Section. 1.

THIS booke is tearmed of the christiā church Leuiticus, What it in [...]endeth. LEVITICVS, for that it intreateth of the publique Leitourgy, or common form of ser­uice, which the Lorde [Page 13] imposed vpon the tribe of Leui, one of the twelue families deriued from old Iacob or Israel. wher­upon also, these ceremo­nies are ordinarilye ter­med. Leuiticall ceremo­nies.

The booke (in the ori­ginall) beginneth thus: vai [...]krá ael Móshe, vaieda­bar Iehouah &c. word for word thus, And he cryed vnto Moses (euen) the lord spake &c, where the first letter V in proprietie signifieth AND, howso­euer somtimes it couples not, but explaineth some­what afore spokē: which [Page 14] letter V (called Vah) did euen so begin Exodus, & likewise beginneth the following book of Nom­bers, kniting so the books Genesis, Exodus, Leuiticus & Nombers togither. As for Deuteronomy, it is not so coopled, for that it is but a repetition of the things of Moses. The coo pling of the first fowre books of Moses togither, doth so teach vs one & the same faith, sealed by god the father in his son: as also, that the same Le­ui discouered in Genesis, & taught the forme of a diuine house or taberna­cle [Page 15] in Exodus is the same to whō the publick form of worship is prescribed in Leuiticus, & whose pa­rioch-peple (with certain their gests) is counted in Nombers. Som resēblāce may be between these 4 books & the 4 Euangel▪ Gen. begins with the word whereby all was made, S. Iohn with the same word made flesh, for ef­fecting a better creation thē the natural. For how soere S. Iohns Euan. is pla ced last of mā, yet of the word incarnate, hee was most highly beloued, & writ of that word most [Page 16] highlie. Exodus begin­neth with the generati­on of Israel, that went down into Egipt, and S. Mathew beginneth with Iesus (which came of that generation according to the flesh) who also of his Israelitish parentes, was had into Egipt; till out of Egipt God called his son. The book of Le­uiticus beginneth with sacrifice imposed on Le­ui, & S. Luke beginneth also with Zacharie a Le­uite sacrificing, and in­formed touching Him, that was the end of that ceremoniall lawe. The [Page 17] booke of Nombers be­ginns with a Catalogue of the Heades of Israell, with their naturall gene­ration: and the Gospell according to S. Marke, beginneth with the spi­rituall Heades of the Church, by whome was continued the spirituall Israel of God. As for Deuteronomy, contay­uing the seuerall Gests of Israel, it may well bee matched with the Acts and Gests of the Apo­stles, who with their spi­rituall weapons didde more, then al the natural Israell could with theyr [Page 18] carnall weapons & war­fare. As for any doctrine in the olde Testament taught after the bookes of Moses, it was to haue his reference to, and his ground in Moses: & euen so, the doctrin, einsuing the former writings, of the 4 Euangelists, was in nothing thereto, to bee contradictorye. This booke of Leuiticus diui­deth it selfe into cere­moniall Persons, and ce­remoniall things.

Section. 2.

THe ceremoniall Persons are of 2. Ceremonial persons. sorts, the first is God himselfe, the secōd is the people of God: the terme Ceremoniall I giue as an Attribute vn­to God, for that he ma­nifests himselfe vnto his people, no otherwise then by ceremony or sa­cramentall signes. Such Ceremonyes or signes of his presence, as [Page 20] were the fiery piller and clowd in the wildernes: And such was the exter­nall sound of the word, in the eares of Adam and al the anciēt patriarchs, as also to vs at this day. But here in this book of Leuiticus he plentifully declares his might, iu­stice, mercy &c. vnder types and ceromoniall shadowes. And how shold the creatur which is finite, attaine to anie knowledge of the crea­tor in whome all is infi­nite, sauing by his hum­bling himselfe vnto vs by some finite forms (for [Page 21] so the Gentiles behoul­ding Rom. 1. Psal. 19. 1. the visible creature came to som knowledge of the inuisible creator) and that argues also his exceeding loue towards vs, who will vouchsafe (as vnto Moses) a view of his back, when other­wise wee coulde not be­hold his face and liue.

The ceremoniall peo­ple be the twelue tribes of Israell, whereof one tribe is of the Lord assu­med for the work of the ministry, & that is Le [...]i: the other eleauen trybes are left to bee admini­stred vnto, and they bee [Page 22] the trybes of Iudah, Ben­iamin, Reuben, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Nephtali, Ioseph; which one of Io­seph, is somtimes consi­dered in the families of his two sons, Ephraim & Manasses.

Now for the mini­string Tribe, Leui, euery familye thereof did not minister alike, for those that came of his Sonne Kohath, were deputed to the peculiar function of priesthood; but such as came of his other two sons, Gershom and Merari Nom. 3. & 4. & 18. they were allotted vnto [Page 23] inferior seruices, as ap­peareth largelye in the booke of Nombers: nei­ther these that came of Kohath, were all alike in­teressed in the priestlye function, for Aaron (and so the eldest after him, by ordinarie rule) were preferred in the office, as going before the rest, in daily alter-duty: as al­so onely appointed and allowed to enter into the thirde part (the most secret part) of the Taber­nacle, called the holy of holies. All which (not to presse the misteries large ly handled in my thirde [Page 24] and fourth parte of my laboures on Salomons songue) doth commend to the Church for euer, the Equity, first of suffici­ency; secondly of order for publique administration of diuine duties.

Sufficiency of these Leuites appeared, first in being free from all bodi­ly Leuit. 21. 17. &c. vnsoundnesse and vn­proportionability; seing filthy diseases and lacke of some member, would debarre them, though Leuites. This no doubt in Figure did fignifie, that the Archprieste of our profession, shoulde bee [Page 25] voyde of blemish and lackes, for the integrall worke of our redempti­on. But yet not only this but that the subordinate of Christ should bee (as Paule speaketh) Kosmi­os, turned somtimes Mo­dest; 1 Tim. 3. 2. The word Kosmios, is expounded. but in the nature & propriety of the word, it signifieth a seemlinesse, neatnesse, and all in pro­portion & good order; such as the frame of the World is, set out of Gods hand: whereupon man is tearmed in the good sense, Micro-cosmos, a little world. And cōsider anye of the prophets or [Page 26] Apostles, or Euangelists called of God and christ Iesus, & it seemeth that the rule was sanctified by their example, seing wee neuer heare of any vnfea­tured person, allotted vnto such superintēden­cy. The peoples weaknes (doubtles) was in such case tendered, for that they be ouerready to ex­cept and flout at any in­firmitye in the minister. But yet, this beeing a let to the entrance (whereas necessity causeth not a dispensation from the common rule) it inten­deth not a lawfull occa­sion [Page 27] of remoouing any from the ministry, who since their entrāce haue accidentally mette with such wants, while they haue behaued thēselues worthy their function.

Secondly, the suffici­ency of these Leuits ap­peared Nom. 4 43. compared with chap. 8. 24. &c. by their fulnes of age, in that, first they might not enter into the seruice of the Taberna­cle, vntill they were fiue and twenty yeares aged; nor secondlie, might the Kohathites attend the al­tar, vntill they were thir­tie; nor were they to continue in that labour­som [Page 28] seruice, after once they were fifty, howsoe­uer afterwards to be tru­sted with things cōmit­ted to their charge, con­cerning the good of the sanctuary. Their experi­enced faithfulnes, deser­ued such trust: but their weaker years, deserued a freedom frō killing the sacrifices & other labo­rius trauails. The equity hereof continueth still Cyprian. d [...] [...]ici. m. & ten [...]t. Non con [...]enit a [...] ­nis impubi bus [...] [...]n Ca [...]hedra. in the new testament; for our sauiour came not to breake, but to fulfi [...]l the law: and accordingly for example (for otherwise, who doubts of his abili­tye [Page 29] at twelue yeares of age?) who entred not in­to the publique admini­stration of ministry, vntil hee begon to bee about 30. Nor can the phrase of Presbyter or Elder in­tend lesse, which was a terme giuen to the Euangelical ministry, and not to Lay-aldermen. I know that Timothy was a yong man, but not a young scholer (hauing bin trai­ned vp in scriptures of a child) and in like case, I doubte not the Church now may dispence with the generall Canon. But for the common rule, [Page 30] it requireth sufficient a­gednes, seing commonly very few in few years at­taine to sufficiency; else the order of vniuersities should be held supersti­tious, where after the study of Arts & tongs. so many years are requi­red for attaining degrees worthy the profession of diuinity. For the other point namely, of beeing allowed to surcease such trauaile at 50. I doubt not of the lawfulnes stil (for who in their best yeares are sufficient for these things?) seeing or­dinarilye about these [Page 31] years, quick conceipt is dulled, memory weake­ned, and strength vtterly is lacking for preaching in season and out of sea­son, publiquely and pri­uately thorough euerye housholde. But while they rest, som other must take paines. The worke of the Lord must not be done negligently. Me thinks I now doe heare som Nouelists say, neuer was sincere preacher of this latter opinion. Yes forsooth, not to alleadge others, one whome you cannot (or at leaste, will not) except against, was [Page 32] so minded. Master Green­ham leauing his pastoral cure at Draiton by Cam­bridge (as publick bruite went then amongst his welwillers) did alledge this lawe of 50. as a very sufficient cause of desi­sting his former labori­ous charge: howsoeuer hee afterwardes heere at Londō, imploied himself in dooing good as hee could. 3. The sufficiencie of these Leuits require [...] that their lipps should pr [...] ­serue Malachi 2. 5. 6. &c. knowledge, that so the people might f [...]teh the lawe from their mouth. And the apostle teacheth Timothy [Page 33] that all such as desire ec­clesiastick superintēdency, they shold be apt to teach no Neophyt, able to stop the mouth of gainsaiers &c. for that without such qualifi catiō, there cā be no true Bishop or Presbiter, that being the very life & es­sence of a Pastor or el­der. The apostle requires sundrye other particular vertues to the more com mendable beeing of a Pastor, but not to his es­sentiall beeing (for then, where should we meete with one true Minister?) it being a perfect example for shaping foorthe a [Page 34] minister; euen as there is a perfecte example of a common Christian, wher­after hee is to contend, when as Christ saieth, Be perfect as your heauenly fa­ther is perfect. And as it were grosse absurdity to Mat. 5. 48. conclude thus, No one that is not perfect as God is perfect, can be held for a true Christian: euen so ab­surd it is to say, No one is a true Pastor or Presbyter, that is not absolutely quali­fied in all vertues as the A­postle requireth. Tully defi­neth an Orator at such a pitch of perfection, as none could euer attayne [Page 35] to, & Plato draweth out such a common wealth, as none euer in this worlde did or shall see: was it Tullies meaninge therefore to conclude there was no true Ora­tor to be found; or Pla­toes meaning that there­fore there was no true respublique in the whole world? Ierom conceiuing Hieronym. ad Oceanum better of the rule then do a nomber of our fan­tasticks, doeth therefore call it Speculum Sacerdotij the priests looking-glas, to the end that daily loo­king therein, they may dolere ad deformitatem, [Page 36] sorrowe at the sight of their deformity, and gau­dere ad pulchri [...]udinem, reioyce at what was beautifull in them. So much for the minister [...] sufficiency.

Touching Order o [...] degrees amongst the L [...] uites, it was briefly tou­ched before, where one was principall, as Aaron, to whom in greatest ca­ses recourse was to bee had. Others again (as the sons of Aron) were a seat vnder the former, and in the time of Dauid were diuided for the publique seruice into 24. rankes, [Page 37] two in likelihood for a moneth. So there were seuerall orders for the Quier-men, & orders of subordination betweene the Leuites that came of G [...]rshom and Merari. Nor can it euer be prooued, that all of these Orders were giuen by immedi­ate note from the Lord, but sundry of them deri­ued from the Maiest­raies discretion, as were afterwardes also, some festiuall ordinaunces, and Synagogicall or­ders thorough the com­mon wealth of Israel.

For the ministry of the [Page 38] newe Testament, I haue 7. Lectio [...] on Salomons Songue, par [...] 2. See also my abstract of faith. spoken at large vpon Sa lamons songue, onely for Order but thus much: Som were Apostles, som Prophets, som Euange­listes, some Pastors and doctors; seueral degrees for order sake, and yet all preachers of one and the same Gospell. The seuen Churches of Asia to whom S. Iohn writ, each of them had one superi­our teacher, tearmed by the name Angel (in sense one with the term Apo­stle) which is in English a Messenger, or one thats sent, namely to preache [Page 39] the Gospell. Can it easi­ly be thought that there were no moe in anye of them churches, to assiste the other in teaching? It possible cannot bee: the Churches in al probabi­lity, being of some large continuance, and the Churches being also ci­ty churches, not country Churches: and therefore of the Greeks called Me tropolitan Churches: for in the chiefest cities, the first churches were plan­ted. Nay, to put it out of doubt, when the Apostle S. Paul sent from Miletum Act. [...]0. 17. &c. to Ephesus for the pres­byters [Page 40] of that Church, loe there came diuerse, that were Elders or ouer seers in that Church, all apt to teach, & therefore all of them charged with the same worke hee had there vndergone. One of these being particularly charged by Saint Iohn, it argueth he had a superi­ority ouer the rest of the ouerseers, so wel as ouer the people; or else Saint Iohn would haue direc­ted his Epistle, not to the angell, but To the angels of the Church of Ephesus. Worthilye therefore is that parity of ministrye [Page 41] hissed out of the church. And if King Dauid might (out of his sancti­fied discretion) consti­tute seuerall Orders as before: yea, if Mordecai might ordaine a festiuall day for their deliuerāce from Hamans Pur, and Iudas Machaheus a (a) For the vn­derstanding hereof, read Tremellius his note on Iohn 10. 22 longer festiuall, in me­moriall of the Temples clearing; what shold let, that Christian Princes out of their sacred dis­cretion, may not doe the like? If they lay a yoake vppon the peo­ple which they them­selues will not beare, [Page 42] therein they shal sin. But for their Right in such cases, it is no waye lesse­ned by the appearaunce of Christ, but rather en­larged: seing the former wer in their state of non-age: but these (so well as the whole Christian church) are by Christ Ie­sus, com to their Ful-age to the further ripening of their discretion. And thus I haue briefly clea­red the harmonye abi­ding between the anciēt and new ministry.

