ing or allowing what &s;hal be, in what ma|ner, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 18, 19.</NOTE> and to what end. Hence S. <HI>Paul</HI> a&s;cribes al to it, as &s;uprem univer&s;al cau&s;, into which al inferior are re&s;olved, as the prime &s;pring. This is ab&s;olut and independent: for til God pa&s;&s;ed his Decrees, al things were known but as po&s;&s;ible, if he would giv being or not. Ther be other di&s;tinctions of divine Wil, ac|cording to &s;everal objects, as that of Sign and good plea&s;ure u&s;ed in Schools: but to giv God a duple different Wil in him|&s;elf (&s;ecret and reveled) as if he willed openly in his word to &s;av al; yet decrees to reprobat mo&s;t part in his hidden Coun&s;ils, is mo&s;t abhorrent: For he is a God of Truth, no Lier, Di&s;&s;em|bler or Mocker, u&s;ing &s;implicity and &s;incerity in al his &s;ayings, which are yea and Amen: Nor wil he make general promi&s;es in his Go&s;pel to al Beleevers, yet bar them by a clo&s; clande&s;tine decree of his &s;ecret Wil, that they &s;hal not beleev: but it hath diver&s; objects, or one placed in diver&s; times: as 'tis his reveled Wil ther &s;hal be a day of Judgment, yet he concels the time. So the Go&s;pel of Salvation was his &s;ecret Coun&s;il before the World began; but &s;ince opened to the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apo&s;tles, &amp;c. which can no more be caled his hidden Wil. In|deed 'tis &s;aid, <HI>Secret things belong to God, but the reveled to us</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 29. 29.</NOTE> <HI>and our Children;</HI> which provs a diver&s;ity of objects, but no duplicity of Wils; warning us only to attend what is reveled in his Word (as his general promi&s;es pre&s;cribed) and not pry into his privy purpo&s;es, to inquire who are elect or who reprobats, le&s;t, like <HI>Thales,</HI> in gazing at the Stars, we fal into the Pit: for this is a perilous precipice of carnal pre&s;umption.</P>
<P>6. The Go&s;pel is a manife&s;tation of Mans Redemption by <MILESTONE N="6"> Je&s;us Chri&s;t; which God fir&s;t reveled in Paradi&s;e, that the Wo|mans &s;eed &s;hal break the Serpents head: Next to <HI>Abram</HI> at <HI>Ha|ran,</HI> that in his &s;eed al families and Nations &s;hal be ble&s;&s;ed: Then to <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> in <HI>Egypt</HI> and the Wildernes, when God in&s;ti|tuted the Pa&s;&s;over and &s;everal Sacrifices as Types or Figures of the holy Lamb, &s;lain before the World for the Worlds &s;ins: Afterward to the Prophets: And la&s;tly to the Evangeli&s;ts, who wrot our Saviours whol life &amp; death, after his Incarnation or ap|peerance
<PB N="34" REF="42"> in the fle&s;h, which is the my&s;tery of our Redemption.</P>
<P>7. Go&s;pel Grace is Gods free Mercy offered to al lap&s;ed <MILESTONE N="7"> Mankind: whoever wil beleev in his Son, repent their &s;ins, and per&s;ever to the end, &s;hal be &s;aved. Which promi&s;&s; mu&s;t be preached and publi&s;hed to al &s;orts, &s;ans re&s;pect of Per&s;ons; as he is no re&s;pecter, nor delights in the death of a &s;inner: For Man hath &s;om liberty of Free-wil &s;til left (if revived or quickned by Grace) to obey or re&s;i&s;t, receiv or reject the motions of Gods Spirit.</P>
<P>8. Gods Decree is duple. 1. Primary, Proceeding from his <MILESTONE N="8"> Omnipotence; wherby he eternaly willed to creat the World in du time, and to giv Man, made after his Image, ab&s;olut Free-wil, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Decretum; 1 Ab&s;olutum. 2 Condition<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|tum.</NOTE> without re&s;traint any way. 2. Secundary, Depending on his Omni&s;cience; wherby fore&s;eing <HI>Adams</HI> fal (as he did the evil Angels Rebellion) he in meer Mercy ordained a remedy, to &s;end his only begotten Son to be a Sacrifice for al: but with condition of beleef in him, and tru repentance for &s;in; both which are equaly eternal, flowing from the Fountain of the Deity, who willeth what he wil, and doth what he willeth. Hence proceds Prede&s;tination, which is his &s;ecundary conditio|nat Decree, depending on Pre&s;cience: wherby he freely elects &s;om to lif, being al liable to death in <HI>Adam;</HI> and rejects or pa&s;&s;es by the re&s;t to peri&s;h in their di&s;obedience.</P>
<P>9. Sin is of two &s;orts. 1. Original (&s;o caled by S. <HI>Au&s;tin)</HI> <MILESTONE N="9"> contracted from our fir&s;t Parents. 2. Actual committed by al particular per&s;ons. The remedy of one is Bapti&s;m into Chri&s;ts faith; either by per&s;onal confe&s;&s;ion, as in tho&s;e of tipe age; or by their Sureties &s;pon&s;ion, as in Infants. The other is cured or clen&s;ed by repentance, through the merits of Chri&s;ts death; who&s; blood, by tru faith in him, purgeth from al &s;in.</P>
<P>10. God eternaly Decreed to creat al things in time, indued <MILESTONE N="10"> with &s;everal Natures, and to make Man a free Intelligent Crea|ture, like Angels; who gav one only prohibitiv precept upon pain of death; which fore&s;eing in his pure pre&s;cience, he would violat or prevaricat, both to his own and Po&s;terities perdition, if ju&s;tice be executed, as it mu&s;t nece&s;&s;arily be by a ju&s;t God: He by his knowledg of Vi&s;ion decreed &s;ecundarily, in meer Mercy, to &s;end his Son, to &s;alv al that &s;hal believ in him, and u&s;e &s;uch
<PB REF="43"> means of faith, repentance, and obedience, as are pre&s;cribed in the Go&s;pel.</P>
<P>11. God commands no more of Man, then he givs power or <MILESTONE N="11"> ability to perform; as <HI>Adam</HI> had by Nature, and al others by Grace: if then he requires &s;ince Mans fal faith, repentance, obedience, and per&s;everance to work out our &s;alvation by his Grace; certes he givs ability to beleev, repent, obey, and per|&s;ever by cooperating with it; but doth not cro&s;&s;-bar it by any contrary decree, which were meer mockery far from Mercy: for if one ly on the ground bound hand &amp; foot, 'tis mockery to bid him ri&s;e or run away; but mercy to loo&s;e or let him go: The Ca&s;e is quadratly &s;emblable and aptly applicable. Our good God is no mocker, but al Mercy; nor re&s;pecter of per&s;ons, but receivs al that cal on him.</P>
<P>12. God delights not in the death of a &s;inner, but would hav <MILESTONE N="12"> al to be &s;aved: he hath &s;poken it who wil not beleev him, &s;o wel as beleev in him? But if he hath ab&s;olutly and peremptorily de|creed (from which is no appeal nor repeal) that Man &s;hal &s;in and con&s;equently dy; he delights in his death, and wil hav but a few &s;aved. Hath he made him according to his own Image pur|po&s;ly to make him the wrechede&s;t of al Creatures? Surely his Wil and Decree is to reward every Man according to his works. The&s; twelv &s;tones thus laid (like <HI>Jo&s;uas</HI> twelv &s;tones paralel to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo&s;. 4. 20.</NOTE> I&s;raels twelv Tribes, &s;et up in <HI>Gilgal</HI> for a memorial of <HI>Jordans</HI> retrover&s;ion) for a fair foundation, the fabric wil be the better fini&s;hed: but becau&s; Mr. <HI>Plaifer</HI> wel ver&s;ed in this point, hath handled it at large in his <HI>App<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">li<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Evangelium&punc;</HI> the chief contents &s;hal be &s;incerly ab&s;tracted or abbreviated, and applied to com|mon capacities, &s;ans ambiguity.</P>
<P>He reckons fiv di&s;&s;ident Opinions touching the order of <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Opinon.</NOTE> Prede&s;tination. 1. <HI>Calvin, Beza, Pi&s;cator, Whitaker, Perkins, &amp;c.</HI> hold, that God eternaly Decreed to creat a &s;et number of Men, wherof he elected &s;om to everla&s;ting life, and reprobated the re&s;t to eternal death of his free wil &amp; plea&s;ure; only to &s;hew his Grace, Goodnes, or Mercy on the one; and his Ju&s;tice, Power, or Dominion on the other. To which end he Decreed &s;in &s;hould enter on al, that he might ju&s;tly puni&s;h mo&s;t part for &s;in; and to &s;end his Son for redemption of the Elect in Mercy by free Grace.</P>
<PB N="35" REF="43">
<P>This peremptory po&s;ition, is generaly condemned by Papi&s;ts, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Refutation.</NOTE> Lutherans, Arminians, and diver&s; Reformed Divines, as peri|lous and erroneus; becau&s; it makes God the prime Author of &s;in&punc; rejecting Men before they were evil by an antecedent ab&s;o|lut Decree, without re&s;pect to <HI>Adams</HI> future fal, but elects &s;om before they are con&s;idered as &s;inners, &s;ans re&s;pect to the ones faith or the others failing; as if pre&s;cience had no place in Prae|de&s;tination.</P>
<P>2. The Synod of <HI>Dort, Peter Moulin,</HI> and many Engli&s;h <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Opin.</NOTE> Theologi&s;ts defend, That God eternaly decreed to make Man holy and good; giving him perfect Free-wil: but fore&s;eing he would by Satans tentation fal into &s;in, if he hindred it not; de|creed to permit it, and out of this lo&s;t lap&s;ed lump, cho&s; a cer|tain number to &s;alvation, &s;uffering the re&s;t to peri&s;h in &s;in, whom he pa&s;&s;eth by of free plea&s;ure, but puni&s;heth for ju&s;t de|merits. Yet decreed to &s;end his Son to redeem or &s;av the elect, and his Spirit to cal or &s;anctify them, that they may be glorified. The fir&s;t &s;ort are &s;tiled Supralap&s;arians, having no re&s;pect to <HI>Adams</HI> fal, decreed to &s;end his Son: &s;o they grant pre&s;cience in order to preced Decree. This opinion freeth Gods ju&s;tice on Infants dying unbapti&s;ed (which the fir&s;t doth not) who hav no other de&s;ert of death but original &s;in.</P>
<P>This Tenet is &s;carce veritable or warrantable, which <NOTE PLACE="marg">Refut.</NOTE> to defend divine ju&s;tice, &s;uppo&s;eth mankind corrupted, before any Decree of election pa&s;&s;ed; which &s;eems needle&s;&s;: becau&s; ther be good and bad Angels without any corrup|tion or fal, and Chri&s;t was not in the lap&s;ed lump, yet as man elected to life. It al&s;o &s;uppo&s;eth Original &s;in to be cau&s; of Reprobation, which is remitted to many Repro|bats condemned for actual &s;ins, as Doctor <HI>Whitaker</HI> a|vers, it likewi&s;e teacheth, that Chri&s;t is &s;ent to &s;av the elect only, as dying for them alone; who are to be caled by the Word and Spirit: but Reprobats being outwardly caled (who are barred from obeying) are more deeply condemned for refu&s;ing it; yet hav no power to embrace it, which is har&s;h do|ctrin.</P>
<P>3. Doctor <HI>Overald</HI> a late learned Bis&s;hop, coined a new <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Opin.</NOTE> Tenet, That God decreed to creat man good, but fore&s;eeing
<PB REF="44"> his fal, appointed his Son to dy for al, and to cal men by his Word, offering Salvation to al: with common &s;uffi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ient Grace to work Faith by the ordinary means, if they be not wanting to them&s;elves: but knowing our infirmity that none would beleev by the common Grace; decreed to ad a more &s;pecial effectual to whom he plea&s;ed, being cho&s;en according to his purpo&s;: wherby they &s;hal not only be able, but actualy and nece&s;&s;arily beleev, being drawn by the Father irre&s;i&s;tibly.</P>
<P>This is plau&s;ible, but &s;car&s; &s;olid: for that common Grace <NOTE PLACE="marg">Refut.</NOTE> which &s;avs none, is not Go&s;pel Grace offered to al, nor de&s;ervs that name; nor indeed is any &s;uch, &s;ith it never produced the effect: Nor can a &s;pecial &s;uperabundant Grace be it, &s;ith 'tis re|jected by none to whom 'tis offered: but tru Go&s;pel Grace is received by &s;om, and refu&s;ed or re&s;i&s;ted by others. The&s; three Opinions infer a kind of de&s;pair into mens minds, becau&s; none &s;hal be &s;aved by that &s;pecial Grace given to a few according to Gods &s;ecret purpo&s;; which whether he intends to giv or not, the general promi&s;es cannot a&s;&s;ure to any Soul.</P>
<P>4. The Lutherans with &s;om Papi&s;ts maintain, that God de|creed <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Opin.</NOTE> to make Man a free Creature; but permit him to &s;tand or fal; and to &s;end his Son upon fore&s;ight of his fal for redem|ption of al, by a general conditionat Decree of Faith, Repen|tance, Per&s;everance; with a &s;pecial ab&s;olut of electing &s;uch as he knew would beleev and per&s;ever under the means: but to pa&s;&s; by and damn the re&s;t, whom he fore&s;aw incredulous and impenitent; making Pre&s;cience or Previ&s;ion the occa&s;ion on which his Decrees proced.</P>
<P>This is faulty in &s;om points: 1. Becau&s; ther is no &s;uch gene|ral <NOTE PLACE="marg">Refut.</NOTE> conditionat Prede&s;tination. 2. Becau&s; the &s;pecial Decree of Election makes Men chu&s; God fir&s;t, rather then God them, which is prepo&s;terous. 3. Becau&s; the Decree of Ju&s;tification and Condemnation is confounded with election and Reproba|tion, which S. <HI>Paul</HI> di&s;tingui&s;heth. 4. Becau&s; it allows no more <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 8&punc; 19.</NOTE> Grace given to the Elect then Reprobats, nor greater cau&s; of gratitud. Yet this opinion rightly extends the objects of Pre|&s;cience, not only to <HI>Adams</HI> fal; but to Chri&s;t Incarnat, and be|leeved on in the World: to the la&s;t end of al that &s;hal per&s;ever in Faith or unbeleef. This &s;utes with Scripture, which builds
<PB N="36" REF="44"> Prede&s;tination on Foreknowledg &s;imply and properly taken at large: promi&s;ing &s;alvation to al beleevers which &s;hal per&s;ever to the end. The&s; four opinions (ech of which hath &s;om peeces of truth) giv great light to this deep dark my&s;tery: for the fir&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 Pet.</HI> 1. 1, 2&punc;</NOTE> holds forth Gods power or dominion: The next his Mercy and Ju&s;tice: The third his Truth and &s;pecial Grace: The la&s;t his Wi&s;dom and Pre&s;cience: Yet al, with S. <HI>Paul,</HI> acknowledg <HI>his Judgments in&s;crutable, and waies pa&s;t finding out;</HI> the depth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 32.</NOTE> wherof none can fathom.</P>
<P><HI>5. Arminius</HI> (&s;tartle not, he is no Bugbear; but a lat learned <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Opin.</NOTE> Prote&s;tant Profe&s;&s;or at <HI>Leyden</HI> after <HI>Junius</HI>) taught, That God by his infinit intellect knew al things as po&s;&s;ible to be, if he would giv them being: and among al conceived this vi&s;ible World, with al Mankinds race, from fir&s;t to la&s;t, every one in order, government, and event; yet only as po&s;&s;ible, if he plea|&s;ed: That &s;om things might be nece&s;&s;ary, &s;om voluntary; &s;om Cau&s;es, &s;om Effects; &s;om as ends, &s;om as means; &s;om his own acts, &s;om of free Creatures; &s;om good, &s;om evil; &s;om as re|wards, &s;om as puni&s;hments: That he knew how to order and vary al, or any part or per&s;on; &s;o as other effects or ends might be produced then the&s; now extant, if he otherwi&s;e willed: But deemed it good for manife&s;tation of his Power, Wi&s;dom, Ju|&s;tice, Mercy, to put this Worlds frame and order of Mankind (then only as po&s;&s;ible) in execution or being. That he foreknew if he &s;hould doo it, &s;om particular per&s;ons would by this order of means be brought to eternal life; and others by neglect or di&s;order go to perdition through their own fault, if Ju&s;tice be doon upon them. That foreknowing al, he determined of his ab&s;olut Wil and Plea&s;ure to &s;ay <HI>F<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at&punc;</HI> and execut al which he in|tended in du time: and in &s;o doing prede&s;tinated &s;om to life, &s;om to death eternaly. In reference wherto, S. <HI>Luke</HI> &s;tileth the Elect <HI>&s;uch as are ordained to eternal life;</HI> and S. <HI>Jude</HI> cals Re|probats <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 13. 48.</NOTE> <HI>tho&s; that were of old ordained to condemnation.</HI> Under <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jude ver&s;. 4.</NOTE> this order is compri&s;ed the Creation of Man righteous, permi&s;|&s;ion of his fal, correction of his fault, means of redemption by Chri&s;t, caling and converting of a &s;inner; his Faith, Repentance, Per&s;everance, Ble&s;&s;ings, Cha&s;ti&s;ments, Trials, and what el&s; is found in order of any Mans &s;alvation; or aver&s;ions and aber|rations
<PB REF="45"> from that order, wherby Men com to perdition.</P>
<P>Hence Prede&s;tination is defined to be a Preparation of Gods <NOTE PLACE="marg">Definition.</NOTE> benefits, wherby al are delivered which are freed: Or (as <HI>Ful|gentius</HI> fuller) the preparation of Gods Works which in his eternal Providence he foreknew he would doo, either merci|fully or ju&s;tly. Here two things are to be ob&s;erved in the De|cree of Prede&s;tination: 1. An act of Gods under&s;tanding, in re&s;pect of things not in being, caled Pre&s;cience; which in order of Nature preceds al Decrees, as pre&s;pecified. 2. An act of his Wil, which is proper to Prede&s;tination: for <HI>God works accor|ding to the Council of his Wil,</HI> as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks. The&s; two acts <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 1, 2. Rom. 8. 28.</NOTE> being coeternal, hav priority of order only, not of time; and Pre&s;cience put as the fir&s;t link by S. <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Paul.</HI> This Tenet of &s;imple Pre&s;cience previous to Prede&s;tination, advanceth al Gods Attributs more then the four former: 1. His Wi&s;dom and Knowledg in fore&s;eing not only his own Works, but tho&s; of free Creatures, and al circum&s;tances of each, how to govern them for his glory, in permi&s;&s;ion of &s;in, and obedience or re&s;i|&s;tance of Grace, that he may judg the World righteou&s;ly&punc; 2. His power in creating and governing al things, bringing light out of darknes, life out of death, happines out of mi&s;ery. 3. His goodnes in making al good, and overcoming evil with good. 4. His univer&s;al Grace and Mercy in preparing a wa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of Redemption for al Men, who were becom &s;lavs to &s;in and Satan; and ordaining means to apply or accomodat the &s;ame. 5. His truth in extending his promi&s;es to al that &s;hal keep the Covenants or Conditions: for he is truth who &s;peaks no other then as he ordains, nor intends otherwi&s;e then as he &s;peaks. 6. His Ju&s;tice in puni&s;hing al that u&s;e not the rectitud of their Nature, or benefit of Redemption offred. 7. His &s;pecial Grace or &s;ingular lov in confirming them (as he did the good Angels) whom he fore&s;aw would u&s;e his Grace if it were given, in em|bracing the means which &s;hould bring them to Glory: &s;hewing le&s;&s; Grace to tho&s; whom he fore&s;aw would fail by their own incredulity, ingratitud or ob&s;tinacy; whom he could hav cured by bettering his benefits; but decreed to make Ve&s;&s;els of wrath by their own de&s;erts. 8. His dominion and &s;overaign Lord&s;hip, in that being &s;uprem Ruler, he orders al after his free plea&s;ure;
<PB N="37" REF="45"> chu&s;ing or refu&s;ing whom he wil, becau&s; they wilfully for&s;ake him: as <HI>Irenaeus</HI> &s;aith, the Father excels in Wi&s;dom, becau&s; he &s;avs whom he ought, and judges &s;uch as are worthy of judg|ment: to be counted cruelty, con&s;idering his foregoing pre|venting goodnes. 9. It excluds Stoical Fate, which the three fir&s;t Opinions making Mans &s;alvation or damnation nece&s;&s;ary by an antecedent ab&s;olut Decree, cannot po&s;&s;ibly decline: wheras this, by placing it in order after Pre&s;cience, makes both infallible to his knowledg (which, as &s;imple &s;cience, is no cau&s;) but free and contingent to Man; who mu&s;t work out his &s;alva|tion by coworking with divine Grace; or incur damnation by refu&s;ing his Mercy extended to al. 10. It makes Gods Ele|ction ab&s;olut, immutable, and irrevocable, wherby he chu&s;eth Man; and not contrarily: but the fourth opinion is liable to the&s; imputations. 11. It diverts de&s;pair on the one &s;ide (which too many fal into, &s;uppo&s;ing them&s;elfs decreed to damnation) and prevents pre&s;umption on the other, which &s;om confiding too far on infallable certitud of &s;alvation and final per&s;everance, hav becom their own Butchers to accelerat their glory; as may be &s;hewed by &s;undry in&s;tances in both kinds. 12. It mini&s;ters much matter of comfort to the Godly, which walk in the wais leading to life; confirming their &s;aving Faith in Chri&s;t and lov toward God. La&s;tly, It magnifies the deepnes of Gods Judg|ments, and in&s;crutablenes of his Coun&s;ils: for who can conject, why he loved <HI>Jacob</HI> and hated <HI>E&s;au;</HI> or decreed to elect <HI>Peter</HI> and reject <HI>Judas;</HI> or &s;avs one and &s;uffers another to peri&s;h, who could di&s;po&s;e them to contrary ends? al which proceds from his Pre&s;cience; &s;ith none is rejected, but upon previ&s;ion of re|fu&s;ing life offered; and ther is &s;ufficient Grace in the means of conver&s;ion, to Remedy the weaknes or perver&s;nes of depraved Nature: Nor is any decreed to &s;alvation, but upon fore&s;een readines to accept life offered: and Gods general promi&s;es hav conditions, which Men by his Grace mu&s;t ob&s;erv on their part, if they wil partak the benefit.</P>
<P>For God decreeing to make Man a free Creature in al his <NOTE PLACE="marg">Corollary.</NOTE> actions, and fore&s;eing his fal, wherby he forfeted that liberty of Wil for him&s;elf and Po&s;terity in al &s;piritual &s;upernatural Gra|ces; permitted Men to u&s;e or abu&s;e it in al other matters of this
<PB REF="46"> life (Natural, Moral, Civil) as Man had before his lap&s;: Wher|by, according to his fir&s;t precept or privilege of <HI>increa&s; and mul|tiply;</HI> Parents beget Children in a corrupt Nature, but better or wor&s; di&s;po&s;ed and inclined: which is greatly altered and ad|dicted to Virtu and Vice by better or wor&s; education, good or il company and diver&s; other concurring circum&s;tances. This makes &s;om by pious tutorage becom more apt to embrace Gods Grace and cooperat with it, which draws willing, not nilling minds. But others by bad breeding, il company, and other lewd incentivs, grow ob&s;tinat and obdurat, like deaf Adders which wil not be charmed. Al which God in his infinit Omni|&s;cience fore&s;eing, cho&s; &s;om to be Ve&s;&s;els of honor, and pa&s;&s;ed by the re&s;t to peri&s;h in the &s;uds of their &s;ins, through wilful impie|ty, infidelity, and impenitency: for S. <HI>Paul</HI> makes Pre&s;cience <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 29.</NOTE> the prime link of Prede&s;tinations golden Chain.</P>
<P>Next folow &s;om particular points appendent to be briefly agitated, <HI>viz.</HI> Gods Knowledg, Wil, Providence, Prede&s;tinati|on, Election, Reprobation before Time: Creation, Govern|ment of Man under the Covenant of Works, Mans fal with its effects, Mans Government under the Covenant of Grace: by Caling, concurrence of the Word and Spirit, Conver&s;ion, Grace, Freewil, with both jointly, Regeneration, Per&s;everance, and la&s;t Judgment, al doon or to be doon in Time.</P>
<P>This is a large field, which tends to unfold the verity of this my&s;tery. 1. For divine knowledg, S. <HI>James</HI> &s;aith, <HI>known to God</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Divine Knowledg&punc; <HI>Acts</HI> 15. 18. 1 <HI>Pet.</HI> 1. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>are al his works from everla&s;ting:</HI> S. <HI>Paul, whom he foreknew, he prede&s;tinated:</HI> S. <HI>Peter, To the &s;trangers elect according to Gods foreknowledg.</HI> Som interpret Pre&s;cience by Precognition, pre&s;uppo&s;ing lov or approbation, rather than &s;imple &s;cience: but this is a very verbal nicity; for the Greek word <HI>(Progno&s;is)</HI> properly imports foreknowledg, but approbation arbitrarily: as when 'tis &s;aid, <HI>God knoweth (i.</HI> approveth) <HI>the way of the righte|ous;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 1. 6.</NOTE> yet it folows not from the bare word: for if <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Paul</HI> make foreknow and prede&s;tinat, or foreknow and elect or ap|prov al one; then they refer the act of his Under&s;tanding to the Wil (yet our Wil is guided by the Intellect, and that by Judg|ment) imputing to Foreknowledg what properly belongs to Prede&s;tination and Election: fith approbation is more di&s;co|vered
<PB N="38" REF="46"> by the Act of Wil, which is to Prede&s;tinat and Elect; then by that of under&s;tanding, which is to foreknow. Yet if with <HI>Origen,</HI> they wil join Pre&s;cience with his good liking or approving the &s;ubject foreknown, as capable of chu&s;ing; it &s;hal be granted: for in Scripture only the elect are &s;tiled <HI>Prae&s;citi,</HI> not Reprobats; though they al&s;o are foreknown &s;imply, but not with approbation, which hinders not his &s;imple foreknow|ledg, nor infers any argument, that men are cho&s;en for any good approved in them; nor that they mu&s;t be cho&s;en becau&s; good in Gods knowledg: For God might &s;ee many Worlds of Men (to be created, if he plea&s;ed, whom he hath covered in dark|nes of never being) &s;o eligible as tho&s; whom he hath cho&s;en; &s;ith to be eligible and elect are two di&s;tinct things, which doo not folow one another. For cleering wherof, his duple know|ledg of &s;imple Intelligence (which is of al things po&s;&s;ible or comprehen&s;ible by his Omnipotence) and of Vi&s;ion (which is of things that &s;hal be by his Decree depending on his Wil) mu&s;t be wel weighed.</P>
<P>Here two doubts occur: 1. Whether the objects of the&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Doubt.</NOTE> Knowledges (po&s;&s;ible and future) be divided, &s;o that po&s;&s;ibles pertain &s;oly to pure Intelligence, and future to that of Vi&s;ion? as if the &s;ame things cannot be fir&s;t known as po&s;&s;ible to &s;imple Intelligence; and after as future (the divine Decree intervening to make them future) to be objects of Vi&s;ion.</P>
<P>This is ea&s;ily re&s;olved, That knowledg is no cau&s; of things, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Re&s;olution.</NOTE> unles his Wil concur: for 'tis not from his knowledg that things are, but only that they may be. <HI>Zanchy</HI> &s;aith, God created al things, having the Idea, form, or model fir&s;t in his mind: for what Arti&s;an doth any thing, who&s; patern he conceived not be|fore? So S. <HI>Au&s;tin,</HI> God made nothing ignorantly, as no Ar|ti&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 11. de Civ. c. 10.</NOTE> or Architect doth: whence we &s;ee a kind of miracle, yet truth; that this World could not be known to us unles it had bin; but unles God had known it before it was, it never had bin. Dr. <HI>Prydeaux</HI> in his <HI>Scientia media</HI> &s;aith, That God is cau&s; of al things which he framed, not &s;imply in him&s;elf; but by his Wil adjoined: For his knowledg of pure Under&s;tanding re|&s;pects al things po&s;&s;ible; that of Vi&s;ion only future, which cau|&s;eth al to be by concurrence of his Wil. So &s;imple Intelligence
<PB REF="47"> preceds al acts of Wil, wherby the &s;ame things re&s;pected as po&s;|&s;ible, are now looked on as future; becau&s; the act of his Wil &s;upervening, makes them to be future in their times.</P>
<P>2. The next doubt is, whether future, contingent, conditio|nal <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Doubt.</NOTE> things (&s;pecialy free acts of a created Wil placed in this or that order) be a &s;ubject of Gods &s;imple Intelligence? becau&s; &s;uch as di&s;like the Je&s;uits <HI>Scientia media</HI> &s;ay, that the object hereof is nul, and therfore the knowledg taken away: for al acts of Free-wil are determined by divine Decree; &s;o that God no otherwi&s;e foreknows they &s;hal be, then becau&s; he decreed them to be.</P>
<P>This middle Science partakes more of &s;imple Intelligence <NOTE PLACE="marg">Re&s;olut.</NOTE> then free knowledg; which &s;ees no more then a po&s;&s;ibility of things in futurition only, upon a &s;uppo&s;ition if God make them to be by his word <HI>Fiat.</HI> For al agree, That before God decreed to creat, he had a certain ab&s;olut knowledg of al things (pre|&s;ent, pa&s;t, future, contingent, nece&s;&s;ary) together with al their connexions; and after knows conditionat things to com: but the Que&s;tion is, whether he knows them by pure Under&s;tanding (which foreruns al Decrees of his Wil) that they &s;hal ab&s;olutly be; or by Vi&s;ion while they lay &s;u&s;pended under Gods free|plea&s;ure, whether they &s;hould be or no? for God by his infinit e&s;&s;ence knows what &s;hal be nece&s;&s;arily, and what &s;hal com to pa&s;&s; by his Wil. <HI>Bellarmin</HI> be&s;t re&s;olvs both doubts, That God by his &s;imple Under&s;tanding knew Man would fal if he were made, before he willed to creat him; for things nece&s;&s;ary are in God fir&s;t, then the voluntary: but 'tis nece&s;&s;ary for God to know al things po&s;&s;ible, el&s; he cannot be Omni&s;cient, and Vo|luntary only that he &s;hould decree to make Man. If then God hath a &s;imple Intelligence, he can &s;hew it in no act more then Prede&s;tination: for as 'tis the fir&s;t and highe&s;t act of his Wil, &s;o is that of his under&s;tanding; and the wi&s;e&s;t Agent willeth no|thing but what he perfectly knew and under&s;tood.</P>
<P>Now the fir&s;t Opinion excluds al u&s;e of Pre&s;cience, referring <NOTE PLACE="marg">Application.</NOTE> al to his free Plea&s;ure, which with al their fine di&s;tinctions and &s;imilituds can hardly free him from being the Author of &s;in. The &s;ecund acknowledgeth his &s;imple Pre&s;cience of Mans fu|ture fal, if he were created, before he decreed to creat: but why
<PB N="39" REF="47"> they &s;hould not extend it to al Mens free acts &s;o wel as to that one of the fir&s;t Mans, no rea&s;on can be rendred. God foreknew if Chri&s;t were &s;ent to the Jews, they would de&s;pi&s;e him; if <HI>Pe|ter</HI> &s;hould be tempted, he would deny him, even before he de|creed to &s;end Chri&s;t, or to creat <HI>Peter.</HI> But if it be asked, <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> how far this knowledg extended, before he decre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d ought con|cerning Men? Whether to the Creation of Mankinds ma&s;&s; in <HI>Adam</HI> or to the fal of al in him, or to Chri&s;ts mi&s;&s;ion, or to Mens faith beginning and per&s;evering to the end? Surely 'tis <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> mo&s;t &s;utable to Gods infinit Wi&s;dom, Ju&s;tice, and Mercy, to extend it unto al and over al (<HI>univer&s;a &amp; &s;ingula</HI>) even to the Worlds end, which agrees be&s;t with al his Attributs. This is al they intend, who refer Chri&s;t and faith in him to pure Pre&s;ci|ence, before the act of Electing or Prede&s;tinating, not &s;taying at the knowledg of Mans fore&s;een fal: not that they make Be|leevers faith any Cau&s; of Gods Prede&s;tination; but only an ob|ject of his &s;imple Pre&s;cience, concurring with his good plea&s;ure and Wil, to make &s;om Ve&s;&s;els of honor, and &s;om of di&s;honor. Howbeit People are taught to admire or adore &s;om Men as Oracles, and abhor others as Scorpions, who&s; Tenets they know not.</P>
<P>2. Touching Gods Wil, which Prede&s;tinats or decrees <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Gods Wil.</NOTE> what of tho&s; infinit things pre&s;ented by his under&s;tanding &s;hal com into being: for unles both Wil and Power conjoin, their being known is not enough to be: For Gods Wil being in it &s;elf one and &s;imple (not duple, &s;ecret and reveled) may be con&s;i|dered diver&s;ly, as conver&s;ant about diver&s; things. 1. Som as to be doon by him&s;elf, or his own power; as the World to be cre|ated of nothing; his Son to be &s;ent made of a Woman, &amp;c. which never fa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l, becau&s; he works alone. 2. Som which he wils to be doon by his Creatures, either Natural Agents, as Flowers to grow by Sun; or Voluntary, as righteous Works to be wrought by &s;inful Men, but with his concurrence or coopera|tion: this often fails by the Creatures failing which he wils to work it; yet permits and not hinders the failing, as he could doo. 3. Som which he wils and doth of him&s;elf, or with others; as al the good we hav in Nature or Grace: part wherof he doth as leading or antecedent of his free goodnes, caled the Wil of
<PB REF="48"> his Mercy; part as folowing, led or urged, upon occa&s;ion of evil in the Creature; as to for&s;ake puni&s;h or de&s;troy; which is the Wil of his Ju&s;tice. The&s; may wel cohere; as a Merchants chief wil is in a &s;torm, to &s;av al his goods; yet by a &s;ecund wil, ca&s;ts &s;om into Sea. So God wils al Men to be &s;aved, as his Crea|tures; but permits &s;om to peri&s;h, as impenitent &s;inners. The fir&s;t act of Gods Wil in chu&s;ing things to be; and refu&s;ing the re&s;t, of infinit variety, which might hav bin if he would, con|curs with his &s;imple Intelligence; ther being an act of his Wil even in knowing; as <HI>David</HI> &s;aith, <HI>God hath doon whatever plea|&s;ed him:</HI> but the &s;ecund, wherby he decreed al things which concern Creation, Election, Reprobation, &amp;c. pre&s;uppo&s;eth pure pre&s;cience, as previous in order of Nature, according to our apprehen&s;ion.</P>
<P>3. Of Providence concerning Gods Decree or Wil in al <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Providence and Prede&s;ti|nation.</NOTE> things &s;av about Man; and Prede&s;tination, wherby he decrees touching Man the principal part of his Providence (as Fortune concerns Man, and Chance al things el&s;) which la&s;t is an act of his Wil from eternity, decreeing the ends of al Men, and means which he foreknew would bring them to tho&s; ends of Life or Death. So by Prede&s;tinating &s;om to tho&s; means, which he fore|knew by their own ob&s;tinacy (not by any in&s;ufficience of the means, &s;ith others by the &s;ame attain it) wil not bring them to Life, becoms a negativ Reprobation, by their own default or di&s;obedience, or by their fault who hav charge over their Souls: but that God hinders it not or givs not effectual Grace (which he knew would &s;av them if given) proceds &s;oly from his ju&s;t Wil and free plea&s;ure. Nor can this be rightly nicknamed Po&s;t|de&s;tination (as &s;om a&s;per&s; it) &s;ith it folows his &s;imple &s;cience: and knowledg is not of things ab&s;olutly to be, but conditionaly, if it plea&s; him to &s;ay, they &s;hal be.</P>
<P>4. Anent Election and Reprobation, wherin God u&s;eth <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Election and Reprobation.</NOTE> both Knowledg and Wil; as the Scriptures &s;omtime &s;tile the Elect from one <HI>of tho&s;e whom he foreknew;</HI> &s;omtime from the o|ther, <HI>tho&s; whom he prede&s;tinated according to purpo&s; or Wil:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 2. Rom. 8. 28.</NOTE> hence they may be de&s;cribed either way; <HI>viz.</HI> Election is a fore|knowledg of Gods benefits, wherby a man wil be &s;aved, if they be given him: Or election is Gods purpo&s; and Wil to giv Man
<PB N="40" REF="48"> tho&s; benefits, by which he knows he wil be &s;aved, if given him. So Reprobation is a foreknowledg of Gods benefits, under which a Man, through his own ingratitud wil peri&s;h, if no other be given or wil be given: Or 'tis Gods Decree, to giv a Man no other benefits then tho&s;, under which he foreknows he wil by his own wilful ingratitud peri&s;h, if no other be given. Here Pre&s;cience looks preci&s;ely on Mans ingrat neglect of &s;aving be|nefits, and Gods wil denies to giv any new, or more then tho&s; which are ineffectual by their abu&s;e or neglect. So God hath mercy on whom he wil, and hardens whom he plea&s;eth: giving to one Grace of repentance, and leaving the other in his cor|ruption, by withholding tho&s; Graces, which he knows would &s;av him, if granted. Not as if he gav not &s;ufficient to life; for he received the Graces given in vain, and God would confer no more: for to harden is not <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o &s;ubtract al Grace &s;ufficient to &s;alvation, but to bar or withold that high hidden Grace of his Power and Wil, which he knows would convert and &s;av, if gi|ven; but that it would be refu&s;ed. Thus Man fir&s;t hardens his <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 95. 8. Exod. 8. 15.</NOTE> own heart (as <HI>Pharaoh</HI> did) by refu&s;ing Grace offered; and God &s;ecundarily, in not adding or increa&s;ing &s;tronger Graces, which would mollify if given. But if they were extended to al, none could peri&s;h; for 'tis his plea&s;ure to exerci&s;e Ju&s;tice on wilful de&s;pi&s;ers of his &s;ufficient Grace by making them Ve&s;&s;els of wrath; and mercy on tho&s; whom he fore&s;aw would obey his Cal. Let profound <HI>Hooker</HI> put a period to this point: That <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 5. part. 5.</NOTE> which moveth God to work is goodnes; which orders it, Wi&s;|dom; which perfects it, Power; al things produced in their times were eternaly in him, as a work unbegan in the Artificer, which he after frameth: therfore whatever we behold in this World, was inwrapped in the bowels of divine Mercy, writ in the Book of eternal Wi&s;dom, and held in the hands of Omni|potent power, the foundation being yet unlaid. So al things in that re&s;pect are his Of-&s;pring (as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith) being effects in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 17. 28, 29</NOTE> their highe&s;t Cau&s;, who al&s;o is actualy in them, and the a&s;&s;i&s;ting influence of his Deity their Life. Let hereto &s;aving Grace be added, which begets a &s;pecial Of-&s;pring of Men, to whom he givs the gracious name of Sons. We are by nature <HI>Adams</HI> Of|&s;pring, and God in creating him created us al, and &s;o many as de|&s;cend
<PB REF="49"> from him, hav the root from which they &s;pring: But al are not Sons of God, nor any one &s;av by Grace and favor. The Sons of God hav his own Natural Son as a &s;ecund <HI>Adam</HI> from Heaven, and &s;uch as de&s;cend from him hav the root from which they &s;pring, who&s; tru Progeny they are by &s;piritual birth. God therfore loving his Son eternaly, mu&s;t needs lov eternaly &amp; prefer them before al others, which &s;ince &s;piritualy &s;prung from him. The&s; were in God as their Saviour, not as their Creator on|ly: It was the purpo&s; of his &s;aving Goodnes, &s;aving Wi&s;dom, and &s;aving Power, which inclined toward them, &s;uch as were eter|naly in God by intended admi&s;&s;ion to Life, have God by voca|tion or adoption actualy abiding in them, as an Arti&s;an is in the Work, which hand is pre&s;ently to frame. We are therefore in God eternaly through Chri&s;t, according to that purpo&s;, wherby we were cho&s;en to be made his, through the knowledg had of us, and lov born towards us from everla&s;ting; but are actualy no longer in God then from the time of our adoption into the body of the tru Church, or felow&s;hip of his Children: for he knows and lovs his Church; &s;o that al which are in it, are therby known to be in him. For our being in Chri&s;t by eternal foreknowledg &s;aveth us not, without actual adoption into the &s;ociety of Saints here: for we are in him by actual incorporati|on into that Communion, which hath him for their Head. Thus he.</P>
<P>5. Things doon in Time are; Creation of the World, which was <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Creation.</NOTE> Gods fir&s;t act of Power, to execut in time his eternal Coun&s;il and Decree: It is his whol frame of building perfected and fur|ni&s;hed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 20.</NOTE> according to the model of his Mind, wherin he made manife&s;t the invi&s;ible things of his Wi&s;dom and Goodnes to his own Glory. Abov al he made Man to a more excellent end it his own Image, &s;o far as was fit for a Creature to partake of di|vine Nature, that was to be good but mutable. This Image o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> likenes appeered in three things: 1. Under&s;tanding. 2. Ho|lines or Righteou&s;nes. 3. Immortality and Ble&s;&s;ednes. The two fir&s;t as perfections, the la&s;t as his end; being &s;ubalterna<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> one to another; <HI>viz.</HI> Under&s;tanding to Righteou&s;nes, this to Ble&s;&s;ednes, which is Righteou&s;nes reward, and it the work o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> willingnes.</P>
<PB N="41" REF="49">
<P>6. Government of Man under the Covenant of Works, <NOTE PLACE="marg">6 Government</NOTE> which is the &s;ecund temporal act of Gods eternal Coun&s;il; that Man might u&s;e his perfections, and attain the end: wherin God, as &s;uprem Lord, was to command; and Man, as Va&s;lal, obey. Yet it plea&s;ed his Goodnes to com into Covenant with him, as a free Rational Creature (<HI>Doo this, and thou &s;halt liv</HI>) caled the Covenant of Works. For the Natural moral Law, writen in Mans heart, compri&s;ed al works to be doon by him: but the po&s;itiv prohibitiv Precept (<HI>not to eat of the Tree in the mid&s;t of the Garden</HI>) only a trial or experiment of his obedi|ence, and exerci&s;e of the moral Law duties in that one particu|lar; becau&s; Man was to ob&s;erv them, and God to perform the Promi&s;&s; or Covenant of life, if he kept them faithfully.</P>
<P>7. The fal of Man; who being tempted of Satan, broke that <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 Mans fal.</NOTE> one Mandat, and &s;o becam guilty of al, becau&s; he con&s;ented willingly, having &s;trength enough to re&s;i&s;t it: But God fore|&s;eeing it, decreed to permit and not hinder it, though he could. 1. Becau&s; he would not impair or imped the liberty of Wil gi|ven him. 2. Becau&s; it would the more manife&s;t his own Good|nes and Glory, by providing a remedy for forlorn Mans ran&s;om or redemption. 3. Becau&s; he knew it would oblige and make Man more thankful and careful to ob&s;erv a new &s;ecund Cove|nant of Grace circum&s;cribed with ea&s;y conditions.</P>
<P>8. Effects of the fal; wherof part is within Man, as original &s;in, <NOTE PLACE="marg">8 The effects of Mans fal.</NOTE> compri&s;ing the lo&s;&s; both of primitiv righteou&s;nes &amp; &s;upernatural perfections; be&s;ide a decay of his natural faculties: Part without him, as the cur&s; of the ground, the &s;ubject of his Labor; the mi&s;eries of this life; and death, both temporal and eternal. The&s; effects fel on <HI>Adam</HI> and al his Po&s;terity: &s;ith he was not as one &s;ingle per&s;on only; but Mankinds whol Nature: for God might ju&s;tly hav rejected and condemned al the race in him the root, which brought &s;o bitter fruits: Yet he promi&s;ed Mer|cy to al that wil return to him, and pre&s;cribed means of remedy, If they wil apply them, being offered by Grace in his Son Chri&s;t Je&s;us, who died for the &s;ins of al Mankind in general.</P>
<P>9. Government of Man under the Covenant of Grace; <NOTE PLACE="marg">9 Covenant of Grace.</NOTE> which God ordained to re&s;tore him, being falen, that his end of creating might not be quit fru&s;trat by Satans fraud, though he
<PB REF="50">
<NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 3. 0. 33.</NOTE> permitted it. <HI>Irenaeus</HI> &s;aith, God ordered Mans &s;alvation at his good plea&s;ure, that he might not be overcom by the Serpents craft, to de&s;troy al Mankind; nor his skil impaired to &s;av whom he willed. To this end he decreed, that <HI>the Womans &s;eed &s;hal break the Serpents head;</HI> wherby he might be reduced from Hel, and &s;et in a fair way to Heaven; on condition of a new Cove|nant, tending to the &s;ame ends of righteou&s;nes and life; which, partly by the remains of Gods Image, and partly by &s;upply of his propitious help, he was capable to ob&s;erv; el&s; were the Co|venant vain. 'Tis caled a Covenant of Grace; yet tru or real, wherin both parties are to perform their parts. 1. God to &s;end his Son and Spirit for Mans relief, to forgiv his &s;ins, imput righteou&s;nes, and giv life to al that &s;hal obey his Son and Spirit: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 31. 33.</NOTE> So <HI>Jeremy</HI> &s;aith, <HI>This &s;hal be my Covenant, &s;aith the Lord: I wil put my Law into their inward parts, and write it in their hearts: I wil be their God, and they &s;hal be my People.</HI> This is a Covenant of Grace, becau&s; freely pacted with Man a &s;inner, who&s; &s;alvation is wrought rather by God then him&s;elf; being more in receiving then giving, and in beleeving then doing. 2. Man is to humble him&s;elf for his &s;ins, to God the Creator; to beleev in Chri&s;t the Redeemer, and be led by the holy Spirit the Sanctifier. This part is unfolded in the Go&s;pel, re|quiring Faith, Repentance, and new Obedience: Which Cove|nant was made to al Mankind in <HI>Adam</HI> and <HI>Eve</HI> as the &s;tock of al their Seed. For &s;om remnents of Gods Image (Life, Knowledg of good and il, liberty of Wil in Natural, Moral, and Civil things; Con&s;cience accu&s;ing or excu&s;ing) are &s;til left after the fal: which, though given at Creation, and &s;o belong to Na|ture; yet to retain them, is of Grace, both by giving capacity to contract or Covenant, and to be a beginning of his re&s;taura|tion; but &s;ith the&s; alone be not able to rai&s; him or recover righteou&s;nes, or keep the new Covenant by his old remains, God being no hard Task-ma&s;ter or Covenant maker, &s;upplies by his Spirit what is farther needful to keep it, &s;ith none is bound to impo&s;&s;ibilities. Upon this keeping the new Covenant, depends the eternal Bli&s;&s; or bale and wo of every Man, which he mu&s;t obediently ob&s;erv.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">10 Caling.</NOTE> 10. Di&s;pen&s;ation of the Covenant by Caling; which is a proclaming
<PB N="42" REF="50"> therof from time to time, by preaching the Word; el&s; it would &s;oon be for&s;aken, forgoten, and &s;lighted. This S. <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 30.</NOTE> conjoins with Prede&s;tinating, as he puts Pre&s;cience before it: which is defined to be a revelation or proclamation of the Go|&s;pel Covenant, injoining repentance toward God, and faith in the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t; promi&s;ing remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins, and life eternal to al that obey. It con&s;i&s;ts of two e&s;&s;ential parts or di|vine acts, to make one complet work of Vocation; <HI>viz.</HI> the ex|tern preaching of the Word (wherto belong Sacraments, Ble&s;|&s;ings, Corrections) and intern operation of the Spirit, accom|panying or a&s;&s;i&s;ting the outer means. This Caling hath bin di|&s;pen&s;ed diver&s;ly by Gods Wi&s;dom and good Plea&s;ure, accor|ding to the difference of Times.</P>
<P>1. In the old Te&s;tament, before Chri&s;ts coming; as an out|ward means and mea&s;ure of the Spirits operation, with effects &s;utable to both: When the bounds were narrower, the Word ob&s;curer, the Sacraments more my&s;terious, the Spirit more &s;pa|ring, and obedience &s;lenderer then under the new Te&s;tament: for from <HI>Adam</HI> to the Confu&s;ion of Toungs, the caling was univer&s;al, being al one language under the righteous Patriarchs: But afterward God permitting Men (which for&s;ook their Re|ligious <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 147. 19, 26.</NOTE> Fathers) to walk their own waies; renewed his Caling or Covenant with <HI>Abram</HI> and his Seed, contracting the bounds <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 12.</NOTE> of his Church. The Gentils then were al under wrath and Sa|tan, without God in the World, Aliens from the Covenant of Promi&s;&s;. For as the Church excommunicats ungodly per&s;ons, &s;o God excluds unworthy Nations for many generations, to puni&s;h their ingratitud and contempt of his Word; or to make future Ages cleav fa&s;ter to him by default of former, being left to them&s;elfs. The my&s;tery of who&s; Judgments (why he one while &s;huts out Gentils, admitting the Jews; another extruds the Jews, receiving the Gentils) is admirable and in&s;crutable: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 25. 33</NOTE> But why he left al to Covenant with <HI>Abram</HI> and his Seed, no rea&s;on can be rendred, &s;av only his free Grace, <HI>not of Works, but</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 9. 10, 11.</NOTE> <HI>of him that caleth.</HI></P>
<P>2. Under the new Te&s;tament, after Chri&s;ts coming: which outwardly hath the Word and Sacraments, exhibiting Chri&s;t with his benefits more cleerly: And inwardly more abundant
<PB REF="51"> mea&s;ure of the Spirit intended to multituds of Nations, with greater fruits of mens conver&s;ion then under the old Te&s;tament. This is termed the caling of the Gentils, when Jews were &s;hut out, til their time &s;hal com. Here Gods Judgments are to be admired, why he witholds from the Jews his inward illumi|ning Spirit and &s;oftning Grace, which he grants to Gentils? keeping &s;til his word or outer Caling, from many Nations which never heard of Chri&s;t, no more then the old Heathen: But we that be under the Grace of Gods caling, mu&s;t be more thankful for it, and more careful that it be not conferred in vain upon us. Diver&s; Divines make Caling duple: 1. Out|ward of the Word only, common to Reprobats, and never obeied with truth of heart, being ineffectual. 2. Inward of the Spirit joined with the Word, peculiar to the Elect and never di&s;obeied, which is effectual. This is not orthodox, &s;ith ther is but one Caling both of the Word and Spirit, as Body and Soul; which is effectual in it &s;elf to al under it: but if it fail, the fault is in the Caled, which obey it not: For the Spirit goes not &s;o with the Word; as to make Man perform what he can by natu|ral &s;trength, &s;ith 'tis given to help Natures failings; but to keep it waking and attentiv: So if the Spirit be not pre&s;ent with the Word to &s;om, 'tis becau&s; they are not pre&s;ent to it, through their &s;tupid &s;upine &s;ecurity. Nor is the concurrence of Word and Spirit natural, nece&s;&s;ary, or in&s;eparable; but free or arbitrary in Gods good plea&s;ure. For as Grace is annexed to the Sacra|ments, &s;o is it to the Word by divine ordinance: Hence the Church, before Sermons, prais for the Spirits illumining power, to concur with the Word; which God expects he &s;hould ask, who is to pray for him&s;elf and others. Another defect why the Spirit doth not &s;til work with the Word is, when 'tis not duly and diligently asked. Som al&s;o are pa&s;t Grace, given to Repro|bat &s;en&s;; to whom the Spirit is not pre&s;ent with the Word for former contempt or neglect in their Vi&s;itation, when God ca|led; who now givs them up to blindnes and hardnes, holding back the light of his Spirit and dew of Grace from the Word preached in their hearing; though Men know them not in par|ticular, and &s;o admit al.</P>
<P>We mu&s;t di&s;tingui&s;h betwen the word Caling, Per&s;ons Ca|led,
<PB N="43" REF="51"> and operations of the Spirit with the Word in them. The Word is duple. 1. The Law, which hath two parts; <HI>viz.</HI> the <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The Law.</NOTE> Precepts, to accu&s;e or convince; and the Cur&s; for al tran&s;gre&s;|&s;ors therof, to wound or kil. The Per&s;ons Caled by Gods Mi|ni&s;ter, u&s;ing the Law, are al natural unregenerat &s;inners; or Regenerats relap&s;ed into grievous &s;ins; who are either igno|rant of their evil e&s;tate, to whom Law-precepts mu&s;t be preach|ed, to make them know their &s;in; or know it but are &s;ecure and &s;en&s;le&s;&s; of their carnal condition; and to &s;uch the cur&s; mu&s;t be denounced. The Spirits operations on the&s; by Laws mini&s;try, are to open their eyes and prick their hearts with fear of the Cur&s;: which effects the Spirit, with the letter of the Law, or|dinarily produceth, by working on tho&s; remains of light left in the mind, and of Con&s;cience accu&s;ing: which works are wrought in many Reprobats, who hav &s;om initial parts of Grace, as Papi&s;ts grant.</P>
<P>2. The Go&s;pel which hath a Precept to repent of &s;in &s;hew|ed <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Go&s;pel.</NOTE> by the Law, and beleev in Chri&s;t, who givs life wher the Law-Cur&s; killeth; with a Promi&s;&s; of &s;ins remi&s;&s;ion, and eternal life <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2 38, 39.</NOTE> to al that repent and beleev. The Per&s;ons caled in the words of the Go&s;pel are al &s;orts of &s;inners; but convict, terrified, wound|ed, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 11. 28.</NOTE> ful of compunction, and &s;elf-condemning; wrought by the Spirit in preaching the Law. The Spirits operations on &s;uch by the Go&s;pels mini&s;try, are to open their eyes to &s;ee the light of Gods marvellous mercy toward &s;inners; of Chri&s;ts infinit lov in dying for them, the ine&s;timable merits of his death; the pow|erful Gifts, Graces, and aids of the holy Gho&s;t: To pour into &s;inners hearts hope, which &s;hal &s;tay them from de&s;perat &s;inning: To in&s;pire the Grace of praier, that they may e&s;cape the wrath to com, and receiv Gods favor: to beget repentance and work Faith; that they rely wholy on him, and ca&s;t them&s;elfs into the arms of his goodnes, to be &s;aved by him. The&s; Graces the holy Gho&s;t is &s;til ready to work by the Go&s;pel in a repentant &s;inner, humbled and prepared by the Law: for what proportion of power the Spirit had in the Law on Unregenerats, to humble them; the &s;ame it hath in the Go&s;pel on the humbled, to work hope and infer the other Graces of Praier, Repentance, Faith, Ju&s;tification, Mortification, Vivification, and new Obedience.
<PB REF="52"> Howbeit if the Spirit is not pre&s;ent in preaching the Law, to giv Unregenerats &s;trength of new obedience, becau&s; 'tis pre&s;ent to convince and condemn their wickednes: Nor is it pre&s;ent in preaching the Go&s;pel to one not yet penitent or beleeving, to giv new obedience or work Peace, Joy, and Lov, as it doth in Beleevers; for &s;uch degrees com not <HI>per &s;altum.</HI> The &s;um is, Gods Spirit is annexed to his Word for &s;uch Gifts and ope|rations, as the hearer is a fit di&s;po&s;ed &s;ubject to receiv: for God works by order of things antecedent or preparativ; which, if they find no admi&s;&s;ion, the &s;ub&s;equent are &s;u&s;pended. Hence coms the frequent ju&s;t &s;eparation of the Spirit by the word by the great Pa&s;tor of Souls, who &s;ercheth the heart and renes. To prov this point, that Gods Word in the Law and Go&s;pel, is perfect and powerful to convert Souls, read <HI>P&s;al. 9. 7. Joh. 17. 17. Joh. 20. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 8. Heb.</HI> 4 12. wher the Go&s;pel is caled <HI>the mini&s;tration of the Spirit&punc;</HI> not of the Letter; becau&s; it givs what it commands: but the Law commands and givs no help: for, <HI>the Law was given by Mo&s;es</HI> (not hearts to receiv it) <NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 1. 17.</NOTE> <HI>but Grace and Truth cam by Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> &s;aith S. <HI>John.</HI> To prov that Caling is al one to them that obey not and obey, Chri&s;ts words are cleer; <HI>Many are caled, but few cho&s;en:</HI> Here <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22. 14.</NOTE> two &s;orts are &s;pecified; &s;om caled, but not cho&s;en; and &s;om caled and cho&s;en of tho&s; many; yet the Caling one of both: which is not by the outward Word alone, for by it none are cho&s;en; but by the Word and Spirit in common: So the few cho&s;en excelled not in number or Caling, but in obeying when the re&s;t refu&s;ed, as the Sun hardens clay and melts wax. Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>The Ninivets &s;hal ri&s;e in judgment with this generation</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 12. 41.</NOTE> <HI>and condemn it:</HI> If <HI>Jonas</HI> preached without the Spirit, how did they repent? If Je&s;us preached without it, how is he greater then <HI>Jonas?</HI> If refu&s;ers be not al equaly caled, how can Nini|vets ri&s;e in Judgment? they can an&s;wer, we were not caled like you, by Gods voice &s;peaking to the heart; but by Mans, barely to the ear: If God had excited us as he did you, we would re|pent as you did. The Jews exemple confirms the &s;ame, being yet uncaled; not becau&s; they liv without the Go&s;pels &s;ound, &s;ith they conver&s; &s;catterdly with Chri&s;tians, and may hear Ser|mons or read Scriptures: but becau&s; they per&s;i&s;t obdurat, and
<PB N="44" REF="52"> reject the illumining &s;oftning Spirit, often offered: therfore the di&s;tinction of Caling into outward ineffectual; and inward effectual is fal&s; or frivolous. Bare preaching may be a comman|ding, like the Law; not a Caling, as the Go&s;pel: for God may &s;til require obedience as a natural duty, &s;ith he created Man able; but becau&s; the new Covenant cals Men to Faith and Re|pentance, being unable to ri&s;e or recover of them&s;elfs; it were a mock, and no cal to &s;ay, turn, repent, beleev, and liv, unles &s;om Grace be prepared to doo it. The effect of this Caling is a&s;cri|bed to one cau&s; chefly, the Spirits operation; yet ther be mo, and if any fails, the effect fals: for obedience to Gods Caling is an act of Mans wil, under aid of the Spirit, which is oft refu&s;ed or re&s;i&s;ted, and Grace offered in vain; &s;ith God doth not cro&s;&s; the cour&s; of the &s;ecund Cau&s;es, e&s;tabli&s;hed at fir&s;t. It al&s;o makes Gods Covenant differ from al other, in which no party per|forms al, but ech a part for him&s;elf: wheras here God is made to perform al pacts and promi&s;es for both; who only under|takes to make his conditions fea&s;ible, and afford his help &s;o far as is needful, as <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> intimats: For 'tis not &s;afe to rely &s;oly on <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 59. 21.</NOTE> Gods ab&s;olut Wil, as if we were tied to nothing; or to gul our &s;elfs, as if God required nothing of us: For this Covenant of Grace hath &s;om conditions for Man to fulfil, which by Gods univer&s;al Grace he is able to doo, as &s;hal be &s;hewed.</P>
<P>11. Conver&s;ion of a Sinner (which is the end of Gods Ca|ling <NOTE PLACE="marg">11 Conver&s;ion</NOTE> Men by the Word) is the obedience of him that is Caled; for he mu&s;t hear and obey, el&s; no conver&s;ion. The terms <HI>a Quo &amp; ad Quem,</HI> are <HI>from Satans power to God, viz.</HI> in his mind <HI>from darknes to light;</HI> in wil, <HI>from Idols to &s;erv the living God,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 26. 18.</NOTE> and in his whol life from unrighteou&s;nes to holines. This con|ver&s;ion is duple: 1. When a natural Man is regenerat and made a Member of Gods Church, as the Gentils, being Aliens, were converted. 2. When a Regenerat faling into &s;in returns <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 The&s;. 1. 9&punc; Acts</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 3.</NOTE> by repentance; as <HI>Peter,</HI> being converted after his Ap<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ta&s;y, was bid <HI>&s;trengthen his Brethren.</HI> The prime principal Cau&s; of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 22. 32. Lam. 5. 21.</NOTE> conver&s;ion is Gods holy Spirit working on a &s;inners heart, both at beginning, middle, and end: The ordinary in&s;trumental, is the word preached: the adjuvant means are the cro&s;&s; that cha|&s;tens, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 31. 18.</NOTE> ble&s;&s;ings which draw or allure others praiers, and exem|ples
<PB REF="53"> of Men already converted. The main &s;cruple is, what part a &s;inner to be converted bears in it, being a living rational &s;ub|ject, whether he be Activ or meerly Pa&s;&s;iv? whether he can further or hinder it? whether, &s;uppo&s;ing two equaly Caled, one may be converted and not the other? if &s;o, whether it ri&s;eth from God or Man?</P>
<P>12. Gods Grace is al that proceds from him of free favour, <NOTE PLACE="marg">12 Free Grace univer&s;al.</NOTE> tending to a &s;inners &s;alvation: wherby is not meant the remains of Nature (as &s;om light of Rea&s;on, &s;en&s; of Con&s;cience; though the&s; by Grace, were left after the Fal) nor the Law de&s;cribing the righteou&s;nes of Works, though the Preacher of Grace u&s;eth it to prepare a &s;inner for Chri&s;t; nor the bare outward Word of the Go&s;pel, though cal'd the Word of Grace, becau&s; inter|nal Grace goes with it: but only the inward illuminations, teachings, tractions, motions, operations, in&s;pirations, and gifts of the holy Gho&s;t, merited by Chri&s;t for <HI>Adams</HI> &s;ons, in their time and order, to rai&s; them faln, and &s;av them lo&s;t; which S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> terms the Grace of Chri&s;t. For in Man is no merit of Grace, but only an occa&s;ion of God to &s;hew it; which yet he is free to receiv or refu&s;e: Nor is the good u&s;e of former Graces any merit or cau&s; of giving mo; which are &s;o freely gi|ven as the fir&s;t, el&s; Grace were no Grace. This Grace being one in e&s;&s;ence, hath diver&s; denominations, according to the difference of relations and effects: the mo&s;t u&s;ual di&s;tincti|on is into preventing, working, or exciting Grace; and folow|ing, coworking, or helping: but to divide it into &s;ufficient and efficacious, is an idle buz: For how can it be Grace or &s;uffici|ent, which never produceth any effect? &s;ith if it becom effe|ctual, it lo&s;eth the name of &s;ufficient, and is one with the other; for al Grace in it &s;elf is &s;ufficient or efficient alike; but the defect in the &s;ubject or &s;om other cau&s;: Yet Grace may be caled effe|ctual from the event as i&s;&s;uing from Gods &s;pecial mercy guided by Pre&s;cience, not el&s;. Lap&s;ed Man hath a nece&s;&s;ity of Grace, as S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> maintains again&s;t <HI>Pelagius,</HI> who denied original &s;in, or any lo&s;&s; to <HI>Adams</HI> Of-&s;pring by his fal; holding Mankind &s;o &s;ound as God made it, as ther needs no Grace: al which are gro&s;&s; errors. For Man without God, can doo no good, becau&s; the Commandments are beyond his &s;trength without Grace,
<PB N="45" REF="53"> to which nothing is impo&s;&s;ible: and 'tis mo&s;t ju&s;t the Creature &s;hould rely on the Creator, that he may &s;til apply to him. The Air is not a lucid body like the Sun; for then it would continu &s;o &s;til in ab&s;ence of his light: So Man is illightned by Gods pre|&s;ence; but in his ab&s;ence immediatly darkned, whom we for&s;ake wilfully. The power of Grace is glorious, &s;uch as wrought in Chri&s;t when he ro&s;e from the dead; whence our conver&s;ion is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 19, 20.</NOTE> caled a new Birth, a new Creation, and fir&s;t Re&s;urrection. For the power to Wil good, is created again as at fir&s;t; &s;ith our in|deavors are vain unles they be &s;tirred, and void unles helped, as <HI>Bernard</HI> &s;aith. The habits of Faith and Lov are no more in our <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 18.</NOTE> power, then a blind Man can giv him&s;elf &s;ight: he may hav pre|&s;ent to wil; but to doo what the Law injoins he finds not, ex|cept the Spirit help him: So that when we are ready to receiv <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Phil.</HI> 2. 12. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> Gods mighty power, he works and givs our de&s;ire: hence S. <HI>Paul</HI> exhorts <HI>to work our Salvation,</HI> having power given to work, by him which works both to wil and doo. Yet when Man wilfully re&s;i&s;ts his power, he yeelds out of wil, not weaknes; and lets him fal into a reprobat &s;en&s;, who wil not nece&s;&s;itat or hold up any in ob&s;tinat di&s;obedience: for that power which builds up &s;upernatural things, doth not de&s;troy natural; &s;uch as is the liberty to di&s;obey being before the Fal.</P>
<P>Touching univer&s;al Grace, <HI>Origen</HI> extends it to al Men and Devils, whom S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> refuts. <HI>Huber</HI> held univer&s;al Ele|ction, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>de Civ.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> that Chri&s;ts death brought al into &s;tate of Salvation, whom the Lutherans and Synod of <HI>Dort</HI> condemn. <HI>Andradi|us</HI> and other Papi&s;ts &s;ay, that Ethnics hav &s;ufficient &s;aving Grace by Natures light; which if they u&s;e wel, Go&s;pel Grace &s;hal be reveled to them.</P>
<P>Al which are evident errors, but three Orthodox: 1. That <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Pregn<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> Points.</NOTE> as Chri&s;t took the Nature of Man (not of Angels) &s;o he paid the price of Redeeming al Mankind, as our common Catechi&s;m teacheth; <HI>I beleev in God the Father, who made me and al the World; in God the Son, who redeemed me and al Mankind; and in God the holy Gho&s;t, who &s;anctifies me and al the Elect.</HI> 2. That the promi&s;&s; of the Go&s;pel is univer&s;al to al within hearing, and may be &s;eriou&s;ly profred to al Men, as 'tis preached to Pagans: for our Church wils al to receiv the Promi&s;&s;es, as they be gene|raly
<PB REF="54"> held forth in holy Scriptures. 3. That with the Promi&s;&s; and Word of the Go&s;pel, ther goes ordinarily &s;ufficient Grace of the Spirit, to work beleef and obedience in al under the Go|&s;pel: but that al doo not obey, proceds from Men, being want|ing <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI>Cor.</HI> 2. 1, 2.</NOTE> to Gods Grace; not for any defect on his part, as S. <HI>Paul</HI> plainly provs. Now wheras 'tis &s;aid, how Chri&s;t laid down his life for his Sheep, for Gods Children, and for his Church; but el&s;where, that he died for al, Men interpret as they li&s;t or like: yet mu&s;t &s;uch Texts be cautiou&s;ly and con&s;cientiou&s;ly con&s;trued, le&s;t they cla&s;h one again&s;t another. It may wel cohere, that God in mercy to Mankind, &s;ent his Son to dy for al, being no accepter of per&s;ons; willing primarily to &s;av al: but fore&s;eing the fruit or &s;ucce&s;&s; of his death, that &s;om would thankfully em|brace it, and the re&s;t not, he accepted even tho&s; few, and &s;ent his Son by a &s;ecundary wil to &s;av them in whom he would glorify his bounty; who could hav changed the cour&s; of his Graces and Government to &s;av mo, if he plea&s;ed. Hereof S. <HI>Chry&s;o|&s;tom</HI> &s;peaks; 'tis meet every one be no le&s;&s; thankful, then as if Chri&s;t cam into the World for his &s;ake only, &s;ith he would not refu&s;e it even for one: &s;o mightily he lovs every particular with the &s;ame mea&s;ure of affection, as he doth al Mankind: therfore he was offred a Sacrafice for our whol Nature, which he a&s;&s;u|med into his Per&s;on; being &s;ufficient to &s;av al; but wil be u&s;eful or available only to Beleevers: yet was he not &s;cared from this di&s;pen&s;ation for the paucity; but as the Fea&s;t was prepared for <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 14. 16. &amp;c.</NOTE> al, yet &s;uch as were invited would not com; the Lord did not pre&s;ently take away what was provided, but caled in al &s;orts of Gue&s;ts: So doth God. S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith, as to the valu or virtu of the price, &s;o far as concerns al Mankind; Chri&s;ts blood is a Redemption of the whol World: but &s;uch as liv without Faith and the my&s;tery of new Birth, are Aliens therto. When therfore by that one Nature of us al, which he took for al our &s;akes, we are truly &s;aid to be al Redeemed, yet not al freed from capti|vity: for the cup of immortality hath enough to profit al, yet to &s;uch as wil not drink, 'tis nothing profitable.</P>
<P>13. Free-wil is more debated then wel di&s;cerned, how far the <NOTE PLACE="marg">13 Freewil. <HI>Liberum ad <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</HI></NOTE> prints remain &s;ince <HI>Adams</HI> fal. 'Tis a natural power in a Rati|onal Creature to wil or nil, chu&s;e or refu&s;e, be it good or evil.
<PB N="46" REF="54"> This is looked on with great prejudgment, and by Dr. <HI>Abbot</HI> &s;omtime Bi&s;hop of <HI>S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rum</HI> &s;cornfully &s;tiled <HI>Tom&s;ons</HI> &s;trumpet: but &s;undry Fathers &s;tifly defend hir as the Hand-maid of Grace, again&s;t the Manichees and other Heretics. 'Tis a tru &s;aying, If ther be not Grace, how &s;hal God &s;av the World? and 'tis as tru; if ther be not Free-wil, how &s;hal he judg the World, &s;ith al &s;hal be judged according to their free works? Free-wil to good was a faculty in the fir&s;t Mans Soul, corroborat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d or guarded by the gift of &s;uper<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">atural Grace, which God con|ferred to make him wil good more cheerfully and con&s;tantly: but he by wilful di&s;obedience lo&s;t this indowment, and the very freedom of wil to any good of the highe&s;t kind: as to lov G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d abov al, to work righteou&s;nes of the Law, or doo any &s;piritual act &s;utable to tho&s;, as to repent, beleev, obey: yet &s;om freedom to Human, Natural, Moral, Civil acts remains &s;til, with out|ward good acts of Religion, as to frequent the Church, hear Sermons, kneel at praier, &amp;c. which any Man can doo as he learns Sciences in Schools. So al freedom of wil to &s;piritual &s;u|pernatural good is forfeted in Mans Nature faln, unles it be re|newed or re&s;tored by Grace of Chri&s;t, which goes with the Go&s;pel: but if the Son make us free, we &s;hal be free indeed; el&s; not.</P>
<P>Ther is a triple &s;piritual good, wherto freedom is re&s;tored by Grace: 1. That which the Law commands, as righteou&s;nes and tru holines: in this Free-wil is lo&s;t, and not immediatly re|&s;tored by Grace, til after one is ju&s;tified and made a new Crea|ture. 2. That which is &s;uppo&s;itivly, not &s;imply good; when &s;in is committed (as <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI> &s;aith, blu&s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ng is good <HI>ex hypoth<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;i</HI>) as compunction, terror, &s;en&s; of guilt, con&s;cience accu&s;ing: freedom of wil hereto remains in a &s;inner, who is oft &s;tru<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">k with fear, as <HI>Adam</HI> fled and hid his head. 3. That whi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Go&s;pel com|mands, as to repent and beleev: herein Man hath no Free-wil left, but the &s;ame Go&s;pel brings freedom two waies: 1. By framing the Commandments &s;o facil or fea&s;ible to the wils weaknes, as may be a proportion between it and them; wherby Go&s;pel Grace &s;hal apply or accommodat the work to the Workman, or task to the Laborer. 2. By giving the Wil &s;o much help or power as is requi&s;it to inable a &s;inner, though it
<PB REF="55"> be a task &s;o hard and heavy as the works of the Law. To repent of &s;in, beleev in Gods Mercy, and re&s;t on his Sons merits, &s;eem to be acts very mercifully prepared, as fitte&s;t to a &s;inners weak condition: yet this way of freedom is not &s;o evident as the later, which prevents the wil, and prepares it by infu&s;ing Grace, to wil &s;piritual good required, in that order or proportion as is pre&s;cribed to depraved Nature a&s;&s;i&s;ted by Grace, which brings power with it to quicken the dead, &s;trengthen the impotent, and loo&s;en the Captiv: wherby Go&s;pel Precepts are made lya|ble to be obeied by Man lap&s;ed, which the Law doth not inable: &s;o that none can be excu&s;ed in di&s;obeying them, for want of power to repent or beleev.</P>
<P>Free-wil on the left hand to evil, is under Gods Grace or notwith&s;tanding it; wherby one may wil good, or decline to evil. This in <HI>Adam</HI> was a &s;ingle innocent po&s;&s;ibility or a Crea|tures mutability toward evil; &s;ith God only is immutably good. So <HI>Adams</HI> &s;upernatural Grace given to corroborat him, did not immobilitat his wil to evil: for he is prai&s;-worthy, who can tran&s;gre&s;&s; and wil not; not he that is good, and can be no other; as &s;om &s;ay Grace cannot be re&s;i&s;ted. This natural free|dom to evil (caled <HI>re&s;i&s;tentia connata</HI>) remains in Man falen, and is not removed by Grace; but ther is added <HI>re&s;i&s;tentia ad|nata,</HI> or a precipitat proclivity to evil, by thraldom to Satans tyranny and dominion. So the natural freedom to &s;in, is not in it &s;elf evil; but the u&s;e and practi&s; only: yet prones to evil, and &s;ervitud to &s;in, which is in us &s;ince the Fal, is evil. The&s; differ &s;o much as a mortal man living, and one actualy dead: The fir&s;t Grace takes not away in this life, but e&s;&s;ais to remov the other, and to weaken or re&s;train it; pre&s;erving the natural freedom to evil &s;til. This Doctor <HI>Baro,</HI> in his learned Lectures on <HI>Jonas</HI> ac|curatly unfolds, which mu&s;t be carefully heeded in this dark Theory.</P>
<P>Free-wil (as Doctor <HI>Charlton</HI> in his ab&s;tru&s;e Treati&s; in&s;cri|bed, <HI>The darknes of Athei&s;m di&s;peld by Natures light &s;hews</HI>) is not taken in <HI>Tullies</HI> &s;en&s;, for a liberty to liv as every one li&s;ts; nor as the Civil Law intends, for freedom from &s;ervitud: but for what is properly in Mans power or di&s;po&s;ing, to elect or re|ject what object he wil, good or evil: which concerns only
<PB N="47" REF="55"> Mans natural condition; wherto in equity, the reward of Piety or Virtu, and puni&s;hment of Impiety or Vice is &s;oly du. This <HI>liberum Arbitrium</HI> is not only an a&s;&s;ent or approbation, but an adhe&s;ion to that abov others, which the Mind or Intellect &s;hal chu&s;: for the e&s;&s;ence of it con&s;i&s;ts primarily in the Rational fa|culty, and dependently on the Wil; which in it &s;elf is blind or undi&s;cerning, except guided by the Intellect to inform and con|duct it. Som Divines &s;ay Mans wil is mo&s;t free, when 'tis &s;o fixed on the chief Good, as it cannot wil Evil, becau&s; the dile|ction and fruition of that is voluntary, and therfore free. This is an evident error, by confounding &s;pontaneous and voluntary actions: for a &s;pontaneous is a blind impul&s; of Nature, ground|ed on no foregoing deliberation; as Fire &s;pontaneou&s;ly mounts up, Bruts mov from place to place, Infants &s;uck; without rati|ocination or liberty of wil: but a voluntary arbitrary action depends on previous deliberation, dijudication, and delection; which is free indifferently to Good or Evil: So that if the ap|petit be re&s;trained only to Good; it may act &s;pontaneou&s;ly (as a &s;tone movs downward) but not arbitrarily <HI>ad utrumlibet.</HI> They &s;ay the appetit confined to good is volent, and therfore free: but this volence is a meer libence, free from coactiv vio|lence; no tru liberty to chu&s; &s;everal objects; and therfore not arbitrary, becau&s; bar'd of indifferency. They reply, that 'tis the perfection of Free-wil &s;o to embrace Good, as not to be capable of evil. Tru, 'tis the perfection of Mans wil or appetit, &s;o to enjoy tru Good (&s;pecialy the chief) that nothing can divorce or divert it to &s;eek any counterfet: Yet this is not the wils li|berty to either; nor incident to Man in this life, being a beati|tud of Souls &s;eparat, which hav no other object &s;av the tru <HI>Summum Bonum,</HI> nor other appetit then a ful fix'd dilection therof.</P>
<P>Thus Wil is guided by the Intellect, and this by Judgment which it givs concerning Good &amp; Evil objects; that this is good and that evil, or this more and that le&s;&s; good. So when the wil is averted from one and converted to another; that mutation proceds from mutability of Intellectiv Judgment, which is now for one thing and anon for another: for the Intellect makes u&s;e of &s;om notions caled &s;imple apprehen&s;ions, wherby it givs judg|ment
<PB REF="56"> of their Natures; as it hath a prenotion what Hony is, and what &s;weetnes; yer it can judg Hony to be &s;weet: But though in matters of &s;peculation it relies on this &s;imple Judg|ment, nor can infer farther by nece&s;&s;ary con&s;equent: yet in ob|jects reducible to action it hath a compound notion caled Pro|po&s;ition or Enunciation, immediatly annexed to the former &s;imple notion and &s;uperadded as a Conclu&s;ion, which is caled Practical Judgment: as when it judgeth Hony &s;weet, it ads a &s;ecund complex notion, if &s;weet 'tis to be ta&s;ted; and infers in|&s;tantly a Conclu&s;ion, that Hony may be ta&s;ted. Now becau&s; practical objects are &s;ingulars, the Intellect givs judgment that this pre&s;ent Hony is &s;weet; and &s;ecundly infers that 'tis to be ta&s;ted, wherto the wil a&s;&s;ents and chu&s;eth it. Hence <HI>Ari&s;totl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. de motu Animal. c. 7.</NOTE> allows no di&s;tinction between an action or execution, and a Conclu&s;ion; becau&s; this re&s;ulting from two Propo&s;itions is the very action, which he provs by &s;everal exemples: So this Con|clu&s;ion which is the action it &s;elf, wherto the execution co|heres, is caled Practical Judgment. This action or execution of a Judgment cannot &s;ucced, unle&s; the appetit or wil concurs: &s;o that every judgment or notion of Good hath annexed an ap|petition of that Good; and every judgment of Evil, an aver&s;ion from it. So &s;oon then as the Intellect judgeth a thing to be &s;weet, and therfore to be ta&s;ted; up ri&s;eth the appetit and wils actual degu&s;tation of this &s;weet pre&s;ented, wher both Intellect and wil conjoin. Thus when the Intellect givs judgment of Good (which is the Wils proper object) the Wil is in&s;tantly incited to de&s;ire fruition, which folows on the heels of Judg|ment, as a &s;hadow attends the Suns body: &s;o that if the one judg it good, the other de&s;ires it; if evil, the Wil declines it. Now becau&s; the Intellect is mo&s;tly fickle or incon&s;tant in judgment, the Wil no le&s;&s; wavers or varies in appetition: &s;o that when the one to day judgeth a thing good and to morow evil; the other affects it to day and abhors it to morow: &s;o the Wil conforms wholy to the Intellects judgments concerning Good or Evil.</P>
<P>Good is duple: 1. Tru or real. 2. Seeming or counterfet. So evil is either realy &s;o, or gilded with the &s;pecious &s;hew of Good. Hence <HI>Cicero</HI> aptly compares it to a Ballance, which if
<PB N="48" REF="56"> Geometricaly adju&s;ted by dimidiation, is indifferent to be de|pre&s;&s;ed at either end or extrem, and &s;o forced from its equilibry, or depre&s;&s;ed at that &s;ide on which the greater weight is laid: As the contrary end may be depre&s;&s;ed by over-poi&s;ing it with a greater weight: Semblably the Intellect is in it &s;elf indifferent, and inflected to that object, wherto the greater appeerance of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Verum &amp; Bo|num.</NOTE> Truth or Good adheres; as it can upon a greater appeerance of either reflect to a &s;ecund, being &s;til led by veri&s;imility: for the Wil is as the Needle, and Intellect the Magnet, by who&s; verticity it turns parallel to the point of Good, whether real or appa|rent. Or the Wil is as a Mariner, and Intellect the compa&s;&s; by which &s;he &s;teers. For the Wils indifferency is but a &s;hadow or repre&s;entativ of that indifferency congeneal to the Intellect; and con&s;equently the determination of that indifferency in the Mi&s;tri&s;&s;, cau&s;eth a like determination of indifferency in the Maid, to this or that object. For oftimes our Minds are equili|brated betwixt two judgments, or waver betwen two objects equaly attractiv: which fluctuation ri&s;eth, becau&s; the weights of rea&s;on are equal on either &s;ide, that the Mind can acquie&s;c in the election of neither. Hence three excellent con&s;equents oc|cur. 1. That &s;o oft as the Intellect having embraced tru judg|ment, quits it to pur&s;u a fal&s; one; &s;o oft &s;omthing intervens, which diverts the genuin appeerance from a good object to an evil one, and &s;o cau&s;eth a mutation of the Intellects a&s;&s;ent or judgment. 2. That the change of the objects appeerance, is &s;ole immidiat cau&s; of the Intellects varying in judgment and a&s;|&s;ent. 3. That the Wil is hereby obliged to conform to the In|tellects guid or conduct; who&s; flexility flows from the others flexibility. So 'tis in vain to attempt a change of the Wils ap|petition, til care be had to change the Intellects judgment: Or to make the one con&s;tant in appetition, unles the other be &s;et|led in judgment. Thus he of Free-wil in general.</P>
<P>14. Of Grace and Free-wil jointly, which cooperat in every <NOTE PLACE="marg">14 Grace and Freewil. <HI>Phil.</HI> 2. 13.</NOTE> &s;piritual work: wherin three Principles or Axioms are to be declared. 1. That in all their operations at our fir&s;t conver&s;i|on, or in every good work; Grace is &s;til prime principal Lea|der from fir&s;t to la&s;t: But Mans Wil never works fir&s;t, not a|lone; being as a wheel in a Mil, which is kept going by the wa|ters
<PB REF="57"> motion, and that &s;taying it &s;oon &s;tops: So is this kept working by Gods Grace, which flows from his goodnes or de|&s;ire of our &s;alvation. 2. That when Grace works on Mans Under&s;tanding, Wil, or Affections; it pre&s;ervs the natural po|wers, properties, and motions of a Rea&s;onable Creature: for it de&s;trois not Nature but helps it; nor doth Nature repel Grace, but receivs it. Though then the habits of Faith, Hope, Charity be infu&s;ed by God, and not acquired by human indu&s;try; yet are in&s;pired after the manner of Acqui&s;its; becau&s; in&s;tilled by means of hearing, praying, meditating, reading, &s;tudying, and endeavoring. For &s;o &s;aith S. <HI>Au&s;tin,</HI> not I, but Gods Grace <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Grat. &amp; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">b. c. 5.</NOTE> with me: that is, not I alone, nor his Grace alone; but both jointly; &s;ith he that made thee without thee, wil not &s;av thee without thee. 3. That in al operations of Grace, Mans Wil is to rely on God, as the Creature on the Creator; Receiver on the Doner; Weak on the &s;trong; Imperfect on the Perficient; and Supplicant on the Lord: as the Earth depends on Heaven for rain, heat, and influence: which when Man neglects, rejects, or forgets; he is dry, void, and barren of al &s;piritual fruits, by his own fault.</P>
<P>The imperfect work on <HI>Mat.</HI> 6. &s;aith, Lo, how appo&s;itly <NOTE PLACE="marg">Homil. 14.</NOTE> Chri&s;t &s;peaks: he &s;aith not Father &s;anctify thy name in us, bring thy Kingdom to us, thy Wil be doon of us; le&s;t God &s;hould &s;eem to &s;anctify him&s;elf by Men, or bring his Kingdom on whom he li&s;ts, or make his Wil be doon of whom he plea&s;eth; and in that regard be an accepter of per&s;ons: Nor did &s;ay, Let us &s;anctify thy Name, take thy Kingdom, doo thy Wil; le&s;t it &s;hould &s;eem to proced from Man only: But he &s;peaks inde|finitly or imper&s;onaly, <HI>Holowed by thy Name, thy Kingdom com, thy Wil be doon,</HI> to &s;hew how needful the work of both is; becau&s; Man hath need of God, and he is helpful to Man in per|forming righteou&s;nes: For as Man can doo no good without Gods help, &s;o he works no good in Man except he be willing: as if he had &s;aid, if ye doo the&s; things, if ye pray for the&s;, ye are worthy of &s;uch a Father, who wil giv them.</P>
<P>To try the truth, take the&s; four Propo&s;itions. 1. Mans Wil, without Grace, can and doth Wil and perform &s;piritual good: this is <HI>Pelagius</HI>'s Here&s;y, condemned by the whol Church.
<PB N="49" REF="57"> 2. Mans Wil, without Grace, cannot wil good; but being in|abled by it, can after, &s;ans farther Grace, both wil and perform alone: this is the Ma&s;&s;iliens or Semipelagians error. 3. By or through Gods Grace working on the Wil, it can both wil and doo good; but not without it, nor can continu without far|ther a&s;&s;i&s;ting Grace: this is truly orthodox, which &s;ubjoins Mans Wil to Gods Grace in willing and acting good. 4. The Wil, by or through Grace working on it, cannot but wil and perform good: this S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> held in heat of arguing again&s;t Pelagians and Ma&s;&s;iliens, who fel too far into the extrem, like &s;uch as bow a crooked &s;tick back to make it &s;treight, as S. <HI>Chry|&s;o&s;tom</HI> compares. S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> a&s;&s;erted, that Grace affords &s;uch help to the Prede&s;tinat, as they were not only unable to per&s;e|ver without it; but by means of it could not chu&s; but per&s;e|ver.</P>
<P>The &s;tate of the Que&s;tion (which if rightly put, is like an <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hebr. 6. 16.</NOTE> Oath to end &s;trife) con&s;i&s;ts about the maner and mea&s;ure, how Grace works on the Wil, or with it? whether the Wil co|operats, as the third Propo&s;ition holds; or whether it &s;o works that the Wil mu&s;t needs concur, as the fourth avers? For ex|plaining wherof, Grace meant in the third, &s;hal be &s;tiled effici|ent; that in the fourth (which works nece&s;&s;arily or infallibly, cau&s;ing the Wil to con&s;ent) efficacious, Which in tru terms is, whether Grace be re&s;i&s;tible, or not? If it be &s;o prevalent or <NOTE PLACE="marg">Of re&s;i&s;ting Grace.</NOTE> prepotent, as it carries the Wil to obey willingly (if that be willing which cannot doo otherwi&s;e) the fourth is tru: But if Grace be only an efficient, adjuvant, prior Cau&s;; and Mans Wil prepared by it, a cooperant &s;ecund Cau&s; in the work of Conver&s;ion; which may fail, re&s;i&s;t, or di&s;obey; then the third is more authentic. To prov it for brevity &s;ake, read <HI>Acts 5. 32. Acts 7. 5. Rom. 10. 16. 2 Cor. 9. 13. Gal. 3. 1. Gal. 5. 7. 2 The&s;.</HI> 5. 8. Al which places are mo&s;t plain, that one may di&s;|obey Go&s;pel Grace. Dr. <HI>Ward,</HI> a &s;tif Stickler for effectual Grace, defines thus: We freely confe&s;&s;, that neither operating, nor cooperating Grace, at Conver&s;ion or after; doth take off from Mans Wil the power to re&s;i&s;t, if it wil: for re&s;i&s;tibility is natural born with us, and in&s;eperable from the Wil, as a nativ faculty: but 'tis not que&s;tioned &s;imply, whether God in the
<PB REF="58"> work of Conver&s;ion or any other doth mov the Wil re&s;i&s;tibly, for that's granted: only the maner of re&s;i&s;tibility is in contro|ver&s;y; wherin we &s;ay, when God works in the Wil <HI>ip&s;um Velle</HI> to wil, Grace produceth <HI>non</HI> re&s;ilience, which is effected by cer|tain knowledg and prevalence of delight, as S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith. Therfore we avow actual re&s;i&s;tence to be taken away for that time, &s;ith 'tis impo&s;&s;ible &s;uch &s;hould &s;tand with effectual Grace: for two oppo&s;its (the Wil to be wrought on by effectual Grace, and to re&s;i&s;t it at once) cannot coexi&s;t; which were to make the Wil obey and re&s;i&s;t at one in&s;tant. The&s; &s;hif<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s pa&s;&s; current among Partiali&s;ts: but he &s;aith al the Controver&s;y is about the maner or re&s;i&s;tibility, which indeed is none at al: for al grant re&s;i&s;tibility or power to re&s;i&s;t, is not removed by Grace: the Que&s;tion only is of actual re&s;i&s;tence or maner of not re&s;i|&s;ting: wherin none is &s;o &s;illy to &s;ay, that when the Wil yeelds actualy to Grace, ther is then any renitence; &s;ith contingence is not when things are <HI>in E&s;&s;e,</HI> but before they were &s;o, whether they might not po&s;&s;ibly be otherwi&s;e: that is re&s;i&s;t, when it did obey? &s;o the debat lies in re&s;i&s;tibility before the act of good or evil, not in it: for a Regenerat may &s;in re&s;i&s;tibly, not in the very moment of willing it; but becau&s; he could hav re&s;i&s;ted yer he willed it. So a Convert obeyeth Grace, or willeth his conver&s;ion re&s;i&s;tibly; becau&s; yer he willed it, he could hav re|&s;i&s;ted: el&s; why doth S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;o &s;eriou&s;ly exhort not to re&s;i&s;t the Spirit? Sin may be re&s;i&s;ted, but not after con&s;ent: &s;o may Grace, but not when the Wil ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h embraced it: for to be actu|aly received, and then re&s;i&s;tible, cannot cohere. Howbeit if non|re&s;i&s;tence be granted, 'tis dub<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ous what the cau&s; is, and wherin it con&s;i&s;ts; whether in effectual Grace, or effectual Wil? for what is &s;aid of the one, may be verified of the other; &s;ith when it obeys, 'tis impo&s;&s;ible it &s;hould wil to re&s;i&s;t; but it may before. Nor can any tel by the very act of obeying, which is cau&s; of non|re&s;i&s;ting: for put either to remov re&s;i&s;tence, 'tis &s;urely gon by con&s;enting: and it &s;eems Wil is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> proper cau&s; which ends re|&s;i&s;tence. 1. Becau&s; effectual Grace is <HI>n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">men &s;ine re,</HI> which cannot determ in the Wil without de&s;troying it, who&s; nature is to determin it &s;elf. 2. Becau&s; to re&s;i&s;t or not, are &s;pecial acts of the Wil: as to convert, repent, beleev, belongs to Man, who
<PB N="50" REF="58"> converts, repents, beleevs; for God promi&s;eth only to <HI>circum|ci&s;e</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 30. 6.</NOTE> <HI>the heart;</HI> and Man is bid to <HI>circumci&s;e his own heart:</HI> &s;o <NOTE PLACE="marg">De<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t. 10. 16.</NOTE> God promi&s;eth <HI>to put a new Spirit into Man;</HI> and Men are in|joined <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jer. 4. 4. Ezek.</HI> 11. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>to make them a new heart and Spirit,</HI> both being evan|gelical. So the promi&s;&s; implies or &s;uppo&s;es an impotence in us to doo &s;upernatural acts; tendering Gods power, a&s;&s;i&s;tance, and operation to incourage us: but the Precept imports &s;om power in us, under his a&s;&s;i&s;ting Grace, to indeavor or doo &s;om|what toward tho&s; acts, which appeer to be ours, becau&s; they &s;a|vour of our imperfections. Hence we &s;til accu&s;e our &s;elfs, complaining on the weaknes of Faith (Lord, I beleev, help my unbelief) coldnes of lov, pride of heart; yet God givs Faith, Lov, Humility, who is al perfect. Why then doo we not ra|ther magnify his Goodnes and Graces, if he doth al; then in|gratly di&s;grace them, as being impotent or imperfect? &s;av only becau&s; we hav impaired or made them defectiv by being want|ing to Grace.</P>
<P>Let &s;weet <HI>Bernard,</HI> a magnifier of Grace, end this point: Grace &s;o operats with Free-wil, as it only prevents in the fir&s;t act, and accompanies in the re&s;t; but is &s;o far preventing, as it even cooperats with Grace; yet &s;o, that what is begun by Grace alone, is perfected by both alike: &s;o they work jointly, not &s;e|veraly; together, not by turns in particular degrees: not partly Grace, partly Free-wil; but ech jontly performs the whol. Free-wil doth al, and Grace al; but as the whol is wrought in the Wil&punc; &s;o is it wholy doon by Grace. Thus he; which is the t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">u &s;tate of the whol debate.</P>
<P>This wil better appear by con&s;i&s;tence of Grace and Free-wil in Mans four e&s;tates. 1. Of Nature &s;ound. 2. Of Nature lap|&s;ed. 3. Of Nature renewed. 4. Of Nature glorified: which &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l be particularly agitated, together with the order of a &s;in|ners Conver&s;ion.</P>
<P>Man, at Creation, had to wil or nil naturaly: by &s;upernatural Grace to wil more fully, which took not away the natural po|wer to nil: by Sin both natural and &s;upernatural power to wil wel is lo&s;t; but to nil naturaly remains, and to nil &s;upernatu|raly augmented: By preventing Grace to wil is re&s;tored; to nil both naturaly and &s;upernaturaly remaining &s;til: by a&s;&s;i&s;ting or
<PB REF="59"> recovering Grace both to wil and doo; but to nil naturaly and work contrarily by augmented nilling: by Grace of Regenera|tion to wil and doo, more fully augmented; but natural nilling remaining, and augmented nilling dimini&s;hed: in &s;tate of Glo|ry, Man by the beati&s;ic Vi&s;ion wils and doth perfectly, al nil|ling being removed.</P>
<P>Hence 'tis cleer, how Grace and Free-wil concur or cohere in Nature &s;ound, depraved, renovated, and glorified: For Man under Nature corrupted without the Law, hath his Mind bound, Wil ob&s;tinat, Life impure, Con&s;cience &s;tupified; being the mo&s;t wretched Son of wrath, yet not knowing his mi&s;ery. Man under the Law (as it refers to Grace) acknowledgeth his &s;in in Mind, and hath compunction of Con&s;cience by the &s;pirit of fear, being le&s;&s; mi&s;erable becau&s; con&s;cious therof. Man under Grace Caling, preventing, working, learns by the Go&s;pel the Mercies of the Father, Merits of the Son, Helps of the holy Gho&s;t, wherby he conceivs hope of &s;alvation; de&s;iring as a &s;ick Patient, to be cured, having no power to doo it. Man under Grace of Regeneration being helped wils, willing beleevs, be|leeving is ju&s;tified and &s;aved: who&s; endevors are vain, unles holpen; but being heales, takes up his bed, and the Ju&s;t livs by his Faith. Man, under protecting and perfecting Grace, is joi|fully thankful for it received, watchful over his wais, &s;trong to re&s;i&s;t Satan, fighting again&s;t tentations, fervent in praier, root|ed in Faith, and per&s;evering in holines. Lo, thou art healed; &s;in no more, le&s;t wor&s; betide thee. Obdurat Sinners (who&s; Freewil re&s;i&s;ts divine Grace) are of &s;everal &s;orts. 1. Al &s;uch as be out of the Church uncaled, of whom 'tis &s;aid, <HI>whom he wil</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 18. Rom 2. 12. Deut. 29. 19.</NOTE> <HI>he hardens,</HI> and <HI>tho&s; that &s;in without the Law, &s;hal peri&s;h with|out the Law.</HI> 2. Tho&s; which harden their hearts again&s;t the Law, who hide, excu&s;e, or defend their &s;ins, pre&s;uming on peace and impunity. 3. They that being wounded by the Law, de|&s;pair of Evangelical Mercy, and commit al wickednes, as <HI>Cain</HI> and <HI>Judas.</HI> 4. Such as receiving hope of &s;alvation by the Go&s;|pel, abu&s;e the riches of Grace to wantonnes, and d fer repen|tance or conver&s;ion. 5. Al that being ingrat for Grace recei|ved, and given over to &s;ecurity or carnal lu&s;ts, neglect praier; or &s;haken with fear, deny the Faith; or tempted by Satan, fal
<PB N="51" REF="59"> into hainous &s;ins: who are in danger of damnation, unles they <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek 18, 26, 27</NOTE> return to God by a new act of Faith and Repentance to be ju|&s;tified by him. In every of which degrees, Gods &s;everity hath ju&s;t occa&s;ion to de&s;ert Man, and not proced to procure his conver&s;ion, or a&s;&s;i&s;t his Wil; but if he doth, 'tis of &s;uperabun|dant Grace.</P>
<P>Here &s;om doubts occur concerning Caling or Conver&s;ion, what part a &s;inner to be converted bears in it? Whether he is activ or pa&s;&s;iv, and how far? Whether he can further or hin|der it? Who puts the difference, God or Man? To the&s; it is briefly an&s;wered: 1. That he is pa&s;&s;iv, in having the Law and Go&s;pel preached to him; but activ in hearing or attending. 2. That he is pa&s;&s;iv in receiving impre&s;&s;ions of fear by the Law, and hope by the Go&s;pel; but activ in nouri&s;hing them, by co|working with Grace, or ca&s;hiring them from his heart by di&s;|obeying. 3. He is pa&s;&s;iv in admitting good thoughts, holy de|&s;ires, &amp; power to wil; but activ in ruminating on tho&s; thoughts, cheri&s;hing &s;uch de&s;ires, and endevoring to exerci&s;e that power offred by Grace to a&s;&s;i&s;t his Wil. 4. He is &s;til pa&s;&s;iv in pray|ing, yet a willing Patient, thir&s;ting after Repentance, Lov, or what el&s; he prais for; but activ by help in producing of the acts therof, out of tho&s; gifts and habits infu&s;ed into him. 5. He is both pa&s;&s;iv under Gods power protecting him, being a Belee|ver converted; and activ in watching over him&s;elf, with Gods Grace concurring to guard and defend him.</P>
<P>S. <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, <HI>he that is born of God keeps him&s;elf:</HI> wheron S. <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h. 5. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> de&s;cants, he takes not away Freewil in &s;aying <HI>keeps him|&s;elf:</HI> who keeps us but God? yet he doth not keep the unwil|ling: therfore when thou joine&s;t thy Wil to God, thou keepe&s;t thy &s;elf, not of thy &s;elf, but by him that coms to dwel in thee. Somthing is a&s;cribed to thee, becau&s; thy Wil concurs: but &s;o that thou may&s;t &s;til &s;ay with <HI>David, Lord, be thou my helper:</HI> If thou &s;aie&s;t, be thou my helper, thou mu&s;t doo &s;omwhat, el&s; how can he help? Thus a &s;inner is never fir&s;t, but &s;ecund; no leader, but folower in every degree: at entrance a meer Patient, at next &s;tep a willing Patient, in progre&s;&s; an Agent helped by Gods adjuvant and cooperant Grace, &s;aying, like a &s;ick Man, &s;ith you hav cured me, lift me and I wil ri&s;e; &s;tay me and I wil
<PB REF="60"> &s;tand; lead me and I wil com. God &s;hield us from &s;uch mad|nes <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 2. ad Bon. c. 9</NOTE> as to make our &s;elfs fir&s;t and God la&s;t in his Gifts and Graces; &s;aith S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> to Pope <HI>Boniface.</HI> 'Tis a que&s;tion when, <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> two are equaly caled, and one only converted (both being &s;up|po&s;ed p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;ible) who puts the difference, God or Man? The An&s;wer is Man: for God judgeth Mens acts, not his own: as <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> every ju&s;t Judg finds differences betwixt Clients, but makes none. <HI>Cain</HI> and <HI>Abel</HI> were bred both alike in Religion, but the difference was in them&s;elfs, that God accepted <HI>Abels</HI> &s;a|crifice and rejected <HI>Cains. Pharaoh</HI> and <HI>Nabuchadnezer</HI> were by Nature both Men, by dignity Kings, and held Gods People in bondage: One then occa&s;ioned their de&s;perat ends, only that one &s;en&s;ible of Gods hand groned under the memory of his iniquity; the other by his Free-wil fought again&s;t Gods mer|ciful verity, as S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith: Who al&s;o puts a Ca&s;e of two <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words">. &amp; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> l. 12. de civ. c. 61.</NOTE> Equals tempted by one fair Woman; wherof one yeelds to lu&s;t, the other per&s;i&s;ts cha&s;t: wher's the difference, &s;av that one would, the other would not lo&s;e his cha&s;tity? the Ninivets re|pented at <HI>Jonas</HI> preaching; but the Jews refu&s;ed at a greater then <HI>Jonas:</HI> If God put it, how &s;hal they ri&s;e in judgment again&s;t the&s;? yet S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> wre&s;ts S. <HI>Pauls</HI> words (<HI>who makes</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 cor. 4. 7.</NOTE> <HI>thee to differ from another? or what ha&s;t thou which thou did&s;t not receiv?</HI>) to <HI>Dona gratum facienti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">,</HI> as Faith, Charity, re|pentance, Conver&s;ion; which plainly intend <HI>Dona grat is data,</HI> as Knowledge, Eloquence, Toungs. For in Gifts nece&s;&s;ary to Salvation, God wils no difference between Beleevers and Un|beleevers, but would hav al beleev and obey the Go&s;pel. So the defect proceds &s;o much from the Unbeleevers di&s;obedience (wherof God is not the Author) as from Beleevers obedience. To want the Gifts of Toungs and Prophecying is no &s;in or &s;hame, &s;ith they were given &s;uddenly without means: but to fail in Faith and the re&s;t requi&s;it to &s;alvation, after means af|forded, is &s;in; &s;ith men u&s;ed not &s;uch diligence as they &s;hould&punc; the difference in mea&s;ure of Gifts coms from the Giver, but the different u&s;ing from Man; as the Lord <HI>gav one Servant fiv ta|lents,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat 25. 15.</NOTE> <HI>another two, another one;</HI> but they imploied it diver&s;ly (which was from them&s;elfs) and were regarded or reward|ed accordingly.</P>
<PB N="52" REF="60">
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> If Man makes the difference in receiving or u&s;ing Grace, then God doth no more for the Elect then Reprobats; nor hav Saints more cau&s; to be thankful then the wicked; but one may glory again&s;t oth<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rs, that he did more then they: al which Scripture <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">on<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">emns: <HI>Ergo</HI> it proceds from God.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> If it be granted &punc;which is not &s;o) that God doth no more in the Grace of Vocation for the Elect then Reprobats; yet in Prede&s;tination h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">doth incomparably more; becau&s; fore|knowing the different &s;ucce&s;&s; of his Caling and ends of the Caled; he decreed to confirm it unto &s;om which would be &s;a|ving to them, and leav the re&s;t to that which would not be &s;a|ving through their di&s;obedience, when it was in his power to alter it. So in the preparation and execution of his gracious Caling, his election and lov to them appeers &s;ingular, who hav infinit cau&s; of gratitud abov Reprobats; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">et hav they rea&s;on to thank God for preparing that Caling, wherby they might be &s;aved &s;o wel as others, being to blame their own refu&s;al only. Nor was God bound to alter their Caling, as &s;eing the event would prov evil by their own fau<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t; for then none had peri&s;h|ed. Here is much inequality in Lov and favour, but &s;til a liberty left of Mans Wil under Grace: that of two equaly caled one may obey and not another; or unequaly obey, when both being often Caled, one obeis &s;ooner then the other. For ther is infinit variety in mo&s;t, yet God indifferent to al, and damns none but by their own default.</P>
<P>Touching thankfulnes, Grace is not therfore Grace, becau&s; given to one and denied to another; but becau&s; 'tis given to the unworthy (for it were not le&s;&s;s, but greater if extended to al) &s;o that my thanks are du to God, becau&s; he had mercy on me un|worthy; not becau&s; he &s;hews more mercy to me then others: Nor are my thanks the le&s;&s;, becau&s; many mo partake with me in the benefits; but &s;hould rather be greater, if millions mo were partakers then be.</P>
<P><HI>Salvianus</HI> &s;aith men ow a general debt for Chri&s;ts pa&s;&s;ion, and al Mankind &s;ans exception bound therto: yet none ows the le&s;&s;, becau&s; others ow the like: For though the debt be ge|neral, yet 'tis &s;pecial too, and every particular equaly ingaged: &s;ith as Chri&s;t &s;uffered for al, &s;o he did for ech; and be&s;towed
<PB REF="61"> him&s;elf on al, as he did on every one: wholy for al and wholy for ech individual. In which regard as al ow them&s;elfs wholy to him for it, &s;o doth every one wholy; &s;av that ech ows more then al Mankind, becau&s; he reaps &s;o much benefit as al Men. This is a good rule, but beware of the Phari&s;ees comparativ form of thanks, too rife now adais: <HI>Lord, I thank thee I am not as other Men.</HI> Indeed as &s;om put the Ca&s;e of Mankind like a cru of Rebels, of whom the King pardons &s;uch as he li&s;ts, and executs the re&s;t, tho&s; pardoned ow more thanks. But the Scrip|ture &s;tates it thus: God mercifully proclaims a general Go&s;pel pardon to al Rebels, on condition that he which &s;ubmits and yeelds his Sword, taking a Ticket of his pardon, &s;hal go &s;afe; but &s;uch as refu&s;e or &s;tand out &s;hal be de&s;troied. Such as &s;ub|mit, magnify his Mercy and griev for their Felows ob&s;tinacy, ju&s;tifying the execution doon on them. Tho&s; that in the fir&s;t way amplify Gods Grace for &s;paring &s;om &s;imply, prejudice his Truth proclaimed to al: But &s;uch as advance his Grace for &s;pa|ring al on fair, facil, fea&s;ible conditions exhibited in the Go&s;|pel; &s;et his Favor forth, Mercy, and Truth much more. It may more literaly be laid thus. If a King having al his Subjects in his power and plea&s;ure to de&s;troy for Rebellion, &s;hal publicly proclaim pardon to al that wil &s;ubmit to his Son, on &s;uch con|ditions as they &s;hal be able by his gracious a&s;&s;i&s;tance and accep|tance to perform; knowing that &s;om wil tractably obey, but the re&s;t per&s;i&s;t ob&s;tinat or obdurat in their Crimes: he then is bound by promi&s;&s; or Covenant to pardon the penitent; but re|&s;olvs to puni&s;h the re&s;t according to their de&s;erts.</P>
<P>Here both his Mercy and Ju&s;tice is equaly or eminently ex|tended to al, without re&s;pect of per&s;ons: but the difference con&s;i&s;ts in the new obedience of one &s;ort, and old ob&s;tinacy of the other: yet doth not the Cau&s; depend on the effect (as &s;om fondly object or cavil) but the Monarch, according to his mer|ciful Proclamation freely pardons the penitent, and ju&s;tly de|&s;trois the impenitent.</P>
<P>As to glorying that one doth more then another; Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord, or not glory: for Gods Gifts are duple. 1. Immediat from him&s;elf &s;oly (as Toungs, Mira|cles, Prophecying) of which <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks, <HI>What hast thou which
<PB N="53" REF="61"> thou ha&s;t not received? and if thou ha&s;t received, why boa&s;te&s;t thou?</HI> 2. Mediat, which proced from Gods Grace and Mans Wil jointly (as Faith, Repentance, Obedience) being both Gods gifts wrought by Grace; therfore no glorying but in the Lord, as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith: and duties owing by us upon peril of <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 10. Phil. 4. 13. 1 Cor. 9. 16.</NOTE> &s;alvation, which proced from the Wil helped by Grace; and in that regard no glorying: as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>though I preach the Go&s;pel, I hav not to glory; for nece&s;&s;ity is laid on me, and wo is me if I doo not:</HI> So wo to al which beleev not in Chri&s;t. To re|ceiv as a Gift not only excluds glory, but includs duty: for in doing al which is commanded, we doo but our duty being un|profitable &s;ervants. Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>doth the Ma&s;ter thank his &s;er|vant,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 17. 9.</NOTE> <HI>becau&s; he did what was bid? I trow not.</HI> Yet we may glo|ry with S. <HI>Paul, in the te&s;timony of a good con&s;cience;</HI> as <HI>Samuel</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Sam. 12. 13 Neh. 5. 15.</NOTE> cald witnes of his integrity; and <HI>Nehemiah</HI> recorded his own &s;incerity. Howbeit whatever our natural parts be, or labor and indu&s;try beyond others, or how pro&s;perou&s;ly &s;oever it &s;ucceds; who is &s;o void of piety as not to a&s;cribe it to the fountain of al good? God builds the hou&s; more then al Laborers, keeps the City abov al Warders, givs more increa&s; then al Planters or Wa|terers; yet Builders, Warders, Planters, Waterers hav al &s;ubor|dinat Offices, which being neglected the Hou&s; is unbuilded, City unguarded, and Plant unmanured: Becau&s; God doth mo&s;t in converting, and Man nothing in compari&s;on, but al by him; the Saints may rejoyce and &s;ay, not unto us Lord, not to us; but to thy name giv the glory. Yet (not unto us) implies &s;omthing to be doon by us, whereof we mu&s;t not glory, being our duty.</P>
<P>Nor &s;hould tho&s; poor things of Mans Wil (to wi&s;h or wil, labor, endevor, yeeld or obey) be once named when Gods Grace is prai&s;ed or works pleaded: yet &s;omtimes a nece&s;&s;ity compels therto. For Men, under color of piety, to magnifiy Gods Grace and reprov Natures Para&s;its, becom di&s;paragers of Free-wil and Flatterers of Grace; wherby Satan &s;eeks to &s;ubvert Gods truth and righteou&s;nes, de&s;troying tru Piety and Religion in Men; by bringing a &s;tupid &s;loth on &s;om, a remor&s;|le&s;&s; infidelity or impenitence on others, and an invincible de|&s;peration or obduration in mo&s;t; which is the genuin Of-&s;pring
<PB REF="62"> of that Doctrin, which deprivs Mans Wil of al freedom in mat|ters of &s;alvation, by turning the Go&s;pels general promi&s;es into particular limitings of &s;pecial Grace, effectual only to a few &s;e|cret ones by direct ab&s;olut Decree; leaving the re&s;t forlorn or de&s;titut of tru Grace, though caled by the &s;ame word of the Go&s;pel.</P>
<P><HI>Melancthon</HI> &s;peaks herof before <HI>Arminius</HI> was ever heard of: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Loc commun. de Praede&s;t.</NOTE> Let us remov from S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;uch Stoical di&s;puts as de&s;troy Faith &amp; Prayer: for how could <HI>Saul</HI> beleev or pray, when he doubted whether the Promi&s;&s; belonged to him, or when the fatal Table of De&s;tinies had prepo&s;&s;e&s;led him? for 'tis decreed thou &s;halt be a Ca&s;taway. If Free-wil avail nothing, til I perceiv Rege|neration wrought in me by the Spirit; I wil be indulgent to my &s;elf-unbeleef and other vitious affections of the fle&s;h.</P>
<P>This Manichean imagination is flat fal&s;hood, and our minds are to be drawn from it, and taught that Free-wil with Grace avails much. Thus he, who al&s;o in point of di&s;crimination &s;aith: When Promi&s;es are univer&s;al, and no contrary or contradicto|ry Wils in God; ther mu&s;t needs be &s;om cau&s; of difference in us: as why <HI>Saul</HI> was rejected and <HI>David</HI> received, &s;om di&s;parity in tho&s; two cau&s;ed it: yet &s;til remember that the doing &s;om good or il action, is not to be conceived to be by meer natural &s;trength of Wil, but as 'tis helped by divine Grace: beware le&s;t in &s;hunning <HI>Scilla</HI> thou fal not on <HI>Charybdis.</HI></P>
<P>15. Regeneration is caled by &s;om the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">15 Regenera|tion.</NOTE> Conver&s;ion a new Creation: who a&s;&s;ert that Man doth no more to his new Creation then he did at fir&s;t; nor to his Re|generation then Generation; nor to his Re&s;urrection from &s;in then <HI>Lazarus</HI> did in rai&s;ing his dead body. Hence <HI>Pemble</HI> &s;aith, that the &s;eed of &s;piritual life, and habits of Faith and Grace, are infu&s;ed like a new Soul, before Men be &s;upernaturaly illumi|ned: &s;ith illumination goes before the act (not habit) of Faith and &s;anctifying Grace in the Soul. So Mr. <HI>Tailor</HI> on S. <HI>Pauls</HI> words (<HI>whoever is in Chri&s;t, is a new Creature</HI>) infers that Grace cannot be re&s;i&s;ted, becau&s; no Creature can re&s;i&s;t his Crea|tor in framing him. Such dangerous dogmats thei grand Rabbies in&s;til into their credulous Di&s;ciples. This &s;avours too much of Enthu&s;ia&s;m, and in our &s;piritual Nativity as in the Natural, are
<PB N="54" REF="62"> many preparatory di&s;po&s;itions, not al by infu&s;ion: nor are Ar|guments taken from Allegories (which is too rife among Se|cti&s;ts) authentic, if extended beyond Scriptures tru &s;en&s;. Saint <HI>Pauls</HI> words (<HI>if any Man be in Chri&s;t, he is a new Creature</HI>) <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 17.</NOTE> are not &s;trictly to be &s;en&s;ed; for new Creation is meant of qua|lities, not &s;ub&s;tance: el&s; if literaly pre&s;&s;ed, a kind of Tran|&s;ub&s;tantiation in Mans Conver&s;ion may be better maintained, then Papi&s;ts doo of Chri&s;ts body in the Euchari&s;t. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> expounds it wel; That new birth is not the &s;ub&s;tance, but dig|nity of Grace: for it intimats the univer&s;ality of this change in qualities to be &s;o diffu&s;ed over the whol Man, as one &s;hal not know him to be the &s;ame: whence 'tis more bluntly caled Re|&s;urrection, to &s;hew the great mutation or variation. So Saint <HI>Paul</HI> de&s;cribes the old and new Man by alteration of quality: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 9. 10. Gal. 5 6. 1 Cor. 7. 19.</NOTE> 'tis <HI>faith working by lov</HI> which makes a new Creature, and to keep Gods Commandments. It re&s;pects al&s;o the nece&s;&s;ity of this change, in oppo&s;ition to our fir&s;t birth in <HI>Adam: Except a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 3 3.</NOTE> <HI>Man be born again he cannot &s;ee the Kingdom of God,</HI> &s;aith Chri&s;t: but by Faith we are new born to righteou&s;nes and ho|lines, as in a &s;ecund <HI>Adam.</HI> Ther is a &s;upernatural Principle of this change or Conver&s;ion, even God; for he makes us, not we our &s;elfs, in both creations. So &s;aith S. <HI>Paul We are his work|man&s;hip,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 10.</NOTE> <HI>created in Chri&s;t Je&s;us to good works.</HI> Ech Creation and Generation hath a proper peculiar maner: for he that made us without us, wil not &s;av us without us. In the one is a change <HI>a non Ente ad Ens,</HI> from a rude inanimat Chaos; In the other <HI>a non Tali ad Tale,</HI> in a living Rational Creature. Ther God wrought immediatly, here by means; ther no Creature ever &s;aid, Creat or renew me, Lord; here <HI>David</HI> cries, <HI>Creat</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 51. 10.</NOTE> <HI>in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right &s;pirit within me:</HI> Ther it never was &s;aid to any, Make thy &s;elf: here God &s;aith, <HI>Make you a new heart and &s;pirit, for why wil ye dy?</HI> Ther no <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 18 31.</NOTE> Creature was ever blamed for not being, or being as it is; but here to keep on the old Man or not put on the new, is reputed a notorious fault to them which profe&s;&s; Chri&s;t and the Go|&s;pel.</P>
<P><HI>Nazianzen</HI> &s;aith, It was a &s;icknes in his time, not to e&s;timat <NOTE PLACE="marg">In Apologe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> good or bad men by their maners and conver&s;ation, but from
<PB REF="63"> Faction: for tho&s; things which in &s;uch a Man plea&s;ed to day; if he turned to morow another way, were di&s;liked: and what was commended ye&s;terday, &s;hal be condemned to day. How wel this agrees with our age (indeed with al times &s;ince <HI>Adam</HI>) let the world judg and apply as they li&s;t.</P>
<P>Under <HI>Henry</HI> 8. was a Book publi&s;hed by the Clergy (wher|of <NOTE PLACE="marg">An. Reg. 35. A. C. 1543.</NOTE> Archbi&s;hop <HI>Cranmer</HI> was chief) and confirmed by Parlia|ment, &s;tiled <HI>A nece&s;&s;ary Erudition for a Chri&s;tian:</HI> wherin Free|wil is declared to remain in Man after <HI>Adams</HI> fal, as the&s; Texts te&s;tify; <HI>Be not overcom of Evil: Neglect not the Grace in thee: Lov not the World: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Com|mandments:</HI> al which doubtle&s;&s; were in vain, if Man had no power or faculty, with help of Grace, to under&s;tand the Com|mandments and freely obey them: but it wils not any good ac|ceptable to God, unles holpen by Grace; willing what is il of it &s;elf. Hence &s;om Divines define it to be a power of Rea&s;on and Wil, by which Good is cho&s;en w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">th a&s;&s;i&s;tance of Grace, or Evil without it. Next it &s;hews the di&s;parity between our Pro|toparents Free wil to obey or di&s;obey, and their Po&s;terities; which is prone only to Evil, unles illumined and made free by &s;pecial Grace, or &s;upernatural working of the Holy Gho&s;t: which Gods goodnes offers to al; yet they only enjoy it, who by Freewil accept the &s;ame. Nor can they, being &s;o holpen, accom|pli&s;h or perform things for their &s;aving health, but with much labor and endevor: For though Rea&s;ons light remains, yet 'tis much dimmed or darkned, and hardly di&s;cerns inferior things of this life; but utterly unable to under&s;tand &s;piritual belong|ing to a better. So though ther is left a freedom of Wil in works of this pre&s;ent life; yet to act high and Heavenly, 'tis of it &s;elf in&s;ufficient, and being wounded or maimed, needs help <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 18.</NOTE> to heal and repair it. Hereto <HI>David</HI> reflected, <HI>Open thou my eys, that I may &s;ee the wondrous things of thy Law:</HI> and <HI>Jeremy, Heal me, Lord, and I &s;hal be made whol.</HI> S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> avers the &s;ame, That Free-wil is in Man &s;ince the Fal, which no Catholic can deny: But in &s;piritual de&s;ires and works to plea&s; God, 'tis &s;o frail and feeble, that it cannot begin or perform them, unles it be prevented and excited by Grace the principal Agent, with|out which Man can doo nothing good or Godly, as the&s; places
<PB N="55" REF="63"> prov: <HI>Without me ye can doo nothing: No Man coms to me ex|cept</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 15 5. John 6. 44. 2 Cor. 3. 5.</NOTE> <HI>the Father draw him, and unles it were given of my Father: We be not &s;ufficient of our &s;elfs to think any good.</HI> So Free-wil mu&s;t be helped by Grace preventing, but being &s;o enabled may freely cooperat with it; and being by the &s;ame &s;u&s;teined, may per&s;i&s;t or increa&s; in Grace. Surely 'tis &s;oly by it, that we be fir&s;t in&s;pired, incited, or moved to good: But to re&s;i&s;t tentations and go forward in goodnes; is both of Gods Grace and our own Free-wil jointly. La&s;tly, when we hav per&s;evered to the end, 'tis Gods free gift and Mercy to Crown us with glory, who hath graciou&s;ly ordained to reward Men after this life, ac|cording to the good works doon by his Grace. Therfore al are to be moni&s;hed (chiefly Preachers) that in this deep dark point, they neither &s;o teach Gods Grace as to exclud Free-wil; nor extol Free-wil to impeach Grace. Thus they very orthodoxly. Here is no Free-wil to &s;piritual good without Grace, nor Grace &s;o prepotent or violent but may be re&s;i&s;ted or refu&s;ed: yet enough to glorify Gods goodnes, and convince Mans in|gratitud. Al which is &s;ound Theology, and &s;hews that they were learned in tho&s; dais.</P>
<P>16. Per&s;everance or A&s;&s;urance to the end, is Gods &s;pecial <NOTE PLACE="marg">16 Per&s;eve|rance.</NOTE> gift or Grace; becau&s; no Man of him&s;elf alone can continu again&s;t al a&s;&s;alts of the World, Fle&s;h, and Satan: yet no doubt the Elect doo finaly per&s;i&s;t in Faith and Sanctification by Grace; el&s; they are not of that number, whom God infallibly foreknew wil &s;o per&s;ever. Nor is the Que&s;tion whether every Beleever may lo&s;e his faith; for many fal from &s;om degrees, and not lo&s;e al Graces at once, retaining only &s;uch as be e&s;&s;entialy ne|ce&s;&s;ary to Salvation? but 'tis whether tru Faith working by Lov, can be lo&s;t? for ther is a &s;trong, vigorous, rooted Faith, which cannot fal or fail: and a feeble, green, tender (yet tru &s;alvific) which may. Such was <HI>Peters,</HI> which a &s;illy Damo&s;el &s;hattered: but after the Holy Gho&s;t given at Penteco&s;t, his Faith and Lov were &s;o corroborated, as he de&s;pi&s;ed the Whips and wounds of al Per&s;ecutors; yea death it &s;elf by prepo&s;terous crucifixion of his heels upward.</P>
<P>Hence two Que&s;tions ari&s;e: 1. Of Men not Elected, whe|ther <NOTE PLACE="marg">Two Que&s;ti|ons.</NOTE> &s;om &s;uch doo not attain tru Faith, Repentance, Ju&s;tifica|tion,
<PB REF="64"> Sanctification; yet lo&s;e them, and not finaly per&s;ever, but peri&s;h? 2. Of the Elect, Whether &s;om of tho&s;e doo not &s;omtimes fal into hainous &s;ins (Theft, Adultery, Murder) and if &s;o, whether they be then ju&s;tified or in &s;tate of Salvation? For per&s;everance is of two &s;orts or degrees: either continued by con&s;tant holding Faith and a good Con&s;cience to the end, which is rare: or interrupted with fals and ri&s;ings, or renewings by Repentance, which brings Salvation at la&s;t.</P>
<P>For the fir&s;t which are not Elect, 'tis &s;aid, <HI>He that endures to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24. 13.</NOTE> <HI>the end &s;hal be &s;aved.</HI> Here he that hath Salvation promi&s;ed, if he per&s;i&s;t finaly, is &s;uppo&s;ed to be in a right cour&s; wherin he &s;hould continu, and &s;o be &s;aved: but it implies that he may po&s;&s;ibly fal from Faith, or wax cold in Lov, and not be &s;aved. Herof S. <HI>Bernard</HI> &s;aith, falendued with Lov had per&s;evered, our Lord in vain exhorts his Di&s;ciples to continu therin: for if they did not yet Lov, he would not &s;ay continu, but be in Lov: or if they did Lov already, he needed not exhort to per&s;eve|rance, according to &s;om Opinions: El&s; wher he &s;aith, &s;uch hav no root, who for a while beleev, but in time of tentation fal away. Whence or whether doo they fal? even from faith to unbeleef. I ask, could they be &s;aved in that Faith, or not? If they could not, what prejudice had our Saviour, or Satan pro|fit by their faling away? S. <HI>Jerom</HI> &s;aith, If every one born of God cannot &s;in nor be tempted, why doth Chri&s;t warn us to fly tentation? Som &s;ay &s;uch Exhortations, Precepts, and Pro|mi&s;es are u&s;ed to uphold Per&s;everance: But if it be infallible, they are u&s;ed in vain; unles obedience to them be in Man, who failing on his part, tho&s; means often fail. <HI>David</HI> knew the two Commandments, as means to re&s;train his two &s;ins; but they failed through him. <HI>Peters</HI> forewarning of his denial was a means to humble his confidence, but he made no u&s;e of it. O|thers &s;ay, In regard of our weaknes we may fal, and means mu&s;t be u&s;ed for &s;upport: but by Gods Election, and Chri&s;ts Medi|ation, we &s;hal &s;tand &s;ure. Tru, But the Que&s;tion is of tho&s;e which 'tis uncertain whether th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y be Elect or no? Or if a few means be infallible, al other &s;upplies are &s;uperfluous, and we may &s;ecurely rely on them.</P>
<P><HI>Ezekiel</HI> &s;peaks more plainly to the purpo&s;e: <HI>If the wicked</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 18. 21, 26, 27.</NOTE>
<PB N="56" REF="64"> <HI>wil turn from al his &s;ins, and keep my Statuts; he &s;hal &s;urely liv, and not dy. When a righteous Man turns from his wais, and commits iniquity, he &s;hal dy:</HI> Again, <HI>When a wicked Man turns from his iniquity, and doth what is lawful and right, he &s;hal &s;av his Soul.</HI> What eva&s;ion can be here, if the compari&s;on be wel ob&s;erved? For if it be denied, that a righteous Man can fal and dy; it may al&s;o that a wicked can turn and liv, which is to giv the Holy Gho&s;t a ly. If the wicked ther meant or men|tioned be truly and legaly wicked, then are the Righteous truly and Evangelicaly Ju&s;t: For legaly ju&s;t none but one ever was. If then any wicked Man ever turned from &s;in and lived; a ju|&s;tified Man may turn from his righteou&s;nes and dy, el&s; <HI>Ezekiel</HI> &s;peaks untruth.</P>
<P>The <HI>Dort</HI> Divines an&s;wer not this place, being too hard a knot: but &s;ay to others, that the Apo&s;tles &s;peak of initial de|grees of Faith, from which Men a little entred may go back: But not of tru ju&s;tifying, from which they that hav attained cannot finaly fal. Let the Touch&s;tone try the truth: <HI>'Tis im|po&s;&s;ible</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> (&s;aith S. <HI>Paul) for tho&s; who once being illightned, ta&s;ted of the heavenly Gift, and partaked the Holy Gho&s;t, and ta&s;ted Gods good Word and powers of the World to com; if they &s;hal fal away to renew them unto repentance.</HI> He &s;peaks not of <HI>non.</HI> En|tities nor of Novices, but &s;uch as were illightned and ta&s;ted the heavenly gift, Gods good Word, and powers of the World to come, and partaked the Holy Gho&s;t: which metaphors of Sen&s; (ta&s;ting, &s;eing, &amp;c.) imply in Scripture no &s;light &s;uperficial &s;en&s; of &s;piritual things. So S. <HI>Peter: If after they hav e&s;caped the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2 20, 21, 22.</NOTE> <HI>Worlds pollutions, through knowledg of the Lord Je&s;us; they be again intangled and overcom; the la<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ter end with them is wor&s; then the beginning: For it had bin better not to hav known the way of righteou&s;nes; then having known, to turn from the holy Commandments delivered to them: But it hapned to them ac|cording to the tru Proverb, the Dog returned to his vomit, and the wa&s;hed Sow to hir walowing in the mire.</HI> To e&s;cape the Worlds pollutions through knowledg of our Lord Je&s;us, is no &s;mal fruit of the Spirit; but a ful, cleer, certain fruition: whence it is &s;o hard or impo&s;&s;ible for &s;uch as fal from &s;o great a mea&s;ure of Grace to be renewed by Repentance; but from
<PB REF="65">
<NOTE PLACE="marg">De Cor. &amp; Gr. c. 6.</NOTE> le&s;&s;er lap&s;es ordinary. S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith, 'Tis much to be marveled, why God givs not per&s;everance to &s;om of his Children whom he regenerated in Chri&s;t, and gav Faith, Hope, Lov; when he forgivs &s;o great wickedne&s;&s;es to others, and confers the grace of Sons on them: he wonders why God did not &s;natch &s;uch away as lived Godly from the evil to com, le&s;t their il inclinations &s;hould cau&s; a change. So he holds, if tho&s; Men had dyed while they lived ju&s;tly and piou&s;ly, they had been &s;aved: <HI>Ergo</HI> their Faith was more then initiated, and they more then out&s;ide Chri&s;tians. As God fir&s;t cals Man before he folows; &s;o Man fir&s;t fals from God before he for&s;akes, who is &s;til ready to re|ceiv al into Grace upon tru repentance. So &s;aith our &s;ixteenth Article: After we hav received the Holy Gho&s;t we may depart from Grace and fal into &s;in, and by Gods Grace ri&s;e again and amend our lifes. Therfore they are to be condemned which &s;ay they can no more &s;in &s;o long as they liv here, or deny to tru Pe|nitents place of forgivnes.</P>
<P>Touching the terms of faling totaly and finaly, it is certain only to Gods Pre&s;cience, but unknown to us: for the Faithful may fal, and God alone knows, whether they wil repent or ri&s;e again; but we mu&s;t &s;til work with fear and trembling. If they cannot fal, why doth Chri&s;t bid us pray, <HI>Lead us not into tenta|tion, but deliver us from evil?</HI> or why doth our Liturgy &s;ay, <HI>Suffer us not at la&s;t hour for any pains of death to fal from thee?</HI> For the Elect tho&s; of <HI>Dort</HI> grant, that a Regenerat faling into grievous &s;ins, is not actualy reconciled til he repent; but in &s;tate of damnation, and unapt to enter into Gods Kingdom: but they ad, 1. Though the Regenerats &s;o &s;inning be guilty; yet they &s;hal be in Gods purpo&s; ab&s;olved: Tru, So they were before they beleeved. 2. That God deals not with them in rigour: No more doth he with many Reprobats falen from Faith, whom he would bring to repentance by long &s;uffering. 3. That they hav not lo&s;t <HI>Jus ad Regnum,</HI> but <HI>u&s;um Juris:</HI> as a Lepet lo&s;eth the u&s;e of his hou&s;, not right: But &s;imilituds are no &s;ound Arguments. Hath an Elect committing murder <HI>jus ad Reg|num?</HI> then S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks fal&s;: <HI>I tel you, they that doo &s;uch</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 6. 9.</NOTE> <HI>things, &s;hal not inherit Gods Kingdom,</HI> but al that hav right <NOTE PLACE="marg">James 2 10.</NOTE> &s;hal inherit. 4. That their univer&s;al Ju&s;tification is not made
<PB N="57" REF="65"> void by &s;inning: &s;urely their ab&s;olution from former &s;ins is not fru&s;trated; but this new &s;in which makes them Sons of wrath and <HI>guilty of the whol Law,</HI> needs Ab&s;olution and Ju&s;tification from it: But univer&s;al Ju&s;tification is no remi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins pa&s;t, pre&s;ent, and to com: For what need then Repentance? 5. That their &s;tate of Adoption remains immovable: Tru, In Gods pur|po&s;, not in act; but that they may fal. 6. That &s;om &s;eeds re|main, by which Life may &s;pring again: It may for &s;ooner then in an habituated Sinner; Yet this alters not the Ca&s;e, if he be guilty of death, no more then a Noblemans crime, who hath ma|ny friends to beg his life. S. <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Whoever is born of God,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 3 9.</NOTE> <HI>commits not &s;in; for his &s;eed remains, and he cannot &s;in becau&s; born of God.</HI> Hence <HI>Calvini&s;ts</HI> infer, if Gods &s;eed remain in a Regenerat and he cannot &s;in (deadly) then can be no interci&s;i|on of his Ju&s;tification. Certes, his &s;cope is not to prov, that tho&s; born of God cannot fal from righteou&s;nes to &s;in, or that a Member of Chri&s;t cannot becom the member of an Harlot by Adultery; and he that hath bin the member of an Harlot, be|com the Member of Chri&s;t by Repentance: But he means, that to be born of God and commit deadly &s;in cannot con&s;i&s;t; nor can any be a Member of Chri&s;t and an Harlot at once being A&s;y&s;tats.</P>
<P>S. <HI>Jerom</HI> writing again&s;t <HI>Jovinian</HI> (who abu&s;ed this Text, as Men doo now) interprets thus: S. <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, <HI>He that is born of God commits not &s;in, becau&s; ye &s;hould not &s;in;</HI> not that ye can|not; but &s;o long as ye commit not &s;in, ye are Gods Children: yea &s;uch as per&s;i&s;t his Sons cannot &s;in. For ther is fir&s;t a faling from God, before we fal into &s;in, &s;ith tho&s; two cannot cohere. <HI>Tertullian</HI> tels how &s;om &s;ay, They hav God &s;ure enough in Heart and Mind, yet &s;hew no &s;ign in their actions, and &s;o com|mit &s;in, thinking their fear and Faith &s;afe: as if they committed Adultery, yet deemed their cha&s;tity not impaired; or poi&s;oned their Parents, thinking to doo God good &s;ervice. Thus while they continu in &s;in, notwith&s;tanding their fear; they &s;hal be ca&s;t into Hel, notwith&s;tanding their Faith. Bi&s;hop <HI>Ridley</HI> &s;aith S. <HI>John</HI> means, He cannot &s;in &s;o long as Gods &s;eed abides in him; but Faith, Hope and Charity cannot &s;tand with evil living, nor without good Works. <HI>David,</HI> while he &s;tood guilty of a
<PB REF="66"> duple crime, could not be in &s;tate of Regeneration; nor <HI>Peter,</HI> til he repented his denial: Yet &s;om &s;ay it was <HI>&s;alvo amore &amp; fide;</HI> becau&s; as we are born but once, &s;o we are new born no oftner. This metaphor holds not; for S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Litle Children, of whom I travel in birth again, til Chri&s;t be formed in you:</HI> mean|ing &s;o oft as we fal into hainous &s;ins, we mu&s;t &s;til be renewed by Repentance: but Men wil expound Scripture as they li&s;t.</P>
<P>As to the certainty of Per&s;everance, Election, Salvation; this concerns not God, who&s; knowledg is infallible, and pur|po&s; immutable; but us, while we liv here. For deciding or de|fining wherof, weigh the&s; three conclu&s;ions: 1. That a Belee|ver, being in pre&s;ent &s;tate and u&s;e of holy means, tending to &s;al|vation, and out of tentation in the peace of a good Con&s;cience through Faith in Chri&s;t; may, by the te&s;timony of the Holy Gho&s;t, hav a comfortable a&s;&s;urance of Salvation, which begets tru&s;ty fervent lov and thankfulnes to God: &s;pecialy when he is neer the end of his race or point of death. So S. <HI>Paul</HI> by in&s;pi|ration &s;aith, <HI>I am now ready to be offred up: I hav &s;ought a good</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim 4. 6, 7, 8.</NOTE> <HI>fight, fini&s;hed my cour&s;, and kept the Faith: Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteou&s;nes.</HI> This place Lutherans pre&s;&s; again&s;t Papi&s;ts, who wil hav al by doubting, and none certain of his pre&s;ent condition, no not at be&s;t: But he that hath right knowledg of God, tru Faith, &s;tedfa&s;t Hope, lifely Lov, and awful Filial fear, with an holy trade of Life; he may rejoyce in God, with comfortable confidenre and affiance of per&s;eve|rance to the end. 2. That for time to com (&s;pecialy when we hav probably a long race to run, and diver&s; dangers of wild wonton Youth to pa&s;&s;) we cannot hav infallible certitud of future or final per&s;evering; but mu&s;t confide in Gods Grace <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10. 13.</NOTE> and Goodnes, that he wil a&s;&s;i&s;t, if we apply al our indevors to <NOTE PLACE="marg">De Civ c. 11. 12</NOTE> continu in it. Hereof S. <HI>Austin</HI> &s;peaks, We cal them ble&s;&s;ed whom we &s;ee liv wel with hope of future immortality, and without &s;uch crimes as make &s;hipwrack of Con&s;cience: who, though they may rely on the reward of Pe &s;everance; yet are not &s;ure of per&s;evering. For who knows certainly he &s;hal con|tinu in doing righteou&s;nes to the end, except he be a&s;&s;ured by &s;om revelation from him, who is not plea&s;ed in his ju&s;t &s;ecret
<PB N="58" REF="66"> judgment to inform al touching this point, though he deceivs none? S. <HI>Ambro&s;</HI> thus: <HI>David</HI> &s;aith not, I offer the &s;acrifice <NOTE PLACE="marg">De bono mo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> c. 3.</NOTE> of Prai&s;, but <HI>wil offer;</HI> &s;hewing or &s;ignifying that to be a per|fect &s;acrifice, when every one freed from the fetters of this Body, &s;hal &s;tand before the Lord and offer him&s;elf a Sacrifice: For before death can be no perfect Prai&s;; nor can any be truly extold in this life, when his latter times are &s;o incertain. S. <HI>Ber|nard</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Serm. 1 in Se<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. tuag.</NOTE> al&s;o: Who can &s;ay I am one of the Elect prede&s;tinat to Life, or in the number of Sons; &s;ith we hav yet no certainty? but we may be comforted with hopeful affiance, and not tor|mented with de&s;pair or doubting: for &s;om &s;igns or marks are given, that &s;uch may be &s;ure they are Elect which hav them: for this cau&s; 'tis nece&s;&s;ary to be &s;til in awful fear and humbled under Gods hand; &s;ith we know in part what we are at pre|&s;ent, but not what we &s;hal be, which is impo&s;&s;ible to know: therfore <HI>Let him that &s;tands take heed le&s;t he fal;</HI> for pre&s;ump|tion is &s;o perilous as de&s;peration. 3. That certitud of &s;alvati|on cannot be infallible in this life, as S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> atte&s;ts: What <NOTE PLACE="marg">De Cor. &amp; Gr. 13.</NOTE> Beleever, &s;o long as he livs in this fle&s;hly Tabernacle, can pre|&s;um to be prede&s;tinat? 'tis needful to be conceled in this life, wher puffing up is to be &s;hunned; &s;ith &s;o great an Apo&s;tle was buffeted by Satan, le&s;t he &s;hould be puf'd up. Many &s;uch things are &s;poken for the u&s;efulnes of this &s;ecret, le&s;t any &s;hal pre&s;ume: for even he that runs wel may fear, &s;ith 'tis hid whither he &s;hal go.</P>
<P>Much more he vents to the &s;ame effect: For Gods Promi&s;es in Chri&s;t are certain, but made with conditions; &s;o that we may mi&s;&s; of the end, if we fail in the means to fulfil our Cove|nants; &s;ith no Man &s;hal be crowned til he fight it out and the battel ended; triumph not before the victory. Gods Decrees are known &s;oly to him&s;elf, but &s;ecret to us, who mu&s;t rely on the Promi&s;&s;es by performing the Covenants. If we may be fully a&s;&s;ured of tru Faith, that it cannot fail, but we &s;hal infallibly per&s;ever to the end, through al frailties and tentations; then Gods Coun&s;il is not &s;ecret to &s;om, nor his Decree unknown: which is high pre&s;umption to arrogat or affirm; &s;ith we mu&s;t &s;til <HI>work it out with fear and trembling.</HI> This is a Cavaliers Creed or confidence in the point of final per&s;everance, and &s;al|vations
<PB REF="67"> infallible certainty; who holds the middle betwixt two extrems of de&s;pair and pre&s;umption: but had rather be a meek humble Publican, then a proud pre&s;uming Phari&s;ee; <HI>Lord, be merciful to me a &s;inner,</HI> and grant me Grace to con|tinu in thy fear til the end.</P>
<P>17. The la&s;t Judgment is the execution of al Divine Decrees <NOTE PLACE="marg">17 La&s;t Judg|ment.</NOTE> concerning Men: For Prede&s;tination of the ends, is a fore|knowledg and approbation of the la&s;t Judgment to Life or Death; which execution &s;hews the Decree, as a building being erected and fini&s;hed declares the Architects plot or devi&s;e; for this Judgment exhibits the con&s;ecution of tho&s; ends: So if we grant (as we mu&s;t) that God proponed an end, <HI>viz.</HI> the glory of his Mercy or Bounty, in giving &s;om life eternal; and glory of his Power and Ju&s;tice, in inflicting eternal death on others; he hath attained his end in the la&s;t Judgment: So if we admit <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> (as we mu&s;t) that God pre&s;cribed means for Men to a&s;pire or attain to eternal life; or for lack therof to incur everla&s;ting death; tho&s; ends are executed al&s;o in the &s;ame Judgment: <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 6. 23:</NOTE> Howbeit if we grant (as we doo) that Life is given both as a <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 4. 8. Rom 9 21. 22.</NOTE> Bounteous Gift and reward of Righteou&s;nes; as al&s;o that eter|nal Death is impo&s;ed both as the wages or puni&s;hment of &s;in, and a demon&s;tration of Gods &s;overaign dominion, yet with Ju&s;tice and Equity. No ordinary under&s;tanding can conceiv, how a Decree of the&s; things could be made from eternity, with|out Pre&s;cience; &s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h Life is a reward and Death a puni&s;hment, which no Ju&s;tice can prepare without foreknowledg of good or evil de&s;erved. This is cald &s;imple or natural Intelligence, as Life is a Gift of Gods free goodnes, and Death a Declaration of his dominion, being both an attainment of his own glory. Hence 'tis cleer, that Pre&s;cience (which is Gods fir&s;t, highe&s;t, &s;imple Under&s;tanding) is to be put in the definition of Prede|&s;tination, which too many &s;eparat or di&s;-join.</P>
<P>Let <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> decide this point: If we con&s;ider al Men toge|ther, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ep<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 28.</NOTE> wherof &s;om may be &s;aved in Mercy, others damned in Truth; al the Lords wais are di&s;tingu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;hed by the end: but if we look only on the Saints, the&s; wais are not di&s;cerned: for Truth is not di&s;tingui&s;hed from Mercy, nor contrarily; &s;ith the Saints beatitud is both from reward of Grace, and retri|bution
<PB N="59" REF="67"> of Ju&s;tice. So he makes eternal Death a retribution of Ju&s;tice, which cannot eternaly be decreed without Pre&s;cience of &s;in: which <HI>Calvini&s;ts</HI> ground on Gods pure plea&s;ure, as Lord over his Creatures, without re&s;pect to foreknowledg: But for Election to Life, being his free Gift, they more confi|dently a&s;cribe to his mee<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Wil without Pre&s;cience; which they hav more color for, if the Saints glory were only a Gift of Grace, and not al&s;o a retribution of Ju&s;tice. But God makes it a retribution of Ju&s;tice upon fore&s;ight of their laboring to attain the end; and a gift of free Grace too, knowing what wil bring them to happines, if he grant them tho&s; benefits: wherby he &s;hal al&s;o attain his end, even the glory of his free Lov in giving eternal life to whom he wil; which is the tru harmony: This Judgment being <HI>ex praeteritis,</HI> Prede&s;tination mu&s;t be <HI>ex praevi&s;is:</HI> for <HI>the judg ordained by God is the Lord</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 5. 22.</NOTE> <HI>Je&s;us; that al may honor the Son, as they doo the Father;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 3. 19.</NOTE> becau&s; as the Father created, &s;o the Son redeemed Mankind, even the univer&s;ality: The grand crime for which the World &s;hal be judged is, <HI>that Men loved darknes more then light,</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 12. 48.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;ts Word &s;hal judg him at la&s;t day, whoever rejected or con|temned</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Marc. 16. 16.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI> Since the Go&s;pel is preached, the rule of judg|ing is, <HI>He that beleeveth and is bapti&s;ed &s;hal be &s;aved; he that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 1. 7, 8.</NOTE> <HI>beleeveth not, damned.</HI> Which S. <HI>Paul</HI> more fully explicats, <HI>When the Lord Je&s;us &s;hal be reveled from Heaven to recompence</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 10.</NOTE> <HI>tho&s; that hav &s;uffred for his truth, and in flaming fire take ven|geance on them that know not God nor obey his Go&s;pel.</HI> The &s;e|verity of this Judgment (to render vengeance) the &s;pecification <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 16.</NOTE> of per&s;ons (<HI>we mu&s;t, al appear before his &s;eat</HI>) the a&s;&s;ignation of cau&s;es to be judged (<HI>the very &s;ecrets of Mens hearts</HI>) with the maner of judgment, when <HI>&s;uch as hav &s;inned without the Law, &s;hal peri&s;h without the L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">w</HI> having a Law written in their hearts; <HI>but tho&s; that hav &s;inned in the Law, &s;hal be judged by the Law;</HI> &s;emblably, &s;uch as hav not obeied the Go&s;pel, &s;hal be judged by it.</P>
<P>Al this argues, that original &s;in (which is one ju&s;t cau&s; of death) &s;hal be alleged again&s;t al who hav no other cau&s; of con|demnation but this, as Infants which dy having not this &s;in purged by the Laver of Regeneration, either in act or vow of
<PB REF="68"> the Church, but to lay it unto them that liv to ripe yeers of knowing God &amp; obeying the Go&s;pel, or haply had forgivnes of &s;ins &s;ealed by Bapti&s;m; this &s;eemd &s;trange to Doctor <HI>Whitaker,</HI> that any &s;hal be Reprobated for &s;in remitted: &s;o 'tis &s;trange that any &s;hould be condemned for &s;uch &s;ins as he was not Re|probated for, &s;ith the &s;entence of Reprobation is the harde&s;t and heavie&s;t that can be, which draws with it the &s;entence of Condemnation: Surely &s;uch &s;ins as the wicked &s;hal be judged of at la&s;t, are the &s;ame they were Reprobated for at fir&s;t, being <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jude v. 4.</NOTE> eternaly fore&s;een; &s;pecialy their final impenitence and inobe|dience: el&s; what needs this exact differencing of Cau&s;es? or how are the guilty more burdned to hear their &s;everal crimes, if al be rejected in the common Ca&s;e of Mankind lap&s;ed, and unable to ri&s;e, having no Saviour to dy for them nor Spirit to cal them, nor help to heal them; but are excluded or debarred by Gods ab&s;olut irre&s;pectiv Decree? God wil overcom in Judgment; yet not by pleading his Soveraign power or Prero|gativ, and &s;ilencing Men with his dominion (el&s; was <HI>Abram</HI> too bold to expo&s;tulat, <HI>Shal not the Worlds Judg doo right?</HI>) but by Ju&s;tice and Equity, rewarding every one according to his works, el&s; he would not put him&s;elf on trial, <HI>Judg I pray between me &amp; my Vineyard; what more could I doo, then I hav doon?</HI> God wil <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 5. 3.</NOTE> convince the ungodly, putting them to &s;ilence and &s;hame by their own &s;tubborn ingratitud again&s;t his abundant Goodnes, Patience, and long &s;uffering; not by his own plenipotence or Prerogativ. <HI>Sadolet</HI> to an Objection (We being born of cor|rupt original, are by Nature made to perdition, that tho&s; whom God pa&s;&s;eth by and caleth not, might hav no ju&s;t cau&s; of com|plaint) an&s;wers thus: I conceiv that Chri&s;t Je&s;us &s;itting in Judgment for his Father, on them whom he hath con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">emned, wil not &s;o pa&s;&s; or pronunce Sentence, &s;ith ye proceded from <HI>Adams</HI> corrupt loins, and contracted your Parents guilt, doo I condemn you to endle&s;&s; torments; but wil &s;ay <HI>Go ye cur&s;ed in|to everla&s;ting fire; for ye &s;aw me hungry, and fed me not, &amp;c.</HI> which are not the common &s;ins of al Mankind, but particular faults of ech &s;everal per&s;on, which &s;hal be alledged, and wher|by they &s;hal be judged; le&s;t in that &s;harp torture and grief they pre&s;ume to ask Mercy of God, who denied it
<PB N="60" REF="68"> to their poor Brethren begging it.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Plaifer</HI> handles al the&s; deep points at large, wel worth a &s;erious &s;urvey; which are here &s;uccinctly &s;ummed up, and con|duce much to the main &s;ubject. If any mi&s;like his Tenets (as many of different Judgments wil) let them &s;eek &s;atisfaction of him, who can be&s;t re&s;olv al &s;cruples: But if I hav mi&s;pri&s;ed any material circum&s;tances through in&s;ciou&s;nes, not wilfulnes; let me bear the blame, who undertake to be his faithful eccho. Now for fuller application and farther addition, take what folows in a more confu&s;ed maner. To found Prede&s;tination on Pre&s;cience of &s;imple Intelligence, be&s;t con&s;orts with al con|ditions, con&s;equents, and circum&s;tances therof: wherby al di|vine Attributs are be&s;t accorded and advanced: the &s;ole &s;cru|ple re&s;ts, which Opinion be&s;t agrees with the Holy Gho&s;ts tru meaning? For al Sects arrogat to &s;en&s; the Scriptures be&s;t (if they may be Judges or Interpreters) to preach the Go&s;pel pu|re&s;t (if faith be given to their bare words) and to admini&s;ter the Sacraments &s;incere&s;t (if their new cuts daily varied may pa&s;&s; for current coin) as three main marks of their Church, ca|led the little Flock, when al others cen&s;ure or condemn them for fal&s; Teachers as every one doth ech other, and al tort or di&s;tort Gods Word to &s;erv turns. Howbeit, for trial of truth, the chief Texts &s;hal be brought to te&s;t or touch&s;tone: for Pre|&s;cience the&s;e places are pregnant: S. <HI>James</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Known unto</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 15. 18.</NOTE> <HI>God are al his works from everla&s;ting,</HI> S. <HI>Peter, To the Elect,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet 1. 2. Rom. 8. 29, 30.</NOTE> <HI>according to the foreknowledg of God the Father.</HI> S. <HI>Paul, Whom he foreknew he pred<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;tinated; whom he prede&s;tinated, he caled, whom he caled, he ju&s;tified; whom he ju&s;tified, he glorified.</HI> Again, <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed be God, who hath ble&s;&s;ed us in al heavenly things</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 3, 4.</NOTE> <HI>through Chri&s;t as he hath cho&s;en us in him before the Worlds foundation: Ergo</HI> we are eternally Elect by Faith in Chri&s;t fore&s;een, which preceds Prede&s;tination.</P>
<P>To conceiv rightly the maner and order of this high my&s;te|ry, according to Gods Mind reveled in his Word; we mu&s;t con&s;ider &s;omthing of his Nature who prede&s;tinats, and therin revere his infinit <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">intellect, ju&s;t Wil, matchle&s;&s; Mercy, and &s;o|veraign Dominion; with &s;omthing of Man which is prede&s;ti|nated, whom it plea&s;ed the Almighty to make more excellent
<PB REF="69"> then any of his vi&s;ible Creatures; to con&s;i&s;t of Spirit and Fle&s;h, being inferior to Angels, and &s;uperior to Bea&s;ts: for he is a Rational free Creature; yet not &s;o ab&s;olutly &s;ufficient of him|&s;elf, and wholy independent to be under none (which is pro|per &s;oly to God) but free in his own Nature to wil or nil, chu&s;e or refu&s;e, and rule his own acts: wherby he was capable of ho|lines or &s;in, obeying or di&s;obeying, to doo good or evil; and therby a &s;ubject of Prai&s; or Puni&s;hment, Bounty or Ju&s;tice: which no Creature can properly be, that is not perfectly free in Wil, and loo&s; at liberty from al nece&s;&s;ary re&s;traint.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Som oppo&s;its object, that <HI>Adam</HI> haply had &s;uch per|fect Free-wil; but by his Fal that ab&s;olut liberty to al things is le&s;&s;ened, and to Spirituals lo&s;t: <HI>Ergo, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 'Tis granted, but with Provi&s;o, That God fore&s;eing this fal and lo&s;&s;, with intent not to prevent it, prepared &s;uffici|ent Graces of his powerful Spirit, to repair or re&s;tore what was decaied, by giving a new Command or Covenant, fit for Mans infirm wounded Wil; and tho&s; Graces of his holy Spi|rit; which he would be &s;til ready to &s;upply by preventing, a&s;&s;i|&s;ting, protecting, and pre&s;erving, if he be not wanting to his duty: For Gods Wi&s;dom is not &s;o weak to make &s;uch a noble Creature only for &s;hew to Angels, or to &s;et him in the World for a day or two, and bani&s;h him for ever into Hel fire, under the &s;lavery and tyranny of Rebellious Fiends, of his own free De|cree, without fore&s;ight of any de&s;erts good or evil; which is the Manichees error, horrid to conceiv of &s;o gracious a God, who created him purpo&s;ly to be the &s;ubject of his righteous Judgment. 'Tis a tru &s;aying, If ther be not the Grace of God, how &s;hal he &s;av the World? If no Free-wil in Man, how &s;hal he judg it? We mu&s;t &s;o defend the one, as not de&s;troy the other, which wil wel con&s;i&s;t together.</P>
<P>Hence it folows, That a ju&s;t Decree before al time what &s;hal be doon to every one at end of time; cannot po&s;&s;ibly be con|ceived to be made but by Gods &s;imple Pre&s;cience of every Mans works, rendring to ech accordingly. Now becau&s; that De|cree pa&s;&s;eth from a Soveraign Lord of ab&s;olut Wil, who wil be Debtor to none, but al to him; it folows al&s;o that this fore|knowledg on which the Decree is founded, mu&s;t needs be (ac|cording
<PB N="61" REF="69"> to our utmo&s;t capacity) Gods natural &s;imple intel|ligence of al things while they were but as po&s;&s;ible, before any Decree made for their being. To which knowledg when his om|nipotent Wil was joined, an <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ble inevitable Decree pa&s;&s;ed (like Laws of Medes and Per&s;ians) that things &s;hould be as now they are, nece&s;&s;ary or continge it; means or ends, cau&s;es or effects, &s;uch as Pre&s;cience previou&s;ly apprehended: &s;o every Mans &s;alvation is &s;oly from God, and others perdition wholy from them&s;elfs, which divine Pre&s;cience neither furthers nor hinders. The di&s;put is not of prede&s;tinating al things that are and rejecting the re&s;t; but only of Angels and Men: in what maner or order &s;om were ordained to life, and al el&s; repro|bated? this proceds from Gods &s;imple knowledg which pre|ceds Prede&s;tination; not from that of Vi&s;ion or &s;ight (which is of things that either hav had or &s;hal hav being) which folows and is founded on it. By this God under&s;tood if he would endu &s;om Creatures with Rea&s;on and a free Nature; 1. He &s;hould be&s;t &s;hew forth in them his Wi&s;dom, goodnes, mercy, ju&s;tice, fidelity, and al his &s;ublime properties: 2. That &s;uch Creatures wil vary in their choices; &s;om cleaving to good, &s;om to evil (as Men are moraly virtuous or vitious) which he fore&s;aw not only in general, but every particular per&s;on if created and put to trial: yet it re&s;ted in his free plea&s;ure, to creat and try, or hinder their choices. 3. That of &s;uch whom he knew would prevaricat if permitted free, he might ju&s;tly puni&s;h them for di&s;obeying; or could fit means to re&s;tore and reconcile them, yet decreed neither. 4. He conceived it ju&s;ter or equitabler to puni&s;h rebellious Angels being created in|dividual and mo&s;t intellectual; but to &s;pare Men in mercy be|ing to multiply their kind and made more frail; &s;pecialy if &s;e|duced by &s;ubtle Spirits. 5. He foreknew if he &s;hould ordain &s;ufficient means to rai&s; al Men lap&s;ed; that &s;om would grat|fully receiv his bounty to their &s;alvation, and others wilfully or ingratly reject it for the plea&s;ure of &s;in to their perdition: holding &s;til the determination what to doo or permit in his ful power. 6. He knew if he &s;hould condemn the contumacious, and favor &s;uch as returned to him; he &s;hould deal ju&s;tly with the one, mercifully with the other, and judg al righteou&s;ly.