For the second sort of Ceremoniall people, it was the eleuen Trybes [Page 43] of Israel afore spoken of, which figured out the whole of Gods people, that were to be gathered vnto Christ (the perfecte Preuatler with god, figured by that one Israel or Iaa­cob, whereof all the 12. tribes came) in respecte whereof the apostle ter­meth Galat. 6. 15. 16. all such, the Israell of God. And therefore the seuerall Cognisaunces and qualities attributed by Iacob and Moses vp­on their propheticall deathbeds, doe liuely fi­gure out, the diuersity of guifts and qualities in the new testamentes [Page 20] Church; one and the same spirit working diuersly: not to speake of discom­mendable qualities, which were neuer worse in the first, then be in the last. But what the people represented, the Taber­nacle represented; and therefore to that.

Section. 3.

GOD vnto this people, sacramētal­ly Tabernacle, a sacramen­tall place. spoke, by Moses out of the Tabernacle. The Ta­bernacle and Temple, how in the primarye sense they represented Christ the head of the Church: and then in a se­condarie sense, how they represented the mystical body of Christ, I haue spoken and cleared suf­sufficientlye [Page 46] in the fiftth part of my labors vpon Salomons songue, and the eleuenth lection, thither I refer the reader. Onelie heere remember, that as God dwelleth in Christ somatically or bodily: so he dwelleth in his mem­bers, but virtually and by qualification: in which sense, and by reason of their vnion with Christ, they are said of S. Peter, to partake [...] of the diuine nature. No maruaile then, if wee be called Temples of the Holy ghost: as also of the whole it be said, Behould [Page 47] the Tabernacle of God with Reu. 22. 3. men, and he will dwell with them!

1. The differencie of stuffe tending to the Ta­bernacles buildinge, it wel argued the differēce of tongues, nations and languages, whereof the Church of Christe was to consist. 2. The diuersi­ty of vessells therein, did well type forth, the sun­ [...]rye qualifications, of these seueral Christians, but all leading vnto one and the same Christ.

3. The guifts hereto be­ing volūtary, doth argue not only, that god loues [Page 48] a chearful giuer, but also that there is no accepta­tion at Gods hand of any obediēce, that coms against the hair and con­strainedly. 4. The hewing of the Temples stones, without and then bring­ing them to the place, & conioyning them with­out the noise once of an hammer (whereupon Sa­lomon groūded that pro­uerbe, prepare thy worke Prou. 24. 27. without, & make ready thy things in the field, & after build thine house) it not only teacheth, that God by his word and spirite, first hammereth euerie [Page 49] soule of his apart, and then brings them into a glorious vnion with peaceable affection (like to the first Church at Ie­rusalem, where all were of one hart and minde) but also, that euery chri­stian (much more mini­sters and maiestrates) shold, ayming at a gene­rall, first looke to their particulars; & they once fitted, it is a matter of no stirre to vnite them for the generall. Ora­tours had that witte for framing their Ora­tions; but Diuines [Page 50] often lacke that care, for well composing bookes and sermons. And yet the lord (imitated of the Carpenter) gaue that ex­ample in the worlds cre­ation, that first one par­ticular and then another should be hewed out of the confused Chaos or Lump; and then lastlie vnited in one, for effec­ting the vniuerse or ge­nerall called the world. 5. As for the decaye of Tabernacle & Temple, wherupon followed ne­cessarily a repairing and mending thereof, it well importeth, not only ex­ternall [Page 51] wants that are to be supplied of the more able; but also, such spiri­tuall wants as will con­tinually break out, wher­in the infirme are to bee supported of the stron­ger, and to be couered with Loue, as Shem and Iaphet couered Noah with a mantle, whereby they gotte that blessing, which separating flow­ting Chamistes, partake not of. 6. The scattering of the tabernacles parts, and the consuming of the Temple by fire, cary­ing the holy vessels into captiuity, they fitly de­note. [Page 52] The churches scat­tering in the time of tempestes and fierye af­fliction, yea, the carying of them away captiue by the strong hand of Anti­christs army. 7. Lastly, the new erection of the Temple, it beeing made more excellēt (as Haggai foresawe) by Christ his bodily appearance ther­in: Hagg. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. it well foreshadowed the happy return of the Church, from out all af­fliction: yea, out of the earths rubbish and ashes (after the long sleepe of all flesh) what time the Ioy of al nations shal mak [...] [Page 53] his second appearing for our fulnesse of com­fo [...]t and glory. So much brieflye, of that ceremo­niall house and persons.

Section. 4.

THE ceremoniall Persons conside­red, and with the Ceremoniall [...]. Persons the place (it be­ing one with the Persons in representation) it now resteth to speake of the ceremoniall things con­tained in this Booke; which principallye bee these.

• [Page 54]1. Sacrifices.
• 2. Leuies Maintenance.
• 3. Vncleanesses.
• 4. Mixtures.
• 5. Festiuities.
• 6. Vowes.

But because the matter of Sacrifice is the maine thing I en­tend, for reducing ther­to the Law and Gospell (that is, works, saying Do h [...], and Faith saying Be­leeue th [...]) I therefore will superficially run ouer all the rest, and insist vpon Sacrifice in the laste place.

Leuies maintenance was exceeding large, and Leuies main t [...]nance. larger then here I mean [Page 55] to presse. Only, asmuch and more, then people of our age woulde wil­lingly heare applied. To the inferior sorts of Le­uits, the people offered tenthes, as also they a­gain their tenth vnto the priesthood: the equity is euer the same: for not onelye the people recei­uing spiritual things, are bound therefore to ad­minister of their tempo­rals (yea, of all and the best good thinges they haue. Galat. 6: 6) but the inferior ministry are in­debted to the superiour, as their Ouerseers in the [Page 56] Lord, and these that ca­ry the mainest burden. Nor otherwise can that litigious place be vnder­stood in Tim: 5: The Pres­byters that rule wel, are wor [...]hy double h [...]nour, s [...]ecially (hoi The word signifie [...]h a bei [...]g tyr [...]d by traua [...]le, as our Sa [...] [...]r was in S. Iohn, 4, when he s [...]t d [...]wn on the we [...]l copiôntes) such as tyre them selues in [...]he word and doctrine: for the scrip­ture saieth, thou shalte not mussell the mouth of the Ox, &c: Euery Presbyter in the due exercise of his guiftes deserued double honor (that is, as the A­postle expoundeth, dou­ble maintenance: namely in comparison of the Diaconisses afore spoken [Page 57] of, if not also of the Dea cons) but such of the presbyters as tyred thē ­selues in the work (as par ticularlye the Apostles did, who had vpon them a speciall care of the churches) they much more deserued large al­lowance. If the people bee bound so to honour the meanest minister, how much more should people & inferior mini­sters, honor the greater? I know som wil here bab­ble & say, that tenths wer leuiticall & ended with Leui. I answer, it is vntrue to insinuate that. Tenths [Page] were onely and first pe­culiar to Leui; for tenths were giuen to the Priest Melchisedech when Le ui was in the loynes of Abraham: Nor can it be imagined that the He [...]dot. [...]. 1. telleth, how Cyrus hauing con­quered C [...] ­sus & taken his city S [...]r­dis, [...]e (by the aduise of [...]) did t [...]the the Tenth of all the spoile v [...]to [...], before that any substāce was caried out of the cities gates. an­cient Heathen did so de cimate to their Priestes, but for that they had the example thereof traditi­onally frō the beginning of Sacrifice. Secondly, it followeth not, tha because it was ceremo niall togither with sacri­fice, that therfore it must cease with sacrifice, (no more then because the Tabernacle & Temple, [Page 59] and ministers were cere­moniall, therefore all ecclesiastique houses & ministers are to be abo­lished) but rather this; looke what ceremoniall signification the Tenth might haue, that ceaseth with Christ: as the cere­moniall signification of the bullock, Sheep, goat, did: but not therfore the number of Ten, nor the vse of Beasts abolished: To vse them continueth, but not to vse them so.

Some learned and re­uerend do conclude, that the Tenth is meerly mo­rall, and so alwayes a [Page 60] duty. Of whome I desire leaue to interpose my o­pinion, and the reason; which howsoeuer not [...]e same, yet it shall bee nothing behind that, for the good of the ministry It seemeth vnto me, that [...]ogither with the burial of the Iewish ceremony and policy, there was a ceasement of decimati­ons: for the christiā chur ches then established, wer often taught to cō ­tribute vnto their mini­stry, but neuer to deci­mate; wheras the apostle so often handling the ar­gument, & by law a Pha­rise, P [...]lip. 3. 5. [Page 61] it were very strange he should omit the pres­sing of that which shold be [...]oral: the nomber of tenth, if not moral. (and I leaue that Thesis to bee maintained of thē which haue the strength I lack) it then is to bee held Iu­d [...]cial; a nomber of main­tenance iudiciallye held fitting of the maiestrate, for the minister. The pri­mitiue churches at first were so zealous & fer­uent in deuotion, as they sold all, & gaue vp all to the ministers, leauing the disposall thereof to their discretions. But as finest flowers soonest [Page 62] vanish, so that deuotion soone cooled. And that may appeare in the Apo stles much pressing the Churches, with the con­scionable care they ought to haue, of all due prouision for their mi­nistry, as hauing already lost their first loue in that matter, & if in that, then also their first loue was lost to the holy re­ligion. For neuer was religion loued, and the ministry neglected. I know [...]hat some do [...]n Gen. 47. 22. turne it Princes, not Priests. But the word Co [...]en signifi­ing properly & vsually a Priest, I vn­derstand it so here: Once, for that it [...]a an orna ment to the Heathens greatest prin ces t [...] be [...]riests and they com­monly onely thereto ap­proued. Se­condly, for that Ioseph seemeth to haue spared these priests for no other respect, then bec [...]use Pharaoh did first prini­ledge their portions. The Egiptian people wil witnes that, in the proui­sion was made for their priests, when all the peo [Page 63] ple generally were pin­ched and consumed of famine.

But me thinks I heare one say, I like it wel, that Tenths should be moral and so from God, rather then from the Prince. Dost thou so, then speak out plainly what may be thy reason. This, if moral then as the minister is to haue no lesse, seing God commaunds so much: so hee is to haue no more, seeing hee onelye com­mands the Tenth. And, I thought asmuch, Thou likest it not simply, but respectiuely, that is, in [Page 64] respect of auantage. But stay, it followeth not, be cause God mediately o [...] immediatly cōmandeth the tenth, therefore hee commandeth no more. For to Leui was com­manded a tenth & other things besides the tenth. Not to presse the cities they had &c. thou sha [...]t find, that of diu [...]s things offered vnto the Lord, a Leuit. 2. 3. 10 & ch. 10. 12. &c. good moity came to the priest, for the furnishing of his table, as if the lord could not be serued and the minister vnprouided. Nor hath the grace of god appearing by christ, [Page 65] taught vs to Iessen our loue towardes his mini­stry, but rather teacheth vs to honour him in ho­nouring them with do­ble maintenance. But ô base age we liue in; men seeke honour in disho­noring the ministry, but an honour that sticks to their houses & mannors accordingly, to the very gnawing & consuming of their names and hou­ses, from the face of the earth. Let them then that serue at the Altar, liue honourably by the altar, and that I am sure is morall. [Page 66] so much briefly of Leuies maintenance. The other particulars I must han­dle more briefly, and so vnto Sacrifice.

Section. 5.

VNcleanenesses were of sundry Vncleannesses Nouation. presb. de Cibi. In a­nimalib. mo­res de pin­guntur hu­mani, & Act [...]s & vo­lunta [...]es. [...]orts. For there were beastes & birds by Ceremony vn­cleane and so continued till the partition wall of ceremony was remoo­ued; [Page 67] and then it was law­full to arise, kill, and eat, alimentally & phisically. S. Peter was taughte in Act. 10, that the Gentils were figured therby, and that therefore he should not now stand aloofe from them as of yore, for that the tyme was com, wherein God wold purifie their heartes by faith. Secondly, there was certain of mankind ceremonially pronoun­ced vncleane: Once in respect of the liuing, ha­uing issues menstrual or seminall flowing from them: hauing vnlawfull [Page] copulations, and conta­gious diseases vppon them: Againe, in respect of the dead, seeing the [...]ouching of thē or their bones, was a ceremonial vncleannesse. All these importing such thoghts words & works as make vs vncleane and noysom to our selues and others, specially vnto God, be­fore whom we are called to walke in holinesse all the daies of our life.

Mixtures ceremoni­all were these, Garments of Linsy-woolsy, the s [...]w Mixtures. ing of ground with mis­cellain, the yoaking of Ox [Page 69] and Asse togither. All these were forbidden ce­remonially as actions ab hominable. And they denote to Christians, sin­glenes of heart, singlenes of word, & singlenesse of work: for as the Lord cā not brook the persō that hath [...]ebh velebh, a hart & a hart; so neither cā it be that communion can be betwixt christ and Belial, [...]ghteousnes & vnrighte ousnes, light & darknes: therfore says theapostle. com out from amongst them and touche no vn­clean 2. Cor. 6. thing. Touche the dead in sinne, and drawe with the vnsacrificeabl [...] [Page 70] Asse we doe, when by affection or action wee like and approoue theyr euill. From such tou­ching and drawing wee are to withdrawe our selues, but not (as Fanta­stiques would haue it) by forsaking the Churches communion and fellow­ship in God. The apostle neuer taught the Corinths to seperate so, nor Moses before him. For as to ioyn with euery thing in the Churches members, requires no conning, so, to separate from all in the Church, any Asse can doe: but to trie all [Page 71] things, and keepe that is good, and then to main­taine the good (so far as one, hath calling) throgh good report and bad re­port, plenty and pouerty, [...]ife and death, hoc opus, hic labor est, this requires the spirite of discretion, faith, loue and much pa­tience. And onely the children of wisedome haue such grace: for wise some is iustified. of her children.

There bee also cere­moniall Festiuities, that bring with them glorius Festiuities. memorials of Gods sin­gular Loue and care for [Page 72] the good of his church: teaching all for such re­spects to do as the Apo­stle inioyneth when hee Philip. 4. 4. saith, Reioyce in the Lord alway againe I say reioyce: and to conclude with the Psalmist thus, This is Psa. 118. 24. the day the Lorde hath made, let vs reioyce and be glad in it. But of such feast daies I haue largely spoken in the third part of my labors vpon Salo­mons songue, where I speak of Chronological and arithmeticall sha­dowes.

For ceremoniall vowes, they be in respect of th [...] Vowes. [Page 73] matter, of two kinds; the one animate or brea­thing, as men & beasts: or inanimate & breathles, as houses, fieldes, and the like: the māner of which vowes and their redem­tion, is laid down in the [...]uit. 27. last chapter of this book as the very conclusion of ceremonies. The mayne thing it intends, I doubt not is this: that whatso­euer we vowe to the fur­therance of Gods glory (it beeing in our power so to vowe, for else why should we suffer our lips to sinne?) it oughte to bee payde faithfullye [Page 74] vnto the Lord. for so saith Salomon in Eccles. 5. 3. When thou hast vowed [...] vowe vnto God, deferre not [...]o pay it, for he delighteth not in fools: pay therefore as thou hast vowed. 4. It is better thou sholdst not vow then tha [...] thou sholdst von and not pay it, &c: and that can Ananias and Saphir. witnesse, who vowing largely with their lips, & paying niggardlye with their hands, did so bring vpon thē, the swift iudg­ment and heauy hand of God. Many such Ananias­ses I haue heard of, who sōtimes wroong by the [Page 75] spirit of God to vowe a gu [...]t to the needy, and that which is more, to vowe in future times (as Dauid did, Psal. 119. 106) the keping of Gods righ­teous iudgements, haue afterwards withdrawne from so doing, returning in Gods iust iudgement to their aunciente hard­nes of heart and propha­nity, making so their lat­ter end worse then their beginning.

Such things as were ceremonially deuoted to the Lord, they were pri­zed of the Priest, & not of the vower to bee had [Page 76] againe, without giuing the price and a fift parte ouer, that so the Lord & his church might be sure of their owne with the best. Many of yore haue vowed smaller & grea­ter things to the furthe­rance of Christs church & his worship (this was their Genus or generall scope, howsoeuer there might be failment in spe­cie, in som specialty) now haue they taken the vote [...] back againe not satisfy­ing the church largelye therfore? If they did, they had the most right. But, [...] nefandūscelus, sacrilegium [Page 77] immane, they haue robd the church of all they cā finger, who neuer gaue to the church so much as a barly corn. The fathers gaue, and the children steale away; whereupon cannot but follow, beg­gerly ministers & a con­temptuous religion, as hauing no promises of this world, wheras god­linesse hath promise of both. Let this sinne, re­maine the great sinne of England, fastned vppon many of the Gentrye fleecing, and vpon some of the Ministers, sel­linge theyre fleece, [Page 78] for a lock of wool. Eate on, and giut your selues with the spoile of the Lords Temple, qu [...]ffe in the deuoted vessells as did Babilons Bel azar, but in the end it will be grauell in your mawes, and without repentance fling you and your hou­ses out of the Lords bal­lance. I speake not as hauing lost any thing of the Church, for I neuer yet possessed peny of her dowry; but espying plots for the Churches su [...] ­uersion, I cānot but wit­nesse against their abho­mination. So much cur­soriwise [Page 79] of Leuies main­tenance, ceremoniall vncleannesses, vnlawfull mixtures, holy festiuities and ceremoniall vowes. Now I com to my main purpose, the Sacrifices.

Section. 6.

SVndry Greeks and Latines of old, haue dealt vpon this argu­ment; Sacrifice. but not all with like successe; for what [Page 80] marueile if the latter came a little neerer the marke, whē they had first the eies of their ancients to see by, & then theyr own for prying a little deeper. But of all the an­cients, Origen was about [...]00 yeares after Chr [...]st. Origen deser­ued best, in asmuch (for any thing I see) al the rest of them (euen vnto this last age) did speak almost nothing, which argued not their candle to haue receiued light from his. O that hee had beene so happy, in establishing the Letter! In this last age sundry haue aduentured on Leuiticus, but in our [Page 81] language almost none. And these that haue writ ten (with far better suc­cesse then the ancients) I wold I could add vnto thē, but euen that which I see to be lacking. But it is far easier to espie a defect in a building, then to amend it. Why then shold I write? For these causes: first, for that the Leuiticall ceremony is in our language almost vnhandled, except in ge­nerall termes: 2, for that I hope to make sōwhat I handle (euē the substāce of it) more plain then for rainers haue, who rather [Page 82] writte for satisfaction of scholers, thē of the com­mon people.

But in the very begin­ning, I heartily lament one lack in them, which for any thing I see, must remaine a lacke still for me. Some haue diuided and subdiuided, dicho­tomizd and subdichoto­mizd the kinds of sacri­fice, labouring so to put euery kind into his own place. But alas, not once able to say what the sa­crifice in the 1. chapter is, in respect of the parti­cul [...]r end whereto it was to be referred: nor when [Page 83] for the time it was to be administred, it so hath come to passe, that igno­rance of this, hath made their diuision imperfect; yea sometimes distinct sacrifices by this sorte haue been confounded. The consideration wher­of (I labouring of the same disease) doth moue me to passe by that strait and to cast aboute for more sea-roome.

The sacrifices all of them, In Hebr. 5. [...] this dis tinction is ratifie [...] two w [...]rds, Doron and Thusia, the latter inten­ [...]ing Zabach, [...] other [...]cha. bee either such as bee offered vp directly for expiation of sin; or se­condly, for testif [...]ing due­ [...]full thankfulnesse vnto [Page 84] God for fauours recei­ued. Sacrifice for sin, I terme all such as broght with them effusion of blood and sprinkling of the same; seeing all such argued (as the apostle to the Hebrewes largelye presseth) the Messiahs Hebr. 9. 7. 11. 12. 13. 14. &c. with chap. 10. blood which should bee shed for the remission of sin: and this sacrifice was animate, consisting of breathing creatures: the second kind which testi­fied thankfulnes, were vnbloody offrings, con­sisting of creatures in a­nimate, breathles & blud­les. Mea [...] ­offrings. Of this kind, were [Page 85] flowr, oyle, frankinsence, salt, eares of corne. And in the offring vp of this kind, they thankfully ac­knowleged, that al came from God wherewithall they were sustayned. It was through the good­nes Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. of god, that the staffe (or strength) of their bread was not brokē; yea that their dough was not cursed in the trough; & that which is more, that their bread was not bla­sted in the eare, or spoi­led with mel dewe. By which breade also, they were ledde vnto him that is the bread of life. [Page 86] But ô prophane times we liue in! Our people haue long heard our Sa uiour say in S. Iohns gos­pell; Labour not for the meate which perisheth, but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlast­ing life, which the Son of man shall giue vnto you: but who looks after this? who holds out the hand and saith, Lord giue vs euer of this bread, feed vs with this immortall meate? Nay, how many whose bodies are fed daily with bodily foode, doe lift vp then heart and say, I thanke [Page 87] thee ô Lord for this bo­dily refection; how great is thy kindnesse to feede me thus at thy charges, who haue not deserued so much as the crums that fall from thy table: yea, which rather haue merited that euery crum should haue bin a curse, and euery draughte of drink, a draught of thine indignation. Of old they did write in their Halls beyond their sidetables,

But togither with long side-tables, it seemeth grace is much gone. For [Page 88] commonly we now giue either a naked grace to God, without any grace to the poore: or else wee arise resolued to giue grace neither to god nor the poore. A wondrous thing, that God shoulde not smite the meate in our mouths (as he dealt with the Israelites) or ra­ther, that he shoulde not smite the earth with a barraine womb (as som­time he smit the figtree) that so neuer more fruit might grow vpon it. Mincha in Leuit. 2.

This offring of the in­animate creature (called Mincha, a resemblance [Page 89] whereof is had in our sa­cramentall Supper) it passed through fire, ar­guing once, that the in­terest we haue in the crea tures, did cost Christ Ie­sus the setting on, he fri­ed for our benefit: as al­so, that wee must not thinke to eate our bread without all affliction & firy triall (for heere wee must be made S. Laurēces & bee cast into the for­nace with the 3. yoong gentlemen of Iudah) only let vs labor that (as this meat offring had in it oyl & salt so) we may be pos­sest with the oyl of glad­which [Page 90] Christ had aboue all his fellows, and so we shall not bee destitute of ioyfulnes in midst of all fiery tryals. As also let vs labour to haue salt in our selues for the seaso­ning of others by our vncorrupted word and workes, keeping our hearts alwaies free from the leauen of malitious­nes So shall our praises and thanksgiuings bee, sweet sauour vnto God truely ioyous to our selues, and edifying to o thers. So much briefely of the Eucharistique ob­lation; with which, the [Page 91] wise-hearted may Ana­logically compare the supper of our Lord.

Section. 7.

HAuing spoken of the oblati­on Sacrifice for Sin. of Thankes­giuing, it fol­oweth I speak of the ob­lation of sin. And where should I begin? Ierome Hieronym. ad Paulinū. touchinge the whole saith thus. Euery sacrifice [...]n the book of Leuiticus, yea [Page 92] euery syllable, and the gar­ments of Aaron and the whole Leuiticall Order, (spirant caelestia sacramēta) do breath forth sacraments, or mysteries. That hee saith of the whole, I may much more saye of this sorte of sacrifices, which in Christ & his mystical body be so deeply sealed as they squeaze out blud againe, and pierce and presse out the verye life of nature.

Hitherto I haue not set the ceremony on the rack (as hath been vsuall with too manye, stray­ning the ceremonye to [Page] their wits, and not their wits to the ceremony; & I would such vnpropor­tionable and fantastique straines were not at this daye forced on plainer scriptures also) but I waighed the ceremonye by the plain, open waits of the sanctuary, for cau­sing the sence to fall out fully & euidentlye to the conscionable Reader of the scriptures. It remai­neth stil, that I keepe the kings hy-way, & not for satisfactiō of verball spi­rits (nam haud vnquā aliud seculū tam verbosū) I shold abounde with manner [Page 94] beyond matter; or take vp the time with by res­pectes of the animate creatures (which out of nature might bee many) to the weakning and ob­seuring of the mayn end and purpose of the Holy ghost, And so to the mat ter.

All Sin-sacrifice (as a­fore) did properly re­quire Heb. 9. 22. blood (for without blood no purgation) where­upon it is probable, that Cain offring an oblation of the fruits of the earth (termed in Leuit. 2. min­cha) did proudly intend a Thanksgiuing without [Page 95] humiliation for sinne; when as Abel rather loo­ked to his sin, and came to the Lord in humilitie for the purgation there­of, by the blud of a lamb. This beeing ind [...]ede the humility of the Publican in the Gospell (Lord bee mercifull vnto me a sinner) when the other was in­deed of an elate and pu [...]t vp mind with the Phari. see, who despising the other said, I thanke thee ô God, I am not as this man, &c. but hee went awaye therefore vniustified.

In the second of Leuit. there is a sacrifice tear­med [Page 96] Zebach Shelámim: which worde Shelámim signifying pacifications, perfections, heal [...]hs, it so commeth to passe, that it is turned diuersly. But let it bee (as we haue it turned, and the worde primordially signifieth) a peace offring, it intēdeth an humiliation before GOD for obtayning of peace. And indeede, till wee bee sprinkeled in our Heb. 10. 22. hearts from an euill consci­ence by the blud of christ apprehended by faith, it is impossible to haue peace with God. In the 4. of Leuit. there is a sa­crifice [Page 97] called Chá [...]á­ah, and in the fift chap. on called Ashá [...]: the firs [...] turned by some Latins. Peccatum, the other De­lictum; taking them with like differēce, as Augus­tine taketh the two La­tine words, when as hee saith, Perchance Pecca­tum Augu. quaest. 20 in Leuit. is the perpetration of e­uill, but Delictum the de­sertion of Good. But to vn­derstand the Hebrewe wordes so, I take it to bee more subtile then sure. And the rather because the wordes Cháttáah and Ashám are confounded in Chap. 4. [Page 98] and both vsed for the same. The sacrifice in the 4 chap. is diuided into 4. [...]eads, either it is for the sin of the Priest, or of the Congregation, or of the Ruler, or of the common people. The Iewish hy-priest coulde sin (though he caried the vrim and Thummim on his breast) and what is the Romish Hy-priest (whose brest is ordinarilye stuffed with all carnalitye) that hee shold not much more sin & stand in need of sacri­fice. Israels congregatiō or church could sin, not­withstanding al the neer [Page 99] helpes they had from God, and cannot the church now much more sinne? I would it did not. The Prince of the peo­ple then stood need of a sacrifice, and do not our Princes and rulers stand in as much neede? Yea, their sacrifice was to be presented in an He-goat for that they are not on­ly to be as He-goats before the flocke for comming out [...]erem. 50. 8. of Babel, but also, for that their sinnes stinke much more, and be farre more infectious then the sins of the people, though the one and the other [Page 100] proceeded first from ig­norance. For which res­pect (among others) the peoples sin afterwards is represented in a She-goat more weak in euill then the former. As therefore good examples in ru­lers, are drawers vnto God, & god therefore to be much praised: so, to the other the Prophet saith. The Leaders of the I say. 9. 15. people cause them to erre, and they that are led by them arc deuoured.

The sin sacrifices hi­therto spoken of, in­tend sin committed first of Ignorance: therefore [Page 101] in the sixt chapter, the holy ghost laieth downe a sacrifice for such as haue sinned of knowledg. For the opposite vnto ig­norance is not willingnes but knowledge. Besides that to sin hecousiōs, that Hebr. 10. 26. is with willingnes as is intimated vnto the He­brews that beste vnder­stood the qualities and forms of Sacrifice, vnto such there remaineth no more sacrifice f [...]r sinnes. Willingnes there, is a sin cōmitted against know­ledg frāckly, freely, with­out restraint & check of cōsciēce (euen as the vo­luntary [Page 102] sacrifice was to be offred to God, with a frank and free mind, and pleasing of conscience) which indeede is the great sin against the ho­ly ghost, represented by such sinnes in Israel as Beiad Ram [...] [...]om. 15. 30 31. were done not only wit­tingly, but also extensa ma [...]u, with an hy hand & all freedome of strength: for which sinne indeede, there was no sacrifice ap pointed, but the soule that so sinned, was to be left vnto the maiestrates sword. No [...]atus the here­tique (who denied hope of remission to all such [Page 103] as sinned after baptism, and of knowledge) hee was therefore (for vnder standing so Hebr. 10. 26) as farre wide on the one side, as others haue been on the other side, that for that verse sake haue denied, or at least called into question the autho­rity of that Epistle to the Hebrewes. Nor can but many such grieuous er­rours followe the igno­rance of Leuiticall cere­monies; howsoeuer som of our Nouelists (if they haue not left their euill their diuell) will, with Is­mael, flout therat, til they [Page 104] haue flowted themselues out of Abrahams fami­lie, and the state of grace.