<PB REF="70"> Al the&s; things with every circum&s;tance (as they are in being from beginning of the World to the end) God under&s;tood as under condition or &s;uppo&s;ition, it he &s;hould plea&s; to put them in execution: which after du deep deliberation in his eternal coun&s;il (to &s;peak &s;til after our &s;halow apprehen&s;ion) his di|vine Wil and Wi&s;dom was to pronounce this mighty Word or Decree, <HI>Fiant,</HI> let them be. He could in a moment hav framed millions of Worlds, but proceded gradualy to perfect this one in &s;ix dais, that his Maje&s;ty might be the more mag|nified: who&s; Wi&s;dom, Ju&s;tice, Mercy, Grace, Goodnes, Pow|er, and Dominion be glorified through al generations.</P>
<P>The&s; are the Lutheran or Arminian Principles, who make &s;im|ple Pre&s;cience the ba&s;is of Prede&s;tination: which if indifferent|ly weighed with a &s;ingle impartial ey, wil not &s;eem half &s;o hai|nous, as 'tis prejudicatly proclamed in Pulpits and Pamphlets. Let <HI>Tertullian</HI> put the perclo&s;. 'Tis no good nor &s;olid faith <NOTE PLACE="marg">L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">de Exhert. Ca&s;tit.</NOTE> which refers al to Gods Wil and ab&s;olut decree, flattering the world with &s;aying al is doon &s;oly by it: but we mu&s;t under&s;tand ther is &s;om power in us, which God expects to accompli&s;h our &s;alvation. For to &s;ay God hath determind of us with|out any reflexion on our works; is to make a Pillow for &s;om Mens &s;loth, and prepare a precipice for others de&s;pair. He &s;leeps too &s;ecurely that thinks to carry his happines in a Wal|let: we mu&s;t ever work, or &s;hal never receiv wages: for doubtle&s; God wil recompen&s; according to every Mans works. Calvini&s;ts (both Ante and Po&s;tlap&s;arians) a&s;cribe Prede&s;ti|nation to Gods pure plea&s;ure by ab&s;olute antecedent Decree; without re&s;pect of fore&s;een demerits in his &s;imple intelligence: who&s; principal proofs &s;hal be produced in heaps to &s;hun pro|lixity.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Touching divine Decree in temporal things <HI>Job</HI> &s;aith, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 14 5.</NOTE> <HI>Mans dais are numbred or determined, and bounds appointed</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 139. 16.</NOTE> <HI>which he cannot pa&s;&s;.</HI> So David, <HI>in thy Book are al my members Writen:</HI> So Chri&s;t, <HI>not a Sparow &s;hal fal on the ground with|out</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 10 29, 30.</NOTE> <HI>your Father: and the hairs of your head are al numbred: Ergo</HI> al depends on divine Decree.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The&s; Texts tend al to the Regi&s;try of Gods &s;imple Pre|&s;cience and Providence: which tho they be no cau&s;es of any
<PB N="62" REF="70"> effects, yet are certain in the events, and cannot be frultrat: but make nothing for ab&s;olut Decree of a prefixd period to our dais Dr. <HI>Charlton</HI> debats this point acutly and accuratly, part wherof &s;hal be decurted. God the giver of life, &s;ole moderator, but not Author of death: for al natural motion proceds from one fir&s;t mover God; whence S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>In him we live, mov,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 17. 28.</NOTE> <HI>and hav our being.</HI> The term Life is taken either for the period of every Mans dais, cau&s;ed by a &s;en&s;ible decay or di&s;&s;olution of al ligaments which chain the Soul to the Body; or by an extinction of his vital flame upon con&s;umption of the Radical fuel, when no preternatural cau&s;es interven to anticipat the di&s;&s;ipation of that elementar temper, on which Lifes &s;ub&s;i&s;tence nece&s;&s;arily depends: or el&s; for the end of every Mans Life in general, by what means or when&s;oever; be it by di&s;ea&s;es or vio|lent accidents, without re&s;pect to the gradual decay and con|&s;equent ce&s;&s;ation of natural temperament in old age. From the fir&s;t acception ari&s;e 2. Que&s;tions. 1. Whether this term of Life circum&s;cribed by a natural deflux of the Body (which is a kind of mature facil faling away of Natures ligaments, like ripe Apples, be definitly fixd by divine Ordinance to leav every in dividual in his own moderation, without pre&s;cribing or procu|ring, that this decay of temperature &s;hould hav more or le&s;&s; du|ration, then what may naturaly occur from the more or le&s;&s; du|rability therof? 2. If Life be thus fixd by Gods decree not to prolong it beyond the point of its natural durability; whether he can without altering his own e&s;tabli&s;hed cour&s; of Nature, being moved by Mens praiers or pitty (as he added 15 yeers to <HI>Ezekiahs</HI> dais) correct tho&s; depravities procured by exce&s;&s;, &s;ick|nes, or other extraneous means, and &s;o hinder the di&s;&s;olution therof? That is, whether if God hath predetermined that none &s;hal exced the term, to which the durability of his indi|vidual temper or &s;trength of con&s;titution may probably ex|tend; his &s;pecial Providence doth not permit, that the tem|perament may be vitiated, impaired, or ruined by putrefactiv de&s;tructiv preternatural cau&s;es obvenient, and &s;o not hold out to that point of time, which otherwi&s;e by its primigeneous na|tiv condition it might hav reached unto: For the &s;ecund ac|ception of Life in general by what means of di&s;&s;olution &s;oever
<PB REF="71"> (&s;icknes, &s;urfeit, &s;hipwrack, &s;uffocation, famin, war, wounds, or other-wais) this que&s;tion occurs, whether the imma|ture p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">natural period therof be &s;o preci&s;ely prefixd; that no Human prudence or providence can prevent or prolong it, nor fortuitous accidents accelerat or prevert it? In brief, whether the Cata&s;trophe of ech Mans life be prefined in the Book of Fate or Divine Decree? Life is &s;aid to be fixd in a duple &s;en&s;: 1. In re&s;pect of &s;om ab&s;olut Decree antegredient to Gods Pre&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ience of al &s;ecund in&s;trumental cau&s;es; &s;o that Man can|not po&s;&s;ibly prorogue it beyond, or fal &s;hort of that fatal term. 2. In re&s;pect of &s;om conditionat Hypothetic Decree; who&s; alteration or accompli&s;hment is &s;uper&s;eded by the electiv li|berty of mans Wil, either as guided by &s;upernatural light of divine Grace to pur&s;u the real tru good; or &s;educed by delu&s;ion of its own &s;en&s;ual judgment, to wander in the de|vious tracts of error, and &s;o chu&s; &s;eeming fal&s; Good. Now it skils not, whether this conditionat Decree be grounded on cer|tain prenotion of al concomitant circum&s;tances and corollary relations, concerning Mans election of adhering to good and evil Objects; and his con&s;equent virtuous or vicious cour&s; of life? Or whether it be made without any &s;uch infallible preno|tion or volition, yet with a po&s;itiv deliberat &s;entence certainly to be executed in du time, when the right u&s;e or abu&s;e of Freewil &s;hal be fulfilled.</P>
<P>Hence ari&s;e 3. Opinions: 1. Som hold the term of e|very <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Opinion.</NOTE> very Mans life, with al cau&s;es and clau&s;es conducing to be flatly fatal or immovable, by Gods irre&s;i&s;tible Wil and Decree; according to the vulgar &s;aying, his time is com; this is a Stoical devi&s;e u&s;ed as a &s;pur to excite magnanimous &s;pirits again&s;t dangers of death, that every Mans de&s;tiny is writ with invi&s;ible indeleble characters in his forhead: which al Ma|hometans maintain doctrinaly, and many Chri&s;tians igno|rantly.</P>
<P>But 'tis in it &s;elf impious if not bla&s;phemous; to confine <NOTE PLACE="marg">Confut.</NOTE> Gods chief attribut of infinit Omnipotence, within the definit li&s;ts, laws, or limits of &s;ecund cau&s;es: and it derogats from the liberty of Mans wil, leaving nothing in his power to elect or e&s;chew, nor to act or &s;hun. For if Fatal nece&s;&s;ity be defended,
<PB N="63" REF="71"> al our actions &s;hal be but &s;o many accompli&s;hments of inelucta|ble De&s;tiny; and re&s;ults of Coun&s;il the decrees of Fate; &s;o al human pru<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ence is palpable folly, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;tudy of Wi&s;dom painful vanity, and al Laws meer tyranny: &s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y injoyn only what mu&s;t h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">v<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">in doon otherwi&s;e, or re&s;train what would el&s; be checked by coercing fatality. Thus &s;hal al pra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ers be fruit|le&s;&s;, vows hopel<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;, exhortations to good needle&s;&s;, d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hortati|ons from evil frivolous, and acts of piety or devotion &s;uper|fluous: with a <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">yriod of other incongru<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ties appendent, if ab|&s;olut fatality be admitted; which is incon&s;i&s;tent to the rules o. Rea&s;on and R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ligion.</P>
<P>2. Others a&s;&s;ert a fixed fatality of every Mans life <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Opin.</NOTE> <HI>a po&s;teriori,</HI> not to be extended beyond the natural con|dition of each particular con&s;titution; but not <HI>a priori,</HI> &s;ith it may be contracted or abbreviated, as 'tis common|ly (but &s;imply) &s;aid, one may &s;horten tho not exced his time appointed by divine D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cree.</P>
<P>Certes God made no &s;uch ab&s;olut decrees for the length <NOTE PLACE="marg">Confut.</NOTE> of any Mans life; but leavs every Man free to be his own Carver in al temporal mundan affairs.</P>
<P>3. Diver&s; defend, that Mans life may be lengthned or <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Opin.</NOTE> &s;hortned more or le&s;&s; of what it u&s;ually is in mo&s;t Men, by the right u&s;e or abu&s;e of means: according to Gods pre|notion or Hypothetic determination, leaving the means to every mans Freewil.</P>
<P>This is perpendicularly proved by many plain places and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Confirmat.</NOTE> pregnant in&s;tances extant in holy Writ; but none that hav any color for a fixed fatal period. <HI>Salomon</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 10. 27.</NOTE> <HI>fear of the Lord prolongeth dais, but the wickeds yeers &s;hal be &s;hortned.</HI> For God promi&s;eth long life to them that honor their Parents, and generaly to al &s;uch as &s;hal keep his Commandements. Yea he &s;aid to <HI>Salomon, If thou wilt</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Kings 3. 14.</NOTE> <HI>walk in my wais as thy Fa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">her</HI> David <HI>did, I wil lengthen thy d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">is.</HI> And <HI>David</HI> definitly &s;aith, <HI>Bloody and deceitful Men &s;hal</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;. 55. 23. P&s;. 102. 24. P&s; 6. 4, 5. P&s; 30 P&s;.</HI> 8<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>not liv out half their dais.</HI> Again, <HI>Take me not away in the mid&s;t of my dais.</HI> The like he praied in &s;icknes, <HI>That God would not cut off the th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed of his I&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">: and givs thanks for pre&s;erving him from death. Ezekiah</HI> hearing imminent death denounced, prai|ed
<PB REF="72"> with tears, and had his life prolonged 15. yeers. <HI>Jonah</HI> from God threatned de&s;truction to <HI>Ninive</HI> within 40 dais: yet up|on repentance they were pre&s;erved. Contrarily &s;undry ex|emples are current of &s;uch as hav bin cut off for their &s;ins: &s;o was the whol &s;tock of mankind (except 8. Per&s;ons) in the u|niver&s;al Deluge: &s;o al the I&s;raelits (except <HI>Jo&s;ua</HI> and <HI>Caleb</HI>) were buried in the De&s;art: &s;o <HI>Corah, Dathan,</HI> and <HI>Abiram</HI> with their families were &s;wallowed quick of the Earth, be&s;ide many mo. To <HI>Jobs</HI> place pr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cited he an&s;wers, that it means not the term of particular Mens lifes: but in general of man|kind, that his time comparatly is very &s;hort, being cycled with|in a &s;mal circle of moneths and dais. In which &s;en&s; it runs pa|rallel with that of <HI>Mo&s;es, The dais of our yeers are 70; and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 90. 10.</NOTE> <HI>if by rea&s;on of &s;trength Men com to 80, yet is their life but la|bor and &s;orow: for 'tis &s;oon cut off and we fly away.</HI> So <HI>David</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 39. 5.</NOTE> &s;aith, <HI>Lo, thou ha&s;t made my dais as an handbreadth, and my age is nothing before thee: verily every Man at his be&s;t &s;tate is al|together vanity.</HI> Nor doth <HI>Job</HI> &s;hew by what maner of or|dinance or decree God made that definition of dais and moneths, but mo&s;t probably refers to his infallible pre&s;cience of every Mans future demeanor, upon the Hypothe&s;is of his good or il u&s;e of Freewil.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> 'Tis objected, That it matters not whether Gods pre|&s;cience preced his preordination of any future event and &s;o founded upon previ&s;ion; or el&s; be &s;ub&s;equent to Preordina|tion, which is the ba&s;is of previ&s;ion: for it folows both wais, that the term of life is intran&s;ibly fixd, &s;ith divine Pre&s;cience can no more be defeated then decree.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Indeed Pre&s;cience whether it preced or &s;ucced Decree, is ever certain, preci&s;e, or infallible in event by nece&s;&s;ity of con&s;equence, not of con&s;equent: that is from the Hypothe&s;is or conditionality, tho not from the efficacy or cau&s;ality. For if God infallibly fo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eknows (as he doth) that the period of Mans life &s;hal be by &s;uch means or maner; then it wil a&s;&s;ured|ly be &s;o: yet his prenotion hath no influence on our actions, as the Schools &s;ay. For divine Pre&s;cience Pre&s;cien<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e is duple: 1. Ante|cedent to Preordination, who&s; Object is a future thing with|out any previous Decree: hereby God eternaly fore&s;aw al things
<PB N="64" REF="72"> to com, both nece&s;&s;ary by the impul&s; of natural cau&s;es, and future conti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nts depending on Freewil, &s;ans relation to any after Decrees. Hereof <HI>Rabbi I&s;aac Bar Se&s;ac</HI> &s;aith, God from eternity di&s;po&s;ed al mundan affairs, and fore&s;aw al effects which &s;hould en&s;u in time, even the action of Free|wil, whether to be doon or not. Hownbeit Man doth not any thing in time becau&s; God foreknew it: but contrarily becau&s; Man wil doo this or that in time, therfore God eternaly fore|knew it would &s;o com to pa&s;&s;. 2. Sub&s;equent to Gods De|crees, which hath for its Object a thing to com and pre&s;up|po&s;eth it &s;o fully as the former, together with the maner or Order of its futurition as fixd and &s;table, being &s;o con&s;tituted by an antecedent preordination. This la&s;t is al&s;o duple: 1. Conditionat, That if a Man being born of a &s;ound durable con|&s;titution, &s;hal ob&s;erv good cour&s;es tending to health, and u&s;e fit remedies again&s;t maladies; God fore&s;ees he &s;hal liv long: but if he take contrary cour&s;es, God foreknows he &s;hal be &s;ub|ject to di&s;ea&s;es and dy untimely. 2. Ab&s;olut, wherby God certainly knows that &s;uch a Man wil chu&s; a prudent cour&s; of life, and fit means to prevent or cure di&s;ea&s;es, wherby he &s;hal liv long in health: or that another wil liv intemperatly, or neglect means and &s;horten his dais. Both which &s;uppo&s;e a certainty of divine Pre&s;cience touching the preci&s;e period of every mans life, as al&s;o the order or maner of its futurition and al concurring cau&s;es. Among which the mo&s;t energeti|cal is the right u&s;e or abu&s;e of h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s own Freewil, in who&s; power it was to prolong or abbreviat that term forward or backward: &s;o far is Gods prenotion or previ&s;ion from excluding a tem|perat diet and phi&s;ical remedies; that it nece&s;&s;arily includs it, el&s; God foreknows he wil be acce&s;&s;ary to &s;horten his own dais like a <HI>F<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lo de &s;e.</HI> For if Man hath no Freewil, to u&s;e or refu&s;e &s;itting means, Gods Pre&s;cience is uncertain, &s;ith it determins nothing, but pre&s;uppo&s;eth al: nor doth he by any Decree &s;ub&s;equent to Pre&s;cience preordain, that this or that Man &s;hal recover of &s;uch or &s;uch a &s;icknes, unles he &s;hal u&s;e the means ordained by divine providence: but if he wilfully or negligently rejects it, he ha&s;tens his own Cata&s;trophe.</P>
<P>The re&s;ult of al is, that God fore&s;ees al things and the ma|ner
<PB REF="73"> of means how they wil com to pa&s;&s;; yet doth neither cau&s; nor compel any nece&s;&s;ity of the event. Next for the ab&s;o|lut Decree of Prede&s;tination, their main arguments &s;hal be mu&s;tered up together.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The children being not yet born, nor hav|ing</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 11, 12, &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>doon good or evil; that Gods purpo&s; according to election might &s;tand, not of works, but of him that caleth, it is writen:</HI> Jacob <HI>have I loved, but hate<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> E&s;au. <HI>For he &s;aith to</HI> Mo&s;es, <HI>I wil have mercy on whom I wil: So 't<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s not of him that wil|leth or runneth, but of God that &s;hewe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h mercy. For he hath mer|cy on whom he wil, and hardens whom he wil; as he did</HI> Pharaoh <HI>to &s;hew his power in him. Thou wilt <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ay <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n, why doth he yet find fault? for who can re&s;i&s;t his Wil? nay but O Man, who art thou that replie&s;t again&s;t God? Shal the thing formed &s;ay to the Former, why made&s;t thou me &s;o? Hath not the Potter power over his Clay, of the &s;ame lump to make one Ve&s;&s;el of honor, and another to di&s;honor? What if God to &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">w his wratk and make his power known, endured with long &s;uffering the Ve&s;|&s;els of wrath prepared for de&s;truction; and to manife&s;t the riches of his glory on the Ve&s;&s;els of mercy, which he had prepared to glory?</HI> I&s;aiah <HI>crieth, though</HI> I&s;rael <HI>be as the Sea &s;and a rem|nent only &s;hal be &s;aved: Ergo</HI> al depends on Gods ab&s;olut ante|cedent Decree of pure plea&s;ure.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Lutherans refer al to &s;imple Pre&s;cience, whereto they &s;tick like limpets: nor is any warrant in holy Writ for ab&s;olut irre&s;pectiv Decree, or to exclud Pre&s;cience from Gods proceedings: but this place of S. <HI>Paul</HI> is one of which S. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;peaks, that <HI>Many mi&s;under&s;tand to their condemnation.</HI> God loved <HI>Jacob</HI> and hated <HI>E&s;au,</HI> before they did good or evil: but not before he knew what both would doo: for Men are <HI>prius d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mnati, quam nati; &s;ed non quam noti.</HI> God knew <HI>A|dam</HI> the root and al particular branches of Mankind: what their affections, actions, and ends wil be, &s;o wel for matters of this life as that to com, if he &s;hould Decree to creat them and pa&s;&s;ed permi&s;&s;iv Decrees accordingly. He knew <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>David</HI> would be Men after his own heart: Chri&s;t knew <HI>Peter</HI> at a &s;illy D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mo&s;els chalenge would deny him, and upon his look repent bitterly: how <HI>Saul</HI> would obey his cal, and of a
<PB N="65" REF="73"> bloody per&s;ecutor becom a bold ble&s;&s;ed Profe&s;&s;or. God is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod 8. 15. 32.</NOTE> &s;aid to harden <HI>Pharaohs</HI> heart by witholding his Grace, who fir&s;t hardned his own by di&s;obeying, which he would not mol|lify. So he deals with al ob&s;tinat obdurant &s;inners, who fir&s;t refu&s;e or re&s;i&s;t Grace offred, nor wil u&s;e the means pre&s;cribed: but how far he u&s;eth Pre&s;cience in al the&s; works, he &s;elf only knoweth. The &s;imilitud of the Potter &s;heweth, that none hath cau&s; to conte&s;t or complain again&s;t God; &s;ith every one by lap&s;ed Nature is liable to condemnation, and 'tis his meer mercy to &s;av any. The elect are caled ve&s;&s;els of honor and mercy, but Reprobats of di&s;honor, wrath, and fury: both which pre&s;uppo&s;e &s;in, &s;pecialy di&s;obedience and impenitence in the&s;, whom God endured with long &s;uffering (as he did the wicked of the old World) but being de&s;pi&s;ed, &s;hewed his wrath and power on them. The &s;alvation of al that are &s;aved, and perdition of al which peri&s;h, is rightly referred to his Wil as &s;uprem univer&s;al cau&s;, mover, di&s;po&s;er and Governor of al; who could hav ordered them otherwi&s;e if he plea&s;ed: yet mu&s;t this chief Agent be con&s;idered, not as doing al by him&s;ef alone; but &s;uffering other created Natures to u&s;e their free faculties, as his Wi&s;dom, Ju&s;tice, Mercy, Dominion &s;hal judg fit to ap|ply them holily and righteou&s;ly after his own Nature.</P>
<P>Thus he prepared &s;om to life, &s;om to death, as their &s;everal ends; but by intervent of their own acts fore&s;een &s;o wel as his; who proceds in his purpo&s;es &s;o blamele&s;ly, as a Potter in making of the &s;ame Clay &s;om Ve&s;&s;els for better, and &s;om for ba&s;er u&s;es or &s;ervices. For though there be much neernes between the Potter and his Clay to di&s;po&s;e at his plea&s;ure; yet is much more betwen God and his Creatures. So whom he cho&s;e in Chri&s;t and willed to &s;av by him (&s;uppo&s;ing his own acts of giving his Spirit to them, and their readines to receiv and obey) &s;uch are Ve&s;&s;els made to honor: But tho&s; whom he rejected and de|creed to de&s;truction (upon like &s;uppo&s;al of their acts, in de&s;pi|&s;ing his Promi&s;es and abu&s;ing his Graces) &s;uch are Ve&s;&s;els made to di&s;honour and damnation: For &s;uch &s;uppo&s;als are nece&s;&s;ary here, &s;ith Mankind is not like a lump of Clay, &s;en&s;le&s;&s; and rea|&s;onle&s;&s;; but a free Intelligent Creature, made to work or pro|cure his own ends both good and evil: good by working with
<PB REF="74"> God, who &s;eeks Mans good; or evil, by for&s;aking and faling from him in this work: But becau&s; God could hav altered or amended his whol ma&s;&s; or any parcel, which the Potter perhaps cannot alwais doo in his; therfore he hath a far nobler power over Mankind then a Potter of his Clay to make Ve&s;&s;els of honor or di&s;honour: wherby al is re&s;olved to his Wil, as the prime &s;uprem Cau&s;, which allows al &s;ubordinats to work ac|cording to their Natures, and applies them to his own glory: Nor doth the Potter de&s;troy or ca&s;t away his ve&s;&s;els; no more wil God his Creatures &s;ans cau&s;.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> S. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, <HI>the Jews took Je&s;us of Nazaret, being</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2 23.</NOTE> <HI>delivered by Gods Coun&s;il and foreknowledg, whom by wicked hands they crucified and &s;lu: Ergo, &amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> It was doon by Gods Coun&s;il, but foreknowledg con|joined: for the execution of divine Decrees hath two parts. 1. An ab&s;olut operation to produce al good things: 2 Per|mi&s;&s;iv of any evil to be doon by others, which he turns to good ends. So <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> told his Brethren, <HI>ye purpo&s;ed evil again&s;t me,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 50. 25.</NOTE> <HI>but God di&s;po&s;ed it for good to pre&s;erv his People alive.</HI> Sem|blably he turned the Jews malice with <HI>Judas</HI> trea&s;on to Mans &s;alvation: but 'tis not &s;aid that he in &s;ecret coun&s;il Decreed either; but only permitted and turned it to good. Calvinians di&s;tingui&s;h betwixt the Entity of every act which is good from God; and Obliquity which is evil from Man: in&s;tancing in a bias Bowl and halting Hor&s;, who&s; deviations proced not from the Ca&s;ter or Rider. The Lutherans &s;ay &s;uch di&s;tinctions and compari&s;ons are poor palliations, like Cobwebs to catch &s;illy Flies and partial folowers. For God decrees no evil (either Entity or Obliquity) but only fore&s;aw al in his pure Pre&s;ci|ence, and determined in his &s;ecret coun&s;il to permit it only. For Decree is the act of his &s;overaign wil which no creature can re&s;i&s;t at any time: but he offers &s;ufficient Grace indifferent|ly to al, which may be refu&s;ed or re&s;i&s;ted by any, and is by too many; who hav Freewil on the left hand to evil, as al &s;ides unanimou&s;ly agree. Som &s;ay Grace flows from God by two Fountains of Purpo&s; and Preaching: but that of Purpo&s; flows al&s;o from Preaching: for Faith cometh by hearing. S. <HI>Paul</HI> reconciles both, making Gods foreknowledg the fir&s;t link
<PB N="66" REF="74"> which leads al: for though his general lov be the &s;ole &s;ource, whence Preaching, Caling and promi&s;&s; of Grace proceds even to the Elect; who&s; caling he chiefly intended, as if he &s;ent his Word only to them: yet publi&s;hed it to the re&s;t al&s;o, that his goodnes to al may be manife&s;ted. So Preaching is the Fountain of conveying Grace to them that receiv it, and might be to the re&s;t which reject it; &s;ith Gods purpo&s; from Pre&s;cience, is the Fountain of Grace to &s;uch as hav it; but tho&s; who hav it not (to whom al&s;o the Word is preached) want it by their own di&s;|dain or di&s;obedience foreknown; not for default of divine Prede&s;tination. For <HI>Quos prae&s;civit</HI> preceds <HI>praede&s;tinavit,</HI> as <HI>Quos praede&s;tinavit</HI> doth <HI>vocavit, ju&s;tificavit, &amp; glorificavit,</HI> which are the &s;ucce&s;&s;iv links of that Heavenly golden Chain leading to life everla&s;ting.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Non decet Ingenuos jurare in verba Magi&s;tri:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Dogmata nec pigeat di&s;cere fal&s;a retro.</HI></L>
<L>Free Men &s;hould not &s;wear their Teachers Word t' ob&s;erve</L>
<L>Nor griev t' unlearn fal&s; Doctrins, or back &s;werv.</L>
<L><HI>Ne placido errores exugite lacte latentes:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Nam cum Vino Homines &s;aepe venena bibunt.</HI></L>
<L>Suck not up errors hid in Milk mo&s;t fine;</L>
<L>For Men drink poi&s;ons oftimes mix'd with Wine.</L>
</LG>
<DIV2 TYPE="reprobation">
<HEAD><HI>Reprobatio ex praevi&s;is.</HI> Reprobation foreknown.</HEAD>
<P>HItherto the bright &s;ide of Prede&s;tination or Election, hath bin &s;oly &s;hewed: now the black Globe of Repro|bation &s;hal be &s;uccinctly &s;urveied. Mr. <HI>Calvin</HI> (who fir&s;t bro|ched <NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;tit l 3. C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 3. 54. 57.</NOTE> the ab&s;olut Decree of <HI>Adams</HI> Fal, for which Lutherans &s;o bitterly brand him) vents tho&s; peremptory po&s;itions: That he fel away according to Gods knowledg and ordinance; who decreed that he &s;hould peri&s;h by his own faling away: That al <HI>Adams</HI> Sons fel away by Gods Wil, by who&s; &s;ecret Coun&s;il Mans fal was ordained: That Men hav nothing in agitation, <NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;t. l. 2. c. 17. &s;ec. 11.</NOTE> nor bring ought into action, but what God by his &s;ecret dire|ction
<PB REF="75"> hath decreed: That Devils and Reprobats are not only held fa&s;t in Gods fetters, as not to doo what they would; but <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In&s;t. l. 2. c.</HI> 4 &sect; 3</NOTE> are forced by his bridle to doo as he wil hav them: That God not only hardens Men by leaving it to them&s;elfs; but by appointing their Coun&s;ils, ordering their deliberations, &s;tirring up their Wils, and confirming their purpo&s;es by the Mini&s;ter of his wrath Satan, to de&s;troy them: That he prepared <HI>S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hon</HI> King of Ammorits, by hardning his heart, becau&s; he intended his ru|in: <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In&s;t. l 14 c.</HI> 18. &sect;. 1, 2.</NOTE> That the di&s;tinction of a permi&s;&s;iv decree, is a fiction of the fle&s;h, and they play the fools that u&s;e it as a &s;ubterfuge to &s;hift off this &s;eeming ab&s;urdity. His contemporar Collegue Mr. <HI>Beza,</HI> and al his rigid Sectators (&s;tiled Supralap&s;arians) agree in al Points.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Vi&s;ne Deum ex placito Reprobos addicere paenae?</HI></L>
<L><HI>Durus hic e&s;t Sermo: quis <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">olerare pote&s;t?</HI></L>
<L>Wilt make God puni&s;h Reprobats of's plea&s;ure?</L>
<L>This is an hard &s;peech: who can it endure?</L>
</LG>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> He objects, That to permit Mans Fal, and to Wil or <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In Gen.</HI> c. 3.</NOTE> Decree it, is al one in effect: becau&s; what he could hinder if he would, mu&s;t com to pa&s;&s; by his Wil in not hindring it, &s;ith he had power to prevent it: <HI>Ergo</HI> he willed it. This al his Di&s;ci|ples vouch as irrefragable verity.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> By their leavs this folows not: for though the Proverb be tru in Men, <HI>Qui non vetat cum po&s;&s;it jubet:</HI> yet in this ca&s;e it holds not with God, but cro&s;&s;eth his chief de&s;ig<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> or Decree to make Man a free Creature <HI>ad utrumlibet,</HI> to &s;tand or fal: which could not be if he had limited the liberty of his Wil, and not permitted him to chu&s;e either way. So they &s;ay to fore&s;ee what wil com to pa&s;&s;, and to decree it, is al one: which is untru. The Decree of Reprobation (both in the privativ act of prete|rition, and po&s;itiv of puni&s;hment) depends on Gods &s;imple Pre&s;cience, which anteverts al Decrees concerning the Worlds Creation or di&s;po&s;al of Man, both for matters of this life and a better; who had ab&s;olut Free-wil in al his actions, being not barred or blocked up by any ab&s;olut antecedent Decree of pure plea&s;ure, as tho&s; rigid Rhadamants pretend.</P>
<PB N="67" REF="75">
<P>The Supralap&s;arians pre&s;ent Man to God in the Decree of Reprobation abov or beyond <HI>Adams</HI> fal: as if without any re|&s;pect of fore&s;een &s;in (original or actual) in the Creature, he decreed to glorify his Soveraignty in the eternal rejection and damnation of mo&s;t Mankind as the end, by their wilful di&s;obe|dience and final impenitence as the means. The Sublap&s;arians to &s;hun &s;om inconveniences incident to that a&s;&s;ertion, fal a litle lower, and exhibit Man as guilty of original &s;in, for which God freely decreed the greate&s;t number of Men to eternal par|dition, only to &s;hew his Power and Ju&s;tice. The difference is &s;mal, not &s;ufficient to cau&s; a breach betwixt them, as they con|fe&s;&s;&punc; nor is any rea&s;on to jar about circum&s;tances, when they ac|cord in &s;ub&s;tance. For both con&s;pire that Gods moving cau&s; of Reprobation is Gods Wil, and not Mans wickednes: So their final impenitence is utterly inavoidable by Gods ab&s;olut antecedent irre&s;pectiv Decree, which both &s;ides hold.</P>
<P>This prefractory po&s;ition is oppugned by many Rea&s;ons. <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Rea&s;on.</NOTE> 1. Becau&s; 'tis a novity which hath no footing in antiquity: for the upper way was never taught by any, no not the &s;toute&s;t a&s;&s;erters again&s;t Pelagians; nor the lower til S. <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> time: but al concurred, that Men might po&s;&s;ibly be &s;aved which in event were damned; and to hav repented, who died impeni|tent; &s;ith no Decree of God lais any nece&s;&s;ity of peri&s;hing on <HI>Adam</HI> or his Po&s;terity. Hence <HI>Pro&s;per,</HI> S. <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> Scholar, &s;aith that almo&s;t al Antients con&s;ent, how God decreed al Mens ends, according to his fore&s;ight of their actions. <HI>Minutius Faelix</HI> pre&s;ents Pagans, upbraiding Chri&s;tians, that they held al events inevitable; framing an unju&s;t God, who puni&s;hed their indeclinable de&s;tinies, and not Mens voluntary iniquities: for as others a&s;cribe it to Fate, &s;o you to God. He an&s;wers, That Chri&s;tians Fate is Gods Decree, grounded on his Pre&s;cience, which determins retributions according to Mens fore&s;een acti|ons. S. <HI>Jerem,</HI> a &s;tif Anti-Pelagian &s;aith the &s;ame, that al de|pends on Gods Foreknowledg; for whom he knows wil be righteous, he lovs before he coms out of the womb, and hates the contrary. For his lov and hatred ri&s;eth from fore&s;ight of future things; el&s; he loveth al things, and hates nothing what he hath made: yea he &s;aith God chu&s;eth whom he &s;eeth to be
<PB REF="76"> good. The re&s;ult is, That God makes no Decree to damn or &s;av; but what is built on foreknowledg of Mens actions. S. <HI>Au|&s;tin</HI> and <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> held chief Patrons of ab&s;olut Decree the Po&s;t|lap&s;arians way, let fal words to this effect; <HI>viz.</HI> That Apo&s;tats ly not under a nece&s;&s;ity of peri&s;hing, becau&s; they were not pre|de&s;tinat; but were not prede&s;tinat, becau&s; God fore&s;aw they would prevaricat; that becau&s; God foreknew they would pe|ri&s;h by their own Free-wil, therfore he did not prede&s;tinatly &s;ever them from the Sons of perdition: That God withdraws not from any Man ability to yeeld obedience, becau&s; he is not prede&s;tinat; but did not prede&s;tinat upon pre&s;cience of his faling from obedience. So <HI>Fulgentius</HI> &s;aith, Tho&s; whom God fore|&s;aw would dy in &s;in, he decreed &s;hould liv in endle&s;&s; puni&s;h|ment.</P>
<P>The Council of <HI>Arles</HI> again&s;t Pelagians, denounceth the&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Held A. C 490</NOTE> Anathema's. Cur&s;ed be he that &s;hal &s;ay, a Man which peri&s;heth might not hav bin &s;aved: Or that a Ve&s;&s;el of di&s;honor may not ri&s;e to honor. The <HI>Valentine</HI> Synod &s;aith, The Wicked peri&s;h not becau&s; they could not, but becau&s; they would not be good, and by their own fault remain in the ma&s;&s; of perdition. Again, That Gods power prede&s;tinats any to evil &s;o as he cannot be good; we doo not only not beleev &s;o great an evil, but with al dete&s;tation denounce &s;uch accur&s;ed. So did the Arau&s;ican Council. The&s; are only Human te&s;timonies, which are no rules of Faith: yet gray Antiquity and grav A&s;&s;emblies mu&s;t be more approved then green Novity or corner Conventicles: &s;pecialy &s;ith <HI>Calvin</HI> and <HI>Beza</HI> acknowledg, that the common Opinion of conditional re&s;pectiv Decree, had many great A. betters in al Ages, who a&s;per&s; <HI>Origen</HI> as the Author.</P>
<P>2. It &s;huns the te&s;t or touch&s;tone of trial, which is a &s;hrewd <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Rea&s;on.</NOTE> &s;u&s;pition of fal&s;ity: for in the Di&s;put at <HI>Momplegart</HI> between <HI>Beza</HI> and <HI>Jacobus Andreas,</HI> with their A&s;&s;ociats, having argued the points about Chri&s;ts Body &amp; the Lords Supper; <HI>Beza</HI> flatly refu&s;ed to touch Reprobation, le&s;t the Ignorant &s;hould take &s;candal, being unacquainted with &s;uch high my&s;teries. At clo|&s;ing up of which Colloquy, <HI>Frederic</HI> Earl of <HI>Wirtenberg</HI> ear|ne&s;tly exhorted his Lutherans to declare the Calvinians for Bre|thren, by giving hands one to another: but they denied it, &s;ay|ing,
<PB N="68" REF="76"> Th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y would pray God to open their Eys and doo them any offi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e of charity, but not giv them the right hand of Fra|ternity, being found guil<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y of gro&s;&s; enormous errors, naming this as chief. At <HI>Hague</HI> Conference, the Contra-Remon&s;trants would not conde&s;cend to argu this point with the Arminian Remon&s;trants, but re&s;olved rather to break off then begin it. At <HI>Dort</HI> Synod, the Pre&s;ident warned the Remon&s;trants to de|bat the point of Election, but not touch the har&s;h &s;tring of Reprobation; yet both are parts of Prede&s;tination, the wel or il &s;tating wherof, doth much concern Gods glory and good of Religion: Nor can one be rightly handled without the other, &s;pecialy &s;ith al uprores then ro&s;e about Reprobation; which doctrin was deeply chalenged of error, and bound to be cleered. Nor was it to be di&s;cu&s;&s;ed among the &s;impler &s;ort, who might haply &s;tumble at it, but by profound learned Men, who as thre&s;hing Oxen were to beat out the Corn, and bolt out truth couched in the bare letter of Scripture. <HI>Vives</HI> &s;aith, Tru Reli|gion is not gilded, but gold it &s;elf; which being &s;craped &s;hews the brighter: let's not then fear le&s;t our Faith when 'tis &s;aid open appeer filthy; but let fal&s; fucacious Religions be afraid of this. The Jew is loth to argu his Law with Chri&s;tians; and Mahometans are forbid to di&s;put the Alcoran; becau&s; their Doctrins are brittle as gla&s;&s;, broken with every touch: But a Chri&s;tian fears no examination, nay provokes his Adver&s;ary to combat: thus he. Truth &s;eeks no corners as error doth, but dares abide the &s;ifting: So &s;aith our Saviour, <HI>Every one that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 3. 20, 21.</NOTE> <HI>doth evil hates the light, le&s;t his deeds be reproved: But he that doth truth coms to the light, that his deeds may be made manife&s;t to be wrough in God.</HI> S. <HI>Paul</HI> de&s;cribes an Heretic to be <HI>a Self|condemner,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Titus 3. 11.</NOTE> as rufu&s;ing trial. He is deemed as a &s;illy Scioli&s;t, who is loth to be oppo&s;ed; and tho&s; Opinions fal&s;, which would walk in a mi&s;t or dwel in &s;ilence.</P>
<P>3. The obloquy of it: for 'tis odious to Papi&s;ts, who revile <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Rea&s;on&punc;</NOTE> our Religion in this point: opprobrious to Lutherans, who for this cau&s;cal us damned Calvini&s;ts; prote&s;ting they wil rather return to the Papacy, then admit the Sacramentary or Prede|&s;tinary pe&s;tilence, as Sir <HI>Edwin Sandys</HI> reports: who &s;aith the Greecs deeply di&s;gu&s;t it, deeming it very injurious to Gods
<PB REF="77"> goodnes and directly oppo&s;it to his very Nature. The Jews al|&s;o dete&s;t it, that God of his pure plea&s;ure &s;hould affect the ex|trem mi&s;ery of his chief Creatures, to &s;hew the &s;everity of his Ju&s;tice in tormenting them: or that the calamity and ca&s;ting away of mo&s;t part, &s;hould redound more to his glory, then the felicity of them al by his Mercy: thus he. Yea <HI>Hemingius</HI> lea|ving his Lutheran &s;ide, joined with Calvini&s;ts in the Sacraments and &s;om other points; but would never &s;ub&s;cribe to this. Mou&s;ieur <HI>Moulin</HI> &s;aith, If God Reprobats Men &s;ans con&s;ide|ration of &s;in, or ordained them to &s;in; yet 'tis a wi&s;e Mans part to concele rather then utter &s;uch things; becau&s;, being vent|ed or defended, they giv great &s;candal, and fil Mens heads with &s;cruples; be&s;ide the advantage which our Adver&s;aries take to defame tru Religion: &s;uch be the fruits of holding this ab&s;olut Decree.</P>
<P>4. It hath affinity with the exploded error of Stoics and Ma|nichees, <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Rea&s;on.</NOTE> though differing from both: For Stoics held al actions and events fatal, either by the Heavenly Bodies impo&s;itions, or di&s;po&s;itions of Natural cau&s;es; that one thing mu&s;t nece&s;&s;arily folow another and be as they are, though God would hav &s;om things otherwi&s;e. The Manichees maintain al Mens actions to be determined, the Good by a good God, who created al things Good; and the Evil by an Evil, who is Author of al evil. Now the A&s;&s;erters of ab&s;olut Decree defend, either that al acti|ons (Natural, Moral, Good, Evil) and al events are &s;imply ne|ce&s;&s;ary; or el&s; that al Mens ends are unalterable by any power in their Wils: which in effect is the &s;ame. For in vain is free|dom in actions and means, if the end be decreed and determi|ned; &s;ith al actions are for the ends &s;ake, to attain it by them, and involv the means which forego that end: as if a Man be predecreed to damnation; he mu&s;t needs &s;in, el&s; he cannot be damned. In the&s; three Opinions two things may be noted. 1. The &s;ub&s;tance or formality, which is an indeclinablenes of Mens actions and ends, wherin al con&s;ort, that in&s;uperable ne|nece&s;&s;ity predominats. Hence <HI>Melancthon</HI> charged the Church of <HI>Geneva</HI> with Stoical error, caling ab&s;olut Decree the Tables of De&s;tiny. 2. The circum&s;tance or ground, wherin they dif|fer: For Stoics draw this nece&s;&s;ity from the Stars or fir&s;t mat|ter;
<PB N="69" REF="77"> Manichees from two fir&s;t Principles eternal and coeter|nal: but Calvini&s;ts from Gods peremptory Decree. The two fir&s;t in &s;om re&s;pects hav the better of this la&s;t: for 'tis &s;afer to deriv nece&s;&s;ity of evil from an evil God or Natures cour&s;, then from a good Gods decree. The fir&s;t was condemned by the be&s;t Philo&s;ophers, the next by al the Fathers: &s;pecialy for the main matter, becau&s; it made al things and events nece&s;&s;ary, plucking up the roots of virtu, planting vice and leaving no place for reward or puni&s;hment: What then &s;hal be &s;aid of the la&s;t, who realy maintain the &s;ame?</P>
<P>5. It di&s;honours God, charging deeply with Mens eternal damnation, as prime principal cau&s; therof by his voluntary di|&s;po&s;ition <NOTE PLACE="marg">5. Rea&s;on.</NOTE> antecedent to al de&s;erts in them, which they cannot po&s;&s;ibly decline by rea&s;on of his ab&s;olut irrevocable Decree. This is contrary 1. to Scripture, which makes God al mercy, and Man &s;ole cau&s; of his own ruin. See <HI>Ho&s;e</HI> 13. 9. <HI>Lament.</HI> 3 33. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 33. 11. <HI>Wi&s;.</HI> 1. 12, 13. and el&s;wher. 2. It re|pugns Gods Nature, who is merciful, gracious, long-&s;uffering, abundant in goodnes. See <HI>P&s;.</HI> 86. 5. <HI>Joel</HI> 2. 16. <HI>Jonah</HI> 4. 22. <HI>Micah</HI> 7. 18. 3. 'Tis adver&s; to &s;ound rea&s;on, which can|not but impeach &s;uch a Decree of extrem cruelty, far from the Father of mercy. For what natural Parent can re&s;olv to beget Children, and after birth living a while with him to hang up by the toung, tear off their fle&s;h with &s;courges, pul it from the bones with burning pin&s;ers, or put them to other hideous tortures; only to &s;hew his power and authority over them? Yet wor&s; by infinit degrees is imagined of God, if he &s;hould of free plea&s;ure ordain &s;o many myriads of Men made after his own Image to everla&s;ting fire, only to &s;hew his &s;ove|raign dominion over them. <HI>Abram</HI> held it high inju&s;tice in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 18. 25.</NOTE> God to de&s;troy the righteous with the wicked even temporaly, and expo&s;tulats with an <HI>Ab&s;it, far be that from thee, O Lord.</HI> How deeply then would he dete&s;t any thought, that he wil de&s;troy millions upon his own ab&s;olut decree eternaly? Far be it from our God.</P>
<P>6. It chargeth God with al &s;orts of &s;ins committed &s;ince the <NOTE PLACE="marg">6. Rea&s;on.</NOTE> Creation, as &s;ole Author or Abettor, being a nece&s;&s;ary product of his ab&s;olut Decree: yet <HI>David</HI> &s;aith, <HI>he delights not in wickednes.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE>
<PB REF="78"> So S. <HI>James, Let none &s;ay he is tempted of God, for he tempts</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">James 1. 13, 14.</NOTE> <HI>no man to evil: but every one is drawn by his own concupi&s;cence.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. John 2. 16.</NOTE> S. <HI>John</HI> tels us, <HI>That the lu&s;t of the fle&s;h, lu&s;t of the ey, and pride of life is not of the Father, but of the World.</HI> This Tenet makes God wor&s; then the Devil, who&s; tentation may be re|&s;i&s;ted; but Gods powerful effectual Decree cannot be fru&s;trated. <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> &s;aith, If this were charged on the Devil, he may in &s;om &s;ort cleer him&s;elf, &s;ith he can compel none to &s;in, what madnes then is it to a&s;per&s; that on God, which cannot ju&s;tly be imputed to Satan? <HI>Tertullian</HI> &s;aith, He cannot be accompted Author of &s;in, who is Avenger and Condemner of it: nor can he be a ju&s;t holy God (&s;aith S. <HI>Ba&s;il</HI>) nor Judg of the World, if he decree &s;in: &s;ith 'tis al one to &s;ay God is Author of &s;in, and to aver he is not God. The defenders di&s;claim this Tenet in direct terms, being &s;o har&s;h to Chri&s;tian ears; but deliver it in truth by nece&s;&s;ary con&s;equence. For they avouch the De|cree of Reprobation to be ab&s;olut and inevitable; nor can Reprobats be &s;aved, tho they doo al the works of Saints, &s;ith God created them to this very purpo&s;, that they &s;hould &s;in, els he could not attain his principal ends, to manife&s;t his mercy in &s;aving the elect, and execut his ju&s;tice in damning Re|probats; who are eternaly decreed to &s;in even to death. Thus &s;ay <HI>Pi&s;cator, Marlorat, Zanchy,</HI> and many mo. This is by cleer con&s;equents to make God the Author of &s;in: which is ordinarily imputed to tho&s; who hav not &s;uch intere&s;t or influ|ence in production of it, as this a&s;&s;ertion a&s;cribes to God. The Devil is caled the Father of lies, and &s;emblably of al &s;ins <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. John 3. 8. 10.</NOTE> el&s;, as &s;inners are &s;tiled his Sons, and &s;in a work of the Devil; which the Son of God cam to loo&s;. Yet the Devil only egs or excites Men by outward &s;ugge&s;tions and inward tentations to &s;in, which is al he can doo: but if God nece&s;&s;itats by his ab&s;olut Decree, and after determinats by his powerful &s;ecret working in Mens Souls, and di&s;po&s;ing or overruling their Wils, that they cannot but &s;in and peri&s;h; he doth infinitly more, then barely &s;ugge&s;t, intice, or per&s;wade; which is horrid to imagin. So wicked Men are reputed Authors of their &s;ins, becau&s; they plot, purpo&s;, chu&s;e, and commit them as immediat Agents: but if God overrules their projects and purpo&s;es by an uncomp|trolable
<PB N="70" REF="78"> decree, that they mu&s;t needs doo as they doo and dy; tho they would fain doo otherwi&s;e and be &s;aved; he is chiefly the Author, and they only &s;ecund Actors or &s;ubordinat In&s;tru|ments under him. Haply they hav free power in it &s;elf, but no free u&s;e to doo as they li&s;t, &s;ith God determins their acti|ons by his Omnipotent Wil.</P>
<P>Evil Coun&s;ilors and Allurers to &s;in, are al&s;o e&s;teemed cau&s;ers, and puni&s;hed with others which commit crimes by their in&s;ti|gation: as <HI>J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">zabel</HI> was guilty of <HI>Nabaths</HI> murder for coun|&s;iling and contriving it: but they &s;ay God doth even in|force it by an Almighty Decree, which cannot be re&s;i&s;ted: ther|fore he is much more the chief author and actor then meer a|better or acce&s;&s;ary. If a King &s;hal procure a Subjects ruin by plotting his offen&s; (as <HI>Henry</HI> 7. is &s;aid to &s;eek <HI>Edward</HI> Earl of <HI>Warwicks</HI> de&s;truction, by contriving his e&s;cape out of <HI>London</HI> Tower) al men wil charge him as Author of his crime and death: much more God, if he de&s;ign the &s;in and damnation of Reprobats. So &s;aith <HI>Moulin,</HI> who wil not abhor a King that to hang a man by Law, plots to make him a Thief or Murderer, that he may &s;eem to doo it ju&s;tly? For he &s;hal not only make an innocent wretched, but wicked too, and de&s;troy him for that offen&s; wherof he is Author. So di&s;&s;embling <HI>Ti|berius</HI> decreeing <HI>Sejanus</HI> Daughter to death, cau&s;ed the Hang|man fir&s;t to deflower hir; becau&s;e their Laws forbad Virgins to be &s;trangled: yet was he chief Author both of hir rape and ruin. If then God Decrees to damn millions upon millions, and &s;hal cau&s; or permit the Devil fir&s;t to defile them that he may ju&s;tly de&s;troy them; is not he the chief cau&s; of their &s;ins &s;o wel as &s;ufferings? Al Men grant God to be &s;ole Author of Mens conver&s;ion and &s;alvation: yet doth he no more in pro|curing it, then the&s; Men a&s;cribe to him in reprobation and damnation. For he ab&s;olutly and antecedently from eternity decreed to &s;av the elect, and by irre&s;i&s;tible means to work faith, repentance, and final per&s;everance for their &s;alvation and accompli&s;hment of his Decree: &s;emblably he peremptorily decreed (as they &s;ay) to damn Reprobats, leading them on by an in&s;uperable power and immutable providence from &s;in to &s;in, til they hav made up a ful mea&s;ure; and in fine inflicts
<PB REF="79"> vengence for acting what he appointed. What difference then in the&s; cour&s;es, or why &s;hal not God be reputed Author of the ones &s;ins, &s;o wel as of the others &s;alvation? The Fathers held it a parallel ca&s;e, an therfore made &s;in an object only of Pre&s;cience, bending their Arguments again&s;t this perilous po&s;ition of an ab&s;olut, antecedent, irre&s;pectiv, irre&s;i&s;tible, in|forcing Decree of Reprobation. Dr. <HI>&V;&s;her</HI> relating the Church <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">st of <HI>Got|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> p 138.</NOTE> of <HI>Lyons</HI> an&s;wer to <HI>Seotus</HI> again&s;t <HI>Gotte&s;chalc,</HI> hath the&s; words: whoever &s;aith ther is a con&s;traint or nece&s;&s;ity of &s;in|ning laid on any Man; he gro&s;ly and grievou&s;ly bla&s;phems God, making him to be the Author of &s;in: nor can al the quainte&s;t wits in the world avoid it. Howbeit to &s;hew fair play, and &s;can this point at ful; al their Defen&s;es, Devi&s;es, Sha|dows, Similituds, Eva&s;ions, and Elu&s;ions &s;hal be amply agi|tated and aptly an&s;wered.</P>
<P>'Tis &s;aid ther is a duple Decree: 1. Operativ, by which God <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Devi&s;e.</NOTE> po&s;itivly works his purpo&s;; and this would infer him to be the Author of &s;in. 2. Permi&s;&s;iv, by which he only Decrees to let it com to pa&s;&s;; and this doth not make him Author of &s;in, which is al that they maintain. If it be al, 'tis wel: let that be tried.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> Indeed God permits al &s;in, el&s; could be none if he would effectualy hinder it: as he left <HI>Adam</HI> in the hand of his own <NOTE PLACE="marg">Al<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s 14 16.</NOTE> coun&s;il to &s;tand or fal. <HI>So he &s;uffred the Nations to walk in their own wais&punc;</HI> And &s;til &s;uffers al Men to &s;lide into &s;undry &s;ins: not becau&s; he &s;tands in need of &s;in to &s;et forth his glory, but becau&s; he is &s;uprem moderator of al&punc; knowing how to bring good out of evil; and &s;pecialy becau&s; he made Man (as <HI>Tertullian</HI> tels) a free creature undetermined either way in his actions, til he determins him&s;elf, and may not be hindered from &s;inning by Omnipotence, becau&s; he ordained otherwi&s;e. Nor doth a permi&s;&s;iv Decree cau&s; &s;in being meerly extrin&s;ecal to the &s;inner, which hath no influence on it. If they intend nothing el&s; in good earne&s;t then a bare permi&s;&s;ion, 'tis gran|ted: but their main conclu&s;ion fals to ground, and the debat at an end. He<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ce their chief Coryphees reject this di&s;tinction as a fiction of the fle&s;h, and make God to decree &s;in efficati|ou&s;ly with an energetical working wil; blaming tho&s; that
<PB N="61" REF="79"> refer ought to Gods pre&s;cience only. Permi&s;&s;ion properly is an act of Gods con&s;equent judiciary Wil, by which he puni&s;h|eth Men for abu&s;ing their freedom in committing &s;ins day by day, which they might hav declined, and 'tis caled his long|&s;uffering&punc; proceding to puni&s;h with a &s;low unwilling pace. See <HI>P&s;. 81. 11, 12. Ezek. 18 39. Rom. 1. 21, 24. Rev.</HI> 22. 11. but Permi&s;&s;ion by them intended, is an act of Gods antecedent Wil exerci&s;ed on innocent men lying under no guilt; whom he eternaly preordains to &s;in and puni&s;hment. So tru Per|mi&s;&s;ion about whomever exerci&s;ed, is only not to hinder them from faling which are able to &s;tand, and &s;uppo&s;eth a po&s;|&s;ibility in the party permitted to &s;in or not: but in their &s;en&s; 'tis a withdrawing or with-holding of Grace needful to &s;hun &s;in; and &s;o infolds an ab&s;olut nece&s;&s;ity of &s;inning: as the fal of <HI>Dagons</HI> hou&s; folowed <HI>Samp&s;ons</HI> plucking down the Pillars which &s;upported it. So <HI>Maccovius</HI> &s;aith, Permi&s;&s;ion is a &s;ub|traction of divine a&s;&s;i&s;tance nece&s;&s;ary to prevent &s;in: &s;o Dr. <HI>Whitaker,</HI> Permi&s;&s;ion is a privation of that aid, which b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing pre&s;ent would hav prevented &s;in. So <HI>Pareus,</HI> That help which God witheld from <HI>Adam,</HI> made that he could not &s;o u&s;e his in|dowments as to per&s;ever; which he &s;aith is the doctrin generaly defended by their &s;ide. So their Permi&s;&s;ion of &s;in being a &s;ub|traction of nece&s;&s;ary Grace, is equivalent to an actual effectu|al procuring and woking of it: for a deficient cau&s; in things nece&s;&s;ary is truly efficient: &s;o this devi&s;e is a very figleaf to cover the ugly nakednes of their Opinion.</P>
<P>Others con&s;ider two things in every evil act: 1. The mat|ter <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Devi&s;e.</NOTE> or Entity, wherof God is Author. 2. The form or Obli|quity which proceds from Satan, as in a lame Hor&s;.</P>
<P>This di&s;tinction halts wor&s; then the Hor&s;: nor holds in al <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> &s;ins, &s;ith in many the very acts are &s;inful; as <HI>Adams</HI> eating the forbidden fruit, and <HI>Sauls</HI> &s;paring <HI>Agag,</HI> which in others had not bin &s;in. NOE wil it &s;erv their turn: for they make Gods Decree cau&s; of al tho&s; means which lead to damnation: ther|fore of &s;inful actions as &s;inful, and not as bare Entities; &s;ith they de&s;erv death not as &s;imple actions, but as tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions of the Law. As to their &s;ly Simile, that Ma&s;ter or Owner, who &s;hal fir&s;t re&s;olv to kil his Hor&s;, and after lames him that
<PB REF="80"> he may hav color to doo it; is cruel to his Bea&s;t, and Author both of his halting and death: &s;o if God fir&s;t decree to ca&s;t Men into Hel, and then bring them into a &s;tate of &s;in that he may effect his purpo&s;e ju&s;tly; he mu&s;t needs be Author of &s;in, &s;o wel as the actions to which it cleavs, &s;ith he intends de&s;tru|ction. The&s; are horrid a&s;per&s;ions.</P>
<P>Som coin a third eva&s;ion, that the Wil is determined to an <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Devi&s;e.</NOTE> object two wais. 1. By compul&s;ion again&s;t its inclination; &s;o God forceth no Man. 2. By complying with its natural appe|tit or liking: So God may lead a Man to what he would, yet not be Author of &s;in, but only nece&s;&s;itats it. When Men &s;in, 'tis tru they cannot chu&s;e, and as tru they wil not but &s;in: &s;o 'tis not Gods Decree, but their own wicked Wil, which is cau&s; of their &s;in and death.</P>
<P>The Fathers and School-men make Compul&s;ion and Nece&s;|&s;ity <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> al one, denying that God nece&s;&s;itats any to &s;in; for then he is Author of it &s;o wel as if he compeld Men; &s;ith therby it mu&s;t inevitably be committed, which el&s; might be declined. Nay what nece&s;&s;itats the Wil to &s;in, is more the cau&s; then the Wil it &s;elf; becau&s; it overruleth and bears mo&s;t &s;way, bereaving al t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> liberty to di&s;po&s; its own acts, which &s;hould be free Lord of it &s;elf. For the Nece&s;&s;itater is Commander, Comptroler, and Compeller; but the Wil a &s;ervil in&s;trument determined by di|vine Decree: from which al &s;uch acts rather proced then from Mens wicked Wils. When two Cau&s;es concur to produce an Effect, one principal overruling, the other in&s;trumental at the principals devotion: the Effect is a&s;cribed to the influx or im|pre&s;&s;ion of the former, and not to the later, which is only a &s;ub&s;ervient Servant. See <HI>Mat. 10. 20. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Gal.</HI> 2. 20. wher the work is wholy imputed to the principal Agent. <HI>Adams</HI> Wil in innocence was whit paper or a clean-Table, equaly in|clined to good or evil: So if God decreed his Fal (as Supra|lap&s;arians &s;ay) that nece&s;&s;ity was a coaction: but al others by depraved Nature are di&s;po&s;ed to evil, yet determined by divine decree both Elect and Reprobats Wils. Though then Mans Wil works with Gods Decree in &s;inning; yet &s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h it doth it by the commanding power of his irre&s;i&s;tible Decree, the &s;in can|not &s;o rightly be attributed to Mans Wil the inferior, as to
<PB N="72" REF="80"> Gods Decree the &s;uperior Cau&s;. Yea that which makes a Man &s;in by nece&s;&s;ity with and not again&s;t his Wil, is cau&s; of his &s;in in wor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ort, then he which con&s;trains him again&s;t his wil: as he that by powerful per&s;wa&s;ion draws one to k<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l him&s;elf, is more g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o&s;ly the cau&s; of his &s;elf-homici<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, then he who inforceth him to it, becau&s; it makes him con&s;ent to his own death. So if Gods Decree makes Men &s;in, and willingly too (which is both to act and wil evil) he hath a deeper &s;troke in the &s;in.</P>
<P>Another &s;hift is &s;ugge&s;ted, that &s;in is con&s;idered as &s;in, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Devi&s;e.</NOTE> &s;o God doth not de&s;tinat Men to it: Or as a means to mani|fe&s;t his Ju&s;tice, and &s;o he doth decree to puni&s;h it; yet is not the Author of &s;in.</P>
<P>This is a &s;illy &s;lide, for a good end cannot ju&s;tify an il actions: <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> Both end, matter, and maner too mu&s;t be good, el&s; the act is evil. If a Man &s;hal &s;teal to giv Alms, as <HI>Robin Hooa</HI> did; or commit whordom to beget Children for the Church, as the Harlot did which was mother to three famous School-Do|ctors, or the like; be his end never &s;o good, he &s;inneth hainou&s;|ly; &s;ith 'tis a violation of Gods Maje&s;ty, and directly oppo&s;it to divine Good; as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>We mu&s;t not doo evil that good may in&s;u.</HI> If then God willeth evil for ends never &s;o <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 8.</NOTE> good; yet &s;ith he decrees it with a powerful nece&s;&s;itating Wil, he is Author of it. For &s;in &s;imply is a means of puni&s;hment: If then he wils it as a means of puni&s;hment, he wils it as &s;imply &s;in by an ab&s;olut Decree: <HI>Ab&s;it omen.</HI></P>
<P>This Po&s;ition loads him with three indignities. 1. Want of Wi&s;dom, which mu&s;t needs be weak if he can find no way to glorify his Ju&s;tice but by bringing in &s;in, which his Soul hates; that he may manife&s;t it in puni&s;hing 2. Want of &s;incerity or plain dealing: as <HI>Tiberius,</HI> purpo&s;ing to de&s;troy <HI>Dru&s;us</HI> and <HI>Nero</HI> (&s;ons to <HI>Germanicus</HI>) provoked them to revile him, that &s;o he might ju&s;tly put them to death. So if God, appointing Men to eternal perdition, decrees they &s;hal &s;in, that &s;o they may be damned; he di&s;&s;embles like that Tyran, and de&s;trois them under colour of Ju&s;tice, for &s;uch &s;ins as he draws them in|to, appointing it as a means of their ruin. 3. Want of Mercy, as if he delighted in blood; who rather then he wil not de&s;troy Mens Souls, decrees them to liv and dy in &s;in, that he may de|&s;troy
<PB REF="81"> them. <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> &s;aith of Pagan Princes, They fear|ed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Apol. l. 2</NOTE> le&s;t al &s;hould be ju&s;t, that they might hav none to puni&s;h; which is the property of Hang-men, rather then good Princes: far be &s;uch foul enormities from the God of Truth and Father of Mercies. Thus we &s;ee, <HI>Cau&s;a patrocinio non bona pejor erit.</HI></P>
<P>7. It overthrows Religion and good Government: 1. Be|cau&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 Rea&s;on.</NOTE> it makes &s;in no &s;in in deed, but only in Opinion. The Pro|verb is, Nece&s;&s;ity hath no Law, and Creatures or actions &s;wai|ed by it, are free from Laws. Lions are not forbid to prey, Birds to fly, or Fi&s;hes to &s;wim, nor any thing to doo its kind &s;ith 'tis Natural or Nece&s;&s;ary, they can doo no otherwi&s;e: But Laws are given to Rational Animals which hav liberty of Wil; yet not to &s;uch as hav no u&s;e of Rea&s;on; nor to Men that can u&s;e it, &s;av in tho&s; actions that are voluntary: For none is forbid to hunger, thir&s;t, &s;leep, weep, laugh, &amp;c. becau&s; tho&s; actions and affections are nece&s;&s;ary, being trangre&s;&s;ions of no Law, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 John 3. 4.</NOTE> con&s;equently no &s;ins; as S. <HI>John</HI> concluds. <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> &s;aith, if it be de&s;tiny (as the Fathers cal ab&s;olut Nece&s;&s;ity) that Men are good or bad, they be neither good nor bad: So Virtu and Vice wil &s;eem nothing but in opinion only, which is great In|ju&s;tice and Impiety: For to what purpo&s; was the Son of God made Man and a Sacrifice for &s;in? Why was Mini&s;try ordain|ed or Heaven and Hel appointed? Faith, the Word, Sacra|ments, and al Religious Rites are meer Fables, if &s;in be nothing. 2. Becau&s; it bereavs al con&s;cience of &s;in: for if it plea&s; or pro|fit Men, why &s;hal they fear the perpetration which they cannot &s;hun? or why weep and mourn, having &s;inned, if they be nece&s;&s;itated? &s;ith &s;in is an effect of that irre&s;i&s;ti|ble Decree or nothing, tears may be &s;o wel &s;pared as &s;pent. 3. Becau&s; it cancels the guilt of &s;in, &s;ith no fatal offen|ces can ju&s;tly be puni&s;hed either temporaly or eternaly; but <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 22. 25, 26.</NOTE> Nece&s;&s;ity mu&s;t bear the blame. God gav a Law, <HI>If a Maid be forced to incontinence, &s;he &s;hal not dy,</HI> being rather a &s;ufferer then &s;inner. <HI>Tertullian</HI> &s;aith, The reward of good or evil cannot ju&s;tly be given to &s;uch as are &s;o by nece&s;&s;ity, and not freely. So <NOTE PLACE="marg">Nemo &s;it fato nocens.</NOTE> S. <HI>Jerom,</HI> Wher nece&s;&s;ity &s;wais, ther is no place for retributi|on. So S. <HI>Au&s;tin,</HI> We place Mens nativities under no con&s;tel|lations,
<PB N="73" REF="81"> that the Wil may be freed from al hand of Nece&s;&s;ity. So <HI>Epiphanius,</HI> If Stars impo&s;e a nece&s;&s;ity of &s;inning, they may with more Ju&s;tice be puni&s;hed then Men: &s;hal it then be &s;aid that Gods Decree doth the &s;ame? <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> &s;aith, Gods Judg|ments cannot be ju&s;t, if Men &s;in by his Wil or determination. So <HI>Fulgentius,</HI> 'Tis great Inju&s;tice if God puni&s;h one whom he doth not find, but makes an Offender. <HI>Epiphanius</HI> refuting the Pharees (who held the Souls immortality and re&s;urrection of the Body, together with fatal nece&s;&s;ity) &s;aith 'tis meer madnes to grant a Ru&s;urrection and day of Gods righteous Judgment; yet to &s;ay ther is any fatality or nece&s;&s;ity in Mens actions: for how can they cohere? which implies, that God nece&s;&s;itats none to &s;in or damnation. Nor can his Judgments be ju&s;t, if Men be held by the Adamantin chains of nece&s;&s;ity under the power of &s;inning; teach or preach in words what any can to the contra|ry: For by that po&s;ition al our actions are Gods Ordinances, and imaginations branches of his eternal Decree: yea al events in Kingdoms and Stats nece&s;&s;ary i&s;&s;ues of divine De&s;tiny: which wil makes al pillars of Piety and Principles of Policy totter or tumble to ground; the be&s;t Laws cannot re&s;train one &s;in, the greate&s;t rewards promot one Virtu, the powerfulle&s;t Sermons convert one &s;inner, the humble&s;t devotions divert one Judg|ment, nor the &s;tronge&s;t endeavors effect any more then what wil be doon without them: Gods Decree doth al in al. <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> &s;aith, Whoever holds that Men are urged to &s;in or damnation by Gods Prede&s;tination, as by inevitable nece&s;&s;ity; he is no Catholic. The&s; Men preach clean contrary in &s;hew, and dehort from &s;in with terrible threats of vengeance: <HI>&s;ed eui bono,</HI> if Men by Decree be nece&s;&s;itated to doo it, and hav no po&s;&s;ible power to decline it? <HI>Lazarus</HI> at Chri&s;ts cal cam forth, but being bound could not walk, til he was loo&s;ed and let go. Nor can Men repent or com to Chri&s;t, &s;o long as they ly fa&s;tned with the fetters of nece&s;&s;ity, under a fatal Decree, deprived from al power of Free-wil, til they &s;hal be &s;et at liberty by Gods co|operating Grace. The Arau&s;ican Council &s;aith, That any are prede&s;tinat to &s;in by divine power; we not only not beleev, but with greate&s;t dete&s;tation denounce <HI>Anathema</HI> to &s;uch (if any be) as will beleev &s;o great an evil; which &s;hal &s;hut up this point.</P>
<PB REF="82">
<P>The Sublap&s;arians or Di&s;ciples of <HI>Dort</HI> Synod (who, like Lapwings, hide their heads, thinking the whol Body &s;afe; &s;up|po&s;e <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sublap&s;arians cen&s;ured.</NOTE> them&s;elvs more flight-free from &s;candal then Antelap&s;a|rians) hold, That God looking on the lo&s;t lump of for&s;orn Mankind in <HI>Adams</HI> fore&s;een Fal, decreed of free plea&s;ure to &s;end his Son in time to &s;ay &s;om Elect Ve&s;&s;els by Ordinances pre&s;cribed in the Go&s;pel; but to leav the re&s;t in the &s;uds of their &s;ins to peri&s;h everla&s;tingly. This Tenet &s;hal be more pointly touched or taken in task, which is faulty in many manife&s;t re|&s;pects.</P>
<P>1. It repugns &s;undry pregnant places of holy Writ: <HI>As I</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Rea&s;on.</NOTE> <HI>liv, &s;aith the Lord, I hav no plea&s;ure in a &s;inners death, but that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek 33. 11.</NOTE> <HI>the wicked turn from his way and liv: Ergo</HI> he doth not decree of free plea&s;ure they &s;hould peri&s;h. He delights not in the death of wicked Men, much le&s;&s; of Innocents liable only to Original &s;in, to &s;eal up &s;o may millions of millions under it vin|cible damnation, meerly to &s;hew his &s;overaign dominion. Saint <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 2.</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>God hath &s;hut up al under unbeleef, that he might hav mercy on al:</HI> Here are two Als of equal extent: al Unbe|leevers, and al Objects of Mercy; implying that Gods wil is to hav mercy on al Unbeleevers, if they wil turn from infidelity. If then every Man is under Mercy, God hath no antecedent <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 3 16, 7, 18.</NOTE> Wil to exclud &s;om from al po&s;&s;ibility of obtaining it. <HI>God &s;o loved the World as he gav his only begotten Son, that whoever beleevs in him &s;hould not peri&s;h: Ergo</HI> he loved al lying in the lump of &s;in, &s;ending his Son to be a Saviour; but hated not mo&s;t part lying in lap&s; predecreed to Reprobation. Som &s;lily expound the word World for a World of Elect or Beleevers only: which is no wher &s;o taken; but either for al Men, or al living in &s;om certain place, or at &s;om certain time, &s;ans di&s;tin|ction of good or bad: Or if it be any wher re&s;trained, 'tis ap|plied to wicked Men wedded to this World. Yet if it be &s;om|wher limited to the Elect, 'tis not &s;o here; for then the words would bear a &s;en&s;le&s;&s; &s;en&s;: God &s;o loved the Elect, that whoever beleevs in his Son &s;hould not peri&s;h: which imports two &s;orts of Elect, &s;om that beleev and &s;hal be &s;aved, others which be|leev not and &s;hal peri&s;h: but Beleevers and Uunbeleevers (&s;a|ved and damned) includ al Mankind; which S. <HI>John</HI> cals el&s;|wher
<PB N="74" REF="82"> <HI>the whol World,</HI> as an expo&s;ition of the former. S. <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 John</HI> 2. 2. 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 2. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> &s;aith, <HI>God wil hav al Men to be &s;aved, and com to the knowledg of the truth: Ergo</HI> his wil is that al &s;hal hav the means of know|ledg and be &s;aved, but none &s;hut up under unbeleef. Som by Al under&s;tand al &s;orts of Men, but not al particulars in ech &s;ort; which is a &s;illy &s;hift. Indeed 'tis &s;omtimes &s;o taken, but not here, as the context &s;hews: for in the fir&s;t ver&s; a duty is in|joined to make praiers and &s;upplications for al Men, and then a motiv annexed, <HI>God wil hav al to be &s;aved.</HI> The duty extends to every particular, we mu&s;t in charity pray for al, even Tyrans, Per&s;ecutors, prophane Per&s;ons: <HI>Ergo</HI> the motiv intends al in|dividuals, or el&s; reacheth not home to inforce the duty. Others an&s;wer, That God intends al to be &s;aved by his reveled Wil, but millions damned by his &s;ecret. O beware of a&s;cribing two &s;e|veral Wils to God, who is no di&s;&s;embler; &s;ith one mu&s;t needs be good, the other bad: For if his Word be his reveled Wil, and repugnant to his &s;ecret Mind or meaning; it mu&s;t be un|tru or &s;imulatory, and con&s;equently a ly. S. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 3. 9.</NOTE> <HI>Lord would hav none peri&s;h, but al com to repentance.</HI> Som fully it, That he means only the Elect or Beleevers; but the context flatly contradicts it: For the next preceding words &s;peak of patience or long-&s;ufferance toward Men, which mu&s;t be Re|probats rather, who dy in their &s;ins: as the &s;ame Apo&s;tle tels, <HI>That Chri&s;t in &s;pirit preached to the &s;pirits, which in Noahs dais</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet 3. 19, 20</NOTE> <HI>were di&s;obediens, and now in pri&s;on</HI> or Hel for it. Yea Repro|bats are the mo&s;t proper objects of his patience: as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>He u&s;eth much patience and long-&s;uffering to them that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2 4.</NOTE> <HI>go on in &s;in, that he might lead them to repentance.</HI> Again, <HI>he &s;uf|fers</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 9 22.</NOTE> <HI>with long patience Ve&s;&s;els of wrath prepared</HI> (not decreed) <HI>to de&s;truction.</HI> See <HI>I&s;ai 5. 2. I&s;ai</HI> 65. 2. So S. <HI>Peters</HI> words intend Reprobats &s;o wel as others, or rather them then others; that God wil hav none to peri&s;h by his power or plea&s;ure, ex|cept by their own fault or folly. This is confirmed by &s;om con|ditional pa&s;&s;ages: <HI>If thou &s;eek him, he wil be found; but if then</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 line"></NOTE> <HI>for&s;ake him, he wil ca&s;t thee off. So</HI> God &s;aid to Cain, <HI>If thou do<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 line"></NOTE> <HI>wel, &s;halt thou not be accepted? but if thou doo il, &s;in lies at dore. S. Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The ju&s;t &s;hal liv by faith; but if any draw back,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Heb<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 38.</NOTE> <HI>my &s;oul &s;hal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> no plea&s;ure in him.</HI> By which conditions 'tis
<PB REF="83"> clear, that God for&s;akes no Man &s;imply con&s;idered in the fal, til he fir&s;t for&s;akes him.</P>
<P>The re&s;ult is, That he rejects none by previous Decree, &s;av &s;uch as he fore&s;aw would ca&s;t him off by continuance in &s;in and contempt of Grace: For Gods acts in time, are regulated by his Decrees before time: as 'tis &s;aid, <HI>He works al according to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Eph.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</NOTE> <HI>the Coun&s;il of his Wil.</HI> For ther is an exact conformity betwen the Rule and thing &s;quared by it: therfore whatever God doth in the World, he purpo&s;ed before the World, and by actual ca|&s;ting Men off when they grow rebellious or impenitent; we may be &s;ure he decreed to doo it for fore&s;een rebellion and im|penitence. Som ob&s;cure Texts may &s;eem to favour the Opinion of free plea&s;ure, as Men mi&s;-interpret them; which by pre&s;up|po&s;ing previ&s;ion are rightly reconciled: But S. <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> rule is, we mu&s;t not contradict plain places, becau&s; we cannot compre|hend ob&s;cure. And <HI>Tertullian</HI> teacheth, that a few places are to be under&s;tood after the current &s;en&s; of mo&s;t part, and not contrary to it; as in this ca&s;e for the mo&s;t part it &s;eems to be.</P>
<P>2. It cro&s;&s;eth &s;om chief Attributs of God (Mercy, Ju&s;tice, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Rea&s;on.</NOTE> Truth, Holines) which are his perfections, wherby he exerci&s;eth his acts among Men conform to them: For they are the &s;ame in God with tho&s; virtues in Men, but infinitly differing in de|gree; &s;ith what is ju&s;t, tru, holy, or merciful in Men, is &s;uper|lativly &s;o in God: El&s; cannot Man be properly made after his Image, nor renewed in Regeneration after the &s;ame; or made <NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 10.</NOTE> partaker of divine Nature: but 'tis commanded, <HI>Be ye perfect,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 48.</NOTE> <HI>as your havenly Father is perfect; and holy, as I am holy:</HI> Nor is &s;overaign power or dominion an Attribut moraly good in it &s;elf, &s;ith it may be &s;hewed in cruel unju&s;t acts &s;o wel as con|trary: But our good God is Ju&s;tice in the Ab&s;tract, and wil not exerci&s;e it tyrannou&s;ly contrary to his other Attributs.</P>
<P>1. Now ab&s;olut Reprobation repugns his Holines, making him the chief cau&s; of &s;in in mo&s;t Men, &s;ith he brings them into a &s;tate of &s;in which they cannot decline: For al are guilty of <HI>Adams</HI> tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion, and Natures corruption; yet not by na|tural generation, &s;o much as by divine Ordination: as <HI>Calvin</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 3. <HI>In&s;t.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 23. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 7<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> faith, Al Men are held under guilt of eternal death in the per|&s;on
<PB N="75" REF="83"> of one Man: which cannot be a&s;cribed to any natural cau&s;; but mu&s;t com from Gods wonderful Coun&s;il, who would hav it &s;o. Doctor <HI>Twi&s;&s;</HI> &s;aith the &s;ame, The guilt of Original &s;in is derived only by imputation, the &s;tain only by propagation, and both meerly by Gods free con&s;titution. So &s;aith S. <HI>Bernard, Adams</HI> &s;in is anothers, becau&s; we knew not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Serm. 1 Dom. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. pa&s;t. 8. Epi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</NOTE> of it; yet ours too, becau&s; by Gods ju&s;t (though &s;ecret) Judg|ment reputed ours. This agrees with rea&s;on; for if we incur guilt of the fir&s;t &s;in and Natures corruption only, as being in <HI>Adams</HI> loins when he &s;inned; then are we guilty of al his other &s;ins, being virtualy or potentialy in his loins after the fal &s;o wel as before: But Scripture intitles only the fir&s;t &s;in which entred the World and invaded al Mankind. Yea Children &s;hould be guilty of al their Progenitors (&s;pecialy the next Parents) &s;ins, as being in their loins when they &s;inned more immediatly then in <HI>Adams:</HI> yet Children partake not their Parents guilt nor puni&s;hments, unles they hate God like them, and imitat their <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 20 5.</NOTE> &s;ins. God &s;wears that the Proverb <HI>(The Fathers hav eaten</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek 18 2, &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>&s;our Grapes and Childrens teeth are &s;et on edg) &s;hal be u&s;ed no more: the Soul that &s;ins &s;hal dy: But if a Man be ju&s;t and doo right, he &s;hal &s;urely liv. The Son &s;hal not bear his Fathers ini|quity, nor Father his Sons; but the Soul only that Sins &s;hal dy.</HI> Wretched would be our ca&s;e, <HI>on whom the ends of al the World are com</HI> if children &s;hould be guilty of al their Progenitors &s;ins, or liable to their plagues and puni&s;hments: who can bear it? Yet 'tis a&s;&s;erted, that God decrees to leav Reprobats in this impo|tent irrecoverable condition, affording no ability to ri&s;e from &s;in by Grace; which Decree he executs in time of his Free-wil and Plea&s;ure, leaving them under a nece&s;&s;ity of &s;inning by the act of ab&s;olut Reprobation; both Negativ, which is a flat denial of Grace; and Po&s;itiv, which is a preordination of them to endle&s;&s; torments. Som grant common Graces to Reprobats, but not &s;ufficient to &s;av them: So &s;aith <HI>Lubbert,</HI> God reveles not the way of &s;alvation to Reprobats, nor givs Faith and Regenerati|on; but leavs them in &s;in and perdition: Nor doth afford them any &s;ufficient means of &s;alvation, with an intention of &s;aving them.</P>
<P>The&s; two Po&s;itions (that God nece&s;&s;itats Reprobats to &s;in,
<PB REF="84"> and leavs them in the &s;nds) make him chief Author of al their &s;ins; for a Cau&s; of the Cau&s;, is Cau&s; of the thing produced, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cau&s;a Cau<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> Cau&s;a Cau|&s;ati.</NOTE> whether Negativ or Po&s;itiv acts: <HI>Ergo</HI> if God be chief Cau&s; of their impenitence by want or withdrawing &s;upernatural Grace; he is tru cau&s; of their &s;in according to the &s;aying, He that for|bids or hinders not what is in his power, bids and furthers it, as they &s;ay God doth effectually wil it. 'Tis a poor pretext that God by withdrawing his Grace is only accidental, not a direct proper cau&s; of their &s;ins: For an accidental is when the effect is be&s;ide the Agents intention or expectation; as if one in digging his ground finds gold: But when an effect is expected, intend|ed, or contrived, the cau&s; cannot be caled accidental: as a Pi|lot witholding his care or skil from a Ship, when he knows it wil peri&s;h by &s;uch neglect, is cau&s; of ca&s;ting it away. So if God detains Grace nece&s;&s;ary, not as ignorant what wil in&s;u; but preci&s;ely determins Reprobats ruin by their impenitence; he becoms a tru direct cau&s; of their &s;ins; which no wiles of wit (&s;av among their partial poor blind Di&s;ciples) can po&s;&s;ibly de|cline.</P>
<P>2. It oppo&s;eth Gods Mercy, which is his Nature in the Ab|&s;tract: See <HI>Exod. 34 6. Mat. 7. 11. Mat. 23. 37. 2 Cor. 1. 3. Eph. 2. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1 John 4. 16.</HI> But &s;uch matchle&s;&s; Mer|cy cannot &s;tand with a peremptory Decree of ab&s;olut Repro|bation: which if God doth of free plea&s;ure, he is rather a Fa|ther of Cruelties then Mercies, and a De&s;troier then Saviour. What Parent wil de&s;tin their Children to eternal death and torments for one only offen&s;, and that not committed by them, but by others and imputed to them? Is Gods Mercy abundant if limited to a few Elect, &s;car&s;one of a hundred &s;hal be inevita|bly &s;aved? Ponder the&s; points duly: 1. That <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in is per&s;o|naly none &s;av his, but a &s;in of Nature not committed or con|&s;ented to by any of his po&s;terity; which is derived by traducti|on, but made the &s;in of Nature by Gods arbitrary imputation, not ordinary generation. 2. That God (as 'tis generaly belee|ved) pardoned <HI>Adam</HI> who freely committed it: Can it then &s;tand with his Mercy to puni&s;h others for the &s;ame &s;in not per|petrated by them? 3. That his only Son was &s;ent into the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>John</HI> 1. 29:</NOTE> World, and &s;uffred death for the &s;ins of the World; which
<PB N="76" REF="84"> might &s;uffice to &s;atisfy his wronged Ju&s;tice for al Mankind, and open a way of &s;alvation to every Man, without re&s;pect of per|&s;ons: But to damn a world of Reprobats by free Decree, only to &s;hew his dominion, no way &s;avours of Mercy: for he is far crueler to them then any Creature el&s;, or to the very Devils; who are damned for their own per&s;onal pride and rebellion: but Reprobats by an ab&s;olut Decree for anothers crime. The one know their doom and expect it; but the other are deluded with hope and made beleev the matter is in their own hand; &s;o that if they peri&s;h, 'tis not for want of Mercy in God, but o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> wil in them&s;elfs: Yet by their doctrin al depends on the pe|remptory punctilio of Gods arbitrary ab&s;olut Decree. So De|vils are in better ca&s;e, becau&s; they are not injoined to beleev in Chri&s;t, nor to repent, fa&s;t and pray as Reprobats are: Nor pu|ni&s;hed the more for not beleeving, as Men are: In al which re|gards their condition is far more ruful then cur&s;ed Fiends, who are made the tormentors over them. Concerning other Crea|tures, the very ba&s;e&s;t hav a being (though de&s;picable) which is better then no being: Yet who would not wi&s;h, if he might chu&s;e, to be re&s;olved into nothing, then in &s;uch doleful direful condition? yea, that they had been Toads or Serpents then Men? Or what Parents wil procreat, if they be per&s;waded they &s;hal beget Children Fire-brands for Hel, and Slavs to Satan? yet not for their faults, nor hav they power to help it. Let <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> &s;hape the period: He which &s;aith God wil not hav al to be &s;aved, but a few prede&s;tinat per&s;ons only; he &s;peaks har&s;h|ly of Gods high in&s;crutable Grace. Som &s;ay Gods Mercy by this ab&s;olut Decree is &s;ufficiently &s;hewed to the Elect, and Ju|&s;tice to Reprobats: but the one is clothed with partial re&s;pect of per&s;ons, and the other clouded with extrem rigour or &s;eve|rity, as &s;hal appeer.</P>
<P>3. It is incompatible with divine Ju&s;tice: See <HI>P&s;. 145. 17. Prov. 16. 11. I&s;ai 5. 3. Ezek.</HI> 18. 25. but the ab&s;olut decre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of Reprobation cannot con&s;i&s;t with it; &s;ith it makes God puni&s;h the righteous with rebellious, and innocent Men with bad An|gels. For Antelap&s;arians &s;ay expre&s;ly, That God decreed Mans Fal or Fate con&s;idered without &s;in, and therfore innocent. Po&s;tlap&s;arians vouch the &s;ame by con&s;equent, That he lais a ne|ce&s;&s;ity
<PB REF="85"> on every Man to be born under original &s;in, decreeing to Reprobat mo&s;t part for that &s;in: &s;o they make God to doo <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 3 <HI>In&s;t. c.</HI> 23. &sect; 7. 23.</NOTE> by two acts, which their brethren impute to one. <HI>Calvin</HI> con|te&s;ts, That God may with equal Ju&s;tice decree Men to damna|tion the fir&s;t way &s;o wel as the la&s;t: for al are made guilty of <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in by Gods Decree only; why then not he by the &s;ame? The&s; kind Patrons of divine Ju&s;tice wil &s;eem to &s;tumble at a &s;traw and leap over a block: why el&s; wil they not grant that of one Man, which they doo of al? hence we may &s;ee what to judg of this opinion: That God cannot ju&s;tly ordain Men to de&s;tru|ction &s;ans con&s;ideration of &s;in: for which is greater to impute another &s;in to one and puni&s;h him for it with eternal death; or to ordain Men to perdition &s;imply without looking at &s;in? but they &s;ay he may doo the one without wrong to Ju&s;tice: <HI>Ergo</HI> the other. So &s;aith Doctor <HI>Twi&s;&s;,</HI> If God may decree Men to Hel for <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in derived to them by his &s;ole con&s;titu|tion; he may &s;o ju&s;tly doo it without any &s;uch ordination. In|deed 'tis al one to decree a Mans mi&s;ery, as to involv him in a &s;in which &s;hal make him mi&s;erable: but neither is ju&s;t nor agree|able to the Judg of the World. Is it ju&s;tice to require Faith in Chri&s;t of tho&s; to whom he hath by flat decree denied it? Yet &s;o they fain God to doo. For <HI>Zanchy</HI> &s;aith, Every Man &s;ans exception (even Reprobats) is bound to beleev, that he is cho|&s;en in Chri&s;t to &s;alvation, or el&s; he &s;ins grievou&s;ly: as Chri&s;t &s;aith <HI>The Spirit &s;hal convince the World of &s;in, becau&s; they belee|ved not in me.</HI> This they generaly hold; yet ab&s;olut Reprobats <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 16 9</NOTE> cannot ju&s;tly be bound to beleev, becau&s; barred by divine De|cree, and hav no power to doo it: &s;hal any be tied to impo&s;&s;i|bilities? If al be immutable <HI>more Medorum,</HI> their endevor is vain, and al preaching vain. For 'tis not Gods &s;erious Wil they &s;hal beleev, whom he doth not furni&s;h with nece&s;&s;ary power; but rather the contrary, that they &s;hal not beleev. The Devils hav no part in Chri&s;t or the new Covenant, and therfore not bound to beleev in the one, nor puni&s;hable for tran&s;gre&s;&s;ing the other: no more can God ju&s;tly require Faith of Reprobats, or de&s;troy them for not beleeving, if they hav no more part in Chri&s;t or the Covenant then Devils; which wil make the do|ctrin (<HI>that Chri&s;t died for al Men</HI>) a flat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly. What can be more
<PB N="77" REF="85"> inju&s;t then to puni&s;h Men for omitting to doo, which his own Decree makes impo&s;&s;ible for them to perform?</P>
<P>Som an&s;wer that Gods Decree is ju&s;t, tho it &s;eem hard to <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Defen&s;.</NOTE> Mans erring under&s;tanding.</P>
<P>This is fal&s;, and the contradictory tru, that nothing is truly <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> ju&s;t, which human under&s;tanding purged from prejudication, hath in al places and per&s;ons judged unju&s;t&punc; becau&s; God by Na|tures light and general notions of good and evil, of ju&s;t and unju&s;t; imprinted in Mens hearts &s;ufficient ability to judg in &s;uch ca&s;es. If a Man bids his Son or Servant to eat, and pu|ni&s;h him for not eating; yet re&s;olvs he &s;hal hav no meat: may we not &s;ay he is unju&s;t both in the precept and puni&s;hment? Semblably 'tis in God, &s;ith Virtues in Men are but the Image of his perfections, being in &s;ub&s;tance the &s;ame, tho infinitly differing in degrees. <HI>God cals Men to be judges of his wais and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 18. 25.</NOTE> <HI>works: judg ye hou&s; of I&s;rael, are not my wais equal, and yours unequal:</HI> The high my&s;teries of Chri&s;ts Incarnation, birth by a Virgin, re&s;urrection of the Body, and &s;uch like, which are pro|per objects of Faith; God never offers to Mens trial, but ra|ther derides tho&s;e which pre&s;ume to judg them by Rea&s;on, becau&s; they be &s;upernatural, and Man no competent judg by natural under&s;tanding: but he makes him judg in the equity of his Decrees and Wais, who is able to di&s;cern what is ju&s;t in divine acts.</P>
<P>Others &s;ay the Scriptures define the&s; Decrees to be <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Defen&s;&punc;</NOTE> Gods Wil, which is the rule of righteou&s;nes: <HI>Ergo</HI> they mu&s;t needs be ju&s;t.</P>
<P>This Rule is much abu&s;ed by the Patrons of ab&s;olut Repro|bation: <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer&punc;"> for Gods Wil is no rule of ju&s;tice to him&s;elf, as if things were ju&s;t, becau&s; he wils or works them; but his ju&s;tice is rather a rule of his Wil and Works: who decrees and exe|cuts, becau&s; they agree to that ju&s;tice which dwels in the di|vine Nature. So S. <HI>Jerom</HI> &s;aith, God commands nothing &s;av what is hone&s;t, but doth not make things hone&s;t which are abo|minable: implying that he doth not wil a thing and &s;o make it good; but willeth it becau&s; 'tis antecedently good. So <HI>Zanchy</HI> makes Gods ju&s;tice antecedent to his wil, and ther|fore the rule of it, rather then regulated by it: nor can God
<PB REF="86"> wil ought which is not ju&s;t in it &s;elf. So Gods Wil is no rule of ju&s;tice to him&s;elf, but to us; who mu&s;t &s;quare al our thoughts, words, and works by it as &s;uprem rule of them. Nor are the&s; ab&s;olut decrees of &s;alvation and damnation any parts of his reveled Wil in Scripture, which to a&s;&s;ert is to beg the que&s;tion. This is al their ground to gain credit (as al &s;ects u&s;e to doo) but a fal&s; foundation, unles they may &s;en&s; it as they li&s;t. For ab&s;olut Reprobation repugns right rea&s;on, and begets ab|&s;urdities which no Truths doth: &s;ith &s;undry truths are reveled in holy Writ abov rea&s;on, but none contrary to it. Faith and Rea&s;on, Scripture and Nature are Gods excellent gifts, which never diametraly differ, tho ther is a di&s;proportion betwen them: if then ab&s;olut Reprobation be unju&s;t, it cannot be ju&s;tified by Scripture. Therfore to &s;ay Gods Wil is the rule of Ju&s;tice, and this a part of his reveled Wil (both which propo|&s;itions are untru) is but a &s;ly eva&s;ion and colorable collu&s;ion.</P>
<P>They &s;ay farther, That God is not bound to re&s;tore Men po|wer <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Defen&s;.</NOTE> to beleev, having lo&s;t it by their own fault: as a Ma&s;ter is not tied to renew his Servants &s;tock having mi&s;imploied it.</P>
<P>'Tis tru, God is bound to none, being a mo&s;t free di&s;pen|&s;er <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> of his own favors, wher, what, and to whom he wil; &s;ith none is afore hand with him. Who hath given to him fir&s;t and it &s;hal not be recompenced again? Yet is he conditionaly bound both by decreing being liable to his own Ordinance, or el&s; &s;hould be mutable; by promi&s;ing which is a kind of debt, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ith 'tis ju&s;t to perform; and by giving Men a Law to keep, which without &s;upernatural Grace they cannot. When God commanded his Creatures to increa&s; and multiply, he gav them a generativ faculty: when Chri&s;t bad the lame Man ri&s;e and walk, he added ability to his lims: &s;o when the &s;uprem Law|giver impo&s;eth a Law, he givs the people power to keep it: el&s; he becoms a hard Ma&s;ter (as the evil Servant &s;tiled his) reap|ing wher he &s;owed not, being the tru proper cau&s; of tran&s;gre&s;|&s;ing it. When God gav <HI>Adam</HI> a &s;piritual Law to obey, he con|ferred &s;uch &s;trength an&s;werable to doo it: as S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith, he had a power or po&s;&s;ibility not to fal, tho not &s;uch as he could not fal. To apply al, If God entred into a new Covenant with Men, which he needed not, and required obedience of al; pro|mi&s;ing
<PB N="78" REF="86"> eternal life to tho&s; that ob&s;erv it, and everla&s;ting death to &s;uch as di&s;obey: then no doubt he is bound to re&s;tore ability of beleeving unto al, nor can ju&s;tly puni&s;h the di&s;obedient without it: no more then a Magi&s;trat having put out an Of|fenders eys, can require him to read, and put him to death for not reading: &s;o 'tis inju&s;tice in God to puni&s;h &s;uch for not beleeving, as he makes unable to beleev.</P>
<P>4. It oppugns Gods truth and &s;incerity, who is a God of truth without any fraud or fal&s;hood. See <HI>Deut. 32. 4. 1 Sam. 15. 9. John 14. 6. Rom.</HI> 3. 4. God lovs tho&s; that are tru of heart, and hates Hypocrits with his heart: but ab&s;olut Reprobation makes him a Lier and Di&s;&s;embler; &s;ith he openly injoins &s;uch to repent and beleev, whom he &s;ecretly intends &s;hal not &s;o doo. S. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Repent and be baptized every one, and ye &s;hal receiv the gift of the holy Gho&s;t: for to you and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2. 38, 39.</NOTE> <HI>your Children is the promi&s;&s; made.</HI> He makes the Precept and Promi&s;&s; of equal extent, both univer&s;al: for the one is a motiv of obedience to the other. Every one (even Reprobats) is per&s;waded he is under the gracious offer of eternal life, or el&s; would not &s;trive &s;o much to leav &s;om bo&s;om &s;ins, or doo hard duties: but by this Tenet mo&s;t of tho&s; to whom God offers Grace and Glory, &s;hal attain neither, as <HI>Pi&s;cator</HI> pronounceth. <HI>Zanchy</HI> &s;aith, Every one caled ought to think he is elected, el&s; he accu&s;eth God of lying. So &s;aith <HI>Bucer,</HI> A Man mu&s;t beleev he is prede&s;tinat, or el&s; makes God to mock when he caleth. Thus they &s;eem &s;ollicitous that others &s;hal not make God a mocker, yet they doo it mo&s;t of al. For if a Creditor re&s;olvs to let his Debtor rot in pri&s;on; yet &s;hal profer, promi&s;&s;, yea and &s;wear to remit al the debt, upon certain conditions which he bars him to fulfil: would we not reput him a rank deluder or di&s;&s;embler? 'Tis ea&s;y to apply it. Al divine comminations are as Caveats to avoid the evil threatned: but if Mens perdition be peremptorily predecreed, it cannot po&s;&s;ibly be prevented, which is plain delu&s;ion: yea his pa&s;&s;ionat wi&s;hes that al wil re|pent and be &s;aved, are colorable collu&s;ions: See <HI>Deut. 5. 29. P&s;. 81. 11. I&s;ai</HI> 48. 18. So are his mournful expo&s;tulations. See <HI>I&s;ai 5. 3. Jer. 2. 31, 32. Ezek.</HI> 33. 11. Yea his melting com|mi&s;erations, wil al &s;eem but as <HI>Ab&s;olons</HI> fea&s;t, <HI>Joabs</HI> congee,
<PB REF="87"> <HI>Judas</HI> ki&s;&s;, or the Crocodiles and Hyaenas tears: for in al he &s;aith one thing and means another. Nay the whol mini&s;try is meer mockery without tru meaning. For God &s;eems thus to &s;peak by his Mini&s;ters: <HI>O Reprobats (once dearly loved in your Father</HI> Adam, <HI>now implacably hated by mine own irrevocable decree, and &s;ealed up under invincible &s;in to damnation) repent and beleev in my Son if you wil be &s;aved: I would not hav you dy, nor any to peri&s;h; but al com to repentance. If your &s;ins be red as Scarlet, I wil make them whit as Wool: I hav cried and caled that you might be converted: I hav long waited and knock'd at the dore of your Hearts for entrance. O that you had a Heart to fear me, and keep my Commandments that it might go wel with you for ever.</HI> Can God &s;peak thus (if he decrees they &s;hal not beleev, or repent, or be &s;aved) without deep di&s;&s;imulation? Or why doth he delude them to u&s;e the means in vain?</P>
<P>'Tis &s;aid God willeth or wi&s;heth their &s;alvation &s;eriou&s;ly, <NOTE PLACE="marg">A Defen&s;.</NOTE> yet not ab&s;olutly; but on condition if they repent and beleev: <HI>Ergo</HI> tho they peri&s;h, God is &s;incere.</P>
<P>This &s;hift fals too &s;hort; God wil hav al &s;aved conditionaly if they beleev and repent: as S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith, He would hav al <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> &s;aved, if they &s;elfs wil; for if he would ab&s;olutly, who can hin|der his irre&s;i&s;tible Wil? 'Tis tru that a conditional promi&s;&s; may be &s;erious &s;o wel as an ab&s;olut, but then the condition mu&s;t be po&s;&s;ible in his power to whom 'tis made, and the perfor|mance according to the promi&s;ers Wil or liking; el&s; it can|not be candid or current. For to offer a courte&s;y under im|po&s;&s;ible condition, is frivolous or fucatious: as if one &s;hould offer mony to a blind Man on condition he wil tel what coin 'tis; which is al one as to deny an alms: nay in &s;om &s;ort wor&s;, &s;ith 'tis a denial with delu&s;ion and deri&s;ion, or a meer mockery. The ca&s;e is the &s;ame in the pretended decree of Reprobation.</P>
<P>3. 'Tis contrary to the u&s;e and end of Gods good gifts, <NOTE PLACE="marg">3. Rea&s;on.</NOTE> both of Nature (as Creation, Pre&s;ervation, Health, Strength, Wi&s;dom) and of Grace; which are means either to purchas &s;alvation (as Chri&s;ts coming to be a &s;acrifice on the Cro&s;&s;) or <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 14 16, 17.</NOTE> to apply it, as the Mini&s;try of the Word and Sacraments, Gods long &s;uffering, the inlightning of Mens under&s;tandings, with
<PB N="79" REF="87"> many mo: for God be&s;tows the gifts of Nature to incourage <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 17. 26. 27.</NOTE> and inable Men to &s;erv him and &s;av their own Souls, as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;hews. <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> &s;aith, Every Creature is made or ordained &s;pe|cialy, that Mankind might by &s;ight of them and ta&s;t of &s;o ma|ny ble&s;&s;ings, be drawn to lov and &s;erv God. So he confers the gifts of Grace to the &s;ame end: <HI>For Chri&s;t cam into the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>John</HI> 3. 17. <HI>John 12. 47.</HI></NOTE> <HI>World, not to be a rock of Offen&s; at which mo&s;t Men &s;hould &s;tumble or fal, but to &s;hed his blood for the &s;alvation of al, even tho&s; who for their wilful infidelity and impenitence are not &s;a|ved. Chri&s;t</HI> &s;aith, <HI>the Son of Man cam to &s;eek and &s;av what</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 19 10.</NOTE> <HI>was lo&s;t: Ergo</HI> to &s;av every particular. S. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, <HI>God ha|ving</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 3. 26.</NOTE> <HI>rai&s;ed up his Son Je&s;us, &s;ent him to ble&s;&s; you, and turn every one from his iniquity: Ergo</HI> the end of his coming was to &s;av al and every Man, &s;o wel tho&s; that reject, as tho&s; that receiv him. Yea the Mini&s;try of the Word is appointed for the &s;ame u&s;e, as an In&s;trument to convey the Spirit of regenera|tion unto al that liv under it. See <HI>I&s;ai 59. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. Titus 2. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Pro&s;per</HI> &s;aith, Al &s;uch as &s;ay, that al to whom the Go&s;pel is preached (even tho&s; that obey it not) are not caled to Grace; they utter un|truth: which he provs by <HI>I&s;ai 5. 2. Mat. 23, 37. John 5. 34, 40.</HI> Touching the end of Sacraments, &s;ee <HI>Marc 1. 4. Acts 2. 38. Rom. 6. 3. Gal. 3. 27. Eph. 5. 26. Titus</HI> 3. 5. To the &s;ame end is Gods patience and long &s;uffering exerci&s;ed among Men, to work out their repentance and &s;alvation. See <HI>Rom. 2. 4. 2 Pet.</HI> 3. 9. Wher both Apo&s;tles declare, that God for|bears Sinners (even &s;uch as de&s;pi&s;e the riches of his Goodnes) purpo&s;ly that they may repent and be &s;aved; becau&s; he would hav none peri&s;h. Gods other gifts (knowledg, faith, forti|tud, repentance, temperance, humility, cha&s;tity) are be&s;towed on Men, that they may attain life eternal; for Reprobats are indued with many of them. See <HI>Mat. 13. 20. Heb. 6. 4. Heb.</HI> 10. 26, 29. 2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 2. 20. Al which Graces are not given to abu&s;e them, or to doo others good and not them&s;elfs; but that they may obtain &s;alvation. Som Scriptures &s;eem to oppo&s;e this: as wher 'tis &s;aid, <HI>God reveled him&s;elf to the Gen|tils</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 20.</NOTE> <HI>by the Creatures, that they might be without excu&s;e.</HI> So <HI>Simon</HI> &s;aith of <HI>Chri&s;t, that he is appointed for the faling and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luke</HI> 2. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE>
<PB REF="88"> <HI>ri&s;ing again of many in I&s;arel.</HI> S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>I preach Chri&s;t</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 Cor.</HI> 1. 23. 2 <HI>Cor. 2. 16.</HI></NOTE> <HI>to the Jews a &s;tumbling block.</HI> Again, <HI>To them that peri&s;h we are the &s;avour of death to death.</HI> The&s; places in general, point out the end which is oft effected by them, not what is primarily or principaly intended in them: &s;ith they may occa&s;ionaly produce &s;uch effects in &s;om Men by their voluntary rebellion, contrary to the Doners intention. Phi&s;itions mini&s;ter medi|cins for the Patients good, which &s;omtime by mi&s;guidance turn to his hurt: &s;o Gods ble&s;&s;ings intended for Mens eter|nal welfare, tend to their perdition by il imploying them. So the event doth not vary the intent, &s;ith no &s;inful event is pro|perly under Gods decree, but under his pre&s;cience or permi&s;|&s;ion at mo&s;t.</P>
<P>Now by this Tenet of ab&s;olut Reprobation, al gifts both of Nature and Grace hav another end: for either God intends them not to &s;uch (tho they enjoy them being mix'd with the elect, to whom only they are directed) or if he doth, 'tis only to puff them up abov the common rank of Men, to make their <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 3. In&s;t. c 24. &sect;. 13.</NOTE> ruin greater. So &s;aith <HI>Calvin,</HI> God &s;ends his Word to Re|probats that they may be made more deaf; &s;ets up a light to make them blinder, and affords a remedy, that they may not be healed. <HI>Beza</HI> &s;aith, Let it not &s;eem ab&s;urd, that God offers Grace to &s;om Reprobats, not to this end that they &s;hould be &s;aved; but that they may be le&s;&s; excu&s;able and more puni&s;hable. <HI>Maccovius</HI> &s;aith, God knocks at Reprobats hearts, who neither can nor wil open: not that he may enter, but partly to upbraid their impotence, and partly to increa&s; their damnation, nor can any other conclu&s;ion ri&s;e or re&s;ult from this doctrin: for how can God intend the gifts of Grace for their &s;alvation, whom he hath irrevocably decreed to damnation. Hence it in|fers, that God meerly deludes mi&s;erable Men, whom he cals to &s;alvation in his Sons name by preaching the Word; yet intends their perdition: and that Mini&s;ters are fal&s; Witne&s;&s;es, who preach &s;alvation to many conditionaly, who&s; damnation is decreed ab&s;olutly. If a &s;tate clo&s;ly contriv, that no Dutch &s;hal be Deni&s;ens, yet publicly proclaim, to giv them high pri|vileges on condition to becom free; doo they not conterfet or co&s;en the poor people to make them &s;u or &s;eek in vain?
<PB N="80" REF="88"> Semblably, may not Reprobats rightly plead? Lord, wilt thou puni&s;h us for not beleeving in thy Son, being caled by preach|ing to beleev; when thou ha&s;t decreed to leav us in <HI>Adams</HI> &s;in without al power to beleev? How can&s;t thou ju&s;tly charge us with &s;in or increa&s; our torment for not beleeving in him, whom thou re&s;olved &s;t from eternity we &s;hould never beleev in? Certes that Mini&s;try givs Men a fair excu&s;e, which is given only to leav them without excu&s;e, as the Patrons of ab&s;olut Decree proclaim. For the Sacraments &s;ignify nothing, &s;eal up nothing, and confer nothing to &s;uch as are not &s;aved; but are meer blanks or empty Ordinances: yet not by their fault, but by Gods irre&s;i&s;tible Wil: nor are al other gifts tho never &s;o glo|rious of any avail to promot their &s;alvation in Gods ab&s;olut intention; nor given out of lov but meer hatred, that they may u&s;e them il and prepare to them&s;elfs a greater damnation. For he that receivs mo&s;t, of him &s;hal mo&s;t be required: &s;o they be but as &s;nares to intrap Mens Souls, like baits on barbed hooks to beguil Fi&s;hes: &s;ith they are lifted up therby, that with the load of their goodly indowments they may &s;ink the deeper into Hel. So they hav no cau&s; to lov the Doner, but hate him rather; &s;ith &s;uch favors are like a griping U&s;urers bounty, or <HI>Jaels</HI> courte&s;y to <HI>Si&s;era.</HI></P>
<P>4. 'Tis prejudicial to Piety and Promoter of prophanes, <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Rea&s;on.</NOTE> cutting off the very &s;inews of Religion: for it takes away al hope to attain happines by godlines, and fear to &s;u&s;tain any hurt by wickednes; &s;ith al is ordered by ab&s;olut Decree. Hope is the &s;ole &s;pur to &s;tir Men on to virtu, and fear the chief bar to withdraw them from vice: <HI>For our Saviour in hope of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12 2. Mat. 10 32.</NOTE> <HI>the joy &s;et before him endured al &s;hame of the Cro&s;&s;: who by it hardned his Di&s;ciples to &s;uffer for his &s;ake.</HI> By this the godly in al ages hav bin excited to wel dooing. See <HI>Acts 24 15. Phil. 3. 26 Colo&s;. 1 9 Titus 2. 12, 13. Heb. 11. per totum.</HI> Al noble Heroic acts hav &s;prung from the hope of eternal glory. <HI>He that eareth and thre&s;heth, mu&s;t doo it in hope</HI> &s;aith S. <HI>Paul:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Cor. 9. 10.</NOTE> For hope (&s;aith <HI>Aquinas</HI>) conduceth to action, as appeers in Souldiers, Mariners, and al Profe&s;&s;ions. The hope of Heaven then is chief incentiv to piety, and fear of Hel a main bar to impiety: yea fear promots a good action accidentaly; becau&s;
<PB REF="89"> Men fearing the evil of mi&s;chief or mi&s;ery annexed to the evil of &s;in think they are never &s;afe, til they attain a contrary &s;tate by doing wel. Now by an ab&s;olut Decree, Hope and Fear are berea|ved: for hope is properly ver&s;ed about &s;ome good to be attain|ed by indu&s;try, not which mu&s;t be of nece&s;&s;ity; and the object of fear is an evil that may be avoided: but by this Decree Hea|ven and Hel are no po&s;&s;ible objects, but nece&s;&s;ary: for the elect &s;hal infallibly enjoy the one, and Reprobats impo&s;&s;ibly e&s;cape the other: &s;ith Men hav no power to alter their eternal &s;tate being prefined by eternal Decree. Al Gods decrees are immu|table, irrever&s;ible, and irre&s;i&s;tible: &s;o that al Mens indevors are in vain to alter or avoid them. See <HI>I&s;ai 46. 11. P&s;. 115. 3. Rom.</HI> 9. 19. 'Tis ab&s;olutly decreed the Devils &s;hal be dam|ned: &s;o it were folly in them by praier or tears to alter it: Mans Soul is &s;imply decreed to be immortal, and 'tis vain for any to attemp the abolition. 'Tis ordained, that <HI>The Sun &s;hal rule the day and Moon the night:</HI> what power then can divert their cour&s;? &s;o if no power be left in Man to attain eternal life or avoid death; but he mu&s;t needs take what is de&s;tined or de&s;igned; he &s;trivs in vain either way. For if the Decree be ab&s;olut, the Mini&s;ter preacheth and People hear in vain. Not one Soul can be &s;aved by either of their means which is decreed to Hel; nor one damned de&s;igned to Hea|ven. 'Tis frivolous and fruitle&s;&s; folly to be &s;tudious or &s;olli|citous in what cannot be altered, amended, or avoided: as Chri&s;t &s;aid to his Di&s;ciples, why take ye thought about &s;uch <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 12. 25, 26.</NOTE> things? 'Tis a mi&s;ery to toil about impo&s;&s;ibles, as <HI>Si&s;yphus</HI> is &s;aid to rol up a &s;tone to the top of an high hil in Hel, which in&s;tant|ly fals down again. If this per&s;wation be rooted or rivited, that both &s;alvation and damnation depends on ab&s;olut Decree; Mini&s;ters may be fit in&s;truments for Politic States to deter Peo|ple from enormous Offen&s;es: but can do no &s;piritual good, nor draw one Soul to God. 'Tis &s;aid the Defenders of this Do|ctrin are pure pious Men, which open no gap to loo&s; life; but others pervert the truth to their own damnation. So the Epi|cures in defen&s; of their dogmat (that the cheif Good con&s;i&s;ted in carnal plea&s;ure) &s;aid mo&s;t of their Sects were hone&s;t Men: but <HI>Tully</HI> tels them, that this proceds rather from their cour|teous
<PB N="81" REF="89"> di&s;po&s;ition, then curio&s;ity of Opinion: therfore the force of hone&s;ty prevailed more with them then the folly of plea|&s;ure, which they pleaded for. Another Apology is made, That though they teach ab&s;olut Election and Reprobation; yet de&s;ign not who is elected or rejected; but exhort Men to work out their &s;alvation, and get a&s;&s;urance of it by good works; wher|by they excite or encourage, not &s;tifle or curb holy hone&s;t du|ties. Indeed they doo &s;o: But the ignorance of a Mans parti|cular &s;tate alters not the ca&s;e; for if I know the Decree is ab&s;olut both wais, why &s;hould I be &s;ollicitous of either; &s;ith it can doo no good nor hurt? nor can this knowledg at be&s;t be infallible in this vally of frailty, but is ob&s;cured with many clouds of in|certity, in the point of undoubted per&s;everance.</P>
<P>5. 'Tis a Doctrin ful of de&s;pair, both to them that &s;tand and <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Rea&s;on&punc;</NOTE> tho&s; that fal; to Men out of tentation and in it: But the Go|&s;pel of glad tidings is a &s;weet &s;tore-hou&s; of comfort in our wor&s;t condition under al changes: as S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The&s; things</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 15. 4.</NOTE> <HI>are writ that by patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might hav hope.</HI> Now ab&s;olut Reprobation procures tentation: for &s;ith ther be many mo Reprobats then Elect, the Devil can ea|&s;ily per&s;wade one he is one of the mo&s;t rather then fewe&s;t; or at lea&s;t that al his labor is lo&s;t, &s;ith the Decree is irrefragable and ir|revocable. <HI>Bucer</HI> &s;aith, To doubt whether we be prede&s;tinat or no, is the head of every tentation: for he that doubts cannot confide he is caled or ju&s;tified: So every Man mu&s;t pre&s;ume he is elected. To what end then is S. <HI>Pauls</HI> exhortation, <HI>Work out your &s;alvation with fear and trembling?</HI> 'tis a <HI>Gorgons</HI> head to affright or amaze the Tempteds fancy, that the &s;tronge&s;t ar|guments of con&s;olation applied with the be&s;t art, cannot avail. Gods lov to Mankind, Chri&s;ts death for al, the caling of &s;inners without exception of per&s;ons, and al other motivs are ea&s;ily eluded by this Opinion. Suppo&s;e a Mini&s;ter and tempted Soul talking thus:</P>
<P>Tempted. <HI>Wo is me, I am a ca&s;t away, utterly rejected from</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">A Dialog.</NOTE> <HI>Grace and Glory.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Mini&s;ter.</HI> Be not danted poor afflicted Soul, God hath not ca&s;t thee off, he hates nothing which he hath made, but lovs al Men and thee among the re&s;t.</P>
<PB REF="90">
<P>Temp. <HI>God hates none as his Creatures, but many as &s;inners; and lovs al Men with a general lov, affording his outward tem|poral ble&s;&s;ings only&punc; but not his &s;pecial lov of eternal life, which he &s;hews to a very few his cho&s;en ones, wherof I am none.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Min.</HI> Yes he lovs al &s;o as to de&s;ire their eternal good, who would hav al to be &s;aved and none to peri&s;h, nor thee in par|ticular.</P>
<P>Temp. <HI>Al is taken for al &s;orts or calings of Men (high, low, rich, poor, bound, free) &s;om of al which &s;hal be &s;aved but not al Individuals of tho&s; ranks, nor me in particular; or if he wils in his Word to &s;av al, yet by his &s;ecre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Wil he decrees millions to be damned, wherof I am one.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Min.</HI> Nay but Chri&s;t cam to &s;eek and &s;av what was lo&s;t, and is a propitiation for the &s;ins of the whol World: <HI>Ergo</HI> for thy &s;ins to &s;av thee.</P>
<P>Temp. <HI>The word World implies a World of Elect, wherof I am none; not al Mankind: yet if he died for al, it was only</HI> dig|nitate pretii, <HI>by the worth of his ran&s;om; not</HI> voluntate propo|&s;iti, <HI>by the intention of his redemption, that al &s;hould be &s;aved.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Min.</HI> God made a univer&s;al Covenant with Man in the Me|diators blood, intending it to be &s;hed for al, and promi&s;es to &s;av every one that beleevs, excluding none, except they refu&s;e.</P>
<P>Temp. <HI>God purpo&s;ed his Son &s;hould dy for al, profering and promi&s;ing remi&s;&s;ion of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ins to every one: but on condition if they wil repent and beleev, which he decrees that far the greate&s;t part &s;hal not doo.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Min.</HI> God means truly, that al who are caled &s;hal repent and beleev, that they may be &s;aved; being caled by the preaching of the Word to knowledg of the Truth.</P>
<P>Temp. <HI>God hath a duple Cal; an outer by the Word preach|ed in Mens ears; an inward by irre&s;i&s;tible working of his Spirit in the heart, which he vouch&s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s to a few &s;ecret ones only, wherof I am none.</HI> Thus no &s;ound &s;olace can accru by this Tenet.</P>
<P>The &s;ole &s;olid grounds of comfort to a dejected Soul are Gods lov to Mankind, Chri&s;ts death for al, and the new Co|venant of Grace: which three he that applies wi&s;ely, may ea|&s;ily relea&s; or reliev the Tempted: But &s;uch as hold ab&s;olut Re|probation <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oc. Com. p. 526</NOTE> cannot doo it. <HI>Melancthon</HI> &s;aith, The univer&s;al pro|mi&s;&s;
<PB N="82" REF="90"> of Grace and Salvation is a Chri&s;tians &s;ole Bulwark in this combat of tentation: let us not therfore leav Chri&s;t and &s;eek for an Election out of the Word. Again, As 'tis needful to know that the promi&s;&s; of Salvation is free; &s;o 'tis nece&s;&s;ary to take notice&punc; that 'tis univer&s;al; again&s;t &s;om dangerous doctrins of Prede&s;tination. This he thought to be the only tru Bal&s;am to cure a wounded Soul: for the&s; three Gods Lov&punc; Chri&s;ts Death the univer&s;al Promi&s;&s;) are directly contradictory to the tentation, which cannot &s;tand with an ab&s;olut antecedent Wil, Intention, or Decree, to ca&s;t off the greate&s;t part of Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">kind of meer free plea&s;ure, as if it were his &s;port or delight, what ever quirks or quiddities are vented or invented to &s;ully or &s;hadow it. If two contradictories cannot be tru, he that pro|veth the truth of one, di&s;proveth the untruth of the other: as he that confirms this Propo&s;ition (God wil hav al to be &s;aved, beleev, repent, and be redeemed) to be tru; makes it <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">leer to every under&s;tanding, that the contradictory (God wil hav mo&s;t Men to be ab&s;olutly and inevitably damned) is flatly fal&s;: and &s;o rai&s;eth or relieveth a tempted Soul from di&s;tre&s;&s;: For de|mon&s;trat to a Man who fears him&s;elf to be an ab&s;olut Repro|bat, that ther is no &s;uch, but every one that repents and beleevs &s;hal be &s;aved; therfore his fear is fancy, and doubt a dream: then you driv out one nail with another and expel the terrible tentation.</P>
<P>This is the pure Nepenthe of a &s;ick &s;orowful Soul, and <HI>Alex|anders</HI> &s;word to di&s;&s;olv the Gordian knot. Now the maintai|ners of ab&s;olut Reprobation, cannot u&s;e it again&s;t the Replies of the tempted, becau&s; ther is a plain contradiction betwixt them. For if a Mini&s;ter com to comfort one that thinks him&s;elf a direct Reprobat, how can he u&s;urp the univer&s;al promi&s;es (that God wil hav al to be &s;aved, that Chri&s;t died for al) &s;ith he holds the contrary conclu&s;ion, that God wil hav mo&s;t part to be damned, and hav no part in Chri&s;t? for the Tempted wil reply, That God would hav al to be &s;aved by his reveled Wil not by his &s;e|cret: and Chri&s;t died for al &s;ufficiently, not intentionaly: or if he intends it, 'tis with a condition, which he purpo&s;ed mo&s;t Men &s;hould not perform: what then am I the neer, if I be none of tho&s;e to whom 'tis intended? Al that the Mini&s;ter can reply
<PB REF="91"> is, Be comforted, you are a Beleever and &s;orrowful &s;inner; therfore no Reprobat. But al this the Tempted wil deny: how can he then convince him to be a Beleever or truly penitent? But the univer&s;al Promi&s;es wil per&s;wade Men to Repent and Beleev. <HI>Pi&s;cator</HI> confe&s;&s;eth, That no &s;ure comfort can be in|&s;tilled into the Souls of afflicted Reprobats; but the Elect in this ca&s;e may be comforted: yet mu&s;t it be with the &s;en&s; of &s;in, and de&s;ire to be freed of it by Chri&s;t: which proofs are only probable at be&s;t, and to Men in tentation no comfort at al; &s;ith al depends on a bare peradventure, that the tempted is one of the Elect, which none knows but God. For Hypocrits make &s;o fair &s;hew of &s;anctity, faith, and repentance as the be&s;t Zelots: yea &s;uch as be &s;incere may fal through frailty; and who can be a&s;&s;ured he &s;hal finaly per&s;ever? So tho&s; of this judgment are mi&s;erable comforters or unwelcom Phi&s;itions to Men in &s;uch heavy afflictions.</P>
<P>If Men cen&s;ure according to their fancies or Factions, they are Partiali&s;ts, e&s;teeming al the Gee&s; of their litle Flocks to be Swans, and abjure, abandon, or anathematize al others as Re|probats. Ther be hundreds of Sects among Chri&s;tians, which chalenge to be Gods Cho&s;en, renouncing al the re&s;t; yet haply al in error one way or other: how then can they judg aright be|ing no &s;earchers of the heart? yea ther be too many Weather|cocks and Ambodexters in every Sept, which &s;hift &s;tations with every wind, and turn with the tide: how then can any di|&s;cern&punc; Elect from Reprobats? But &s;urely he that repents and beleevs (per&s;evering to the end) &s;hal be &s;aved, and impenitents damned. So the whol re&s;ult depends on divine Pre&s;cience, which preceds in Natures order to Gods condition at Decree of Election and Reprobation, as is &s;hewd.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Som &s;ay God is Soveraign Lord of al Creatures, who are wholy his: <HI>Ergo</HI> he may di&s;po&s;e of Men at his plea&s;ure, and doo with his own what he wil.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Que&s;tion is not, what an Almighty Soveraign can doo to poor Va&s;&s;als, who can ca&s;t away al Mankind &s;o wel as any particular per&s;on: but what a ju&s;t power of a righteous Judg &s;til clot<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed with goodnes may doo: which is utterly in|compatible with his Attributs or Properties to damn any of his
<PB N="83" REF="91"> meer wil or plea&s;ure; no fault of theirs preexi&s;ting in his eter|nal Decree. His Ju&s;tice is a con&s;tant Wil to render every one his proper du; vengeance to whom vengeance belongs for ob|&s;tinacy and impenitence, not of free plea&s;ure. S. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith, God is good and ju&s;t: hee may without de&s;ert free Men from puni&s;hment as good; but cannot condemn any without il de|&s;ervings, becau&s; ju&s;t. Goodnes is an inclination in God to com|municat it to his Creatures, &s;o far as he can without wronging his Ju&s;tice: <HI>Ergo</HI> if he be good to al Men as Scriptures make him; he cannot of him&s;elf, without any cau&s;in the Creature, provide al kinds of eternal torments for it, before he decreed to make it and confer any good upon it.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Mr. <HI>Perkins</HI> pre&s;&s;eth, That Men may &s;laughter Bea&s;ts &s;ans cruelty or in ju&s;tice: <HI>Ergo</HI> God may much more appoint &s;o many of us as he plea&s;eth to Hel torments for his glory, yet be ju&s;t &s;til: for ther is greater di&s;parity or di&s;proportion betwen God and us, then betwixt us and Bea&s;ts.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Is the compari&s;on equal? Men hav no authority of them&s;elfs to &s;lay Bea&s;ts; but God of his bounty gav it them to <NOTE PLACE="marg">G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">. 9 2 3.</NOTE> eat, and by con&s;equent to be &s;lain, which may rather be reputed his doing then ours. Nor is any equality betwen the Objects compared, much le&s;&s; betwixt the acts; for Bea&s;ts are void of rea&s;on and liber<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y in their actions, being made only for Mans u&s;e or &s;ervice, who&s; beings vani&s;h with their breaths: but Men indued with Intellect, able by the Creators bounty to di&s;cern betwixt good and evil, according to their congeneal principles, being made for his &s;ole &s;ervice, according to his Image of puri|ty and eternity, to enjoy his ble&s;&s;ed vi&s;ion and &s;ociety for ever. It folows not then, that if God may appoint Bea&s;ts to be killed for Mens u&s;e; he may with like equity de&s;tinat Men of his own Wil to damnation without de&s;ert; for he required of his Peo|ple many thou&s;and Bea&s;ts for &s;acrifi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e, but not one Man; cha|lenging the Fir&s;tlings of clean Creatures for burnt Offerings; but the fir&s;t born of Men were to be redeemed: which &s;hews how highly he priceth Mans blood abov Bea&s;ts. Yea wher he givs Men liberty to kil Bea&s;ts, he flatly forbids both to &s;hed Mans blood, becau&s; he made him in his own Image: but ther is <NOTE PLACE="marg">G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">. 9 6.</NOTE> far wider difference betwixt the acts temporal &s;laying and eter|nal
<PB REF="92"> tormenting. Man may kil a Bea&s;t by his own power, as Lord over him; but cannot prolong his life purp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ly to torment him, without &s;avage tyranny: So God being &s;uprem Lord of al, may of free plea&s;ure kil a Man (yea annih<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">at him, &s;ith he made him of nothing, and takes but away what he gav without cru|elty or inju&s;tice, to &s;hew his power: but may not predecree to torment him in Hel for ever, a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d inflict an infinit evil on an in|nocent Creature, to whom he gav only a finit good; without ju&s;t cau&s;.</P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> Som (who wil rather &s;peak again&s;t common &s;en&s;, then forgo their principles) reply, That any being, even in Hel, is better then no being: becau&s; the one hath &s;omwhat which is good, an Entity; but the other none at al: <HI>Ergo</HI> if God takes away an innocent Mans life and turns him to nothing, of free plea&s;ure to &s;hew his power; much more may he pre&s;erv him for ever in torments, and maintain the good of entity &s;ans in|ju&s;t cruelty.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This twi&s;t Doctor <HI>Twi&s;&s;</HI> &s;pun, and no &s;mal fools folow his clu: But &s;ay &s;ooth, is it a truth to tru&s;t on, or wil a bare de|nial &s;erv for an an&s;wer? Indeed &s;imply to be of it &s;elf, is better then not to be <HI>caeteris paribus:</HI> but in a ca&s;e of &s;uch infinit di|&s;parity, 'tis incomparably happier never to be then &s;o to be, as the damned know to their co&s;t, and al el&s; cannot but confe&s;&s;, if it were put to choice. Holy <HI>Job</HI> tired out with temporal tor|ments <NOTE PLACE="marg">Job. 3. 11, 12.</NOTE> of bodily &s;ores, &s;eriou&s;ly (not &s;imulatly) wi&s;hed he had never been born or had being, and cur&s;ed his birth day. Som &s;ay he &s;pake out of human pa&s;&s;ion in the pre&s;ent &s;en&s; of his pain, yet any being is better then none. A <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">illy &s;hift: &s;urely he preferred the lo&s;&s; of al being, before &s;uch a wretched being; as 'tis u&s;ualy &s;aid, 'tis better dy once then be &s;til dying; and <HI>Sal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|mon</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle&s; 4. 1, 2, 3</NOTE> thinks the &s;ame. Yea Chri&s;t in this very ca&s;e &s;aith of <HI>Jud<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s, Wo to that Man by whom the Son of Man is b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">d; it had</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. 24.</NOTE> <HI>bin good for him he had never bin born:</HI> As if he &s;hould &s;ay, the Traitor &s;hal be damned, therfore it had been happy, if he never had received life. He &s;peaks not according to Mens opinions (as Dun&s;es being put to a <HI>non plus</HI> &s;ay of <HI>Ari&s;tol<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, Loquiturix aliorum &s;ententia</HI>) but realy. Wil not every one chu&s;e to va|ni&s;h into a thou&s;and nothings, rather then be intolerably tor|tured
<PB N="84" REF="92"> in body for ever, or afflicted with the gnawing worm of Con&s;cience? But the fear of annihilation can never doo what the terror of Hel doth. For carnal Epicures excite one ano|ther to enjoy the pre&s;ent plea&s;ures pre&s;ented, upon a fal&s; per|&s;wa&s;ion, that they &s;hal hav no being after death: How much more then would they walow in &s;in and &s;en&s;uality, if they con|ceived to hav a being in Hel better then no being at al? But ungodly livers, &s;en&s;ible of Hel, tremble at the thought of it, as the mo&s;t terrible of al terrors; and &s;omtime refrain from their darling &s;ins, which fear of being annihilated could never doo. <HI>Seneca</HI> &s;peaking of one who &s;o feared death, as he de&s;ired to <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 17. Epi&s;t. Ep. 107.</NOTE> endure any extremity if he might liv, cals it a mo&s;t &s;ordid wi&s;h; becau&s; in al evils he feared that which was the end of al evils, even the privation of his being. So certes they mu&s;t be concei|ved and cen&s;ured &s;en&s;le&s;&s; &s;tocks or &s;tones, who think a torment|ed being in Hel, a le&s;&s;er or lighter evil then no being at al. Sir <HI>Fr. Bacon</HI> refuts this Mathematical Po&s;ition (as he cals it) that ther is no proportion between &s;omthing and nothing; therfore the degree of privation is greater then that of diminution: wherto he excepts that 'tis fal&s; in &s;undry ca&s;es, &s;pecialy this of Hel; wher a total privation far excels a diminution. Som evils and pains haply being but &s;mal or &s;hort, are le&s;&s; then annihila|tion, and one had better bear them then lo&s;e his being; becau&s; he may afterward attain &s;o many de&s;irable things, as wil more then countervail his &s;ufferings: but if his torments be many and matchle&s;&s; (yea endle&s;&s; too) that he cannot joy in the good which remains, leaving no more but a poor comfortle&s;&s; entity; it were ten thou&s;and times better for him to hav no being. The ground of this reply ('Tis better to be then hav no being) is a &s;ly &s;ophi&s;m <HI>a non di&s;tributo ad di&s;tributum;</HI> tru in &s;om ca&s;es, but not in al particulars. S. <HI>Jerom</HI> expounding Chri&s;ts words of <HI>Judas</HI> &s;aith They plainly import, that 'tis better hav no being then an everla&s;ting tormentful being.</P>
<P>The re&s;ult is, That the unavoidable damnation of &s;o many mil|lions, cannot be ab&s;olutly or antecedently intended by God with out high in ju&s;tice. For <HI>Plut<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rch</HI> &s;peaking of Pagans (who to pa|cify their Gods fury, &s;acrificed Men, Women &amp; Children) &s;aith, It had been far better to deny the being of any God, as <HI>Dia|goras</HI>
<PB REF="93"> with others did, then confes he delights in Mans blood: &s;o we may &s;ay, 'tis better be an Athei&s;t and deny God then make him a Soul de&s;troier. <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> &s;peaks again&s;t Pagans cru|el Gods, If they had any &s;park of goodnes, they would be di|&s;po&s;ed to doo good, and de&s;ire to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">av al Men; but not delight in their &s;laughter: and concluds them to be Devils or evil Spi|rits; becau&s; they would doo good if they were good, as the Evil u&s;e to doo evil. To end al <HI>Pro&s;per</HI> &s;aith, God created al Men, but none for this end, to be damned: the rea&s;on why we are created is one, and why damned another.</P>
<P>Al which premi&s;&s;es con&s;idered, let none confide or pre&s;ume <NOTE PLACE="marg">A Chri&s;tian Cav<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at.</NOTE> too far on the certitud of Election, that he &s;hal infallibly per|&s;ever til the end; but &s;til work out his &s;alvation with fear and trembling: Nor let any diffide or de&s;pair upon denunciation of Gods ab&s;olut Decree, that he is rejected or Reprobated; but rely on his general Promi&s;es, and u&s;e the means pre&s;cribed in the Go&s;pel; &s;til laboring by praiers and tears for farther de|grees of divine Grace, wherby he &s;hal be &s;aved infallibly, rather then any overweening pre&s;umptuous Phari&s;ee; &s;ith the end is attained by the means. I profes my &s;elf no Divine, nor fit to handle &s;uch high Theological Theories; but hav only gleaned or gathered &s;om &s;cattered ears of Corn from &s;everal fields brought into one Barn, that every one may take what he likes be&s;t.</P>
<P>To &s;ay with Supralap&s;arians, That God decreed Mans Fal <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> of free plea&s;ure to &s;hew his power is perilous. To define with Sublap&s;arians, That God upon fore&s;ight of <HI>Adams</HI> fal, elected a few and reprobated the re&s;t, without re&s;pect to his Pre&s;cience of their obedience or di&s;obedience, no le&s;&s; erroneous. To hold with Doctor <HI>Overald,</HI> That God offers &s;ufficient Grace to al, but more abundant effectual to the Elect, frivolous; &s;ith the want of efficacy is in every &s;elf. So to maintain with the com|mon Lutherans, That God from foreknowledg of every Mans works, decreed to &s;av &s;om of free Mercy; and pa&s;&s; by the re&s;t to peri&s;h in their &s;ins, is obnoxious to exceptions, becau&s; it makes him an accepter of per&s;ons. But to a&s;&s;ert, That God up|on &s;imple Pre&s;cience of <HI>Adams</HI> fal, and every Individuals de|merits in receiving or refu&s;ing Grace, if he &s;hould creat them; decreed the means and maner of Redemption, with the Cove|nants
<PB N="85" REF="93"> or Conditions pre&s;cribed and proclamed in the Go&s;pel, which &s;eems mo&s;t veracious to con&s;pire be&s;t with al divine At|tributs.</P>
<P>In fine, Pre&s;cience of pure &s;imple Intelligence, preceds al Di|vine <NOTE PLACE="marg">State of the Theorem&punc;</NOTE> Decrees in order of Nature: wherby God regulated the whol work or My&s;tery of Prede&s;tination, both concerning An|gels and Mankind: But his knowledg of Vi&s;ion or Seing fo|lows his Wil and Decree: Which if Calvini&s;ts intend by ex|cluding it from Election and Reprobation, their Tenets may in &s;om &s;ort &s;eem tru or tolerable touching pure plea&s;ure: but then 'tis <HI>nihil ad Rhombu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">,</HI> &s;ith the fir&s;t only of &s;imple Pre&s;cience hath place in Prede&s;tination, and not the la&s;t of Vi&s;ion. So tho&s; doleful di&s;cords betwixt Brethren, are &s;light Sciomachies with Gho&s;ts and Goblins, grounded on mutual mi&s;takes of ech o|ther; while Lutherans &s;ay God founded al his Decrees on pure Pre&s;cience; and Calvini&s;ts refer it to his free plea&s;ure, without re&s;pect of Vi&s;ion or Previ&s;ion.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Dicere nil &s;upere&s;t: hic terminus ultimus e&s;to.</HI></L>
<L>Nought more re&s;ts to di&s;clo&s;e:</L>
<L>Be this the la&s;t perclo&s;e.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><HI>Scire praeit, &s;ed velle &s;uo venit ordine certe.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Decretum &s;equitur velle perenne Dei.</HI></L>
<L>To Know preceds, but to Wil coms orderly:</L>
<L>Gods Decrees folow his Wil continualy.</L>
<L><HI>Novit ab aetern<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Deus omnia tempore danda:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Po&s;tea d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">crevit, quae fabricare velit.</HI></L>
<L>God knew eternaly al in time to be:</L>
<L>And Decreed after, what he would frame free.</L>
<L><HI>Ordine Naturae Omni&s;ciens prius omnia vidit,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Al<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Qu&agrave;m quid decrevis mente creare, Deus.</HI></L>
<L>Al-knowing God did al in Nature &s;ee,</L>
<L>Yer he in Mind did to creat Decree.</L>
<L><HI>An lap&s;u praevi&s;o Elohim praede&s;tinet</HI> Adae,</L>
<L><HI>Aut m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ro ex libito? lis gravis orta fuit.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="4 letters">.</NOTE></L>
<L>Whether God prede&s;tind knowing <HI>Adams</HI> Fal,</L>
<L>Or of meer Plea&s;ure? great &s;trif did befal.</L>
<PB REF="94">
<L><HI>Simpliei in intuitu, certo omnia prae&s;ciit, ant<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sive.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Quam &s;tatuit Mundum fabrificare Deus.</HI></L>
<L>In &s;imple intellect God al foreknew;</L>
<L>Yer he would make the World, what would in&s;u,</L>
<L><HI>Antea qu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m Decreta fe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at, Deus omnia prae&s;cit:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Progreditur con&s;tans ordine namque &s;uo.</HI></L>
<L>God foreknows al, before he doth decree:</L>
<L>For he proceds in's order con&s;tantly.</L>
<L><HI>Quos Deus aeternum prae&s;cit, praede&s;tinat; ho&s;que</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Aut.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Eligit aut reprobat pro bonitat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ua</HI></L>
<L>God foreknows and foredooms eternaly:</L>
<L>And elects or rejects for's clemency.</L>
<L><HI>Vul<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;alvare aliquos, reliquos damnare Jehovah:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Sed cur &s;ic voluit, non bene cau&s;a patet.</HI></L>
<L>God &s;om wil &s;av, and th' re&s;t damn to Hel:</L>
<L>But why he wil, the cau&s; appeers not wel.</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="3" TYPE="thesis">
<HEAD>THESIS III.</HEAD>
<HEAD>Verum Eccle&s;iae Regimen: <HI>The Churches tru Polity.</HI></HEAD>
<P>TIs a known verity, That Paternity was the prime <NOTE PLACE="marg">H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;tory.</NOTE> val Polity among the Protopatriarchs, both in &s;a|cred and &s;ecular matters: as <HI>Adam</HI> is &s;aid to be or|dained a Prie&s;t by God, becau&s; <HI>Cain</HI> and <HI>Abel</HI> only brought their offerings, til they were ordained to that office by their Father; and &s;o in &s;ucce&s;&s;ion one from another. Which form continued in the Po&s;tpatriachs, til their Progeny becam a Nation under <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron:</HI> who promulged Laws by divine dictat both for Civil and Spiritual cau&s;es. For the I&s;raelits had di&s;tinct Courts of different per&s;ons: one for Church matters <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aled an Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Con&s;i&s;tory; another for
<PB N="86" REF="94"> Common-wealth cau&s;es termed a Temproal Judicatory. <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> &s;peaks of both in general: <HI>He that wil not hearken to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 17. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 2 Chr. 19. 5.</NOTE> <HI>(or obey) the Prie&s;t or Judg, &s;hal dy:</HI> but <HI>Jeho&s;ophat</HI> put a more preci&s;e difference, who appointed through al Cities &s;ecu|lar Judges, (wherof <HI>Zebadiah</HI> was chief) and at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> a Spiritual Court of Levits, Prie&s;ts, and Elders, over whom <HI>Amariah</HI> high Prie&s;t pre&s;ided: &s;o <HI>Jeremy</HI> was condemned by <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 26 8, 16.</NOTE> the Prie&s;ts Con&s;i&s;tory, but acquited by the Princes Judicatory. Yea tho by <HI>Antiochus</HI> tyranny, and the Jews &s;lavery under &s;undry Nations, no evident di&s;tinction appeers in the new Te&s;tament, yet &s;om prints of both remain; &s;pecialy wher the chief Prie&s;ts and Elders are cited as two diver&s; Courts: the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat&punc; 21&punc; 23. Mat. 26. 3.</NOTE> &s;ecular caled a Council, the &s;piritual &s;tiled a Synagog. For the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic was to di&s;cern things holy and unholy, clean from unclean, and to determin Appeals in difficil debats; be|ing as a repre&s;entativ Church. Hence Chri&s;t &s;aid, <HI>Dic Eccle|&s;iae;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc; 17.</NOTE> becau&s; excommunication pertained to them. In civil Courts of &s;eventy Judges (being the &s;uprem Sanedrim) two &s;at chief: <HI>viz.</HI> the Na&s;i as Lord chief Ju&s;tice, and Abbethdin as Father of the Senat: &s;o in the Con&s;i&s;tory, the high Prie&s;t and his Sagan or &s;ecund (like a Bi&s;hop and his Suffragan) as &s;uprem: but the high Prie&s;t was not nece&s;&s;arily cho&s;en Na&s;i, unles for eminent worth and extraordinary Wi&s;dom. For they had two civil Courts: 1. The grand Sanedrim or &s;uprem Senat: 2. The le&s;&s;er or inferior; which in after ages had &s;u|bordinat branches: whence Chri&s;t &s;aid, <HI>Who ever is angry with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 12.</NOTE> <HI>his Brother cau&s;le&s;ly, &s;hal be culpable of Judgment;</HI> meaning the le&s;&s;er Court: <HI>who cals him Racha in &s;corn, &s;hal be lia|ble to a Council</HI> or chief Con&s;i&s;tory: <HI>but he that cals him fool malitiou&s;ly, &s;hal be guilty of Hel-fire.</HI> The Sanedrim excelled the re&s;t. 1. In number of Judges being &s;eventy be&s;ides the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 24. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> Na&s;i or Prince; as God at fir&s;t in&s;titution &s;aid to <HI>Mo&s;es, Ga|ther to me &s;eventy Elders Rulers of the People, and let them &s;tand at the Tabernacle with thee,</HI> implying &s;eventy be&s;ides him: but the le&s;&s;er con&s;i&s;ted of twenty three at <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> and three only in &s;mal Cities. 2. In place, for the &s;eventy &s;at within the Temple-court in the paved Chamber or Pav|ment, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>John</HI> 19. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">:</NOTE> wher <HI>Pilat</HI> gav Judgment. 3. In power, for the Sane|drim
<PB REF="95"> received Appeals from al, but from them was none. 4. In cau&s;es to be tried, For the &s;eventy Judged al matters of life and death, yea a whol Tribe; the high Prie&s;t and fal&s; Prophets: but the twenty three lighter crimes, and tho&s; of three only pecuniary mulcts, whippings, and pety puni&s;hments. Many make doubt, whether in Chri&s;ts dais they had power of life and death; &s;ith they &s;aid, <HI>Wee cannot do<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m any to death?</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>John</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 31.</NOTE> Late Jews &s;ay al capital cen&s;ure was inhibited forty yeers be|fore the Temples de&s;truction, which is about Chri&s;ts Bap|ti&s;m: but <HI>Jo&s;ephus</HI> &s;aith <HI>Herod</HI> &s;uppre&s;&s;ed the Sanedrim before: <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>L.</HI> 14 <HI>Antiq. c. 17.</HI></NOTE> yet tho&s; words to <HI>Pilat</HI> prov not as if they had no &s;uch power; for he bids them take and judg him according to their Law: <HI>Yea they pre&s;&s;ed or pleaded, we hav a Law, and by it he ought</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 19. 7.</NOTE> <HI>to dy:</HI> but the holines of the time (being the Pa&s;&s;overs vigil, and preparation of the Sabbath) made it unlawful to meddle with matters of blood. Indeed the Romans bereaved al pow|er to judg civil capital crimes, but &s;uffred them to try tran&s;|gre&s;&s;ions again&s;t <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law, as Bla&s;phemies or the like, and &s;uch they cried that Chri&s;t committed in caling him&s;elf the Son of God: but with <HI>Barabas</HI> and the two Theefs they had nothing to doo. For <HI>Gallio</HI> when <HI>Paul</HI> was brought before him &s;aid, <HI>If it were a matter of wrong or wickednes, O ye Jews, rea|&s;on</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 18. 14.</NOTE> <HI>would I &s;hould hear or bear with you: but being a que&s;tion of words, or names in your Law, look ye to it: Di&s;tingue res &s;eu cau&s;as, &amp; Concordabunt Scripturae.</HI> Among them (who were Gods cho&s;en People, and &s;ole Church) were three or|ders of Mini&s;ters in the temple, over whom the high Prie&s;t (being <HI>Aarons</HI> fir&s;t born) was chief. 1. Prie&s;ts, <HI>Aarons</HI> younger Progeny: 2. Levits, <HI>Levies</HI> po&s;terity: 3. <HI>Nephenims</HI> who hewed wood and drew water; being Gibeonits doomed to that drudgery by <HI>Jo&s;ua</HI> for their craft or cunning. At <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</HI> 9 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">&punc;</NOTE> Con&s;ecration, the high Prie&s;t was annointed with Chri&s;m <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</HI> 8. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">0.</NOTE> powred on his head which ran down his beard and borders of his robe; but the Prie&s;ts only &s;prinkled with this oil and blood of the Sacrifice. At mini&s;tration in the Sanctuary the high Prie&s;t wore eight &s;orts of raiments, which the Rabbins cal golden Ve&s;tments; but the Prie&s;ts only four. They differed al&s;o in office, For the high Prei&s;t entred the Holy of Holies once
<PB N="87" REF="95"> a year, the Prie&s;ts never; the high Prie&s;t might mourn for none; but Prie&s;ts might for Father, Mother, Brother, Son, Daughter, and next of Kin: the high Prie&s;t had his Sagan or Sub&s;titut, the Prie&s;ts none. The&s; were the forms of Church government under the Law, wherto that of the Go&s;pel was in part conformed. Chri&s;t had &s;ole Evangelical Mini&s;try (be|ing our Apo&s;tle, Prophet, Evangeli&s;t, Bi&s;hop, Pa&s;tor, Doctor, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 10 1. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Deacon) in him&s;elf: but cho&s; twelv Apo&s;tles A&s;&s;i&s;tant paral|lel to the twelv Patriarchs and twelv Princes of the Tribes; &s;ending them to preach, heal and ca&s;t out Devils: to whom when the harve&s;t grew great, he added &s;eventy inferior Di&s;|ciples, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luk.</HI> 10. 1. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> like the &s;eventy Fathers of Families and &s;eventy Elders of the People: whom he &s;ent by couples into Cities wher he meant to com; giving them power to preach the Go&s;pel, heal the &s;ick, tread on Serpents <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o Scorpions and &s;ubdu Enimies. The&s; two orders S. <HI>Paul</HI> cals Apo&s;tles and Prophets placing Pro|phets <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">he&s;.</HI> 3. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">&punc;</NOTE> after Apo&s;tles as inferiors: for from the &s;eventy, <HI>Mat|thias</HI> was cho&s;en Apo&s;tle, and Presbyters or Elders &s;ucceded the &s;eventy, but Bi&s;hops or Prelats the twelv as al Apo&s;tolic Antients agree. This was the fir&s;t model of Church regiment under Chri&s;t the chief Shepherd: who before his A&s;cention made the twelv general Shepherds, to &s;upply his &s;tead by a triple charge to <HI>Peter.</HI> The&s; had equal eminent authority or juri&s;|diction <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>John</HI> 21. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 16. 17.</NOTE> jointly and &s;everaly: to lay on hands at Ordination and confirmation, to command, contermand, cen&s;ure, bind, or loo&s;: which before their deaths &s;om of them devolved on Bi&s;hops as their indubitat &s;ucce&s;&s;ors. At fir&s;t the whol weight of Church affairs lay &s;oly on them: but upon the Greecs com|plaint, how their Widows were neglected, they ordeined by impo&s;ition of hands (which &s;evers Men to &s;acred functions) <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&punc;</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 1&punc; 2 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> &s;even Deacons to di&s;tribut offerings and &s;erv Tables. After|ward upon the Di&s;ciples di&s;per&s;ion at <HI>Stephans</HI> death, aro&s;e Evangeli&s;ts, who&s; duty was to preach, but no di&s;tinct order. Then that the Church &s;o planted might perpetualy be watered, they ordeined Prie&s;ts or Presbyters like the &s;eventy Di&s;ciples, for con&s;tant attendance in al places. La&s;tly to contin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the Government which re&s;ted in them&s;elfs; they appointed Over&s;eers (Greecly <HI>Epi&s;copi,</HI> by S. <HI>John</HI> Angels, vulgarly Bi|&s;hops
<PB REF="96"> to &s;upply their &s;teads after them: to whom the chief charge (to command, correct, ordein, over&s;ee) was committed or conferred &s;pecially for &s;uppre&s;&s;ing of Schi&s;ms&punc; which &s;pread in the Churches of <HI>Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Philippi, Colo&s;&s;i, The&s;&s;alonica,</HI> and <HI>Indea.</HI> For S. <HI>Paul</HI> fir&s;t con&s;tituted <HI>Titus</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Cret,</HI> and <HI>Timothy</HI> of <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> with their territories: who&s; patern S. <HI>John</HI> and other Apo&s;tles folowed.</P>
<P>If then this office was nece&s;&s;ary in tho&s; times (being the be&s;t remedy to repel Schi&s;ms, as S. <HI>Cyprian</HI> and <HI>Jerom</HI> te&s;tify) how much more in after ages, when Sects &s;o &s;warm, and Am|bition, Avarice, Pride, Philancy, Envy, Emulation, Di&s;cord, and Divi&s;ion multiply dayly? this power then was not per|&s;onal in the Apo&s;tles alone, not temporal to end or expire with them, nor common to inferior Di&s;ciples: but perpetual to abide til our Saviours &s;ecund coming, and confined to Bi|&s;hops for redre&s;&s; of al exorbitant enormities; &s;pecialy Schi&s;ms and Here&s;ies. What &s;ingle Presbyters did ever exerci&s;e any act of juri&s;diction in al the Scripture or prime Churches? In a family are diver&s; officers, but one <HI>Oeconomus</HI> or chief Ste|ward: In a Ship many Mariners, but one Ma&s;ter: in a Camp &s;undry Captaines, but one General: &s;o in a Church of large extent &s;everal Mini&s;ters, but one Bi&s;hop, hee is to take charge of al Churches (as <HI>Titus</HI> did of al <HI>Cret</HI> a goodly Ile) to &s;ee Presbyters doo their duties, to correct what is faulty to con|firm what is orderly, and reform abu&s;es. He is chief in or|deining Presbyters: as S. <HI>Paul</HI> had company at <HI>Timothy's</HI> ordination, yet he &s;ole ordeiner (which none can deny) as <HI>Chri&s;t &s;hal be &s;ole Judg at la&s;t day,</HI> yet <HI>The twelv Apo&s;tles &s;it</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 19 28.</NOTE> <HI>on twelv Thrones to judg the twelv Tribes of I&s;rael.</HI> 'Tis a <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 22 30.</NOTE> &s;illy Sophi&s;ters &s;quib to &s;ay, Bi&s;hops are caled Elders, and contrarily: <HI>Ergo</HI> both are one Order or Office. Indeed &s;uch names at fir&s;t were promi&s;cuous, but functions &s;til di&s;tinct; as every greater contains a le&s;&s;er: So Apo&s;tles were &s;tiled Presbyters or Elders, Deacons or Mini&s;ters, Doctors or Tea|chers, Prophets, and Evangeli&s;ts. Yea that title was inlarged to <HI>Barnabas, Paul, Andronicus, Epaphroditus, Titus, Timo|thy:</HI> &s;o Presbyters are clyped Prophets and Prelats; yet <HI>Chry|&s;o&s;tom</HI> &s;aith, can be but one Bi&s;hop in a City. Semblably Bi|&s;hops
<PB N="88" REF="96"> are &s;tiled Apo&s;tles, Elders, and Deacons, while ter ms or titles were common: but never in after ages, as <HI>Theodore<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, Jerom, Oecomenius,</HI> and the Fathers aver: <HI>Di&s;tingue tempora &amp; concordabunt res;</HI> nor doth community of name argu iden|tity of nature or office.</P>
<P>Thus epi&s;copat is of divine right; if not primary or imme|diat from Chri&s;t, as in ordaining the twelv to includ their Suc|ce&s;&s;ors: yet &s;ecundary or mediat from the in&s;pired Apo&s;tles, who &s;ub&s;tituted Bi&s;hops to &s;ucced. For as our Saviour in &s;om &s;ort in&s;tituted his own day, to be &s;anctified weekly in &s;tead of the Creatific Sabbath, by actual ri&s;ing from death; which his Apo&s;tles celebrated by their practi&s; of meeting to break bread every fir&s;t day: So he may be &s;aid to ordein Prelats and Pre&s;|byters (who are of equal right) Analogicaly, by chu&s;ing twelv Apo&s;tles, and &s;eventy Di&s;ciples, who&s; rooms tho&s; two orders &s;upplied; yet the Lords day is not &s;o &s;ubject to mutation by Man, &s;ith it hath a moral right by the equity (not Letter) of the fourth Commandment; which Men and Angels cannot alter: But the other two orders may, if the end for which they were in&s;tituted be changed, el&s; not. Al which premi&s;&s;es wil plainer appeer by particulars drawn from primitiv fountains, which flow from the Rock of Faith, and &s;hal not be fal&s;ified in the lea&s;t point.</P>
<P>The Apo&s;tles &s;ent to Teach and Bapti&s;e al Nations, had the whol world in common for their general Dioce&s;: but &s;om at|tended &s;pecial Churches as Rulers or Over&s;eers, and in fine &s;et <NOTE PLACE="marg">Bi&s;hops of 1 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> ruling Elders or Bi&s;hops in their Chairs or Charges: For <HI>James</HI> the Ju&s;t (caled the Lords Brother, becau&s; born of <HI>Mary Cleo|pas</HI> the ble&s;&s;ed Virgins &s;i&s;ter) re&s;ided and pre&s;ided at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> as his proper Sea; partly of his own authority, and partly by the Apo&s;tles appointment: as appeers by <HI>Pauls</HI> coming thither <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 21. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> to con&s;ult with him and his Presbytery: For at the Proto-Council, <HI>Peter</HI> as prime Apo&s;tle, was Prolocutor; but <HI>James&punc;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Act<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> 15 19&punc; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">0</NOTE> as Pre&s;ident, gav diffinitiv &s;entence, to which al &s;ubmited or &s;ub|&s;cribed. After 30 yeers re&s;idence he was ca&s;t from a Pinacle, and his brains pierced with a Fullers burling Iron; who&s; Brother <HI>Simeon</HI> &s;ucceded by the Apo&s;tles a&s;&s;ignment. They al&s;o plant|ed Churches el&s;wher, as <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Barnabas</HI> ordeined Elders <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">4. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE>
<PB REF="97"> in every Church: but no Bi&s;hops are mentioned, becau&s; yet they created none til afterward to rule in their rooms. For <HI>S. Paul</HI> caling the Elders of <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> to <HI>Miletum,</HI> bid them <HI>Take</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 17.</NOTE> <HI>heed to them&s;elfs and the Flock, wherof the Holy Gho&s;t made them Over&s;eers;</HI> naming no particular Prelat &s;av him&s;elf as Head over them. Hence grew the&s; Schi&s;ms &s;aying <HI>I am of Paul,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 12.</NOTE> <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> of Apollos, &amp;c.</HI> becau&s; no ruling Elders were then &s;etled, as S. <HI>Ambro&s;</HI> aptly ob&s;ervs. The rea&s;on why he yet &s;et no Su|perintendents is, becau&s; he &s;elf took care or rule of al Churches: whence <HI>Tertullian</HI> terms <HI>Corinth, Ephe&s;us, Philippi, The&s;&s;al<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">|nica,</HI> and the re&s;t of that rank, Apo&s;tolic Churches, becau&s; he pre&s;ided over them. But in proce&s;&s; of time, as occa&s;ion &s;erved, they ordeined Epi&s;copal Supervi&s;ers to &s;upply their &s;teads; for <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 11. 28.</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> being caled by the Spirit to attend the We&s;t parts, pa&s;&s;ing <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 19. 21.</NOTE> through <HI>Macedonia</HI> and <HI>Achaia</HI> toward <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> and &s;o to <HI>Rome</HI> (never to &s;ee the Ea&s;t again) &s;ent <HI>Titus</HI> to <HI>Corinth,</HI> and going by Sea, put in at <HI>Cret</HI> to preach the Go&s;pel: wher meet|ing <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 8. 6. 16. Ep &s;copat <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">cted.</NOTE> <HI>Titus</HI> back from <HI>Corinth,</HI> he left him ther to ordein Elders in every City, while he went to <HI>Epirus</HI> and <HI>Illyricum,</HI> before he cam to <HI>Rome.</HI> About that time he be&s;ought <HI>Timothy</HI> to abide at <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> who attended him fir&s;t into <HI>Macedon,</HI> but at his return re&s;ided there.</P>
<P>He was indeed an Evangeli&s;t, yet a Bi&s;hop too: as <HI>Philip</HI> who converted <HI>Samaria,</HI> was a Deacon and Evangeli&s;t; yet a&s;|terward Bi&s;hop of <HI>Tralleis</HI> in <HI>Thracia.</HI> Som cavil, That Saint <HI>Paul</HI> tru&s;ted <HI>Titus</HI> and <HI>Timothy</HI> with a temporar Commi&s;&s;ion only, becau&s; he employed them el&s;wher: but the rules pre&s;cri|bed for continued government to al Bi&s;hops cleerly convince that filly &s;hift: For his In&s;tructions how Elders and Deacons <NOTE PLACE="marg">Titus 1. 5.</NOTE> &s;hould be qualified, plainly purport them to be Superiors to tho&s; whom they &s;hal &s;o ordein and rule: Thus S. <HI>Paul</HI> leaving two of his Di&s;ciples in two principal places to plant Presbyte|ries, and propagat Churches, gav a patern or platform to al, who acted accordingly. For S. <HI>John</HI> reputed longeve&s;t of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">S <HI>John</HI> ordein|ed Bi&s;hops.</NOTE> Apo&s;tles, wrot long after to the Angels (or Bi&s;hops) of the &s;even A&s;ian Churches, mo&s;t of which are named by Apo&s;tolic Men in Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Hi&s;tories. Such (&s;aith <HI>Clemens Alexan|drinus,</HI> and <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI>) S. <HI>John</HI> con&s;tituted Bi&s;hops in diver&s;
<PB N="89" REF="97"> Cities, after his return from <HI>Patmos</HI> Exile, planted whol Churches, and ordeined Presbyteries in &s;everal places, as <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Timothy</HI> u&s;ed to doo. The like did other Apo&s;tles before their deaths in diver&s; Dioce&s;es, as <HI>Dorotheus, Demochares, Eu|&s;ebius, Petrus de Natalibus, Volateranus,</HI> and many mo con|te&s;t. For <HI>Gaius,</HI> and after him <HI>One&s;imus,</HI> &s;uc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eded <HI>Timothy</HI> at <HI>Ephe&s;us: Apelles,</HI> and after him <HI>Polycarpus</HI> becam Bi&s;hops of <HI>Smyrna: Lucius</HI> of <HI>Laodic<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a: Clemens</HI> fir&s;t of <HI>Sardis</HI> (which are four of the &s;aid &s;even Churches) and after of <HI>Rome;</HI> as <HI>Ignatius, Tertullian, Irenaeus,</HI> and other Fathers po&s;itivly aver: To who&s; authentic affirmation more Faith is du, then to thou&s;and Noveli&s;ts negativs, wholy po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with prejudi|cacy, philauty, and partiality.</P>
<P>The next Apo&s;tolic See is <HI>Antioch,</HI> wher Beleevers were fir&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Antioch.</NOTE> caled Chri&s;tians; which Church <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Paul</HI> jointly found|ed, as <HI>Ignatius</HI> atte&s;ts: For two Chri&s;tian Congregations co|exi&s;ted ther; one of the Circumci&s;ion, wherof <HI>Peter</HI> took charge; another of converted Gentils, which <HI>Paul</HI> by mutual agreement &s;upervi&s;ed; who being employed el&s;wher, commit|ted the charge of both being concorporat in one to <HI>Evodius</HI> Antece&s;&s;or of <HI>Ignatius.</HI></P>
<P>The&s; two are al&s;o accompted Cofounders of <HI>Rome</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Rome.</NOTE> Church by <HI>Irenaeus:</HI> but writers differ much about their &s;ucce&s;&s;ors. Som &s;et <HI>Linus</HI> and <HI>Cletus</HI> (or <HI>Anacle|tus</HI>) next after them, and &s;om <HI>Clemens:</HI> which di&s;&s;ent in cir|cum&s;tance cannot fru&s;trat or fal&s;ify their con&s;ent and harmony in &s;ub&s;tance, as partiali&s;ts infer. Haply ther being two Congre|gations (as at <HI>Antioch</HI>) of Jews and Gentils, <HI>Clemens Peters</HI> Di&s;ciple &s;ucceded him in the fir&s;t, and <HI>Linus Pauls</HI> Deacon in the la&s;t; til both uniting in one devolved on the Survi|ver <HI>Clemens,</HI> as Mr. <HI>Thorndike</HI> probably conjects, by compa|ring &s;emblable ca&s;es. However, ther was afterward a con&s;tant &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of Bi&s;hops (mo&s;t part Martyrs) til <HI>Con&s;tantins</HI> dais, as al Antients agree: But none are &s;o ab&s;urd to &s;ay they were al bare Presbyters, as if tho&s; great Cities had one only Mini&s;ter to Officiat. In the Apo&s;tles dais before S. <HI>John</HI> died, <HI>Denys Areopagit</HI> S. <HI>Pauls</HI> Convert becam Bi&s;hop of <HI>Athens,</HI> as <HI>Denys</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Corinth</HI> avers.</P>
<PB REF="98">
<P>La&s;tly, S. <HI>Marc</HI> was made Bi&s;hop of <HI>Alexandria</HI> in <HI>Egipt</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Alexandria.</NOTE> (haply by S. <HI>Peter,</HI> who&s; Di&s;ciple he was) as S. <HI>Jerom</HI> &s;aith; That from <HI>Mare</HI> to <HI>Heracla</HI> and <HI>Diony&s;ius</HI> in his dais (mark wel <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epe&s;t ad Evag.</NOTE> the words) the Presbyters &s;til cho&s; one in higher degree and dignity, to be Bi&s;hop. It was long after yer <HI>Corinth</HI> had any, which cau&s;ed &s;uch Schi&s;ms or &s;trifes among the Elders: yet many Apo&s;tolic Men (<HI>Titus</HI> at <HI>Cret, Timothy</HI> at <HI>Ephe&s;us, Cle|mens</HI> at <HI>Rome, Denys</HI> at <HI>Athens</HI>) pre&s;ided in Neighbor Sees; who in time placed Bi&s;hops at <HI>Corinth</HI> and other Cities: which is a pregnant pedigree of Epi&s;copal Hi&s;tory for the fir&s;t Cen|tury of Chri&s;t. Afterward when que&s;tion aro&s;, which Churches &s;hould hav Bi&s;hops, which not? It was regulated by the great|nes of Cities, or multitud of Presbyters requi&s;it to &s;uch charges; and by &s;low degrees &s;etled through the world. Hence <HI>Sardinia</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Can 6.</NOTE> Synod ordered, That no &s;mal Towns &s;hal hav Bi&s;hops wher a few Prie&s;ts may &s;erv; but only Populous places that de&s;erv one, or antiently had one. And the <HI>Chalcedon</HI> Council provided, That <NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 17.</NOTE> when the Emperor e&s;tabli&s;hed a City (annexing the Territo|ries adjacent or appendent) it &s;hould hav a Bi&s;hop; which made <HI>Itaely</HI> &s;o ful of Bi&s;hops, becau&s; &s;o Cityful. Now as Pre&s;|byters a&s;&s;i&s;ted the Apo&s;tles, who caled them felow-Elders, though not equals: So they a&s;&s;i&s;ted Bi&s;hops in &s;acred matters; &s;pecialy of Ordination, as <HI>Ignatius</HI> informs. So &s;aith <HI>Cyprian,</HI> He did nothing of him&s;elf without Coun&s;il of his Clergy, and con&s;ent of the People. And S. <HI>Ambro&s;,</HI> That nothing was doon in the Church without the Elders advi&s;e. Hence Bi&s;hops and Elders are oft caled by the &s;ame names, yet of di&s;tinct de|grees; becau&s; both concurred in functions; being &s;tiled Prie&s;ts <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sacerdotes.</NOTE> in re&s;pect of divine &s;ervice; Elders in regard of age or gravity; and Pre&s;idents or Prelats in relation to their rule. Thus their <NOTE PLACE="marg">Phaesbytert. Anti&s;tices.</NOTE> titles were oft confounded, but Orders and Offices &s;til di&s;tin|gui&s;hed; which no bra&s;&s;-brow can gain&s;ay. S. <HI>Ambro&s;</HI> renders a rea&s;on, why S. <HI>Paul</HI> in&s;tructing <HI>Timothy,</HI> pa&s;&s;eth from Bi|&s;hops to Deacons; becau&s; every Bi&s;hop is a Presbiter and Dea|con, not convertibly; but he chief over both.</P>
<P>Many maintain, That Presbyteries primarily con&s;i&s;ted part of Clerics, part of Laics; as the Jews Sanedrim had &s;om Prie&s;ts and Levits, &s;om Elders of the People: but 'tis fal&s;; for
<PB N="90" REF="98"> that was a mix'd Judicature of &s;piritual and &s;ecular per&s;ons (like our old high Commi&s;&s;ion Court) becau&s; al cau&s;es of Church and Common-wealth pa&s;&s;ed under their cen&s;ure: wheras the Church is &s;ubject to the State in Temporals; but in Spiritual things of the Soul and &s;ervice of God, Chri&s;t intru&s;ts none &s;av tho&s; to whom he commits the Keis of his hou&s;, wher|in &s;imple Laics may not meddle.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Ru&s;tica Ruricolae, tractent fabrilia Fabri.</HI></L>
<L>Let Clowns to Ploughing bend,</L>
<L>And Smiths their forging tend.</L>
</LG>
<P>Tho&s; then that deny any of the&s; things, mu&s;t renounce al Hi&s;tory, Authority, and Antiquity: but Men are &s;o wedged to their Tenets, that they wil &s;eek al &s;hifts which their wits can in|vent, contrary to common &s;en&s;, as the &s;equel &s;hal &s;hew. Som Objections occur.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>That the Elders which rule wel, are wor|thy</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 5. 17.</NOTE> <HI>of duple honor; &s;pecialy if they labor in the Word and Do|ctrin: Ergo</HI> ther be two &s;orts of Elders, &s;om meer Rulers, who meddle not with the Word; &s;om Preachers or Di&s;pen&s;ers therof.</P>
<P><HI>Sol. Cujus contrarium verum e&s;t:</HI> for how can the&s; labor in the Word and Doctrin, if they be Lay Elders? 'tis a fallacious inference to di&s;-join what the Holy Gho&s;t conjoins: for he &s;peaks only of &s;piritual Elders, which were both Rulers and Teachers, no Laics; nor can &s;uch labor in the Word: &s;urely S. <HI>Paul</HI> knew no &s;uch: and St. <HI>Peter</HI> in general <HI>exhorts al Elders,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 Pet.</HI> 5. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>being al&s;o an Elder, to feed the Flock,</HI> which no Laic can doo; nor is any &s;o impudent or ignorant to aver, that he or any of the Elders were Laics; only he a &s;uperior, and the re&s;t inferiors; yet al of one rank: but no Lay Elders extant or couchant in the new Te&s;tament: for Church and Common-wealth are two di&s;tinct Oeconomies having &s;everal Officers: avant then al in|va&s;ion into ech others Juri&s;diction. Indeed they had diver&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 5. Eph. 4. 11.</NOTE> Gifts or Graces of Prophecying, &s;peaking Toungs, Mini&s;tring, Teaching, Exhorting, Commucating, Ruling: &s;om to be Apo|&s;tles, &s;om Prophets, &s;om Evangeli&s;ts, &s;om Pa&s;tors, &s;om Doctors,
<PB REF="99"> but no meer Laics: &s;uch were Chimaera's or Catamountains. <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">. 12. 28.</NOTE> The Gifts of the &s;pirit to edification are the word of wi&s;dom, knowledg, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, di&s;cerning of &s;pi|rits, interpretation of toungs: But this provs not Ruling El|ders to differ from Bi&s;hops, nor any to be Laics; but flatly di&s;|provs it. St. <HI>Paul</HI> warns the Elders <HI>to be wary of grievous Wolfs,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ct<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 29.</NOTE> <HI>which wil not &s;pare the Flock:</HI> &s;o his Elders that ruled wel, were &s;piritual Over&s;eers: and to labor in the Word by convert|ing &s;om, and confirming others, is the main office of Presbyters <HI>ab origine:</HI> For the Office of Presbyters is both to teach and govern, of Prelats to govern and teach; but no Laics to doo either in the Church: Gods Word hath not a word tending that way; nor mentions any Mini&s;terial Orders or Officers, &s;av Bi&s;hops, Presbyters, and Deacons: But Evangeli&s;ts had on|ly a mi&s;&s;ion or Commi&s;&s;ion to preach; no Ordination di&s;tinct from Presbyters and Deacons.</P>
<P>If any Laics ever Ruled in primitiv times, what becam of them, that no Records remain of their names, nor noi&s; or no|tice of their &s;uppre&s;&s;ion? &s;ure the Laiety was far too potent and politic to be di&s;carded or degraded by the Clergy. Is it probable or po&s;&s;ible, that the whol Church would or could con&s;pire, to &s;mother or &s;trangle in the birth &s;uch a &s;acred In&s;ti|tution of our Lord Je&s;us and his holy Apo&s;tles? Or would Laics &s;o tamely take it? Nay is it credible or conceivable, that al antient Fathers, Eccle&s;ia&s;tic writers, Oecumenic Conncils &s;hould &s;o impiou&s;ly combine, to extirp or extermin its entity and memory, that no one witnes appeers in any Hi&s;tory; unle&s;&s; by &s;om who partialy and prepo&s;terou&s;ly wre&s;t ob&s;cure word, and bring their meaning with them, as they &s;erv &s;acred Scrip|tures, wherof they wil be &s;ole Interpreters? If any one can name any one &s;uch, he &s;hal carry the cau&s;. Let Chri&s;tians con|&s;ult with common &s;en&s; upon the&s; things, ye<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> they credulou&s;ly re&s;ign up their Rea&s;on to every Secti&s;t. Bi&s;hops in tho&s; dais did nothing without Presbyters advi&s;e or a&s;&s;ent; but by degrees a&s;&s;umed and arrogated al rule to them&s;elfs (as haply Presby|ters would, if they had prevailed) of which u&s;urpation St. <HI>Je|rom</HI> and other Godly Men complained, pre&s;&s;ing them to com|municat many matters with Presbyters, as <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> did to the Sa|nedrim:
<PB N="92" REF="99"> but of Lay Elders like the Sanedrim, <HI>ne gry quidem</HI> in al the Scripture or Antiquity; which is irrefragable indeniable verity. The Apo&s;tles u&s;ed no Laics &s;ervice, but ordeined Dea|cons even to &s;erv Tables; much le&s;&s; would they make them Partners <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n Church government.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Som &s;ay Presbyters alone may ordein, becau&s; St. <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4 14.</NOTE> exhorts <HI>Timothy not to neglect the gift in him, which he had by Prophecy, with laying on hands of the Presbytery: Ergo</HI> the El|ders of them&s;elfs ordeined him.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Speak &s;eriou&s;ly and &s;incerely; Doth any beleev this to be tru, or only wi&s;h it were &s;o? Certes S. <HI>Paul</HI> ordeined him <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1. 6.</NOTE> Deacon, Presbyter, and Bi&s;hop (though a&s;&s;i&s;ted by Elders) as he&s;elf avers: which words no way prov, that they can or did ordein alone without an Apo&s;tle or B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;hop in chief. Hence &s;om render them, Neglect not the gift of Elder&s;hip (or Epi&s;|copat) given by my Impo&s;ition of hands, which carries &s;o fair a color as the former glo&s;&s;: but however con&s;trued they prov not that Elders ever ordeined him of them&s;elfs without St. <HI>Paul<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI></P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> 'Tis urged, That every Presbyter is a Father, &s;o wel as Prelats: for St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Rebuke not an Elder, but exhort</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 <HI>Tim</HI> 5. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>him as a Father, and the yonger Men as Brethren: Ergo</HI> Pre&s;|byters are Fathers, and ordein young Novices as Sons or Bre|thren.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Is not this to wre&s;t, wrench, or wiredraw Scripture on the rack and tainter hooks to a wrong &s;en&s;? every poor blind ey can &s;ee, that the Apo&s;tle apertly denots Elders in yeers (even Laics) not in Orders: for the next words are; <HI>the elder Wo|men as Moth<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rs, and younger as Si&s;ters;</HI> which cannot be meant of &s;piritual Elders, unles they wil make old Presbyte|re&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es, and young Diacone&s;&s;es: Nor if they be formaly caled Fathers for gravity, doth it folow, that they may ordein Sons: But St. <HI>Paul</HI> de&s;cends afterwards to Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Elders, advi|&s;ing him <HI>to receiv no accu&s;ation again&s;t &s;uch under two or three</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">ve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;. 19. 20. 21.</NOTE> <HI>witne&s;&s;es;</HI> with a &s;trict charge <HI>to doo nothing partialy in prefer|ring one before another, nor to lay hands &s;uddenly on any:</HI> al w^c^h argu his eminent Epi&s;copal authority over al the Elders, wher|of were many at <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> yet could they not lay hands on any without him: what can be cleerer? He that hath ears, let him
<PB REF="100"> li&s;ten what the &s;pirit &s;peaks, <HI>To the Angel</HI> or Bi&s;hop <HI>of Ephe&s;us:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2. 2, 3</NOTE> <HI>I know thy works, labor, and patience; how thou tried&s;t them which &s;ay they are Apo&s;tles and are not, but ha&s;t found them lyers: and for my names &s;ake ha&s;t labored and not fainted.</HI> The&s; are no functions for every Elder to try fall Prophets or cen&s;ure them, but only for the chief Angel, wherof was only one in in ech of the &s;even A&s;ian Churches, to whom he directed his Epi&s;ties: For Bi&s;hops as Fathers ordeined Presbyters, but not they Bi&s;hops; nor can Sons ordein Sons without a Father or Bi&s;hop; who is &s;uperior both in precedence of place and pree|minence of power, as is proved.</P>
<P>The twelv Apo&s;tles and &s;eventy Di&s;ciples had equal charge <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 10. 1.</NOTE> or Commi&s;&s;ion to preach the Go&s;pel, cure Di&s;ea&s;es, and ca&s;t out Devils; yet the twelv &s;uperior to the &s;eventy, as al know. Som too boldly &s;ay, Both were one order, becau&s; caled Di&s;ci|ples: <HI>&s;it liber Judex,</HI> let St. <HI>Luke</HI> decide it: <HI>After this</HI> (rela|ting to what he premi&s;ed of the Apo&s;tles) <HI>he appointed other &s;eventy Di&s;ciples al&s;o:</HI> If other then not the &s;ame: nor doth community of general title argu identity of &s;pecial order or &s;pecifical Office: For Apo&s;tles were caled Di&s;ciples, but the &s;eventy no Apo&s;tles, and <HI>Matthias</HI> one of them was cho&s;en Apo&s;tle, as to an higher degree: yea <HI>Dorotheus</HI> flatly avers, that they were &s;ubordinat to them, and many afterwards made Dioce&s;an Bi&s;hops, who &s;ucceded the twelv; and Presbyters the &s;eventy, as al Antients (<HI>Jeronimo non exempto</HI>) unanimo&s;ly vote and inform.</P>
<P>Men who hav forfeted their Faith, or re&s;igned it to Faction, fear not to vent untruths among the Vulgar; being &s;ure the &s;impler &s;ort wil be &s;educed for lack of learning, and their Pro|&s;elits apt to accept &s;hadows for &s;ub&s;tances, or counterfet cop|per for current Coin: But St. <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> &s;aying to <HI>Julius</HI> the He|retic, wil wel &s;uit &s;uch Secti&s;ts; Hath time &s;o confounded al things? is darknes turn'd to light, or contrarily, that <HI>Pelagius, Cele&s;tin,</HI> and <HI>Julius</HI> can &s;ee; but <HI>Hilary, Cyprian,</HI> and <HI>Ambro&s;</HI> becom blind? &s;emblably, are al Fathers, Councils, and Eccle|&s;ia&s;tic Writers blind Beetles, not to perceiv how primitiv Chur|ches not long before their dais were governed: but <HI>Calvin, Cartwright,</HI> and <HI>Knox</HI> &s;uch Lynces to &s;ee &s;o far into a Mil&s;ton,
<PB N="92" REF="100"> what was acted &s;o many ages before their births, without any Per&s;pectivs of Human Hi&s;tories? a &s;trange in&s;tinct, if not in|&s;piration. Let St. <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> admonition &s;hape the conclu&s;ion: 'Tis fit Chri&s;tians &s;hould prefer Antiquity before your Novities, and rather adhere to their &s;olid Judgments, then to your &s;ha|low fancies.</P>
<P>The An&s;wer to nine Que&s;tions propounded at la&s;t Parlia|ment to the A&s;&s;embly of Divines touching <HI>Jus Divinum</HI> in Church Government, is built on the proofs or Principles pre|cited. 1. That Elders and Elder&s;hips in Scripture were &s;acred Officers repre&s;enting the Church. 2. That Chri&s;t hath a tem|poral Kingdom, wherof &s;ecular Magi&s;trats are Vicegerents; and a &s;piritual committed to Church Officers: as 'tis &s;aid, <HI>Aa|ron and his Sons &s;hal wait on the Prie&s;ts Office:</HI> and a B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;hops <NOTE PLACE="marg">Numb 3. 10.</NOTE> Office is a good work: for they are <HI>contra</HI> di&s;tinct, and may <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 3. 1.</NOTE> not confound their powers. Say that Magi&s;trats mu&s;t guard the Church by po&s;itiv Laws, yet not rule in it; nor they to meddle with &s;ecular affairs. 3. That no Independent con|gregational Elder&s;hips are <HI>Jure divino.</HI> 4. That Chri&s;t gav the Keis to his Apo&s;tles and their &s;piritual &s;ucce&s;&s;ors; but not to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 16 19. Mat. 18 18. John 20, 23.</NOTE> al Members of the Church. Al which are tru Po&s;itions, if the head Rulers be included; el&s; 'tis no Church Government of divine In&s;titution. For no Societies, Companies, Colleges or Corporations can be complet without their &s;everal Heads, as right Epi&s;copacy is a regulated Presbytery, but &s;ingle Presby|tery without a Bi&s;hop (who may not be &s;ecluded or &s;eparated) Epi&s;copat beheaded. 'Tis &s;aid, That in the black Moneth a headle&s;&s; Hor&s; wanders the &s;treets with a chain about his neck; which haply now is fulfilled, if the Church becom an Anarchi|cal Acephalon, and the World an Antipodical Anarchy. That an&s;wer hath two main defects: 1. In not declaring the whol truth, that the Apo&s;tles were Heads or Pre&s;idents over al Pre&s;|byters, and before their deaths deputed Bi&s;hops to be ordinary Rulers (them&s;elfs being extraordinary) in their &s;teads. 2. In not explaining, whether Lay-Elders may be admitted among Church-Officers, which &s;eems to bee a mungrel mixture? But al Sects learn that craft of Satan, to concele what makes mo&s;t again&s;t them. Certes Epi&s;copat and Elder&s;hips are Correlats;
<PB REF="101"> nor can ther be a tru Presbytery without a Prelat. Whence Mr. <HI>Calvin</HI> at <HI>Geneva,</HI> when they reformed Religion, and had expelled their Popi&s;h Prelat Soveraign of the State, offered to readmit him, if he would renounce the Papacy: but upon re|fu&s;al, erected this new form of Mini&s;ters and Laics to draw in joint yoke together, to plea&s; his Popular Patrons. He wi&s;hed (as his felows did) to hav Prote&s;tant Prelats as in <HI>England;</HI> or Superintendents (which are analogical Bi&s;hops) as el&s;wher; for they are truly Chri&s;tian, yea of Apo&s;tolic In&s;titution; not Anti-Chri&s;tian, unles Antichri&s;t be the head; and many hun|dreds &s;uffred Martyry under Pagan tyranny, be&s;ide &s;om here in the Marian per&s;ecution: therfore &s;uch a&s;per&s;ions &s;avour more of ignorant malice then tru charity: for it may &s;incerly be &s;aid &s;ans &s;candal, that Epi&s;copacy &s;tood e&s;tabli&s;hed in this land ever &s;ince the dawn of Chri&s;tianity under <HI>Lucius</HI> a Bryti&s;h King al|mo&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">An C. 180.</NOTE> 1500 yeers, both by antient and later Laws from age to age. So that if the primitiv form of Church government be re|tained, it cannot be exiled: for if <HI>Titus, Timothy,</HI> and the re&s;t were ruling Elders over Presbyters, it &s;hould be &s;o &s;til; yet 'tis not &s;imply unalterable, if weighty cau&s;es require an abolition. <HI>Epiphanius</HI> rightly reputed <HI>Aerius</HI> an Heretic (though it be no point of Faith but Faction, and &s;uch &s;ince &s;tiled Schi&s;matics) for oppo&s;ing Epi&s;copacy: &s;ith if it &s;hould be granted (which can never be proved) that 'tis a meer Human Ordinance of A|po&s;tolic Men: yet po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion and pre&s;cription of 1500 yeers &s;ans violence or u&s;urpation, is enough to in&s;tal it in a firm right free from extirpation, if their be any &s;ure &s;etled &s;tate on Earth. For St. <HI>Jerom,</HI> no friend to that Order for his teen again&s;t <HI>John</HI> the proud Patriarch of <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> (under who&s; Juri&s;diction he lived long at <HI>Bethleem Juda</HI>) freely agni&s;eth; that the peace of particular Churches cannot be con&s;erved without it, being the be&s;t means to &s;uppre&s;&s; Schi&s;ms, Sects, and Here&s;ies, which &s;warm like Locu&s;ts in the open Sun. Many abu&s;es are crept up, &s;pecialy in committing too much power to Lay. Chancelors; and detracting diver&s; priviledges from Presbyters; be&s;ide ex|ce&s;&s;iv avarice of &s;om Bi&s;hops which reigns in &s;carlet Robes &s;o il as in lawn &s;leevs; al which may be reformed, and pri&s;tin procedings re&s;tored, without weeding out pure Wheat
<PB N="93" REF="101"> with Tares, Cockles and Darnel; which wi&s;e Husbandmen wil not doo: but what di&s;orders may grow upon its utter era|dication (as al alterations are perilous) none but Gods al&s;eing Ey can fore&s;ee.</P>
<P>To &s;um up al, the&s; are Oraculous verities: 1. That Chri&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> during life kept al rule in his &s;ole power, but after Re&s;ur|rection commended it to his Apo&s;tles by a Triple charge to <HI>Peter, Feed my Sheep.</HI> 2. That when Beleevers increa&s;ed, they erected Elders every wher to officiat under them. 3. That before their deaths they ordeined &s;om Di&s;ciples as Superiors over &s;everal Churches and Presbyteries. 4. That &s;uch were &s;til|ed Prelats (&s;et over) and Bi&s;hops or Over&s;eers. 5. That <HI>Peter and James</HI> Apo&s;tles; <HI>Marc</HI> and <HI>Timothy</HI> Evangeli&s;ts; <HI>Gaius</HI> and <HI>Lynus</HI> two of the &s;eventy Di&s;ciples; <HI>Titus, One|&s;imus, Evodius, Clemens, Lucius, Apelles, Denys Areopagit, Polycarp, Ignatius, Anacletus</HI> (Apo&s;tolic Men) were actual Bi&s;hops in &s;everal Sees, as <HI>Ignatius, Tertullian, Irenaeus</HI> tru&s;ty Tru&s;tees avow. 6. That in after ages Bi&s;hops were cho&s;en by Presbyteries, not occa&s;ionaly like Pre&s;idents or Mo|derators in Councils; nor annualy as Maiors of Cities; but perpetualy for life, like Ma&s;ters of Colleges to govern their Dioce&s;es. 7. That &s;uch continued in al chri&s;tian Churches by the titles of Bi&s;hops or Prelats, til <HI>Luther</HI> &s;tiled them Su|perintendents. 8. That after-Records or Catalogs of Epi&s;|copal continued &s;ucce&s;&s;ions, are extant every wher beyond cavil or contradiction. 9. That al Elders or Presbyters (with Deacons, Evangeli&s;ts, &amp;c.) were Clergy Men by impo&s;ition of hands, til <HI>Calvin</HI> occa&s;ionaly admitted Laics Joint Rulers in &s;hew with Clerics: which form hath &s;ince crept into a few Churches, as novities &s;til find vulgar intertainment like new Brooms. 10. That ther is no &s;emblable color for conter|fet Lay-Elders to meddle in Church matters; nor ever were any &s;uch except Church-Wardens to keep the common Stock, Goods, and Uten&s;ils &s;afe. What needs more light at noon&punc; The blind are never the better, nor wil deaf Adders be charmed. So far the Hi&s;tory.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB REF="102">
<HEAD><HI>Gaudenus de Epi&s;copatu:</HI> Gauden about Epi&s;copat.</HEAD>
<Q>In his <HI>Hicro&s;pi&s;tes</HI> or Defen&s; of Engli&s;h Mini&s;try and Mini|&s;ters.</Q>
<P>LEt Dr. <HI>Gauden</HI> a learned Divine (ful of piety, and free <NOTE PLACE="marg">Appendix.</NOTE> from partiality) moderat the matter: who in his Ele|gant Apology for the Mini&s;try hath the&s; pa&s;&s;ages in &s;undry places. He dotes not on any dro&s;&s; or ru&s;t which antient vene|rable Epi&s;copacy may in many revolutions of ages ea&s;ily con|tract, and be as ea&s;ily cleered: nor likes the&s; rigid reformations, which &s;om ra&s;h, envious, ambitious Presbyters driv on: who know not how to &s;hav their Fathers Beards without cutting their Throats, pair their Nails without cropping their Hands; nor as unskilful Chymi&s;ts refine from dro&s;&s; without con&s;uming what is Pretious: nor as blind Empirics purge bad Humors without ca&s;ting into bloody Fluxes.</P>
<P>Our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t the tru Me&s;&s;ias (Son of God, Angel of the new Covenant, the great Apo&s;tle, Bi&s;hop and Father of our Souls, Author and Fini&s;her of our Faith, Suprem Lord and King, Eternal high Prie&s;t. and unerring Prophet of his Church) was &s;ent by G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d the Father to perform al Prophecies, fulfil al righteou&s;nes, and &s;ettle a vi&s;ible Mini&s;tration of holy things in his Church: who cam not in his own Name as Man to be Mediator, or to take the Honor of Prophet, Prie&s;t, and a King over it; but had his Mi&s;&s;ion from the Father by evident Witne<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> from Heaven, both before and at his Birth: but more eminently at Bapti&s;m by the vi&s;ible Shape of a Dov, and au|dible voice; <HI>This is my beloved Son in whom I am wel plea&s;ed:</HI> being annointed with gifts of the Holy Gho&s;t abov al as Head of the Church. The&s; were attended with infallible Signs and Wonders, while he taught the My&s;teries of his Kingdom, and in&s;tituted holy Rites to di&s;tingui&s;h his Church from the World, by tho&s; Seals and Pledges of his lov, in dying for
<PB N="94" REF="102"> the Faithful, when he &s;hed both Blood and Water on the Cro&s;&s;. Which having per&s;onaly accompii&s;hed as to the me|ritorius part of his Mini&s;try, he being no more to conver&s; in a vi&s;ible Human pre&s;ence on Earth, did after his Re&s;urrection commit the Keis of his Kingdom to the twelv Apo&s;tles afore|cho&s;en, as Stewards or Mini&s;ters of his Hou&s;hold, in&s;tructing them on what fundation of Faith to build his Church, and by what Sacramental Signs to confirm Beleevers; bidding them to Teach and Bapti&s;e al Nations, to ordein Di&s;ciples that &s;hould &s;ucced, and &s;o breathed on them: promi&s;ing to &s;end his Spirit (as he did after his A&s;cention) and to be with them til the Worlds end. This cannot be meant of their Per&s;ons who &s;hortly died, but of their Survivers or Succe&s;&s;ors in the Mini&s;try to whom the &s;ame Authority and a&s;&s;i&s;tance belongs by divine durable Charter or Commi&s;&s;ion: for publication and confirmation wherof the Holy Gho&s;t cam on them in &s;hape of firy Cloven Toungs, filling them with miraculous gifts fit for the fir&s;t planting of the Church and al Mini&s;terial power derivable to others, for propagation and perpetuity therof. Which whol fram or Fabric was the proper effect of his Prophetic Wi&s;dom for in&s;tructing his Church; an Act of his Kingly power in governing it, and the fruit of his Prie&s;t|ly care for a right Liturgy, or Officiating to be &s;til conti|nued by an holy Succe&s;&s;ion of Evangelical Mini&s;ters in his Name; to Teach, Guid and Govern it in al holy Duties. He made Apo&s;tles, Prophets, Evangeli&s;ts, Pa&s;tors, Teachers for the work of Mini&s;try, and edyfying of his body: who had diver&s; gifts, as be &s;everal parts in our body; &s;o that al are not Prophets or Pa&s;tors which are Beleevers or Members, as every bodyly part is not an Ey, tho it partakes the &s;ame Soul, as Be|leevers doo the &s;ame Spirit in differing mini&s;trations: of which Gifts tho&s; only are to Judg, whom the Spirit &s;ets Succe&s;&s;ivly in the Church with power to ordein others: without which divinely con&s;tituted Order began by Chri&s;t, derived to the Apo&s;tles, and delegated to their Succe&s;&s;ors; the Church long ago had bin a Mon&s;ter made up of confu&s;ed excre&s;cences or heaps of Here&s;ies, Sects, Schi&s;ms, and blind Baiards, as &s;uch mi&s;hapen prodigies &s;tart up daily: who having ca&s;t off Sacred
<PB REF="103"> Order, doo in their varieties exced the promi&s;cuous produ|ctions even of <HI>Afric.</HI></P>
<P>The Apo&s;tles accordingly fir&s;t filled up <HI>Judas</HI> place by Lot out of the &s;eventy Di&s;ciples; and took care to ordain others which &s;hould &s;o doo after them; di&s;tributing their own labors into &s;everal Churches; &s;om of Circumci&s;ed Jews, others of Gentils, among whom they exerci&s;ed Divine power and Au|thority with al fidelity, as Chri&s;ts Amba&s;&s;adors, Heralds, and Laborers in his Husbandry, or E&s;pou&s;ers to make a Mariage betwen Chri&s;t and the Church: which office none without do delegation might pre&s;um to perform. During which primi|tiv purity, they ordeined Elders in every City and Country, charging them to fulfil the Mini&s;trey and feed their Flocks (both in tru Doctrin and good Diciplin) over whom the Lord had made them Over&s;eers by the Apo&s;tles a&s;&s;ignation. Som of which had charge to &s;ettle a Succe&s;&s;ion of &s;uch as &s;hould be apt and able to teach the Word of Life, that Chri&s;ts In&s;ti|tution might be kept unblamable, til his &s;ecund coming, by an holy Order or Office of Mini&s;ters duly made by &s;olen impo|&s;ition of &s;acred hands, as a vi&s;ible token of their peculiar de|&s;ignation to this function. Thus beyond al doubt or di&s;put (which none but Athei&s;ts or Infidels wil deny) Chri&s;ts holy Ordinance was carried on &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly for three genera|tions: 1. In the Apo&s;tles: 2. From them to Elders and Rulers: 3. From them to others which were ordeined Bi|&s;hops, Presbyters, and Deacons, as is evident in the new Te&s;ta|ment. The next &s;ucce&s;&s;ion is cleer by te&s;timony of <HI>Clement</HI> and other Apo&s;tilic Men beyond exception or eva&s;ion: al which entring by the Dore, are as tru Shepherds, Stewards, Fathers, Rulers and Watchmen over the Flock: being caled the Light of the World, Salt of the Earth, Fi&s;hers of Men, Stars in his right hand, Angels of the Churches, &amp;c. who are charged to Preach the Word in &s;ea&s;on and out; to feed Lambs, to care for the Flock, to fulfil their Mini&s;try, to ex|hort, command, and Rebuk with al Authority; to whom Chri&s;t gav many peculiar privileges and promi&s;es of &s;pecial a&s;&s;i&s;tance. Hence 'tis cleer as the Noonday, that &s;om (not al) and tho&s; ordeined (not voluntiers) are &s;ent &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly by
<PB N="95" REF="103"> Chri&s;ts authority, to doo the work of the Mini&s;try: which dreadful imploiment injoined, with a bitter Wo if neglected, the very Angels wil not undergo unles &s;ent, nor then without horror: much le&s;&s; &s;hould &s;inful Men (to whom a duple Wo is du) de&s;peratly dare to intrud being un&s;ent, uncaled, unor|deined, and unfurni&s;hed; which is proud pre&s;umption. As then &s;om are duly inve&s;ted with Mini&s;terial power, and &s;trictly injoined to u&s;e it for the Churches good: &s;o al others not im|powered (tho never &s;o wel gifted) are flatly forbid to u&s;urp that &s;acred Office, or confer what they never received on o|thers: which neither <HI>Melchi&s;edec, Mo&s;es, Aaron, Samuel,</HI> nor any of the Prophets; no nor Chri&s;t, John Bapti&s;t, the A|po&s;tles, Evangeli&s;ts, or any tru Bi&s;hops and Presbyters ever dur&s;t to arrogat, without divine mi&s;&s;ion or commi&s;&s;ion me|diatly or immediatly derived from Chri&s;t. This Mini&s;terial Ordination, hath continued abov &s;ixteen Centuries by lawful &s;ucce&s;&s;ion even to wonder, amid&s;t al Per&s;ecutions, Confu&s;i|ons, and changes of Human affairs. For Chri&s;t promi&s;eth to be with his Church and Mini&s;ters to the Worlds end, and Hel<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">gates &s;hal not prevail again&s;t them. This laying on of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hebr 6. 1, 3.</NOTE> Hands in Ordination, is reckoned among the fundamental Principles of Religion, joyned with Faith, Repentance, Bap|ti&s;m, Re&s;urrection, and la&s;t Judgment, nor can Confirmati|on be duly doon to the Bapti&s;ed, and Catechi&s;ed, &s;av by &s;uch as are ordeined therto: which to gain&s;ay, is as if Men &s;hould reject tho&s; other grand Articles forecited. Surely al divine Mini&s;trations of Preaching, Celebrating the Sacraments, and other Ordinances nece&s;&s;ary to the being (&s;o wel as wel being) of a Church, had cea&s;ed long &s;ince, if God had a&s;&s;igned no peculiar Men to hold forth the great Salvation, which leavs Men excu&s;ele&s;&s;: &s;ith they are taught by &s;uch as hav &s;pecial Characters or Letters of Credence from Chri&s;t: if they wil not hear <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Prophets, or Men &s;ent by him; whom wil they beleev? Ther be four &s;orts of Laborers in Gods har|ve&s;t: &s;om &s;ent by him &s;oly, as <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> mo&s;t Prophets, the twelv Apo&s;tles, St. <HI>Paul:</HI> &s;om by Gods a&s;&s;ignation, but Mans Ordination; as <HI>Aaron, Jo&s;ua, Eli&s;ha, Timothy:</HI> &s;om by Or|dination of the Church, yet of Chri&s;ts in&s;titution; as al Evan|gelical
<PB REF="104"> Mini&s;ters duly ordered: &s;om not &s;ent by God or Man; but run or ru&s;h in of them&s;elfs, as fal&s; Prophets, Deceivers, Intruders, Secti&s;ts, and al Satans Di&s;ciples: who boa&s;t of ex|traordinary Enthu&s;ia&s;m as Angels of light &s;aying, Thus &s;aith the Lord; When he never &s;ent nor &s;pak by them. For no Be|leever though indued with great Gifts and Graces (as St. <HI>Am|bro&s;</HI> had before he becam Bi&s;hop) ought to a&s;&s;um Mini&s;terial power: for then every Chri&s;tian of both Sexes (as ther be &s;undry She-Preachers, which pretend to the Spirit in the&s; licen|tious times) may claim the Keis to them&s;elfs, and di&s;pen&s; Holy things to others, or rule Chri&s;ts Hou&s;hold in his &s;tead; which repugns common Rea&s;on; as if every dome&s;tic Servant or Scul|lion &s;hould chalenge the Stewards place, or every Member arrogat the office of Eys, Toung, or Hands; becau&s; they be|long to the &s;ame Soul, Body, and Head. Sith then no Natu|ral Moral, or Religious gifts or abilities can in&s;tate any to be a Magi&s;trat, Judg, Amba&s;&s;ador, or public Officer; unles he be inve&s;ted by the Fountain of Civil power. So ther &s;hould be a right derivation of Spiritual Power from Chri&s;t Je&s;us as Head; either immediatly as the Apo&s;tles had, or mediatly as Bi|&s;hops and Presbyters &s;ince; who without fraud, force, or un|ju&s;t U&s;urpation received it from the Apo&s;tles by Praier, Bene|diction, and impo&s;ition of Hands in Chri&s;ts name. Which pregnant truth moro&s;ely to deny, is as if an Hog &s;hould an|&s;wer al Arguments with grunting. Yea to act again&s;t &s;o &s;trong a &s;tream of authority; befits only Ranters, Seekers, Shakers, and Enthu&s;ia&s;ts; or Jews, Turcs, and Infidels: but not &s;ober Chri|&s;tians or Members of the Church, which ever enjoyed a tru &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of ordeined Mini&s;try: wherby the Go&s;pels light is continued to this day amid&s;t al Pagan per&s;ecutions, Here&s;i|cal confu&s;ions, and Schi&s;matical Fractions bent to undermine it. Al Nations by Natures lore owned &s;om Deity, and had peculiar Per&s;ons to execut Religious Rites; nor did ever any &s;ober Men reject Gods &s;ervice for Mini&s;ters faults, frailties, or infirmities. For a Divine mu&s;t be di&s;tingui&s;h'd from the Man, &s;ith Gods power works with human weaknes, nor need we be more nice or nau&s;eous. La&s;tly ther is a nece&s;&s;ity of or|deined Mini&s;try, &s;ith none of free accord wil undergo &s;o hard
<PB N="96" REF="104"> and hazardous a task in times of primitiv Per&s;ecutions, to hold forth the doctrin of a crucified Saviour (as al carnal Men deemed it) unles they had the duty of divine caling laid on their Con&s;ciences. Yet however in the Go&s;pels Halcyon &s;erenity, many new Teachers, out of avarice or popular ambition, ru&s;h ra&s;hly upon it, which the be&s;t Men dur&s;t not weild without weeping (as St. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> did when he was made Presbyter) and trembling: tho&s; rigid &s;torms of yore, would hav quenched the now &s;o forward fla&s;hes of the&s; Sparks; when to be a Prelat or Presbyter, was to expo&s;e them&s;elfs to fire and fagot, wild Bea&s;ts jaws, and a thou&s;and tortures.</P>
<P>So unles divine authority had impo&s;ed, and &s;pecial Grace a&s;&s;i&s;ted, together with promi&s;es of eternal Glory; doubtles the glorious Go&s;pel of &s;alvation had yet this time bin buried in oblivion; fith none had heard or beleeved that report, if none had dared to preach or publi&s;h it, as Men &s;ent and or|deined did. Nor would any el&s; be &s;o fool hardy to hazard al worldly intere&s;ts (honor, e&s;tate, liberty, life) on &s;uch an un|couth, unwelcom, un&s;afe me&s;&s;age; unles they had bin con&s;ci|ous of a &s;pecial duty laid on them by divine authority, derived in that &s;olen &s;acred Ordination of Mini&s;try: Whence St. <HI>Paul</HI> denounced a Wo to him&s;elf if he preached not the Go&s;pel. For every one that can handle the Hod, Hammer, or Trowel, is not in&s;tantly an Architect: Nor can every gifted Man &s;upply the place of &s;uch a Workman as hath both Materials, Tools, Art, and Approbation. Ther is great ods betwen plau&s;ible cunning to draw Di&s;ciples, and &s;incere con&s;cience to make folowers of Chri&s;t; betwen intruding popular Ma&s;ters, and tru ordeined Mini&s;ters: betwixt clambring over the wal like Robbers or Plunderers, and entring at dore as tru Shepherds of the Flock or owners of the Family: betwen conterfet Cranks and ap|proved Amba&s;&s;adors of Chri&s;t. For the Go&s;pel Mini&s;try is a dreadful imployment to di&s;charge it duly, which requires pecu|liar Workmen fit for &s;o high a Function; nor is it le&s;&s; weighty now then of old: When Mini&s;ters mu&s;t contend with blunt ru|&s;ticity bold barbarity, Schi&s;matical curio&s;ity, fanta&s;tical novity, Heretical &s;ubtlety, di&s;gui&s;ed Hypocri&s;y, &s;uper&s;titious vanity, Factions fury, politic prophanenes, and al &s;orts of &s;piritual
<PB REF="105"> wickednes. Nothing old can plea&s;, though never &s;o tru; nor new com ami&s;&s;, though never &s;o fal&s;: a new Church way, new fangled Mini&s;try, new ordered Sacraments, new &s;en&s;ed Scriptures, and what not? Every one &s;ings, <HI>In no|va fert animus.</HI> With &s;uch proud, &s;illy, &s;cornful Sophi&s;ters (who need Teachers, yet dare to teach) mu&s;t Mini&s;ters incoun|ter, who ca&s;t off al Church Order and Government: &s;o 'tis mo&s;t requi&s;it to keep &s;uch unruly Buls of <HI>Ba&s;an</HI> under. Ra&s;h|nes is no part of Fortitud, nor confidence a character of cou|rage, nor Confu&s;ion any ingredient of Charity, nor Faction a &s;upport of Faith, nor di&s;orderly walking fit fuel of holy flames <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 122. 3.</NOTE> in Chri&s;tians hearts: For the Church is compared to a City at unity in it &s;elf; and to an Army with Banners: which holy al|lu&s;ions <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant 6. 3.</NOTE> argu, that ther is to be exact government in al affairs: but the enemies of reformed Mini&s;try (who affect &s;ubtleties more then &s;olidities) becom Mini&s;ters Rivals, from whom they had tho&s; pretended Gifts; and like <HI>Balaams</HI> Bea&s;t, pre&s;ume to teach their Ma&s;ters, trampling their feeders under feet: but &s;uch Secti&s;ts or Seducers make Mini&s;ters mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary to op|po&s;e their fury, repel their folly, and reform novity, which el&s; like wild Bores would de&s;troy the Lords Vineyard, if the&s; faithful Watchmen did not prevent them. Thus much in ge|neral of the whol Mini&s;try: now more neerly concerning Epi&s;|copacy, which is a&s;&s;aulted at fir&s;t entry.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> If it be granted to be of divine Apo&s;tolic In&s;titution at fir&s;t, yet it hath &s;ince declined into Antichri&s;tian Apo&s;tacy, un|der Popi&s;h Primacy, being linealy derived from it: <HI>Ergo</HI> both Bi&s;hops and Mini&s;ters, like links of one chain or branches of the &s;ame Tree, are to be lopped off.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Indeed Bi&s;hops hav con&s;tantly and continualy ordein|ed Mini&s;ters ful 1600 yeers: but Popes of <HI>Rome</HI> u&s;urped Anti|chri&s;tian Supremacy in the We&s;t (as they would over the whol world, if they could catch it) about 1050 yeers yet al &s;acred Or|dinances u&s;ed or abu&s;ed by them, mu&s;t not be abandoned as Antichri&s;tian; for then we may &s;eek new Scriptures, Creed, and Sacraments, with another Go&s;pel and Me&s;&s;ias, &s;o wel as Bi&s;hops and Mini&s;ters; &s;ith al the&s; hav been defiled by their de|praved doctrins and &s;uper&s;titions. Nor was the Church Ca|tholic
<PB N="97" REF="105"> (again&s;t which Hel-gates &s;hal never prevail to blot out Chri&s;ts name) wholy ruined by Antichri&s;tian &s;uper&s;tructures, that the main fabric mu&s;t be puld down and made Nehu&s;tan, in&s;tead of repairing or re&s;toring it to pri&s;tin purity: For &s;o Chri&s;t reduced divine wor&s;hip to his own Hou&s;, when avarice had made it a Den of Theefs. Nor did the Jews Prie&s;thood cea&s; for the Prie&s;ts enormities: Nor the dialectic teaching part fal from <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Chair, though the Scribes and Phari&s;ees fat therin, teaching Mens traditions: Nor doo the Sacraments or Evangelic Ordinances fail by any Papal alterations or additi|ons. Hence al Godly Reformers (&s;pecialy in <HI>England</HI>) were content to ca&s;t out al corrupt doctrins, vain cu&s;toms, impure mixtures, and &s;uper&s;titious vanities which Papal novity had built on the foundations of Chri&s;tian Religion, laid by the an|tient Architects al over the World; re&s;erving the Scripture Canon, with al &s;ound Doctrin, holy Di&s;ciplin, Sacramental &s;eals, and other duties of Praier, fa&s;ting, &amp;c. according to the cleer &s;en&s; of Gods Word, and practi&s; of primitiv Churches: yet were they not &s;o &s;illy or giddy to reject al which the Popi&s;h party received or retained; but only refined gold from dro&s;&s;, the pure from vile, which they had from Chri&s;tian Predece&s;&s;ors (Martyrs and Confe&s;&s;ors) in that once famous Roman Church by du &s;ucce&s;&s;ion, though &s;ince much degenerated. No Chri|&s;tian in his right wits (who&s; Con&s;cience is guided by &s;cience and zele tempred with Charity) wil or &s;hould reced from them, farther then he finds them to deviat from the rule of Faith, held forth by Apo&s;tolic Precepts, and primitiv Precedents: But in matters of extern prudential order, every Church hath like li|berty to u&s;e or refu&s;e &s;uch Ceremonies as ech thinks fit. In &s;om points we may conver&s; with them as &s;imply Men: in &s;om imi|tat them as Secular or Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Rulers: in many, join with them &s;o far forth as they hold the truths of Religion and Fun|damentals of Faith: But their mi&s;expo&s;itions of Scripture, with al Antichri&s;tian additionals, we utterly dete&s;t, di&s;claim and di&s;|avow.</P>
<P>For in&s;tances: We celebrat the Lords &s;upper with the &s;ame <NOTE PLACE="marg">Lords Supper.</NOTE> Elements, but renounce that &s;en&s; of Chri&s;ts words on which they rai&s; the new doctrin of Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation; &s;ith 'tis con|trary
<PB REF="106"> to Gods providence both in Natural and Spiritual things; which change not the &s;ub&s;tance, but only the relation or u&s;e from Natural to My&s;tical: contrary to Scripture phra&s;e in like expre&s;&s;ions, wher things related by religious In&s;titutions, are mutualy denomined without e&s;&s;ential changes: contrary to common Rea&s;on and four of fiv Sen&s;es te&s;timony, which are the proper Judges of &s;en&s;ible objects: contrary to Chri&s;ts way <NOTE PLACE="marg">S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ght, Smel, Taft, Touch.</NOTE> or end of &s;trengthning a Receivers Faith, which is not doon by what is harder to be beleeved then the whol Go&s;pel my&s;tery be&s;ide: for nothing is le&s;&s; credible then that Chri&s;t &s;itting at Table gav his own very vi&s;ible Body to be eaten by his Di&s;ciples, and al Communicants after; when as he &s;til &s;its as Man at his Fathers right hand in Heaven. The&s; with like fancies ful of ab|&s;urdities, and con&s;equential Idolatry of Bread-wor&s;hip, and &s;acrilegious detaining the Cup from Laics (contrary to Chri&s;ts expre&s;&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Drink ye al of this.</NOTE> words, and primitiv Churches practi&s; for many ages) we flatly abjure or abandon; yet receiv it with the &s;ame pious veneration of pure&s;t Antiquity; but doo not determin the ma|ner of that my&s;terious Union: endevoring for the Graces which may make us worthy partakers, when we receiv that dreadful (yet mo&s;t de&s;irable) &s;eal of our Faith: not by eating his fle&s;h gro&s;ly with our mouths; but by receiving him &s;piritualy into our Souls: Yet by the &s;ame Faith we realy partake his merit, death, body, and blood to eternal life, before we receiv him by the &s;aid Sacrament (yea though we &s;hould never hav oportunity &s;o to doo, which yet we may not neglect) &s;ith 'tis the &s;ame ob|ject received by the &s;ame In&s;trument, to the &s;ame end; but in different degree and way: yet the &s;ame Saviour of the World.</P>
<P>For Bapti&s;m, we retain the words and form; but di&s;card the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Bapti&s;m.</NOTE> &s;uperfluous &s;uper&s;titious dre&s;&s;es (Salt, Oil, Spittle, In&s;ufflation) which deform that duty, though not de&s;troy it; nor doo re|bapti&s;e tho&s; bapti&s;ed by them. Semblably we hold the Scrip|tures <NOTE PLACE="marg">Scripture.</NOTE> tru Canon as Oracles of God, delivered by divine in&s;pira|tion; according to the tru te&s;timony of the old Jewi&s;h and later Chri&s;tian Church: but ca&s;hire &s;om Apocryphal Additi|ons of the Romi&s;ts and Remi&s;ts from being Rules of Faith: yet allow mo&s;t of them as u&s;eful morals for in&s;truction of life.