All the sacrifices thē spoken of in this section ar either offred vp for sin don of Ignorāce, or other­wis (through infirmitie) cōmitted of Knowledge. Wherein may be obser­ued the Lords exceding gratious prouidence to­wards his Church, who for euery soar hath pro­uided a salue, and his Son Iesus he hath made the Physitian. Only, for such Apostates, as are so farre from being sore as they are wholie [Page 105] Become seared in con­science, and theresore sinne against knowledg, and former feeling (spo­ken of in Hebr. 6. 4. 5.) & so despise the cōmuni­on (spoken of in heb, 10. 25. 38. 39.) there remains indeede no sacrifice for that sin (which S. Iohn intimates, when he saith There is a si [...]ne vnto death, 1. Iohn. 5. 16 I say not that thou shouldst traye for it) but to such remaines (as in Hebr. 10, 27) a fearefull loo­king for of iudgemente and violente fire, which shall cousume & deuour aduersaries. Dallie therefore not with sinne [Page 106] after knowledge, least it eat vp all conscience & leaue no place for repen­tance. I am not ignorant that manye haue spoken much of this sin against the Holy-ghoste, but grounded on their owne surmises, not on diuine scriptures. Peter Lombard (the great master of sen­tences) hath laboured to define it, but it stickes as bird-lime on his fingers, and needes some wiser then S. Thomas a watering to wash his fingers on it.

Section. 8.

THere bee other sortes of sacrifice (then these spo­ken of in the former sec­tion) Sacrifice for sinne. as the sacrifice of vowes and Aaronicall in­stallments; but al of them beeing bleeding oblati­ons arguing (as afore) the blood of Christ Ie­sus cleansing vs from sin; in which respect the ob­lations [Page 108] blud (if any drop thereof fell vpon a gar­ment, was to be washed out in the holy place, so holy the sign of Christs blood was in respecte of the end intended) all of them I say, being blee­ding oblations, they are to be referred vnto the former diuision.

There be also in Gen. 31, 54, & 1 Sam, 9, 12, & 1 Kings, 1921, speaches of Zebachs, which some haue taken for sacrifices, as also, that the people were feasted with these holy things. The worde indeed in Zebach in all [Page 109] the places, but not ther­fore a sacrifice, no more thē euery Corbā or Min­cha is a ceremonial guift for the two latter places they were Zebachs, that is in propriety, mactatiōs or slaughters, appointed for cōfortable bāquets. For as Israell might not sacrifice, any where, but at the doore of the Ta­bernacle, Leui. 17, 3 &c: so, none but the Priestes & their males wer to eat of the holy reliques, Le. 7. As for that of Iaa [...]ob, either it must be cōclu­ded, that he sacrificed a­parte, and afterwardes made a banquet ioyntly [Page 110] of other victualls; or els that it was as the for­mer, but a common Ze bach or slaughter for mu­tuall eating togither.

The sacrifice remay­ning to bee handled, is that in Leuit. 1. which al­so is a sacrifice for expi­ation of sinne, seeing it draweth blood with it; and without blood no remission. The matter ex qua whereof it consi­steth, is Animate crea­tures, and they be of two sorts: the first be Beasts, the second be byrds. The Beasts againe be of two sortes, the first of the [Page 111] heard, as the Bullock; the second of the Flocke, as Sheepe and goates. As for the Birds, they be also of two sorts, Turtle-doues & Pigeons. The whole of this sacrifice was to bee burnt (as also the Bul­lock and Reddish-cowe spoken of elsewhere) for Leuit. 8. 16. 17. & 9. ch. &c. Nom. 19. the which it is common­lie called of the Greekes Holocauston wholy burnt, and in the Text an of­fring by fire. In other kinde of oblations, the Priest got somewhat (as the remnant of the meat offring after a memori­all thereof had been sent [Page 112] vp to the Lord in fire; & of other blood sacrifices the shoulder and breast heaued and wagged be­fore the Lord (represen­ting the heauing of the heart and the moouing of the Calues of our lips Hos, 14. 3. as the Prophet expoūds it, and Hannah (with­out noyse of words) prac tised) but in this oblati­on, All goes to the Lorde. And that which is more, all is heer burnt within the Tabernacle (as a sacrifice peculiar for such as be within the Churche;) whereas in other burnte-oblations [Page 113] made of the hearde, the skyn, flesh and excremēt was had out of the hoste and there burnt, intima­ting (as the Author to to the Hebrewes spea­ [...]eth in Ch, 13, 11, 12, 3) that Iesus, to the end he might sanctifie the peopl [...] (no doubte also the Na­ [...]s without) and that [...]ith his owne blood, hee uffred without the gat [...] eaching vs secondlie, to [...]oe forth therfore out of the camp bearing his reproch▪

Wherfore this burnt [...]ffring was sēt vp to the [...]ord, as also, whē it was [...]o be offred, I find it not [Page 114] particularly mentioned, nor in anye writer well obserued. When as a sa­crifice intimated some one or moe their parti­cular wants, we find it (as afore) bounded in his form and vse. But in this not so. It causeth mee therfore to thinke, that this oblation intimated not this or that particu­lar need; but rather, that it was (as Noahs sacrifice was) offered vp for the generall good of the whole Israel of God: like as was the Lambe offred Nom. 28. 23 vp euerye day (morning and euening) and vppon [Page 115] the Sabaoth double the nomber, and this for the whole Church of God militāt here in the earth. For the time when, I take it to be in a sort Arbitra­ry, and left to Israels vo­luntarye contribution. Neither see I any thing to the contrarye, but it might be an offering ac­cording to the aforesayd vowes, vnredeemed, and therefore wholye turned vnto ashes, according to that in Psa. 20. where the King offring to the Lord before hee went into the battaile, all the Church of Israell is introduced [Page 116] praying (seeing it ten­ded to common good) after this manner, The Lorde remember all thyne offrings, and tu [...]n thy burnt offering [...] into ashes. This point so cleared, or (at least) helped. I so will hasten to the particu­lars.

Section. 9.

THe Apostle in Hebr. 10. 1. say­ing that the Law was a sha­dowe Ceremonial sacrifices. of good thinges to [Page 117] come, of what Lawe speakes hee? Not of the morall law, for that was, is, & so shall continue, a substantiall Iustice, vnto the which mankinde is bounde euer for confor­mity. Then it must intēd som other law. The Iudi­ciall lawe (so far as it was meerly Iudiciall) it had, hath, and shall haue a continuing equity; and so no shadowe of anye good thinges to come. The Ceremoniall Lawe (and some ceremonye somtimes, was ioyned with iudicials) that is the [Page 118] kind of law he meaneth, as may appeare by the Chapter afore-going, whereupon he grounds his Illatiō, as also by that which followeth as an explanation of his mea­ning. Nor is the shadow ing Lawe, only the cere­moniall victimaes & vic­tuals, but also (as the apo­stle Paule presseth to the Colossians) Holy dayes, New moones and Sabaoth▪ were a shadow of things to come (for som shadowed things, som good things, but the body or substāce of them was in Christe) Then without all con­trouersie [Page 119] and further re­petition, these ceremo­nial Zebachs, slaughters and Gnolahs ascensions by fire, they foretyped or shadowed foorthe some things touching Christ and his mysticall bodye.

But before I presse the significations of the Ce­remoniall sacrifices, let mee obserue, the excee­ding careful loue of god towards Israel, touching the matter of sacrifice, shaped forth to the abili ty of the sacrificer: euery one was not able to pre­sent a Bullocke, then a Sheep or goate shoulde [Page 120] suffice. Euery one was not able to prepare a sheep or Goat; then hee was to offer of the Turtle doues or Pigeons, which (as one writeth) were e [...]sy [...]o be had, and therefore re­ [...]uired Christoph. Pelarg [...]s ex [...]ose AEgip­t [...]o, lib. 3 du ctoris d [...] ­orum, cap. 27. of the poor. O mer­cifull God, who mighte [...]aue charged man with greate things, and yet contents himselfe with small: for it is but a small thing for a man to offer, not strayning himselfe for much. But God ac­cepts the wil, rather then the deede, because the deed is next to nothing, without the will. Yet, a [Page 121] true will cannot neglect the deed (because two haue more heat thē one et virtus vnita forti [...]r) & the rather because a cup of cold water shall not escape vnrecompenced, when it is done to any in the name of Iustice and mercy (Math 10, 41. 42. as maye appear in 1, Kinges. 17. where the widdowe of Zarepta giuing a little water vn to Elias (for to that acte with the like, no doubt but our Sauioure loo­ked) shee gained a great blessing, first in the enlarging of her table; [Page 122] secondly, in hauing her Son restored frō death to life. If therfore we be liberall towards Christ, and his misticall bodie (which indeede is the true Tabernacle not pight with handes) it is but to bee liberall tow­ards our self, seeing the [...] by, gods blessings are en larged & the more con­firmed vnto vs.

None so beeing desti­tute of all meanes to please God (for God so leaueth euery soule ex­cuseles) it remaineth to speak of the materiall kindes of sacrifice firste, [Page 123] and then of their order of disposall. The matter of this Burnt-offring is flesh with his adiuncts, as of beasts and birds, of fish neuer. Fish was spa­red in the deluge from destruction, as reserued in his own ark or elemēt & here reserued for mās ordinary vse, seeing no one kind of thē was ap­pointed for ceremoniall seruice. Reason of the one & the other I cā col­lect none (& yet I know what some haue writtē) that may fit anlogie of saith, sauing this; Syn co­uering the face of olde [Page 124] worlds earth, therefore iudgement went out on­ly for sweeping the earth clean. But man with Io­nah since having sinned on the sea, and therefore swallowed vp into the Bowels of the sea, it re­maineth that waters, and earth and all, bee licked vp and refined by Iudi­ciall fire. The earth resi­ned because man is of Reuel. 21. 1. earth; but the Seas ha­uing no being more (as Seas) for what bee seas to man? As chaffe to the wheat. But why Go [...] would not that any fish shoulde sacramentally [Page 125] lie, I know not, excep­ting for that earth had sinned, and earth muste satisfie, and so fish not of the earth (as Beaste and byrde is) but [...] of the waters. That any corporeall substāce shoulde not bee of the earth, it is more then Philosophy can admitte (as for the waters brin­ging forth fish and fouls in Genes, 1. it is vnder­stood as of the wombe bringing forth▪ but ma­teriallie deriued frō the Earth vnder) [...]nd yet som Chymsts woulde haue water the Originall [Page 126] element of all. But ha­uing touched that ouer. curious question by the waie, let mee returne to the professed element of sacrifice, touching the which the scriptures speake plainly.

The Lord in choosing earth-creatures for sa­crifice; he culls out not onelye such as coulde most redily be acquired; but also, such as mighte moste safely bee hand led.

He might haue charged them to haue presente [...] Lyons, Bears, Leopards: For as Daniell sawe the Dan. 7. 1 &c [Page 127] Chal-deans, Mede-per­sians and Greekes, to be no better; yea, as S. Iohn, Reu. 13. 1. Iohn sawe the Romans to bee all them beastes ioyntly; so by nature we are al no better conditi­oned. And that the Per­sians well vnderstood, who once a yeere kepte a festiuall daye called The death of vices, what day they practised the killing and destroying of all sortes of Ser­pentes, vnderstanding by them varietye of vi. ces.

But as the Lorde would not charge Israel [Page 128] with Animalls, either hardly or dangerouslye to be acquired: so, by the tamerkind of creatures, he would teach vs more commendable qualifica tions. As all heathen in­uentiō for sacrifice must needs be abhominable, because of the lord vn­commāded; so, to what an height of sauage im piety was Israell grown vnto, after their schisme from Iudah, who often­times stained theyr hāds in their childrens blood offring them vp to the diuel & Moloch. But a iudgemente easie i­nough [Page 129] vpon that people which had bid the house of Dauid shift for it selfe; and no meruail that Ro­manistes seeke to please God by bloody vnnatu­rall Stratagems, hauing schismed from little Iu­dah, and lefte Iesus to shifte for himselfe. Hee will shifte for himselfe & vs, when al their Gū ­powder inuentions shal flash in their owne faces.

Amen.

Section. 10.

BEfore I touch these conside­rations Sacrificiall Particulers in Com mon. that a­gree vnto eue­ry of the Holocausts a­part, I iudge it fitting to insiste of these par­ticulars, that agree in common among them­selues, both for the mā ­ner of vsage, as also, the mystical end wherevnto they were referred. And [Page 131] the particulars in Com­mune, I enumber as fol­low.

1. All the sacrificiall presents (for wee speake It is turned by this latin integrum. not only of [...]re­mellius for v [...], but also of Arias Mo [...]us for the Ro­manists. now only of the first ch) they wer to be Tamim in­tegrall perfect. I knowe the word is of sūdry tur­ [...]ed, immaculat or vnspot­ted. And true it is such sence it hath, & therfore the word made attribute to beasts, not to birds: be caus the 1 might be had without spots, the 2 not. But seeing that is not the words first and neer sence, as also, for the ho­ly-ghost elsewhere allu­deth [Page 132] hereto (as in Mala. 1: 13: 14: & Hebr. 7: 26:) it causeth mee to take the word more largelie, that is, for a creature in his Sacrifices perfection. kind perfect, not torn, rēt, lame, diseased &c: And indeede, such a one was Christ, shall I say in his body? why, the prophet Isaiah in chap. 53. insinu­ates that there should be no beautye in him, for which he shold be desi­red: true, but that was (as there appeareth) when our infirmities shold be vpō him, & he whipped, buff [...]ted, & spit vpon for our sakes (what beautye could thē appear?) who [Page 133] otherwise was wh [...]te and ruddy the chiefest of tē thou­sand. But in his soule was al perfectiō (a reasō why his bodye in the graue could feel no corruptiō, for if Adams soul had not first sin'd, his body could not haue corrupted:) so that the moral law could not cōmand that perfec­tiō that was not in him; and indeed, such a priest & sacrifice, it besemed vs to haue. And is the chur­ches head thē perfect? & oughte not his mysticall body (the church) to be perfect? Yes, we are cal­led in ma: 5: to be perfect as our heauēly father is perfect. [Page 134] And can wee in this life then be perfect? We can not, and yet we can. We cannot in our selues (for when we wold do good, euill is presente leading vs captiue, Rom, 7.) but through Christ wee can do all things; who was made sin, that we might bee made the righteous­nes of God in him, 2. Cor 5: 21: But by what equity doth god command the fulfilling of the morall law in our selues, if so we cannot do it, and the law curseth such as doe not all the things in it? By a double equity: once for [Page 135] that hee set mankind ou [...] of his hands, enabled to keepe the lawe of perfe­ction: Being now runne bank-rupt through his own defalt, it is iust with God notwithstanding to craue the debt: for our wilfull pouertye, is no cause why he shold cast aside his Iustice. Again, he commaunds perfecti­on to his Sons disciples, because they haue a new and a liuing way, whereby Heb. 10. 19 [...]0. they may attaine perfe­ction, and that is, by true faith fastned vpon him. Because that no soule cā be iustified by the morall [Page 136] lawe, but by the lawe of faith they can, therfore it is, that the holye ghoste saieth thus: The law mad [...] nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope made perfect—By so much is Iesus made a surely of a better couenant—wherefore he is able als [...] perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him, heb. 7, 19, 22, 25: O happy co­uenant of Grace, [...]ar ex­ceeding the couenant of works! This, Martin Lu­ther looking deeply into Luther on the Galat. it causeth him for prefer ring of the latter, to d [...]s­anul Moses in a sort: and [Page 137] indeed in respect of any true Peace a soule can haue by the law of moral works, Moses may be bid giue place, and his two Tables bee put by: for thereby we can neuer be iustified; and so conse­quētly, neuer comforted, neuer saued. By the name Ies [...]s, and by no other name vnder heauen, are wee to obtaine saluati­on. This beeing vngain­sayably true, how wicked be the Romanistes, that teache Iustification with GOD by workes! And how woonderfullye o­uerseene are some, [Page 138] amongst vs, that ordina­rily propounds the laws perfectiō so to the harts of their hearers, as they often leaue them marked for reprobates, in beeing found breakers thereof. I know that the Lawe is holye and pure, and that wee are to striue after conformity thereto; but to pres it, as som in their Ignoraunce often presse it, (and I woulde no la­mentable presidentes thereof had passed) is to lead people from christ, & in conforming them­selues to the Law, to do it rather of a slauish feare [Page 139] (which kinde of obedi­ence is vnacceptable) then of Loue to the lawes holinesse. It were good the Church were either purged of such fantast­iques, or at least of theyr fantastique preachinges, tending indeede to He­reticall puritanisme, the very iustification of Ro­nanists, Anabaptistes & [...]amilists. Will people neuer vnderstand? But to other particulars.

Section. 11.

SEcondly, the sacrifices of this Holo­caust, were to Sacrifice presented at the dore, &c. be brought-vnto the do [...]e of the Tabernacle, wher the Prieste was to re­ceiue the same. In other sacrifices destinated to some particular necessi­ty (as in the 4 Chapter) the Presenter was to [Page 141] confesse his or theyr sinne, with their hand or handes vppon the head of the Sinne offering. To bring the oblation to the doore, is general­lie taken, for presenting our deuotions vnto Christ, who calls him­selfe the dore in S. Iohn. 10, 9: The note is profi­table, but I knowe not howe proper. To bring it vnto the dore of Con uention, was to bring it vnto the face of the Congregation, that all so might knowe, not onely that he was an Is­raelite called to the same [Page 142] Hope in Messiah, but al­so that so he might send vppe his sacrifice with theirs, euen in the same holy communion. Nor doth the equity thereof, but abide for euer. For besides our priuate de­uotions, wee must pub­liquely also conuene, and so with one hearte and mind praise the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ. For saith the Apostle, If any withdraw himselfe, my soule shall haue no pleasure Heb. 10. 38. 39. in him; making (in the next wordes) such with­drawing to bee an argu­ment of perdition, and [Page 143] opposite vnto faith. As for the confession of sin, it remaineth still, to bee made vnto the hy-priest of our profession, Christ Iesus, but not to any mi­nister necessarilye in the eare, as Romanists wold haue it. For marke, that all heere was done at the doore of Conuention, where other of the peo­ple might take notice of the sin, so well as of the sacrifice: for nothing here is once noted to be done in Huggermugger as the lasciuious vnder­mining Romanistes doe in their Cloisters. It [Page 144] rather argueth publique confession for publique sinne. The hand laid on the sinne offrings head, intimated theyre faith in Messiahs death for the forgiuenesse of sinn Nor without the hande of faith, is that sacrifice made ours. It is not suf­ficient sacrifice for sinne but for my sinne, so well as for any other. Wee muste therefore put the hande of our faith vpon Iesus Christe our Heade, and say; Christ came into the worlde to saue sinners, of whome I am chiefe, and yet [Page 145] one of the poore mem­bers, to whome hee is an Head. If thy sinnes were as red as the scar­let-lace (for there-to Nomb. 19 [...] Death of the sacrifice. doubtles Isaiah had re­ference,) hee will make them as white as anye wool.

This is a better coue­nant, then that of works. Hic requiescas in vm­bra.

3. Thirdly, all these sacrifices were to dye, and euen so was Christ. Caiphas coulde say so, It is necessary that one oye for the people. So saith Caiphas of Rome, But [Page 146] when hee hath so sayde, he hath spoken the thing he vnderstāds not, wher­upon his bloudy minded people, sets Barrabbas free, and crucifieth christ Iesus in his members: an heauy case, that christ must die, or wee coulde not liue.

4. Fourthly, the bloud of all these victimaes, was to be sprinkled vpō Blood sprinkled. the Altar rounde about: If rounde about besides the Altar, then it argued very plainly, that not on­ly the Altar of Israel was by his bloud (as afore) purged; but also, that the [Page 147] whole earth (or nations) round about Israell, was by the bloud of Messiah to receiue a purgation, according to that in Re. 7, where after the sealing of Israel, there be an in­numerable people of all nations, tongues & lan­guages, that stand before the spirituall throne of Christ, with theyr gar­mentes made white by the bloud of the Lamb. But howsoeuer any shall vnderstand the Hebrew, the altar did well enough represent the whole spi­ritual Israel of God pos­sessed of faith (laying [Page 148] holde on the blood of Iesus, drinking the bene­fit thereof as verily in theyre hearts, as the hot brazen altar licked vp the blood) vpon whose Phil. 2. 17 faith, not onely Sainte Paul, but others his suc­cessors should be will­ling to be offred vp (euē as Christ before) & that for the fulfilling of the remnant of Christs afflictions: not fulfilling them (as proud Romanists would for perfecting Christes worke of Redemption; but by waye of Confor­mity, it being necessari­ly required, that the mē ­bers [Page 149] shoulde bee sutable with the Head. Oh sweet Iesus, wast thou willing to haue thy blood sprin­kled vp and down, with­in and without Ierusa­lem, and shall not I bee willing for thy sweet sake to lay downe the beste blood of my body? sweet Iesus enable me. Sweete Iesus make mee willing so to doe: whether euer or neuer there bee a ne­cessity of so dooing,

Section. 12.

FIstly, the burnt­offring was to be made naked (the Beasts vn­cased, and the Birds vn­plumed) Sacrifice made na­ked. which Origen & some others vnderstand, of vncasing the word of his sh [...]ll, for deliuering the Cranell; the note good. But to keepe my selfe to the propriety of sense in Christ and his [Page 151] members (for with farre setcht senses I coulde (as som haue) soone farce a great deale of paper to no purpose, or small), it aptlye resembles, first Christ & then his mem­bers vncasing & displu­ming themselues of whatsoeuer external glo rye or comfort, for well pleasing the father of heauen. Christ, for his part (heau [...]on [...]kenose) hee Philip, 2. 7. emptied himselfe, as it were, of laying aside his Godhead & glory, more glorioas then all habite; making himselfe right poore for making many [Page 152] ritch. For his members, it teacheth them herein to be conformable vnto Iesus, willing for the work of godlines sake, to be vncased & displumed of all riches, credit, pre­ferment, life, for glorify­ing of the heauenlye fa­ther. So to doe, is to take vp our crosse and follow him: to carry a crosse en­forced vppon a man, de­serues but an enforced thankes, and recom­pence.

But, to take vp a cros vo­luntarily (whē otherwise we might with false har­red christians reuolt and [Page 153] leaue it) that argues a greater loue to gods glo ry, then to a mans owne worldly welfare. O sweet Iesus, wast thou (beeing heyr of al the world) wil­ling to be vncased of all, for doing good vnto vs: vouchsafe accordingly, to giue vs the grace to be as willing to vndergo with all willingnes, a re­dinesse of departure with all for thy sake. For what is the couering of our transitorye nature, but as Beastes hydes, wherewithall Adam and Heuah were first cloa­thed? And what is [Page 154] the glory of this world, but as a feather driuen euery way with blaste, [...]now vp & inow downe: vanitie of vanities, and the consuming of preci­ous time thereabouts, an affliction of spirit.

Sixtly, for al the sorts of sacrifice, it was the P [...]s d [...]t. Or [...]hotomein, [...] [...]ur them vp arighte. [...]. T [...] [...]e they had of [...] so to do, I haue [...] o [...]e. Only heer [...] [...]ee intended [...]?. The Apostle [...] cought vp in the [...] forme of-Phari­ [...], w [...]o were stricte [Page 155] mitatours of the words of Moses) he giues vs a [...]rincipal sence thereof, when as hee saith to Ti­nothie: 2. Tim. 2. 15. Chr. Pelar­gus and Da­uid Chitiae note this Or thotomian here. study to shew thy else approoued vnto God, [...] workeman that neede th [...]t be ashamed, Orthoto­nonuta rightly cutting the [...]orde of truth. Seeing Christ the sau [...]our is not giuen an effectual sacra­ [...]ce (at least, by ordina­ [...] rule) vnto any, sauing [...] whome the word of [...]d is brought and par­cular'y applied; there­ [...]re he commādeth the [...]inister, to haue asmuch [...]e for diuiding the [Page 156] word aright, as the l. e­uiticall priesthoode had to cut vp the victimaes aright. If I should apply this, then who would a­bide it? Not many in our time, speciallye that bee fantastique: and yet the times be not so corrupt, but (God haue the prais) there bee some that will beare it, and maintain it. Onely let mee approue my selfe in a few Quoeres to the wise; for wisedom is iustified of her childrē.

1 How do they deuide the word arighte, that teache the law vnto iusti fication, & in the wāt of [Page 157] moral perfectiō, do send people away for brāded reprobates. A more dā ­nable form of teaching I (by the eare) know not. 2 How do they cut vp the word aright, that teache [...]t is no true sacrament, that hath not a Sermon preceding it; that is, in the abundāce of their ig­noraunte sense, that hath not a large speeche fra­med vpon a short Text; for otherwise, our sacra­ments are neuer admini­stred without the essenti­all words & essential ele­ments that appertain to the verye beeing of a sa­crament. [Page 158] By a necessary consequent, these would bring vs to thinke wee haue horriblye sinned in comming to the Lordes supper, who haue not had their kind of sermon in Baptisme. For it was abhomination to come vnto the Pas-ouer before one was circumcised: we hauing Bapti [...]me for circumcision, and the Lordes supper for their Pas-ouer: and so wee must, by a necessary con­sequent, come aboute a­gain for baptisme, how many soeuer haue not then had a sermō accor­ding [Page 101] to their vnderstan­ding. If they fumble out the Brownists answer & say, that need not; for as they that came circūci­sed from Israel vnto Iu­dah, did only repēt such their circumcision, but not repeat it; euen so in this, I answere they beg the questiō for such Is­raelites might wel repent their schisme from Iudah, but not repent their circū ­cision, much lesse the bap tised amongst vs, neede repente baptisme per­formed in the churches vnitye. If the Sacra­mente should at first be [Page 160] a false Sacramente, it could neuer bee made true without actual cor­rection of the faulte; e­uen as a doctrine at firste false, can neuer be made true, but by actuall alte­ration. These fantasticks would be put, first to de­fine a sermon, & second­ly bee put to searche for such a kind of sermon in the Bible before circum cision and Baptisme, the pas-ouer and Lords sup­per. But it is sufficient, that they bewitche the notvnderstāding people with such toyes, for pro­curing a bit of bread and [Page 161] a handfull of Barley; and yet I feare not in meane time to saye, that it is the Gouernors great sin to suf­fer it. I am not ignorant, (nay I hold fast) that the best kinde of preaching, is best to bee approued, and as it may regularlye be had, is chiefely to bee desired, according to that of the Apostle, desire the best guifts. But must 1 Cor. 12. 31. it followe therefore, that none but the best, will qualifie a Christi­an, a Minister, or Sa­cramente? Fye for shame.

Then some of these [Page 162] Sermocinators must be turned out, not onely for no Sacrament makers, but also for no christians A worde so for the vn­wise least they seem wise, but no moe words to the vnwise, least they growe arrogant, as deseruing a laboured answer.

3. How do they cut vp the worde arighte, that teache people (contrary to all the scriptures and approoued leitourgies) not to pray for theyr fa­miliar, godlye, approued Christian brother, that his sins (though he cesire our praiers) may be par­doned [Page 163] in Christ Iesus, without an I F after this manner, Lorde for­giue to this Brother his sinne? I F it be thy plea­sure. Adding this for theyr reason forsoothe, they knowe not by anye Reuelation whether such a one may not be a close hypocrite and a repro­bate.

Monstr' horrena' in­form' ingens cui lumen ad­emptum. Was euer the like vnsaithfull and vn­charitable positiō main­tayned to the poysoning of ignoraunte hearers? How woulde such a one [Page 164] pray for these that per­secute, when they praie no better for such as blesse? Shewe mee one president in the Bible for such a conceipte. Euery speache contayning an IF, is not prayer: Nor euery petition with an IF, is a prayer for remis­sion of sinne. Nor if such an example coulde bee found, doth it presentlie followe, that it is a do­ctrine to vs. How shall I pray feruentlye for my brother if I doubte whe­ther God will heare me? How can I pray in Loue for him, if I doubt whe­ther [Page 165] hee bee indeede a member of Christ? or may belong to Christ? Are not they well hel­ped, that desire such new, fōd, fashioned prai­ers?

Our Sauiour dealte otherwise, and so did Saint Stephen, when bee­ing persecuted vnto the death (were such perse­cutours like al, of them to bee reuealed for ele­cted ones?) they prayed, that that sinne mighte not bee layde vnto theyr charge; without that adding, if so they [Page 166] be thine elect. Wee are to walke by the commaun­dement, Praye for all (ex­cepting for such as haue sinned against the holye Ghost as afore) specially to pray for the prosperi­ty of all such, as wish wel to Ierusalem, that is to the Church. The secret things belōg vnto the lord, but the things reuealed, (& Deu. 29. 29. that is amōg others this to pray for albrethren in saith) they remaine for vs and our children to d [...]e thē. Asking according to the open commandement, we performe an accep­table duty, howsoeuer [Page 167] Lord in secret for some secret purpose) haue de­creede of that particular otherwise. But if it were, but for preuenting of such fantastique formes of prayer, I maruail not, though the Churches gouernors impose a set form of publike prayers. Are such like to diuide the worde arighte, that knowe not yet howe to pray in faith and Chari­ty? with as good reason, they might debar peo­ple the sacraments, say­ing, that they belōg only to the faithfull, & what know they but that they [Page 168] may be hypocrites.