<PB N="98" REF="106"> In privat Praiers and public Liturgies, Papi&s;ts u&s;e the Latin lan|guage <NOTE PLACE="marg">Public Praies.</NOTE> under pretext of uniformity; with many vain Tautolo|gies which we di&s;like: but approv the holy cu&s;tom of public A&s;&s;emblies to wor&s;hip God by Praiers and Prai&s;es in the Mo|ther Toung, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> commends and commands.</P>
<P>In &s;om particulars we di&s;&s;ent both in judgment and practi&s;: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Other Poin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</NOTE> as in their profitable Purgatory, popular Image-wor&s;hip, Ori|&s;ons and Oblations for the dead, Invocations of Saints and Angels, Auricular Confe&s;&s;ion, works of Supererogation, In|dulgences, and al &s;uch bran brought in by avarice and ambiti|on; being but Human &s;uper&s;tructures, not warranted by the Word, nor confirmed by general con&s;ent, Precept, or practi&s; of al Churches.</P>
<P>Touching the Popes claim of univer&s;al Supremacy, Infallibi|lity, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Papal Primacy</NOTE> and Superiority over al Churches and Councils; we flatly forbid the Banes as unju&s;t U&s;urpations, got by Princes favors, or Popes fraud, flattery, power, and policy: yet grant a Priori|ty of place (as <HI>Peter</HI> had among the Apo&s;tles) either in his Ro|man Dioce&s; as Bi&s;hop, or in Councils as Bi&s;hop of that antient imperial Metropolis; as other Patriarchs, Primats, and Prelats hav precedence by antiquity of their &s;everal Sees.</P>
<P>For the &s;acred Function of Mini&s;try, we hold the antient form <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mini&s;try.</NOTE> derived from the Apo&s;tles to Bi&s;hops and Presbyters, to preach the Word, celebrat Sacraments, reconcile Penitents, anathemati&s;e Delinquents, u&s;e the Keis in Juri&s;diction or Government: ex|cluding al others from the&s; duties as impudent Intruders, who are no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> ordeined by ju&s;t Co~mi&s;&s;ion. We renounce al imaginary power or Wil-wor&s;hip annexed to the Office by Human &s;u|per&s;tition, with al &s;purious &s;pawns of Mens inventions, Scrip|turele&s;&s; Opinions, and groundle&s;&s; Traditions, da&s;hing tho&s; Babyloni&s;h Brats again&s;t the &s;tones; yet &s;til fo&s;ter the Sons of <HI>Sion</HI> or I&s;rael of God in al divine In&s;titutions, which were long led Captiv and laid in Antichri&s;ts Dungeon, within the Wals or Suburbs of <HI>Babylon.</HI> In a word, we hold the tru Faith, holy My&s;teries, Catholic Orders, con&s;tant Mini&s;try, and commen|dable Cu&s;toms continued in that Church: nor doo deem it a matter of Con&s;cience or Prudence to debar any thing divine, though delivered by Mens impure hands: For divine Ordinan|ces
<PB REF="107"> are incorruptible, nor can pollution of Mens Minds or ma|ners defile them; no more then putrefaction pollut the Sun when it &s;hines on Carrion: we may be corrupted, but holy Or|dinances like God are &s;til the &s;ame, when re&s;tored to primitiv purity. We mu&s;t not ca&s;t away Gods provi&s;ion though &s;ent by Ravens; nor abandon al Romi&s;h Tenets of &s;aving Truth, though Trent Council anathemati&s;ed &s;om Truths. Popes were ever too wary to abject or abrogat tru Religions E&s;&s;entials (Scrip|ture, Sacraments, Mini&s;try, Church Polity) on which the over|grown &s;tructures of Pontifician pomp, pride, profit, power, and policy through Peoples credulity are rai&s;ed or &s;u&s;tained. Nor can ought conduce more to their content, then that ra&s;h Reformers &s;hould reject al Rites of Religion retained by them. They know how meager a Sceleton or meer &s;hadow it wil &s;hew (both for Doctrin, Di&s;ciplin, Duties and maners) if fa|natic Reformers reject al Principles as Popi&s;h: Or if &s;om Mens rapacious avarice may prevail to bereav Mini&s;ters maintenance, leaving them nothing to liv on but bare &s;craps of arbitrary grudging contributions.</P>
<P>Certes Church-reformation is to be carried with al accurat rigour in cleer points of &s;aving Truths; but with much eandor, charity, and circum&s;pection toward Chri&s;tians in other things, wherin we differ or di&s;&s;ent. 'Tis a laudable Schi&s;m to &s;eparat gold from dro&s;&s;, not retaining both in confu&s;ion, nor rejecting both in pa&s;&s;ion: wherby they &s;hal not only reform abu&s;es, but invite Men to embrace or approv our wel tempered zele, ma|king them &s;ee their own defects or deformity: For Reforma|tion is be&s;t doon, not by cutting off Religions head; but by taking off the Vi&s;ors which hide its beauty; &s;ith Men wil be&s;t &s;ee their errors, not by tearing out their eyes, but by fairly remo|ving the films or beams of prejudice and pertinacy, which obvele or hinder their &s;ight. By this &s;hield of moderat charity, pro|ving al things and holding what is good, we ju&s;tly defend al Re|formed Churches from the &s;in and &s;candal of Schi&s;m; when we truly declare to &s;eparat no farther from them, then we are per&s;waded they hav &s;werved from Chri&s;t and the Catholic Church. We are bid to com out of <HI>Babylon,</HI> but not to run out of our wits; to act as Gods People with meeknes and
<PB N="99" REF="107"> charity, not with firy fiercenes and cruelty, like &s;ons of <HI>Belial</HI> running from one Antichri&s;t to another: For Papi&s;ts hav much of Antichri&s;t in &s;om kinds, and &s;o may many mo in others: ei|ther by innovations, confu&s;ions, or chiefly uncharitablenes. For if nothing &s;avours more of Chri&s;t then Charity; nothing hath le&s;&s; of Chri&s;t then the contrary; which many Men mi&s;taking for zele nouri&s;h a Cockatrice for a Dov, and a Serpent for a Phaenix. This freeth us from the brand of Schi&s;matics, &s;uch as the Novatians and Donati&s;ts were (like our modern Secti&s;ts) who &s;o claimed to be a tru Church, as to exclud al others from communion or accord. Som cry out upon Papi&s;ts cruelty (which hath bin too barbarous) yet they u&s;e more both again&s;t them and their Brethren; longing for &s;uch a Kingdom of Chri&s;t as &s;hal con&s;i&s;t in War, Blood, and Ma&s;&s;acres again&s;t al except tho&s; of their own &s;ide or Sect. We may not imput the errors or enormities of every Popi&s;h Doctor to al that Pro|fe&s;&s;ion, nor take them at the wor&s;t; &s;ith ther is much difference betwen their public di&s;puts and privat practi&s;es; nor are their death-bed Tenets alwais conform to their Chairs or Pulpits: Yea many are much more mode&s;t and moderat then hertofore; wherin we ought to rejoice: But for the People mo&s;t are igno|rant of tho&s; Di&s;puts, wherin to er wilfully is dangerous: which if they hold, being &s;o taught, yet 'tis under per&s;wation or lov of Truth; retaining the foundation of Chri&s;t crucified, and expe|cting &s;alvation by his &s;ole merits; of whom we &s;hould judg cha|ritably, that God in Mercy accepting their lov to truth which they know, wil pardon particular errors, which they know not to be &s;uch: judg as you wil be judged. We are loth or &s;hould be, to differ from any Chri&s;tians, unles Con&s;cience tels they are in evident error: who like not Faction, nor delight in &s;epa|ration; nor hold any bloody Tenets again&s;t tho&s; of adver&s; O|pinion; but wi&s;h like charity from them, that we may be al united to Chri&s;t and his Church.</P>
<P>Tru Reformation is but a return to Gods way, by retaining &s;uch Principles as pertain to al Beleevers: for we may u&s;e the Temples holy Ve&s;&s;els if re&s;tored from prophane hands of quaffing <HI>Baltha&s;aer,</HI> being &s;til pure &s;ilver. So our Mini&s;try is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ez<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a 7. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> non <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Mini&s;te. i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m.</NOTE> holy and divine, if refined from &s;uper&s;tition (as al other Ordi|nances
<PB REF="108"> are) though derived through corrupt chanels of the Ro|mi&s;h Church. Hence our Reformers did not dig new Wels of Mini&s;terial Ordination (as Papi&s;ts fal&s;ly a&s;per&s;, which Mr. <HI>Ma|&s;on</HI> refuts) but purified the puddle water according to Apo|&s;tolic In&s;titution; not requiring more of any ordeined in the Church of <HI>Rome,</HI> then to renounce their &s;uper&s;titious errors. Which doon, they were admitted to exerci&s;e the Mini&s;try re|ceived, both truly as to the &s;ub&s;tance, and duly to &s;ucce&s;&s;ion, without reordination. For though that Sword had contra|cted <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2. 12.</NOTE> ru&s;t, yet was it the &s;ame <HI>with two edges,</HI> which cam out of Je&s;us Chri&s;ts mouth: nor may it be broken or ca&s;t off becau&s; ru&s;ty; but cleered, clen&s;ed, &amp; furbi&s;hed from dulnes or bluntnes. Mini&s;ters may &s;til continu Gods Laborers, though Loiterers, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26 40.</NOTE> as Chri&s;t owned his Di&s;ciples, when they could not wake or watch one hour in his heavy horrid agony. Our Antimini&s;terial Antagoni&s;ts hav le&s;&s; color to argu it Antichri&s;tian from Papal u&s;urpation; then ther is Rea&s;on, Scripture, and Experience (be&s;ide common con&s;ent of al Reformed Churches) to prov it Authentic: For if envy, teen, and avarice did not blind their blood&s;hot eys, they might cleerly &s;ee &s;om mighty works wrought on Mens Souls by the Mini&s;try: without which tho&s; cavilling calumniators had not bin &s;o much Chri&s;tian as they boa&s;t to be; nor &s;o able to contend with &s;pecious &s;hews of Piety again&s;t the learned Mini&s;try, with who&s; Heifers they plough, having nothing but what they received from them, and are mo&s;t ingrat wretches to their pri&s;tin Teachers.</P>
<P>We know that many Churches be&s;ide Reformed (Gallican, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Popes Primacy began A 604.</NOTE> Venetian, Grecian, Ru&s;&s;ian, A&s;ian, African) deny the Popes univer&s;al Primacy of power, being bought by proud <HI>Boniface</HI> 3. of proditorious <HI>Phocas</HI> the Parricid, abov 1000 yeers ago; who by Divine Right had no Juri&s;diction farther then his own Dio|ce&s; or Patriarchat, limited by general Councils: wher four other Patriarchs (of <HI>Jeru&s;alem, Antioch, Alexandria, Con|&s;tantinople</HI>) had equal authority a&s;&s;igned in their &s;everal Pre|cincts or Provinces, as al know. This Antichri&s;tian arrogation (which gav fir&s;t hint of revolt to <HI>Henry</HI> 8.) our Bi&s;hops and Mini&s;ters &s;til abhorred, &s;o much as their Adver&s;aries doo the Genevan Presbytery: But it may be feared, le&s;t their prepo|&s;terous
<PB N="100" REF="108"> zele or prepen&s;ed malice, may prov the Popes be&s;t En|gin; if they can &s;o far prevail to ca&s;hire al learned, labo|rious, duly ordeined Mini&s;ters, which God forbid: For then our Church wil becom a falow unfenced Feild, fit for Papal &s;ubtlety; which he wil Plough with an Ox and A&s;&s; co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">yoked (politic Je&s;uits with fanatic Donati&s;ts, Seminary Prie&s;ts with gifted Brethren, Friers mendicant with Prophets predicant) who condog or comply in con&s;ort&s;hip under diver&s; di&s;gui&s;es, as is wel known. So that no wi&s;e Men judg otherwi&s;e of this conjuncture, but that <HI>Jacobs</HI> hand is in the py, and <HI>Ahitophel</HI> a&s;&s;i&s;tant in coun&s;il with <HI>Ab&s;olon;</HI> who&s; &s;ly plots and practi&s;es again&s;t tru Mini&s;try good Lord confound.</P>
<P>Reformations may bend &s;o far on one hand, til they meet on the other; for&s;aking that rectitud of the mean, in which the truth and honor of Religion con&s;i&s;ts. Antichri&s;t (which &s;om fear in name and in others, more then in the thing or them&s;elfs) is at both ends of extrems: of Prophanes, defect, and confu&s;i|on on one &s;ide, and exce&s;&s; of &s;uper&s;tition on the other. Every Man may &s;u&s;pect Antichri&s;t in his own bo&s;om, &s;ith the King|dom of Chri&s;t and Antichri&s;t is &s;pecialy within us: but 'tis bet|ter for the Church to retain what is Chri&s;ts though in common with Antichri&s;t, then pa&s;&s;ionatly to ca&s;t off al under color of dete&s;ting him; &s;ith Men may fal into &s;acrilege (which is too frequent) while they &s;eem to abhor Idols. 'Tis the &s;ame evil Spirit which rents the Church by Schi&s;ms, and that which ca&s;ts into the fire of per&s;ecution, and water of &s;uper&s;tition: But as the Spirit of Idolatry may be ca&s;t out for a fit; &s;o he may &s;oon return with <HI>&s;even Devils wor&s; then him&s;elf.</HI> Papal darknes and <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> 12. 4<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> Human eclip&s;ings, are no warrant to extingui&s;h the light of tru Mini&s;try &s;et up by Chri&s;t: Nor can Men plea&s;ure Satan more, then to put out the Churches Candles in&s;tead of &s;nuffing them: but &s;om hate our Mini&s;try, not for lighting their Lamps at the Popes Taper; but for out-&s;hining their dimnes: for 'tis madnes to cut their Fathers throats becau&s; they were once &s;ick, or de&s;cended from di&s;ea&s;ed Parents, if they are be|com in &s;ound perfect health. Vulgar Spirits are uncouth Re|formers, who beat down or break in pieces with Axes and Hammers, having no Chi&s;&s;els or finer tools to clen&s; and po|li&s;h:
<PB REF="109"> as &s;om pul down Cro&s;&s;es to &s;et up Weather-coeks, and batter Church windows, becau&s; painted in time of Popery. Mans u&s;urpation cannot prejudice Gods dominion, nor Hu|man traditions or additions vacat divine Commands, nor An|tichri&s;ts &s;uper&s;titions cancel Chri&s;ts In&s;titutions; nor the heady intru&s;ion of &s;om on Churches rights, cau&s; Chri&s;tians to remov the antient Land-marks of tru Mini&s;try, du order, and good Government fixed by Chri&s;t. 'Tis much more madnes to abo|li&s;h the u&s;e of holy things, then to lerat &s;om abu&s;es with it: but right reforming is a &s;taid &s;ober re&s;tauration of antient venerable &s;orms; which is never wel handled unle&s;&s; Men hav hone&s;t hearts, good heads, pure hands, and cleer eys to di&s;cern, direct, and di&s;po&s;e it: but when al meet, they wil &s;eriou&s;ly, &s;incerely, and &s;uccesfully doo the work of Chri&s;t and his Church. Chri|&s;tians hav no cau&s; in Rea&s;on or Religion, to reject our reformed Mini&s;try for any &s;ucce&s;&s;ion from, relation to, or communion with the Roman Church or Clergy; no more then the Obje|ctors hav to pul out their eys, becau&s; Papi&s;ts &s;ee with theirs: or de&s;troy them&s;elfs, becau&s; i&s;&s;ued from Popi&s;h Parents or Proge|nitors; For we may &s;o wel refu&s;e al Leagues, Treaties, or com|mon Commerce with them, as al Rites of Chri&s;tianity; and even that as lawful Mini&s;try or holy &s;ucce&s;&s;ion originaly deri|ved from Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles. So far of Mini&s;try in gene|ral: now of Epi&s;copacy.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Som at fir&s;t brunt oppo&s;e, that our Mini&s;try being con|veied <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epict<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pacy.</NOTE> by the hands of Bi&s;hops (who are not of Chri&s;ts planting, and now &s;upplanted by power) the whol order, as &s;lips or bran|ches of one &s;tem or &s;tock, mu&s;t needs fal or fail together with the trunck of the Tree: <HI>Ergo</HI> both to be annulled.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Lo how the&s; Antimini&s;terials cudgel Presbyters with the &s;ame &s;taf, which &s;om of them put into Vulgar hands to beat their Reverend Fathers, and bani&s;h Epi&s;copat: but what ever tho&s; rigid Reformi&s;ts &s;ecret or &s;ini&s;ter intentions were; &s;urely they wanted the Serpents wi&s;dom to &s;av the main Head, whence life, motion, and direction de&s;cends to al parts; wher|by the le&s;&s;er hurts or brui&s;es might ea&s;ily be recured. For the envious and ambitious zele of &s;uch Antiprelatical Spirits a&s;pi|ring to &s;tep up into their &s;teads, hath produced &s;ad events, and
<PB N="101" REF="109"> given their Enimies great advantage: &s;o they hav work enough to keep the Lepry from their own Heads, which they told the People had &s;o fouly infected Bi&s;hops hands, as could ne|ver be clen&s;ed unles cut off: but al mortals are apt to doo ami&s;&s;, and 'tis never too lat to rectify mi&s;carriages. Mo&s;t Men confes (nor can impudence gain&s;ay it) that the Order or Of|fice is lawful, wherby al Chri&s;tian Churches were Governed: however &s;om inconveiniences (yea mi&s;chiefs too) ari&s;e from corruption of finful Men in al Profe&s;&s;ions. Tho then Epi&s;|copy hath bin much &s;haken or depre&s;&s;ed by power, pa&s;&s;ion, or privat ends, to the impairing and indangering of the whol fabric or function: yet wi&s;e Men may after this thick du&s;t of di&s;put &s;ee, what is of God therin, and regulat it by paring off what is depraved or deformed, and re&s;tore it to primeval puri|ty. 'Tis now no need to fear or flatter Bi&s;hops faces, who&s; glory is gon; but meer matter of Con&s;cience to te&s;tify truth: &s;ith tho&s; of different judgments take freedom to be&s;patter them &s;o unju&s;tly and un&s;avourly; as they hoped by their il breath to bla&s;t that venerable caling, and render it odious or execra|ble to weak Chri&s;tians, which to wi&s;e Men was ever like <HI>Aa|rons</HI> Ointment poured out. Nor doth it lo&s;e divine fragrance by the fracture of il times, which pa&s;&s;ionatly break the Ala|bla&s;ter boxes of civil protection, which pre&s;erved it for many ages from vulgar in&s;olence and Schi&s;matical violence. The like liberty is lawful to vindicat it by pregnant places of Scriptu|ral precepts and precedents, &s;ecunded with Catholic cu&s;tom and practi&s; of the Church, and confirmed by the Laws of this Land.</P>
<P>To omit the main controver&s;y of its lawfulnes, and to whi|ten two Wals with one Trowel; two points principaly &s;hal be handled: 1. To remov a popular Odium or Plebeian pa&s;|&s;ion and prejudication; taken up by weak (yet haply wel mind|ed) Chri&s;tians, again&s;t Bi&s;hops Pre&s;idential authority over Presbyters. 2. to ju&s;tify the holy Mini&s;terial Ordination duly doon by their hands. One rub ri&s;eth from their lat di&s;a&s;ters, whom if Arguments and Words could not, yet Arms and Swords hav &s;uppre&s;&s;ed. For vulgar minds are apt to judg tho&s; unju&s;t that are unpro&s;perous, and cur&s;ed who are puni&s;hed,
<PB REF="110"> as Turcs u&s;e to doom. Yet in tru &s;en&s;, their many mi&s;eries may no more be urged again&s;t their Per&s;ons or Places then <HI>Jobs</HI> af|flictions; which Satan never alleged again&s;t his integrity. Many wi&s;h that al Prelats and Presbyters were chief Suff<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rers: yea that the Word, Sacraments, and al holy Mini&s;trations &s;hould ceaf, but Religious Rites mu&s;t not be me&s;ured by Mens pa&s;&s;ions or prevalences, nor any &s;ecular &s;anctions. For ther were pious Prelats prepo&s;ited abov Presbyters, before any Civil power protected them; and by Gods Grace may &s;o continu, maugre al oppre&s;&s;ion or per&s;ecution. The things of Chri&s;t and tru Religion may not be received or refu&s;ed, as U&s;hered in or crowded out by Civil power: nor doth Chri&s;t &s;teer his Ship by that compa&s;&s;: &s;ith at the &s;ame rate of Worldly frowns, we &s;hould hav no Scriptures, Sacraments, &s;ound Doctrins, or holy Ordinances; but al had bin turned into Heatheni&s;h bar|barity, Hereticla errors, and Schi&s;matical confu&s;ions: if con|&s;cience to God and Chri&s;t had not con&s;erved the&s; &s;acred things, by the pious patience of holy Bi&s;hops and Mini&s;ters, whom wicked Worldlings ever hated: &s;eeking to de&s;troy root and branch through the &s;ides of Epi&s;copacy. Bi&s;hops Government as referred to the chief office of Ordination, is no way Popi&s;h or Antichri&s;tian, as too many ignorantly or malitiou&s;ly chatter: tho the pride, ambition, or avarice of &s;ome Prelats, might make them ju&s;tly odious, becau&s; contrary to Chri&s;ts precept and patern: who&s; place Bi&s;hops as cheif Pa&s;tors or Parents among Presbyters, hav alwais &s;ince the Apo&s;tles eminently held in the extern polity or Regiment of the Church. So that the antient Pre&s;ident&s;hip over the Clergy in &s;everal Dioce&s;an precincts, as it was ju&s;tly exerci&s;ed in p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rer times, is no le&s;&s; Chri&s;tian, then &s;everal Churches in al ages and places of the World: Yea far beyond any form, which hath not charity to brook or bear regulated Prelacy, &s;uting with Scripture and Antiquity. For Lutheran Superintendents are Bi&s;hops in truth tho not title: yea the mo&s;t learned Genevins (<HI>Calvin, Beza, Moulin, Sal|matius, Bochartus, Blundel</HI>) acknowledg Epi&s;copat a pious in&s;titution, &s;ucceding in the Apo&s;tles &s;teads, by the Churches coun&s;il and Con&s;ent. So far is any &s;ober, impartial, unintere&s;|&s;ed Man from dooming or deeming it unlawful; unles they
<PB N="102" REF="110"> be blinded with blocki&s;h ignorance, or po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with peevi&s;h arogance. Certes, the learned&s;t Presbyterians are be&s;t Friends, and blind Zelots bittre&s;t Foes to tru Epi&s;copat: who want &s;cience, prudence, humility and charity; which is the be&s;t con|diment of Chri&s;tianity. Orderly Presbytery which admits one to Pre&s;ide, is a le&s;&s;er Epi&s;copy to over&s;ee particular Flocks: yet not to expel or extirp Bi&s;hops; nor is headle&s;&s; or many head|ed Presbytery nece&s;&s;ary by divine right: but primitiv Prelacy (which imports one grav worthy Per&s;on cho&s;en by con&s;ent, and a&s;&s;i&s;ted by coun&s;il of &s;undry Presbyters to pre&s;ide over them) is to be preferred before al other forms for many weighty Rea|&s;ons in&s;uing.</P>
<P>1. Becau&s; al Apo&s;tolic Antients (<HI>Ignatius, Ju&s;tin Martyr,</HI> <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea&s;on."> <HI>Polycarp, Tertullian, Cyprian, Irenaeus</HI>) jointly atte&s;t, that one &s;til Epi&s;copized in every City. For at fir&s;t a few Presby|ters &s;erved in ech by Apo&s;tolic appointment: but as converts increa&s;ed, they con&s;tituted &s;everal Colleges, Companies, or Con&s;i&s;tories as the Churches Colonies; which one Super|vi&s;or as Captain or Commander overruled. <HI>Aerius</HI> upon envy again&s;t <HI>Eu&s;tachius,</HI> who got a Bi&s;hoprick from him, was the fir&s;t that pre&s;&s;ed Clerical parity, contrary to the Churches old Order: but if the Apo&s;tles had not in&s;tituted it, how could al Churches uniformly con&s;pire therin al the World over? For tho at fir&s;t the name was common to al Church Mini&s;ters (even Apo&s;tles) yet after their deaths, it was peculiarly con|fined to their Succe&s;&s;ors in place and power.</P>
<P>2. To avoid &s;candal of other Churches, which for far a ma|jor <MILESTONE N="2"> part are governed by Bi&s;hops in degree, dignity, and au|thority abov Presbyters. For 'tis no prudence or piety to widen differences, wherby Papi&s;ts gain great advantage, to e|&s;teem us le&s;&s; Chri&s;tian in utterly aboli&s;hing that Catholic Or|der; and by con&s;equent tru Ordination of Mini&s;ters, together with &s;acred Ordinances. Yea Reformed Churches allow a Pre&s;idence among Presbyters: nor doo the learned hold it cau&s; enough to &s;eperat from any Church for having Bi&s;hops as <HI>Pe|ter Martyr, Zanchius, Vid<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lius, Gerard, Gro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">us, D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at</HI> and <HI>Al&s;ted</HI> agree.</P>
<P>3. To pre&s;erv the power of Mini&s;terial Ordination and Suc|ce&s;&s;ion, <MILESTONE N="3">
<PB REF="111"> which &s;om &s;ober Presbyterians (&s;pecialy <HI>Blondel</HI>) hold to be be&s;t &s;trengthned by Epi&s;copy: becau&s; it was the univer&s;al way, wherby Mini&s;try and Chri&s;tianity hav bin derived to this day: the re&s;ecting wherof is mo&s;t advantageous to al Cavillers again&s;t Godly Mini&s;try.</P>
<P>4. Tru Epi&s;copat never had had a free, ful, or fair hearing, <MILESTONE N="4"> as &s;o great a matter requires: nor was it ever convicted to repugn Scripture, as &s;om &s;hamele&s;ly a&s;&s;ert. For it neere&s;t re|&s;embles Gods protopatern &s;etled among the I&s;raelits: who had Heads of Elders like Bi&s;hops with Prie&s;ts and Levits as <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epi&s;t ad Evag.</NOTE> Presbyters and Deacons according to S. <HI>Jeroms</HI> parallel.</P>
<P>Now Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles in their in&s;titution much re|garded Judaic cu&s;toms: as to Bapti&s;e with Water, to u&s;e Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper, to &s;olemnize Weekly the Lords Day in the Sabbaths &s;tead, to giv Pa&s;tors and Teachers power of the Keis: nor is any expre&s;&s; precept or evident precedent again&s;t Epi&s;copat, either commanding parity, or forbidding <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk 11. 25. 26.</NOTE> orderly &s;uperiority in Church or Commonweal, Chri&s;t in|deed inhibits his Apo&s;tles (who were coequal or coordinat) to exerci&s;e dominion like &s;ecular Princes: which is a Rule for al Churches not to u&s;e any preeminence by ambition, tyranny, violence, or u&s;urpation on the Bodies, E&s;tats, Lifes, or Liber|ties of Men in Worldlings way: yet &s;uch cour&s;es (be&s;ide fa|ctious emulations) are &s;o incident to &s;om in&s;olent Presbyters, as to the proude&s;t Prelats. Our Saviours &s;en&s; is plain, that what ever parts, power, place, gifts, or Graces any Mini&s;ter hath abov others; he &s;hould u&s;e them with humility to Gods Glory and the Churches good: laying a&s;ide the levan of im|perious oppre&s;&s;ion: but the very Apo&s;tles (who had a priority of place with parity of power among them&s;elfs) exerci&s;ed &s;u|periority of juri&s;diction over al other Di&s;ciples and Beleevers, who obeied them as Fathers, doing the like to Bi&s;hops after them. St. <HI>Paul</HI> being to leav the World, left a patern of Church-Government (which was con&s;tantly pur&s;ued) in ordeining <HI>Ti|tus</HI> and <HI>Timothy</HI> Bi&s;hops, giving them per&s;onal power to ordein, cen&s;ure, rebuk, or &s;ilence al Elders and Deacons under their charge. Which <HI>Blondel</HI> confe&s;&s;eth, to be a perpetual prece|dent for Church regiment. 'Tis a poor cavil to &s;ay they were
<PB N="103" REF="111"> Evangeli&s;ts de&s;igned to Preach, not to govern; &s;ith that takes not away their power of rule: for then no Presbyters can Preach except they be Evangeli&s;ts; nor being &s;uch can pre&s;ide in their Con&s;i&s;tories. At the &s;ame rate we may argu, that none but the chief Appo&s;tles may feed Chri&s;ts Lambs or Sheep, be|cau&s; he committed the charge by a triple command to <HI>Peter</HI> the chiefe&s;t. Or that the power to ordein Elders by laying on Hands, to receiv accu&s;ations again&s;t them, to rebuk, cen&s;ure, &s;ilence, excommunicat and re&s;tore, belong &s;oly to Apo&s;tles and Evan|geli&s;ts: whereas a &s;ucce&s;&s;ion is nece&s;&s;ary for Church &s;ocieties &s;o wel as civil: as that vehement charge laid on <HI>Tymothy (to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 5. 21. 1 Tim. 6. 14.</NOTE> <HI>keep th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s; things unpartialy and unblamably, til our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t com)</HI> plainly &s;hews. For he declining daily to death, could not doo it, but only tran&s;mit the patern to po&s;terity, which he performed by a public way of Government. This prime practi&s; both in the Apo&s;tles dais and after, is &s;een in the &s;even A&s;ian Churches, and in others regi&s;tred by Fathers, Councils, and Hi&s;tories. What in&s;uing times ob&s;erved, is evi|dent among al Chri&s;tians of the Ea&s;tern, Greec, Mu&s;covit, Aby&s;&s;en, and Indian Churches which retain Bi&s;hops to this day. For no Presbyters ever exerci&s;ed Ordination or Juri&s;|diction by &s;ole peculiar power, without pre&s;ence and pre&s;idence of an Apo&s;tle or Bi&s;hop. Presbytery is named but in two Texts of Scripture: (one being fal&s;ly al|leged for ruling Lay Elders) which are not preceptiv or in|&s;titutiv, but only narrativ: without expre&s;&s;ing any joint pow|er, office, or authority of Presbyters with Pre&s;idents; much le&s;&s; without or again&s;t them. St. <HI>Jude</HI> puts foul marks on &s;uch <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jude v 8, 11. 19.</NOTE> <HI>As de&s;pi&s;ed Dominion or &s;peak evil of Dignities; denouncing Wo again&s;t their &s;editious practi&s;es; who are cruel like</HI> Cain, <HI>cove|tous as</HI> Balaam, <HI>and ambitious as</HI> Corah <HI>and his complices.</HI> Such factious di&s;turbers of Order pre&s;cribed by God in his Church St. <HI>Peter</HI> cals <HI>Pre&s;ump<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uous, Selfwilled, and di&s;pi&s;ers</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 10.</NOTE> <HI>of Dignities:</HI> Whom the&s; Apo&s;tles would not &s;o &s;harply check, unles ther had bin &s;om eminences in the Church &s;o wel as a|mong the Jews; which tho&s; mutinous Men confronted or contemned. For they were too wary to oppo&s;e Civil powers, whol Sword was too keen: but the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Orders, Digni|ties,
<PB REF="112"> and Dominions were obvious or obnoxious to al turbu|lent tumultuary Spirits: who under vele of Chri&s;tian liberty, and preten&s;ions of the Spirit (the better to &s;et off their Schi&s;ms and &s;eparatings) oppugned authority, even in the Churches Infancy.</P>
<P>5. Common Rea&s;on requires a power and polity in the <MILESTONE N="5"> Church &s;o wel as in Cities, Armies, or any Civil &s;ocieties. For the Lord of his Church hath not dive&s;ted or denied it good go|vernment, which may lawfully be u&s;ed with Wi&s;dom and di&s;|cretion: nor may Mini&s;ters which excel others in age, pru|dence, and gubernativ gravity be barred to employ their Gifts in &s;utable differences for the Churches behoof. Only Chri&s;t requires humility in priority (which many Prelats had, and mo Presbyters wanted) and &s;ervice in &s;uperiority proporti|oned to their parts, which God givs not in vain. For &s;om Mini&s;ters are young, proud, prone to faction and pa&s;&s;ion, who&s; folly and fervor needs a bridle of Epi&s;copal authority to curb them, beyond common contemptible parity. This St. <HI>Jerom</HI> owns as the ground of that Government to repre&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Schi&s;ms: nor can &s;uch a Paternal preeminence prejudice any, in preferring one worthy Per&s;on to rule the re&s;t: &s;o that his Pre&s;idential priority be kept within du bounds of humility. For woful experience &s;hews, how the want herof hath occa|&s;ioned many main mi&s;chiefs by &s;warms of Sects both here and el&s;wher. If any allege vulgar di&s;likes of Epi&s;copat; this makes mo&s;t for it; &s;ith what the many-headed multitud mo&s;t decry (who wil cry <HI>Ho&s;anna</HI> and <HI>Crucifig<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> with one breath) wi&s;e Men mo&s;t approv: yea the be&s;t Chri&s;tians &s;eing the mi&s;ery of change, rather de&s;ire regulated Prelacy then any other Church-Polity. For headl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s; Presbytery and &s;cattered Independency are di&s;liked by moderat Men as a remedy wor&s; then the malady. 1. For the novity, becau&s; neither was heard of in 1500. yeers, and the la&s;t &s;car&s; of twelv yeers &s;tanding: nor hav they the vote of any general Council, or practi&s; of the Catholic Church. 2. They hav prevailed here to ju&s;tle out Epi&s;copy by force in bro|ken bloody times; being planted not by Preaching or Patience under per&s;ecution; but by the Sword; and watered with their Brethrens blood, as <HI>Ro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ulus</HI> founded Rome; or as <HI>T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="104" REF="112"> Tarquins</HI> Wife drov hir Chariot over hir Father <HI>Servius</HI> mangled Corps: wheras Prelacy was decreed in al the World (as St. <HI>Jerom</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">In Ep. ad Titum.</NOTE> avows) with wi&s;dom, peace, and charity, by con&s;ent of Churches. 3. Becau&s; neither of the&s; two wais hath &s;uch plenary approbation as the old had in al Parliaments and Convocations &s;ince this Nation Chri&s;tianized. 4. Sith the &s;ame or wor&s; inconveniences obtruded to Epi&s;copy in its de|clining age, appeer in the bud or prime of the&s; new wais: &s;o much pride, avarice, ambition, vanity, uncharitablenes: with more prophanes, Athei&s;m, Here&s;y, Bla&s;phemy, licentiou&s;nes, fa|ction, bitternes, contention, confu&s;ion then ever attended E|pi&s;copacy: be&s;ide needle&s;&s; &s;candal given to other Churches; that Men &s;ay with the old Woman, <HI>Veterem effodit Antigo|num.</HI> 5. Neither of the new models can produce &s;o evident precept or precedent, as Epi&s;copat doth, no nor promi&s;&s; from God, that they &s;hal be free from tho&s; enormities odiou&s;ly ob|jected again&s;t Bi&s;hops which may befal to al things managed by Men liable to manifold faults, failings, and frailties in al Degrees, Calings, or Profe&s;&s;ions. But this Government of a Paternal pre&s;ident among Presbyters, hath far &s;urer grounds from Scripture and Antiquity, then any newfangled form or fa&s;hion; as having the preponderating privilege of uniform univer&s;al Polity practi&s;ed by al Churches in pure&s;t times; wherto neither of tho&s; can with any face pretend. 'Tis &s;trange how impudently many Men cite or rather rack &s;om broken peeces of <HI>Ignatius, Tertullian. Origen, Irenaeus, Cyprian, Ambro&s;, Au&s;tin,</HI> and other Antients in favor of &s;ingle Pre&s;|bytery: when al are cleerly contrary for right regular Epi&s;|copacy, which is only pleaded for. Whatever &s;om Fathers are wre&s;ted or wrenched to &s;peak for Mini&s;terial parity, or Popular independency; 'tis only to reprov &s;om Prelats arrogance, ambiti|on, and tyranny: who u&s;urped &s;ole power, neglecting Presbyters advi&s;e and a&s;&s;i&s;tance; or when &s;om Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Officers op|pre&s;&s;ed the People, whom primitivly both Bi&s;hops and Pre&s;|byters duly regarded in al public concernments of the Church. It were needle&s;&s; and endle&s;&s; to excu&s;e their Per&s;onal errors or exorbitances, which are apt to attend al power among Men: yet no wi&s;e Man wil reckon them genuin effects of that reve|rend
<PB REF="113"> Order; &s;ith their Accu&s;ers would be wor&s;e if they had par|rallel power: for ther is nothing u&s;eful or laudable in any other way, which is not inclu&s;ivly and eminently in that order: nor any error or enormity therin, which is not incident and impendent to Presbytery or any other Polity; though that perhaps purer in primitiv then later ages. So what Pope <HI>Pius</HI> 2. &s;aid of Clerical Celibat (he &s;aw &s;om rea&s;on why marriage &s;hould be prohibited to Prie&s;ts; but much more why it &s;hould be permitted) the &s;ame may be applyed to right con&s;tituted Epi&s;copacy: nor can Presbytery or Indepen|dency &s;hew any &s;uch tru title of divine right; which infolds al the good of both tho&s;, and &s;uperads unity of order beyond both for the common good. Som pre&s;&s; the National Covenant again&s;t it, as if that were a &s;ufficient battery beyond Scripture, Rea&s;on, Antiquity, Civil Law, and Catholic cu&s;tom; al which approv it: But &s;om chief compo&s;ers confe&s;&s;, that their main &s;cope or &s;en&s; was again&s;t Bi&s;hops corrupt government and ty|ranny, to reform what was decaied or depraved, and retain what was &s;ound or &s;incere. However, &s;ith that Covenant is no divine infallible Oracle, but a civil Engin of &s;inful pa&s;&s;ionat Men for &s;elf ends (on who&s; heads the arrow fel, which they &s;hot again&s;t others) al its words and intentions mu&s;t be redu|ced to the rule of good con&s;cience, right rea&s;on, and holy writ: nor &s;hould Antiquity and the Fathers &s;toop or &s;ubmit to parti|al Noveli&s;ts (many of who&s; acts are found faulty or factious:) Nor doth it make ought for headle&s;&s; Presbytery or heady In|dependency; no nor again&s;t pure primeval Prelacy. For &s;om &s;tif &s;ticklers for Presbytery, &s;eing the mi&s;chiefs of late changes, confe&s;&s;, they know nothing unlawful therin, but many godly Men held it inconvenient: &s;o this long bloody debat re&s;ults on the judgment of Prudence, not Con&s;cience; of Policy, not Piety. Yet to cloke their malice, they cunningly &s;oddered Po|pery and Prelacy together, implying both to be in&s;eparable Birds of a Feather, then which nothing is more rediculous, fal&s;, and &s;landerous: For many good Bi&s;hops at <HI>Jeru&s;alem, Anti|och, Alexandria</HI> preceded <HI>Rome,</HI> and &s;undry afterward in other Provinces, equal to the Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome,</HI> and not depending on him, as be diver&s; at this day: Nor is the Pope Founder or Foun|tain
<PB N="105" REF="113"> of Epi&s;copat, nor caled or counted Antichri&s;tian as Prelat or Patriarch of one Province; for then al Bi&s;hops are Anti|chri&s;ts, and Chri&s;ts whol Church for 1500 yeers Antichri&s;tian, which is barbarous to conceiv, and bla&s;phemous to conte&s;t. The Pope becam Antichri&s;t upon another &s;core, when <HI>Bo|niface</HI> 3. with his &s;ucce&s;&s;ors, u&s;urped the &s;tile of univer&s;al Bi&s;hop, or Gods Vicar General; which his penultimat prede|ce&s;&s;or (<HI>Gregory</HI> 1.) foredoomed to be Antichri&s;ts Forerunner. So that very title (<HI>Vicarius Dei generalis in terris</HI>) carries the number of the Bea&s;ts name (666) in Roman numeral letters <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 18.</NOTE> (D. C. L. V. V. I. I. I. I. I. I.) as every ey may &s;ee. Semblably that Covenant contains ju&s;t 666 words, as he that tels them exa|ctly &s;hal &s;urely find; which may &s;eem ominous in both. Mo&s;t Bi&s;hops of <HI>Rome</HI> before <HI>Boniface,</HI> were humble Men, and very many holy Martyrs; who abhorred the name of uni|ver&s;al Bi&s;hop or Head of the Church as Antichri&s;tian: but tho&s; &s;ince grew proud pre&s;umptuous per&s;ecutors, introducing &s;un|dry &s;uper&s;titions, contrary to Chri&s;ts In&s;titutions and Canons of the Catholic Church; for which abu&s;es our Church with others refu&s;ed their communion.</P>
<P>So reformed Bi&s;hops cannot be branded as Popi&s;h or Anti|chri&s;tian, without breach of charity and contrary to verity; &s;ith many of them hav bin Martyred by Popi&s;h tyranny. If then the Pope is not Antichri&s;t as a Bi&s;hop; nor Epi&s;copat Anti|chri&s;tian; 'tis a poor, peevi&s;h, popular calumny of malitious Men again&s;t our Mini&s;try, that they are ordeined by limbs of Antichri&s;t, which is fal&s;, futilous, and fucatio<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s. Yet it con|cerns al Presbyters ordeined by them, &s;ith al derived from one original root (branch after branch) of pretended Papal Prela|cy. Our Bi&s;hops ordeining Mini&s;ters in pre&s;ence of Presbyters, by their joint laying on of hands with fa&s;ting and prayer, did but their duty injoined by 1500 yeers pre&s;cription, with con|&s;ent of Princes, Prelats, Peers, Presbyters, and People in Parle|ments: &s;o they cannot be puni&s;hed in that regard, nor charg|ed as a privat crime, which is doon in obedience to public com|mand; much le&s;&s; aboli&s;hed in that behalf, &s;ith they had our Churches warrant, and vote of al others which retain that order, be&s;ide the good liking of tho&s; that hav it not. Why then are
<PB REF="114"> Bi&s;hops extruded? is not covetou&s;nes the root of al evil? But Presbyters, two or mo, hav no warrant to ordein or exerci&s;e any Juri&s;diction without a Bi&s;hop in chief; nor is a Bi&s;hop forbid to ordein and rule a&s;&s;i&s;ted by Presbyters: but &s;imple Pre&s;|bytery Acephalon Anarchy. Civil Magi&s;trats may regulat the exerci&s;e, but cannot confer the Office of Bi&s;hop or Presbyter, which flows from a &s;piritual Head Chri&s;t Je&s;us: nor can Acts of Parlement with ju&s;tice or honor di&s;mount the Canons of Oecumenic Councils, Catholic Cu&s;toms, or Laws of the Church. If it be &s;aid or &s;uppo&s;ed, that the lat Parlement only re&s;tored, and Presbyters re&s;umed their power of Ordination, which Bi&s;hops unju&s;tly u&s;urped; why did they never claim it here or el&s;wher for al pa&s;t ages, til la&s;t factious tumultuous times? If they crav only a joint right with Bi&s;hops, yet &s;ubor|dinat; they may enjoy it &s;til, giving their Betters preeminence for orders &s;ake: but their fond ambition to ingro&s;&s; al without and again&s;t them, hath lo&s;t al power to both, and marred al by overweening. Ther were many excellent Prelats antient and modern, who&s; incomparable worth while &s;om puny pety Pre&s;|byters &s;cornfully or &s;currilou&s;ly vilified, they &s;eem as &s;o many Daws perching on <HI>Pauls</HI> pinacles, or like living Dogs bearding dead Lions. Nor doo &s;uch impotent impudent toungs tuned to vulgar ears again&s;t Epi&s;copal caling becom Men which pre|tend to piety, learning, goodnes, gravity, charity, civility, or common chri&s;tianity. Bi&s;hops per&s;onal faults can no more be excu&s;ed then Presbyters or any others in the exerci&s;e of their Functions: But &s;om malecontents, like water violently pent up by Fludgates, violently break forth, and bear away the whol &s;luce of Government; which might be better managed or mo|derated by du bounds &s;et to both.</P>
<P>Ordinary Mini&s;ters &s;eem as younger Brothers (who lived hand&s;omly or happily under their Fathers tuition) &s;cattered or expo&s;ed to al injuries and mi&s;eries, that many as prodigal Sons, are fain to feed on the husks of popular favors; who may not repine at the mea&s;ure offred by others, which they in&s;olently meted to their Fathers, <HI>Elies</HI> &s;candalous Sons annulled not their &s;ervice or &s;acrifices, much le&s;&s; the Prie&s;tly Office, which de|pends not on the per&s;ons admini&s;tring, but Gods authority
<PB N="106" REF="114"> commanding, and right inve&s;titure into the Function. So that the mi&s;demenors or mi&s;carriages of Bi&s;hops and Mini&s;ters, may blot or blemi&s;h the beauty; but not bereav the being of Religious duties or their calings, no more then lap&s;es after Bapti&s;m doo unbapti&s;e any Chri&s;tian. Wherher Bi&s;hops ordeined Presbyters by divine Apo&s;tolic right; or exerci&s;ed Ordination, Confir|mation, and Juri&s;diction only by eccle&s;ia&s;tic cu&s;tom in order of place among Presbyters? it needs no curious debat: But certes tru Epi&s;copat is every way lawful, and Mini&s;ters regularly or|deined right Pa&s;tors, maugre al Traducers malice or gain&s;aying. Nor was Chri&s;ts Go&s;pel or Ordinances any other way di&s;pen|&s;ed and di&s;per&s;ed, &s;av only by &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of Epi&s;copal Ordina|tion: which cu&s;tom was ever deemed to be derived from Chri&s;t by his Apo&s;tles, with a command of continuation. <HI>Ignatius</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Ep. a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Ep<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> compares the harmony betwen a Bi&s;hop and his Presbyters, to the &s;trings of a wel &s;et Harp; yea to the accord betwen God the Father and Son as Mediator; wher the &s;amenes of divine Nature is an order of Priority in relation. If the pipes of Mini|&s;terial power, fir&s;t laid in the Head-&s;pring, be &s;topped or defi|led (as al that pa&s;&s;eth through earthen ve&s;&s;els wil in time) which hav flowed &s;o long in a du cour&s; of Ordination; they mu&s;t not pre&s;ently be cut off, or dammed up, nor the water diverted by Independent Wels and broken Buckets: but rather clen&s;ed and repaired to carry holy Water like the Temples Ve&s;&s;els in their primitiv purity; which is ea&s;ily doon, if pride, policy, and mun|dan intere&s;ts be &s;eparated from tho&s; of Chri&s;t and his Church, by ca&s;hiring al &s;ordid &s;ini&s;ter ends of &s;elf-profit in Church Reformations; <HI>O utinam.</HI> If <HI>Ananias</HI> and <HI>Saphira</HI> were &s;mi|ten for di&s;&s;embling; how much more &s;hal &s;uch &s;acrilegious &s;pi|rits, which rob the Church in&s;tead of reforming? As to Pre&s;|bytery, the Vocation is valid and venerable, if in juncture with Bi&s;hops, like Torte&s;&s;es, which are &s;afe&s;t under that &s;hel: but &s;om proud Presbyters ca&s;ting it off, &s;tripped them&s;elfs of their &s;tronge&s;t &s;hield; being becom naked, feeble, and contemptible, fit to be trampled under Ru&s;tic feet.</P>
<P>One rub re&s;ts touching Peoples right to chu&s; and ordein Mi|ni&s;ters; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Peoples Right.</NOTE> which &s;om &s;ay is e&s;&s;ential, and Mini&s;try invalid with|out it: But this pretext relies on a fal&s; liberty, which &s;undry
<PB REF="115"> &s;orts of Secti&s;ts jugging together like Partridges in &s;mal Covies of fained Churches or Bodies, a&s;&s;um to appoint their own Mini|&s;ters, and wil hav none &s;av &s;uch as &s;hal comply with their humor: whence their Chaplains flatter them to arrogat a power in al Church affairs, which belongs not to them: For they hav no &s;uch right, either eminently as the Executioners power is in a Judg; or virtualy, as life in the Sun; or cau&s;aly, as heart in Fire; or deri|vativly as the chief Magi&s;trats power is in mean Con&s;tables and other Officers: &s;o it can only be exorbitantly, as <HI>Corah</HI> claim|ed to make Prie&s;ts and Rulers in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aarons</HI> rooms; and <HI>Wat Tyler</HI> under <HI>Richard</HI> 2. for Gods Word yeelds no &s;uch precept or precedent in the Jewi&s;h Church, for People to chu&s; Prie&s;ts, or meddle with matters of holy concernment: Nor did Chri&s;t alter any thing in extern maner or Mini&s;try, as to venture it on the rock of vulgar rudenes or ra&s;hnes, which attends their weak heads and wild hands in Religious Rites; but commend|ed that care to his cho&s;en Apo&s;tles and their Succe&s;&s;ors, wher|of Plebeians are incompetent and incapable. If they &s;hould be &s;uppo&s;ed &s;ufficient to try Mini&s;ters ability; yet hav they no right to Ordein, no more then a wi&s;e Man can &s;end an Amba&s;&s;ador in his Princes name; &s;ith 'tis delegated &s;oly to &s;uch as Chri&s;t hath de&s;igned to di&s;pen&s; Ordination, and not to the multitud, be their gifts or graces never &s;o good or great. The People &s;omtimes recommended Men to be Ordeined, or accepted &s;uch <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 6. 5.</NOTE> as the Apo&s;tles or Elders appointed: but it never was derived from them as the Fountain, nor conveied by them as fit con|duits&punc; by which this holy &s;tream of the Sanctuary is to flow. Wi&s;e, mode&s;t, humble Chri&s;tians, are of al mo&s;t &s;hy to undergo &s;uch bold things, as having no cal or command from Chri&s;t or his Church; nor can expect a ble&s;&s;ing on their ra&s;h attempts: yet in our Church no Orders were conferred without the Peo|ples pre&s;ence and Presbyters coa&s;&s;i&s;tance.</P>
<P>If People had &s;ole power to ordein Mini&s;ters, what &s;orry choice would they make, how weakly would they examin, how wildly ordein, and what &s;lovenly hands impo&s;e? for they are more plea&s;ed with familiar ru&s;ticity then learned gravity, and prefer a confident Mechanic to the able&s;t D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">vine. People may &s;o wel be Preachers and Bapti&s;ers, as Ordein any to be their
<PB N="107" REF="115"> Teachers; who may &s;o wel exerci&s;e the Mini&s;terial power as confer it on others: But if al hav right to the Keis as Stewards or Mini&s;ters of holy things; then 'tis not tru, That <HI>Chri&s;t gav &s;om to be Apo&s;tles, Pa&s;tors and Teachers:</HI> &s;o every part may <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Eph</HI> 4. 11. 1 <HI>Cor. 12. 22.</HI></NOTE> chalenge to be an Ey; which peece of prophane confu&s;ion no Church ever allowed. The Peoples pre&s;ence at Ordination or acceptance of their Mini&s;ter, is a matter only of human pru|dence and civil compact for that particular place: but no own|ing of power derived from Chri&s;t by Church Rulers, to officiat for their Souls good: Nor doth it indow him with any power, but only appropriat him to take care of &s;uch a People. For though Beleevers in primitiv times, did oft expre&s;&s; their lov to Bi&s;hops and Presbyters by their pre&s;ence and cheerful concur|rence in matters tending to public peace and good Govern|ment, &s;o far as mode&s;t di&s;cretion deemed decent: yet they ne|ver pre&s;umed to claim hands in ordination, but only reque&s;ted the Rulers, that &s;uch as they approved may be &s;et over them, which was &s;omtime granted, &s;omtime not: but to ordein of them&s;elfs, <HI>Saul</HI> and <HI>&V;zziah</HI> had &s;o much right to offer Incen&s;, as they to doo it.</P>
<P>Al humble Chri&s;tians look to the rock whence they were hewen, and pit wherout they were digged; who did not make Mini&s;ters; but they &s;ent by Chri&s;t, made People Chri&s;tians. Such as &s;at in darknes had light brought them, and were found of God by his Mini&s;ters &s;ent as Shepherds to the lo&s;t Sheep which &s;ought not God. So ther is no cau&s; for People to em|brace that fury, folly, and faction which would lay al in com|mon: &s;ith Levellers can allege nothing to repeal the divine approbation of Mini&s;try, which hath continued a peculiar peaceable po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion to Church Officers by Chri&s;ts In&s;titution for &s;ixteen Centuries without ce&s;&s;ation, in a con&s;tant &s;ucce&s;&s;|on of Ordination. We grant People in a particular Pari&s;h or Congregation, may de&s;ire a &s;pecial Man to be their Prelat or Pa&s;tor (as tho&s; of <HI>Milan</HI> did St. <HI>Ambro&s;</HI>) but cannot chu&s; by their proper power, much le&s;&s; Ordein: as Souldiers may peti|tion the General for one to be their Captain; but cannot chu&s;, creat, or con&s;titut any without Commi&s;&s;ion. They may &s;o wel &s;et up a new Chri&s;t or new Go&s;pel, as new Mini&s;try or new
<PB REF="116"> Ordination; which Chri&s;t hath doon once for al times and pla|ces to the Worlds end, without Peoples intere&s;t. A wi&s;e Spani|ard &s;aid, 'Tis better in a State to prefer corrupt Men then &s;illy Sots: the one like a Theef in a Vinyard, wil only take ripe Grapes til he be &s;atiat: but the other as an A&s;&s; eats ripe and green, treads down al with his heels, and being filled, tumbles in it to &s;poil al: &s;uch is the unskilful Vulgar in Church affairs.</P>
<P><HI>Que&s;t.</HI> Som &s;cornfully ask, what can Bi&s;hops confer in Or|dination more then other Men, what charm is in their praiers or impo&s;ing of hands, to inve&s;t Church power; or how can they giv the Graces of the holy Gho&s;t? why doo they claim to be caled Clerics as peculiar to that Tribe, and contemptuou&s;ly cal others Laics; &s;ith al the Lords People are the lot of his Inheritance, being &s;piritualy annointed to be Kings, Prie&s;ts, Prophets.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> The&s; Scarrows are &s;oon repelled: 1. Touching the term or title of Clergy and Laity (which captious Critics imput as pride in Eccle&s;ia&s;tics to incen&s; People again&s;t them) this di|&s;tinction was ever u&s;ed <HI>ab initio,</HI> as al antient Fathers, Coun|cils, and Hi&s;tories ratify: nor is the one upbraided as a badg of vainglory to the Mini&s;try; nor the other a&s;per&s;ed as a brand of infamy to the People: but only to difference both calings, as 'tis in our Laws and Language. Nor is it aver&s; to Scripture &s;en&s;, which cals them Pa&s;tor and Flock, Doctor and Di&s;ciple, Ruler and Ruled, yea al Faithful in general, are &s;tiled <HI>Clerus</HI> (a Church) or portion of the Lords heritage: but Mini&s;ters in &s;pecial <HI>Clerus Eccle&s;iae,</HI> a lot given by the Lord to his <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 2. 6. <HI>Acts. 13. 2, 3.</HI></NOTE> Church, as con&s;ecrat apart to his &s;ervice. So the Apo&s;tles cho&s; <HI>Matthias</HI> by lot: and the holy Gho&s;t after &s;aid, <HI>Separat Bar|nabas and Paul for the work wherto I hav caled them; who ha|ving fa&s;ted, praid, and layd on hands, &s;ent them away.</HI> Gods Mini&s;ters di&s;dain not to be counted or caled his People, as Children of one &s;piritual Father; and brethren of the &s;ame Fa|mily of Faith: Nor wil humble Chri&s;tians covet to be clyped Clerics, or &s;corn the appellation of Laics to avoid confu&s;ion of Calings: who accompt or acknowledg tru Bi&s;hops and Mini|&s;ters as their Fathers, Over&s;eers, and In&s;tructers. Men may &s;o wel bogle at the words Trinity, three per&s;ons, and Sacraments;
<PB N="108" REF="116"> which are not found in the letter, but truth and &s;en&s; of Scrip|ture: Nor is Logomachy or word-war fit for wi&s;e Men, being a meer Sciomachy or &s;hadow-fight, like &s;tumbling at &s;traws and &s;yllabical &s;cruples. No Religion bars convenient compen|dious terms to di&s;tingui&s;h degrees: but the&s; word-Carpers hav a malitious meaning, to make People abandon both Name and Thing, even the Office and Ordination. 2. To the demand, what charm is in Bi&s;hops hands or praiers to confer the holy Gho&s;t, more then in others &s;o wel or better gifted? It may &s;o wel be asked (as Athei&s;ts and Apo&s;tats u&s;e) what virtu is in Bapti&s;m water to wa&s;h away &s;in, regenerat &s;inners, confer Grace, or repre&s;ent Chri&s;ts blood more then in other, as proud Catabapti&s;ts conte&s;ted? Or what efficacy in Bread and Wine at the Lords Supper, more then in the &s;ame Elements at u&s;ual Tables or Taverns? How doth the form of con&s;ecration by u&s;ing Chri&s;ts words ad or alter them? At this rate of carnal rea&s;oning, Men may cavil at Chri&s;ts Deity and Humanity for the outward poverty of his life and death; which made many doubt or deny him to be the tru Me&s;&s;ias. So this fond, futilous, frivolous que&s;tion fals to ground&punc; with its own weight or weak|nes; as if there, were more light in lat modern Meteors, then in the great Lamps (Sun, Moon, and Stars) of Scripture, Church, and antient Chri&s;tians: who with the &s;ame holy humble Faith, as they beleev Je&s;us to be the promi&s;ed Me&s;&s;ias (maugre al which blind Jews and babarous Infidels obtrud) doo al&s;o reli|giou&s;ly reverence al his holy Orders and Ordinances, how poor or plain &s;oever, &s;etled in his Church. Nor doth the means of outward appeerance weaken their duty or devotion: who liv by Faith, &s;ee with the ey of Faith, and act with Faiths hand in al divine my&s;teries: For God makes fooli&s;h things effectual by his &s;pirit and Grace, to tho&s; high holy ends for which they were or|deined. So 'tis not any Magic charm which makes common <NOTE PLACE="marg">Accedit Verbu~ Elemento, &amp; fit Sacramentum.</NOTE> Elements becom Sacraments, being con&s;ecrat by Mini&s;ters; nor in Bi&s;hops hands and praiers to ordein them; but his po|werful Word and Spirit: who commands the duty, confirms the Order, and givs a ble&s;&s;ing to Mini&s;terial Ordination, &s;o wel as to al other Ordinances.</P>
<P>The re&s;ult is, That Ordination makes nothing to Mini&s;ters
<PB REF="117"> Natural, Moral, or Spiritual endowments; nor doth it confer any Phy&s;ical power, no more then the Office of a Judg, Am|ba&s;&s;ador, or martial Commander, to their per&s;onal abilities: but inve&s;ts them alone with authority to exerci&s;e tho&s; Functi|ons, which none el&s; may pre&s;um to perform, who hath not that order of Office con&s;igned to him: Nor can any power in Men make a Go&s;pel Mini&s;ter though never &s;o gifted, to con&s;ecrat holy duties, &s;av only &s;uch as are &s;et apart or &s;eparat therto by du Ordination. The benefits therof are manife&s;t and manifold: 1. For Gods glory and &s;alvation of Mens Souls, by beleeving tru Mini&s;ters te&s;timony, that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is &s;ole Saviour of the World; who began this Ordinance, and &s;ent &s;om &s;pecial wit|ne&s;&s;es to proclaim him by a con&s;tant continual &s;ucce&s;&s;ion in al ages and places til his &s;ecund coming. 2. It evidenceth the Churches care and fidelity, both in pre&s;erving the divine Ora|cles, and in celebrating holy My&s;teries as Seals to confirm Chri|&s;tians Faith; be&s;ide the exerci&s;e of whol&s;om Di&s;ciplin commit|ted to the Churches chief Pa&s;tors and Rulers. 3. It givs per|&s;ons rightly Ordeined a real power derived from Chri&s;t, which <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28 20. 1 Tim. 5. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 2.</NOTE> none hath of him&s;elf; as St. <HI>Paul</HI> bid <HI>Timothy, lay hands &s;ud|denly on none, but commit the things he had heard of him to faithful Men, who &s;hal be able to teach others al&s;o: viz.</HI> by per|petual &s;ucce&s;&s;ion, and public Commi&s;&s;ion. 4. It binds the party Ordeined more &s;trictly to di&s;charge his duty by &s;tudy, praier, conference, meditation to keep and improv tho&s; gifts or Graces, for Gods glory and the Churches good. 5. It givs tru Mini&s;ters comfort, courage, and confidence (as &s;acred unction did to the Prophets, and Chri&s;ts &s;olen Commi&s;&s;ion to the Apo&s;tles) to preach; not as popular Scribes, or precarious Phari&s;ees; but as St. <HI>John</HI> Evangeli&s;t authori&s;ed by Chri&s;t; who&s; Mini&s;try, like <HI>John</HI> Bapti&s;ts, was not of Men (though tran&s;mitted by Men) but from Heaven; wherby they can re|buk with authority, and doo al duties of their Mini&s;try. With this confident con&s;cience, they can &s;peak boldly in the Lords name, not fearing Mens faces, no nor the force or fury of Devils: nor wil for&s;ake their Flocks when Wolfs com, as Hire|lings and Self-Intruders doo; but in times of public per&s;ecuti|on, chu&s; rather to be exemples of cheerful &s;uffering, in expe|ctance
<PB N="109" REF="117"> of Chri&s;ts promi&s;ed a&s;&s;i&s;tance and reward. 5. It con|&s;ervs order and decorum in the Church, fortifying their fun|ction with du re&s;pect or regard: &s;o that neither Per&s;on nor Office is ea&s;ily de&s;pi&s;ed, when divine Ordination is duly per|formed. For it conciliats much lov, aw, and reverence from al tru Chri&s;tians; rai&s;ing a ju&s;t vencration to duties rightly celebrated by tho&s; of whom Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>He that receiveth you</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 10. 40.</NOTE> <HI>receiveth me, and who &s;o de&s;pi&s;eth you de&s;pi&s;eth me, and him that &s;ent me.</HI> This makes them e&s;teemed as Prophets, Apo&s;tles, or Angels &s;ent of God: yea Chri&s;t re&s;ents their injuries as his own, and the very du&s;t of their feet becoms a dreadful Witnes again&s;t proud contemners: who deeming them to be but of civil courte&s;y, make no bones to degrade them; that they may prefer a rabble of their own Para&s;itical Preachers, before any of Chri&s;ts &s;ending or the Churches ordeining. Such are fitte&s;t for their &s;ini&s;ter end<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, who wil act in a levelled way by the &s;ame in&s;olent irreverent &s;pirit of popularity, which is mo&s;t prevalent with the Enimies of Mini&s;terial power and Or|dination. The Devil is be&s;t plea&s;ed with &s;uch pragmatic Prea|chers, who doo Satans work under our Saviours livery: which is to extirpat tru Mini&s;try and al con&s;cience of Religion, that &s;o having by the&s; <HI>Nimrods</HI> hunted out the race of antient holy Order and Succe&s;&s;ion; he may erect a <HI>Babel</HI> of Confu&s;ion. 7. It givs great &s;atisfaction to al tru Beleevers in point of duty di&s;charged, and comfort obtained by holy Mini&s;tration: when they are a&s;&s;ured of the Mini&s;ters mi&s;&s;ion and officiating in Chri&s;ts name; which none can pretend to without a ly, &s;av tho&s; rightly ordeined: but other impudent intruders, hav no plea from Scripture or Church cu&s;tom to ju&s;tify their acts, or per&s;wad &s;ober Chri&s;tians to regard them. The old Greec Li|turgies praied at Ordination of Bi&s;hops and Presbyters, that God would be&s;tow on them &s;uch Gifts, as the holy Mini&s;try might be unblamed and unblemi&s;hed for the Peoples comfort. St. <HI>Paul</HI> asks, <HI>How &s;hal they Preach unles they be &s;ent?</HI> Which <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 4. 10&punc;</NOTE> implies that none can cheerfully or comfortably doo it without du divine mi&s;&s;ion. No Churches or Chri&s;tians were ever eminent for &s;ound knowledg, Orthodox truth, or holy Life; except wher tru Mini&s;try, by right Ordination was countenanced and
<PB REF="118"> continued: for the more defectiv or neglectiv they are ther|in; the more overgrown they are with ignorance, error, Schi&s;m, novity, and licentiou&s;nes: when Men make them&s;elfs or o|thers Mini&s;ters in new waies.</P>
<P>To &s;um up al, right Ordination confers no intern inherent <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> Grace or &s;anctity (for <HI>Judas</HI> was an Apo&s;tle and <HI>Demas</HI> a Di&s;ciple, yet both di&s;&s;emblers) but only outward gifts fit for that function, to di&s;cern or di&s;tingui&s;h them from common Chri&s;tians: having al their efficacy or authority from the fir&s;t Fountain, in the &s;ame way of &s;ubordinat &s;ucce&s;&s;ion, which Chri&s;t pre&s;cribed, the Apo&s;tles performed, and al Churches practi&s;ed: nor can any Up&s;tarts or Pretenders to new Lights, claim the power of Mini&s;try without du Ordination in the old way: to which no Mans o&s;tentation of Gifts or admiration of Auditors can contribut ought to eithers comfort; but much to the &s;in and &s;hame of both, as perverters of Chri&s;ts Ordi|nance and perturbers of public Peace. Yet every ordeined Man in a meer outward form, is not a tru worthy Mini&s;ter: for ther may be Hypocrits (as <HI>Magus</HI> was) who hav no real abilities, nor hone&s;t purpo&s;es; but aim only at ba&s;e advantages, as Intruders al&s;o doo. The Ordeiners too may be deceived in judgment of charity, or corrupted by human frailty (which folows al Fle&s;h more or le&s;&s;) to pervert this holy In&s;titution, &s;ith nothing is free from abu&s;e: but they can hav no comfort in that &s;acred caling, unles they di&s;charge their duty with ho|ne&s;t hearts to Gods glory and &s;alvation of Mens &s;ouls, for unworthy Mini&s;ters unduly Ordered, are like Ships &s;lightly builded, which cau&s; their own lo&s;&s; and al that &s;ail in them: &s;o di&s;|orders in ordeining, are a great detriment or di&s;paragement to Religion, as unskilful cowardly Officers are in Armies. Such Laics as in bruti&s;h violence or popular in&s;olence arrogat undu power, or abrogat wher 'tis du; commit more hainous &s;in then <HI>Simon Magus,</HI> who mode&s;tly offered Mony for a part of Mini&s;terial power: but to wre&s;t the Keis of Gods hou&s; from his <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">u Stewards, to whom the chief Ma&s;ter committed them (which <HI>Magus</HI> never e&s;&s;aied to doo) is Cyclopic fury and Geti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> barbarity: much more to tran&s;mit them unto Bois, Lac|quies, Me<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hanics, or ba&s;e Buzzards; who not con&s;cious of any
<PB N="110" REF="118"> ju&s;t Mini&s;terial power, can make no con&s;cience to doo that duty being mo&s;t unfit for it; tho they pre&s;um to Preach and ordein whom they plea&s;; both being fitter for Stocks and Pri|&s;ons, then to feed Flocks or frequent Pulpits. Thus far Dr. <HI>Gauden,</HI> but far more copiou&s;ly and curiou&s;ly, in his learned lucubrations worthy of mo&s;t piercing peru&s;al; wherof the quinte&s;&s;ence only is here briefly pre&s;ented.</P>
<P>For up&s;hot, It appeers that Epi&s;copat was in&s;tituted by <NOTE PLACE="marg">Conclu&s;ion.</NOTE> Chri&s;t Analogicaly in his Apo&s;tles, but apertly by them in &s;uch as they appointed to &s;ucced with preci&s;e rules of Ordination and juri&s;diction over Presbyters and People committed to their charge: which primitiv patern the Catholic Church through al ages in al places perpetualy pro&s;ecuted or practi&s;ed til the&s; la&s;t wor&s;t times: but &s;ingle Presbytery and Lay-Elders &s;pecialy without any Bi&s;hop in chief, is a lat devi&s;e &s;et up for a &s;hift in ca&s;e of nece&s;&s;ity, as &s;om of the Authors and Fautors acknow|ledg: wi&s;hing they were &s;o happy to hav Prote&s;tant Prelats, as <HI>England</HI> injoyed about 100. yeers together (except a quin|quennial Eclip&s;) &s;ince <HI>Edward</HI> 6. of ble&s;&s;ed memory began <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 1547.</NOTE> the Reformation. Al which particulars with many mo, are previou&s;ly and pregnantly proved in the premi&s;&s;es, which &s;hal not be vainly reiterated. The&s; points are pre&s;ented to public &s;ifting or &s;canning &s;ans &s;candal or &s;currility; with hope of like liberty (&s;til allowed to Scholars) as the Adver&s;aries ever exer|ci&s;ed again&s;t Epi&s;copat freely, if they kept their Pens from trea|&s;on and &s;edition (as <HI>Penry</HI> in his <HI>Martin Mar Prelat</HI> did not) even when Prelats mo&s;t &s;waied or domineered. For no Sect can or dare &s;ay al their Tenets are infallible Truths: why then wil they not patiently permit them to be tried by the Touch|&s;tone of Gods Word, for the better ventilation of verity, without bitternes or a&s;perity?</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>His po&s;itis, quis non frendet vel cornua tendit?</HI></L>
<L><HI>Foelix, a tergo quem nulla Ciconia pin&s;it.</HI></L>
<L>The&s; things thus laid, who wil not pu&s;h or winch?</L>
<L>Hee's happy, whom no &s;tork behind doth pinch.</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB REF="119">
<HEAD><HI>Supplementum mutuatum:</HI> A &s;upply taken from many.</HEAD>
<P>THe&s; were Adver&s;aries or Antagoni&s;ts to Presbyterians, who may be fit Accu&s;ers, but no good Judges: nor &s;hal any of their railings or revilings be produced, but only &s;uch probable te&s;timonies as concern matters of Fact, Doctrin, or Di&s;ciplin; laying a&s;ide al uncharitablenes. Wheras Chri&s;t hath three Offices of King, Prie&s;t, and Prophet; they differ under which to darrain their Di&s;ciplin. They &s;ay he is con&s;idered as Son of God or &s;ecund Per&s;on in Trinity: &s;o al Per&s;ons and Princes (Beleevers or Infidels) are his Vicerois in their Domi|nions: or as Mediator, Head, or Governor of the Church: &s;o al Pa&s;tors, Teachers, and Elders are his immediat Vicars or Officers; but civil Magi&s;trats only Patrons and Protectors; the one in Spirituals, the other in Temporals. To this they al &s;tick as limpets to a&s;tone, but di&s;&s;ent in particular points of the foundation. <HI>Cartwright</HI> confines Chri&s;t as Son of God coequal with the Father to be Ruler of Civil Stats; but not as our Saviour or Redeemer: the Humble Motioner &s;aith he hath power over al Principalities in Heaven and Earth, not &s;imply as &s;ecund Per&s;on, but as Son of God Manife&s;ted in the Fle&s;h; having &s;ole authority not only as God and Man, but as meer Man. <HI>Cartwright</HI> conte&s;ts, that Chri&s;t in governing &s;ecular Stats hath no Superior: the Motioner &s;aith, As he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; he receivs this power of the Father: to whom <HI>Beza</HI> a&s;&s;ents, that God governs the World in per&s;on of his Son as made Man; and al power given him in Heaven and Earth is &s;poken properly of his Humanity. If then Chri|&s;tian Princes hav power under him as Mediator God and Man, nay as Head of the Church; their Presbyteries or Elder&s;hips hav not &s;ole &s;troke in &s;piritual matters of Ruler&s;hip. <HI>Snecanus</HI> &s;tifly holds, That St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaking of Chri&s;ts body, intends <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">or. 15. 24. E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h. 1. 20 21. Co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;</HI> 1. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, 17.</NOTE> civil Magi&s;trats as Church Officers joyntly with Aldermen, and 'tis great ra&s;hnes to exclud them; accompting &s;uch for Adver&s;aries and Anabapti&s;ts.</P>
<PB N="111" REF="119">
<P><HI>Ob. Cartwright</HI> oppo&s;eth, that Chri&s;t being &s;ole Head of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12.</NOTE> al the Church and every particular Congregation which hath a wel ordered Elder&s;hip; is never &s;evered from his whol Body <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12.</NOTE> nor any part of it. <HI>Ergo</HI> ther needs no &s;ubordinat Head or Governor over any Chri&s;tian Church.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This Sophi&s;try is &s;oon retorted thus: Chri&s;t is our Prie&s;t, Prophet, Pa&s;tor; who is never ab&s;ent but able to per|form al &s;uch functions: <HI>Ergo</HI> we need no Mini&s;terial Officers or Presbyters: as if he &s;itting per&s;onaly in Heaven, had not &s;et &s;uch to Preach and pre&s;ide here vi&s;ibly on Earth.</P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> He enjoyns, If the civil Magi&s;trat hath right to rule in Chri&s;ts Body the Church; it &s;hal hav two Heads, which were mon&s;trous: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis ab&s;onous.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Ther is a Mini&s;terial Head or Spiritual, &s;o Chri&s;t is &s;oly over the whol Church; which to claim (as the Pope doth) is Antichri&s;tian u&s;urpation: and a Magi&s;terial or Temporal, which imports only a &s;ecular Ruler, as al Princes are in their Dominions: &s;o a like inference may be made, if the Common|wealth belong both to Chri&s;t and civil Magi&s;trat, it &s;hal hav two Heads, which were as Mon&s;trous: but neither is nece&s;&s;a|ry. Princes may be Chri&s;ts Sub&s;tituts or &s;ubordinat Rulers, even in Spiritual cau&s;es better then ba&s;e Ru&s;ti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s or Mechanics admitted to be Elders. 'Tis a tru Tenet, that Chri&s;t con&s;ti|tuted his Di&s;ciples to a&s;&s;i&s;t in his Prie&s;tly Office: on which &s;core we defend again&s;t Papi&s;ts. that every ordeined Mini&s;ter is &s;o wel his Vicar as the Pope, having equal power to Preach, pray, and di&s;pen&s; Sacraments: but the Author of Eccle&s;ia&s;tic and civil Polity, denies Pa&s;tors to be Ch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;ts Vicars as he is <NOTE PLACE="marg">p. 68.</NOTE> Prie&s;t (for &s;o the Pope the Devils Vica<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> a&s;&s;ums it) but only as a Prophet: which is a novel Paradox di&s;claimed by his Bre|thren. For <HI>F<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nner</HI> finds only two Offices, making Prophecy part of his Prie&s;thood: &s;o it re&s;ults, they be his Vicegerents for Regiment only as Kings, and al would fain be &s;o, if they could deriv a Roial right. They urge again&s;t Bi&s;hops how his King|dom is not of this World; yet place it in the Con&s;i&s;torian El|der&s;hip: for <HI>Beza</HI> &s;aith Chri&s;t as King and Head of the Church, rules it by Pa&s;tors lawfully caled, which <HI>Cartwright</HI> and <HI>Fen|ner</HI> confirm. <HI>Sonnius</HI> &s;aith, Chri&s;t executs his Regal Office
<PB REF="120"> by the internal government of his Spirit, and external of the Mini&s;try: how then doo Lay-Elders being no Prie&s;ts nor Pro|phets hold their regency? For Chri&s;t is &s;uprem Soveraign, the Presbytery his Kingdom, and Spiritual Elders his Vice|rois: &s;o Laics are but pety Princes like the idle Kings of France meer &s;hadows or Cyphers. <HI>Beza</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">De Presb. p. 188.</NOTE> &s;aith every Elder&s;hip is Chri&s;ts Tribunal: which is parallel to the Canoni&s;ts para&s;itic po&s;ition, that the Pope and Chri&s;t hav but one Con&s;i&s;tory. For as Papi&s;ts prohibit al Appeals from Chri&s;ts Vicar: &s;o they hold it hainous to appeal from the Genevan Con&s;i&s;tory be|ing Chri&s;ts Tribunal beyond comptrol. So what they deprav or di&s;prov in others; they-&s;elfs practi&s; and patronize.</P>
<P>1. They blame Bi&s;hops (as they doo the Pope) for med|ling <NOTE PLACE="marg">Criminations.</NOTE> with many matters, and Lording it over others: alleging our Saviours &s;aying, <HI>Vos vero non &s;ic,</HI> and St. <HI>Peters</HI> precept, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 22. 26. 1 Pet. 5. 3.</NOTE> <HI>not as Lords over the Clergy:</HI> which is meant of abu&s;iv am|bition. Yet their Elder&s;hips undertake a Sea of affairs <HI>in or|dine ad Chri&s;tum</HI> like Papi&s;ts, which they hook in within the compa&s;&s; or cogni&s;ance of their Con&s;i&s;torian Commi&s;&s;ion. Al Crimes (&s;aith <HI>Knox</HI>) which de&s;erv death by Gods Law (Murders, Adulteries, Sorceries, Bla&s;phemies, Here&s;ies, rai|lings again&s;t the Sacraments) incur Excommunication: in which Ca&s;es Summons mu&s;t be &s;ent to the Offenders Pari&s;h, or if he hath no &s;etled abode, to the chief Town of that Divi&s;i|on, to appeer and an&s;wer at a &s;et time; or &s;hew cau&s; why Excommunication &s;hould not be denounced: but if he ap|peer not, he is to be Excommunicat nexts Lords day; not for contempt, but as guilty of the fact: &s;o if Malefactors in <HI>France</HI> fly, they are hung up in figure. This is round work to Excommunicat for &s;uper&s;eding one Citation in Cau&s;es of Life and Death, judging him guilty untried. How if the Ma|gi&s;trat pardon this Murderer? Yet wil not they receiv him upon repentance under 40. dais trial, and &s;atisfaction given the next Allies of the party &s;lain. So they take on them al kind of power.</P>
<P>Al other offen&s;es, not capital (Lechery, Ebriety, Swearing, Cur&s;ing, Scolding, Fighting, Fencing, Sabbath-breaking, wan|ton words or ge&s;tures, neglect of Sermons and Sacraments, &s;u|&s;pition
<PB N="112" REF="120"> of pride or avarice, &s;uperfluity of Fare, riot in Raiments, Dancing, Dicing, hanting Taverns, Tipling hou&s;es, Theatres, May-poles, Morrices, and al Merriments, with many mo) are left to the Elder&s;hips di&s;cretion. So are contentious per&s;ons which ve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> their Brethren &s;ans cau&s;, wherin they wil be &s;ole Ar|biters. How can the&s; Men know unle&s;&s; they examin the facts, and be skilled in the Laws of the Land? Or who wil run to temporal Courts, if he may be righted at Con&s;i&s;tory Bar? Nay if he doth, he &s;hal &s;urely &s;mart for it. <HI>Beza</HI> &s;aith, Al &s;ins are &s;ubject to their cen&s;ure, as being &s;candalous to godly Men: for if one wrong me in goods or good name, he commits a duple crime; one in wounding my heart by breach of Gods Law, and giving il exemple; wherin I mu&s;t complain to the Elders to work his repentance: another in damaging my fame and for|tunes, which Magi&s;trats mu&s;t right. Is not this a brav devi&s; to inlarge their Juri&s;diction, when al actions of the Ca&s;e com within their compa&s;&s;, and al per&s;ons mu&s;t be Informers to their Court? If I complain to the Con&s;i&s;tory that one hath wrong|ed me, and they enjoin him to ask me forgivnes; how can he commence a Law-&s;uit again&s;t me? He may (quoth <HI>Beza</HI>) but 'tis an il &s;ign of repentance or tru remi&s;&s;ion. Is not this a bar to civil Ju&s;tice? The wrong is confe&s;&s;ed and forgivnes asked; ther needs no trial of Fact, but the Magi&s;trat may award dama|ges and tax co&s;ts, which is al he can doo. Avant then Common-Law and Chancery: the Con&s;i&s;tory alone can doo al.</P>
<P>Al the ground of this Divinity is drawn from the Jews Sa|nedrim, which <HI>Cartwright</HI> &s;aith Chri&s;t transferred to his Church as a patern for the Elders. <HI>Beza</HI> concurs, That the Prie&s;ts were Lawyers, who decided any doubt ari&s;ing among the Judges. If it be asked, what they had to doo in cau&s;es meer|ly Civil? He learnedly re&s;olvs, That matter of Fact is Civil, which the Judg &s;entenced; but al points in Law the Eccle&s;ia|&s;tic Elders decided or determined. Is this probable or veritable? Doubtle&s;&s; the Jews had not two Courts (one of Fact, anothe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of Law) nor any Nation el&s;: but in difficil Ca&s;es both of Law and Fact, Appeals were made from inferior Courts in the Country to the Sanedrim at <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> which handled Civil Cau&s;es &s;o wel as Eccle&s;ia&s;tic. Nay <HI>Travers</HI> and the learned
<PB REF="121"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i&s;cour&s; hold, That the Elders may deal in Civil Cau&s;es, as they did under Pagan Princes before they Chri&s;tianized: for they receiv no more authority by their conver&s;ion then they had before, nor may meddle in Church matters; yet they may in Civil. 2. They found fault, That Primats and Prelats were made privy Coun&s;ilors of State; much more to be admitted Members of Parlement and Convocation: yet <HI>Beza</HI> was of the State Council at <HI>Geneva,</HI> and pre&s;cribed to <HI>Scotland,</HI> That in &s;tead of Bi&s;hops &s;om grav Presbyters may be pre&s;ent in Par|lement to advi&s;e in &s;piritual matters, as Judges doo in Law. Yea <HI>Field</HI> &s;upplicated here, That twenty four learned Divines might hav votes in Parlement, excluding Bi&s;hops: but for the Convocation (if it were &s;uch as &s;hould be, meaning their El|der&s;hip) the Parlement may e&s;tabli&s;h nothing pertaining to Gods wor&s;hip without their direction. 3. They contemn or condemn al antient Councils, and caled our Reformation of Religion doon by Convocation, a Deformation; branding the 39 Articles, Injunctions, Canons, and Church Ceremonies as contemptible; but extol their own Synods (Cla&s;&s;ical, Provin|cial, National, General) as parallel to the Go&s;pel, and authen|tic Oracles of the holy Gho&s;t. 4. They inveied again&s;t Clergy Men to be Commi&s;&s;ioners in the lat high Commi&s;&s;ion Court; yet &s;ued in <HI>Scotland,</HI> That fourty Mini&s;ters &s;hould hav Com|mi&s;&s;ion to &s;uppre&s;&s; their Enemies of Religion. So <HI>Field</HI> petiti|oned here, That his twenty four Doctors might hav power un|der the Great Seal to cen&s;ure al Sects, Here&s;ies, Errors, Con|tempts, Mi&s;demeanors again&s;t Gods Word and their Eccle&s;i|a&s;tic Laws: to depriv any Pa&s;tor not doing his duty after their wils; to examin Witne&s;&s;es, impri&s;on Malefactors, and certify their names to the Lords of the Council for farther puni&s;h|ment. 5. They di&s;liked the High-Commi&s;&s;ion &s;hould &s;end out Pur&s;evants to &s;ummon or impri&s;on Men: yet the Genevan Con&s;i&s;torie hath a Beedle to cite Men, whom they incarcerat at plea&s;ure. 6. They exclamed aloud, becau&s; &s;ub&s;cription was required to the Articles of Religion, Communion Book, and Canons: Yet the Di&s;ciplinarians at their clande&s;tin Conven|ticles in joined it to their Decrees or Devi&s;es: nor can any be cho&s;en a Church-Officer, unles he fir&s;t &s;ub&s;cribe to their Di&s;ci|plin.