4 Fourthly, howe doe they cut vp the worde of God aright; that make, things of Indifferent na ture so essentiall in reli­gion, as the admittance of them destroye the sa cramentes, discipline, word, and Church? But a very reuerend and lear­ned Scholer hath discus sed that point artificially and yet plainelye in hi [...] booke De adiaphoris. That I therefore referre Mr. Ga. Powell. to vnderstanding spirits wishing that Argumen [...] had neuer so turmoyle [...] our language to the per [Page 169] uersion of silly iudge­ments.

5 Fiftly, how do they cut and apply the word aright, that hauing pas­torall places doe delite publikely to shame their owne people particular­ly and personaly, before all strangers, with bitter derisions and girdinges; and that before any priuate dealing with them in loue and meet­nesse of spirite; as if with the horn they wold push thē out of the sold, rather then trauail, bow & bende with our saui­our, for getting the loste [Page 170] sheepe home againe to the fold. Such as these woulde feele discipline, before they be permit­ted to teach disciplin.

6. Sixtly, how do they cut vp the text arighte, that hauing once read it, do let it fall as an hot irō, not daring once af­ter to touch it. These (forsooth) would not be called bare reders (much lesse domb-dogs) and therefore they must vn­dergo to preach, though they cannot tell what. And yet if they can de­clamita [...]e ad clepsydrā per horam, make a declama­tion [Page 171] of an howre-longe againste some common sinns (though without al powrefull enforcement of the worde) O, such a one hath made an excel­lent sermon, and I war­rant him a very good­man. Alas, alas, that where our People for the time of hearing mighte be Teachers, they shold yet stand need of milke, with liue vpon lyne, and precepte vpon precepte. But they be like the wo­men whereof the Apo­stle speaketh vnto Ti­mothy, that bee stil lear­ning, but neuer able to [Page 172] come vnto the knowe­ledge of the truth. To [...]. Tim. 3. 7. harpe on this stringe, is vnpleasāt. Let me passe to other particulars of sacrifice in Leuit. 1.

Section. 13.

SEuentlie, the inwardes of the victimaes together with the Feet, were to be was­hed, arguing firste, that nothing in figure could [Page 173] be made too cleane, for representing the inward purity and holin [...]sse that was in Messiah. Of whō in the gospel is said, that Sathā comming to win­ [...]ow him, lo, he found no­hing in him; that is, no Iohn. 14. 80 ill matter at all where­upon hee might worke. Secondly, it teacheth his mysticall members, once to suffer the mi­nister of the word re­buking plainly (as in I, Cor. 14. 24, 25) to di­uide between their rayns & thoughts, or rather the spirit of that two ed­ged word acknoledging [Page 174] it humbly to bee an ef­fect of the Holy-ghoste for their Hearts Purifi­catiō. As also it teacheth all, that woulde off [...]r vp themselues a liuing sacri­fice vnto God, to purge their heartes so well as their hands (according to S. Iames his aduise) for outward conformation without inward purgati­on, is but as a Sepulchre painted with o [...]t, and ful of ro [...]tennes within, the very sin of the Pharises, whom our sauiour so o [...] ­ten left to a Woe. Euery 1. [...]. 3. 3. I [...]a [...], [...]. [...]m purgat. one will say, I am the child of god; but he that [Page 175] hath this hope (saith Saint Iohn) doth purifie himself is he is pure. And because that euery day, our affec­tions (which at the souls Origen. in Le [...]. 1. eet) [...]o attract some vn­cleānes (for euil thoghts vncleannesses &c, are from within and defile a man) therefore our saui­onr in washing the seet of his disciples, and gi­uing it in cōmaundemēt to bee practised, hath taught vs daily to washe away the vncleannes of our affections, by a heart sending out water of con [...]ition and repentance: The outward seet so lea­ding [Page 176] to inward affectiōs; and for such ceremonial respect, both feet & bow els washed togither in sacrifice Togither with washing the cups out­side, let vs wash that is within: and then to such [...]leane-ones, all things [...]ecome cleane. But vnto them that ar defiled & vn­belieuing, is nothing pure, but euen their minds and co [...]iences are d filed.

The eight Commune consideration, is the Sacrifices p [...]rs burnt. burning of all the parts, after that they be orderly placed on the Altar. Touching Christ, it re­presented [Page 177] the fierye in­dignation of his Father, flaming againste him, & seazing on euery part of him, to the making of him crye out vehe­mently, [...]y God, my god [...]hy hast thou forsaken me: for left hee was (as Isaiah foretolde in chapter 63) to treade the wine-presse alone, not one helping him, but his owne arme sustayning him. Sweete Iesus, hast thou thus fry­ed for our sinnes? O giue vs the Grace ac­cordinglye, to suffer pa­tientlie for our ovvn sin. By vvay of merit vve cā [Page 178] not do it (for the meri [...] worke is alone in thee) but by way of conformi­ty vnto thee. For if thou (the prince of our saluatiō) Hebr. [...]. 10. was consecrated through affliction, how shall no [...] we thy members also be cōsecrated through fie­ry tryalls?

The ninth common Sacrifice a sa uour of Rest or swee [...]nes. consideration, is, that e­uery of these oblatiōs so offered, they were, (for the end they were refer­red vnto) a sweet sauour, (or, a sauour of rest) vnto the Lord. The Originall words heer, be the same as in Genes. 8 21. R [...]ch [Page 279] nichóa [...]h a sauour of rest, [...] ▪ [...] ▪ [...] N [...]ach. expounded, by the A­postle of Christ, whē as he terms him in Eph. 5. 2 Os [...]én euôdias a sacrifice of sweet sauour; arguing, that if he had not been [...] sacrifice smelling sweet in the nosethrills of his father, hee coulde neuer haue brought a Rest vn to vs, nor vs vnto the lād of rest. That we shoulde laboure to conforme our selues vnto our heade in the like, who doubteth? But wherein speciallie shall wee doe that? Two (specialls I will note; the firste is [Page 180] prayer feruente; the second is Almes. Pray­ers offred vp in faith not wauering, and in Charity vndefiled, bee in Reuelation 8. 3, 4. re­sembled vnto odours: whervpon legal odours the Signe, and prayers the thing signified, are introduced, both of thē ascending togither. For Almes, they be expresly termed in Phillip. 4, 18, Osmén and Thusian euó­dias, for that beeing gi­uen in faith and Chari­tie, they sauor sweetly i [...] the no sethrills of the al­mightie. Cornelius th [...] [Page 181] captaine (though a Gentile by byrth) by dwelling amongest the Iewes, had learned so much before Saint Pe­ter came vnto him, and therefore gaue himselfe to prayer and almes; Which by reason of their qualification, came vp into rememberance before God, Actes 10, 4. Teach this doctrine that shall, who will be­leiue it? Few of this age: For if they did, they would giue themselues more to alms, & prayer: though that which so giue is but lēt vnto the Lorde [Page 182] and no such paymaster, as the mercifull know, if they had faith to truste him) yet the Lorde shall go without it, & so shall his members. And think they neuer to heare of such diffident with hol­ding? Yes, in the last day it shall be told them be­fore GOD, Angells and men: yea, the Lorde Iesus shal thus say vnto them, Math. 25. 31. &c. [...]am. 2. 13. Inasmuch as ye haue not don it to these little ones, ye haue not don it vnto me: & therefore departe with the diuell and his angels into hell fire. There shal bee iudgement without [Page 183] mercy. Whereas to the mercifull it shalbe sayd, Inasmuch as ye did it to these little ones, ye haue don it vnto me: therfore enter into the kingdom prepa­red for yee, from the be­ginning: so mercy reioy­ [...]eth against iudgement. And so much for the par ticulars of the beasts & Birdes, agreeing in com­mon for vsage and end. It remaineth now I doe speake of some specialls excepted from the ge­nerall rule aforesaid.

Section. 14.

THere bee some thinges in the burnt offerings, that stand peculiar and Sacrifices peculiars. proper to their owne kind: as first, in the beasts it was required, that on­ly Males were offred: so is it not necessarilye re­quired in the Birds. Se­condly, the fat of the beasts was to be seuered from the inwards, so not in the birds. Thirdly, the Beasts were to bee diui­ded asunder, so not the [Page 185] Birds. Fourthly, the whole of the Beasts was to be offred & receaued, but the maw & feathers of the Birds were to be cast on the Eastside of the Altar amongst the a shes, that were to bee swept vp & caried away out of the Tabernacle: of all these in order, as God shall enable me.

1. First, that Males of the Beasts were required; & males beeing naturallye more sufficiēt & strong, they best serued for ex­pressing the sufficiēcy of Iesus for becōming an al sufficiēt sacrifice both for [Page 186] fying his father, & streng thning of his members. Touching vs, it taught (as Malachi teacheth) that the best things are Mal. 1. 14. to be giuen vnto God, & that vnder the paine of [...] curse. In the birdes, this seemed to bee dispensed with, the reason I knowe not.

2. Secondly, the birds not being diuided asun­der, did doubtles teache som vnity in the parts of our deuotion, and fel­lowships. But why also the same was not admit­ted in the Beastes, I yet conceiue not.

[Page] 3. Thirdly, that the far of all inwards shoulde bee offered vpp to the Lord (for neither that inward fat, nor bloud might bee eaten in any houshold of Israel) I doubt not it in­tended, both in Christ Leuit. 3. 16. 17. for merit, and in vs for conformitye, an offering vp to the father of hea­uen, the very best cogita­tions within vs. But why in the beastes seuered, & the other not enioy [...]ed, it passeth my present ca­pacity.

4 Fourthly, why nothing in the Beastes, but som­what in the birds should [Page 188] bee reiected, I neither know: but what may bee meant by the reiectiō of feathers & maw, I doubt not to speak probably & with consonāce of faith. The mawe and feathers being expulsed the Sa­crifice & so consequent­ly, of dislike vnto GOD, they must necessarily in­tend euill reiected of Christ, and to be cast a­side of vs. What is more light then a feather? and what more light then v­nity of mind? Christ ta­king our nature, did that without assuming our vanity. The substance he [Page 189] took, the flickering Ac­cident hee remoued: O that these feathers did not cause vs often moūt as hy as fooles (puft vp, as the Apostle speaketh, knowing nothing, at least as we should know) till we recule vs sodainly downe againe, a contra­ry extremity. Touching the mawe, when wee re­member what the Pro­phet Zephaniah sayth to Ierusalem, woe to the maw Zeph. 3. 1. in both places is the word, [...]eah. See [...]remellius thereon. (for so the originall rea­deth) we may vnderstād, that the mawe is mysti­cally wickednesse, where­with Cities and people [Page 190] be gorged. And because that the mawe or gorge consisteth of sundrye kinds of seedes (and ab­hominatiō it was to sow one plotte with sundrye seeds mixed) it argueth, the sundry seeds of euill opinions and examples, which the very doues of God too readily pick vp heere and there, which makes them an vnac­ceptable sacrifice vnto God, till the same be dis­gorged. O good God, if this be true (and too true it is) in what a miserye are churches ordinarilie in? One pickes vp euill [Page 191] opinions from hereticks and schismaticks, and all too readily do swallowe down the corrupt exam­ples of the times; where­by people do make Ieru salem a mawe (I coulde wish that our Ierusalem were not for that, vnder the hand of a continuing pestilence) and by such collection of euill hu­mors, they fill the bodye of the common wealth with Apostems. If they breake within, and haue no issue out by heartie confession, a thousand to one they strāgle vs: with S Iames therefore I saye, [Page 192] wherefore cast aside all fil­thinesse and superfluity of wickednesse, receiuing with mecknes the word ingraffed in you, sufficient to save your sowles.

So much of the burnt­offringes, in respecte of considerations Common and proper vnto them, as seuered from the Crea­tures qualitie, & what they mystically inten­ded.

Section. 15.

THe creatures destinate vnto an Holocaust, they bee (as a­fore in their methodical diuision) beastes and byrds. The first beaste is the bullock as yet not carying the yoake, but The bullock after that he came to the Priests fingring, he was yoaked & yoaked again, with byndings, twitch­inges, knockings, pier­ô [Page 194] sweet Iesus, so was thou yoked for our sinnes; who before thou vnderwente our nature, neuer caryed yoke, for thou could not, because thou then was only god blessed for euer. But vnto the God-heade vniting our manhood, how was thou drawn be­fore the Hy-priest, howe was thou bound, twitch­ed, smitten, hanged vp & pierced, and all for our sinne! Ieremy saith, that it is good for a man to beare Ier. Lament. 3. 27. the yoke in his youth, and shall we bee impatient to beare, as thou hast borne before vs? Dauid coulde [Page 195] saye, that it was good for him that he had been afflicted: and cannot wee finde like good in our afflictions, yea in the afflictions of our youth? Timely crookes the Tree, that good crammocke will bee; and will wee not at firste bowe downe, take vp Christs yoke and fol­lowe him? Hee was the Bullocke, which was slaughtered for the Pro­digall, euen for the re­penting Gentile, when the Elder Brother Is­raell stoode without. Well through vnbeliefe they are Rom. 11 20 [Page 196] broken of, and thou stands by faith, be not thou high­minded, but feare: For if God spared not the natural braunches, take heed leaste he also spare not thee. Proude rebellious hei­fer, Humble thy selfe vnder the mighty hand of God, and beare the yoake of his comman­dements, although thou Mat. 11. 29. therfore be yoked vnto the Hornes of the Al­ter. So shalte thou bee a sacrifice of sweete o­dour in thy kinde, for Conformity, as Iesus was to his father for thee, in waye of perfect [Page 197] Merit.

The second kinde of burnt-offring was of Sheep sacri­fice. the flocke, as sheepe and Goates. Firste for the Sheepe, It is a crea­ture (for I purposely a­uoide farre fetcht consi­derations, the verye cause of Babel, in expo­sition) that is moste simple, and yet very pro­fitable. Simple it is and needes muste bee held, that is not only (as Isai­ah speaketh) dombe be­fore the shearer (yea, be­fore the slaughterer) but also departe withoute noys withfleece, to him [Page 198] that sheares him. With the Eunuche in Act. 8. thou may ask this questi­on (thogh not with like ignorance) [...]raie th [...]e of wh [...]m speaketh the [...] this? I answer: he speaketh it of Christ really, & by imitatiōin the next place of his mystical body. For Iesus him self, who could exact more simplicity, thē hee wittingly & wil­lingly performed? Know ing that his time of deth drewe neere, as also that the traitoure was gone out to deliuer him into the bloodsuckers hāds, hee wente into his ac­customed [Page 199] garden for prayer, familiarly known vnto Iudas the traytor. Hee there beeing met withall, and asked if hee were the man they soughte for, without all equiuocation hee tells them. Hauing smit them downe with his word, hee would not flye, but did as if hee shoulde saye, Loe, I come to doe thy will O God. The varlets hayling him vp and down from post to piller, from one place to an other (and the miles hee trauailed that nighte, were more [Page 200] then inow) they despite­fullye mocking him, spawling in his face and deriding him, did neuer once returne an harshe word. After diuers que­stions, hee answering them mildely, but they nothing bettered there­by (good Lorde, what maruell then if we speak without speeding?) hee then beeing againe as­ked againe the same thinges, was more mute then the shaddowinge Lambe before his shea­rer.

For his fleece, he was willing not onely to laye [Page 201] aside (after a sorte) the manifestacion of his glorious power; but al­so, to bee fleeced of his cloathes (euen of his seamelesse Coate) to the baring of his body vnto the Crosse. And shall his simplicitye not teache vs simplicitye, euen the simplicitye of the Doue?

And shall not his pa­tience in bearing the Crosse, teache vs with like patience for his sake to vndergoe anye losse? The Apostle vnto the Hebrewes doth com­forte some of them, [Page 202] in putting them in mind of their former like qua­lified example: when he speaks to them thus: Now call to remembrāce the day, Heb. 10. 32. that are passed, in the which after ye had receiued light, ye endured a great sight i [...] afflictions: and partly while ye became [...] of the [...] which were [...]ed too an [...] f [...]. For [...] sorowe [...] with [...]e for my bonds, and [...] with [...]y the spoiling of your goods; knowing [...] your selues [...]w that ye haue in heauen, a better and [...] end [...]ring s [...]bstaunce. A woonderous thing, i [...] these times we are all for [Page 203] action, nothing for pas­sion. All for getting, no­thing for loosing: as if wee had turned Christi­anisme into Machiaue­lisme, Christ into Belial, Heauen into hell. Lord for thy sons sake, by the operation of thy worde and spirite make vs true sheep of thy pasture, conuerting our equiuo­cation into simplicitye of behauiour, with sin­glenesse of hearte; as al­so, of rebellious Agents, make vs conformable Patientes; that so, if wee bee called thereunto, we maye bee willinge [Page 204] for thy sake, to be killed all day long. Mean time wee desire forgiuenes of our sinne, and prayse thy name, for bringing the gunpowder Chemarims into their owne fire, wherewith they purpo­sed with Nebuchadnetsar to haue burned thy tem­ple: hoping still (Lord increase the meanes of true hope) that thou that hast giuen the re­bellious Ramme, to dye in the place of tender young Isaac, wilt perfect the worke that thou hast begonne; leaste the im­pudent Iebusites should [Page 205] reproachfully say, Now where is their God?

The third Animall destined heere for sacri­fice, The Goate sacrificed, propter simili­tudinem car­nis peccati: Beda in Leuit. 1. is the Goate. The Sheepe aforesayde not more harmelesse, then this harmefull. In which respecte, the Prophet Ezechiel in Chapter 34: 17 &c: putteth a diffe­rence between the sheep on the one side, and the sturdye Rammes and Goates on the other side, speaking thus; Al­so you my Sheepe, thus saith the Lord God, behold I iudge between sheep & sheep [Page 206] between the Rams and the Goats. Seemeth it a small thing vnto you, to haue eaten vp the good pasture, but ye must treade downe with your feet the residue of your pasture, and to haue drunk of the deep waters, but ye must trouble the residue with your feet? And my sheepe eate that which ye haue troden with your feet, & drink that which ye haue troubled with your feet: &c Of proude mounting minds be the Goats, and yet no creature more rā ­mish stinking thorough the abundance of luxu­ry; besides that Naturiās [Page 207] note his gnawing of trees to bee the death of trees: as Ezekiel expoūds them for people iniuri­ous and nociuous; so our Sauiour in the Gospell Math. 25. puts them on his left hand, and after that doth seat them with the diuel and his Angels, by reasō of their wickednes. How coms the Goat then, ce­remonially to shaddowe out Christ, who is the end of the lawe? Of him it is testified, that he was in all things like vnto vs, Sin only excepted: verve true. Neither did the Goat shadow him forth, [Page 208] in respecte of any sinne in him, but for sin vpon him: So that he mighte well say, as in Amos. Beholde I am pressed vnder you, as a cart is pressed, that is full of sheaues. Not a cart-load, but a worlds load of sinne was vpon him, whereby in our na­ture he became the Lot­goat in Leuitticus, 16. while in the other na­ture hee withdrewe (in respect of manifestati­on) vnto Gnarazel a place inhabitable for sinners. Heereupon let me lay down the speech of an ancient greeke fa­ther. [Page 209] Typos tauta tou des­potou Theodoret. quaest. 22. in Leuit. Hesy­chius also by the second goat vnder­stands the Diuinity: so likewise doth the Master of Sentences. 3 distinct. 21. Christou &c, that is These things carry a type of the Lord Christe, but so notwithstand [...]ng, as these two Animalls be not taken for two persons, but for two natures. For seeing, that by one goate, both the morta­litie and immortality of Christe the Lorde, coulde not bee fi [...]e shadowed out, necessarilie therefore two were commaunded; that so the slaine one mighte prefigure the passible na­ture of his flesh, and that which was set free, mighte point out the impassible na­ture of the godhead: so far [Page 210] By which Godhead th manhood being secretly sustained, and sin (as vp­on the head) being so ca­ried away captiue, that it might neuer be brought into iudgement against Israel: the Godhead for that might very fitly bee represented by the scape goat; so well as in act: 20 28: God is saide by his bloud to purchase his Church.

Sweet Iesus, what dis­cōfortable burden didst thou beare for mankind, that indeed might fully bee represented by the goat; who haue not only [Page 211] the sin of others vpō vs (as negligentmaiestrats, ministers, masters, Pa­rents, haue the sinnes of their vngouerned & vn­taught people vpon thē: and the intifers to sinne, haue the sins of the inti­sed vpon them) but also the Goat fitly and fullie resembled vs for sin also within vs: so that, neither outside nor inside is free from desert of iudgmēt. O Lorde, how shall wee stand in thy presence? Giue vs faith in thee, wherby thou maist couer our iniquities, as Esaus garment couered Iacob, [Page 212] wherby he got the bles­sing. I beleeue, lord help my vnbeliefe. And how­soeuer I can neuer purge my selfe, as I may merite the least of thy fauours; yet I beseeche thee giue mee grace to labour the clearinge of heart and hand, in way of thanke­fulnesse and conformity; that so dying to sinne, as thou dyed for sin, I may in my conuersation, glo­rifie the father that is in heauen: Amen. So much for the sacrificial Beasts, first of the heard, secōdly of the flocke. Now fol­loweth the burnt offring [Page 213] of Birds.

Section. 16.

THe Birdes ap­pointed for Ho­locaust in this Turtles sacrificed. first of Leuiticus are first the Turtles, and secondlye the Pigeons. The phrase in the Text, Let thy oblation bee Of the Turtles, or of yong Pi­geons, compared with the sacrifice of purificatiō, in Leu. 12. 8. (where a lamb being offred, then 1 Tur­tle or Pigeō wold serue: but otherwise, a payre [Page 214] of birds) it causeth mee think, that here also is in­tended, a coople of the one or the other. But to the Turtle first.

1 The Turtle is noted, for Turtle. Pelargus in Leuit. 12. her fastnes and faithful­nes to her mate, to bee Fidei coniugalis emblema, an Embleme of mariage fidelity. What greater faithfulnes can there be, thē that wherwith christ hath loued his Church? So dear hath his spouses bin vnto him, as for wa­shing her from the Lea­prosie of sin, he hath wil linglye powred forth his best bloud. The Pelicane [Page 215] was neuer so prodigal of her bloud to her little ones, as hee of his bloud for his little flock. Sweet Iesus, the bloud of the goat is noted to dissolue the Adamant, and shall not thy Turtle bloud, cō ­straine our stony hearts to melte with loue? O giue vnto vs the hearte that Dauid had, who in the wante of thee in the Psal. 42. 1. & 84. 2. Sacrifices vse, did breath pant, and fainte downe­wards. The poore Turtle respecteth onelye her mate, and why shold we spiritually wed our heart to any but to thee? It was [Page 216] the sinne of Israell to go a whoringe after other louers (false Gods and false worships:) sweet Ie­sus keepe vs vnto thee in the vnitie of truth and bonds of peace. To thee wee gaue out faith in Baptisme (not to Moses nor his law-for that way shall no flesh bee iustifi­ed in thy sighte) giue vs therefore allwayes, spe­cially when satan would assaile vs with desperati­on, to looke directly vn­to thee, who saiest, Be­leiue and liue, not worke and liue. By thy Prophet thou thus saiest, They say [Page 217] if a man put away his wife & shee goe from him, and become an other mans: shal hee returne again unto her? Shall not thus land (for do­ing so) bee polluted? But thou (speaking to the Church) haste plaied the Harlot with many louers, Yet turne againe to mee, saith the Lord. O Lorde howe slowe art thou to wrath, and yet art a iealous God ouer thy people: when thou sente Moses into AE­gypte, for fetching out thy churche; loe (as Eze­ [...]iel thy seruante testifi­eth chap. 20,) they were [Page 218] all generally wedded to the Idolls of Egypt, ha­uing in Euery groue hea ped vp aboundance of Louers: yet (so greate i [...] thy Turtle-loue, vnto thy Doue thats but one) that thou bid them cast Cantic. 6. 8. away their Idolls, and so returne vnto thee. But, ô egregious sin, they de­nied so to doe. Yet, for thy names sake, thou wouldst not destroy thē but still woed them vn­to thee, and so finally brought them in the pas­call supper, vnto thine owne Table. Lord giue vs grace, by the conside [Page 219] ration of thy infinite & endlesse loue, to bee more faithfull and faste vnto thee, and ready in all distresses, firmely to beleeue, that thou which hast begonn anie good in vs, will for thine own glorie, make the same in due time perfect.

2. For the pigeons, or howse-doues, they bee Pigeon. noted (& daily experi­ence teacheth it) that they do gregatim volitare naturally desire to fly by flocks. The prophet Isai­ah, foreseeing in faith [...]sa. 60. 8. the great nōber of Gen­tiles [Page 220] that should be gathe red to the Church by the comming of Christ, hee speakes of it by way of admiration, thus: who are these that flye like a clowde, and as the Doues vnto theire windowes. The multitude of them are compared to acloud (as bee all the faithfull in Hebr. 11. tearmed in Hebr: 121, a Clowd of witnesses) & their com­ming vnto the church is by flocks, as doues to their culuer howse, and as thousands rowled in togither, at Saint Peters Sermons, Christs doue [Page 221] is but one, as shee is considered a bodye to him, her Head; but the members of that on ca­tholique body, be many We are inioyned in, S. Mathew the 10. Ch. to be innocent or simple as Doues. Of innocency and simplicitie. I haue spoken in the sheep, nor need I heer to inculcate that. Naturians haue no­ted that they be void of gall, teaching vs to bee void of bittern: but sure I am, that howsoeuer they lack a bag of gal: yet there is that matter in thē, howsoever sparsed, [Page 222] may appeare by theire prettie kind of pettish­nes. Arguing that how­soeuer we should not re­taine a bag of gall in vs (as Simō Magus did to the causing of a root of bitternes to grow vp) yet we are to retain an holy anger in vs against sin; ac cording to that aduise of the Apostle vnto the Ephesians, bee angry but sin not.

These particulars con sidered, first in the Field-Doue, and secondly in the Home-doue, I think it good to adde a consi­deration in common to [Page 223] both: & that is, the form of their Musick, which is a mixt note; neither who ly glad, nor wholy sad: & that may teach vs, that our note in this worlde is neither to exist wholy of gladnes (for then wee should soon forget God and our selues), nor yet to rest wholy in Sadnes (for then we shold soon fal into desperation) but as to be glad in the Lord who worketh all for our good, remembring vs as he remēbred Peter, whē we with Peter forget our selues: so again to be sa [...] in respect of our spiritual [Page 224] lacks towards him, that loues vs so dearly. Such a doue was Dauid tho­rogh the book of psalms as may appear by his for rowful gladnes (the one meting other) expressed wōderful often. Hezeki­ah Psal. [...]. 2. the wo [...]de Hagah ex­pounded. was such a doue mour ning towards the wall, & yet not emptied of faith, whereby he reioyced in the liuing lord. The holy ghoste in the 1 Psa. tea­ching who is blessed, (I negatiuely, He that doth not this; thē affirmatiue­ly, but he that doth this) he in the latter place saith of the blessed-man that his delite is in the law [Page 225] of the Lord, & in his lawe Hagah is so expou n­ded in Isa 38, 14. HAGAH he doth meditate day and night. The worde Hagah is turned meditate in respect of matter ther pressed, as also for that our lāguage wil hardly in a word expres it fitly: but otherwise (which is Expositours office to de clare) it signifies Gemere vt colūba to sigh it out as a doue. Which wel tea­cheth, that spiritual che­wing the cud, or medita­tiō vpō the lords word, it begetteth sorrow whil we look vpō the law: but looking on the gospel, we see occasiō of reioy­cemēt. Now, least sorow [Page 226] should cause vs despair, or the ioye cause vs pre­sume aboue that wee should; while in our me­ditation we cast one eye on the law, we are to cast the other on the glad ti­dings of Iesus. The first will beget and continue in vs, a reuerend awe of God and his iudgemēts: and the other will beget and continue in vs an holy reioycement. God hath ioyned this sad-gladnesse & glad-sadnes togither: and none but such as would be accur­sed, will in this world go about to put them asun [Page 227] der. And so much of the Birds.

Section. 17.

FOr an end to the whole: first, why did God incom­mend so many sortes of sacrifice to the church? Principally for these re­spects: once to lead peo­ple (as by the Eye and hand) to the manifolde sinnes they ron into: that hauing the Sight & Sense of them, they might bee forced to fly from them­selues and any their best [Page 228] works, to the one onely sufficient sacrifice, christ Iesus crucified. As also, by the variety of com­mendable qualities in the sacrifices, to consider the superexcelent mach les graces in Iesus, wher­to euery Christiā mem­ber, shoulde striue to conform it selfe: for that is a conformity of con­formities, aliened from the world.