<PB N="113" REF="121"> 7. They task the Oath <HI>ex Officio</HI> u&s;ed in certain thief Cau&s;es; becau&s; Men may not be compelled to accu&s;e them&s;elfs; and no accu&s;ation is liable again&s;t an Elder, under two or three witne&s;&s;es: yet when <HI>Henrig</HI> a Presbyter refu&s;ed to &s;wear (touching dancing at Widow <HI>Baltha&s;ars</HI> hou&s; in <HI>Geneva)</HI> al|leging that place, <HI>Calvin</HI> jeered at it, and extorted confe&s;&s;ions upon Oath, deprived <HI>Henrig,</HI> exofficiated one of the four Sinders, and impri&s;oned al the re&s;t. 8. They brand the Com|mon-Praier Book as culled out of the Popes Portui&s;; The Ce|remonies, Surplice, and other ornaments as Antichri&s;tian rags; conte&s;ting 'tis better to conform with Turcs then Papi&s;ts. If it be an&s;wered, that we mu&s;t try al things and hold what is good, u&s;ing tho&s; things lawfully which were abu&s;ed &s;uper&s;titiou&s;ly; al wil not &s;erv or &s;atisfy: yet when they are charged with Do|nati&s;m, Anabapti&s;m, or Papi&s;m, in perturbing the public peace, for &s;aying the Sacraments are not &s;incerely Mini&s;tred, that we hav no lawful Prelats or Pa&s;tors, and Princes may not meddle with Eccle&s;ia&s;tic matters; <HI>Cartwright</HI> a chief Champion an|&s;wers for al his felows, That in the filth of &s;uch Here&s;ies &s;om good things are found, which they receiv or retain, as the Jews did the holy Arc from prophane Phili&s;tims. 9. They decry Univer&s;ity Degrees (as the Anabapti&s;ts did in <HI>Germany,</HI> whom <HI>Melancthon</HI> confuts) caling them childi&s;h Ceremonies borow|ed from the Pope: But <HI>Junius</HI> a Con&s;i&s;torian conte&s;ts they are decent and lawful, which ought not to be abrogated for any abu&s;e, or abandoned becau&s; borowed from Papi&s;ts: Yea <HI>Cart|wright</HI> &s;ued to be Doctor of Divinity, which was denied; and the &s;tricte&s;t &s;ort took Academical Degrees &s;ans &s;cruple, and diver&s; &s;walowed Lawn &s;leevs without choking. 10. They re|prov others for urging the authority of Councils. Fathers, and School-men: yet if any &s;eem to fit or favor their Cau&s;, they magnify them highly: as <HI>Beza</HI> &s;tifly pre&s;&s;ed St. <HI>Au&s;tin, Chry|&s;o&s;tom</HI> with others again&s;t <HI>Era&s;tus,</HI> giving general Councils glorious titles, when they &s;erved his turn, or el&s; &s;lighted them&punc; and <HI>Cartwright</HI> cals &s;uch citing of Fathers a raking of ditches&punc; 11. They allege again&s;t Bi&s;hops preeminence over Mini&s;ters, that both are caled by one name, and therfore one Function&punc; when 'tis an&s;wered, That community of title takes not away <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">|&s;tinction
<PB REF="122"> of Offices, &s;ith even Princes are &s;tiled Deacons Apo|&s;tles, and Prie&s;ts, yet far di&s;parat in power; this wil not con|tent: Yet <HI>Era&s;tus</HI> proved, That the name Elder is ever appro|priat to Eccle&s;ia&s;tics, not to Laics; <HI>Beza</HI> borowed that di&s;tin|ction for his defen&s;, how the name of Bi&s;hops and Elders are common, but their Offices not al one; nor is it a good con&s;e|quent, every Bi&s;hop is a Presbyter, <HI>Ergo</HI> every Elder is &s;o: for al names of Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Officers (Deacons, Apo&s;tles, Prophets, Prelats, Pa&s;tors, Presbyters) are &s;ometime u&s;ed generaly or pro|mi&s;cuou&s;ly. 12. They a&s;per&s; our State for &s;uffering Bi&s;hops to retain &s;om parts of the Canon Law, crying out 'tis Popi&s;h and Develi&s;h: yet if ought &s;it their humors, they &s;ecretly &s;tole it out of the Decretals; as in their draught of Di&s;ciplin more then &s;even parts of eight are borowed from it. Hence <HI>Viret</HI> finding how Princes by ca&s;hiring the Canon Law, a&s;&s;umed Eccle&s;ia&s;tic power to them&s;elfs; condemns their ra&s;hnes or rigidnes who depraved the &s;ame. Thus by this Jury of Criminations it ap|peers how palpably partial al mortal Men are in their own be|halfs: yea their factious folowers wil hardly beleev half, and ju&s;tify the other moity as proceding of piety. Next &s;hal be &s;hewed how they wre&s;t the Fathers to their own &s;en&s;.</P>
<P><HI>Ignatius</HI> wils, That nothing be doon in the Church without <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> the Bi&s;hops con&s;ent, who as Prince of Prie&s;ts hath power over al: Can ought be plainer? Yet <HI>Cartwright</HI> counterfets, That by Prie&s;ts he means ruling Elders (Lay ones he never know) by Prince the Moderator cho&s;en to propone matters at one meeting only: and by power over al, his authority over the El|ders in the &s;ame Pari&s;h (when no &s;uch precincts were yet bounded) ju&s;t after their new cut. <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> &s;tiles every Bi&s;hop Prelat, as prepo&s;ited over Prie&s;ts and People: <HI>Cart|wright</HI> con&s;ters it, That he was Prelat of the People, not over Presbyters: or at mo&s;t a Moderator to propo&s; matters only. Yet if he was &s;uperior over Mini&s;ters, how fondly is it inferred to be lawful, becau&s; he was &s;o? for even in tho&s; dawning da<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> &s;om things deviated from the Go&s;pels purity, as the name Pre|lat common to al Elders, was appropriat to one: Thus like Wind-millers, they make every wind &s;erv their turns. <HI>Ire<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="4 letters"></HI> &s;aith the Apo&s;tles appointed Bi&s;hops in tho&s; Churches which
<PB N="114" REF="122"> they planted: <HI>Beza</HI> clean contrary to his mind and meaning, interprets it of Pa&s;tors, Doctors, and ruling Elders, not con|&s;tituted by their authority, but cho&s;en by the Pari&s;hes. For when any Officer was elected, the Apo&s;tle pre&s;ent con&s;ecrated him to the Lord by laying on hands in the name of the Presby|tery. <HI>Jerom</HI> te&s;tifies, That from St. <HI>Marc</HI> to his time a Bi|&s;hop was placed in higher degree abov Presbyters, as a Captain in an Army: <HI>Cartwright</HI> &s;eeks &s;trange &s;hifts to &s;hadow it: 1. That the Presbyters did it without <HI>Marcs</HI> order. 2. That the words from <HI>Marcs</HI> time, are exclu&s;iv, as if that &s;uperiority began after his time, which is flatly fal&s;: for he cals <HI>Marc</HI> Bi|&s;hop of <HI>Alexandria,</HI> and his &s;ucce&s;&s;ors &s;uperior in degree o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> dignity. 3. That in &s;aying it was &s;o at <HI>Alexandria,</HI> he implies it was not &s;o el&s;wher. Is not his a goodly glo&s;&s;? 4. He cries ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> again&s;t the pravity of tho&s; primitiv times; which is a more in|genuous agnition, but a &s;illy &s;helter or Sanctuary: for no wit of Man can evade or exclude it. <HI>Jerom</HI> &s;aith farther, It was ordered by Decrce of the whol World; That to &s;uppre<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> Schi&s;ms, one &s;hould be cho&s;en by the Prie&s;ts abov the re&s;t: <HI>Be|za</HI> boldly givs him the ly (which the te&s;ty old Man if he the<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> lived, would retort in his throat) that it was not &s;o. Many Anti|ents <HI>(Iren<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">us&punc; Cyprian, Tertullian, Jerom, Ambro&s;, Au&s;tin)</HI> cal Bi&s;hops the Apo&s;tles Succe&s;&s;ors: And Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Writers draw long Catalogs of their names in &s;everal Sees; which tho&s; Fathers urged again&s;t up&s;tart Heretics in their dais: but when Papi&s;ts pre&s;&s; &s;uch &s;ucce&s;&s;ion at <HI>Rome</HI> and el&s;wher; we deny not the truth of it, but an&s;wer that per&s;onal &s;ucce&s;&s;ion is very effe|ctual, if Doctrinal concur; and tho&s; Fathers in urging the fir&s;t, had a &s;pecial ey to the la&s;t; becau&s; &s;uch Heretics oppugned &s;om points of Apo&s;tolic Doctrin. Yet <HI>Cartwright</HI> and his Cru con|tend, that by Bi&s;hops are meant Parochial Pa&s;tors, &s;tiled the Apo&s;tles Doctrinal &s;ucce&s;&s;ors: and al Epi&s;copal Catalogs are of Pari&s;h Prie&s;ts. Yea <HI>Sadeil</HI> excluding al per&s;onal &s;ucce&s;&s;ion, grants Doctrinal to Laics, if they hold the Apo&s;tles precepts and walk in their paths: O dainty. When &s;warms of Authors are cited, that <HI>Timothy</HI> was Dioce&s;an of <HI>Ephe&s;us; Cartwright</HI> givs the ly to al, becau&s; St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, he was Evangeli&s;t: So was S. <HI>Marc,</HI> yet a Bi&s;hop. When for Antiquity of Archbi|&s;hops
<PB REF="123"> <HI>Clemens, Anacletus, Anicetus, Epiphanius, Ambro&s;, &amp;c.</HI> are urged, together with St. <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> rule, That wher a name is &s;o old and origin not extant, it &s;hould &s;eem Apo&s;tolic: <HI>Cartwright</HI> cals the citing of antient Authors a raking of Hel, and &s;aith tho&s; times were not pure Virgin-like; branding <HI>Cle|mens, Anacletus,</HI> and <HI>Anicetus</HI> as conterfet cranks (haply &s;om forgeries were vented in their names) and &s;lights <HI>Epiphanius,</HI> that he wrote according to his time: but rejects <HI>Ambro&s;es</HI> Book <HI>de dignitate Sacerdotum</HI> as foi&s;ted. When for the Office of Archdeacon <HI>Dama&s;us, Sixtus, Sozomen,</HI> and <HI>Socrates</HI> are quoted; <HI>Cartwright</HI> an&s;wers, That <HI>Dama&s;us</HI> &s;pake in the Dragons voice, the be&s;t ground bears thi&s;tles, and tho&s; times were corrupt.</P>
<P>Thus they either wiredraw the Fathers words to their own fancy, or deny their authority, which are ea&s;y eva&s;ions. When <HI>Ignatius</HI> terms a Bi&s;hop Prince of Prie&s;ts, and <HI>Cyril</HI> and <HI>Ter|tullian</HI> high-Prie&s;t: <HI>Cartwright</HI> cur&s;edly cen&s;ures, that &s;uch Proctors pre&s;um to put our Saviour out of his Office: yet they are only &s;tiled his Sub&s;tituts on Earth, when al confes it to be the joint judgment of the Catholic Church and Councils, that Bi&s;hops are the be&s;t remedies to repel Schi&s;ms and Here&s;ies: <HI>Beza</HI> and <HI>Cartwright</HI> cry they are al deceived; for ther were great controver&s;ies and contentions &s;til under their regiment. 'Tis tru, for Chri&s;t foretold it wil be &s;o &s;til til the end. When a cloud of primitiv witne&s;&s;es is produced for the lawful u&s;e of Holy dais: <HI>Cartwright</HI> complains, That Truth is mea&s;ured by the crooked yard of time; and appeals from authority to Scrip|ture, wherof he wil be &s;ole Judg and Interpreter. When the whol &s;tream of Fathers and Councils is urged to prov the Churches power in al indifferent things not pre&s;cribed by Gods Word: he carps how he is pe&s;tered with human authorities, in&s;tead of the Prophets and Apo&s;tles, &s;haking them off (as St. <HI>Paul</HI> did the Viper) with one bla&s;t, that the things a&s;&s;erted are now que&s;tioned, as if their cavilling were &s;ufficient. When <HI>Cyril</HI> &s;aith, That <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law to puni&s;h Adultery with death is out of date: he comptrols his Opinion as corrupt. May it not more ju&s;tly be &s;aid?</P>
<Q>Nomine mutato, narratur fabula de &s;e.</Q>
<LG>
<PB N="115" REF="123">
<L>The Tale, change but the Name,</L>
<L>Of them is &s;til the &s;ame.</L>
</LG>
<P>When <HI>Theodoret</HI> te&s;tifies, That <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> Patriarch of <HI>Con&s;tantinople</HI> had the charge of other Churches in <HI>A&s;ia, Thra|cia, Pontus,</HI> be&s;ide his own See, and <HI>Sozomen</HI> &s;aith he depo&s;ed thirteen Bi&s;hops for Simony: <HI>Cartwright</HI> cogs an an&s;wer, That he had no other care over them then al Godly Mini&s;ters ought to hav over al Churches in Chri&s;tendom: or if he took rule over them, he was a proud Prelat like the Pope; yet haply he depo&s;ed tho&s; Bi&s;hops by con&s;ent of the Presbytery, not by his own authority: al which bewray gro&s;&s; ignorance contrary to known truth. When the fir&s;t <HI>Nicen</HI> Synod (which placed Pa|triarchs over Primats) is urged for the antiquity and authori|ty of both: <HI>Cartwright</HI> &s;cofs at it as no famous Council, tax|ing diver&s; Decrees of error, &s;pecialy in points of Di&s;ciplin: yet al Churches receiv them as authentic; and Arrians or other Heretics may &s;o wel cavil at the Doctrins. When <HI>Antioch</HI> Council, caled fifteen yeers after, Decreed, That inferior Bi|&s;hops &s;hal not act without their Metropolitan, &s;av what per|tains to their own Dioce&s;es: He glo&s;&s;eth that a Metrapolitan was only &s;et over a chief City, and the name makes no more difference then to &s;ay a Mini&s;ter of <HI>London</HI> and <HI>Newington:</HI> but by Dioce&s; is meant a Pari&s;h (&s;o he &s;til tran&s;lats the Greec word, becau&s; it bears a Parochial and Epi&s;copal divi&s;ion, though generaly u&s;ed for the later) wher a chief Mini&s;ter had &s;om Mer|cat-Town with vicine Villages appendent to his Church, as at <HI>Hitchin</HI> and el&s;wher: <HI>Sic parvis componere magna &s;olebat.</HI> What fine, foi&s;ts and brazen bolts are the&s; to bol&s;ter a bad cau&s;? When <HI>Athana&s;ius</HI> avers, That <HI>Denys</HI> Patriarch of <HI>Alexandria</HI> (to which Juri&s;diction <HI>Egypt, Thebais, Mariota, Lybia,</HI> and other Provinces pertained) had the Churches of <HI>Pan<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">apolis</HI> committed to his care: as <HI>Epiphanius</HI> &s;aith the &s;ame of <HI>Peter</HI> a|nother Patriarch, to whom the Archbi&s;hop of <HI>Miletus</HI> was &s;ub|ject: <HI>Cartwright</HI> con&s;ters it of a voluntary care (not authori|tiv) which every Mini&s;ter ought to take of Churches round about him. When <HI>Theodoret</HI> Bi&s;hop of <HI>Cyprus</HI> &s;aith, He&s;elf
<PB REF="124"> had Government of eight hundred Churches: <HI>Cartwright</HI> checks him for a vain boa&s;ter, upbraiding his writing again&s;t <HI>Cyril, quid ad rhombum?</HI> When the Councils of <HI>Nice, An|tioch, Carthage,</HI> and <HI>Sardis</HI> declare, that only Bi&s;hops hav au|thority to excommunicat: <HI>Cartwright</HI> from <HI>Calvin</HI> the chief Coryphee declares, That in &s;o doing they fomented ambi|tion.</P>
<P>Thus they &s;peak Magi&s;terialy from their Chair what they li&s;t, which their partial poor blind Pro&s;elits hold for Oracles. When Mr. <HI>Fox</HI> provs Archbi&s;hops to be abov Bi&s;hops, and them abov Mini&s;ters: <HI>Cartwright</HI> givs a dor, That he writing a Story was more diligent to deliver what is doon, then how wel or il doon. Yea, he cen&s;ures al learned Men under <HI>Edward</HI> 6. that they knew only in part, and being &s;ent out in the morning dawn, yer the Go&s;pel Sun was ri&s;en high, might over&s;ee much, which &s;om not &s;o quick eyd can better di&s;cry: for what they had in acutnes of &s;ight, others enjoy by cleernes of the Suns light. He pre&s;cribes two learned ob&s;ervations: 1. That in the Nicen Synod and others within two hundred yeers after, many Ca|nons and Cautions were made touching a Metropolitan in eve|ry Province what honor or title he &s;hal hav; what limits of Juri&s;diction; and what place to &s;it in; which &s;hews that it was oppo&s;ed in tho&s; dais: intimating, that &s;om Schi&s;matic Spirits oppo&s;ed the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Hierarchy then as Di&s;ciplinarians did &s;ince, which is no warrant &s;o to doo. 2. That among Pa&s;tors, Elders and Deacons in every Church, one was cho&s;en by the re&s;t to propone matters (whether doubts to be debated, cen|&s;ures to be decreed, or elections to be determined) who gather|ed voices, and was the common mouth to moderat the whol A&s;&s;embly. A learned le&s;&s;on to &s;hew that Epi&s;copal Govern|ment jumps ju&s;t like <HI>Germans</HI> lips with Genevan Presbytery, as if they &s;hould &s;hake hands; who &s;hape al to their own cut, as an old Dotard at <HI>Athens</HI> deemed al &s;hips his own which cam into the Haven.</P>
<P>Howbeit they differ diver&s;ly among them&s;elfs: For <HI>Cart|wright</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> draws the Elder&s;hips origin from <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron,</HI> who a&s;&s;embled the Elders at Gods command, which he inter|prets of Laics: but <HI>Gallae&s;ius</HI> of Preachers: <HI>Pe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">itan, Ber<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ram,</HI>
<PB N="116" REF="124"> and <HI>Siniler</HI> of Civil Rulers, Senators, and Princes. <HI>Beza</HI> brings proof out of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Pentateuch, Chronicles, and Prophets: But <HI>Calvin</HI> the Founder &s;aith, The Jews Sanedrim was found|ed after their Captivity, being then inhibited to creat a King: yet the &s;eventy being in&s;tituted by <HI>Jethros</HI> advi&s;e, were a law|ful Polity allowed by God, to cen&s;ure maners and Doctrins. The titles given to Mini&s;ters in the new Te&s;tament <HI>(Acts 10. 28 Acts 26. 16. Rom. 15. 16. 1 Cor. 14. 32. Phil. 1. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 2.) Beza, Junius,</HI> and <HI>Cartwright</HI> a&s;cribe to their Elders, which <HI>Calvin</HI> applies to al Mini&s;ters. Thus they run &s;om into <HI>Egypt</HI> before the Law, &s;om to Mount <HI>Sinai</HI> in the Wildernes, &s;om el&s;wher to &s;eek their Elder&s;hip, yet cannot find it: but agree like <HI>Sa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ons</HI> tail-tied Foxes. Wher any mention is made of Elders, Congregation, Church, Court, Bi&s;hops, Rulers, Thrones, Chri&s;ts Kingdom &amp;c. <HI>Beza, Junius, Danaeus, Cart|wright,</HI> and that cru imagin it to ring a peal for their Presby|terian platform, &s;uting the Scriptures to their tunes. For as poor folks beget Children, but know not how to keep them: &s;o Secti&s;ts breed or broch new Opinions, and &s;eek Scriptures to maintain them; who (as <HI>Hilary</HI> &s;aith) care not what the words mean, but put their own meaning on them.</P>
<P>La&s;tly, Li&s;ten how highly they prai&s; them&s;elfs, and Hyper|bolicaly <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eudog<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es.</NOTE> extol their Di&s;ciplin. We hav Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles, with al the Prophets for us: We &s;triv for everla&s;ting truth which God hath left, and may not leav it: the matters we med|dle in, are according to Gods Wil in his Word: We propound his Cau&s; faithfully, and for it are per&s;ecuted: We are his poor Servants, painful Mini&s;ters, zelous Profe&s;&s;ors, feeders of his Flock, Chri&s;ts litle ones, the fooli&s;h things of this World cho|&s;en to confound the wi&s;e: of immortal &s;eed, lawful &s;ucce&s;&s;ors to tho&s;, who by Faith quenched the violence of fire: unreprova|ble, mode&s;t, mo&s;t worthy Watchmen. We hold nothing not taught in Scripture, but what old and new Writers affirm, and exemples of primitiv times confirm: We &s;eek not to plea&s; Men or plea&s;ure our &s;elfs; but patiently abide, til the Lord bring our righteou&s;nes to light, and ju&s;t dealing as the noon day. We merit prai&s; of the Law and of Gods Church, &s;eeking only to doo good: our zele is parallel to that of <HI>Mo&s;es, Elias,</HI> the Pro|phets,
<PB REF="125"> <HI>John</HI> Bapti&s;t, <HI>Paul,</HI> the Apo&s;tles, and Chri&s;t. Our &s;ide dete&s;ts &s;in and wickednes: our Mini&s;ters &s;uffer al evil at Magi|&s;trats hands, for refu&s;ing to doo evil at their commands; pro|fe&s;&s;ing to obey God rather then Men. Brav Men by their own report: but doo not al Sects &s;ay the &s;ame, like the Phari&s;ee who praied, <HI>O God, I thank thee 1 am not as other Men?</HI> Now hear <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 18 11.</NOTE> their Eulogies of the Di&s;ciplin. Tis the only band of unity, bane of Here&s;y, puni&s;her of &s;in, cheri&s;her of righteou&s;nes, pure, perfect, and ful of goodnes: ordeined for Gods honor, the Peoples health, and al Nations happines. The mo&s;t beautiful order of Government, &s;ub&s;tantial form of Chri&s;ts Regiment, and be&s;t Gold to build Gods Church: which wil make hir a cha&s;t Spou&s;, bright as the morning, fair as the Moon, cleer as the Sun, and terrible as an Army with Banners. The e&s;tabli&s;hing of this Presbytery is the ful placing of Chri&s;t in his Kingdom, and Scepter wherby he ruleth among Men, caled by St. <HI>Paul, The ground pillar of truth.</HI> It is the blade of a &s;haken &s;word in the Cherubins hand, to keep the Tree of Life, and chief Throne of al excellence, wherin God &s;its.</P>
<P>The Temporal Empire is a &s;ubaltern under-Court, to decide Cau&s;es by dictat, direction, or mandat of the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Con|&s;i&s;tory, which is Keeper or Over&s;eer of the Civil: The Spiritual Juri&s;diction &s;o far excels the &s;ecular in degree or dignity, as ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Soul &s;urpa&s;&s;eth the Body, or Heavenly ble&s;&s;ings tran&s;cend Earthly benefits. Such Mini&s;ters as prefer Civil Magi&s;trats to Eccle&s;ia&s;tic, flatter them lucre and belly fare: but the Presby|terial Con&s;i&s;tory is Chri&s;ts Tribunal, from which is no appeal: wherto the mightie&s;t Monarchs are liable, being al Sheep equa|ly &s;ubject to their Shepherds. 'Tis the &s;afe&s;t Shield for a State to prevent Sedition and Rebellion, to cut off contention and Law-&s;uits; to draw diver&s; from other Trades to &s;tudy Divini|ty, re&s;toring Men from blindnes to &s;ight, darknes to light, pro|phanenes to purity and piety. Then wil be unity in the Church (when can ye tel, if al Sects &s;til &s;warm &s;o?) Papi&s;ts quail, Ana|bapti&s;ts wail, and Athei&s;ts fail: but the People &s;hal find perfe|ction of Ju&s;tice, the Nobility be righted, and the Commons comforted: then wil God cloth our Prie&s;ts with &s;alvation, and &s;atisfy the Poor with B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ead: His Saints &s;hal &s;hout for joy, and
<PB N="117" REF="125"> al ends of the Earth fear him. Sir <HI>Thomas Mores &V;topia</HI> is a meer Anarchy, compared to this peerle&s;&s; Polity of Presby|terial parity. But their &s;omtime be&s;t beloved Brethren <HI>(Brown, Barow, Greenwood)</HI> vilify them, and deprav that Di&s;ciplin ten times more then the&s; boa&s;ters magnify both: who&s; derogations, detractations, and defamations, for mo|de&s;ty &s;ake &s;hal be &s;uper&s;eded, to &s;hun &s;candal, &s;lander, and &s;currility.</P>
<P>Two Que&s;tions were of old debated by Divines cho&s;en on <NOTE PLACE="marg">Up&s;hot.</NOTE> both &s;ides: 1. Whether the word Bi&s;hop was ever u&s;ed in any Church for every Pa&s;tor and Presbyter, or for one only who ruled both Prie&s;ts and People within his precincts? 2. Whether the name Elder was ever taken in the new Te&s;ta|ment or by the Fathers for meer Laics, or Mini&s;ters only? the re&s;olution of both which &s;hal be referred to the premi&s;&s;es, which every Man having peru&s;ed may ea&s;ily decide or deter|min; to avoid prolixity and Tautology.</P>
<P>Presbytery is of divine right, as in&s;tituted by Chri&s;t in caling <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summar<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc;</NOTE> and &s;ending &s;eventy Di&s;ciples to preach; and confirmed by the Apo&s;tles in Ordeining Elders every wher: &s;o is Epi&s;copat of equal right on the &s;ame &s;core of Chri&s;ts chu&s;ing twelv Apo&s;tles, and their &s;ub&s;tituting Bi&s;hops to &s;ucced in Government: but Presbyterial Polity without Prelats by a motly mixture of Mini&s;terial and Laical Elders; is a meer novity devi&s;ed for a &s;hift by Mr. <HI>Calvin</HI> in ca&s;e of nece&s;&s;ity, when the Genevans had expelled their Soveraign Bi&s;hop and were de&s;titut of Ec|cle&s;ia&s;tic Di&s;ciplin. This is irrefragable verity in point of fact, maugre al contradiction.</P>
<P>The&s; three foregoing The&s;es are tran&s;acted too tediou&s;ly: but in the fir&s;t, Traduction of every particular Soul from Parents; in the &s;ecund Gods Pre&s;cience of &s;imple Intelligence, which in Order of Nature preceds al Decrees; in the third a joint Government of the Head with the Body (which is mon&s;trous to &s;ever them) wil &s;alv al &s;cruples that can be ob|jected or imagined; which no other way can po&s;&s;ibly promi&s;&s; or perform.</P>
<LG>
<PB REF="126">
<L><HI>Quale &s;it a Mundi gene&s;i, per &s;ecula Cleri</HI></L>
<L><HI>Continuum regimen, praevia &s;cripta probant.</HI></L>
<L>What Church-rule from the Worlds birth &s;til hath bin</L>
<L>Through al times; may by previous proofs be &s;een.</L>
<L><HI>Anti&s;tes Caput e&s;t Cleri, &s;ed Presbyteratus</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Se<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc;</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Corpus Epi&s;copii: J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s utriu&s;que patet.</HI></L>
<L>A Bi&s;hop is Clergies Head, but Presbytry</L>
<L>(Both's right is cleer) Body of Epi&s;copy.</L>
<L><HI>Hi&s;toria haec recitat, qua recta Eccle&s;ia forma,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Prae&s;idibu&s;que quibus tempus in omne fuit.</HI></L>
<L>How through al times the Church was governed,</L>
<L>And by what Rulers, in Story is reher&s;ed.</L>
<L><HI>Spirituale fuit Regimen pro more Monarchae:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Alite<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc;</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Sic Deus in&s;tituit, Christus idemque tulit.</HI></L>
<L>Church Goverment was &s;et in Kingly frame:</L>
<L>So God ordain'd, and Chri&s;t upheld the &s;ame.</L>
<L><HI>Saera Dei Coetus Politia e&s;t condito ab Orbe,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ali<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>&V;&s;que ad Apo&s;tolicos rite redacta dies.</HI></L>
<L>Gods Churches Regiment from the Worlds Creation,</L>
<L>Is rightly drawn down to th'Apo&s;tles &s;tation.</L>
<L><HI>Presbyteris in Clero a&s;citus Epi&s;copus omni,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Semper Apo&s;tolico j<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">re &s;upremus erat.</HI></L>
<L>Bi&s;hops in al Clergies were &s;et Superior</L>
<L>To Prie&s;ts, by Apo&s;tolic right &s;til Inferior.</L>
<L><HI>Schi&s;matisi suncti rite Haereticique vocantur,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Qui male Praelatis oppo&s;uere &s;uis.</HI></L>
<L>Al that oppos'd their Prelats wrongfully</L>
<L>Are Schi&s;matics and Heretics cal'd ju&s;tly.</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="4" TYPE="thesis">
<PB N="118" REF="126">
<HEAD>THESIS IIII.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>Praedictiones de Me&s;sia:</HI> Predictions of Me&s;sias.</HEAD>
<P>THer be manifold manife&s;t Prophecies in the old Te&s;tament of the Me&s;&s;iah or Saviour of the World (&s;tiled by <HI>Jacob Shiloh)</HI> of who&s; coming in the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">&s;h the Prophets foretold, which was fulfilled in the fulnes of time. Wherupon the Jews ever &s;ince expect his glorious reign on Earth like a King, in great extern pomp (as Mahometans vainly look for their P&s;eudoprophets return) and Millenars apply it to Chri&s;ts &s;ecund coming with his Mar|tyrs and many eminent Saints rai&s;ed from death; which &s;hal reign with him here victoriou&s;ly 1000. yeers: at who&s; fir&s;t ap|proch the Jews &s;hal be converted, and acknowledg him their tru Me&s;&s;ias. Al which predictions concerning Me&s;&s;iah to com, were accompli&s;hed in and by Chri&s;t at his fir&s;t coming to &s;uf|fer for the &s;ins of Mankind; nor is any el&s; to be expected, til his la&s;t coming to general Judgment: as &s;hal evidently appeer, by comparing thirty two Prophecies with St. <HI>Matthews</HI> Pa|rallels in the Table &s;ub&s;cribed.</P>
<P><TABLE>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 7. 14.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 1. 23.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Mich.</HI> 5. 2.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 2. 6.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 11. 1.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 2. 15.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Jer.</HI> 31. 15.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 2. 18.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Judg.</HI> 13. 5.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 2. 23.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 40. 3.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 3. 2.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 9. 1.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 4. 15.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Levit.</HI> 14. 4.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 8. 4.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 53. 4.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 8. 17.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 61. 1.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 11. 4.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 42. 1.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 12. 17.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Jonah</HI> 1. 17.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 12. 40.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 6. 9.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 13. 14.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 78. 2.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 13. 35.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 35. 5.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 15. 30.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 62. 11.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 21. 5.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Zech.</HI> 9. 9.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 21. 5.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Jer.</HI> 7. 11.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 21. 13.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 8. 2.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 21. 16.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 5. 8.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 21. 33.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;.</HI> 118. 22.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 21. 42.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;.</HI> 110. 1.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 22. 44.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><PB REF="127"><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 8. 14.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 21. 44.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Zech.</HI> 13. 7.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 26. 31.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 53. 11.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 26. 54.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 41. 9.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 26. 23.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Lamen.</HI> 4. 20.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 26. 56.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 50. 6.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 26. 67.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>Zech.</HI> 11. 13.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 27 9.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 22. 18.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 27. 35.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 22. 2.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 27. 46.</CELL>
</ROW>
<ROW>
<CELL><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 69. 22.</CELL>
<CELL><HI>Mat.</HI> 27. 48.</CELL>
</ROW>
</TABLE></P>
<P>Nothing was doon by Chri&s;t, which the Prophets foretold not; nothing foretold by them which he fulfilled not: for he &s;aith, al things writen of me hav an end; couching al in that one Word on the Cro&s;&s;, <HI>Con&s;ummatum e&s;t</HI> 'tis fini&s;hed&punc; Al Prophecies &s;poken of him are accompli&s;hed, al Lawi&s;h Ceremonies which prefigured him aboli&s;hed, his own &s;ufferings performed, and Mans &s;alvation perfected.</P>
<P>For al particulars of his Pa&s;&s;ion are preci&s;ely pointed out: he mu&s;t be apprehended, &s;o &s;aith <HI>Jeremy: The Lords Annointed was taken in their nets:</HI> How? To be &s;old: For What? Thirty Sil|ver peeces: What to doo? To buy a Field: So &s;aith <HI>Zechary, They gav thirty Silver peeces the price of him that was valued, and gav them for the Potters Field.</HI> By whom &s;old? By that Child of perdition to fulfil the Scripture: Who was he? One that eats bread with me: So &s;aith <HI>David.</HI> What &s;hal his Di&s;ciples doo? Run away; as <HI>Zechary</HI> &s;aith; <HI>I wil &s;mite the Shepherd, and the Sheep &s;hal be &s;cattered.</HI> What &s;hal be doon to him? he mu&s;t be &s;courged and &s;pit on: So &s;aith &punc;<HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aiah, I hid not my face from &s;hame and &s;pitting:</HI> What more? He &s;hal be led to death: So &s;aith <HI>Daniel, The Me&s;&s;iah &s;hal be &s;lain:</HI> What death? <HI>He mu&s;t be life up as Mo&s;es did the Ser|pent:</HI> Whither? To the Cro&s;&s;: So &s;aith <HI>Mo&s;es, Hanging on a Tree:</HI> How lift up? Nailed to it: So &s;aith <HI>David, They hav pierced my Hands and Feet:</HI> With what company? Even Theefs: So &s;aith <HI>I&s;aia, with the wicked was he numbred:</HI> Wher? <HI>Without the Gates,</HI> So &s;aith the Prophecy. What &s;hal becom of his Garments? <HI>They divided them, and on my Ve&s;ture or Coat ca&s;t lots,</HI> &s;aith <HI>David:</HI> How mu&s;t he dy? Voluntarily: Not a bone &s;hal be broken: Why? It was pre|figured in the Pa&s;chal Lamb, and performed in him the tru Pa&s;&s;over as a Sacrifice for &s;in. How then? He mu&s;t be thru&s;t in the &s;ide with a Spear: &s;o &s;aith <HI>Zechary, They &s;hal &s;ee him
<PB N="119" REF="127"> whom they thru&s;t through:</HI> What &s;hal he &s;ay? <HI>Eli, E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> Lama</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 23 34.</NOTE> <HI>&s;abactani, My God, my God, why ha&s;t thou for&s;aken me?</HI> as <HI>Da|vid</HI> &s;peaks: how &s;hal he re&s;ign his Soul: <HI>Into thy hands I com|mend my &s;pirit;</HI> &s;o &s;aith the P&s;almi&s;t: What uttered he of his Enemies? <HI>Father, forgiv them:</HI> So &s;aith <HI>I&s;ai, He praied for</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 22. 1.</NOTE> <HI>tran&s;gre&s;&s;ors.</HI> La&s;tly, that al predictions might be verified, he &s;aid, <HI>I thir&s;t;</HI> not for any nece&s;&s;ity of Nature, but to fulfil di|vine <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 19. 28 30</NOTE> Decree in Scripture. Then he cried, <HI>con&s;ummatum e&s;t&punc;</HI> If any Jew or Infidel, &s;eing this admirable harmony, or concent of al circum&s;tances, &s;hal demand like <HI>Johns</HI> Di&s;ciples, <HI>Art thou</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 1. 11.</NOTE> <HI>he, or &s;hal we look for another?</HI> The two Angels appeering at his A&s;cention, an&s;wer with an Interrogation; <HI>Ye men of Gallile, why &s;tand ye gazing or gaping into Heaven for another Me&s;&s;i|ah? this &s;ame Je&s;us, now taken up, &s;hal &s;o com as ye &s;aw him go into Heaven.</HI> In him only are al Phrophecies fulfilled; and by him al that was predicted to be doon fini&s;hed. No other Spi|rit could fore&s;ee or fore&s;ay &s;uch things &s;hould be doon; nor any power po&s;&s;ibly doo them &s;o fore&s;hewed, &s;av only Je&s;us Chri&s;t the Son of God and Saviour of the World.</P>
<P>2. Touching legal Ob&s;ervations, Chri&s;t is the end of the Law: both Moral, which he kept perfectly by him&s;elf, and &s;a|tisfied plenarily for us: and Ceremonial, which was referred to him, ob&s;erved of him, and aboli&s;hed by him. For al Lawi&s;h Ceremonies (Circumci&s;ion, Pa&s;&s;over, Tabernacle, Temple, Laver, Altar, Shewbread, Tables, Candle&s;tics, Vails, Holy of Holies, Arc, Propiciatory, Pot of Manna, <HI>Aarons</HI> Rod, high Prie&s;t; his Order, Linage, Habits, Inaugurations, Wa&s;hings, Annointings, Sprinklings, Offerings, Sacrifices, and other Rites) look'd at Chri&s;t; which had their virtu from him, re|lation to him, and end in him. They al died when the Temples vail rent; the Obligation of the Ritual Law being cancelled, and the way into Heavenly <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> opened: for the &s;hews yeelded to the &s;ub&s;tance, when he &s;aid, <HI>Al is fini&s;hed.</HI></P>
<P>3. His &s;ufferings from the Cratch to the Cro&s;&s; are infinit and inexpre&s;&s;ible; his whol life being a perpetual pa&s;&s;ion: he hum|bled yea emptied him&s;elf to becom Man, &s;uffering more herein then al Men can: for if Man &s;hould be turned into a Bea&s;t (as <HI>Pythagoras</HI> dreamed) into du&s;t, into nothing, 'tis no &s;uch di|&s;paragement,
<PB REF="128"> as God to be made Man. What Man? if Monarch of the World to tread on Kings necks, trampling al Crowns and Scepters under feet, it had bin &s;om port or pomp: but he cam in form of a Servant, and becam the contempt of Men, yea a worm and no Man; the &s;hame of Men and &s;corn of the multitud. He was born in a Stable, cradled in a Cratch or Manger, caried a Child into <HI>Egypt</HI> to avoid <HI>Herods</HI> butchery, ba&s;ely bred in his Fo&s;ter-Fathers Cotage, lived poorly and ob|&s;curely, endured al extremities of hunger, thir&s;t, cold, and other calamities during minority: but coming to Virility and &s;hew|ing the power of his Deity, he was tran&s;ported and tempted by Satan, derided of his Kindred, traduced by the Jews, per&s;ecu|ted by the Elders and Phari&s;ees; re&s;tle&s;&s;, harborle&s;&s;, comfort|le&s;&s;: &s;old by his own &s;ervant, apprehended, arraigned, condem|ned, crucified: But wher? not in a corner; but at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> the Ey and Heart of the World, wher he wrought a world of Wonders: Wherabout? in <HI>Calvary</HI> among &s;tinking &s;culs and execrable Malefactors. When? At the Pa&s;&s;over, wher Pro&s;elits re&s;orted from al parts to receiv the type, and reject the arche|type: who in&s;tead of eating the Pa&s;chal Lamb, &s;lu and &s;acrificed the tru Pa&s;&s;over. With whom? Betwixt two Theefs. He that thought it no robbery to be equal with God, is made equal to Robbers. What &s;uffred he? A cur&s;ed, lingring, tormenting, ignominious death, even on the Cro&s;&s;, being made a cur&s; for us: a cur&s; wor&s; then the &s;hame, but both wor&s; then the pain, and &s;corn wor&s;t of al. His Cro&s;&s;-Companions, had no irri&s;ion, in|&s;cription, or in&s;ultation over them, but death only: he death with di&s;dain, di&s;grace, and deri&s;ion; the Jews, Souldiers, and Theefs twitted or triumphed over him. Al his &s;en&s;es were windows to let in &s;orows: his Eys beheld the tears of his ble&s;|&s;ed Mother and Friends, with manifold de&s;pits of his Foes: his Ears heard the bla&s;phemous railings and revilings of the Multi|tud: His No&s;trils &s;melt the noi&s;om &s;ent of dead Mens bones: His Touch felt the nails: His Ta&s;t bitter Gal: Was ever &s;orow like his &s;orow? That Head which Angels adored, is harowed with thorns: That face fairer then the Children of Men, is &s;meared with filthy &s;pittle and furrowed with tears: Tho&s; Eys brighter then the Sun, are &s;hadowed with death: Tho&s; Ears
<PB N="120" REF="128"> inured to heavenly Harmony, are filled with &s;cofs and &s;corns: Tho&s; Lips that &s;pake as never Man did, are wet with Gal and Vineger: Tho&s; hands which &s;waied Heavens Scepter, cary the Reed of reproch, and are fa&s;tned to the Tree: Tho&s; Feet to which al powers of Hel were a Foot-&s;tool, are nailed to the Foot-&s;tool of the Cro&s;&s;: That whol Body conceived by the ho|ly Gho&s;t, is &s;courged, wounded, mangled: yet al this but the out&s;ide of his &s;ufferings: but the innner part or Soul of his pains, is &s;o far beyond tho&s; &s;en&s;itiv torments, as the Soul &s;ur|pa&s;&s;eth the Body, or Gods wrath Mans malice. What the in|finit &s;ins of innumerable Men, committed again&s;t an infinit Maje&s;ty, de&s;erved in infinit durance; al this he in a &s;hort &s;pace of his Pa&s;&s;ion &s;uffred or &s;u&s;teined; which made him cry, <HI>My God, my God, why doo&s;t thou for&s;ake me?</HI> he was affrighted with terrors, perplexed with griefs, di&s;traught with both. It was not &s;o much for millions of Men to de&s;pair, as for him to fear: yet never was any &s;o afraid of Hel, as he of his Fathers wrath for our &s;ins and in our &s;teads. Thus his Incarnation, Nativity, Birth place, Life, Death, Burial, Re&s;urrection, A&s;cention, &s;it|ting at Gods right hand; with many mo circum&s;tanees of <HI>Ju|das</HI> trea&s;on, and reward, the Jews rejecting him, and crucify|ing among Theefs; were al divinely foretold of the Me&s;&s;ias to com, and directly fulfilled in or by Chri&s;t, to whom only they fitly and fully agree: For he is <HI>the Womans Seed which &s;hould break the Serpents head, and in whom al Nations of the Earth &s;hal be ble&s;&s;ed.</HI> The other te&s;timonies touching the time and truth of Me&s;&s;ias coming; that he &s;hal be of <HI>Davids</HI> linage, born of a pure Virgin, perfect God and Man; yea a Spiritual eternal King (no Temporal or Terre&s;trial) make up a cloud of wit|ne&s;&s;es to convince the Jews, that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is the only tru forepromi&s;ed Me&s;&s;iah: to whom be rendred al Glory, Honor, Prai&s;, and Power for ever. Al which might be infinitly inlarged, but for brevity omitted.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB REF="129">
<HEAD><HI>Supplementum Pietatis.</HI> In the Practi&s;e of Piety.</HEAD>
<P>THe Souls Soliquy (at end of the <HI>Practi&s; of Piety</HI>) in con|templation <NOTE PLACE="marg">Conclu&s;ion.</NOTE> of Chri&s;ts Pa&s;&s;ion, &s;hal &s;hape a Cata&s;trophe to the&s; divine Meditations. What ha&s;t thou doon &s;weet Savi|our, to be betraied by <HI>Judas,</HI> &s;old to the Jews, and led bound as a Lamb to the &s;laughter? What evil did&s;t thou commit, to be openly arraigned, fal&s;ly accu&s;ed, and unju&s;tly condemned? what was thy offen&s;, or whom did&s;t thou ever wrong, to be &s;o pitifully &s;courged with whips, crowned with thorns, &s;coffed with flouts, buffeted with fi&s;ts, and beaten with &s;tafs? Lord, what did&s;t thou de&s;erv to hav thy face &s;pit on, thy hands and feet nailed, thy &s;elf lifted up on a cur&s;ed Tree to be cruci|fied with Theefs, to drink Gal and Vineger? yea, to hav thy innocent heart pierced with a &s;pear, and pretious blood &s;pilt before thy ble&s;&s;ed Mothers eys? &s;weet Saviour, how much wa&s;t thou afflicted to endure al this, when I am &s;o affrighted or amazed but to think of it? which made thee cry as if God had for&s;aken thee, being al for Mans &s;ake for&s;aken of God. I in|quire for thy offen&s;, but can finde none, no not any guile in thy mouth: thy Enemies are chalenged, and none dare rebuke thee of &s;in: the Officers &s;ent to apprehend thee te&s;tify, <HI>That never Man &s;pak like thee:</HI> thy &s;uborned Accu&s;ers agree not in their witnes; the Judg publicly cleered thy Innocence: his wife warned him by a dream, that thou was't a ju&s;t Man, and he &s;hould doo no inju&s;tice to thee: the Centurion confe&s;&s;ed thee of a truth to be <HI>the Son of God:</HI> the Theef hanging with thee, ju&s;tified thee to hav doon nothing ami&s;&s;. What then Lord is the cau&s; of thy cruel ignominy, pa&s;&s;ion, and death? 'Tis I am the cau&s; of thy &s;orows, my &s;ins of thy &s;hame, my iniquities of al thy &s;ufferings. I committed the fault, and thou art plagued; I guilty, and thou puni&s;hed: I de&s;erved death, and thou cruci|fied. O the depth of Gods lov, and unmea&s;urable mea&s;ure of his Mercy: the wicked tran&s;gre&s;&s;ed and the ju&s;t apprehended: the guilty e&s;caped, and Innocent arraigned: the Malefactor ac|quited,
<PB N="121" REF="129"> and Harmle&s;&s; condemned: the Servant did the &s;in, and Ma&s;ter bore the &s;troke: I committed the crime, and thou hang|ed&s;t on the Cro&s;&s;. O Son of God, who can condignly expre&s;&s; thy lov, commend thy pity, or extol thy prai&s;? I was proud, and thou humbled; I ob&s;tinat and thou obedient; I ate the forbidden fruit, and thou hanged&s;t on the cur&s;ed Tree; I plaid the Glutton, and thou fa&s;ted&s;t; I ta&s;ted the &s;weetnes of the Garden, and thou dranke&s;t the biternes of Gal: fond <HI>Eve</HI> &s;miled when I laughed; but ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Mary</HI> wept, when thy heart bled and died.</P>
<P>Now gracious Lord, &s;ith thou ha&s;t indured al this for my &s;ake; what &s;hal I retribut for al thy benefits? I ow already for my Creation more then I am able to pay, being bound with al my powers to lov and adore thee: If I ow my whol &s;elf for creating me of nothing; what &s;hal I render for giving thy &s;elf to redeem me at &s;o deer a ran&s;om, when I was wor&s; then no|thing? Surely Lord, if I cannot pay &s;uch thanks as I ow (for who can pay thee, who give&s;t thy Graces without re&s;pect of merit or regard of mea&s;ure?) 'tis the abundance of thy Ble&s;&s;ings which make me a Bankrupt, being &s;o far unable to pay the principal, as I cannot &s;atisfy any part of the intere&s;t: For Lord, thou knowe&s;t &s;ince the lo&s;&s; of thy Image by our fir&s;t Parents fal, that I cannot lov thee with al my might and mind as I &s;hould; therfore as thou fir&s;t did&s;t ca&s;t thy lov on me be|ing a Child of wrath and lump of the lo&s;t World; &s;o now I be|&s;eech thee &s;hed abroad thy Grace through al my faculties and affections, that though I can never pay &s;uch merit of lov as thou merite&s;t; yet I may repay in &s;uch maner as thou deigne&s;t to ac|cept in Mercy: that in truth of heart I may lov my neighbour for thy &s;ake, and thee abov al for th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ne own &s;ake. Let nothing be plea&s;ant to me, which doth not plea&s; thee: &s;uffer me not to be a ca&s;t away, whom thy pretious blood hath bought: Let me never forget the ineffable benefit of my redemption, whitout which it had bin better never to be then to hav any being. Sith then thou ha&s;t vouch&s;afed thy holy Spirits a&s;&s;i&s;tance; &s;uffer me Heavenly Father (who art Father of Spirits) by thy Sons me|diation, to &s;peak a few words in the ears of my Lord. If thou de&s;pi&s;e&s;t me for my iniquities, as I de&s;erv; yet &s;hew Mercy for
<PB REF="130"> thy Sons merits who &s;uffered &s;o much for me. Behold the my&s;te|rie of his Incarnation, and remit the mi&s;ery of my tran&s;gre&s;&s;ion: &s;o oft as his wounds appeer in thy &s;ight, let my &s;ins be hid from thy pre&s;ence: &s;o oft as the rednes of his blood gli&s;ters in thy eys, let my &s;in be blotted out of thy Book. The lu&s;t of my fle&s;h provoked thee to wrath, O let his cha&s;tity procure thy Mercy: that as my pollution &s;educed me to fal, &s;o his purenes may re|duce me to thy favour. My di&s;obedience de&s;ervs &s;harp revenge, but his obedience merits much more Mercy: for what can Man de&s;erv to &s;uffer, which God that made Man cannot merit to be forgiven? When I ponder the greatnes and grievou&s;nes of his Pa&s;&s;ion, I &s;ee the &s;aying tru, That <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t can into the World to &s;av the chiefe&s;t &s;inners.</HI> Dare&s;t thou then, O <HI>Cain,</HI> cry, <HI>thy &s;ins are greater then can be forgiven?</HI> thou lie&s;t like a mur|derer: the Mercies and merits of one Chri&s;t are &s;ufficient to &s;av millions of <HI>Cains,</HI> if they wil beleev and repent. For al &s;ins are finit, but Gods Mercies and Chri&s;ts Merits infinit: therfore, O Father, for his bitter death and bloody pa&s;&s;ion, pardon al my &s;ins, deliver me from the vengeance they hav de&s;erved, and let his merits make me partaker of thy Mercies. My importunity &s;hal never cea&s; to cal and knock with the Man that would bo|row the Loafs, til thou open the gate of thy Grace: If thou wilt not be&s;tow the Loafs, yet Lord vouch&s;afe the Crums of thy Mercy, which &s;hal &s;uffice thy hungry Hand-maid. La&s;tly, &s;ith thou require&s;t nothing but to lov thee in truth of heart (wher|of a new Creature is the true&s;t outward te&s;timony, and 'tis &s;o ea&s;y for thee to make me &s;uch, as bid me be &s;o) <HI>Creat in me, O Chri&s;t, a new heart, and renew a right &s;pirit within me;</HI> then &s;halt thou &s;ee how, mortifying old <HI>Adam</HI> and his corrupt lu&s;ts, I wil &s;erv thee as a new Creature in a new life, after a new way, with a new toung, new words and new works; to the glory of thy name, and gaining of other &s;inful Souls to the Faith, by my devout exemple. Keep me for ever, dear Saviour, from Hels torment and Satans tyranny: So when I &s;hal leav this life, &s;end thy holy Angels to carry me (as they did <HI>Lazarus</HI> Soul) into thy Kingdom: receiv me into that mo&s;t joiful Paradi&s;e, which thou promi&s;ed&s;t to the penitent Theef, who at la&s;t ga&s;p &s;o ear|ne&s;tly begged mercy and admi&s;&s;ion into thy Kingdom. Grant
<PB N="122" REF="130"> this, O &s;weet Saviour, for thy names &s;ake, to whom I a&s;cribe (as is mo&s;t du) al Prai&s; power and glory for evermore.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="postscript">
<HEAD><HI>Po&s;t&s;criptum &s;acratum:</HI> A very pious Po&s;t&s;cript.</HEAD>
<P>THis Appendix is annexed chiefly to the premi&s;&s;es, out of Mr. <HI>Henry Smiths Arrow again&s;t Athei&s;ts,</HI> to this effect. The main marks of Me&s;&s;iah to com, were manife&s;ted in Chri&s;t alone: &s;pecialy how the Jews &s;hould not know or acknowledg <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 12. 22&punc; <HI>I&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i 53. 3.</HI></NOTE> him, but reject and refu&s;e him to the end he might be doon to death for Mans &s;alvation, according to Gods determinat De|cree. For if they had received him as the tru Me&s;&s;ias, &s;urely he had not bin &s;o: But becau&s; they denied, derided, and put him to death; doubtle&s;&s; he was &s;o. Al particular Promi&s;es and Pro|phecies pointing out the Me&s;&s;iah, were fulfilled in him or by him: as that <HI>the Womans &s;eed &s;hould break the Serpents head;</HI> that <HI>a Virgin &s;hould bear him;</HI> the Birth place <HI>Bethleem;</HI> al In|fants thereabouts &s;lain for his &s;ake; Kings to adore him with pre&s;ents of Gold and other gifts: he &s;hould be pre&s;ented at <HI>Je|ru&s;alem</HI> for the greater glory of the &s;ecund Temple; fly into <HI>Egypt,</HI> and be caled thence: a Star &s;hould &s;hew his coming in|to the World: <HI>John</HI> Bapti&s;t (caled <HI>Elias,</HI> becau&s; he cam in his Spirit and Power) &s;hould go as a Me&s;&s;enger or U&s;her to pre|pare the way before him, and cry in the De&s;art: that he &s;hould be poor, abject, and de&s;pi&s;ed of Men; preach with al humility and meeknes of &s;pirit; doo many miracles, and heal al Di&s;ea|&s;es: be &s;lain for Mens &s;ins; betraied by his own Di&s;ciple which dipped in the di&s;h with him; be &s;old for thirty &s;ilver peeces, with which a Pot&s;herd field mu&s;t be bought: the Traitor to be cut off; and another take his Office: he &s;hould ride into <HI>Jeru|&s;alem</HI> on an A&s;&s;es Foal; be apprehended, arraigned, beaten, buffeted, &s;courged, &s;pit on; his hands and feet nailed, his &s;ide pierced; he to drink Vineger, and be crucified among Male|factors; his cloaths divided, and lots ca&s;t for his Coat; but not a bone broken: he &s;hould ri&s;e from death the third day, a&s;cend into Heaven, and &s;it at his Fathers right hand as a Conque|ro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc;
<PB REF="131"> Al which were pointly verified in him, or perfectly per|formed by him.</P>
<P>The time of Me&s;&s;ias coming, concurs &s;oly in Chri&s;t: for <HI>Da|niel</HI> foretold how in the fourth Monarchy the eternal King <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 2. 39 44.</NOTE> &s;hal com, and build Gods Kingdom through the World; which befel under <HI>Augu&s;tus Cae&s;ar,</HI> founder or e&s;tabli&s;her of that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Agge 2. 8.</NOTE> Empire. <HI>Agge</HI> fore&s;hewed, that <HI>the de&s;ired of al Nations &s;hal com, and the &s;ecund hou&s; filled with greater glory then the fir&s;t:</HI> for <HI>Herod</HI> built and beautified it outwardly in great pomp, and Chri&s;t graced it inwardly with his glorious pre&s;ence: yea <HI>Ma|lachy</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal 3. 1.</NOTE> &s;aith, <HI>He &s;hal com during the &s;ecund Temple;</HI> and <HI>Daniel,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan&punc; 9. 26.</NOTE> That <HI>it &s;hal not be demoli&s;hed til Me&s;&s;ias be &s;lain,</HI> who foretold its de&s;truction. <HI>Jacob</HI> told his Sons&punc; That <HI>the Scepter &s;hal not</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen 49. 10.</NOTE> <HI>depart from Juda til Shiloh com,</HI> which is the Gentils expecta|tion. Al which circum&s;tances completly cohere with Chri&s;ts fir&s;t coming in the appointed time. He mu&s;t be an everla&s;ting <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 89. 3. 4.</NOTE> King: for God &s;aith, <HI>I hav &s;worn to David my Servant&punc; I wil prepare thy Seed for ever, and build up thy &s;eat to al generations;</HI> which cannot &s;ort to <HI>Solomon;</HI> for his Kingdom was rent by <HI>Jeroboam,</HI> and after &s;uppre&s;&s;ed by <HI>Nabuchodono&s;or:</HI> nor can the words <HI>(for ever)</HI> be applyed to any temporal King, but eter|nal, which mu&s;t de&s;cend from <HI>Davids</HI> loins and linage. This Pre|mi&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 23 5, 6.</NOTE> God confirms &s;aying, <HI>Behold, the dais com that I wil rai&s; up to David a righteous &s;eed, &amp; he &s;hal reign a King to doo judgment and ju&s;tice on Earth: in his dais Juda &s;hal be &s;aved, and I&s;rael dwel &s;afely; and this is the name men &s;hal cal him Our ju&s;t God.</HI> To whom can this con&s;ort &s;av to the Son of God, caled <HI>Catexock<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n</HI> the Son of <HI>David,</HI> who was his Father in the fle&s;h and bore his type or figure? Hence <HI>Ezekiel</HI> and <HI>Ho&s;e</HI> &s;tile the Me&s;&s;iah <HI>David,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ez<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">k</HI> 34 33. <HI>Ho&s;. 3. 5.</HI></NOTE> being to de&s;cend of his &s;eed: <HI>I wil &s;et over them a Shepher<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> even David my Servant; he &s;hal be their Shepherd and I wil be their God, and my Servant David a Prince among them.</HI> Now be|cau&s; the Jews look for Me&s;&s;ias to be a Temporal King to reign in <HI>Judea,</HI> and &s;ubdu their Enemies (as Chilia&s;ts deem or dream he &s;hal doo at next coming with his Martyrs) the con|futation of their fond conceipt wil be a &s;trong confirmation of the contrary: For their expected time of the Me&s;&s;ias (as the Mahometans of their fal&s; Prophet) is long ago expired, yet no
<PB N="123" REF="131"> &s;uch Terren King ever reigned ther, and it repugns Scripture. <HI>Daniel</HI> cals him <HI>An eternal King:</HI> and <HI>Micheah</HI> &s;aith, <HI>He &s;hal</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 2. 44. <HI>Dan.</HI> 7 14. <HI>Michah</HI> 4 7. <HI>P&s;</HI> 7<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc; 5, 8, 11, 17.</NOTE> <HI>reign for ever:</HI> yea God &s;aith to his Son, <HI>Ask of me and I wil giv the Heathen for thine inheritance, and utmo&s;t parts of the Earth for thy po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion:</HI> meaning that Me&s;&s;iah &s;hal be univer&s;al King to rule over Jews, Gentils, and al the world by his &s;piritual power. <HI>He &s;hal endure with the Sun and before the Moon from generation to generation: he &s;hal reign from Sea to Sea unto the lands end: al Kings &s;hal adore, and al Nations &s;erv him: al Tribes of the Earth &s;hal be ble&s;&s;ed in him; and al People magni|fy</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 12. 3.</NOTE> <HI>him for <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ver.</HI> Yea God told <HI>Abram,</HI> That <HI>in his &s;eed</HI> (the Me&s;&s;iah of his &s;eed) <HI>al Nations &s;hal be ble&s;&s;ed. I&s;aiah</HI> &s;ets down Gods Commi&s;&s;ion to Me&s;&s;iah: <HI>It is too little that thou be my</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 49. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Servant to rai&s; up the Tribes of Juda and convert the pre&s;erved of I&s;rael: I wil giv thee for a light to the Gentils, that thou be my Salvation to the Earths end.</HI> What can be cleerer that he &s;hal be a Saviour both of Jews and Gentils? 'tis therfore a fond fancy that he &s;hal be King of <HI>Judea</HI> only to &s;ubdu their Enimies. The Prophets foretel how he &s;hal com riding on an A&s;&s;, and of no reput, that he &s;hal be led as a Sheep to the &s;laughter, or a Lamb dumb before the Sheerer; and they &s;hal look on him whom they pierced; that he &s;hal be &s;lain as a &s;a|crifice for &s;in, and broken for our iniquity; with who&s; &s;tripes we are healed, and &s;uch like. Wher then is his pomp, if he was to be poor? wher his earthly reign, if he mu&s;t be de&s;pi&s;ed? wher his able re&s;i&s;tance, if he mu&s;t &s;uffer as a Sheep led to the &s;laughter? wher his worldly conque&s;t, if he was to be crucifi|ed? nay, how can the Jews deem or dream he &s;hal be &s;o potent or triumphant, when they mu&s;t be the Men to pur&s;u his death, and look on while they pierced him, as their own Prophets pre|dict or premon &s;h? add herto how their Rabins te&s;tify, that the Me&s;&s;iahs Mother &s;hal be <HI>Parthenos</HI> a pure Virgin, and he not begot as others by carnal coition, but by the holy Gho&s;t, and his name Je&s;us. Yea the whol &s;tream of Scripture runs, that he mu&s;t not be meer Man, but God al&s;o: as <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> &s;aith, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 7. 14. <HI>I&s;ai</HI> 57. 4. <HI>I&s;ai 9. 6.</HI></NOTE> <HI>He &s;hal be caled Immanuel, God with us; wonderful Coun&s;ilor, the mighty God, Prince of Peace, the everla&s;ting Father, the i&s;&s;u of the Lord, and fruit of the Earth:</HI> in al which both Na|tures
<PB REF="132"> are implied. <HI>Jeremy</HI> &s;aith, <HI>He &s;hal be &s;tiled God our righte|ou&s;nes:</HI> and God &s;aith of him, <HI>Thou art my Son, this day (i&punc;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jer.</HI> 33. <HI>P&s;alm 2. 7, 8.</HI></NOTE> from al eternity) <HI>hav I begot thee.</HI> Yea <HI>David</HI> cals him Lord: <HI>The Lord &s;aid to my Lord, &s;it on my right hand til I make thine Enimies thy foot&s;tool:</HI> al which pregnant places are cleerer then the Sun: therfore 'tis a &s;en&s;le&s;&s; &s;urmi&s;e, that he &s;hould be a mundan Monarch.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Quae de Me&s;&s;iae adventu cecinere Prophetae&punc;</HI></L>
<L><HI>Prae&s;tita per Chri&s;tum cuncta fuere bene.</HI></L>
<L>What of Me&s;&s;ias Prophets did foretel,</L>
<L>Were by Chri&s;ts coming al performed wel.</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ali<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">r:</NOTE> <HI>Quae de Me&s;&s;ia veteres retulere Prophetae,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Per&s;picue in Chri&s;to prae&s;tita quaeque patent.</HI></L>
<L>What of Me&s;&s;iah Prophets old informed,</L>
<L>Doo cleerly al appeer in Chri&s;t performed.</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ali<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</NOTE> <HI>Ordino retrogrado: quae Chri&s;tus facta peregit,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Cuncta libris Vates praemonuere &s;uis.</HI></L>
<L>Bacward again: Al things which Chri&s;t atchived,</L>
<L>Were by the Prophets in their Books premi&s;ed.</L>
<L><NOTE PLACE="marg">S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>Quam bene conveniunt praemi&s;&s;a Prophetica Chri&s;to?</HI></L>
<L><HI>Quam bene complevit &s;ingula Chri&s;tus item?</HI></L>
<L>How wel to Chri&s;t tho&s; Prophecies agree?</L>
<L>How wel by Chri&s;t al things accompli&s;h'd be?</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="5" TYPE="thesis">
<HEAD>THES. V.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>Chri&s;ti duae Genealogiae.</HI> Chri&s;ts two Genealogies.</HEAD>
<P>FOur Evangeli&s;ts wrot Chri&s;ts life, acts, death, and re|&s;urrection, <NOTE PLACE="marg">This The&s;is is taken mo&s;tly from <HI>William Cowper,</HI> Bi|&s;hop of <HI>Gallo|way</HI> in <HI>Scot|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">and.</HI></NOTE> at &s;everal times and places; who jointly agree in Story, which argues the truth of their te&s;timo|ny: but two only record his Genealogy diver&s;ly, not
<PB N="124" REF="132"> adver&s;ly; which &s;hews the &s;weeter &s;ymmetry. St. <HI>Matthew,</HI> a Jew, reckons <HI>Jo&s;ephs</HI> natural pedigree, and <HI>Maries</HI> legal; be|cau&s; they regarded not womens Parentage: But <HI>Luke</HI> a Gentil born, reports hir Natural Pro&s;apy and his legal, to whom both Sexes are alike. So betwen both the two De&s;cents are com|pletly di&s;plaied to &s;atisfy al Men, and &s;top Maligners mouths. <HI>Matthew</HI> de&s;cends from Fathers to Children, denoting that we com from God by his divine word: <HI>Luke</HI> a&s;cends from Chil|dren to Parents, implying that by the &s;ame word Incarnat we return to God: for we cam from God the Father only by Chri&s;t his Son, as Sons of Creation common to al Fle&s;h; and can go to him by no other then Chri&s;t Redeemer, as Sons of Regeneration proper or peculiar &s;oly to his &s;piritual Kin|dred.</P>
<P>Chri&s;ts Genealogy <HI>deor&s;um,</HI> is &s;orted into fiv &s;ections: 1. From <HI>Adam</HI> to <HI>Noah.</HI> 2. From <HI>Noah</HI> to <HI>Abram.</HI> 3. From <HI>Abram</HI> to <HI>David.</HI> 4. From <HI>David</HI> to <HI>Zerobab<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l.</HI> 5. From him to Chri&s;t. In the fir&s;t and &s;ecund to <HI>Abram,</HI> St. <HI>Luke</HI> runs a|lone: In the third to <HI>David,</HI> both march mutualy: In the fourth to <HI>Zerobabel,</HI> they take different races from <HI>David (Matthew</HI> by <HI>Salomon, Luke</HI> by <HI>Nathan)</HI> meeting in <HI>Salathiel;</HI> wher they take two &s;teps jointly, and part again: the one &s;ha|ping his cour&s; from <HI>Zerobabel</HI> by <HI>Abiud</HI> to <HI>Jo&s;eph;</HI> the other by <HI>Rhe&s;a</HI> to <HI>Mary;</HI> but both concur in Chri&s;t, being &s;uppo&s;ed Son to <HI>Jo&s;eph,</HI> and genuin of <HI>Mary.</HI> This is the general Genethlia|cal &s;eries of both, very obvious to al, &s;pecialy to Men ver&s;ed in Pedigrees; the &s;everal &s;ections &s;hal render the rea&s;on of al.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t to <HI>Noah</HI> contains ten Fathers: <HI>Adam Seth, Enos,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Section&punc;</NOTE> <HI>Cainan, Mahalale<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l, Jar<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d, Enoc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, Methu&s;elah, Lam<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ch, Noah:</HI> al which <HI>Matthew</HI> omits, and next ten too; becau&s; his chief aim was to convert his Countrimen, and &s;o begins plau&s;i|bly with Je&s;us Chri&s;t the Son of <HI>David&punc;</HI> &s;on of <HI>Abram:</HI> for it was current among al them, that Me&s;&s;iah &s;hould be the Son or Seed of <HI>David;</HI> and <HI>Abram</HI> was their fir&s;t beleeving Progeni|tor after four de&s;cents of Idolaters: But <HI>Luke</HI> a Pagan Phi&s;i|tion Convert, &s;eeking to win al Nations, drew the line twenty links higher; one teaching to &s;eek our Saviour in <HI>Abrams</HI> &s;eed, the other, that al Beleevers of <HI>Adams</HI> Progeny hav property in
<PB REF="133"> Chri&s;t. Here ob&s;ery, That <HI>Adam,</HI> Chri&s;ts fir&s;t forefather after <NOTE PLACE="marg">Notae.</NOTE> the fle&s;h, is caled Gods Son by Regeneration &s;o wel as Creation: for as at beginning <HI>Adam</HI> Gods Son is Chri&s;ts fir&s;t carnal Fa|ther; &s;o at Chri&s;t end Gods eternal Son becam the Son of Man. A marvelous mutation, that Man made by God, &s;hould becom Father to him, who being God, was made Man, to make Men the Sons of God. Lo, what a binding &s;tone the Lord Je&s;us is, which knits together not only Man with Man (Jews and Gentils) but Man with God: not by per&s;onal union proper &s;oly to him&s;elf; but &s;piritual communion common to al the Faithful. We be|leev <HI>Adam</HI> was a tru Man, yet not begot by Man, nor born of Woman, but formed by God of the Virgin Earth, as <HI>Irenaeus</HI> cals it: And <HI>Eve</HI> a very Woman, yet had no Father nor Mo|ther, but made of <HI>Adams</HI> rib. Why then, can any doubt that Chri&s;t was a tru Man, though not begot by Man, but framed of <HI>Davids</HI> &s;eed in the Virgins womb by the holy Gho&s;t? for 'tis fit &s;ith the fir&s;t <HI>Adam</HI> was moulded by Gods hand, the &s;e|cund &s;hould be made by the &s;ame, without Mans concurrence; that he might hav a &s;emblance or &s;imilitud of production like the fir&s;t. Thus Gods Son becam the Son of Man, of <HI>David,</HI> of <HI>Abram,</HI> of <HI>Adam:</HI> why then doo we not beleev that the Sons of <HI>Adam</HI> and <HI>Abram</HI> folowing the Adoption &s;hal becom the Sons of God? For 'tis &s;tranger that God &s;hould be made Man in &s;hape of a Servant, to &s;uffer death on Earth; then that Man &s;hal be exalted to reign in Heaven: yet the fir&s;t is doon; why then doth any diffide of the la&s;t, &s;ith he died not in vain?</P>
<P>The next to <HI>Abram</HI> compri&s;eth ten Fathers: <HI>Sem, Arphaxad,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sect.</NOTE> <HI>Salah, Heber, Peleg, Reu, Sarug, Nahor, Terah, Abram:</HI> but <HI>Luke</HI> &s;uperads <HI>Cainan</HI> after <HI>Arphaxad</HI> from the &s;eptua|gints ver&s;ion (however crept in by Tran&s;cribers mi&s;take) not found in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Canon, which is the &s;ole foundation of authen|tic <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> authority. Here note, that of <HI>Noahs</HI> three Sons (Man|kinds &s;ires or &s;tock Fathers after the Flood) God cho&s; <HI>Sem</HI> the &s;ecund to be Chri&s;ts Father after the Fle&s;h: who tho <HI>Sem</HI> had &s;undry Sons, yet pa&s;&s;ing by al &s;elects <HI>Arphaxad,</HI> and con|tracting his Covenant into narower li&s;ts or limits, confines it to <HI>Hebers</HI> family, being content to be caled <HI>the God of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 9. 26. 27.</NOTE>
<PB N="125" REF="133"> <HI>Sem;</HI> which is the fir&s;t time he is named the God of one more then another. Yet let not us of <HI>Japhets</HI> linage be danted, or di&s;maied, but rely on his promi&s;&s; pacted with <HI>Sem</HI> to per|&s;wad <HI>Japhet</HI> to dwel in his Tents, or allure his po&s;terity to embrace the Covenant made with <HI>Sems</HI> family, which is &s;ince fulfilled. For he dwelt in <HI>Sems</HI> hou&s; from their fir&s;t being a Nation under <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> abov 1600. yeers, and in <HI>Japhets</HI> from their union into Chri&s;t abov 1600. mo: having vi&s;ited us al&s;o in the ends of the Earth. So though our Parents be not a|mong Chri&s;ts Progenitors (after the Fle&s;h, which is the Jews privilege) by natural generation; yet being united by Faith, we com of him by &s;piritual affinity through the Grace of re|generation, from which they are excluded without tru repen|tance and reception.</P>
<P>The third to <HI>David</HI> includs thirteen Fathers: <HI>I&s;aac, Jacob,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Sect.</NOTE> <HI>Juda, Pharez, Ezram, Aram, Aminadab, Naa&s;&s;on, Salmon, Booz, Obed, Je&s;&s;e, David.</HI> Wher mark how 'tis &s;aid; <HI>Jacob</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> <HI>begot Juda and his Brethren,</HI> not <HI>Abraham,</HI> begot <HI>I&s;aac,</HI> and his Brethren: to &s;hew that al <HI>Abrahams</HI> Sons tho Circumci&s;ed belong not to the Covenant, nor did God chu&s;e their Po&s;teri|ties to be his Church or peculiar People, as he did <HI>Jacobs</HI> Sons and their Seed. <HI>For to them pertained the Adoption, Glory,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>Covenant, giving the Law, Gods Service, and Promi&s;&s;es.</HI> What a Prerogativ is this? Al <HI>Jacobs</HI> i&s;&s;u partake of exter|nal Adoption, not &s;o al <HI>Abrahams:</HI> to import, that Gods caling is free being Debtor to none. Therfore &s;uch as are out|wardly caled, &s;hould be much more thankful for his mercy; &s;ith he hath pa&s;&s;ed by &s;o many of <HI>Adams</HI> and <HI>Japhets</HI> families far more famous then us with whom he deigned to Covenant: remembring that &s;undry are externly Adopted, which are not elected by Grace.</P>
<P>Here is a doubt or demand, why <HI>Thamar</HI> (who &s;ubtly <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;tion,"> &s;ought &s;eed by Ince&s;t of her Father in Law <HI>Juda) Rahab</HI> by Nation a Canaanit, by Conver&s;ation a Courtezan; and <HI>Bath|&s;heba</HI> guilty of Adultery with <HI>David,</HI> if not acce&s;&s;ary of hir Husband <HI>&V;ria's</HI> death, are numbred among Chri&s;ts carnal Mothers: but <HI>Sara</HI> and <HI>Rebecca</HI> renowned for conjugal cha|&s;tity omitted?</P>
<PB REF="134">
<P>Three &s;pecial rea&s;ons are rendred: 1. To humble the Jews, <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> who greatly gloried to be <HI>Abrahams</HI> Of-&s;pring but folowed not his Virtues deeming their pro&s;apy a &s;ufficient patrociny for al vices: to which end their Parents crimes are purpo&s;ly pourtraied, that al may know how tru Nobility lies not in preemmence of Blood or Birth; but the Graces of mind and Mens per&s;onal maners, which make a Man. Hence <HI>Nazian|zen</HI> replied to one that upbraided his mean di&s;cent, my Pa|rentage perhaps is a reproach to me; but thou to thy Progeni|tors. 2. To comfort poor penitent Sinners: for Chri&s;t cam not as a Judg to cha&s;ti&s;e Mens mi&s;deeds, but a Phi&s;ition to cure our maladies; who a&s;&s;umed our Nature to clen&s; us from &s;in. 3. To &s;et forth Chri&s;ts great Glory, who took no holines from his Ance&s;tors; for if they al had excelled in piety, it had bin litle for him to be holy: but di&s;cending from &s;inners yet born &s;inle&s;&s;; he is manife&s;ted to be <HI>the chief high Prie&s;t, holy,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 26.</NOTE> <HI>harmle&s;&s;, und<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">filed, &s;eperat from &s;inners, and higher then the Heavens.</HI> Therfore Papi&s;ts pretending his honor in a&s;&s;erting the ble&s;&s;ed Virgin to be conceived &s;ans &s;in; doo indeed di&s;|honor him, as if he had holines of Nature from hir, and could not be born &s;inle&s;&s; unles &s;he had bin &s;o conceived. Cannot the holy Gho&s;t di&s;cern <HI>Davids</HI> &s;eed from &s;inful contagion? Yes, he &s;anctified and &s;eparated it from &s;in to make it the Lords Body. St. <HI>Bernard</HI> blamed the Chanons of <HI>Lyons</HI> for in&s;tituting hir Fe&s;t of &s;inle&s;&s; conception, taxing it as pre&s;ump|tuous novity, and termed it Mother of temerity, Si&s;ter of &s;u|per&s;tition, and Daughter of levity. For 'tis Chri&s;ts peculiar perogativ (who mu&s;t &s;anctify al) to be conceived free from &s;in. Hence he concluded, that the glorious Virgin wil gladly want &s;uch honor, wherby &s;in &s;eems to be advanced, and fucatious &s;anctity introduced. Another point to be pondered is, that <HI>Salmon</HI> begot <HI>Booz</HI> by <HI>Rahab</HI> a Canaanit, and <HI>Booz Obed</HI> by <HI>Ruth</HI> a Moabit both Gentils, yet Chri&s;ts Mothers: which may comfort Gentils, <HI>That God is no Accepter of per&s;ons, but who|ever</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gab. 3. 28. Acts 4. 12.</NOTE> <HI>cals on his name (the only Name under Heaven Chri&s;t Je&s;us) &s;hal be &s;aved.</HI></P>
<P>The fourth to <HI>Zerobabel</HI> Records a Role of Fathers; wher <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Sect.</NOTE> <HI>Matthew</HI> draws a line by <HI>Salomon, Luke</HI> by <HI>Nathan</HI> his whol
<PB N="126" REF="134"> Brother. Here a doubt occurs, how Chri&s;t could de&s;cend from both? Which is re&s;olved, that the Jews provided if a Man died I&s;&s;ule&s;&s;, his Brother or next Kin&s;man mu&s;t marry his Wife to rai&s; up &s;eed. Now <HI>Solomons</HI> race ended in <HI>Jeconiah</HI> the <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Chron. 3. 17.</NOTE> eighteenth after him; who died Childle&s;&s;, as <HI>Jeremy</HI> foretold: yet 'tis &s;aid he had Sons, meaning Succe&s;&s;ors. For <HI>Salathiel</HI> Son to <HI>Neri</HI> &s;teps in as Heir, &s;tiled by <HI>Matthew Jeconiahs</HI> Son, <HI>viz.</HI> Legal and Regal. For they reckoned a duple de&s;cent: 1. Natural by direct generation one from another. 2. Legal by collateral &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of next Kin. Hence grew the Evan|geli&s;ts &s;everal intentions: <HI>Luke</HI> drawing Chri&s;ts natural line from <HI>David,</HI> to &s;hew how he is his Son after the Fle&s;h: <HI>Mat|thew</HI> the Legal, to &s;pecify how for default of <HI>Jeconiahs</HI> I&s;&s;u he &s;ucceeded in <HI>Davids</HI> throne as tru Heir and King of the Jews rightly &s;o caled. Nor can they name any of their Na|tion neerer in &s;ucce&s;&s;ion; yet wilfully cried, we hav no King but <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note,</NOTE> <HI>Ca&s;ar</HI> a forren Conqueror. So tho Chri&s;t was not <HI>Salomons</HI> natural Son, nor is promi&s;ed to be; yet was his Legal or Regal by <HI>Salathiel,</HI> and <HI>Davids</HI> genuin by <HI>Nathan.</HI> Here the &s;udden decay of <HI>Salomons</HI> Kingdom for ten Tribes in <HI>Rehoboam,</HI> and the two other in <HI>Jeconiah</HI> with al his Roial race; warns al how ominous the &s;ins of carnal and &s;piritual whordom be. For <HI>Salo|mon</HI> to &s;tabli&s;h his po&s;terity and &s;atisfy his Luxury, multiplyed Wifes and Concubins contrary to Gods command, who made one Woman for one Man to be one Fle&s;h: but to plea&s; them, permitted Idols in a holy Land, and at la&s;t fel to Idolatry wor&s; then Harlotry: which was perilous to his own Soul (had not God given Grace to repent) and pernitious to al his po&s;te|rity.</P>
<P>The la&s;t concluds al from <HI>Zerobabel</HI> (Son to <HI>Pedaiah,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Sect.</NOTE> <HI>Grand&s;on to Salathiel</HI>) to Chri&s;t: wher <HI>Matthew</HI> recompts by <HI>Abiud</HI> (alias <HI>Hananiah</HI> 1 <HI>Chr.</HI> 3. 19.) <HI>Jo&s;ephs</HI> Forefathers in number nine: but <HI>Luke</HI> from <HI>Rhe&s;a</HI> (alias <HI>Me&s;hullam</HI> &s;e|cund Governor after the Captivity, whom <HI>Philo</HI> cals <HI>Rhe&s;a Me&s;ciola</HI>) numbers <HI>Maries</HI> Progenitors eighten ju&s;t twi&s;e &s;o many. At end of which line re&s;ts one difficulty; becau&s; <HI>Mat|thew</HI> cals <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> Son to <HI>Jacob, Luke to Eli:</HI> which is fairly reconciled; for <HI>Jacob</HI> was his Natural Father, <HI>Eli</HI> Legal. So
<PB REF="135"> in Chri&s;ts Natural line deduced from <HI>Mary</HI> by <HI>Luke, Jo&s;eph</HI> only is not Natural Father, but &s;o &s;uppo&s;ed as he &s;aith. Hence 'tis cleer, how meet he was to doo the work wherto he was con|&s;ecrat. For <HI>Zechary</HI> cals him <HI>Gn<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mith Jehovae</HI> the Lords felow: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 13. 7. Job 19. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">5. I&s;ai 7. 14.</NOTE> which St. <HI>Paul</HI> int<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rprets equal with God in regard of his Deity: but <HI>Job Goel</HI> my Kin&s;man, in re&s;pect of his Humanity, as foretelling his Incarnation: in which &s;en&s; he is &s;tiled <HI>Shiloh,</HI> &s;ig|nifying that skin or tunicle which inclo&s;eth Embryons. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> terms him <HI>Immanuel, God with us,</HI> implying both Natures in one Per&s;on. <HI>Jobs</HI> title <HI>Goel</HI> (from <HI>Gaal. i. Redemit vel vindicavit</HI>) imports a Redeemer or Revenger: for by the Law to redeem an Inheritance belonged to the next Kin&s;man, as al&s;o to revenge his Blood: &s;o our Heritage being lo&s;t by &s;in, and <HI>Adams</HI> Of-&s;pring &s;lain by Satan; our next Kin&s;man (a Son of <HI>Adam</HI>) coms to ran&s;om the one and expiat the other: yea to perform what no Typical Redeemer or Temporal Re|venger ever could doo. For Men might kil him which &s;lu their Brethren if they found him out of a Refuge City; yet could not re&s;tore them to life: but Chri&s;t flu the Murderer Satan found out of refuge, and as a peerle&s;&s; Conqueror gav life to his Brethren, even al the Sons of <HI>Adam</HI> that &s;hal beleev in him.</P>
<P>One rub re&s;ts, to be removed, how <HI>Jo&s;ephs</HI> Ance&s;tors can <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> be clyped or computed Chri&s;ts Progenitors either Natural or Legal; and why recited in his Pedigree?</P>
<P>Surely they are not properly &s;o termed, &s;ith he was but &s;up|po&s;ed <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> Father: yet in&s;erted for &s;pecial purpo&s; to &s;top or &s;atisfy al Cavils, exceptions, and objections. For if only <HI>Maries</HI> de|&s;cent had bin di&s;plaied, Men might &s;ay, what matters it for his Mothers Pro&s;apy? His Father was a Carpenter ba&s;ely born and bred. If <HI>Jo&s;ephs</HI> &s;oly, others would object, whats that to Chri&s;t, who i&s;&s;ued not from his loins or linage? But when both their &s;tock Fathers are &s;o evidently drawn from <HI>Je&s;&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s</HI> root; the mouth of malice and malediction mu&s;t needs be mu&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed or bungd up, nor can detraction derogat or deny his Regal right from <HI>David.</HI> Thus tho the two Evangeli&s;ts vary in maner of Accompt or form of words; yet they agree pointly and preci&s;ely in the matter and truth of things, without the lea&s;t cla&s;hing or contradicting one another. A Series or Sy|nop&s;is
<PB N="127" REF="135"> of the premi&s;&s;es, wil make al circum&s;tances more obvi|ous to every Ey, or common Capacity.</P>
<P>St. <HI>Luke</HI> draws Chri&s;ts Golden line of Genealogy (on <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> which runs the whol Book of God) compri&s;ing 77. Genera|tions. 1. God, 2. <HI>Adam, 3. Seth. 4&punc; Enos, 5. Cainan, 6. Mahalaleel, 7. Jared, 8. Enoch, 9. Methu&s;alem, 10. Lamech. 11. Noah, 12. Sem, 13. Arphaxad, 14. Salah, 15. Eber, 16. Peleg. 17. Reu</HI> or <HI>Regu, 18. Sarug, 19. Nahor, 20. Terah:</HI> In both which Sections he walks alone: in the third St. <HI>Mat|thew</HI> and he go hand in hand, reckonig the natural line to <HI>Da|vid</HI> by direct de&s;cent. 21. <HI>Abraham, 22. I&s;aac, 23. Jacob, 24. Juda, 25. Pharez, 26. Ezrom, 27. Aram, 28. Aminadab, 29. Naa&s;&s;on, 30. Salmon. 31. Booz, 32. Obed. 33. Je&s;&s;e 34. David, 35. Nathan, 36. Matatha, 37. Mainan, 38. Melea, 39. Eliakim, 40. Jonan, 41. Jo&s;eph, 42. Juda, 43. Simeon, 44. Levi, 45. Matthas, 46. Jorim, 47. Eliezer, 48. Jo&s;e, 49. Er. 50. Elmodam, 51. Co&s;am, 52. Addi, 53. Melchi, 54. Neri, 55. Salathiel, 56. Pedaiah, 57. Zerobabel.</HI> In this fourth Section from <HI>David</HI> he runs apart, except in the three la&s;t links, whom St. <HI>Matthew</HI> cites, caling <HI>Salathiel J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">conia<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s</HI> Son as &s;ucce&s;&s;or or next of kin: but <HI>Luke</HI> &s;tiles him Son to <HI>Neri</HI> being &s;o by Blood and Birth. In the la&s;t Section the&s; 58. <HI>Rhe&s;a, 59. Joanna, 60. Juda, 61 Jo&s;eph, 62. S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i, 63. Mattathia, 64. Maath, 65. Naggi, 66. E&s;li, 67. Naum. 68. Amos, 69. Matta<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">as 70. Jo&s;eph, 71 Joanna, 72. Mel|chi, 73. Levi, 74. Matthat. 75. Eli, 76. Mary, 77. Chri&s;t.</HI> Thus he recites the Natural line only, &s;av that he &s;aith <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> was of <HI>Eli</HI> (not Son) that is belonged to him as Son in Law, having e&s;pou&s;ed his Daughter <HI>Mary</HI> Chri&s;ts Mother. Now <HI>Matthew</HI> handles the Legal Regal line, to prov him lawful King of the Jews, or next of kin from <HI>Jeconiah,</HI> to &s;it on his Father <HI>Davids</HI> Throne. So if <HI>Lukes</HI> twenty fir&s;t Patriarchs be annexed to his Genealogy; both wil be complet from <HI>Adam</HI> to Chri&s;t in their &s;everal wais or intentions, which are diver&s;, but not adver&s; one to another. <HI>Matthew</HI> in the Legal line cites the&s; after <HI>David, Salom<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n, Roboam, Ab<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">, A&s;a, Jeho&s;o|pha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, Joram, Ozia, Joatham, Achaz, Ezekiah, Mana&s;&s;e, A|mon, Jo&s;ia, Jehoichim, Jeconiah, Salathiel, Zerobabel, Abiud,
<PB REF="136"> Eliakim, Azor, Sadoe, Achim, Eliud, Eleazer, Mattham, Jacob, Jo&s;eph</HI> Chri&s;ts &s;uppo&s;ed Father. Wher next to <HI>J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">co|niah,</HI> he reckons <HI>Salathiel</HI> and <HI>Zerobabel</HI> before <HI>Abiud:</HI> but omits three &s;ucce&s;&s;iv Kings of <HI>Juda</HI> after <HI>Ozia (Joas, Amazia, Azaria</HI>) be&s;ide <HI>Athalia</HI> the u&s;urping Queen; and <HI>P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">daiah Zerobabels</HI> Father: purpo&s;ly to make a Te&s;&s;erad ecad of ju&s;t fourten generations in ech of his three &s;paces or Sections: which is no fal&s;ity or forgery to cut off or abridg &s;om links of the long line. From <HI>Adam</HI> to <HI>David</HI> the Parents are one: but from <HI>David</HI> to <HI>Jo&s;eph, Matthew</HI> numbers twenty &s;even, and <HI>Luke</HI> to <HI>Mary</HI> twenty three in their differing reckon|ings.</P>
<P>Al Penmen of the holy Gho&s;t (Prophets and Evangeli&s;ts) <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> pur&s;u the right line of Genealogy, til they com to the promi|&s;ed <HI>Shiloh:</HI> but if they divert (as intermixing <HI>Cains</HI> of&s;pring with <HI>Seths, Japhets</HI> and <HI>Chams</HI> with <HI>Sems, Nahors</HI> with <HI>A|brahams, I&s;maels</HI> with <HI>I&s;aacs,</HI> or <HI>E&s;aus</HI> with <HI>Jacobs</HI>) 'tis only obiter and obliquely to cleer the Hi&s;tory of the golden line, This is a tru exact Examen or explication of al material &s;cruples in this Genethliacal my&s;tery.</P>
<P>Now folows a &s;incere &s;uccinct Chronology of the premi&s;&s;es <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chronology.</NOTE> in order. The fir&s;t Section from <HI>Adams</HI> Creation to <HI>Noahs</HI> entry into the Arc, contains 1656. yeers: the next til <HI>Abrams</HI> birth 353. the third til <HI>Davids</HI> initiation 942. the fourth til <HI>Zerobabels</HI> return from <HI>Babylon</HI> 545. the la&s;t til Chri&s;ts birth 535. in al 4031. curent, or 4030. complet: as is punctualy and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s;tus natus A. M. 4031.</NOTE> particularly proved from yeer to yeer, in a cleer Chronography or Examination of times; to be prefixed as a previous Pre|cognit to two larger Tomes of general lucubrations &s;hortly intended to the Pre&s;&s;.</P>
<P>Here mark wel, how as the World waxed elder, Mans life <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> grew &s;horter; and mo generations multiplied proportionaly in later ages then former. For in 1656. yeers before the Flood fel, were only ten de&s;cents to <HI>Noah:</HI> in the next 353. to <HI>A|bram</HI> (which contains litle more then a fifth part of the fir&s;t ten mo: in the third to <HI>David</HI> (942.) thirteen, which in pro|portion is far le&s;&s;er then the foregoer: in the fourth to the Captivities &s;olution (545. yeers) twenty three, which is many
<PB N="128" REF="136"> mo then any before: in the la&s;t to Chri&s;t Nativity (535. yeers) 20. which &s;utes neer with the foregoing. Al which make but 77. generations precited, from the fir&s;t <HI>Adam</HI> to the &s;e|cund in 4030. yeers complet. Now compare any one race of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Diluvium A. M. 1656. Incendium A. C. 1656.</NOTE> Monarchs from Chri&s;ts birth til A. 1656. two yeers hence (which &s;om &s;uppo&s;e wil be the Worlds Conflagration, as the Inundation befel A. M. 1656.) we &s;hal find many mo &s;uc|ce&s;&s;ions proportional to the yeers then in pri&s;tin ages or Pro|genies. For if we reckon the Roman Emperors (excluding &s;uch as ruled jointly and al U&s;urpers) from <HI>Augu&s;tus</HI> to <HI>Fer|dinand</HI> now reigning, ther hav bin 146. If Bi&s;hops of <HI>Rome</HI> Canonicaly cho&s;en and confirmed, from St. <HI>Peter&punc;</HI> to the pre|&s;ent Pope about 246. which is 100. mo then the other, and tran&s;cend tho&s; ten Antediluvian generations almo&s;t twenty fold: but becau&s; &s;om Emperors were &s;oon &s;lain, and al the Bi&s;hops elected old, the parallel is unequal: therfore take &s;om in&s;tances of other Realms, which may better ballance it. To begin with this Land (which being tributary to <HI>Rome,</HI> had no &s;et &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of Kings til the Saxons cam) let us compare the We&s;t Saxon Kings, from <HI>Cherdic</HI> the Founder (who en|tred A. 494.) to the <HI>Norman</HI> conque&s;t A. 1066. we &s;hal find 36. &s;ucce&s;&s;ors in 571. yeers: and from the Conque&s;t to King Charls decollation (in 582. yeers) 25. mo; in al 61. to which if 56. Emperors from <HI>Augu&s;tus</HI> to <HI>Ana&s;tatius</HI> (in who&s; time <HI>Cherdic</HI> intruded) be &s;upplied, al make 117. &s;ince Chri&s;ts birth. In <HI>France</HI> from the founder <HI>Pharamond</HI> (who entred A. 520.) to this pre&s;ent, &s;ucceded 63. Kings in 1134. yeers: &s;o allowing 57. Emperors from <HI>Augu&s;tus</HI> to <HI>Leo I&s;aurius</HI> when <HI>Pharamond</HI> initiated for the &s;aid 520. yeers preceding; it computs 120. Monarchs &s;ince Chri&s;t til now, hence it appeers, that in the old Worlds 1656. yeers were only ten de&s;cents; but in the&s; la&s;t hav bin in <HI>France</HI> 120. which is twelv times ten: and in <HI>England</HI> litle le&s;&s;, according to the pre&s;cribed propor|tion of computation. If reference could be made in privat families, the ca&s;e would be cleerer.</P>
<P>One ob&s;tacle occurs, how in the elder age of 353. yeers from <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doubt.</NOTE> the Flood to <HI>Abram</HI> be ten generations, and in the younger to <HI>David</HI> of 942. yeers (which is almo&s;t triple the time) but
<PB REF="137"> 14. as if Men lived longer after <HI>Abram</HI> then before; yet <HI>Da|vid</HI> &s;aith Mans common age in his time was 70. and he died at that pitch.</P>
<P>This is a Gordian knot hard to unty: for either we mu&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Re&s;olut.</NOTE> &s;uppo&s;e the Evangeli&s;ts balked &s;om de&s;cents, or that they re|ceived imperfect mutilat pedigrees, or conceled &s;om links for &s;ecret ends; or that their Tran&s;cribers (which is too u&s;ual) committed &s;om &s;lips; or la&s;tly that ther were <HI>revera</HI> but 14&punc; generations from <HI>Abram</HI> to <HI>David</HI> in 942. yeers, which is &s;car&s; probable or credible: wherin let deep Divines dive deep to attain the my&s;tery, which 'tis not &s;afe for Scioli&s;ts to e&s;&s;ay, le&s;t they &s;ink in &s;tead of &s;wimming, and drench them&s;elfs. St. <HI>Matthews</HI> Genealogy from <HI>Juda</HI> to <HI>David,</HI> is taken from the Book of <HI>Ruth</HI> and <HI>Chronicles,</HI> wherin can be no error; &s;av that Tran&s;cribers mi&s;take or mi&s;pri&s;e &s;om Names: as <HI>Ezrom</HI> for <HI>Hezron, Aram</HI> for <HI>Ram, Naa&s;&s;on</HI> for <HI>Na&s;hon, Salmon</HI> for <HI>Salmah,</HI> and <HI>Je&s;&s;e</HI> for <HI>I&s;hai:</HI> weich are but Syllabical, no ma|terial faults. Howbeit &s;ith <HI>Naa&s;&s;on</HI> or <HI>Na&s;hon</HI> a Judait Son to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Numb. 1. 7.</NOTE> <HI>Aminadab,</HI> was one of tho&s; that numbred the People at <HI>I&s;|raels</HI> Exod from <HI>Egypt;</HI> from which to <HI>David</HI> are computed 437. yeers, yet but four generations <HI>(Salmath, Booz, Obed, Je&s;&s;e</HI> or <HI>I&s;hai)</HI> the main difficulty &s;eems to ri&s;e hence or re&s;t here: how ther can be &s;o few de&s;cents in &s;o long di&s;tance, un|les &s;om be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed or &s;uper&s;eded, which &s;eems mo&s;t likely? For upward from <HI>Abrahams</HI> death to <HI>Nah&s;hons</HI> numbring the People; were eight generations (which is duple) in like 437. yeers; and downward from <HI>David</HI> to <HI>Jo&s;ia</HI> in the &s;ame &s;pace &s;ixteen &s;ucce&s;&s;ions in the Kingdom of <HI>Juda,</HI> which is quadruple: yet we are a&s;&s;ured, that al links of this Golden chain are &s;olid and &s;incere in &s;ub&s;tance, though a few purpo&s;ly conceled, or ca&s;ualy left out, if not lo&s;t. If any can bring a more &s;overaign Bal&s;am to &s;alv this &s;ore, he &s;hal cary the Gar|land of the be&s;t Leach.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Hunc &s;crupulum &s;olvas, &amp; eris mihi magnus Apollo.</HI></L>
<L>Salv this doubt, and to me</L>
<L>Great Phoebus thou &s;halt be.</L>
<L><HI>Candidus imperti, &s;i quid &s;cis verius i&s;tis.</HI></L>
</LG>
<PB N="121" REF="137">
<P>The&s; Annotations and ob&s;ervations touching the previous Pedigrees, are not &s;o prolix as per&s;picuous, con&s;idering the darknes of this Subject.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">temma Genethliacum Chri&s;ti, per &s;ecula cuncta.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Panditur, a Mundi conditione prius.</HI></L>
<L>Chri&s;ts Genethliac &s;tock is afore dilated,</L>
<L>Through al times, &s;ince the World was fir&s;t created.</L>
<L>Matthaeus <HI>varie &amp;</HI> Lucas <HI>&s;ata &s;temmata Chri&s;ti,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Aliter.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>In Geneallogiis explicu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">re &s;uis.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Matthew</HI> and <HI>Luke</HI> have expre&s;&s;'d diver&s;ly,</L>
<L>Chri&s;ts tru de&s;cent in their Genealogy.</L>
<L><HI>En Genealogiam Chri&s;ti d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;tirpe</HI> Davidis, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Alias.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Qui Deus ex pura Virgin<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> factus Homo e&s;t.</HI></L>
<L>Lo Chri&s;ts de&s;cent from <HI>Davids</HI> linage &s;ure:</L>
<L>Who tru God was made Man of Virgin pure.</L>
<L><HI>Symmetria in&s;ignis, Chri&s;tum de &s;tirpe</HI> Davidis, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Secus.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>E&s;t in Evangelio, rite fui&s;&s;e &s;atum.</HI></L>
<L>That Chri&s;t from <HI>Davids</HI> &s;tock drew his pro&s;apy,</L>
<L>Ther's in the Go&s;pel a mo&s;t cleer &s;ymmetry.</L>
<L>Matthaeus <HI>varie Chri&s;ti,</HI> Luca&s;<HI>que recen&s;ent</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sive.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>A</HI> Davide, <HI>&s;uo &s;temmata qui&s;que modo.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Matthew</HI> and <HI>Luke</HI> Chri&s;ts pedigree doo di&s;play</L>
<L>From <HI>Davids</HI> loins, ech of them his own way.</L>
<L><HI>Fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s de</HI> Je&s;&s;e <HI>fuit,</HI> Davidis <HI>&s;anguine Chri&s;tus:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cata&s;trophe.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Sicu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Evangelii Biblia &s;acra probant.</HI></L>
<L>Chri&s;t <HI>Je&s;&s;es</HI> Flower, from <HI>Davids</HI> blood did &s;pring:</L>
<L>As Go&s;pels &s;acred Books plain proofs doo bring.</L>
</LG>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="6" TYPE="thesis">
<PB REF="138">
<HEAD>THESIS VI.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>Apocalyp&s;us patefacta.</HI> The Revelation Reveled.</HEAD>
<P>THe Apocalyps is a &s;ublime &s;peculation of Prophetic <NOTE PLACE="marg">Preamble.</NOTE> Vi&s;ions, reveled by Chri&s;t to <HI>John</HI> Evangeli&s;t exiled at <HI>Patmos</HI> by cruel <HI>Domitian</HI> (Author of the &s;ecund primitiv per&s;ecution) Son to mild <HI>Ve&s;pa&s;ian,</HI> and Brother to merciful <HI>Titus,</HI> termed Mankinds delight, whom 'tis thought he poi&s;oned to enjoy the Empire. Al Prophecies, &s;pe|cialy Apocalyptic, are deep d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rk my&s;teries, &s;eldom de&s;cried or di&s;clo&s;ed til fini&s;hed and fulfilled: But becau&s; Mr. <HI>Jo&s;eph Med<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> late Felow of Chri&s;ts College in <HI>Cambridg</HI> (wher he died <HI>An.</HI> 1638. aged 53) a mo&s;t rare Phoenix for al learned Languages and liberal Literature, hath &s;et out an exact Key of Synchroni|ci&s;ms or ch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">onical Symetries, and mo&s;t accurat Comment on mo&s;t part of the Text &s;omwhat amply, yet very ob&s;curely: they &s;hal be more conci&s;ely contracted, and cleerly complicated for every common capacity; to guid their &s;teps in this intricat la|byrinth: wher &s;om things mu&s;t be premi&s;ed or predeclared, for better under&s;tanding of it.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Clavis Appellativorum.</HI> The Key of Terms or names.</HEAD>
<P><HI>THe &s;even &s;pirits &s;tanding before Gods Throne</HI> (after caled, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Precog<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">s. <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ev.</HI> 1. <HI>v. 4.</HI></NOTE> <HI>&s;even Lamps of burning fire, Rev.</HI> 4. <HI>v.</HI> 5. and <HI>the Lambs &s;even horns&punc; and &s;even eys, Rev.</HI> 5. <HI>v.</HI> 6.) are faithful zelous Mini&s;ters of the Word, which wait before the Throne of God and Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;even golden Candle&s;ticks, are &s;even Churches in</HI> le&s;&s;er <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ib. v. 11, 12, 20.</NOTE> <HI>A&s;ia</HI> ther named; <HI>Ephe&s;us, Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira,
<PB N="130" REF="138"> Sardis, Philadelphia&punc; Laodicea;</HI> to whom <HI>John</HI> is bid by God to <HI>write in a Book what he &s;aw.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The &s;even Stars which the Son of Man held in his right hand</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 16, 10.</NOTE> <HI>(out of who&s; mouth went a &s;harp two edged Sword, and his Face &s;hone at the Sun) are the Angels of tho&s; &s;even Churches,</HI> al Dioce&s;an Bi&s;hops.</P>
<P><HI>The whit Stone given to him that overcometh, with a new</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 2. <HI>v. 17.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Name writen which no Man knows &s;av he that receivs it;</HI> beto|kens purity of Faith and integrity of Con&s;cience. Haply it relats to an old cu&s;tom at <HI>Rome,</HI> to giv Men acquited a whit &s;tone, and the condemned a black, that their Officers might di&s;po&s;e of them accordingly: wherof <HI>Ovid.</HI></P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Mos fuit antiquus, niveis atri&s;que Lapillis;</HI></L>
<L><HI>His damnare reos, illis ab&s;olvere culpam.</HI></L>
<L>'Twas an old wont whit and black Stones to giv:</L>
<L>The&s; damnd the guilty, tho&s; did the fault forgiv.</L>
</LG>
<P><HI>The twenty four Elders &s;itting on twenty four &s;eats, clothed</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 4. <HI>v.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>in whit with gold Crowns on their Heads round about Gods Throne;</HI> are holy Prelats, for number an&s;wering to the Prie&s;ts and Levits twenty four cour&s;es of attendance in the Temple.</P>
<P><HI>The four Bea&s;ts in mid&s;t of the Throne and round about it</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid v. 6, 7, 8,</NOTE> <HI>(being ful of Eys before and behind to &s;hew &s;agacity, ech of which had &s;ix Wings implying agility to execut Gods commands)</HI> are the I&s;raelits four En&s;igns at their incampings in the Wilder|nes: 1. Like a Lion, for <HI>Juda's</HI> Camp on the Ea&s;t: 2. A Bul|lock for <HI>Reubens</HI> on the South: 3. With a Mans face for <HI>E|phraims</HI> on the We&s;t: 4. A flying Eagle for <HI>Dans</HI> on the North &s;ide.</P>
<P><HI>The Book writen within, and &s;ealed with &s;even Seals on the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 5. <HI>v.</HI> 1:</NOTE> <HI>back &s;ide (which the Lamb only was found worthy to open)</HI> &s;hews the various changes and chances of the &s;ecular Roman Empire til the end or di&s;&s;olution therof.</P>
<P>The Lamb &s;lain from the beginning, <HI>Which &s;tood in mid&s;t of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 6.</NOTE> <HI>the Throne; and of the four Bea&s;ts and Elders (having &s;even Horns, and &s;even Eys)</HI> is the Lord Je&s;us Son of God and Man, <HI>That taketh away the &s;ins of the World</HI> by his Death.</P>
<PB REF="139">
<P>The &s;even &s;eals which the Lamb opened in order, are plagues <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 6. per to|tum.</NOTE> or puni&s;hments inflicted by God on the World: wherin he u&s;eth the mini&s;try of Angels.</P>
<P>The one hundred forty four thou&s;and which were &s;ealed of <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev. 7. v</HI> 3. to 8.</NOTE> I&s;raels twelv Tribes (twelv thou&s;and or twelv times one thou|&s;and in ech) are Chri&s;ts elect Church, caled afterward unde|filed Virgins, which folow the Lamb wherever he goeth <HI>Rev.</HI> 14. 1, 5.</P>
<P><HI>The great multitud which none could number (clothed with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 9, 14</NOTE> <HI>whit Robes and Palms in their hands) are the numberle&s;&s; Na|tions, Kindreds, People, Tribes and Toungs, which cam out of tribulation &s;inging prai&s;es to God.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The &s;even Angels with &s;even Trumpets given them (which</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 8. v. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>&s;ounded in order when the &s;eventh Seal was opened)</HI> are holy heavenly Me&s;&s;engers, &s;ent to denounce Gods heavy Judgment on the Earths Inhabiters.</P>
<P><HI>The great Star burning like a Lamp or Torch which fel from</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 10, 11.</NOTE> <HI>Heaven into a third part of Rivers and Fountains (caled Worm|wood which made the Waters bitter that many died)</HI> is <HI>Augu|&s;tulus Romes</HI> la&s;t Emperor: who fel from his high Throne, and bittered a third part of Waters, being a Prince of much bale|ful bitternes, angui&s;h, and affliction to al his folowers.</P>
<P><HI>The Angel flying through mid&s;t of Heaven, and crying aloud</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v 13.</NOTE> <HI>Wo, Wo, Wo to the Earths inhabiters;</HI> is an U&s;her or forerun|ner of three others ready to &s;ound great Woes.</P>
<P><HI>The Locu&s;ts or long winged Gra&s;hopers, coming from the bot|tom</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 9 v. 3. &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>le&s;&s; Pits &s;moke;</HI> are Mahometans derived from <HI>Arabia</HI> the Country of Locu&s;ts, which plagued <HI>Egypt.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The King of Locu&s;ts (caled in Hebrew Abaddon, in Greec</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid v. 11.</NOTE> <HI>Apollion the de&s;troier)</HI> is the Angel of the bottomle&s;&s; Pit, &s;tiled before Satan the old Serpent, the Dragon, the Devil; and af|terward the Accu&s;er.</P>
<P><HI>The four Angels bound at the great River Euphrates (which</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 14. &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>the &s;ixth Trumpeting Angel loo&s;ed)</HI> are the Tures four Sultanies or Signiories: who lay long confined neer that River: but long ago let loo&s; into the Ea&s;tern Empire, which it hath &s;ince &s;walowed, with much of We&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>The litle open Book which a mighty Angel</HI> (Chri&s;t) <HI>had in his</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 10. v. 2, 30.</NOTE>
<PB N="131" REF="139"> <HI>hand, and made Johns belly bitter, being bid to eat it;</HI> declares the Churches de&s;tinies.</P>
<P><HI>The Temple or inner Court to be mea&s;ured,</HI> is the primitiv <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. v. 1.</NOTE> Churches State under per&s;ecution of Pagan Emperors, before <HI>Con&s;tantines</HI> conver&s;ion.</P>
<P><HI>The outer Court not to be me&s;ured, but given to the Gentils</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 2.</NOTE> <HI>(who &s;hal tread the holy City under foot forty two Annal months or 1260. yeers)</HI> is the &s;ame Church given to new Idolaters or Image-wor&s;hipers caled Gentils.</P>
<P><HI>The two Witne&s;&s;es clad in &s;ack-cloth, which &s;hal Prophecy</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid v. 3. 4 5.</NOTE> 1260. <HI>annal dais (being two Oliv trees and two Candle&s;ticks)</HI> are Patrons or Preachers of divine truth: caled two becau&s; in the Law every Word &s;hal be e&s;tabli&s;hed by two Witne&s;&s;es, and in regard of Gods two Te&s;taments which they u&s;e in prophecying. The&s; are compared to three famous Pairs in the old Te&s;ta|ment <HI>viz. Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> in the Wildernes, who turned Waters into Blood; <HI>Elias</HI> and <HI>Eli&s;eus</HI> under the Baalitic A|po&s;tacy, who &s;hut Heaven from rain; and <HI>Zerobabel</HI> with <HI>Je&s;ua</HI> at the captivity, who recovered the Jews liberty.</P>
<P><HI>The great City (&s;piritualy caled Sodom and Egypt, afterward</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 8.</NOTE> <HI>great Babylon and the Whore) wher our Lord was crucified;</HI> is <HI>Rome,</HI> in who&s; Street or Province (for &s;o &s;treet is often taken) they &s;hal be &s;lain, as our Saviour al&s;o &s;uffred.</P>
<P><HI>The Woman travelling with Child, clothed with the Sun (of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12 v. 1. &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>Righteou&s;nes) having the Moon (the lawi&s;h Pedagogy, and Eth|nic Idolatry) under hir feet; and on hir head a Crown of twelv Stars;</HI> is Gods tru primitiv Church then in continual partu|rition of &s;piritual Children.</P>
<P><HI>The great red Dragon with &s;even Heads and ten Horns, and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 3. 4.</NOTE> <HI>&s;even Crowns on his heads; who&s; Tail ca&s;t a third part of the Stars to Earth, watching the Woman to devour hir Child,;</HI> is Heathen <HI>Rome</HI> wor&s;hiping the Devil, which &s;ubjected three parts of the then known World to hir rule or Empire: who&s; rednes denots hir embruing in Saints blood, laying wait for the Child, as <HI>Pharaoh</HI> did for I&s;rael, and <HI>Herod</HI> for Chri&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>The Manchild who was to rule al Nations with a rod of Iron,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid v. 5.</NOTE> is my&s;tical Chri&s;t (or Son of the Church) formed in his Members as &s;hal be &s;hewed.</P>
<PB REF="140">
<P><HI>The Womans Child caught up to God and his Throne,</HI> is not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Identice v. 5.</NOTE> Chri&s;t Theanthropos the Virgin <HI>Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ies</HI> Son (as many mi&s;ta|kingly maintain) who is properly and per&s;onaly lift up to Gods Throne, &s;itting at his right Hand: but my&s;tical Chri&s;t (or annointed) Son of the Church, analogicaly advanced to the imperial Throne, as al higher Powers are of God: which is meant and realy fulfilled by <HI>Con&s;tantine</HI> and his Chri&s;tian Succe&s;&s;ors.</P>
<P><HI>The Angel Michael, who with his Angels fought again&s;t the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v 7.</NOTE> <HI>Devil and his il &s;pirits;</HI> is not Chri&s;t (as &s;om &s;uppo&s;e) but one of the chief Princes or &s;even Archangels &s;pecified by <HI>Daniel, caled the great Prince, which &s;tands for the Children of Gods People;</HI> being a principal Patron or Protector of the Faithful again&s;t Satan, whom he here overcam: to who&s; honor the primitiv Church con&s;ecrated September 29. day.</P>
<P><HI>The great Eagle, who&s; two Wings were given the Woman to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 14, 15.</NOTE> <HI>fly into hir place in the Wildernes to be nouri&s;hed for a time, times, and half;</HI> is the Roman Empire divided into Ea&s;t and We&s;t: which protected hir in an Erimitical e&s;tate from the Dragons fury in perfect tranquility, for 1260. annal dais: but to&s;&s;ed with a flood of Here&s;ies ca&s;t from the Serpents mouth to &s;e|duce hir.</P>
<P><HI>The Bea&s;t ri&s;ing out of the Sea with &s;even Heads and ten</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13 v. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>Horns, having on his Horns ten Crowns, and on his Heads the name of Bla&s;phemy;</HI> is the &s;ecular Empire, which had Bla&s;phe|mous new devi&s;ed Idolatry on his &s;even Heads at <HI>Rome:</HI> which was &s;hared into ten Kingdoms or dominions, <HI>and al wor&s;hiped the Dragon, becau&s; he gav his power, &s;eat and great authority to this Bea&s;t for wor&s;hiping or &s;erving him.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The Bea&s;t coming out of the Earth, which had two Horns like</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 11, 12,</NOTE> <HI>a Lamb, but &s;pake as a Dragon;</HI> is the Spiritual Roman power or whol Papacy: who&s; two horns of a Lamb, &s;ignify (as Mr. <HI>Mede</HI> opines) the power of binding and loo&s;ing: but as o|thers aver) the two Keis and two Swords born before the Pope to typify his &s;piritual and temporal Juri&s;diction; which &s;eems properer and probabler: but his Doctrins are the voice of the Dragon.</P>
<P><HI>The Image of the ten-horned Bea&s;t, which was wounded and did</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 14, 15.</NOTE>
<PB N="132" REF="140"> <HI>liv or reviv;</HI> is the We&s;t Empire or &s;even headed Bea&s;t of <HI>Rome,</HI> which lay &s;uppre&s;&s;ed long, but re&s;tored by Pope Leo 3, who ereated <HI>Charlemaign</HI> Emperor, and his Succe&s;&s;ors enjoied it for &s;ix de&s;cents, til it was tran&s;lated into <HI>Germany.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The Bea&s;ts mark or name</HI> (which is al one, as 'tis after caled <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 16. 17.</NOTE> <HI>the mark of his name, Rev.</HI> 14. 11.) <HI>without which none could buy or &s;el;</HI> is Papal Ana<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hema or Excommunication (as Ma&s;ter <HI>Mede</HI> maintains) which excluds Men from civil Commerce, company, and communion; but this, by his leav, is a prohibi|tiv brand to exclud &s;uch as hav it; not permi&s;&s;iv, to admit &s;uch as hav it, and repel only tho&s; that hav it not: Nor can it be ap|plyed as a name or mark. Why not rather Roman Catholic, being a name which al the Bea&s;ts Folowers arrogat as their pe|cul<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ar mark or badg? nor can any &s;av &s;uch communicat.</P>
<P><HI>The number of his name (666) being the number of a Man,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 18.</NOTE> becau&s; &s;et in numeral letters, is the two horn'd Bea&s;t, who&s; name (wherin that number is infolded) is <GAP DESC="foreign"> which grew up when <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> divided the Empire into Ea&s;t caled Greecs, and We&s;t clyped Latins or <HI>Rome,</HI> which name (<GAP DESC="foreign">) &s;ubducting the letters of number (as Hebrews, Greecs, and Latins u&s;e in Chronograms) by fatal in&s;tinct make 666. <HI>Vicarius Dei generalis in terris</HI> (&s;ubtracting the Roman numeral letters) import 666: but this is a periphra&s;tic title, no per&s;onal name as the other.</P>
<P><HI>The Lamb &s;tanding on Mount Sion, and with him</HI> 144000 <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 14. 1, &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>undefiled Virgins, having his Fathers and his name writen in their foreheads, who folow the Lamb wherever he goeth;</HI> is the Lord Je&s;us and his impolluted Church, which hated &s;piritual whordom or Image-wor&s;hip, and continued con&s;tant in the tru Faith amid&s;t Papal p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r&s;ecution, as a pure Virgin under <HI>Ba|bylon;</HI> being the Apo&s;tle<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> genuin Progeny.</P>
<P><HI>The name or marke of the Lamb and his Father;</HI> is the &s;ign of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Iden<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ice.</NOTE> the Cro&s;&s; in Bapti&s;m, as a Seal of their Faith, and En&s;ign of Chri&s;tian Profe&s;&s;ion, to di&s;cern them from Infidels; maugre the malice of al Snarlers, Scoffers, or Slanderers.</P>
<P><HI>The Harve&s;t ripe to be reaped, into which the Son of Man</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>thru&s;t his Sickle;</HI> is the cutting down of my&s;tical <HI>Babylon,</HI> or de&s;truction of the Romi&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Bea&s;ts whol dominion.</P>
<PB REF="141">
<P>The Vintage or <HI>Winepre&s;&s; of Gods wrath without the City,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 17. ad finem.</NOTE> <HI>from which cam blood to the Hor&s;bridles, by the &s;pace of one thou|&s;and &s;ix hundred furlongs;</HI> is the final fatal perdition of the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet, with al their Complices, Comrads, and Confederats; which &s;hal be acted or accompli&s;hed with hor|rid &s;laughter at the battle of <HI>Armageddon,</HI> one thou&s;and &s;ix hundred furlongs (or two hundred miles) without the City: but whether in <HI>Pale&s;tine</HI> or the Popes Territory, is not reveled.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;even golden Phials of Gods wrath,</HI> which &s;even Angels <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 15&punc; v. 7.</NOTE> having the &s;even la&s;t Plagues, received from one of the four Bea&s;ts; are &s;o many degrees of puni&s;hments preceding the An|tichri&s;tian Bea&s;ts ruin, even as it grew up gradualy to greatnes: as ther mu&s;t be a paralel proportion in al things.</P>
<P><HI>The three unclean Spirits of Devils like Frogs, coming</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev. 16. v.</HI> 13&punc; 14.</NOTE> <HI>out of the mouths of the Dragon, Bea&s;t, and fal&s; Prophet working miracles,</HI> are Papal Emi&s;aries or Amba&s;&s;adors <HI>&s;ent to &s;ommon the Kings and Potentats of the whol World to the battel of that great day of God Almighty:</HI> wherin the Dragon &s;hal a&s;&s;i&s;t the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet, with al his warlike powers, worldly plots, and wily policies: but the &s;even Angels poured out their &s;even Phials of Gods wrath.</P>
<P><HI>The Woman in rich attire (&s;itting on a Scarlet Bea&s;t ful of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 17 v 3. &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>names of Bla&s;phemy, having &s;even heads and ten horns) on who&s; forehead was writ a My&s;tery, Great Babylon, Mother of Harlots, drunken with the blood of Saints and Martyrs of Je&s;us;</HI> is <HI>Romes</HI> Papacy which rides on the Empire in the &s;even headed City; being both but as one head (the &s;eventh and la&s;t) con&s;i&s;ting of the Temporal and Spiritual State; which is even the eighth, yet one of the &s;even reigning jointly together.</P>
<P><HI>The Man which &s;at on a whit Hor&s; in Heaven, caled the Word</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 19 v 11, &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>of God, who was clothed with a Ve&s;ture dipt in blood, having on it and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords;</HI> is our Lord Je&s;us, <HI>who &s;hal &s;mite the Nations, ruling them wi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h a rod of iron, and &s;ubdu al with great &s;laughter.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet which &s;hal be tormented in a lake</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 20. v 10.</NOTE> <HI>of fire and brim&s;tone for ever;</HI> is the whol Papacy and Anti|chri&s;t the Pope, head of that State or Society.</P>
<P><HI>The holy City, new Jeru&s;alem, prepared as a Bride adorned for</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 21. ver&s;. 2</NOTE>
<PB N="133" REF="141"> <HI>hir Hu&s;band;</HI> is the Company of Elect ever ready to receiv hir Bridegroom or be&s;t beloved Lord.</P>
<P><HI>The Lambs Bride or Spou&s; that great City holy Jeru&s;alem;</HI> is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 9, 10.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts Militant Church on Earth; which jointly with the tri|umphant in Heaven, makes Chri&s;ts Spou&s;.</P>
<P>The&s; new notions of names (forty four in number) never vented til now, wil, if wel dige&s;ted, make the meaning more ob|vious in mo&s;t my&s;teries. Many mo circum&s;tantial terms are &s;par&s;ed in the Text, which are amply unveled in the in&s;uing Commentary: but this &s;hort Index &s;hal &s;erv to lead &s;trangers &s;teps in this Labyrinth.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Analy&s;is Apocalyp&s;eos:</HI> The Apocalyp&s; Analy&s;ed.</HEAD>
<P>THree principal parts are con&s;iderable: 1. The Preface, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Analy&s;is&punc; Part 1.</NOTE> which is both general of the whol Prophecy, noting the Matter, Pen-Man, and Profit; and &s;pecial relation to the &s;even A&s;ian Churches, and in them to the Catholic Church: wherin is a nomination of the per&s;on writing, and tho&s; writen to; with a &s;alutation of them and de&s;cription of Je&s;us Chri&s;t. 2. The <MILESTONE N="2"> &s;ub&s;tance and Body of the Book; which contains a narration of the Churches State both Militant and Triumphant. The Mili|tant is deciphered at pre&s;ent as it was when <HI>John</HI> wrot; and for future as it &s;hal be at la&s;t day. The Triumphant is declared both for the inchoation at general Judgment, and duration to eter|nity. 3. The Conclu&s;ion, which confirms the whol Prophecy: <MILESTONE N="3"> 1. By an Angels te&s;timony, who &s;hewed it to <HI>John</HI> from the Lord: 2. By Chri&s;t, who te&s;tifies it to be tru, and amplified by <HI>Johns</HI> earne&s;t reque&s;t on the Churches behalf: 3. By <HI>John</HI> who denounceth direful judgments on al that &s;hal ad to, or take from it; with a &s;alutation to the Saints at end of al.</P>
<P>The particulars of the Church Militant exhibit two points. <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Vi&s;ion. <HI>Ch. 1. 2. 3.</HI></NOTE> 1 A Vi&s;ion of <HI>&s;even golden Candle&s;ticks, and &s;even Stars,</HI> &s;igni|fying the A&s;ian Churches. 2 A de&s;cription of tho&s; Churches in &s;even Epi&s;tles directed to the Bi&s;hop-Angels of tho&s; &s;even Seas; in al which is one current con&s;tant form ob&s;erved: which im|ports
<PB REF="142"> 1 A de&s;cription of Chri&s;t Je&s;us &s;utable to his Vi&s;ion: 2 A narrativ of the good commendable, or evil culpable in eve|ry Angel and Church: 3 Promi&s;es or menaces proportional to their Virtues or Vices: 4 An exhortation to attend things writen to the Churches. The Churches State for future (&s;peci|aly in <HI>Europ</HI>) is more my&s;ticaly unfolded: which is to premo|ni&s;h hir of grievous per&s;ecutions by Tyrans, Heretics, and lims of Antichri&s;t; again&s;t al which the holy Gho&s;t givs many com|forts: That God wil be with her in al di&s;tre&s;&s;es, who&s; tribula|tions &s;hal terminat in &s;hort &s;pace: but hir Enemies &s;hal peri&s;h, and &s;he in fine &s;et &s;afe or &s;ecure in the life to com: al which things are pointly or preci&s;ely expre&s;&s;ed in &s;ix Vi&s;ions one after another. The&s; are compri&s;ed in two Prophecies or Sy&s;tems <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ch</HI> 4 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 11.</NOTE> of Vi&s;ions contemporar: the fir&s;t begins with the &s;ealed Book: the la&s;t la&s;ts to the end of Apocalyp&s;: taking in &s;om pa&s;&s;ages of five Trumpets: <HI>viz.</HI> the litle Book, the mea&s;uring of the Tem|ple, the out Court not to be mea&s;ured, and fate of the two mourning witne&s;&s;es.</P>
<P>The Churches future e&s;tate is reveled in a my&s;terious Vi&s;ion <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Vi&s;ion. <HI>Ch. 4.</HI></NOTE> of <HI>a Book fa&s;tned with &s;even &s;eals;</HI> wherin is compri&s;ed a pre|paratory to open them, which di&s;plais Gods &s;itting on a Throne in Heaven, with his En&s;igns or Emblems of Maje&s;ty: <HI>viz. twen|ty four Elders and four Bea&s;ts, Lightnings, Thunders Voices, Trumpets, &s;even Lamps which are his &s;even Spirits, a Sea of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch 5.</NOTE> <HI>gla&s;&s; like Cry&s;tal, and Songs of prai&s; by them al to him that &s;its on the Throne. The &s;ealed Book held in his right hand (which none was worthy or able to open &s;av the Lamb) &s;hewed to John the Churches future &s;tate til the worlds end. In the &s;eventh &s;eal are</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 6.</NOTE> <HI>pre&s;ented &s;even Trumpets, and in the la&s;t &s;even Phials of Gods wrath, ful of the la&s;t &s;even plagues or puni&s;hments. The fir&s;t Seal &s;hews a whit Hor&s;e: the &s;ecund a red: the third a black, his Ri|der bearing Ballances in his hand: the fourth a pale, his Rider death, with Hel folowing at heels: the fifth the Martyrs Souls under the Altar crying for vengeance, which had whit robes given them with promi&s;&s; of complet glory, when their felow Brethren &s;hould be fulfilled:</HI> The &s;ixth &s;ets forth Gods direful Judgments on the Churches Enimies, attended with dreadful &s;igns: <HI>viz. A great Earthquake, the Sun becam black, and Moon as blood,
<PB N="134" REF="142"> the Stars fel to Earth, Heaven departed as a &s;crole, and every Mountain and Ile moved out of their places. Herat Kings, great Men, cheif Captains, Bond and Free (even al Per&s;e|cutors) fel to de&s;pair, hiding in Dens, de&s;iring the Mountains and Rocks to cover them from the Lamb.</HI></P>
<P>The &s;eventh contains more My&s;teries then any: <HI>viz. A Vi|&s;ion</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Vi&s;ion. <HI>Ch. 7. Ch. 8.</HI></NOTE> <HI>of &s;even Angels with &s;even Trumpets,</HI> as &s;hal be &s;pecified: but the holy Gho&s;t comforts the Church, and an <HI>Angel &s;eals Gods Servants in the Foreheads</HI> as a &s;ign of their deliverance. <HI>At opening wherof was half an hours &s;ilence in Heaven,</HI> beto|kening great things to com; and the Angels addre&s;&s;ed to &s;ound. <HI>The fir&s;t &s;ounded, And Hail mixd with Fire and Blood in&s;ued: which burnt a third part of al green things. At &s;ound of the &s;ecund, A mighty Mountain burning with Fire was ca&s;t into Sea, and a third part becam Blood. At the third, A great Star caled Wormwood burning as a Lamp fel, making a third part of Rivers and Fountains bitter,</HI> that many died of them. <HI>At fourth, A third part of Sun, Moon, and Stars was dark|ned: that the day and night for a third part &s;hined not.</HI> Here intervens as a preparatory tran&s;ition to the three la&s;t Trum|pets, <HI>An Angel flying through mid&s;t of Heaven, crying a loud, Wo, Wo, Wo to the Earths Inhabiters by rea&s;on of the three Angels yet to &s;ound. The fift &s;ounded (which is the fir&s;t</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ch</HI> 9. 1 Wo.</NOTE> of Wo) <HI>And a Star fel from Heaven to Earth: and he opened the bottomle&s;&s; Pit with a Key, whence aro&s;e Smoke darkning Sun and Air; out of which cam Locu&s;ts,</HI> who&s; effects are notably de&s;cribed, together with their King <HI>Abad|don</HI> or <HI>Apollyon. The &s;ixt (or &s;ecund Wo) &s;ounded, wh<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ch</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Wo. <HI>Ch. 10.</HI></NOTE> <HI>loo&s;ed four Angels bound at Euphrates, who were prepared to &s;lay a third part of Men: their Army being two hundred thou|&s;and thou&s;and Hor&s;men,</HI> which are largely de&s;cribed, with their woful effects. <HI>Here a mighty Angel (Je&s;us Chri&s;t) de&s;cended with a litle Book in his hand open: who &s;et his right Foot on the Sea, and left on Earth; &s;wearing with lifted up hands by him that livs for ever, ther &s;hould be no more time: but at &s;ound of the &s;eventh Trumpet, the my&s;tery of God &s;hal be fini&s;hed, as he declared to the Prophets. This Angel cried loud, as if a Lion roared, or &s;even Thunders uttered their voices: which
<PB REF="143"> John was about to writ, but a voice from Heaven bid him &s;eal it up, and eat the little Book (which in his mouth was &s;weet as Hony, but made his Belly bitter) that he might Prophecy. Then</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">b 11.</NOTE> <HI>was John bid to me&s;ure Temple, Altar, and Wor&s;hipers with a reed, but not the out Court; for the Gentils mu&s;t tread the holy City under foot forty two Moneths: and he gav his two Witne&s;&s;es power to Prophecy, one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty dais clad in Sack-cloth; but the bea&s;t ri&s;ing from the bottomle&s;&s; Pit &s;hal kil them, who&s; dead Bodies &s;hal ly in the &s;treet of the great City three dais and half unburied: who &s;hal reviv and a&s;cend to Heaven to their Enimies great grief and terror. The &s;eventh</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Wo.</NOTE> <HI>(or third of Wo) &s;ounded, which fini&s;hed Gods my&s;teries, and his Churches mi&s;eries: then were great voices heard in Heaven &s;ay|ing, the Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his Chri&s;ts: to whom the twenty four Elders &s;ung a gratulation at|tended with Lightnings, Thundrings, Voices, Earthquake, and great Hail. Here the fir&s;t Prophecy or Sy&s;tem of Vi&s;ions (which contains chiefly the fourth Empires condition) ends: after which the &s;ecund (contemporar with the former of Seals and Trumpets) folows: foretelling the Churches future &s;tate til the la&s;t day.</HI> Herin three principal points are handled <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 1. Hir tribulations <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Vi&s;ion.</NOTE> by &s;everal Enemies: 2. Hir deliverance by their de&s;truction: 3. Hir happy condition after deliverance. Mo&s;t Interpreters make both Vi&s;ions one continued Prophecy, yet not &s;o pro|perly; tho in &s;ub&s;tance neer one. The Churches per&s;ecutions <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 12.</NOTE> by &s;everal Enimies; are pourtraied in this fourth Vi&s;ion: <HI>but the parturient Womans pur&s;uit by the Dragon mo&s;t pointly; who waged war with the remnent of Hir &s;eed. The Dragons</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 13.</NOTE> <HI>in&s;truments are the Bea&s;t with &s;even heads and ten borns ri|&s;ing from the Sea; and that coming out of the Earth which had two horns like a Lamb, but &s;pake as a Dragon.</HI> The events <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 14.</NOTE> of this per&s;ecution, is the Saints victory by their con&s;tant con|fe&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t even to death; which is amplified by the cau&s;es and effects.</P>
<P><HI>The Vi&s;ion of &s;even Phials ful of Gods wrath, and the &s;even</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Vi&s;ion.</NOTE> <HI>la&s;t plagues poured out by &s;even Angels;</HI> declare the Churches <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 15.</NOTE> deliverance by hir Enimies de&s;truction. <HI>The fir&s;t poured his</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 16.</NOTE> <HI>plagues on the Earth: the next on the Sea: the third on Rivers
<PB N="135" REF="143"> and Fountains: the fourth on the Sun: the fift on the Bea&s;ts &s;eat: the &s;ixt on Euphrates: the &s;eventh into the Air,</HI> who&s; effects &s;ee in the context.</P>
<P>In the &s;ixt Vi&s;ion many my&s;teries are manife&s;ted, being be|fore <NOTE PLACE="marg">6 Vi&s;ion. <HI>Ch. 17.</HI></NOTE> but ob&s;curely mentioned: which point out the Ri&s;e, Reign, Seat, Va&s;&s;als, Succe&s;&s;, and final fal of Antichri&s;t with al the Churches Enimies. <HI>Here behold the great Whores judg|ment and event: wherin a lifely de&s;cription of the Whore to be judged, both by vi&s;ional repre&s;entation of a Woman &s;itting on a &s;carlet Bea&s;tful of Names of Bla&s;phemy (having on hir fore|head a Name writen, A My&s;tery, Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots and Abominations)</HI> and by real explanation, that the Bea&s;ts &s;even Heads are &s;even Hils, and ten Horns ten King|doms. The In&s;truments which &s;hal de&s;troy the Whore are tho&s; ten Horns or Kings, who &s;hal hate and make hir de&s;olat or naked, eat hir fle&s;h, and burn hir with fire. <HI>The promulga|tion</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ch.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>of Babylons perdition, is performed by three Angels: one declares the certainty, 'tis falen and becom the habitation of De|vils: another warns al Gods People to com out of hir for fear of hir plagues &s;etting forth hir V<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;als &s;ad laments crying; alas, alas, that great City:</HI> the la&s;t &s;eals up hir ruins irrecoverablenes, under the type of <HI>A great Mil&s;tone ca&s;t into the Sea.</HI> Then folow gra|tulatory <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 19.</NOTE> exultations of the Heavenly company <HI>&s;inging Hale|lujah to God, both for the Whores judgment, and preparation of the Lambs Wife to marry with him: together with the Lamb and his Armies total conque&s;t over the Bea&s;t, fal&s; Prophet, and earthly Kings with their Armies: wherto al Fowls are invited to eat their fle&s;h.</HI></P>
<P>The la&s;t Vi&s;ion &s;hews the event of the Whores judgment, <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 Vi&s;ion, <HI>Ch. 20.</HI></NOTE> which is triple: 1. <HI>The Saints &s;afety by chaining up the Dragon or Devil for one thou&s;and yeers in the bottomle&s;&s; pit: 2. The Martyrs living and reigning with Chri&s;t one thou&s;and yeers; but the re&s;t of the dead lived not again til tho&s; yeers were fini|&s;hed: 3. The Saints miraculous deliverance from the Nations (Gog and Magog) by fire from Heaven to devour them; when their Deceiver is ca&s;t into a Lake of fire and Brim&s;tone; wher|upon folows the general judgment of the dead (&s;mal and great) according to their works.</HI> So far the Church Militants future
<PB REF="144"> &s;tate on Earth: next folows the Triumphants happy condition in Heaven for ever: which is gloriou&s;ly decyphered with the Water of Life and Tree in mid&s;t of the Street, as the Text <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 211 Ch. 22.</NOTE> &s;hews.</P>
<P>The conclu&s;ion with its three parts, is Analy&s;ed at fir&s;t a|mong the three chief Heads of this Prophecy, which &s;hal not be Tautologicaly repeated or reiterated.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Dury</HI> in a prolix Preface to the German Divines <HI>Clavis,</HI> hath prefixed an ample Analy&s;is, which is abundantly abridged, and annexed for variety of wit. The Title tels, that the Book <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 1. v. 1.</NOTE> is a Revelation of Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who is the Subject-matter, &s;ith the &s;ole &s;cope is to make him manife&s;t. This Title contains three things: 1. the Author God, who gav it to Chri&s;t: 2. The u&s;e for which he gav it, to &s;hew his Servants the things that &s;hal &s;hortly befal.: 3. The means by which Chri&s;ts ma|nife&s;tation is put forth to this u&s;e. 1. He &s;ent and &s;ignified <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid v. 2. 3. &amp;c.</NOTE> it by an Angel to <HI>John:</HI> 2. The Preface directs either generaly to al Churches that bear record of Gods Word and Te&s;timony of Je&s;us, and al things he &s;aw; which wil make them ble&s;&s;ed that read, hear, and keep the &s;ame: or &s;pecialy to the &s;even A&s;ian Churches of Je&s;us Chri&s;t: who is de&s;cribed: 1. By the properties or effects of his fir&s;t coming in the Fle&s;h, who is the faithful Witnes and fir&s;t begotten of the dead, Prince of al earthly Kings; which loved us and wa&s;hed our &s;ins in his Blood; making us Kings and Prie&s;ts to God his Father: 2. By the properties and effects of his &s;ecund coming with Clouds: when every Ey (even tho&s; that pierced him) &s;hal &s;ee him, and al Kindreds wail becau&s; of him. 3. By a narrativ of the Vi|&s;ions, which extends from <HI>ch. 1. v.</HI> 9. to <HI>ch. 22. v.</HI> 6. 4. By the conclu&s;ion compri&s;ed <HI>ch. 22. v. 6. ad finem.</HI> Here con&s;i|der: 1. The certainty, importance, and u&s;e of it: 2. The effects which it wrought in <HI>John,</HI> who was ready to wor&s;hip the Angel, but bid to forbear: 3. The command which he had not to &s;eal the Prophecies, with the rea&s;on of it: 4. The authority therof is repeated, becau&s; Je&s;us &s;ent his Angels to te&s;tify the&s; things in the Churches; becau&s; 'tis ratified by the Spirit, Bride, and al Beleevers; becau&s; the perfection is &s;uch, as no thing may be added or &s;ubtracted on pain of eternal
<PB N="136" REF="144"> plagues and perdition. The Contents of the Prophecy are tri|ple: 1 The things which <HI>John</HI> &s;aw in the fir&s;t Vi&s;ion: <HI>viz.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Vi&s;ion. <HI>Chap. 1.</HI></NOTE> Chri&s;ts pre&s;ence with his Churches, who is their Mediator and high Prie&s;t, as <HI>walking in the mid&s;t of the &s;even golden Candle|&s;ticks;</HI> their King, as <HI>holding their &s;even Stars or Angels in his right hand;</HI> and Prophet, as <HI>out of who&s; mouth went a &s;harp two edged &s;word</HI> of Gods Word. 2 The things which then were; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 2, 3.</NOTE> <HI>viz.</HI> the &s;even Churches to whom <HI>John,</HI> by Chri&s;ts appoint|ment &s;ent Epi&s;tles; wherin al perfections and imperfections, promi&s;es and menaces, admonitions and reproofs, exho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tations and precepts, are intended to al Churches and Pa&s;tors &s;o wel as the&s;; &s;ith no Prophecy is of privat interpretation: for the pro|em and period of every Epi&s;tle is, <HI>Let him that hath an ear h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ar what the &s;pirit &s;aith to the Churches.</HI> 3 The things to b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">fal here|after, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ch.</HI> 4 t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l <HI>ch 22.</HI></NOTE> which tran&s;cend from the Churches on Earth to the Kingdom of Heaven, wher <HI>John &s;aw the things which mu&s;t be hereafter.</HI> The &s;ecund Vi&s;ion &s;hews, 1 What the Churches con&s;titution <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Vi&s;ion.</NOTE> in Heaven is; how ordered about Gods Throne, and &s;et in his pre&s;ence: 2 What the admini&s;tration of affairs in Heaven, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 4.</NOTE> the Churches government on Earth by Je&s;us Chri&s;t is; who a &s;potle&s;&s; Lamb flain meritoriou&s;ly, purcha&s;ed that honor to open <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap 5.</NOTE> the &s;ealed Book of Gods Coun&s;ils; being his &s;even Eys of Wi&s;dom, and &s;even Horns of Power, able alone to di&s;charge &s;uch a tru&s;t: 3 What changes chanced in the World, and the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 6.</NOTE> Churches condition at opening of the fir&s;t &s;ix &s;eals; wher is &s;hewed, how at preaching of the Go&s;pel great troubles and ter|rible <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 7.</NOTE> wars aro&s;e among Men, wherin Chri&s;ts Martyrs ly as Sa|crifices under the Altar crying for vengeance; but are comfort|ed that they &s;hal be avenged after a &s;hort &s;ea&s;on, and their Eni|mies terrified at fir&s;t executing of the Lambs wrath upon them: Yet le&s;t judgment prepared &s;hould fal on his Friends, a pre|ventiv <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 8.</NOTE> provi&s;ion is made to &s;eal and &s;ever them from the re&s;t, that no hurt, heat or hunger &s;hal annoy them. 4 What de|&s;truction betides or is brought on the World at opening the &s;eventh &s;eal, and what glory to the Saints: which la&s;t includs al that folows to the end of this Book. Here <HI>&s;even Angels with &s;even Trumpets declare Gods Judgments on the Earth;</HI> but the
<PB REF="145"> three la&s;t remarkably differ from the four fir&s;t, which giv warn|ing of great Wo thri&s;e threatned by tripetion to the Earths In|habitants: but the four fir&s;t tend to depriv the World of a third part of their comforts, as in trees, green gra&s;&s;, the Se<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, with al Animals therin, Ships, Rivers, Fountains, Sun, Moon, Stars the light of day and night. The three Wo-Trumpets <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 9.</NOTE> produce heavier plagues, both by Locu&s;ts (which &s;hal &s;o torment Men, that they &s;hal &s;eek death, but not find it) and Euphratean Hor&s;men, which &s;hal &s;lay a third part of Men; yet the re&s;t re|pented not.</P>
<P>The third Vi&s;ion of <HI>A mighty Angel coming from Heaven,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Vi&s;ion. <HI>Chap. 10.</HI></NOTE> <HI>clothed with a cloud and Rainbow on his head (his face like the Sun and feet as pillars of fire, who &s;tood on the Sea and Earth) had a litle Book open in his hand, which John being bid eat up, and in|abled him to Prophecy.</HI> The three pa&s;t Vi&s;ions &s;hew three &s;ub|&s;tantial <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> differences of things reveled to <HI>John,</HI> and three main changes of his Spirit in receiving them: the fir&s;t contains Chri&s;ts mini&s;tration of his Offices on Earth among his Chur|ches: the next of his Offices in Heaven over al the World, to pre&s;erv and propagat his Church: the la&s;t of his Offices both in Heaven and Earth, to fini&s;h al wickednes in the World, and to perfect his Churches felicity. In al which manife&s;tations, he is pre&s;ented &s;utable to the things reveled: 1 As a Man in dealing with Men: 2 As a Lamb offred to God in dealing with God: 3 As a mighty Angel to incounter Satan with his Angels and powers of darknes in the World. The matter of this Vi&s;ion is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 11.</NOTE> to &s;hew, when and how the my&s;tery of God, &s;poken by the Prophets &s;hal be fini&s;hed? wherin 1 <HI>John had a Reed as a Red given to mete the Temple, Altar, and them that wor&s;hip: 2 The out-Court is given to the Gentils, who &s;hal tread on the holy City fourty two moneths: 3 The two &s;ack cloth witne&s;&s;es had power to Prophecy one thou&s;and two hundred and three&s;core dais: 4 The Bea&s;t ri&s;ing from the bottomle&s;&s; pit &s;hal &s;lay them, but after three dais and a half, they revived and a&s;cended to Heaven in a cloud, which terrified their Enimies: 5 Great joy was in Heaven, becau&s; this worlds Kingdoms are becom the Lords and his Chri&s;ts;</HI> that he may reward his Saints and Servants. Ther folow &s;everal &s;ub|ordinat Vi&s;ions, which concern the Church typified by a wo|man, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 12.</NOTE>
<PB N="137" REF="145"> and re&s;pect 4 times: 1 <HI>Before &s;he fled into the wildernes, who brought a Man-child, which the Dragon waited to devour; but he was rapt up to Heaven, and the Dragon with his Angels ca&s;t to Earth by the Angel Michael: yet he per&s;ecuted the Woman, and made war with the remnent of hir &s;eed. 2 While &s;he abode ther, wher two Bea&s;ts occurred; one ri&s;ing from the Sea with &s;even</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 13.</NOTE> <HI>heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten Crowns, with the name of Bla&s;phemy on his heads: A &s;ecund coming out of the Earth, who had two horns like a Lamb, but &s;pake as a Dragon: he did great wonders making fire de&s;cend from Heaven, and deceived them that dwel on Earth; bidding them make an Image to the other Bea&s;t, which was wounded and did liv; and cau&s;ed &s;uch as would not wor&s;hip it to be &s;lain: He al&s;o made al receiv a mark in their right hands or foreheads, that none might buy or &s;el &s;av he that had the mark, name, or number of his name, which is 666.</HI> During the&s; Bea&s;ts joint reign, the Churches &s;tate on mount <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 14.</NOTE> Sion, and Gods imparting his Wil to the World (touching the everla&s;ting Go&s;pel, Babylons future fal, puni&s;hment of the Bea&s;ts folowers, and gathering the Harve&s;t and Vintage) are declared. Gods Judgments on the Bea&s;t, <HI>are poured out in &s;even</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 15.</NOTE> <HI>golden Phials of his la&s;t plagues, by &s;even Angels coming out of the Temple in Heaven, clothed with pure white linnen, and their bre&s;ts girded with gold girdles. The fir&s;t poured his on the Earth,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 16.</NOTE> <HI>and a noi&s;om &s;ore fel on the Bea&s;ts wor&s;hipers: The &s;ecund poured his on the Sea, which becam as blood of a dead Man: The third his on Rivers and Fountains, which turnd to blood: The fourth his on the Sun, which &s;corched Men with fire, that they bla&s;phemed Gods name: The fift his on the Bea&s;ts &s;eat, who&s; Kingdom was darkned, that Men gnawed their toungs for torment: The &s;ixt his on Euphrates which was dried up, that the way of the Ea&s;tern Kings might be prepared: The &s;eventh his into the Air, whence folowed Voices, Lightnings, Thunders, and &s;uch a mighty Earth|quake, as the like was never &s;een by Men; and huge hail <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> eve|ry &s;tone weighing a Talent, and Men bla&s;phemed God <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> of this plague. Ther cam three unclean Spirits of Devils, lik <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ogs from the mouths of the Dragon, Bea&s;t, and fal&s; Prophet; which by lying miracles gathered the Kings to battel of that great day of God Almighty at Armageddon.</HI> Next <HI>the judgment and my&s;tery
<PB REF="146"> of Babylons great Whore, &s;itting on a &s;carlet Bea&s;t with &s;even</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 17.</NOTE> <HI>heads and ten horns, is &s;hewed to John; that the &s;even heads are &s;even hils, and ten horns ten Kings.</HI> After it Babylons de&s;tru|ction <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 18.</NOTE> is declared, and great lamentation of &s;everal &s;orts made for it, as may ther be read. 3 As &s;he cam out of the wildernes, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 19.</NOTE> great gratulations are given to God for perdition of <HI>Baby|lon,</HI> and preparation for the Lords marriage with his wife: then the Armies of Heaven on whit Hor&s;es, under conduct of Chri&s;t (<HI>caled the Word of God, who had on his ve&s;ture and thigh a name writen, King of Kings and Lord of Lords</HI>) made war with the Bea&s;t, fal&s; Prophet, and Kings; wherto an Angel invited al Fowls to eat the fle&s;h of the &s;lain; but <HI>the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Pro|phet were taken, and ca&s;t alife into a lake burning with fire and brim&s;tone.</HI> 4. During hir reign with Chri&s;t (after &s;he cam out <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 20.</NOTE> of the wildernes) one thou&s;and yeers; when Satan being loo&s;ed a little &s;pace, &s;hal deceiv the Nations (<HI>Gog and Magog) to ga|ther them to battel: but fire cam from God and devoured them.</HI> La&s;tly, <HI>A new Heaven and Earth</HI> (caled <HI>the holy City, new Je|ru&s;alem,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch. 21. Ch. 22</NOTE> <HI>coming down from God) prepared as a Bride for hir Hu&s;|band;</HI> is pourtraied at large.</P>
<P>The&s; Analy&s;es in a pro&s;al method or maner, are plainer bet|ter, <NOTE PLACE="marg">At end of his Annotations</NOTE> and briefer for the vulgar &s;ort, then &s;uch as are &s;et in Secti|ons and Sub&s;ections: but Dr. <HI>Deodat</HI> hath a very ample one on the Apocalyp&s;, in &s;ub&s;tance the &s;ame with the 2 former, or very litle varying, which he that li&s;ts may &s;urvey. Now to my main task. The Author of Apocalyp&s;, is <HI>John</HI> the Divine, Chri&s;ts be&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Introduction.</NOTE> beloved Di&s;ciple (Son to <HI>Zebedee</HI> a Fi&s;her Man, and Brother of <HI>James</HI> the greater, whom <HI>Herod</HI> the King <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lu with the Sword) who wrot the fourth Go&s;pel, and three general Epi|&s;tles: but not <HI>John</HI> a Presbyter in tho&s; dais, as <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> and <HI>Di|ony&s;ius Alex:</HI> deem; nor any other of that name, as al Antients agree: for he only was exiled to <HI>Patmos</HI> A. C. 97, wher tho&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 1. 9, 10. Rev. 1. ver&s;. 1, 2, 11.</NOTE> Vi&s;ions were pre&s;ented on the Lords day, to which he gav that appellation, mi&s;-named by many the Sabbath, without any Scriptural warrant, nor did any of the Fathers &s;o &s;tile it. The Authority al&s;o is every way divine, being indited by Chri&s;t Je|&s;us, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Authority.</NOTE> as God gav it him, and &s;ent to <HI>John</HI> by an Angel, that he &s;hould communicat it to the Churches; who wrot it in a Book,
<PB N="138" REF="146"> and &s;ent it to the &s;even Churches of <HI>minor A&s;ia.</HI> So <HI>John</HI> im|parted it to the Churches, an Angel to <HI>John,</HI> Chri&s;t to the An|gel, and God to Chri&s;t Je&s;us: what can be a more divine Ori|gin or Pedigree? Specialy being an in&s;pired Prophecy? For <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> the Man of God and his peculiar Favorit, had the ho|nor to Pen the fir&s;t Book of the old Te&s;tament, and <HI>John</HI> Chri&s;ts chief favorit the la&s;t of the new Te&s;tament, &s;o the one commands old I&s;raelits not to ad or take from Gods Word; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 4. 2.</NOTE> and the other threatens al, which &s;hal ad to the Words of his Prophecy, that God wil inflict the plagues writen therin: but <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22. 18, 19.</NOTE> if any &s;hal detract, God wil take away his part from the Book of Life and holy City.</P>
<P>The Excellence of it apppeers many wais: for the &s;tile is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Excellence.</NOTE> mo&s;t &s;tatly and &s;ublime; the matter ful of Maje&s;ty and My|&s;tery: the expre&s;&s;ions pathetical and pithy: &s;om my&s;tical in dark Vi&s;ions, to exerci&s;e the Judgments of the wi&s;e&s;t; &s;om more facil or familar to &s;uccour the infirmities of the weak|e&s;t. Much more might be added ingeneral: but I ha&s;ten to Mr. <HI>Medes Clavis</HI> and Comment, whom Dr. <HI>Twi&s;&s;</HI> highly admires &s;aying, he hath &s;undry rare notions &s;tiled <HI>Specimina</HI> or E&s;&s;ais, wherin he excels; &s;pecialy in rendring the Revelations right &s;en&s;, which is mo&s;t Tropical or Figurativ. As in the my&s;tery <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 12&punc;</NOTE> of the battle in Heaven, and ca&s;ting Satan to Earth; he &s;hews that Stats and Kingdoms in the politic World, are re&s;embled in Scripture &s;utable to the Natural: wherin Heaven and Earth denot the Nobility and Commonalty. For Heaven con&s;i&s;ts of Sun, Moon, and Stars of greater or le&s;&s;er magnitud: as in a Realm is a King, Queen, Nobles, and other officers of diver&s; degrees: but on Earth, is much more variety of Creatures: as Trees, Herbs, Flowers, Fi&s;hes, Bea&s;ts, Serpents: &s;o among People of any Community no le&s;&s; difference of Trades and Profe&s;&s;ions.</P>
<P>He de&s;tingui&s;heth the whol Prophecy into the Book clo&s;ed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Divi&s;ion.</NOTE> with &s;even Seals, compri&s;ing an Hi&s;tory from the Go&s;pels fir&s;t preaching to the Worlds end, which &s;ets forth the fates or fortunes of the Roman Empire: and the litle open Book, which includs the doings or de&s;tinies of the Chri&s;tian Church. The fir&s;t pre&s;ents the &s;even Seals and &s;even Trumpets: for the
<PB REF="147"> &s;eventh Seal produceth the &s;even Trumpets. 1. The fir&s;t &s;ix Seals contain the &s;tory of the Empires condition or con|tinuance til <HI>Con&s;tantin;</HI> when ther being a marvelous meta|morpho&s;is from Pagan to Chri&s;tian; this change is compared to the Worlds end, and by giving of a new, which is very &s;emblable. 2. The &s;even Trumpets (which contain the &s;even <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 9.</NOTE> Seals) repre&s;ent Gods judgments on the World, for oppo&s;ing the Go&s;pel, and oppre&s;&s;ing the Saints. 1. By Ethnic Empe|rors, for which the dition or dominion was gradualy rent into ten Kingdoms. Which is unfolded in four degrees therof, be|ing the &s;ubject of the four fir&s;t Trumpets. 2. The other three are termed Wo Trumpets, denouncing divine judgments on the Antichri&s;tian World, or degenerat Stats of Chri&s;tiendom: 1. By Sarra&s;ens in the fir&s;t Wo Trumpet: 2. By Turcs in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 15.</NOTE> &s;ecund: 3. By the Worlds end in the la&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Medi <HI>Clavis &amp; Expo&s;itio: Med's</HI> Key and Expo&s;ition.</HEAD>
<P>HIs <HI>Clavis</HI> contains &s;undry Synchronici&s;ms or concur|rences <NOTE PLACE="marg">The Key.</NOTE> of things in one time, &s;et forth under the Seals. For ther is a Quaternion of Prophecies Synchronizing in e|quality or identity of Time: 1 Of <HI>The Womans abode in the Wildernes for a time, times and half:</HI> 2. Of <HI>The &s;even headed Bea&s;t re&s;tored and ruling forty two months:</HI> 3. Of <HI>The out-Court or holy City troden by the Gentils</HI> &s;o long: 4. Of <HI>The two Witne&s;&s;es prophecying in Sack-cloth one thou&s;and two hun|dred &s;ixty daies:</HI> al which three times &s;ignify the &s;ame. For chro|nical identity hinders not, but one may be before or after another, tho they agree in term of yeers: therfore the coevity &s;hal be proved by other characters, that they belong to the &s;elf &s;ame times.</P>
<P>1. The times of the Bea&s;t and Womans man&s;ion in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. 6. 14.</NOTE> Wildernes, begin at one in&s;tant; <HI>viz.</HI> the Dragons foil, when he was ca&s;t to the Earth: for when <HI>Michael</HI> threw him from Heaven, the Woman e&s;caped: <HI>Ergo</HI> they identicat.</P>
<P>2. The times of the Bea&s;t and Two Witne&s;&s;es te&s;timony <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 11. 7.</NOTE>
<PB N="139" REF="147"> being al&s;o equal, expire together at end of the &s;ixth Trumpet: <HI>Ergo</HI> they commenced at once, and &s;ynchronize through|out.</P>
<P>3. The Witne&s;&s;es times and the Court or holy City po&s;|&s;e&s;&s;ed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v 2. 13, 18.</NOTE> by the Gentils forty two months, which con&s;pire, as al grant: <HI>Ergo</HI> they &s;ynchronize mo&s;t exactly and equaly.</P>
<P>4. The Woman in the Wildernes, the Bea&s;ts dominion, tread|ing down the holy City, and two Witne&s;&s;es prophecying joint|ly concur: <HI>Ergo</HI> al four &s;ynchronize.</P>
<P>5. Now for the next Synchronici&s;m; <HI>The two hornd</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 13. <HI>v.</HI> 3. to 15.</NOTE> <HI>Bea&s;t</HI> (wherin the fal&s; Prophet is Head) <HI>complies with the &s;even-Headed or ten Hornd Bea&s;t (caled the other Bea&s;ts Image) which when his deadly wound was re&s;tored to pri&s;tin e&s;tate, was to rule forty two months: and tho&s; being ended, he did great wonders, exerci&s;ing al his power in the &s;even Headed Be<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ts pre&s;ence: but both are taken and ca&s;t alife into a firy Lake burn|ing</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 19 <HI>v. 20.</HI></NOTE> <HI>with Brim&s;tone: Ergo</HI> both &s;ympathizing in their ri&s;e and ruin (wherof one u&s;ed the others power in his pre&s;ence) con|temporize throughout. Wher Note, that whatever is a&s;cribed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> to the Septicep Bea&s;t of the evil he commited, or wor&s;hip given him; was doon after his in&s;tauration or cure of the wound: but the ten Horns belong to his fir&s;t Head, or re&s;tored e&s;tate, as the Angel informs &s;aying; <HI>Ther are &s;even Kings:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17 10.</NOTE> <HI>fiv are falen, one is, and the la&s;t is not yet com, which mu&s;t con|tinu a &s;hort &s;pace:</HI> &s;o the &s;ixth was then in St. <HI>Johns</HI> dais, but the Horns not then com: <HI>Ergo</HI> it mu&s;t pertain to the &s;eventh or la&s;t Head.</P>
<P>The two hornd Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet are one, as <HI>Irenaeus</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">App<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ndix.</NOTE> ob&s;erved: as by comparing <HI>Rev.</HI> 13. <HI>v.</HI> 13. <HI>to</HI> 16. with <HI>Rev.</HI> 19. <HI>v.</HI> 20. wil cleerly appeer. The &s;epticep ten-hornd Bea&s;t, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13 12, 14.</NOTE> is caled the Bea&s;ts Image <HI>Rev.</HI> 14. 9, 11. <HI>Rev.</HI> 15. 2. <HI>Rev.</HI> 16. 2. <HI>Rev.</HI> 19. 20. <HI>Rev.</HI> 20. 4. For this Bea&s;t acknowledging the fal&s; Prophet to be his re&s;torer, is ruled by his Wil as &s;uprem Lord, and cald his Image: not who&s; &s;imilitud he bears (for in that re&s;pect he rather re&s;embles the &s;even headed Dragon, nor of his e&s;tate before the wound, after who&s; exemple he bla&s;phemed God, and made war with the Saints) but that which the two hornd Bea&s;t &s;peaking as a Dragon re&s;tored,
<PB REF="148"> and claims for his own; the Genetiv being pa&s;&s;ivly taken to &s;ignify the Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;or: as the Bea&s;ts mark is not &s;tamped on him&s;elf, but on tho&s; that wor&s;hip him. For the Bea&s;ts Image wherto the fal&s; Prophet gav life, cau&s;ed al which would not wor&s;hip it to be &s;lain. Ther be but two Bea&s;ts pourtraid in the Apocalyps, and wher the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet are named together, the Image is not cited being both one. For 'tis that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 15. 2.</NOTE> Bea&s;ts Image (who&s; Name and number is &s;pecified) <HI>viz.</HI> the two-hornd, who is the others prime principal founder.</P>
<P>6. The times of the great Harlot or my&s;tical Babylon and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 3.</NOTE> &s;epticep ten hornd Bea&s;t &s;ynchronize: for the Bea&s;t carries the Whore &s;itting on him, who&s; ten Horns or Kings, take au|thority with him at once when he was re&s;tored: but when his body cam to be di&s;&s;olved, they hated the whore <HI>making hir na|ked and de&s;olat, who&s; fle&s;h they burnt with fire.</HI></P>
<P>7. The hundred forty four thou&s;and Virgins &s;ealed, con|temporize <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 14. 1.</NOTE> with the Whore and Bea&s;t; for they deter men from al Communion with him, or his Image or mark: being &s;o oppo&s;it to him and his folowers, when the bonds of holy Souldiers per&s;evered in allegiance to the Lamb, bearing his name and his Fathers in their foreheads, as other Apo&s;tats did the Bea&s;ts mark in their right hands or foreheads. Thus the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Capitulation.</NOTE> ten hornd Bea&s;t revived, &s;ynchronized with the Woman in the Wildernes, with treading the holy City under foot, and the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. 7.</NOTE> witne&s;&s;es mourning in &s;ackcloth: &s;o doth the two hornd Bea&s;t with the ten hornd, and the Whore with both: as al&s;o the company of &s;ealed Virgins with the Whore and Bea&s;t: al which make a &s;ingular &s;ynchronical &s;ymphony of al with al and ech.</P>
<P>8. The inner Court mea&s;ured with a Reed, the VVomans parturition, the Dragons watching hir, and his fight with <HI>Mi|chael</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 1. 2. 3.</NOTE> temporize: for &s;o &s;oon as &s;he brought forth a Manchild (who was to rule al Nations with a rod of Iron) &s;he fled into the De&s;art to be nouri&s;hed for a time, times, and half, or one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixtie daies; and immediatly in&s;ued that battle in Heaven: when the Dragon and his Angels were ca&s;t to Earth: then he re&s;igned his place and great authority to the cured &s;epticep Bea&s;t, whom al the world wondred at,
<PB N="140" REF="148"> and wor&s;hip the Doner Dragon: <HI>Ergo</HI> the Courts mea&s;uring, the womans Childing, the Dragons waiting, and his Duel with <HI>Michael</HI> &s;ynchronize, even at the very Epoche of St. <HI>Johns</HI> re|peated Prophecy.</P>
<P>9 The pouring out of &s;even Phials by &s;even Angels, &s;ynchro|nize <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 15. 2, 3.</NOTE> with the Bea&s;ts downfal and <HI>Babylons</HI> de&s;truction; for which the Victors &s;ing <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> triumphant hymn.</P>
<P>Thus far of the nine chief Synchronici&s;ms: Now the Apoca|lyp&s; contains three parts: 1 The Vi&s;ion of &s;even golden Can|dle&s;ticks or A&s;ian Churches, which takes up the three fir&s;t chap|ters. 2 The Prophecy of &s;even Seals and Trumpets, from <HI>Chap.</HI> 4. to 10. <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 8. 3 The Prophecy of the litle open Book, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 16. 10, 19</NOTE> or body of Prophetic Vi&s;ions, which <HI>John</HI> being bid eat up, from <HI>Chap.</HI> 10. <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 8. to the end of al. That this is a repetition of the Prophecy, appeers by the Angels words to <HI>John; Thou mu&s;t Prophecy again</HI> (<GAP DESC="foreign">) <HI>to many People, Nations, Toungs, and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 10. <HI>v. 11.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Kings:</HI> which are plainly di&s;tingui&s;hd from the re&s;t of Prophe|cies.</P>
<P>He hath other &s;ynchronici&s;ms of Seals, Trumpets, and Phi|als too tedious and invious or ob&s;cure: <HI>beatus qui intelligit.</HI> Howbeit &s;om confu&s;ed collections &s;hal be exhibited to be bet|ter &s;ifted or &s;canned.</P>
<P>1 The &s;eventh Seal touching the fir&s;t &s;ix Trumpets, is the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 8.</NOTE> &s;ame with the two Bea&s;ts; which concur with the company of one hundred forty four thou&s;and Virgins, being oppo&s;it to the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 7.</NOTE> Bea&s;ts reigning: this initiats with the &s;ixth Trumpet or begin|ning of the &s;eventh; for &s;ith the witne&s;&s;es mourning one thou|&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais, ends with the &s;ixth Trum|pet, or as the &s;eventh begins; the Bea&s;ts forty two moneths mu&s;t needs expire then al&s;o, and by con&s;equent the Bea&s;ts ty|ranny is confined in the compas of the fir&s;t &s;ix Trumpets: For the Vi&s;ion of witne&s;&s;es being the fir&s;t repeated Prophecy; the mo&s;t wi&s;e Spirit runs through (as a Weaver doth his warp with <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11.</NOTE> his woof) the whol body of repeated Prophecies, to connect them aptly with the Seals. The Bea&s;ts overthrow, Cities fal, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note&punc;</NOTE> &s;laughter of Men by an Earthquake, are not meant of the Bea&s;ts utter de&s;truction, but end of his authority and reigning forty two moneths; which the Bea&s;ts and two witne&s;&s;es &s;ynchroni|ci&s;ms
<PB REF="149"> being granted, mu&s;t determin together: For the Bea&s;t &s;hal remain a &s;hort &s;pace, but &s;o unlike former, as &s;car&s; to be reputed the &s;ame; which &s;oon after, under the &s;eventh Trum|pet, &s;hal be ab&s;olutly aboli&s;hed.</P>
<P>2 <HI>The &s;even Phials of wrath</HI> (being &s;o many degrees of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 16. 10.</NOTE> Bea&s;ts fal or fate) &s;ynchronize with the inchoation of his de|&s;truction: but his Kingdom fel &s;o fa&s;t the &s;ixth Trumpet yet &s;ounding (which put a period to his power of forty two months over the Saints) that he cannot be quit ruined til the fifth Phial be poured out, when <HI>his &s;eat &s;hal be &s;haken and king|dom</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 10. 6.</NOTE> <HI>darkned: Ergo</HI> fiv Phials were poured out, yer the &s;ixth Trumpet cea&s;ed: for the &s;eventh Phial of con&s;ummation con|curs with the &s;eventh Trumpets initiation, which al&s;o &s;ounds the termination.</P>
<P>3 <HI>The thou&s;and yeers of the Dragons binding and &s;hutting up in the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20.</NOTE> <HI>the bottomle&s;&s; pit with a &s;eal &s;et theron, that he &s;hould no more de|ceiv the Nations;</HI> concurs with the &s;eventh con&s;ummation Trumpet and Bea&s;ts confu&s;ion: for the u&s;e was to &s;eal up a place or pri&s;on &s;ure, as <HI>Darius</HI> did the Lions Den with a ring, and the Jews Chri&s;ts Sepulcher by &s;ealing the &s;tone. Som &s;up|po&s;e his ca&s;ting down to Earth and &s;hutting up is the &s;ame; but 'tis not &s;o. For his ejecting from Heaven hindred not his do|ing harm on Earth: but being clo&s; pri&s;oner in chains he cannot <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12.</NOTE> wander to doo hurt; nor doo the things related agree, &s;ith du|ring the fir&s;t &s;ix Seals, and under the &s;ix fir&s;t Trumpets of the &s;eventh, he was free or loo&s;: <HI>Ergo</HI> his &s;hutting up for one thou|&s;and yeers fals under the &s;eventh Trumpet: For he was not bound at the battle, nor while the woman &s;taid in the wilder|ne&s;&s;, nor during the ten hornd Bea&s;ts reign; &s;ith his Scholar, the fal&s; Prophet &s;educed People with &s;igns and wonders al that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 9. 11.</NOTE> time. Yea the Locu&s;ts King (caled <HI>the Angel of the bot|tomle&s;&s; pit</HI>) is the very Dragon or Satan then not &s;ealed when the &s;ixth Angel poured out his Phial, and &s;eventh ready to pour his. For <HI>three unclean Spirits like Frogs, cam out of the Dragons,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 16. 13, 14.</NOTE> <HI>Bea&s;ts, and fal&s; Prophets mouths, which wrought wonders, and went to the Kings of the World: Ergo</HI> the thou&s;and yeers of his being bound, belong to the &s;eventh Trumpet. So the war when Satan, after a thou&s;and yeers, is loo&s;ed a little &s;pace differs from
<PB N="141" REF="149"> that when <HI>the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet are ca&s;t alife into the burn|ing</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 10.</NOTE> <HI>Brim&s;tone Lake.</HI> For the fir&s;t war is waged by <HI>him that &s;at on a whit Hor&s; (caled Gods Word) who &s;mot the Nations with a &s;harp Sword, and was folowed by Armies in Heaven on Whit Hor&s;e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">:</HI> But in the la&s;t at <HI>Armageddon, God &s;ent fire from Hea|ven to devour them,</HI> and Satan is ca&s;t into that Lake wher the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet are before: For he is fir&s;t clapt clo&s;e in pri&s;on a thou&s;and yeers and then loo&s;ed; but now condemned to be ince&s;&s;antly tormented for ever. Sith then the war with the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet differs from this la&s;t, either 'tis to be waged during tho&s; thou&s;and yeers (which cannot be, &s;ith Satan was then bound) or before, as it mu&s;t needs be: <HI>Ergo</HI> tho&s; yeers commence at or after the Bea&s;ts ca&s;ting into a firy Lake, or ra|ther together at one time.</P>
<P>4 The thou&s;and yeers of Chri&s;ts Imperial reign (at coming <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 4.</NOTE> wherof, the triumphant Elders &s;ang gratulatory Hymns to God) being immediatly at conque&s;t of the Bea&s;t and Babylon, which contemporize with the &s;eventh trumpet: For this King|dom is given to the Saints as a reward of their faith and con|&s;tancy, becau&s; they did not wor&s;hip the Bea&s;t, nor his Image, nor receiv his mark. This is that Kingdom caled <HI>Chri&s;ts, who</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 15.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hal reign for ever:</HI> which the Angels foretold, that <HI>the my&s;tery of God &s;hould be fini&s;hed at &s;ound of the &s;eventh Trumpet, as the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 10 6, 7.</NOTE> <HI>Prophets declared.</HI> Then neither the Bea&s;ts forty two months, nor the witne&s;&s;es mourning one thou&s;and two hundred three|&s;core dais, nor a period of a time, times, and half (no nor time it &s;elf) &s;hal any more remain.</P>
<P>5 The new Jeru&s;alem, the Lambs Bride, and &s;eventh con|&s;ummation <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 21. 2.</NOTE> Trumpet, or time of the Bea&s;ts and <HI>Babylons</HI> con|fu&s;ion &s;ynchronize: for new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> is the Lambs Bride or beloved City, which immediatly at the thou&s;and yeers end is compa&s;&s;ed by the la&s;t troop (<HI>Gog and Magog</HI>) of Satan then loo&s;ed for a little &s;pace: <HI>Ergo</HI> it was extant before at &s;ound of the &s;eventh trumpet. At pouring out the &s;eventh Phial, when the Bea&s;t is de&s;troied, <HI>ther cam a loud voice from the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev</HI> 16 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 17.</NOTE> <HI>Throne &s;aying, it is doon:</HI> &s;o he that &s;at beholding new <HI>Je|ru&s;alem</HI> de&s;cend from Heaven &s;aid to <HI>John; Lo, I make al</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 21 5, 6.</NOTE> <HI>things new, it is doon: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and
<PB REF="150"> end: Ergo</HI> new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> begins at the Phials la&s;t term, <HI>It is doon;</HI> when the whore was di&s;patched, and &s;o &s;ymbolizeth with that time which in&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eth the Bea&s;ts perdition. For one of the Phial Angels &s;hewd <HI>John</HI> the whores condemnation while the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17.</NOTE> Phials were pouring out, and one at lea&s;t behind: which Angel &s;hewed him the great City holy <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> (or Lambs Bride) de&s;cending from God when it becam glorious, the Phials being ended, and Bea&s;t with <HI>Babylon</HI> de&s;troied: <HI>Ergo</HI> it began with the &s;eventh trumpet.</P>
<P>6 <HI>The numberle&s;&s; multitud of al Nations, Kinreds, People, and Toungs bearing triumphant Palms, who are Citizens of new</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 7 9. 16. 17</NOTE> <HI>Jeru&s;alem (that &s;hal hunger or thir&s;t no more; for the Lamb &s;hal lead them to living Fountains of water, and God &s;hal wipe al tears from their eys)</HI> concur with the &s;eventh trumpet, or &s;pace of time from the Bea&s;ts de&s;truction.</P>
<P>The&s; are his &s;everal &s;orts of Synchronici&s;ms, which I hav put in &s;o plain Engli&s;h as my &s;mal skil in &s;uch &s;ublime &s;peculations can perform: wherto heads this brief period or perclo&s;e.</P>
<P>After Chri&s;ts thou&s;and yeers reign, and Satans condemnati|on <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> to eternal fire, folows the general Re&s;urrection and final Judgment. After new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> folows Paradi&s;e with the tree of Life in mid&s;t, like <HI>Eden;</HI> having a River on ech &s;ide <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev&punc; 20. 11, 12, 13. 14. Rev. 22. 12</NOTE> of the &s;treet: which is the worlds con&s;ummation, and conclu|&s;ion of this Revelation, when God wil giv every Man as his work &s;hal be. Such a Key of Synchronici&s;ms (or Apocalyptic compa&s;&s;) wil open al the hid my&s;teries of this Book; with which no part of the old Te&s;tament (no not <HI>Daniels</HI> Vi&s;ions or Vati|cinations) can compare for certainty or &s;ingular &s;tructure, to find out the right interpretation by concent or harmony of times, and concurrence of things. Lord, open every Mans <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ys, that he may di&s;cern thy wondrous works of wi&s;dom.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Commentarii Compendium:</HI> The Brief of his Commentary.</HEAD>
<P>NExt en&s;ues his cu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ious Comment, which contains two <NOTE PLACE="marg">Comment.</NOTE> principal parts: 1 Of the &s;even Seals and &s;even Trum|pets:
<PB N="142" REF="150"> 2 Of the litle Book, both being va&s;tly tedious and im|per&s;picuous: but &s;om &s;poradical excerptions &s;hal be pre&s;ented more plau&s;ible and perceptible; craving pardon for not abbre|viating al particular parcels.</P>
<P>He begins with the Apocalyptic Theater) wher <HI>John</HI> behold <NOTE PLACE="marg">Part 1.</NOTE> al as on a Stage) which is that imperial Heavenly Se&s;&s;ion of God and the Church: exactly framed after the form of old I&s;raels incamping in the Wildernes: both which he compares <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 4. Numb. 1. 52.</NOTE> at large wel worth peru&s;al, but too prolix to capitulat. He o|mits the Vi&s;ion of &s;even A&s;ian Churches in the three fir&s;t chap|ters, and parts the re&s;t into two Prophecies: 1. Of the Seals, which comprehends the Empires de&s;tinies: 2. Of the litle Book which concerns the Church or Chri&s;tian Religion; til in fine both be united in the Church, and this Worlds King|doms <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 15.</NOTE> becom the Lords Kingdoms, and his Chri&s;ts. The &s;cope of the &s;ealed Book is to &s;hew the di&s;tances of in&s;uing times di|&s;tingui&s;hed by characters of events: in what order of changes and chances (the Roman Empire running on) Chri&s;t &s;hould vanqui&s;h the Gods of this World with whom he waged war: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 5.</NOTE> who mu&s;t reign til he hath put al Enemies underfeet: <HI>viz.</HI> al terren power and authority, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> expounds. The fir&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 24. 25.</NOTE> &s;ix Seals di&s;tingui&s;h diver&s; different times of the Empire then flori&s;hing; til Chri&s;t &s;hal &s;uppre&s;&s; the Heathen Gods or Idols in al tho&s; dominions.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t &s;hews the origin of Chri&s;ts victory, when <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Seal. <HI>Rev. 4 7.</HI></NOTE> the fal&s; Gods fel, and the wor&s;hipers being pierced with the Go&s;pels arrows&punc; &s;ubmitted to Chri&s;t the conqueror: who hath not yet fully overcom, but laid a fair founda|tion of Victory to be gradualy fini&s;hed. The di&s;clo&s;er of this Seal is <HI>The fir&s;t Bea&s;t like a Lion, &s;hewing one on a whit</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 6. 1. 2.</NOTE> <HI>Hor&s;, with a Bow and Crown given him:</HI> this is Chri&s;t or &s;om Emperor (haply <HI>Ve&s;pa&s;ian</HI>) by who&s; conduct the war is wa|ged, and victory won; as the folowing Seals are di&s;po&s;ed or directed by Emperors.</P>
<P>The &s;ecund &s;hews murders and inte&s;tin &s;laughters, which <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Seal.</NOTE> the next Bea&s;t like a Bullock di&s;clo&s;eth, by <HI>One riding on a red Hor&s; with a great Sword:</HI> which was <HI>Trajan</HI> a mighty warrier born in <HI>Spain:</HI> who made the third bloody primitiv per&s;ecu|tion,
<PB REF="151"> and the Jews rai&s;ed fierce wars in <HI>Lybia,</HI> be&s;ide many mo+mutinies in mo&s;t parts of the Empire.</P>
<P>The third &s;hews a voice &s;aying, <HI>A mea&s;ure of Wheat for a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Seal. <HI>Rev. 6. 5. 6.</HI></NOTE> <HI>penny, and three of Barly for a penny: &s;ee thou hurt not the Oil and Wine:</HI> by which mo&s;t Men deem dearth and famin to be meant; yet he rather re&s;embles it to the &s;evere ju&s;tice then executed. The di&s;clo&s;er is <HI>The third Bea&s;t with a Mans face,</HI> by one on <HI>A black Hor&s;, with a pair of Ballances in his hand:</HI> which is <HI>Septimius Severus</HI> an African: in who&s; reign was no noted famin, but famous ju&s;tice, wherof the Ballance is an Emblem. The pricing of Victuals &s;eems to &s;ound thus: take not Wheat or Barly from any til du price be paid, and keep the like law in Oil and Wine: that is defraud none, nor &s;teal or purloin for this <HI>Septimius</HI> and <HI>Alexander Severus</HI> (both of one name) &s;hortly &s;ucceding, were mo&s;t &s;trict ju&s;ticiars denoted in this third Seal. See <HI>Aurelius</HI> of the fir&s;t, and <HI>Lampridius</HI> of the la&s;t.</P>
<P>The fourth &s;hews <HI>Killing with the Sword, Hunger, Pe&s;tilence,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">4. Seal. <HI>Rev. 6. 7. 8.</HI></NOTE> <HI>and Bea&s;ts of the Earth:</HI> who&s; di&s;clo&s;er is <HI>The fourth Bea&s;t in &s;hape of an Eagle, pre&s;enting one who&s; name was Death, and Hel folowed; who rode on a pale Hor&s;, having power over a fourth part of the Earth.</HI> This is <HI>Maximinus</HI> a big barbarous Bubulc born in <HI>Thracia,</HI> under whom the Sword raged every wher. For in this Seals compas of thirty three yeers, ten lawful <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI> (wherof <HI>Maximin</HI> one) were &s;lain by the Souldiers, be&s;ides thirty u&s;urpers; as <HI>Oro&s;ius</HI> tels: wherof <HI>Galienus</HI> the la&s;t ex|ceded al the re&s;t far in &s;avage ferity, as <HI>Trebellius Pollio</HI> in|forms. In the &s;ame age al&s;o the pe&s;tilence prevailed for fiften yeers over al the Empire, as <HI>Zonaras</HI> te&s;tifies. La&s;tly folowed famin in mo&s;t ruful maner: for al was wa&s;ted by tho&s; wild Bea&s;ts, and tillage abandoned: &s;o that a fourth part of the Earth (or Empire) peri&s;hed.</P>
<P>The fift and &s;ixt Seals hav<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> no Bea&s;t to u&s;her them, nor any <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Seal.</NOTE> &s;itting on Hor&s;es; but mu&s;t begin wher the chance of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 6. 9. 10. 11.</NOTE> foregoing Seal left: <HI>viz.</HI> at <HI>Aurelians</HI> reign A. 268. when the fiften yeers pe&s;tilence cea&s;ed, <HI>In which the Souls of them &s;lain for Gods Word and Te&s;timony which they held, lay under the Altar crying aloud; how long Lord holy and tru, d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o&s;t thou not
<PB N="143" REF="151"> judg and avenge our Blood on them that dwel on Earth? The&s; had whit Robes given them, and were bid re&s;t a &s;mal &s;ea&s;on, til their felow-Servants or Brethren which were to be killed, &s;hould be fulfilled.</HI> This denots the grand per&s;ecution by <HI>Diocle&s;ian,</HI> which was longer and crueler then al former, as <HI>Oro&s;ius</HI> ob|&s;ervs. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 14 1. 4.</NOTE> For in <HI>Egypt</HI> only were ma&s;&s;acred 144000. &s;utable to the Virgins number, as <HI>Ignatius</HI> relats: be&s;ide infinit multi|tuds in al other Provinces.</P>
<P>The &s;ixth (<HI>at who&s; opening was a great Earthquake, the Sun</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">6 Seal. <HI>Rev 6. 12. ad &s;inem.</HI></NOTE> <HI>becam black as hairy Sackcloth, and Moon red as Blood</HI>) begins when the fifth ended A. 311. when <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> initiated, the per&s;ecution cea&s;ed, and heathen Idols with their Prie&s;ts, Tem|ples, and Sacrifices vani&s;hed: which is the fini&s;hing or fulfilling of Chri&s;ts victory founded in the fir&s;t Seal. By the Earthquake is under&s;tood the change of things turned top&s;y turvy: which tends not to the Empires Politic &s;tate, as the former Seals did; &s;ith 'tis not yet to be di&s;&s;olved: but as 'tis &s;ubject in a Reli|gious re&s;pect to Satan and his Angels; which was now broken in peeces with great noi&s;. The Suns blacknes and Moons rednes (betokening their Eclip&s;es) de&s;ign the Dragons down|fal with al Pagan Prie&s;thood. <HI>The Stars fel to Earth, as a Fig|tree ca&s;ts hir fruits being &s;haken by a mighty Wind: Heaven de|parted as a Scrole roled together: viz.</HI> the Stars appeered not, as letters rold up in a Book are not &s;een. This is taken from <HI>I&s;aiah: The Heavens &s;hal be roled up as a &s;cro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e, and al their</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 34 4.</NOTE> <HI>Ho&s;t fal as a leaf from the Vine, and Fig from the Figtree. Al Mountains and Ilands were moved from their places, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> Men of eminent quality and inferior: or by Iles may be meant their Temples invironed with Wals like ro<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ks. Tho&s; Ethnic Temples <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> only &s;hut up; which <HI>Julian</HI> &s;oon opened: but <HI>Theo|do&s;ius</HI> quit demoli&s;hed, and aboli&s;hed al reliques of Idol. wor|&s;hip. The Kings of the Earth, great Men, rich Men, cheif Cap|tains, mighty Men, bond and free hid them&s;elfs in dens and rocks; &s;aying to them, <HI>Fal on us, hide us from his face that &s;its on the Throne, and from the Lamb. For the great day of his Wrath is com, and who &s;hal be able to &s;tand?</HI> This &s;hews that al Chri&s;ts Enemies (<HI>Maximian, Galerius, Maxentius, Marti|mian, Licinius, Julian</HI> Emperors; with <HI>Eugenius</HI> and <HI>Arbo|ga&s;tes</HI>
<PB REF="152"> Tyrans) &s;hal peri&s;h mo&s;t mi&s;erably, and the Lamb get a &s;ignal victory. For mo&s;t per&s;ecutors feeling Gods judgments heavy on them, confe&s;&s;ed Chri&s;t to be only tru God, and gav him glory.</P>
<P>Here betwixt the &s;ixth and &s;eventh Seal, is interpo&s;ed a Vi|&s;ion <NOTE PLACE="marg">Int<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r&s;lice. Rev. 7 4.</NOTE> of Gods Servants &s;ealed (<HI>viz.</HI> 144000. which are the elect faithful Church) contemporizing with tho&s; &s;aid &s;ix &s;ails. This Vi&s;ion is twi&s;e cited: 1. At entrance of the Trumpets, wher 144000. of al I&s;raels Tribes are &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aled for their pre&s;ervation amid&s;t the Trumpets de&s;truction: 2. In oppo&s;ition to the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 4 1. 4. 5.</NOTE> Bea&s;ts reigning, wher they are caled Virgins, in who&s; mouth was found no guile, being free from fault before Gods throne; for prai&s; of their alleigance to God and the Lamb; when the re&s;t of the World revolted and received the Bea&s;ts mark. Hence 'tis cleer, that the Prophecy of the Bea&s;t, &s;ynchronizeth with the Trumpers: yet no further then going forth of the &s;ixth; when the Bea&s;ts forty two months ended with the Wit|ne&s;&s;es <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 14.</NOTE> 1260. dais. Now touching the fir&s;t Vi&s;ion of the Sealed, wher their pre&s;ervation is handled. After this I &s;aw four Angels <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 7. 1. Jer. 49. 36.</NOTE> &s;tand on the Earths four corners, holding the four Winds; that no wind &s;hould blow on the Earth, nor Sea, nor any Tree. The Angels (who are not the &s;ame with the Trumpeters) had <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 51. 1. 2.</NOTE> power to re&s;train the winds or tempe&s;ts of war: for the Para|bol of winds among Prophets, imports martial motions, ho|&s;til <NOTE PLACE="marg">D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n. 7. 1. 3.</NOTE> inva&s;ions, and violent impul&s;ions: which tho&s; Angels could curb out of what coa&s;ts or corners &s;oever they ro&s;e: til it plea&s; God to giv leav or liberty, that wars &s;hal rage and reign for <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 7. 2. 3.</NOTE> correcton of &s;in. <HI>I &s;aw another Angel</HI> (haply Chri&s;t) <HI>a&s;cend from the Ea&s;t, having the Seal of the living God who cried loud to the four Angels which had power given (by &s;etting the Winds free) to hurt the Earth and Sea; &s;aying, hurt not Earth, Sea, nor Trees til we hav &s;ealed Gods Servants in their Fore-heads; to &s;ever them from the plagues of others</HI> (as &s;om at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> wer<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> mark|ed which mu&s;t be pre&s;erved) <HI>le&s;t they &s;hould be damnified.</HI> For 'tis a wonder, how in that Empires grand va&s;tation by barbarous Aliens to Chri&s;t; the Church could continu amid&s;t tho&s; &s;torms (when al con&s;pired hir ruin, and the Bea&s;t polluted al places <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 7. 4 &amp;c.</NOTE> with fal&s; wor&s;hip) untainted and un&s;tained. <HI>I heard the num|ber</HI>
<PB N="144" REF="152"> of the Sealed which were one hundred forty four thou&s;and of al the Tribes, <HI>viz.</HI> twelv thou&s;and of ech, or twelv times twelv thou&s;and in al. Here the Gentils Church to be fenced with Gods Seal, is figured by the type of I&s;rael; the twelv Apo&s;tles aptly an&s;wering to the twelv Patriarchs: nor is it doon without good cau&s;; &s;pecialy &s;ith the Church, &s;ince the Jews rejection, is to be gathered of the Gentils, and fitly &s;tiled &s;urrogated I&s;rael: whom God owned a while, til the fulnes of the Gentils was com in &s;tead: Hence S. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Jews</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">11. 11. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">5</NOTE> <HI>fal brought &s;alvation to the Gentils, and their ca&s;ting off was the Worlds reconciling.</HI> Not that el&s; they &s;hould not be caled in du time (for al the Prophets proclaim it) but not by way of &s;ub&s;titution or &s;urrogation to the Jews, unles they had fir&s;t re|nounced Chri&s;t: So St. <HI>Paul</HI> tels them; <HI>It was nece&s;&s;ary the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 13. 46.</NOTE> <HI>Word &s;hould be opened to you fir&s;t: but &s;ith ye reject it, and judg your &s;elfs unworthy of eternal life; Lo we turn to the Gen|tils.</HI></P>
<P>This number of 12, multiplied by 12 times 12, is an En&s;ign of Apo&s;tolic Race, or Pro&s;apy: for as the Bea&s;ts number (666) denots tho&s; which folow him: &s;o the Apo&s;tles number de&s;igns their legitimat of-&s;pring. The Analogy of new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 21. 12. 14. 16.</NOTE> &s;hews the &s;ame: in the frame wherof, the dimen&s;ions of Gates, Foundations, Courts, compas of Wals, Longitud, Latitud, Al|titud, expre&s;&s; the number of 12 or multiplication by 12. Of the Tribe of <HI>Juda, Reuben, Gad, A&s;er, Nepthali, Mana&s;&s;es, Si|m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">on, Levi, I&s;achar, Zabulon, Jo&s;eph, Benjamin</HI> were &s;ealed twelv thou&s;and in ech; which Tribes are no wher in Scripture &s;o reckoned, yet diver&s;ly regi&s;tred: for <HI>Dan</HI> and <HI>Ephraim</HI> are here excluded, and in the re&s;t no birth-order ob&s;erved: but the la&s;t mix'd with the middle, and younger Sons of Hand|maids &s;et before the elder-born of Wifes Sons. This no doubt <NOTE PLACE="marg">Judg. 17. Judg. 18.</NOTE> is doon for &s;om my&s;tery hid in &s;o unu&s;ual order: for <HI>Dan</HI> and <HI>Ephraim</HI> are rejected from this type, as being chief Coriphees of the Idolatrous Apo&s;ta&s;y under the Judges: <HI>Ergo</HI> unfit to pre&s;ent Profe&s;&s;ors of tru Religion: yet to complet the number, <HI>L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">vi</HI> is &s;et for <HI>Dan,</HI> and <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> tacitly &s;upplies <HI>Eph<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aim:</HI> but the Wifes and Handmaids Sons promi&s;cuou&s;ly inter&s;erted, and Handmaids Children adopted for their Dames; to &s;hew or
<PB REF="153"> &s;ignify that both bond and free are al one in Chri&s;t. Sith then <HI>Leahs</HI> Sons (Natural and Adopted) are duple to <HI>Rachels:</HI> in the fir&s;t &s;ix are four of <HI>Leahs (Juda, Reuben, Gad, A&s;er)</HI> and two of <HI>Rachels, Nepthali, Mana&s;&s;es:</HI> So among the la&s;t &s;ix, four of <HI>Leahs (Simeon, Levi, I&s;achar, Zabulon)</HI> and two of <HI>Ra|chels, Jo&s;eph, Benjamin:</HI> but on both &s;ides tho&s; are preplaced or preferred, which holy Writ commends for &s;om memorable act touching Gods Wor&s;hip or Zele. As <HI>Juda</HI> is prime, becau&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo&s;ua 22. 21.</NOTE> Chri&s;t i&s;&s;ued of that Tribe: <HI>Reuben</HI> next for their &s;acred pro|te&s;tation about the Altar of Witnes built on <HI>Jordans</HI> bank: wherby, and becau&s; fir&s;t born, he mu&s;t &s;toop to none &s;av the Re|gal Tribe. <HI>Gad</HI> is third, being <HI>Reubens</HI> companion in that fa|mous action: as al&s;o in that <HI>Eliah</HI> and <HI>Jehu</HI> De&s;troiers of Baali&s;m de&s;cended of that Tribe. <HI>A&s;er</HI> fourth, becau&s; the wi|dow of <HI>Sarepta</HI> (who fed <HI>Eliah</HI>) and the Prophete&s;&s; <HI>Anna</HI> (who proclamed Chri&s;t at his pre&s;enting in the Temple) &s;prung of this Tribe. <HI>Leahs</HI> la&s;t quaternion (<HI>Simeon, Levi, I&s;achar, Zabulon</HI>) are not &s;o renowned as the re&s;t or bla&s;ted with &s;om Crime. Among <HI>Rachels</HI> i&s;&s;u, <HI>Nepthali</HI> and <HI>Mana&s;&s;es</HI> lead the Family: for from the fir&s;t &s;prung <HI>Barach Si&s;eras</HI> Vanqui&s;her; from the la&s;t <HI>Gidion</HI> &s;ubverter of <HI>Baals</HI> Altar, and <HI>Eli&s;aeus</HI> the Prophet: But <HI>Nepthali</HI> more noted, becau&s; his Seat is <HI>Galile</HI> and chief City <HI>Capernaum,</HI> wher Chri&s;t mo&s;t conver&s;ed. Yet <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> and <HI>Benjamin,</HI> being younge&s;t, bring up the Rere: But <HI>Ephraim,</HI> guilty of much Apo&s;tat Idolatry in <HI>Jeroboam</HI> and <HI>Achab;</HI> be&s;ide that <HI>Saul</HI> a Benjamit hated <HI>David</HI> a Judait. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cen&s;ure.</NOTE> Thus the order of the &s;ealed Tribes is explicated; which is a curious Cobweb of wit, if of &s;o much worth, or congruous to the holy Gho&s;ts intention; but 'tis briefly, plainly, and truly pre&s;ented, to &s;atisfy al &s;ubtle or &s;erious &s;peculators.</P>
<P>Under the &s;ix foregoing Seals, the Empires &s;tate yet flori&s;h|ing til Idols &s;hould fal, is de&s;cribed by inte&s;tin Chances: Now &s;ucceds the &s;eventh or la&s;t Seal of the &s;even Trumpets; wherin <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 Seal.</NOTE> the de&s;tinies of its decay are di&s;plaied: for they &s;ound Alarms to the fatal battle, for the blood of &s;o many Martyrs &s;lain by Roman Emperors. Now though they becam Chri&s;tians, yet that &s;taid not Gods hand from avenging tho&s; which cried un|der the Altar; no more then <HI>Jo&s;iahs</HI> godlines did from de&s;troy|ing
<PB N="145" REF="153"> the Kingdom of <HI>Juda,</HI> for the Idolatries and murders of <HI>Mana&s;&s;es.</HI> At opening this Seal was &s;ilence in Heaven half an <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 8. 1. 2. 3. 4 5. 6.</NOTE> hour: when &s;even Angels had &s;even trumpets given them: and another &s;tanding at the golden Altar with a golden Cen&s;er, offere<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> much In&s;en&s; with the praiers of the Saints. Then were Voices, Thundrings, Lightnings, and an Earthquake being al prepatories to tho&s; trumpets. Al Divines know, that the works of divine Providence are executed by Angels or Me&s;|&s;engers, and tho&s; &s;even prepared to &s;ound: but the four fir&s;t Plagues of le&s;&s; moment or extent then the re&s;t: which re&s;t mo&s;t|ly on the We&s;tern World or Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome,</HI> who was to be Head. For the Empire with other Kingdoms, is tacitly re|&s;embled to the Worlds body; who&s; parts are Earth, Sea, Ri|vers, Heaven, Stars which every Monarchy re&s;embleth. The often repetition of a third part (as of Trees, Earth, Sea, Ri|vers, Heaven) implies the Empires extent over a third part of the then known World in St. <HI>Johns</HI> dais: as afterward the &s;e|ven headed Dragon with ten horns (<HI>i.</HI> that heathen Empire) drew a third part of the Stars (or Princes and Rulers under <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. 3. 4.</NOTE> his Dominion) with his tail, and ca&s;t them to the Earth. <HI>The</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.</NOTE> <HI>fir&s;t Angel &s;ounded, and Hail and Fire mixd with Blood fel on the Earth, and a third part of Trees was burnt up, with al green gra&s;&s;. The &s;ecund &s;ounded, and as it were a great Mountain was ca&s;t into the Sea, which turned a third part into Blood, and a third part of al Creatures therin that had life died, and a third part of Ships de&s;troied. The third &s;ounded, and a great Star (caled Wormwood) fel from Heaven, burning like a Lamp; which fel on a third part of Rivers and Fountains, making them bitter, that many Men died of them. The fourth &s;ounded, and a third part of the Sun was &s;miten, with a third of the Moon, and Stars: &s;o as a third part was darkened, and a third part of the day &s;hone not, nor of the night.</HI></P>
<P>The fir&s;t Trumpet entring at the Roman Idol Government <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Trumpet.</NOTE> (which was &s;haken at end of the &s;ixth &s;eal) being ready to &s;trike the fir&s;t blow, de&s;trois a third part of the Ea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">th with a <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 28. 2. I&s;ai 30. 30.</NOTE> terrible tempe&s;t of Hail, Fire, and Blood: which was the im|petuous irruption of Northern Nations, wa&s;ting the Nobles and Commons. For Hail in Prophetic notion indicats ho&s;til
<PB REF="154"> a&s;&s;alts: but lightning and fire is joind with it (as <HI>David</HI> doth) <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 18. 12. 13.</NOTE> wherto blood is added, to &s;hew great &s;laughter in&s;uing. Trees in Prophetic Parabols imply great Lords and rich Men: as Okes of <HI>Ba&s;anI&s;ai</HI> 2. 13. Cedars <HI>I&s;ai</HI> 14. 8. Firtrees <HI>Zech.</HI> 11. 2. in al which places Princes and Potentats are pourtraid: but green gra&s;&s; imports the Commons. To apply it, the Wo of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Applicat</NOTE> this Trumpet began at <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> death A. 395. when <HI>Alaric</HI> with a va&s;t Army of <HI>Goths</HI> and other Barbarians, broke in up|on <HI>Macedon,</HI> and raged fiv yeers; but then betook to the We&s;t, committing mo&s;t &s;avage &s;poils and &s;laughters in al parts: as <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epi&s;t 3.</NOTE> St. <HI>Jerom</HI> an Ey witnes wofully relats. At la&s;t he invaded <HI>Italy,</HI> and be&s;ieged <HI>Honorius</HI> at <HI>Ha&s;ta:</HI> who&s; Lieftenent <HI>Stilico</HI> levy|ing pui&s;&s;ant forces, re&s;i&s;ted his fury, and repeld him to <HI>Panno|nia;</HI> who by compo&s;ition retired to <HI>Illyricum</HI> in the Ea&s;t. Soon after <HI>Rhadagai&s;o</HI> a Scythian with 200000. <HI>Goths, Sarmatians,</HI> and <HI>Germans</HI> attempted <HI>Italy</HI> and be&s;ieged <HI>Florence:</HI> but <HI>Stilico</HI> &s;ubdued and beheaded him. Immediatly a &s;warm of <HI>Vandals, Alans, Marcomans, Heruli, Suevi, Almans, Burgundians,</HI> and other barbarians broke into <HI>Galle, Spain,</HI> and <HI>Africa;</HI> as St. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epi&s;t. 11.</NOTE> <HI>Jerom</HI> al&s;o dolefully declares. This is that direful Hail &s;torm mixd with fire and blood: for &s;undry writers (<HI>Achmetes</HI> and others) aptly re&s;emble War by &s;uch Meteors and Meta|phors.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Trumpet.</NOTE> The next Trumpet (the Empire being enough wa&s;ted on the Earth therof) a&s;&s;ails the Sea with a far greater &s;troke, killing the living Creatures, and de&s;troying Ships. For <HI>Rome</HI> the Me|tropolis being once or twi&s;e taken, and burnt with ho&s;til flames; the Enemies po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed the out Provinces at plea&s;ure, and &s;et up &s;everal Kingdoms: which is &s;ignified by the Sea of that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 31 36. I&s;ai 19 5. Ezek 31. 4. Ezek. 14. 19 Rev. 16. 3.</NOTE> Politic World. So <HI>Babylons</HI> dominion is expre&s;&s;ed, wher the Lord threatens to dry up the Sea and &s;prings. The A&s;&s;yrian Kingdoms amplitud is de&s;cribed by the &s;ame Metaphor: the deep or Sea hath exalted hir. 'Tis &s;aid of <HI>Pharaohs</HI> Kingdom, the waters &s;hal fail from the Sea therof, or his Dominion &s;hal be bereaved. So the four great Bea&s;ts or Kingdoms ro&s;e from the Sea, which implies largenes of Dominion <HI>Dan.</HI> 7. 3. Now a third part of the Roman Sea becam blood, which denots &s;laughter of Animals, and inanimats ruin too: therfore the
<PB N="146" REF="154"> Sea becoming blood by a great Mountains fal, betokens vio|lent de&s;truction, as a Bea&s;t is butchered bleeding. For &s;o 'tis &s;aid in the Phials, that the Sea becam as the blood of a dead Man or one &s;lain. The like my&s;tery of a Mountain meant by a City, is applyed to old <HI>Babylon,</HI> even a Mountain burning <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 51. 25.</NOTE> with fire as here. For point of Hi&s;tory, <HI>Alaric</HI> after <HI>Stilicos</HI> death returned as a Ram, and took <HI>Rome;</HI> creating <HI>Attalus</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 410.</NOTE> the <HI>Hun</HI> Emperor: whom he &s;oon depo&s;ed, and reinthroned <HI>Honorius.</HI> Immediatly in&s;ued a total renting of the Empire, which was &s;hortly &s;hared into ten Stats or Soveraignties: 1. <HI>Brytans, 2. Saxons</HI> in this Ile: 3. <HI>Francs</HI> in <HI>Galle: 4. Bur|gundians</HI> in <HI>Belgia: 5. Vi&s;i-Goths</HI> in <HI>Aquitain</HI> and part of <HI>Spain: 6. Sueds</HI> in <HI>Gallaecia: 7. Alans</HI> in <HI>Lu&s;itania: 8. Van|dals</HI> in <HI>Africa: 9. Almans</HI> in <HI>Germany: 10. O&s;tr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">-Goths</HI> in <HI>Pannonia</HI> be&s;ide <HI>Greecs</HI> in the Ea&s;t Empire, which is counted one of the ten, when the We&s;t was di&s;&s;olved; in al which be|fel notable changes. Howbeit the number of ten is not taken &s;o &s;trickly, as if &s;hould be no mo, nor fewer, nor other: but that it &s;hould be &s;evered into about ten. So after <HI>Alexander,</HI> four Kingdoms are predicted (<HI>Macedon, A&s;ia, Syria, Egypt</HI>) <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 8. 22.</NOTE> yet a fifth of <HI>Thracia</HI> was added by <HI>Ly&s;imachus,</HI> which ended with his life.</P>
<P>The third Trumpet is of a Star falen from Heaven (burning <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Trumpet.</NOTE> like a Lamp) on the third part of Rivers and Waters, named Wormwood; making the waters bitter, wherof many died. This is meant of <HI>He&s;perus</HI> or we&s;t <HI>Cae&s;ar:</HI> who after <HI>Gen&s;eri|cus</HI> K. of <HI>Vandals</HI> had &s;acked <HI>Rome,</HI> fel headlong to ruin; &s;trugling a while with death, under the ob&s;cure Emperors <HI>Avitus, Majoranus, Severus, Anthemius Olybius, Glicerius, Nepos, Augu&s;tulus:</HI> who were Princes of baleful bitternes, and peri&s;hed by mutual Ma&s;&s;acres or Trecheries. <HI>Augu&s;tulus</HI> (which is an ominous diminutiv of the fir&s;t founder) was ex|peld by <HI>Odoacer</HI> K. of <HI>Heruli</HI> but when the we&s;t Empire lay <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. A. C. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. Note.</NOTE> buried 324 yeers, P. <HI>Leo</HI> 3. &s;urrogated <HI>Charlemaign</HI> to be Emperor: becau&s; under this coverture of <HI>Cae&s;ar</HI> revived (or the Bea&s;ts &s;ixth Head &s;til reigning) the Pope may not be re|puted &s;eventh or la&s;t which is Antichri&s;t; as is too evident to every judicious Ey. This Papal <HI>Cae&s;ar</HI> pertains not to the
<PB REF="155"> Heads of the Roman Bea&s;t, but to the Horns or Kingdoms, into which it was to be torn: being ready to re&s;ign his room to the la&s;t &s;eventh Head. By the Star burning as a Lamp, the blazing Star <HI>Lampadios</HI> is de&s;cribed: and &s;uch is the <HI>He&s;perian Cae&s;ar</HI> great in dignity, but of &s;hort durance; who&s; coming mu&s;t continu but a &s;hort &s;pace. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> &s;aith of <HI>Babylons</HI> King, <HI>How art thou falen from Heaven, O Lucifer Son of the morn|ing?</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 14. 12.</NOTE> For by Stars great Princes, Powers, and Potentats are figured.</P>
<P>The fourth &s;ounded greater calamities of darkning the Sun, <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Trumpet.</NOTE> Moon, and Stars of Roman Maje&s;ty which before &s;hined dimly under O&s;tro Goth Kings. For after the Con&s;ul&s;hip failed, and <HI>Totila</HI> demoli&s;hed a third part of <HI>Rome;</HI> it was in &s;om &s;ort re|&s;tored <NOTE PLACE="marg">A&punc; C. 542.</NOTE> by <HI>Beli&s;arius</HI> and <HI>Nar&s;etes Ju&s;tinians</HI> brav Commanders: but now this Worlds Queen was &s;tripd of al Con&s;ular power, Senat, and Magi&s;trats, which as Stars gav great light: yea be|cam in&s;laved to the Exarchat of <HI>Ravenna</HI> hir Handmaid va&s;|&s;al. <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 1. 1. Jer. 31. 35.</NOTE> <HI>O deep darknes, how doth the City &s;it &s;olitary that was ful of People? How is &s;he becom a Widow? She that was Queen among Nations and Prince&s;&s; of Provinces; how is &s;he made tribu|tary?</HI> This is that &s;miting of Sun, Moon, Stars that they could giv no light by day or night. For when Senat, Con&s;uls, and other Officers were &s;uppre&s;d, what could be but a total E|clip&s;, &s;uch as never was before? Next folow three Trumpets of Wo (&s;o &s;tiled, becau&s; an Angel flying through Heaven cried Wo, Wo, Wo to the Earths inhabiters) which are the mo&s;t grievous of al. For when tho&s; of the Chri&s;tian Empire had de|filed them&s;elfs with Idol-Images of a new &s;tamp, during the four former Trumpets &s;ounding; God &s;ent tho&s; new plagues to puni&s;h a duple &s;in: one for the Martyrs deaths under Hea|then <HI>Rome;</HI> the other for Iconolatry under Chri&s;tians: as 'tis <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20.</NOTE> intimated, that they wor&s;hiped the Devil, and Idols of Gold, Silver, Bra&s;&s;, Stone, and Wood.</P>
<P>The fifth or fir&s;t Wo Trumpet is of Locu&s;ts ri&s;ing from the <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Trumpet. <HI>Rev. 9. 1. 10 12,</HI></NOTE> &s;moke of the bottomle&s;&s; Pit: which is meant of Mahometans &s;educed by their P&s;eudo-prophet to the perdition of many Na|tions. This &s;moke ob&s;cured the Go&s;pels light latly &s;hining <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 10&punc; 13 14.</NOTE> abroad, who&s; profe&s;&s;ors rightly re&s;emble Locu&s;ts in many re|&s;pects.
<PB N="147" REF="155"> For tho&s; which plagued <HI>Egypt</HI> cam from <HI>Arabia,</HI> wher Mahomet &s;pred his Helli&s;h &s;moke, and the <HI>Arabs</HI> likened to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Judg 7. 12.</NOTE> them for multitud. They are al&s;o &s;tiled Sons of the Ea&s;t re|lating to <HI>Egypt,</HI> wher the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ralites learned &s;o to term them. <HI>Achmetes</HI> refers Locu&s;ts to troops of Enemies, which devour orde&s;troy Countries. The&s; are compared to Scorpions for pow|er and fo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m having tails like Scorpions: &s;o they were Locu&s;ts-Scorpions, which had power in their teeth, and poi&s;on in their tails. The&s; were forbid to hurt gra&s;&s;, trees, or any green thing (as the common &s;ort doo) but only M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n not marked with Gods Seal: &s;o no Natural but Symbolical vermin are here im|plied. They were like Hor&s;es prepared to battle, with Mens faces and Womens hair; but had Lyons teeth with bre&s;t-plats of Iron, and &s;ound of their Wings as Chariots of many Hor&s;es running to battle. Al which import armed Souldiers, as the Sarra&s;ens erected a va&s;t Kingdom by war; yet &s;ubdued not the Ea&s;t Empire like the Turcs. For while the former Trum|pets &s;ounded, a new pontifical State &s;tarted up from the ruins of the old Politic; but Sarra&s;ens &s;ubverted neither: who&s; King|dom crept up to &s;o &s;udden greatnes as never any: for <HI>Maho|met</HI> was but a Merchant (as <HI>Romulus</HI> a Shepherd) who&s; King|dom in one Century &s;ubjected <HI>Pale&s;tine, Syria, Armenia, mi|nor</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Plin. l 6 c 28. l. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. c. 29.</NOTE> <HI>A&s;ia, Per&s;ia, India, Egypt, Numidia, Barbary, Portugal, Spain,</HI> and part of <HI>Italy:</HI> be&s;ide <HI>S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cil, Sardinia, Cor&s;ica,</HI> and other Iles; wheras 500. yeers expired, yer <HI>Rome</HI> &s;ubdued al <HI>Italy.</HI> They had long hair like women, as <HI>Arabs</HI> then and &s;til u&s;e: who&s; durance to de&s;troy was but fiv months, as Locu&s;ts com at Spring and dy in Autumn, leaving Egs in the Earth to increa&s; their i&s;&s;u They had a King (the Angel of the bottom|le&s;&s; Pit, caled <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n Hebrew Abaddon, in Greec Apollyon, de|&s;troier) which imports them Infidels or Children of unbeleef &s;ubject to the Prince of the Air, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith: wheras <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Eph. 2. v.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> Chri&s;tians are freed from Sarans power, and converted to God. This Prince cald before the Devil, old Serpent, Satan, Dragon; is here new named Abaddon: wheras Mahometans profes to wor&s;hip one &s;ole God <HI>Demiurgus</HI> Maker of the uni|ver&s;; to whom they giv the Epither Abdi or Abada <HI>i.</HI> Eternal: wheras the holy Gho&s;t givs this King a title of &s;emblable &s;ound
<PB REF="156"> but oppo&s;it &s;en&s; <HI>Abaddon</HI> the Worlds de&s;troier, in&s;tead of <HI>De|miurgus</HI> the Maker.</P>
<P>The &s;ixth, or &s;ecund of Wo, hath a voice from the four horns <NOTE PLACE="marg">6 Trumpet. <HI>Rev.</HI> 9. 13. to 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> of the golden Altar &s;aying, <HI>Loo&s; the four Angels which are bound at the river Euphrates.</HI> The&s; Angels being Patrons of tho&s; parts, metaphoricaly &s;ignify the confining Nations, which breaking in upon the Roman Regions, &s;topped a few ages neer this River, but are now loo&s;ed. They may probably imply the Turcs four Sultanies or Signiories (<HI>A&s;ia minor, Aleppo, Dama&s;|cus, Antioch</HI>) but becau&s; <HI>Antioch</HI> lying a little remot from <HI>Eu|phrates,</HI> la&s;ted but fourten yeers, being &s;urpri&s;ed by <HI>Boemund</HI> in the holy war; &s;om in&s;tead reckon <HI>Bagdet</HI> beyond <HI>Euphrates</HI> in <HI>Per&s;ia.</HI> Such was their State at fir&s;t irruption under <HI>Trogul|becus</HI> or <HI>Tongrolipix,</HI> who took <HI>Bagdet An. 1008. Seididrud|dulas</HI> or <HI>Cutlumu&s;es</HI> Nephew to <HI>Tangrolipix,</HI> founded the A&s;ian Kingdom <HI>An. 1012. Siarfuddulas</HI> &s;ubdued <HI>Aleppo An. 1079. Tagaddaulas</HI> another <HI>Nephew</HI> of <HI>Tangrolipix</HI> &s;urpri&s;ed <HI>Dama&s;cus</HI> at the &s;ame time. Al which Angels were long limit|ed to tho&s; parts with manifold changes, and now at la&s;t let loo&s;; being prepared for an Hour, a Day, Month, and Yeer, that they might &s;lay the third part of Men.</P>
<P>This loo&s;ing befel, when the Tartars aboli&s;hed <HI>Bagdets</HI> Ca|liph&s;hip <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 1621.</NOTE> <HI>An.</HI> 1258. and the Turcs were ca&s;t as it were with a &s;ling into the Empires territories on this &s;ide <HI>Euphrates.</HI> For the Latins (who &s;taid their incur&s;ions two hundred yeers) were about that time driven out of <HI>Syria</HI> and <HI>Pale&s;tine.</HI> Then the Turcs &s;hared le&s;&s;er <HI>A&s;ia,</HI> til <HI>Ottoman</HI> grew great: who&s; Son <HI>Orchanes</HI> entred <HI>Europ,</HI> and his fith Succe&s;&s;or <HI>Mahomet</HI> 2. took <HI>Con&s;tantinople;</HI> which is that &s;laughter of a third part of Men here intimated; as the time (a Day, Month, and Yeer) plainly indicats. For a Prophetic Day implies one yeer, a <NOTE PLACE="marg">A nice ob&s;er|vation if v<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ri table.</NOTE> Month thirty, a yeer three hundred three&s;core and fiv, in al three hundred ninty &s;ix. Now <HI>Tangrolipix</HI> was inaugurated King of <HI>Per&s;ia An.</HI> 1057. and <HI>Con&s;tantinople</HI> &s;acked <HI>An.</HI> 1453. ju&s;t 396. yeers a&s;under. Haply the very hour (which in that proportion makes fiften dais) agreed al&s;o with the event, if <HI>Almachinus</HI> had recorded the Month of his Inauguration &s;o wel as the yeer. They are &s;aid to be Hor&s;men (as Turcs and Per&s;ians are mo then
<PB N="148" REF="156"> Foot) in number two hundred thou&s;and thou&s;and; which in|timats huge Armies, as <HI>David</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Charets of God are</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;al.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">8 17.</NOTE> <HI>twenty thou&s;and, even thou&s;ands of Angels:</HI> &s;uch va&s;t Armies the Ea&s;t Nations bring into field. <HI>I heard</HI> (&s;aith <HI>John) the num|ber of them, viz.</HI> by voice; for he cannot &s;ee numbers in Vi&s;i|on: and &s;o mu&s;t other places be under&s;tood, which appeer not by Vi&s;ion. <HI>Ezekiel</HI> in his Prophecy again&s;t <HI>Gog</HI> the land of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 38. 2, 3.</NOTE> <HI>Magog,</HI> chief Prince of <HI>Me&s;ech</HI> and <HI>Tubal</HI> (from whom Tures de&s;cend) de&s;cribes them to be <HI>Hor&s;men armed:</HI> for Per&s;ians and Parthians take name of <HI>Paras</HI> a Hor&s; or Hor&s;man: But Turcs, &s;ince their long plantations ther, are by <HI>Nicetas</HI> and others ca|led Per&s;ians: So the&s; <HI>Euphratean</HI> Hor&s;men are Turco-Per&s;ians. They had bre&s;t-plats of fire, Jacinthian &s;moke and brim&s;tone; which is no wher el&s; in Scripture: <HI>Ergo</HI> it may wel allud to Guns: and the Hor&s;es heads were like Lions, out of who<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> mouths i&s;&s;ued fire, &s;moke, and brim&s;tone, by which a third part of Men was killed. For the Turcs u&s;ed Guns (latly before in|vented) <NOTE PLACE="marg">See <HI>Chal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">di|las.</HI></NOTE> at &s;iege of <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> and &s;lu a third part of In|habitants; as their Succe&s;&s;ors did &s;ince at <HI>Corinth</HI> and other Cities. Such &s;harp &s;awces make meats &s;eem more &s;avoury, and Mr. <HI>Mede</HI> hath many &s;uch unvulgar unparalleld Annotations. The Hor&s;mens power was in their mouths and tails, having tails like Serpents, and heads, with both which to doo hurt. So Sara&s;ens are &s;aid to hav &s;harp tails of Scorpions; which is tru of Turcs, who had tails of Serpents; &s;ignifying their Mahome|tan &s;ubtlety or impo&s;ture, wherby both did more mi&s;chief then by the Sword. <HI>The re&s;t of Men which were not killed by the&s; plagues, repented not of their works, that they &s;hould not wor&s;hip Devils and Idols of gold, &amp;c. which can neither hear, &s;ee, nor walk: Nor of their Murders, Sorceries, Fornication, and Thefts.</HI> This is manife&s;tly meant of Chri&s;tians in the Roman Empire, which wor&s;hip Images made of tho&s;e metals and ma|terials: for none but they doo <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> on this &s;ide <HI>Euphrates.</HI> The&s; indeed are no Devils or unclean Spirits, &s;ith no Chri&s;tians wil <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim 4. 1 2 3.</NOTE> wittingly or willingly wor&s;hip &s;uch: But Demoniacs or Dea|&s;tri, dead Men Deified, whom they make Mediators of Inter|ce&s;&s;ion betwen God and Men.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;eventh Trumpet (or third of Wo) is ready to &s;ound: but</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 Trumpet, <HI>Rev. 10 v. 1, &amp;c.</HI></NOTE>
<PB REF="157"> <HI>a mighty Angel cam from Heaven clothed with a Cloud, a Rain|bow on his Head, his Face as the Sun, and Feet pillars of Fire. He had in his hand a little Book open; who &s;et his right foot on the Sea, and left on Earth; crying loud, as when a lyon roars, and &s;even thunders uttered their voices. John was about to write it; but a voice from Heaven &s;aid, &s;eal up the&s; things which the &s;even thunders uttered, and write not. Then the Angel lift|ed his hand to Heaven, and &s;wore by him that livs for ever; that Time &s;hal be no more: But in the dais of the &s;eventh Angels voice, when he &s;hal begin to &s;ound; the my&s;tery of God &s;hould be fini&s;hed, as he declared to his &s;ervants the Prophets.</HI> The &s;ound of this &s;eventh Trumpet &s;hould &s;ucced the &s;ixth, but is &s;uper|&s;eded by the litle Book intervening: yet le&s;t ought be omitted in the interim to fulfil the Prophecy of Seals; the holy. Gho&s;t &s;hews the la&s;t trumpets event in general: <HI>viz.</HI> that at &s;ound ther|of the Roman Bea&s;t being de&s;troid, and the la&s;t heads time com to an end, the my&s;tery of God &s;hal be fini&s;hed, as he foretold his Prophets. For &s;o 'tis declared to <HI>Daniel,</HI> that the fourth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan 7. 13. 14.</NOTE> Bea&s;t being &s;lain, the Son of Man or King of Saints &s;hould rule over the World and the gratious promi&s;es of re&s;toring I&s;rael be fulfilled. The fini&s;hing of which my&s;tery is Chri&s;ts glorious Kingdom, which aro&s;e or appeered at &s;ound of the 7 Ttrumpet: when the grand acclamation of Voices in Heaven was heard &s;aying, <HI>The Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 15.</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;ts, who &s;hal reign for ever.</HI> What can be cleerer? <HI>Ergo</HI> the Time which the Angel &s;wore &s;hal be no more, is the period of al four Monarchies in general, or Roman in &s;pecial; which is one effect of a time, times, and half. This con&s;ummation of Gods my&s;tery is the matter of the &s;eventh trumpet attended with &s;even thunders, which uttered their voices while the An|gel proclamed it, and &s;ynchronize with that trumpet: But <HI>John</HI> is bid to &s;eal up tho&s; things of the thunders, being in&s;crutable til the proper times that God &s;hal revele it. This trumpet di&s;|covers the my&s;tery re&s;erved to another place: but both Pro|phecies of the Seals and litle Book, are concluded with one i&s;&s;u, which this trumpet exhibits: the ful opening wherof is deferd, til a ful pa&s;&s;age be made to the litle Books new Prophe|cy, and then the &s;eventh trumpets my&s;tery (which is the Cata|&s;trophe)
<PB N="149" REF="157"> is aptly and amply declared, as &s;hal be &s;hewed. Hence this bu&s;ines is undertaken by no other Angels, but by that ex|cellent one, who held in his hand the litle Book eaten by <HI>John.</HI> If that Angel be Chri&s;t (as his Roial attire and furniture im|ports) this &s;u&s;pending the la&s;t &s;ound in favor of the other Pro|phecy, agrees to none &s;o wel as him: but if it were <HI>Michael</HI> the great Prince, or another Angel clothed in linnen, and his <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <HI>Dan.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 6.</NOTE> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oins girded with fine gold of <HI>&V;phaz,</HI> as appeered to <HI>Daniel;</HI> the ca&s;e alters not, being from God.</P>
<P>Here the fir&s;t part or Prophecy of Seals ends touching the <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Part.</NOTE> Empires affairs: the next or nobler concerns the Churches fate to be agitated. <HI>John</HI> proceds herein: <HI>The voice which I heard</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev</HI> 10. 8, 9<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 10, 11.</NOTE> <HI>from Heaven &s;pake to me again &s;aying, Take the litle open Book in the Angels hand, who oat it up</HI> as he was bid; wherby he was prepared to Prophecy again before many People, Nations, Toungs, and Kings: but the my&s;tery to be reveled, was &s;weet as hony in his mouth, and the &s;ecret part of the Churches wo|ful condition bitter as Aloes in his maw: the repre&s;entation is taken from <HI>Ezekiel.</HI> The Prophecy proceds, which begins from <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek 3. 1, 2, 3.</NOTE> his work about Gods Temple<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> which pre&s;ents the Churches duple &s;tate by two Courts; one mea&s;ured, and another ca&s;t out. <HI>Ther was given me a reed like a rod, and the Angel &s;aid,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 11. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>mea&s;ure Gods Temple, and Altar, and them that wor&s;hip: but the Court without mea&s;ure not; for 'tis given to the Gentils, who &s;hal tread the holy City under foot forty two Months.</HI> Here the primitiv &s;tate of Chri&s;ts Church conformable to Gods Word, is de&s;cribed by mea&s;uring the inner Court: the type wherof an Angel &s;hewed to <HI>Ezekiel.</HI> The outer Court not to <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ezek</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> be mea&s;ured, &s;ets forth Gods holy City or Chri&s;tian Church: which mu&s;t be given to new Idolaters, caled Gentils, becau&s; they defiled it with Antichri&s;tian Apo&s;ta&s;y fourty two annal months, as &s;hal be fully handled in the Story of the two horn'd Bea&s;t contemporizing herwith. <HI>Jeru&s;alems</HI> Temple had two Courts: 1 Inner, wher the burnt Offrings Altar &s;tood at the <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> Temples entry, which was open only to Prie&s;ts and Levits. 2 Outer or great Court, common to the People, cald the Court of <HI>I&s;rael.</HI></P>
<P>The fir&s;t, termed <HI>Thya&s;terium,</HI> or Altar of Sacrafice, <HI>John</HI> is
<PB REF="158"> bid to mea&s;ure: but ths outer is given the Gentils to prophane fourty two months. If it be &s;aid, 'tis the holy City, not out Court, which mu&s;t be troden under foot: 'Tis an&s;wered, that both are one, and cald the holy City, becau&s; People a&s;&s;embled here for holy Services. To tho&s; <HI>Herod,</HI> at rebuilding the Tem|ple, added a third for Gentils and unclean per&s;ons, who were prohibited the two others. <HI>I wil giv power to my two witne&s;&s;es,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 3, 4, 5.</NOTE> <HI>who &s;hal Prophecy in &s;ackcloth one thou&s;and two hundred three|&s;core dais: the&s; are two Oliv Trees and two Candle &s;ticks &s;tand|ing before the God of the Earth. If any wil hurt them fire pro|ceds from their mouths to devour their Enemies; and if any wil hurt them he mu&s;t thus be killed.</HI> The&s; mourning witne&s;&s;es are Preachers or Patrons of divine truth; which &s;hal bewail the filthy pollution of Chri&s;ts Church Idolizing like Gentils: as Monitors to de&s;i&s;t from their abomination, and guids for the Saints to per&s;i&s;t pure. They are named two according to three famous Pairs in the old Te&s;tament; <HI>viz. Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> in the wildernes; <HI>Elias</HI> and <HI>Eli&s;aeus</HI> under the Baalitic Apo&s;ta&s;y; <HI>Zerobabel</HI> and <HI>Je&s;ua</HI> at the Babyloni&s;h Captivity: For they &s;ympathi&s;e with tho&s; types in number, power, and acts: as the &s;tate of the Church when the&s; Prophecied &s;uting with that of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> is re&s;embled to the wildernes, Baalati&s;m, and <HI>Babylon.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 6.</NOTE> <HI>The&s; hav power to &s;hut Heaven, that is rain not during their Prophecy</HI> (as <HI>Elias</HI> and <HI>Eli&s;aeus</HI> had) <HI>and to turn waters into blood</HI> (as <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> had) <HI>and to &s;mite the Earth with al plagues &s;o oft as they plea&s;. The&s; are caled Oliv Trees and Candle &s;ticks &s;tanding before the Lord</HI> (like <HI>Zerobabel</HI> Prince of <HI>Juda,</HI> and <HI>Je&s;ua</HI> the high Prie&s;t) <HI>whom God annointed to re&s;tore</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 4 3 11.</NOTE> <HI>the Jewi&s;h Church under Captivity,</HI> as <HI>Zechary</HI> alluds, This Prophecy, til the &s;eventh trumpets &s;ounding, is not pre&s;ented in Vi&s;ion; but dictated by an Angel per&s;onating Chri&s;t. The witne&s;&s;es are caled two, as the Law requires to confirm every word; and in regard of Gods two Tables or Te&s;taments, which they u&s;ed in Prophecying. They &s;hal Prophecy one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais, being forty two months: which are not natural dais, nor three dais and half (when they &s;hal ly dead) &s;o meant: becau&s; the Bea&s;t who&s; time they contain, con|temporized with the hundred fourty four thou&s;and &s;ealed, and
<PB N="150" REF="158"> they with the &s;ix fir&s;t trumpets, which cannot run out in &s;o &s;hort a &s;pace as 1260. dais. If any ask, why the Gentils propha|nation <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> is mea&s;ured by months, &amp; the witne&s;&s;es defending Gods pure Wor&s;hip by dais? 'tis becau&s; Idolatry is the power of darknes or night, which the Moon rules: but tru religion com|pared to light or day which the Sun governs: So <HI>Paul</HI> is &s;aid <HI>To turn the Gentils from darknes to light, from Satans</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 26 18.</NOTE> <HI>power to God.</HI> Sith then Months are mea&s;ured by the Moons motion, but dais and yeers by the Sun; the Bea&s;ts bla&s;phemy is &s;til reckoned by months, and the Womans &s;tay in the wilder|nes by dais or yeers. <HI>Zechary</HI> likens the two Oliv trees to the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 4. 14.</NOTE> two annointed (<HI>Zerobabel</HI> and <HI>Je&s;ua</HI>) which &s;tand by the Lord; but he mentions only one Candle&s;tick &s;ignifying the Temple of that time; and <HI>John</HI> two implying haply the Ea&s;t and We&s;t Church, as it was divided during the witne&s;&s;es mourning. The&s; did not avenge or afflict their Enemies by war and weapons, but by fire from their mouths, or denouncing Gods wrath on the abu&s;ers of his Mini&s;ters, <HI>As the Lord &s;peaks to Jeremy, I wil make my Words in thy mouth fire, and this Peo-ple</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer 5. 14.</NOTE> <HI>Wood to devour them. Eliah</HI> brought tru fire from Hea|ven on <HI>Ahazia's</HI> Captains (as <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> did on <HI>Co|rah</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>2 Chr.</HI> 10. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">2.</NOTE> and his complices) but the witne&s;&s;es fire is &s;ymbolical or &s;piritual, as <HI>Egypt</HI> and the wildernes is after &s;o taken. They had power to &s;hut Heaven that it rain not: both being my&s;ticaly meant, one for the power of the Keis to &s;hut it again&s;t the&s; new Idolaters; the other for the dew of Gods Word, that it &s;hal not de&s;cend or de&s;til on them: For they debar them from hope of eternal life, promi&s;ed only to tru Wor&s;hipers, til they &s;hal return to &s;erv one God by one Mediator Chri&s;t Je&s;us, accor|ding to their Covenant in Bapti&s;m; and put an end to the mourning witne&s;&s;es Prophecy: As <HI>Elias</HI> re&s;tored not rain to <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> til <HI>Baals</HI> Prophets were de&s;troied.</P>
<P>When they be about to fini&s;h their te&s;timony, the Bea&s;t a|&s;cending <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 7.</NOTE> from the bottomle&s;&s; pit, &s;hal make war again&s;t them and kil them. This is their de&s;tiny at end of their Prophecy, &s;utable to our Saviours pa&s;&s;ion: for having ended his preaching in three yeers and half, as the witne&s;&s;es did their te&s;timony; he is &s;lain by this Roman Bea&s;ts Deputy under the &s;ixth Head:
<PB REF="159"> who on the third day after in a great Earthquake ro&s;e from the dead, and fourty dais after being received in a Cloud a&s;cended into Heaven. Al which he re&s;embles to the witne&s;&s;es &s;laughter: that as they bear the likenes of tho&s; three famous couples in their function: &s;o they &s;hould conform to their Lord Chri&s;t that faithful witnes in &s;uffering. When they were about to fi|ni&s;h their te&s;timony, having brought part of the holy City (or Province) to renounce Idolatry, and clean&s; the Temple within them&s;elfs; they began to put off &s;ackcloth, yet were not wholy freed from fear: for the Roman &s;epticep Bea&s;t cha&s;ing at their &s;o far prevailing, &s;hal make war and kil them. The fir&s;t part touching their mourning, hath bin performed &s;ince beginning of Reformation til this pre&s;ent: But the la&s;t of war is to com. <HI>Brightman</HI> thinks it already accompli&s;hed in the Smalcaldian war by <HI>Charl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> the fift: Others apply it to the lat German war, and it were wel if &s;uch doleful di&s;a&s;ters were pa&s;t: but it can|not be, &s;ith the tragic times of the Gentils trampling on Chri|&s;tian Religion fourty two months cannot be fulfilled &s;o long as the Bea&s;t reigns; nor the dais of the witne&s;&s;es wailing, which contemporize with them: who&s; killing next, foregoes <HI>Romes</HI> ruin, as the Crier of the Phials (to the fifth of which this ruin belongs) apertly declares. For this de&s;truction is the la&s;t, which &s;hal be more grievous then any yet, and a &s;ign that the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">1 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">0.</NOTE> witne&s;&s;es VVoes &s;hal in&s;tantly end with <HI>Romes</HI> ruin; as <HI>Jeru|&s;alems</HI> &s;iege by <HI>Ce&s;tius Gallus</HI> before the &s;ackage by <HI>Titus,</HI> was foretold by Chri&s;t to be a Forerunner of their utter de&s;olation: &s;o is this of <HI>Babylons</HI> fal. Slaughter &s;ignifies Death, whether ta|ken properly or metaphoricaly and analogicaly. For 'tis a civil death, when any being &s;etled in a Politic or Eccle&s;ia&s;tic State, cea&s;eth to be as he was, and he is &s;aid to kil him that bereavs it; in which &s;en&s; diver&s; are killed daily. So in &s;acred &s;tile to liv is to be, and to dy not to be: as we dy to &s;in and Satan when we cea&s; to be their Slavs; and liv to Chri&s;t, when we becom his <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> Sevants. To apply it, Such as is the witne&s;&s;es re&s;urrection after three dais and half, &s;uch is the &s;laughter: but that is analogical, &s;ith no proper can be til Chri&s;t com to Judgment; <HI>Ergo</HI> the other. So this death may be a dejection from the Place or Office which they enjoied in the Reformed Church, or not
<PB N="151" REF="159"> leading a Prophetic life to preach or exerci&s;e their &s;piritual Function as yer&s;t, which often haps in di&s;tracted times. This <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> la&s;t war of the Bea&s;t, is not like the former waged with the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13 7.</NOTE> Saints, who had it given to overcom them: for why &s;hould it be &s;aid peculiar to this la&s;t time, if familiar before? But the for|mer was again&s;t Saints in general, this with the Prophets (<HI>viz.</HI> Bi&s;hops and chief Mini&s;ters) in &s;pecial, as is evident by event. For that was with &s;ucce&s;&s;, wher the Bea&s;t prevailed over every Tribe, Toung, and Nation: this with his &s;odain fatal fal or ruin.</P>
<P><HI>Their dead Bodies &s;hal by in the &s;treet of the great City (&s;pi|ritualy</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>&s;tiled S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dom and Egypt) wher our Lord was crucified.</HI> This City is <HI>Rome,</HI> caled great being Queen of the World, and &s;til Quean with whom the Kings of the Earth commit Forni|cation, and the Inhabiters made drunk with the wine of hir abomination: as 'tis &s;aid, the Woman which thou &s;awe&s;t is that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 2. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> great City: and this Epithet is often given hir, as great <HI>Babylon,</HI> the great Whore, &amp;c. But he that deems <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> meant, had need of Ellebor to purg his brain: for no <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> was then extant, nor the old ever caled great, til that title is a&s;cribed to new <HI>Jeru&s;alem. Rome</HI> is &s;piritualy &s;tiled <HI>Sodom</HI> for Luxury, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 21. 10.</NOTE> and <HI>Egypt</HI> for Cruelty: wherby the holy Gho&s;t intimats, that wherever <HI>Sodoms</HI> plagues, or <HI>Egypts</HI> puni&s;hments are &s;pecifi|ed; they are my&s;ticaly meant as here. So that great City is certainly <HI>Rome;</HI> but what &s;treet means, is not &s;o cleer: for it cannot be taken literaly, &s;ith our Lord was &s;lain in no &s;treet of <HI>Rome</HI> or <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> but without the Gate in <HI>Golgatha.</HI> Street al&s;o is taken in the &s;ingular number, as if it were only one; yet in a City are many. The witne&s;&s;es Carca&s;es lay in the &s;treet wher they were &s;lain, which the People, Kinreds, and Nations triumphantly beheld, not &s;uffering them to be buried: but Men &s;eldom make war within the City wals, but in open fields or Provinces of a State. Whence it may be inferred, that the &s;treet wher our Lord al&s;o was crucified, intends &s;om Province pertaining to <HI>Romes</HI> dition or dominion, as <HI>Jeru|&s;alem</HI> then did; which &s;en&s; the word <GAP DESC="foreign"> wil wel bea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. Many interpret it of Chri&s;ts &s;uffering by <HI>Romes</HI> power, which may be probable; but not &s;o fitly or fully as
<PB REF="160"> of the place which is more per&s;ua&s;ible being their Pro|vince.</P>
<P><HI>The People, Kinreds, Toungs, and Nations &s;hal &s;ee their</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s; 9.</NOTE> <HI>dead bodies three dais and half, but not permit them to be put in gravs.</HI> 'Tis a doubt, whether this be cruelty doon in de&s;pite and di&s;grace by Enimies, to deny them burial, or courte&s;y of Friends and Favorers, to provide for their ri&s;ing again? nor can it be decided but by fulfilling the Prophecy: For in the fir&s;t &s;en&s; it mu&s;t be a type or token of ignominy intended by the Bea&s;ts folowers again&s;t them: In the la&s;t 'tis a re&s;cu of Reformi&s;ts, wherto the text-phra&s;e rather inclines: for in the in&s;uing ver&s; 'tis &s;aid of the Enimies, they that dwel on Earth &s;hal make mer|ry and &s;end gifts one to another: but here People, Kinreds, Toungs, and Nations; which denots diver&s; di&s;po&s;itions. The time (three dais and half) cannot imply natural dais: for how could Nations diver&s;ly di&s;&s;it know it &s;o &s;oon or &s;end gifts one to another? nor is any time alotted to the killing of them; but to their lying dead, being &s;lain. So how long the war &s;hal la&s;t, or time limited to kil the Prophets; mu&s;t appeer only at ful|filling this Prophecy: which is to be reveled by the event or iflu; el&s; we &s;hal only grope in the dark upon uncertainties.</P>
<P><HI>They that dwel on Earth &s;hal rejoice over them, and &s;end</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 10, 11.</NOTE> <HI>gifts one to another; becau&s; the&s; two Prophets tormented them that dwel on Earth: but after three dais and half, the &s;pirit of life entred into them, who &s;tood on their feet, and great fear fel on al that &s;aw them.</HI> Such as was the witne&s;&s;es death, &s;uch is their ri&s;ing or re&s;toring to pri&s;tin e&s;tats, even by God wonder|ful in his works; not by human power as the words plainly purport.</P>
<P><HI>They heard a voyce from Heaven &s;aying, Com up hither: and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 12.</NOTE> <HI>they a&s;cended in a Cloud, in their Enemies &s;ight.</HI> They &s;hal not <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai. 14. 13.</NOTE> only be re&s;tored to their places, but promoted to more emi|nent preferments: for &s;o a&s;cending in a Cloud &s;ignifies, as <HI>Achmetes</HI> from Per&s;ian and Egyptian My&s;teries interprets. This reflects on Reformed Churches, which &s;hal be puni&s;hed for reproches offred to Chri&s;t in vilifying his Prophets or Preachers, and &s;acrilegious &s;urreption of revenues wherby they &s;hould be hone&s;tly and honorably maintained: but now
<PB N="152" REF="160"> they &s;hal be promoted to higher places according to their Am|ba&s;&s;y or Function.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;ame h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ur was a great Earthquake, and a tenth part of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 13.</NOTE> <HI>the City fel, and ther were &s;lain &s;even thou&s;and names of Men: but the re&s;t being affrighted gav glory to God.</HI> By Earthquake is meant a great commotion of Nations, and alteration of Po|litic affairs: in which a tenth part of the City fel, and &s;even thou&s;and names of Men (or Men of name and note) &s;lain. For under&s;tanding wherof, two points are to be previou&s;ly proved: <HI>i.</HI> that every fal of the decaying Bea&s;t being contained in &s;ome of the Phials; this de&s;truction belongs to the fifth be|cau&s; the &s;ame &s;ubject of plagues is in both: ther &s;tiled the Bea&s;ts Seat or Throne; here the great City, which is both the Bea&s;ts &s;eat. So the de&s;truction here de&s;cribed, preceds the Bea&s;ts utter abolition at the &s;eventh Trumpet or la&s;t Phial; and nothing intervens &s;av the departure of the &s;ecund Wo, which is the plague from <HI>Euphrates</HI> at the &s;ixth Phial: <HI>Ergo</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 18 21</NOTE> this fals into the fifth. 2. This fal of the great City, is the &s;ame with that of <HI>Babylon;</HI> becau&s; it was to forego the Bea&s;ts final perdition, and Chri&s;ts imperial reign to begin with the &s;eventh Trumpet. The fal of a tenth part, mu&s;t be &s;quared by this rule <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 16.</NOTE> and tried by this touch&s;tone. <HI>Philip Nicolas</HI> a learned Lutheran, thinks the Decarchy denots ten Kingdoms &s;ubject to the Em|pire, which &s;hal fal from <HI>Rome;</HI> becau&s; 'tis &s;aid the ten Kings which &s;ubmitted to the Bea&s;t, when Gods Word is fulfilled, &s;hal hate the Whore, make hir de&s;olat or naked, eat hir fle&s;h, and burn hir with fire. This is plau&s;ible, but not punctual: for Decaton or tenth part, cannot import a Decarchy or ten King<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">: but is rather a title of Tribut or Tiths, which the Pope receivs either out of the Bea&s;ts Kingdom, or the Cities large po&s;&s;e&s;|&s;ions by way of Lord&s;hip. Which tenth of the City by this commotion of Nations &s;hal fal or fail; when he &s;hal lo&s;e his Patrimony and Prerogativ. For tribut is a Symbol of domi|nion, and under that notion mo&s;t Provinces paid a tenth of other fruits to the Empire. Howbeit this expo&s;ition is not altogether authentic: for the Word (fel) which refers to the Earthquake, implies <HI>Babylons</HI> ruin rather then lo&s;&s; of Tributs or Tiths: therfore a tenth part of the City, intends a tru tenth:
<PB REF="161"> yet not any part as 'tis at this day; but whol Pontifical <HI>Rome,</HI> which is only a tenth of the old Imperial, as it was in St. <HI>Johns</HI> dais. For <HI>Lyp&s;ius</HI> a curious Critic &s;aith it was almo&s;t circular; the &s;emidiameter from the golden Pillar in the Mercat place, to the utmo&s;t buildings being reckoned &s;even miles, and whol compas of that &s;emidiameter 42. whence he demon&s;trats al the plot to be 126. but <HI>Rome</HI> now only 13. in circuit, which is a tenth part of what it was then. For explaning wherof he &s;ets a &s;exangular Schem which he that li&s;ts may &s;urvey. <HI>Rome</HI> was VValled by Pope <HI>Adrian</HI> 1. and <HI>Leo</HI> 4. much whereof is un|habited, and no Suburbs: but the old extended every way with continued buildings. If this &s;en&s; be taken, a tru tenth part on|ly remained at time of the Earthquake; the other nine being falen long before. For partly by Barbarians often &s;ackings, partly by devouring time, partly by thunderbolts, partly by fire and other ca&s;ualties; but &s;pecialy by the Empires decay or de&s;olation; a tenth part only was fataly re&s;erved to the Pope, who was to be Head of the new Empire, and Mother of Chri&s;tian Harlots: but this left mu&s;t by the Earthquakes con|currence, and witne&s;&s;es re&s;urgence be quit demoli&s;hed. Yet haply a tenth part is not &s;o &s;trictly taken by Geometric rules: <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 6. 13.</NOTE> but as God &s;aid to <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> of <HI>Jeru&s;alems</HI> de&s;truction, a tenth &s;hal remain and return, which was not exactly &s;o. The &s;even thou&s;and &s;lain in the Earthquake, are not counted by pole; for they &s;eem far too few for the great de&s;truction intimated el&s;|wher: but by the City buildings. A duple ruin of <HI>Babylon</HI> is de&s;cribed: 1. The Bea&s;ts Metropolis at the fifth Phial: 2. The Citizens and State, even Pope, Cardinals, and al others: who when <HI>Rome</HI> is fired, remov el&s;wher til pouring out of the la&s;t Phial; when the greate&s;t de&s;truction that ever was of any <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 16 19</NOTE> Land, People, or City, &s;hal betide. Herof 'tis &s;aid, <HI>Babylon</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 18 v 19.</NOTE> the Great cam in remembrance before God, to giv hir the Cup of his fierce wrath: yet that burning and overthrow po&s;tdated, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19. v. 20.</NOTE> preceds the ful final ruin of Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet, which &s;uc|ceds. Som &s;eek to unty this knot, that <HI>Babylon</HI> cited in the la&s;t Phial is <HI>Con&s;tantinople:</HI> but the holy Gho&s;t cals not two Cities by one name; and 'tis more probable, that <HI>Babylons</HI> fir&s;t de&s;truction is <HI>Romes</HI> ruin by fire without much bloody
<PB N="153" REF="161"> &s;laughter, and &s;even thou&s;and may &s;uffice to be &s;lain. So names of Men may import Men of name, &s;ith &s;uch Hypallages are u&s;ual in Scripture: as the &s;ilver of &s;hekels for &s;hekels of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Levit. 5. 3. 15.</NOTE> &s;ilver, the uncleannes of a Man, for a Man of uncleannes, the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 31.</NOTE> Law of righteou&s;nes for righteou&s;nes of the Law: &s;o name almo&s;t in al tong<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s &s;ignifies renown, and Children without name ba&s;e or ignoble. Hence <HI>Beza</HI> concerning Chri&s;ts exal|tation abov every Name, expounds it of his worth or dignity. In this &s;en&s; names of Men imply Men excelling in eminence, &s;uch as are the Popi&s;h Clergy, of whom &s;hal peri&s;h &s;even thou|&s;and a few more or le&s;&s;. Ther is a third interpretation, that by names of Men are meant Companies, Corporations, Cities, Boroughs, or Societies which hav their names &s;o wel as Men: but we may not ra&s;hly re&s;olv future things, who&s; chief com|mentary is event: nor is name tied to any one certain &s;ignifi|cation.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;ecund Wo is pa&s;t, and lo a third coms quickly.</HI> The fifth <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 14.</NOTE> Trumpets Earthquake, ended with the &s;ecund Wo of the &s;ixth, and the Witne&s;&s;es mourning prophecy is to fini&s;h together with it, being al &s;ynchronicals. If then the &s;ixth Trumpets Wo or plague be the Turcs over flowing from <HI>Euphrates</HI> into the Empire doon long ago; this end of the &s;ame plague mu&s;t be a drying up of the &s;aid water at pouring out of the fifth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 16. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. &amp;c.</NOTE> Phial: wherby the way is prepared for the Ea&s;t Kings to com in: but le&s;t a gap be left betwen either Trumpet, the &s;eventh &s;eems to begin: &s;o that wondrous preparation of the Dragon, Bea&s;t, and fal&s; Prophet for the la&s;t war in <HI>Armageddon</HI> with its i&s;&s;u; &s;hould be &s;et here at beginning of the &s;eventh to which the war pertains.</P>
<P>Hence a doubt occurs not to be &s;lighted: &s;ith ther is one term <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doubt</NOTE> of the Bea&s;ts fourty two months, and witne&s;&s;es one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty dais (which expired with the &s;ixth Trumpets plague or &s;ecund Wo) it may be asked, why the Bea&s;ts months are reckoned no farther; &s;ith after that term much of the Bea&s;t remains unaboli&s;hed til the &s;eventh Trumpet begins?</P>
<P>This is doon either becau&s; the Jews conver&s;ion being as a <NOTE PLACE="marg">Re&s;olv.</NOTE> new Kingdom then commenceth; or becau&s; in the Bea&s;ts con|tinuance &s;pecial con&s;ideration is had to the Empire of <HI>Rome</HI>-City:
<PB REF="162"> which being the Bea&s;ts throne is overthrown in that great Earthquake: &s;o the Bea&s;t being driven from his Metro|polis, &s;hal as it were change his form and be no more a King|dom of &s;even Hils, which is another &s;ignification of the &s;even Heads.</P>
<P>At &s;ound of the &s;eventh Trumpet or la&s;t Wo, Chri&s;ts im|perial <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.</NOTE> reign in that great day of Judgment is touched: the in|terpretation wherof he &s;u&s;pends til the end of al; that he may handle the prophecies pertaining therto jointly together. To make up the Body of the open Book, the other prophecies of Eccle&s;ia&s;tic affairs, com to be knit to the &s;ame: among which the Woman in travel (or Church laboring to bring forth Chri&s;t as &s;piritual Head of the Empire) is chief: which after 300. yeers per&s;ecution &s;he effected in <HI>Con&s;tantin;</HI> but hir Enemy the red Dragon watched to devour the Child.</P>
<P><HI>Ther appeered a great wonder in Heaven, a Woman clothed</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. v. 1.</NOTE> <HI>with the Sun, the Moon under hir foot, and on hir head a Crown of twelv Stars.</HI> Lo a glorious Image of the primitiv parturien: Church; which &s;hined by the faith of Chri&s;t the Sun of righte|ou&s;nes: treading under foot the Worlds rudiments (both La|wi&s;h &s;hadows, and Heatheni&s;h &s;uper&s;titions) and triumphing in the En&s;igns of Apo&s;tolic Of&s;pring. Mo&s;t Men make the Moon a Type of terren tran&s;itory things, which the Church contemns as below hir &s;elf. This is tru, but no wher &s;o noted in Scripture, which &s;hould be our warrant. Indeed mo&s;t Fe&s;ts wher Typical wor&s;hip was celebrated by Sacrifices (as new Moons, Pa&s;chal, Pentico&s;t, Tabernacles, and Eccle&s;ia&s;tic yeer) were ordered by the Moons motion; which may re&s;emble Mo&s;aical wor&s;hip put under foot by reveling of Chri&s;t: who blotted out the hand writing of Ordinances, and nailed them <NOTE PLACE="marg">Colo&s;. 2 14.</NOTE> to his Cro&s;&s;, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;peaks. So &s;ith God made the Sun a great Light to rule the Day, and Moon a le&s;&s;er to govern the Night; &s;he may be a &s;ymbol to &s;ignify the power of darknes or Satans wor&s;hip, and his &s;pirits in Idols: wherby the matter may be referred to Bapti&s;m, by which the Church being illu|mined trampled on Idolatry, renouncing the Devil and al his works. Hence &s;uch as abjured, turned to the We&s;t wher night begins; as contrarily al Profe&s;&s;ors of Chri&s;ts Faith and holy
<PB N="154" REF="162"> Trinity, looked to the Ea&s;t, wher Sun di&s;pelling darknes begins the day.</P>
<P><HI>She being with Child, cried travelling in birth and was in pain</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 2.</NOTE> <HI>to be delivered.</HI> The Church univer&s;aly and &s;eparatly taken as an <HI>Idaa,</HI> is a Mother: but in relation to Children continualy begot in hir, is &s;aid to travel or bring forth. See <HI>I&s;ai</HI> 54. 1. <HI>Ezek. 23. 4. Ho&s;ea</HI> 2. 45. The throws or torments in travel, are painful pangs or paroxi&s;ms of per&s;ecution, which the in|fant Church &s;uffred in parturition. For tribulations are u&s;u|aly re&s;embled to &s;orows in Childbearing <HI>I&s;ai 66. 7. Jer. 30. 6, 7. Mat. 24. 8, 9. Marc</HI> 13. 8. and el&s;wher.</P>
<P><HI>Another wonder appeered in Heaven; lo, a great red Dragon</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>V.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>with &s;even Heads and ten Horns, and &s;even Crowns on his Heads: his tail drew a third part of the Stars, and ca&s;t them to the Earth.</HI> This is a type of heathen <HI>Rome</HI> wor&s;hiping the Dragon, who drew a third part of Stars with his tail to Earth: or &s;ubjected three parts of the Worlds Rulers to his Empire. The effigies of a Dragon points out his Pagan wor&s;hipers Enimies to Chri|&s;tianity, as the Serpent was to the Womans &s;eed: but his rednes notes his embruing in the blood of Saints. This type repre|&s;ents <HI>Pharaoh</HI> the old Synagogs cruel enemy bearing Children in <HI>Egypt;</HI> as the Roman Dragon was of the Chri&s;tian Church <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 29 3.</NOTE> bearing hir Children. For <HI>Ezekiel</HI> cals <HI>Pharaoh</HI> the great Dra|gon lying in mid&s;t of his Rivers: and <HI>David</HI> &s;aith, thou broke&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 74. 13. 14.</NOTE> the heads of Dragons (Egyptians) in the waters. The Dragon &s;tood before the Woman ready for delivery, to devour hir Child &s;o &s;oon as 'tis born: as <HI>Pharaoh</HI> laid wait for old <HI>I&s;rael</HI> born in <HI>Egypt,</HI> and <HI>Herod</HI> for Chri&s;t in <HI>Judea</HI> (which places are &s;ited in <HI>Afric</HI> and <HI>A&s;ia</HI>) &s;o the Roman Dragon in <HI>Europ</HI> watched for my&s;tical Chri&s;t, which the Church was to bear, that he might &s;oon &s;lay him after birth.</P>
<P><HI>She brought a Manchild, who was to rule al Nations with a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 5.</NOTE> <HI>Rod (or Scepter) of Iron.</HI> She bore my&s;tical Chri&s;t formed in his Members (not the Son of Man) as St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>My litle</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4 19.</NOTE> <HI>Children, of whom I travel in birth again, til Chri&s;t be formed in you.</HI> Here a Chri&s;t is pourtraied (as Prophetic types u&s;e) not properly <HI>Theantropos;</HI> but analogicaly a Son of the Church; who&punc; was to rule al Nations with an Iron Scepter or
<PB REF="163"> Sword; &s;ith they were not Citizens or Deni&s;ens, but Enemies <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19. 15.</NOTE> or Aliens: As 'tis &s;aid, <HI>Out of his mouth went a &s;harp Sword, that he &s;hould &s;mite the Nations; for he &s;hal rule them with a rod of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 2 9.</NOTE> <HI>iron.</HI> Which words are taken from <HI>David</HI> and applyed to my|&s;tical Chri&s;t or a Chri&s;tian Man, to whom Chri&s;t the Head pro|mi&s;eth like power, under name of the Church of <HI>Thyatira.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2. 26.</NOTE> <HI>Hir Child was caught up to God and his Throne:</HI> Real Chri&s;t is literaly lift up to Gods Throne; but my&s;tical here meant analogicaly to the Roman Throne, as <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> and his Suc|ce&s;&s;ors were: for al power and their Thrones is of God. If any ask how my&s;tical Chri&s;t rules with an iron Scepter or Sword of war? 'Tis in a duple way: 1. Divine, again&s;t Devils, Prin|ces of this world, which is &s;toutly waged. 2. Human, when <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> cru&s;hed <HI>Maxentius, Maximian,</HI> and <HI>Licinius</HI> Chri&s;ts Enemies. This Child was not lift up to Gods Throne &s;o &s;oon as born (for he was to rule) but when he was ripe and ready for a Kingdom: &s;o tru Chri&s;t entred not his Kingdom &s;o &s;oon as born, but at thirty yeers of age fit for Prie&s;thood or &s;piritual Government.</P>
<P><HI>The Woman fled into the wildernes, wher God prepared a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 6, 7, 8.</NOTE> <HI>place to be fed one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais.</HI> This Prophecy is afterward &s;omwhat fuller repeated and de&s;cribed, wherto it &s;hal be deferred. <HI>Ther was war in Heaven, Michael and his Angels fought with the Dragon, who with his Angels fought, but prevailed not; nor was their place found any more ther.</HI> Here is &s;hewed, how the Woman e&s;caped the Dragons wait by <HI>Michaels</HI> re&s;cu; who being conqueror ca&s;t him down to Earth: wherby hir Son was lifted up and &s;he departed to a De&s;art. This war was waged while the Woman travelled, not after &s;he was delivered, as many mi&s;deem: for the battel befel before the Woman fled (which was after hir dilivery) and <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">2. 10, 11:</NOTE> hir Sons taking up to Gods Throne. <HI>Michael</HI> and his Angels having with them Chri&s;ts Martyrs and Confe&s;&s;ors fought: for in the triumphant &s;ong 'tis &s;aid, they overcam by the blood of the Lamb, and word of their te&s;timony, who loved not their lifes to death. Semblably the Dragon and his Angels took with them the Roman Tyrans in their Train which wor&s;hip them. This <HI>Michael</HI> is not Chri&s;t (as &s;om &s;uppo&s;e) but chief of the
<PB N="155" REF="163"> Princes or &s;even Archangels &s;pecified by <HI>Daniel: viz.</HI> that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 10. 13. Dan. 12. 1.</NOTE> great Angel &s;aid to &s;tand for Gods Children; whom Chri&s;t King of Angels and Men oppo&s;ed to Satans black Guard ra|ging again&s;t his Saints. For Angels are &s;ent to defend the heirs of Salvation, whom they invi&s;ibly protect again&s;t evil Spirits: So in this war of the primitiv Church again&s;t the Dragons wor|&s;hipers, the Angels under conduct of their Chieftain, acted both in &s;trengthning Martyrs again&s;t Tyrans threats, and miti|gating or &s;weetning their torments; be&s;ide many mo wais of weakning the Enimies &s;pirits, and dejecting their minds; that oftimes they de&s;i&s;ted, or granted truce for a time: til in fine after two hundred yeers war of per&s;ecution, it plea&s;ed Chri&s;t to giv ful victory: the Womans Child being lift up to the Im|perial Throne, and Satans Kingdom &s;ubdued: as 'tis &s;aid, the Dragon prevailed not, nor was his place found any more.</P>
<P><HI>The great Dragon, that old Serpent caled the Devil and Sa|tan,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 9.</NOTE> <HI>which deceivs the whol World; was ca&s;t out into the Earth, and his Angels with him.</HI> He and al his Fiends being before wor&s;hiped as God, was ca&s;t down from the top of Divinity to the Aby&s;&s; of cur&s;, contempt, and contumely. For as God executed judgment on the Egyptian Gods at I&s;raels delivery <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 12. 11.</NOTE> from their tyranny; &s;o he doth here: they prevailed not or were overcome, which is al one Hebrai&s;m; and they cam<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> no more ther.</P>
<P><HI>I heard a loud voice in Heaven: Now is com Salvation,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 10. 11.</NOTE> <HI>&s;trength and Kingdom of our God, and power of his Chri&s;t: for the Accu&s;er of our Brethren is ca&s;t down, which accu&s;ed them be|fore our God day and night; but they overcam him by the Lambs blood.</HI> The&s; words being mo&s;t cleer &s;ans Allegory or ambiguity, are a Key to interpret the whol Vi&s;ion. For hence appeers, that the Childs lifting up to Gods Throne, is an intro|duction to Salvation, &s;trength, and Kingdom of God, and power of his Chri&s;t into the Imperial throne: that the Enimy ejected is the Accu&s;er, who traduceth the faithful day and night: that the forces u&s;ed by <HI>Michael</HI> and his Angels were Martyrs and Confe&s;&s;ors, who overcam by the Lambs blood, freely yeeld|ding their lifes to death. Satan, caled before Dragon and De|vil,
<PB REF="164"> is now new named Accu&s;er, as the Hebrews term him: But contrarily the holy Gho&s;t is Paraclet or Advocat: the one De|&s;troier, the other Defender. This title be&s;t agreed to tho&s; times, when Chri&s;tians were accu&s;ed by Roman Idolaters of Thye&s;te|an Fe&s;ts, Oedipean Ince&s;ts, Medean Murders, Adultery, Trea&s;on, burning of Hou&s;es, Poi&s;oning, Plagues, Famin, and al hainous crimes or hidious calamities which hapned: but it aims chiefly at Satans trial of <HI>Job</HI> by tribulations, as Pagans did Chri&s;tians by per&s;ecutions.</P>
<P><HI>Rejoice O Heavens, and ye that dwel in them: wo to the Inha|biters</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 12.</NOTE> <HI>of Earth and Sea; for the Devil is com down to you, ha|ving great wrath, becau&s; he knows his time is but &s;hort.</HI> Though the Dragon was ca&s;t from the throne by <HI>Con&s;tantin,</HI> yet Peo|ple continued his wor&s;hip, &s;pecialy under <HI>Julian Apo&s;tat:</HI> but &s;oon after Chri&s;tianity prevailed, and al the Empire was wa&s;h|ed with Bapti&s;m: which made Satan rage and &s;eek by al &s;trata|gems to undermine the Church. This while the woman dwels in a De&s;art: who being freed from Heathen tyranny, til the &s;e|venth trumpets &s;ounding, and Chri&s;ts &s;ecund coming, lay not hid or invi&s;ible; but lived in a midle condition like the I&s;raelits before they entred <HI>Canaan;</HI> who e&s;caped <HI>Pharaohs</HI> &s;lavery, yet attained not the Land of promi&s;&s;. So Chri&s;tians e&s;caped Pagan bondage, and &s;erved Chri&s;t freely: Yet as the I&s;raelits Apo&s;tatized to wor&s;hip a golden Calf, <HI>Baal Peor, Balaam, &amp;c.</HI> So Chri&s;tians fel to &s;emi-Idolatry or Iconolatry. The Wo|mans abode in the wildernes fourty two months, an&s;wers to <NOTE PLACE="marg">See <HI>Numb 33.</HI></NOTE> the I&s;raelits &s;o many man&s;ions in the De&s;art, not without a ta|cit typical my&s;tery.</P>
<P><HI>When the Dragon &s;aw he was ca&s;t to the Earth, he per&s;ecuted the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 13. 14. 15</NOTE> <HI>Woman which brought forth a Manchild: to whom were given two wings of a great Eagle, that &s;he might fly from the Serpent into hir place, to be nouri&s;hed for a time, times, and half a time: but the Serpent ca&s;t out of his mouth water as a Flood after the Woman, that it might carry hir away.</HI> Satan is ca&s;t down, but not ca&s;t out: who &s;taying below, e&s;&s;aied to oppre&s;&s; the Wo|man by what wais or wiles he could. She began to fly, but cam not in&s;tantly to the De&s;art, as neither did the I&s;raelits: for <HI>Pharaoh</HI> pur&s;ued them into the red Sea; and the red Dragon
<PB N="156" REF="164"> hir with a Flood of water: <HI>quam bene cuncta quadrant?</HI> the great Eagle is evidently the Roman Empire: hir two wings the Ea&s;t and We&s;t <HI>Cae&s;ars,</HI> under who&s; protection &s;he fared in an Eremitical E&s;tate three yeers and half; expre&s;&s;ed before by one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais, to comply with <HI>Daniels</HI> times. This Eagle in <HI>E&s;dras</HI> typifies the fourth Kingdom, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 E&s;d. 11. 16, 17</NOTE> the twelv feathered wings the twelv fir&s;t <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI> from <HI>Julius</HI> to <HI>Domitian.</HI> Thus <HI>I&s;rael</HI> was freed from <HI>Egypt</HI> on Eagles wings, as the Lord &s;aith, <HI>Yea hav &s;een how I bore you on Eagles wings,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 19, 14.</NOTE> <HI>and brought you to my &s;elf.</HI> By water ca&s;t out of the Dragons mouth, is meant Words and Doctrin: as <HI>Salomon</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 18. 4.</NOTE> <HI>words of a Mans mouth are as deep waters, wi&s;doms Wel|&s;pring</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Prov.</HI> 15. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>as a flowing Brook.</HI> So water here is pe&s;tilent poi&s;on of Here&s;ies, &s;pecialy Arriani&s;m again&s;t Chri&s;ts Deity, which grew up in <HI>Con|&s;tantins</HI> dais, and &s;pred far under his Succe&s;&s;ors: <HI>totus mund<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> miratus e&s;t, &s;e tam &s;ubito factum Arrianum.</HI> This was the Flood of water i&s;&s;uing from the Dragons mouth, like to carry away the Woman: for 'tis wonder the new initiated Emperors &s;eing &s;uch di&s;mal di&s;cords, had not faln from the Faith (as <HI>Julian</HI> did) to their old Dagon the Dragon, as finding mo&s;t unity in impiety.</P>
<P><HI>The Earth helped the Woman, which opened and &s;walowed the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 16. 17.</NOTE> <HI>Flood ca&s;t from the Dragons mouth.</HI> That is, the Orthodox Oe|cumenic Synods drank up that Diabolical Deluge, as dry thir|&s;ty Earth doth water, which is a fit figure therof; &s;pecialy &s;ith Earth is oft put for the Inhabiters.</P>
<P><HI>The Dragon was wrath with the Woman, and went to wage war with the remnent of hir Seed, which keep Gods Command|ments, and hav the te&s;timony of Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> This is an entry to the next Chapter, and as a Prolog to a new Tragedy rai&s;ed by the Dragon again&s;t the Woman: who at fir&s;t footing in the De&s;art, was encountred by two Bea&s;ts, not &s;o hideous in &s;hape as the Dragon whom &s;he mo&s;t dreaded; which hi&s;tory mu&s;t be unlocked or unfolded.</P>
<P><HI>I &s;tood on the Sand, and &s;aw a Bea&s;t ri&s;a up from the Sea, ha|ving</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev. 13 v.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>&s;even heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten Crowns, and on his heads the name of Bla&s;phemy.</HI> The Dragon, &s;eing he could not prevail by his new Arrian devi&s;e, nor reign as yer&s;t in
<PB REF="165"> his own name; being dive&s;ted of the Empire; covertly erected a Vicarian Kingdom, to rai&s; a new deputed form of Monarchy then beginning. 'Tis a twofold Bea&s;t (ten horned, and two horned neerly allied) repre&s;enting the Secular and Spiritual State which reign jointly. The fir&s;t is the ten Kingdoms, into which Barbarians &s;hared the Empire, when the Dragon was expeld. This is the &s;epticep Roman Bea&s;t&punc; under the cour&s; of the la&s;t Head; which after bore the Whore: being here de|&s;cribed by ten Kingdoms: wherin he &s;hal (as he did before) bla&s;phem the only tru God by Iconolo-Idolatry: for as the number of &s;even Heads is the Roman Empires En&s;ign; &s;o the name of Bla&s;phemy is a note of Idolatry. The ten Crowns &s;et on his horns, &s;hew he &s;hal be &s;ubject to the la&s;t head and &s;way|ed by it, as wil cleerly appeer in the &s;equel.</P>
<P><HI>The Bea&s;t which I &s;aw was like a Leopard, his feet as of a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 2.</NOTE> <HI>Bear, and mouth as a Lyon; to whom the Dragon gav his power, &s;eat, and great Authority.</HI> The&s; three Bea&s;ts are re&s;embled by <HI>Daniel</HI> to the three fir&s;t Monarchies (Lion to the A&s;&s;yrian, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 7.</NOTE> Bear to the Per&s;ian, Leopard to the Grecian) al which this la&s;t Kingdom re&s;embles in a certain confu&s;ed mixture: For in Bo|dy it was a Leopard like the Grecian, which was divided into four parts, as this into ten: in Feet a Bear like the Per&s;ian, which managed State affairs by Magi, as this doth Eccle&s;ia&s;tic by Moncs or other Shavlings: In mouth a Lion like the Babyloni|an, which made Edicts to wor&s;hip golden Images on pain of death; as this denounceth death to &s;uch as &s;hal refu&s;e to adore theirs. Som interpret the&s; Bea&s;ts literaly of proper cruelty, which this la&s;t Bea&s;t &s;hal exerci&s;e, and the text wil bear both &s;en&s;es. Now that the ten horns are meant only of the la&s;t &s;e|venth cour&s;, and not promi&s;cuou&s;ly of al, as mo&s;t deem; is thus demon&s;trated: The horns which flori&s;h and vani&s;h with their head, could not be of the fiv fir&s;t, becau&s; they (as the Angel at|te&s;ts) pa&s;&s;ed in St. <HI>Johns</HI> age, together with the cour&s;es of tho&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 10. 12</NOTE> Heads: Nor the &s;ixth, becau&s; that reigning then, the time of horns was not com, as the &s;aid Angel apertly avers: <HI>Ergo</HI> they remain to the la&s;t Head. Such then as di&s;tribut the ten horns among &s;even heads, giving one to &s;om and two to others at plea&s;ure; are in evident error, cro&s;&s;ing the plain text and An|gels
<PB N="157" REF="165"> interpretation, becau&s; they belong &s;oly to the &s;eventh Head, as afore&s;aid. By power which the Dragon gav, is meant his Militia or Army, as the Septuagints u&s;e the word <HI>Phara<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> Ho&s;t, and God is caled the Lord of Ho&s;ts. Now Satans Ho&s;ts or Forces, are evil Angels and Idols the Devils Receptacles. Tho&s; he gav to this la&s;t Bea&s;t, together with his &s;eat and great Authority: <HI>viz.</HI> that univer&s;al dominion which he exerci&s;ed in &s;hape of a red Dragon, but in far unlike form; that he might beguile the Womans Seed in the wilderne&s;&s;; for he demeaned not as before, nor profe&s;&s;ed to be as he was (a &s;worn Enimy to Chri&s;tianity) for then they would &s;hun him out of inbred an|tipathy which God at fir&s;t &s;et betwixt them: but when he put <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 15.</NOTE> off a Serpents skin, and &s;hewed as a Leopard or Panther (which Bea&s;t the Dragon loths, but al el&s; lov to look on for his beauty and &s;weet &s;mel, as <HI>I&s;odor</HI> informs) it was ea&s;y to deceiv the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>L.</HI> 12. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> Church, being &s;ecure from his old form, not deeming or dream|ing &s;uch clo&s;e Idolatry &s;hould be profe&s;&s;ed or practi&s;ed in an Empire which pretended Chri&s;tianity and demoli&s;hed Idols, under a new ma&s;que of Image wor&s;hip.</P>
<P><HI>I &s;aw one of his heads (the &s;ixth) as it were wounded to death</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>V.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>(by Michael) and his deadly wound was healed (by the &s;alv of this &s;ub&s;titut authority) and al the World wondred at the Bea&s;t.</HI> That the 7 headed Dragon or Heathen <HI>Rome,</HI> was the Bea&s;t of the 6^t^h head wheron the old Serpent &s;at, is cleer: becau&s; the 7^t^h &s;ucceded next in the &s;ame Seal, to whom the Dragon gav his <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 17. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc;</NOTE> Seat. For 'tis &s;aid after, that fiv are falen, and one is (the &s;ixth in St. <HI>Johns</HI> time) and the other not yet com: for though the Bea&s;t &s;til appeered &s;epticep, and the heads kept order one after another; yee the Bea&s;t with al his furniture of heads and horns is pre&s;ented under any State: So that the &s;ame Roman King|dom may be every wher &s;ignified under &s;everal &s;orts or cour&s;es of Government. The la&s;t ten horn'd Bea&s;t began at healing of the &s;ixth Bea&s;ts wound, but not before; as the &s;eries &s;hews: For what ever evil he did, or adoration was given him; al is &s;aid to befal after curing of that wound: for the whol world won|dred at him being healed; but none of tho&s; bla&s;phemous acts again&s;t God are cited before.</P>
<P><HI>They wor&s;hiped the Dragon which gav power, and the Bea&s;t</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 4.</NOTE>
<PB REF="166"> <HI>&s;aying; Who is like the Bea&s;t? who can make war with him?</HI> They wor&s;hiped not the Bea&s;t &s;imply, but as the Dragons Deputy, or Dragon under the Bea&s;ts di&s;gui&s;e. For to wor&s;hip the Bea&s;t unles as the Dragons Idolatrous Vicegerent, was no more im|pious then to obey any temporal authority: therfore the Bea&s;t &s;ignifies his Kingdom, who&s; wor&s;hip is &s;ubjection to it: that is, they freely obeied him, as if none could re&s;i&s;t his power: but to wor&s;hip him in a religious capacity, as he re&s;embles the Dra|gon, is bla&s;phemy again&s;t God.</P>
<P><HI>Ther was given him a mouth &s;peaking great things and bla|&s;phemies,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 5.</NOTE> <HI>and power was given him to continu fourty two months.</HI> The Bea&s;ts condition or con&s;titution is exhibited before: now re&s;ts to &s;hew how he exerci&s;ed the power delegated by the Dragon, <HI>viz.</HI> bla&s;phemy and cruelty. This Vi&s;ion agrees with <HI>Daniels</HI> Prophecy of the &s;ame fourth Bea&s;t and his la&s;t cour&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> 7. v. 8.</NOTE> here &s;pecified: but the things declared to him more &s;uccinctly, are here dilated more largely. He had a mouth &s;peaking great things &s;aith <HI>Daniel,</HI> which <HI>John</HI> cals bla&s;phemies: by which Ido|latry is implied, being the highe&s;t contumely again&s;t God. He &s;hal al&s;o continu to bla&s;phem fourty two months: during which &s;pace the Gentils &s;hal trample on the out Court or holy City. For &s;ith this prophanation tends to the &s;ame impiety with the Bea&s;ts bla&s;phemy, both may &s;ignify the power of dark|nes or night mea&s;ured by months or the Moons motion; &amp; not by dais or yeers after the Sun: el&s; why doth the holy Gho&s;t infer it immediatly upon the Bea&s;ts bla&s;phemy, unles the time be re|ferred therto? <HI>Ergo</HI> the Bea&s;ts 42 months begin not at this wrath and war with the Saints, but at his Bla&s;phemy: So the meaning is, that he continued to bla&s;phem &s;o long. That by bla&s;phemy is intended Idolatry or &s;piritual fornication is plain: 1. Becau&s; <HI>Babylon</HI> the Bea&s;ts Metropolis is caled Mother of Harlots with whom the Kings and Inhabiters of the Earth Harlotized. 2. 'Tis &s;uch bla&s;phemy as may fal into the cour&s;es of the next Foregoer or rather al the Heads, which are charged with it; but no bla&s;phemy can be laid to his Antece&s;&s;or, not to al in com|mon &s;av only Idolatry. 3. The word bla&s;phemy imports Idolatry in many mo places <HI>I&s;ai 65. 7. Jor. 23. 15. 17. Ezek. 20. 27. Deu. 31. 20. 2 King 19. 22. Prov. 14. 31. P&s;. 44. 16. P&s;al.</HI> 69. 10. in al
<PB N="158" REF="166"> which to rebuke, reproch, and bla&s;phem God is al one &s;en&s;.</P>
<P><HI>He opened his mouth in bla&s;phemy again&s;t God, to bla&s;phem</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 6.</NOTE> <HI>his Name, Tabernacle, and them that dwel in Heaven.</HI> What was &s;poken of bla&s;phemy in general, is here &s;pecificated by a triple Idolatry: 1. He bla&s;phems Gods Name or Pe&s;on by Image-wor&s;hip, a&s;cribing it to Stocks and Stones. 2. His Ta|bernacle or Chri&s;ts Humanity, wherin the Deity dwels per&s;o|naly: which Temple or Tabernacle is bla&s;phemed by be|leeving his Body to be daily made of bread; becau&s; tran&s;ub&s;tan|tiating <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 1. 14.</NOTE> Prie&s;ts cau&s; it to be adored for his tru Tabernacle. 3. He bla&s;phems Heavens Inhabiters (Angels and Saints) in caling <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 2. 19. Hebr. 9. 11.</NOTE> Idols by their <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">, which is al&s;o a contumely again&s;t Chri&s;t their Lord: for they are made Mediators or pretended Inter|ce&s;&s;ors with him again&s;t their wils (as Patrons or Pleaders for mortal Men in Heathen maner) and many faigned miracles fa|bled, fa&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed, or fathred on them, which is more bla&s;phemy.</P>
<P><HI>It was given him to make war with the Saints and overcome</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 7.</NOTE> <HI>them; and power was given him over al Kinreds, Toungs and Nations.</HI> This is his other part of power <HI>viz.</HI> per&s;ecution; wherby he provs him&s;elf the Dragons Deputy. <HI>Daniels</HI> words <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> 7. 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&punc;</NOTE> are, he made war with the Saints (the Womans Seed) and pre|vailed again&s;t them. The Bea&s;ts whol reign is a war again&s;t the Saints; but this is waged with bloody &s;laughter: as 'tis &s;aid <HI>ver&s;. 10. He that kils with the &s;word, mu&s;t be &s;o killed:</HI> For here the Secular Bea&s;t (not Spiritual) is meant, which mu&s;t be &s;o handled. He made not this war in Infancy, but in maturity; <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>A. C.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">.</NOTE> about the twelfth age from Chri&s;ts nativity. The fir&s;t war fel heavy on the Albigen&s;es, Walden&s;es, and other Profe&s;&s;ors; of whom were &s;lain only in <HI>France</HI> (as <HI>Peronius</HI> tels) about a million of Souls: who were ma&s;&s;acred by mighty Armies levi|ed again&s;t Sarra&s;ens: which bloody broils la&s;ted &s;eventy yeers. Many mo &s;laughters befel el&s;wher for three hundred yeers af|ter: yet about <HI>An.</HI> 1500. &s;undry Stats, Kingdoms, Countries, and Churches fel from the Bea&s;ts dominion: again&s;t whom cruel wars were rai&s;ed, which continu to this day, and &s;hal not cea&s; til the Bea&s;t be de&s;troied. So this per&s;ecution, for number of &s;lain, far exceds al the primitivs: for from the Je&s;uits <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 1580.</NOTE> ori|gin in thirty yeers &s;pace, <HI>Baldwin</HI> computs nine hundred thou|&s;and <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. de Anti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">. c. 16.</NOTE>
<PB REF="167"> Orthodox Chri&s;tians doon to death by Executioners: yea Duke <HI>d' Alva</HI> boa&s;ts, that he executed thirty &s;ix thou&s;and in <HI>Belgia:</HI> and <HI>Vergerius</HI> vaunts, that the Inqui&s;ition con&s;umed a hundred and fifty thou&s;and in thirty yeers by &s;everal tortures. They excu&s;e it, that the Clergy doth it not, but Magi&s;trats: yet they condemn them for Heretics and make the others their Hangmen. For &s;o 'tis &s;aid here of the Secular Bea&s;t, that he &s;hal make war and overcom the Saints: but of the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic, that he &s;hal cau&s; &s;o many as wil not wor&s;hip the Bea&s;ts Image to be &s;lain, and not kil with the Sword or by his own hands. His power reached over al the Roman dominion with &s;o great per&s;ecution, that no Kinred, Toung, or <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> can re&s;i&s;t his impiety: yet al particular Men are not included in this genera|lity: for very many in al ages (as God &s;aid he had &s;even thou|&s;and <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Kings 19. 18.</NOTE> in I&s;rael that never bowed knee to <HI>Baal</HI>) kept their Cove|nant with the Lamb: but al intire Kinreds or Stats &s;erved the Bea&s;t: &s;o tho&s; few di&s;per&s;t in the Bea&s;ts Provinces, made for a while the intemerat Virgin Church.</P>
<P><HI>Al that dwel on Earth &s;hal wor&s;hip him, who&s; names are not</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 8 9.</NOTE> <HI>writen in the Book of life of the Lamb &s;lain before the Worlds foundation.</HI> Le&s;t any pre&s;uming on a catholic con&s;ent of Kin|reds and Nations which folow the Bea&s;t, or deterred with grie|vous per&s;ecution; &s;hal think they may run &s;afly with the multi|tud, the holy Gho&s;t here reads their doom: that their names are not regi&s;tred in the book of Life. Hereto is an Apo&s;trophe anne|xed of attention: If any hav an ear let him hear (<HI>i.</HI> al godly Chri|&s;tians li&s;ten deeply and devoutly) to what is fore&s;aid (not what folows) of their unhappy condition which folow the Bea&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>He that leads into Captivity, &s;hal go into Captivity: he that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 10.</NOTE> <HI>kils with the &s;word mu&s;t be &s;o killed: here is the patience and Faith of the Saints.</HI> This is a con&s;olatory clo&s;e, that God wil be their avenger, to afflict their Adver&s;aries with &s;uch mea&s;ure as they mete: wherof they being confident, are no whit daunt|ed with tribulations, but patiently, faithfully, and con&s;tantly endure al, expecting revenge from God.</P>
<P><HI>I &s;aw another Bea&s;t com out of the Earth, which had two horn<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 11&punc;</NOTE> <HI>like a Lamb, but &s;pake as a Dragon.</HI> He proceds from the Se|cular Bea&s;t of <HI>C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ars,</HI> to the Spiritual or P&s;eudoprophetical of
<PB N="159" REF="167"> the Pope with his Clergy; which exerci&s;eth the government and bla&s;phemies of the former. He hath two horns like a Lamb, boa&s;ting of his power to bind and loo&s; by deputation; but &s;peaks Idolatry and &s;lais the Saints as a Dragon: for he is Author or Founder of the ten hornd Bea&s;t, by reviving the We&s;t Empire; but &s;ucceds the Dragon for ferity and bla&s;phe|my under the Vi&s;our of Chri&s;tianity: u&s;ing his Authority as high Prie&s;t, and takes on him as Head or Monarch therof, no le&s;&s; then of his Clergy: with whom jointly he makes up the P&s;eu|doprophetic Bea&s;t or &s;eventh Head of the Roman State in the City &s;ited on &s;even Hils. The Pope &s;ingle (though a fal&s; Pro|phet) is not that Bea&s;t, but joind with his Clergy; which make a company compo&s;ed of many members, as a Bea&s;t hath. The&s; by fained &s;igns and miracles (&s;pecialy thunder-bolts of Excom|munication, as a divine revenge) gradualy &s;ubjected the Kings ri&s;en up in the di&s;&s;ipated divided Empire to their yoke; who tamely &s;ubmitted their necks, and put on the Image of the old Empire now cru&s;hed. So that the Cae&s;arean Head being wound|ed, not only revived in that Image; but at the fal&s; Prophets plea&s;ure, puni&s;hed with the Secular &s;word (as he with the Spi|ritual) al di&s;obedient murmurers. This Bea&s;t coms out of the Earth, not from the Sea as the former, which had another pe|digree: for Sea &s;ignifies many People in one dominion, and an Army in war: but Earth, Up&s;tarts of low condition, &s;pringing <NOTE PLACE="marg">Terr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">i.</NOTE> up &s;ecretly as Herbs &s;ans noi&s; or notice. He had two horns like a Lamb, pretending to bind and loo&s; as Chri&s;ts Vicar Ge|neral on Earth: but &s;peaks as a Dragon, patronizing Idolatry (as the Dragon did) by Decrees and Canons; and &s;eeks to de|&s;troy the Lambs tru wor&s;hipers.</P>
<P><HI>He exerci&s;eth al power of the fir&s;t Bea&s;t before him, and cau|&s;eth</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 12&punc;</NOTE> <HI>the Earth with them that dwel in it to wor&s;hip the fir&s;t Bea&s;t, who&s; deadly wound was healed.</HI> This two hornd Bea&s;t u&s;eth as high Prie&s;t the Dragons fiduciary power intru&s;ted to the former Bea&s;t: which con&s;i&s;ts in Idol-wor&s;hip; being the ten hornd Bea&s;ts Chaplain in Religious Rites: cau&s;ing the Earths dwellers to wor&s;hip that Bea&s;t, &s;tiling it the holy Empire. The words (before him) may import preceding, or in his pre&s;ence; it skils not which. For whatever power the fir&s;t Bea&s;t had, he
<PB REF="168"> agni&s;eth the high Prie&s;t Author, by who&s; means the Earths In|habiters wor&s;hiped him: who being cured of his deadly wound, ro&s;e out of the Sea; but by what wais or wiles he did it, re&s;ts to be declared.</P>
<P><HI>He doth great wonders, making fire com from Heaven on</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 13. 14.</NOTE> <HI>Earth in &s;ight of Men, and deceiv them that dwel on Earth, by rea&s;on of tho&s; miracles which he had power to doo in &s;ight of the Bea&s;t: &s;aying to them that dwel on Earth, they &s;hould make an Image to the Bea&s;t, which was wounded with a &s;word and did liv.</HI> The Pontifical P&s;eudoprophetic Bea&s;t, per&s;waded the Na|tions by wonders or miracles to ree&s;tabli&s;h the ten hornd Bea&s;t; wherby the Dragons power revived, and to frame the Bea&s;ts Image &s;lain in the &s;ixth Head. Which being formed af|ter his plea&s;ure, that wound which the Dragon received &s;eems recured, and the Bea&s;t renewed by &s;ub&s;tituting new Idolatry and tyranny like the former: For the Bea&s;t of the la&s;t Head is the others Image &s;lain in the &s;ixth. <HI>He &s;aid they &s;hould make the Bea&s;ts Image which was &s;lain and did liv or reviv:</HI> which words belong not to the Bea&s;t who&s; Image was to be framed, as if the fal&s; Prophet &s;pake it; but to the Angel reporting the event, how the &s;lain Bea&s;t revived. For the Dragon gav the Secular Bea&s;t his Power and great Authority: which healed his wound by imprinting his form of wor&s;hip on a Bea&s;t of another Reli|gion; placing his Angels or Devils (not as before, by tho&s;e ti|tles of profe&s;&s;ed Enimies to the Lord Je&s;us, but under Chri&s;ti|an colors or cogni&s;ances) to be wor&s;hiped as Saints and good Angels: but who wor&s;hips Idols under any name or notion, he wor&s;hips Devils. Yea, to complet the &s;lain Dragons ful Image, the Pope arrogats or a&s;&s;ums divine titles, as diver&s; Emperors <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 4.</NOTE> Devil-&s;ervers had doon: For he &s;its as God in the Temple of God, &s;hewing him&s;elf to be God. Yea he makes fire com down from Heaven on Earth: which <HI>Gra&s;erus</HI> interprets by a Proverbial Hyperbole, that he doth &s;uch or &s;o great wonders, as may emulat <HI>Eliah's;</HI> wherby he vindicated Gods wor&s;hip. Which exemple of fire the Jews u&s;e for al wonderfulworks, wherin Gods Glory is more con&s;picuous. This is plau&s;ible; but it rather relats to that which folows, &s;hewing how the fal&s; Pro|phet induced Men to make the Bea&s;ts Image: <HI>viz.</HI> he cau&s;ed al
<PB N="160" REF="168"> to receiv a mark, that none might buy or &s;el &s;av he that had the Bea&s;ts mark, name, or number of his name, <HI>ver&s;.</HI> 17. 18. This he effected both by &s;educing miracles, and inforcing Excom|munication: For 'tis &s;aid, He deceived them by wonders which he had power to doo, that they &s;hould make the Bea&s;ts Image in maner afore&s;aid. The Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Anathema, forbidding common Commerce, is aptly re&s;embled to fire from Heaven or Lightning; for it delivers over to everla&s;ting fire, as a puni&s;h|ment <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t 2. 6. Jude v. 7.</NOTE> proceding from God, u&s;ualy caled a Lake of fire or A&s;phaltites, wher <HI>Sodom</HI> and <HI>Gomorrha</HI> were con&s;umed by fire raining from Heaven. The wonders were fained cures fa&s;tned on Angels, Saints, Images, and Reliques: but &s;pecialy by their breaden God, &s;aid to driv out Devils. Al which the two hornd <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2 9 10</NOTE> Bea&s;t, with his fal&s; Prophet pretended to doo, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> fore|told; <HI>That the Man of &s;in &s;hal com after the working of Satan, with al &s;igns and lying wonders, and with al deceivablenes of unrighteou&s;nes.</HI> Touching the Lightning of Anathema, 'tis u&s;ed in al ages; &s;pecialy about advancing Iconolatry: For when it was <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>A C.</HI> 7. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> fir&s;t agitated (which continued with fierce fervor one hundred twenty yeers) <HI>Leo I&s;auricus,</HI> a &s;tif oppo&s;er of it and Saints In|terce&s;&s;ion, was ba&s;ely branded by the Popes Para&s;its (as <HI>Con|&s;canti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> is ni<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">k-named <HI>Copronymus</HI> for the &s;ame cau&s;) and &s;truck with Anathema-thunder by the Pope: who ab&s;olved his Sub|jects in <HI>Italy</HI> from their fealty, and &s;trov to bereav his Exarchat of <HI>Ravenna,</HI> with other dominions; wherby he animated Ico|nolaters in the Ea&s;t, and &s;cared the We&s;t Monarchs from da|ring or doing the like. With the &s;ame Lightning he bla&s;ted the Albigen&s;es, &amp;c. for oppugning Idolatry in the Lateran Sy|nod under <HI>Alex.</HI> 3. So another Lateran Council decreed, That &s;uch Lords temporal as refu&s;ed to quel them, &s;hould be Excom|municat by the Metropolitans and other Comprovincial Pre|lats: ab&s;olving their Va&s;&s;als from fealty, and expo&s;ing their Lands or Territories as a prey to other Princes.</P>
<P><HI>He had power to giv the Bea&s;ts Image life, that it &s;hould &s;peak,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>and cau&s; &s;o many as would not wor&s;hip it to be killed. Nebuchad|nezar</HI> decreed the &s;ame of his Image: but if this had not re|ceived life, the &s;lain Bea&s;t could not reviv in him; no<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> was the former Dragon-Wor&s;hiper idle, but activ and &s;tout to fly on
<PB REF="169"> his Enimies; as this Image ought to be, in which he &s;hould re|viv. Therfore the fal&s; Prophet had power not only to allure People to make the Image of the la&s;t cour&s;; but to inlifen him, wherby he may by Edicts injoin &s;uch things as &s;hal &s;upport his dignity, and puni&s;h Oppo&s;ers by temporal death. For al power of the Image or Secular Bea&s;t, is derived or delivered by the P&s;eudoprophetic: who denounceth &s;entence of Here&s;y again&s;t al which re&s;i&s;t his Authority, and the other mu&s;t execut it. This is commonly caled a delivery over to the Secular Power, which is but his Hangman, becau&s; he wil not &s;eem or deem to defile his holy hands with blood. The like u&s;e other Sects or Septs make of Civil Magi&s;trats.</P>
<P><HI>He cau&s;ed al great and &s;mal, rich and poor, free and bond, to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 16. 17.</NOTE> <HI>receiv a mark in their right hand or forehead: that none might buy or &s;el, &s;av &s;uch as had the mark or name of the Bea&s;t, or number of his name.</HI> The mark is his name, as 'tis caled the mark or name, and afterward the mark of his name. This allud<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 14. 11.</NOTE> to an old cu&s;tom of marking Servants with the Ma&s;ters name, &s;pecialy in the foreheads; but Soldiers of their Captains in the hand. So the Lambs Folowers being contrary to the Bea&s;ts, had his name and his Fathers in their Foreheads. The number of his name is the &s;ame with him&s;elf, but cald the number be|cau&s; brought into letters of number; God &s;o di&s;po&s;ing it: but the mark and number differ, if the interpretation be directed after the analogy of other places: For the mark &s;hews to which Lord they belong that bear it: but the number indicats from what &s;tock they &s;pring that are marked: as the number of twelv made in the multiplication of twelv Virgins, is a &s;ymbol of Apo&s;tolic linage or Of-&s;pring, as &s;hal be &s;hewed. The Bea&s;ts name which includs the number, is <GAP DESC="foreign"> impo&s;ed &s;oon after the Revelation was writ. For at the Empires divi|&s;ion by <HI>Theodo&s;ius,</HI> and ri&s;ing of the ten Kings; the Roman fal&s; Prophet, and We&s;t Inhabiters under him, were &s;tiled La|tin by fatal in&s;tinct, which very name, &s;ubducting the numeral letters (as Hebrews and Greecs u&s;e) make the my&s;tical number 666. noted by the holy Gho&s;t: which provs the Bea&s;ts pro&s;a|py, who vaunts him&s;elf to &s;ucced the Apo&s;tles; but indeed de|&s;cends from the Dragon: for the Apo&s;tolic number 12, wil
<PB N="161" REF="169"> never ca&s;t into 666. however multiplied: but from the num|ber 6. (which belongs to the red Dragon and Bea&s;t of the &s;ixth Head) neatly and naturaly. For the whol &s;um how great &s;oe|ver, is compact out of &s;ix by units, tens, and hundreds: as if the Dragons whol &s;eed, were diffu&s;ed through this la&s;t Bea&s;ts whol Body with al his Mini&s;ters.</P>
<P><HI>Here is Wi&s;dom: let him that hath under&s;tanding count the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Bea&s;ts number, which is the number of a Man, even</HI> 666. The Virgins number one hundred forty four thou&s;and contrary to the Bea&s;t, is altogether Apo&s;tolic, begot of 12. multiplyed by twelv times twelv thou&s;and: for the rea&s;on or re&s;ult of con|traries is contrary: wher both the name writen and number of the company is expre&s;&s;ed: but here the name is conceled, or left to be collected and conjectured from the number, wherin lies a my&s;tery. The forbidding to buy and &s;el is a brand of Papal Excommunication, excluding commerce or company with &s;uch. To receiv the mark of the Bea&s;ts name, is to ac|knowledg <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> him Lord and obey his authority: but to receiv his number is to embrace his impiety derived from the Dragon. Now tho none can hav the mark of his name or obey his autho|rity, unles he partake his number and impiety: yet may a Man admit the number or impiety, and abandon his name or au|thority. As the Greecs hold the Dragons impious Idolatry with the Latins, as fir&s;t erected or e&s;tabli&s;hed in the &s;ecund Nicen Synod by a Pope, who labored earne&s;tly to reviv the &s;lain Dra|gons Image: yet reject his authority, and wil not bear his name or yoke as formerly: but made a Schi&s;m (as 'tis &s;tiled) from the Latin Church, which hath la&s;ted abov 700. yeers, maugre al brute Anathemas.</P>
<P>Let me intrud or interpo&s;e a few words: Excommunication <NOTE PLACE="marg">Animadver&s;.</NOTE> is a prohibitiv brand to bar al that hav it from commerce, com|pany, and communion; but no permi&s;&s;iv badg to admit any, nor can be caled a proper name. Now Roman Catholic is the general appellation which al own, and the Oath of Papal Su|premacy (caled reconciling to the Church of Rome) a common mark or cogni&s;ance; without which none may buy or &s;el &s;pi|ritual wares among them. <HI>Quam bene conveniunt?</HI> The&s; two terms (Roman Catholic and Papal Supremacy) applyed to
<PB REF="170"> the name and mark of the Bea&s;ts folowers; I mu&s;t own how fit or unfit &s;oever: humbly &s;ubmitting them with al el&s; to pub|lic cen&s;ure. No Symbols, &s;imilituds, nor allu&s;ions run on al four feet; but are obvious to various applications, which may and doo differ in diver&s; circum&s;tances, as here haply it hap|pens. For the Bea&s;ts number, <HI>Vicarius Dei generalis in terris</HI> (DCLVVIIIIII. 666.) is the Bea&s;ts tru paraphra&s;tical title, and right number therof: but no proper name, nor number of a Man as <GAP DESC="foreign"> is: nor are the numeral letters collected from the original Greec (wherin <HI>John</HI> wrot, as the others be) but from the Roman Latin, which is a con&s;iderable ca&s;e. Let Readers ruminat on it, and judg deliberatly.</P>
<P><HI>I looked, and lo a Lamb &s;tood on Mount Sion, and with him</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 14 V. 1.</NOTE> <HI>one hundred forty four thou&s;and having the name of the Lamb and his Fathers in their forheads.</HI> The company of Virgins which folow the Lamb &s;tanding on Sion, and elect Gentils put in place of I&s;rael mentioned at beginning of the &s;eventh Seal (for 'tis de&s;cribed in a duple Vi&s;ion, to conjoin the prophecy of Seals with that of the litle Book) &s;ignifies the Church, which in mid&s;t of Papacy continued con&s;tant to the Lamb as a Virgin under <HI>Babylon;</HI> being the Apo&s;tles genuin progeny: who were not confined to any &s;et &s;tation, but folowed the Lamb wherever he did go. By the number one hundred forty four thou&s;and (12. times 12000.) it appeers, that the &s;ame company is &s;pecified both whers, being the Apo&s;tles tru Of|&s;pring, which bear the number twelv as an Emblem or En&s;ign of their peculiar pro&s;apy or pedigree. Mount Sion was <HI>Davids</HI> Kingdoms Throne or Roial man&s;ion, caled his City: becau&s; he got it from the <HI>Jebu&s;its,</HI> and walling it built a Tower, Streets, and Courts. It may here parabolicaly imply that part of the Earth, which Chri&s;t having vanqui&s;hd made his Churches habitation; <HI>viz.</HI> the Chri&s;tian World: wher &s;he keeps hir faith and cha&s;tity undefiled, when the Bea&s;t polluted al with adul|teries and &s;laughters. The name Lamb is left out in mo&s;t Eng|li&s;h Bibles, and his Fathers only in&s;erted: but the be&s;t Tran&s;la|tors hav both, and the matter requires to read it &s;o. For the allu&s;ion to mark Servants and Souldiers, belongs to the Lambs folowers; that they &s;hould bear his name &s;o wel as his Fathers
<PB N="162" REF="170"> in their foreheads at Bapti&s;m being &s;igned with the Cro&s;&s;. At which time they giv faith (per&s;onaly or by Sureties) to renounce Satan and al his works and wor&s;hip: which in Apo|calyptic phra&s;e is to abandon the Dragon and his power, with al his Angels or Devils. In this Sacrament we &s;olenly profes faith to the Lamb and his Father: for 'tis the Lords Seal, as the Antients cal it. <HI>Origen</HI> &s;aith, let us bear the immortal laver in our forheads: which when the Devils &s;hal &s;ee they tremble. St. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> terms it the Roial mark of our Redeemer: which Seal is defaced or obliterated by Idolatrous &s;uper&s;tition, as <HI>Tertullian, I&s;odor,</HI> and many mo teach or te&s;tify. The Per&s;ons <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 7. 4.</NOTE> &s;ealed both before and here are the &s;ame: but the rea&s;on for the end of &s;ealing different: for ther the matter of protection is treated, here of fealty: yet 'tis needle&s;&s; to &s;eek another Seal be&s;ide Bapti&s;m, which performs both: becau&s; with it God ads his Grace, wherby he owns them as his, and takes them into tuition: the one is handled in the other Vi&s;ion of the &s;ealed, the other in this. Hence <HI>Clemens Alex.</HI> cals Bap|ti&s;m a perfect &s;afeguard, and <HI>Nazianzen</HI> a &s;eal. S. <HI>Ba&s;il</HI> &s;aith, unles the Angel take notice of thy mark, how &s;hal he fight or defend thee from the Enemy? hereby &s;aith <HI>Nicetas,</HI> we are kept &s;afe from Satans &s;nares. Thus Bapti&s;m is the &s;eal, and &s;ign of the Cro&s;&s; the mark of the Lamb, as al agree.</P>
<P><HI>I heard a voice from Heaven as many Waters &amp; a great Thun|der:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 2. 3.</NOTE> <HI>and the voice was as of Harpers playing with their Harps. They &s;ung as it were a new Song before the Throne, and four Bea&s;ts, and Elders: and none could learn it, but the one hundred forty four thou&s;and which were redeemed from the Earth.</HI> The voice as of many Waters and Thunder, &s;ignifies a great mul|titud: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19 6.</NOTE> &s;uch as was the Levits &s;inging with mu&s;ical In&s;truments: for 'tis after caled the voice of a great multitud, as of many waters and mighty thunderings. <HI>Daniel de&s;cribing the Son of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 10. 6.</NOTE> <HI>God &s;aith, the voice of his Words was like a multitud:</HI> which St. <HI>John</HI> cals many waters. The Singers were Celical Angels glorifying the Father and the Lamb, as they did before, when he un&s;ealed the Prophecies. The Song is &s;tiled new in both places, being different from that &s;ung before Chri&s;t was &s;ent, and for the new benefit of his coming granted to no foregoing
<PB REF="171"> ages, but only to the la&s;t times; the form wherof is expre&s;&s;ed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 5. 13.</NOTE> before: <HI>viz.</HI> to him that &s;its on the Throne, and to the Lamb be ble&s;&s;ing, honor, glory, and power for ever, Amen. Which agrees with the Evangelical Hymn after Chri&s;t appeered in the fle&s;h: wher to him that &s;its on the Throne and the Lamb joint|ly redemption, power, riches, wi&s;dom, &s;trength, honor, glory, and ble&s;&s;ing are devoutly a&s;cribed. None could learn that &s;ong &s;o long as the Bea&s;t bore &s;way in Chri&s;tendom, &s;av &s;uch as be of the one hundred forty four thou&s;and, who only &s;ans &s;pot of Idolatry glorify the Father on Earth, as Angels doo in Heaven; as Chri&s;t teacheth us to pray.</P>
<P><HI>The&s; are not defiled with Women, but Virgins: they folow the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 4.</NOTE> <HI>Lamb wherever he goeth: the&s; are bought from among Men, being fir&s;t fruits of God and the Lamb.</HI> Women here meant in a Prophetic phra&s;e, are Chri&s;tian Cities addicted to Idols, who&s; Queen is great <HI>Babylon</HI> Mother of Harlots, with whom Kings and Nations commit fornication: but the Lambs company conver&s; not with &s;uch, being Virgins free from Idolatrous Ince&s;t or pollution. The&s; folow the Lamb or faithfully cleav fa&s;t and never for&s;ake him: in what City or Country he &s;hal &s;et up his Standard, thither they folow. The&s; are bought out of the pro|phane multitud, to be a peculiar People like fir&s;t fruits (which imply al things exempt from il u&s;es) to God and the Lamb.</P>
<P><HI>In their mouth was found no guile: for they were without fault.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 5.</NOTE> No ly was found in them: but al Chri&s;tian Idolaters are Liers, who &s;ay they wor&s;hip God the creator, but giv it to Creatures as St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>They turned the truth of God into a ly, wor&s;hip|ing</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 25.</NOTE> <HI>the Creature as the Creator.</HI> Hence <HI>Amos</HI> cals Idols lies: but the&s; tru wor&s;hipers were faultle&s;&s;, and no ly found in their <NOTE PLACE="marg">Amos 2. 4.</NOTE> mouths.</P>
<P><HI>I &s;aw another Angel &s;ly in mid&s;t of Heaven, having the ever|la&s;ting</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Go&s;pel to preach unto the Inhabiters on Earth, and to every Nation, Kinred, Toung, and People.</HI> After a de&s;cription of the Company folows the hi&s;tory of things doon by them, and their leader the Lamb again&s;t the common Enemy, which is duple: 1. Of Admonition to the Bea&s;ts folowers, pre&s;ented by three Angels. 2. Of Revenge, by a Parabol of Harve&s;t and Vintage. The Monitor Angel is caled another in re&s;pect of
<PB N="163" REF="171"> tho&s; foregoing mu&s;ical Angels, wherof this Prcacher was none. Wher note that in &s;uch Vi&s;ions, the Angels repre&s;ent them <NOTE PLACE="marg">Note.</NOTE> whom they govern: but this lofty Flier &s;eems to be more e|minent then any Rulers of Men; being emploied to declare his Go&s;pel caled everla&s;ting: not &s;o much in re&s;pect of time to com, as that pa&s;t: <HI>viz</HI> what was promi&s;ed (touching the Womans &s;eed to break the Serpents head) at beginning of the World; as St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, that which God promi&s;ed before (or <NOTE PLACE="marg">Titus 1. 2.</NOTE> when) the World began, is eternal life.</P>
<P><HI>He &s;aid with a loud voice, fear God and giv him glory: for</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 7.</NOTE> <HI>the hour of his judgment is com: wor&s;hip him that made Heaven, Earth, Sea, and Fountains of Waters.</HI> This Angel knowing Gods Kingdom to be at hand, when Judgment mu&s;t be exe|cuted on Idols and Idolaters (the Devils being ca&s;t down and de&s;poiled of the Roman Throne) exhorts al Nations, Kin|reds, and People to becom Chri&s;tians, to wor&s;hip God only as he is declared in the Go&s;pel, and beware of Idols. Surely Iconolatry is analogical Idolatry, tho not identical with Hea|then. <HI>Fear God and giv him glory; for the hour of his Judg|ment is com: viz.</HI> wherin Chri&s;t by his Cro&s;&s; hath &s;poiled Pow|ers and Principalities, declaring by his Apo&s;tles and Evange|li&s;ts to the Nations (which through &s;o many ages he &s;uffred to walk in their own wais) that they &s;hould turn from Idols, or at his coming &s;uffer eternal death. Why then doo Chri&s;ti|ans who profes faith in this Judg, return as it were by a back dore to adore Idols or Devils under new names; having no Textual warrant of precept or precedent &s;o to doo? <HI>St. Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 14. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 15, 16.</NOTE> <HI>cried to the Lycaonians, we Preach, that ye &s;hould turn from the&s; vanities to the living God, who in times pa&s;t &s;uffred al Nations to walk in their own wais: but now the time of his Judgment is com.</HI> The In&s;truments u&s;ed to denounce Gods judgments, were holy Bi&s;hops and Confe&s;&s;ors: who fir&s;t oppo&s;ed Martyrs Reliques, as appeers in the &s;tory of <HI>Vigilantius</HI> and others: but <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C 720.</NOTE> afterward more con&s;picuou&s;ly in the Greec Church again&s;t Image-wor&s;hip; which many zelous Emperors (<HI>Leo I&s;auri|cus, Con&s;tantinus Iconomachus, Leo Armenius, Michael Bal|bus, Theophilus</HI>) &s;ti&s;ly oppo&s;ed: yet in fine it prevailed by the power and policy of the two horned Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet.
<PB REF="172"> For tho &s;om condemned Images, yet many favored invocation of Saints: under which notion Iconolatry crept up clo&s;ly, which <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> with diver&s; orthodox Fathers impeached of error. For the nominal honor of Saint given to Apo&s;tles, Martyrs, and Confe&s;&s;ors was never denied (til in this la&s;t ignorant age by giddy Secti&s;ts) as a Chri&s;tian compellation; but only the real invocation and interce&s;&s;ion, which drew on &s;uper&s;titious ado|ration of their Images: yet to decry the name of Saints to &s;uch is no le&s;&s; erroneous, though not &s;o enormous. The cry of this flying Angel &s;ounded in the We&s;t &s;o wel as Ea&s;t: for the Synod of <HI>Francfort,</HI> under <HI>Charlemaign,</HI> of almo&s;t three hundred <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 790.</NOTE> Bi&s;hops, condemned Image-wor&s;hip, and the &s;ecund <HI>Nicen</HI> Council which e&s;tabli&s;hed it. So the Synod of <HI>Paris,</HI> &s;um|moned <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. 825.</NOTE> by his Son King <HI>Lewis,</HI> declared it to be impious, and rejected that <HI>Nicen</HI> cru as &s;uper&s;titious. Now li&s;ten to the &s;e|cund Angels proclamation.</P>
<P><HI>Ther folowed another Angel crying, Babylon is falen, is falen;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 8.</NOTE> <HI>that great City, becau&s; &s;he made al Nations drink the Wine of the wrath of hir fornication.</HI> He declares the foundation of <HI>Babylons</HI> ruin to be laid: wherin he imitats <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> touching <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 21 9.</NOTE> <HI>Babylon</HI> in the &s;ame words, is falen, is falen; when the Medes and Per&s;ians were about to de&s;troy hir. The Mini&s;ters of this cry again&s;t my&s;tical <HI>Babylon,</HI> were the Walden&s;es and Albigen|&s;es: who by word, deed, and death declared <HI>Rome</HI> to be Apo|calyptic <HI>Babylon</HI> for hir Spiritual whordom of Idolatry, wher|with &s;he intoxicated al Nations. The&s; Champions began hir downfal: for multituds of Men in al hir Provinces gradualy &s;tarted or revolted. By poi&s;oned Wine is meant the amorous phil<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ry or &s;orcery of hir &s;piritual fornication: but the Wine of hir wrath alluds to mortiferous potions u&s;ualy given to Male|factors, &s;pecialy among the Grecians in antient times.</P>
<P><HI>The third Angel folowed &s;aying aloud, if any wor&s;hip the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 9. 10. 11.</NOTE> <HI>Bea&s;t and his Image, and receiv his mark in forehead or hand; he &s;hal drink the Wine of Gods wrath mingled with the Cup of his indignation, and &s;hal be tormented with fire and brim&s;tone in pre&s;ence of the holy Angels and the Lamb: and the &s;moak of their torment a&s;cends up for ever and ever. They hav no re&s;t day or night, which wor&s;hip the Bea&s;t and his Image, and receiv the
<PB N="164" REF="172"> mark of his name.</HI> This Angel proceding farther then the two former, forewarns the Bea&s;ts folowers, how dreadful dangers hang over their heads, unles they &s;peedily &s;hun his &s;ociety. The chief Mini&s;ter of this cry was <HI>Luther</HI> with his Sectators &amp; Suc|ce&s;&s;ors, who began that great glorious Reformation: when whol Stats, Kingdoms, and Provinces (not &s;ingle Men as before) ca&s;t off the Bea&s;ts yoke with al his abominations. Here is threat|ned a terrible puni&s;hment (look to it Romi&s;h Catholics) if they per&s;i&s;t in their old drunkennes, they &s;hal drink the Wine of Gods wrath mix'd with bitternes (Myrrhe, Aloes, Gal, Frank|incen&s;, or Wormwood) &s;uch as the Jews gav them that were put to death, and offred to our Saviour. Here the fir&s;t Angel admoni&s;hed them to wor&s;hip God aright: the next menaceth ruin to <HI>Babylon:</HI> and this denounceth judgment to al his Fo|lowers.</P>
<P><HI>Here is the Saints patience: Here are they that keep Gods</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 12.</NOTE> <HI>Commandments and Faith of Je&s;us.</HI> This cry is the Touch|&s;tone to try the Saints patience in &s;o long expecting the Bea&s;ts puni&s;hment: not being dejected or di&s;contented at his pro&s;pe|rity, nor deterred with his tyranny, in obedience to Gods Commands and Faith of Je&s;us; by abondoning the Bea&s;ts com|munion and renouncing his Image, mark or cogni&s;ance.</P>
<P><HI>I heard a voice from Heaven &s;aying, Write, ble&s;&s;ed are the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 13.</NOTE> <HI>dead which dy in the Lord henceforth, &s;aith the Spirit, that they may re&s;t from their labors and their works folow them.</HI> This de|claration mo&s;t Men refer to the preceding words, as a comfort henceforth to the Saints in the Lord: but they rather tend to the &s;ub&s;equent matters, as a warning of the Judgment and Re|&s;urrection to com under the &s;eventh trumpet. As if he &s;aid, Now is the time wherin tho&s; that dy in the Lord, &s;hal ri&s;e to a ble&s;&s;ed life eternal. This interpretation &s;eems be&s;t for three rea&s;ons: Fir&s;t, becau&s; the day of death is never caled a reward; but Judgment and Re&s;urrection is. Secundly, becau&s; a Voice from Heaven imports &s;om notable matter in&s;uing: nor is any command given to write, &s;av only at beginning. Thirdly, be|cau&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">R. v. 11. 11. 18</NOTE> it agrees with the &s;eventh trumpet, wherin the cau&s; of tho&s; that dy in Chri&s;t &s;hal be judged, and God &s;hal reward his Ser|vants which fear his name: as here 'tis &s;aid, Ble&s;&s;ed are the dead
<PB REF="173"> from this time, that they may re&s;t from their Labors, and their works (or a ble&s;&s;ed reward) folow them. Both expo&s;itions in|tend &s;pecialy &s;uch as dy for the Lord, <HI>viz.</HI> Martyrs, who giv their lifes for Chri&s;t, rather then other Saints or Confe&s;&s;ors which dy in the Lord and put faith in him: for &s;o the context evidently evinceth or argueth by the Saints patience in &s;uffering per&s;ecution even to death.</P>
<P><HI>I looked, and lo a whit Cloud, and on it one &s;at like the Son of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;</HI> 14&punc; 15. 16</NOTE> <HI>Man, haveng on his head a golden Crown, and in his hand a &s;harp &s;ickle: and another Angel cam out of the Temple crying aloud to him that &s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> on the Cloud, thru&s;t in thy &s;ickle and reap, for time is com and Harve&s;t is ripe: and he thru&s;t in his &s;ickle, and the Earth was reaped.</HI> By Harve&s;t three things are meant: <HI>viz.</HI> Cutting of Corn, gathering it in, and thre&s;hing it out. Hence a duple Parabol of contrary &s;en&s; is u&s;ed in Scripture: one of killing or de&s;troying by cutting down and thre&s;hing: as <HI>Jeremy</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Babylon is a thre&s;hing floor, 'tis time to thre&s;h hir:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 51. 33.</NOTE> <HI>yet a litle while, and Have&s;t time &s;hal com.</HI> So <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> &s;peaks of I&s;raels overthrow by <HI>Tiglatpele&s;er: It &s;hal be as when the Har|ve&s;t</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 17. 5.</NOTE> <HI>man reaps the ears of Corn with his arms.</HI> Another of &s;a|ving or re&s;toring by gathering in u&s;ed in the new Te&s;tament: as Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>The Harve&s;t is great, but the Laborers</HI> (or Ga|therers, &s;uch as &s;hal be &s;aved) <HI>are few.</HI> Now which of the two is here pre&s;ented, re&s;ts to be &s;ifted or &s;canned by order of things doon. The treading of the Winepre&s;&s; at Vintage (which &s;uc|ceds this Harve&s;t) is the &s;ame with that bloody &s;laughter exe|cuted by him which &s;at on the whit Hor&s;; wher 'tis &s;aid, <HI>He treads the Wine-pr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s; of the fierce wrath of Almighty God:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19 11. 15</NOTE> which provs that the two Prophetic Parabols here (no other interveining) &s;ignify the &s;ame matter: or if diver&s;, yet &s;om way, tied together: &s;ith then Harve&s;t ther goes next before Vintage here, and the preparation of the Lambs mariage, and <HI>Babylons</HI> de&s;truction, preceds that cruel &s;laughter ther: it mu&s;t needs folow, that the &s;aid preparation and de&s;truction are this Har|ve&s;t, or belongs to the &s;ame with it, or the Harve&s;t with them. If <HI>Babylons</HI> de&s;truction be the Harve&s;t, it agrees to the type of cutting down and thre&s;hing, &s;utable to <HI>Jeremies</HI> foretelling old <HI>Babylons</HI> fal by the &s;ame figure: but if both Harve&s;t and
<PB N="165" REF="173"> Vintage (which end the yeer) &s;et forth the con&s;ummation of things, the Harve&s;t preceding in time; then both may &s;ignifie the period of Roman tyranny: wher Harve&s;t may denot the Cities overthrow as fir&s;t fruits, and Vintage in&s;uing the Bea&s;ts who. Kingdoms ruin. Haply Harve&s;t may imply that prepara|tion to the Lambs mariage or adorning his Bride, or &s;omthing to be doon therat: which probably is the Jews conver&s;ion, and gathering of I&s;rael &s;o long looked for. The&s; are they in our <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 22. 1.</NOTE> Saviours Parabol, who being invited to the Kings Sons wed|ding refu&s;ed to com: but being now ready make ha&s;t. For the Gentils cannot be this Bride, &s;ith they hav bin the Lambs Spou&s; abov one thou&s;and &s;ix hundred yeers ago. With this conver&s;i|on or return of I&s;rael (who &s;hal be a&s;cited as part into the Lambs Virgin company) &s;hal be joined the Turci&s;h Empires cutting down, typified by drying up of <HI>Euphrates</HI> at pouring <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 16. 12.</NOTE> out the &s;ixth Phial, that the way of the Ea&s;t Kings may be prepared: For the time of this Phial pointly agrees with the Brides preparation, being &s;et betwen <HI>Babylons</HI> overthrow and the Enimies la&s;t &s;laughter. Chri&s;ts Church (which by I&s;raels conver&s;ion wil &s;eem dupled) &s;hal hav ech a peculiar Enimy: one the Roman Bea&s;t of uncircumci&s;ed origin; the other the Mahometan Empire of circumci&s;ed Of-&s;pring, derived from <HI>I&s;mael,</HI> which was ominous and odious to <HI>I&s;aacs</HI> I&s;&s;u: the abo|lition of both being to be accompli&s;hed at Chri&s;ts coming. So Harve&s;t may re&s;emble the fir&s;t, and Vintage the la&s;t. <HI>Joels</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Joel 3. 1. 2. 13.</NOTE> Prophecy (whence this duple type is taken) treats of I&s;raels conver&s;ion &s;aying, <HI>In tho&s; dais when I &s;hal bring again the Cap|tivity to Juda and Jeru&s;alem; I wil gather al Nations into the Valley of Jeho&s;aphat, and plead with them ther for my People and heritage I&s;rael, whom they hav &s;cattered among Nations, and parted my Land.</HI> Then folows by Hypotypo&s;is; <HI>put ye in the &s;ickle, for Harve&s;t is ripe: com get ye down for the Pre&s;&s; is ful, the Fats overflow, and the wickednes is great.</HI> Now though both notions of Harve&s;t (one to gather in, the other to cut down and thre&s;h) comply to I&s;raels gathering into the Chur|ches Barn, and &s;ubduing the Enimies with &s;laughter: yet becau&s; the Churches vindication is here handled, the &s;en&s; of cutting and thre&s;hing is to be preferd. The Lord is Chri&s;t the King
<PB REF="174"> &s;tiled the Son of Man, who&s; power next appeers.</P>
<P><HI>Another Angel cam out of the Temple in Heaven, having</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 18. 19. 20</NOTE> <HI>al&s;o a &s;harp &s;ickle: and another from the Altar which had power over fire, and cried loud to him that had the &s;ickle &s;aying; thru&s;t in thy &s;harp &s;ickle, and gather the clu&s;ters of the Vine, for hir grapes are ful ripe. And the Angel thru&s;t his &s;ickle into the Earth and gathered the Vine, nnd ca&s;t it into the great Winepre&s;&s; of Gods wrath: and the Pre&s;&s; was trod without the City, and blood cam out even to the Horsbridles, by the &s;pace of one thou&s;and &s;ix hundred furlongs.</HI> Here a Vintage is de&s;cribed, which Para|bolicaly in Scripture &s;ignifies bloody &s;laughter: and this is the &s;ame with that great carnage expre&s;&s;ed by the &s;ame words, which &s;hal be in the war of that great day at la&s;t Phial. For <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19 15.</NOTE> both are the ruin of one Enimy, and ech &s;hal befal at la&s;t on the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet, with al their Complices and Confede|rats. If then this Vintage be that &s;laughter, it mu&s;t fal on the &s;aid Enimies. So the Vine or Vineyard is the Bea&s;ts Dominion, the ripe Grapes his A&s;&s;i&s;tants ful of blood-guilt ripe for judg|ment; the Ve&s;&s;el or Wine-pre&s;&s; the place of &s;laughter caled <HI>Armageddon</HI> or de&s;truction: but wher this place or pitch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> field &s;hal be, is not reveled, nor may be curiou&s;ly inquired. Yet the holy Gho&s;t points out its dimen&s;ion to be one thou&s;and &s;ix hundred furlongs without the City; but within the Region or Territory therof. St. <HI>Jerom</HI> computs <HI>Pale&s;tin</HI> to be 200. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epi&s;t ad Dard</NOTE> Italian miles long (which make one thou&s;and &s;ix hundred furlongs, eight to a mile) whence many conject or conceiv, that ther &s;hal be this great battels Cockpit: &s;pecialy &s;ith it hath an Hebrew appellation; which &s;uch as beleev Antichri&s;t &s;hal com from the Ea&s;t or de&s;cend of <HI>Dans</HI> Tribe, ea&s;ily credit: but we who find him &s;eated in we&s;t-<HI>Babylon,</HI> can hard|ly reli&s;h it: unles we deem (as diver&s; doo) that after <HI>Romes</HI> demolition he &s;hal divert into the Ea&s;t, as &s;om of his &s;worn Va&s;&s;als &s;uppo&s;e he &s;hal re&s;ide at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> before the day of Judgment. For 'tis not probable he wil freely lead an Army (as he per&s;waded Princes to doo) into <HI>Pale&s;tine</HI> leaving &s;o ma|ny Enimies behind his back. Som find a place in the We&s;t of like extent (one thou&s;and &s;ix hundred furlongs) <HI>viz</HI> St. <HI>Peters</HI> Patrimony, which from <HI>Rome</HI> to the farthe&s;t mouth of <HI>Po</HI> and
<PB N="166" REF="174"> <HI>Mari&s;hes</HI> of <HI>Verona,</HI> is about two hundred miles long, wher haply the blow wil be &s;truck. The Cutter of clu&s;ters is not the &s;ame with the Wine-pre&s;&s; treader; but hav &s;everal workmen: for an Angel with a Vine-dre&s;&s;ers &s;ickle cut the clu&s;ters and gathered the Grapes: but Chri&s;t the King with a troop of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19. 11. 13. 14.</NOTE> Heavenly Hor&s;men trod the Pre&s;&s;, clothed in a ve&s;ture &s;prink|led with blood, whom the Armies in Heaven folowed on whit Hor&s;es. Nor is the Grape-gatherer &s;aid to tread the Pre&s;&s;, but only to ca&s;t the cut Clu&s;ters into it; and then the King coming with his Heavenly troop of Hor&s;, trod the Pre&s;&s; without the City. Then blood cam from the Wine-pre&s;&s; to the Horsbridles for one thou&s;and &s;ix hundred furlongs &s;pace: So the &s;um may be, the Angel Vintager with the Saints help, &s;hal lop off the Clu&s;ters belonging to the Bea&s;t, and &s;o force them into <HI>Arma|geddon;</HI> wher the Lord Je&s;us &s;hal tread them in a Wine-pre&s;&s;: as St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Man of &s;in &s;hal be de&s;troied by the Lord with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 8.</NOTE> <HI>the brightnes of his coming.</HI> What can be cleerer? yet no in|fallible certainty, &s;av bare conjecture, can be had before the event makes it evident.</P>
<P>Here our Author, Atropos-like, cutsoff the web of his curi|ous Comment, mode&s;tly pretending he wil not meddle with Prophecies yet to com unfulfilled: but left a few fleeces or fragments formerly &s;cattered among friends; which concern other my&s;teries contained in the la&s;t eight Chapters. Som of the&s; he promi&s;cuou&s;ly and prepo&s;terou&s;ly pre&s;ents by peecemeal, ob&s;erving no &s;uch preci&s;e order of Chapters and paragraphs as before: which &s;hal be pithily ab&s;tracted.</P>
<P>My&s;tical <HI>Babylon,</HI> the Metropolis of Antichri&s;tian Apo&s;tacy, is the City or Sea of <HI>Rome</HI> &s;omtime Chri&s;ts &s;potle&s;&s; Spou&s;; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 8.</NOTE> who&s; Faith was famous over the World: but &s;ince becam an Harlot and Mother of Harlots; cau&s;ing other Cities or &s;ig<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">io|ries to commit fornication. For though &s;he be guilty of other Here&s;ies (as whores be of &s;undry Vices) yet this &s;piritual whor|dom &s;o much laid to old I&s;raels charge, is the grand Apo&s;ta&s;y wherwith the great whore is marked.</P>
<P>This Vi&s;ion is plainly &s;hewed to <HI>John</HI> by one of the Phial|bearing <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 17.</NOTE> Angels, and the interpretation reveled (which is not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 8.</NOTE> u&s;ual) to be literaly taken as ther dilivered. 1. The Woman
<PB REF="175"> &s;itting on the Bea&s;t, is that great City then reigning over the Kings of the Earth. 2. The &s;carlet Bea&s;t carying the whore, is the &s;ame &s;hewed before in another &s;hape; <HI>viz.</HI> the Roman <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 10. 11.</NOTE> Empire. 3. The Bea&s;t with &s;even Heads or <HI>Romes</HI> &s;even Hils, and &s;even forms of Governors in that State: wherof fiv (Kings, Con&s;uls, Tribuns, Decemvirs, Dictators) were falen before <HI>Johns</HI> time: one (of <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI>) then extant, which was to be changed into Chri&s;tian Emperors of &s;hort continuance; &s;eeming to be the eighth, yet indeed the &s;eventh; which is the Bearer of this whore not yet &s;prung up, being not under the cour&s; of the la&s;t Head, the Popedom. If then the &s;ixth Bea&s;t (Pagan Emperors) reigning at <HI>Rome</HI> in <HI>Johns</HI> age, cea&s;ed to be as it was abov twelv hundred yeers ago: that which now &s;wais ther, is the &s;eventh and la&s;t Ruler, which he &s;aw bear the whore. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s; 12. 13.</NOTE> 4. The Bea&s;ts ten horns are ten Kingdoms not then ri&s;en, into which the body of the Roman Bea&s;t &s;hould be rent in this la&s;t cour&s;, by the wound of this Cae&s;arcan Bea&s;t: al which &s;hould jointly confer their authority on the Bea&s;t that was to be cured <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 14. 16.</NOTE> or re&s;tored under the Rule of that la&s;t Head now pa&s;t. 5. Tho&s; ten Kingdoms which &s;hal grow together under the fal&s; Pro|phets Government, being their Head, &s;hal fight with the Lamb, but be overcom by him. That war was waged long ago, and is &s;til in action or agitation: the Victory being in &s;om &s;ort at|chieved, but &s;hal be accompli&s;hed much more gloriou&s;ly. For &s;om of the ten Horns or Kings, &s;hal at length hate the Whore whom they &s;o long bore, and &s;hal make hir de&s;olar, naked, eat <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 4 5.</NOTE> hir fle&s;h and burn hir with fire, as the Angel interprets. 6. This Whore held in hir hand a golden Cup ful of abomination and filthines of his Fornication, and on hir forehead was a name writ, My&s;tery &amp;c. This needs no explication, being taken from the common cu&s;tom of Stews-Strumpets, who drank philtres or amorous potions to their Paramores in a Cup of gold: and the Cels or Chambers had &s;everal whores names &s;et on them, as <HI>Seneca, Martial Juvenal,</HI> and other Authors inform; yea tho&s; of mo&s;t note had their name &s;et in their foreheads; as <HI>Ju|venal</HI> &s;eems to intimat of the in&s;atiat Empre&s;&s; <HI>Me&s;&s;a|lina,</HI> who a&s;&s;umed the name of <HI>Lyci&s;ca</HI> an infamous Pro|&s;titut.</P>
<LG>
<PB N="167" REF="175">
<L><HI>&mdash;Nuda papillis</HI></L>
<L><HI>Con&s;titit auratis, titulum mentita</HI> Lyci&s;cae.</L>
<L>She &s;tood with bare gilt Paps be&s;tained,</L>
<L>And by <HI>Lyci&s;ca's</HI> name hir &s;elf fained.</L>
</LG>
<P>So this name (My&s;tery, <HI>Babylon</HI> the great, Mother of Har|lots and Abominations of the Earth) may fitly be applied ei|ther to the Whores per&s;on fa&s;tned on hir forehead; or to the place &s;et on hir Brothel hou&s; the City <HI>Rome</HI> where &s;he re|&s;ides.</P>
<P>Concerning the &s;even Phials of Plagues poured out by &s;even <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 15. V. 2. 3.</NOTE> Angels, preceding Antichri&s;ts ruin: wher before any particu|lar narration of Angels or Phials be made, another Vi&s;ion is exhibited together with them: how the Church being clen&s;ed from Idolatrous pollutions in the &s;acred Laver or Sea of the Temple (not made of bra&s;&s; like <HI>Salomons,</HI> but of Gla&s;&s; or Cry|&s;tal) &s;ung a triumphant hymn of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> for hir victory over the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 15. 1.</NOTE> Bea&s;t &s;aying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; ju&s;t and tru are thy wais, O King of Saints. Then the clothing or preparation of the Angels with the Phials, are de&s;cribed more particularly. <HI>The &s;even Angels cam out of the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Temple clothed in pure whit linnen. having their bre&s;ts girded with golden girdles; viz.</HI> in their Prie&s;tly habits. 1. The pou|ring <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek 44 17.</NOTE> out of Phials &s;ignifies the Antichri&s;tian Bea&s;ts ruin: for as the Roman Kingdoms fir&s;t &s;tate was to be &s;ubverted by the plagues of Trumpets &s;o this la&s;t by Phials: which argues a great parity betwen both, &s;ith this la&s;t bears the Image of the former Roman policy. 2. The &s;even Phials are &s;o many degrees of its ruin: for as the Bea&s;t gradualy grew up; &s;o he is to be de&s;troied by degrees. 3. On what ever any Phial is poured, that &s;uffers &s;om damage thereby; &s;ith 'tis the effu&s;ion of Gods wrath. 4. The Earth, Sea, Rivers, Fountains, Sun, Bea&s;ts Seat, <HI>Eu|phrates,</HI> Air, import &s;omthing in the Antichri&s;tian Bea&s;t &s;em|blable or &s;utable: for al Phials are poured on the Bea&s;t or &s;om|what of his, which toucheth his &s;afty or utility. 5. The Bea&s;ts whol Body or Antichri&s;tian Univer&s; is covertly compared (as it was in the Trumpets) to the worlds Sy&s;tem: who&s; principal parts are Heaven, Earth, Sea, Rivers, Lights. 6. Becau&s; God
<PB REF="176"> u&s;eth Angels as Mini&s;ters of his Providence in governing the changes of Human affairs; therfore &s;uch things as are to be acted by many, are attributed or a&s;cribed to an Angel as the guid and Ruler therof. The&s; be his previous cautions touching the Phials, which folow in order.</P>
<P><HI>The fir&s;t Phial is poured on the Earth, and there fel a noi&s;om</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 16. V. 2.</NOTE> <HI>grievous &s;ore on Men which had the Bea&s;ts mark, and tho&s; that wor&s;hiped the Image.</HI> This is poured on the Bea&s;ts whol body the Earth: which denots the People or common &s;ort of Chri|&s;tians, as Antichri&s;ts Foot&s;tool: on which ba&s;is the Papal Hie|rarchy being built, reacheth, like <HI>Babels</HI> Tower, to the very Skies. This Phial fild the Bea&s;ts Folowers with fury, like incu|rable Ulcers not to be cicatrized. Which was fulfild by the Walden&s;es, Albigen&s;es, Wicklifits, Hu&s;&s;its, and other pious Profe&s;&s;ors; who renounced the Bea&s;t, caling <HI>Rome</HI> apocalyptic <HI>Babylon,</HI> and the Pope Antichri&s;t: which &s;o inflamed his Se|ctaries with &s;ores of indignation, tyrannizing many yeers with Fire and Sword. Yet al in vain: their Ulcers were curele&s;&s; like <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 9. 8 9.</NOTE> <HI>Egypts</HI> biles and botches &s;prinkled with du&s;t and a&s;hes; wher|to they my&s;ticaly comply by way of Analogy.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;ecund is poured on the Sea, which becam as blood of a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 3.</NOTE> <HI>dead Man, and every living Soul died in the Sea.</HI> This is the whol cru or circuit of Papal Communion; containing al Nati|ons, Kingdoms, Dioce&s;es, conjoind in &s;piritual &s;ociety, though di&s;-joined &s;everaly. This becam cold or congeled as a dead Mans blood, when the Pontifical Sea is di&s;membred: which <HI>Lu|ther</HI> and other Reformers performed, when they drew off whol Lims of People, Provinces, Princes, and Potentats from Papal communion.</P>
<P><HI>The third is poured on Rivers and Fountains of Waters, which</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 4. 5. 6. 7.</NOTE> <HI>becam blood: thou Lord art righteous, becau&s; thou ha&s;t judged thus: for they hav &s;hed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou give&s;t them blood to drink.</HI> The Rivers and Fountains of the Bea&s;tian world, are the chief Champions of Antichri&s;tian Juri&s;dicton: whether Eccle&s;ia&s;tics (Prie&s;ts, Je&s;uits, Moncs, Friers) or Secular Governours, who uphold the declining Pa|pacy. For their Emi&s;laries were ju&s;tly doon to death in <HI>Eng|land,</HI> as they unju&s;tly &s;erved the Saints. Yea the Duch began
<PB N="168" REF="176"> to revenge that blood which Duke <HI>d' Alva</HI> and the Spani&s;h In|qui&s;ition cruely &s;pilt to fulfil this Phial.</P>
<P><HI>The fourth is poured on the Sun, and Men were &s;corched with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 8 9.</NOTE> <HI>great heat; who bla&s;phemed Gods name, which hath power over the&s; plagues: but repented not to giv him glory.</HI> To know what Sun &s;ignifies in the Antichri&s;tian world, we mu&s;t &s;erch what Heaven imports: which is either the Popes univer&s;al Authority, or any eminent Monarchic power in the Bea&s;ts world. Now in it are &s;undry Stars of &s;everal magnituds (Kings, Princes, Dukes, Prelats, Free States) yet but one Sun, which &s;eems to be the German Emperor (the King of <HI>Spain</HI> being the Moon) who hath bin of the Au&s;trian Family two hundred yeers. This is the Sun on whom the fourth Phial &s;hal be poured to his conver&s;i|on or confu&s;ion.</P>
<P><HI>The fifth is poured on the Bea&s;ts Seat</HI> (Rome City) <HI>and his</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 10. 11.</NOTE> <HI>Kingdom was dark, and they gnawed their toungs for pain; bla&s;pheming the God of Heaven becau&s; of their pains and &s;ores: but repented not of their deeds.</HI> Here the holy Gho&s;t u&s;eth no Allegories, becau&s; great light &s;hal then ari&s;e to the Prophecies by this evident &s;ign: wherby wil appeer what Phials are pa&s;t, and what to com. This de&s;truction of <HI>Rome</HI> &s;eems to be intima|ted before; but the name Pope &s;hal not quit peri&s;h: only his <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 11. V. 12. 13.</NOTE> glory and greatnes &s;hal be clipped, that they &s;hal bite their toungs through teen, and cur&s; God per&s;evering &s;til in the King|dom of darknes to de&s;pi&s;e light.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;ixth &s;hal be poured on Euphrates, and the water dried</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 12&punc;</NOTE> <HI>up, to prepare a way for the Ea&s;t Kings.</HI> The&s; Kings &s;eem to be the Jews which &s;hal be converted: whom haply the Bea&s;ts Fo|lowers wil mi&s;deem to be Antichri&s;ts Army, ri&s;ing from <HI>Don</HI> as they dream; and &s;o &s;hal be hardned in their error. To prov that the Jews are meant by Ea&s;t Kings, this rea&s;on is pregnant: becau&s; this is the penultimat Phial, and unles they be then con|verted, they mu&s;t needs peri&s;h with Chri&s;ts Enimies (among whom they yet abide) at the day of univer&s;al Judgment, which the &s;eventh or la&s;t Phial &s;hal bring on them: <HI>I&s;ai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Lord &s;hal de&s;troy the toung of the Egyptic Sea, and with a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 11. 15. 16.</NOTE> <HI>mighty Wind &s;hal &s;hake his hand over the River, and &s;mite it in the &s;even &s;treams, and make Men go over dry &s;hod.</HI> Ther &s;hal be
<PB REF="177"> an high way for his People left from <HI>A&s;&s;yria,</HI> as it was to <HI>I&s;|rael,</HI> at their Exod out of <HI>Egypt:</HI> but this Prophecy &s;eems not &s;o pregnant for <HI>Euphrates</HI> and <HI>A&s;&s;yria,</HI> as for <HI>Nilus</HI> and <HI>Egypt.</HI> Now by <HI>Euphrates</HI> the Turci&s;h Empire is my&s;ticaly meant, which borders Ea&s;tly on it; who &s;hal be the&s; new Converts chief ob&s;tacle, and the Bea&s;ts be&s;t bulwork: but this Euphratean deluge &s;hal be dried up or de&s;troied: yet whether by the Jews, or other Aliens, or their own inte&s;tin di&s;cords, is not re|veled.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 17.</NOTE> <HI>The &s;eventh or la&s;t is poured into the Air, and ther cam a great voice out of the Temple of Heaven from theThrone &s;aying: It is doon.</HI> Hereby is meant the power or Prince of the Air, even Satan: who fo&s;ters not only the Bea&s;ts dominions, but al Chri&s;ts Enimies in what Coa&s;t, Climat, or Country &s;oever: for as the Bea&s;t had his Spirit or Life from him at fir&s;t; &s;o the la&s;t Fortunes of al his Folowers and Wor&s;hipers &s;hal depend chiefly on his charge or conduct: as appeers by the preparati|ons of &s;o many Aids and Allies for war, to be procured in this la&s;t Phial by his Diabolical devi&s;es. Who be&s;tirs by al means po&s;&s;ible, both of his Lieftenents (the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet) and by his own Artificies; to rai&s; this univer&s;al Army in the la&s;t danger of his Kingdom.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 13. 14.</NOTE> <HI>For ther cam three unclean Spirits (Devils working miracles) like Frogs, out of the Dragons, Bea&s;ts, and fal&s; Prophets mouth; which go forth (as Emi&s;&s;aries with Summons) to the Kings of the whol n orld to gather them to the battle of the great day of God Almighty.</HI> So the Prince of the Air mu&s;ters al his Forces and Fautors to a&s;&s;i&s;t tho&s; two at this la&s;t exigent: on whom being pent up in a Coop at <HI>Armageddon,</HI> This la&s;t Phial &s;hal thunder; not with arm of Fle&s;h, as formerly; but an Hea|venly voice of revenge: wherby the Bea&s;ts total downfal &s;hal be con&s;ummat: not only within <HI>Babylons</HI> wals, as before under the &s;eventh Trumpet; but of the whol City wherever &s;cattered or di&s;per&s;ed: Yes, of al Kings, Cities, or Stats which commit|ted filthines of fornication with hir Idol fal&s; Gods: together with other forren Tyrans joining in oppo&s;ition again&s;t Chri&s;ts holy Spou&s; or Church.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 19 20. 21.</NOTE> <HI>The Cities of the Nations fel, and God gav Babylon the Cup
<PB N="169" REF="177"> of Wine of his fierce wrath. Every Iland fled, and the Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n|tains were not found: a great Hail from Heaven (every &s;tone a Talent weight) fel on Men, who bla&s;phemed God becau&s; of the Hail; for the plague was exceding great.</HI> Mr. <HI>Mede</HI> proceds no farther to the excution of the&s; threats on the great Whore, &s;itting on the &s;even-headed Bea&s;t with ten horns: who with the fal&s; Prophet, are to be ca&s;t into a burning Lake for ever, as 'tis expre&s;&s;ed in the 17. 18. and 19. Chapters: but treats tenderly with much mode&s;ty of Chri&s;ts 1000. yeers reign on Earth with his Martyrs and &s;om chief Saints, at his &s;ecund coming to Judgment: which la&s;t day he makes one continued act with the triumphant millenium of his reign, to decline a third coming of Chri&s;t, as common Chilia&s;ts a&s;&s;ign without warrant. But this &s;ublime &s;peculation &s;hal be &s;u&s;pended or &s;uper&s;eded to the next The&s;is peculiarly addicted or appro|priated to this Subject. This 1000. yeers reign after the Mar|tyrs re&s;urrection (but before the day of Judgment) is &s;peci|cified in the twentieth Chapter of Apocalyps wheron the Millenars build their Doctrin; be&s;ide &s;om other ob&s;cure places in the Prophets: which &s;hal be fairly yet briefly debated or di&s;|cu&s;&s;ed in the Theory immediatly in&s;uing.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Commentarii Compendium:</HI> A Compend of the Comment.</HEAD>
<P>THe Comment contains two Prophecies: 1. The &s;ealed <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Part.</NOTE> Book: 2. The litle Book open. In the Seal- Prophecy is de&s;cribed the celical Imperial Se&s;&s;ion &s;utable to <HI>I&s;raels</HI> in|camping</P>
<P>The twenty four Elders &s;ignify Bi&s;hops re&s;embling the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 4. 4. &amp;c.</NOTE> Prie&s;ts and Levits in their twenty four cour&s;es.</P>
<P>The four Bea&s;ts are <HI>I&s;raels</HI> En&s;igns: 1. Like a Lion: 2. A <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 6 per to|tum.</NOTE> Bullock: 3. With a Mans face: 4. A flying Eagle. They were ful of Eys to &s;hew &s;agacity, and ech had &s;ix wings im|plying agility. The fir&s;t Seals opener, a Lion, &s;hewed a whit Hor&s; and his Rider armed: <HI>viz.</HI> Chri&s;t (the Lion of <HI>Juda</HI>) from the Ea&s;t; who laid the foundation of conque&s;t over the
<PB REF="178">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="170" REF="178">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB REF="179"> Dragon, when Oracles cea&s;ed. The next a Bullock, pre&s;ented a red Hor&s; and his Rider; denoting <HI>Trajan</HI> a Spaniard from the We&s;t; who&s; reign was Bloody. The third with a Mans face, exhibited a black Hor&s; and his Rider, importing <HI>Septim: Severus</HI> an African from the South; who held Ballances in his hand, indicating ju&s;tice in the Empire. The fourth an Ea|gle &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">wed a pale Hor&s; with his Rider; which points out <HI>Maximinus</HI> a Thracian from the North: in who&s; time and &s;om Succe&s;&s;ors, the Sword, Famin, and Pe&s;tilence (me&s;&s;engers of death) raged every wher.</P>
<P>The fifth (no Hor&s; nor Rider) enters with <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 268.</NOTE> <HI>Aurelian</HI> til <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 7 4 to 10</NOTE> <HI>Diocle&s;ian;</HI> pre&s;enting the primitiv per&s;ecutions. The &s;ixth declares a &s;trange &s;haking of Heaven and Earth, &s;ignifying the change or conver&s;ion of Heathen <HI>Rome</HI> by <HI>Con&s;tantin.</HI> But before the &s;eventh, care is had for the Church, to &s;eal a com|pany of one hundred forty four thou&s;and <HI>viz.</HI> of every Tribe twelv thou&s;and. In which type is an unu&s;ual reckoning; yet &s;uch as be&s;t re&s;embles the profe&s;&s;ion of tru Religion, miracu|lou&s;ly pre&s;erved in mid&s;t of the old and new Idolatry. The twelv Apo&s;tles aptly an&s;wer <HI>I&s;raels</HI> type: the number twelv being the En&s;ign of Apo&s;tolic race, which by multiplying &s;ets forth their progeny. Hereto is added by repre&s;entation of innumerous Palmbearers, a mo&s;t ample &s;tate of every Nation, People, Tribe, Toung which prai&s;ed God.</P>
<P>The &s;eventh &s;eal contains &s;even Angels with &s;even Trumpets <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 7. to 12.</NOTE> &s;ounding alarm to the Empires ruin by &s;evenfold plagues; the four fir&s;t of le&s;&s; extent. The fir&s;t wa&s;ts the Empires <HI>terraetenures</HI> by terrible&punc; incur&s;ions of north Nations like hail mixd with blood and fire: who de&s;troied a third part of al green things (the Empire &s;waying a third part of the known World) which began at <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> death by <HI>Alaric, Rhadaga&s;o,</HI> and others. <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>A C 395. A 410. A 455. A 476. A</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">42.</NOTE> The next a&s;&s;ails the very Empire, expre&s;&s;ed by the Sea, when <HI>Al<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ic</HI> &s;acked <HI>Rome.</HI> After which it daily declined, til <HI>Gen&s;e|ricus</HI> took it, and then began the ten Kingdoms. The third ca&s;ts down the We&s;tern <HI>Cae&s;ar</HI> (omniou&s;ly named <HI>Augu&s;tu|lus</HI>) who being a baleful bitter Prince, is re&s;embled to a Star caled Wormwood. The fourth bereavs the light and lu&s;tre of Roman Maje&s;ty with a third part of Sun, Moon, and Stars
<PB N="170" REF="179"> (which &s;hone bright before under O&s;trogoth Kings) when <HI>Romes</HI> Con&s;ul&s;hip with al Pomp of other Officers c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a&s;ed.</P>
<P>Then folow three Wo Trumpets: the fifth being the fir&s;t of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 9 per to|tum.</NOTE> Wo, &s;ends ho&s;til bands of <HI>Arabians (Sarra&s;ens</HI> likened to Lo|cu&s;ts) who not only &s;poiled the &s;oil from A. 830. to 980. (150. yeers or 5. annal Months) but poi&s;oned Mens Souls with Ma|hometi&s;m like the venom of Scropions, having a King cald in Hebrew Abaddon, in Greec Apollyon de&s;troier. The &s;ixth or &s;ecund Wo Trumpet, loo&s;eth four Angels before bound at the River <HI>Euphrates,</HI> being the <HI>Turcs</HI> four Sultanies, as they were long &s;o divided, til <HI>Ottoman</HI> united them into his Mo|narchy. This is to be accompli&s;hed in a Prophetic Day, Month, and Yeer (<HI>viz.</HI> 396. yeers) from A. 1051. when <HI>Tangrolipix</HI> took <HI>Bagdet,</HI> til <HI>Mahomet</HI> 2. &s;urpri&s;ed <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> &s;laying a third part of Men A. 1453.</P>
<P>Their number of Hor&s;es is computed two hundred thou&s;and <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 10 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> to 11.</NOTE> thou&s;and: their Ordnance, Powder, and Munition explicated by &s;moke, fire, and brim&s;tone then invented. The &s;eventh or third Wo Trumpet is &s;u&s;pended til the litle Books Prophecy which contains the Churches de&s;tiny, and <HI>John</HI> bid to eat it; which was &s;weet in mouth, but bitter in belly: who is com|manded to prophecy again before many People, Nations, Toungs, and Kings. This comprehends the con&s;ummation of Gods my&s;tery: the event wherof is declared by a mighty An|gels Oath, at who&s; loud cry &s;even Thunders uttred their Voices; which <HI>John</HI> is forbid to write, and bid to &s;eal up.</P>
<P>The mea&s;ured Court di&s;plais the primitiv Churches &s;tate con|formed <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 11. 2. to 13.</NOTE> to Gods Word contrary wherto is the Court not to be mea&s;ured, being not his operature; but to be prophaned by renewed Idolatry or Antichri&s;tian Apo&s;ta&s;y, which &s;hal reign forty two Annal months. During this &s;pace, two Wit|ne&s;&s;es clad in &s;ackcloth te&s;tify Gods truth, and exhort to repent 1260. dais (or yeers) equivalent to forty two months of pro|phanation. The&s; denounce Gods Judgments, which begin at pouring out the Phials, and debarring the Idolaters from hope of eternal life. Their fate is after fini&s;hing their te&s;timony, to &s;uffer &s;emblably with Chri&s;t, as the Roman &s;evenhead Bea&s;t &s;hal inflict on them. The&s; mu&s;t dy my&s;ticaly, lying unburied
<PB REF="180"> three dais and half: but then &s;hal be re&s;tored to pri&s;tin place or eminenter e&s;tate and dignity. Upon a Commotion or change of Politic affairs, the City <HI>Rome</HI> (being but a tenth part of what it was) &s;hal be overthrown at fifth Phial, and &s;even thou|&s;and Men of mark and name (the Clergies or Companies of Men) &s;lain. This is the end of the &s;ixth Trumpet when Kings of the Ea&s;t (the Jews) &s;hal erect a new Kingdom, and the two hornd Bea&s;t (the Papal Clergy) with Antichri&s;t the fal&s; Pro|phet (the Pope) driven from <HI>Rome,</HI> before the great battle.</P>
<P>The Vi&s;ion of the open Book, goes through the whol cour&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Part.</NOTE> of Revelation; to &s;hew its connexion with Seals and Trum|pets: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. per <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> after which in&s;u many great my&s;teries. The Roman Empire wor&s;hiping the Dragon or Devil, per&s;ecuts Gods Church (repre&s;ented by a Woman in travel of my&s;tical Chri&s;t) 300. yeers: but when <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> ca&s;t him from the Throne, he and his Succe&s;&s;ors enjoied it: which chance or change con|temporizeth with the &s;ixth Seal. The Woman being delivered of a Son, dwels in the De&s;art forty two months: or a time, times, and half; or one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty dais: typifying the Churches middle condition; as being freed from Pagan per&s;ecution, yet &s;til to&s;&s;ed with a flood of errors and Here&s;ies ca&s;t from the Dragons mouth.</P>
<P>A new tragedy of troubles pur&s;ues hir, who lighted on two <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13&punc; per <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> Bea&s;ts at entring the De&s;arts porch: one tenhornd ri&s;ing from the Sea, <HI>viz.</HI> the &s;ecular Empire &s;hared into ten Kingdoms: another two hornd coming out of the Earth, which is the Ec|cle&s;ia&s;tic State or Pope and his Clergy. Both reign with neer alliance together, under the &s;eventh Head of the old Bea&s;t, exerci&s;ing the Dragons cruelty, and under color of aboli&s;hing Idols, introduce Iconolatry, or new devi&s;ed di&s;gui&s;ed Idola|try; termed Bla&s;phemy again&s;t God, his Name (when ought is divinely wor&s;hiped be&s;ide him) his Tabernacle (<HI>viz.</HI> Chri&s;ts Humanity wherin the Deity dwels) by tran&s;ub&s;tantiation; and them that dwel in Heaven (Angels and Saints) whom they <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 2. 19.</NOTE> adore in derogation of Chri&s;ts &s;ole Mediator&s;hip of Inter|ce&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>The company of one hundred forty four thou&s;and Virgins <NOTE PLACE="marg">R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">4 per <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> folowing the Lamb (forecited at the &s;eventh Seal to connect
<PB N="171" REF="180"> the two Prophecies) &s;ignify the Church in mid&s;t of Papacy, per&s;i&s;ting faithful to the Lamb and his Father; who are the Apo&s;tles genuin progeny multipled by twelv. Then folow three Angels &s;harply warning al the Bea&s;ts wor&s;hipers to with|draw from tho&s; Idolaters, le&s;t they peri&s;h eternaly. The fir&s;t moni&s;heth to wor&s;hip God &s;oly and &s;incerely, which the Greec Emperors (<HI>Leo I&s;auricus</HI> and others) fulfilled, when they &s;up|pre&s;&s;ed adoration of Saints, Images, and Reliques. The next threatens my&s;tical <HI>Babylon</HI> for &s;piritual fornication, with ine|vitable de&s;truction: which the Albigen&s;es and Walden&s;es Mini&s;ters of this Cry performed by Word, Deed, and Death; boldly proclaiming <HI>Rome</HI> to be Apocalyptic <HI>Babylon,</HI> and Pope the fal&s; Prophet. The third denounceth horrid hidious tor|ments ea&s;le&s;&s; and endle&s;&s; to al the Bea&s;ts train that &s;hal abide in his obedience. After this folows the Churches vindication again&s;t his Enemies, under the types of Harve&s;t (which inti|mats the Brides preparation by the Jews conver&s;ion, and Turci&s;h Empires confu&s;ion) and al&s;o Vintage, which is the Bea&s;ts dominion; the Grapes being his folowers: but the Wine-pre&s;&s; <HI>Armageddon,</HI> the Shambles or Slaughter place &s;pecified in the &s;eventh Phial. Wher the Grapes being gather|ed together by the Angel Vintager, w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">th the Saints help; &s;hal be trod by the Lord Je&s;us at his coming: but both are obtained by praier of the Church Univer&s;al.</P>
<P>Next &s;even Angels having &s;even gold Ph<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">als ful of Gods <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 15. per&punc; tot<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m.</NOTE> wrath (at who&s; pouring out the pure Church &s;ung a trium|phant Hymn of <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the Lamb) &s;ignify the Antichri&s;tian Bea&s;ts ruin, with the &s;evenfold plagues or degrees therof; for whatever any Phial is poured on, &s;uffred prejudice therby.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t is poured on the Earth or common &s;ort of Chri|&s;tians, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 16. per tot<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">m.</NOTE> fulfilled by the Walden&s;es, Albigen&s;es, Wiklifits, Hu&s;|&s;its, and others. The next on the Sea or Popes juri&s;diction accompli&s;hed by <HI>Luther</HI> and other reformers. The third on Rivers or Mini&s;ters and Maintainers of Antichri&s;tian Doctrins; haply Prie&s;ts and Je&s;uits by Laws executed in <HI>England</HI> or el&s;|wher. The fourth on the Sun or <HI>German</HI> Empire &s;til in exe|cuting. The fifth on the Bea&s;ts Throne (<HI>Rome</HI>) which &s;hal be
<PB REF="181">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB N="172" REF="181">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page">
<PB REF="182"> &s;hortly effected. The &s;ixth on <HI>Euphrates</HI> to prepare a way for the Ea&s;t Kings or Jews conver&s;ion, by removing the <HI>Ottoman</HI> Empire, a main ob&s;tacle. The &s;eventh into the Air or Satan Prince therof: which infolds al Chri&s;ts Enimies to be levied under his conduct, and &s;hut up in <HI>Armageddon</HI> for the great battle.</P>
<P>After that my&s;tical <HI>Babylon</HI> the great Whore, is de&s;cribed to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. per totum.</NOTE> <HI>John:</HI> re&s;embled to a Woman in rich attire, &s;itting on a &s;car|let Bea&s;t (the Empire) having &s;even heads (&s;even Hils or &s;even &s;orts of &s;ucce&s;&s;iv Rulers) and ten horns or Kingdoms, as the Empire is divided: which may &s;eem another Ruler, but is the &s;ame; being that great City, reigning over the Kings of the Earth. The gold Cup in hir hand, alluds to Whores Stews where &s;uch pranks are plaid.</P>
<P>Afterward another Angel &s;hews <HI>Babylons</HI> fal, with great <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 18.</NOTE> lamentation made by Monarchs, Merchants, Mariners and mighty Men: who bid Gods people com out of hir; le&s;t par|taking of hir &s;ins, they receiv of hir plagues.</P>
<P>Then the Saints prai&s; God for his judgments on the great <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 19.</NOTE> Whore, and avenging their blood: after which folows the Lambs mariage with his Wife; and the Fowls are caled by ano|ther Angel to the &s;upper of the great &s;laughter; when the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet were taken, and ca&s;t a life into a Lake of fire burning with brim&s;tone.</P>
<P>The &s;eventh Trumpet with the thou&s;and yeers pertaining <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20.</NOTE> (granted to new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> Chri&s;ts Spou&s; on this Earth) &s;igni|fying the day of Jndgment, is circum&s;cribed with two real re&s;urrections; 1. As the morning beginning with the Judg|ment of Antichri&s;t and fal&s; Prophet, the chaining of Satan the Devil, and ca&s;ting him into the bottomle&s;&s; pit for a thou&s;and yeers, after which he &s;hal be loo&s;ed a &s;hort &s;pace. 2. As the Evening, ending with the general Re&s;urrection and Judgment: when the wicked &s;hal be ca&s;t into Hel to be tormented for ever; and the Sai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s tran&s;lated into Heaven, to reign with Chri&s;t their King for evermore.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>More</HI> (who tran&s;lated the whol work into Engli&s;h) made this compend of the Comment (not the Key of Synchronici&s;ms) which is here much alter<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d, abridged, and accommodated
<PB N="172" REF="182"> to vulgar capacities, being made mo&s;t pervious and per&s;picu|ous; differing mainly from the Tran&s;lators patern, and more conform to the Authors prototype.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="warning to Catholics">
<HEAD><HI>Monitio pro Catholicis:</HI> A warning for Catholics.</HEAD>
<P>HEnce re&s;ults a caution or Conclu&s;ion to al Roman Ca|tholics, worth &s;erious ob&s;ervation; which concerns neer|ly their eternal bli&s;&s; or bale, joy or pain: 1. That <HI>Rome</HI> is my|&s;tical <HI>Babylon</HI> or great whore, with whom the Kings and Earths Inhabiters commit &s;piritual fornication; and from whom we are bid to depart, le&s;t we partake of hir plagues: al &s;o plainly proved or pourtraied, as cannot be comptroled or contra|dicted. 2. That Iconolatry flatly forbid by the very letter of the &s;ecund Commandment (which is therfore expunged, and the la&s;t bipartited, being otherwi&s;e before) is Analogical Idolatry or Devil-wor&s;hip; though not the &s;elf &s;ame with Heathen, but di&s;|gui&s;ed under new names or notions of Angels and Saints: which are made Mediators of Interce&s;&s;ion; yet tho&s; ble&s;&s;ed Spirits hear not their Ori&s;ons, and hate &s;uch honors as derogatory to our Kingly Redeemer, who is &s;ole Interce&s;&s;or between God and Man. 3. That the whol Papacy or body of Religion under the Pope as Head, is the Bea&s;t with two horns like a Lamb (who&s; Vicar he pretends to be) but &s;peaks as a Dragon in the Doctrins of new devi&s;ed Idolatry and Mens Traditions. 4. That the Pope is the fal&s; Prophet and &s;even headed Bea&s;ts Image (which he cau&s;ed to be caled the holy Roman Empire) who&s; Seat, Power, and Authority he a&s;&s;umes. 5. That Roman Ca|tholic (which is <HI>contradictio in Adjecto,</HI> &s;ith no particular Church can be caled Catholic or Univer&s;al) is the Bea&s;ts name, and Oath of Supremacy (wherby Men are reconciled to the Pope or Church of <HI>Rome</HI>) his mark, without which none may buy or &s;el &s;piritual wares: both being badges belonging to the Popi&s;h Profe&s;&s;ion. 6. That <GAP DESC="foreign"> (Latin o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Roman) in numeral Greec Letters makes 666, the number of the Bea&s;ts name (which the holy Gho&s;t bids Men to ob&s;erv neerly) and
<PB REF="183"> preci&s;ely points out who he is. 7. That the Papal State is the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 5. 6</NOTE> Woman richly clad (on who&s; forehead was writ a my&s;tery, Great <HI>Babylon</HI> drunken with the blood of Saints) &s;itting on a &s;carlet Bea&s;t with &s;even Heads and ten Horns: which can be no other then the Roman Empire, and tho&s; States over which the Papacy bears &s;ole &s;way. 8. That the real de&s;truction of my&s;ti|cal <HI>Babylon</HI> and con&s;ummation of the Bea&s;ts whol Kingdom, with al their Complices or Confederats; is the Harve&s;t ripe to be reaped, into which the Son of Man &s;hal &s;peedily thru&s;t his &s;ickle to cut it down: And the Vintage or Wine-pre&s;&s; al&s;o of Gods wrath ready to be poured on them. 9. That the whol Papacy with Antichri&s;t, Head of that Society, is the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet, which &s;hal be tormented in a Lake of Fire and Brim&s;tone for ever, wherto to the Devil is to be ca&s;t. 10. The Papal Emi&s;&s;aries (Prie&s;ts, Je&s;uits, Friers, and other Shavlins) are the three unclean Spirits of Devils like Frogs, coming forth from the mouth of the Dragon, Bea&s;t, and fal&s; Prophet to work miracles: who are &s;ent to the Kings of the whol World, to gather them unto battle of that great day of God Almighty in <HI>Armageddon.</HI></P>
<P>Al which premi&s;&s;es are largely and lucidly proved in the pre|vious Comment if impartialy peru&s;ed, and imprejudicatly pon|dered. El&s; ask your Gho&s;tly Fathers, on whom ye rely for the food of life (le&s;t they giv poi&s;on for milk) what other <HI>Babylon</HI> or great whore is meant but <HI>Rome?</HI> or which is the great City that made al Nations drink the wine of hir Spiritual Fornica|tion? What Bea&s;t with &s;even Heads and ten Horns on whom the Whore rides, be&s;ide the Roman Empire? Who is the two hornd Bea&s;t like a Lamb, which &s;pake as a Dragon; and who the fal&s; Prophet or Antichri&s;t but the Pope? What Image of the &s;even hornd Bea&s;t is ther except the two hornd; or who re|vived that Image &s;av Pope <HI>Leo</HI> 3? What other name or mark of the Bea&s;ts Folowers &s;o apt as Roman Catholic and Oath of Papal Supremacy? What fitter number of the name (666) then <GAP DESC="foreign">? Whether Iconolatry be not larved Idolatry or Diabolatry; and whether be any warrant for it in al Gods Word? What woman el&s; richly attired, &s;itting on a &s;carlet Bea&s;t with &s;even heads and ten horns can be typified, if not
<PB N="173" REF="183"> <HI>Rome;</HI> or on who&s; forhead is writ My&s;tery, &s;av in the Popes triple Diadem; or to whom doo the words (great <HI>Babylon,</HI> Mother of Harlots, drunken with the blood of Saints) any way con&s;ort or corre&s;pond, but only to the Papal power, which hath &s;hed the innocent blood of many millions meerly for mat|ters of Con&s;cience and Religion?</P>
<P>O then lay the&s; things deeply to heart, as ye tender your &s;a|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing health. Com out of <HI>Babylon</HI> betimes while 'tis caled to day; le&s;t &s;iding with hir in the &s;ame &s;ins, ye partake of hir ever|la&s;ting plagues and puni&s;hments. What plainer de&s;cription can St. <HI>John</HI> giv of the woman in glorious garments? <HI>Here is</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 9 12, 13. 18.</NOTE> <HI>the Mind which hath Wi&s;dom: the &s;even Heads are &s;even Mountains on which the Woman &s;its, and ten horns ten Kings, who receiv power one hour with the Bea&s;t: the&s; hav one mind, and &s;hal giv their &s;trength to the Bea&s;t: The Woman is that great City, which reigns over the Kings of the Earth.</HI> If then ye wil be wi&s;e to &s;alvation, &s;erch the Scriptures &s;eriou&s;ly and &s;in|cerely (which are therfore interdicted to Laics, le&s;t they &s;hould &s;ee) what the Woman is which &s;its on &s;even Mountains and many waters, importing multituds of People under hir po|wer? or what the mighty City <HI>Babylon</HI> mentioned <HI>Rev.</HI> 18? al <NOTE PLACE="marg">Read <HI>Rev.</HI> 18. ince&s;&s;antly.</NOTE> which chapter is worth perpetual peru&s;al. <HI>Hir Merchandi&s;e ther &s;pecified is Gold, Silver, pretious Stones, Pearls, fine Linnen, Pur|ple, Silk, Scarlet, Thyin Wood, al &s;orts of Ivory Ve&s;&s;els, of pre|tious Wood, Bra&s;&s;, Iron, and Marble: Cinnamon, Odors, Oint|ments, Frankincen&s;; Wine, Oil, fine Flour, Wheat: Bea&s;ts, Sheep, Hor&s;es, Charets, Slavs, and Souls of Men. In hir was found the blood of Prophets, Saints, and al that were &s;lain on Earth.</HI></P>
<P>Now ruminat hereon: what City el&s; makes Merchandi&s;e of Mens Souls, or is drunk with Saints blood? 'Tis too too evident to every ey. Therfore li&s;ten what the Angel &s;aith aloud: <HI>If any</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 14 9 10, 11.</NOTE> <HI>wor&s;hip the Bea&s;t and his Image, or receiv his mark in forhead or hand: he mu&s;t drink the Wine of Gods wrath, poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation, and &s;hal be tor|mented with fire and brim&s;tone in pre&s;ence of the holy Angels and the Lamb: and the &s;moak of their torments a&s;cends up for ever and ever. They hav no re&s;t day or night, who wor&s;hip the Bea&s;t
<PB REF="184"> and his Image, or receiv the mark of his name:</HI> That is, be re|conciled by the Oath of Papal Supremacy. The holy Gho&s;t in al the&s; Prophetic predictions, doth not pourtrai Chymaeras or Mathematical fictions, but real places and per&s;ons, which can no where be found in <HI>&V;topia</HI> or al the World over, &s;av only in that great City, which hath for &s;o many ages reigned as Empre&s;&s; over Nations, both in hir temporal capacity and &s;piritual. This <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 18. 4.</NOTE> then is a fair forewarning to the Bea&s;ts Folowers, or Roman Catholics, how dreadful dangers hang over their heads, unles they &s;peedily &s;hun his &s;ociety; as al Gods People by voice from Heaven are bid to doo. O then renounce hir communion for fear of this direful commination, &s;ith it &s;o much behovs your eternal bli&s;&s;: God of his goodnes grant, that we may at la&s;t be brought into one fold or unity of Faith under one Shepherd of our Souls, the &s;ole Mediator al &s;ufficient betwen God and Man. Which effect, if it &s;hal plea&s; God to produce in al or any that &s;hal read the&s; lines, the labor is happily em|ploied.</P>
<P>For a &s;urplu&s;age, hear Mr. <HI>Medes</HI> deep di&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ur&s; touching the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Supplement.</NOTE> origin of Idolatry, or Doctrin of Devils. <HI>Belus, Bel;</HI> or <HI>Baal,</HI> &s;on to <HI>Nimrod,</HI> was the fir&s;t mortal Man made a God, or Dei|fied by his &s;on <HI>Ninus:</HI> from which fir&s;t <HI>Bel</HI> or <HI>Baal</HI> al other Demons were denomined Baalims; as the Romans &s;tiled their Emperors <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI> from <HI>Julius;</HI> the Egyptians their la&s;t Kings <HI>P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">olomes</HI> from <HI>Lagus;</HI> and other Nations theirs in like &s;ort. <HI>Plutarch</HI> tels, that Mens Souls after death took diver&s; degrees; becoming fir&s;t Heroes as Probationers to a Demon&s;hip, and after Demons, or a &s;ublimer dignity as they de&s;erved: but He|roes and Demons diffred only in antiquity, the elder Heroes being caled Demons, and contrarily. Soul-Demons or Mor|tals Deified after death, are like Saints whom Papi&s;ts adore, and their Images as Heathen Idols: but the other Numens (Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Moon) parallel to Angels. The Gentils plead or pretend they wor&s;hip not &s;tocks and &s;tones, the works of their own hands, but the Heroes or Souls in them; as the I&s;raelits adored God in the golden Calf. So Papi&s;ts a&s;&s;ume the &s;ame Apology for Iconolatry: that they wor&s;hip not the Image, but thing repre&s;ented.</P>
<LG>
<PB N="174" REF="184">
<L><HI>Nam Deus e&s;t quod Imago docet, &s;ed non Deus ip&s;a:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Hanc videas, &s;ed mente colas quod cernis in illa.</HI></L>
<L>'Tis God which th' Image &s;hews, but that no Deity:</L>
<L>Look on that, but adore this not &s;een by ey.</L>
</LG>
<P>This is a poor palliativ pla&s;ter, but both are Idolatry of the &s;ame bran. For Heathen Demons were a middle &s;ort of divine Powers, betwixt their Soveraign immortal Gods, and &s;ubordi|nat Men Deified after death; who&s; office was to be interce|ding Agents betwen tho&s; Celical Gods and Terre&s;trial Men: in lieu wherof People erected Statues, Images, Temples, and Pillars to them; yea, adored their Reliques and Sepulchers. Semblably Papi&s;ts Semi-Idolaters Deify Angels and Saints, adore their Images, erect Churches to their names, wor&s;hip a breaden God for Chri&s;t, and &s;et up Cro&s;&s;es like Demon-Co|lumns. Hereof St. <HI>Paul</HI> forewarns: <HI>The Spirit &s;peaks expre&s;ly,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4 1. 2 3.</NOTE> <HI>that in later times &s;om &s;hal fal from the Faith, attending to &s;edu|cing Spirits, and Doctrins of Devils or Demoniac dogmats:</HI> But the chief is that grand general Apo&s;ta&s;y into Analogical larved Idolatry, &s;tiled in the Apocalyp&s; &s;piritual Fornication, and <HI>Rome</HI> my&s;tical <HI>Babylon:</HI> becau&s; Idolatry was fir&s;t founded at old <HI>Babylon</HI> built by <HI>Nimrod</HI> (wher his &s;on <HI>Belus</HI> and Grand&s;on <HI>Ninus</HI> with their Succe&s;&s;ors re&s;ided) but &s;ince revived in a new form at <HI>Rome.</HI> The&s; Demons or Dea&s;tri (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) through lying hypocri&s;y, hav &s;eared Con&s;ciences, for|bidding to marry, and commanding to ab&s;tain from meats. The&s; indeed are parts of their demoniac Doctrins; but the principal is Idolatry di&s;gui&s;ed under the conterfet color of Ico|nolatry.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> The &s;ole exception to this expo&s;ition is, That Demon or Devil in Scripture &s;en&s;, is &s;til taken for an evil Spirit or foul Fiend; never for a good Angel or Saint, though Prophane Au|thors u&s;e both promi&s;cuou&s;ly: <HI>Ergo</HI> to invoke tho&s; glorified Spirits as Interce&s;&s;ors on our behalfs; or adore their Images, or con&s;ecrate Churches to their honor; de&s;ervs not to be brand|ed as Doctrin of Devils: &s;pecialy &s;ith holy Men yet living are &s;o honored, and their praiers de&s;ired, which was ever commend|ed, but never condemned in any Church.</P>
<PB REF="185">
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 'Tis tru, the Scripture &s;til takes Demons or Devils in the wor&s; &s;en&s;, becau&s; Gentils deemed their worthies Dei|fied Souls for Demons, which were wicked Spirits &s;educing Mankind; u&s;ing the word for what they are in truth: &s;ith no good Angel or ble&s;&s;ed Soul wil freely admit or a&s;&s;ume &s;uch di|vine honor derogatory to their Creator, nor accept Mens In|vocations. So the wor&s;hip of Angels or Saints, and their Re|liques, Pillars, or Images may properly be caled Doctrin of De|vils; &s;ith 'tis &s;piritual whordom and renewed Idolatry: wher|by they make like evil Demons or Devils; what fained fa&s;hions or conterfet colors to delude people &s;oever they &s;et, to varni&s;h this &s;uper&s;tition. This is his mellifluous mor&s;el to chaw the cud on, which who &s;hal piou&s;ly dige&s;t, it wil turn to feed his Soul, by abandoning this di&s;gui&s;ed abomination.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Germani Doctoris aucta:</HI> A German Doctors &s;upply.</HEAD>
<P>A Late Sile&s;ian Divine Anonymal, &s;et forth a Book caled <HI>Clavis Apocalyptica,</HI> with a confu&s;ed Comment an|nexed: who is Mr. <HI>Medes</HI> Ape, if not a Plag<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ary (as many of his Countrimen be) from whom he borows the Title, Method, and mo&s;t &s;peculations (citing him twi&s;e or thri&s;e) both in the Synchronici&s;ms and Explications: but varies in &s;om circum|&s;tances applied to his Country, and comfort of his exiled Bre|thren; a&s;&s;uring their Redemption to draw nigh, even at end of <HI>A. C.</HI> 1655, which is his &s;ingle or &s;ingular crotchet, as wil ap|peer in the book brie&s;ly contracted.</P>
<P>God in his faithful Fatherly providence, to comfort the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Preamble.</NOTE> godly and warn the wicked, prefixed certain times in the old Te&s;tament, how long he would forbear to puni&s;h. For before the Flood he &s;et one hundred twenty yeers to repent, and then de&s;troied al impenitent &s;inners with a Deluge of waters. After it, he declared to <HI>Abram,</HI> That his Seed &s;hould be a &s;tranger in a Land, and &s;erv them in affliction four hundred yeers, but that Nation he would judg, and they &s;hould go out with great &s;ub&s;tance: which promi&s;&s; at period of time he truly performed,
<PB N="175" REF="185"> drowning <HI>Pharaoh</HI> with al his Ho&s;t. Indeed <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e de&s;troied <HI>So|dom</HI> &amp; <HI>Gomorrah</HI> without prefining time becau&s; their &s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s were &s;o tran&s;cendent, and they obduratly impenitent: but pre&s;cri|bed fourty dais to <HI>Niniv<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s</HI> de&s;truction, which was averted by mature repentance. He a&s;&s;igned &s;eventy yeers to <HI>Babylons</HI> cap|tivity: which being accompli&s;hed, he &s;tirred up <HI>Cyrus</HI> &s;pirit to relea&s; the People. In <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;eventy annal weeks (four hun|dred ninty yeers) were determined on the Jews, in which time Me&s;&s;iah &s;hould be cut off, and <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> de&s;olated, which were effected in their times. Even &s;o ther be &s;et &s;ea&s;ons appointed to Gods Church in the new Te&s;tament, how long &s;he &s;hal be per|&s;ecuted, and when delivered: which is expre&s;&s;ed in the&s; places of Scripture. 1. The Saints &s;hal be given into the fourth Bea&s;ts hand for a time, times, and dividing of a time. 2. An Angel asks, how long it &s;hal be to the end of the&s; wonders? another an&s;wers for a time, times and half: So <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, The Woman (Gods Church) &s;hal be in the De&s;art a time, times, and half. 3. The two witne&s;&s;es &s;hal be clad in &s;ack<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">loth one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais. 4. The Gentils &s;hal tread the holy City under foot fourty two months. 5. The Bea&s;ts bla&s;phemies &s;hal continu fourty two months: which three &s;orts of numbers (a time, times, and half, one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais, fourty two months) are one, and explain ech other: taking thirty dais to a month, and expoun|ding dais by yeers; both which the Prophets and Saint <HI>John</HI> u&s;ed to doo. 6. The&s; three times begin and end together. 7. <HI>Daniels</HI> one thou&s;and two hundred ninty dais of the Sacri|fices &s;urreption and &s;etting up abomination, begin thirty yeers &s;ooner then the one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core; but end both at once <HI>A.</HI> 1655. now next in&s;uing: For three yeers and half make fourty two months, and one thou&s;and two hun|dred three&s;core dais, after twelv months (ech of thirty dais) and three hundred &s;ixty dais in a yeer. So al exactly comply or corre&s;pond.</P>
<P>The Hebrew yeer contains twelv months, in ech thirty dais, in al three hundred &s;ixty: but our Julian fiv mo with &s;ix hours. One day Propheticaly implies a yeer: as <HI>Daniels</HI> hebdomad is <NOTE PLACE="marg">D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">. 9. 24.</NOTE> &s;even yeers, and his Vi&s;ion or Vati<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">iny of &s;eventy weeks
<PB REF="186"> &s;even times &s;eventy, or four hundred ninty yeers. On the&s; two grounds the whol fabric of future Chronical computs con&s;i&s;ts. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 7. 35.</NOTE> 'Tis &s;aid, the Saints &s;hal be given into the fourth Bea&s;ts hand t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l a time, times, and dividing of time: <HI>i.</HI> one yeer, two, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 12. 7.</NOTE> and half: &s;o an Angel &s;wears by him that livs for ever, it &s;hal be for a time, times, and half a time. Semblably <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, The <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. 14.</NOTE> Woman (Gods Church) &s;hal be nouri&s;hed in the Wildernes (of Per&s;ecution) from the Serpent for a time, times, and half: which is fore-expre&s;&s;ed (<HI>ver&s;.</HI> 5.) by one thou&s;and two hun|dred <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 2. 3.</NOTE> three&s;core dais: as the two witne&s;&s;es &s;hal be clad in &s;ack|cloth &s;o long: but 'tis &s;aid the Gentils &s;hal tread the holy City <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 5.</NOTE> under foot fourty two months; and the Bea&s;ts bla&s;phemies &s;hal continu the &s;ame &s;pace. Al which &s;orts of &s;ums are one, and &s;ute each other. For the fourth Bea&s;ts three times and half in <HI>Daniel</HI> make fourty two months, or one thou&s;and two hun|dred three&s;core dais, according to twelv months and three hun|dred &s;ixty dais in a yeer. So the Womans hiding for a time, times, and half, or fourty two months, or one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais uniformly or &s;inchronicaly &s;ignify one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty yeers. Some &s;uppo&s;e natural dais (not annal) are meant, which make three yeers and half or fourty two Hebrew months, or one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais &s;imply: which cannot be, &s;ith the holy City hath bin calcitrated, the Witne&s;&s;es prophecied, the Woman nou|ri&s;hed, and the ten hornd Bea&s;t bla&s;phemed long ago: nor is it po&s;&s;ible to accompli&s;h al things ther &s;poken in &s;o &s;hort a &s;pace. <HI>'Tis writen, your Children &s;hal wander in the wildernes fourty</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 4. 33.</NOTE> <HI>yeers, after the number of fourty d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">is, in which ye &s;earched the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 4 6.</NOTE> <HI>Land, ech day for a yeer. Again, thou &s;halt bear their iniquity fourty dais: I hav appointed ech day for a yeer. John Napier,</HI> and mo&s;t Expo&s;itors jointly agree, that Prophetic dais are meant, which imply yeers. So three times and half, fourty two months, and one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty dais being uni|vocal or con&s;ignificant, begin and end together: as the Bea&s;ts three times and half commence with the Womans. For when the red Dragon was ca&s;t to Earth by &s;uppre&s;&s;ing Heathen Ido|latry; he per&s;ecuted the Woman by the ten hornd Bea&s;t, to whom he gav his Power, Seat, and great Authority: but &s;he
<PB N="176" REF="186"> fled and was fed in the wildernes one thou&s;and two hundred <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13 2.</NOTE> three&s;core dais. The Bea&s;ts time and two Witne&s;&s;es expires with the &s;ixth trumpet: <HI>Ergo</HI> they began together.</P>
<P>So the Gentils trampling on the holy City and two Wit|ne&s;&s;es time initiats at once: but &s;ith the Angel in <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;peaks <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 12 7 11.</NOTE> of three times and half, and after of one thou&s;and two hundred ninty dais, which are thirty mo then one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty precited: many make doubt, whether both &s;ignify the &s;ame? Mo&s;t Authors a&s;&s;ert them for one, but the Text infers it not, and futures were only ob&s;curely reveled to <HI>Daniel.</HI> For three times and half concur with one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais, which is the duration of the Bea&s;ts dominion: but one thou&s;and two hundred ninty is the <HI>terminus a quo</HI> of another Chronical computation to commence thirty yeers be|fore it, and expire both together: So the two &s;ums &s;peak dark|ly of &s;everal &s;ubjects. The words are the&s;, <HI>indoctos doc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o: From the time that the daily Sacrifice &s;hal cea&s;, and abomination of de|&s;olation &s;et up, ther &s;hal be one thou&s;and two hundred ninety <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ais.</HI> Now li&s;ten how he a&s;&s;oils it: this time begins under <HI>Julian Apo&s;tat A. C.</HI> 363. (or as &s;om Chronologers comput <HI>A.</HI> 365) when the greate&s;t deva&s;tation of <HI>Jeru&s;alems</HI> Temple hapned (to fulfil Chri&s;ts prediction, that not a &s;tone &s;hould be left on <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24 2.</NOTE> a &s;tone) as <HI>Cyril,</HI> then Patriarch of <HI>Pale&s;tin,</HI> acknowledged. For tho the daily Sacrifice or Jewi&s;h Service cea&s;ed when <HI>Titus</HI> &s;acked <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> yet was it not quit aboli&s;hed: &s;ith the Jews under <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> celebrated the Pa&s;&s;over ther, having hope to rebuild the Temple, which <HI>Julian,</HI> to de&s;pit Chri&s;tians, encou|raged them to doo, furn<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;hing them with meat, mony, and ma|terials: At which time God &s;ent &s;u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nder, lightning, bals of fire, and Earthquakes; as di&s;gorged the foundations, kill<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d diver&s; workmen, and deterred al to per&s;i&s;t: which was the abo|minable de&s;olation foretold by Chri&s;t from <HI>Daniel.</HI> So the one thou&s;and two hundred three &s;core annal dais, mu&s;t inch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at thirty yeers later (<HI>A.</HI> 395. at <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> death) but terminat together <HI>A.</HI> 16<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">5. (next yeer) as &s;hal be &s;hewed.</P>
<P>Here we mu&s;t con&s;ider, whether the Characters &s;et on the <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Character.</NOTE> &s;aid &s;ums may concur or cohere? which are three: 1. The Ro|man Empires bip<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rtit divi&s;ion in the&s; words; <HI>To the Woman</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">R<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE>
<PB REF="187"> <HI>were given two wings of a great Eagle&punc; to fly into hir place in the Wildernes.</HI> The two wings are the Empires two parts, as <HI>The|odo&s;ius</HI> &s;hared it betwen his two Sons <HI>An.</HI> 395. to which <HI>Aera</HI> al three characters coincide: but then the <HI>Barbarians</HI> broke in, treading the holy City under foot, and the Woman fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d into the De&s;art.</P>
<P>2. The holy City is given the Gentils to tread on fourty <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Character.</NOTE> two months. At <HI>Con&s;tantins</HI> conver&s;ion, the Womans new born Child was &s;et on Gods Throne, and the Dragons wor&s;hip got a great b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ow; but <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> ca&s;t him to ground: yet at his death, the holy Cities cal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">itration commenced under his two young Sons; when Goths, Huns, Alans, and others under con|duct of <HI>Alaric,</HI> &s;warmed in on al &s;ides, fir&s;t of the Ea&s;t Empire, and after of the We&s;t; who took <HI>Rome, An.</HI> 410, de&s;troying Churches, and per&s;ecuting Chri&s;tians in al places.</P>
<P>3. A Bea&s;t ro&s;e out of the Sea, having &s;even heads and ten <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Character. <HI>Rev. 13. 2.</HI></NOTE> horns, and on his horns ten Crowns. Old Heathen <HI>Rome</HI> is re&s;embled to a red Dragon, with &s;even heads Hils, and ten horns Provinces: and upon his heads in <HI>Rome</HI> City &s;even Crowns, or &s;even &s;orts of &s;uprem Rulers forenamed: but the Chri&s;tian Empire hath ten Crowns on ten horns, (not &s;even on &s;even heads) being the ten Kingdoms into which it was part|ed. Now the beginning of this Bea&s;t was when it fir&s;t ro&s;e out of the Sea, under <HI>Alaric. An.</HI> 395. but the ten horns were not ful grown til three&s;core yeers after <HI>An.</HI> 455. when ten Kings or thereabout reigned di&s;tinctly. So al three characters (1. the &s;preading of the Eagles two wings, when the Woman fled. 2. The ten hornd Bea&s;ts ri&s;ing out of the Sea at <HI>Ala<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s</HI> entry. 3. The Gentils treading the holy City) comply or con|temporize at once <HI>An.</HI> 395. but <HI>Daniels</HI> abomination (which is to continu one thou&s;and two hundred ninety dais, being not the &s;ame with the Womans flight) befel under <HI>Julian</HI> thirty yeers &s;ooner <HI>An.</HI> 365. yet &s;hal determin both together <HI>An.</HI> 1655. as afore&s;aid. For al Writers date the downfal, di&s;traction, and de&s;truction of the fourth Monarchy at <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> death, the la&s;t &s;ingle intire Emperor: after which it declined, decaied, or decrea&s;ed daily.</P>
<P>This is very obvious or p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r&s;picuous; but he makes the &s;ix
<PB N="178" REF="187"> 6000. yeers of the Worlds continuance to end at the &s;ame time A. 1655. by his wre&s;ted calculation, wherin Chronologers infinitly vary: which argues partiality of a Man wedded to his own opinion. Yet the compari&s;on of 1656. yeers from Mans creation to the Floods initiation, corre&s;ponds &s;omwhat &s;emblably to our next yeer 1655. con&s;ummar, or 1656. in|choat (that the fir&s;t de&s;truction by VVater, may &s;ymphonize or &s;ynchronize with the la&s;t by Fire) if any faith may be given to &s;uch Chronical conjectures. Howbeit we may make this u&s;e of it, as Chri&s;t bids us, <HI>Watch, Pray, and lift up your Heads;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 The&s;.</HI> 5. 2&punc; 3.</NOTE> <HI>for your redemption is at hand:</HI> but &s;uch as liv &s;ecurely (as a&s;|&s;ured of their &s;alvation) &s;peaking peace and &s;afety to their Souls; <HI>Sudden de&s;truction &s;hal com upon them, as travel on a Woman With Child, and they &s;hal not e&s;cape. The day of the Lord &s;hal com as a Thief in the night:</HI> therfore watch and pray, for great things and terrible revolutions are at dore to befal at end of A. 1655. wherin this Author is mo&s;t confident, who proceds thus. It re&s;ts to be &s;hewed: 1. What hitherto hath bin fulfilled: 2. What at pre&s;ent is effected: 3. What &s;hortly is to be expected, which is chiefly contained in the 11. and 16. Chapters. The Revelation de&s;cribes the State of Chri&s;ts Church in the new Te&s;tament and what &s;hal betide the fourth Monarchy under which it &s;ub&s;i&s;ts. This de&s;cription includs three Periods of time.</P>
<P>1. The Dragons Ethnic Kingdom, when &s;even Crowns <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Period.</NOTE> &s;tood on his &s;even Heads, being publicly adored, and Chri&s;ti|ans per&s;ecuted by Pagan Emperors: to which reign <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 12. 3. <HI>Rev. 13. 1. 2.</HI></NOTE> put a Period A. 312. and the Church triumphed til <HI>Theodo|&s;ius</HI> died A. 395. At which time the Devil left his &s;hape of a Dragon re&s;igning his Ho&s;t&punc; Seat, and great Authority to the Bea&s;t with &s;even Heads and ten Horns, which ro&s;e from the Sea.</P>
<P>2. Antichri&s;ts Vicarian Lieftenent&s;hip under the Dragon <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Period. <HI>Rev. 12. 15 16.</HI></NOTE> from A. 395. til A. 1655. now neer. During which &s;pace, the Pope or fal&s; Prophet bla&s;phemed Gods name, and per&s;e|cuted his Saints for one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty yeers: but when the Dragon was ca&s;t to ground, he ca&s;t water out of his mouth as a Flood to carry away the VVoman: that is, he
<PB REF="188"> &s;tirred the North Nations to invade the Empire and infe&s;t the Church: but the Earth &s;walowed the Flood, for they embra|ced Chri&s;tanity, and erected &s;undry Kingdoms. The Dragon &s;eing Idolatry could not be publicly erected, re&s;igned to the Bea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t ri&s;en from the Sea (on which, the great Whore or Anti|chri&s;t the Dragons Deputy&punc; Vicar crept up in tho&s; wars, rode) his &s;eat, power, and authority: <HI>viz.</HI> his ho&s;t of Devils or Idols, wherin Ethnics wor&s;hiped him; which his Antichri&s;tian Vicar &s;til continues under the name of Saints. <HI>Herof St. John &s;peaks,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 3, 4.</NOTE> <HI>al the World wondred at the Bea&s;t, but wor&s;hiped the Dragon which gav him power, and the Bea&s;t al&s;o, &s;aying; who is like him, or able to make War with him?</HI> This Lieftenent&s;hip is to la&s;t forty two months or one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty an|nal dais: which beginning A. 395. mu&s;t end A. 1655. as is &s;aid.</P>
<P>Then folows the Churches tru peace or pro&s;perity at la&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Period. <HI>Rev 20. 1, 2, 3.</HI></NOTE> Period: for at &s;ound of the &s;eventh Trumpet, the &s;eventh Wo cam on the Empire, and the &s;eventh Phial of Gods wrath was poured o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">; wherwith the Churches Enimies are cut off, and the Devil &s;hut up in the bottomle&s;&s; Pit for one thou&s;and yeers: &s;o that nothing but tru tranquillity can in&s;u. <HI>Hence the Church</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 15.</NOTE> <HI>exults with great voice &s;aying, the Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his Chri&s;ts, who &s;hal reign for ever.</HI></P>
<P>To the&s; three times al three Parts of the Apocalyp&s; are <NOTE PLACE="marg">Analy&s;is.</NOTE> &s;quared: for the Son of God de&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ribes the &s;tate of his Church and what &s;hal befal the Empire in a triple maner: 1. By &s;even Epi&s;tles <HI>chap.</HI> 2. and 3. 2. By a Book &s;ealed <HI>ch.</HI> 4. 5. 6. 7. 3. By a litle open Book <HI>ch.</HI> 10. to the end. He al&s;o appeered to <HI>John</HI> in &s;everal &s;hapes: 1. As a Son of Man <HI>ch.</HI> 1. who &s;uf|fred in the fi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">t Period. 2. As a Bea&s;t like a Lamb with &s;even Horns and &s;even Eys <HI>ch.</HI> 5. which fights in the &s;ecund Period. 3. As a &s;trong Angel clothed with a Cloud <HI>ch.</HI> 10. who reigns having al things put under his feet in the third la&s;t Period. As a Son of Man in m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;t of &s;even golden Candle&s;ticks, he de|clares the Churches condition in general by &s;even Epi&s;tles; wherof the two &s;i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t belong to the fir&s;t Period: the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">iv la&s;t to the &s;e und: but the Promi&s;es <HI>ch.</HI> 2. and 3. to the la&s;t. As a Lamb he opens the &s;ealed Book (Gods hidden Decree) implying the
<PB N="179" REF="188"> Roman Empires e&s;tate di&s;tinctly, under which the Church is built and &s;ub&s;i&s;ts <HI>ch.</HI> 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. and 9. <HI>viz.</HI> in the Politic State for the fir&s;t Period, til A. 395. (which by opening the &s;ix fir&s;t Seals is performed) the Ethnic Emperors condition is &s;hewed in the fir&s;t fiv; but the fal of Pagani&s;m in the &s;ixth, from <HI>Con|&s;tantin</HI> to <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> death. In the &s;ecund Period from A. 395. to 1655. when the &s;eventh Seal is to be opened, &s;even Angels with &s;even Trumpets, declare by &s;even Judgments then executed the Empires ruin <HI>Ch.</HI> 8. 1. By Barbarians A. 395. 2. By <HI>Romes</HI> fir&s;t &s;ackage A. 410. 3. By &s;uppre&s;&s;ing the We&s;t Empire in <HI>Augu&s;tulus</HI> A. 476. 4. By aboli&s;hing al public Offices A. 552. 5. By Sarra&s;ens, as the fir&s;t Wo tels <HI>ch.</HI> 9. 1. to 12. 6. By Turcs <HI>ch.</HI> 9. 13, to 19. 7. By Papi&s;ts palpable Idolatry, Murders, Sorce<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ies, Fornications, and other abominable &s;ins; as in the &s;ecund Wo <HI>ch.</HI> 9. 20, 21. In the third Period at entry of A. 1655. the &s;eventh Angel &s;ounds, and Judgment is exe|cuted with the third Wo on the Churches Enimies, wherby Gods my&s;tery is fulfilled <HI>ch.</HI> 10. 9. As an Angel covered with a Cloud, having a litle Book opened which <HI>John</HI> &s;walowed; he foretels what &s;hal befal the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic State in al three Periods. 1. The Church is built up under per&s;ecutions <HI>ch.</HI> 11. 1, 2. 2. 'Tis gloriou&s;ly beautified with the Sun, having the Moon under foot, as de&s;pi&s;ing al mundan things; and a Crown of twelv Stars (the twelv Apo&s;tles) on hir Head <HI>ch.</HI> 12. 1. 2. 3. The red Dragon rai&s;eth many Here&s;ies and troubles; but <HI>Con&s;tantin</HI> (as <HI>Michael</HI>) overcam him, and expeld Heathe|ni&s;m <HI>v.</HI> 9. In the &s;ecund Period, the&s; &s;even Synchronici&s;ms are &s;et forth. 1. The holy City trod down by the Gentils <HI>ch.</HI> 11. 2. 2. The two VVitne&s;&s;es mourn in &s;ack&punc; cloth <HI>v.</HI> 3. to 10. 3. The VVoman fled into the De&s;art <HI>ch.</HI> 12. 6, to 14. 4. The ten hornd Bea&s;t bla&s;phems God, and makes war with the Saints. 5. The two hornd drivs a pety ped<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ing trade <HI>ch.</HI> 13. <HI>per totum.</HI> 6. The company of one hundred forty four thou|&s;and &s;ing a new Hymn and liv blamle&s;&s; <HI>ch.</HI> 14. 1. to 6. 7. The VVhore of <HI>Babylon</HI> (or Papal Hierarchy) rides and rules the ten hornd Bea&s;t of free accord <HI>ch.</HI> 17. Herupon God forewa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nd hir by declaring his plagues and puni&s;hments <HI>ch.</HI> 15. and 16. but when no redres folowd, he pa&s;t &s;entence to confound hir.
<PB REF="189"> Hence in the third Period, the Churches joy or ovation over hir Enimies total ruin is di&s;plaied: with hir wi&s;hed peace or tranquillity <HI>ch.</HI> 19. The&s; are the general Contents of al: but many mo important particulars relating to our times occur; which &s;hal be &s;ummarily collected for the Churches comfort &s;pecialy the two Witne&s;&s;es Hi&s;tory <HI>ch.</HI> 11. and de&s;cription of the &s;even Phials <HI>ch.</HI> 16. which two being of neere&s;t concern|ment, &s;hal be mo&s;t accuratly agitated. For the fir&s;t explicats the entrance of the third Prophetic part from the litle Book, com|pri&s;ing al three Periods as an abridgment of the whol Revela|tion. It con&s;i&s;ts of two Parts: 1. What is reveled to <HI>John</HI> by word of mouth, how things &s;hal obvene; as in the fir&s;t Period at erecting the Church; in the &s;ecund under the Antichri&s;tian Vicar, by two Synchroni&s;ms of the Gentils calcitrating the holy City forty two months, and the Witne&s;&s;es mourning one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty dais. 2. What is realy re|pre&s;ented to him by a &s;udden change in Vi&s;ion, at beginning of the third Period. The&s; are the terms of our undertaken task.</P>
<P>In the fir&s;t Period under the Dragons reign, the Son of God <NOTE PLACE="marg">Expo&s;ition.</NOTE> cau&s;eth his Temple or Church to be built, the place of Sacri|fices be mea&s;ured, and charily protects his Servants in the&s; <HI>A reed like a rod was given me, and the Angel &s;aid; ari&s;e,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev 11. v.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>mea&s;ure Gods Temple, and Altar, and them that wor&s;hip therin.</HI> Sith then the building and gathering Chri&s;ts Church, is com|mended by mea&s;uring the Jews Temple; the form therof mu&s;t be con&s;idered, to attain the tru meaning of the Text. It &s;tood <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chr 3. 1 3 4. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> King. 6. 16.</NOTE> on Mount <HI>Moriah:</HI> the length &s;ixty Cubits, bredth twenty, height one hundred twenty. It was divided into two parts: 1. The lower we&s;tly twenty Cubits long and twenty broad cald <HI>Sanctum Sanctorum</HI> (Holy of Holie&s;t) into which the high Prie&s;t alone entred only once a yeer, 2. The forepart ea&s;tly fourty Cubits long and twenty broad, &s;tiled <HI>Sanctum</HI> the Holy Place; wherto only Prie&s;ts entred, termed here Gods Temple. Before it were two Courts: 1. The inner cald the Prie&s;ts, wher the Altar for burnt Offerings &s;tood, twenty Cubits &s;quare and ten high; which is here cald <HI>Thy&s;ia&s;terium.</HI> 2. The outer or great Court compa&s;&s;ed with a whit Marble wal in
<PB N="180" REF="189"> circuit four furlongs or half a mile, which none but purified I&s;raelits might enter; excluding al unclean Jews and Gentils. About this <HI>Herod</HI> walled in a large place for the unclean to|gether <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">zek 40. Z<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ch.</HI> 2. 1. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> with Heathens. By this Temple the Angel repre&s;ents the Churches condition: for by mea&s;uring is meant building and propagating: by the Altar the tru Profe&s;&s;ors per&s;ecution, to be &s;laughtered as &s;acrificed Sheep: but mea&s;ured or bounds &s;et, beyond which Tyrans cannot go til vengence overtake them. By tho&s; that wor&s;hip therin, Kings and Prie&s;ts are meant, who are a Royal Prie&s;thood in the inner Court.</P>
<P>Next folows the Churches State in the &s;ecund &s;tation of <NOTE PLACE="marg">V. 2.</NOTE> Popery from A. 395. til A. 1655. into Synchroni&s;ms: 1. Of the Gentils treading the holy City under foot fourty two months: wherby Gods extern wor&s;hip is implied, con&s;i&s;ting in Ceremonies, which he rejects. Here we mu&s;t refl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ct<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">on the Heathen Nations inva&s;ion: for from <HI>Con&s;tantins</HI> conver&s;ion til <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> died, the Church triumphed over the Gentils; and demoli&s;hed the Dragons Idolatrous Temples: but im|mediatly the Barbarians broke in, wherby the holy City was trod on, &amp; Antichri&s;t had occa&s;ion to &s;hew him&s;elf. For in &s;tead of Idols (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars) Saints Images were gradualy introduced. 2. Of the two Witne&s;&s;es prophecy in Sack-cloth, one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty dais: by whom is meant faith|ful Teachers and Rulers of the Church: which number of two is &s;mal, yet &s;ufficient to te&s;tify truth <HI>Deut. 17. 6, 10, 15, Mat. 18 16. John</HI> 8. 17.</P>
<P>The Angels Words (to my two Witne&s;&s;es) imply, that he <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s; 3. 4 5. 6.</NOTE> is the Son of God. They were clad in &s;ack-cloth, but the Whore in Purple and Scarlet deckd with Gold, Pearl, and pretious Stones. The&s; were two Oliv Trees and two Candle|&s;ticks, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Z<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ha. 4 14.</NOTE> as <HI>Zerobabel</HI> and <HI>Je&s;ua</HI> are de&s;cribed. <HI>If any Man wil hurt them, fire proceds from their mouth to devour their Enimies, who mu&s;t thus be killed:</HI> as at <HI>Elias</HI> reque&s;t fire from Heaven <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. King. 1 10. 12.</NOTE> con&s;umed two of <HI>Ahaziahs</HI> Captains with their fifty Men ech. <HI>The&s; have prower to &s;hut Heaven, that it rain not during their Prophecy (as Elias al&s;o had) and power to turn Waters into Blood; and to &s;mite the Earth with al plagues as Mo&s;es and Aaron had:</HI> wherby God declares, what Mercies he &s;hewed
<PB REF="190"> his Servants of old; which he wil extend to Beleevers in the new Te&s;tament and wil giv them faithful Teachers like <HI>Je&s;ua</HI> and <HI>Zerobabel</HI> to inlighten them as Candle&s;ticks with pure Doctrin; and a&s;&s;i&s;t them as Oliv-trees with powerful con|&s;olation be&s;ide zelous <HI>Eliahs</HI> and <HI>Eli&s;ha's,</HI> who &s;hal oppo&s;e the Whore <HI>Jezabel, Baals</HI> Prie&s;ts, and other per&s;ecutors: but at la&s;t a <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> to bring them out of al affliction.</P>
<P><HI>When they hav fini&s;hed their te&s;timony, the Bea&s;t which a&s;cends</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s; 7. Rev 17. 8. 11.</NOTE> <HI>from the bottomle&s;&s; Pit (viz. which ro&s;e from the Sea with ten horns, wherof the Angel &s;aith, the Bea&s;t which thou &s;awe&s;t, was and is not, and &s;hal a&s;cend from the bottomle&s;&s; Pit) &s;hal make War again&s;t them, overcom, and kil them.</HI> This Bea&s;t that was and is not, but is the eighth, and one of the &s;even; is the Hea|then Empire, wher the Dragon reigned, or was openly wor|&s;hiped: but is not, being no more adored in public: yet a&s;cends again out of the Pit by the ten honrd Bea&s;ts means, or kingdoms erected in the Empire; when a new holier form of Idolatry is e&s;tabli&s;hed, and the Dragon with the Bea&s;t di&s;gui&s;edly afre&s;h wor&s;hiped. This is the eighth Head, but one of the &s;even: for the Rider (the Woman-whore) in the divided Empire, governs the civil State: &s;o the ten hornd Bea&s;t (or &s;eventh Head) and Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Popi&s;h Regiment make one, as it were the eighth: but becau&s; the Woman &s;its as one Rider; therfore the two la&s;t forms (Eccle&s;ia&s;tic and Politic) are reckoned or re|puted one, as the Angel &s;aith, the eighth is of the &s;even. Hence 'tis cleer, the Bea&s;t ri&s;ing out of the Pit, is the &s;piritual Papal Government u&s;ing the Temporal Sword of terren Princes: which Woman-Bea&s;t &s;hal kil the Witne&s;&s;es, or depriv them of Eccle&s;ia&s;tic preferments and Politic emploiments (cald a civil death) by per&s;ecuting Evangelical Profe&s;&s;ors (which is his own ca&s;e) at the Popes in&s;tigation.</P>
<P><HI>Their dead Bodies &s;hal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly in the Streets of the great City, &s;pi|ritualy</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 8.</NOTE> <HI>caled Sodom and Egypt, wher our Lord was crucified.</HI> The City is <HI>Rome</HI> the place of per&s;ecution; as the Angel &s;aith, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. v. 18</NOTE> the Woman is that great City which reigns over the Kings of the Earth, caled <HI>Babylon:</HI> by which name <HI>Viega, Bellarmin,</HI> and other Je&s;uits own <HI>Rome:</HI> but by the City and Streets the whol Popi&s;h Empire is de&s;igned; as 'tis el&s;wher compared to
<PB N="181" REF="190"> a ten hornd Bea&s;t, and to a Sea with Rivers and Fountains. <HI>Rome</HI>-City and Papacy is &s;piritualy or my&s;ticaly &s;tiled <HI>Sodom,</HI> by rea&s;on of their <HI>Paedere&s;tia</HI> or unnatural &s;in, not only com|mitted, but commended in a privileged pamphlet penned and publi&s;hed by <HI>John de la Ca&s;a</HI> Archbi&s;hop of <HI>Benevent:</HI> as <HI>I&s;aiahs</HI> words intimat, <HI>Their countenance doth witnes again&s;t them; who declare their &s;in as Sodom, they hide it not.</HI> She is al&s;o like <HI>Egypt</HI> in blindnes and hardnes of Heart; be&s;ide their oppre&s;&s;ion of Gods People. She re&s;embles <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> in kil|ling the Prophets; refu&s;ing to receiv the Son of God: but re|jects, reviles, and crucifies him in his members, as every ey &s;ees. A City hath &s;undry Streets and Papacy diver&s; dominions: wherin the wars and per&s;ecutions for &s;ixty yeers la&s;t pa&s;t, mu&s;t be exactly examined. The Oriental Antichri&s;t (Turc) doth not per&s;ecut Chri&s;tians for Religion: the Occidental (Pope) hath no Streets or Provinces under his power, wherin hav hapned any remarkable per&s;ecutions, &s;av only the <HI>Germam</HI> Empire or cheif Horn. This is that great Cities principal Street caled <HI>Ca|texochen</HI> the Street, being a bare Sceleton left of the We&s;t Empire or fourth Monarchy: having yet &s;even Heads (the &s;even Princes Electors) and ten Horns (the ten Circles or Provinces) as 'tis divided. In this Street we mu&s;t &s;eek the war and &s;hal find it; if we weigh wel what is pa&s;t &s;ince A. 1595. til now. For the Pope, &s;ince <HI>Luther</HI> began to reform, alwais aimed to extirp Go&s;pel Profe&s;&s;ors; for which end he caled the Council of <HI>Trent:</HI> but this took no effect in <HI>Germany,</HI> til the crafty Je&s;uits incited credulous Princes by fraud, flattery, and calumby to per&s;ecut Prote&s;tants. Which began A. 1598. in <HI>Styria, Carniola,</HI> and <HI>Krain</HI> the &s;ucce&s;&s; wherof ther and el&s;|wher (&s;pecialy in <HI>Bohemia</HI> and <HI>Au&s;tria</HI>) is too wel known to the World: but the la&s;t act lacks to be executed in <HI>Sile&s;ia,</HI> which being fini&s;hed, this war &s;hal hav victory and execution end: at which time the three yeers and half are to begin, wher|in the Witne&s;&s;es dead Bodies &s;hal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly in the Streets. This Au|thor &s;eems to be a <HI>Sile&s;ian</HI> Mini&s;ter living in <HI>Polonia;</HI> who draws al to the Meridian of his Country, and comfort of his exiled Brethren.</P>
<P><HI>Som of the People, Kinreds, Toungs, and Nations &s;hal &s;ee their</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 9.</NOTE>
<PB REF="191"> <HI>dead bodies three dais and half; not &s;uffring them to be put in gravs.</HI> The&s; are forren Nations met in the German war for Religion: but by a Treaty of peace, the Prote&s;tants were cir|cumvented, and liberty of Con&s;cience denied, with al their pro|per privileges, which produced manifold mi&s;eries. Hence it appeers that the three annal dais and half (before the appointed one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty terminat) can agree to no other; but when the &s;aid Sile&s;ian pacification &s;hal be fini&s;hed, per&s;ecution &s;tinted, and expeld Evangeli&s;ts re&s;tored; al which &s;hal be at end of <HI>An.</HI> 1655. Mo&s;t Expo&s;itors refer the la&s;t words of not putting them in grav, to their Enimies de&s;pite, who bar their burial: but they are u&s;ed or uttered tropicaly (as their quickning or ri&s;ing mu&s;t be taken civily) not properly or literaly: for their Enimies are caled they that dwel on Earth. So forren Nations wil not wholy lay down the Sword, but ca&s;t a watchful ey on al emotions in <HI>Germany,</HI> and not per|mit Prote&s;tants to be totaly de&s;troied or laid in grav under|ground, as he per&s;wads them to doo.</P>
<P><HI>They that dwel on Earth</HI> (Papi&s;ts who hav their Heaven here, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 10.</NOTE> for the ju&s;t are &s;trangers or Sojourners) <HI>&s;hal rejoyce over them, make merry, and &s;end g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s one to another, becau&s; tho&s; two Pro|phets tormented them that dwel on Earth.</HI> They are &s;aid to tor|ment, becau&s; they &s;can or &s;ift their Enimies Doctrin and Con|ver&s;ation by the touch&s;tone of Gods VVord, cro&s;&s; their gro&s;&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Kings 18 17</NOTE> Idolatry, and exprobrat their filthy Sodomy. So <HI>Eliah</HI> and <HI>Michah</HI> tormented <HI>Ahab: Jeremy</HI> the Prie&s;ts and P&s;eudopro|phets: <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jer.</HI> 27. 9. 14. <HI>Amos</HI> 7. 10. <HI>Mat. 8. 29.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Amos</HI> the People: Chri&s;t the Devils. This their Foes nickname Sedition to color their own oppre&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>Thus far <HI>John</HI> writes what the Son of God declared by word of mouth; wherby a &s;udden change in&s;ued in the Vi&s;ion, re|pre&s;enting a like alteration in the Empire. For he &s;ees what af|ter the end of three yeers and half befel the witne&s;&s;es; and what unexpected events &s;hal betide. Here the la&s;t period begins <HI>An.</HI> 1655. when al the Go&s;pels Enimies are quelled, and tru peace to Gods People redintegrated.</P>
<P><HI>After three dais and half, the Spirit of life from Godentred</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 11.</NOTE> <HI>into them.</HI> Tho&s; dais expire <HI>An.</HI> 1655. when the treading on the holy City fourty two months, the VVitne&s;&s;es mourning
<PB N="182" REF="191"> one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core dais, the VVomans abode in the De&s;art &s;o long, and the Bea&s;ts bla&s;pheming fourty two Months conterminat or expire at once together. Then al&s;o the term of <HI>Nebuchadnezars</HI> Image&punc; and period of al four Mo|narchies <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan</HI> 7. 12. 25. <HI>D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n. 12. 11.</HI></NOTE> for a time, times, and dividing of time &s;hal concur: as al&s;o the one thou&s;and two hundred ninety dais of abominati|on which makes de&s;olat, being al tru &s;ynchronici&s;ms. <HI>Ezekiel</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 37. 14.</NOTE> hath a like expre&s;&s;ion, wher God on the Jews behalf, at <HI>Baby|lons</HI> Captivity &s;aith, <HI>I wil put my Spirit in you, and ye &s;hal liv, I w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l put you in your own Land.</HI> The like God wil doo to al exiled Profe&s;&s;ors, re&s;tore them by unthought of means to their own Land, and render their functions: yea giv them greater dignities then ever they had before. <HI>They &s;tood on their feet,</HI> or po&s;&s;e&s;t their Places and Stats: but great fear fel on al that &s;aw them. Papi&s;ts had great joy at the i&s;&s;u of this war: but &s;hal now tremble no le&s;&s;, when the exiled repo&s;&s;e&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> their hereditary Fortunes and honorable Functions. A life|ly exemple herof is extant <HI>Wi&s;dom</HI> 5. worth reading or re|view. <NOTE PLACE="marg">See <HI>Wi&s;d. 5.</HI></NOTE></P>
<P><HI>They heard a great voyce from Heaven &s;aying, Com up hi|ther.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 12.</NOTE> <HI>They &s;hal a&s;cend in a cloud, and their Enimies &s;hal &s;ee them.</HI> Heaven &s;ignifies the Church: the voice implies, that af|ter three yeers and half God wil rai&s; a chief Prote&s;tant Poten|tat as a Patron, to the Papi&s;ts terror; who &s;hal open a free cour&s; to the Go&s;pel: caling aloud by his Diploma or Letters Patents to al Exiles; Com up, re&s;um your pri&s;tin prefer|ments and emploiments. So they &s;hal &s;uddenly a&s;cend in a cloud to their charges, with great glory and authority. Their Enimies who before exulted at their afflictions, inflicting al &s;orts of plagues; &s;hal fare as <HI>Jeremy</HI> threatned <HI>Chaldea</HI> and <HI>Baby|lon,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jer.</HI> 50. 10. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> that al which go by &s;hal hi&s;&s; at them.</P>
<P><HI>At the &s;ame hour was a great Earthquake, and a tenth part</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>of the City fel: viz.</HI> a fearful Commotion or Combu&s;tion in the Empire: but a tenth part intends either the whol Papacy, or one of the Empires ten &s;treets, or <HI>Rome</HI> City, which is now but a tenth part of what it was, as <HI>Lip&s;ius</HI> provs. <HI>In the Earth|quake</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</HI> 3&punc; <HI>Admirand.</HI></NOTE> (or war) <HI>were &s;lain &s;even thou&s;and Men (or a mighty multitud) but the remnent were affrighted, and gav glory to
<PB REF="192"> God.</HI> The re&s;t of Papi&s;ts &s;tood amazed, and acknowledged Gods ju&s;t judgments on them.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> und Wo is pa&s;t.</HI> This imports not as if al were ended <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s; 14.</NOTE> at <HI>Romes</HI> de&s;truction and the re&s;t precited; but intimats &s;peci|aly <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 8 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. <HI>Rev.</HI> 9 1. to 19.</NOTE> the Turcs ruin: <HI>For an Angel flying through mid&s;t of Hea|ven cried, Wo, Wo, Wo to the Earths Inhabiters, by rea&s;on of</HI> 3 <HI>An|gels trumpets yet to &s;ound.</HI> The fir&s;t hapned by Sarra&s;ens, the next by Turcs, as generaly granted: whence tho&s; words (<HI>the &s;e|cund wo is pa&s;t</HI>) are unanimou&s;ly interpreted, that in&s;tantly after <HI>Romes</HI> ruin, and the German Empires revolution, the Turcs Ea&s;t Empire &s;hal fal. <HI>Behold, the third Wo coms quickly;</HI> al three fal on the Empire, but the la&s;t en&s;ues.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;eventh Angel &s;ounded, and Voices in Heaven &s;aid, the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 15. 16. 17</NOTE> <HI>Kingdoms of this World are becom the Lords and his Chri&s;ts, who &s;hal reign for ever.</HI> Here begins the &s;eventh or la&s;t plague poured on <HI>Babel,</HI> wherin the Evangelical Churches great joy is briefly de&s;cribed: becau&s; they hav got a good Head, <HI>Rome</HI> de|&s;troied, <HI>Germany</HI> revolted from Popery, and the Turcs Empire ended. This joy is &s;et out by <HI>John Rev.</HI> 19. as <HI>David</HI> reflects on it <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 93. 1. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 97. 1. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 99. 1.</P>
<P><HI>The Nations</HI> (Papi&s;ts) <HI>were angry, and the wrath is com to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 18. 19.</NOTE> <HI>cut off or de&s;troy them.</HI> This act is confirm'd by a duple &s;ign: 1. <HI>Gods Temple was opened, and ther was &s;een the Ark of his Te&s;tament. 2. Ther were Lightnings, Voices, Thunders, Earth|quake, and great Hail.</HI> The contents wherof are el&s;wher ex|plicated, wher the Son of God with Celical Armies appeer on whit Hor&s;es: but the Bea&s;t and Kings of the Earth are utterly <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 19 11 to 21</NOTE> de&s;troied. <HI>The time of the dead to be judged, and that thou &s;hould&s;t reward thy &s;ervants the Prophets, Saints, and them that fear thy Name; and &s;hould&s;t di&s;troy tho&s; which de&s;troy the Earth.</HI> This Judgment is darkly de&s;cribed, being before caled the my|&s;tery <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 10 4. 7.</NOTE> of God, and uttered by &s;even thunders, which mu&s;t not be writen. This is al&s;o after rehear&s;ed in Chri&s;ts thou&s;and yeers reign, which the Author declines to define, yet inclines to it. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20 4. 5 6.</NOTE> As in the &s;ecund part of Apocalyp&s;, &s;even Judgments are given on the Roman Empire by &s;even trumpeting Angels in the &s;e|cund Period; &s;o here in the third are de&s;cribed &s;even Plagues to be poured out by &s;even Phials on the &s;ame. The &s;eventh at
<PB N="183" REF="192"> end of the one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core yeers concurs with <HI>An.</HI> 1655. and fils up Gods wrath. The &s;even Plagues fel on the Politic State pre&s;aging its fal: but the &s;even Phials are poured on the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic too, declaring both their puni&s;h|ments. Tho&s; began <HI>An.</HI> 395. but the&s; under the &s;ixth Judg|ment, a litle before the total final ruin. The &s;even Plagues pro|ced from the Lord holding a Cup of red wine, who poured it on his litle Flock: but now the ungodly &s;hal drink the dregs <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 75. 8 9.</NOTE> wrung out, as <HI>David</HI> denounceth. Tho&s; &s;even Angels with the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 15. 5. 6. 7.</NOTE> &s;even Plagues, cam out of the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Te&s;timony in Heaven: and one of the four Bea&s;ts (the Lion of <HI>Juda</HI>) gav the &s;even Angels &s;even golden Phials ful of Gods Wrath: the event or effect folows.</P>
<P><HI>I heard a great voyce out of the Temple &s;aying to the &s;even</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Chap.</HI> 16. <HI>V.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>Angels, Pour out the Phials of Gods wrath on the Earth: viz.</HI> Earths Inhabiters, who rejoiced at the Bea&s;ts Victory: or on the whol world, which wandred after the Bea&s;t, wor&s;hiping <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 3. 4.</NOTE> both Bea&s;t and Dragon: &s;o the Popi&s;h Empire is plainly un|der&s;tood.</P>
<P><HI>The fir&s;t poured his Phial on the Earth, and ther fel a noi&s;om</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>grievous &s;ore on the Men which had the Bea&s;ts mark, and them which wor&s;hiped his Image.</HI> Earth implies the whol Empires extent: but reflects on the peaceable part, and on the Bea&s;t coming out of the Earth; which is the Pope and his Clergy: who prevail not by open Power, as the Sea-bred did by war; but crept in &s;lily and &s;oftly as gra&s;&s; grows out of the ground without noi&s; or notice. This Phial was poured at time of Re|formation: but when tru Profe&s;&s;ors oppo&s;ed Papi&s;ts, repro|ving their fal&s; Doctrins and foul deeds: a noi&s;om &s;ore of fierce wrath, hate, and enmity fel on the Men &s;o marked again&s;t al Prote&s;tants, &s;ith they could not &s;educe them by words or wiles, nor &s;ubdu by the Sword.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;ecund poured his on the Sea, which becam as blood of a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 3.</NOTE> <HI>dead Man, and every living Soul in the Sea died.</HI> By Sea is pointed out the ten hornd Bea&s;t ri&s;ing from the Sea, &amp; his trou|bled &s;tate; which fel on al parts (&s;pecialy <HI>Germany</HI>) with much blood&s;hed: and al Men ingaged in the war through the Pro|vinces, died in that Flood of waters.</P>
<PB REF="193">
<P><HI>The third poured his on the Rivers and Fountains of Waters,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 4.</NOTE> <HI>which becam blood.</HI> VVaters, both in Scripture and among al Authors, &s;ignify Kingdoms: the Roman Empire is compared <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 1. 18.</NOTE> to a Bea&s;t with ten horns, and to a City with &s;treets; but here to a Sea with Rivers, which are the Popi&s;h dominions: for the great VVhore &s;its on many waters: the Fountains are Kings with their Peers and Parlements: but how this Phial hath bin poured on <HI>Great-Brytain,</HI> and the Head-&s;pring becom blood &s;til &s;prouting out, is evident to al Men: but though tho&s; that are the Voice or Trumpet in tho&s; actions cannot be excu&s;ed; yet we mu&s;t &s;ay with the Angel here, <HI>Lord, thou art righteous,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 5.</NOTE> <HI>becau&s; thou ha&s;t judged thus.</HI> How <HI>France</HI> feels Gods wrath of the third Phial, and how much more it may, time wil di&s;co|ver. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 6.</NOTE> <HI>For they hav &s;hed the blood of Saints and Prophets, and thou ha&s;t given them blood to drink, being worthy.</HI> This more particularly concerns <HI>France,</HI> wher &s;uch floods hav been &s;hed within a hundred yeers la&s;t pa&s;t: but how other Realms &s;hal fare, time wil revele.</P>
<P><HI>I heard another from the Altar &s;ay, even &s;o Lord God Al|mighty,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s; 7.</NOTE> <HI>tru and righteous are thy Judgments.</HI> This voice ca<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> from the Thya&s;terion, wher Martyrs Souls ince&s;&s;antly prai&s; God.</P>
<P><HI>The fourth poured his on the Sun, who had power given to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 8.</NOTE> <HI>&s;corch Men with <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ire.</HI> Mo&s;t Expo&s;itors under&s;tand the Sun of Righteou&s;nes, wherwith the woman is clothed: but this re|pugns the plagues poured on the Popi&s;h world or Earth, oppo|&s;it to the Church-Heaven, Gods faithful Children, wherof the Lord Je&s;us is Head: &s;o we mu&s;t &s;erch what Sun &s;ignifies el&s;|wher in the Apocalyp&s;. <HI>The Sun becam black as &s;ackcloth of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 6. 12.</NOTE> <HI>hair:</HI> which imports the ruin of Imperial dignity in Hea|then Church-Heaven by <HI>Con&s;tantin. The Suns third part w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 8 12.</NOTE> <HI>&s;miten:</HI> that is, the old Empires &s;mal remaining &s;plendor &s;hal vani&s;h. <HI>An Angel &s;tood in the Sun:</HI> meaning a potent Evan|gelical <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 19. 17. <HI>Rev. 21. 23.</HI></NOTE> Prince gathered Forces again&s;t Papi&s;ts. <HI>The City had not the Sun or Moon to &s;hine in it:</HI> or needs no temporal Po|tentat to govern it. If we compare the&s; texts with the Sun here, it mu&s;t import the Supporter of the Pop<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;h State, who givs &s;plendor and &s;trength to al, as the Sun doth in Nature:
<PB N="184" REF="193"> for he had power given to &s;corch Men with fire, even tho&s; of his own &s;ide.</P>
<P><HI>Men were &s;corched with great heat, and bla&s;phemed Gods</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 9.</NOTE> <HI>name, which hath power over the&s; plagues: but repented not to giv him glory.</HI> When the Sun or Supporter of Papacy &s;hal ly down to re&s;t, Gods wrath wil extremly bla&s;t Papi&s;ts: the Lord <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al 21. 9.</NOTE> &s;hal make them like a firy Oven; yet wil they not relent to giv him glory, but bla&s;phem his name &s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l.</P>
<P><HI>The fifth poured his on the Bea&s;ts Seat, who&s; Kingdom was</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 10. 11.</NOTE> <HI>ful of darknes: and they gnawed their toungs for pain. They bla&s;pemed the God of Heaven, but repented not.</HI> So &s;oon as the ten hornd Bea&s;t ro&s;e from the Sea, the Dragon gav him his Power and Seat of re&s;idence, <HI>Rome,</HI> which he retained with the two hornd Bea&s;t, like <HI>Hippocrates</HI> twins, ever &s;ince, and reign over the Kings of the Earth: but now by the fifth Phial his Kingdom is darkned, yet not quit demoli&s;hed or di&s;&s;olved, which &s;hal be doon at pouring out the la&s;t Phial.</P>
<P><HI>The &s;ixth poured his on Euphrates great River, and the water</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 12.</NOTE> <HI>was dried up to prepare the way of the Ea&s;t Kings. Euphrates</HI> &s;ignifies the Turcs which border on it: but drying up the wa|ter implies their ruin or overthrow, as the Prophets u&s;e that phra&s;e <HI>I&s;ai</HI> 19. 5. <HI>I&s;ai</HI> 44 27. <HI>Jer.</HI> 48. 34. <HI>Jer.</HI> 50&punc; 38. <HI>Jer.</HI> 51. 36. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 30. 12. <HI>Ezek.</HI> 31. 4. the drying up is a preparation to the great work which &s;hal be performed at pouring out the &s;eventh Phial: for as the red Sea was divided for I&s;rael to pa&s;&s;, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 14. 12. <HI>Jo&s;ua 3. 17.</HI></NOTE> when <HI>Pharaoh</HI> pur&s;ued; and <HI>Jordan</HI> dried up for them to go into <HI>Canaan:</HI> So here <HI>Euphrates</HI> is my&s;ticaly dried <HI>(i.</HI> the Turcs de&s;troied) to make way for the Ea&s;t Kings, meaning the Jews conver&s;ion. Next folows the &s;eventh Phial, the &s;eventh Angel &s;ounded, the &s;eventh plague (or third and la&s;t wo) fel on both Bea&s;ts which &s;it in the City &s;ited on &s;even Hils, caled &s;even Heads; the preparativs thus pourtraied.</P>
<P><HI>I &s;aw three unclean Spirits like Frogs com out of the Dra|gon,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 13 14.</NOTE> <HI>Bea&s;ts, and fal&s; Prophets mouths: the&s; are the Spirits of Devils working miracles, which go forth to the Kings of the whol World, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.</HI> Al three are Companions or felow Commo|ners, which &s;tick clo&s;e together; and now at end of their reign
<PB REF="194"> &s;end abroad Agents or Amba&s;&s;adors (croking Spirits) which work miracles. For when <HI>Rome</HI> the Popes Seat, and Turcs Em|pire &s;hal be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed, and Jews converted; the Devil, the whol Papacy, and fal&s; Prophet &s;eing their end at hand, wil &s;tir every &s;tone, and &s;end out their chief Emi&s;&s;a|ries to al Popi&s;h Princes, per&s;wading them to rai&s; war again&s;t Prote&s;tants in that great day of Almighty God. The time of <HI>Con&s;tantins</HI> &s;ubduing the Dragon and &s;upplanting Idolatry, is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 6. 17.</NOTE> cald the great day of Gods wrath: but this (when the Bea&s;t with fal&s; Prophet are to be ca&s;t into a firy Lake, and Dragon &s;hut up in the bottomle&s;&s; pit) &s;tiled the great day of God Al|mighty; being before termed the time of the Dead that they &s;hal be judged: but by the Prophets, Apo&s;tles, and Chri&s;t cly|ped <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Catexochen,</HI> That Day, which he &s;pares to explicat.</P>
<P><HI>Behold, I com as a Theef: ble&s;&s;ed is he that watcheth and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 15. 16.</NOTE> <HI>keeps his garment, le&s;t he walk naked, and they &s;ee his &s;hame. He gathered them into a place caled Armageddon.</HI> This is the &s;udden pouring out of the &s;eventh Phial and Plagues on the Papacy, for which Men are warned to watch: but the place of Papi&s;ts Rendevous caled <HI>Armageddon</HI> (Mountain of Lamen|tation) <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chr. 35. 24. 25.</NOTE> alluding to the place wher good King <HI>Jo&s;iah</HI> was &s;lain and much bewailed: which argues that Papi&s;ts &s;hal mourn for the i&s;&s;u of this war, as the Jews did for that direful defeat at <HI>Megiddo.</HI></P>
<P><HI>The &s;eventh Angel poured his into the Air: and a great Voice</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 17.</NOTE> <HI>cam out of Heavens Temple from the Throne &s;aying; It is doon,</HI> The preceding Phials were poured on particular Places or Per|&s;ons (1. On the Popi&s;h State and Religion in common: 2. On the Politic State by the German war: 3. On peculiar Popi&s;h Kingdoms and their Heads: 4. On a &s;trong Pillar of Papi|&s;try: 5. On <HI>Rome</HI> City: 6. On the Turcs Territories) but this <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 2.</NOTE> la&s;t univer&s;aly on the Air or whol Body, and Satan Prince of the Air with al his Spirits; becau&s; he is wor&s;hiped together with the Bea&s;t. At pouring out of which Phial, the time draws nigh <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24. 28.</NOTE> foretold by Chri&s;t of his coming to Judgment.</P>
<P><HI>Ther were Voices, Thunders, Lightnings, and &s;o great an</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 18.</NOTE> <HI>Earthquake, as was not &s;ince Men were on Earth; &s;o mighty and great.</HI> Here begins the Execution on the Devil and his Ar|my,
<PB N="185" REF="194"> with his Vicar and his Dependents; even on the whol Pa|pacy and its Kingdoms. In the Air are heard terrible Voices, Thunders, and yellings of Devils: on Earth War and rumors of War: in al parts Tumults, Seditions, In&s;urrections, Ma&s;&s;acres, and horrid Blood&s;heds, &s;uch as never were heard of before.</P>
<P><HI>The great City was divided into three parts. Rome</HI> City is &s;pe|cified <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 19.</NOTE> in the &s;ixth Phial; but here the whol Papal State &s;ignified: which is &s;hared among three Chieftains, typified by the triple Crown, the Dragon, Bea&s;t, and fal&s; Prophet: For the&s; gene|rals &s;hal levy or lead forth the Battle, as ech &s;everaly rai&s;ed their Forces before, and now join ready to fal on. But with what &s;ucce&s;&s;? The Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet being taken, are ca&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 19. 10.</NOTE> a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ife into a burning Lake of brim&s;tone; but the Dragon <HI>(Ge|nerali&s;&s;imo)</HI> &s;hut up in the bottomle&s;&s; pit for a thou&s;and yeers. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 1. 2.</NOTE> <HI>The Cities of the Nations fel:</HI> that is, Idolatry, Sodomy, and other abominations practi&s;ed under Popery are altogether abo|li&s;hed.</P>
<P><HI>Great Babylon cam into remembrance before God, to giv hir</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 20.</NOTE> <HI>the Cup of Wine of his fierce Wrath.</HI> God &s;at &s;til long, &s;eeming to take no notice of the Bea&s;ts bla&s;phemy and tyranny: but when the prefixd time of fourty two months expired, remem|bers hir, fils ful the Cup of Wine of his fierce wrath, and puni&s;h|eth after hir demerits. <HI>Every Iland fled away, and the Mountains were not found: viz</HI> Al that depend on the Papacy (the remote&s;t Iles and loftie&s;t places by Land) &s;hal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ly away, va|ni&s;h, be vanqui&s;hed, and &s;een no more.</P>
<P><HI>Ther fel on Men a great Hail from Heaven, every &s;tone</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 21.</NOTE> <HI>about a Talent weight: and Men bla&s;phemed becau&s; of this plague; for it was exceding great.</HI> The&s; great H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">l&s;tones denot Gods grievous puni&s;hments; the weight of a Talent, his hea|vie&s;t Judgments: yet Men cea&s;ed not to bla&s;phem his holy name. Here the Author ends his Explications; but an&s;wers &s;undry &s;cruples, doubts, and difficulties emergent; which &s;hal be curtly explained. In this deep dark di&s;cur&s; diver&s; Objections occur, which wil require debate and re&s;olution.</P>
<P>1. Whether the Text not torted, but literaly or tropicaly <NOTE PLACE="marg">Doubts.</NOTE> referred to the times, hath bin rightly unfolded? 2. Whether the Figures or Images which make the&s; my&s;teries ob&s;cure, be
<PB REF="195"> cleered by other places of the Apocalyp&s; and Prophets, from whom they are taken and applied to Things, as the Text and Times require? 3. Whether what is pa&s;t or now in acting, &s;hould be &s;erchd in the Acts of the Roman Empire, to &s;ee what may be more &s;utably applied another way, without di&s;turbing the method o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> harmony? 4. Whether the Text doth tel what is to be expected at end of Gods determined time, on the fourth Monarchy and Papacy? <HI>viz.</HI> when the fourty two months or 1260. yeers expire.</P>
<P>Hence ri&s;eth a main rub, whether the Epoche or beginning <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> of tho&s; 1260. yeers be rightly related to <HI>An.</HI> 395. at <HI>Theodo|&s;ius</HI> death? This is proved in the previous Prophetic Key, by certain characters or marks to be &s;ummarily repeated. 1. Be|cau&s; <HI>Daniels</HI> Epoche of 1290. dais fals exactly on <HI>An.</HI> 365. when the Temples grand de&s;olation hapned under <HI>Julian:</HI> &s;o the 1260. mu&s;t com 30. later <HI>An.</HI> 395. &s;ith they &s;hal end to|gether. 2. Becau&s; at the Empires bipartition <HI>An.</HI> 395. the Ro|man Eagle got two wings, and the Barbarians broke in; dri|ving the Woman into the De&s;art, wher &s;he mu&s;t be fed three times and half, or one thou&s;and two hundred three&s;core annal dais; the period wherof fals <HI>An.</HI> 1655. 3. Becau&s; the treading of the holy City (or Church) fourty two months, begins at that Inva&s;ion, and ends alike. 4. Becau&s; at that Inva&s;ion, the ten hornd Bea&s;t ro&s;e from the Sea, and &s;oon clipped the Eagles wings: that in three&s;core yeers (<HI>An.</HI> 455.) al ten horns or Kingdoms vi&s;ibly appered. Hence Authors date the Prolog of the Empires decay at <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI> death: and Eccle&s;ia&s;tic wri|ters from St. <HI>Pauls</HI> words agree, That Antich<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;t &s;hal ari&s;e, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>The<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 2 6 7.</HI></NOTE> when the Empire begins to fal: <HI>generatio un<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">s, e&s;t corrupti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> alterius:</HI> So <HI>Tertullian, Iren<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">us,</HI> and many mo define. 5. Be|cau&s; the two hornd Bea&s;t (we&s;t Antichri&s;t) cam out of the Earth &s;ilently <HI>An.</HI> 395, when he a&s;&s;umed a primacy or preemi|nence both in Civil and Spiritual affairs; which he never before arrogated over other Church<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s. For <HI>Aeneas Sylvius</HI> (after|w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rd <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Epi&s;t. 28<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Can.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">6</NOTE> Pope) writes, That til the Nicen Synod, &s;mal re&s;pect was &s;hewed the Roman Sea; but every one lived to him&s;elf. In the third <HI>Carthage</HI> Council <HI>An.</HI> 390. a Canon pa&s;&s;ed, That the fir&s;t Bi&s;hop &s;hal not be &s;tiled chief Prie&s;t or Prince of
<PB N="186" REF="195"> Prie&s;ts, but Bi&s;hop of the fir&s;t Sea. For <HI>Innocent,</HI> fir&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 404.</NOTE> u&s;urped authority over Princes and Prelats (as Presbyters wil hav &s;uprem Magi&s;trats &s;ubmit to them like Sheep to their Shepherds) who Excommunicated <HI>Arcadius</HI> Emperor of <HI>Con&s;tantinople,</HI> and removed <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> the Patriarch: bu&s;ily be&s;tirring to get a primacy over al African Churches. His &s;uc|ce&s;&s;ors (<HI>Zo&s;imus, Boniface 1. Cele&s;tine</HI> 1.) attempted the like <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hi&s;t. l.</HI> 7. <HI>c.</HI> 3<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> a&s;piring, as <HI>Socrates</HI> &s;torieth: but <HI>Siricius</HI> fir&s;t forbad Prie&s;ts to marry, which St. <HI>Paul</HI> cals the Doctrin of Devils. 6. Becau&s; the two Witne&s;&s;es at end of tho&s; one thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty yeers &s;hal be &s;ubdued and &s;lain, but two accidents &s;hal befal after the &s;eventh Trumpets &s;ounding (<HI>Romes</HI> de&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uction, and determination of the &s;ecund Wo) &s;o that haply the Wit|ne&s;&s;es &s;hal be rai&s;ed (he flatters him&s;elf and his Brethren) be|fore A. 1655. for &s;mal circum&s;tances are not regarded in great Prophecies.</P>
<P>Hereto may be added &s;om new Arguments: 1. St. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Proofs.</NOTE> writes, how the Gentils reported that St. <HI>Peter</HI> prophecied Chri&s;tian Religion &s;hould dure but 365. yeers; which he re|puted a Heathen fiction: yet haply he predicted the continu|ance without interruption &s;hould be &s;o long. For Chri&s;t at 30. yeers was baptized and began his Mini&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y: which being added to 365. foretold by St. <HI>Peter,</HI> make 395. at which time Antichri&s;t appeered, the holy City was calcitrated, the Wit|ne&s;&s;es mourned, and the Woman fled, as is plainly pre&s;peci|fied. 2. That the 6000. yeers of the Worlds durance from the Creation (equivalent to the &s;ix dais works, every day 1000. yeers) expire next yeer 1655. which he &s;trangely &s;trivs and &s;trains to ju&s;tify: but that Rabinical prediction is a frivolous fiction, and his computation a ridiculous di&s;tortion; for that 6000. yeers fals &s;hort A. 1655. about 315. yeers by the be&s;t accompt. 3. The yeer of the Flood began A. M. 1656. which concurs with A. C. 1655. complet or 56. current; when the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 7. 11. Rev. 19. v. 20.</NOTE> Churches Enimies &s;hal be de&s;troied with fire, as the old World was by water: this indeed is a brat of many Mens brains, which haply Men &s;hal &s;hortly &s;ee da&s;hd again&s;t the Stones. 4. The Roman Monarchy initiated when the Suns Eccentricity was greate&s;t: whence A&s;trologers (<HI>Aueis nulla fides</HI>) infer, that it
<PB REF="196"> &s;hal end when 'tis lea&s;t; which &s;om refer to la&s;t yeer 1653. but this bare gue&s;&s;e is <HI>notum per ignotius.</HI> 5. The Turcs hav two Prophecies (to be read in the Author) touching their Empires expiring: that this young <HI>Achmet</HI> the &s;ecund (Son to <HI>Ibrihim</HI>) &s;hal be the la&s;t Emperor. For &s;urely &s;trange al|terations hav hapned &s;ince <HI>Achmets</HI> death A. 1617. who con|trary to cu&s;tom having three young Sons, cau&s;ed his Brother <HI>Mu&s;tapha</HI> to &s;ucced, a precedent never known before: but he after nine Months reign depo&s;ed, and <HI>Achmets</HI> elde&s;t Son <HI>O&s;|man</HI> &s;et up: whom the Janizaries &s;trangled with his Wife and two infant Sons A. 1622. Next &s;ucceded his Brother <HI>Morat</HI> or <HI>Amurat</HI> the fourth who died I&s;&s;ule&s;&s; A. 1640. and after him <HI>Ibrihim</HI> (or <HI>Abraham</HI>) whom the Janizaries al&s;o bow|&s;tringd with his three Wifes A. 1648. but advanced his &s;ole Son <HI>Achmet</HI> aged &s;ix (now twelv) yeers: who reigns at their de|votion or di&s;po&s;ing; and is like to be the la&s;t, if &s;uch fopperies be worthy of faith.</P>
<P>By al which premi&s;&s;es 'tis probable: 1. That the two Chro|nici&s;ms <NOTE PLACE="marg">Inferences.</NOTE> character (1290. and 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">60.) are incident to A. 365. (of <HI>Julian</HI>) and 395. (of <HI>Theodo&s;ius</HI>) as fore&s;aid. 2. That the <HI>Terminus a quo</HI> of Daniels 1290. yeers, can be applied to no other then A. 365. when God blew up the foundations of <HI>Jeru&s;alems</HI> Temple. 3. That the Epoche of tho&s; 1260. yeer<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, mu&s;t be referred to A. 395. becau&s; both numbers nece&s;&s;arily expire together. 4. That the ten-hornd Bea&s;t began from A. 395. til 455. becau&s; the Eagle got two Wings A. 395. and his ten horns appeered A. 455. 5. That in al Roman Hi&s;to|ries, no yeer &s;utes &s;o &s;emblably to al Characters as 395. <HI>Erg<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> we may &s;tick to it and expect the event A. 1655. &s;pecialy &s;ith killing the two Witne&s;&s;es eventualy provs the thing. Som are &s;hy to put a Period of the&s; Prophecies &s;o preci&s;ely at A. 1655. but let &s;uch con&s;ider: 1. That the Angel held up his hand to<NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 12 7, 11. Rev. 10 5, 6, 7,</NOTE> Heaven and &s;wore by him that livs for ever, it &s;hal be for a time, times, and half, or 1260. yeers, and from the Temples abominable de&s;olation to that time 1290. 2. That the Son of God lifted his hand to Heaven, and &s;wore by him who cre|ated Heaven, Earth, Sea, and al things in them; that time &s;hal be no longer, or ther &s;hal be no delay, nor any time intervene:
<PB N="187" REF="196"> <HI>But at the &s;eventh Angels voice or &s;ound of his Trumpet, the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 18.</NOTE> <HI>my&s;tery of God &s;hal be fini&s;hed, as he declared to his Proph<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ts. The&s; things &s;aith the Son of God, who&s; eys flame as fire and his feet like fine Bra&s;&s;. The&s; things &s;aith he that is boly and tru, that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 14.</NOTE> <HI>hath the key of David &amp;c. The&s; things &s;aith Amen, the faithful tru Witnes, and beginning of the Creation of God.</HI> Who then wil not beleev him? Sith then according to Gods decree An|thichri&s;t &s;hal rage or reign but three times and half or 1260. yeers (which terminat at end of A. 1655.) <HI>Let us look up and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 21. 28.</NOTE> <HI>lift our heads on high, for our redemption draweth nigh.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Som Objections occur: &s;uch meer my&s;teries may not be pried into, &s;pecialy of things yet to com: for diver&s; deep Divines and &s;olid Scholars hav been lo&s;t in this labyrinth: <HI>Ergo</HI> it &s;hould remain as a book &s;ealed til the event or accompli&s;Hment be reveled: as Chri&s;t to his Di&s;ciples curious que&s;tion of <HI>I&s;ra|els</HI> kingdoms re&s;tauration an&s;wered, <HI>'tis not for you to know the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 1. 6, 7.</NOTE> <HI>times and &s;ea&s;ons which the Father hath put in his own power,</HI> much le&s;&s; for us.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Apocalyp&s; is ful of dark deep my&s;teries, which wil <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y hid til the event detect them, by applying Hi&s;tories to &s;ee or &s;earch the effects therein meant or mentioned, yet it folows not that we mu&s;t lay it a&s;ide, and not inquire what is already accompli&s;hed or &s;hortly to be expected; &s;pecialy touching the time when the Churches Enimies &s;hal be de&s;troyed and it re&s;to|red to re&s;t, <HI>for</HI> Daniel <HI>ob&s;erved by Books what the Lord told</HI> Je|remy, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 9. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, Rev. 1. 3.</NOTE> <HI>that he would accompli&s;h &s;eventy yeeres in</HI> Jeru&s;alems <HI>de&s;olation: and</HI> John &s;aith, <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed is he that reads, and they which hear the words of this Prophecy, to keep the things writ therin, for the time is at hand.</HI> 'Tis a book of memorable Acts, which foretels what &s;hal betide Gods Church and the Empire under which it &s;ub&s;i&s;ts: being writen to be read, and &s;uch &s;tiled ble&s;&s;ed as read it, for many things are already fulfilled, and by comparing tho&s; pa&s;t with the Apocalyp&s;, we may the better de&s;cry what to look for yer long: but he that forbears to read, or is not ver&s;ed in Roman Hi&s;tories, nor knows how to di&s;tingui&s;h Revolutions or Changes, but confounds Apoca|lyptic numbers, making many Epoches (wheras they &s;ynchro|nize, containing only Relativs and correlativs) or carele&s;ly
<PB REF="197"> &s;lights the numbers as an arcane mi&s;tery; to &s;uch it remains a Book unopened ful of ob&s;curities: <HI>Is qui nil dubitat, nil ca|pit inde boni.</HI> Men mu&s;t dig Diamonds out of Rocks, and never be daunted or deterred with difficulty: many learned hav mi|&s;took for the&s; cau&s;es. 1 Mo&s;t primitiv Interpreters apply things to their times which had no relation, and &s;om moderni&s;ts fo|low their &s;teps (as wild Gee&s; doo their leaders) mi&s;leading o|thers out of the way. Secondly, a right method is not u&s;ed: for in the Apocalyp&s; al things are orderly &s;et, as they &s;hal befal; the &s;ynchroni&s;ms folowing one another, and revolutions exa|ctly di&s;tingui&s;hed; as Hi&s;tories doo in de&s;cribing human a|ctions and affaires: but too many Expo&s;itors pervert this cour&s;, thinking to &s;et things as &s;ucceding one another, which being <HI>Relata</HI> belong to the &s;ame time: Who place before <HI>Ba|bylons</HI> fal what &s;hal be after, not knowing wher they &s;tick, nor how to wind out. Thirdly, they confound the Civil and Ec|cle&s;ia&s;tic State, oft applying Mona&s;tic matters or Antichri&s;ts actions to Monarchic, and contrarily. Yet that the Revela|tion &s;hall remain a Book &s;ealed or &s;hut up, repugns the very Text: for the &s;even Epi&s;tles were never &s;ealed, the Lamb o|pened the &s;ealed Book: the other was a little open one: and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 10. 2. 8. Rev. 22. 10.</NOTE> at end an Angel &s;aith to <HI>John, Seal not the Prophecies for the time is at hand.</HI></P>
<P>Now tho <HI>Daniel</HI> was bid to clo&s;e his Prophecy, yet was it <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 12 4. 9.</NOTE> but til the time of the end: for it was un&s;ealed after by <HI>Johns</HI> Revelation. Chri&s;t &s;pak of times and &s;ea&s;ons occa&s;ioned, that <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 2. 4, 8, 9.</NOTE> 'tis not for men to know what God conceals: <HI>as he &s;aid to his Mother, my hour is not yet com:</HI> yet &s;oon &s;upplied the Wine out of Water. Here we tak time in general, which is deter|mined on Antichri&s;ts bla&s;phemies and tyrannies, in what yeer it &s;hal begin or end (which God hath reveled, as is &s;hewed) not month, day or hour, which the Father keeps in his own power: So tho no infallible certainty in al circum&s;tances can be had; yet many mo&s;t pregnant conjects are prefined.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> The chief O jection is, that al Divines and State&s;men &s;et the period of the fourth Monarchy and Papacy at Chri&s;ts &s;ecund coming either to reign a thou&s;and yeers (as Chilia&s;ts cry) or to judg al fl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;h (which Ma&s;ter <HI>Mede</HI> makes one day
<PB N="188" REF="197"> or time) but there is no certainty of confining the Cata&s;trophe to A. 1655. <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis pre&s;umption for you &s;o to doo.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Apocalyp&s; mentions no &s;uch matter, but clean con|trary: <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 19. 1. to 20.</NOTE> for upon <HI>Romes</HI> de&s;truction great joy was heard in hea|ven, and the Son of God (who at opening the fir&s;t Seal went forth to Conquer on a whit Hor&s;) appeers again on the &s;ame, whom the Armies followed on whit Hor&s;es, clad in clean whit linnen. <HI>The&s; are Martyrs, who having whit Robes given them,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 7 14.</NOTE> <HI>cam out of great tribulation and wa&s;hed their robes; being caled, cho&s;en, and faithful.</HI> Again&s;t them the Bea&s;t and Kings of the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17. 14.</NOTE> Earth made war: the i&s;&s;u wherof was, that the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet (Empire and Popedom, or rather popi&s;h Clergy and Pope) <HI>&s;hal be ca&s;t alife into a Lake of fire burning with bri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;tone:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 20. 1, 2, 3.</NOTE> <HI>but the Dragon had Quarter, who is only &s;hut or &s;ealed up in the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ibid. v.</HI> 11. to 15.</NOTE> <HI>bottomle&s;&s; pit for a thou&s;and yeers that he &s;hould deceiv the Nati|ons no more,</HI> nor excite them again&s;t the Church. In the inte|rim Gods faithful Children hav re&s;t; but the la&s;t judgment is de&s;cribed afterward: hereto agrees <HI>Daniel</HI>'s Image repre&s;ent|ing <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 2. 34 35.</NOTE> the four Monarchies, til the &s;tone &s;mot it on his feet (which was not when the fourth began, for feet and toes were not then til the end thereof) and broke it in peeces, but the &s;tone becam a great Mountain or Kingdom (when al four Monarchies are grinded to du&s;t) which &s;hal break in peeces al the re&s;t. <HI>Daniel</HI> in this Monarchic Vi&s;ion beheld til the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan 7. per totum.</NOTE> Thrones were ca&s;t down, and the Antient of dais &s;at (not for the la&s;t univer&s;al Judgment, for that is committed to the Son, but in particular over the Churches Enimies in the fourth Monarchy and Papacy) which <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;aw til the Bea&s;t was <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lain, and his Body given to the burning flame, and the power of the other Bea&s;ts cam to an end for a term was &s;et how long e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h &s;hould la&s;t: and the Saints &s;hal be given into the fourth Bea&s;ts hand (&s;o long as the Whore rides the B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">a&s;t) til a time, times, and dividing of time: but at end of the&s;e three times and half, the judgment &s;hal &s;it, and his power totaly abo|li&s;hed; yet the World not de&s;troyed: but al kingdom, do|minion and greatne&s; under Heaven given to the Saints of the mo&s;t High&punc; who&s; kingdom is everla&s;ting, and al dominions &s;hal &s;erv him. Saint <HI>Paul</HI>'s words (<HI>The Lord &s;hal de&s;troy him</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s; 2. 8.</NOTE>
<PB REF="198"> <HI>with the brightne&s; of his coming</HI>) are expounded in the Apoca|lyp&s;: but it &s;eems the two judgments (<HI>ch.</HI> 19. and 20.) are <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19. 11. &amp;c.</NOTE> different, and not reduced to one &s;elf time; &s;ith one thou&s;and yeers intervene; for the two great Gue&s;ts (the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophets) are lodged in a Lake of fire and brim&s;tone: but their Ho&s;t the Devil a&s;&s;ociated to them a thou&s;and yeers after at end of the World, when the la&s;t judgment is immediatly held: Weigh al wel, and God giv thee wi&s;dom unto Sal|vation.</P>
<P>The Author intimats, that Chri&s;t &s;hal com to de&s;troy the Churches Enimies A. 1655. <HI>finito,</HI> and bind the Devil in chains a thou&s;and yeers; at end wherof he &s;hal judg the World: yet prote&s;ts he wil not pre&s;ume to penetrat too far into the&s; &s;ecret &s;ublime my&s;teries, which he borows from Ma|&s;ter <HI>Mede.</HI> He exhorts us out of the Apocalyp&s;, to addre&s;&s; our <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 20. 21.</NOTE> ears and hearts to the Son of God: <HI>Who &s;tands at dore and knocks &s;aying: If any wil hear my voice and open dore, I will &s;up</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 1. 3, 6, 8.</NOTE> <HI>with him and he with me: to him that overcoms wil I grant to &s;it</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22. 7, 14.</NOTE> <HI>with me on my Throne: as I overcam, and &s;at down with my Father on his Throne. Ble&s;&s;ed is he that keeps the &s;ayings of this Books Prophecy: nay ble&s;&s;ed are they that doo his Command|ments, that they may hav right to the Tree of life, and enter the Gates into the City. To him which is, was, and is to com, the Al|mighty, be glory and dominion for ever,</HI> Amen.</P>
<P>The &s;um of al his Explications is: 1. The la&s;t act of Refor|mation <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> and relea&s; of Prote&s;tants in <HI>Sile&s;ia Rev.</HI> 11. 7. 2. The three yeers and half, when the Witne&s;&s;es bodies ly in the &s;treet <HI>Ibid. v.</HI> 8, 9. 3. The continuance of war in tho&s; Kingdoms, til the Martyrs innocent blood be avenged. 4. The &s;udden fal of a &s;trong Pillar or Protector of the Papacy. 5. The exal|tation of an Evangelical Head or Prote&s;tant Patron. 6. A Reformation in <HI>Germany.</HI> 7. The de&s;truction of <HI>Rome</HI> City. 8. The end of the Turcs Empire <HI>Rev. 11. 14. Rev.</HI> 16. 12. 9. The Jews Conver&s;ion <HI>Ibid.</HI> 10. The Papi&s;ts &s;edulity to gather their utmo&s;t forces <HI>Rev. 16. 13. Rev.</HI> 19. 16. 11. The total ruin of al the Papacy <HI>Rev. 16. 18. 21. Rev. 19. v.</HI> 20. 21. 12. The fulfilling of Gods my&s;tery <HI>Rev.</HI> 10. 7. Wherby the Devil is &s;hut up in the bottomle&s;&s; Pit: the Son of God takes
<PB N="189" REF="198"> po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of the Kingdoms: the Church fares in peace and tranquillity: al which he writes to comfort his afflicted Coun|trimen, and draws al Chronical lines to one Center of A. 1655. as the common gulf: which is a conjectural crotchet, no certitudinal conclu&s;ion, wheron Men may rely. One yeer and half wil bewray the verity or vanity therof to Gods glory and Mens &s;atisfaction: who mu&s;t &s;til wait and watch; but not &s;ift or &s;erch into his &s;ecret hidden Coun&s;ils. The fu|ture contingents which he propo&s;eth to be &s;hortly expected A. 1655. are the&s;: 1. <HI>Romes</HI> final ruin: 2. The Papacies total confu&s;ion: 3. The Jews conver&s;ion: 4. The Turcs Empires abolition: 5. The Churches re&s;tauration: 6. Chri&s;ts read|vention: al which materials he hath from Mr. <HI>Mede.</HI></P>
<P>Neither of them handle the Lambs my&s;tical mariage with <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19 7.</NOTE> his &s;piritual Spou&s;: which Dr. <HI>Pre&s;ton</HI> compares to civil car|nal Nuptials in <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">iv re&s;pects. 1. As Parents con&s;ents is requi&s;it in the contract: &s;o God the Father hath freely given his Son to us, and us to him. 2. Both Parties mu&s;t mutualy con&s;ent to be wedded: &s;o Chri&s;t the Husband (as the Man &s;til is Sui|tor, tho the Woman mo&s;t needs it for hir perfection) fir&s;t in|vites us to this match; and the holy Gho&s;t prepares our hearts to intertain it. 3. Both make a Covenant: Chri&s;t on ever|la&s;ting one, to be&s;tow him&s;elf and al that is his (&s;alvation, re|mi&s;&s;ion of &s;ins, grace glory) on us; if we giv our &s;elfs intirely to &s;erv him. The&s; are but the E&s;pou&s;als: 4. Ther folows a &s;olen union or celebration of Mariage betwen both: which is doon in Bapti&s;m, when as we promi&s;&s; in We<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lock to take ech other renouncing al other; &s;o here we vow by word of mouth or &s;ureties, to for&s;ake the World, Fle&s;h, and Devil with al their Works, cleaving &s;oly to Chri&s;t both in pro&s;perity and per&s;e|cution; and keep our Souls cha&s;t to him, not pro&s;tituting them to unclean lu&s;ts or &s;ervice of any Creatures. 5. The Nuptial con&s;equents corre&s;pond in both, which is an in&s;eparable union of hearts, and communion of goods: my Beloved is mine, and I his: what Chri&s;t hath is made ours, and our his: our debts becom his, as al his riches, righteou&s;nes, honors, and privileges ours by imputation. O what a ble&s;&s;ed condi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">on is it to &s;ay with the Spou&s; in the Canti<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">les, <HI>I am my Beloveds, and his de|&s;ire</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nt. 7. 10.</NOTE>
<PB REF="199"> <HI>is toward Me? He feedeth me among the Lilies:</HI> O let his pretious Blood make my &s;carlet &s;ins &s;o whit as Wool, or as the Snow in Salmon. In this peece are mo tedious repetitions then in al the work el&s;: which is doon purpo&s;ly to make it more obvious or per&s;picuous unto every common capacity. <HI>Quae placuere &s;emel, decies repetita placebunt.</HI></P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Sunt patefacta &s;acro my&s;teria magna</HI> Joanni:</L>
<L><HI>Quae Deus in &s;eclis efficienda d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cet,</HI></L>
<L>To holy <HI>John</HI> great my&s;teries were told:</L>
<L>Which to be doon in Times, God doth unfold.</L>
<L>Medus <HI>vir celebris, nulli bonitate &s;ecundus;</HI></L>
<L><HI>Artibus, Ingenio, Judicio&abque;; praeit.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Quae&abque; revelavit my&s;teria magna</HI> Joanni</L>
<L><HI>Chri&s;tus, in illius &s;unt patefacta libro.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Mede</HI> was a rare Man, for goodnes next to none;</L>
<L>In Learning, Wit, and Judgment cheif alone.</L>
<L>And what high hid things Chri&s;t to <HI>John</HI> declared,</L>
<L>Are in his Apocalyptic Book explaned.</L>
<L><HI>Mira brevi obvenient,</HI> Germanus <HI>praedicat Author:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Si modo venturis e&s;t adhibenda fides.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Mira canit, quae anno &s;imul efficienda propinquo:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Vix credenda tamen, dum patefacta forent.</HI></L>
<L>Strange things, &s;aith a <HI>German,</HI> &s;hortly &s;hal befal:</L>
<L>If faith to futures may be giv'n at al.</L>
<L>Wonders he tels, which next yeer doon mu&s;t be:</L>
<L>Yet &s;car&s; to be beleevd, til cleer'd wee &s;ee.</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="7" TYPE="thesis">
<PB N="190" REF="199">
<HEAD>THESIS VII.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>Chri&s;ti regnum in terra:</HI> Chri&s;ts millenar reign.</HEAD>
<P>THis is a very dubious dogmat or difficil debat, rai&s;ed <NOTE PLACE="marg">Preamble.</NOTE> in the Apo&s;tles dais; which &s;om Orthodox Fathers defended, but others decried and dete&s;ted: the chief grounds wherof on both &s;ides, &s;hal be &s;incerely deli|vered; &s;pecialy from <HI>Rob, Baily</HI> a Scot on the Negativ, part, and <HI>Jo&s;eph Mede</HI> a mo&s;t learned Divine for the Affirmitiv. <HI>Tros Tyriu&s;&abque; mihi nullo di&s;crimino agetur.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Cerinthus</HI> a prime pe&s;tilent Heretic hatchd this Cockatrice, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Pedigree.</NOTE> which <HI>Papias</HI> an Apo&s;tolic Man fo&s;tered, and <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> much favored: who&s; &s;teps other primitiv Fathers (&s;pecialy <HI>Lactantius</HI>) mor or le&s;&s; folowed: yet in after ages the Catholic Church and &s;om Oecumenic Councils condemned it. So it lay long buried in ob&s;curity or oblivion, til &s;om late Anabapti&s;ts and Independents their Allies raked it out of grav. Howbeit al Prote&s;tants rejected it &s;ince revicton, til <HI>Al&s;ted</HI> returning from <HI>Tran&s;ylvania,</HI> renewed &s;om parts of this poi&s;on; which <HI>Pi&s;cator</HI> (a Man more heady and humorous then judicious) &s;walowed: but they di&s;agree in diver&s; points, as Secti&s;ts u&s;e to doo. The&s; laid the foundation, but Mr. <HI>Archer</HI> advanced the main fabric: which Mr. <HI>Burroughs</HI> in his <HI>London</HI> Lectures on <HI>Ho&s;ea,</HI> pre&s;&s;ed as a mo&s;t comfortable Article of Chri&s;tian Religion, to be in&s;tilled into the hearts of al tru Beleevers. Sundry other Sectators publi&s;hed or proclamed it with Trum|pets: who like Presbyterians, (which wherever they find Elders named, think it rings a peal for their motly Di&s;ciplin) wre&s;t the one thou&s;and yeers mentioned by <HI>David, Peter,</HI> and <HI>John</HI> to Chri&s;ts millenar reign in per&s;on on Earth before or at the general Judgment, &s;training Scriptures to &s;erv their turn.</P>
<PB REF="200">
<P><HI>Cerinthus</HI> to ju&s;tify his invention, fathered it on St. <HI>John;</HI> as <NOTE PLACE="marg">Fiction.</NOTE> if Chri&s;t whi&s;pered it to his be&s;t beloved Di&s;ciple, not to be divulged for an Apo&s;tolic Tradition: nor is it probable, that if <HI>John</HI> received it as a &s;ecret, he would revele it to that vile Heretic; whom he &s;o hated, that &s;eing him com into a public Bath in&s;tantly left it, bidding his Di&s;ciples com off, le&s;t the hou&s; fal on them: which befel accordingly on <HI>Cerinthus</HI> and his folowers with &s;om others, cru&s;hing them to death. That <HI>John</HI> imparted it to him, is a fond fiction: but whether he deli|vers it in the Apocalyp&s; a grand que&s;tion.</P>
<P>The Chilia&s;ts teach, that Chri&s;t in his Human glory &s;hal <NOTE PLACE="marg">Po&s;itions.</NOTE> com from Heaven into <HI>Pale&s;tin</HI> (&s;om &s;ay A. 1655. now at hand, or 1695. at farthe&s;t) wher the Jews from al parts &s;hal re&s;ort to rebuild <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> and folow him as the tru Me&s;&s;iah: who is to reign with al his Martyrs and &s;om &s;elect Saints rai&s;ed from death, one thou&s;and yeers before the general Re&s;urrecti|on. During which <HI>Millenium,</HI> he &s;hal go in per&s;on to &s;ubdu al &s;tubborn Nations, except a few lurking in corners. Then &s;hal the Church of convert Jews and Gentils liv peacably from any Enemy and free from &s;in: without the Word, Sacraments, or other Ordinances in al Worldly delights; eating, drinking, getting Children, and enjoying al lawful plea&s;ures, til tho&s; yeers expire, at end wherof the Infidels remaining in number|le&s;s Troops, &s;hal be&s;iege new <HI>Jeru&s;alem:</HI> but Chri&s;t with fire from Heaven &s;hal de&s;troy them al, and immediatly de&s;|cend to the la&s;t Judgment at general Re&s;urrection of good and bad, according to their works. Ma&s;ter <HI>Burroughs</HI> in his Trea|ti&s; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 37.</NOTE> cald <HI>Mo&s;es choice</HI> &s;peaks thus: If the opinion be tru (which I dare not deny) of Chri&s;ts coming to reign a thou&s;and yeers on this Earth before the la&s;t Day, ther are riches of glory pre|pared for the Saints here: els cannot I expound many places of Scripture, &s;pecialy <HI>Rev.</HI> 20. 5, 6, 7. <HI>The re&s;t of the dead li|ved not again til the thou&s;and yeers were fini&s;hed; which is the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection: ble&s;&s;ed and holy is he which hath part therin, on &s;uch the &s;ecund death hath no power: but they &s;hal be Prie&s;ts of God and of Chri&s;t, to reign with him a thou&s;and yeers:</HI> this is u&s;ualy interpreted of ri&s;ing from &s;in to Grace, and reigning with Chri&s;t for ever in Heaven: but cannot be the true meaning;
<PB N="191" REF="200"> for this reign mu&s;t be before the Judgment day, &s;ith Satan mu&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 7.</NOTE> be loo&s;ed at end of it. O then the riches of glory, which tho&s; that &s;uffer for Chri&s;t &s;hal hav, being to be rai&s;ed and reign with Chri&s;t! For 'tis &s;aid, <HI>I &s;aw Thrones, and they &s;at on them, and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 4.</NOTE> <HI>Judgment was given to them: and I &s;aw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witnes of Je&s;us and Word of God; which had not wor&s;hiped the Bea&s;t, nor his Image, nor received his mark on their forheads or hands, and they reigned with Chri&s;t a thou&s;and yeers:</HI> &s;o the more any &s;uffer for oppo&s;ing Antichri&s;t, the more glory &s;hal they have when Chri&s;t coms to reign on Earth, for I am confident he &s;hal reign per&s;onaly (<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Mar<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> I wil not &s;ay in his fle&s;h as others aver, but &s;piritualy) far more glori|ou&s;ly then he hath doon: Thus he, but more plainly in his Comment on <HI>Ho&s;ea;</HI> yet he needs an Interpreter to &s;hew, how Chri&s;t can reign per&s;onaly, if not in the fle&s;h, which is never &s;eparat from his per&s;on: or how far more gloriou&s;ly then yer&s;t, for he cam not fir&s;t to reign. <HI>Tho. Goodwin</HI> tran&s;|cends the <HI>Talmudi&s;ts,</HI> that at Chri&s;ts coming to reign, the Lion &s;hall feed with the Kid, the Leopard and Lamb, Serpent and Child &s;hal &s;o &s;ympathize as not to hurt one another: mans life &s;hal be &s;o long, as an hundred yeers old &s;hal &s;eem a Babe; with like fancies as fabulous Poets or Romanzers devi&s;e, but <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>L.</HI> 7. <HI>de divine praemio.</HI> A model of the <HI>Millenium.</HI></NOTE> without divine warrant: only they are taken from the &s;mooth Pen-man <HI>Lactantius,</HI> who being intoxicat with this conceipt thus de&s;cants. The Son of God &s;hal com to judg both quick and dead: but when he hath aboli&s;hed wickednes, and re&s;to|red the Saints to life, he &s;hal liv with men and rule them righ|teou&s;ly a thou&s;and yeers: then tho&s;e alife &s;hal multiply infinit generations, exceding <HI>Methu&s;elahs</HI> age; who&s; ofspring &s;halbe holy and dear to God; the re&s;t to be rai&s;ed, &s;hal rule over the living as Judges, and al Gentils &s;hal not be de&s;troyed, but &s;om re&s;erved to Gods victory, that the ju&s;t may triumphantly &s;ubdu them in perpetual &s;ervitud, as the <HI>I&s;raelits</HI> did the <HI>Gibe|onits.</HI> At that time the Prince of Devils Author of evil, &s;halbe bound in chains a thou&s;and yeers, when righteou&s;nes &s;hal reign, that no hurt be perpetrated again&s;t Gods people: the ju&s;t &s;hal be gathered from al the Earth, and when judgment is ended, the holy City &s;halbe in mid&s;t of the Earth, wher God
<PB REF="201"> &s;hal abide with the reigning ju&s;t; then &s;hal darknes be di&s;peld from the world, and the Moon &s;hal &s;hine as the Sun never to be le&s;&s;ned; but Sun &s;even fold brighter then now; the Earth &s;hal &s;hew hir fecundity, and bring forth fruit freely: the Rocks and Mountains &s;hal de&s;til Hony; Wine &s;hall flow from Fountains, and Milk run in Rivers. The World &s;hal rejoice, and al Nature be glad, being manumi&s;ed from the dominion of &s;in, impiety, and al error. Bea&s;ts &s;hal not feed on Blood, nor Birds on prey; but al things quiet and amicable: Lions and Calfs &s;hil eat at the &s;ame Cratch, Wolfs &s;hal not woorry Sheep, nor Dogs hunt, nor Eagles or Hawks doo harm: Chil|dren &s;hal play with Serpents. Finaly it &s;hal be as Poets tel of the golden age in <HI>Saturns</HI> time, but they erred, becau&s; tru Prophets (to who&s; Eys divine Vi&s;ions were pre&s;ented as pre|&s;ent) foretel future contingents as if they were already acted; which Prophecies when fame had &s;pred, prophane men not witting why they were uttered, or when to be performed, thought them to be antiently accompli&s;hed, which yet could not be completed while Man reigned: but when wicked Re|ligions are extingui&s;hed, and Sin extermined, then &s;hal the Earth be &s;ubdued to God, and al the&s; things com to pa&s;&s;; yea men &s;hal liv long and happily, reigning together with God. The Kings of Nations &s;hal com from the Earths ends with gifts to adore the great King, who&s; name &s;hal be reverenced and renowned to al People under Heaven, and al Princes bearing &s;way on Earth: &s;o far this fine Orator; and with &s;uch confi|dence, as if he received it by &s;pecial Revelation: but later Chi|lia&s;ts are contrary to him, who &s;ay Chri&s;ts millenar reign &s;hal anteced the day of judgment; but <HI>Lactantius,</HI> that Chri&s;t &s;hal fir&s;t Judg the World. Ma&s;ter <HI>Archer</HI> a mo&s;t acut Lynx, but bolde&s;t Bayard of al (who &s;hoots at blind mans Buts) con|jects from <HI>Daniels</HI> words; <HI>From the time that daily Sacrifice</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Den 12. 11. 12.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hal cea&s;, and abomination which makes de&s;olat be &s;et up; &s;halbe one thou&s;and two hundred ninty dais: ble&s;&s;ed is he that waits and coms to one thou&s;and three hundred fifty fiv dais;</HI> this is forty fiv mo then one thou&s;and two hundred ninty, and both Pro|phetic dais or yeers, the&s; (&s;aith he) began under <HI>Julian Apo|&s;tata,</HI> who revived Pagani&s;m, and incited the Jews to rebuild
<PB N="192" REF="201"> their Temple: but God defeated it by an Earth-quake and Subterraneal fires, which ca&s;t up the foundations, as Chri&s;t foretold. So by his calculation the fir&s;t &s;um (1290.) &s;hould expire A. 1650. now pa&s;t: and the la&s;t A. 1695. 46. yeers hence. But if that &s;hal elap&s; too, his Di&s;ciples like the Maho|metans wil date it to a farther day. He hath another cringe, that no Soul ever entred the third Heaven (no not Chri&s;ts, how then can he &s;it at his Fathers right hand?) But a Celical or Elementar Paradi&s;e, as he promi&s;ed the good Theef: nor &s;hal any Saint go thither til the la&s;t Judgment pa&s;&s;. For H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l he &s;aith al Chri&s;tians hav erred except him&s;elf: for Hel wherto Reprobats now go, is not the place of fire prepared for the damned at la&s;t day; but a temporar pri&s;on in the Air, Earth, or Sea to confine their Souls til the Judgment day: when they &s;hal be &s;ent into a mo&s;t &s;patious Hel, containing al the created World; or what el&s; is be&s;ide Gods man&s;ion. Lo the audacity and temerity of Secti&s;ts! Who bear or boa&s;t as if they were in&s;pired or of Gods Cabinet Coun&s;il; affecting novities tho never &s;o fal&s;, frivolous, or fanatical.</P>
<P>The&s; great Clercs like <HI>Arrius</HI> and other learned Heretics, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Refutation.</NOTE> mi&s;lead many ignorant Idiots, &s;pecialy in dark my&s;teries: but &s;uch &s;quibs end in an <HI>Ignis fatuus</HI> of their fanta&s;tic brains, for they hav no &s;ound proof that Chri&s;t &s;hal reign on Earth a thou|&s;and yeers, but that the Saints &s;hal reign with him in new <HI>Jeru|&s;alem,</HI> which is no terren place, but caled by Saint <HI>Paul</HI> Hea|venly <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> the City of the living God: and by <HI>Joha</HI> that <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hebr.</HI> 12. 22. <HI>Rev. 21. 2 10.</HI></NOTE> great holy City, de&s;cending down from God out of Heaven; prepared as a Bride adorned for hir Husband the Lamb.</P>
<P>The contrary Rea&s;ons are the&s;: 1. Chri&s;t a&s;cended into <MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Rea&s;on."> Heaven, and &s;hal com to judg the World: <HI>Ergo</HI> not to reign a thou&s;and yeers before that day, for to &s;ay he &s;hal de&s;cend to reign, and a&s;cend after a thou&s;and yeers to com again, is a|gain&s;t the Scripture, which warrants only two comings. Ma|&s;ter <HI>Mede</HI> to &s;hun this <HI>Scilla</HI> fals into <HI>Charybdis</HI> of a &s;trange &s;ingular crotchet; making Chri&s;ts &s;ecund coming to judgment one continued act with his millenar reign: becau&s; Saint <HI>Peter</HI> &s;peaking of the judgment day and perdition of ungoly men,
<PB REF="202"> &s;ubjoyns immediatly or interruptedly, <HI>that one day with the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 span"> 3. 7. 8.</NOTE> <HI>Lord is as a thou&s;and yeers, and a thou&s;and yeers as one day,</HI> which he &s;aith is meant preci&s;ely of that particular day, but the &s;ame Apo&s;tle el&s;wher &s;aith, <HI>God &s;hal &s;end Je&s;us Chri&s;t, when</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 3. 19 20 21.</NOTE> <HI>the times of refre&s;hing &s;hal com, whom the Heaven mu&s;t receiv til the re&s;titution of al things, as he hath &s;poken by al his Prophets.</HI> This time of refre&s;hing and re&s;titution Chilia&s;ts conceiv to be his millenar reign: for they &s;ay none but Martyrs and &s;om priviledged Saints &s;hal partak the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection: which is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 12. 13.</NOTE> &s;uch a &s;ingular prerogativ, as <HI>Daniel</HI> could not obtain it but by &s;pecial promi&s;; but it &s;hal be when the Jews refre&s;hing by Chri&s;ts pre&s;ence &s;hal com, <HI>viz.</HI> at the general Re&s;urrection. <HI>For Chri&s;t &s;aith, I go to prepare a place for you, I wil com again</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 14. 2, 3.</NOTE> <HI>and receiv you to my &s;elf, that wher I am, ther ye may be al&s;o:</HI> this plainly provs, that he wil com back but once at la&s;t day, to tak his Di&s;ciples with him into Heaven, not to dwei with them here a thou&s;and yeers or for ever. Saint <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>God</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph 1. 20.</NOTE> <HI>&s;et Chri&s;t at his right hand in Heavenly places til the la&s;t day: &s;o</HI> David. <HI>Sit at my right hand til I make thine Enimies thy foot|&s;tool;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 110. 1. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> which &s;hews he &s;hal not com thence til al is &s;ub|dued to him at la&s;t day. See <HI>P&s;alm</HI> 110, 'tis &s;hort, but expounds four chapters of the Apocalyp&s; (16. 17. 18. 19.) cleerly.</P>
<P>2. Al the godly or elect at Chri&s;ts &s;ecund coming &s;hal <MILESTONE N="2"> immediatly ri&s;e to glory upon &s;ound of the Trumpet, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. The&s; 4. 16, 7.</NOTE> tho&s; then living &s;hal be caught up in the Clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the Air: <HI>Ergo</HI> he coms not to re&s;ide with them, but to carry them with him for ever.</P>
<P>3. Chri&s;t &s;aith his Kingdom is not of this World, but the <MILESTONE N="3"> Kingdom of God is within you, that is Spiritual, not Terren <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 17. 21.</NOTE> or Temporal con&s;i&s;ting in worldly Pomp, Power, Plea&s;ure, Armies, Victories, Slaughters, Triumphs, or &s;uch carnal cour|&s;es as Chilia&s;ts conceiv or vainly confide.</P>
<P>4. The Church Militant is a amixd multitud of good and <MILESTONE N="4"> bad, as a draw net; which needs the comfort of Gods Word, Sacraments, and other Ordinances: having Chri&s;t the high-Prie&s;t inceffantly interceding in Heaven on their be|half,
<PB N="193" REF="202"> as Scriptures &s;peak: <HI>Ergo</HI> it &s;hal not con&s;i&s;t a thou&s;and yeers &s;oly of Saints; which need no ordinary helps, as they dream.</P>
<P>5. None know the day of Judgment nor direct time of it, <MILESTONE N="5"> no not the Son of Man: but if Chri&s;t &s;hal reign on Earth one thou&s;and yeers before it; any Man can then tel it wil be one thou&s;and yeers after.</P>
<P>6. <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> &s;hal never be re&s;tored, no more then <HI>Sodom</HI> <MILESTONE N="6"> or <HI>Samaria,</HI> as the Prophets inform: but eternal life in new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> is the reward of ju&s;t Men at la&s;t day, as St <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ezek.</HI> 16 53, <HI>Amos</HI> 5. 3. 2 <HI>Tim. 4 6.</HI></NOTE> tels: <HI>Ergo</HI> none &s;hal reign on Earth with him in a rebuilt new <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> much le&s;&s; he with them here.</P>
<P>7. Antichri&s;t is to be ca&s;t alife into the Lake burning with <MILESTONE N="7"> Brim&s;tone at the Lambs mariage, which &s;hal be celebrat with his whol Church of Elect (not part) at the general Re&s;urre|ction. <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 19. <HI>Rev. 7. 20.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Ergo</HI> he &s;hal not be totaly de&s;troyed til la&s;t day, as is &s;hewed.</P>
<P>8. The reward of Mattyrs is eternal life in Heaven: <HI>Ergo</HI> <MILESTONE N="8"> not temporal on Earth a thou&s;and yeers; but their Souls ac|cording to Chilia&s;ts are in wor&s; condition then other Saints, which &s;tay behind that &s;pace to enjoy the beatific Vi&s;ion, while they grovel below, and return to bodies that eat, drink, &s;leep, and delight in carnal things; not like Chri&s;ts glorious body, nor tho&s; immortal ones promi&s;ed to the Faithful, which mu&s;t needs be irk&s;om to them.</P>
<P>9. The holy Martyrs Souls re&s;t under the Altar in Heaven, <MILESTONE N="9"> til their Brethren be fulfilled: <HI>Ergo</HI> &s;hal not return to reign here a thou&s;and yeers. <HI>Archer</HI> &s;eing how ab&s;urd 'tis to bring <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 6. 9.</NOTE> back Souls til la&s;t judgment, rovs at random, that no Soul &s;hal enter the third or highe&s;t Heaven til then, but abide in a &s;ublunar Paradi&s;e with <HI>Enoch</HI> and <HI>Elias;</HI> yet how knows he their Man&s;ion is &s;ublunar, or can that be under the Altar? To &s;ilv which &s;cruple, he frams a new Moon-calf-model of Heaven, Hel, and Paradi&s;e after his own Pythagorean Noddle.</P>
<P>10. Antichri&s;t is to continue til the la&s;t day of Judgment: <MILESTONE N="10"> <HI>Ergo</HI> he &s;hal not be fully or finaly aboli&s;hed before tho&s; thou|&s;and yeers commence, as Chilia&s;ts &s;ay; who agree not toge|ther
<PB REF="203"> whether tho&s; Saints during the <HI>millenium</HI> &s;hal beget chil|dren, as others then living mu&s;t multiply incredibly, nor how al &s;hal be &s;u&s;tained with food and raiment; whether miracu|lou&s;ly or by indu&s;try? Such are <HI>Sphynx</HI> Riddles, and many mo Rea&s;ons may be alleged, but let the&s; &s;uffice. Now to an&s;wer their arguments, the chief arrows in their quiver folow: who like al other Sects and Factions, cul out the ob&s;cure&s;t places of Scripture either mi&s;under&s;tood, or mi&s;applied, or mi&s;interpre|ted, putting their own &s;en&s; on them, which &s;hal be &s;incerely &s;canned.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> To begin with their be&s;t Ba&s;ili&s;c of battery: Saint <HI>John</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20 4, 5.</NOTE> &s;aith, <HI>I &s;aw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witnes of Je&s;us, who lived and reigned with him a thou&s;and yeers, but the re&s;t of the dead lived not again til tho&s; yeers were fini&s;hed, this is the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection: Ergo</HI> they &s;hal regin &s;o long.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Apocalyp&s; is a mo&s;t mi&s;ty mi&s;tical Prophecy, and this the darke&s;t part: which treats of the Re&s;urrection only <HI>obiter</HI> or occa&s;ionaly; wheras fir&s;t Re&s;urrection in al places el&s; is &s;piritual of the Soul from the grav of &s;in to Grace; and the very words apply to the Souls (not Bodies) of tho&s; that were behea|ded, for holy Writ hath no fir&s;t Re&s;urrection of the Body; but we mu&s;t &s;eek the tru meaning wher Re&s;urrection is purpo|&s;ly handled: and much more is here included or intruded in the premi&s;&s;es then the conclu&s;ion can bear, for no Ey able to pierce a Mil&s;ton, is able to e&s;py Earth in al the Context, nor that Chri&s;t &s;hal reign with the Martyrs, but they with him: to the tru meaning of the words, the very next much conduce: <HI>They &s;halbe Prie&s;ts of God and Chri&s;t, and &s;hal reign with him:</HI> Now his Prie&s;thood is &s;piritual as his Kingdom; &s;o al Chri&s;ti|ans are Prie&s;ts, but not to offer bodily Sacrifices; and al Kings but not to rule mens temporal &s;tats: el&s; ther would be more Kings then Subjects in tho&s; thou&s;and yeers, &s;ith not only the Martyrs, and a few privileged Saints; but al the godly (milli|ons of millions that mu&s;t be born in that &s;pace) mu&s;t reign as Kings, nor can it in any property of &s;peech be applied to Chri&s;ts per&s;onal reign on Earth, &s;ith 'tis eternal not to be mea&s;ured by time: but if it be referred to his regal office of Mediator, that is far longer then a thou&s;and yeers, for if al his Monarchy pa&s;t
<PB N="194" REF="203"> from his byrth til now (1654 yeers) be cut off, whith repugns al Scripture, &s;ith he &s;til &s;its on <HI>Davids</HI> Throne ruling his Church as King, yet the future cannot be confined to &s;o &s;hort a &s;cantle, &s;ith &s;undry &s;ecular Stats, Signiories, or Soveraign|ties hav la&s;ted far longer; hence ma&s;ter <HI>Archer</HI> makes the <HI>mil|lenium</HI> the evening or la&s;t daun of his per&s;onal reign, contrary to ma&s;ter <HI>Mede,</HI> a&s;&s;uming to the morning many mo; as if Chri&s;t by his omni&s;cience and opening the Books of every Con|&s;cience, cannot di&s;patch Judgment in a moment, but mu&s;t im|ploy thou&s;ands of yeers, as men will pre&s;um to appoint him. Saint <HI>Paul</HI> hath three parallel phra&s;es; <HI>If Children then Heirs</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rom.</HI> 8. 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>of God, and joynt Heirs with Chri&s;t: if we &s;uffer with him, that we may be al&s;o glorified together:</HI> here we are Heirs, Sufferers, and glorified with him; yet none imply his per&s;onal pre&s;ence with men here, but our &s;piritual communion with him in Hea|ven; the ca&s;e is &s;emblable of this Millenar reign which is meant my&s;ticaly and metaphoricaly of the Saints eternal reign with Chri&s;t; this is the King-key of al the Fabric, and therfore &s;o amply an&s;wered.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Daniel &s;aith many (not al) that &s;hal &s;leep in the du&s;t of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> <HI>Earth &s;hal awake: &s;om to eternal life, and &s;om to &s;hame and everla&s;ting contempt:</HI> but al &s;hal ri&s;e at la&s;t day: <HI>Ergo</HI> this is meant of the Millenar reign and real fir&s;t Re&s;urrection of Martyrs and &s;om &s;pecial Saints to Earthly glory.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> He had need of cleer Cry&s;tal Specticles or <HI>Galilaeus</HI> great per&s;pectiv who can &s;ee &s;uch a meaning: for the Prophet &s;peaks &s;oly of the la&s;t Re&s;urrection, which Martyrs &s;hal not partake, as Chilia&s;ts teach; nor the wicked of the fir&s;t, til tho&s; one thou&s;and yeers end. The Word (many) &s;o hotly pre&s;&s;ed, provs not that al &s;hal not ri&s;e at once; but that tho&s; which ri&s;e &s;hal be many. <HI>So Dr. Deodat &s;en&s;eth it wel to the Original: the multitud of them that &s;leep in du&s;t &s;hal awake.</HI> For al and many are oftimes Synonyma &s;ignifying the &s;ame, as &s;everal &s;ubjects prompt and plain precedents prov.</P>
<P><HI>Repl. Daniel</HI> ads, the wi&s;e &s;hal &s;hine as the Firmament, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 3.</NOTE> Saints as Stars: but at la&s;t Re&s;urrection they &s;hal &s;hine as the Sun: <HI>Ergo</HI> he means the fir&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> He expre&s;&s;eth no ab&s;olut but comparativ glory of Saints:
<PB REF="204"> <HI>As St. Paul &s;aith, ther is one glory of the Sun, another of Moon and Stars: &s;o is your Re&s;urrection.</HI> Nor doth it folow that &s;uch are &s;aid to hav &s;o much glory here, may not be &s;aid el&s;wher to hav more. Shal the Saints Bodies during tho&s; one thou&s;and yeers &s;hine as the Firmament and Stars; yet eat, drink, &s;leep, go to wars or wor&s;? Surely &s;o great glory cannot &s;ort or &s;ute with &s;uch &s;ordidity.</P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> The fir&s;t Re&s;urrection is promi&s;ed to <HI>Daniel</HI> as a prime privilege (<HI>Thou &s;halt &s;tand in the lot at end of dais</HI>) but the la&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid v. 13.</NOTE> common to al: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This inference is improper and impertinent: for Mr. <HI>Archer</HI> holds how al the Godly &s;hal partake the fir&s;t Re&s;ur|rection &s;o wel as <HI>Daniel:</HI> nor is any &s;ound rea&s;on to includ him rather then <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> or <HI>David.</HI> The truth is, no Re&s;urrection is their imported; but a free promi&s;&s;, that <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;hal liv in peace and pro&s;perity (as he did) al dais of his life til the end. So bold are Secti&s;ts to &s;cru Scriptures and &s;educe Idiots</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Daniel &s;aith from the time daily Sacrifice &s;hal cea&s; and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 11. 12.</NOTE> <HI>abomination which makes de&s;olat be &s;et up; ther &s;hal be one thou|&s;and two hundred dais: ble&s;&s;ed is he that coms to the one thou&s;and three hundred thirty fiv dais.</HI> Mr. <HI>Archer</HI> taking yeers for dai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> (as is u&s;ual) makes them to begin under <HI>Julian Apo&s;tata,</HI> who invited the Jews to reedify their Temple, til not a &s;tone was left on a &s;tone: &s;o by his comput, the fir&s;t Sum (1290.) com|pleted A. 1650. the la&s;t A. 1695. as he pre&s;umes.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> In this confident a&s;&s;ertion no part is &s;ound, for what warrant hath he to take yeers for dais? Yet &s;o writers u&s;e. Or what rea&s;on to begin them with <HI>Julian?</HI> Indeed he opened Pagan Temples and &s;et up Idolatry: but cau&s;ed not the Jews daily &s;acrifice to cea&s;, but de&s;ired to promot it, had not God prevented; nor erected any abomination in Chri&s;tian Churches. <HI>Daniel</HI> de&s;igns only two times, when &s;olen &s;acrifice &s;hal be put down, and abomination &s;et up: <HI>viz.</HI> by <HI>Antiochus</HI> and <HI>Titus,</HI> not &s;o late as <HI>Julian:</HI> nor is the Earthquake &s;tory authentic, but application to Chri&s;ts prophecy mo&s;t audacious; &s;ith 'tis in|tended to <HI>Titus</HI> time, as the Text plainly provs. <HI>Daniels</HI> words declare the &s;hort durance of <HI>Antiochus</HI> de&s;olation; <HI>viz&punc;</HI> a time, times, and half: which is three yeers and half, or 1290.
<PB N="195" REF="204"> &s;imple dais: and from it, til a plague &s;hal fal on his Per&s;on 45. mo (1335.) which betided preci&s;ely to <HI>Antiochus</HI> (as the Maccabees and <HI>Jo&s;ephus</HI> te&s;tify) but nothing to <HI>Julian.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Ob. David &s;aith, when the Lord &s;hal build up Sion, and his</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al.</NOTE> <HI>glory appeer: Ergo Jeru&s;alem</HI> &s;hal be rebuilt by God, and Chri&s;t reign gloriou&s;ly ther.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is to &s;natch at &s;hadows or &s;emblance of words: but the Text treats of <HI>Babylons</HI> captivity, and the Saints earne&s;t longing to &s;ee <HI>Sion</HI> re&s;tored; which is promi&s;ed that the Lord &s;hal get glory by it: but of <HI>Jeru&s;alems</HI> rebuilding or the Lords appeering ther in glory; <HI>ne gry quidem</HI> nor ground.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Peter &s;aith, The day of the Lord wil com as a Theef</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>Pet.</HI> 3. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>in the night: in which the Heavens &s;hal pa&s;&s; with a noi&s;, and Ele|ments melt with heat, the Earth with al Works therin &s;hal be burnt up. Nathle&s;&s; we according to his promi&s;&s;, look for a new Heaven and Earth wherin dwels righteou&s;nes: Ergo</HI> al old Creatures &s;hal be con&s;umed with fire, and new &s;ub&s;tituted for the Saints u&s;e, far more glorious and righteous<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> as &s;om pre&s;um to model.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Several Sects diver&s;ly and dangerou&s;ly di&s;tort this Text: but the Apo&s;tles an&s;wers &s;om Scoffers which ask, <HI>Wher is the promi&s;&s; of his coming?</HI> Not to reign one thou&s;and yeers (as Chilia&s;ts fondly imagin) but to judg al fle&s;h, as is evidently expre&s;&s;ed: which is after tho&s; one thou&s;and yeers, or at la&s;t end of them. Yea many words (<HI>That day wil com as a Theef,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 7, 8.</NOTE> <HI>in which the Heavens, Elements, and Earth &s;hal be burnt up</HI>) cleerly convince Chri&s;ts coming to Judgment: the la&s;t words wheron they mo&s;t rely (<HI>A new Earth wherin dwels righteou&s;nes</HI>) as if they cannot mean the Judgment day, becau&s; no righte|ous Men &s;hal then dwel on Earth: the Original runs, we in whom righteou&s;nes dwels, look for a new Heaven and Earth. For the habitation of righteou&s;nes refers to ju&s;t Men, who ex|pect the performance of promi&s;&s;: but if they be read as we tran&s;lat: righteou&s;nes relats &s;oly to the Heavens (<HI>in quibus Coelis,</HI> not in <HI>qua Terra</HI>) &s;ith one Pronoun re&s;pects not <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oth Sub&s;tantivs, as <HI>Junius</HI> ob&s;ervs. Yea <HI>Archer</HI> agni&s;eth, that no righteous Soul is to inhabit Heaven in tho&s; one thou&s;and yeers, nor any after within the verge of created Heaven; for
<PB REF="205"> a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> that &s;pace &s;hal be Hel as he holds: &s;o al tends nothing to a Millenar reign.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. I&s;aiah &s;aith, I creat new Heavens and a new Earth: but</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;aiah</HI> 65. 17, 21, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">2.</NOTE> <HI>the old &s;hal not be remembred nor com to mind. They &s;hal build hou&s;es and inhabit them, plant Vineyards and eat the fruit of them: for my elect &s;hal long enjoy the works of their hands:</HI> but the&s; things cannot be doon after the la&s;t Judgment: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Prophet means not, that after Heaven and Earth is burnt or new created; Men &s;hal build or plant: but Mr. <HI>Burroughs</HI> expounds it by a Metaphor, that God in later dais &s;hal doo &s;uch glorious things for his Church, as if he made al new: which is far from burning the old, being no more then what <HI>Peter</HI> brings from <HI>Joel 2. 30. I wil &s;hew wonders in Hea|ven and Earth; Blood, Fire, and pillars of Smoke:</HI> which was accompli&s;hed at <HI>Penteco&s;t,</HI> when the holy Gho&s;t de&s;cended. <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 12. 26, 27.</NOTE> Nor more then that in <HI>Haggai 2. 6. Yet 'tis a little while, and I will &s;hake the Heavens, Earth, and Sea:</HI> which was perform|ed at Chri&s;ts fir&s;t coming, and the Apo&s;tles preaching to the Gentils: wherof <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> &s;peaks in the cited chapter, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 10. 20.</NOTE> expounds the fir&s;t <HI>ver&s;. I was found of them that &s;ought me not:</HI> but to interpret it of his &s;ecund coming, wil make the Jews &s;u&s;|pend their faith, til tho&s;e promi&s;es of building and planting be fulfilled.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. 'Tis &s;aid God hath not &s;ubjected the World to com to the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">b. 2 5, 8</NOTE> <HI>Angels; but now we &s;ee not al things put under him: Ergo</HI> Chri&s;t is to hav al put under him. This is not yet doon at his fir&s;t coming, as the Words are cleer: nor &s;hal be in the life to com, for then he mu&s;t re&s;ign the Kingdom to his Father, &s;o by con|&s;equent it mu&s;t be exe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uted during his inter&s;titial Millenar reign; when he &s;hal triumphantly &s;ubdu al and al &s;orts of Enimies.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The World to com ther meant and mentioned, is the time of the Go&s;pel; which was not mini&s;tred by Angels like the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat 28. 18</NOTE> Law on <HI>Sinai,</HI> but by the Son of God; this new world diffe|red more from the old then the Earth after the Flood from it before, and began at Chri&s;ts fir&s;t coming, but manife&s;ted at his <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 1 31.</NOTE> Re&s;urrection, when al power in Heaven and Earth was given
<PB N="196" REF="205"> him, being &s;et abov al Principalities: yet the full accompli&s;h|ment is not til la&s;t day, when Death, Hel, and Satan &s;hal be made his foot&s;tool. Al this cannot be verified of the inter&s;ti|tial <HI>Millenium:</HI> for yer that inchoats, many things mu&s;t ter|minat, which cannot be &s;ubjected, nor his chief Enimies &s;ub|dued, &s;ith Death &s;hal &s;til hav dominion; Satan only bound in the bottomle&s;s pit, not ca&s;t into the burning lake, and Hel not utterly trod under foot.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Jeremy</HI> &s;aith, <HI>They &s;hal &s;ay no more the Arc of the Lords</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 3. 16, 17.</NOTE> <HI>Covenant, nor &s;hal it com to mind or memory: then they &s;hal cal Jeru&s;alem the Lords Throne, and al Nations &s;hal gather to it, nor &s;hal they walk after their hearts imaginations: Ergo</HI> al pa&s;t things &s;hal be forgot, and <HI>I&s;rael</HI> return to <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> which &s;hal be a Throne of Glory, and al Nations joyn to them: al which can be fulfilled at no time &s;av in tho&s; thou&s;and yeers.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The old things to be forgot are lawi&s;h Ceremonies, not Go&s;pel Ordinances: the Arc and Temple were by Chri&s;ts fir&s;t coming removed: the walking of <HI>Juda</HI> and <HI>I&s;rael</HI> toge|ther, with the Nations conjoyned, imports the caling of Jews and Gentiles to the tru Church Heavenly <HI>Jeru&s;alem:</HI> For &s;o &s;aith <HI>I&s;aiah; It &s;hal com to pa&s;&s; in the la&s;t dais, that the Lords</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 2. 2, 3.</NOTE> <HI>hou&s; &s;hal be e&s;tabli&s;hed in the Mountain top, and al Nations &s;hal flow to it: for out of Sion &s;hal go a Law, and the Lords word from Jeru&s;alem.</HI> The la&s;t dais were the Apo&s;tles times, who from <HI>Sion</HI> and <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> blew the Go&s;pel; Trumpet to al peo|ple: as <HI>Jeremy</HI> &s;peaks; <HI>I wil giv you Pa&s;tors according to my</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 3 15.</NOTE> <HI>heart (Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles) which &s;hal feed you with knowledg and under&s;tanding.</HI> The walking after Gods heart implies no freedom from &s;in, but a &s;tate of grace, wherin God givs new hearts and writes his Law therin. their main ground (that <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> new built &s;hal be a Throne of Glory, being before <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jer.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words"></NOTE> but his foot&s;tool) is a groundle&s;&s; crotchet, for <HI>Sion, Jeru&s;a|lem</HI> and the Arc, are caled in the old Te&s;tament not only Gods foot&s;tool, but his Throne; and in the new Te&s;tament not only his Throne, but foot&s;tool. Thus like other Sects they &s;en&s; the Scrip|ture literaly or tropicaly as they li&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Daniel</HI> &s;aith, <HI>In the dais of the&s; Kings God &s;hal &s;et up a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 2. 44.</NOTE> <HI>kingdom never to be d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;troyed; but &s;hal &s;tand for ever: Ergo</HI>
<PB REF="206"> Chri&s;t &s;hal hav an everla&s;ting kingdom, and <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> enjoy endle&s;&s; joy on Earth.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> What a pretious inference is this? &s;o Preachers quote Texts, and people turn their Bibles, but may go beyond Seas to &s;eek their glo&s;&s;es. <HI>Daniels</HI> everla&s;ting kingdom is meerly &s;piritual and celical, as the Angel &s;aid to <HI>Mary, The Lord &s;hal</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luk</HI> 1. 32&punc; 33.</NOTE> <HI>giv him his Father</HI> Davids <HI>Throne, and he &s;hal reign over</HI> Jacob <HI>for ever:</HI> This kingdom for the matter is everla&s;ting, being the Glory which the Saints &s;hal enjoy for ever with Chri&s;t in Heaven; but for the maner of admini&s;tration, he &s;hal re&s;ign it to the Father, when the work of Redemption is perfected: but no Millenar Earthly kingdom as they dream.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Saint <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, <HI>He was clothed with a ve&s;ture dipt i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Rev.</HI> 19. 13&punc; 14&punc; 15.</NOTE> <HI>blood: Ergo</HI> Chri&s;t &s;hal &s;lay his Enimies and embru his ve&s;t|ments in blood, that none &s;hal be left to trouble the Church during that Millenar reign.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> So they &s;ay, but the next words &s;peak contrary: <HI>for his Armies in Heaven (not on Earth) folowed on whit Hor&s;es, clothed in fine whit linnen, not bloody: yea his war-weapon is a &s;harp &s;word out of his mouth, not in his hand: who &s;hal rule the Nations with a rod of Iron, and tread the winepre&s;&s; of Gods wrath.</HI> In a word, the&s; bloody battles are not a&s;cribed to Chri&s;t lite|raly, as appears by a parallel place: <HI>Who is this that coms from</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>I&s;ai</HI> 63. 1. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Edom <HI>with died garments from</HI> Bozra? meaning Chri&s;t by rea&s;on of the &s;lain Edomits, when in property of &s;peech he had no body or bloody raiment, being &s;even hundred yeers before his byrth.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. 'Tis &s;aid the City had no need of Sun or Moon, and the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 21. 23. 24.</NOTE> <HI>Kings of the Earth bring their glory to it: Ergo Jeru&s;alem</HI> ther meant &s;hal &s;hine in great temporal glory, and terren Princes be &s;ubdued to it at Chri&s;ts coming to reign a thou&s;and yeers.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Indeed Heavenly <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> is ther meant, and al &s;uch places or pa&s;&s;ages are Allegorical, to &s;hew the Churches con|dition on Earth, and Saints &s;tate in Heaven: which is el&s;wher expre&s;&s;ed by Metaphors of gold, pretious Stones, Fountains, Fruits &amp;c. but to interpret them literaly of any City on Earth, is like the Athenien Dotard, who deemed every &s;hip that cam into the Harbour to be his own.</P>
<PB N="197" REF="206">
<P><HI>Ob. Zechary &s;aith, hee that is feeble among them at that day,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 12. 8, 9.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hal be as David, and Davids hou&s; as God: I will &s;eek to de&s;troy al Nations that &s;hal com again&s;t Jeru&s;alem: Ergo</HI> the Saints who are to reign with Chri&s;t &s;hal excel in glory, and he wil de&s;troy al <HI>Jeru&s;alems</HI> Enimies.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Excellent inferences: <HI>Ergo</HI> Potlid. The Prophet plain|ly &s;peaks of gifts poured on al Saints of the new Te&s;tament by the &s;pirit of &s;upplication, which makes the lea&s;t of them like <HI>David;</HI> yea greater then <HI>John Bapti&s;t,</HI> as Chri&s;t declares: but <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 11. v. 11.</NOTE> what is this to earthly <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> or Chilia&s;ts Mathematical Kingdom? Surely ther is no &s;oundnes in it nor &s;emblance for it in al Gods book. Other places are heaped up, which like Bay leafs ca&s;t into fire, make much crackling in Pulpits and Pamphlets: but if al the former be &s;hadows, the re&s;t wil vani&s;h into vapor.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> The word Day in Prophetic phra&s;e or Hebrew Idiom &s;ig|nifies &s;om &s;pace of time, not &s;imply twelv or twenty four hours: as the day of tentation in the Wildernes is fourty yeers long: the Day of Babyloni&s;h captivity &s;eventy: Giv us this Day our daily Bread, purports our term of life, and 'tis &s;om|times u&s;ed for Eternity, this day &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lt thou be with me in Pa|radi&s;e: <HI>Ergo</HI> the Day of Judgment is to be taken in the &s;ame &s;en&s;.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The antecedent is granted, and con&s;equent &s;hal not be denied: for none can tel how long that Judgment &s;hal la&s;t, &s;pecialy &s;ith time &s;hal be no more, as the Angel &s;wore. Yet Mr. <HI>Mede</HI> makes it a continued act with the reign of ju&s;t one thou&s;and yeers. For as Rabbi <HI>Elias</HI> confines the Worlds con|tinuance to 6000. yeers: &s;o he puts the <HI>Millenium</HI> of Me&s;|&s;iahs glorious reign, to be a periodical con&s;ummation of al things, when &s;hal be a Sabbath of Eternal re&s;t. Why then doo common Chilia&s;ts a&s;&s;ign one thou&s;and to that reign, either before, at, or after the Judgment day? Let them render a rea|&s;on of the one and the other wil &s;oon be re&s;olved, why Day implies a larger &s;pace (more or le&s;&s;) then twenty four hours: becau&s; al time to God is but as a Day to Man. In the interim many puzzeling que&s;tions may be propo&s;ed to them.</P>
<P>1. Whether the holy Martyrs and cho&s;en Confe&s;&s;ors to com <NOTE PLACE="marg">Interroga<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s.</NOTE>
<PB REF="207"> with Chri&s;t, &s;hal multiply their generations in &s;ubordinat &s;uc|ce&s;&s;ions, like the Saints then living here? If &s;o, then mu&s;t they marry and giv in mariage, which &s;car&s; &s;utes or &s;orts with glo|rified bodies.</P>
<P>2. Whether tho&s; then living &s;hal &s;urviv al tho&s; yeers, and not ta&s;t of death; but be only changed at la&s;t day? If &s;o, then &s;hal they exced <HI>Methu&s;alah</HI> and al the Protopatriarchs in lon|gevity.</P>
<P>3. Whether their Progenies &s;hal be al elect ve&s;&s;els, being none of <HI>Gog</HI> and <HI>Magogs</HI> race which are to be de&s;troied both Bodies and Souls? If &s;o, then is Chri&s;ts Flock no litle Fold, &s;ith their Ofspring wil multiply incredibly in one thou&s;and yeers.</P>
<P>4. How &s;o many millions of millions can be maintained; whether miraculou&s;ly as <HI>Elias</HI> was, or by indu&s;try as al others? If &s;o, then mu&s;t every particular per&s;on provide for him&s;elf, &s;ith al &s;ervitud wil be ca&s;hired.</P>
<P>5. Wher &s;uch numberle&s;&s; multituds &s;hal inhabit, whom the Earth can hardly contain, much le&s;&s; &s;u&s;tain? Whether al mu&s;t cohabit in new built <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> to eat and drink at Chri&s;ts Table, wher Infidels &s;hal a&s;&s;iege them; or &s;catteredly abroad wher they &s;hal be &s;ubject to the Enimies &s;words? Whether they &s;hal be invulnerable and incorruptible to &s;lay tho&s; with whom they wage war, yet never be hurted? How they &s;hal liv &s;o gently with al &s;orts of Serpents and wild Bea&s;ts, yet hold ho&s;tility with Men? La&s;tly how the natures of al Animals &s;hal be &s;o miraculou&s;ly Metamorpho&s;ed, as not to fear Mans face, nor to feed on prey&punc; but al liv familiarly one with ano|ther on the &s;ame foods? Be&s;ide &s;undry &s;uch &s;cruples touching eating, drinking, &s;leeping, voiding excrements, and other works of Nature &s;imply in them&s;elfs &s;inle&s;&s;. Haply they wil an&s;wer with a vulgar Proverb. <HI>One Fool may ask mo que&s;tions then many wi&s;e men can re&s;olv:</HI> therfore let this by bu&s;ine&s;&s; be buried in &s;ilence, le&s;t they &s;ting my long ears,</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Stulte, cave quid agis: noli irritare Crabrones.</HI></L>
<L>Fool, what thou doo&s;t take heed,</L>
<L>Stir not the Hornets breed.</L>
</LG>
<PB N="198" REF="207">
<P>Be wi&s;e or wary: too many &s;uch ne&s;ts are rou&s;ed already, and mo wil be, when thou mini&s;tre&s;t more matter of wrath by future provocation.</P>
<P>Mr. <HI>Burton</HI> and &s;om of his Brethren, allege a few Fathers <NOTE PLACE="marg">Fathers.</NOTE> to countenance the Chilia&s;tic cau&s;: yet no Sects &s;o much &s;lights or &s;corns the Antients as they: but infinit authorities may be mu&s;tred to the contrary, were it not lo&s;t labor. For deaf Adders wil not be charmed, nor &s;elf wedded Secti&s;ts informed or reformed. Such as de&s;ire to know the primitiv Churches verdict herin, may con&s;ult St. <HI>Au&s;tin L. 20. de Civ. Dei.</HI> and <HI>L. Vives</HI> commentary: but let al wi&s;e &s;ober Chri&s;tians reject &s;uch vain doctrins or delu&s;ions, which tend not to amend maners, or &s;av their Souls: expecting with patience our ble&s;&s;ed Saviours &s;ecund and la&s;t coming in the Clouds to Judgment, not to a temporar reign (to begin A. 1650. 1655. 1695. or <HI>ad Graecas Calendas</HI>) being &s;til prepared like wi&s;e Virgins with oil in their Lamps to meet the Bride-groom, and &s;ing St. <HI>Johns</HI> Epithalamion: <HI>Even &s;o com Lord Je&s;us: the grace of our Lord</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22.</NOTE> <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t be with you, Amen:</HI> which being the la&s;t per clo&s;e of holy Bible, &s;hal be the final up&s;hot or Cata&s;trophe of this har&s;h Scene: &s;av a Supplement touching their cheif Coryphee, Mr. <HI>Mede,</HI> who is much more cautious and curious (tho alike <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">.</HI></NOTE> veracious) then the re&s;t. Therfore his &s;cattred &s;peculations &s;hal be carefully collected and faithfully pre&s;ented to public examen: who&s; principal proofs are almo&s;t al an&s;wered ple|narily in the premi&s;&s;es.</P>
<P>1. The Millenar doctrin was &s;o general in the next age after Apo&s;tles, that <HI>Ju&s;t. Martyr</HI> &s;aith both he and al Orthodox be|leeved it: yea <HI>Irenaeus, Tertullian, Lactantius, Cyprian</HI> and others defended it from St. <HI>Peters</HI> words, <HI>One day with the Lo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d is as a thou&s;and yeers:</HI> but it was &s;oon decried or di&s;carded, being not rightly under&s;tood, or corrupted in &s;om circum&s;tances, which drew Men diver&s;ly into Factions: &s;o that the Antichilia&s;ts being pre&s;&s;ed with pregnant proofs from the Apocalyp&s; which they could not an&s;wer; &s;u&s;pended that Book from the Scrip|ture Canon, til they found &s;hifts of a &s;piritual and corporal Re&s;urrection, and other &s;uch to elude tho&s; places, and then allowed it.</P>
<PB REF="208">
<P>2. <HI>Ju&s;tin</HI> in his Dialog to <HI>Trypho</HI> a Jew &s;peaks thus: You ask, whether we &s;eriou&s;ly confes <HI>Jeru&s;alems</HI> re&s;tauration, and expect the gathering of I&s;rael with their Tribes, Patriarchs, and Prophets; or g<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ant it only to gain us? I an&s;wer, That many pious Profe&s;&s;ors, with my &s;elf, &s;incerely a&s;&s;ert it, but others not &s;o Orthodox deny it: For &s;om prophane Athei&s;ts and Heretics (who bla&s;phemed the God of <HI>Abraham, I&s;aac,</HI> and <HI>Jacob,</HI> &s;ay|ing ther is no re&s;urrection) gain&s;ay the&s; things: but we know and beleev both a Re&s;urrection of the Body, and a thou&s;and yeers reign in <HI>Jeru&s;alem;</HI> which &s;hal be reedified and inlarged, as the Prophets te&s;tify. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Ther &s;hal be a new Hea|ven</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 65. 17. 22</NOTE> <HI>and Earth, the dais of my People are as a Tree of Life,</HI> Which la&s;t words plainly point out the thou&s;and yeers: For God &s;aid to <HI>Adam, In that day thou eate&s;t of the Tree, thou &s;halt dy:</HI> but he did not accompli&s;h a thou&s;and yeers. We al&s;o know that &s;aying one day is as a 1000. yeers, to be to the &s;ame purpo&s;e. For a certain Man, with us caled <HI>John</HI> (one of Chri&s;ts twelv Apo&s;tles) prophecied by Revelation, that Chri&s;ts faith|ful Members &s;hould fulfil tho&s; yeers at <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> when the la&s;t Judgment and general Re&s;urrection &s;hal be of al jointly toge|ther: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis no new Opinion.</P>
<P>3. The Rabins &s;ay the World &s;hal dure &s;ix thou&s;and yeers as it was created in &s;ix dais) &amp; the &s;eventh thou&s;and &s;hal be the great day of Judgment or reign of Me&s;&s;iah. So <HI>R. Ketina:</HI> the World la&s;ts &s;ix thou&s;ands yeers, and in one it &s;hal be de&s;troied: of which 'tis &s;aid, the Lord only &s;hal be exalted in that day: <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 2. 11. 17. P&s;al. 90. 4.</NOTE> <HI>David &s;aith a thou&s;and yeers in thy &s;ight are but as ye&s;terday:</HI> which later Rabbins under&s;tand of the general Judgment to be a thou&s;and y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ers, and then en&s;ues an eternal Sabbath: but they differ (as Chri&s;tian Sects doo in divers dogmats) at what <HI>Millenium</HI> this day &s;hal be. The School of <HI>R. Elias</HI> makes the Judgment day the la&s;t <HI>Millenium</HI> of their &s;ix thou|&s;and: but others a&s;&s;ign a &s;even thou&s;andth for that day. Hence St. <HI>Jerom</HI> chargeth Chilia&s;ts with Judai&s;m, as a chief brand of error: yet to hold their Opinions in tru Tenets (as of Paradi&s;e, Gehenna, the World to com, &amp;c.) is not culpable; no more then to maintain the Trinity with Papi&s;ts: but to reject al, wil harden and exa&s;perat them. The 92. P&s;alm is intitled, A Song
<PB N="199" REF="208"> for the Sabbath, wherin is nothing but re&s;t: &s;o Tradition agrees, that as every &s;eventh yeer is a time of relea&s;, &s;o the &s;eventh <HI>Millenium</HI> &s;hal be the Saints re&s;t or reign, &amp; the worlds relea&s;.</P>
<P>4. Chri&s;ts coming is immediatly to folow Antichri&s;ts con|fu&s;ion: and the &s;eventh Trumpet with tho&s; thou&s;and yeers, and other appendent Prophecies, forego the great day of Judgment which the Jews &s;o much celebrat, and Chri&s;t with his Apo&s;tles commemorat. This is no &s;hort &s;pace of hours, but of many yeers in Hebrew dialect; circum&s;cribed with two real Re&s;ur|rections, as peculiar precincts. Which day begins at the mor|ning Judgment of Antichri&s;t, and other the Churches Enimies then alife, by the Lords glorious appeering in flames of fire; but ends at the general Re&s;urrection and Judgment after the thou&s;and yeers reign: when Satan &s;hal be loo&s;ed a &s;hort &s;pace, and the wicked ca&s;t into Hel torments; but the Saints tran&s;la|ted into Heaven to reign with Chri&s;t for ever. This St. <HI>Peter</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 3 7. 8. 13</NOTE> cals, <HI>The day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly Men: adding immediatly, Beloved, be not ignorant that one day (ther newly named) with the Lord is as a thou&s;and yeers: apertly intimating, that the very Judgment day &s;hal be a thou&s;and yeers; when he and his Brethren the Jews look for new Heavens, and a new Earth, wherin dwels righteou&s;nes according to his promi&s;&s;.</HI> Wher was this promi&s;&s; (being before <HI>John</HI> &s;aw the Apocalyp|tic Vi&s;ion) except in <HI>I&s;aiah? I creat new Heavens and a new</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 65. 17.</NOTE> <HI>Earth, and the former &s;hal not be remembred or com into mind.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 66. 22.</NOTE> Again, <HI>As the new Heavens and new Earth which I wil make, &s;hal remain before me; &s;o &s;hal your &s;eed and name remain:</HI> which is a main evidence how God wil rebuild it.</P>
<P>5. This is that Kingdom ready to judg the world, as St. <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 4. 1.</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith: <HI>I charge before the Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who &s;hal judg quick and dead at his appeering, and his Kingdom: For at la&s;t</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 24 28</NOTE> <HI>general Judgment he &s;hal re&s;ign the Kingdom (of his Church) to God the Father, that he may be &s;ubject to him who &s;ubdu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> to him&s;elf, that God may be al in al.</HI> So far is he from entring a new Kingdom: <HI>Ergo</HI> that which &s;hal neither be before the Lords appeering, nor after the la&s;t Judgment, mu&s;t needs be betwen both, which is the Millenar reign. This is a &s;ly &s;ubtle Argument.</P>
<PB REF="209">
<P>6. <HI>This is the Son of Mans Kingdom which Daniel &s;aw, to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 7. 14 27</NOTE> <HI>whom was given dominion, glory, and a Kingdom; that al Peo|ple, Nations, and Toungs, &s;hould &s;erv him: when dominion and greatnes of Kingdoms under Heaven &s;hal be given to the Saints of the mo&s;t high,</HI> as the Angel interprets. This cannot be after la&s;t Judgment, &s;ith he mu&s;t then re&s;ign, not receiv a Kingdom: but his and <HI>Johns</HI> is the &s;ame, becau&s; they begin at one term, the de&s;truction of the fourth Roman Bea&s;t: <HI>viz.</HI> that in <HI>Dani|el,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 7. 11.</NOTE> when he was &s;lain and his body given to the burning flame: that in <HI>John,</HI> when the Bea&s;t and &s;al&s; Prophet are ca&s;t alife into <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 19 v 20.</NOTE> a lake burning with fire and brim&s;tone. As al&s;o becau&s; both their Judgments are alike, which by comparing wil appeer. For <HI>Da|niel</HI> &s;aith, <HI>I beheld, til the Thrones were &s;et, and Judgment given</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 7. 9 10 22 Rev. 20. 4.</NOTE> <HI>to the Saints, who po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed the Kingdom.</HI> So <HI>John, I &s;aw Thrones, and they &s;at on them&punc; and judgment was given to them, who lived and reigned with Chri&s;t a thou&s;and yeers.</HI> What can better conform or cohere? For whatever the Jews, or Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles delivered touching the great Judgment day, is taken out of <HI>Daniels</HI> &s;aid Vi&s;ion: <HI>viz.</HI> that Judgment is to be accompli&s;hed by fire, Chri&s;t to com in the Clouds in the glory of his Father, the Saints to judg the World with him, and An|tichri&s;t aboli&s;hed with the brightnes of his coming. La&s;tly&punc; This is that large Kingdom &s;hewed to <HI>Nebuchadnezar</HI> in a &s;tatu of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 2. 34. 35.</NOTE> 4 Kingdoms: not that of a &s;tone cut out of the Mountain, while the &s;eries of Monarchy remained; for this is Chri&s;ts Kingdoms pre&s;ent &s;tate: but the &s;tone which becam a Mountain, when al Kingdoms were utterly defaced or de&s;troied: which mu&s;t needs be his Millenar reign.</P>
<P>7. The Roman Empire is the fourth Kingdom reveled to <HI>Daniel Imagine confu&s;a,</HI> but not according to the di&s;tinction of Facts, or &s;pecification of Fates, as it was to <HI>John:</HI> nor is it &s;trange to &s;ee a thing unveled in general; yet mo&s;t particulars &s;ealed or conceled. For the &s;urrogat Cal of Gentils in Jews &s;tead, was &s;hewed to <HI>Peter</HI> and other Apo&s;tles: but the parti|cular Fates and Stats not known, til Chri&s;t reveled them in Apocalyptic Vi&s;ions. For the order of times and cour&s; of things to be acted, was re&s;erved til <HI>Johns</HI> revelation. The Mo|ther-Text whence the Jews ground an expectation of the great
<PB N="200" REF="209"> Judgment Day (wherto almo&s;t al de&s;criptions in the new Te|&s;tament refer) is <HI>Daniels</HI> &s;aid Vi&s;ion of a Se&s;&s;ion, when the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan 7. 9, 10. &amp;c.</NOTE> fourth Bea&s;t was to be de&s;troied: but the grand A&s;&s;i&s;es re&s;em|ble their Synedrion or chief Court, wher the <HI>Pater Jud<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">cii</HI> had his A&s;&s;e&s;&s;ors &s;itting on &s;emicircle &s;eats before him. <HI>I beheld,</HI> &s;aith he, <HI>til the Thrones were pitched</HI> (not ca&s;t down, as late Tran&s;lations render) <HI>and the Antient of dais</HI> (Pater Con&s;i&s;to|rii) <HI>did &s;it: and the Judgment</HI> (of the whol Sanedrim) <HI>was &s;et, and the Books opened.</HI> Here the name and form of Judgment is cited, and twi&s;e after repeated: 1. At amplification of the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>V.</HI> 21. 22. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">6.</NOTE> wicked horns tyranny, when judgment was given to the Saints of the mo&s;t High. 2. In the Angels interpretation, <HI>That the Judgment &s;hal &s;it and take away his Dominion, to con&s;ume and de&s;troy to the end:</HI> Wher note, that Ca&s;es of Dominion, Bla|&s;phemy, Apo&s;ta&s;y, or the like belonged to the Sanhedrim: whence St. <HI>Jude</HI> and the Jews cal it, <HI>The great day of Judg|ment,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jude v 6 7.</NOTE> and de&s;cribe it by fire, becau&s; <HI>the Throne was a firy flame, and wheels as burning fire: a firy &s;tream i&s;&s;ued out before him, and the Bea&s;ts body was given to the burning flame.</HI> The like expre&s;&s;ions are in the Go&s;pel, wher this day is intimated or in|ferred, the Son of Man &s;hal com in the Clouds in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels: <HI>thou&s;and thou&s;ands mini&s;tred to him:</HI> as <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;aith, <HI>I &s;aw one like the Son of Men coming in the clouds to the Antient of dais:</HI> Hence St. <HI>Paul,</HI> learning that the Saints &s;hal judg the world, becau&s; Thrones were &s;et and judgment given them, confuted the The&s;laloniens fal&s; fear of <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 2 3.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts coming then at hand: becau&s; that day cannot be, til the Man of &s;in fir&s;t com and reign his appointed time, as <HI>Daniel</HI> foretold; who&s; de&s;truction &s;hal be at the Son of Mans appee|ring in the Clouds, but not before. For <HI>Daniels</HI> wicked horn or Bea&s;t acting in it, is <HI>Pauls</HI> Man of &s;in, as the Church from hir in fancy ever interprrted.</P>
<P>8. The Kingdom of the Son of Man and Saints of the mo&s;t High in <HI>Daniel,</HI> begins when the great judgment &s;its: but Chri&s;ts Millenar reign is the &s;ame with <HI>Daniels: Ergo</HI> it begins at the Great judgment. That both are one &s;elf Kingdom, ap|peers thus. 1. They both began at the fourth Bea&s;ts de&s;tructi|on; <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dan</HI> 7. 11. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">2, 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> that in <HI>Daniel</HI> when he was &s;lain, and his body given to
<PB REF="210"> burning flame: That in <HI>John,</HI> when the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19 20, 21.</NOTE> (<HI>Daniels</HI> wicked horn) were ca&s;t alife into a lake burning with brim&s;tone. 2. Becau&s; <HI>John</HI> begins the <HI>Millenium</HI> at the &s;ame judgment Se&s;&s;ion; for both &s;ay they &s;aw Thrones and tho&s; that &s;at on them; and the Saints lived or reigned with Chri&s;t the Son of Man. If then tho&s; yeers begin with the judgment day, it cannot con&s;ummat til the end: for <HI>Gog</HI> and <HI>Magogs</HI> de&s;tru|ction, and general Re&s;urrection is not til then: <HI>Ergo</HI> the thou|&s;and yeers are included in that judgment Day. Hence it re&s;ults, that what Scripture &s;peaks of Chri&s;ts Kingdom at his &s;ecund coming, or at Antichri&s;ts confu&s;ion, is of nece&s;&s;ity the &s;ame which <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;aw &s;hould be then: and con&s;equently the Millen reign is included betwen the commencement and con&s;ummati|on of that great Day. So tho&s; &s;ayings of St. <HI>Luke</HI> concerning <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luke</HI> 17. 20 19 11 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 31</NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;ts coming in Clouds with power and great glory</HI> (conclu|ding, <HI>when yee &s;ee the&s; things com to pa&s;&s;, know that the King|dom of God is at hand</HI>) refer to <HI>Daniels</HI> Prophecy, being no wher el&s; found in the old Te&s;tament: for Chri&s;t cals him&s;elf oft the Son of Man, as he is &s;tiled in that Vi&s;ion of the great Judg|ment, wherof we mu&s;t at his &s;ecund coming expect the accom|pli&s;hment. 3. The Apocalyptic thou&s;and yeers, folow the times of the Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet, as the &s;eries &s;hews: which if we deny we mu&s;t di&s;claim <HI>Rome</HI> to be <HI>Babylon,</HI> the Papacy the two hornd Bea&s;t, Antichri&s;t the fal&s; Prophet, and the Apoca|lyp&s; Canonical: as the Oppo&s;ers of old Chilia&s;ts were driven to doo.</P>
<P>9. Tho&s; thou&s;and yeers are yet to com: but what the ma|ner or condition of that Kingdom means, Men much differ. Mo&s;t &s;ay Antichri&s;t &s;hal not be fully or finally de&s;troied til Chri&s;t com to judgment; which may be a&s;&s;erted without hol|ding that this &s;hal be before that Day, as common Chilia&s;ts contend: for it may be a third time during it, which &s;hal con|tinu &s;o long: At entrance wherof the Bea&s;t and Antichri&s;t mu&s;t peri&s;h: for this is not a Day of few hours, but a continued act of divers yeers, wherin Chri&s;t &s;hal de&s;troy al his Enemies, beginning with Antichri&s;t, and ending with the general Re&s;ur|rection; which is his Millenar reign in new <HI>Jeru&s;alem.</HI> So ther is one only <HI>Millenium,</HI> which begins at the Bea&s;ts perdition:
<PB N="201" REF="210"> when Satan &s;hal be bound in chains and ca&s;t into the bottom|le&s;&s; pit (being before only ca&s;t from Heaven or the Imperial Roman Throne in <HI>Con&s;tantins</HI> time) not to peep out til the thou&s;and yeers expire.</P>
<P>10. The fir&s;t or &s;ecund Re&s;urrection are proved to be bo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h real: 1. The place of the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection &s;eems plaine&s;t for <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 4, 5.</NOTE> allegory, &s;ith it refers to the Martyrs ri&s;ing. 2. 'Tis &s;aid, <HI>Tho&s; that were beheaded for Je&s;us lived and reigned with him a thou|&s;and yeers; but the re&s;t of the Dead lived not again til that time was fini&s;hed: Ergo</HI> if one be literaly of them which lived not again til the thou&s;and yeers end; the other mu&s;t be &s;o too of tho&s; that lived and reigned when that time commenced, caled the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection. 3. Though the Jews had no direct di|&s;tinct notice of two Re&s;urrections, &s;av only in gro&s;&s;, to be at the judgment Day: yet they expect &s;uch wherin &s;om which ri&s;e &s;hal reign &s;omtime on Earth: as 'tis &s;aid, <HI>The Souls of the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Wi&s;d 3. 1. &amp;</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> <HI>righteous &s;hal in time of their Vi&s;itation judg the Nations, and their Lord &s;hal reign for ever.</HI> So the twenty four Elders &s;ing, <HI>We &s;hal reign on Earth.</HI> 4. The whol Church after Apo&s;tles <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 5. 10.</NOTE> held, as <HI>Ju&s;tin</HI> informs, that the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection belongs &s;oly to Martyrs and chief Confe&s;&s;ors as a &s;pecial privilege; which made Men much more affect Martyry, and induced praier for the Dead, that they might partake that Re&s;urrection, as <HI>Ter|tullian</HI> tels. Thus we are bound to beleev the matter: but the maner of the Saints thou&s;and yeers reign with Chri&s;t in new <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> is not &s;o cleerly unveled.</P>
<P>11. New <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> and the Nations walking in the light of it, are not one: for new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> is not the whol Church, but the new Worlds main Metropolis: The Nations which walk in hir light &s;hal be happy and glorious; but changable and lia|ble to great commotions at end of tho&s; thou&s;and yeers: wher|as tho&s; in new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> &s;hal be manumi&s;ed from al mutation; on whom the &s;ecund death hath no power, and God &s;hal wipe al tears from their eys. Chri&s;ts words prov (<HI>God &s;aid to Mo&s;es,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22. 32. Exod 3 8.</NOTE> <HI>I am the God of Abraham, I&s;aac, and Jacob: he is not God of the Dead but of the living&punc;</HI>) that they &s;hal po&s;&s;e&s;&s; <HI>Pale&s;tin</HI> the Land of promi&s;&s; in per&s;on&punc; which yet they never enjoied but as Strangers or Sojourners: For the Covenant is made to ech &s;o
<PB REF="211"> wel as to their &s;eed: <HI>viz.</HI> to <HI>Abram Gen. 13. 15. Gen. 15. 7. Gen.</HI> 17. 8. to <HI>I&s;aac Gen.</HI> 26. 8. to <HI>Jacob Gen.</HI> 35. 12. to al three jointly <HI>Exod. 6. 4, 8. Deut. 6. 18. Deut. 11. 21. Deut.</HI> 20. 30. Now this promi&s;&s; is not yet performed to them, nor &s;hal be while they ly dead: <HI>Ergo</HI> they mu&s;t be rai&s;ed to inherit the promi&s;ed Land: from which places the Rabins proved the Re&s;urrection again&s;t the Sadduces. This <HI>St. Paul intimats &s;aying, Abraham looked for</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hebr. 11. 10.</NOTE> <HI>a City who&s; builder is God. Again, now they de&s;ire a better Coun|try, that is an Heavenly or from Heaven; for God hath prepared for them a City.</HI> This probably is new <HI>Jeru&s;alem, &s;aid to com down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for hir Hu&s;band. Zacharias in his Prophetic Benedict us &s;aith, to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 1. 72.</NOTE> <HI>perform the mercy promi&s;ed to our Fathers, and to remember his holy Covenant:</HI> meaning how he wil herafter remember to ful|fil his Covenant to them of po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ing the promi&s;ed Land in per&s;ons, which is not yet doon: &s;o they mu&s;t liv bodily at fir&s;t Re&s;urrection to enjoy this promi&s;&s; actualy. <HI>Chri&s;t &s;aith, many</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 8. 11. 12.</NOTE> (not al) <HI>&s;hal com from Ea&s;t and We&s;t, who &s;hal &s;it down with Abraham, I&s;aac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven: but the Children of the Kingdom &s;hal be ca&s;t into outer darknes.</HI> This &s;eems to imply their Kingdom of new <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> which &s;hal dure one thou&s;and yeers.</P>
<P>12. Chri&s;ts Kingdom the Church wher he reigns in his Church is one thing, and that wher the Saints &s;hal reign with him another: the fir&s;t began at his fir&s;t coming, which he &s;hal re&s;ign to the Father: the la&s;t is to commence at his &s;ecund, and continu one thou&s;and yeers on Earth. Herof &s;ee <HI>Dan. 7. 14. Luke 9. 11, 15. Luke 21. 31. 2 The&s;. 1. 5. 2 Tim.</HI> 4. 1. For the <HI>Millenium</HI> (caled by the Jews and St. <HI>Juae</HI> the great Day <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 15.</NOTE> of Judgment, or Judgment of the great Day) is the &s;eventh Chiliad current, which Chri&s;t &s;hal con&s;ummat with the general Judgment. This is his grand A&s;&s;i&s;es beginning with the &s;e|venth Trumpet: the proce&s;&s; wherof <HI>John</HI> de&s;cribes by a duple <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 5. 6, 12.</NOTE> Judgment and Re&s;urrection, be&s;ide the millenar reign betwixt both. The morning &s;hal be of Antichri&s;t and his adherents, whom Chri&s;t &s;hal confound at his coming, and then &s;hal be <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2 8.</NOTE> the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection: the Evening on the remnent of his Eni|mies (<HI>Gog and Magog, who&s; number is as the Sea &s;and</HI>) which
<PB N="202" REF="211"> &s;hal end with la&s;t univer&s;al Re&s;urrection: when the la&s;t enimy Death being totaly vanqui&s;hd, he &s;hal yeeld up the Kingdom <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 24. 28.</NOTE> (his Church) to the Father, that God may be al in al. This is the one thou&s;and yeers Sabbath, in which the Saints &s;hal reign with their King on Earth, and ever after enjoy an Eternal re&s;t in the highe&s;t increat Heaven, not in a new material World of Heaven and Earth, as &s;om &s;uppo&s;e. So &s;aith <HI>Irenaeus,</HI> the <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 5. c. 28.</NOTE> World was created in &s;ix dais, and in 6000. yeers &s;hal con|&s;ummat: at end of which coms the 7000^t^h. or Sabbath to the Saints. The&s; are his &s;ublime nicities or &s;elf-&s;ingular novities, if <HI>Ip&s;e dixit</HI> may pa&s;&s; current for warrant. He hath many mo, but the&s; the be&s;t: which &s;hal &s;uffice to &s;hun prolixity.</P>
<P>His be&s;t ba&s;is of building (be&s;ide what is before an&s;wered) <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epilog. 2 <HI>Pet. 3. 7, 8.</HI></NOTE> relies on St. <HI>Peters</HI> words of one thou&s;and yeers as one day: which he &s;tifly pre&s;&s;eth to be the preci&s;e day of Judgment im|mediatly forenamed: yet <HI>Davids</HI> one thou&s;and yeers as ye&s;ter|day, and <HI>Peters</HI> one day as one thou&s;and yeers, doo not denote &s;o many &s;olar yeers in &s;pecial, as they dote or dream: but only in general, that no time dimen&s;ions (no not thou&s;ands of yeers) are any way con&s;iderable to God, who is al Eternity, and his works not to be mea&s;ured by tran&s;itory time. St. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 9, 10.</NOTE> <HI>Peters</HI> words are directed as an apt an&s;wer to Scoffers, who in&s;tantly ads: <HI>The Lord is not &s;lack concerning his promi&s;&s; (ac Men count &s;lacknes) but long &s;uffering to us ward, and unwil|ling that any &s;hould peri&s;h; but that al &s;hould repent. But the Day of the Lord wil com as a Theef in the night, wherin the Hea|vens &s;hal pa&s;&s; away with great noi&s;, and the Elements melt with &s;ervent heat &amp;c.</HI> Which cleerly indicats, that God wil cer|tainly perform the promi&s;&s; of his coming, and is not &s;lack: for one thou&s;and yeers to him is but as one day. So tho&s; words doo not relat to the preceding Day of Judgment (which he toucheth obiter or occa&s;ionaly only) but is a meer an&s;wer to the &s;aid Scoffers, which is his &s;ole &s;cope or &s;ubject, as al Or|thodox expo&s;iors agree.</P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB REF="212">
<HEAD>Medi <HI>Paraphra&s;is acuta: Medes</HI> witty Paraphra&s;e.</HEAD>
<P>TO &s;et a fairer glo&s;&s; or garni&s;h on his Devi&s;e, he givs a <NOTE PLACE="marg">Paraphra&s;e on 2 <HI>Peter 3.</HI></NOTE> prety Paraphra&s;e on the whol Chapter, which &s;hal be curtly contracted. <HI>St. Peter exhorts the beleeving Jews, to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 1, 2, 3, 4.</NOTE> <HI>mind the holy Prophets words concerning Chri&s;ts coming to Judg|ment, which al&s;o the Apo&s;tles confirm: but forewarns that in the la&s;t dais &s;hal com Scoffers which walk after their own wais or wils &s;aying, wher is the promi&s;&s; of his coming? For &s;ince the Fa|thers fel a &s;leep, al things continu as they were from the Creation.</HI> The&s; la&s;t dais are the times of the Churches Apo&s;ta&s;y under Antichri&s;t, as St. <HI>Paul &s;peaks; in the later times &s;om &s;hal depart</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 1.</NOTE> <HI>from the Faith, giving heed to &s;educing Spirits and doctrins of Devils.</HI></P>
<P><HI>They con&s;ider not, how the Heavens were of old by Gods Word,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;. 5, 6, 7, 8.</NOTE> <HI>and the Earth &s;tanding out of the Waters (the great Deep) and in or amid&s;t them (the Clouds or Floodgates hanging about it) wherby the World then (in Noahs dais) peri&s;hed: but the Hea|vens and Earth now are by the &s;ame Word kept in &s;tore re&s;erved unto to fire again&s;t the Judgment Day (which</HI> Irenaeus <HI>cals a flood of Fire, as the Prophets expre&s;&s; it by firy flames) and per|dition of ungodly Men. But beloved, be not ignorant of this, that one day with the Lord is as one thou&s;and yeers, and one thou&s;and yeers as one day.</HI> As if he &s;hould &s;ay (<HI>Glo&s;&s;a corrumpit Textum</HI>) wheras I mention the Judgment day, le&s;t ye may mi&s;take it for a common day; know that one day with the Lord is as one thou&s;and yeers, and contrarily, for the Prophets &s;peak of Chri&s;ts coming indefinitly in general, not di&s;tingui&s;hing fir&s;t and &s;ecund, which the Go&s;pel from <HI>Daniel</HI> more cleerly teach|eth, but we being rightly in&s;tructed in both, mu&s;t apply ech to its proper time. The Jewi&s;h Doctors writing of this Day, cite <HI>Davids</HI> words, one thou&s;and yeers, in thy &s;ight are as ye|&s;terday: yet is not that Day named: but St. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;pecifies it, and immediatly &s;ubjoins his words, &s;eeming rather to re|&s;pect the Jews &s;aying of that day then <HI>Davids.</HI> For they are
<PB N="203" REF="212"> u&s;aly taken as an argument why God is not &s;lack in his pro|mi&s;&s;: &s;ith 'tis not a que&s;tion, whether the time be long or &s;hort to God (in who&s; eys millions of yeers are as ye&s;terday) but to u<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, who mea&s;ure by dais and hours. <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> and <HI>Irenaeus</HI> apply St. <HI>Peters</HI> words pointly or preci&s;ely to the Judg|ment Day or great Day of the Lord, which is to la&s;t or con|tinu complet a thou&s;and &s;olar yeers.</P>
<P><HI>The Lord is not &s;lack in his promi&s;&s; (tho this day be deforred)</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Ver&s;.</HI> 9, 10, to the end.</NOTE> <HI>but long &s;uffering toward us (which is cau&s; of th &s;uppo&s;ed &s;lack|nes) not willing that any (of I&s;raels &s;eed) &s;hould peri&s;h, but that al &s;hould repent (as he exhorted them at Jeru&s;alem to doo, that</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 3. 19. 21.</NOTE> <HI>their &s;ins may be blotted out, when the times of refre&s;hing &s;hal com, til the re&s;titution of al things which God &s;peaks of by al his Pro|phets) or el&s; they mu&s;t peri&s;h with the re&s;t of Infidels. For that Day wil com as a Theef in the night, when the Heavens &s;hal pa&s;&s; away with great noi&s; (as crakling of fire) and the Elements melt with fervent heat: the Earth al&s;o and works therin &s;hal be burnt up. Sith then al the&s; &s;hal be di&s;&s;olved (or aboli&s;hed) what per&s;ons ought ye to be in al godly conver&s;ation? (Which &s;hould &s;ute to our faith) looking for that Day of God to com; if we wil &s;bun the peril of it. Nathele&s;&s;e (whatever tho&s; Scoffers &s;ay, who doubt or deride the promi&s;&s;) we according to it, expect new Heavens and Earth (a new refined &s;tate of the World) wherin dwels righte|ou&s;nes (as I&s;aiah &s;peaks, ch. 60. 20. 21. ch. 65. 17. ch. 66. 22.) wherfore beloved, &s;ith ye look for &s;uch things, be diligent to be found &s;potle&s;&s; and blamele&s;&s; of him in peace: accounting his long &s;uffering for Salvation: as our beloved Brother Paul according to the wi&s;dom given him, hath writ to you: who in al his Epi&s;tles (wherin are &s;om things hard to be under&s;tood, which the unlear|ned and un&s;table wre&s;t to their own de&s;truction, as they doo other Scriptures) &s;peaks of the&s; things viz. Rom. 2. 4, 5, 6, 7. 1 Cor. 1. 7, 8. 1 Cor. 3. 13. 2 Cor. 7. 11. Phil. 1. 10. Ph. 2. 15. Ph. 3. 10. Col. 3. 4. 5. 1 The&s;. 2. 12. 1 Th. 3. 13. 1 Th. 5. 32. 2 Th. 1. 8, 11. 1 Tim. 6. 14, 25. Tit. 2. 12. 13. Heb.</HI> 12. 14, 28, 29. For better under&s;tanding St. <HI>Peter</HI> of the Worlds conflagration or combu&s;tion, con&s;ider the&s; cir|cum&s;tances.</P>
<P>1. That the old Hebrew (the Scriptures language) hath
<PB REF="213"> no one word to expre&s;&s; the univer&s; of &s;uperior and inferior Bodies (caled in Greec <HI>Co&s;mos,</HI> in Latin <HI>Mundus,</HI> in Engli&s;h World) but Heaven and Earth jointly: &s;o when St. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith (the World then being peri&s;hed by water; but the Hea|vens and Earth now are re&s;erved to fire) he might convertibly utter, the Heavens and Earth then peri&s;hed by water, as the World now &s;hal by fire: &s;o a new Heaven and Earth in Scrip|ture notion imply a new World.</P>
<P>2. That no other World or Heaven and Earth &s;hal peri&s;h by fire; then what before peri&s;hd by water, as the antithe&s;is argues: which is the &s;ublunar, who&s; Heaven is Air, and Earth the whol Geographic Globe: both which were vitiated or defiled by the deluge, and the Creatures de&s;troied or much depraved. Such a World then and no other Heaven or Earth &s;hal &s;uffer a &s;ecund flood of Fire for re&s;tauration, as it had be|fore a deluge of Waters for corruption. This is a witty novi|ty (as ther be &s;undry &s;uch now adais) but &s;car&s; Orthodox: &s;ith 'tis a Catholic Tenet, that the Ethereal Heavens with al their Starry ho&s;t &s;hal be burnt up.</P>
<P>3. That the Word <GAP DESC="foreign"> (tran&s;lated Elements) is not di|&s;tingui&s;hed from Heaven and Earth ther named; becau&s; Hea|ven includs Air, and Earth Water: &s;o three Phy&s;ical Elements are implied, and Fire (if it be a fourth, or not rather a quality of inten&s; heat inherent in another Body) mu&s;t burn the <GAP DESC="foreign">, and can be none of that to be burnt. So it mu&s;t be rendred the whol Ho&s;t of them, or Furniture belonging to them, as <GAP DESC="foreign"> &s;ignifies the works or Ho&s;t of the Earth which &s;hal be burnt. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen 2. 1.</NOTE> For <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Heavens and Earth were fini&s;hed, with al the Ho&s;t of them,</HI> which the Septuagints &s;tile Furniture. So the meaning is, the Heavens and Ho&s;t therof, with the Earth and works or Furniture therin &s;hal be fired. The Scripture &s;pe|cifies three Heavens: 1. Empyreal of Glory, who&s; Ho&s;t or Army are invi&s;ible Angels and ble&s;&s;ed Spirits. 2. Ethereal or Starry, who&s; Ho&s;t are &s;hining Stars and Planets. 3. Aereal or Sublunary, who&s; Ho&s;t are either vi&s;ible as Meteors and Fowls; or invi&s;ible, as evil Spirits and Fiends, with their Prince of the Air Satan the Devil. To apply it: St. <HI>Peter</HI> cannot in|tend the Empyreal, which is increat and impa&s;&s;ible; nor Ethe|real,
<PB N="204" REF="213"> which is of va&s;t immen&s;ity and &s;ublimity, in regard wher|of this lower world is but a point or Center: nor did tho&s; two receiv any cur&s; for Mans &s;in, or contagion or contamination by the Deluge; nor doo any of Gods enimies dwel ther to de|file them: So it re&s;ts, That the Aereal only, with al their Ho&s;t, &s;hal be burnt up at la&s;t day. The&s; Heavens then &s;hal melt with fervent heat, being a metaphor taken from refining Metals, which is his meaning: who expounds di&s;&s;olving by melting or purifying, as the Septuagints &s;til interpret that word by refi|ning: but when the Aereal is &s;o refined, the Ethereal Lights wil &s;hine to them on Earth far more glorious, as pa&s;&s;ing their rais through a purer <HI>medium;</HI> &s;o that the world &s;hal &s;eem re|newed. As to the word (pa&s;&s;ing away) 'tis an Hebrai&s;m &s;igni|fying any change of a thing from the old E&s;tate: &s;o al imply a &s;ece&s;&s;ion from their pri&s;tin condition; but no utter abolition by Fire, more then the former de&s;truction by Water. If any ask, whether the Ho&s;t of invi&s;ible Spirits &s;hal &s;uffer by it? 'Tis an&s;wered, That they &s;hal not be burnt as the vi&s;ible; yet &s;hal be exiled or excluded from tho&s; lofty man&s;ions into lower Dungeons, as St. <HI>Jude</HI> intimats: <HI>The Angels which lo&s;t their</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jude v. 6.</NOTE> <HI>fir&s;t e&s;tate and left their habitations, he hath re&s;erved to everla|&s;ting chains of darknes, at the Judgment of that great Day.</HI> Ther is another expo&s;ition to the &s;ame effect: for Chri&s;t de&s;cribing <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24 29.</NOTE> the coming of this day, u&s;eth prophetic expre&s;&s;ions, <HI>that the Sun &s;hal be darkned and Moon giv no light, the Stars &s;hal fal from Heaven, who&s; powers &s;hal be &s;haken;</HI> this cannot be con|&s;trued literaly, &s;ith &s;om Stars are bigger then the Earth, and cannot fal on it, nor can be darkned, being e&s;&s;entialy lucid bo|dies; &s;o the meaning may be, the World is either <HI>Mundus conti|n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ns, viz.</HI> the whol frame of Heaven and Earth; or <HI>contentus, viz.</HI> the Inhabiters and kingdoms therin; &s;o the Heaven of this politic world, is the Soveraign part therof, who&s; Ho&s;t and Stars are the ruling powers or Magi&s;trats, and Earth the Pezantry or Plebei|ans, together with al terren creatures &s;erving mans u&s;e; &s;uch ac|ceptions are u&s;ual in the Prophets, as Poets &s;trains are to us. If this notion of the contained world be admitted, the whol Ho&s;t of Heaven and Earth (high and low, Princes and Pe&s;ants, Men and Bea&s;ts) &s;hal be con&s;umed at Chri&s;ts coming to judgment:
<PB REF="214"> but wheras at the Flood the Contained only peri&s;hed; yet the Containing was al&s;o corrupted or contamined: In the de&s;tru|ction by fire it &s;hal be contrary: For the world of wicked ones being de&s;troyed, the Heavens and Earth Containing &s;hal be purged or purified for the righteous to po&s;&s;e&s;s. This expo&s;iti|on is not &s;o proper as the former: yet if ther be &s;om whom neither can &s;atisfy, but wil needs hav the Fire totaly to annihi|lat this vi&s;ible world: it may be an&s;wered, that the judgment Day &s;hal la&s;t a thou&s;and yeers (&s;o &s;aith he but none els) and this Fire not be at beginning (when Chri&s;ts Enimies with <HI>Sa|tans</HI> Kingdom &s;halbe de&s;troyed, and then a re&s;tauration) bu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> at end or evening &s;hal be an utter annillation of the whol Crea|ture: &s;o Saint <HI>Peters</HI> words may bear thus: however Heaven and Earth &s;hal in fine peri&s;h by Fire; yet before that be, we look for new (or the worlds re&s;tauration) to anteced this abo|lition, according to his promi&s;&s;. Howbeit this &s;uits not &s;o wel with his chief &s;cope, nor with the Prophets promi&s;&s; poin|ted at; which &s;pecifies &s;uch a Fire only as &s;hal forego a re&s;tau|ration, and not cau&s; a final abolition of the whol Univer&s; with al therin; nor hath it any ground in Scripture: or if any &s;uch annillation &s;hal be, it &s;tands with rea&s;on to be by Gods imme|diat hand or power (as he fir&s;t framed it of meer nothing) with|out help of any Agent or In&s;trument, rather then by Fire. The&s; are his &s;elf &s;ingular &s;peculations: <HI>Qui&s;&abque; &s;uo &s;en&s;u, &s;ed</HI> Medus <HI>maxime abundat.</HI> His wit reacheth beyond the Moon, and diveth beneath the bottom of the great Deep; being in|deed incomparably piercing or profound: for the familiarly conver&s;ed in the darke&s;t deepe&s;t my&s;teries of al Prophecies (&s;pecialy the Apocalyp&s;) and was mo&s;t ready in al learned lan|guages (Hebrew, Syriac, Chalde, Perfic, Arabic, Greec, La|tin) and in the Jewi&s;h Rabbins or Doctors, wherin he &s;uper|excelled, nor was any part of ab&s;tru&s;e literature &s;trange to him or hid from him: yet his gay glo&s;&s; (how &s;pecious &s;oever it &s;hews) that as God created the Univer&s; of nothing by his bare word <HI>Fiat;</HI> &s;o if his wil be to di&s;&s;olv it into nothing, he would doo it by his &s;ole word &s;ans help of Fire: this is of li|tle &s;olidity; for he made only the Chaos or rude Lump of &s;im|ply nothing, as the common &s;tock of al the re&s;t wherof they
<PB N="205" REF="214"> were compact, &s;o at la&s;t di&s;&s;olution he wil con&s;um them al by Fire, but the a&s;hes or reliques left at la&s;t like the fir&s;t Chaos, &s;hal be quite annihilated by his bare word, <HI>Ce&s;&s;et</HI> or <HI>De&s;inat,</HI> that is, as Saint <HI>John</HI> renders it; <HI>Let their place be found no</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 11.</NOTE> <HI>more,</HI> &s;o the proportion holds pointly or perfectly, between the fir&s;t Creation and final Con&s;ummation of this World, as the next The&s;is &s;hal &s;hew.</P>
<P>His other cringe concerning <HI>Abraham, I&s;aac</HI> and <HI>Jacob,</HI> to <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wers."> po&s;&s;e&s;&s; the promi&s;ed Land in per&s;on, hath no more &s;olidity or &s;incerity then the former, for they dwelt ther per&s;onaly, though but as Sojourners, and bought &s;om parcels (wherin their bodies ly) as a livery and &s;ei&s;en of the whol: as their progeny or po|&s;terity enjoyed it proprietarily for many ages, according to Gods Covenant pacted to them and their Seed. Gods &s;aying to <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> and Chri&s;ts inference, <HI>He is God of the living not of the dead;</HI> doo not argu, that tho&s; Patriarchs &s;hal be rai&s;ed to po&s;&s;e&s;s the promi&s;ed Land in per&s;on a thou&s;and yeers with or under Chri&s;t: but only that they now liv in ble&s;&s;ed condition with God, and &s;hal ri&s;e at la&s;t day to inherit eternal glory (both in Body and Soul united) in the highe&s;t Heaven: wher|as damned Reprobats ly dead in Hel, who&s; God he cannot be caled.</P>
<P>The City which <HI>Abraham</HI> looked for who&s; builder is God, mu&s;t needs be Heavenly <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> clyped his Country: which is prepared for al the faithful: not any new material Metro|polis to be made in <HI>Pale&s;tine</HI> or any place of this Earth; as they dream. <HI>Zacharias</HI> words of performing his mercy pro|mi&s;ed to our Fathers, and remembring his holy Covenant, cleerly concern Chri&s;ts fir&s;t coming &s;o oft promi&s;ed in the old Te&s;tament wherof <HI>John Bapti&s;t</HI> then born was the faithful forerunner. <HI>La&s;tly Chri&s;ts words (many &s;hal com from Ea&s;t and We&s;t to &s;it down with Ab<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aham, I&s;aac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven</HI>) cannot in property of phra&s;e po&s;&s;ibly purport any terren temporal reign: but Men are too prone to &s;train Scriptures after their own &s;en&s;, how violently or un|truly &s;oever. God giv us al grace to be wi&s;e to &s;obriety, and not wre&s;t his holy Word according to our own Wils: which may turn to our damnation, and perdition of &s;undry &s;illy &s;e|duced Souls.</P>
<PB REF="215">
<P>For the main The&s;is of Chri&s;ts Millenar reign, Mr. <HI>Mede</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Opinions.</NOTE> &s;aith <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> a &s;trong Adver&s;ary to it, fains one <HI>Gaius</HI> to father it on <HI>Cerinthus:</HI> but none knows any &s;uch Man &s;av him&s;elf. Surely he was a &s;incere Hi&s;torian not given to foi&s;t|ing or faining, and <HI>Cerinthus</HI> generaly reputed the original Author, nor is any other alleged. He farther &s;aith St. <HI>Jerom</HI> did h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s be&s;t to decry or di&s;grace the Tenet: but he u&s;ualy mi&s;|related things out of peevi&s;h, petulant, partial pa&s;&s;ion: yet dur&s;t not damn it, becau&s; many authentic Authors and Mar|tyrs maintained it. Contrarily <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> an Apo&s;tolic Man, a&s;cribed the origin herof to St. <HI>John,</HI> and told <HI>Tryp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"></HI> that none but Heretics gain &s;aid it. Now for later writers, <HI>Pi&s;cator</HI> holds, that the Saints of the fir&s;t Re&s;urrection &s;hal reign with Chri&s;t a thou&s;and yeers in Heaven: but <HI>Al&s;ted,</HI> Mr. <HI>Mede,</HI> and almo&s;t al el&s; on Earth. Yet <HI>Pi&s;cator, Al&s;ted,</HI> and the re&s;t agree, that it &s;hal be at Chri&s;ts &s;ecund coming to reign, before his third to Judgment: but Mr. <HI>Mede</HI> find|ing no warrant for a third coming, di&s;&s;ents from them al, making the Day of Judgment one continued act with the Millenar reign: which is a devi&s;e of his own &s;ubtle wit, never broched before.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Sic a principi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> e&s;t fratrum concordia di&s;cors:</HI></L>
<L><HI>In varios &s;en&s;us lis furio&s;a trahit.</HI></L>
<L>Thus Brethren from beginning il agree</L>
<L>Who into different minds di&s;tracted be.</L>
</LG>
<P>My privat re&s;olution in this point, and that other (whether Chri&s;t &s;hal reign per&s;onaly on a new Earth for ever, re&s;igning his Kingdom of glory wher he now &s;its to his Father?) Mu&s;t needs amid&s;t &s;uch a copious cru of learned Clercs, who hav diver&s;ly debated it both wais; be very amphibolous or ambi|guous: as a giddy O&s;trich, which having laid hir fir&s;t Eg at rovers on the &s;ands, regards not how &s;he lodgeth the re&s;t, nor on what heap &s;he &s;its on brood: &s;o that I may truly cant out the&s; two dubious Di&s;tichs.</P>
<LG>
<PB N="206" REF="215">
<L><HI>Me trahit in dubios aliorum a&s;&s;ertio &s;en&s;us:</HI></L>
<L><HI>An reget in Mundo hoc Chri&s;tus, an Arce Poli?</HI></L>
<L><HI>Nec patet, an terris regnabit mille per annos</HI></L>
<L><HI>Cum &s;uperis, &s;anctis, Martyribus&abque;; &s;uis?</HI></L>
<L>Others Opinions make me doubtful, whether</L>
<L>Chri&s;t &s;hal rule in this World, or Heaven for ever?</L>
<L>If he &s;hal reign on Earth one thou&s;and yeers</L>
<L>With Angels, Saints, and Martyrs; it not appeers.</L>
</LG>
<P>Touching the Argument or Contents of the Premi&s;&s;es, they are couched or concluded in a few familiar ver&s;es like the former.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Impius a&s;&s;eruit Chri&s;tum annis mille</HI> Cerinthus</L>
<L><HI>Per&s;ona in terris velle manere &s;ua.</HI></L>
<L>Vile <HI>Cerinth</HI> &s;aid, Chri&s;t wil in per&s;on reign</L>
<L>One thou&s;and yeers, and here on Earth remain.</L>
<L><HI>Velle Redemptorem regere annis mille, Chilarchae</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Alite<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Judicii in terris a&s;&s;eruere die.</HI></L>
<L>Chiliarchs affirmd, that Chri&s;t on Earth wil &s;way</L>
<L>One thou&s;and yeers at the la&s;t Judgment Day.</L>
<L><HI>Mille annis Chri&s;tum, Chiliarchae in &s;omnia produnt,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ias.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Hic cum Martyribus velle manere &s;uis.</HI></L>
<L>Vain Chilia&s;ts dream, that Chri&s;t with's Saints wil &s;tay</L>
<L>One thou&s;and yeers, and here on Earth bear &s;way.</L>
<L><HI>Regnare in terris mille annis velle Chili&s;tae</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Secus.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Chri&s;tum cum &s;anctis, dogmata f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l&s;a tenent.</HI></L>
<L>That Chri&s;t with's Saints one thou&s;and yeers wil reign</L>
<L>On Earth, bold Chilia&s;ts doctrins fal&s; maintain.</L>
<L><HI>De chri&s;t&punc; imperi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Chilia&s;tae mille per annos</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ve.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Ante Diem extremum, &s;omnia vana canunt.</HI></L>
<L>That Chri&s;t one thou&s;and yeers on Earth &s;hal reign</L>
<L>Before la&s;t Day, Chilia&s;ts vain dreams doo fain.</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 N="8" TYPE="thesis">
<PB REF="216">
<HEAD>THESIS VIII.</HEAD>
<HEAD><HI>Mundi hujus Di&s;&s;olutio:</HI> The Worlds di&s;&s;olution.</HEAD>
<P>THe wi&s;e&s;t Heathen held, that this World &s;hal hav an end even by fire; as St. <HI>Jerom</HI> and <HI>L. Vives</HI> vouch. <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> &s;aith the chief Stoics (<HI>Zeno, Cle|anthes, Chry&s;ippus</HI>) defended this doctrin: yea <HI>Se|neca</HI> a Ma&s;ter of that Sect &s;aith, fire &s;hal be the end of it, as moi&s;ture was the beginning: the Stars &s;hal war together, and what now &s;hines in comly order, &s;hal burn in one fire or flame. <HI>Numaenius</HI> &s;aith, good Souls continu til al things be de&s;troied by fire: this <HI>Ovid</HI> provs from their Prophets or Poets Re|cords.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Juppiter in fatis remini&s;citur affore tempus:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 1. M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">am.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Quo mare, quo tellus, convexaque Regia Coeli</HI></L>
<L><HI>A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">deat; &amp; mundi moles opero&s;a laboret.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Jov</HI> cal'd to mind that Time by fate &s;hal be:</L>
<L>When Sea, when Earth, and Heavens convexity</L>
<L>Shal burn in flames, and the Worlds Axeltree.</L>
</LG>
<P>In the means or maner of Di&s;&s;olution, D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ines diver&s;ly differ<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Opinions.</NOTE> &s;om approv perfectiv renovation, &s;om &s;upplementiv &s;ub&s;tituti|on, and &s;om de&s;tructiv abolition or annullation. They al&s;o vary in &s;undry &s;ubaltern circum&s;tances: &s;om &s;ay al Creatures &s;hal be re&s;tored to pri&s;tin perfection as before Mans fal; &s;om that the Heavens &s;hal be re&s;erved and al el&s; annihilated: &s;om that Heaven, Air, and Earth &s;hal be refined, but al be&s;ide con|founded: &s;om that the whol vi&s;ible Machin with al works therin (except Angels, Devils, Men, and Hel expre&s;ly exempt) &s;hal be totaly re&s;olved to nothing, as it was fir&s;t framed of
<PB N="207" REF="216"> nothing. The i&s;&s;u or re&s;ult is, whether a new World or none? The grounds or rea&s;ons of which &s;everal Opinions &s;hal be &s;uccinctly &s;canned.</P>
<P>To begin with Annihilators arguments, &s;undry Texts are <NOTE PLACE="marg">Scriptures.</NOTE> alleged in favor of it.</P>
<LIST>
<ITEM>1. The Heavens &s;hal peri&s;h and be no more, but vani&s;h like <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 51&punc; 6.</NOTE> &s;moke, and wax old as a garment.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Al the Ho&s;t of Heaven &s;hal be di&s;&s;olved, and roled toge|ther <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 31. 4.</NOTE> as a Scrole: they &s;hal fal down as a leaf from the Vine, and a faling Fig from the Figtree.</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Man lieth down and ri&s;eth not, til the Heavens be no more: <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 14. 12.</NOTE> meaning til the general Re&s;urrection</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. The Heavens &s;hal peri&s;h, but thou &s;halt endure &amp;c. <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 102. 26&punc;</NOTE></ITEM>
<ITEM>5. The Heavens &s;hal pa&s;&s; away with great noi&s;, and Elements <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 3. 10. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> melt with <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eat: the Earth with al works therin &s;hal be burnt up.</ITEM>
<ITEM>6. St. John con&s;orts, Heaven and Earth &s;ted away, who&s; place <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 11&punc;</NOTE> was found no more. <HI>Al which phra&s;es (to pa&s;&s; away, peri&s;h, vani<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h, be no more, be burnt up, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">old together as a &s;crole, fal down as a Vine leaf or Fig from the Tree, melt with heat, fly away, and no place found for them) &s;trongly imply, if not inforce annihilation, or at lea&s;t impugn a perfecter condition and new &s;ub&s;titution.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST>
<P>The Rea&s;ons for it are the&s;: 1. This World was made of <MILESTONE UNIT="Rea&s;ons."> meer nothing: <HI>Ergo</HI> it &s;hal return to nothing.</P>
<P>2. Al Vi&s;ible things were formed for Man (as he for Gods glory) who wil not need them, when he is tran&s;lated to a far better man&s;ion: as when a Hou&s; is built for Inhabiters, if it be decreed to be no more inhabited; 'tis in vain to repair or trim it better then before: much more to pul it down or build a fairer.</P>
<P>3. If God intended a re&s;titution of the old, or &s;ub&s;titution of a new: he could doo it by changing the qualities, as it &s;hal be with the faithful found alife at la&s;t Day: when cor|ruption <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 52. 53.</NOTE> &s;hal put on incorruption, and mortal immortality (which is analogical Death and Re&s;urrection) without burn|ning it up fir&s;t.</P>
<P>4. If they &s;ay his wil is &s;o to doo, wher is their Warrant?
<PB REF="217">
'Tis his wil to de&s;troy it by fire: but not reveled in holy writ, nor can be re&s;olved by human wit; what, how many, or whe|ther any Creatures &s;hal be re&s;tored to pri&s;tin integrity? Nor whether they &s;hal propagat to infinity, or per&s;i&s;t to eternity? Yet many bold Baiards or Buzzards bring blind Brats of that kind.</P>
<P>5. If the World be renewed or perfected, it &s;hal hav no end: <HI>But 'tis &s;aid, the end of al things is at hand&punc; the Worlds ends are com upon us: Ergo</HI> this World &s;hal be aboli&s;hed, and no new &s;ub&s;tituted. Indeed &s;om thing Analogical &s;hal &s;upply the &s;tead in far tran&s;cendent maner: <HI>viz.</HI> the third increat Heaven for the Materials, and that which <HI>David</HI> Tropicaly <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 27. 15.</NOTE> terms the Land of the living for this Earth: which are pro|portional to our future &s;tate of glory, as the&s; confort to our pre&s;ent condition of mi&s;ery and mortality. For in lieu of the&s; created Heavens, which &s;omtime give light, and anon leav us da<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">k, <HI>We &s;hal be tran&s;lated to a Celical Paradi&s;e (&s;tiled new</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 21. 12 13.</NOTE> <HI>Jeru&s;alem) wher is light infinitly brighter then the Sun: for Gods</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22. 5.</NOTE> <HI>glory lightens it, and the Lamb is its light. Ther &s;hal be no night or need of Candle or Sun: for God givs light, and they &s;hal</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 60 19 20.</NOTE> <HI>reign with him for ever. So &s;aith I&s;aiah, the Sun &s;hal no more be thy light by day, nor Moon giv brightne&s;&s;: but the Lord &s;hal be thy everla&s;ting light, and God thy glory. Thy Sun &s;hal never go down, nor Moon be hid: but thy mourning &s;hal end.</HI> The&s; Texts imply that Sun and Moon &s;hal be no more, &s;ith the Saints &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l not need them, having God to &s;tead them; who is a Sun that never &s;ets, and Moon never hid: his Vi&s;ion being an everla&s;ting light of glory. For we &s;hal &s;ee God by intuition face to face as he is, and know him as he knows us. One that &s;tands by a friend to view his face fully, needs no Picture or looking Gla&s;&s; to behold him: nor doth Chri&s;ts Vi&s;ion in his Humanity, re|quire other Creatures to improv the Saints glory; &s;ith he is Author and they coheirs of endle&s;&s; felicity: but the re&s;t being made for the Church Militant, can no more conduce to Tri|umphants happines, then a Candle in open Sun &s;hine. <HI>For</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 13. 10.</HI></NOTE> <HI>when that which is perfect is com, then that which is in part &s;hal be doon away.</HI> So ther wil be no u&s;e of a new World to be &s;ub&s;tituted, or old re&s;tituted; but &s;pace, time, al things infinit,
<PB N="208" REF="217"> immen&s;, eternal, <HI>In natura nihil datur infinitum: po&s;t nil ni&s;i infinitum:</HI> the Worlds conflagration apertly refuts renova|tion: for it cannot be brought to better condition, &s;ith God &s;aw al was good: then what needs burning to bring it in the &s;ame form?</P>
<P>6. Many in&s;tances are extant of annillation: as Chri&s;t abo|li&s;hed the e&s;&s;ence of Water to make it Wine: the Dov in which the holy Go&s;t appeered at Chri&s;t Bapti&s;m, was &s;een no <NOTE PLACE="marg">A C. 1572.</NOTE> more: the new Star in <HI>Ca&s;&s;iopeia</HI> gradualy vani&s;hed: the &s;ound of wind is annihilated: the Relation of Father and Son at Fathers death is extinct: the time pa&s;t exi&s;ts no longer: yet the three la&s;t are real accidents, and the three fir&s;t &s;ub&s;tances. Why then may not this mundan Machin be utterly aboli&s;hed, if it plea&s; Omnipotence &s;o to di&s;po&s;e? For the debat re&s;ts on his meer wil reveled in his holy Word.</P>
<P>7. Their cla&s;hing contradiction is a plenary confuta<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">son: for &s;om &s;ay no mixtils or Animats &s;hal &s;ub&s;i&s;t, but only C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lical bodies and two Elements, yet can &s;hew no cau&s; or colour, why they rather then the re&s;t; or how the world &s;halbe more glo|rious, being as a bare hou&s;e unfurni&s;hed and unhabited; &s;ith variety makes it <HI>Mundus</HI> or comly: &s;om that al creatures &s;hal be re&s;tored &s;o wel as men; yet know not how to &s;tow them (as two were of ech kind in the A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">c) in the world, un|le&s; they fain it of infinit capacity: &s;om that &s;uch only &s;hal be re&s;erved as are extant at la&s;t day; that is good luck and bad (as al the world is now ruled) for why they rather then the re&s;t? &s;ith al &s;hal be incinerated, &s;o wel as tho&s; already corrup|ted: &s;om that none now or then exi&s;tent, are capable of re&s;ti|tution or re&s;urrection, but new &s;halbe formed of rare kinds (like tho&s; in the Lunar world) to &s;erv the Saints in a new ma|terial world to com. Touching this Earth, &s;om &s;ay it &s;hal be re|fined like gold in the fire, and bettered or beautified tenfold for the Saints mutual commerce: &s;om that it &s;hal be a man&s;i|on for &s;uch as neither de&s;erv Heaven for their good deeds, nor Hel for hainous crimes: &s;om that it &s;hal be the habitation of un|baptized Infants, which they hold better then Saint <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> dark dungeon.</P>
<P>The&s; are al carnal conceipts, or ungrounded unwarranted
<PB REF="218"> Phanta&s;ms, &s;ith the kingdom of Heaven is &s;tiled the Seat of ble&s;&s;ed Spirits; wher they &s;hal re&s;ide as in their proper place of perpetual po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion; not as an Inn to lodg in for a &s;pace, and at la&s;t leav it for ever; nor &s;hal they hav a City hou&s; and coun|try Grange to remov from Heaven to Earth at plea&s;ures, as &s;om &s;otti&s;hly &s;urmi&s;e, but &s;hal enjoy a Heavenly habitation and beatific Vi&s;ion for their eternal inheritance, which wil be no boot to change for an Earthly man&s;ion; though they &s;hould enjoy Chri&s;ts per&s;onal pre&s;ence to boot, which they al&s;o hav &s;til in Heaven.</P>
<P>Mo&s;t Greec Fathers with many Latin a&s;&s;ert annihilation: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Authorities.</NOTE> <HI>Hilari</HI> &s;aith, this Heaven caled Firmament &s;hal pa&s;&s; away and not be; but that invi&s;ible wherin God dwels abides for ever. <HI>Clement</HI> fains his Ma&s;ter Saint <HI>Peter</HI> to tel <HI>Simon Magus,</HI> that ther be two Heavens, one &s;uperior, increat, eternal wher ble&s;|&s;ed Spirits inhabit: another inferior, vi&s;ible, &s;tudded with &s;tars, which at la&s;t day &s;hal be aboli&s;hed. Saint <HI>Jerom</HI> &s;aith tho&s; two Fathers Opinion was mo&s;t approved, as cohering with Saint <HI>Pauls</HI> &s;aying, <HI>The things &s;een are temporal, but tho&s; not &s;een</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 4. 18.</NOTE> <HI>eternal:</HI> meaning that al Vi&s;ibles &s;hal peri&s;h to nothing&punc; but invi|&s;ibles abide for ever in infinity. Dr. <HI>Hakewil</HI> cites &s;undry late <NOTE PLACE="marg">L. 6 Apol. &s;ub <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">nem.</NOTE> Prote&s;tant Profe&s;&s;ors as Patrons of annillation, <HI>viz. Luther, Melancthon, Bucer, Beroaldus, Bartolinus, Vor&s;tius, Junius, Rivet, Hunnius, Tilenus, Ca&s;&s;anius, Mei&s;nerus, Polanus, Martinius, Brentius, Wollebius, Gerard, Arnobius, Frant|zius,</HI> and others, who&s; pregnant te&s;timonies to that purpo&s;e he produceth worthy of exact peru&s;al, which to recit or ca|pitulat, con&s;orts not with my affected brevity, who mu&s;t ha&s;ten to an&s;wer the Ronovators and Sub&s;titutors Argu|ments.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Saint <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Heavens mu&s;t contain Chri&s;t, til the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 3. 19 21.</NOTE> <HI>times of refre&s;hing and re&s;titution of al things, which God hath &s;po|ken by al his holy Prophets: Ergo</HI> al &s;hal be re&s;tored.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Syriac Interpreter renders it, til the end of al times or worlds con&s;ummation: but the times of re&s;titution or re|fre&s;hing, &s;ignify the complement of our Redemption: for (as <HI>Calvin</HI> comments) becau&s; our re&s;titution or redemption is yet imperfect, while we grone under the bond of bondage; we
<PB N="209" REF="218"> &s;hal be re&s;tored to liberty at la&s;t day when 'tis perfected: but &s;peaks nothing of the Worlds renovation after 'tis burnt, nor can it be wiredrawn or wre&s;ted to any &s;uch con&s;truction if rightly &s;en&s;ed.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. David</HI> &s;aith, <HI>God laid the Earths foundations, that it</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 104. 5.</NOTE> <HI>&s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uld not be removed for ever: So</HI> Salomon, <HI>One generation pa&s;&s;eth and another coms, but the Earth abides for ever, Ergo</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 1. 4.</NOTE> &s;hal not be annilled.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The&s; places are &s;tifly urgd again&s;t the Earths diurnal motion with more color then to oppugn abolition; yet truly again&s;t neither; for the intention is, that by Natures cour&s; it is laid to remain for ever, without decay or diminution in the whol like other elements; had not God decreed to di&s;&s;olv it: but the parts of them al are &s;ubject to jugial alteration and corruption. the word (for ever) is &s;o long as Time or the World la&s;ts, &s;o caled in compari&s;on of mans mortal condition: as circumci&s;ion is &s;tiled perpetual.</P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> The Lord &s;aith, <HI>Lo I creat new Heavens and Earth,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 6<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">7. Rev. 21. 1.</NOTE> <HI>for the former &s;hal not be remembred: So Saint</HI> John <HI>cals them new; for the fir&s;t pa&s;&s;ed away and ther was no more Sea: &s;o Saint</HI> Peter: <HI>The Heavens &s;hal pa&s;&s; away with a noi&s;, and Elements</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet 3 10. 13.</NOTE> <HI>melt with heat; but we look for new Heavens and Earth: Ergo</HI> being burnt, they &s;hal be refined and renovated, or new created and &s;ub&s;tituted; but not al utterly aboli&s;hed or an|nulled.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> See how partial Secti&s;ts are; it was pre&s;&s;ed la&s;t, that the Earth abides for ever; now that it &s;hal be renewed or a new &s;urrogated: but truth lies in the kernel of genuin &s;en&s;, not in the &s;hel of words, &s;urely they are not meant literaly of materi|al Heavens and Earth, or if they be, it tends rather to annilla|tion then re&s;titution o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;ub&s;titution; for <HI>I&s;ai</HI> &s;aith, The for|mer &s;hal com in mind no more: Saint <HI>John,</HI> They pa&s;&s;ed a|way and there was no more Sea: Saint <HI>Peter,</HI> The Heavens &s;hal pa&s;&s; away with a noi&s;, and Elements melt with heat, how then renewed? &s;uch as con&s;tru to peri&s;h, pa&s;&s; away, be no more, &amp;c. of the worlds in&s;tauration or melioration, and not of annihilation, mu&s;t an&s;wer wher in Grammar 'tis &s;o ta|ken; for in Philo&s;ophy and Theology renovation diametraly
<PB REF="219"> differs from de&s;truction. <HI>Beza</HI> applies <HI>I&s;ais</HI> alleged words to the Churches State or Chri&s;ts kingdom: which al&s;o alluds to the Saints condition in Heavenly <HI>Jeru&s;alem;</HI> as Saint <HI>Johns</HI> immediat en&s;uing words import: <HI>I &s;aw the holy City, new Je|ru&s;alem</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 21. 2.</NOTE> <HI>coming from God, prepared as a Bride trimmed for her hu&s;band;</HI> which intimats their continual cohabitation or hir eternal Man&s;ion with God hir Bridegroom. So Saint <HI>John</HI> and <HI>Peter</HI> by new Heavens intend the Saints glory in new <HI>Je|ru&s;alem</HI> with God or the Lamb, and not any material new Heavens as al authentic Authors expound.</P>
<P><HI>Rep. I&s;aiah</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Moons light &s;hal be as the Sun, and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 30. 26.</NOTE> <HI>Suns &s;evenfold as of &s;even dais: Ergo</HI> at la&s;t day al things &s;hal be perfected in far greater glory, not totaly aboli&s;hed to be no more.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Prophet &s;peaks My&s;ticaly and Metaphoricaly (as oft el&s;wher) of the Church under Chri&s;t, which he cals a new Heaven and Earth: <HI>as the new Heavens and Earth which I wil</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 66. 22. 23.</NOTE> <HI>make &s;hal remain before me; &s;o &s;hal your &s;eed and name continu from one Moon to another, and from Sabbath to Sabbath &s;hal al fle&s;h com to Wor&s;hip before me &s;aith the Lord.</HI> All which Texts our Expo&s;itors aptly apply to Chri&s;ts kingdom, when his Church &s;hal be renewed, but no new world implied: &s;o tho&s; words of the Moons light as the Sun, and Suns &s;even fold, are meant of the Churches re&s;tauration, who&s; glory &s;hal &s;eptuply exced the Suns &s;plendor, as <HI>Junius</HI> interprets, which con&s;orts to our engll&s;h Annotations: for by the glory of tho&s; excel|lent Creatures, is &s;hewed the &s;uper eminent beatitud of Gods children in Chri&s;ts kingdom the Church; but tend nothing to a new, real, material World.</P>
<P><HI>Rep. David</HI> &s;aith, Thou &s;halt change them as a Ve&s;ture, <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 102 26. 27.</NOTE> and they &s;hal be changed; which Saint <HI>Paul</HI> repeats of the&s; ma|terial Heavens and Earth: <HI>Ergo</HI> they &s;hal hav a perfectiv alte|ration, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 11. 12.</NOTE> no de&s;tructiv annillation.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Both indeed &s;peak of the&s; Heavens and Earth, but nei|ther of any perfectiv renovation; &s;ith both &s;ay they &s;hal peri&s;h by the word <HI>Balah,</HI> which properly purports Brought to nothing: for change is many wais, as in quality better or wor&s;; in quan|tity bigger or le&s;&s;; in &s;ub&s;tance by generation and corruption:
<PB N="210" REF="219"> but mo&s;tly by annihilation, which is the greate&s;t mutation <HI>ab ente ad non Ens,</HI> even to nothing. So <HI>Bellarmin</HI> blunders on that <HI>P&s;alm.</HI> God only is unchangeable, who brought the Heavens from no being to be, and wil reduce them, from a being not to be; concluding al other Creatures in the &s;ame condition. <HI>Bartholinus</HI> ob&s;ervs that mutation is often taken for annillation: as <HI>Can.</HI> 2. 11. the Winter is pa&s;t, i. quit ex|tinct <HI>I&s;ai</HI> 2. 18. the Idols &s;hal utterly aboli&s;h. Now the Hea|vens al&s;o may be &s;aid to be changed in re&s;pect of us, who &s;hal be tran&s;lated from a material vi&s;ible World, to an immaterial invi&s;ible Kingdom; from a terren po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion to a Celical Pa|radi&s;e, &s;tiled new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> and a new Heaven. The approved Annotations interpret al Texts of new Heavens and Earth Tropicaly, touching Chri&s;ts Kingdom or Church. See <HI>P&s;al. 110. 3. Jer. 31. 36. Jer. 33. 26. Joel 2. 28. Hebr. 12. 28.</HI> and el&s;wher.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The fa&s;hion of this World pa&s;&s;eth away:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Co<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 7. 31,</NOTE> <HI>Ergo</HI> the extern form only &s;hal be altered, but the e&s;&s;ence or &s;ub&s;tance not aboli&s;hed.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Are the&s; hand&s;om inferences? The Apo&s;tle a&s;&s;erts no|thing of the material World, but only denots the vanity of mundan matters, that al pa&s;&s;eth away like a tale that is told, as <HI>Calvin</HI> and <HI>Junius</HI> interpret.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Chri&s;t &s;aith&punc; &s;om &s;hal &s;it at my right hand, &s;om at my left:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 22. 30.</NOTE> <HI>ye &s;hal eat ana drink at my Table in my Kingdom: Ergo</HI> the Saints &s;hal &s;it and eat corporaly at his Table in his Human Kingdom.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is a gro&s;&s; carnal conceipt of Chilia&s;ts and other Novi&s;ts (addle devi&s;ers) who hold a new World &s;hal be created for Chri&s;ts per&s;onal Kingdom, wher he &s;hal reign or re&s;ide for ever, re&s;igning the highe&s;t Heaven to his Father: as if Infinity could not contain al things. Chri&s;t &s;peaks of eating and drinking at his Table Tropicaly (as al &s;ober Orthodox agree) deriving it from his la&s;t Supper, which he newly in&s;ti|tuted before tho&s; words were uttered: &s;ignifying the effect of it, that therby they &s;hal participat eternal life in his Heavenly Kingdom, not at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> a thou&s;and yeers before the Judgment, as common Chilia&s;ts conceiv; nor after it for
<PB REF="220"> ever in a new created World to com, as other Opinioni&s;ts deem or dream.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>The Creatures &s;hal be delivered from cor|ruptions</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 8. 21, 22, 23.</NOTE> <HI>bondage, into the glorious liberty of Gods Children: for the whol Creation grones and travels in pain together til now and not only they, but we al&s;o which hav the fir&s;t fruits of the Spirit: even we groan within, waiting for the adoption, to wit redemption of our body: Ergo</HI> al Creatures &s;hal be re&s;tored.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is like a Rabbets head left la&s;t to &s;lay, as requir|ing mo&s;t labor: for &s;uch ob&s;cure places al Secti&s;ts obtrud, as Men lov to fi&s;h in troubled waters. 'Tis mo&s;t ab&s;tru&s;e of any in the new Te&s;tament as St. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> avers: wherto many apply St. <HI>Peters</HI> words, <HI>That in Pauls Epi&s;tles &s;om things are hard</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 3. 16.</NOTE> <HI>to under&s;tand, which the unlearned and un&s;table wre&s;t (as they doo other Scriptures) to their own de&s;truction.</HI> 'Tis a good cavest for bold Buzzards, not to build doubtful doctrins on dark O|racles without good guids, unles they be found or founded on Faiths analogy el&s;wher. The fir&s;t words <HI>(The Creatur &s;hal be delivered from Corruptions bondage)</HI> may be&s;t be doon by annil|lation, being therby freed from Mens abu&s;es, and farther po&s;&s;ibility of decay; tho not re&s;tored to perfecter e&s;tate, as the letter &s;eems to &s;ay. The next <HI>(Into the glorious liberty of Gods Children)</HI> may be &s;afly expounded together with their liberty, or by rea&s;on of it, or at &s;ame time with it. So St. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> be&s;t skild in his Mother toung, interprets the par|ticl <GAP DESC="foreign"> (into) by <GAP DESC="foreign"> (together, for, or by rea&s;on of) that they &s;hal be freed by means of the Saints liberty. Semblably St. <HI>Ambro&s;</HI> &s;aith, it &s;hal be at the &s;ame time together, when the Saints &s;hal attain their glory: which two Expo&s;itions &s;eem &s;ounde&s;t to &s;alv al &s;cruples. For dumb Creatures cannot be coheirs with the elect of eternal bli&s;&s;, by redemption or re&s;ur|rection of the body (as the bare words imply) having no &s;aving faith in Chri&s;t. Tho&s; words <HI>(Not only they, but even we which hav the fir&s;t fruits of the Spirit, groan within our &s;elfs, waiting for the adoption, even the redemption of our body)</HI> plainly di&s;tin|gui&s;h betwen the Saints &s;tate, who groan and wait for the re|demption of the Body: and al other Creatures, which groan only to be delivered from corruptions bondage, together with
<PB N="211" REF="220"> the liberty of Gods Children, or at the &s;ame time, or by means of it. Which deliverance may be&s;t be atchived by a total final abolition, when they &s;hal no more be &s;ubject to &s;lavery, abu&s;e, and villany. This cleerly re&s;olvs al difficulty, to interpret the particile (into) by together with the liberty of Gods Chil|dren; according to tho&s; two orthodox Fathers authentic ex|po&s;ition. Such as a&s;&s;ert any other liberty of re&s;tauration or melioration, mu&s;t an&s;wer al foregoing Arguments for anni|hilation; or &s;hew &s;ufficient cau&s; why &s;om &s;hal be re&s;tored and not al: &s;ith St. <HI>Paul</HI> names the whol Creation or every Crea|ture, Kinds and Individuals. To &s;ay, Mixtils, Vegetals, and Bruts &s;hal partake the glorious liberty of eternal felicity with Gods Sons or Saints; is a Bruti&s;h buz which no &s;ound &s;ober Divines dare own. He u&s;eth the phra&s;e of delivery from cor|ruption rather then annihilation, as parrallel to Mans manu|mi&s;&s;ion from like bondage. <HI>Marlorat</HI> (who is for re&s;titution) comments thus: hence it appeers, into how great glory Gods Sons &s;hal be exalted, &s;ith for their &s;akes al Creatures &s;hal be renewed with them, as they were cur&s;ed for Mans fal and fault. Yet &s;hal they not partake the &s;ame mea&s;ure of glory; but a better condition after every capacity: yet what that &s;hal be in Inanimats, Plants, and Bea&s;ts is curio&s;ity to inquire; &s;ith the chief part or pitch of corruption is annillation. This implies that they may be freed from bondage of corruption (not &s;imply from corruption, as Regenerats are relea&s;ed from &s;ins reign) by utter abolition, which he cals a cheif part or pitch of corruption: but renovation is the Acme of perfection. Now if the Text be taken literaly, how can mute Creatures groan or travel in pain? But &s;ay 'tis meant Metaphoricaly of their Natural appetit to be freed from bondage: yet how can they enjoy a like liberty of Gods Sons for whom Chri&s;t died? Or grant too, that no identity is intended, but only an analogical proportion by exemplar re&s;emblance: yet how can they par|take a redemption of the Body, which having bin the Souls receptacle here, &s;hal be reunited to it for ever? <HI>'Tis &s;own a</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 23.</NOTE> <HI>corruptible Body, rai&s;ed incorruptible: &s;own in di&s;honor, rai&s;ed in glory: &s;own in weaknes, and ri&s;eth in power.</HI> Which is evi|dence enough for re&s;titution of Human Bodies: but al Crea|tures
<PB REF="221"> el&s; being compact of the common Chaos (which was made of meer nothing) &s;hal probably revert to nothing: this &s;eems to &s;ute be&s;t with Faiths analogy and Scriptures harmony, which tends more to utter abolition then re&s;titution or &s;ub&s;ti|tution; for al at la&s;t day &s;hal be delivered from corruptions bondage, when Gods &s;ons &s;hal be, and for their &s;akes; tho the maner diametraly differ: <HI>viz.</HI> the one by Redemption of the bo|dy, the other by deletion of the whol &s;ub&s;tance. So &s;aith Saint <HI>Ambro&s;,</HI> the Creature travelling in pain, hath this comfort, that it &s;hal re&s;t from labor for ever, when al &s;hal beleev, whom God knows are to beleev. Howbeit if it be granted, that al &s;hal be Individualy rai&s;ed, yet it folows not that a finit containing World &s;hal be re&s;tored, or new created: but rather al turned to infinity (&s;o wel as time to Eternity) for &s;uch infinity of Creatures, as hath bin &s;ince the World began. In brief, St. <HI>Paul</HI> intends the time when they &s;hal be delivered, not the <HI>terminus</HI> or thing into like liberty with the Saints.</P>
<P>This Que&s;tion is very difficil to decide by Scripture; nor is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Perclo&s;e.</NOTE> defined by any Synod, nor any Article of &s;alvific Faith. <HI>Pa|raeus</HI> declines the deci&s;ion; but &s;aith &s;om points are plainly a&s;|&s;erted, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 20, 21.</NOTE> which mu&s;t be beleeved: as that al Creatures are &s;ub|ject to vanity for mans &s;in, that al &s;hal be delivered from bon|dage <NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Pet. 12. 13.</NOTE> of corruption into the glorious liberty of Gods Sons, or rather for and together with it, that good Angels &s;hal abide with the Saints: that the Elect &s;hal enjoy eternal glory with Chri&s;t: that the created Heavens, Elements, and works ther|in &s;hal be burnt up: that a new Heaven and Earth mu&s;t be expected, wherin dwels righteou&s;ne&s;: but other clau&s;es; how dumb Creatures &s;hal partak the liberty of Gods Children? whether by renovation, or abolition? How many &s;orts of Creatures &s;hal be relea&s;ed? Whether al, a few, or none? How Heaven and Earth &s;hal be di&s;&s;olved by fire? whether as Gold is refined, or utterly annilled, being of no farther u&s;e? what manner of fire it &s;hal be, material or immaterial? what &s;hal be the condition, u&s;e, place, quantity, quality, glory of the new Heaven and Earth, if any &s;uch &s;hal be? Al which with other like Saint <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> &s;aith tis better to leav hid in doubt, then litigat about incertanties; &s;ith they may be debated with
<PB N="212" REF="221"> danger, but left in &s;u&s;pen&s; &s;ans harm or hazard: he holds that al &s;cruples are &s;afe&s;t &s;atisfied by annihilation: that the fire &s;hal be material, as the old world was drowned by ordinary water: &s;o &s;aith <HI>Aquinas</HI> and mo&s;t School-men, but on no good grounds: yet al agree, it &s;hal not work as a natural Agent, but divine In&s;trument, to con&s;ume the whol mundan Machin with al things therin, as God eternaly decreed; therfore it be|hovs al to decline the fury of it by turning from our &s;ins, and returning by repentance to God in Chri&s;t. Ma&s;ter <HI>John Down</HI> a pious Pa&s;tor of <HI>In&s;to</HI> (&s;ororal Nephew to Bi&s;hop <HI>Juel</HI>) had a &s;mart bout by Pen with Doctor <HI>Hakewil</HI> his intimat friend, for the worlds renovation; &s;pecialy touching the tru &s;en&s; of that dark precited Text: but in fine approved Annihilation; peru&s;e it pondrou&s;ly, but I forbear to abridg it for the pro|lixity. Surely of al three opinions (about Re&s;titution, Sub&s;ti|tution and Annillation) the la&s;t brings be&s;t Cards or faire&s;t Colors, both of Scriptures, Rea&s;ons and Authorities:</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Judicio extremo, po&s;t ultima &s;ecula, Mundus</HI></L>
<L><HI>Ignibus extinctus materialis erit.</HI></L>
<L>At the la&s;t Judgment, when Time is fini&s;hed,</L>
<L>This real world with fire &s;hal be extingui&s;hed.</L>
<L><HI>Non renovatus erit prae&s;ens, nec conditus alter</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Alit<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Co&s;mos: cum veniet &s;ero &s;uprema dies.</HI></L>
<L>This world &s;hal not renewd be, nor new formed;</L>
<L>When the la&s;t day at length &s;hal be performed.</L>
<L><HI>Mundus hic, ut perhibent pa&s;&s;im &s;acra Biblia, po&s;tquam</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Alias.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Vertitur in cineres, ann<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hilatus erit.</HI></L>
<L>This world, as Scriptures &s;peak, after 'tis burned</L>
<L>To a&s;hes, &s;hal be into Nothing turned.</L>
<L><HI>Quod fuit ex nihilo factum, po&s;t &s;ecula tandem</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Secus.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>In Nihilum hoc Mundi, grande adigetur Opus</HI></L>
<L>This worlds huge work, which was of nought compounded;</L>
<L>Shal into Nought at la&s;t day be confounded.</L>
<L><HI>In cineras Mundi redigetur maxima moles:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sive.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>In Nihilum cineres mox adigentur item.</HI></L>
<L>The worlds huge Ma&s;s int' a&s;hes &s;hal be brought,</L>
<L>Tho&s; a&s;hes too &s;hal &s;oon be turnd to Nought.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB REF="222">
<L><HI>Inchoat hicce liber primaeva ab origine Mundi:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Epiphonema.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Cum Mundi excidio terminat i&s;tud Opus.</HI></L>
<L>At the Worlds origin that Book inchoats:</L>
<L>With the Worlds period this work terminats.</L>
<L><HI>Incipit a Mundo primus liber i&s;te creato:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Aliud.</NOTE></L>
<L><HI>Cum Mundi exitio de&s;init hicce liber.</HI></L>
<L>That fir&s;t Book took ri&s;e at the Worlds creation:</L>
<L>This la&s;t takes end with the Worlds annillation.</L>
<L><HI>Juvenci carmina de mundi conflagratione.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Immortale nihil mundi compage tenetur:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Non Orbis, non Regna hominium, non aurea</HI> Roma:</L>
<L><HI>Non Mare, non Tellus, non ignea Sydera Coeli.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Nam &s;tatuit Genitor rerum irrevocabile tempus.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Quo totum torrens rapiet flamma ultima mundum.</HI></L>
<L>In Mundan machin naught's immortal found:</L>
<L>Not golden <HI>Rome,</HI> not realms, not the Globe round.</L>
<L>Not Sea, not Earth, not Stars within Heavens bound.</L>
<L>For the Worlds founder fixd time doth propound,</L>
<L>When the la&s;t fire &s;hal the whol World confound.</L>
</LG>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="subjunct supplement">
<PB N="213" REF="222">
<HEAD><HI>S&V;PPLEMENTA S&V;BJ&V;NCTA</HI> SUPPLEMENTS SUBIOYNED <HI>Supplementum de Fe&s;tis:</HI> A Supply about holy Dais. <HI>Fe&s;ta Chri&s;ti &s;acranda:</HI> Chri&s;tian Fe&s;ts &s;acred. <HI>Natalis Chri&s;ti Fe&s;tum:</HI> Chri&s;ts Birth-days Fe&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The two debats (touching Name and Thing) about, celebrating <HI>E&s;&s;ay.</HI> Chri&s;t was fairly agitated.</HEAD>
<P>THe name, term, or title (Chri&s;tmas, Chri&s;tide, <NOTE PLACE="marg">State of the Que&s;tion.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts Nativity or Birth-day) may indifferently be u&s;ed &s;ans &s;candal, as men plea&s;; being meer tittle, tattle or word-war: but the thing or matter of mo&s;t concernment is, whether it be lawful, u&s;eful, or behooful to &s;et apart, &s;olennize, and &s;anctify one day or mo annaly in memory of Gods greate&s;t mercy to Mankind; for &s;ending his only begotten beloved Son to &s;av &s;inners: by a&s;&s;uming our Nature into his Per&s;on, and &s;uffering death for us? Specialy &s;ith his dear Spou&s; the Church hath in&s;tituted and injoyned it to be religiou&s;ly (not riotou&s;ly) ob&s;erved by al tru Chri&s;ti|ans. Which cau&s;le&s;&s; controver&s;y &s;hal be &s;uccinctly and &s;in|cerely di&s;cu&s;&s;ed with al mode&s;ty and moderation on both
<PB REF="223"> &s;ides, not declining to by diverticles. The Oppo&s;ers cheif Objections folow in order.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> The tru time, &s;et &s;ea&s;on, main month, and direct Day is utterly unknown, or cannot certainly be prefined or pre|&s;cribed: <HI>Ergo</HI> the thing is not to be u&s;ed.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The con&s;equent halts on al four feet: for the thing is pious and impo&s;ed by authentic authority; tho the time dubious or di&s;putable: nor is the antecedent veritable or irrefragable; for al antient Tradition tels, that it befel at the Hyemal Sol|&s;tice then &s;ited on <HI>December</HI> twenty five; but now removed farther forth ful twelv dais and eight hours: becau&s;e we fo|lowing the <HI>Julian</HI> Calender without reforming, take in ten mi|nuts and forty four &s;ecunds every yeer more then the Suns tru revolution allows: which in one hundred thirty four yeers complet a day; yet &s;till <HI>December</HI> twenty five tho not at Sol|&s;tice. So the <HI>Gregorian</HI> Calendar &s;ubtracting ten dais (which &s;hould hav bin twelv) keeps &s;o long righter before us. Hence <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luk.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 8, 9.</NOTE> our Saxon Ance&s;tors caled it Midwinter day (as <HI>John Bapti&s;ts</HI> byrth day is caled mid-Summer, being ju&s;t &s;ix Solar months or half a yeer a&s;under; and known to be E&s;tival Sol&s;tice by his Fa|thers then waiting in the cour&s; of <HI>Abia</HI>) implying that day: <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 3. 30.</NOTE> for Chri&s;t was born as dais were beginning to lengthen, and <HI>John</HI> at &s;hortning: whence <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, <HI>He mu&s;t increa&s;, but I decrea&s;</HI> alluding (as &s;om &s;urmi&s;e) to the time of both their births. <HI>Ju&s;tin Martyr</HI> makes it mo&s;t manife&s;t by <HI>Augu&s;tus Cae&s;ars</HI> Cen&s;ual Role (which grand general Tax accited <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> and <HI>Mary</HI> to <HI>Bethleem</HI>) that he was born <HI>December</HI> 25. about Winter Sol&s;tice: which <HI>Tertullian</HI> the be&s;t Antiquary, preci&s;ely ratifies. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> &s;aith they received it from mo&s;t accurat Ob&s;ervers dwelling at <HI>Rome,</HI> who had it traditionaly from their Antece&s;&s;ors up to the Apo&s;tles: wherto <HI>Origen, Cyprian, Au&s;tin, L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o,</HI> and al Antients agree. <HI>Leo</HI> &s;aith Chri&s;ts genera|tion is the Churches initiation, and the Birth-day of the Head a beginning of the Body. For the Church in imitation therof, con&s;ecrated Fe&s;ts to the Apo&s;tles, Martyrs, and &s;om Con|fe&s;&s;ors: which in proce&s;&s; of time multiplied beyond du bounds but mo&s;t of them expunged by our Mother Church &s;ince the <NOTE PLACE="marg">In Ni<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">omedia.</NOTE> Reformation. <HI>Diocle&s;ian</HI> burnt twenty thou&s;and Martyrs on
<PB N="214" REF="223"> Chri&s;ts byrth day <HI>December</HI> the twenty fifth, as tru Records te|&s;tify, which are proofs &s;ufficient for the &s;ea&s;on, month, and day, yea far better then al their negativ cavils to the contrary: yet to gratify them, it &s;hal be granted <HI>gratis</HI> that the time is incer|tain, if they will freely and fairly confe&s;&s; the Thing (which im|pudence it &s;elf cannot deny) to be lawful, That Chri&s;tians may without offen&s; keep holy one Anniver&s;ary day appointed by the Catholic Church, in memory of our Saviours manife&s;tation in the fle&s;h.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> The bug. Bear title (Chri&s;tmas) is taken from the Po|pi&s;h Ma&s;&s;: <HI>Ergo</HI> the thing repre&s;ented or celebrated, mu&s;t needs be &s;uper&s;titious, idolatrous and antichri&s;tian.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The word <HI>Mi&s;&s;a</HI> (Ma&s;&s;) is derived from <HI>mi&s;&s;io</HI> &s;ending, becau&s; at celebration of the Euchari&s;t, al non-Communicants were di&s;mi&s;&s;ed or bid go forth: but u&s;ed by the Church to &s;ig|nify &s;acred &s;ervice long yer Popery was hatched or Antichri&s;t appeered: and al &s;uper&s;titious Ceremonies crept up &s;ince, are cru&s;hed or ca&s;hired by our Church. <HI>Ma&s;&s;</HI> in old Saxon language imports a Fe&s;t or Holy-day, as <HI>Ver&s;tegan</HI> informs; yet more probably Fe&s;ts had that appellation from Ma&s;&s;: but no matter of moment lies in words (no more then to cal our week dais by their old Heathen names) which may be al|tered or innovated at the impo&s;ers wils, and al words meer wind free or far enough from Popi&s;h &s;uper&s;tition and Anti|thri&s;tian Idolatry.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Many Ethnic cu&s;tomes remain &s;til among the Vulg in our Land: <HI>Ergo</HI> the thing which occa&s;ions them is to be abo|li&s;hed as <HI>Ezekiah</HI> demoli&s;hed the bra&s;en Serpent.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The inference is infirm, for good grain mu&s;t not be ca&s;t out with weeds: nor is the bra&s;en Serpent a &s;emblable in&s;tance, which the I&s;raelits made an Idol, and burnt Incen&s; to it, but rude People adore the tru God with &s;om mixture of fooli&s;h fa&s;hions, now mo&s;tly left being better taught. Yet the Antecedent argues, that this levan hath continued ever &s;ince their conver&s;ion: and is a proof beyond exception of its Antiquity, and that it was &s;til celebrated on December 25.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Sundry &s;uper&s;titious Rites, of Carols, Wa&s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ils, Riots, Drinking, Dancing, Dicing, Carding, and prophane &s;ports
<PB REF="224"> borowed from the mad <HI>Saturnalia</HI> held in Decem. for the honor of Saturn and Ceres (to whom they &s;ung filthy Cariles like the&s; Carols) are retained &s;til: <HI>Ergo</HI> &s;uch &s;candals &s;hould be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed root and branch.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Let al ju&s;t &s;candals and abu&s;es be rooted out, as mo&s;t are: but the impeachment is impious, invented by the Scrip|ture Almanack maker; that becau&s; Pagans did &s;uch wicked pranks to fal&s; Gods, Chri&s;tians doo the &s;ame in &s;erving the tru God. Indeed the <HI>Saturnalia</HI> were held in December, but <HI>Ceres</HI> Cariles in April: and what is either to <HI>Chri&s;tmas?</HI> Nor may common Carols (which are &s;acred &s;ongs like holy Anthems &s;uted to the Sea&s;ons) be compared with Heathen Hymns: but Wa&s;hails are rude ridiculous revellings almo&s;t antiquated. Such attendant abu&s;es may be redre&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed or re|pre&s;&s;ed by Mini&s;ters prudence and Magi&s;trats penalties: with|out which the Lords day would be prophaned like the re&s;t. The Church only appoints praiers and prai&s;es to God, not allowing any abu&s;es: nor are riots practi&s;ed on Chri&s;tmas day (which was ever &s;anctified very devoutly with divine Service, Sermons, and Sacraments) when al Houskeepers fed at home temperatly: but al exce&s;&s; doon on the dais appendent, which is rea&s;onably re&s;trained. Drinking, Dicing, and al exorbitant enormities may be decried by preaching, or di&s;carded by pu|ni&s;hing: but civil Dancing, moderat Carding, and harmle&s;&s; country &s;ports for recreativ mirth to &s;hew Peoples rejoycings tolerated. 'Tis prepo&s;terous to u&s;e the Mattock, when a prun|ning Hook wil better rectify. For noxious &s;urcles may be pared or pruned off, yet the main Tree or thing pre&s;erved from rooting up. La&s;tly for Belly fare, ther is <HI>modus</HI> in <HI>rebus,</HI> and much ods betwixt gurmandizing &s;uperfluity and gratuitous ho&s;pitality, with charitable feeding the poor: which yet through general poverty and par&s;imony is greatly abated; that ther is more cau&s; to complain of defect then exuberance that way. Howbeit tho&s; rigid Rhadamants lov lu&s;cious luxu|rious fea&s;ting at al times el&s; (&s;pecialy on A&s;hwend&s;day, good-Friday, or other fa&s;ting dais) more then any Chri&s;tmas Men u&s;ed heretofore. Yea the <HI>Scots</HI> at fir&s;t Reformation, ca&s;hired al Popi&s;h cu&s;toms and ceremonies, except their beloved Grece-Cup
<PB N="215" REF="224"> (which was to &s;erv in at end of meals al liquor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> then u&s;ed) wherof ech drank what he li&s;ted.</P>
<P>In &s;um, Chri&s;tmas harmle&s;&s; &s;ports in &s;it &s;ea&s;ons are lawful, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> good fires behooful, holy Hymns u&s;eful, New-yeers gifts fruitful, begetting mutual amity among Neighbors; and plen|tiful fare without &s;urfet or ebriety cheerful: whatever Secti&s;ts ca|vil in their Chairs or Pulpits to the contrary. It folows not that every thing which Pagans or Papi&s;ts doo, is Heatheni&s;h or Po|pi&s;h: for Gentils doo many excellent things by Natures princi|ples (which Go&s;pel Principles confirm) that are commendable in Chri&s;tians: &s;o Papi&s;ts retain &s;undry points of Doctrin, Di&s;ciplin, and maners, which Prote&s;tants may imitat.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Such Fe&s;ts are not warranted by Chri&s;ts precept, nor Apo&s;tles practi&s;e, nor any authentic authority: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis Wil|wor&s;hip fitto be extirped or extermined.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Lords day hath no warrant of precept or practi&s;e in Scripture; yet lawful, nece&s;&s;ary, and generaly (tho not &s;pecialy) Moral by the fir&s;t words of the fourth Command|ment: but neither this nor Chri&s;tmas wants authentic autho|rity of the univer&s;al Church through al ages: nor is one wil|wor&s;hip more then the other. For wil-wor&s;hip (as St. <HI>Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 23.</NOTE> &s;hews) hath no Scripture warrant general or &s;pecial, but only the vain wil or phan&s;y of Men: as wor&s;hiping Angels, and placing an ab&s;olut nece&s;&s;ity of holines in things indifferent. The general rule of St. <HI>Paul (Let al be doon decently in order)</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. 40.</NOTE> is &s;ufficient warrant without particular precept, precedent, or practi&s;e for Chri&s;ts Spou&s; to ordain occa&s;ional Fe&s;ts, in them|&s;elfs lawful and laudable, tending to Gods glory and Peoples good; as &s;om are often appointed among us upon emergent occa&s;ions or occurrents. So the Jews freely ob&s;erved an an|nal Fe&s;t of dedicating the Altar in&s;tituted by <HI>Judas Macha|beus,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> 4 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">9.</NOTE> after the Temple had bin Idolatrou&s;ly polluted by <HI>An|tiochus</HI> Epiphanes: which yet is not &s;pecified (much le&s;&s; &s;an|ctified) in the old Te&s;tament or Canon of Scripture: but Chri&s;t honored it with his pre&s;ence; as he did their &s;eptidial <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 10 22.</NOTE> mariage Fea&s;ts with his fir&s;t tran&s;ub&s;tantiating miracle of turn|ing Water into Wine in <HI>Cana.</HI> So the Catholic Church or any particular may con&s;titut or celebrat &s;et dais for pious
<PB REF="225"> purpo&s;es (yeerly or extraordinary) if they &s;hal &s;ee good cau&s;.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Tatling Tradition tels, that Chri&s;t was born Dec. 25. then at <HI>Sol&s;tice,</HI> immediatly after Midnight, as the dais began to lengthen: but the Church of <HI>England</HI> celebrated the Birth day ful twelv dais after the Hyemal Sol&s;tice: <HI>Ergo</HI> hir Ac|compt was erroneous.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is already an&s;wered to the fir&s;t argument, and the rea&s;on rendered of that deviation, becau&s; we folow the Julian Calendar &s;ans reformation: but tho the Church of <HI>England</HI> doth not ob&s;erv the tru preci&s;e time of the Winter Sol&s;tice; yet &s;he celebrats the tru day (Dec. 25.) according to the Julian Accompt &s;til, which is &s;ufficient: nor is the time &s;o exactly to be regarded, as the thing or benefit to be remem|bred.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> No Magi&s;trats can make Dais holy, nor impo&s;e them <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4 9.</NOTE> to be nece&s;&s;arily or perpetualy ob&s;erved: <HI>For the Apo&s;tles cal &s;uch ob&s;ervances weak beggerly Elements, the yoke of bondage,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal 5. 1.</NOTE> <HI>and rudiments of the Law, which de&s;troy Chri&s;tian liberty: Ergo</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2 20.</NOTE> they cannot in&s;titut Fe&s;ts.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Indeed they cann<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t make dais holy, or impo&s;e them to be ob&s;erved under pain of damnation, which d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;trois Chri|&s;tian liberty; and is a proper privilege of Gods power: nor are dais properly holy inherently, no more then Churches or Elements of the Sacraments, which yet are cald holy being appointed or appropriated to Religious u&s;es: &s;o Magi&s;trats may &s;anctify or &s;et apart certain dais to holy &s;ervices for Gods glory; having free ful power to order things indifferent. The Jews ordained occa&s;ional Fe&s;ts, which Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles ob&s;erved with their pre&s;ence: &s;o our Magi&s;trats ap|point dais of Humiliation and Thank&s;giving, which People are bound to keep holy: much more Chri&s;tmas day for many rea&s;ons. 1. God promi&s;ed it when he &s;aid to the Serpent, <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 8. 56.</NOTE> <HI>The Womans &s;eed &s;hal break thy head: 2. Chri&s;t &s;aith, Abra|ham rejoiced to &s;ee this Day: 3. Jacob foretold it, that the Scep|ter</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 7. 14.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hal not depart from Juda til Shiloh com: 4. I&s;aiah &s;aith a Virgin &s;hal conceiv and bear a Son cald Immanuel: for unto us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; the Prince of Peace:</HI> at
<PB N="216" REF="225"> who&s; byrth was public Peace through al the Roman world. Saint <HI>Paul</HI> cals it the fulnes of time, when Men and Angels <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Gal. 4. 4. Luk</HI> 2. 10, 11&punc; 13.</NOTE> were filled with ineffable joy and admiration. The Angel which told the Shepherds of his byrth, <HI>had a multitud of heavenly Ho&s;t prai&s;ing God &s;aying, Glory to God in the highe&s;t, and on Earth Peace, good will towards Men. Clement</HI> an Apo|&s;tolic man bids Chri&s;tians keep Fe&s;ts diligently, and in the fir&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Con&s;t. Apo&s;t&punc; l. 5. c.</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> place Chri&s;ts byrth day, which al primitiv Fathers and others from age to age, til our mad-brain days, hav mo&s;t devoutly celebrated; yea on the very twenty fith of <HI>December,</HI> who&s; exemple and exhortations in their &s;acred Sermons, Homilies, and Treati&s;es, the late reformed Churches of <HI>Helvetia, Bohe|mia, Bremen, Au&s;purg, Savoy, Poland, Hungary, Scotland, France, Belgia, Palatinat,</HI> (be&s;ide <HI>Denmarc, Sweden,</HI> and al <HI>Lutheran</HI> Churches in <HI>Germany</HI> or el&s;wer) folow both by pra|cti&s;e and Precept.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> The Lords Day &s;anctified weekly in memory of Chri&s;ts Re&s;urrection, is &s;ole-&s;ufficient in &s;tead of al el&s;: <HI>Ergo</HI> to ad any on work dais without warrant, is &s;uper&s;titious wil-wor|&s;hip, &s;pecialy &s;ith tis commanded &s;ix dais thou &s;halt labor, but keep holy the (or a) &s;eventh day.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Tho&s; har&s;h terms of &s;uper&s;titious wil-wor&s;hip ca&s;t on <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ana<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">me <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> the Service Book.</NOTE> Chri&s;tian Fe&s;ts, are cau&s;le&s;&s; calumnies, being their common brands or badges be&s;towed on our public Liturgy which they cal rank Athei&s;m, a proud Strumpet, a cur&s;ed Ma&s;&s; of &s;uper|&s;tition, ful of Serpents, bathed in the blood of Bodies, Souls and E&s;tats; the reliques of Popi&s;h dregs; the very (head not &s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mp or l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">) of the Dragon; the jugling or conjuring of Magicians, and character of Antichri&s;t; who &s;ay our thirty nine Articles are &s;tuffed with Popery and Arminiani&s;m: but &s;corn the book of Homilies as mo&s;t cour&s; contemptible kitch|in-&s;tuf. If to rail or revile be &s;ufficient, who cannot be elo|quent? and how ea&s;y is it to ca&s;t &s;uch ba&s;e dirt in their deere&s;t mothers face, which may fitly be retorted: they reviv the <HI>Pe|tru&s;ians</HI> Here&s;y, who decried al Chri&s;tian Fe&s;ts, to introduce Athei&s;m, which in milder language is &s;tiled Libertini&s;m. The Lords day is mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary and mu&s;t be doon, yet the re&s;t not left undoon, &s;ith al tend to one end; nor is it &s;o &s;ole-&s;ufficient
<PB REF="226"> to &s;huffle out the right religious celebration of al other Fe&s;ti|vals, for wher is it &s;aid we &s;hal &s;anctify that only, or why doo we ordain others upon occa&s;ions: the A&s;cen&s;ion was Chri&s;ts la&s;t act of appeering on Earth, yet may it not exclud the com|memoration of his Re&s;urrection, no more then that can includ the celebration of al antecedent ble&s;&s;ings or benefits imparted by his Pa&s;&s;ion, Circumci&s;ion, Nativity and Conception; let God be glorified in al his wondrous works; yea tho&s; Annal Fe&s;ts were in&s;tituted by the &s;ame authority that the weekly Lords Day, tho this haply fir&s;t by the Apo&s;tles meeting theron <NOTE PLACE="marg">A. C. 324.</NOTE> to break bread (which yet they did at other times) but <HI>Con&s;tan|tin</HI> publi&s;hed the fir&s;t Edict or Law for &s;trict ob&s;erving of it: (which Decree enjoyns al&s;o an Anniver&s;ary celebration of o|ther Fe&s;ts con&s;ecrat to our Saviours name, as <HI>Eu&s;ebius</HI> and <HI>So|zomen</HI> relate; tho&s; words of the fourth Commandement (<HI>&s;ix dais thou &s;halt labor</HI>) are only permi&s;&s;iv (thou &s;halt hav leav to labor &s;ix dais) not preceptiv to injoyn it; &s;ith the &s;ole intenti|on is to &s;anctify the &s;eventh.</P>
<P>Ma&s;ter <HI>Fi&s;her</HI> who writes judiciou&s;ly of this &s;ubject &s;aith, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Of Go&s;pel Fe&s;tivals.</NOTE> that the moral part of the fourth Commandement in the fir&s;t words (<HI>Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day</HI>) injoyns only a Sabbath (no preci&s;e particular time) to Gods public &s;ervice; but the Ceremonial commands the &s;eventh day (&s;ince abroga|ted) on which God re&s;ted to be halowed: yet the Lords Day is not appointed to be &s;anctified by the Letter of that Commandement, nor is it moral: no nor doth the Go&s;pel giv any warrant to keep it weekly.</P>
<P>St. <HI>John</HI> &s;pecifies two times of Chri&s;ts appeering to his Di&s;|ciples <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 20. 9. 19.</NOTE> after his Re&s;urrection: 1. At evening the &s;ame day he <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk 24 29. 33. 41. 42.</NOTE> ro&s;e, when they a&s;&s;embled with the dores &s;hut for fear of the Jews, and had broild fi&s;h with an Hony comb for &s;upper: but they met not to celebrat his Re&s;urrection, as new Sabba|tarians teach: nor had they any Praying, Preaching, or other Divine duties ther mentioned. For <HI>Mary Magdalens</HI> go|ing to the Sepulcher with Spices, and the two Di&s;ciples tra|veling <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 20. 26.</NOTE> to <HI>Emaus,</HI> cleerly convince it in their reput to be a or commonday. 2. After eight dais (or when eight dais were complet) which haply was the ninth: &s;o it fals on the &s;ecund
<PB N="217" REF="226"> third of next; but cannot be on the fir&s;t day of the week, unles they &s;ay (as &s;om doo) that after eight dais mu&s;t be interpreted before eight dais (<HI>viz.</HI> on the &s;eventh) which is prepo&s;terous. In al the Acts of Apo&s;tles is no appointment of holy A&s;&s;emb|lies on the fir&s;t day abov the re&s;t. St. <HI>Paul</HI> being to depart next morow, cam together with the D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ciples at <HI>Troas</HI> on the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 15. 28. 29.</NOTE> fir&s;t of the week to break bread (which al grant was Sunday night) and continued together til Day-break: mu&s;t we ther|fore keep the Lords day from Sunday night til Monday morn|ing, or rather from Saturday night to Sunday night, as they &s;ay, &s;urely they then met daily to Pray, Preach, and break bread without di&s;tinction of one day before another: and that a&s;&s;embly was in the night, when the Lords day was pa&s;t. In al the &s;acred Epi&s;tles of <HI>Paul, James, Peter, John, Jude</HI> is not one &s;yllable of the Lords day: tho&s; words (<HI>ther remains ther|fore</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb 4. 9 11. 14.</NOTE> <HI>a re&s;t to Gods People</HI>) are not meant of a temporal weekly re&s;t, but a &s;piritual eternal in the Heavens; wher Chri&s;t Je&s;us our high Prie&s;t is gon before us, into which Men mu&s;t &s;triv to enter by Faith: being begun in this life by cea&s;ing from &s;in and dooing righteou&s;nes; but fini&s;hed or perfectly conti|nued in the life to com. Indeed St. <HI>Johns</HI> &s;peech (<HI>That he</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 1. 10.</NOTE> <HI>was in the Spirit on the Lords day at Ile Patmos</HI>) &s;hews ther was a day then &s;o caled: but whether it were a Fe&s;tival, whe|ther weekly or Annal? And if weekly, whether the fir&s;t of Chri&s;ts Re&s;urrection, or &s;ixth of his Pa&s;&s;ion (which the Greecs kept weekly til <HI>Con&s;tantins</HI> Edict, and <HI>Patmos</HI> is a Grecian Iland) is not expre&s;&s;ed, nor is the weekly celebration of it commended or commanded in &s;acred Scripture. Yet it is very antient even in the Apo&s;tles dais, grounded on the fore&s;aid words, and generaly received in al Churches: &s;o 'tis a cu&s;tom, con&s;titution, or tradition of the Catholic Church; but no Doctrin or Article of Faith pre&s;cribed in Gods Word, as al Orthodox Authors agree. The Church &s;et it apart in &s;tead of the &s;eventh day on good grounds.</P>
<P>1. The Morality of the fourth Commandement requires &s;et dais or times for Gods public &s;ervice: &s;o the Church accor|ding to the liberty wherwith Chri&s;t hath made her free, con&s;e|crated the fir&s;t day among other Annals to be weekly kept holy,
<PB REF="227"> without any affi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mation of morality, which is but the blind zele of &s;om men. 2. The equity of a &s;eventh day under the Law, moved the Church to a&s;&s;ign a like proportion of the fir&s;t day every week to be Religiou&s;ly halowed, howbeit &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> hath &s;ufficient Rea&s;ons to refu&s;e the la&s;t day and chu&s;e the fir&s;t: 1. that by not ob&s;erving the Sabbath, Chri&s;tians might be and they are freed from the yoke of the Ceremonial Laws. 2. that herby a difference or di&s;tinction might be put betwixt us and the Jews. The like two motivs or inducements &s;he hath to chu&s;e the fir&s;t. 1. Becau&s; God began the Creation on that day. 2. In memory of our Saviours Re&s;urrection, becau&s; therby he mightily declared him&s;elf to be the Lord, in which regard tis caled the Lords Day; yet tis &s;o &s;poken by way of affirmation, not appropriation; as if he declared him&s;elf to be the Lord at <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 1. 23.</NOTE> no other time, or no day el&s; to be termed the Lords. 1. For he mightily declared him&s;elf to be the Lord by being born of a pure Virgin, as no meer man ever was, and that is &s;o wel to be caled the Lords day; yea he &s;elf expre&s;ly cals it his day, <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 8. 56.</NOTE> Semblably in &s;u&s;taining Gods wrath, for the &s;ins of the World, he mightily declared him&s;elf to be the Lord, and the Pa&s;&s;ion day may be &s;o &s;tiled. Again by a&s;cending into Heaven in his Apo&s;tles view, he mightily declared him&s;elf to be the Lord, and that is al&s;o the Lords day. 2. Chri&s;t by his Re&s;urrection occa&s;ioned the fir&s;t day to be kept holy; whence &s;om Writers &s;ay he changed the Sabbath into that day: not as if he were Author or In&s;titutor, and did actualy &s;et it apart to be halow|ed; but only was <HI>Cau&s;a &s;ine qua non</HI> or occa&s;ion of it: as 'tis &s;aid here, the Papi&s;ts made Nov. 5. an holy day, yet the Parle|ment inacted it. 3. That Chri&s;ts ri&s;ing is a part of Mans re|demption, but not the whol work: but his Incarnation, Birth, Pa&s;&s;ion, A&s;cention hav their &s;everal &s;hares &s;o wel as the Re|&s;urrection. Sith then to be conceived, born, crucified, buried, ri&s;e again, a&s;cend into Heaven had not bin &s;ufficient &s;ingly, unles al had concurred: the Nativity day when he was openly manife&s;ted to Men, being celebrated in memory of a work &s;o wonderful as the Re&s;urrection; and the day in&s;tituted by the &s;ame authority of the Church; is to be equaly e&s;teemed as the weekly Lords day: nor is this more or otherwi&s;e ap|pointed
<PB N="218" REF="227"> to rejoyce in then the day of his Birth. To this effect he which is not ab&s;olutly authentic in al circum&s;tances; but he bows a crooked &s;tick back to make it &s;traight, and pregnantly provs the lawfulnes, u&s;efulnes, and behooful<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es of celebrat|i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g Chri&s;tmas with other Go&s;pel Fe&s;tivals: which is al that I aim at, &s;ans comparing any to the weekly Lords day, which may &s;eem odious or &s;candalous to &s;uch as hav bin otherwi&s;e taught, trained, or tutored. Howbeit to contemn it wilfully when it was e&s;tabli&s;hed both by Spiritual and Secular Lawes to rail or vilify it, to work upon it and re&s;train from Church (which was too too frequent and familiar in times of yore) mu&s;t needs cen&s;ure and condemn for peevi&s;h, perver&s;, maliti|ous ignorance, or wild zele &s;ans knowlege. For 'tis a violation both of the fourth Commandment (which they allege for Morality of the Lords day) &s;ith it was a day of re&s;t appointed by lawful authority for Gods &s;pecial Service: and al&s;o of the fifth, &s;ith they de&s;pi&s;e and di&s;honor their Mother the Church: in which re&s;pect Chri&s;t compares &s;uch to Pagans and Publi|cans: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18. 17.</NOTE> be&s;ide the breach of al order and decency in Divine wor&s;hip, which St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;o much commendeth to be ob|&s;erved <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 Cor.</HI> 14. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> by al Chri&s;tians. Pardon the prolixity of this Solu|tion.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Som idely prattle, that new yeers gifts and gratulations (God giv you a good yeer &amp;c.) &s;avour of gro&s;&s; Gentil &s;uper|&s;tition: <HI>Ergo,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> They are meer civil courte&s;ies (no Religious Rites) like pre&s;ents &s;ent to great Per&s;ons or privat friends; and pa|rallel to common &s;alutations (good morow, good night, good &s;peed) which are liable to no &s;uper&s;tition, &s;o that mote is re|moved: but if they would con&s;cientiou&s;ly ca&s;t out the beam of fa&s;tidious prejudication, prophanation, and defamation with al uncharitablenes remaining in their own eys; they &s;hould more cleerly de&s;cry or di&s;cern good from evil, light from darknes, and verity from fal&s;ity.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Others ca&s;t a captious bone in my Di&s;h, that our &s;tate hath ca&s;hired &s;et Fe&s;ts, together with Monarchy, Prelacy, Li|turgy, &s;olen &s;ervice at Burials, Mariage by Mini&s;ters, and other Religious Rites: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis pre&s;umption to plead for or protect any one of them.</P>
<PB REF="228">
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is a two edgd Sword &s;harp on both &s;ides, wher a rude hobling ver&s; mu&s;t be remembred: <HI>contra Argumentum e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;i&s;erum contendere noli,</HI> but this in point of Evangelical Fe&s;ts, concerns Magi&s;trats and Mini&s;ters, not privat per&s;ons. For if they dare to celebrat Chri&s;tmas or other holy dais, I wil pre&s;ume to be pre&s;ent by way of devotion, without wilful di&s;obedience to Superiors; &s;o wel as at their arbitrary exer|ci&s;es of Thank&s;giving or Humiliation; appointed publicly by the State, or privatly in particular Congregations upon &s;elf|devi&s;ed <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Edw. 6. 5. 6. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. 3. Eliz 1. c.</HI> 2. made <HI>A. 1645.</HI></NOTE> occa&s;ions. Two Parliments hav inacted a du cele|bration of Chri&s;tmas with other Fe&s;ts, which &s;til &s;tand inforce: for one only ORder condemns holy dais not warranted in the Word (yet Nov. 5. &s;tands &s;til, as 'tis fit it &s;hould) which cannot annul an Act; &s;ith 'tis a Maxime in Law, that every thing mu&s;t be di&s;&s;olved the &s;ame way 'tis made. Nor is Chri&s;t|mas contained in tho&s; general words of that Order, being warranted by the general words of Scripture, in&s;tituted by Apo&s;tolic Churches, and practi&s;ed in the Reformed. Yea the procurers of that Order (who wronged many privat Men, and very unju&s;ty took from me a Mannor bought of the Dean and Chapter of <HI>Exceter,</HI> worth twelv thou&s;and pounds) were &s;ince routed or thru&s;t out of the Hou&s;, and publickly de|clared to be a <HI>Party or Faction Apo&s;tats from their fir&s;t Princi|ples,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Parl. Declar. Sep. 27. 1649</NOTE> <HI>bearing only the name of Patriots and Lovers of Religion, but indeed needed Reformation.</HI> The authority of Divines a&s;&s;embly <NOTE PLACE="marg">Antipol. 256.</NOTE> is of no validity: for <HI>Edward,</HI> their Favorer &s;aith, <HI>That an A&s;&s;embly cho&s;en by Magi&s;trats (as that was by Parlement) hath no power by any primitiv patern to draw up a Government or Directory of wor&s;hip, for &s;o many Churches (being about 10000. Pari&s;hes in England) wherof mo&s;t part had not one mem|ber pre&s;ent. Mr.</HI> Fi&s;her <HI>&s;aith, that Pre&s;byteri&s;ts decry Preach|ing or admini&s;tring Sacraments on Chri&s;tmas day, or any other &s;av the weekly Lords day: yet they Lecture any day, or make Fe&s;ts and Fa&s;ts at their plea&s;ures: nor wil permit any to com|municat, unles <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> be confe&s;&s;ed or approved by the Pa&s;tor and his Pr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;by<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ery. They Preach and Teach, that 'tis unlawful to eat Min<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d Pyes, Plum broths, or Brawn in December: to trim Churches or Hou&s;es with Holly and Ivy: to &s;tick a C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">llar of
<PB N="219" REF="228"> Brawn or Ro&s;t Beef with Ro&s;mary: to play at Cards or giv mony to Trade&s;mens Boxes, or &s;end a couple of Capons or any other Pre&s;ents at Chri&s;tmas: to u&s;e a Ring in Mariage, or cover a Her&s; with a whit Sheet.</HI> Al which with many mo &s;uch pety fopperies, they cal Popi&s;h Antichri&s;tian &s;uper&s;titions: yet they mo&s;t &s;otti&s;h in &s;o &s;aying and &s;educing poor People into a dangerous dete&s;tation of ob&s;erving our Saviours Birth day Fe&s;t.</P>
<P>Here I de&s;ire al to take notice once for al, that in a larger Folio work intended to the Pre&s;&s; &s;o &s;oon as this hand can tran&s;cribe it, I no wher meddle with &s;tate affairs, nor tax the &s;uppre&s;&s;ion of any Religious Ordi|nances, which were high pre&s;umption to doo: for who made me a comptroler of others, &s;pecialy my Superiors? But only defend the lawfulnes of them, leaving al to their free di&s;po|&s;al. I am a plain welmeaning Man, who claim a Scholars pri|vilege to di&s;pute <HI>de omni Ente,</HI> for better ventilation of verity: but in the preceding Theological Treati&s;e, produce nothing &s;av what very learned Orthodox Authors pre&s;cribe publicly in Print, which is a &s;ufficient warrant. The things in them|&s;elfs are the &s;ame under al mutations of State, and u&s;ed latly in our Mother Church: nor &s;hould good writers turn their tunes with every Wind. I maintain Monarchy to be the be&s;t form of civil Government, and Epi&s;copy of Eccle&s;ia&s;tic: I hold &s;et Praier be&s;t in public Congregations, and &s;acred Fe&s;ts fit for &s;pecial occa&s;ions; be&s;ide &s;olen &s;ea&s;ons of fa&s;ting for our &s;ins; but prefine no rules in tho&s; behalfs. I like divine Service and Sermons at Funerals for the Auditors edification, de&s;iring the like &s;hortly at mine own; and di&s;like dumb &s;hews: but we may not be our own Carvers or Chu&s;ers, and Inferiors mu&s;t &s;ubmit with al meeknes, mode&s;ty, and humility, as I ever hav doon, I approv Mariages by Mini&s;ters in public Churches before tho&s; by Magi&s;trats in privat places: &s;ith 'tis a &s;acred Ordinance of God in Paradi&s;e, and not &s;imply civil or carnal. Generaly I prefer venerable Antiquity ratified by our Church, to phanta&s;tic fanatic novities of modern devi&s;ers in al Adia|phorals. Let tho&s; that lov Monarchy, Prelacy, Liturgy, Burial Sermons, Mariage by Mini&s;ters, and harmle&s;&s; holy dais; hold
<PB REF="229"> their Opinions &s;til: but &s;uch as wil hav none, &s;hal hav none with my good wil; &s;o every one may ride his own Hobby-Hor&s;. If Adders wil not be charmed nor Panthers tamed, let them remain wild or wilful &s;til. One punctilio re&s;ts, whe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">in I would gladly be right under&s;tood: that I &s;omwher blazen the per&s;onal virtues of &s;om Soveraign Princes, and brand o|thers Vices (as <HI>Henry</HI> 6. and <HI>Richard</HI> 3.) which al Hi&s;tories doo for Mens in&s;truction: but never handle their Regal per|fections or imperfections. For 'tis oft &s;een (as in tho&s; two, with many mo) that a good Man is an il Magi&s;trat, and con|trarily: which writers may di&s;play for the general good; but I hav more moral maners and Serpentin &s;ublety then to meddle with State-matters that are too high for me. If they &s;hal de|pre&s;&s; or di&s;card Mini&s;try, Tiths, Glebes, Patronages, Univer&s;ities, Ho&s;pitals, Corporations, Common Law, Chancery, or what el&s; (as is doon to Monarchy, Prelacy, Cathedral Churches, Liturgy, holy Fe&s;ts, Civil Law, high Commi&s;&s;ion Court, Ser|vice at Burials, Mini&s;terial Nuptials) I &s;hal &s;it &s;ilent in a cor|ner, to condole &s;uch reverend ruins: but wil never put Pen to Paper again&s;t the Authors, Actors, or Abettors having no au|thority &s;o to doo: only I vent my Opinion in point of retio|cination (not re&s;olution) touching the lawfulnes or u&s;eful|nes of them (as others doo theirs) &s;ans &s;candal or offen&s; to any, unles, gauld Jades wil winch. This is the common Cha|racter or cogni&s;cance of a &s;o caled cur&s;ed Cavalier, which I cannot but own or acknowledg how odious &s;o ever.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Cou&s;te qui cou&s;te: non e&s;t mortale quod opto</HI></L>
<L>Let co&s;t what co&s;t it may:</L>
<L>No mortal thing I weigh:</L>
</LG>
<P>Howbeit I claim the privilege of Con&s;cience promi&s;ed and proclamed to al except Popery and Prelacy, which concern me not. For what crime, cau&s;, or color of hate can be alleged again&s;t &s;uch &s;implicians as never acted on any &s;ide, nor were ever que&s;tioned for Delinquents (as I was not, yet twi&s;e im|pri&s;oned both by Sea and Land) &s;av that they di&s;&s;ent in Judg|ment or Opinion? So doo al Sects, Septs, and F<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ctions one
<PB N="220" REF="229"> from another, yea among them&s;elfs in ech; which is no Moral vice nor civil fault: <HI>Quot homines, tot &s;ententiae;</HI> &s;o many fancies as faces. The Catholic Moderator checks al conten|ders about points of Religion, and givs good Coun&s;il in a few Rythms to this effect.</P>
<LG>
<L>Why for Opinions inter-kil we thus.</L>
<L>Who&s; truth not force, but rea&s;on mu&s;t di&s;cus?</L>
<L>Rea&s;on who&s; chief force in Opinion lies;</L>
<L>Rea&s;on who&s; fal&s; glo&s;&s; oft deceivs the Wi&s;e.</L>
<L>God doth in lov, peace, concord, unity dwel:</L>
<L>Hate, envy, malice confines are to Hel.</L>
</LG>
<P>Now to return from this Apologetic digre&s;&s;ion, tho&s; ten foregoing cavils are their be&s;t Ba&s;ili&s;cs of Battery: which are ca&s;t or couched into Enthymems for ea&s;ier capacity, and both Propo&s;itions in ech fal&s; or fucatious: but the a&s;tructiv Arguments folow built on &s;urer foundations.</P>
<P>1. The univer&s;al Church in al ages, both in&s;titued the&s; Fe&s;ts <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Argument</NOTE> in Oecumenic Councils by precept, and injoined them to be ob&s;erved by al Chri&s;tians in practi&s;e: who annaly celebrated Chri&s;ts Birth day, and others for his &s;ake: which is &s;o good or better warrant, then any particular Churches or Congre|gations can pretend to erect Fe&s;ts or Fa&s;ts: yet tho&s; very lawful and laudable.</P>
<P>2. The Lutherans celebrat Chri&s;tmas with &s;om other Fe|&s;tivals <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Arg.</NOTE> &s;til: and &s;undry Calvini&s;ts wi&s;h it had bin never decried or di&s;u&s;ed among &s;om of theirs.</P>
<P>3. Our Church &s;ince the fir&s;t plantation of Chri&s;tianity, <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Arg.</NOTE> hath con&s;tantly celebrated them with al Religious Rites of divine Service, Sermons, and Sacraments; &s;pecialy Chri&s;tmas day.</P>
<P>4. Diver&s; Divines (who in youth decried them mo&s;t fierce|ly) <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Arg.</NOTE> hav of late waxing wi&s;er defended and &s;olemnized them to their great glory: which palinodial reca<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tation both in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rt<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> Pulpits and practi&s;e (like St. <HI>Au&s;tins</HI> Retractation) is a &s;tronger proof on their behalf, then the be&s;t Bulru&s;hes prealledged a|gain&s;t them. 'Tis tru that the hearts inward holines in thank&s;|giving
<PB REF="230"> for this chief work of our Redemption, is a mo&s;t ac|ceptable &s;acrifice to God: yet may not extern wor&s;hip in Congregations and other lawful exultations be rejected or vilipended.</P>
<P>5. The di&s;u&s;ing or de&s;pi&s;ing them, is a ready &s;tep in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Arg.</NOTE> vulgar to Athei&s;m or Irreligion, when no &s;olen Service or Sermons are u&s;ed.</P>
<P>6. Their nau&s;eous contempt or explo&s;ion, is an act of af|fected <NOTE PLACE="marg">6 Arg.</NOTE> Apo&s;ta&s;y from the Catholic Church, and of Schi&s;m or &s;eparation from our Reformed Mother, which al obedient Sons &s;hould dete&s;t or decline; for <HI>Aerius</HI> fir&s;t branded &s;et Fe&s;ts, and levelled Prelats with Presbyters for which pride with o|ther here&s;ies, he was ju&s;tly condemned and ca&s;t out of the Church.</P>
<P>7. The Church of <HI>Smyrna</HI> &s;oon after the Apo&s;tles dais, <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 Arg.</NOTE> celebrated <HI>Polycarpus Martyry:</HI> praying that God would permit them to con&s;ecrat the Birth-day (&s;o they cal it) of his ble&s;&s;ed death, with joy and gratulation at their holy conven|tions: to be&s;tow that lov on Martyrs which is du for Chri&s;ts &s;ake, who&s; di&s;ciples and imitators they were. This pointly provs the antiquity of &s;et Fe&s;ts dedicated to Apo&s;tles and Martyrs, which exemple the <HI>Smyrniens</HI> folowed. Yea Chri&s;tians from the Go&s;pels very dawn met at Martyrs Monuments to &s;erv God yer Churches were erected, and from &s;uch A&s;&s;emblies Churches had their origin.</P>
<P>8. The end or nece&s;&s;ity of Chri&s;ts Nativity is triple: <NOTE PLACE="marg">8 Arg.</NOTE> 1. That Gods promi&s;es and his Prophets predictions might be fulfilled: 2. That God by it might manife&s;t his lov to Mankind: 3. That al lying under the Law might be redeem|ed: el&s; eternal death had pa&s;&s;ed on al Men, &s;ith al &s;inned. Hence we are bound to render &s;incere thanks for the&s; ine&s;ti|mable benefits, by a triple outward expre&s;&s;ion of gratulation: 1. In P&s;alms, Hymns, and &s;piritual Songs: 2. In providing plentiful fare for our family, inviting needy Neghbors to our Tables, and large liberal alms at our Dores: 3. In harmle&s;&s; mirth, mu&s;ic, and &s;ports of recreation for Gods glory (every Man more or le&s;&s; according to his ability and quality) but not in prophane plea&s;ures, riots, &s;urfets, exce&s;&s;, drunkennes, cham|bering
<PB N="221" REF="230"> or wantonnes; as too many heretofore hav doon.</P>
<P>9. If we may every 5. of Nov. (as the Jews did in the Fe&s;ts <NOTE PLACE="marg">9 Arg.</NOTE> of Purim) declare our joy for a temporal deliverance of the State: much more may we with praiers and prai&s;es re|cord Gods &s;pecial &s;piritual mercy in Chri&s;ts Birth, being a great joy to al People.</P>
<P>Al Fe&s;ts lat celebrated in our Church, are con&s;ecr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t to Chri&s;ts honor or for his &s;ake, as &s;hal appeer by exact enumera|tion of ech in order of the &s;everal Moneths. 1. the Circumci|&s;ion, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jan. 1. 6.</NOTE> when he fulfilled the Lawi&s;h Covenant in his fle&s;h. 2. E|piphany or Apparition, either in memory of the Star which led the wi&s;emen to the hou&s;e wher he was (as is commonly con|ceived) one ful yeer after his birth: or from the holy Gho&s;ts appeering in &s;hape of a Dov at his Bapti&s;m thirty yeers after (whence the Churches in <HI>Egypt</HI> celebrated both birth and Bap|ti&s;m on one &s;elf day) or rather from both: for tho&s; Magi cam along journy from <HI>Per&s;ia</HI> or <HI>Arabia,</HI> which they could not fi|ni&s;h in the fir&s;t twelv dais, and immediatly after their depar|ture <HI>Jo&s;eph warned from God by an Angel in a dream, fled with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 2. 13 14.</NOTE> <HI>his wife and the Babe into Egypt:</HI> but at hir Purification forty dais after his birth they were al three at <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> and went <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2 22.</NOTE> back to <HI>Bethleem,</HI> wher the Magi found them in a privat hou&s;, for the Shepherds (not they) found him at an Inn in a Manger <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 2 7. 12.</NOTE> wrapped in &s;wadling clothes; &s;o they returned not to their Ci|ty <HI>Nazaret</HI> (as mo&s;t men from Saint <HI>Luks</HI> ambiguous words <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk 2. 39.</NOTE> mi&s;take) til their coming from <HI>Egypt,</HI> as the current conte|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ure <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 2 2. 9.</NOTE> of Scripture makes it cleer. The Star indeed appeered to the M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">gi twelv dais after his birth in their own Country, but they took their journy almo&s;t a yeer after, when it reappeered to their ineffable joy, and led them to the hou&s; (no In) having bin before at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> to enquir wher the King of the Jews was born: <HI>Yea</HI> H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rod <HI>being deluded by their not returning, &s;lu</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 2. 16.</NOTE> <HI>al males born in</HI> Bethleem <HI>and coa&s;ts therof from two yeers old and under, according to the time he had learned of the wi&s;emen,</HI> which evidently implies that Chri&s;t was abov a yeer old at the Epi|phany of the Star, and immediatly carried into <HI>Egypt.</HI> Now his Bapti&s;m is referred to that &s;ame day (<HI>J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">.</HI> 6.) which <HI>Alias Syriacus</HI> an <HI>Arabic M. S.</HI> and others cal the benediction of
<PB REF="231"> waters: hence our Church appointed the fir&s;t Le&s;&s;on of that day <HI>I&s;aei</HI> 40. touching <HI>John Bapti&s;ts</HI> mi&s;&s;ion, and the &s;ecund <HI>Mat.</HI> 3. which <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nds with Chri&s;ts Bapti&s;m; but the Go&s;pel is <HI>Mat.</HI> 2. about the Stars appeering, which appertly argues, that tis cald Epiphany from both. Som cal Chri&s;tmas day Epiphany becau&s; he appeered then to the world, but Circumci&s;ion and Purification may &s;o wel hav that name; becau&s; at the fir&s;t he appeered in the Synagog, at the la&s;t in the Temple, which is <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Feb.</HI> 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 24.</NOTE> not &s;o proper, plau&s;ible or per&s;ua&s;ible. 3. The Virgins Purifi|cation, when he was publicly pre&s;ented in the Temple, and proclamed by <HI>Simeon</HI> and <HI>Anna</HI> to be the Me&s;&s;iah. 4. <HI>Mat|thias,</HI> who after Chri&s;ts A&s;cention was cho&s;en Apo&s;tle by Lot, <NOTE PLACE="marg">March 25.</NOTE> in <HI>Judas</HI> room. 5. The ble&s;&s;ed Virgins Annunciation, when the Angel <HI>Gabriel</HI> declared his Conception or Incarnation by the holy Gho&s;t, which together with hir perpetual vir|ginity, is ratified by a remarkable Story if tru, which may be doubted.</P>
<P>The Rabies kept a Regi&s;ter book in the Temples Archivs of <NOTE PLACE="marg">A rare &s;tory.</NOTE> al their Prie&s;ts elections with their Parents names, and Death|dais: &s;o when <HI>Je&s;us</HI> began to preach at <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> one of them died, in who&s; place they had none fit to &s;urrogat; but hearing wel of him, &s;ent for his mother (hir husband being then dead) and asked who was his Father? &s;he &s;aid, I am &s;til a very Virgin; but in Youth as I was devout at Prayer, an Angel told me I &s;hould conceiv a Son by the holy Gho&s;t, and he to be caled <HI>Je&s;us;</HI> whom at the &s;et time of women I brought forth, without throwes of travel or torments, which &s;om women yet alife then pre&s;ent (whom &s;he named) can te&s;tify: The Rabies wondring at it (who bore him no malice then, til the fame of his divine miracles excits their teen) accited the &s;aid women, who atte&s;ted the &s;ame; wherupon they cho&s;e him, and in&s;cri|bed the&s; words on their Regi&s;try. <HI>In the place of &s;uch a Prie&s;t we hav by joint con&s;ent of the whol Society elected one Je&s;m Son of the living God by the Virgin</HI> Mary. This book &s;ince the Temples de&s;truction by <HI>Titus,</HI> is &s;aid to ly hid in <HI>Tyris</HI> (&s;om &s;ay <HI>Tiberias</HI>) but the Tradition is current among the chief Jews, as a late <HI>London</HI> convert relats in Print, howbeit the truth may be &s;u|&s;pect, becau&s; no parcel or particle appeers in the Go&s;pel, that
<PB N="222" REF="231"> he was of their company, but ever an Enimy; yea al Jews bla&s;phemou&s;ly brand hir for a whore, and him for a Ba&s;tard; utterly denying any &s;uch Tradition, which wil make mo&s;t a|gain&s;t them. 6. <HI>Marc</HI> an Evangeli&s;t, who penned his life, <NOTE PLACE="marg">April 25.</NOTE> acts, miracles, death and re&s;urrection. 7. <HI>Philip</HI> and <HI>James</HI> the le&s;&s;er caled the Lords brother, both being his Apo&s;tles and <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>May</HI> 1. <HI>June</HI> 24. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">9.</NOTE> Martyrs. 8. <HI>John Bapti&s;ts</HI> birth day, who was his Me&s;&s;enger or forerunner, to prepare the way before him: he preached and bapti&s;ed, being caled by <HI>I&s;aiah the Voice of one crying in the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 40. 3.</NOTE> <HI>Wilderne&s;&s;.</HI> 9. <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Paul</HI> both chief Apo&s;tles and Martyrs at <HI>Rome</HI> in one day: the fir&s;t crucified with his head downward the la&s;t beheaded, but whether in one yeer of <HI>Nero</HI> writers va|ry. 10. <HI>James</HI> the greater (Brother to <HI>John,</HI> &s;ons of <HI>Zebedee</HI>) <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>July</HI> 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> an Apo&s;tle and Martyr, &s;lain with the &s;word by <HI>Herod</HI> the king (mi&s;caled <HI>Agrippa</HI> major) not the Tetrarch, who &s;lu <HI>John Bap|ti&s;t.</HI> 11. <HI>Bartholomew,</HI> who was his Apo&s;tle and Martyr. 12. <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Aug.</HI> 24. <HI>Sep. 21. 29.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Matthew,</HI> who being a Jew born, and Publican or Tole Cu|&s;tomer by profe&s;&s;ion, becam an Apo&s;tle and Evangeli&s;t. 13. <HI>Michael</HI> an Archangel who figured Chri&s;t, and fought for his <NOTE PLACE="marg">Oct. 18. 28.</NOTE> Church again&s;t the red Dragon (or Devil) and his Angels. 14. <HI>Luke</HI> a Phi&s;ition of <HI>Antioch,</HI> one of his Evangeli&s;ts and Pen|ner of the Apo&s;tles Acts. 15. <HI>Simon Zelotes</HI> and <HI>Jude</HI> the Lords Brother or Co&s;en German (who&s; Mothers were Si|&s;ters) being both his Apo&s;tles. 16. Al Saints, which is a day <NOTE PLACE="marg">Nov. 1. 30.</NOTE> dedicated to his Apo&s;tles, Martyrs, and holy Confe&s;&s;ors in general, even al. 17. <HI>Andrew</HI> Brother to <HI>Peter,</HI> who was his <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Dec&punc;</HI> 21. 2<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 26. 27. 28.</NOTE> Apo&s;tle and Martyr. 18. <HI>Thomas Didymus,</HI> who was al&s;o his Apo&s;tle and Martyr. 19. His Nativity, which too many through peevi&s;h ignorance make a &s;tumbling block and laugh|ing &s;tock; being &s;elf-proud, &s;upercilious, and &s;uper-&s;ingular: but &s;hew them&s;elfs mo&s;t ridiculous to play on &s;uch poor Oa|ten Pipes of thred bare Arguments, which make Mens ears glow to hear their har&s;h gaglings. They &s;tile the celebration of it &s;uper&s;tition, Here&s;y, Heatheni&s;m (terms without truth) and a malitious Mini&s;ter in <HI>London</HI> publicly preached, that any <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>A</HI> 164<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></NOTE> Fe&s;t con&s;ecrat to Chri&s;ts honor, name, or memory is no better then that which the I&s;raelits made to the molten Calf: &s;o like a Calf &s;pake the Man, ther be &s;o good Records that Chri&s;t
<PB REF="232"> was born Dec. the twenty fifth as that <HI>William</HI> the Conqueror was Crowned King of <HI>England</HI> on that very day. Yea Ma|gi&s;trats had &s;o good power to injoin Fe&s;ts heretofore, as any Moderni&s;ts hav for theirs, or to &s;uppre&s;&s; the old. 20 <HI>Stephan</HI> one of the &s;even Proto-Deacons and prime Martyr actualy and arbitrarily, who gladly gav his life to preach or publi&s;h him for the tru promi&s;ed Me&s;&s;iah. 21. <HI>John</HI> his be&s;t beloved Apo&s;tle Evangeli&s;t, Analogical Martyr: who &s;uffred cruel torments and was exiled, being ready to lay down his life. 22. <HI>Innocents</HI> of <HI>Bethleem Juda,</HI> who in deed (not de&s;ire) were &s;lain by <HI>Herod</HI> the great in Chri&s;ts &s;tead, tho not for his &s;ake. The&s; are al the fixd Fe&s;ts: but his Re&s;urrection is &s;an|ctified weekly in lieu of the &s;eventh day Sabbath, and yeerly too at <HI>Ea&s;ter:</HI> his A&s;cention 40. dais after. Which are al except the holy Gho&s;ts decent at Penteco&s;t, and Trinity &s;even dais after con&s;ecrat to the three Per&s;ons in Deity. The la&s;t with &s;om Appendices are Movables, and three of them (<HI>Ea&s;ter, Pen|teco&s;t</HI> or <HI>Whit&s;unday, Trinity</HI>) celebrat on the Lords day. Al the re&s;t which reli&s;h of &s;uper&s;tition (invention and exaltation of the Cro&s;&s;, the ble&s;&s;ed Virgins pretended &s;inle&s;&s; Conception and &s;uppo&s;ed A&s;&s;umption, al Souls in Purgatory, be&s;ide <HI>Tho. Becket</HI> a P&s;eudo Martyr, and many mo of like bran) we ut|terly reject, renounce, or repudiat. What harm then in al this, &s;ith it tends &s;oly to &s;anctity? Yes &s;ay Malignants, becau&s; Pa|pi&s;ts ordained, pre&s;cribed, and pro phaned them. Indeed they abu&s;ed (not appointed) them, being in&s;tituted before by the primitiv Church, as is plentifully proved: but &s;uch as they &s;uper&s;titiou&s;ly &s;uperadded, are abrogated and abandoned. Yet what if Papi&s;t ordeined al, &s;hal we receiv or retain none? If they go on their heels, &s;hal we walk on our heads? If they profes one God in three Per&s;ons, &s;hal we beleev three Gods in one Per&s;on? Let pious in&s;titutions be embraced, but al im|pious abu&s;es or Ordinances exiled and extermined.</P>
<P>In &s;um, I pre&s;cribe no Fe&s;ts to be &s;anctified, nor find fault <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sum<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ary.</NOTE> with their &s;uppre&s;&s;ion; but only a&s;&s;ert the lawful Religious u&s;e of them: freely agnizing that the &s;tate or &s;uch as &s;it at &s;tern, hav lawful human power to annul or abrogat them, and to re&s;tore or ree&s;tabli&s;h them, with other Adiaphoral Ordinaces;
<PB N="223" REF="232"> except Articles of Faith, wherin we mu&s;t obey God and not Man: &s;o far am I from taxing or traducing our Superiors acti|ons that I doo and wil obey them in al indifferent things (either Religious or Civil) which doo not trench on a good con&s;ci|ence. Yet if they wil be plea&s;ed to redintegrat the public Li|turgy and principal Fe&s;tivals (which &s;tand ratified by &s;everal Acts of Parlement unrepealed) they &s;hal make glad millions of good hearts in this Common-wealth, which greatly griev at this interruption (rather then abolition or &s;uppre&s;&s;ion) of them. On who&s; behalfs (&s;ith 'tis no Mony-matter, nor can any way prejudice the State) this poor Di&s;tich may humbly be pre&s;ented.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Gratum Opus Angligenis, &s;i re&s;tituatur ut olim</HI></L>
<L><HI>Publica forma Precum, Fe&s;ta&abque; &s;acra; foret.</HI></L>
<L>If Common-Praier Book could as of old be had&punc;</L>
<L>And &s;acred Fe&s;ts; Engli&s;h hearts would be glad.</L>
</LG>
<P>Let incomparable Bi&s;hop <HI>Andrews</HI> words, concerning the <NOTE PLACE="marg">In a Sermon on <HI>John 8. 50.</HI></NOTE> chief Soveraign Queen of Fe&s;tivals, clo&s;e up the Cata&s;trophe: <HI>Ther is no day &s;o properly Chri&s;ts as that of his Birth, which by comparing it with others wil appeer. For the Pa&s;&s;ion day is not &s;o truly or peculiarly his, becau&s; two Theefs &s;uffred with him at the &s;ame time, place and maner: nor Re&s;urrection day, &s;ith many mo ro&s;e then too, and went into the holy City, appeering unto many: nor A&s;cention day, for that</HI> Enoch <HI>and</HI> Elias <HI>a&s;cended bodily long before him: much le&s;&s; the Circumci&s;ion day, which was com|mon to al the Jews Male-Children: but the Birth day of a pure Virgin by power of the holy Gho&s;t; is &s;oly his without Felow: none ever &s;o born none born &s;uch God and Man in one Per&s;on. Therfore as no Fe&s;t el&s;, 'tis attended (as Chri&s;t he-&s;elf was) with an A|po&s;tolic retinu of twelv Holy days.</HI> Thus this &s;weet &s;inger of <HI>England,</HI> or golden mouthd <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tom</HI> de&s;cants.</P>
<P>The final re&s;ult re&s;ts on two que&s;tions: 1. Po&s;itiv, whether <NOTE PLACE="marg">Up<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">or.</NOTE> it be lawful for Gods Church and al obedient Members to &s;et apart or &s;anctify one day of 365. in a yeer, for the memo+ry of our Saviours manife&s;tation in the fle&s;h; as the Jews did the Altars dedication, and our State the deliverance of that
<PB REF="233"> Devili&s;h Powder-plot, which no &s;ober Chri&s;tian can deny? 2. Comparativ, whether it be &s;uper&s;tition thankfully to cele|brat one day annaly with public wor&s;hip, in remembrance of Mans redemption; or rather wilfully to &s;corn, &s;lander, pro|phane, and contemn it? If the&s; two be laid in the &s;cales of unbia&s;&s;ed impartial judgment, the pious veneration wil far preponderat the impious irri&s;ion in al good Mens eys. Shal we &s;et apart or &s;anctify diver&s; dais of Thank&s;giving and Humi|liation for Temporal benefits of Victories or other occa&s;ions; and cannot be content to afford to allow one for the greate&s;t Spiritual ble&s;&s;ing of our eternal Redemption from the power of &s;in and &s;lavery of Satan; began by his ble&s;&s;ed birth, and fini&s;hd by his bitter death and burial, with other con&s;equent glorious works of Exaltation: <HI>viz.</HI> his Re&s;urrection, A&s;cention, and continual interce&s;&s;ion at his Fathers right hand in Hea|ven? God &s;hield us from &s;uch guilt: wherto the&s; two He|roics may be aptly applied.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Ab&s;it tale nefas: pudet haec opprob<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">a nobis</HI></L>
<L><HI>Aut dici potui&s;&s;e, aut non potui&s;&s;e refelli.</HI></L>
<L>Far be &s;uch crime: 'tis &s;hame &s;hould be imputed</L>
<L>The&s; &s;candals to us, or could not be refuted.</L>
</LG>
<P>For &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">me then, let Pulpits ring no more of &s;uch rediculous rea&s;ons prealleged not worth a Fig: which if a young Sophi|&s;ter &s;hould urge in Schools, he were worthy to be hi&s;&s;ed out; as being unwo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">thy to be an&s;wered. Dr. <HI>Hammond</HI> a deep Divine (from who&s; learned lucubrations I hav pickd &s;om pre|cited materials, as he and al writers borow from others) in his Re&s;olution to certain modern <HI>Quaeres</HI> wherof this con|cerning Chri&s;tmas and other Fe&s;ts is the la&s;t) an&s;wers &s;ixten addle interrogatories of his Antagoni&s;t in this point, which he that li&s;ts may peru&s;e: but to requite his pains, propo&s;eth three pithy <HI>Quaeres</HI> at end of that Treati&s;e, wherto three mo &s;hal be &s;uperadded.</P>
<P>1. Whether the Church Catholic or any particular (&s;peci|aly <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">re&s;t the Apo&s;tles age) hath &s;ufficient power to make one or mo dai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;acr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d and let apart f<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">om &s;ervil works to Gods
<PB N="224" REF="233"> &s;ervice, in memory of &s;om eminent mercy conferred on his People; to be yeerly celebrated with tru piety: which &s;hal bind al dutiful Children to obey and ob&s;erv them?</P>
<P>2. Whether the annal Fe&s;t of Chri&s;ts Birth, being both law|ful <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Q<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aere.</NOTE> and laudable, in the right religious u&s;e weeding out al a|bu&s;es (ordained by the Catholic Church) may ju&s;tly be abo|li&s;hed or abandoned by any Church or State (much le&s;&s; pri|vat Per&s;ons without regard to the univer&s;al: &s;ith it hath &s;o long continued &s;ans comptrole or contradiction by any?</P>
<P>3. Whether it be a good ground in Con&s;cience or Com|mon <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Q<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters"> e.</NOTE> rea&s;on, to cancel or ca&s;hire &s;o pious a con&s;titution, under a fucatious color of cau&s;le&s;&s; &s;uper&s;tition: becau&s; &s;om pedi&s;&s;e|quent dais hav bin rudely prophaned or mi&s;pent in riotous re|vellings by wicked per&s;ons: &s;pecialy &s;ith 'tis founded in honor <NOTE PLACE="marg">Th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s; three are <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> of our Saviour, and commemoration of his chief mercy?</P>
<P>4. Whether an expre&s;&s; warrant of Chri&s;ts precept or his <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> Apo&s;tles practi&s;e, be nece&s;&s;arily required to ratify every Re|ligious Rite of the Church? Or whether late Reformi&s;ts walk by that Rule of Scriptural authority, in &s;anctifying ar|bitrary dai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of Thank&s;giving and Hamiliation, with many mo Ordinances, Cu&s;toms, and Ceremonies which they u&s;e?</P>
<P>5. What warrant is ther to annul the &s;eventh day Sabbath, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words"></NOTE> or &s;urrogat the Lords day in &s;tead; &s;av only that the Apo&s;tles &s;omtimes meet on the fir&s;t day to break Bread? Yet the ob&s;er|vation of this is no abolition of that: &s;pecialy &s;ith they &s;til fre|quented the Jews Synagogs on tho&s; dais to convert them. Or what for the Name, &s;av that St. <HI>John</HI> &s;aith, <HI>He was in the Spirit at Patmos on the Lords day?</HI> Yet is ther no irrefragable evi|dence that it was the fir&s;t day. O<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> what for Pedo B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, exc<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pt that the Apo&s;tles Bapti&s;ed whol Families, in which mo&s;t probably (not infallibly) were &s;om Infants? The bare letter reacheth not &s;o far to a&s;&s;ert a preci&s;e precept or precedent for either: but we rely on the Churches te&s;timony, tradition, in|terpretation, and authority for al three with many mo. Why not then in this point of holy Fe&s;ts in&s;tituted and i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">tended &s;oly to our Saviours honor and &s;ervice; wherin is no danger but much devotion and &s;anctity?</P>
<P>6. Whether <HI>Quis requi&s;ivit</HI> (who required it) be rightly <NOTE PLACE="marg">6 Q<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">e.</NOTE>
<PB REF="234"> applied to &s;uch ca&s;es, &s;pecialy the three precited? Or whether it may not be better retorted, who requires the&s; irregular Fe&s;ts and Fa&s;ts appointed by particular Churches, or privat Congre|gations; upon arbitrary wil-wor&s;hip or ordinary occa&s;ions? Hav not Church Governors &s;o much power or authority as modern Innovators? Con&s;ider that tho&s; great Clercs had far cleerer judgments to di&s;cern truth then &s;illy &s;halow Scioli&s;ts: and know that in al matters or my&s;teries of Religion, 'tis &s;afer to offend by way of piety, humility, and devotion then in proud &s;elf-lov, contempt, or de&s;pication. To take a &s;ober reckon|ing on the other &s;ide, what warrant hav Mini&s;ters to examin Communicants before the Lords Supper, and repel whom they l<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t? Chri&s;t at fir&s;t in&s;titution (who&s; patern they pretend to folow in al particles) did not examin his Di&s;ciples, nor bid them &s;o to doo: but admitted <HI>Judas</HI> to partake it at his own <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 22. 21.</NOTE> peril, knowing him to be a Traitor and Reprobat. <HI>St. Paul</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11. 28.</NOTE> <HI>exhorts every Man to examin him&s;elf, and &s;o eat of that Bread, and drink of that Cup:</HI> but neither he nor any of the re&s;t pra|cti&s;ed examination of others: &s;o ther is no precept, practi&s;e, or precedent for this modern innovation. Yes &s;ay they, <HI>St. Peter bids al be ready alwaies to render a rea&s;on of the hope in</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 3. 15, 16.</NOTE> <HI>them, with meeknes and fear.</HI> Tru: but &s;peak &s;incerely, is this given as a rule for Pa&s;tors to examin Communicants; or ra|ther for <HI>Al Chri&s;tians to &s;atisfy Infidels or others? Read the next words, having a good Con&s;cience, that wheras they &s;peak evil of you as of il doers, they may be a&s;hamed that fal&s;ly accu&s;e your good conver&s;ation in Chri&s;t.</HI> Here is no cloke or color for exa|mining Communicants: therfore beware how ye wre&s;t or wiredraw Scripture to &s;erv turns.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Hos &s;crupulos, &s;olvas, &amp; eris mihi magnus Apollo.</HI></L>
<L>Cleer the&s; points, and to me</L>
<L>Great <HI>Phoebus</HI> thou &s;helt be.</L>
</LG>
<P>This brief E&s;&s;ay or Epigram being a Theological Theory, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Corollary.</NOTE> is purpo&s;ly premi&s;ed as a Prodrom or Patern of 670. &s;uch (&s;om larger, &s;om le&s;&s;er) to be publi&s;hed by Gods grace in two Folio Tomes, &s;o &s;oon as they can be tran&s;cribed and impre&s;&s;ed:
<PB N="225" REF="234"> wherof the Enchiridion now com forth jointly with this work, is as it were the Table or Catalog, containing the Arguments of them al. Thus writers toil and travel in vain, to plea&s; or profit variou&s;ly di&s;po&s;ed Readers, led wholy by Opinion, Affection, or Prejudication, mo&s;t of which wil rather retribut &s;harp &s;cofs and &s;currilous cen&s;ures, then de&s;erved thanks or commendations: but 'tis be&s;t Buoy-like to bear up amid&s;t al boi&s;terous billows of &s;pite and &s;candal, maugre Mens malice and al envious or venemous toungs. To &s;hut up al with two home&s;pun ver&s;es:</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>His Epigramatibus facies non omnibus una,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Nec diver&s;a &s;ubit: quales &s;oluere Gemelli.</HI></L>
<L>The&s; E&s;&s;ais hav not al one face to &s;ee,</L>
<L>Nor much unlike: as Twins are wont to be.</L>
<L><HI>Sitne &s;uper&s;titio Natalis Fe&s;ta &s;acrare</HI></L>
<L><HI>Chri&s;ti, inter varios lis odio&s;a fuit.</HI></L>
<L>Ther's hateful &s;trife 'mong&s;t &s;om, whether to keep holy</L>
<L>Chri&s;ts Birth-day Fe&s;t, be &s;uper&s;titious folly?</L>
<L>Scaurus <HI>ait, renuit</HI> Varus: <HI>utri credere vultis?</HI></L>
<L><HI>Tam facile e&s;t lites conciliare graves.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Scaurus</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Varus</HI> gain&s;aith: which wil ye</L>
<L>Beleev? So ea&s;y 'tis great brawls t' agree.</L>
<L><HI>In dextram potius pietate offendere prae&s;tat,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Quam laeva opprobriis &s;pernere Fe&s;ta &s;acra.</HI></L>
<L>'Tis better right hand-wi&s;e by zele t' offend,</L>
<L>Then Holy dais left-like with &s;corn vilipend.</L>
<L><HI>Di&s;cite quod verum e&s;t moniti, nec temnite Chri&s;tum:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Sed colite aeterno Fe&s;ta dicata Deo.</HI></L>
<L>Learn truth that's taught, and doo not Chri&s;t defy&punc;</L>
<L>But Fe&s;ts ordained t' eternal God apply.</L>
</LG>
<P>Though my &s;illy rea&s;on and &s;hallow re&s;olution (&s;pecialy in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Vale<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ct<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">.</NOTE> Dotage) be no way regardable or reliable on in the learned Common wealth, yet to &s;atisfy &s;om &s;pecial Friends who ear|ne&s;tly entreat it, I will openly unma&s;que, or declare my judgment in &s;ix controver&s;al points, but very briefly and bluntly.</P>
<PB REF="235">
<P>1. Touching Mans Souls production; I hold Traduction a|gain&s;t the univer&s;al Tenet of Infu&s;ed by Creating, and Crea|ted in Infu&s;ing.</P>
<P>2. For Prede&s;tination to eternal Life or Death; I beleev it to be with reference to Gods pre&s;cience of pure &s;imple Intelli|gence, not of his free Plea&s;ure to &s;hew his Power, by any ab&s;o|lut irre&s;i&s;tiv Decree.</P>
<P>3. Concerning Church Government; I defend Epi&s;copa|cy for the be&s;t form of Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Polity, as in&s;tituted by our Saviour analogicaly, and by his Apo&s;tles actualy or apertly: but continued in al Churches ever &s;ince, til Mr. <HI>Calvin</HI> changed it in ca&s;e of nece&s;&s;ity.</P>
<P>4. About Chri&s;ts Millenar reign on Earth immedialy be|fore, in, or at the la&s;t day of judgment, and general Re&s;urre|ction of al human fle&s;h; and for his eternal per&s;onal reign on a new Earth, re&s;igning his kingdom of Glory to his Father: my Opinion amid&s;t &s;uch a copious cru of learned Clercs, who de|bate it diver&s;ly both wais, mu&s;t needs be amphibolous or am|biguous, like a giddy <HI>O&s;trich,</HI> which having laid hir fir&s;t eg at rovers on the &s;ands, regards not wher &s;he lais the re&s;t, nor on what heap &s;he &s;its abrood: but doo rather declare then incline to the former, and profe&s; my &s;elf adver&s; to the later.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Me trahit in dubios aliorum a&s;&s;ertio &s;en&s;us,</HI></L>
<L><HI>An reget in Mundo hoc Chri&s;tus, an Arce Poli?</HI></L>
<L>Others opinions make me doubtful, whether</L>
<L>Chri&s;t &s;hal rule in this World or Heav'n for ever?</L>
<L><HI>Nec patet, An Terris regnabit mille per annos,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Cum Superis, Sanctis, Martyribus&abque; &s;uis?</HI></L>
<L>Whether he &s;hal reign on Earth one thou&s;and yeers,</L>
<L>With Angels, Saints, and Maryts, 't not appeers.</L>
</LG>
<P>5. As to the Worlds final di&s;&s;olution, whether it &s;hal be by a refined renovation of the Old, a created &s;ub&s;titution of a New, or a predecreed abolition into Nothing? I &s;tand &s;tif for the la&s;t again&s;t al Oppo&s;ers or Oppugners.</P>
<P>6. Anent Chri&s;tmas and other holy harmle&s;&s; Pe&s;ts forecited, I &s;uppo&s;e them to be both lawful and needful among prophane
<PB N="226" REF="235"> people, who &s;hould be compeld to Church in &s;ea&s;on and out of &s;ea&s;on (as the Spaniards at fir&s;t drov uncatechi&s;ed Indians like herds of Cattle to Bapti&s;m) for the &s;ervice of God, yet al too little among &s;tupid carnal Go&s;pelers; for al which a&s;&s;erti|ons with others on the by, I have rendred &s;trong &s;ufficient Rea&s;ons from other mens works in the particular The&s;es, Trea|ti&s;es, or Theorems: but the three middle (of Prophecies con|cerning the Me&s;&s;iah to com: Chri&s;ts two Genealogies, and Revelation reveled) are no Polemical points, nor wil require farther explication or expo&s;ition; therfore take this dry Di&s;tich for a final Farewel.</P>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><LG>
<L><HI>Quid volo, &s;cire voles? &s;ic &s;tat &s;ententia no&s;tra:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Qua data, hoc addo tibi: Lector, Amice,</HI> Vale.</L>
<L>Wilt know what I hold? So &s;ounds my judgments knel:</L>
<L>Which giv'n, I bid thee, Reader, <HI>Friend Farewel.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<HEAD><HI>Prote&s;tatio Veri&s;&s;ima</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prote&s;tation.</NOTE> A mo&s;t tru Prote&s;tation.</HEAD>
<L><HI>Tu Domine Omnipotens, mea qui praecordia no&s;ti;</HI></L>
<L><HI>Spargere velle nihil me ni&s;i vera vides.</HI></L>
<L>Thou, Lord Almighty, who my heart doo&s;t know;</L>
<L>Know&s;t that I nought but truth abroad would &s;ow.</L>
</LG></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<TRAILER>AN END.</TRAILER>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Additio de Anima Humana:</HI> An Addition of Mans Soul</HEAD>
<P>WHile my Pen was bu&s;y to tran&s;cribe the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prolog.</NOTE> previous Theorems, I met with Mr. <HI>Hobbs</HI> learned Leviathan of a Common-wealth: and among diver&s; Paradoxal points or
<PB REF="236"> po&s;itions (as who cannot devi&s;e new dogmats, and colorably defend his devi&s;es?) Found four flatly oppo&s;it to &s;o many of my Theological The&s;es or Tenets: which I thought fit by way of vindication to enumerat, but not by way of refuta|tion to recriminat; being far too weak to incounter &s;o &s;trong a Champion, as a Dwarf to a Giant.</P>
<P>1. That Mans Soul is no &s;pecial Entity, E&s;&s;ence, or Exi|&s;tence di&s;tinct from the Body: which after &s;eparation by death &s;hal &s;ub&s;i&s;t in Heaven or Hel til the general Re&s;urrection of al Fle&s;h, and particular reunion of every individual Soul with its own identic Body: but only the Breath, Life, Energy, or Accidental quality therof; as is in other animats or animals &s;o denomined of <HI>Anima,</HI> not <HI>Vita:</HI> yet the Body &s;hal ri&s;e at la&s;t day the &s;elf &s;ame living Man it was in this World.</P>
<P>This novity cro&s;&s;eth cleerly my fir&s;t The&s;is concerning the <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;is.</NOTE> Souls origin or production: wherin I maintain with the cur|rent &s;tream of al Orthodox writers, that 'tis an e&s;&s;ential part of Man &s;o wel as the Body: but after death or di&s;&s;olution of one from the other, a di&s;tinct individual, immaterial (tho no &s;imple Spirit) and immortal &s;ub&s;tance; which &s;hal imme|diatly by Gods particular Judgment partake of Heavenly jois or Helli&s;h torments; and in fine reunite with its own Body at general Re&s;urrection. The whol controver&s;y is largly de|bated already, needing no vain repetition: but the Souls Verity, Unity, and Immortality &s;hal be farther proved by a few &s;elect places of &s;acred Scripture, promi&s;cuou&s;ly collected and con|ge&s;ted together for the pre&s;ent occa&s;ion. <HI>God breathed into</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 2. 3.</NOTE> <HI>Adam the Spirit of Life:</HI> or infu&s;ed a living Soul, as 'tis ge|neraly interpreted. Which cannot be &s;imple life, &s;ith <HI>Zechary</HI> expounding it &s;aith, <HI>The Lord &s;pred the Heavens, laid the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ze<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h. 12. 2.</NOTE> <HI>Earths foundations, and formed Mans Spirit within him:</HI> which provs intrin&s;ic infu&s;ion. Semblably &s;aith <HI>Salomon. Du&s;t &s;hal</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</HI> 12. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>return to Earth, as it was, and the Spirit to God who gav it:</HI> which cannot imply life or Breath, &s;ith that only cea&s;eth or vani&s;heth, but returns not to God, who fir&s;t infu&s;ed into <HI>A|dam</HI> a &s;ub&s;tantial Spirit, whence al others are &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly de|rived. <HI>David</HI> &s;peaking of Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>My fle&s;h &s;hal re&s;t in hope:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></HI> 16. 9 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>for thou wilt not leav my Soul in Hel, nor &s;uffer thy holy one to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 26, 27.</NOTE>
<PB N="227" REF="236"> <HI>&s;ee corruption.</HI> This is meant of our Saviours condition after his Pa&s;&s;ion (as deep Divines define) that his fle&s;h in the Grav &s;hal re&s;t in hope: but his Soul de&s;cend into Hel to con|quer the &s;trong Man (Satan) in his own Kingdom; not to be left ther: nor the whol compound &s;ee any corruption, be|ing to ri&s;e &s;peedily. The ble&s;&s;ed Virgin &s;aith, <HI>My Soul doth mag|nify</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 1. 46, 47.</NOTE> <HI>the Lord, and my Spirit rejoice in God my Saviour:</HI> which two pathetical terms (Soul, Spirit) &s;he would not u&s;e of life or breath (a bla&s;t, bubble, bawble) nor can Chri&s;t be caled hir Saviour in that re&s;pect, &s;ith hir life did not depend on him. Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>Ther was a rich Man clothed in purple, that fared</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk 16. 19, 20.</NOTE> <HI>&s;umpt<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ou&s;ly every day: and a begger named Lazarus, who lay at his gate ful of &s;ores: Lazarus dying was caried by Angels into Abrahams bo&s;om: but the rich Man tormented in Hel flame.</HI> This he whiffles off &s;lightly, that 'tis a Parabol: yet many learned Men take it for a tru &s;tory, becau&s; the begger is named: nor would Chri&s;t &s;o pointly pourtray <HI>Abrahams</HI> bo&s;om, the rich Mans dialog with him, and Hel-torments (no not in Pa|rabols) to teach People old wifes fables, if al were fal&s; fig|ments: or that Mens Souls did not liv after di&s;&s;olution from the body; which was his main &s;cope to in&s;truct, or to what end el&s; did he propone it? <HI>Yea el&s;where he bids Men not to fear them which kil the Body, and cannot kil the Soul: but to fear</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 10. 28.</NOTE> <HI>him which is able to de&s;troy both Soul and Body in Hel.</HI> How can this be eluded? Here are two di&s;tinct parts directly &s;pe|cified, Body and Soul: nor can the la&s;t be life, for he that kils the Body, is able and actualy doth take away that too at once together with it: nor would he ad fear him which is able to de&s;troy both Soul and Body, if he meant life only.</P>
<P><HI>Chri&s;t &s;aid to the penitent Theef on the Cro&s;&s;, Today</HI> (in&s;tantly <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luk.</HI> 23 43. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>and immortaly) &s;halt thou be with me in Paradi&s;e;</HI> which mu&s;t needs intend both their Souls; &s;ith their Bodies were to be buri|ed that night. Indeed many able interpreters expound to day eternaly: yet al apply it to their Souls which &s;hal liv with God for ever and ever. <HI>St. James bids his Countrimen with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jam.</HI> 1. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> <HI>meeknes to receiv the word, which is able to &s;av their Souls:</HI> not their lifes, for Gods word cannot &s;av them. Many mo places may be alleged, be&s;ide Rea&s;ons and te&s;timonies of Authors,
<PB REF="237"> if any refutation were intended: but &s;ith he &s;aith the contrary to his A&s;&s;ertion (that Soul and Life &s;ignify the &s;ame) cannot be proved by Scripture; the&s; few pregnant Texts &s;hal &s;erv to vindicat the truth.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Politia Eccle&s;ia&s;tica:</HI> An Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Polity.</HEAD>
<P>2. THat the Church is no different or di&s;tinct Oeconomy or Corporation from the civil Common-wealth; but &s;ubject and &s;ubordinat to it in al things: nor hav Clergy Men (except they be temporal Princes) any &s;piritual Government or coerciv juri&s;diction, unles delegated by &s;uprem Magi&s;trats &s;pecial Commi&s;&s;ion: but al their function is to Preach, Teach, admini&s;ter Sacraments, and doo other Eccle&s;ia&s;tic duties. Which the Soveraign Magi&s;trat may al&s;o execut if he plea&s;eth, &s;o wel as perform a Con&s;tables Office or any other civil fa|culty: yea he can con&s;titut what Books of the Bible &s;hal be Canonical, and which Apocryphal: binding the Subjects to ob&s;erv the one or other, as he &s;hal dictat, direct, or determin, under pain of civil obedience or di&s;obedience. For Mini&s;ters are only our Gho&s;tly in&s;tructers and School-Ma&s;ters, not Rulers or Governors (no not in &s;piritual &s;anctions which concern the life to com) who&s; precepts are pious Coun&s;ils, not po&s;itiv commands.</P>
<P>This <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">latly contradicts my third Tenet touching Church-Government <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 The&s;is.</NOTE> from the Creation to the fir&s;t Century after Chri&s;ts Birth, and con&s;equently to our times: who defend that for diver&s; of the fir&s;t generations, al Rule (both &s;acred for Soul, and &s;ecular for Body) con&s;i&s;ted in Fathers and El|ders of Families: but after when Men gathered (like Par|tridges in Covies) into &s;everal Societies; public Poli<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y grew up to two di&s;tinct Bodies, which had &s;undry privileges of Rule; but &s;ubordinat or &s;ubalternat one to another. This is <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ati|fied at large in the unwre&s;ted Hi&s;tory of both Bodies drawn down from the fir&s;t times to our modern ages: which to re|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">terat wil be tedious, if not nau&s;eous. Yet &s;om few proors
<PB N="228" REF="237"> or places of Scripture &s;hal be briefly &s;ubjoined as in the former. <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> who fir&s;t in&s;tituted Government over Gods people <HI>I&s;|rael,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut 17 9 12.</NOTE> erected by divine dictat or direction two di&s;tinct Courts: one for Church-matters caled a Con&s;i&s;tory; ano|ther for Common-wealth affairs clyped a Judicatory: as <HI>Je|remy</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 26. 8. 16.</NOTE> was arraigned, accu&s;ed, and condemned to dy by the fir&s;t; but acquited and relea&s;ed by the la&s;t. The&s; two in proce&s;&s; of time by long &s;lavery of the Jews to &s;undry Nations, were much pared or impaired; yet &s;om prints remained til Chri&s;ts coming: <HI>Who cals the &s;ecular Councils, and &s;piritual Synagogs:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat 10 17.</NOTE> <HI>yea if any offend a Man, and he tel him of it privatly, but the o|ther wil not hear; Chri&s;t bids the party tel it to the Church:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18 17.</NOTE> <HI>which if he al&s;o neglects to obey, let him be as a Pagan or Publi|can.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5 22.</NOTE> He de&s;cribes both Courts in the&s; words: <HI>Who ever is angry with his Brother cau&s;le&s;ly, &s;hal be culpable of Judgment</HI> (mean|ing the le&s;&s;er Court) <HI>who cals him Rhaca in &s;corn, &s;hal be liable to a Council</HI> (or cheif Con&s;i&s;tory) <HI>but who &s;hal &s;ay thou Fool, &s;hal be in danger of Hel fire.</HI> Thus far of Church government under the Law: which had power to puni&s;h Bla&s;phemy, Ido|latry, Adultery, and &s;om other crimes with death.</P>
<P>Now under the Go&s;pel, Chri&s;t as &s;uprem Head held al rule &s;oly to him&s;elf: but after his death and departure into Hea|ven, the Apo&s;tles in a joint Coper&s;igniory governed al: who toward their decea&s;, appointed Bi&s;hops or Prelats to pre&s;ide over Presbyters (which were ordained before like the &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">v<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nty Di&s;ciples &s;ent abroad by Chri&s;t, to Preach, Bapti&s;e and doo other &s;piritual duties) for &s;uppre&s;&s;ion of S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">hi&s;ms and Here&s;ies &s;owen by Satan in tho&s; dawning dais: Men of perver&s; minds, <HI>Who de&s;pi&s;e dominion, and &s;peak evil of dignities.</HI> St. <HI>Paul</HI> be|ing <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Jud<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> v</HI> 8 <HI>Acts 19. 21.</HI></NOTE> to leav the E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;t and go to <HI>Rome,</HI> &s;ub&s;tituted <HI>Titus</HI> in his &s;tead as Bi&s;hop of <HI>Crete</HI> (a large Ile) <HI>To ordein Elders in every</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>2 C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r</HI> 8 6 16. <HI>Titus</HI> 1. 5. 1 <HI>Tim.</HI> 1 3. 1 <HI>Tim</HI> 5 20, 21, 22. <HI>Tit. 2. 15.</HI></NOTE> <HI>City: &s;o he appointed Timothy about the &s;ame time to abide at Ephe&s;us, that he might charge &s;om to teach no other doctrin.</HI> The Rules which he pre&s;cribes to both being before but common Presbyters, plainly indicat that he gav them coerciv power over other Elders, to over &s;ee, cen&s;ure, rebuke, or &s;ilence them, with al Deacons under their charge; but to doo nothing par|tialy, nor lay hands on any &s;uddenly. St. <HI>J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> after his return
<PB REF="238"> from <HI>Patmos</HI> exile, con&s;tituted &s;om &s;upervi&s;ors in diver&s; Cities, planted whol Churches, and ordained Presbyteries in &s;everal places, as <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Timothy</HI> u&s;ed to doo: the like did other Apo&s;tles in diver&s; Dioce&s;es; as many antient writers and au|thentic Hi&s;torians truly te&s;tify. Much more might be added for proof of the premi&s;&s;es, which is omitted to avoid pro|lixity.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>De regno Fidelium aterno:</HI> Of Saints eternal reign.</HEAD>
<P>THat no elect Saints (when their Bodies &s;hal be rai&s;ed to life at la&s;t day, according to Gods iterated promi&s;&s;es) &s;hal reign in the Kingdom of Heaven or third Heaven Gods highe&s;t Throne; but only here on a new Earth, with our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t as King: not for a thou&s;and yeers before or at the day of Judgment (as Chilia&s;ts conceiv) but for ever and ever. For it &s;utes not with the Maje&s;ty of &s;o great a King, that his Subjects or Servants &s;hal hav place &s;o high as his Throne, or abov the Earth his Foot&s;tool: which yet is com|monly caled the Kingdom of Heaven, in reference to that place of Eternity wher God reigns in glory.</P>
<P>This diametraly oppo&s;eth my &s;eventh Theorem, again&s;t the <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 The&s;is.</NOTE> Millenar reign of Chri&s;t with his Martyrs and &s;om Saints at Earthly <HI>Jeru&s;alem:</HI> who hold that Chri&s;t &s;hal com in the Clouds to judg al mankind (who&s; bodies &s;hal then be rai&s;ed, &amp; every one reunited to its proper identic Soul) according to their works: but &s;hal carry his Saints with him into Heaven, ther to reign or remain in ineffable jois eternaly. Which po&s;ition is proved by the&s; pregnant places, without de&s;cant, divi&s;ion, or di&s;tortion. Earthly <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> &s;hal be never re&s;tored, no more then <HI>Sodom</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 6. 17.</NOTE> or <HI>Samaria;</HI> as the Prophets inform: but eternal life in new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> (which is Metaphoricaly meant of his Spou&s; the Church) is the reward of ju&s;t Men at la&s;t day, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> te|&s;tifies: <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 4 6.</NOTE> <HI>Ergo</HI> none &s;hal reign on Earth with him, much le&s;&s; he with them in <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> new built. The holy Martyrs Souls <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 6 9.</NOTE> re&s;t under the Altar in Heaven: but &s;hal not return to reign
<PB N="229" REF="238"> here on Earth, either temporaly or everla&s;tingly. For al the Godly at Chri&s;ts &s;ecund coming, &s;hal ri&s;e immediatly to glory <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 The&s;</HI> 4. 16&punc; 17.</NOTE> upon &s;ound of the Trumpet, and the&s; then living caught up in the Clouds with them together, to meet the Lord: who coms not to reign or re&s;ide with them here, but to carry them with him into Heaven, ther to reign and remain for ever. Now if it &s;utes not with the Maje&s;ty of God &s;o great a King, that his Subjects and Servants &s;hal &s;it &s;o high as his Heavenly Throne, or abov his earthly Foot&s;tool: how can it con&s;i&s;t with the dignity of Chri&s;t our King, that his Saints &s;hal &s;it at Table (&s;om at his right hand, &s;om on his left) to eat and drink wi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h him freely and familiarly for ever? Let this &s;uffice for Scriptural confirmation of the elects eternal reign with our ble&s;&s;ed Saviour in Heavenly habitations.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>De aeterno Chri&s;ti regno:</HI> Of Chri&s;ts eternal reign</HEAD>
<P>THat Chri&s;t at the Judgment day and general Re&s;urrecti|on of al Fle&s;h, &s;hal re&s;ign up the Kingdom of Glory (wher he now &s;its in Maje&s;ty) to his Father, and reign per|&s;onaly on Earth at his Metropolis of <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> (to be new built) with his Saints eternaly, never to &s;ee Heaven again: which is to <HI>&s;u&s;cipere gradum Simeonis,</HI> from a C<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lical infinit Kingdom to a Terre&s;trial finit Paradi&s;e. Thus Scriptures &s;eem to hav &s;everal &s;en&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s, according to Mens various interpreta|tions of arbitrary authority.</P>
<P>This openly oppugns my la&s;t Opinion of the Worlds anni|hilation, <NOTE PLACE="marg">8 The&s;is.</NOTE> again&s;t renovation of the old, or &s;ub&s;titution of a new: wherto this Po&s;ition of Chri&s;ts eternal Per&s;onal reign at new built <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> principaly tends: but I defend, that this pre&s;ent finit World which was at fir&s;t made of meer no|thing; &s;hal in fine be utterly aboli&s;hed or re&s;olved into no|thing: when 'tis once di&s;&s;olved or de&s;troied by fire. This is expre&s;ly evinced or evidenced by the&s; texts of &s;acred Scripture current coin. <HI>David</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Heaven and Earth &s;hal peri&s;h:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>P&s;.</HI> 102 26. <HI>Mat.</HI> 24 3<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. <HI>Job 14. 12.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Chri&s;t, They &s;hal pa&s;&s; away: Job, They &s;hal be no more: I&s;aiah,
<PB REF="239"> they &s;hal vani&s;h like &s;moke; al their Ho&s;t &s;hal be di&s;&s;olved, and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 51. 6. I&s;ai 34 4 2 Pet. 3. 10 Rev 20 11.</NOTE> <HI>roled together as a &s;crole: they &s;hal fal down as a leaf from the Vine, and a faling fig from the figtree: St. Peter, they &s;hal pa&s;&s; away with great noi&s;: St. John, they fled away, and no place found for them.</HI> Al which phra&s;es (to peri&s;h, pa&s;&s; away, be no more, vani&s;h like &s;moke, roled up as a &s;crole, fal down as a Vine-leaf or fig from a figtree fly away and their place no more found) &s;trongly imply abolition, or at lea&s;t impugn a perfecter condition; to be the place for our Saviours perpetual per&s;onal reign with his Saints: yeelding up the Kingdom of Glory (the third Heaven) never to return. 'Tis a &s;ory unequal exchange to quit a Celical, infinit, increat man&s;ion; for a Terre&s;trial, finit, created habitation: nor can any of the premi&s;ed terms plainly purport or &s;eni&s;ibly &s;ignify melioration; as if the new Heaven and Earth &s;hal be bettered or beautified: &s;ith in al language of Men or Grammatical con&s;truction, perfection is adver&s; to per|dition; and to peri&s;h or pa&s;&s; away a&s;y&s;tat to perfection. If the World is to be renewed or repaired, it &s;hal hav no end: but 'tis &s;aid the end of al things is at hand, and the ends of the World are com upon us. In nature is nothing but time, place, and &s;pace: but afterward al eternity, ubiquity, and infinity: as in Man corruption &s;hal put on incorruption, mortality immortality, weaknes power, and di&s;honor glory. Many mo&s;t pre&s;&s;ing rea&s;ons and authentic authorities are alleged on behalf of annihilation in the eighth or la&s;t The&s;is: which 'tis not my gui&s;e or property to reaccumulat. Howbeit having gleaned or gathered &s;undry &s;elect &s;peculations &s;cattered through his whol work (&s;om veracious, &s;om fucatious, &s;om dubious, &s;om &s;u&s;pitious, &s;om erroneous) I pre&s;ume to pre&s;ent them in public, &s;ans an&s;wer or animad ver&s;ion.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Specimina diver&s;imoda:</HI> Several &s;orts of E&s;&s;ais.</HEAD>
<P>MA&s;ter <HI>Hobbs</HI> is a great general Scholar, who hath an ex|cellent Entelechy to devi&s;e novities; but deems them al verities; and would fai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> hav the World dance after his Pipe,
<PB N="230" REF="239"> which wil never be. For Men may catch Ruddicks or Thru&s;hes in Pitfals, and Woodcocks in Springals: but bigger Birds are too wild, wily, and wary then to be &s;napd in &s;uch &s;illy &s;nares. Real inventions if good, are very laudable; and verbal too, if veritable: but novel Opinions contrary to com|mon current Tenets of al Authors mo&s;t &s;u&s;pitious, and mo&s;tly erroneous. Not to linger any longer in the Porch, the&s; which folow are &s;om of his &s;poradical Po&s;itions. Touching the &s;ig|nification of &s;om words in Scripture, he &s;aith they depend not <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 34.</NOTE> on the writers wil or vulgar u&s;e, but on their tru proper &s;en&s; in Gods word.</P>
<P>Body and Spirit in Schools language, are &s;tiled Sub&s;tances <NOTE PLACE="marg">Body what.</NOTE> Corporeal and Incorporeal: but a Body naturaly imports that which fils up &s;om &s;pace, room, or place, being a real part of the vi&s;ible univer&s;: which is an aggregat of al Bodies, and no part of it but a Body; nor is any thing a Body which is not part of it and contained or included in it. This Body being &s;ubject to change in various apparence to Animals &s;en&s;es, is caled Sub&s;tance or Subject of &s;undry Accidents: as &s;omtime to mov, &s;omtime to &s;tand &s;til; &s;omtime hot, &s;omtime cold; &s;omtime of one color, &s;ound, &s;mel, ta&s;t, or touch, &s;omtime of another. Which &s;everal &s;eemings (produced by diver&s;ity of Bodily operations on our Sen&s;es Organs) we cal Accidents of tho&s; Bodies: according to which acception, Body and &s;ub|&s;tance &s;ignify the &s;ame: &s;o to conjoin or cal ought an Incor|poreal Sub&s;tance, is to de&s;troy ech other, as if one &s;hould &s;ay an incorporeal Body. Thus much for the interpretation of the word Body.</P>
<P>Now the vulgar doth not denomin al the univer&s; Body, but <NOTE PLACE="marg">Spirit what&punc;</NOTE> only &s;uch parts as they find by feeling to re&s;i&s;t their force; or by &s;eeing to hinder farther pro&s;pect: but Air and &s;uch &s;ubtle &s;ub&s;tances not &s;ubject to the Ey, they term wind, breath, or latinly &s;pirits: as that which in any Animal givs life and mo|tion, is caled the Vital and Animal &s;pirits. Wheras tho&s; Idols of the brain repre&s;enting bodies wher they are not (either in Dream or to a di&s;tempered brain waking) are nothing, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> cals al Idols: nothing at al wher they &s;eem to be, and in the brain it &s;elf nothing but tumult ri&s;ing from the objects
<PB REF="240"> confu&s;ed action, or Organs di&s;orderly agitation. Hence &s;om which &s;earch not their Cau&s;es, but rely on others knowledg; cal them thin Bodies &s;upernaturaly compact of Air, becau&s; the depraved &s;ight judgeth them Corporeal: and &s;om term them Spirits or Spectres, becau&s; the Touch de&s;cries nothing wher they appeer that re&s;i&s;ts their fingers. So the genuin &s;ignificati|on of Spirit in common &s;peech, is either a &s;ubtle, fluid, invi&s;ible Body; or a Gho&s;t, Idol, or Phanta&s;m of the Brain: but meta|phorical meanings are many. Somtimes it &s;ignifies a Mans di|&s;po&s;ition or inclination of Mind, as one having a humor to comptrol others, is &s;aid to hav the Spirit of contradiction: if one be addicted to uncleannes, an unclean Spirit: If to peevi&s;h perver&s;nes, a froward Spirit: If to &s;ullennes, a dumb Spirit: If to holines, the Spirit of God. Somtimes any eminent ability, or extraordinary pa&s;&s;ion, or di&s;ea&s; of Mind; as great prudence, is clyped the Spirit of Wi&s;dom, and mad Men are &s;aid to be po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with a Spirit. The&s; are al the acceptions, and whe<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> none can an&s;wer or &s;atisfy that words Sen&s; in Scripture, it fals not under Human under&s;tanding, and Faith con&s;i&s;ts not in our Opinion, but &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion: &s;pecialy wher God is &s;aid to be a Spirit, or wher by Spirit is meant God. For his Nature is in|comprehen&s;ible; and we know not what he is, but that he is.</P>
<P><HI>The Spirit of God moved on the Waters:</HI> If God he&s;elf be <MILESTONE N="1"> meant hereby, then is motion and place proper to Bodies only, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Spirit of God. <HI>Gen 1. v. 2. Gen. 3. 1.</HI></NOTE> a&s;cribed to him: but the like words are u&s;ed at the univer&s;al Deluge; <HI>I wil bring my Spirit</HI> (Wind, Air, or moving Spirit) <HI>and the Waters &s;hal be dimini&s;hed:</HI> Both which may be caled Gods Spirit, being his &s;pecial work. <HI>Pharach cals Jo&s;ephs Wi&s;|dom</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 41. 38.</NOTE> <HI>the Spirit of God:</HI> And God &s;aith, <HI>Speak to al that are wi&s;e hearted, whom I hav filled with the Spirit of Wi&s;dom, to make</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod 28. 3.</NOTE> <HI>Aaron garments to con&s;ecrat him.</HI></P>
<P>2. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> &s;peaks thus of the Me&s;&s;iah: <HI>The Spirit of the Lord &s;hal abide on him, the Spirit of Wi&s;dom and &V;nder&s;tanding; the</HI> <MILESTONE N="2"> <HI>Spirit of Coun&s;il and Fortitud; the Spirit of the fear of the Lord.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai. 1. 2. 3.</NOTE> Wher is manife&s;tly meant &s;o many Gifts or Graces of God, not Gho&s;ts or Goblins.</P>
<P>3. Extraordinary Zele and courage in defen&s; of Gods Peo|ple, <MILESTONE N="3"> is &s;tiled the Spirit of God: <HI>Judg. 3. 10. ch. 6. 34. ch.</HI> 11. 29.
<PB N="231" REF="240"> <HI>ch. 13. 25. ch.</HI> 14. 6. So 'tis &s;aid, <HI>The Spirit of God cam on</HI> Saul <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 11. 6. 1 Sam. 19. v. 20.</NOTE> (<HI>again&s;t the Amonits) and his Anger was kindled greatly:</HI> no Gho&s;t but a vehement heat of vengeance. So Gods Spirit cam upon him being among the Prophets that prai&s;ed God in &s;ongs: which was no Gho&s;t, but a &s;udden unexpected zele to join with them in holy Hymns or mu&s;ical harmony.</P>
<P>4. A fal&s; Prophet &s;aid to <HI>Michaiah, which way went the Lords</HI> <MILESTONE N="4"> <HI>Spirit from me to thee?</HI> This cannot be any Gho&s;t: for <HI>Micai</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>1 Kings</HI> 22&punc; 24.</NOTE> declared the event of that Battel before, as from a Vi&s;ion, not from a Spirit &s;peaking in him So though Prophets &s;pake by Gods Spirit or &s;pecial gift of Prediction: yet their knowledg was not by any Gho&s;t within them, but by &s;om &s;upernatural Dream or Vi&s;ion. Was not that in&s;piration by God?</P>
<P>5. 'Tis &s;aid, <HI>God made man of du&s;t, and breathed into his No&s;trils</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> (Spiraculum vitae) <HI>the breath of life, and he was made a living</HI> <MILESTONE N="5"> <HI>Soul.</HI> This breath only &s;ignifies life&punc; not any Individual in&s;pired Soul. As <HI>Job</HI> &s;aith, <HI>So long as Gods <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> is in my No&s;trils:</HI> that is, &s;o long as I liv or breath. So <HI>Eze<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">l, The Spirit of Life was in the wheels:</HI> not any Soul, but they had life. Again, <HI>The &s;pirit entred</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ip&s;e dixit. Job. 27. 3. Ezek. 1. 20.</NOTE> <HI>into me</HI> (not any Gho&s;t or Spiritual &s;ub&s;tance po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed his Body) <HI>and &s;et me on my feet:</HI> meaning I recovered vital &s;trength to go.</P>
<P>6. God &s;aith, <HI>I wil take of the Spirit upon thee, and put it on them</HI> (the &s;eventy Elders) <HI>and they &s;hal bear the burden of the People with thee.</HI> Whereupon two of them (<HI>Eldad</HI> and <HI>Me|d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d</HI>) Prophecied; whom <HI>Jo&s;ua,</HI> not knowing they had autho|rity, <MILESTONE N="6"> praied <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> fo forbid: but he refu&s;ed, wi&s;hing God <NOTE PLACE="marg">N<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">mb. 11. 17 25.</NOTE> would put his Spirit on al the People to make them Prophets: or giv them authority &s;ubordinat to his own. <HI>So Jo&s;uae was ful of the Spirit of Wi&s;dom, becau&s; Mo&s;es laid his hands on him: viz.</HI> ordained him to pro&s;ecut the work of bringing Gods People into the promi&s;ed Land; which he-&s;elf began but could not <NOTE PLACE="marg">D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ut. 34 9.</NOTE> fini&s;h. So Saint <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>If any man hath not Chri&s;ts Spirit</HI> (not his Gho&s;t, but &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to his Go&s;pel) <HI>he is none of his.</HI> So &s;aith St. <HI>John, hereby ye &s;hal know the Spirit of God: every Spi|rit which confe&s;&s;eth that Je&s;us Chri&s;t is com in the fle&s;h, is of God;</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> meaning the Spirit of Chri&s;tianity or main Article of Faith, that Je&s;us is the Chri&s;t; but not of any Gho&s;t or Goblin. Tho&s; words (<HI>Luke</HI> 4. 1.) <HI>Je&s;us ful of the holy Gho&s;t,</HI> are expre&s;d
<PB REF="241"> or expounded (<HI>Mat. 4. 1. Marc.</HI> 1. 12.) by Spirit: which means zele to doo the work for which God the Father &s;ent him into the World: but to interpret it of the third Per&s;on in holy Trinity, is to &s;ay God was filled with God, which is mo&s;t improper o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> in&s;ignificant. Spirit literaly implies a thin real &s;ub|&s;tance, and metaphoricaly &s;om extraordinary ability of Body, and affection of Mind: but to tran&s;lat it Gho&s;t (which imports imaginary Inhabitants o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Mens Brains) ther is no rea&s;on or <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cen&s;ure.</NOTE> cau<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. By his leav Saint <HI>Lukes</HI> words (<HI>ful of the holy Gho&s;t</HI>) which the other Evangeli&s;t hav not) refer to Chri&s;ts Per&s;on: for it folows <HI>he returned to Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the Wildernes:</HI> al which three relat alike to Chri&s;t: but our In|terpreters generally expound this of the third Per&s;on in Trini|ty: nor is it incongruous to &s;ay, God-Man was <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d by God: but 'tis more pre&s;umptuous if one Writer w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l &s;eem wi&s;er then al his Felows.</P>
<P>7. The Di&s;ciples &s;eing <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> walk on the Sea, &s;uppo&s;ed him <MILESTONE N="7"> a Spirit or Aerial Body, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Phanta&s;m: for al &s;aw him, which <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 14 26 Marc 6 49.</NOTE> could not be a delu&s;ion of the Brain incident to one at once, or a very few &s;urpri&s;ed with like fear; but a Body only compact <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">cts 12. 15.</NOTE> of Air. When Saint <HI>Peter</HI> was excarcerated by an Angel, and the Maid &s;aid he kno<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">kd at dore; the re&s;t thought hi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> mad, and &s;aid it was his Angel; which is a corporeal &s;ub&s;tance compact upon occa&s;ions: el&s; the Di&s;ciples folowed the Jews and Gen|tils Opinion, that ther be real Apparitions or Spectres, which the one &s;tiles Spirits or Angels (Good and Evil;) the other Demons both evil and good. For God can form &s;ubtle &s;ub|&s;tantial Bodies, to u&s;e as Mini&s;ters or Me&s;&s;engers (&s;o Angel &s;ig|nifies) in extraordinary metaphy&s;ical maner.</P>
<P>Cannot the Devil doo the like? Did he not a&s;&s;um the &s;imi|litud <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">are.</NOTE> of <HI>Samuel,</HI> when the Witch of <HI>Endor</HI> cau&s;ed him to con|fer with <HI>Saul?</HI> for <HI>Samuels</HI> Soul it could not be, though <HI>Saul</HI> &s;urmi&s;ed it to be h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s Gho&s;t.</P>
<P>Such Angels &s;o formed are Corporal &s;ub&s;tances, which take up room as Air doth, and mov from place to place in time: but are no Spiritual Gho&s;ts in no place or no wher, or definitly here as not to be el&s;wher; &s;eeming &s;omwhat, yet be Nothing. For tho&s; thin Sub&s;tances, though invi&s;ible as Air, hav the &s;ame
<PB N="232" REF="241"> real dimen&s;ions (greater or le&s;&s;er) as material gro&s;&s;er Bodies. Thus the Spirit of God is taken: 1. For Wind or Breath: <NOTE PLACE="marg">See the &s;even Marginal <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">gures.</NOTE> 2. For extraordinary gifts: 3. For vehement Affections: 4. For the gift of Prediction: 5. For Life: 6. For &s;ubordi|nation to Authority: 7. For Aerial Bodies.</P>
<P>Now for Angel: 'tis generaly a Me&s;&s;enger, or &s;picialy Gods <NOTE PLACE="marg">Angel what.</NOTE> Me&s;&s;enger, which relats any thing that makes known his ex|traordinary pre&s;ence or power; principaly by Dream or Vi|&s;ion. The Scripture &s;peaks not of their Creation, but cals them mini&s;tring Spirits: and Spirits (as is &s;aid) &s;omtime &s;ig|nify thin imperceptible Bodies, as Air, Wind, vital or animal Spirits: &s;omtime Images of the phan&s;y in Dreams and Vi&s;i|ons; which are no real &s;ub&s;tances, but intentional or acciden|tal appeerances in the brain: yet when God rai&s;eth them &s;u|pernaturaly to &s;ignify his Wil, they are termed his Me&s;&s;engers or Angels.</P>
<P>Were not multituds of real individual Angels created by <NOTE PLACE="marg">Q<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="3 letters">.</NOTE> God (as Divines deem or define) to wait on his Wil? Or are the Good only formed on occa&s;ions, and di&s;&s;olved again? If &s;o, then doth not God cea&s; from his work, but creats new, thin, Aerial Bodies continualy.</P>
<P>Here he hath a large di&s;cur&s;, that the Jews from the G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ntils (not by any proof or pre&s;&s;ure in the old Te&s;tament) h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ld tho&s; apparances (which God &s;omtime rai&s;eth in Mens ph<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">&s;y for his &s;ervice, caled Angels) to be real &s;ub&s;tances or perma|nent Creatures wherof &s;om which they thought beho<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ful or beneficial, they caled Angels of God: but &s;uch as they deemed hartful, evil Angels, foul Fiends, Spirits, or Devils. For they <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ed Pythoni&s;ts, mad-Men, Lunatics, Epilectics or the like Demoniacs. Then he &s;hews, how the word Angel in the old Te&s;tament is only an Image &s;upernaturaly rai&s;ed in Mans ima|gination, to &s;ignify Gods pre&s;ence in executing &s;om &s;uperna|tural work: but no permanent Creature or incorporeal Gho&s;t, Touching Angels names in <HI>Daniel (Michael, Gabriel)</HI> by the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 12. 2.</NOTE> fir&s;t is meant Chri&s;t under the title of a great Prince: but the la&s;t was a &s;upernatural Vi&s;ion, by which <HI>Daniel</HI> deemed or <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 8. 16.</NOTE> dreamed (as diver&s; doo) that two Saints talked together, and one &s;aid to the other; <HI>Gabriel, make this Man to under&s;tand</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan 9. 21</NOTE>
<PB REF="242"> <HI>the Vi&s;ion:</HI> but God needs not to difference his &s;ervants by names, which are helps only for weak, &s;hort, mortal memories: nor can it be proved in the old Te&s;tament that Angels (except when they are put for Men made Me&s;&s;engers or Mini&s;ters of Gods Wil, Words, or Works) are permanent or incorporeal individuals, as the Schools &s;ay. The chief places alleged in the <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Mat.</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">5. 41.</NOTE> new Te&s;tament are the&s;: <HI>Go ye cur&s;ed</HI> (&s;aith Chri&s;t) <HI>into ever|la&s;ting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels.</HI> This indeed provs their permanence, but not immateriality: &s;ich no &s;imple <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 4.</NOTE> &s;pirits are patible of material fire. <HI>St. Paul &s;aith. know ye not, that we &s;hal judg the Angels? St. Peter, if God &s;pared not</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">J<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> v. 6.</NOTE> <HI>the Angels that &s;inned, but ca&s;t them into Hel? St. Jude, the Angels which kept not their fir&s;t e&s;tate, he re&s;ervs in everla&s;ting chains under darknes, unto the Judgment of the great Day.</HI> The&s; prov both the permanence of Evangelical nature, and imma|teriality al&s;o. For as incorporeal is taken for not Body (not for a &s;ubtle invi&s;ible Body) an incorporeal &s;ub&s;tance is a con|tradiction: and to an Angel or Spirit in that &s;en&s; incorporeal &s;ub&s;tance, is a <HI>Cambridg</HI> Bul, and in effect to &s;ay, ther is no Angel or Spirit at al. He was of Opinion, that Angels were only &s;upernatural apparitions of the Phan&s;y, rai&s;ed by God to notify his pre&s;ence and precepts to Mankind, &s;pecialy to his cho&s;en People: but confe&s;&s;eth, that upon &s;o many pregnant places and Chri&s;ts plain words he beleevs ther be real, &s;ub|&s;tantial, permanent Angels: yet not incorporeal, immaterial, indefinit, or nothing. 'Tis wel he &s;ees his error in this point, which argues he may overween in others: and it were to be wi&s;hed he would review &s;undry &s;trange &s;ingularities, to re|tract what he finds faulty or erroneous: but not &s;educe or lead on the &s;illy &s;ort, who are apt to cla&s;p any &s;hadows.</P>
<P>Was not the Angel <HI>Gabriel,</HI> who audibly annunciated to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> the Virgin <HI>Mary</HI> hir pre&s;ent Conception by the holy Gho&s;t; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12 7.</NOTE> the &s;ame with <HI>Daniels</HI> &s;o caled? And <HI>Michael</HI> who with his Angels fought again&s;t the great red Dragon and his Angels the &s;ame?</P>
<P>In&s;piration literaly (as Spirit is a thin Air) implies a blow|ing <NOTE PLACE="marg">In&s;piration.</NOTE> into Man &s;om thin air, vapor, or wind; as one fils a blad|der with his breath: but if Spirits exi&s;t only in the phan&s;y, 'tis
<PB N="233" REF="242"> but the blowing in of a Phanta&s;m: which is improper or im|po&s;&s;ible to &s;ay of &s;uch things as only &s;eem to be &s;omwhat, yet are nothing. The word is u&s;ed in Scripture Metaphoricaly &s;oly: as when God in&s;pired into <HI>Adam</HI> the breath of Life; vital <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 2. 7.</NOTE> motion is meant.</P>
<P>Why not rather his rational Soul the fountain of Life and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> motion; which was infu&s;ed at creating, and created in infu|&s;ing, as St. <HI>Au&s;tin</HI> a&s;&s;erts?</P>
<P>St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Al Scripture is given by in&s;piration of God:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim 3 16.</NOTE> <HI>&s;peaking of the old Te&s;tament which is tru of the new Te&s;tament,</HI> but 'tis a Metaphor, that God inclined the Spirit or mind of tho&s; writers, to pen infallibly tru as they did by his &s;pecial dictat or direction. St. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Prophecy cam not in old time by</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet&punc; 1. 21.</NOTE> <HI>Mans Wil; but tho&s; holy Men &s;pake at the holy Spirit moved them.</HI> Here holy Spirit &s;ignifies Gods voice by &s;upernatural Dream or Vi&s;ion, which is not in&s;piration: nor when Chri&s;t breathed on his Di&s;ciples &s;aying (<HI>Receiv the holy Spirit</HI>) was that <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 20. 22.</NOTE> breath the very holy Gho&s;t; but only a &s;ign of tho&s; &s;piritual Graces he gav them. So when 'tis &s;aid of our Saviour (or o|thers) he was ful of the holy Spirit: 'tis not meant any in|fu&s;ion of Gods &s;ub&s;tance, but accumulation of his gifts: whe|ther &s;upernaturaly attained, as the firy cloven toungs &s;at on the <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2. 3, 4.</NOTE> Apo&s;tles, filling them with the holy Gho&s;t; or ordinarily ac|quired by indu&s;try, as Men get learning by &s;tudy: which in al Ca&s;es are Gods gifts alike. Thou then that ha&s;t received more then others, mu&s;t be mo&s;t thankful: Infu&s;ion and in&s;piration are not taken properly, as if good or bad Spirits entred into Men; but only for Gods imparting his Graces or Virtues: which are not to be poured in as Bodies into Barrels; but in&s;tilled or|dinarily or &s;upernaturaly.</P>
<P>Gods Kingdom is taken by mo&s;t Divines metaphoricaly, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Kingdom of God. <HI>Chap. 35.</HI></NOTE> for eternal felicity after this life in the highe&s;t third Heaven which they cal the Kingdom of Glory: or &s;omtime for &s;ancti|fication (the earne&s;t of it) clyped the Kingdom of Grace: but properly in Scripture 'tis Gods real Monarchy or Sove|raignty over any Subjects by their own con&s;ent or Covenant: &s;o the I&s;raelits peculiarly cho&s;e God for their King, upon his promi&s;ing them the Land of <HI>Canaan:</HI> but very &s;eldom meta|phoricaly,
<PB REF="243"> and then 'tis u&s;ed for dominion over &s;in in the new Te&s;tament only: becau&s; &s;uch a dominion every &s;ubject in Gods Kingdom &s;hal hav, without prejudice to the Soveraign. From the Creation God reigned over al Men naturaly by his might, and commanded his peculiar Subjects by voice, as one Man &s;peaks to another: prohibiting <HI>Adam</HI> to eat of the Tree of knowledg; and upon di&s;obeying exiled him out of <HI>Eden</HI> from enjoying eternal Life, wherto he was created had he not &s;inned. <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 7. 7.</NOTE> Afterward he puni&s;hed his Po&s;terity for their Vices (al &s;av egth Per&s;ons in whom his Kingdom con&s;i&s;ted) with a deluge <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 8. 18.</NOTE> of Waters: but his fir&s;t Kingdom by &s;olen compact, was with <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 17. 7, 8.</NOTE> <HI>Abram</HI> in the&s; words: <HI>I wil e&s;tabli&s;h my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee for an everla&s;ting Covenant, to be a God to thee and them: and wil giv thee and thy Seed al the Land of Canaan (wherin thou art a Stranger) for an ever|la&s;ting po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion.</HI> In memorial herof he in&s;tituted Circum|ci&s;ion <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Exod.</HI> 19 5, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">, 8,</NOTE> caled the old Covenant, as the &s;ign or Sacrament therof. The &s;ame Covenant God renewed by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> at <HI>Sinai</HI> (they be|ing newly becom a Nation) which is expre&s;ly &s;tiled (tho the name of King and Kingdom not before u&s;ed) a Kingdom of Prie&s;ts and holy People: for they promi&s;ed to doo as the Lord commanded: which argues their peculiar con&s;ent, compact, or covenant: but al the Earth is the Lords by power, property, and precedent. So 'tis a cleer ca&s;e, that by Gods Kingdom is meant a civil Common-wealth in&s;tituted by Subjects con&s;ents for regulating their behaviour, both toward God their King in obeying his Laws; toward one another in point of Ju&s;tice; and toward Forreners in peace or war. This was properly a Kingdom, when God was King of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> (which befel to no People el&s;) and the high Prie&s;t after <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> his &s;ole Lieftenant or Viceroy: whence 'tis forecaled <HI>Regnum Sacerdotale</HI> a <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet 2 9.</NOTE> Kingdom of Prie&s;ts: and by St. <HI>Peter Sacerdotium Regale</HI> a Roial Prie&s;thood: &s;ith none but the high Prie&s;t might enter <HI>Sanctum Sanctorum</HI> (only once a yeer) to inquire Gods Wil <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 8 7 &amp;c.</NOTE> of him. Many mo places prov the &s;ame: as when the Elders greiving at <HI>Samuels</HI> Sons corruption, required a King to rule them <HI>Like al Nations; God &s;aid they did not reject Samuel but him&s;elf, that he &s;hould not reign over them.</HI> Thus God was their
<PB N="234" REF="243"> King, and <HI>Samuel</HI> only delivered what he dictated. So &s;aith <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 12. 12</NOTE> <HI>Samuel, when ye &s;aw Naa&s;h King of Ammon com again&s;t you, ye &s;aid to me, a King &s;hal reign over us, when the Lord God was King.</HI> After they had rejected God and broken the Covenant by that revolt or rebellion, chu&s;ing another King: the Pro|phets foretold his re&s;titution, that it &s;hal be in <HI>Zion Davids</HI> Throne at <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> on Earth. See <HI>I&s;ai 24. 23. Ez<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">k. 20. 33, 37. Micah.</HI> 4. 7. So &s;aith the Angel <HI>Gabriel</HI> of Chri&s;t: <HI>He &s;hal be great, and caled the Son of the mo&s;t high, and the Lord</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Luk.</HI> 1. 32, 3<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hal giv him his Father Davids Throne: and he &s;hal reign over the hou&s; of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom &s;hal be no end.</HI> This is a Kingdom on Earth, for who&s; claim Chri&s;t was cruci|fied as an enemy to <HI>Cae&s;ar;</HI> and on his Cro&s;&s; in&s;cribed: Je&s;us of <HI>Nazaret</HI> King of the Jews; being in &s;corn Crowned with Thorns. So 'tis &s;aid of the Di&s;ciples, <HI>That they did contrary</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Acts</HI> 1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. 7.</NOTE> <HI>to Cae&s;ars Decrees &s;aying, ther is another King one Je&s;us.</HI> Ther|fore Gods Kingdom is real, no metaphorical Monarchy, and &s;o taken in both Te&s;taments. When we &s;ay, <HI>For thine is the Kingdom, power, and glory:</HI> 'tis under&s;tood by force of our Covenant, not by right of his power. So it were frivolous to pray, <HI>Thy Kingdom com:</HI> unles it be meant of Gods King|doms re&s;tauration by Chri&s;t; which was interrupted by the Jews electing <HI>Saul.</HI> Nor is it proper to &s;ay, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand or thy Kingdom com, if it had &s;til continued: for Gods Kingdom of Power is every wher.</P>
<P>In &s;um, Gods Kingdom is a civil Monarchy, which con|&s;i&s;ts <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> in the I&s;raelits obedience or obligation to ob&s;erv tho&s; Laws which <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> fir&s;t &s;hould bring from <HI>Sinai,</HI> and what the high Prie&s;t afterward &s;hal deliver before the Cherubins in <HI>Sanctum Sanctorum:</HI> which being ca&s;t off by electing <HI>Saul,</HI> the Prophets foretold &s;hould be re&s;tored by Chri&s;t; and we daily pray for its redintegration, thy Kingdom com: acknow|ledging the right of it in adding: <HI>For thine is Kingdom, Power, and Glory for ever. Amen.</HI> The proclaiming herof was the Apo&s;tles Preaching, wherto Men are prepared by Go&s;pel-Teachers: and to promi&s;&s; obedience to Gods government is to be in the Kingdom of Grace: becau&s; God givs &s;uch power to be his Subjects <HI>gratis,</HI> when Chri&s;t &s;hal com in Maje&s;ty to
<PB REF="244"> judg the World, and actualy govern his own People, which is caled the Kingdom of Glory. If Gods Kingdom (caled for its gloriou&s;nes and cel&s;itud the Kingdom of Heaven) were not a Government which he executs on Earth by Vicars or Vicerois, who deliver his commands to the People; ther needs no digladiation, who it is by whom God &s;peaks to us: nor would Prie&s;ts trouble them&s;elfs with &s;piritual juri&s;diction, nor any &s;uprem Rulers deny it them.</P>
<P>From this literal interpretation of Gods Kingdom, ari&s;eth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Holy what.</NOTE> a genuin Expo&s;ition of the word Holy: &s;ignifying what in Mo|narchies Men cal public or the Kings property: who is the pub|lic Per&s;on or Repre&s;entativ of al his Subjects. As God King of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> is &s;tiled the holy one of <HI>I&s;rael:</HI> and the Jews Gods People a holy Nation. So the Sabbath (Gods day) is a Holy day: the Temple (Gods hou&s;) a holy Hou&s;: Sacrifi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es, Offer|ings, Tiths (Gods Tributs) Holy duties: Prie&s;ts, Prophets, Annointed Kings (Gods Mini&s;ters) holy Men: the celical Spirits (Gods Me&s;&s;engers) holy Angels, or the like. For wher|ever holy is taken properly, ther is &s;til &s;omwhat &s;ignified of property got by con&s;ent. For al Mankind is Gods Nation by property of power, but <HI>I&s;rael</HI> only an holy Nation by Cove|nant. In &s;aying <HI>Halowed be thy Name,</HI> we pray for Grace to keep the fir&s;t Commandment, to hav no other Gods but him.</P>
<P>The word (Prophane) is u&s;ualy taken in Scripture for com|mon: <NOTE PLACE="marg">Prophane what</NOTE> and con&s;equently the contraries (holy and proper or peculiar) mu&s;t &s;ignify the &s;ame thing: but figurativly, &s;uch as liv godly giving them&s;elfs to devotion (as if they for&s;ook the World) are caled Bonhoms.</P>
<P>That which God makes holy by appropriating it to his own <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sacred what.</NOTE> u&s;e, is &s;tiled Sacred or Sanctified: as the &s;eventh day in the fourth Commandment; and the elect in the new Te&s;tament are &s;aid to be &s;anctified, as indued with the &s;pirit of godlines. That too which Men dedicat or giv to God for his public &s;ervice (Churches, Chapels with their Uten&s;ils, Prie&s;ts, Victims, Oblations, external Rites of Sacraments &amp;c.) is &s;tiled Sacred or &s;et apart to God. Now ther be diver&s; degrees of &s;anctity or holines; when things are &s;eque&s;tred or con&s;ecrated for Gods neerer &s;ervice th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n others: as al the I&s;raelits were a holy Peo|ple
<PB N="235" REF="244"> peculiar to God, yet Levies Tribe more holy, and Prie&s;ts among Levits more: but the high Prie&s;t mo&s;t holy, &s;o <HI>Judea</HI> was a holy Land, but <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> the City of general wor&s;hip more holy, the Temple holier, and <HI>Sanctum Sanctorum</HI> holie&s;t of al places.</P>
<P>A Sacrament is a &s;eparation of &s;om vi&s;ible thing from com|mon u&s;e, con&s;ecrated to Gods &s;ervice; for a &s;ign of our ad|mi&s;&s;ion <NOTE PLACE="marg">Sacrament.</NOTE> into his Kingdom, or a commemoration of the &s;ame. Circumci&s;ion was the &s;ign of admi&s;&s;ion in the old Te&s;tament, Bapti&s;m in the new: but the commemoration in the one was eating the Pa&s;cal Lamb once annaly, to mind them of the night when they were delivered from <HI>Egypts</HI> temporal bondage; and celebrating the Lords Supper in the other, wherby we are remembred of our deliverance from &s;in and Satan by our Saviours crucifixon. The Sacraments of admi&s;|&s;ion (Circumci&s;ion and Bapti&s;m) are u&s;ed but once to every one, becau&s; we are admitted no oftner: but tho&s; of comme|moration (Pa&s;&s;over and the Lords Supper) often reiterated, becau&s; we mu&s;t be often minded of our deliverance and alle|giance. Ther be other Con&s;ecrations which in ample accep|tion may be &s;tiled Sacraments, as the word implies a &s;acred in&s;titution for Religious u&s;es; as Ordination, Matrimony, and many mo: but as it imports an Oath, Promi&s;&s;, or Covenant of Allegiance to God; tho&s; precited are &s;oly &s;o named. A Common-wealth cannot po&s;&s;ibly con&s;i&s;t, wher any &s;av the Soveraign hath power to giv greater rewards then life, or in|flict <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap 38.</NOTE> grievou&s;er puni&s;hments then death: but &s;ith eternal life excels temporal, and endle&s;&s; torments exced death of nature; 'tis worthy to be wel weighed of al that wil obey Authority to avoid the calamities of confu&s;ion and civil war; what is meant in Scripture by eternal life and endle&s;&s; torment: as al&s;o for what offen&s;es and again&s;t whom committed, Men are to be eternaly tortured, and for what actions to enjoy everla&s;ting life.</P>
<P><HI>Adam</HI> had enjoied it in the terren <HI>Eden</HI> Paradi&s;e for ever, had he not broken Gods commandment to eat the forbidden fruit; who had the Tree of Life allowed to eat: but &s;o &s;oon <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eternal Life; <HI>Gen. 3. 22.</HI></NOTE> as he ta&s;ted the one, God thru&s;t him out of the Garden, le&s;t he &s;hould take of the other and liv for ever. So if he had not
<PB REF="245"> &s;inned, he &s;hould liv on Earth perpetualy: but mortality &s;eized on him and al his po&s;terity for this fir&s;t &s;in. Sith then he for|feted eternal life by &s;in; he who is to cancel that forfeture, mu&s;t recover it by righteou&s;nes: which Chri&s;t Je&s;us did by &s;atisfying for the &s;ins of al that beleev in him; and &s;o reco|vered life eternal lo&s;t by <HI>Adam</HI> to al beleevers. So &s;aith St. <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 21, 22.</NOTE> <HI>Paul, &s;ith by Man cam death, by Man cam al&s;o the Re&s;urrecti|on of the dead: for as in Adam al dy, &s;o in Chri&s;t &s;hal al be made alife.</HI> Touching the place wher Men &s;hal enjoy eternal life, the precited Texts &s;eem to &s;et it on Earth: for if al for|feted it in earthly Paradi&s;e by <HI>Adam,</HI> they &s;hal enjoy it on Earth by Chri&s;t: el&s; the compari&s;on were not con&s;onant nor complet. So &s;aith <HI>David, God commanded the ble&s;&s;ing on Zion,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;. 133 3.</NOTE> <HI>even life for evermore.</HI> So St. <HI>John, to him that overcometh,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2. 7.</NOTE> <HI>I wil giv to eat of the Tree of Life in the mid&s;t of Gods Paradi&s;e:</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 21. 2. 10.</NOTE> This was the Tree of eternal life on earth. Again, <HI>I &s;aw the holy City new Jeru&s;alem coming down from God as a Bride adorned for his Hu&s;band.</HI> As if he &s;hould &s;ay, new <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> Gods Paradi&s;e (or rather the Church Chri&s;ts Spou&s;) &s;hal de&s;cend from Neaven at Chri&s;ts next coming to Gods people, and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 3. 11.</NOTE> not they a&s;cend to it. <HI>So the two Angels in whit clothing &s;aid to the Apo&s;tles looking at Chri&s;t a&s;cending: This Je&s;us who is taken up from you into Heaven, &s;hal &s;o com as you &s;ee him go up into Heaven.</HI> As if they had &s;aid (<HI>Glo&s;&s;a corrumpit textum</HI>) he &s;hal com down to govern them under his Father eternaly on Earth (he coms to Judg, not to Rule) and not take them into Heaven. This conforms to the re&s;tauration of Gods Kingdom began under <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> which was the I&s;raelits Politic <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 12 30.</NOTE> government on Earth. Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>In the Re&s;urrection Men neither marry nor giv in mariage, but are as the Angels in Hea|ven:</HI> This de&s;cribes eternal life like that which <HI>Adam</HI> lo&s;t at point of mariage. For &s;ith <HI>Adam</HI> and <HI>Eve</HI> (if they had not &s;in|ned) had lived on Earth eternaly, yet could not continualy propogat Progenies: becau&s; if immortals &s;hould immortaly procreat as Men doo now; the Earth in &s;hort &s;pace could not afford Foot-room to &s;tand on, much le&s;&s; food to &s;u&s;tain them.</P>
<P>How then can a new created Earth (except extended to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quae<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e.</NOTE> i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">finit immen&s;ity) contain al Mankind (which are unimagi|nable
<PB N="236" REF="245"> multituds) born and to be born &s;ince the Creation?</P>
<P>The&s; with &s;undry &s;uch quirks &s;urpa&s;&s; the reach of rea&s;on to re&s;olv. The compari&s;on betwen life eternal lo&s;t by <HI>Adam,</HI> and recuperated by Chri&s;ts victory over death holds thus: that as he lo&s;t it by &s;in, yet lived long after: &s;o a faithful Be|leever recovers it by Chri&s;t. though he dy <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> natural death for a long time, even til the general Re&s;urrection: for as death is counted from <HI>Adams</HI> condemnation, not execution: &s;o is life reckoned from the ab&s;olution, not from the Re&s;urrection of tho&s; elected in Chri&s;t Je&s;us. Such are his &s;pecious &s;pecula|lations favouring of &s;ingularity.</P>
<P>That Men after the Re&s;urrection &s;hal liv eternaly in Heaven <NOTE PLACE="marg">A&s;cention into Heaven.</NOTE> (caled by St. <HI>Paul</HI> the third Heaven) is not evident in Scrip|ture: by the Kingdom of Heaven is meant Gods Kingdom who dwels in Heaven; which was I&s;raels People: whom he ruled by Judges, Prophets, and high Prie&s;ts as Lieftenents, til they rebelled and required a mortal King like other Nations. So when our Saviour by his Mini&s;ters &s;hal per&s;wade the Jews to return, and accompli&s;h the fulnes of Gentils: ther &s;hal be a new Kingdom of Heaven, becau&s; God (who&s; Throne is Heaven) &s;hal be King: yet it folows not that Man &s;hal a&s;cend to his &s;eat of happines, or higher then his Foot&s;tool. <HI>No Man</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 3. 13.</NOTE> <HI>hath a&s;cended into Heaven, but he that cam down from it; even the Son of Man that cam down from Heaven.</HI> Wher note that tho&s; are St. <HI>Johns</HI> words, not Chri&s;ts as al the re&s;t were; who was not then in Heaven. So <HI>David</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Thou wilt not leav</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s; 16. 10.</NOTE> <HI>my Soul in Hel, nor &s;uffer thy Holy one to &s;ee corruption: which St. Peter provs to be &s;poken of Chri&s;ts Re&s;urrection; not of</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 2 31, 34.</NOTE> <HI>him&s;elf; becau&s; David is not a&s;cended into Heaven.</HI> If any an|&s;wer, 'tis tru they &s;hal not a&s;cend in bodies til the Re&s;ur|rection; but their Souls enter Heaven &s;o &s;oon as they dy: As Chri&s;t confirms, <HI>Who provs the Re&s;urrection by Mo&s;es words</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk 20. 37, 38.</NOTE> <HI>at the bu&s;h; when he cals the Lord the God of Abraham, I&s;aac, and Jacob: who is a God of the living, not of the dead.</HI> This can|not be con&s;trued of the Souls immortality, &s;ith Chri&s;t ther treats only of the Bodies re&s;urrection or immortality of Men who &s;hal liv again. He means tho&s; Patriarchs were immor|tal, becau&s; God in meer grace confers eternal life on the faith|ful
<PB REF="246"> (who tho dead liv &s;til to God, being writ in the Book of life with tho&s; that are ab&s;olved of their &s;ins, to reviv at re&s;ur|rection) but not by any property con&s;equent to Mans e&s;&s;ence or Soul. For to make it a living entity independent after &s;e|paration on the Body; and in it &s;elf immortal: or that any Man is immortal (except <HI>Enoch</HI> or <HI>Elias</HI>) hath no cleer war|rant <NOTE PLACE="marg">Job. 14. 10, 12.</NOTE> in the word. <HI>Job complains of Mans mortality by nature, Man dies and wa&s;ts away: yea givs up the Gho&s;t and wher is he? Down he lieth and ri&s;eth not, til the Heavens be no more.</HI> Which <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet 3 7. 13.</NOTE> St. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;hews &s;hal be at the univer&s;al Re&s;urrection; when the Heavens and Earth &s;hal be di&s;&s;olved by fire: but new ex|pected according to promi&s;&s;, wherin dwels righteou&s;nes. So wher <HI>Job</HI> &s;aith, Man ri&s;eth not til the Heavens be no more: 'tis as if he &s;aid, immortal life (for Life and Soul in Scripture &s;en&s; is the &s;ame) begins not in Man til the Re&s;urrection or day of Judgment: and the cau&s; of it is Gods promi&s;&s; (as St. <HI>Peter</HI> tels) not Mans &s;pecifical Nature or E&s;&s;ence. Now &s;ith Gods Kingdom is a civil Common-wealth wher he-&s;elf is Soveraign, by virtu fir&s;t of the old, and now &s;ince of the new Covenant: it evidently appeers, that when Chri&s;t &s;hal com again in Maje&s;ty and Glory, to reign exi&s;tently and eternaly; his Kingdom &s;hal be on Earth, as God was in <HI>I&s;rael.</HI> So Gods Enimies and their torments after Judgment &s;hal be on Earth: for the place wher al remain til the Re&s;urrection, is u&s;ualy &s;tiled in Scripture under ground, in Latin <HI>Infernus</HI> or <HI>Inferi,</HI> Greecly <HI>Hades;</HI> wher Men cannot &s;ee or dy: implying the Grav &s;o wel as any other deep place: but the damneds place after Re&s;urrection, is not de&s;igned in al holy writ by any note of &s;ituation, but only by their company: wher &s;uch wicked Men were, whom God in miraculous maner had cut off.</P>
<P>Touching Hel, 'tis no real place in any part of the created <NOTE PLACE="marg">Hel what.</NOTE> World, but a Metaphorical word &s;ignified by wicked Men ther being: 1. 'Tis caled <HI>Infernus, Tartarus,</HI> or bottomle&s;&s; Pit from <HI>Corah, Dathan,</HI> and <HI>Abiram</HI> &s;walowed alife into the Earth. 2. 'Tis &s;aid to be under water, becau&s; the Giants (mighty Men in <HI>Noahs</HI> dais, caled Greecly Heroes) were drowned in the Deluge. 3. Becau&s; <HI>Sodom</HI> and <HI>Gomorrha</HI> con&s;umed by Fire and Brim&s;tone, becam a bituminous Lake,
<PB N="237" REF="246">
'tis caled <HI>a Lake burning with fire and brim&s;tone, which is the &s;ecund death.</HI> So Hel fire is expre&s;&s;ed by <HI>Sodoms</HI> fire indefi|nitly <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 21. 8.</NOTE> taken for de&s;truction: as 'tis &s;aid, <HI>Death and Hel were</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 14.</NOTE> <HI>ca&s;t into the Lake of fire: or de&s;troied:</HI> for after the la&s;t day Men &s;hal dy no more nor go into <HI>Hades.</HI> 4. 'Tis termed from <HI>Egypts</HI> triduan deep darknes, utter or extern darknes; <HI>viz.</HI> without the habitation of Gods elect, which is ful of Light. 5. Neer <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> is the Vally of <HI>Hinnon:</HI> in part wherof caled <HI>Tophet,</HI> the Jews mo&s;t Idolatrou&s;ly &s;acrificed their Children to <HI>Moloch:</HI> wher they ca&s;t out their Carrion; and to clen&s; the Air, made continual fires: whence Hel is caled <HI>Ge|henna</HI> or Vally of <HI>Hinnon:</HI> and from tho&s; ince&s;&s;ant Fires, cam the name or notion of everla&s;ting unquenchable Fire. Now none is &s;o &s;en&s;le&s;&s; to expound any of the&s; literaly, as if the damned after ri&s;ing from death, &s;hal be for ever under Earth or Water (both which are but one Globe like a Pins point compared to the Heavens) in a bottomle&s;&s; Pit: or that they &s;hal be eternaly puni&s;hd in <HI>Gehenna</HI> the Vally of <HI>Hinnon:</HI> or &s;hal liv in utter darknes not one to &s;ee another: or be &s;corched for ever with Fire and Brim&s;tone: <HI>Ergo</HI> the meaning is Me|taphorical, and mu&s;t be di&s;quired by the nature of the Torments and Tormenters.</P>
<P>The Tormenters are termed Satan or Enimy, <HI>Diabolus</HI> or <NOTE PLACE="marg">Tormenters.</NOTE> Accu&s;er, and <HI>Abaddon</HI> or De&s;troier: which &s;ignificant titles &s;et not forth any individual Per&s;ons like proper Names; but only an office or faculty, and are very Appellativs: which &s;hould not be left untran&s;lated (as they are) becau&s; therby they &s;eem to be proper names of Demons; and Men &s;ooner &s;educed to beleev the Doctrin of Devils then Pagan Religion contrary to Chri&s;ts. So becau&s; the Enimy in Gods Kingdom of the Jews, is meant by Enimy, Accu&s;er, and De&s;troier; if Gods Kingdom after the Re&s;urrection &s;hal be on Earth, the Enimy and his Kingdom mu&s;t be ther al&s;o; as it was when the I&s;raelits depo&s;ed God and cho&s;e <HI>Saul:</HI> &s;ith Gods King|dom was in <HI>Pale&s;tin,</HI> and the Nations round about Enimies: whence it appeers, that Satan &s;ignifies any Enimy of the Church.</P>
<P>Metaphoricaly it may: but is not Satan properly or literaly <NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Quaere. Rev.</HI> 12. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word">.</NOTE> a foul Fiend Enimy to Mankind, as the great red Dragon that
<PB REF="247"> old Serpent was, who deceived <HI>Eve</HI> and &s;ince the whol World? Are al the Dialogs between betwen God and Satan about <HI>Job</HI> conterfet <HI>Chimaeras? When the &s;eventy rejoiced that the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> 10. 17. 18 20.</NOTE> <HI>Devils were &s;ubject to them,</HI> Chri&s;t &s;aid, <HI>I &s;aw Satan as light|ning fal from Heaven:</HI> but rejoyce not that the Spirits are <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat 12. 24. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Cor. 5. 5.</NOTE> &s;ubject to you. Here Chri&s;t cals Devils Spirits, and names Satan as one: yea Beelzebub is named Prince of Devils Ex|communication <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1. 20.</NOTE> is caled a delivery to Satan: is this meant only a Jailor or temporal Enimy.</P>
<P>Hel torments are &s;omtime caled weeping and gna&s;hing <NOTE PLACE="marg">Torments.</NOTE> of teeth: &s;omtime the worm of Con&s;cience: of time fire wher <NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 12. 2.</NOTE> the worm dieth not, which is never quenched: but by <HI>Daniel</HI> &s;hame and contempt. Al which Metaphoricaly denote great grief or di&s;content of Mind, from &s;ight of others felicity, which they lo&s;t by their own di&s;obedience and incredulity: but be|cau&s; others felicity is known only by comparing it with their own mi&s;ery; it re&s;ults that they &s;hal &s;uffer &s;uch bodily pains and calamities, as Men that liv under cruel Governors, having God the King of Saints their eternal Enimy. Yea be&s;ide al torments of Body and Mind, they &s;hal likwi&s;e endure a &s;ecund Death. For tho the general Re&s;urrection be evident, yet it <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 42</NOTE> no eternal life promi&s;ed to Reprobats: St. <HI>Paul</HI> to the que&s;ti|on with what Bodies Men &s;hal ri&s;e &s;aith, <HI>'Tis &s;own in corruption, and rai&s;ed in incorruption; &s;own in di&s;honor, rai&s;ed in glory; &s;own in weaknes, rai&s;ed in power:</HI> but Glory and Power, cannot comply to wicked Mens Bodies; nor the name of &s;ecund Death apply to &s;uch as can never dy but once. Howbeit tho a calamitous everla&s;ting Life, may Metophoricaly be termed eternal Death: yet can it in no property of &s;peech be &s;tiled a &s;ecund Death.</P>
<P>Everla&s;ting fire prepared for the Damned, is an e&s;tate wher|in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Secund Death.</NOTE> none can liv after the Re&s;urrection without torture of Body and Mind: in which &s;en&s; it &s;hal endure for ever un|quenchable, and the torments endle&s;&s;s. Yet it folows not, that he &s;o ca&s;t in &s;hal &s;o endure or re&s;i&s;t it, as to be eternaly burnt and tortured; but never dy or be de&s;troied. Yea tho many places prov everla&s;ting fire and torments (into which Men may be ca&s;t &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly one after another for ever) yet none a&s;|&s;ert,
<PB N="238" REF="247"> that any individual Per&s;on &s;hal perennaly abide or en|dure therin: but he &s;hal hav an everla&s;ting &s;ecund Death. <HI>For when Death and the Grav</HI> (Hel) <HI>hav delivered up the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 20. 13, 14.</NOTE> <HI>dead in them, and every Man judged according to his works; Death and Hel &s;hal be ca&s;t into the Lake of Fire: this is the &s;e|cund Death.</HI> Hence 'tis cleer, that every Reprobat condemned at general Judgment, mu&s;t &s;uffer a &s;ecund Death, after which he &s;hal dy no more.</P>
<P>But what is meant by Mind &s;o oft iterated, if not Mans <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> Soul.</P>
<P>The jois of eternal Life, are compri&s;ed in Scripture under <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eternal Life.</NOTE> the name of Salvation or being &s;aved: which &s;ignifies to be &s;ecured, either re&s;pectivly again&s;t &s;pecial evils, or ab&s;olutly from al, as want, &s;icknes, death. Now becau&s; Man was made immortal or immarce&s;cible, and fel from it by &s;in; it re&s;ults that to be &s;aved from &s;in, is to be freed from al evil and af|flictions acquired by the &s;ame: <HI>Ergo</HI> Remi&s;&s;ion of &s;in and Sal|vation from death and mi&s;ery is al one. As when Chri&s;t <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 9. 2, 5.</NOTE> cured a Paralytic Man &s;aying, <HI>Friend be of good cheer or com|fort, thy &s;ins be forgiven; the Scribes &s;aid within them&s;elfs, he bla&s;phems: but he asked, whether 'tis ea&s;ier to &s;ay thy &s;ins be forgiven, or ari&s;e and walk? Yet he u&s;ed that form of &s;peech to &s;hew he had power to remit &s;ins:</HI> which implies that 'tis al one to the &s;aving of the &s;ick to &s;ay thy &s;ins are forgiven, or ri&s;e and walk. For &s;ith death and mi&s;ery are puni&s;hments of &s;in, the di&s;charge of it relea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eth the other two; being ab&s;olut Sal|vation, &s;uch as the elect &s;hal enjoy after the Judgment day, by Chri&s;t Je&s;us favor, who for that cau&s; is caled our Saviour. Touching particular Salvations, from enimies or mi&s;eries, 'tis needle&s;&s; to treat: but becau&s; the general Salvation mu&s;t be in the Kingdom of Heaven; ther is great debate or difficulty about the place.</P>
<P>Becau&s; Kingdom is an E&s;tate ordained by Men for &s;ecurity <NOTE PLACE="marg">Kingdom of Heaven.</NOTE> again&s;t enimies and want, it &s;eems this Salvation (which &s;ets forth our Kings glorious reign by conque&s;t, not a &s;afety by e&s;cape) &s;hal be on Earth. For wher we expect Salvation, we mu&s;t look for Triumph, Victory, and Battle in order: which cannot be &s;uppo&s;ed in Heaven, and wher el&s;, we mu&s;t &s;erch
<PB REF="248"> the Scriptures. <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> largely de&s;cribes it <HI>To be at Jeru&s;alem</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 33. 20. &amp;c.</NOTE> <HI>a quiet habitation, a Tabernacle not to be taken down:</HI> The Sa|viour is <HI>Our Lord, Judg, Lawgiver, King:</HI> The condition of the &s;aved is, <HI>The People that dwel therin &s;hal be forgiven their ini|quities.</HI> By this 'tis cleer, that it &s;hal be in <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> wher God &s;hal reign at Chri&s;ts next coming, and fil up the Salvation of Gentils, which &s;hal be received into his Kingdom for ever. <NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;ai 66 20 21.</NOTE> <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> more expre&s;ly declares it, <HI>That the Gentils</HI> (who had any Jews in bondage) <HI>&s;hal bring them from al Nations on Hor&s;es, Charets, and Litters to Jeru&s;alem the place of Gods</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 4. 22.</NOTE> <HI>wor&s;hip:</HI> As our Saviour told the Woman of <HI>Samaria, that Salvation is of the Jews, or begins at them.</HI> As if he &s;hould &s;ay, ye wor&s;hip God, but know not by whom he wil &s;av you: we know it &s;hal be by one of <HI>Juda</HI> and not a <HI>Samaritan.</HI> This <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 16, 17.</NOTE> St. <HI>Paul</HI> explains, <HI>The G<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l is Gods power of Salvation to every one that beleeveth: to the Jew fir&s;t, and al&s;o to the Greec.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Joel 2. 30, 32.</NOTE> So <HI>Joel</HI> de&s;cribing the Judgment day &s;aith, <HI>God wil &s;hew won|ders in Heaven and Earth, Blood, Fire, and Pillars of &s;moke:</HI> wherto he ads, <HI>In Mount Zion and Jeru&s;alem &s;hal be Salvation.</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Obad. v. 17. &amp;c.</NOTE> So &s;aith <HI>Obadiah, On Mount Zion &s;hal be deliverance and ho|lines, Jacobs hou&s; &s;hal po&s;&s;e&s;&s; their po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions:</HI> which he parti|cularly points out by <HI>The Mount of E&s;au, Land of Phili&s;tins, fields of Ephraim, Samaria, Gilead, and Cities of the South:</HI> concluding thus: <HI>The Kingdom &s;hal be the Lords.</HI> On the other &s;ide, no plain pregnant place provs the Saints A&s;cention into Heaven, &s;av that 'tis caled the Kingdom of Heaven: which was becau&s; he governed the I&s;raelits by commands &s;ent to <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> from and after &s;ent his Son (as he wil again) thence: or el&s; that his Throne is Heaven, and Earth his Foot|&s;tool: but that his Subjects or Servants &s;hal &s;it &s;o high as his Throne, or abov his Foot&s;tool; &s;utes not with the glorious Maje&s;ty of &s;o great a King.</P>
<P>Al the&s; Kick&s;hews of arguing from &s;imilituds (which he <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;wer."> derides in others) are &s;oon &s;atisfied: that his &s;ubjects &s;hal not &s;it on his &s;uprem Throne as Coequals or Coordinats; but only dwel (as Princes Servants doo in their Palaces) in his holy <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 14. 2.</NOTE> Hou&s; of Heaven. This &s;aith Chri&s;t, hath many man&s;ions, be|ing infinity it &s;elf: wheras not a tithing pa<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> of Mankind can
<PB N="239" REF="248"> po&s;&s;ibly find place to &s;tand on a new Earth or finit world. Three Worlds are &s;pecified in Scripture: 1. The old before <HI>Noahs</HI> flood, wherof St. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;peaks: 2. The pre&s;ent, of <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 5.</NOTE> which Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>My Kingdom is not of this World:</HI> 3. That to com: of it St. <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aith, <HI>We according to his promi&s;&s; look for new Heavens and Earth:</HI> which is that World wherin Chri&s;t coming in the Clouds with great, glory &s;hal &s;end his An|gels to gather the Elect from the four Winds or utmo&s;t parts of the Earth, to reign over them under his Father everla&s;tingly. Thus he:</P>
<P>But wher is the World to com taken for a Real material <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> World, as the other two be?</P>
<P>'Tis not <HI>Co&s;mos</HI> or <HI>Mundus venturus;</HI> but <HI>Seculum, vita, vel Aevum futurum,</HI> the Time, Life, or Age to com. Nor is ther any warrant in al Gods word for tho&s; la&s;t words, that Chri&s;t &s;hal reign over the Saints (<HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">iz.</HI> on Earth) under his Father everla&s;tingly: but that they &s;hal reign with him 1000. yeers, as Chilia&s;ts conte&s;t.</P>
<P>Touching Under&s;tanding, he &s;aith 'tis only imagination <NOTE PLACE="marg">Under&s;tand|ing.</NOTE> rai&s;ed in Man or any Animal that can imagin, by words or &s;igns: which is common to Man and Bea&s;ts. As a Dog by u&s;e under&s;tands his Ma&s;ters cal or check; with &s;undry &s;trange tricks by <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words"> calture: &s;o doo diver&s; other kinds: yea &s;om <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> to &s;peak: but under&s;tanding peculiar to Man, is not only to know one anothers wil; but his thoughts or conceptions, by the con&s;equents of things Names into affir|mations, <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ations, and other forms of &s;peech: of which he wil treat el&s;wher.</P>
<P>For Witchcraft, he holds it to be no real power: yet are <NOTE PLACE="marg">Witchcraft.</NOTE> Witches ju&s;tly puni&s;hed with death, for their fal&s; beleef that they can doo &s;uch mi&s;chief, and a wil or purpo&s;e to act it: their Trade being neerer to a new Religion then a Craft or Science. Such as are content to be poor, may ea&s;ily re&s;olv to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cen&s;ure.</NOTE> be hone&s;t: &s;o tho&s; that hold Hel to be no real place, and De|vils meer Metaphors, mu&s;t of cour&s; deny Witchcraft: yea many who pretend to be wi&s;e pious profe&s;&s;ors, are too incre|dulous of Witches; contrary to the faith of al Gods People <NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 22 18.</NOTE> (both Jews and Chri&s;tians) who wil not &s;uffer a Witch to
<PB REF="249"> liv as God commanded. The be&s;t is, only privat per&s;ons deny it: but al public Princes and Chri&s;tian Common-wealths make &s;trict Laws again&s;t it. <HI>Saul</HI> de&s;troied Wi&s;ards and &s;uch as had familiar Spirits: yet in di&s;tres, cau&s;ed a Witch of <HI>En|dor</HI> to rai&s; <HI>Samuel,</HI> as the &s;pectre &s;eemed) with whom he con|&s;ulted. Serjeant <HI>Glyn</HI> (who at la&s;t Lent A&s;&s;i&s;es in <HI>Cornwal,</HI> condemned eght Witches upon pregnant pre&s;umptions and per&s;onal confe&s;&s;ions) can &s;cientiou&s;ly &s;atisfy any Man, that ther be &s;uch impious confederats with Satan: el&s; al Laws and Magi&s;trats that que&s;tion them for their fal&s; imaginations, or intentions to work mi&s;chief (if they can doo none) were mo&s;t unju&s;t, and to execut them bloody.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>De Regno purae Caliginis:</HI> Of pure Darknes Kingdom.</HEAD>
<P>BE&s;ide al Soveraign powers Divine and Human precited, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 12. Mat. 12. 26. Mat. 9. 34. Eph. 2. 2. John 16. 11.</NOTE> the Scriptures &s;pecify rulers of this Worlds Darknes; even the Kingdom of Satan and Principality of <HI>Beelzebub</HI> over Devils or Phanta&s;ms in the Air: as Satan is &s;tiled Prince of the power of the Air, and Prince of this World, becau&s; he rules in this Worlds darknes. So they under his dominion, in oppo|&s;ition to the Faithful (caled Children of the Light) are properly Children of Darknes.</P>
<P>The Kingdom of Darknes is a confederacy of Deceivers, who <NOTE PLACE="marg">Kingdom of Darknes.</NOTE> to get dominion over Men in this World, devi&s;e erroneous doctrins, to extingui&s;h the Light both of Nature and Scrip|ture: <NOTE PLACE="marg">p. 333. &amp;c.</NOTE> therby to &s;educe &s;illy Di&s;ciples, and &s;o di&s;prepare them for the Kingdom of God to com.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Fabula narratur, mutato nomine, de te:</HI> Let the name changed be The tale is told of thee.,</L>
</LG>
<P>The darke&s;t part of Satans Kingdom, is without Gods Church among &s;uch as beleev not in Chri&s;t: yet doth not the Church (like the Land of <HI>Go&s;hen</HI>) enjoy al Light nece&s;&s;ary to
<PB N="240" REF="249"> the work injoined by God: but as Men born blind hav no Idae<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of any bodily Light; nor can any conceiv greater then he hath perceived &s;omtimes by his own &s;en&s;es: &s;o is it with the Light of the Go&s;pel and under&s;tanding too, that none can imagin any greater degree therof then he hath attained. Ther be four cau&s;es of &s;piritual Darknes:</P>
<P>1. By abu&s;ing or aboli&s;hing the Scriptures Light, for weer <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cau&s;.</NOTE> not knowing the Scripture: the chief is (wherto almo&s;t al the re&s;t are con&s;equent or &s;ub&s;ervient) wre&s;ting it to prov Gods Kingdom &s;o oft cited, to be the Church or multitud of Chri&s;tians now living, or that &s;hal ri&s;e at la&s;t day: but the Kingdom of God was fir&s;t erected by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> mini&s;try over the I&s;raelits (&s;o &s;aith he, but none el&s;) cald his peculiar Peo|ple: which after cea&s;ed when they refu&s;ed to be longer go|verned by God, and cho&s;e <HI>Saul.</HI> Since which time God had no proper Kingdom by pact or covenant; but only as he ever was, is, and &s;hal be, univer&s;al King of al Creatures; ruling according to his ab&s;olut Wil and infinit Power. Nor are any now under any King or Kingdom by pact (&s;av our &s;ecular Soveraigns) til Chri&s;t &s;hal com again to reign eternaly on Earth. Succe|daneal to this &s;aid error is, that Chri&s;t (now in Heaven) hath &s;om one Man or A&s;&s;embly, by who&s; mouth he &s;peaks, givs Laws, and which repre&s;ents his Per&s;on. This regal power un|der him the Pope claims generaly over al the Church: but in particular &s;tats the Pa&s;tors or Presbyteries of tho&s; places: which begets &s;uch darknes in Mens under&s;tandings. Hence re|&s;ults another error, that a Chri&s;tian Kingdom had need to receiv his Crown by a Bi&s;hop: as if the clau&s; of <HI>Dei gratia</HI> depended on that Ceremony. So al Eccle&s;ia&s;tics a&s;&s;ume the title of Clergy, caling al others Laity or People &s;imply. Hence al&s;o aro&s;e the di&s;tinction betwen Emperors Civil Laws, and Popes Canons: which la&s;t were but bare Canons or Rules vo|luntarily received by Princes, til <HI>Charlemaign</HI> becam Empe|ror: but afterward as the Popes power increa&s;ed, becam com|mands or Laws, and Emperors allowed them. For the Pope pretending al Chri&s;tians to be his Subjects, makes it capital for any not to be of Roman Religion: but tolerats Jews, Mahometans, and Pagans to enjoy their own Rites, if they
<PB REF="250"> offer no &s;candal. A &s;ecund abu&s;e of Scripture is turning con|&s;ecration into conjuration or inchantment: for to con&s;ecrat is to offer, giv, or dedicat decently and devoutly any thing to God; by &s;eparating it from common u&s;e or prophane, to be holy and peculiar for Gods &s;ervice by his Mini&s;ters hands: but when Papi&s;ts pretend to change the nature or quality of a thing (as in the Lords Supper to make Bread and Wine by &s;aying this is my Body, this is my Blood, to be Chri&s;ts very Body and Blood) it mu&s;t either be Gods extraordinary work (which 'tis not being doon daily and frequently) or a vain impious conjuration: wherby they would hav Men beleev a change of Natures contrary to the te&s;timony of their &s;ight and other &s;en&s;es.</P>
<P>If the Aegyptian Sorcerers (who turnd their Rods to Ser|pents, and Waters to Blood, or at lea&s;t to &s;eem &s;o) had made no change in &s;hew, but only outfaced the King, that they were Serpents which looked like Rods: would not al Men tax them for Liers? Thus Prie&s;ts tel the People, that they hav turned Bread into a Man, nay a God; requiring Men to wor|&s;hip it, which is gro&s;&s; Idolatry. The words (this is my Body, or repre&s;ents my Body) can extend &s;oly to the Bread which Chri&s;t con&s;ecrated with his own hands: for he &s;aid not, the Bread wherof any Prie&s;t &s;hal &s;ay (this is my Body) &s;hal be in&s;tantly tran&s;ub&s;tantiated into it: nor was this doctrin harched in the Church of <HI>Rome,</HI> til under <HI>Innocent</HI> the third not 500. yeers ago: when the Popes power was at highe&s;t, and Peoples darknes heavie&s;t; that Men could not &s;ee the Bread they eat, &s;pecialy being &s;tamped with Chri&s;ts figure on the Cro&s;&s;, as if the very wood was tran&s;ub&s;tantiated, which they ate together with the Body. So at Bapti&s;m they u&s;e many Charms in name of the holy Trinity, with the &s;ign of the Cro&s;&s; at naming ech Per&s;on: as in con&s;ecrating holy Water the Prie&s;t &s;aith, I con|jure thee Creature of Water in the name of God the Father Almighty, and Je&s;us Chri&s;t his only Son our Lord, and by vir|tu of the holy Gho&s;t; that thou becom conjured Water to driv away al the Enimies powers &amp;c. The like is doon in Be|nediction of Salt and Hony mixd therwith: but the chief charms are re&s;erved for the Children to be Bapti&s;ed, as ap|peers
<PB N="241" REF="250"> in their Ceremonies. The like are u&s;ed in Mariage, Vi|&s;itation of the Sick, extrem Unction, con&s;ecrations of Churches and Church-yards to expel Phanta&s;ms, Faieries, and imaginary Spirits: al which belong to the Kingdom of Dark|nes, being effects of our natural ignorance. Another error is from mi&s;interpreting the words eternal Life, everla&s;ting Death, and &s;ecund Death: of which three in order.</P>
<P><HI>Adam</HI> had an e&s;tate to liv for ever, not by nature in him&s;elf <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eternal Life.</NOTE> or any part of his; but by eating the Tree of Life, which he had leav to doo, &s;o long as he obeied God: but was thru&s;t out of Paradi&s;e &s;o &s;oon as he &s;inned; le&s;t he &s;hould feed theron and liv for ever. Now Chri&s;ts death is a di&s;charge of &s;in and re&s;titution of Life eternal to al the faithful who beleev in him, and to them only. Yet the general doctrin of Divines is, that every Man hath eternal life by nature of his immortal Soul: &s;o that the flaming Sword at entrance of Paradi&s;e, may hinder him from ta&s;ting the Tree of Life; but not from immortality which God bereaved. Nor &s;hal he need Chri&s;ts &s;acrifice for recovery of the &s;ame: &s;ith not only the faithful or righteous, but the wicked and Heathen &s;hal enjoy eternal Life without Death, much le&s;&s; a &s;ecund everla&s;ting death. To &s;alv or &s;hadow this, they &s;ay by &s;ecund everla&s;ting Death, is meant a &s;ecund everla&s;ting Life (but Torments) which is a figure never u&s;ed &s;av in this very ca&s;e.</P>
<P>Is not &s;ecund Death an eternal being both of Body and <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> Soul in Hel-fire under Satan?</P>
<P>This tenet of the Souls immortality, is founded on &s;om ob&s;cure places of the new Te&s;tament, which yet in a different &s;en&s; (of his own mint) are cleer enough, and unnece&s;&s;ary to Chri&s;tian Faith. For &s;uppo&s;e when a Man dies nothing re|mains but his Carcas; cannot God who made clay a living Creature by his word, rai&s; it again by another word? Yes, but not to the &s;ame life, which vani&s;hed to nothing: wheras the Soul being immortal per&s;i&s;ts identical. Soul in Scripture &s;til &s;ignifies either Life or a Living Creature, and Body jointly with Soul a Body alife. As God &s;aith, <HI>Let the Waters produce</HI> Rep|tile animae viventis, <HI>the creeping thing with a living Soul; we tran&s;lat that hath life:</HI> Again, <HI>God created Whales</HI> &amp; omnem
<PB REF="251"> animam viventem; in Engli&s;h <HI>every living Creature:</HI> but of Man, <HI>God made him of du&s;t, and breathed in his face the &s;piracle or breath of life;</HI> &amp; factus e&s;t Homo in animam viventem, <HI>and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 8. 21.</NOTE> <HI>Man was made a living Creature.</HI> So God &s;aid when <HI>Noah</HI> cam out of the Arc, <HI>I wil no more &s;mite</HI> omnem animam vi|ventem, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut 12. 23.</NOTE> <HI>every living Creature. Eat not the Blood, for 'tis the Soul or Life:</HI> But if Soul &s;ignified a &s;ub&s;tance immortal exi|&s;ting after &s;eparation from the Body; it may be &s;aid of any other Animal &s;o wel as Man.</P>
<P>Is it &s;aid of any other, that God having made the Body of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> Earth, breathed into his face <HI>&s;piraculum Vitae</HI> the Spirit of Life? Which al interpreters expound of creating and infu&s;ing the Soul together. He goes on: the Souls or Lifes of the Faithful (which being accidents that annihilated when the Bodies died, mu&s;t be new made) are by Gods &s;pecial Grace (not of their own Nature) to remain in their rai&s;ed Bodies for ever after Judgment. Wher 'tis &s;aid in the new Te&s;tament that any &s;hal be ca&s;t Body and Soul (as if they were di&s;tinct <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> parts) into Hel-fire; it imports Body and Life (how can Life be ca&s;t being a bare accident?) That they &s;hal be ca&s;t alife into <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19 v. 20.</NOTE> <HI>Gehenna.</HI> So 'tis &s;aid <HI>The Bea&s;t and fal&s; Prophet were both ca&s;t alife into a Lake of fire burning with Brim&s;tone.</HI></P>
<P>This dark doctrin of the Souls &s;ub&s;i&s;tence after &s;eparation, opens a &s;luce to let in the &s;uper&s;titious &s;uper&s;tructures of Purga|tory and Indulgences; Gho&s;ts or Goblins and Exorci&s;ms; invocating of Saints (yea Heaven and Hel too) with &s;om o|thers. For Men before Chri&s;ts coming, being taught from the Greecs Demonology, that Mens Souls were di&s;tinct &s;ub|&s;tances, which after &s;eparation mu&s;t &s;ub&s;i&s;t &s;omwher by their own Nature: the Doctors of the Church long doubted wher they re&s;ided til the general Re&s;urrection, &s;uppo&s;ing they lay under the Altars: but finding that Martyrs Souls of them &s;lain for Gods word (if they hav Souls, why not others?) <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quae c.</NOTE> Lay under the Altar; the Church of <HI>Rome</HI> for their profit <NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 6 9.</NOTE> erected Purgatory. Surely they doo al for profit to maintain their pomp, pride, power, and prodigality.</P>
<P><HI>Beza</HI> to prov Gods Kingdom began at Chri&s;ts Re&s;urrection <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 16. 28.</NOTE> and continues &s;til; urgeth his words: <HI>Verily I &s;ay to you, &s;om
<PB N="242" REF="251"> of them which &s;tand here &s;hal not ta&s;t of death, til they hav &s;een</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 16. 28. Marc 9. 1. Luk. 9. 37.</NOTE> <HI>Gods Kingdom com with power: Ergo</HI> either Gods Kingdom cam &s;hortly after, and is now in this World; or el&s; &s;om then &s;tanding by Chri&s;t are yet alife.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is a darke difficil place, which provs nothing ne|ce&s;&s;arily: but if Gods Kingdom began at Chri&s;ts Re&s;urrecti|on, why doo we &s;til pray thy Kingdom com? Therfore 'tis not meant therof. Yea after his Re&s;urrection, the Apo&s;tles asked, <HI>Wilt thou now re&s;tore the Kingdom of I&s;rael?</HI> He an|&s;wered, <HI>'Tis not for you to know the time or &s;ea&s;on, which the Father hath put in his own power: but ye &s;hal receiv power by the holy Gho&s;ts coming on you, and &s;hal be my Witne&s;&s;es in Jeru|&s;alem, in al Judea, and utmo&s;t part of the Earth.</HI> So he told them his Kingdom was not com, nor &s;hal they foreknow when 'tis to com. Chri&s;t &s;aid to <HI>Peter</HI> of <HI>John, If I wil that he tarry</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">1, v. 22.</NOTE> <HI>til I com, what is that to thee?</HI> Which bred a beleef that he &s;hould not dy: yet the truth of it was neither confirmed nor confuted by tho&s; words; but left as a dark &s;aying, and &s;o mu&s;t this. Howbeit &s;ith Chri&s;ts transfiguration is the next Act handled by al three Evangeli&s;ts; haply he cals that Gods Kingdom, which &s;om ther &s;hould &s;ee, being a repre&s;entation or vi&s;ion of his glory and Maje&s;ty as he &s;hal com in his King|dom: which cannot be proved to begin til the day of Judg|ment.</P>
<P>Wher is it proved, that any terren Kingdom &s;hal com|mence <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quae<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e.</NOTE> then?</P>
<P>Then &s;hal the Faithful ri&s;e with glorious &s;piritual Bodies inlifened, and becom Chri&s;ts Subjects in his Kingdom: wher they &s;hal not eat, drink, marry as they did in their natural Bodies; but liv happily in their individual Per&s;ons for ever. The elect then alife &s;hal be &s;uddenly changed, and their Bodies made &s;piritualy immortal: but Reprobats &s;hal ri&s;e to receiv puni&s;hment: yet not eternaly in their individual Per&s;ons, nor can any place prov it. As after the Re&s;urrection the Elect &s;hal be re&s;tored to <HI>Adams</HI> e&s;tate before he fel: &s;o Reprobats &s;hal be in the &s;ame condition that <HI>Adam</HI> and his Po&s;terity were &s;ince his fal: &s;av that God graciou&s;ly promi&s;ed a Redeemer to &s;uch as &s;hould repent and beleev; but not to tho&s; that dy
<PB REF="252"> in their &s;ins impenitent, as Reprobats doo, &s;o they may liv as they did before with gro&s;&s; corruptible Bodies (as al Men now hav) and haply beget Children continualy, which no <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15.</NOTE> Scripture gain&s;ais. St. <HI>Paul</HI> treats only of the Re&s;urrection <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 20 34. &amp;c.</NOTE> to life eternal; not a word of that to pnui&s;hment: nor Chri&s;t, who &s;aith the Children of this World (which liv in the e&s;tate <HI>Adam</HI> left them) &s;hal marry, and generat &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly (by an immortality of Kind, not of Per&s;ons) who are not worthy to be counted among tho&s; that &s;hal ri&s;e and obtain the World to com (that is life to com, not a terren World) which alone are Heirs of eternal life, equal to Angels and Children of God. So a &s;ecund eternal death remains to Reprobats; when after the Re&s;urrection &s;hal com a time of torment or puni&s;h|ment: which by &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of &s;inners, &s;hal la&s;t &s;o long as the kind of Man by propagation &s;hal endure, that is eternaly: but not &s;o every &s;ingle Per&s;on; nor &s;hal the Tormenters be F<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ends or evil Angels. Touching the Souls natural immortality, that 'tis a &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance &s;ub&s;i&s;ting by it &s;elf after &s;eparation; he an&s;wers &s;om objections.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Salomon</HI> &s;aith, <HI>Du&s;t &s;hal return to Du&s;t as it was and</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 12. 7.</NOTE> <HI>the Spirit to God that gav it: Ergo</HI> God created the Soul di&s;tinct Spirit.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> He &s;hews how Mans Body made of du&s;t mu&s;t return to du&s;t: but God only knows what becoms of his Spirit, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 3. 20.</NOTE> Breath, or Life. He hath a &s;entence of &s;emblable &s;en&s;: <HI>Al</HI> (Man and Bea&s;t) <HI>go to one place: al are of du&s;t, and turn to du&s;t.</HI> Who knows (except the Omni&s;cient) that Mans Spirit goes <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ibid. v. 19.</NOTE> upward, and a Bea&s;ts downward? Sith 'tis &s;aid, <HI>That which befals the Sons of Men, betides Bea&s;ts: as one dies, &s;o doth the other: yea they hav al one breath</HI> (before &s;pirit) <HI>&s;o that a Man hath no preeminence abov a Bea&s;t, for al is vanity.</HI> He prai&s;eth <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ch<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">p. 4 2, 3.</NOTE> the dead beyond the living, and ads: <HI>Better is he which hath not yet bin, nor &s;een the evil work doon under the Sun then both the dead and living</HI> which cannot hold current, if Mans Soul be immor|tal, that no Soul were better then it, only for a little oppre&s;&s;i|on in this life. La&s;tly he &s;aith, <HI>The living know they &s;hal dy, but the Dead know nothing (naturaly, before the Body &s;hal ri&s;e) nor hav any more a reward, for their memory is forgot.</HI> Al
<PB N="243" REF="252"> which places pro&s;tern the Souls immortality, and by Spirit is meant Breath or Life, as often fore&s;aid.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Chri&s;t &s;aith, <HI>Abraham, I&s;aac,</HI> and <HI>Jacob</HI> are living: <HI>Ergo</HI> their Souls &s;eparat &s;ub&s;i&s;t &s;til; for their bodies lay buried many ages before.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This purports Gods promi&s;&s; and certitud of their Re|&s;urrection; not any actual life: as God &s;aid to <HI>Adam,</HI> on the day he &s;hould eat the forbidden fruit, he &s;hal certainly dy: &s;o from that day he was a dead Man by Sentence; but not by actual execution til 930. yeers after.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> The wicked &s;hal ri&s;e to Judgment, and go into ever|la&s;ting fire, torment, or puni&s;hment; wher the worm of Con|&s;cience never dieth: which is caled a &s;ecund everla&s;ting Death, and general everla&s;ting Life in torments far wor&s; then Death, as appeers in the new Te&s;tament: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Al this is tru: yet it no wher appeers, that the Damned &s;hal liv in torments everla&s;tingly: for God the Father of Mercies and fountain of Goodnes, who doth al what he wil and holds al Mens hearts at his di&s;po&s;ing, working them to wil and doo; without who&s; free gift no Man hath any incli|nation to good, or repentance of evil: wil not puni&s;h Mens tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions committed by inevitable ignorance, natural frailty, or wilful ob&s;tinacy &s;ans end of time, or with extremi|ty of torture, more then Men can conceiv or imagin. Then he proceds to an&s;wer <HI>Bellarmins</HI> places or proofs in both Te|&s;taments touching Purgatory: which he that li&s;ts may read <HI>p.</HI> 346. &amp;c.</P>
<P>The next Cau&s; of &s;piritual Darknes is heathen Demonology <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cau&s;.</NOTE> or doctrin of Devils, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> cals it: which their Poets as principal Prie&s;ts diffu&s;ed, divulged, or di&s;&s;ipated over the World: witnes <HI>He&s;iods</HI> goodly Genealogy of Gods. For they caled al Spirits (good and bad) Demons: but the Jews gav the name Demon only to evil Spirits; &s;tiling the good (which Prophets or others in&s;pired had) the Spirit of God. So they caled Lunatics, Maniacs, Lycanthrops, Epileptics, Hy|&s;terics, or the like direct Demoniacs po&s;&s;e&s;t with evil Spirits. They &s;aid unclean Per&s;ons had an unclean &s;pirit, dumb Men a dumb Devil: a&s;per&s;ing <HI>John Bapti&s;t</HI> and our Saviour him&s;elf
<PB REF="253"> to hav Devils: but Devils &s;pecified in Scripture are meer Di&s;ea&s;es.</P>
<P>If any ask, why Chri&s;t did not cro&s;&s;, comptrole, or teach <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> the contrary; but confirms it by bidding D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">vils go out of Men; which is improper to &s;peak unto any Di&s;ea&s; that can|not hear?</P>
<P>He an&s;wers, that Chri&s;ts command to any Di&s;ea&s;, is no more <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> improper then to rebuke the Fever, Wind, or Sea which o|beied him, yet can hear no more then the re&s;t. Nor are &s;uch &s;peeches improper, becau&s; they import or impart the power of Gods word, to command &s;uch contumacious Di&s;ea&s;es un|der the appellation of Devils (as they were then generaly deemed) to depart out of M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ns Bodies. So Devils, Spectres, or evil Spirits which they dreamed of; are meer Phanta&s;ms or Inhabitants of their own Brains: nor are any Gho&s;ts of the Dead or ever were extant in the Air, Heaven, Hel, or any real place as &s;om &s;urmi&s;e. Al this mu&s;t be taken upon his bare Phythagorean <HI>Ip&s;e dixit.</HI></P>
<P>Was that legion of Devils, who be&s;ought Chri&s;t to enter <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> into the Gerge&s;ens Swine, and caried a whol Herd headlong into Sea, only a Di&s;ea&s;? Can Metaphors di&s;cur&s; or doo &s;uch mi&s;cheef? When Chri&s;t ca&s;t out a dumb Spirit, the traducing Phari&s;ees denied not the di&s;po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ing or matter of fact: but &s;aid he did it by Beelzebub Prince of Devils: can Chri&s;tians then deny it?</P>
<P>Chri&s;t (&s;aith St. <HI>Matthew</HI>) was led by or of the Spirit into <NOTE PLACE="marg">Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> 4. 1. Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> 1. 12. Luk 4. 1.</NOTE> the Wildernes: which Spirti drov him into the De&s;art, &s;aith St. <HI>Marc:</HI> but <HI>Luke</HI> that he being ful of the holy Gho&s;t (which de&s;cended on him as a Dov newly before at Bapti&s;m) was led of the Spirit into the Wildernes, al which imply the holy Gho&s;t: nor can this be a po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of one &s;ub&s;tance by ano|ther, &s;ith Chri&s;t and the holy Gho&s;t are one &s;elf &s;ame &s;ub|&s;tance. 'Tis &s;aid after, the Devil took him up into the holy City, and &s;et him on a Pinnacle: but anon after caried him on a very high Mountain, to &s;hew him al the Worlds King|doms: but certes the Devil did not tran&s;port him by force, nor is any Mountain &s;o high to &s;hew him one Hemi&s;phere of the World&punc; The meaning then mu&s;t be, that Chri&s;t went
<PB N="244" REF="253"> into the Wildernes freely, and the carying to or fro was a very Vi&s;ion: as St. <HI>Lukes</HI> words (in the Spirit) apertly indicat or demon&s;trat.</P>
<P><HI>Ob. Satan entred into Judas I&s;cariot, who communed with</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk 22 3. 4.</NOTE> <HI>the chief Prie&s;ts and Captains how to betray Chri&s;t: Ergo</HI> Satan is a Spirit.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Satan &s;ignifies Enimy; who is &s;aid to enter into <HI>Judas,</HI> when he intertained a tra<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">terous ho&s;til intention to &s;el his Lord and Ma&s;ter: for Satan cannot be &s;aid to enter before he harbor|ed any &s;uch ho&s;til de&s;ign; and 'tis impertinent to &s;ay he entred in afterward: therfore his wicked plot or purpo&s;e, and Satans entring was one and the &s;ame thing: but Incorporeal real Spi|rits be none.</P>
<P>Why then did not Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles in&s;truct &s;illy <MILESTONE UNIT="Que&s;t."> People &s;o plainly, that they might no more doubt the truth therof?</P>
<P>Becau&s; &s;uch que&s;tions are more curious then &s;alutiferous: <MILESTONE UNIT="An&s;w."> and it may &s;o wel be asked, why he gav faith, piety, and obe|dience to &s;om only, but not to al, which he could &s;o ea&s;ily doo? Hereto rea&s;on may be rendred, that as God when he brought the I&s;raelits into <HI>Canaan,</HI> did not in&s;tantly de&s;troy al Neighbor Nations; but left &s;om as thorns in th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ir &s;ides to awaken their indu&s;try and piety: &s;o Chri&s;t in conducting us toward his Heavenly Kingdom, did not de&s;troy al difficulties of natural que&s;tions; but left them to whet our indu&s;try, in|tellect, and Judgment: his chief &s;cope being to &s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">w this one Article, that he is Chri&s;t Son of the living God, &s;ent to &s;acrifice him&s;elf for &s;ins, and at next coming to reign gloriou&s;ly over the Elect, and to &s;av them from their Enimies eternaly.</P>
<P>Ther be Angels or Spirits (good and evil) but not incor|poreal, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Confe&s;&s;ion.</NOTE> &s;uch as Men &s;uppo&s;e they &s;ee in the dark, or a dream, or vi&s;ion, which the Latins cal <HI>Spectra</HI> and took for Demons, Yea ther be corporeal Spirits (&s;ubtle and invi&s;ible) yet not that they po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed any Mans Body: and Saints Bodies &s;hal be &s;uch <HI>viz.</HI> &s;piritual as St. <HI>Paul</HI> cals them. Howbeit the doctrin of incorporeal Spirits prevailed in the Church and Introduced Exorci&s;m, which is not fully extruded. Then were many De|moniacs, but few mad Men: now many mad Men, but few
<PB REF="254"> Demoniacs: which proceds not from any change in Nature, but only of Names.</P>
<P>It may be asked whether the bad Spirits (be they comparatly <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> coporeal, or incoporeal) &s;hal realy torment the damned with fire for ever, or what el&s; they doo?</P>
<P>Another Relique of Gentili&s;m (not brought in, but left <NOTE PLACE="marg">Images.</NOTE> when they gav their names to Chri&s;t) is Image-wor&s;hip: not in&s;tituted by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> or Chri&s;t, being meer Ideas, Idols, Phan|ta&s;ms, Conceipts, or Repre&s;entations of extern Bodies extant in their Brains from the Organ of Sen&s;es; though they &s;eem realy without us, being like things in a dream; which intruth are nothing, as St. <HI>Paul</HI> tels. For tho their metal or mattet (Gold, Silver, Copper, Stone, Wood) be &s;omwhat; yet the very Figure or Sculpture which they honored or adored, was a meer figment, having no habitation exi&s;tent of it &s;elf; but only in the motions of Mens brains: the wor&s;hip of which is in Scripture flat Idolatry or Apo&s;ta&s;y from God; who was the Jews &s;ole King, and <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> his fir&s;t Lieftenant. His prime Law was, that they &s;hould hav no other Gods but or be&s;ide him|&s;elf. The next, that they &s;hould make no carved Image of their own invention to wor&s;hip it. For 'tis al one in depo&s;ing a King and &s;etting up another, whether he be &s;et up by a Neigh|bor Nation or the Subjects. To honor is highly to valu any Per&s;ons power by comparing him with others: but none can compare with God: therfore we di&s;honor him by any valu le&s;&s; then infinit. Honor properly is internal in the heart: but Mens thoughts which appeer outwardly in words and actions (by praying, genuflexion, obeying, &s;erving) are &s;igns of ho|noring, commonly caled wor&s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">p, latinly <HI>Cultus.</HI></P>
<P>Wor&s;hip is duple: 1. Civil du to Men, as to Kings by Sub|jects, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Wor&s;hip.</NOTE> to Ma&s;ters by Servants, Fathers by Sons, Pedagogs by Scholars, Captains by Souldiers &amp;c. 2. Divine, which we render to God &s;oly, or things con&s;ecrat to his &s;ervice. To &s;eek a di&s;tinction of Divine and Civil wor&s;hip in the words (<HI>Latria &amp; Doulia</HI>) and not in the wor&s;hipers intention, is very fallacy or foppery. For ther were two &s;orts of Servants: 1. Such as their Ma&s;ters had ab&s;olut power to kil upon di&s;|content or di&s;obedience; as Slavs with their i&s;&s;u: who were
<PB N="245" REF="254"> caled <HI>Douloi</HI> and their &s;ervice <HI>Doulia,</HI> being &s;old like Bea&s;ts. 2. Tho&s; that &s;erved &s;pontaneou&s;ly for hire or hope: termed <HI>Thetes</HI> Dome&s;tic Servants upon mutual Covenants. Both kinds hav their labor appointed by others, and &s;uch &s;tiled <HI>Latres</HI> as work for others. So <HI>latria</HI> &s;ignifies al &s;ervice in general, but <HI>doulia</HI> only of Bondmen: both are u&s;ed promi&s;cuou&s;ly in Scripture to &s;ignify Gods &s;ervice, &s;ith we al are his Sons, Ser|vants, and Slaves: in al which &s;orts is contained not only O|bedience, but wor&s;hip with fit words and ge&s;tures.</P>
<P>An Image is the repre&s;entation of &s;omthing vi&s;ible, finit, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Image what.</NOTE> and figured; which is a quantity every way determiend: &s;o ther can be no proper Image of God, Angels, Spirits, or Souls, &s;ith they hav no definit dimen&s;ions; but only of vi&s;ible bodies in fanta&s;tic forms, &s;hapes, or &s;eemings. The &s;pecies or &s;hew of things in water by reflexion or refraction, or of the Sun and Stars in the Air (which are not wher they &s;eem to be, nor <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words"> or figures the &s;ame with that of the Objects) <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 words"> termed Ideas, Idols, Phanta&s;ms, or Apparitions: whence one inward Sen&s; is &s;tiled Imagination: for a man can <NOTE PLACE="marg">Fiction what.</NOTE> fancy &s;hap<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> he never &s;aw, like Dreamers, as Poets fain Cen|taurs, Chimera's and other Mon&s;ters, &s;o can he frame them in mat<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">er of wood, clay, &s;tone, metal, &s;tiled Images; not to re|&s;emble any real thing, but only &s;om phanta&s;tic Inhabiters of the devi&s;ers brain; &s;ith ther is a &s;imilitud of one to the other, as 'tis painted, carved, melted or moulded in matter by Art; like the Image of that Idol conceived in nature. Image in an ampler acception implies any re&s;emblance of one thing by ano|ther, as a King is caled Gods Image, and an inferior Magi|&s;trat a &s;uperiors; yea Pagans adored &s;uch for Gods as had no &s;emblance of the Idol in their phan&s;y; as an unhewn &s;tone for <HI>Neptune,</HI> and Images of the &s;ame Saint diametraly differ, yet &s;erv their turn wel enough, as names doo in Hi&s;tory to pre&s;ent the Per&s;ons de&s;cribed. Idol is extended farther in Scripture <NOTE PLACE="marg">Idol what.</NOTE> to &s;ignify Fire, Sun, Star, or any other Creature (vi&s;ible or in|vi&s;ible) wor&s;hiped as God; but to put wor&s;hip and Image together diver&s; doctrins wil occur. To wor&s;hip an Image, is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Idolatry.</NOTE> voluntarily to doo &s;uch extern acts as are &s;igns of honoring ei|ther the matter (wood, Stone, metal) or phanta&s;m of the
<PB REF="255"> brain, for which it was formed or figured, or both together as one animat compound of both Body and Soul. To be bare before a Prince or man of Place, or regal Throne or chair of State, is civil wor&s;hip only; but if one &s;hal &s;uppo&s;e the Prin|ces Soul in the Stool, and pre&s;ent a Petition to it, 'tis divine wor&s;hip or Idolatry; &s;o to pray to him for what he can doo (tho on our knees) is civil wor&s;hip; but to pray to him for fair weather or what el&s; is in Gods power only, 'tis flat Idola|try. To wor&s;hip God in a peculiar place, or turn ones face toward it in Prayer, or toward an Image, is not to adore the place or Image, but to acknowledg it holy or &s;et apart from common u&s;e, by a new relativ appropriation to Gods &s;ervice: yet no more Idolatry then for the <HI>I&s;raelits</HI> to wor&s;hip God before the bra&s;en Serpent, or in time of captivity to pray to|ward the Temple, or for <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> to put off his &s;hoos before the firy Bu&s;h as being holy ground, not by inherent &s;anctity, but by &s;eparation to Gods u&s;e; as Chri&s;tians on the &s;ame &s;core &s;erv God in con&s;ecrat Churches: yet to &s;erv God as if he anima|ted an Image or inhabited the place of confinement, is Idolatry, <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> &s;et up the bra&s;en Serpent by Gods appointment or com|mandment, <HI>Ergo</HI> no Idolatry; but <HI>Aaron</HI> made the golden Calf by the Peoples importunity, which was Idolatry; the Gentiles adored <HI>Jupiter</HI> and other great men (who haply had doon much good) as Gods, which was gro&s;&s; Idolatry, but Chri&s;tians wor&s;hip our Saviour as God and Man in one Per&s;on by &s;pecial warrant of Gods word &s;hewing his reveled wil, which cannot be Idolatry: &s;o for adoration of the Euchari&s;t, if Chri&s;ts words (<HI>This is my Body</HI>) &s;ignify, that he &s;elf and &s;ee|ming Bread in his hand, with al &s;eeming mor&s;els &s;ince con&s;e|crated (or &s;hal be hereafter) by Prie&s;ts, be &s;o many Chri&s;ts bo|dies, yet al but one Body; then 'tis no Idolatry: but if they doo not import or imply &s;o much, 'tis a wor&s;hip of humane in|&s;titution and flat Idolatry: Nor is it enough to &s;ay God can tran&s;ub&s;tantiat Bread into a Body; for &s;o Pagans may plead or pretend a tran&s;ub&s;tantiation of their wood, &s;tone, metals into God omnipotent.</P>
<P>Such as make divine in&s;piration a &s;upernatural entring of the holy Gho&s;t into a man, and not acqui&s;ition of Gods graces by
<PB N="246" REF="255"> &s;tudy or indu&s;try; are in a dangerous <HI>Dilemma:</HI> for if they wor&s;hip not tho&s; Men whom they beleev &s;o in&s;pired, they fal to impiety in not adoring Gods per&s;onal pre&s;ence: but if they wor&s;hip him, they commit Idolatry; &s;ith the in&s;pired Apo|&s;tles refu&s;ed al wor&s;hip: therfore 'tis &s;afe&s;t to beleev, that when Chri&s;t breathed on them the holy Gho&s;t, or it de&s;cended on them in firy cloven toungs, or was given by impo&s;ition of hands; are under&s;tood the &s;igns which Godu&s;ed, or ordeined o|thers to u&s;e of his promi&s;&s; to a&s;&s;i&s;t tho&s; Per&s;ons on whom they were conferred, in their &s;tudies or indevors to preach his Kingdom; and in their conver&s;ation, that it might not be &s;candalous to any, but edifying to al.</P>
<P>To melt, mould, carv, grav, or paint Images in memory of Friends dead or living, is no Idolatry; but fancy or folly: but to beleev &s;uch things as hav no Eys nor Ears, doo &s;ee his actions, or hear his ori&s;ons; and he kneels before it or prais to it, 'tis Idolatry: nor is Romi&s;h wor&s;hip of Saints, Images, or Reliques le&s;&s;. For the Gentils at fir&s;t conver&s;ion left it in <NOTE PLACE="marg">Origin of Iconolatry.</NOTE> the Church, which Popes &s;ince countenanced and confirmed. The cau&s; was the high prices &s;et upon their workman&s;hip, which the owners loth to lo&s;e, gav them new names of Chri&s;t, the Virgin <HI>Mary, Peter, Paul,</HI> or others: which &s;til grew more and more by imitation. Yet after <HI>Con&s;tantins</HI> time, di|ver&s; pious prudent Emperos, Prelats and general Councils di&s;liked, dete&s;ted, or depo&s;ed them; but too late or weakly. Canonizing of Saints is another Relique of Gentili&s;m, taken from <HI>Romes</HI> Common-wealth, who upon Oath of <HI>Julius Pro|culus,</HI> that <HI>Romulus</HI> after his death or di&s;cerption told him how he dwelt in Heaven, and was caled <HI>Quirinus;</HI> made him a Demigod, as they did long after <HI>Julius Cae&s;ar</HI> with many mo Emperors. So the Popes received their Title, Pomp, and Power of <HI>Pontifex Maximus</HI> from the Heathen; as al&s;o cary|ing of Images in Proce&s;&s;ion: who caried their Idols in a Cha|ret cald <HI>Then&s;a</HI> or <HI>Vehiculum Deorum,</HI> placing them on a &s;hrine or frame caled <HI>Ferculum;</HI> as the Senat decreed both to <HI>Cae&s;ar.</HI> In &s;emblable &s;ort they borowed their burning of Torches and Waxcandles before Images and in Churches from Ethnic &s;uper&s;ttion: Holy water is derived from their <HI>Aqua
<PB REF="256"> Lu&s;tralis:</HI> the Wakes or Revels from their <HI>Bacchanalia:</HI> the Carnivals from their <HI>Saturnalia:</HI> the Proce&s;&s;ion in Rogation week, from their <HI>Ambervalia:</HI> and &s;om other &s;candalous Rites from their Religious Reliques.</P>
<P>A third Cau&s; of &s;piritual darknes is the Greecs vain Philo|&s;ophy, <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Cau&s;.</NOTE> &s;pecialy <HI>Ari&s;totles:</HI> but lei&s;ure is Mother of Philo&s;ophy, and Common-wealth of peace or lei&s;ure. For the &s;tudy of Philo&s;ophy began in great flori&s;hing Cities or Stats: as the Gymno&s;ophi&s;ts of <HI>India, Magi</HI> of <HI>Per&s;ia,</HI> Prie&s;ts of <HI>Egypt</HI> and <HI>Chaldea</HI> the fir&s;t Kingdoms; are held the mo&s;t antient Philo|&s;ophers: but when &s;even Men in <HI>Greece</HI> had got the reput of wi&s;emen (&s;om for venting Moral and Politic precepts; &s;om for &s;tudying the learning of Chaldeans and Egyptians) the Atheniens having quelled the Per&s;ian Armies, and becam Ma&s;ters at Sea; erected Schools of Arts and liberal literature to train up their Youth. <HI>Plato</HI> betook to teach in certain pub|lic walks cald <HI>Academia</HI> of one <HI>Academus: Ari&s;totle</HI> to a walk caled <HI>Lycaeum</HI> in <HI>Pans</HI> Temple: <HI>Zeno</HI> to the <HI>Stoa</HI> wher Merchants goods were landed, and others el&s;where. Hence the place was &s;tiled <HI>Schola</HI> lei&s;ure, and the di&s;putations <HI>Dia|tribae</HI> pa&s;&s;ing of time. This cu&s;tom prevailed over al <HI>Europ, Afric,</HI> and <HI>A&s;ia:</HI> wher public Schools were erected in mo&s;t Republics. Such were the Jews Synagogs, wher <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Law was taught every Sabbath: but they corrupted the Text with fal&s; glo&s;&s;es and fond Traditions, turning their Lawi&s;h doctrin into phanta&s;tic Philo&s;ophy; of Gods incomprehen&s;ible na|ture and of Spirits: which they drew from the Greecs Theo|logy, mixd with their own fancies and fabulous devi&s;es of their Ance&s;tors, by wre&s;ting ob&s;cure places to their pur|po&s;.</P>
<P>A Univer&s;ity is a cojoining or incorporating of &s;undry pub|lic <NOTE PLACE="marg">Univer&s;ity.</NOTE> Schools under one Government, wher the Principal are de|&s;igned to three Profe&s;&s;ions (Divinity, Phi&s;ick, Civil-Law) but Arts only a &s;ub&s;ervient handmaid, wherin <HI>Ari&s;totles</HI> autho|rity &s;oly is current: &s;o that &s;tudy is not Philo&s;ophy properly, but Ari&s;totelity: yet nothing can be &s;aid more ab&s;urdly then what is vented in his Metaphy&s;ics, nor more repugning rea&s;on of Government then what is extant in his Politics; nor more
<PB N="247" REF="256"> ignorantly indited then much or mo&s;t part of his Ethics.</P>
<P>Is it not &s;aid of <HI>Era&s;mus</HI> that general Scholar and great <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> Critic, <HI>Quantum gloriae detraxit ab aliis, tantum ad &s;e acce&s;&s;i&s;&s;e putavit.</HI></P>
<P>To examin his Metaphy&s;ics (which he means Books writen <NOTE PLACE="marg">Metaphy&s;ics.</NOTE> after his Phy&s;ics, but others di&s;cur&s;es of &s;upernatural Philo&s;o|phy, 'tis a certain <HI>Philo&s;ophia prima,</HI> on which al other ought to depend: con&s;i&s;ting chiefly in right limiting the fignificati|ons of mo&s;t univer&s;al names or appellations to avoid am|biguity or equivocation in rea&s;oning. Such are caled De|finitions (as of Body, Time, Place, Matter, Form, E&s;&s;ence, Subject, Sub&s;tance, Accident, Act, Power, Fi|nit, Infinit, Quantity, Quality, Motion, Action, Pa&s;&s;ion, &amp;c.) nece&s;&s;ary to explane a mans conceptions concerning the Na|ture and Generation of Bodies; which Theory is termed Me|taphy&s;ics. The&s; mixd with Scripture to make School Divinity, teach that ther be certain E&s;&s;ences ab&s;tract or &s;eparat from Bo|dies caled &s;ub&s;tantial Forms: for interpreting which Jargon, take the&s;e &s;olid grounds.</P>
<P>1. The univer&s; or Ma&s;&s; of al created things, is corporal or an aggregat Body; having the Dimen&s;ions (length, bredth, depth) of ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nitud: &s;o is every part of it a Body with like dimen&s;ions: but what is not Body, is no part of it, and con|&s;equently Nothing or No wher, becau&s; the univer&s; is al in al. Yet it follows not that Spirits are Nothing or No wher, &s;ith they hav dimen&s;ions, though commonly caled incorporeal.</P>
<P>2. Of Words, &s;om are the names of things conceived, as of al Bodies in the World; &s;om names of Ideas, Images, and I|maginations of things, which we &s;ee or remember; as Defini|tion, Affirmation, Negation Syllogi&s;m, Interrogation, Pro|mi&s;&s;, Covenant, and other forms of Speech: &s;om names of names or &s;everal &s;orts of &s;peech, as Univer&s;al, Plural, Singu|lar: &s;om to &s;hew the dependance or repugnance of one name to another; as when 'tis &s;aid a Man is a Body, being but &s;everal names of the &s;ame thing Man, by coupling them together with the word, <HI>is,</HI> in Latin, <HI>e&s;t,</HI> which &s;ignify their con&s;equence, and may be expre&s;d by placing two names in order without <HI>e&s;t</HI> or <HI>is,</HI> if it were the cu&s;tom.</P>
<PB REF="257">
<P>But what then wil becom of tho&s; terms (Entity, E&s;&s;ence, E&s;&s;ential) derived from it, with many mo depending on them, as commonly applied: &s;o they are no names of things, but &s;igns which notify how we conceiv the con&s;equence of one Name or Attribut to another; as when we &s;ay a Man is a li|ving Body, we mean not that the Man is one thing, a living Body another, and Is or Being a third: but that Man and li|ving Body is one thing, becau&s; the con&s;equence is tru being &s;ig|nified by the word Is: &s;o to be a Body, walk, &s;peak, &s;ee, and lik Infinitivs which &s;ignify ju&s;t the &s;ame, are the names of ju&s;t Nothing.</P>
<P>3. This doctrin of &s;eparated E&s;&s;ences built on <HI>Ari&s;totles</HI> vain Philo&s;ophy, frights men with empty names (as Birds are &s;cared from Corn with a bare doublet, hat, and crooked &s;tick) from obeying the Laws of their Country, for hence 'tis infer|red that a Mans Soul or L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">f can walk after death, and is &s;een a|mong Graves: that the figure, color and ta&s;t of bread hath being ther wher they &s;ay is no Bread, but Chri&s;ts Body: that Faith, Wi&s;dom and other &s;piritual Virtues are &s;omtime pou|red into a Man, &s;omtime blown from Heaven; which beleefs le&s;&s;en Subjects dependance on Soveraign power: for who wil obey his Country Laws, if he expects obedience to be blown into him? or who wil not obey a P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ir&s;t that can make God, rather then his Soveraign or God? or who that fears Gho&s;ts, wil not honor &s;uch as can make holy water to cha&s;e them away? This Error of &s;eparated E&s;&s;ences draws on diver&s; other ab&s;urdi|ties: for if tho&s; forms be real, they mu&s;t hav &s;om place; but becau&s; they hold them incorporeal (they doo not, but only in|vi&s;ible) &s;ans dimen&s;ion, and Place mu&s;t be filled with corpo|rals; they are driven to devi&s;e a ridiculous di&s;tinction, that they are in place <HI>Definitive, non circum&s;criptive,</HI> when circum|&s;cription is the defining or determining of a thing to its place, and &s;o both terms of their di&s;tinction are the &s;ame. Touching Mans E&s;&s;ence (Soul) they &s;ay 'tis al in the whol, and al in every part: who wil &s;walow &s;uch gudgeons or beleev the&s; gulleries? Yet they mu&s;t who beleev the real exi&s;tence of a Soul or Spirit &s;eparat from the Body. If it be asked, how a Soul can be tormented with fire being incorporeal? They only
<PB N="248" REF="257"> &s;ay it cannot be known how fire can burn Souls. Sith mo|tion is change of place proper only to Bodies; they are trou|bled to re&s;olv, how a Soul can go hence to Heaven, Hel, or Purgatory without a Body? Or Mens Gho&s;ts (with Cloths) can walk by night? Haply 'tis <HI>definitive, non circum|&s;criptive;</HI> or &s;piritualy, not corporaly and temporaly.</P>
<P>Are not inanimats compounds con&s;i&s;ting of two con&s;ti|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ntiv <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> parts (matter and form) which la&s;t di&s;tingui&s;heth one kind from another, as a Stone from Iron? And are not ani|mats &s;o differenced by their &s;everal &s;pecifical Souls, as a Man, Mou&s;, Marygold? If it be &s;aid they differ in external &s;hape of Body, which is &s;ufficient: how doo we differ from Mair|men (in &s;hape not at al) &s;av only in rational Souls which they hav not, nor any u&s;e of Rea&s;on more then brute Bea&s;ts? Much more may be alledged.</P>
<P>4. For eternity, they wil not hav it an endle&s;&s; &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of time; for then they can render no rea&s;on, how Gods Wil or Decrees to com, &s;hould not be before his Pre&s;cience of the &s;ame, as an efficient cau&s; before the effect; or Agent before the action: but a &s;tanding &s;til of the pre&s;ent, caled in Schools <HI>Nunc &s;tans:</HI> which they nor any el&s; under&s;tand, more then they can <HI>Hic &s;tans</HI> for an infinit immen&s;ity of place or the like. Wheras we hold a Body having many parts, to hav many places for them: they teach that by Gods Almighty power one may be in many places, or many in one at once: as if it were a magnifying of Divine power to &s;ay, that which is, is not; or that which has bin, hath not bin. Such incongruities with many mo Men fal into, who di&s;puting Philo&s;ophicaly of di|vine nature, in &s;tead of admiring or adoring it; heap ab&s;ur|dities one upon another.</P>
<P>Of Phy&s;ics or natural Philo&s;ophy, they render no &s;ecundary <NOTE PLACE="marg">Phy&s;ics.</NOTE> &s;ubordinat cau&s;es of events, but empty words: if ye ask, why &s;om Bodies &s;ink down to Earth, and others a&s;cend? They &s;ay from <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI> 'tis through heavines: if ye ask what hea|vines is: they &s;ay an endevor tending to the Earths Center, or to be below: is not this like a Hor&s;in a M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">, to &s;ay Bodies a&s;cend or de&s;cend, becau&s; they doo? They &s;ay 'tis becau&s; the Center is a re&s;ting place for al heavy things wher they de&s;ire
<PB REF="258"> to be: as if &s;tupid inanimats can di&s;cern the place they aim at, or de&s;ire re&s;t like animals: or a peece of Gla&s;&s; were le&s;&s; &s;afe in a window then faling to ground. If y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> ask why the &s;ame Body (without adding or &s;ubtracting) &s;eems &s;omtime greater, &s;omtime le&s;&s;er? They &s;ay it only &s;eems &s;o being ratified or conden&s;ed: as if ther can be matter which hath not a deter|mined quantity, and one Body greater then another: or as tho a Body were made without any quantity, and more or le&s;&s; of it put in afterward to appeer more or le&s;&s; den&s; or thin.</P>
<P>For Mans Soul, they &s;ay 'tis created by pouring in, and poured in by creating: whats that? For the cau&s; of Sen&s;, they make an ubiquity of Species (or &s;hews of objects) which ap|peering to the Ey make &s;ight, to the Ear hearing to the Palat ta&s;t, to the No&s;tril &s;melling, and to the re&s;t of the Body feel|ing. For the cau&s; of willing to doo any act, they make the fa|culty or wil it &s;elf doo &s;omtime one thing, &s;omtime another; making the Power cau&s; of the act, as if on &s;hould a&s;&s;ign Mens ability to doo any things, the very <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">au&s; of good or evil acts. Yet oftimes they put their own ignorance to be cau&s; of na|tural events or effects; but di&s;gui&s;ed in other words: as when they make Fortune a cau&s; of contingents, wherof they know no cau&s;: or when they a&s;cribe effects to occult qualities not known to them, nor as they &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">rmi&s;e to any el&s;: or to Sym|pathy, Antiphaty, Antiperi&s;ta&s;is, &s;pecifical properties: which neither &s;ignify the agent producing, nor operation produced, being only Clokes to cover ignorance.</P>
<P>Their Moral and Politic Philo&s;ophy, hath the like or greater <NOTE PLACE="marg">Politics.</NOTE> ab&s;onances, for if any doo injury or inju&s;tice contrary to Law, they &s;ay God is prime Cau&s; of the Action, but not of the in|ju&s;tice or deviation; this is vain Philo&s;ophy as to &s;ay, that one makes a right and crooked line, but another the incongrui|ty or inconformity. This di&s;tinction was devi&s;ed to defend the doctrin of Free wil not &s;ubject to Gods wil.</P>
<P>Why not to vindicat God from being Author of &s;in, not|with&s;tanding <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> his ab&s;olut irre&s;pectiv Decree to Reprobat men, who mu&s;t needs &s;in: <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI> defines Good and Evil by mens appetit, which may &s;eem tru, &s;ith every one is ruled by his own li&s;t or lore; but in a Common-wealth the mea&s;ure is fal&s;,
<PB N="249" REF="258"> wher not mens privat appetits, but public Law of the State is &s;ole Rule: yet their doctrin &s;oly practi&s;ed, wher every one doth what &s;eems good in his own eys. To make lawful mari|age uncha&s;t or impure (as they doo who deny it to the Clergy, under color of continual cha&s;t continence, to attend at the Al|tar, and admini&s;ter the holy Euchari&s;t) is vain Philo&s;ophy: wherby they make mariage a moral vice, and them&s;elfs by ab|&s;taining &s;piritual, like the Angels in Heaven. From <HI>Ari&s;totles</HI> Civil Polity, they cal al Common-wealths &s;av the popular (&s;uch as then <HI>Athens</HI> was) Tyranny, and al Kings Tyrans: &s;o they termed thirty Legi&s;lators &s;et up by the Lacedemonians (who &s;ubdued <HI>Athens</HI>) thirty Tyrans, and Democraty liberty. yet <HI>Tyran</HI> truly taken &s;ignifies &s;imply a Monarch; but when that Government grew odious in all Greece, it was branded with the Popular hatred of Tyranny; and when Kings were expeld from <HI>Rome,</HI> they did the like. So when the &s;ame men are di&s;plea&s;ed with Democraty or Ari&s;tocraty, they nickname the fir&s;t Anarchy, the la&s;t Oligarchy or Tyranny of a few. Hence ri&s;eth another error of <HI>Ari&s;totle;</HI> that Laws (not men) &s;hould govern: as if men wil be ruled by words or pa|per, and not by men which hav power by the Sword to puni&s;h or put them to death, giving life to the Laws: this is a pe&s;ti|lent pernitious error, wherby they &s;educe men &s;o oft as they like not their Governors to rai&s; war again&s;t them, which the Cler|gy cheri&s;heth. Another error in Civil Philo&s;ophy (which they never learned of Pagans) is, to extend the Law (the Rule on|ly of actions) to mens very thoughts and Con&s;ciences, by exa|mination or inqui&s;ition of what they hold, tho they conform in Words and Actions. Herby they are forced to an&s;wer the truth of their thoughts, or an untruth for fear of puni&s;h|ment.</P>
<P>Another error (not drawn from Heathens) is, that a privat Man without the Co~mon-wealths authority, may interpret the Law by his own Spirit; but are not Scriptures wher they are a Law, made a Law by the Co~monwealths authority, and con&s;e|quently a part of the Civil Law? So they which impropriat Preaching to one certain Order of Men, wher the State leavs it free, commit the like error: for if the State forbids me not
<PB REF="259"> to Preach, none el&s; can. If I be among Judians or Infidels, &s;hal I being not in Orders, think it &s;in to Preach Chri&s;t Je&s;us, or expound Scriptures? In &s;uch ca&s;es of nece&s;&s;ity (&s;ay they) wher is no Mini&s;try, it may be doon without mi&s;&s;ion: as wherever a di&s;pen&s;ation is du for nece&s;&s;ity; ther needs none, when no Law forbids it. <HI>Ergo</HI> to deny the&s; functions to whom the civil Soveraign denies them not; is to take away lawful liberty.</P>
<P>The Schoolmens writings are mo&s;tly in&s;ignificant terms or trains of &s;trange barbarous words, otherwi&s;e u&s;ed then in common Latin language; which would po&s;e <HI>Cicero, Varro,</HI> or any Grammarian of antient <HI>Rome.</HI> For let any try whether he can tran&s;lat them into any modern Toung: which if he cannot, how can that be intelligible in Latin, which is not &s;o in other languages? Howbeit this in&s;ignificance of &s;peech is no fal&s; Philo&s;ophy; but both a quality to hide the truth, and make Men think they hav it being skild in School-notions; and &s;o de&s;i&s;t from farther &s;erch of it in others. He &s;aith el&s;|wher, what kind of felicity God ordains for them that de|voutly &s;erv him, one &s;hal no &s;ooner know then enjoy: being <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> jois now &s;o incomprehen&s;ible, as the School-mens words bea|tific Vi&s;ion unintelligible: but doth not that &s;ignify to enjoy the perpetual pre&s;ence of the divine Trinity, as Men delight in ech others company face to face? Which if Chri&s;t mu&s;t reign on a new finit Earth with his Saints for ever, none ever &s;hal doo. For beatific Vi&s;ion is to &s;ee the ble&s;&s;ed Trinity face <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Cau&s;.</NOTE> to face in his eternal man&s;ion.</P>
<P>The la&s;t cau&s; of &s;piritual Darknes, is to mix uncertain Tra|ditions and untru Hi&s;tories (like the golden legion of fal&s; fictious miracles in Saints lifes) of Gho&s;ts, Goblins, and Ap|paritions alleged by Romi&s;h Doctors to varni&s;h their Doctrins of Hel, Purgatory, Exo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ci&s;ms, and &s;uch like. Which tho &s;om pious Fathers (Pope <HI>Gregory</HI> 1. St. <HI>Bernard</HI> &amp;c.) broched; yet they were Men, and might take it on tru&s;t from others, as <HI>Beda</HI> al&s;o did: but if any &s;peak it of their own knowledg; 'tis no confirmation of &s;uch vanity, but a detection of their fraud, fallacy, or frailty. The &s;uppre&s;&s;ion of tru Philo&s;ophy by Men that hav no authority, nor &s;ufficient &s;tudy; may be
<PB N="250" REF="259"> joind with the introduction of fal&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">: for our late Navigators and al learned Men acknowledg Antipodes: as it appeers daily more, that yeers, and dais are determined by the Earths motions: yet &s;uch as only &s;uppo&s;ed it heretofore, were puni&s;hd by Eccle&s;ia&s;tic power. What rea&s;on had they? Is it becau&s; 'tis contrary to tru Religion? That cannot be if the opinions be tru<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> let the truth be fir&s;t di&s;quired by competent Judges, or refuted by &s;uch as pretend to know the contrary. Is it becau&s; they di&s;turb Government, or Religion e&s;tabli&s;hed? Let the Tea|chers be &s;ilenced or puni&s;hed by civil Rulers who can cha|&s;ti&s;e di&s;obedience in tho&s; that teach even tru Philo&s;ophy a|gain&s;t Laws: but Eccle&s;ia&s;tics who are &s;ubject to any State, hav no proper right to govern; but al what they a&s;&s;um to doo, is meer u&s;urpation, tho they gild it with the glo&s;&s; of Gods right.</P>
<P><HI>Tully</HI> tels, that one <HI>Ca&s;&s;ius</HI> a Roman Judg, if the Witne&s;&s;es could not make cleer a crime; would ask the accu&s;ers <HI>Cui bono,</HI> what profit the Pri&s;oner expected by the fact? For no pre|&s;umption &s;o evidently declares the guilt of an Author, as the gain which he &s;hal get by the action. So in the fore&s;aid ca&s;es it mu&s;t be inquired, what gain, glory, or greatnes accrued to any by holding the &s;ame? 1. That the Church militant on Earth is Gods Kingdom of glory or Land of Promi&s;&s; (not that of Grace, which is but a Promi&s;&s; of the Land) the&s; benefits ari&s;e to the Clergy: that the Prie&s;ts, Pa&s;tors, or Prelats ac|quire as Gods public Mini&s;ters or Teachers of the People, a right to govern the Church, and con&s;equently the Common|wealth, both being the &s;ame Per&s;ons. Hence the Pope pre|vailed with al Chri&s;tian Princes &s;ubjects to beleev; that to di&s;obey him in &s;piritual cau&s;es, was to oppo&s;e Chri&s;t him&s;elf, who&s; Vicar he was as St. <HI>Peters</HI> &s;ucce&s;&s;or: which in effect is to u&s;urp an univer&s;al Monarchy over al Chri&s;tendom. For tho the Chri&s;tian Emperors at fir&s;t con&s;tituted them &s;uprem teach|ers in al their Dominions under them, by the title of <HI>Pontifex Maximus</HI> or cheif Prelat: yet when the Empire was divided and after di&s;&s;olved; he ea&s;ily induced People being his Sub|jects already, to adore him as Chri&s;ts Viceroy in the Church as his Kingdom of Glory: &s;o it may be pre&s;umed, that he
<PB REF="260"> having the be&s;t benefit by this univer&s;al Monarchy, was au|thor of that Theory. Afterward, when Princes, Stats, and Churches rejected the Popes univer&s;al power; the civil Sove|raigns &s;hould hav re&s;erved their right before they let it go; as <HI>England</HI> in effect did: &s;av that the Clergy maintaining their function under them to be Gods right; &s;eemed to u&s;urp if not a Supremacy, yet an independence on civil power: yet &s;eemed only, acknowledging a right in the King to &s;uppre&s;&s; the exerci&s;e of their function at his plea&s;ure. Indeed wher the Presbytery prevailed, tho they abandoned many Romi&s;h Do|ctrins; yet this that Chri&s;ts Kingdom is already com, and be|gan at his Re&s;urrection, is &s;til retained. Yea they claim po|wer to excommunicat Kings as ordinary Sheep of their Fold, and be &s;ole Moderators in al matters of Religion wher they rule; as the Pope chalengeth it over al Chri&s;tians. For to excommunicat a Soveraign, is to rep<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">l him from al places of public &s;ervice, and re&s;i&s;t him by the Sword, as they did in <HI>Scotland.</HI> So to excommunicat any privat Per&s;on without the Soveraigns leav, is to bereav his lawful liberty, and u&s;urp un|lawful power over their Brethren.</P>
<P>To uphold this &s;piritual Soveraignty (<HI>non minor e&s;t virtus,</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Infallibility.</NOTE> <HI>quam quaerere, parta tueri</HI>) they u&s;e many Engins: 1. To per&s;wade that the Pope in his Pontifical Chair or public capacity cannot er: &s;o Presbyters would be beleeved in Pul|pits.</P>
<P>2. That Bi&s;hops hav not their right, immediatly from God, <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Suo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ection of Bi&s;hops.</NOTE> nor mediatly from Soveraigns, but &s;oly from the Pope; that they may &s;ide with him upon al occa&s;ions: wheras Presbyte|rians &s;huffle off Prelats to u&s;urp their power.</P>
<P>3. That al Clergy-Men (Seculars and Regulars) are ex|empt <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Exemptions of the Clergy.</NOTE> from power of Civil Laws: who wil be protected by the State, yet pay no part of public expen&s; to prop their power, nor are liable to penalties: the Presbyterians wi&s;h it to them&s;elfs.</P>
<P>4. That their Prie&s;ts mu&s;t be &s;tiled <HI>Sacerdotes</HI> Sacrificers, <NOTE PLACE="marg">4 The Name <HI>Sacerdotes.</HI></NOTE> which was the I&s;raelits title both of their civil Magi&s;trat while God was King, and public Mini&s;ters afterward; which with mak<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ng the Lords Supper a Sacrifice, puts People in beleef,
<PB N="251" REF="260"> that the Pope hath the &s;ame power over al Chri&s;tians which <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> had over <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> both Civil and Clerical: the Presbyters are intitled Elders, who were chief A&s;&s;i&s;tants to the Apo&s;tles.</P>
<P>5. That Marriage is a Sacrament, which givs the Clergy <NOTE PLACE="marg">5 Mariage a Sacrament.</NOTE> authority to judg the lawfulnes of it, and con&s;equently what Children are legitimat: Presbyterians pretend no proper right in this kind, &s;av only to hav the father at Bapti&s;m te&s;tify the child to be his own, which is of no great u&s;e.</P>
<P>6. That Prie&s;ts may not marry, which a&s;&s;ures the Popes <NOTE PLACE="marg">6 Prie&s;ts Celi|bat.</NOTE> power over &s;undry Princes: for if a King be a Prie&s;t (as many Soveraigns are Prelats) he cannot marry, nor tran&s;fer his Re|gal right to Po&s;terity, without the Popes &s;pecial di&s;pen&s;ation: Presbyters are no way guilty herin, who marry twi&s;e, thri&s;e, or four times.</P>
<P>7. That auticular Confe&s;&s;ion is a Sacrament, wherby they <NOTE PLACE="marg">7 Auricular Confe&s;&s;ion.</NOTE> acquire better intelligence of Princes purpo&s;es and Peoples projects in the Civil State, then the&s; po&s;&s;ibly can of their &s;ub|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">leties, &s;tratagems, or machinations in the Eccle&s;ia&s;tic Polity: here the Presbyterian parallel cea&s;eth.</P>
<P>8. That to Canonize Saints and declare Martyrs, pertains &s;o|ly <NOTE PLACE="marg">8 Saints Cano|nization.</NOTE> to the Pope, which a&s;&s;ures his power among &s;imple &s;otti&s;h people, who wil ob&s;tinatly oppo&s;e their Soveraigns (either ho|&s;tily or proditoriou&s;ly) even to death, if the Pope Excommuni|cat or pronounce them Heretics, and Enimies to the Church.</P>
<P>9. That diver&s; doctrins (Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation, Penance, Ab|&s;olution, <NOTE PLACE="marg">9 Doctrins.</NOTE> remitting and retaining &s;ins) greatly ratify this &s;pi|ritual Monarchy among the vulgar.</P>
<P>10. That the devi&s;e of Purgatory ju&s;tification by external <NOTE PLACE="marg">10 Purgatory.</NOTE> works, and &s;ale of Indulgences doo chiefly inrich the Clergy; the &s;ubtraction wherof excited <HI>Luther</HI> to revolt from the Pope who conferred the Indulgences of al <HI>Germany</HI> on his Si&s;ter.</P>
<P>11. That by Demonology, Exorci&s;ms, and other bug Bear <NOTE PLACE="marg">11 Demono|logy.</NOTE> Rites they keep (or think they keep) people the more un|der their girdle; as doubtle&s;&s; men &s;tand in more aw of them.</P>
<P>12. That <HI>Ari&s;totles</HI> Philo&s;ophy (Metaphi&s;ics, Phy&s;ics, E|thics, <NOTE PLACE="marg">12 School&punc; po<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nts.</NOTE>
<PB REF="261"> Politics precited) and School Divinity taught in every Univer&s;ity erected or regulated by the Popes authority, keep al tho&s; errors from being detected, and make men mi&s;take <HI>Ig|nis fatuus</HI> of vain Philo&s;ophy for his very Light of the Go&s;pel. So that Roman <HI>Quaere (Cui bono?)</HI> de&s;cries the Pope to be principal Author or Fautor of tho&s; dark doctrins, from which, <HI>Good Lord deliver us.</HI></P>
<P>Ther be three knots on Chri&s;tian liberty: <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Knots untied</NOTE></P>
<P>1. That which the fir&s;t Presbyters knit; who a&s;&s;embling to agree what they &s;hould teach, and binding them&s;elfs to teach nothing again&s;t their a&s;&s;emblie Decrees, deemed People obli|ged to folow their doctrins, and for&s;ook ther company (then caled Excommunication) if they refu&s;ed.</P>
<P>2. That which Presbyters of the chief City or Province got on Parochial Mini&s;ters, caling them&s;elfs Bi&s;hops or Prelats. Is <NOTE PLACE="marg">Qu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">e.</NOTE> it not the &s;ame office or order which Saint <HI>Paul</HI> fir&s;t conferred on <HI>Titus</HI> and <HI>Timothy,</HI> to re&s;ide over al Presbyters in <HI>Crete</HI> and <HI>Ephe&s;us?</HI> compare them; no Eg can be liker one another.</P>
<P>3. That which the Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome</HI> (the Imperial Metro|polis) a&s;&s;umed as <HI>Pontifex Maximus</HI> over al Bi&s;hops in the Empire. The&s; three were ravelled or re&s;olved here by the &s;ame way, but prepo&s;terou&s;ly for order, the la&s;t fir&s;t and fir&s;t la&s;t. For Queen <HI>Elizabeth</HI> totaly di&s;&s;olved the Popes power: but Bi&s;hops retained their Juri&s;diction under hir, as under the Pope; yet with a clau&s; or claim of <HI>jure divino</HI> derived from God. 2. The Presbyterians in Parlement, put down Prelats with al their pomp (which perhaps they repent &s;ince) and &s;o the &s;ecund knot was untied. 3. The Presbyterians &s;oon after were unhor&s;ed or at lea&s;t un&s;adled, and &s;o the la&s;t untwi&s;ted. So we are now reduced to the Independence of primitiv Chri|&s;tians, <NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"></NOTE> to folow <HI>Paul, Cephas,</HI> or <HI>Apollos</HI> (was not that &s;tiled Schi&s;m?) as every Man likes be&s;t. Which if it be without rai&s;ing debate, or mea&s;uring Chri&s;ts doctrin by our partial affection to his Mini&s;ters Per&s;on; is perhaps be&s;t: but not ab|&s;olutly. 1. Becau&s; ther ought to be no power over Mens Con&s;ciences, fav by the word it &s;elf working Faith in every ones heart, according to Gods purpo&s;e. 2. Becau&s; &s;uch as
<PB N="252" REF="261"> teach ther is great danger in every litle error, &s;hould not require a Man endued with his own rea&s;on, to folow any others opi|nion, or mo&s;t voices of many Men: which is to hazard his &s;alvation at Cro&s;&s; and Pile. What is it then for People to <NOTE PLACE="marg">Quaere.</NOTE> obey the chief Civil Ruler in al points of Religion?</P>
<P>La&s;tly he compares the Papacy (&s;pecialy in the point, that <NOTE PLACE="marg">Comp<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ri&s;ons.</NOTE> the Church Militant is Gods Kingdom &s;poken of in the old and new Te&s;tament) to the Kingdom of Faieries or old Wifes fables teaching Gho&s;ts and Spirits, with the fine feats which they are fained to play at night. For the Papacy is the Ro|man Empires very Gho&s;t &s;itting triply Crowned on its Grav: for the language u&s;ed in their Liturgies is Latin or old Roman toung. The Faieries in al parts or places hav only one uni|ver&s;al King caled <HI>Oberon,</HI> but in Scripture <HI>Beelzebub</HI> Prince of Demons: &s;uch is the Pope in his Clergy over the World. The Faieries are Spirits of Gho&s;ts inhabiting darknes, &s;olitud, or Gravs: &s;o are Eccle&s;ia&s;tic &s;piritual Gho&s;tly Fathers, who walk in dark Doctrins, Cels, Cloi&s;ters, Churches, and Church|yards. Faieries hav inchanted Ca&s;tles and Gigantic Gho&s;ts domineering over al Regions round about: &s;o hav they Ca|thedral Churches, which by virtu of Holy water and charms cald Exor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">i&s;ms, can turn Towns into Cities or Imperial Seats. Faie|ries take Children out of Cradles, and change them to natural Fools caled Elfs fit only to doo mi&s;chief: &s;o they bereav young Men of Rea&s;on by certain charms compo&s;ed of Metaphy&s;ics and Miracles; with old Traditions and abu&s;ed Scriptures: wherby they becom good for nothing but to execut their Su|periors &s;ecret commands. Faieries are never &s;eized on nor brought to an&s;wer the hurts they doo: &s;o Eccle&s;ia&s;tics vani&s;h from al Tribunals of Civil Ju&s;tice. When Faieties are angry with any, they &s;end Elfs to pinch them: &s;o if the Clergy take teen again&s;t any State, they make &s;uper&s;titious Subjects to pinch their Princes, or one Prince inchanted with promi&s;es to pinch another. Faieries marry not, but their Incubi couple with fle&s;h and blood: &s;o their Prie&s;ts marry not, nor are any of the cha&s;te&s;t &s;ort. Faieries hant Daieries, and feed or fea&s;t on the fat of Cream, which they skim from Milk: &s;o that Clergy is crammed with Cream or fat of the Land, by Zelo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s
<PB REF="262"> devotions or donations, and toille&s;t Tiths. In what Shop or Officin Faieries make their Inchantments, old Wifes re&s;olv not: but the Clergies operatories are Univer&s;ities erected and e&s;tabli&s;hed by the Pope. What coin Faieries u&s;e, no Hi&s;tory records: but Popi&s;h Eccle&s;ia&s;tics in al Receipts accept the &s;ame mony we doo; yet being to repay, doo it in Ma&s;&s;es, In|dulgences, and Canonizations. Finaly Faieries hav no real exi&s;tence, but in the fancies of fond ignorant Idiots, ri&s;ing from old Wifes traditions or young Poets fictions: no more hath the Popes &s;piritual plenipotence (beyond the verge of his own civil Territories caled the Churches Patrimony) any right or reality, &s;av only in the Panic fears of &s;illy &s;educed People, which &s;tand in aw of his Excommunications, upon hearing of fal&s; Miracles, Traditions, and interpretations of Scripture. The&s; are Mr. <HI>Hobbs</HI> &s;ingularities (with many mo &s;uper&s;eded) but his &s;pecial Tenet is, that God was the I&s;raelits &s;ole King (to whom <HI>Mo&s;es, Aaron, Jo&s;ua,</HI> Judges, and high Prie&s;ts were Lieftenants or Deputies) and they his peculiar cho&s;en People by Contract or Covenant for many ages: til at la&s;t they ca&s;t him off, and would hav an Earthly vi&s;ible King like other Na|tions: but Chri&s;t &s;hal be King over al the cho&s;en People of Beleevers, at the la&s;t day of Judgment and Re&s;urrection of Men with whom he &s;hal reign per&s;onaly in Earthly <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> for ever.</P>
<P>The premi&s;&s;es &s;peak him to be a &s;ingular Scholar of mo&s;t acut wit; who hath a rare invention, ready pen, conci&s;e &s;tile, and elegant elocution: with who&s; Apollinean Harp my poor Panlike Pipe cannot contend.</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Cedat Apollineae Panis Avena Lyrae.</HI></L>
<L>Let <HI>Pans</HI> plain oat-Pipe yeeld</L>
<L>To <HI>Phaebus</HI> Harp the Field.</L>
</LG>
<P>In &s;uch points wherin he and I differ (&s;pecialy Four) I only confirm mine own Opinion by Scripture, but no way confute his by Arguments: but hav &s;elected &s;undry excerptions, and &s;ubnected &s;om &s;cattered quaeres <HI>extempore,</HI> for the Readers better &s;atisfaction to ruminat on. I hope he &s;hal hav no ju&s;t
<PB N="253" REF="262"> cau&s;, nor any Author el&s; (&s;uch is my &s;ollicitud in exemplify|ing exactly) for any fal&s;ification, to &s;ay with <HI>Martial:</HI></P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Quem repetis meus e&s;t, O</HI> Fidentine, <HI>Libellus:</HI></L>
<L><HI>Sed male dum recitas, incipit e&s;&s;e tuus.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Fidentin,</HI> the Book which thou repeat&s;t, is mine:</L>
<L>But while thou il recit'&s;t, 'gins to be thine:</L>
</LG>
<P>It re&s;ts that according to my common cour&s; or cu&s;tom, I doo clo&s;e up the Cata&s;trophe of al with an E&s;&s;ay or Epigram applied to Mr. <HI>Hobbs.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD><HI>Domino Hob&s;o Epigramma:</HI> An E&s;&s;ay to Ma&s;ter <HI>Hobbs.</HI></HEAD>
<Q>The &s;even Di&s;tichs in Defen&s; of Mans Soul, Church govern|ment, Chri&s;ts, and the Saints eternal reign in Heaven.</Q>
<P>SIR, having a purpo&s;e in my extrem old age, to publi&s;h a few Theological &s;peculations, tho beyond the li&s;ts of my Phi&s;ical Profe&s;&s;ion, that they may remain the Heir of my Brain, &s;ith God hath bereaved the Heir of my Body; I met with &s;om &s;trange &s;eeming pa&s;&s;ages or po&s;itions in your learned <HI>Levi|th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n</HI> (which is diver&s;ly cen&s;ured, as al others works are, and generaly con&s;trued to &s;avor of &s;elf-conceit) contrary to my te|nets, which I was bound by &s;chola&s;tic ingenuity fairly to vindi|cat, but not to refut yours, being far unable to grapple. If you take me for an Emuli&s;t or Antagoni&s;t, God the heart &s;earcher knows me to be neither; who would gladly imitat (not emu|lat) your accompli&s;hed abilities &s;ans &s;ordid envy, and doo af|fect your per&s;on with amicable amity, free from &s;ervil flattery. <HI>Figulus Figulo invidet</HI> (a quality of ba&s;e Mechanics) never tainted my thoughts, nor is fit for any free minded Arti&s;t to intertain: but <HI>Ais, Aio; Negas, Nego</HI> (a property of &s;elf|&s;ecking turn-coat Para&s;its) becoms no tru Scholar, nor ever harbored in my candid Dov like habitation: the worth of <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mut<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">m a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">i|lium.</NOTE> your work wil &s;hine the better and brighter by this foil, or at
<PB REF="263"> lea&s;t &s;pread farther. <HI>Oppo&s;ita juxta &s;e po&s;ita, magis &amp; melius eluce&s;cunt:</HI> and my Book haply wil be more e&s;teemed, becau&s; it brings &s;uch dainty exotic fruits and excellent flowers from your ful furni&s;hd <HI>Eden.</HI> When Sir <HI>Francis Bacon,</HI> Vi&s;|count St. <HI>Alban</HI> intended to divulge his <HI>In&s;tauratio Magna</HI> to new model al liberal literature, he &s;ent a MS. copy to crav Sir <HI>Thomas Budleis</HI> accurat judgment on it, who after peru&s;al highly commended (as indeed it de&s;erved) both &s;tile, &s;tuf, and &s;tructure; but told him the world would never want new De|vi&s;ers, and old Readers like Carriers hor&s;es could not leav their beaten Road, being more addicted to antiquity then novity: the application is obvious and &s;uperfluous. Of later ages many <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>withers</HI> and others.</NOTE> men hav tran&s;lated <HI>Davids</HI> P&s;alms into Engli&s;h meters, &s;eek|ing a priviledg to print them with our Bibles, in&s;tead of tho&s; allowed by Queen <HI>Elizabeth,</HI> but could never obtein &s;o ba&s;e a Monopoly, &s;avoring more of filthy lucre then Schola&s;tic inge|nuity. King <HI>James</HI> compiled a Tran&s;lation, but neither he nor his Son cau&s;ed it to be in&s;erted in the Bible, &s;ith new things &s;eldom excel the old. I wi&s;h you would revi&s;e or examin my excerptions (not exceptions) as Aliens, and not your own; to &s;ee what faults you can find in the Po&s;itions &s;o wel as mi&s;pri|&s;ions, that fitting retractations may be made by your &s;elf, or me, or both in future Editions, or new Additions; for al men are too partial, and obnoxious to errors.</P>
<P>To recapitulat, the points that I di&s;&s;ent in are. 1. That mans <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> Soul is an immortal &s;ub&s;tance fir&s;t in&s;pired by God into <HI>Adam,</HI> and ever after produced &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly one from another (though mo&s;t Divines differ from us both) by virtu of the general bene|diction to Increa&s; and Multiply in their kinds; but not life or breath only, which as an accidental quality or effect of the Soul, vani&s;heth, cea&s;eth, and peri&s;heth with the Body: That after &s;eparation from the Body by Death, it &s;ub&s;i&s;ts in Heaven or Hel for ever; whereas al E&s;&s;ential parts el&s; extingui&s;h with their Bodies.</P>
<P>2. That Church government belongs to the Clergy or Eccle|&s;ia&s;tic Hierarchy, being a Body di&s;tinct (but &s;ubordinat) from the Civil State.</P>
<P>3. That the real kingdom of Heaven (Gods high Throne)
<PB N="254" REF="263"> wher Chri&s;t &s;its at his Fathers right hand in glory, &s;halbe the Elect Saints eternal Man&s;ion, wher they &s;hal enjoy the beati|fic Vi&s;ion or ble&s;&s;ed pre&s;ence of the <HI>&s;acro &s;anct</HI> Trinity face to face eviternaly.</P>
<P>4. That Chri&s;t &s;hal reign or remain in this Kingdom of Glory for ever (re&s;igning the Kingdom of Grace or Go|vernment of the Church to his Father, that God may be al in al) but not in any new finit World on Earth: &s;ith after the general Judgment al &s;hal be infinity. Your other Tenets touchig Gods Kingdom in <HI>I&s;rael</HI> by contract or Covenant: that Hel, H<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">lfire, Torments, Tormentors, Satan, Devil, Ac|cu&s;er, D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ticier, and &s;uch like are meant Metaphoricaly (which al Divines take realy) for the Vally of <HI>Hinnon</HI> caled <HI>Gehenna,</HI> B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">im&s;tome Lake of <HI>Sodom</HI> and <HI>Gomorrha,</HI> the Churches Enimies or temporal Foes; but no real Fiends which fel by pride: that Chri&s;t never di&s;po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed any Men of Devils, but only h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">aled their bodily di&s;ea&s;es or violent malad<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">es: that ther is no Demonology, Sorcery, Witchery, or Witches: yet &s;uch ju&s;tly de&s;erv death for their fal&s; opinion and wi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ked intention to doo mi&s;chief if they could, which is hard Ju&s;tice: that &s;uprem Soveraigns in al Stats (whether legal Succe&s;&s;ors by long lineal Ance&s;try; or late Conquerors and Intruders by power or policy) are to &s;way al matters of Re|ligion by their decrees, dictats, or directions: both in defining the Canon of Scripture, and al Articles of Faith; wherto People mu&s;t &s;imply &s;ubmit or implicitly obey, whatever the civil Magi&s;trat &s;hal impo&s;e or innovat in Doctrin or D<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;ciplin; which is contrary to what they are taught, that in &s;uch ca&s;es of Con&s;cience, they mu&s;t rather obey God then Men. This the &s;tubborn Engli&s;h wil &s;car&s; &s;ub&s;cribe, who&s; contumacy was &s;uch again&s;t our la&s;t King, that they rooted out him and his po&s;terity upon pretext of Tyranny: wherwith the mutinous male-contented multitud, u&s;ualy brand or bla&s;t al their Roial Rulers. Indeed Men ought with the noble Bereans to &s;ift or &s;erch whether the&s; things be &s;o or no: el&s; al Common-wealths &s;hal be &s;til Subject to put on new Ma&s;ques or Vi&s;ors of Re|ligion at their Princes plea&s;ures, as Camaeleons change colors: wheras Catholic con&s;tancy (even with lo&s;&s; of life) was ever
<PB REF="264"> e&s;teemed the be&s;t ble&s;&s;ed &s;eed to &s;ow Chri&s;tian &s;oil; either under Pagans or Papi&s;ts, as our Marian Ma&s;&s;acres make ma|nife&s;t: but ver&s;atil wits like Weather-cocks, can turn every way or with every wind to &s;erv turns: as <HI>Proteus</HI> is fained to vary:</P>
<LG>
<L><HI>Nunc violentus Aper, nunc quem tetigi&s;&s;e timeres, Anguis erit.</HI></L>
<L>Now a fierce Bore fearful to &s;ee;</L>
<L>Next Snake horrid to touch hee'l be.</L>
</LG>
<P>Al the premi&s;ed Po&s;itions with &s;om other &s;u&s;pected No|vities, I touch not nor trench upon: but commend them to the Readers free judgment.</P>
<P>If you wil deign to accept the&s; bold addre&s;&s;es or adverti&s;|ments, from an old Dotard (who intends them fairly, &s;ans &s;candal or &s;currility) in good part; you &s;hal &s;hew a la<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dable di&s;po&s;ition and liberal education; according to the tru in|tention, as they are tendered for the public behoof or bene|fit of the literary Republic: if not, I hav di&s;charged my duty.</P>
<LG>
<L>Docte, tuum Nomen colo, magnopere&abque;; recordo:</L>
<L>Si modo veridicus vis humili&s;&abque;; fore.</L>
<L>Noli Animam violare tuam, nec tollere no&s;tram:</L>
<L>Quam &s;imul Authorum comprebat omne genus.</L>
<L>Nec tunicam &s;poliato tuam renuendo, Mini&s;tros</L>
<L>Jure &s;uo Gregibus po&s;&s;e praee&s;&s;e &s;uis.</L>
<L>Nec Chri&s;to &amp; Sanct is Terre&s;tria pradia finge,</L>
<L>Qui modo cel&s;a Dei Coelica regna tenent.</L>
<L>Nec Tropice reputa Reprobos de&s;cendere ad Orcum:</L>
<L>Nec Coelum Electis detrahe po&s;t obitum.</L>
<L>Parce mihi, mea &s;i Theoremata redder<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> certo</L>
<L>Ju&s;tis vindiciis &s;o&s;pita ab omne malo.</L>
<L>Audeo non verbis contendere, viribus impar;</L>
<L>Artibus, Ingenio. Literuli&s;&abque; bonis.</L>
<L>Unius haud oculus licet integer, omn<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> cernit:</L>
<L>Multa &s;cienda &s;apis tu, re&s;ipi&s;ce tamen.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Learnd Sir, your Name I lov, and weigh greatly:</L>
<L>If you'l embrace truth and humility.</L>
<L>Doo not your own Soul wrong, nor ours take away:</L>
<L>Which Authors of al &s;orts maintaind alway.</L>
<PB N="255" REF="264">
<L>Nor doo your Coat de&s;ile, right to deny;</L>
<L>That Pa&s;tors hav power their Flocks to rectify.</L>
<L>To Chri&s;t and Saints fain not Earthly man&s;ions,</L>
<L>Who now po&s;le&s;&s; Gods Heav'nly habitations.</L>
<L>Nor deem the Damnd go t' Hel Tropicaly:</L>
<L>Nor Heaven after Death to th' Elect deny.</L>
<L>Spare m' if I to guard the&s; The&s;es contend,</L>
<L>And by ju&s;t means from al il to defend.</L>
<L>I dare not &s;triv in words, being &s;hort in worth:</L>
<L>In Arts, Wit, and Learning to &s;et it forth.</L>
<L>No one Mans Ey tho &s;harp and &s;ound al doth &s;ee.</L>
<L>Many known things you know, yet retractant be.</L>
</LG>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="subjunct postscript">
<HEAD><HI>Po&s;t&s;cripta &s;ubjuncta:</HI> Po&s;t&s;cripts &s;ubnected.</HEAD>
<P>MAn's Soul at fir&s;t Creation on the &s;ixth day, was infu&s;ed <NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;is.</NOTE> or breathed into <HI>Adam</HI> by God, a Living, Rational, Intellectual Spirit, di&s;tinct from the Body; Invi&s;ible, Imma|terial, Immortal: having a power, dower or faculty by his general ble&s;&s;ing of Increa&s; and multiply; to beget a &s;ub&s;tance (like Light from Light) endued with the &s;ame qualities of intel|lect, Rationality, and Immortality, as al other Creaturs doo in their &s;everal kinds.</P>
<P>God can doo no wrong, nor ly, nor &s;in being contrary to <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;is.</NOTE> his Nature: who is E&s;&s;entialy and Ab&s;tractly Ju&s;tice, Verity, and Goodnes it &s;elf. Al that he doth is ju&s;t; but to &s;ay 'tis al ju&s;t becau&s; he doth it, is a pure error: for Ju&s;tice is a car|dinal Moral virtu, the &s;ame to God and Man by Nature; nor can God make an unju&s;t act ju&s;t becau&s; he doth it. A Pope in Con&s;i&s;tory having denounced <HI>Fiatur</HI> (which a Cardinal whi&s;pered was fal&s; Latin) broke forth furiou&s;ly into the&s; words: <HI>in contemptum omnium Grammaticorum Fiatur.</HI> 'Tis not &s;o with God, who wil not make an unju&s;t thing ju&s;t, nor untruth truth: but if he &s;hould Reprobat Men of meer free plea&s;ure, by ab&s;olut irre&s;pectiv Decree to &s;hew his power, Soveraignty, or Dominion over al his Creatures: it were a
<PB REF="265"> flat unju&s;t act, which al the water in <HI>Thamis</HI> cannot wa&s;h whit becau&s; he did it: but to make Man a free Creature able to &s;tand or fal; and fore&s;eing in his &s;imple intelligence who wil embrace the means ordained by him for &s;alvation, and who refu&s;e or re&s;i&s;t his Grace: to elect the one, and reject or Reprobat the other; is tru Ju&s;tice mixd with Mercy: which is al that God doth in his Decrees of Election and Repro|bation.</P>
<P>Before Kings converted to Chri&s;tianity, the Apo&s;tles held <NOTE PLACE="marg">3 The&s;is.</NOTE> al Eccle&s;ia&s;tic power in their hands, and after them &s;uch as they ordained to &s;ucced: who appointed others &s;ubordinat (caled Elders) to preach the Go&s;pel by impo&s;ition of hands: which imports a giving of the holy Gho&s;t or Spirit of God, inabling them with gifts fitting to di&s;charge that office: as <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> laid his hands on <HI>Jo&s;isa</HI> being to &s;ucced him. Now the Divine Tri|nity <NOTE PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>Hobbs.</HI></NOTE> in Unity is, that the Per&s;on of God was repre&s;ented by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the high Prie&s;ts in the old Te&s;tament, but by Chri&s;t during his abode on Earth, and by his Apo&s;tles with their law|ful Succe&s;&s;ors ever &s;ince. The holy Spirit wherby the Apo&s;tles &s;pake is God: the &s;on who repre&s;ented his Father is God and Man: but the Father as repre&s;ented by <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and the high Prie&s;ts, is the &s;ame God. Hence tho&s; terms (Father, Son, holy Gho&s;t or Spirit) are never u&s;ed for God in the old Te&s;tament becau&s; they be Per&s;ons denomined of repre&s;enting: which could not be til diver&s; Men had born Gods Per&s;on in <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uli<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">g or di|recting under him. The holy Spirit is &s;omtime &s;tiled <HI>Para|cletus</HI> properly A&s;&s;i&s;ter or caled to help; but commonly tran|&s;lated a Comforter: who givs gifts or graces to Men, fit for &s;uch &s;piritual offices wherto they are ordained.</P>
<P>Presbytery or Mini&s;try is of divine right, in&s;tituted by Chri&s;t in cal<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ng &s;eventy Di&s;ciples, whom he &s;ent as Harbingers to Preach and prepare the way; and confirmed by the Apo&s;tles (to whom they were &s;ubordinat) in ordaining Elders every wher. So is Epi&s;copat by the &s;ame right of Chri&s;ts chu&s;ing twelv Apo&s;tles, and their &s;ub&s;tituted Bi&s;hops to &s;ucced them: but Presbyterial &s;ingle Government without Bi&s;hops by a motly mixture of Mini&s;terial and Laic Elders, a meer novity devi<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">d by Mr. <HI>Calvin,</HI> when the Genevans had expeld their</P>
<PB N="256" REF="265">
<P>Soveraign Prelat, which exigent was cau&s; of this change. This is mo&s;t tru in point of fact.</P>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>&V;LTIMAT END.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<HEAD><HI>Valedictio ad Lectores:</HI> A Farewel to the Readers.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L><HI>Pro libito Lectoris habent &s;ua fata Libelli:</HI></L>
<L><HI>No&s;ter &amp; expectet publica Fata liber.</HI></L>
<L>On Readers plea&s;ure Books doo depend:</L>
<L>And let my Book the Fate attend.</L>
<L>Opinion is a lofty Roial Dame:</L>
<L>Who&s; plumes are rai&s;d on Air of vulgar Fame.</L>
<L>Who Courts hir Grace, &s;hal with Ixion find</L>
<L>In <HI>Juno's</HI> &s;tead, an empty Cloud or Wind.</L>
<L>Let &s;uch as li&s;t hir giddy favor curry:</L>
<L>I like not to be to&s;&s;d with common whoorry.</L>
<L>Fair Readers which to take or leav are free,</L>
<L>Scorn to return ba&s;e Cen&s;ures for a fee.</L>
<L>Let Critics, Momes, and Mimics doo their wor&s;t:</L>
<L>He that regards their &s;co&s;s &s;hal be accur&s;t.</L>
<L>My re&s;olution fears not Cen&s;ors knocks;</L>
<L>Nor &s;hal this Book, unles it fal 'mong&s;t Blocks.</L>
</LG>
<CLOSER><SALUTE><HI>VALETE:</HI> FAREWEL.</SALUTE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="postscript">
<PB REF="266">
<HEAD><HI>Po&s;t&s;criptum dc Formis.</HI> A Po&s;t&s;cript of al Forms.</HEAD>
<P>Mr. <HI>Pemble</HI> a late learned <HI>Oxford</HI> Man, holds (which few el&s; doo) that al inanimat Forms, and two Souls (Vegetant, Sentient) are no di&s;tinct &s;ub&s;taances, but only the cra&s;is or temperament of qualities in every Compou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d or Subject. His grounds or proofs are the&s;: if the Form of a natural Bo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y be a &s;ub&s;tance, it mu&s;t be, either material and corporeal; or immaterial and &s;piritual: but 'tis neither. Som &s;ay 'tis an imperfect &s;ub&s;tance in a middle degree between it and an accident; which is a &s;illy &s;hift or &s;helter. For an imperfect &s;ub&s;tance wil require a new Predicament; and Peripatetics repute Form mo&s;t &s;ublime, yea the perfection of matter in it &s;elf mo&s;t imperfect: but a middle nature betwen both, is a meer <HI>Chimaera</HI> or Catamountain not contained in any Category nor hath it any Entity.</P>
<P>That Form is no material &s;ub&s;tance, the&s; Rea&s;ons evince: 1. That which informs the matter (<HI>i.</HI> &s;o pierceth into al parts and principles, as to giv &s;pecifical e&s;&s;ence) is not material or corporeal, becau&s; one Body cannot penetrat another, nor ma|terial &s;ub&s;tance matter. 2. Every corporeal thing is of it &s;elf quantitativ and divi&s;ible: but a form according to <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI> is indivi&s;ible void of quantity. 3. Nothing generable or cor|ruptible, is material or corporeal; &s;ith matter according to <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI> cannot be begot or peri&s;h: but al forms (except Mans Soul) vani&s;h or peri&s;h, and new are ingendered. 4. Prin|ciples of Con&s;titution are diver&s; or di&s;tinct in e&s;&s;ence and pro|per pa&s;&s;ions, el&s; al things generable would be uniform and ho|mogeneal: but if forms be material, they differ not from matter &s;av in &s;om degrees of &s;ub<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">ety and purity; which &s;uffice not
<PB N="257" REF="266"> to take away uniformity nor diver&s;ity. 5. A form is the foun|tain or origin of al actions: but if it be material, matter is al&s;o activ, not purely pa&s;&s;iv: for it hath that activ virtu from mat|ter, not el&s;wher; or el&s; cannot be a Principle. That 'tis not an Immaterial &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance, the&s; pregnant Arguments prov: 1. Whatever is bred of matters e&s;&s;ence mu&s;t be mate|rial, as what is generated of pure Air is Aerial: but a Form is not material as foreproved, or being Immaterial cannot be bred from the e&s;&s;ence of matter; nor can Principles be ingen|dred one of another. 2. A Form cannot proced from the accidents of matter, &s;ith no &s;ub&s;tance is bred of accidents, nor can a Principle be made of any former Entity; &s;ith that is the Principle, and Form an accident being framed of accidents. 3. The&s; accidents are either the matters pa&s;&s;iv power, or illimited quantity, or previous di&s;po&s;itions to receiv a Form: but the two former cannot po&s;&s;ibly be, &s;ith they are not ge|nerativ: and the later may concur in the agent to produce a Forms exi&s;tence; but cannot conduce to the con&s;titution of its e&s;&s;ence being meer Accidents. 4. Forms are not generated of nothing, for thats Creation: <HI>non vacat exiguis rebus ade&s;&s;e Jovi.</HI> To &s;alv this &s;cruple, they devi&s;e diver&s; di&s;gui&s;ed di&s;tin|ctions: 1. That Forms are in the matter potentialy, not actu|aly: this is a contradiction, they are yet are not, but may be. 2. That they are in their cau&s;es not realy, but eductivly: this is an Antiphra&s;e, for their cau&s;es are in the matter, by which they al&s;o may be herafter. 3. That they are in it habitualy, as Science is in a Scholar a&s;leep: this is prepo&s;terous, &s;ith Science is actualy in a &s;leeping Scholar, tho he doth not exerci&s;e, nor is habitual inexi&s;tence oppo&s;it to actual: but Forms til edu|ction are not actualy in the matter: as the form of Air is not in water til it be turned into it; nor the form of Gold in Earth, til it becom Gold: &s;o the&s; eva&s;ions are very a&s;y&s;tats. 5. Souls are not Spiritual (except Mans) much le&s;&s; inanimat forms: for what &s;ober Man wil &s;ay <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">av in a Chymical &s;en&s;, that ther is any &s;ub&s;tantial Spirit in a Stone, Herb, or Bea&s;t? 6. Every divi|&s;ible &s;ub&s;tance is material and corporeal; for divi&s;ion folows quantity as an in&s;eparable companion of matter: but form is divi&s;ible, and no &s;piritual indivi&s;ible &s;ub&s;tance. 7. No imma|terial
<PB REF="267"> &s;ub&s;tance is corruptible: but al forms vani&s;h and peri&s;h. 8. Every immaterial &s;ub&s;tance is nobler then any material: but if <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">orms be immaterial, 'tis contrary in them, &s;ith the ba&s;e mater of a dumb Flea is permanent and can not be de&s;troied; but the Soul of a Roial Lion vani&s;heth to vapor, being no &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance. It re&s;ts then that 'tis an accident or Temperament of qualities, but no &s;ub&s;tance, as abundantly fore&s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">wed. This is farther proved by three Parallels: 1. Accidents are generated, cor|rupted, and new produced: &s;o are al forms. 2. Accidents are diffu&s;ed through the whol Subject, and penetrat the lea&s;t particles of matter: &s;o doo forms. 3. Accidents depend on the matter for being and producing, nor can &s;ub&s;i&s;t without their Subject, nor depart from one to another: &s;o 'tis with al forms except Mans Souls. Now the chief contrary objections &s;hal be an&s;wered.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Every &s;ub&s;tantial compound con&s;i&s;ts of matter and form: but al natural Bodies are &s;ub&s;tantial compounds: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Compo&s;ition is duple: 1. Of matter and accidents, as al corporeal compounds: 2. Of &s;ub&s;tance and &s;ub&s;tance, as Man only, who hath a material mortal Body, and a &s;piritual immortal Soul: but al el&s; only matter indowed with &s;everal accidents.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> Whatever actuats, &s;pecificats, and givs exi&s;tence to matter, is a &s;ub&s;tance: but the form doth al this: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> To actuat is either to giv the matter actual being that it &s;hal be a &s;ub&s;tance: or to endu it with effectual qualities: in the fir&s;t &s;en&s; 'tis fal&s; that a form actuats the matter; &s;ith 'tis a &s;ub&s;tance &s;ub&s;i&s;ting of it &s;elf together with the form; and is more actuated by the form, then it by the matter: but in the la&s;t &s;en&s; 'tis tru, that a form actuats the matter or makes it activ. Yet it folows not that 'tis a &s;ub&s;tance, &s;ith al action and acting power, may proced from the qualities of an effi|cient cau&s;: but the matter being indifferent to al forms by re|ceiving &s;everal &s;orts of qualities; exi&s;ts in &s;uch or &s;uch a &s;pecies. As a lump of Wax is formed into &s;undry &s;hapes, and exi&s;ts in form of a Creature by taking a new figure, which is an ac|cident:
<PB N="258" REF="267"> &s;o the matter &s;ub&s;i&s;ts of it &s;elf, tho not &s;eparat from a form: but exi&s;ts with the form, not by it: yea that alone exi&s;ts of it: &s;ith forms according to Ari&s;totelians depend on it both for e&s;&s;ence and exi&s;tence.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> That from which the matter receivs al activity and ope|rations, is a &s;ub&s;tance: but &s;o doth matter from form: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Philo&s;ophers &s;eeing matter dul or unable to action, and deeming accidents too weak to giv it; devi&s;ed another nature to be fountain of action which they cal form: but they are deceived in &s;o deeming, &s;ith accidents wil &s;uffice to make any natural Body activ, without help of another &s;ub&s;tance. As light being &s;ole form of al lucid Bodies (Sun, Stars, Fire, Carbuncle) illumins al opacous ob&s;cure Bodies. So heat of fire an inten&s; quality is its form: cold in water, Earth, Ice, and Winter air, hath the &s;ame effects to quench fire and conden&s;at things: yet their forms differ, nor doo depend one on ano|ther to work tho&s; effects. So the &s;iccity of fire and Earth dries up water having di&s;tinct forms. The like may be &s;aid of the humidity in water and air, which works the &s;ame effects under different forms. In &s;emblable &s;ort water and earth by their gravity de&s;cend, as fire and air by levity a&s;cend: yet not by diff<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ring forms, but by diver&s; accidents only.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> That which e&s;&s;entialy di&s;tingui&s;heth one kind from another, is a &s;ub&s;tance: &s;o doth the form: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Every e&s;&s;ential di&s;tinction is not made by a &s;ub&s;tance: for accidents (virtu and heat) differ e&s;&s;entialy: &s;o doo &s;ub|&s;tances in their definitions by accidents. For in every Defi|nition is a <HI>Genus</HI> (as the common matter) wherin al agree; and a difference con&s;i&s;ting of accidents to di&s;tingui&s;h that matter. As fire is a &s;imple Body mo&s;t hot and light: water a &s;imple Body colde&s;t and heavy. Here the differences con|&s;i&s;t of accidents, yet are e&s;&s;ential and internal: for as accidents are fir&s;t cau&s;es of operations, &s;o are they of e&s;&s;ential di&s;tin|ctions in natural Bodies, and included in their definitions, without any &s;ub&s;tantial forms: which plainly provs that ac|cidents or temperaments of qualities are forms.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> A form hath no degree of more or le&s;&s;, nor is varied: but accidents and their temperaments may be varied and re|ceiv
<PB REF="268"> degrees: <HI>Ergo</HI> they cannot be e&s;&s;ential forms.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Major Peripatetic propo&s;ition is fal&s;: for al forms (of &s;imple Bodies, Mixt, and Animat) receiv inten&s;ion and remi&s;&s;ion of degrees: as when Earth turns to Water, it re|quires diver&s; preparations or predi&s;po&s;itions before it becom water: doth then the form of Earth al that while remain firm or unchanged? If not, then 'tis more or le&s;&s; varied. So al Elements concur in mixtion, and continu in mixtils: doo their qualities remain, or forms, or rather both? as appeers at di&s;&s;olution, when they return to Elements: yet not in in|ten&s; vigor as formerly, but remitted or reduced to harmonical &s;ymmetry. <HI>Zabarel</HI> &s;aith, forms may be varied with change of kind, not el&s;: as forms of Elements are &s;o changed, not otherwi&s;e. This is meer ob&s;curity fu<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> of contradiction: as if the form of water in mixtils be le&s;&s; a form then formerly, con|tinuing &s;til the waters form: yet cannot be caled water having changed its kind and becom another B<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">dy. Therfore 'tis truer, that Elements forms receiv inten&s;ion and remi&s;&s;ion: which va|riation provs them to be accidents not &s;ub&s;tances; and when their ju&s;t temperament is taken away, they tran&s;cend or are tran&s;muted into new Kinds. So tho&s; are idle que&s;tions touch|ing Elements e&s;&s;ential forms, or integrity in mixtils: of ge|neration and corruption in an in&s;tant; as if a form were e|duced or peri&s;ht in a moment, with many mo of like bran. For water is made gradualy in time, by changing its tempe|rament: &s;o in mixtils (Stone, Apple, Fle&s;h) corruption corns by depraving the temperament: which if vitiated beyond the utmo&s;t degree of proportion, a di&s;&s;olution folows by break|ing the bonds of union: which is doon by mixture of qualities.</P>
<P><HI>Repl.</HI> If the temperament be varied, definitions of things mu&s;t al&s;o be altered: but they are alwais con&s;tantly the &s;ame, til the forms be changed: <HI>Ergo</HI> form is no tempera|ment.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is Childi&s;h, for definitions are made of things intire or perfect, and ab&s;tracted by imagination of the intel|lect: but if things be con&s;idered as they are in nature, defini|tions mu&s;t be changed as nature varies. Can fading Flowers, rotting Apples, putrifying Fle&s;h, or &s;ickly Bodies retain the &s;ame definitions of &s;ound? Shal the e&s;&s;ence be changed by
<PB N="259" REF="268"> mutation of accidents, and not varied with them? Let &s;uch as &s;o think feed on corrupt carrion, til they acknowledg ther is one definition of &s;ound food, another of putrid Fle&s;h: or let them langui&s;h &s;o long, til they learn to di&s;tingui&s;h betwen <HI>Corpus &s;anum, aegrum, &amp; nutrum.</HI> What is &s;ub&s;tantial or material in Elements and mixtils, that remains invariable: but al accidental or formal is changed, generated, and cor|rupted by degrees, as temperaments alter: according to which definitions mu&s;t be changed.</P>
<P>Now touching Souls, ther be three &s;orts, Vegetant, Sentient, Intelligent: but for better explication, he premi&s;eth &s;om A|phori&s;ms. 1. Ther be three Principles of Bodies: <HI>viz</HI> two con|&s;titutiv, matter of &s;ubject, and accidents or qualities; and one tran&s;mutativ, the contrariety of tho&s; accidents or qualities. 2. Matter is al that is &s;ub&s;tantial in natural Bodies. 3. Matter is indifferent to receiv al accidents, yet is not &s;imply the foun|tain or root of al. 4. The origin of accidents and &s;ubjects is one, <HI>viz.</HI> Creation and concreation. 5. The accidents of matter are duple: 1. Som which immediatly folow its e&s;&s;ence and coexi&s;t with it, as pa&s;&s;iv power, quantity or exten&s;ion, place, and time, or &s;ucce&s;&s;iv duration, of which matter is the fountain: 2. Such as make exi&s;tence in a &s;pecifical kind, as al fir&s;t and &s;ecund qualities: which doo not inhere primarily by nece&s;&s;ity of nature, but at the Creators plea&s;ure to di&s;tin|gui&s;h kinds. 6. Both the&s; qualities are impre&s;&s;ed immediatly like light in the air, needing no intermediat &s;ub&s;tance to unite them. 7. As quantities inhere immediatly in the matter: &s;o the operations and powers of working flow directly from the qualities. 8. Al fir&s;t qualities (light, heat, cold, humidity, &s;iccity) and &s;undry of the &s;ecund (thicknes, thinnes, heavines, lightnes, fluidnes, firmnes) exi&s;ted the fir&s;t day of Creation. 9. The material &s;ub&s;tance of Heaven (wherof Philo&s;ophers know little) is common with inferior Bodies, being made of one chaos: &s;o are the fir&s;t accidents; but tho&s; of the &s;ecund &s;ort differ, by the di&s;crepant conjunction of fir&s;t and &s;ecund qualities. 10. Ther be three Elements (Air, Water, Earth) needful to mixtion, and haply two wil &s;erv. 11. The&s; Elements e&s;&s;entialy differ in their proper qualities given by God: in the Earth are conjoined cold, &s;iccity, den&s;ity, gravity, con&s;i&s;tence:
<PB REF="269"> in the water cold, moi&s;ture, remi&s;&s;er den&s;ity, gravity, fluidnes: in the Air remi&s;&s; heat, weak moi&s;ture, levity, tenuity, and fluidnes. 12. Fire is only inten&s; heat, whether in Elements or mixtils; but no Element, Body, or Sub&s;tance. 13. Heat in Air or Mixtils, is partly implanted at Creation, partly in|fu&s;ed or introduced by the Sun, Soil, and Elementar Fire if any &s;uch be: but the implanted &s;oon decais without &s;upply of infu&s;ed. 14. Compo&s;ition is duple: 1. Of Matter with both &s;orts of qualities, as in the Heavens and Elements: 2. Of Mat|ter &s;o qualified and new mixture of qualities ari&s;ing from the other; as in al Bodies el&s;. 15. The union of qualities in Ele|ments is mo&s;t &s;imple, but in Mixtils more compound; as 'tis &s;aid of Colors, that whitnes and bl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="4 letters">es, are made with the various mixture of bright and dark: but middle colors ri&s;e from the mixtures of whit and black. 16. The mea&s;ure and maner of al Temperaments, is founded on the fir&s;t Creation: from which primary patern if nature dev<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">at in exce&s;&s; or defect, a deformed Mon&s;ter is bred. 17. To beget a like is the pro|perty of al activ qualities in Inanimats and Animats, as God bid them by his benediction to increa&s; and multiply. 18. The qualities doo &s;o diffu&s;e them&s;elfs and beget others, that they make the matter proportioned to exerci&s;e their forces or functions. 19. The formativ faculty is founded on the very qualities: which the more &s;imple, &s;o much the more uniform configuration they produce: but if compounded of diver&s; qualities, they make more diver&s;ity or difformity in figuring the material parts. 20. Mixtion the le&s;&s; &s;imple, the more &s;ub|tle; for 'tis a great Art to unite &s;o many varieties of unlike qualities into one cra&s;is or temper: but the more compound the weaker, becau&s; it con&s;i&s;ts of &s;o many contrary qualities. 21. Ther is a recripocal propagation of Temperaments in Animats: <HI>viz.</HI> of the Seed, and life of the Seed. 22. The Prolifical power in the Seed, proceds not from any &s;piritual &s;ub&s;tance inherent in it; but only from a &s;ubtle temper of qualities in a pure &s;pirituous matter. 23. This energy is actu|aly in the Seed &s;til, but a&s;leep or unactiv, til it meet with a fit Patient or rather Coagent to excite that virtu: as the &s;trong &s;pirits which ly hid in Barly, Wheat, Plants, Grain, or Seeds are ea&s;ily extracted by de&s;tillation. 24. In Plants the Earth is
<PB N="260" REF="269"> a Womb to bring forth Seeds, by &s;upplying heat from the Sun and moi&s;ture from Soil wherby the Spirits in Seeds &s;wel, and extend the matter to fit proportion of &s;everal Figures. 25 In Egbreeders Male and Female mu&s;t concur to make them fertil: but to hatch and inlifen them, any heat natural or artificial (if wel ordered) wil &s;uffice: becau&s; the yelk is moi&s;t enough, and needs only help of heat to rouz up the whits &s;pirits. 26. In perfect Animal-begetters, both Sexes mu&s;t actualy join to make one ma&s;&s; of Seed: which being aptly mixd, &s;pirituous &s;ub&s;tance of that ma&s;&s; is blown up and augmented by heat of the Matrix and moi&s;ture of men&s;t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ual Blood: which begins to form the Birth, and in fine brings <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> to perfection. 27. To the ge|neration of living Creatures, Seed is not &s;imply nece&s;&s;ary; but a mixture of in<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">fening qualities in fit matter wil &s;erv: as &s;undry Plants propagat &s;ans Seed, and &s;om Animals of putre|faction.</P>
<P>28. Summarily the Souls vegetant in Plants, and &s;entient <NOTE PLACE="marg">Summary.</NOTE> in Animals (whether general wherby they becom Plants and Animals, or &s;pecial &s;pecifical which di&s;tingui&s;h them into Kinds) are only the nobler Temperament of more activ qua|lities in a &s;ubtler matter, whether propagated of Seed, or other wais ingendered; but no &s;ub&s;tances. This needs no other proofs then tho&s; already alleged to refute the Sub&s;tantiality of Forms: but why Mans Soul &s;hould be a &s;ub&s;tance rather then Bea&s;ts (many of which are &s;o intelligible and docible as mo&s;t of &s;imple People, witnes the dancing Hor&s; cald <HI>A&s;inago</HI>) no &s;atisfactory rea&s;on can be rendred in nature, &s;av only &s;om dark places of Scripture.</P>
<P>The re&s;ult of al is, that no &s;ub&s;tance ever dies or peri&s;hes: for matter is invariable, and al Forms of Inanimats, together with the Vegetant and Sentient Souls meer mortal accidents or temperaments: only Mans Soul is a &s;ub&s;tance or Spirit in|fu&s;ed or in&s;pired at fir&s;t by God, which is immortal and livs of it &s;elf for ever. The&s; are his Principles of new Philo&s;ophy, touching the origin of Forms and Souls: which let every one reli&s;h as his palat affects. Now to an&s;wer Objections.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> If the Soul be only a Temperament, every natural Body that hath a tempered Cra&s;is &s;hal be Animat: but 'tis not &s;o: <HI>Ergo</HI> a Soul is no Temperament.</P>
<PB REF="270">
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This Argument con&s;i&s;ts of meer affirmativs in the &s;ecund Figure, and therfore is a filthy Paralogi&s;m: but every Tem|perament of Inanimats is not fit for a Soul.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> A Temperament is changed according to age, place, and diet: but a Soul is not &s;o changed: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis no Tempe|rament.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Forms are changed or varied gradualy, as fore&s;hewed: but in the argument is a duple error. 1. That it doth not di|&s;tingui&s;h betwen a total e&s;&s;ential, and partil gradual change of Temperament: for in the total is not only a mutation but corruption of the Soul, and makes nothing to purpo&s;e: in the partil is a change more or le&s;&s;, which doth not vary or alter the kind: as a tender young Plant being removed from its natu|ral Soil to a Forren, grows better or wor&s; without changing the kind; yet the unity of Form remains, with an alteration in the degrees of perfection. 2. That a tran&s;ition from other Animals to Man is improper: for if his Bodily temper change, yet the Soul being a di&s;tinct &s;ub&s;tance varies not: but in al el&s; Soul and Temperament: are one.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> If the Soul be a Temperament, ther be in Animats &s;o many Souls as Tempers: one of the rind and wood in Trees, another of Fle&s;h and bones in Animals: but in every Animat is one only Soul: <HI>Ergo</HI> 'tis no Temperaments.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> The Peripatetics place two Souls at lea&s;t in every Ani|mat, and three in Animals; but diver&s; forms in Inanimats e&s;&s;entialy di&s;tinct: &s;o according to them 'tis no ab&s;urdity to grant plurality of Souls: yet is ther no plurality of &s;ub&s;tances, but diver&s;ity of Temperament.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> If the Soul be but a Temperament of humors and &s;pi|rits; it could not bridle the Bodies pa&s;&s;ions or perturbations: but it doth and is not led by them: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> This is tru in Mans Soul, which &s;omtimes bridles or moderats pa&s;&s;ions, and &s;omtimes yeelds to them: but in no other Animats, who&s; Soul not only folows, but is Tempera|ment it &s;elf.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> That can be no Accident or Temperament, from which the noble&s;t faculties and functions of imagining, remembring, and perceiving or judgin <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">en&s;itiv objects proced: but Bea&s;ts Souls hav &s;uch operations remblable to Mans: <HI>Ergo</HI> they are not Accidents.</P>
<PB N="261" REF="270">
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> Al &s;uch operations are meerly Organical in a material &s;ub|ject, and depend on it: the Organ is a pure, cleer, activ Animal &s;pirit &s;ited in the Brain as the &s;eat of Sen&s;ation: which Spirit is not only the Organ, but fir&s;t Principle therof. For in al Animal Spirits two things are found, <HI>viz.</HI> matter and mixture of lifely qualities: mat|ter is the fir&s;t Subject and Organ of Sen&s;, qualities the fir&s;t cau&s; or origin; and in both commixd con&s;i&s;t al the faculties of apprehen|&s;ion, imagination, and memory which Brutes hav. The&s; Spirits are the &s;ole In&s;truments of al Sen&s;ation: but no &s;ub&s;tance u&s;eth or ruleth them being the fir&s;t cau&s; of Sen&s;. That which they cal Soul, mu&s;t be either material, or immaterial: if material, 'tis either purer then the Spirits, which cannot be, &s;ith they are pure&s;t; or viler and impurer, but 'tis ab&s;urd to grant that to the ba&s;er, which is denied to the be&s;t: if immaterial, let them an&s;wer al arguments alleged again&s;t Forms.</P>
<P><HI>Ob.</HI> 'Tis abov or beyond the power of pure&s;t matter, indued or inve&s;ted with mo&s;t exqui&s;it qualities to judg, remember, de&s;ire, &s;hun, &amp;c. but Brutes Souls doo al this: <HI>Ergo</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P><HI>Sol.</HI> 'Tis not, nor is it more &s;trange that &s;uch effects &s;hould pro|ced from the Temperament of Brutes Brains, then doo other ad|mirable properties (as in the Magnet and many mo &s;imples) from Inanimats Temperament, which is weaker then Animals. The&s; are <HI>magnalia Dei</HI> Gods wonderful works, which Men mu&s;t ad|mire, not inquire.</P>
<P>La&s;tly he treats of Mans Souls origin which was fir&s;t in inten|tion, <NOTE PLACE="marg">Up&s;hot.</NOTE> and &s;ole &s;cope of this Subject or Speculation: touching who&s; e&s;&s;ence, that 'tis a rational immortal &s;ub&s;tance or &s;pirit; none but Athei&s;ts or Sadduces wil doubt: but of the origin is much di&s;pute. Som deem they were al created eternaly, and re|&s;erved in ble&s;&s;ed Seats or Stars, til they be incorporated into Bo|dies. Som that they be created by Angels. Som that they be ge|nerated by the Soul of the World, and made of Celical Sub&s;tance. Som that they con&s;i&s;t of Elements. Som that they are framed of Gods own &s;ub&s;tance. Som that they be produced by the Heavens as an extern Efficient. Som that they propagat &s;ucce&s;&s;ivly one from another. Som that they are continualy created and infu&s;ed in the Body by God like <HI>Adams</HI> fir&s;t Soul, which is the common Tenet. The&s; two la&s;t Opinions (rejecting al the re&s;t as futilous and frivi|lous) he debats more freely and fully, which he that li&s;ts may con|templat:
<PB REF="271"> but being before abundantly agitated in the fir&s;t The&s;is, &s;hal be &s;uppre&s;&s;ed or &s;uper&s;eded.</P>
<P>Touching the Vegetativ and Sen&s;itiv Souls, 'tis probable they <NOTE PLACE="marg">Cen&s;ure.</NOTE> are a meer Temperament of qualities or life it &s;elf; nor doth Scrip|ture them to be &s;ub&s;tances: but they vani&s;h or peri&s;h with the Bodies like forms of Inanimats, and new ingendred or educed from the power of matter by the efficient Cau&s;. For God made al Creatures in their kinds intire Bodies at once (both Plants and Animals) but Created Man in his own Image: th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Body fir&s;t of Du&s;t or Earth from the previous preexi&s;tent Chaos like other Creatures; into which he breathed the Spiracle or Spirit of Life, even a Rational Soul; being far more divine and immortal then the re&s;t, as al Orthodox writers agree. Hence 'tis &s;aid, Man be|cam a living Soul, meaning that his Soul &s;hould liv for ever; as he had doon in Body too, had he not eaten the forbidden fruit, con|trary to Gods command upon pain of temporal and eternal death: yet afterward in mercy he ordained a remedy, that the Womans Seed (even Chri&s;t our ble&s;&s;ed Saviour) &s;hould brui&s; the Serpents head, by dying for the &s;ins of al &s;uch as &s;hal penitently beleev in him.</P>
<EPIGRAPH>
<Q><LG>
<HEAD><HI>Peroratio ad Theologos:</HI> A Conclu&s;ion to Divines.</HEAD>
<L><HI>Haec quicun&abque;; legent Medici Theoremata &s;acra; Cen&s;uras rigidas parcite ferre, precor.</HI></L>
<L>Who &s;hal a Phi&s;itions &s;acred The&s;es read,</L>
<L>I pray, &s;pare to giv Cen&s;ures ful of dread.</L>
<L><HI>Nunc opus exigitur: Laus Patri debita &s;ummo, Chri&s;to incarnato, Spiritui&abque; &s;acro.</HI></L>
<L>The work's now doon: to God the Father du prai&s;,</L>
<L>To Chri&s;t incarnat, and th' holy Gho&s;t alwais.</L>
</LG></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
</DIV1>
<CLOSER>ALLEUIA.</CLOSER>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