2. Secondly, it may then bee demaunded, where­fore these sacrifices were not continued, though not to signifie Christ to come, yet to signifie the [Page 229] same thinges in Christ passed? I answer: one mayn reason why god so abolished them, might be for the good of Israel euen for their readyer comming to Christ. For if now after the abolish­ment, they are ready to follow them with daun­gerous stumblings, how then wold they haue ru­shed vppon them, if so they still had stood in their way. A fore-resem­blance hereof, might be that burial of Moses by Ie­houah Deut. the last chapter. in an vnknowne place; that so with more readinesse they might [Page 230] followe Ioshua (or Iesus) Heb. 4. 8. his successour (for both the names be one: the first Hebrew, the second Greek, in English Saui­or) who had they known his sepulcre, no doubte, they would not onelye haue idolatrizd before it, as the Romanists doe vpon slenderer respects, but also had bin likely to haue builded some habi­tations nere to him, and haue put Ioshuah to haue iourneyed to Canaan a­lone: Because they shold not rest on Moses, but follow Ioshuah, the Lord conueyd his body away, [Page 231] notwithstāding that Sa­tan (as Saint Iude noteth) stroue for the contrary. And euen so likewise, he hath remoued the bodie of Moses his ceremo­nies, to the end that they and all, may more readi­ly repaire to Iesus. For Iesus & not Moses must bring the people vnto heauens Rest, better then Canaan the figure: Se­condly, the comming of Christ Iesus, was the great grace of this world and therefore proporti­onably to bee exhibited with fewer ceremonies and lesse chargeable. In [Page 232] which respect, Baptisme came in place of all wa­shings and purifications by water and bloud: and the Lords supper substi­tuting the meat offrings, drinke offrings and the fleshofferings accompa­nying the same. Both these ceremonies right easie, and effectually and familiarly pointing out all the former excellen­cies in Iesus, the end of all ceremonies.

3. Againe it may bee de­maunded, touching the Fathers before Christes appearance, and vs after his appearance, whether [Page 233] in their & our ceremo­nies, Christ be receiued in one and the same mā ­ner of them and vs. I an­swer, they sawe him to come by faith, and we by faith see that he is passed by. Their faith did not re ceiue him carnallye, nor doth ours: they beleiued that so verily as their bo­dies were partakers of the sacramental signs, so their souls shold partake of christ & his graces sig nified therby: if any shold haue taught an Israelit or Iew, that after the Priest had consecrated in the meatoffring, meale, oyle, &c. as after his cōsecratiō [Page 234] of the victimaes, that all these beasts, birds, meal, oyle, eares of corn, fran­kinsence, wine, that all or anye of them had bin turned into the Real carnal nature of Messiah and that so they had ea­ten Christ fleshly, doubt lesse they woulde haue stoned such a one to death, as teaching but a Bellygod and a Beastlye Christ. But the Roma­nistes (the vpholders of the winegod & breaden God) they will say, that howsoeuer the auncient church did not in theyr oblations receiue the [Page 235] verye flesh and bloud of Christ (for as then hee had not put our nature vppon him, howsoeuer som say, he did in certain appearances, sed mihi qui dem opinio dura) yet the greater Grace exhibited vnto the new Church, dooth necessarily bring such reall eating of him, with it. I answer, the grace is more excellēt & diuine to feed on him by faith, thē to eate him re­ally with teethe. And if the Church in any age, shold haue eaten Christ so grosly, thē it doubtles had bin commended, to [Page 236] the ancient church, who in her nōage was inform Hebr. 9. 10. ed (as the apostl speketh) with carnal rites. Besides, how coms it about then, that they dare not saye, that the water in baptim is also turned into his re­all blood, for cleansing of our soules? Besides, if Iudas Iscariot & vnbe­lieuers do eat Christs ve ry flesh in the Sacramēt (for so they teach, & sure their teeth are as able as others) how coms it they cā be dāned; except these Idolaters will basphe­mously also say, that som of Christs real nature & holy body is also dam­ned [Page 237] with them. Proh ne­fandum scelus, their doc­trine is like their vaulte gunpowder practises, & their giuing the sacra­mēt for obliging people vnto massacres, & trea­sons matchlesse, argues them bolder in euil, then the Diuell himselfe vn­masked durst be. If they shall say (and what dare they not say) that the an­ciēt christiā doctors wer of their mind: I answer: tis fouly vntrue: shew me that euer so much as once any of them bound any person by the sacra­ments receiuing, to at­tempt any murther: If [Page 238] they say, they were of their mind touching the reall eating of Christes flesh in the newe testa­ment. I answer: first it fol loweth not that wee shold beleeue any thing which any of them shall teach opposit vnto scrip ture: for the Apostle commands vs in such a case, to hold an angell accursed. Secondly, it appeareth flat otherwise as many our learned mē haue proued; which rests vpon them neuer to be truely answered. A few such testimonies I will adde.

[Page 239] Irenaeus in l. 4 c. 34) Eucharistia constat ex du­abus rebus, Terrena & cae­lesti,

Tertul. l. 4 contra Mar­cion.) Acceptum & distri­butum discipulis, corpus suum illud fecit, hec est cor­pus meum dicendo, hoc est, figura corporis mei.

Euseb. demonst. euang. l. 1. c. 10) Mirabilem quan­dam victimam, sacrificium que eximium patri suo ope­ratus pro nostra omnium salute, obtulit, eiusque rei memoriam, vt nos ipsi Deo pro sacrificio offere­mus, instituit.

Ambros. in Luke, 24, [Page 240] Non enim corporali tactu Christum, sed fide tangi­mus.

Chrysostom in Psal: 22: Istam mensam praepa­rauit, vt quotidie similitu dinem Corporis & sangui­nis Christi, panem & vi­rum secundum Ordinem Melchisedech nobis osten­dcret in sacramento.

Procopius Gazaeus in cap: 49 Genes.) Dedit cor poris sui imaginem vel ef. figiem aut typum discipu­lis, haud amplius admit tens cruenta legis sacrifi cia:

Macarius in homil: 27 offertur in Ecclesia Panis [Page 241] & vinum Anti- [...]ypon car­nis eius & sanguinis.

Augustini illud triuiale Si sacramenta earum re­rum quarum sacramenta sunt, similitudinem non ha­berent, sacramenta non es­sent: vt in Baptismo; sicut aqua exterius mundal, ita Christus lauacro aquae in verbo mundat ecclesi­am

In Eucharistia, sicut panis materialis alit, susten­tat, confirmat, ita Corpus Christi est alimentum spi­rituale, noui seu interni ho­minis.

[Page 242] Barnard ad fratres de Monte, de vita solit.) Re [...] sacramenti nemo percipit nisi dignus & idoneus. Sa­cramentum sine re sacra­menti mors est. Res etiam sacramēti, etiam praeter sa­cramentum, sumenti vita aeterna est. With infi­nite the like. And in­deede, the Patriarchs, and we should not be sa ued by on and the same faith (but they by one faith and wee by ano­ther) if wee shoulde bee saued alone by eating his reall-flesh, and they without. The Aunci­entes many times extol­led [Page 243] The thing signified so hie, as they almoste for­got the Signe: but that was not, for that they held the Sign to be tur­ned into the thing signi­fied; but because they la­boured to bring theire hearers from sticking su­perstitiously in the sign, vnto the grace signified thereby; yea, exhibited therwith vnto the faith­full communicant. But leauing the Romanists to their Gods of bread, their gods of wine, and their Gods and goddes­ses of wood, stone, gold, siluer, tin, lead, wax: let [Page 244] vs hold that position of Augustin, who speaking of the old & new Sacra­mēts, saith, They be diuers in their signes, but in the Aug. in Io­han. tract. 26 In signis di uersa sunt, sed in re quae signifi­catur, paria sunt. thing signified they be alike.

4. A fourth question may be this: whither all such as inioyne and vn­dergoe any externall ce­remonies (specially, sig­nificatiue) as in the Bible, be not of God directlye and expresly enioyned; whither all such people commaunding bee not limmes of Antichrist, and the vndergoers bearers of the badge of Antichrist? I answer. An­tichristianisme [Page 245] consistes not in things commāded besides expres scripture (for then the festiuals appoin ted by Mordecai & Iudas Maccabaeus, the rearing vp of Synagogues & sy­nagogicall orders, the rearing vp of schooles of prophecie with their or­ders, the rough garment of the vn-Leuitical pro­phets, with many things in the temple not expres ly commanded, shold be Antichristiā) but the cō ­manding & vndergoing of things opposite or a­gainst the scripture. The coūsel the apost. gaue the [Page 246] Corinths in chap. 7. hee saith of it, that he had it not commaunded from the Lord: and therefore besides scripture, but not against Scripture: for had it beene against the lordes worde, it had been but the counsail of Satan. To command a­nie order, ceremony or act [...] againste the scrip­ture, is meere deuellir [...]: And to haue any cere­mony in the Church, though not against scrip ture, yet, absolutelye dumbe and vnsignifica­tiue, is so farre from be­ing the better, as it is ra­ther [Page 247] ridiculous and fana tique. God teacheth vs by the heauens, by the earth, by the feas and theire continents, and makes them all signifi­catoures of spirituall thinges, and shal chur­ches-ceremonies bee a together domb? There is a difference betweene a Signe exhibi [...]e (for that belongs properlye to a sacramente) and a Signe representatiue, which is in cōmon to all creatures. And if al crea­tures & ordināces with­out the church do speak significantly, let not any [Page 248] thing within the church be domb. Of soūder iudg mēt was reuerēd Caluin who in his institutions writes thus; The māner Caluin. in Institut. lib. 4. cap, [...]0. sect 24. Also on 1. cor. 11 he saith, sci­mus [...] ­que eccl [...]siae Liber [...]m esse P. li [...]ae formam in­stituete sibi aptam & v. t [...]em, quia Dominus NIHIL CER [...]I. praescripse­rit. in ceremonies respects 3 things, 1 in the nomber a fewnes: 2: in obseruatiō easines: 3: & in their sig­nification, worthines: as for Antichristianisme, it properly in S. Paul, & S. Iohns sense, consisteth not (which to few haue marked) either in an An­tithesis or opposition vn to christs external order or yet in an opposition to the Iudicial or moral law. Euē such oppositiōs [Page 249] are hainus & wicked, but do not therefore cōclude Antichristianism; al euil euen in the members of christ, is condēnable, but they not therfore Anti­christiā, nor it antichri stianisme. Antichristia­nity in the newe testa­ments sence, is an oppo­sition to the newe coue­nant of Grace, called of the apostle another gospel: Galat, 1. 6. 7. that is, glad tydings in som other then in christ. And such were they that went out, wherof S. Iohn speaketh, seking iustifica tion by another meanes then christ, as by the ob­seruatiō of the moral law [Page 250] or the law of Ceremo­nies, or the like. This [...]oint held (and it is ea­sie to be held, Antichrist being Antike [...]nos, the 2. Thess. 3. 4. layer of an opposite foundation) it quasheth to ground all our fana­tique spirites, that make any thing in our church, yea, all our Church it selfe to bee Antichristi­an, because of some mo­rall wants, or somwhat otherwise, euill onely in theyr fancie. I woulde they would once smite their hand on their thigh and saye, what haue I done. But for pressing [Page 251] this one pointe some yeares passed, I haue therefore beene pricked in the eyes euer since: therefore to God I leaue such, saying, Heauenly Fa­ther forgiue the [...], for they know not what they doe: & for thy Sons sake suf­fer not thy people to be [...]onger captiued of them. 5. The last question may be this, when shal cere­monies altogither end? I answer: whē the world is cōsumed, & the heauens & earth analysed: or more plainly, ceremonies shal cease, when Faith ceaseth. Faith ceaseth, when wee [Page 252] haue fully got the thing we faithed or beleeued: for ceremonies bee but as a waggon for conuai­ing faith to his iournies end. Faith beeing the apprehension of things vnseene (for I speake of the most excellent kind of faith) when once they and wee come togither into full possession (and that is not, till wee at­taine heauens glory) then Faith stinteth. Be­ing come to the period or ful point, it can reach no further, nor hope that held the thing bele­ued and hoped for. And [Page 253] in this respect it is, that Charitie in the 1. Cor. 13. is preferred before hope & faith: they then ceasing, but loue tow­ards god and our fellow members, continuing for euer. And for such continuāce eternall, it is also, that God (neuer cal led by name of faith, or Hope) is called of saint Iohn by the name of Loue or Charitie.

O God of Abrahā, Isaac & Iaakob, a god of the li­uing, that liue vnto thee eternally: but more speci ally ô thou the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, [Page 254] whome in respect of Adams fall, thou didst appoint to be a new and a liuing a way for iusti­fication and saluation, vnto all such as shoulde come vnto thee by him. Heauenly father, wee haue broken thy Lawe actually in our selues, so well as originally in our fore-patents, and there­fore haue deserued, that all the curses of the Law should fall vppon vs: so far bee wee from beeing able to bee iustified by doing the workes of the Law; And therefore fly­ing from all hope of [Page 255] health by that old Law, Do and liue, we come vn­to thee by the newe and liuing way, Beleeue and liue eternally. We belieue ô Lord helpe our vnbe­liefe. Increase our faith for apprehension of all the promises, sealed vpp in Christ with Yea and Amen: for they be all true, and hee the waye, trueth, and life. Keepe vs in this wildernesse­worlde, with our backes vpon slauish sinful AE—gypt, wherein too long we serued Sathan worse then Pharaoh: and giue vs to keepe our face still [Page 256] towardes heauens Rest (better thē Canaās rest) vntil we attain that new land wherein shall dwel only righteousnes. And in falling in this worlde (vouchsafe as thou didst to Moses) to giue vs sighte from aboue, for discerning seuerall lots and inheritaunces in that rest: for if there were not seuerall mansions (ô Father) in thy house, thy Sonne would other­wise haue tolde vs, but loe hee is gone before to prepare a place for his people. Giue vs grace to see; and in see­ing, [Page 257] giue vs to exulte in thee, with care of be­comming more con­formeable vnto thee. To that end, blesse the Ministrye of thy Sonnes Gospell vnto vs, that so his loue may con­strayne vs tó loue the dooing of all his com­maundementes. Blesse Gouernours and Go­uerned, High and lowe, ritche and poore, with a divine care to doe, not onelye the holye and righteous duties that ap­pertaine to them as they be christians, but also, as they be christiās of such [Page 258] and such places; that so thy name may bee more generally bonored amongest vs; and in thy sauing mercies sea­led vp in Christe Iesus, this greeuous pestilence maye bee farre remooued from vs. Heare vs for the sake of thy sonne our sole Sauiour, whom in worde and sacre­mentes thou hast exhi­bited mercifullye vn­to vs. To whome, with thee and the blessed spi­rit, three distinct per­sons, but one true and euerliuing GOD, bee all kingdome, power [Page 259] and glorye ascribed, both by Angells and men, this time and for euer: