ΜΑΡΑΝ ΑΘΑ: OR DOMINƲS VENIET.
COMMENTARIES Upon these ARTICLES of the CREED Never heretofore Printed.
VIZ.
- Christs Session at the Right Hand of God and Exaltation thereby.
- His being made LORD and Christ: Of his Coming to Judge the Quick and the Dead.
- The Resurrection of the Body; And
- Life Everlasting both in Joy and Torments.
WITH DIVERS SERMONS Proper Attendants upon the Precedent TRACTS, AND Befitting These PRESENT TIMES.
BY That Holy Man and Profound DIVINE, Thomas Jackson, D. D.
President of CORPUS CHRISTI Coll. in OXFORD.
LONDON, Printed by A. Maxey for Timothy Garthwait, at the little North Door of S. Pauls. 1657.
To the REVERENCE, LEARNING, and VERTUES of DR SHELDON.
THis comes not to bespeak you Patron of the Book to which it is prefixed; but to acknowledge, and to make known unto the world, That you have been both a Faithful Friend to the Great Author thereof, in Conserving; and also a Publick Benefactor in producing the Manuscripts here printed in this and the precedent Volume, the Tenth and Eleventh Books of His Commentaries upon the Creed.
But, though I think I have done you some small right in making this Acknowledgment; I fear, by occasion thereof, you may be thought by others, to have done the Author and your self no smal wrong. The Point wherein your Judgement may suffer, will be, The Concrediting so Precious Deposita to so mean a Person as my self. And yet to vindicate your self, and to comfort me, The ensuing Narration may give some Arguments of Hope, That this was not done (sine Numine) without the contrivance of Divine Providence, first putting together diverse small particulars, and then advancing them to the effecting of a Work not small.
The first stone of this Work was laid some 44 years ago, in my School-Acquaintance, with a Vertuous and studious young Gentleman Mr. Ro. Nettleton of Yorkshire. This Friendship being intermitted by the space of fourteen yeers (he going to Oxon, and I to Cambridge, Anno 1617.) was afterwards renewed by meeting and Conference; which, though Casual and short, did soon discover (as the Ointment in the right Hand will not long be hid) That we had all this while been Disciples to One Man, though we had lived so many years (without any the least Dr. Iackson. Intelligence or Commerce) in Two several Academies. After This, there followed a second Pause or Cessation of Twelve or fourteen years more: Towards the end of which space, The Difficulties of the Times brought me to seek retirement in Oxon; where, by the Mediation of Mr. Benson (a very Ingenuous [Page] person, and Amanuensis to Dr. Jackson) I made suit to Dr. Newlin (Successor to our Author in the Government of Corpus Christi Dr. Iackson made Dr. Sheldon and Dr. Newlin Supervisors of his Will, and entrusted his Papers with them. Colledg) to view some Papers for my private Information, but could not obtein, though upon condition to peruse them only in his own Lodgings; So careful and cautelous was that Faithful Man, for which I honour and commend him.
This just and kind denyal sharpned my former desires, and made me seek out a Precator (a very Grave and Learned Man, well known to your self) by whose Mediation I might obtein Dr. Lany. from you, or by your help, what I could not otherwise get. Whereupon you were pleased to give me so fair an Advousion of your Favour, as supported my hopes for the space of three yeers more, when returning to Oxon and missing your self, I made means a second time to Dr. Newlin, and got a sight of some of Dr. Jacksons Papers. This was in the Year 1646.
In the year 1651, Mr. Nettleton being in London, and being very disirous of the thing, intreated me to expend that small Acquaintance I had with the Learned and Pious Dr. Hammond, in obteining of your self, and by your Mediation of Dr. Newlin a sight of such Papers as Dr. Jackson left behind him; which you granted and effected with so memorable alacritie, as did both mcourage Him, (divers others assisting the design also) to contribute towards the reprinting of the first three Books ill See the Preface to the First Book. printed in Quarto; and after that, towards the publishing of the Tenth, (besides some charge in writing out part of this Eleventh Book;) and obliged me to assist the best I could in doing of them all.
I have great cause to bless the Almighty for many blessings at all times, but signally for Three bestowed upon me in these sad times of publick calamitie. 1. That he hath ever fed me with Food convenient for me; mine own bread being the Bread of my Desires. 2. That he hath repaired my other losses with a great supply of Learned and Pious Acquaintance, greater perhaps, then the times continuing prosperous would ever have afforded me; (so true is the Good Word of God, Mark 10. 30.) Thirdly, That though I was forced from My Nest, (wherein I said I shall dye) yet he suffered me not to be utterly deprived of all opportunities to do him service. And I think my self bound to profess, that in this Price (which God by your hand hath put into mine) I take most comfort, as hoping that my Negotiation therewith, by Gods gracious acceptation, will abound to mine Account, and pass for a supplement or [Page] substituted Commutation of such duties as I have otherwise been defective in. And I earnestly beseech all such as were ever committed to my Tuition in the University, or to my Charge in Cure of Souls in the Countrie, to serve themselves of these my endeavors (in another mans Labors) so as out of them to repair all their dammages sustained by my negligence, omissions or deficiencie in duties towards them.
And now (Honoured Sir) if I have not wearied you with this [...] (as it is very nauseous to my self) I can subjoyn a second Series of Arguments, That Gods good hand of Providence was in this Business throughout. If I ever made any high menaces, or had Projects of doing any thing worthy a Clerk, the very thoughts thereof before I die, are perisht. And I became justly frighted into this humbled despereing Temper, partly, by conversing with this Great Authors Works, published twentie years ago, where I read this Passage (and I cannot but subscribe to it:) [If the sins of this Land for forty years past were See his Sermons upon Jer. 26. p. 32. See this Book, fol. 3716. divided into ten parts, the sins of the Pulpit and of the Presse would make A Large Tenth.] Had not this Good Man been taken away from the evil to come, but lived to hear the Pulpitings, and read the Printings of these last twenty years, what would he have said? Would not he have reckoned them, Nine parts of ten? Being then resolved, Periturae parcere Chartae, never to increase the deplorable Bundels of Supervacuous Books by any composure of mine, I acknowledg my self (as Caelibes and Improles are in a more especial manner bound to assist the Widow and the Orphan) obliged to help out the more profitable works of Learned men deceased.
As God, by convincing me of disabilitie, hath taken away all hopes and desires of publishing any Work of mine own; So he hath given me an extraordinary delight of serving out the works of this Man; and this delight hath made me able to take more pains in this, then ever I took in any other Book-businesse throughout my whole life. Yea, God seems to have given me life beyond all expectation, partly for effecting this Work. I said (in the year 1649) I shall certainly go down to the grave; God strangely brought me back from the Gates of Death (He only knows what more to suffer) I cannot see at present what else to do, but to publish these Tracts, the Quintessence of which is, That of The Resurrection of the Dead.
I have yet Two Things to trouble your patience with. The Former is, To secure you, that I have made no Merchandize, [Page] no base Gain, no gain at all (for any would be base in me) of those Jewels you committed to my Trust. The Later, To assure you, That I have dealt as carefully and faithfully in the Publication of These Tracts, as I would (if the Case had so been) the Author should have done in mine. And yet if this satisfaction be too general to stay that wonderment which haply will arise in your mind, when at the end of Chap. 43. you shal find A Fragment of the Authors interserted: Be pleased over and above the Reasons there given, to accept of this Following. The Opinion, [That the sins of those Jewes who crucified our Saviour, See fol. 3373 (persecuted his Apostles, and stoned S. Stephen) were not visited upon them; but that the Plagues respectively due for doing so, were fended off or superseded by the signal vertue of Christs Blood speaking better things then that of Abel, and special Efficacie of His Prayers for them] was new, and seemed, though quaint, yet very useful for us of suffering Condition.
I confess, I am scrupulous of losing any Fragment of this Authors, but was highly tender of leaving out in that place, the least Grain of weight that might adde any shew of proof to His intended Conclusion; which I would fain have rendred as probable as might be: That we, who are to fill up the leavings of Christs afflictions ( [...]) might more willingly and perfectly conform to Our Captain, not only in Patience, but in Charitie also; and be excited, earnestly to sollicit and employ the Interest we have in God through Christ, chiefly for the Conversion and Salvation of our Adversaries, and then for sparing them as to temporal punishments: That it may one day appear they fared the better for those that fared worse for them, even for those whom they counted the worst of men, the Troublers of Israel, the Anathemaes or Cursed things.
If this will not satisfie you, I have no Refuge left, but to fly to the Sanctuary where the Authors ashes lye, and to beg pardon of you, in whom, by consignment of Will, his Person lives; which I presume you will the sooner grant upon condition I cease to trouble you further. May you please then to sit by a while, only to view how I demean my self (and to awe me into Reverence) in my Addresses to the Common Christian Reader, who, by what he hath here already heard (and shall after read) will joyn in thanks to You, and Prayers for You,
To the CHRISTIAN READER, Grace from GOD, and Benefit from THIS BOOK.
COncerning the Author of these Learned and Godly Of the Author of the Work. Tracts, I have spoke my mind so fully in the Prefaces to the First and Second Volumes Printed in Folio some years ago, that I have nothing to do here, but to own and avow what I there wrote, which by these presents I heartily do. And when the Reader hath perused this Book, I hope, he will confess, That I have good reason, not only to continue, but to increase and advance my good Opinion of Him; and say, He believed, and therefore spake what is here to be read in these Comments upon the Creed; and that Being dead, by Faith (and these Writings faithful and true) he yet speaks, as the Oracles of God, concerning Judgment to come, The Resurrection of the Dead, and Life Everlasting. Of the Order of this, and other his Works.
Touching the Order of the whole Bodie of His Works, I have likewise so fully expressed my self in the Preface to the Tenth Book, as, that to say any thing more of That would be superfluous. I can only call to mind One useful Particular, which I then forgot (though I had inserted it amongst my Memorandums of things necessary to be accounted for to the Reader) the Omission whereof is here to be repaired; and that is, About the Numeration of the Folioes, or the Figures set on the tops of the first and following leaves respectively.
The First Volume in Folio (Containing the Three First Books of Of the Figuring the Folio Volumes. this Authors Commentaries on the Creed) did end with the number 508. The tenth Book (which is the second Volume as yet printed in Folio) did begin with Number 3001. To the Intelligent Reader asking a Reason of so great a Chasma or Skip; I Answer, All the Numbers betwixt these Two, were left void and allowed according to conjectural Computation for the reprinting in Folio of the 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9th Books (only yet printed in Quarto, for that the Owner of the Copies may not afford to put them into Folio) that so the whole, proceeding in a Continued Series, might be more capable of a General Index at the last.
[Page] About the Order observed in This Book, there is so much said upon sundry occasions in several Transitions, as hath prevented (for though it follow in reading, it was printed before this Preface) the pains here. So that it is the Matter of this Eleventh Book, which must afford me stuff or matter whereon to make a Preface.
Here is then published for the Readers behoof, and to his view, A Of the Matter of this Eleventh Book. TREATISE of that Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which arises from the right understanding and true Belief of His Sitting at the Right Hand of God the Father; Of His Exaltation thereby to be Lord and Christ; or to His Lordship and Dominion; which, being both of Proprietie and Jurisdiction, hath annexed unto it, the Power of Judging the Quick and the Dead: And in order thereunto, of Raising the Dead also, that both they, and those which shall be found alive at His Coming, may by His Award or Sentence receive their Final Dooms, according to their several Demeanours in the Bodie; when they that have done Good shal go into Life Everlasting, which is the Gift of God; And those that have done Evil (and have not their evil deeds done away) receiving the wages of sin, shal go into Everlasting Fire.
This is the Short or sum of what is conteined in the Five first Sections. The whole Book consists of Six Sections. The Sixth and Last consists of Thirteen Select Sermons, the fittest I could chuse out, to aid and accompany the precedent Discourses; especially to attend the Tracts, Of Christs coming to Judgment; Of the Resurrection; Of Life and Death Eternal; which, as they most flagrantly set forth THE TERROR OF THE LORD, so are they most likely, by startling and amateing the Conscience, to prepare mens minds, that the Impressions of those Sermons may be most penetrative and permanent.
As, in the last mentioned Tracts, me-thinks I find A Particular Summons directed to my self, Prepare to meet thy God; Give an The Use of the last Section. Account of thy Stewardship; So in the annexed Sermons I find peculiar and proper Remembrances of several things wherein I have done very foolishly, deeds that ought not to be done. For this cause I bow my knees (and pray the Reader to lift his heart up in my behalf) to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for Pardon and Peace; and that what I have here printed in this Book, may so be written in the Table of my heart, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, that I may not only wait for, but haste to the Coming of the Day of God.
Having transferred these things unto my self, and thus far made the Reader, yea, the World it self, my Confessor, I hope none will offend if I shew what respective parts of the ensuing Work, may by others be usefully applyed to themselves. And first of all, The Sorrowful and rightly suffering soul (if his actings be according) may reap harvests of Comfort [Page] from what Our Author hath written, About Judgment, Resurrection and the Life to Come: Whereas he that adds sin to miserie and wrath, may certainly presume all the Desolations and Destructions God hath brought upon the Earth, as so many Tastes and pledges of Greater to ensue. The Woes past, are but Schiographies and portendments, scarce beginnings of future evils. And I earnestly beseech all of the former sort, as to fortifie themselves with Arguments to Charitie and forgiving injuries out of Chap. 32. So to regulate their Conversation and Demeanour by the Directions to be sound Chap. 35.
The Section Of Christs coming to Judgment, is very useful for such as take upon them places of Judicature, and most useful for such as judge in matters of Highest Nature and Difference. The Precept of Deborah, Judg. 5. 10. Meditate ye—Ye that sit in Judgment; is the same with that of David, Psal 2. 10, 12. Be Wise—. Kiss the Son—. And the Question which David puts in that Golden Psalm, Ne perdas, will again be put to the Question by the Son of David, when he comes to judge the Psa. 58. 1 Judges of the Earth, Are your minds set upon righteousness, O ye Congregation? And do ye judge the thing that is right, O ye sons of Men? Whether ye do or no, will then be justly and finally judged.
The Tract Of the Resurrection, who can express the use of it? An astonishing Meditation it is to think, I now see, as surely the eyes of some shal see, those Christian brethren that fel in any late Battail, & were buried where they fell, rising out of their places of Burial, (whether impleading or forgiving one another) and with haste marching into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, to see the day won or lost there; and whose Heads shall then be crowned with Glory. Yet is this but as the drop of a bucket to the Ocean of that days Terrors.
The Sermons upon that Precept of Christ, (I might say of Noah and Tullie) Do as you would be done to are worth their weight in Gold of Ophir, and useful for all Christians of what condition soever.
There came out a Book some sixteen years ago; intituled, Autocatacrisis Ladensium; To the Partie or Persons that Composed or applauded that Book (wherein Our Author is named) I would especially recommend His Discourses upon Rom. 2. 1. presuming that that those (with the Verifications of them exhibited in these late Revolutions) will convince Him or them sufficiently, That it is no difficult matter to compile a Larger Volume of Particularities, wherein they that have judged others, have, by doing over and over, again and again, the same things, or things more then equivalent, condemned themselves, and justified those whom they have condemned.
The Sermons upon 2 Chron. 24. and Matth. 23. contein very sound reproof of the Pharisaical Duplicitie, of such as built the Sepulchres of ancient, and yet persecuted the present Prophets; and therein of such as in our dayes commend the Lives, and condemn the Authors of the Deaths of Bishop [Page] Cranmer, Hooper, Ridley, Ferrar, Father Latimer, &c. And yet destroy their successors in Order, Discipline and Doctrine. I call heaven and earth to Record this day (not to condemn such, but to convince them that they may be saved) That Those Men whom they have cast out as enemies to the Church of England (and in Effect, by driving them out from the Inheritance of the Lord, tempted, saying, Go serve other Gods!) are The Men that bear the Burthen and heat of the day in all Contests betwixt parties of the English and Romish Churches, and that preserve their undoers from being overborn with Romish Errors; And this they do upon disadvantages unimaginable (save only to such as have experimented them) for want of their own Libraries, Their former accommodations of Secessus & Otia, &c.
Besides, Those Sermons will shew, That the guilt of Blood will lye long upon a Nation; That it justly may, and certainly will, be required of late Posterity, unless A Signal Repentance of the same, and especial abstinence from the like sins intervene. I appeal to the meekest Moses upon earth, what Degree of Guilt he would apportion to that Communitie (suppose it in any Forrain Kingdom) or the Posteritie thereof, which being not only A Pretender to Christianitie but to the Puritie thereof, did Sit as a Spectator, whilst a Tumultuous Tempest of People for divers hours together did hunt and chase an Aged man (were he good or bad) unto the Death. Yet was this thing done in our Metropolis (which is a kind of standing See Stows Annal. fol. 3043. Representative of the whole Nation) some thirtie yeers ago. Or what censure he would pass upon three Kingdomes, the Generality whereof did, though but expost-facto, only by rejoycing at the deed, consent to the Assassination of A Prince the man whom the King had honoured. Yet was this also done about the same number of years since. It is true, Justice did treatably overtake the Partie that did this Idem fol. 3044. Fact: But Who ever sorrowed for the Joy conceived at it? These two seem to have been Portentuous Aboadments of Calamities ensuing; (as the daily visible desolation and Profanation of Gods House, is of future woe:) And I remember them not, as making Intercession against Israel, or as things I have whereof to accuse mine own Nation with delight, but upon the same account that I call mine own sins to remembrance, that God may be intreated for the Land, to blot them out of His. And I beseech the Infinite Mercie to pardon these and all others, as fully, freely, and upon the same termes I desire pardon for mine own.
I have but Two Things more to say (and the One concernes the Vulgar Reader) 1. That this Book seems no way lyable to the Objection of Obscurity, which hath been sometimes made against some other parts of this Authors Writings; the Style here being more easie and Popular, as first prepared for His Charge at Newcastle: Though to say the truth, The Darkness was most-what in the Readers Eye, and not in the Object, or Authors Writings. 2. That the longer the world lasts, the more seasonable every day then other will this Book be; yea, so it must needs be, the Essential parts thereof treating of, and proving, Christs Coming to Judgement, The Resurrection, and Life Everlasting.
If any One shall either by reading the Book or the Preface be any thing bettered, I beseech him make his Return in Prayers for the Church of England (once the Envie and Fear, now, by the folly of her own children, made the scorn of her Aemula) That the Lord would so build up her walls, set up her Gates, and erect her Towers, That Her Militancie in his strength may be victorious for His Truth, and at last changed into a Triumph in His Glory, Which shall be the earnest Request of
ERRATA.
In the Tenth Book, Fol. 3137. lin. 16. read some [...] of R. In this Book Fol. 3327. lin. 26. read Fifth Chapt. Fol. 3789. lin. 16. read Cui à nobis reddenda.
A TABLE Of the Principal Arguments of the several Sections and Chapters contained in this BOOK.
- CHAP. I. Of the Grammatical sense of the words, Heb. 10. 12. But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice, &c. and whether they be meerly Metaphorical. pag. 3307
- 2. Of the Real Dignitie contained in this Article; viz. The Exaltation of Christ. That Christ was exalted both as the Son of God, and the son of David p. 3311
- 3. In what sense Christs humane Nature may; in what sense it may not be said to be infinitely exalted. The Question concerning the Ubiquity of Christs Bodie handled p. 3317
- 4. A Paraphrase upon the sixth of S. John. In what sense Christs flesh is said to be truly meat, &c. What it is, To eat Christs Flesh, and drink his Blood. Of Eating and Drinking Spiritual and Sacramental; and whether of them is meant, John 6. 56. Of Communion in one kind, and Receiving Christs Blood per Concomitantiam. Tollets Exposition of [Except ye Eat And Drink] by disjunction turning, And into Or, confuted, and Rules given for better expounding like Cases. How Christ dwells in Us, and We in Him. The Application. All which be seasonable Meditations upon the Lords Supper p. 3328
- 5. The Great Attribute of Christ, [His being the Chief Corner stone] handled in the foregoing Chapter, prosecuted more amply in this. Christ is the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. How Christians being built upon this Foundation, do grow into an Holy Temple. p. 3348
- CHAP. 6. What it is to be a Lord. Though there be many called Lords; yet there is but One Absolute Lord. ibid.
- 7. In what Respects, or upon what Grounds Christ by peculiar Title is called The Lord. And first of the Title it self, Secondly of the Real Grounds unto this Title 3362
- [Page]8. What our confession of Christ to be The Lord, importeth, and how it redoundeth to the glory of God the Father.
- CHAP. 9. 2 Cor. 5. 10. insisted upon p. 3375
- 10. Of the Natural Notions which the Heathens had, and the Internal Experiments which every true Christian may have, answering to those Notions of a final Judgment 3377
- 11. By what Authority of Scripture this exercise of the final Judgment is appropriated unto our Lord Jesus Christ p 3390
- 12 The manner of Christs coming to Judgment which was the third General proposed in the ninth Chapter p. 3401
- CHAP. 13. The Belief of the Article of the Resurrection, of high concernment, malignantly impugned by Satan and his Agents: needs and deserves our best Fortification. The Heathens had Implicite notions of a Resurrection. The obstacle of impossibility removed by proof of this Conclusion [That though all things were annihilated, yet God is able to retrieve or recover, The Numerical same.] p. 3422
- 14. This Argument drawn from Seed sown [1 Cor. 15. 36. &c.] is a concludent proof of the resurrection of the Bodie p 3434
- 15. The Objections of the Atheist, and the Exceptions of the Naturalist, both put fully home, and as fully answered. The falsitie of the Supposals and Paradoxes (rather then Principles) of the Atheist discovered, and made even palpable by ocular demonstration and by Instances in Bodies Vegetant and Sensitive. A Scruple that might trouble some pious mind after all this, satisfied. A short Application of the Doctrin contained in the whole Chapter p 3444
- 16 The Apostles method, 1 Cor. 15. 16, 17, 20. in proving the Resurrection peculiar, and yet Artificial. His way of Natural or reciprocal Infeference both Negative and Assertive, justified, and shewed, That both these Inferences naturally arise, and may concludently be gathered from the Text, and from the Principles of Christian Belief. Wherein the witness (false upon supposition, ver. 14, 15.) should consist. That Philosophical Principle, [Deus et Natura nihil faciunt frustra] divinely improved. Gods special and Admirable works have ever a Correspondent; that is some extraordinary end. How sin is taken away by Christs Death; How by his Resurrection. How we are justified by Christs Resurrection. How we may try our selves and know, whether we rightly believe this Article of the Resurrection or no. p 3455
- [Page]
CHAP. XVII. Rom. 6. 21, 22, 23. What fruit had ye then of those things, &c. The Connexion of the fifth and sixth Chapters to the Romans. A Paraphrase upon the sixth chapter. The importance of the phrase [Dead to sin] No Christians in this life so dead to sin, as to come up to the Resemblance of Death natural. True Christians dead to sin, in a proportion to civil death. All Christians (at least all the Romans to whom S. Paul writes, did so) in Baptism professe themselves dead to sin, and vow death to sin by a true Mortification thereof. All have in Baptism, or may have a Talent of Grace as an Antidote or Medicine against the deadly Infection of sin, as a strengthning to make us victorious over sin.
Three Motives to deter us from the service of sin. 1. It is fruitless. 2. It is shameful; 3. It is mortiferous; Two Motives to engage us in Gods service, 1. Present and sweet fruit unto holiness. 2. Future happiness. p 3469
- 18. Of the fruitlesnesse of sin. Of the shame that followes and dogs sin, as the shadow doth the body; what shame is, whence it ariseth, and what use may be made thereof. Of fame, praise and honor. Satans stales, false shame and false honor. The character of both in Greek and Latin. Of Pudor, which is alwayes Male Facti; of Verecundia, which may sometimes be, de modo recte Facti. Periit vir cui pudor periit. Erubuit salva res est. p. 3477
- 19. We are many wayes engaged to serve God rather then to serve sin, though sin could afford us as much fruit & reward as God doth. But there is no proportion, no ground of comparison between the fruits of sin, & the Gift of God. The case stated betwixt the voluptuous, sensual life, and the life truly christian. Satans Method and Gods Method. A complaint of the neglect of grace. p. 3484
- 20. The first and second Death both literally meant, The wages of sin; Both described, both compared and shewed, how and wherein the second Death exceeds the first. The greater deprivation of good, the worse and more unwelcom death is. Every member of the bodie, every faculty of the soul, the seat and subject of the second death. A Map and scale: the surface and solidity of the second Death. Pain improved, by enlarging the capacity of the patient, and by intending or advancing the Activitie of the Agent. Three dimensions of the second death, 1. Intensiveness. 2. Duration 3. Unintermitting continuation of Torment. Poena damni & sensus, terms co-incident. Pains of the Damned Essential and Accidental. Just to punish momentany sin with pain eternal. The reflection and Revolution of thoughts upon the sinners folly; the Worm of conscience. p. 3490
- 21. Eternal life compared with this present life: the several tenures of both; The method proposed. The instability of this present life. The contentments of it short, and the capacities of men to enjoy such contentments as this life affords, narrower. In the life to come the capacitie of every faculty shall be enlarged. Some senses shal receive their former contentments only eminentèr as if one should receive the weight in Gold for dross. Some formalitèr. Of Joy Essential, and Joy Accidental. p. 3500
- 22. Of the Accidental Joys of the life to come. A particular Terrar or Map of the Kingdom prepared for the blessed Ones, in a Paraphrase upon the 8 Beatitudes, or the Blessedness promised to the 8 qualifications set down in the 5. Matth. Eternal life the strongest obligation to all duties. Satans two usual wayes of tempting us, either per Blanda, or per Aspera. p. 3510
- [Page]23. The Philosophers Precept, [Sustine & Abstine] though good in its kind, and in some degree useful, yet insufficient. True belief of the Article of everlasting life and death is able to effect both Abstinence from doing evil, and sufferance of evil for well-doing. The sad Effects of the misbelief or unbelief of this Article of Life and Death Eternal. The true belief of it includes a taste of both. Direction how to take a taste of death eternal without danger. Turkish Principles produce Effects to the shame of Christians. Though hell fire be material it may pain the soul. The Story of Biblis. The Bodie of the second death fully adequate to the Body of sin. Parisiensis his Story. A General and useful Rule. p. 3519.
- 24. The Bodie of Death being proportioned to the bodie of sin, Christian Meditation must apply part to part, but by Rule and in Season. The dregs and relicks of sin be the sting of Conscience, and this is a prognostick of the worm of Conscience which is a chief part of the second death. Directions how to make right use of the fear of the second death, without falling into despere, and of the hope of life eternal, without mounting into presumption; viz. 1. Beware of immature perswasions of certainty of salvation. 2. Of this Opinion, That all men be at all times either in the estate of the Elect or Reprobates. 3. Of the irrespective Decree of Absolute Reprobation. The use of the taste of death and pleasures. The Turkish use of both. How Christians may get a relish of Joy eternal by peace of Conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost and works of Righteousnesse. Affliction useful to that purpose. p. 3529
- 25. The coldness of our hope of Eternal Life, causeth Deviation from the wayes of righteousness, and is caused by our no-taste or spiritual disrelish of that life. The work of the Ministry is to plant this taste, and to preserve it in Gods people. Two objects of this Taste. 1. Peace of Conscience; 2. Joy in the Holy Ghost. That Peace may best be shadowed out unto us in the known sweetness of temporal peace. The passions of the natural man are in a continual mutiny. To men that as yet have no experience of it, the nature of joy in the Holy Ghost may best be exemplified by that chearful gladness of heart, which is the fruit of Civil Peace. It is the prerogative of man to enjoy himself, and to possess his own soul. In the knowledg of any truth there is joy; but true joy is only in the knowledg of Jesus Christ, and of saving truths. The difference between Joy and Gladnesse in English, Greek and Latin. p. 3538.
- 26. Whether the taste of Eternal Life once had, may be lost. Concerning sin against the Holy Ghost. How temporal contentments and the pleasures of sin, coming in competition, prevail so, as to extinguish and utterly dead the heavenly taste, either by way of Efficiencie or Demerit. The Advantages discovered by which a lesser good gets the better of a greater. p. 3547.
- 27. About the merit of good Works. The Romanists Allegations from the force of the word [Mereri] among the Antients, and for the thing it self out of the holy Scriptures; the Answers to them all respectively: Some prove Aut nihil, aut nimium. The different value and importance of Causal Particles, For, Because, &c. A Difference between, Not worthy, and unworthy. Christs sufferings, though in time finite, yet of value infinite. Pleasure of sin short, yet deserves infinite punishment. Bad Works have the title of Wages and Desert to Death, but so have not Good Works to Life Eternal. p. 3558.
- 28. Whether Charismata Divina, that is, The Impressions of Gods Eternal Favour may be merited by us. Or whether the second, third and fourth [Page] Grace and Life Eternal it self may be so. About Revival of Merits. The Text Hebr. 6. 10. [God is not unjust, &c.] expounded. The Questions about Merits and Justification have the same Issue. The Romish Doctrin of Merits derogates from Christs merits. The Question (in order to Practise or Application) stated betwixt God and our own souls. Confidence in Merits, and too hasty perswasions that we be the Favourites of God, two Rocks. God in punishing Godly men respects their former good works. p. 3568.
- 29. Three points: 1. Eternal Life the most free gift of God, both in respect of the Donor and of the Donee. 2. Yet doth not the sovereign Freenesse of the Gift, exclude all Qualifications in the Donees; rather requires better in them then in others which exclude it, or themselves from it. (Whether the Kingdom of Heaven was prepared for All, or for a certain number) 3. The first Qualification for grace, is to become as little children. A parallel of the conditions of Infants, and of Christians truly humble and meek. p. 3578
- 30. Matth. 25. 34. Then shall the King say to them on his Right hand, &c. Two General Heads of the Discourse. 1 A Sentence. 2. The execution thereof. Controversies about the sentence. Three conclusions in order to the decisions of those Controversies. 1. The Sentence of life is awarded Secundum Opera, not excluding faith. 2. Good Works are necessary to salvation, Necessitate Praecepti & Medii: (And to Justification too; as some say, Quoad praesentiam, non quoad Efficientiam.) The third (handled in the next Chapter) Good Works though necessary, are not Causes of, but the Way to the Kingdom. Damnation awarded for Omissions. Saint Augustines saying, [Bona Opera sequuntur Justificatum, &c.] expounded. Saint James 2. 10. [He that keeps the whole Law, and yet offends in one point, &c.] expounded. Why Christ in the final Doome instances only in Works of Charity, not of Piety and Sanctity. An Exhortation to do good to the poor and miserable; and the rather, because some of those duties may be done by the meanest of men. p. 3587
- 31. Jansenius his Observation and Disputation [about Merit] examined, and convinced of Contradiction to it self, and to the truth. The Definition of Merit. The state of the Question concerning Merit. Increase of Grace no more meritable then the first Grace. A Promise made Ex Mero Motu, sine Ratione dati & accepti; cannot found a Title to Merits. Such are all Gods Promises, Issues of meer Grace, Mercie and Bountie. The Romanists of Kin to the Pharisee, yet indeed more to be blamed then He. The Objection from the Causal Particle FOR, made and answered.
- CHAP. 32. Matth. 7. 12.—Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, &c. The misery of man, of the wisest of men in their pilprimage, to be Wanderers too. The short way to Happiness. The Pearl of the Ocean; The Epitome, Essence, spirits of the Law and the Prophets, Do as you would be done unto, The Coherence, the Method; Christ advanceth This Dictate of Nature into an Evangelical Law; Fortifies it, and gives us proper Motives to practise it. Two grounds of Equity in this Law. 1. Actual Equality of all men by Nature. 2. Possible Equality of all men in condition. Exceptions against the Rule. Answers to those Exceptions. This [Page] Rule forbids not to invoke or wage Law, so it be done with charity. Whether Nature alone bind us to do good to our enemies. God has right to command us to love them. Plato's good communion. The Compendious way to do our selves most good, is to do as much good as we can to others. The Application.
33. Matth. 7. 12.
The second General (according to the Method proposed Chap. 32. Sect. 5.) handled. This Precept, Do as ye would be done to, more then equivalent to that, Love thy neighbour as thy self: for by good Analogy it is applicable to all the Duties of the first Table which we owe to God for our very being and all his other Blessings in all kinds bestowed on us. Our desires to receive good things from God, ought to be the measure of our Readiness to return obedience to his will, and all other duties of dependance upon his Grace and Goodness. God in giving Isaac did what Abraham desired; and Abraham in offering Isaac, did what God desired. Two Objections made and answered, 1. That this Rule may seem to establish the old Pythagorean Error of Retaliation, and the new one of Parity in Estates. 2. That the Magistrate in punishing offendors (it seems) in some Cases must of necessity either violate this Rule or some other. p. 3628
- 34. The Impediments that obstruct the Practice of this Duty, of Doing to others as we would have done to our selves, are chiefly two, 1 Hopes and Desires of attaining better estates then we at present have; 2. Fears of falling into Worse. Two readie wayes to the Dutie. 1. To wean our souls into an indifferencie, or vindicate them into a libertie in respect of all Objects. 2 To keep in mind alwayes a perfect character of our owne afflictions and releases or comforts. Two Inconveniencies arising from accersite greatness or prosperity, 1. It makes men defective in performing the Affirmative part of this Duty; 2. It makes them perform some part of the Affirmative with the violation of the Negative part thereof. A Fallacy discovered. An useful general Rule 3640
35. Jer. 45. 2, 3, 4, 5. Thus saith the Lord—unto thee, O Baruch, &c.
Little and Great termes of Relation. Two Doctrines. One Corollary. Times and Occasions after the nature of things otherwise lawful. Good men should take the help of the Anti-peristasis of bad times to make themselves better. Sympathie with others in misery enjoyned in Scripture; practised by Heathens; Argia and Portia: The Corollary proved by Instance, and that made the Application of the former Doctrin 3648
- 36. On Jer. 45. latter part of ver. 5. Thy life will I give thee for a prey. The second Doctrin handled, first in Thesi; touching the Natural essence of Life in general. 2. In Hypothesi. Of the Donative of Life to Baruch, as the case then stood. That men be not of the same opinion about the Price of life, when they be in Heat, Action and Prosperity, which they be of, in dejection of Spirit and Adversity; proved by Instances, Petrus Strozius. Alvares de Sande. Gods wrath sharpens the Instruments, and increases the terror of death. Life was a Blessing to Baruch, though it be shewed him all those evils, from sight of which, God took away good King Josiah in favour to him. Baruch as a man did sympathize with the miseries of his people. As a Faithful man, and a Prophet of the Lord, he conformed to the just will of God. The Application 3663
- 37. On Rom. 2. 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O man, &c. From what Premises the Apostles Conclusion is inferred. The limitation of the Conclusion to the securing the Lawful Magistrate exercising Judicature according to [Page] his Commission, and in matters belonging to his cognizance. David and Abab judging persons (by the Prophets Art) feigned, did really condemn themselves. The sense of the Major Proposition improved, by vertue of the Grammar Rule, concerning Hebrew Participles; and by Exposition of the phrase. How the later Jewes, judging the deeds of their forefathers; did condemne themselves 3678
- 38. Second Sermon on Rom. 2. 1. 3690
- 39. Third Sermon on Rom. 2. 1. A Romish Error breeding doubt of Salvation, charged upon its proper evident ground; viz. Their making the intention of a Bishop essentially necessary to the Consecration of a Priest, and the intention of a Priest so necessary, that no Sacrament can be without it. The Error of the Contrarii, teaching a preposterous immature certainty of Salvation. The right mean betwixt, or cure of these extremities, prescribed unto us by our Reformers of Blessed Memory, contained in the Publick Acts of the Church 3700
- 40. Fourth Sermon on Rom. 2. 1. The third point, [How Jews, Papists Protestants evidently condemn themselves, while they judg the Idolatry of the Heathen] 3709
- 41 Sermon on 2 Chron. 24. 22. The Lord look upon it, and require it. 3717
- 42. Sermon on Saint Matth. 23. v. 34, 35, 36. &c. Wherefore behold I send unto you Prophets, and Wise men—That upon you may come (or by which means will come upon you) all the righteous blood shed, &c.
- 43. Second Sermon on this Text.
- 44. On 2 Kings 23. v. 26, 27. Notwithstanding the Lord turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, &c.
- 45. On S. Matth. 23. v. 37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, &c.
- 46. Heb. 4. v. 12, 13. The Word of God is quick and powerful, &c.
A Table of the TEXTS of Holy Scripture Expounded or Illustrated in this BOOK.
Genesis. | ||
3 | 3, 4, 5 | 3482 |
8, 10 | 3404 | |
4 | 10 | 3731 |
15 | 1 | 3382 |
18 | 22, 23, 25 | 3391 |
48 | 13, 14, 17 | 3308 |
Exodus. | ||
3 | 6 | 3456 |
4 | 11 | 3458 |
15 | 24 | 3329 |
16 | 2 | 3329 |
12 | 3330 | |
43, 48, 49, 50, &c. | ibid | |
17 | 3 | 3329 |
19 | 4 | 3773 |
16, 17, 18 | 3406 | |
21 | 17 | 3335 & 3336 |
24 | 4, 5, 9. | 3356 |
25 | 40 | 3310 |
30 | 11, 12, 15 | 3621 |
33 | 20, 23 24 | 3404 |
Numbers. | ||
16 | 46 | 3758 |
Leviticus. | ||
17 | 13 | 3722 & 3732 |
19 | 9 | 3943 |
17 | 3631 | |
23 | 22 | 3643 |
27 | 3649 | |
25 | 3 | 3643 |
26 | 14, 15. &c. | 3741 |
38 | 3750 & 3758 | |
40, 41 | 3755 | |
44, 45 | 3757 | |
Deuteronomie. | ||
4 | 5, 6, 7, 8 | 3373 |
5 | 29 | 3761 & 3768 |
8 | 11 | 3643 |
18 | 18 | 3748 |
24 | 19 | 3643 |
21 | 1, 2, &c. | 3742 |
20, 21 | 3480 | |
29 | 19 | 3659 |
29 | 3771 | |
32 | 15 | 3643 |
41, 42 | 3412 | |
43 | 3365 | |
Judges. | ||
9 | 9 | 3348 |
13 | 22, 23. | 3404 |
1 Samuel. | ||
8 | 7, 8. | 3736 |
2 Samuel. | ||
2 | 11 | 3656 |
1 Kings. | ||
2 | 19 | 3308 |
14 | 25 | 3759 |
15 | 3 | 3759 |
20 | 35, 40 | 3680 |
21 | 3668 | |
2 Kings. | ||
12 | 2, 4 | 3717 |
15 | 35 | 3760 |
17 | 3763 | |
21 | 3, 16 | 3761 |
22 | 18, 19, &c. | 3668 et 3763 |
23 | 30 | 3670 |
2 Chronicles. | ||
6 | 3757 | |
20 | 23 | 3759 |
23 | 3754 | |
21 | 10, 14 | 3760 |
22 | 1 | 3760 |
24 | 17, 22 | 3753 |
v. 20. 3736. & v. 22. 3748 & 3717, &c. v. 17. 3686 v. 22. 3725. v. 17, 18. | 3718 | |
25 | 14, 23, 27 | 3760, 3761 |
26 | ||
27 | 6 | |
28 | 22, 23 | |
32 | 25, 26 | |
32 | 24. 3633. v. 25, 26. | 3670 |
33 | 21 | 3762 |
34 | 33 | |
35 | 21, &c. 3670. v. 22. | 3764 |
36 | 15, 16, 17. | 3753 |
Ezra. | ||
9 | 3758 | |
Ne' emiah. | ||
9 | 3758 | |
13 | 17, 18 | 3685 |
Job. | ||
1 | 6. 3313. v. 21. | 3368 |
19 | 25 | 3421 |
26 | 14 | 3377 |
38 | 6 | 3351 |
Psalms. | ||
2 | 2, 4, 8, 9, &c. | 3363 &c. |
3 | 6 | 3389 |
9 | 4, 6, 7 | 3409 |
16 | 3630. v. 8, 11. | 3308 |
23 | 4 | 3389 |
27 | 1 | |
32 | 1 | 3421 |
35 | 13 | 3627 |
37 | 4 | 3508 |
45 | 9. 3308. v. 6, 7. | 3312, 3365, 3367 |
46 | 1 | 3389 |
50 | 1, 2, 3, 6 | 3392 |
57 | 5 & 11 | 3363 |
8 | 3364 | |
71 | 3 | 3344 |
74 | 10 | 3736 |
78 | 18 | 3330 |
34 | 3758 | |
38 | 3637 | |
82 | 1, 2, 8 | 3394 |
89 | 3, 4, 35, 36 | 3312 |
29, &c. | 3756 | |
93 | 1, 2 | 3392 |
94 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | 3392 |
96 | 10, 13 | 3409 |
97 | 1, 6, 7. 3364. 3365 v. 7. | 3312 |
98 | 8, 9 | 3409 |
99 | 3365 | |
102 | 3365 | |
19 3310. v. 25, 26. | 3312 | |
103 | 15 | 3501 |
104 | 3 | 3402 |
106 | 6, 7 | 3758 |
108 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 | 3364 |
109 | 6, 7 | 3308 |
110 | 3363 | |
1 | 3312, 3315, 3395 | |
112 | 6 | 3515 |
114 | 4 | 3407 |
118 | 22 | 3350 |
132 | 11 | 3312 |
145 | 3365 | |
Proverbs. | ||
1 | 21 &c. | 3780 |
3 | 9 | 3639 |
10 | 1 | 3373 |
11 | 1 | 3625 |
20 | 22 | 3610 |
22 | 3610 | |
16 | 3596 | |
28 | 1 3389. v. 13. | 3341 |
Ecclesiastes. | ||
11 | 5 | 3548 |
12 | 1 | 3636 |
Isaiah. | ||
2 | 4 3400. v. 11. | 3408 |
5 | 1 3752. v. 3, 4. | 3774 |
8 | 14 | 3346 |
9 | 19, 20 | 3540 |
22 | 12 | 3628 |
26 | 1, 4 | 3351 |
27 | 11 | 3777 |
28 | 16 | 3346 & 3369 |
30 | 33 | 3496 |
34 | 4 | 3408 |
40 | 6, 8 | 3787 |
43 | 24, 25 | 3687 |
45 | 22, 23 | 3392 |
49 | 16 | 3355 |
53 | 3365 | |
56 | 4 | 3770 |
57 | 21 | 3536 |
58 | 5, 6, 7 | 3496 |
64 | 1, 2, 3. 3409. v. 4. | 3539 |
65 | 2, 3, 4. 3773. v. 5. 12. | 3780 |
Jeremiah. | ||
3 | 3 | 3481 |
5 | 3, 16 | |
8 | ||
9 | 1 | 3653 |
23 | 7, 8 | 3371 |
26 | 3731. v. 23. | 3765 |
31 | 34 | 3399 |
36 | 6, 7 3673. v. 23. | 3649 |
45 | 2, 3, 4, 5. 3648. v. 5. | 3663 |
3672 | ||
4. | Lamen. 10 | 3667 |
Ezekiel. | ||
14 | 14 3763. v. 20. 21. | 3670 |
18 | 1, 2, 3, &c. 3738. v 4, 14, 15. 3758. v. 31, 32. | 3740 |
21 | 10 | 3628 |
24 | 6 | 3732 |
33 | 11 | 3771 |
37 | 4 | 3421 |
Daniel. | ||
2 | 44, 45. 3398. v. 34. | 3351 |
7 | 9 | 3375, 3409, 3410 |
13 | 3395, 3397, 3401 | |
9 | 3758. v. 8, 9 | 3575 |
Hosea. | ||
13 | 14 | 3456 |
Joel. | ||
2 | 30, 31 3405. v. 32 | 3369 |
3 | 15, 16 | 3405 |
Amos. | ||
6 | 1 | 3627 |
Zephany | ||
1 | 8, 9 | 3762 |
2 | 3 | 3668 |
3 | 1, 2, 3, 4 | 3762 |
Haggai. | ||
2 | 6 | 3407 |
Zachary | ||
14 | 3, 4 | 3403 |
Malachy | ||
1 | 6 | 3637 |
3 | 2, 3. 3400 3420. v. 6. | 3637 |
9, 13. 3638. v. 16. | 3639 | |
4 | 2 | 3371 |
Libr. Apocr. | ||
Ecclesiasticus. | ||
4 | 17 | 3487 |
11 | 27 | 3644 |
22 | 3 | 3373 |
34 | 1, 2, 3 | 3386 |
31 | 8 | 3644 |
41 | 1 | 3491 |
Wisdome. | ||
5 | 1 | 3389 |
17 | 11 | 3388 |
1 Maccabees | ||
1 | 2 | 3685 |
6 | 34 | 3507 |
2 Maccabees | ||
5 | 4 | 3406 |
St Matthew. | ||
3 | 10, 11, 12 | 3400 |
4 | 3 3681. v. 16. | 3371 |
5 | 11, 12. 3560. v. 16. | 3373 |
17, 20. | 3620. 3585. 3591 | |
22 | 3434 | |
7 | 1. | 3678 |
12 | 3610 3628 3640 | |
21, 22, 23, 24. | 3370 3592 | |
8 | 31 | 3345 |
10 | 12 3539. v. 28. | 3389 |
12 | 20 3467. v. 45. | 3345 |
13 | 58 3778. v. 3. | 3681 |
15 | 4 | 3336 |
16 | 16, 19 | 3364 |
27, 28. | 3399 3405 | |
18 | 3355 | |
17 | 2, 5 3400 3402 v. 6. | 3405 |
18 | 23 | 3633 |
19 | 28 | 3410 |
20 | 21 3308. v. 23. | 3582 |
24 | 3583 | |
21 | 3752. v. 42, 44. | 3351 |
22 | 8 3564. v. 29. | 3423 3448 |
31, 32 3426 v. 37. | 3629 | |
45 | 3364 | |
23 | 8, 9, 10. 3371. v. 29. | 3684 |
3722. v. 32. | 3723 | |
34, 35, 36, 37. | 3725 3674 3768 | |
24 | 27, 29, 30 | 3405 |
25 | 33 3308. v 34, 41. | 3532 3587 3599 |
26 | 26. 3337. v. 59. 63. | 3394 |
64 | 3402 | |
28 | 18 | 3364 3394 |
S. Mark. | ||
1 | 23 | 3345 |
5 | 2 | ibid |
6 | 5 3778. v. 20. | 3524 |
9 | 34 | 3583 |
10 | 13 | ibid |
40 | 3582 | |
14 | 61 | 3724 |
S. Luke. | ||
1 | 19 | 3313 |
2 | 52 | 3346 |
4 | 6 | 3736 |
5 | 8 | 3404 |
6 | 30, 31 3611. v. 24. | 3625 |
36 3621. v. 46, 47. | 3369 | |
7 | 45 | 3607 |
9 | 55 | 3749 |
10 | 5 | 3539 |
11 | 39. 3772. v. 48, 49, &c. | 3723 3725 3748 |
51 | 3686 | |
12 | 4 | 3389 |
14 | 26, 27, 33 | 3555 |
13 | 3596 | |
18 | 14 | 3604 |
19 | 42 | 3653 3674 |
20 | 3752. v. 35. | 3561 3564 |
38 | 3426 | |
22 | 32 3355. v. 67. | 3395 |
23 | 24 3745. v. 30, 31 | 3408 |
24 | 36 | 3539 |
S. John. | ||
1 | 1, 2, 3. 3787. v. 3. | 3508 |
6. 3371. v. 12. | 3419 | |
16 3571. v. 17. | 3546 | |
29 3340. v. 39. | 3344 | |
3 | 16, 17, 18, 19. | 3708 3746 3567 |
4 | 34 | 3635 |
5 | 8, 17, 18. 3686. v. 21, 22. 3786 3393. v. 23 | 3373 |
v. 28, 29 | 3421 3408 | |
v. 46 | 3787 | |
6 | 32, 33, 41, &c. 3331. v. 56 3328 3332. v. 63. | 3326 |
8 | 44 | 3748 |
9 | 2 3458. v. 24 | 3421 |
12 | 23, 24. 3464. v. 49, 50. | 3773 |
14 | 10, 11, 12, &c. 17, 20, 27. &c. | 3545 3539 |
15 | 2, 3, 4, &c. | 3347 3474 3544 |
8 | 3373 | |
16 | 33 | 3348 |
17 | 3373. v. 3. | 3545 |
17 | 5 | 3321 |
11, 20, 21. &c. | 3345 | |
20 | a9 | 3539 |
21 | 22 | 3403 |
Acts. | ||
1 | 9, 11 | 3401 3402 |
2 | 20. 3406. v. 36. | 3358 |
3 | 17 | 3745 |
4 | 11 | 3351 |
7 | 44 3310. v. 48. | 3751 |
48, 49 3311. v. 55. | 3310 | |
9 | 3, 4 | 3404 |
10 | 40, 41, 42 | 3393 |
13 | 46 | 3564 |
14 | 16, 17 | 3544 |
17 | 28. 3436. v. 30. | 3375 3521 |
31. 3393. v. 32. | 3423 | |
19 | 16 | 3345 |
20 | 28 3367. v. 36. | 3315 |
26 | 22 | 3370 |
Romans. | ||
1 | 3619 v. 23. | 3710 |
2 | 1 3678, &c. v. 14, 15, 16 | |
3383. v. 15. | 3619. | |
v. 21, 22 | 3683 | |
3 | 26 | 3374 |
4 | 18, 20. 3590. v 23, 24. | 3462 |
5 | 9, 10 | 3709 |
6 | 3, 4, 5, ad 23. | 3470 3473 |
3474, &c. | 3490 3500 3558 3565 | |
8 | 16, 18 | 3520 3565 |
9 | 33 | 3346 |
10 | 9, 10 | 3369 |
11 | 16 3464. v. 24. | 3347 |
45 | 3602 | |
12 | 15 3653. v. 20. | 3622 |
13 | 8 | 3629 |
14 | 4, 13, 12 | 3397 |
9, 10, &c. | 3393 3375 | |
12 3788 v. 17. | 3536 | |
1 Corinthians | ||
2 | 10. 3539. v. 7, 8. | 3745 |
4 | 1 | 3313 |
6 | 19 | 3356 |
7 | 14 3472. v. 20, 21 | 3376 |
8 | 5, 6 | 3371 |
10 | 3332 v. 3. | 3784 |
11 | 27 3336. v. 31. | 3384 |
13 | 13 | 3506 |
15 | 12, 13. 3421. v. 19. | 3382 |
3485. v. 16, 17, &c. | 3455 | |
v. 36, 37, &c. | 3434 3673 | |
v. 39, 46 ad 44. | 3441 | |
v. 45. 3326. v. 50 | 3405 | |
v. 52. 3408. v. 54. 55. | 3456 | |
2 Corinthians | ||
2 | 5 3340. v. 29 | 3653 |
5 | 10. 3393 3375. v. 11 | 3403 |
10, 18, 19 | 3521 | |
13 | 5 | 3704 |
Galatians. | ||
3 | 7 | 3589 &c. |
5 | 16 | 3624 |
Ephesians. | ||
1 | 20 | 3310 &c. |
2 | 14, 17, 30 &c. | 3348 |
20 | 3345 | |
3 | 8, 9, 10 | 3370 |
4 | 11, 12, 13 | 3399 |
5 | 25, 26, 27 | 3367 |
Philippians. | ||
2 | 9, 10, 11. | 3311 3315 3358 3393 |
3 | 14 | 3383 |
4 | 7 | 3539 |
Colossians. | ||
3 | 1. 3325. v. 1 ad 24. | 3466 |
3. 3506. v. 5. | 3714 | |
20 | 3632 | |
1 Thessalonians. | ||
3 | 5 | 3681 |
4 | 3. 3372. v. 13. | 3423 3383 |
16 | 3408 | |
2 Thessalonians. | ||
1 | 4 | 3561 3564 |
1 Timothy. | ||
2 | 3, 4, 5 | 3770 |
12, 13, 14 | 3482 | |
3 | 16 | 3465 |
Hebrewes. | ||
1 | 3, 4, 5. 3311 &c. | 3345 |
9, 10, 11, &c. | 3311, &c. | |
2 | 9. 3340. v. 10 | 3316 |
3 | 12 | 3785 |
4 | 1 | 3581 |
12, 13 | 3413 3783 &c. | |
11 1781. v. 14. | 3419 | |
5 | 8 | 3317 |
6 | 9. 10 3570. v. 11, 12. | 3549 |
19 | 3325 | |
7 | 28 | 3315 |
8 | 1, 2, 5 | 3310 3311 |
9 | 11. | 3312 |
23, 24. | 3310. 3351 | |
28 | 3465 | |
10 | 12. 3307. v. 35, 36. | 3383 |
11 | 5 | 3391 3560 3592 |
6. 3593. v. 17, 19. | 3590 | |
26 | 3383 | |
12 | 3365. v. 1, 2. | 2383 |
3402 3517. v. 6, 7, 8, &c. 3536. v. 21. | 3406 | |
22. 3511. v. 25, 26. | 3407 | |
13 | 17 | 3695 |
S. James. | ||
2 | 4. 3945. v. 10, 11. | 3595 |
21 | 3589 | |
5 | 1, 2, 3 | 3418 |
1 S. Peter. | ||
1 | 18, 19 | 3366 |
2 | 2, 5, 6, 7. | 3342 3352 3356 |
3 | 18 3465. v. 21. | 3472 |
4 | 4 | 3480 |
2 S. Peter. | ||
2 | 1 | 3340 |
3 | 3420 | |
1 Ep. S. John | ||
1 | 1 | 3784 |
3 | 3 | 3419 3505 3709 |
8. 3689. v. 12. | 3748 | |
16 3382. v. 23, | 3420 | |
4 | 11, 20 | 3630 |
S. Jude. | ||
6, 7 3391. v. 10. | 3777 | |
14, 15 | 3390 | |
Revelations. | ||
1 | 13 ad 18 | 3411 |
3 | 4 3561. v. 12. | 3356 |
21 | 3309 3317 | |
4 | 4 | 3410 |
5 | 5 3344. v. 12. | 3374 |
13 | 3367 3358 | |
6 | 12, 13 &c. | 3408 3419 3422 |
17 | 14 | 3374 |
18 | 5, 6, 7 | 3529 |
19 | 11, 12, 13. | 3411 3784 3784 |
20 | 12 3375 3384. v. 13. | 3408 |
14 | 3496 | |
21 | 1 3511. v. 14. | 3349 |
22 | 11 | 3593 |
SECT. I. Of Christs Sitting at the Right-hand of God. Of the Grammatical Sense of the words, and of the Real Dignity answering thereto.
CHAP. I. Of the Grammatical Sense of the words: And whether they be meerly Metaphorical.
1. ALbeit the Right-hand be more worthy then the Left, yet some (rather desirous to shew their reading, then to edifie their Readers or hearers) have made Question, Whether it be a Note of greater Dignity to have place on the Left-hand, or on the Right, near to the Fountain of honour or Supream Majesty. But all the Instances, which they bring, or can be brought, for pre-eminence of place on the Left-hand, are but as Calenders out of date, or as Astronomical Observations, purposed for Eastern Meridians, but mis-applyed to them of the West. What-ever the Rites or Fashions of other Nations were, the Church of God or Land of Jurie, in which God was only known, had no such Custome. Now the Tenour of this Prerogative here mentioned, must be valued by the Scales of the Sanctuary, not by the Heraldrie of Forraign Courts. Even in those Countries, wherein, the Attendance on the Left-hand of Princes was more honourable then on the Right; the only ground of the Subjects power or dignity so attending, was, the Imbecillity of the Prince, who ordinarily could not defend himself so well on the Left-side, as on the Right. And as our uncomely parts have more comelinesse bestowed upon them; so the weaker side of greatest Princes had more need of valourous and trusty Champions. And though Princes in all Ages have been prone to honour, and Grace their special Favourites with place of more honourable attendance, yet the warlike Princes of ancient times, made choice of men most trusty and [Page 3308] valourous for their Favourites. But the Almighty, unto whose future designs the Rites and Customs of the Kings of Judah were (haply) praefashioned, needs no Defendant, no assistant, either on the Right-hand, or on the Left. The former occasion of imbecillitie, or need of Defendants being set apart, as the Right-hand is ordinarily more worthy then the Left, so to be on the Right-hand of Supreme Honour is simply more honourable, then to be on the Left; specially according to the Custome of the Jews. The Sons of Zebedee, or their Mother, or both, were not ignorant in rerespect of the general matter, but in the particular Form, or Manner, or Circumstance of their Petition; when they desired that the one might sit on their Masters Right-hand, and the other on the Left in his Kingdome. To sit by him in his Kingdom, was, to their apprehension, and according to the custome of their Native Country, a greater Dignity then to stand by him, or to go in and out before him. To sit on the Right-hand, was affected by the Mother, as a place of praecedence for her elder Son, and therefore rank't See Gen. 48. 13, 14, 17. in the former place in her Petition. She saith not, That the one may sit on the Left-hand, and the other on the Right; but that one may sit on the Right-hand, and the other on the Left, Mat. 20. 21. That to sit on the Right-hand of Majesty, was the greatest honour, whereof any Subject, or inferiour Prince in Jurie, was capable, may be gathered from the honour which Solomon did unto his Mother Bathsheba, 1 King. 2. 19. The King rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sate down on his Throne, and caused a seat to be set for the Kings Mother, and she sate on his Right-hand. Nor hath the Royall Psalmist any better place for the Spouse, whose Dignity he sought to emblazon, Psal. 45. 9. Kings daughters were among thine honourable women, upon thy Right-hand did stand the Queen in a vesture of gold of Ophir. To have the power of superiours on the Right-hand, or for the enemy to have the Right-hand, is, in Sacred Heraldrie a sign of victory or pre-eminence, whether in Civil or Warlike proceedings. The greatest plague, and root of curses, which David did wish unto the enemies of his God, and which did afterwards fall on Judas the greatest enemy of Davids Son and Lord, was, that the wicked might be set over him, and that the adversary might stand at his Right-hand, for so he knew that he should be condemned, when he was judged, and that his prayers should be turned into sin, Psal. 109. 6, 7. The surest Anchor of Davids Confidence, was, Gods being on his Right-hand, Psal. 16. 8. The Lord is at my Right-hand, therefore I shall not slide, or fall. And the final Consummation of all the happinesse which he hoped for, whether in his own person, or in the person of his expected Son, the Messias, was, to be placed at the Right-hand of God. In thy presence is fulnesse of joy, and at thy Right-hand there are Pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16. 11. And so will it be found at the last Day; when The Son of Man shall set the Sheep on his Right-hand, and the goats on the Left: and shall say to them on his Right-hand, Come ye Blessed—. But to them on the Left, Go ye cursed—, Mat. 25. 33. &c.
2. So then, This Article of Christs sitting at the Right-hand of God, is as A Trophie of his Victory gotten over death, and over all the temptations of the World, and the divel, whilest he lived on earth; and a certain Prognostick of his final Triumph over all his succeeding enemies: for he must sit at the Right-hand of God, until all his enemies be made his foot-stool. But, before we come to decypher the Real Dignity here described, it may be questioned, whether the Description it self be meerly Metaphorical, or Symbolical; that is, a language borrowed from the visible customes of men [Page 3309] without any real sensible Similitude between the things signified by the same words? That this Phrase of Sitting at the Right hand of God is a meere borrowed speech, most Divines do hold; giving us withal this General Rule, That no Corporeal Substance, Quality, Habit, or Gesture, can be attributed unto God otherwise then [...], that is, by a kind of Poetical Fiction, or Figurative speech, borrowed from the fashions of men. The proper Logical Subject notwithstanding of this Rule or Maxim, must be the God-head, or Divine Nature in the Abstract: It holds not so truly of God, or at least of every Divine Person. The Divine Nature or God-head, is Simple, Pure, and Immixt: The God-head hath neither eyes, nor eares, nor body, much lesse can there be in it any distirction of Right-hand, or Left; yet may we not deny but the Son of God, who is truly God, hath eyes and eares, feet and hands, Right-hand, and Left-hand, and all the parts of the humane body, which any perfect man hath. His Blood, though humane blood, is as truly the Blood of God, as of Man. His Blood is the Blood of God, his Body the Body of God, in such a sense, as neither the body, nor blood of any other creature are said to be Gods, whose all things are in heaven and earth. His Flesh, and Blood, and all the parts of his humane Body, are the Flesh, Blood, and parts of God in as strict and proper sense, as our hands are said our own; that is, by strict and Personal Propriety. The Son of God hath flesh and blood, hands, and feet in such a sense, as God the Father, or God the Holy Ghost hath not.
3. But when it is said that Christ sitteth at the Right-hand of God, this must be understood of God the Father, not of God the Son, for so it is expressed in the Apostles Creed, that The Son of God, who was Crucified, dead, and buried, and who rose the third day from the dead, now sits at the Right-hand of God the Father Almightie. Now if God the Father have no bodie, no Right-hand, or Left-hand, as God the Son hath; the case seems clear, that Christs sitting at the right-hand of the Father must needs be a speech meerly Metaphorical, borrowed from the custom of earthly Princes, to be placed at whose Right hand is the greatest honour that can be to their chief Peers or Subjects. This is most certain, if we speak of the Nature or Essence of the God head, or of the Divine Person of the Father. Yet all this hinders not, why the Divine Majesty, or Person of the Father, who is every where Essentially present, may not be more Conspicuously present (in respect of created sights) in some visible heavenly Throne, then in any other place. The Father (for ought we know) may have a distinct Throne, and the Son another, It is probable that there are distinct Thrones in Heaven. or they may have distinct manifestations of Glory upon the same Throne, Rev. 3. 21. To confine the presence of God the Father, of God the Son, or of God the Holy-Ghost, to any visible Throne, were a grosse Heresie. But that there may be Real Emblems, or Representations, of the Blessed Trinitie in heaven, as conspicuous and sensible to blessed Saints and Angels, as the representations, which have been made of them to Gods Saints, or people here on earth, who can conceive improbable? The representations or pledges of the Blessed Trinitie have been diverse. Daniel law the Glory of the Father shadowed by the Ancient of daies, the Glory of the Son, represented by the similitude of the Son of man. At our Saviours Baptism there was A voice from heaven, as an audible Testimonie of the distinct Person of the Father. Christ as Man, was the conspicuous seat or Throne of God the Son; and the Dove, which appeared unto John, a visible pledge of the Holy-Ghost. And may not the Church Triumphant have as punctual representations or pledges of this Distinction no lesse sensible, [Page 3310] though more admirable, then the Church militant hath had here on earth?
4. It is not then altogether so clear that this Title, of Christs Sitting at the right hand of God the Father, is borrowed from the Rites or customes of the Kings of Judah; as it is questionable, whether this Rite or custome amongst them were not framed after the Patern of the heavenly Thrones or representations of coelestial dignities; so we know the earthly Sanctuarie was framed according to the patern of the heavenly Sanctuarie. Our Fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen, Act. 7. 44. Ex. 25. 40. And our Apostle saith, Heb. 8. 5. Those served unto the patern or shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was warned by God, when he was about to finish the tabernacle. See (saith he) that thou make all things according to the patern shewed to thee in the mount. But it may be the patern shewed to him in the Mount, was but a Shew, or Mathematical Draught of the material Tabernacle, which he was to erect; and yet is stiled an heavenly patern, or heavenly thing, because it was represented from heaven by God himself; yet so represented without any real Tabernacle answerable to it in heaven. I could subscribe to this interpretation, if the Apostles Inference, Heb. 9. 23, 24. did not prove or presuppose something more. It was then necessary that the similitude of heavenly things should be purified with such things, but the heavenly things themselves (are purified) with better sacrifices then these; for Christ is not entred into the holie places made with hands, which are similitudes of the true Sanctuarie, but is entred into very heaven, to appear now in the sight of God for us. But hath he the whole heavens for his Sanctuarie? or is there as real a Distinction of places, or Mansions in the heavens, as there was of Courts or Sanctuaries in the material, or in Solomons Temple? We have such an high Priest (saith Saint Paul) as sitteth at the right hand of Heb. 8. 1, 2. the throne of the majestie in the heavens, and is a Minister of the Sanctuarie, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man: and, Eph. 1. 20. The father of glory set him at his own right hand, [...], in the heavenly places. Some Distinction, between the Throne of Majestie, and Christs humanitie, was apprehended surely by Saint Steven, Act. 7. 55. He being full of the Holy-Ghost, looked stedfastly into heaven, and saw the Glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God: the Object of his sight was surely Real, not a meer vision in the air, for he saw the heavens open, and by their opening found opportunity to prie with bodily eyes (but bodily eyes extraordinarily enlightned by the Spirit of God) into heaven it self, and to take a view of the land of Promise, and the Sanctuary pitched in it. The Divine Essence, or Person of God the Father, he could not see; and yet he saw the Glorie of God, and Christ at the Right-hand of this Glorie. But he saw Christ Standing, and not Sitting, as here it is said. All is one, It is the height of Christs Exaltation, that He hath the pre-eminence to Sit upon his Throne in the immediate presence of God the Fathers Glorious Throne. But this prerogative of Sitting upon his Throne, doth not tye him to such perpetual Residence, that he may not Stand when it pleaseth him; and it seems it was at this time this great Judge his pleasure to Stand, as a Spectator of his blessed Martyrs Combat, and for the present, as a Witness against these his malicious Enemies, which afterward were to be made his Foot-stool. Now was that of the Psalmist, Psal. 102. 19. verified, He hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuarie, out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth.
[Page 3311] 5. But if Christ have a Visible Throne or Sanctuarie in heaven, how is it true, which Saint Steven saith, Acts 7. 48, 49. The most high dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, as saith the Prophet: Heaven is my throne, and earth is my foot-stool, what house will ye build for me, saith the Lord? or what place is it that I shall rest in? hath not my hand made all these things? And if God dwell not in any Sanctuary which he hath made, how can he have any Visible Sanctuary in heaven? For even the heaven of heavens, every creature, whether visible or invisible, are the works of Gods hands. To this, the Answer is easie, when the Prophet saith, God dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, he excludeth only the works of mens hands, not all created See Mr. Mede, Places appropriate. Thrones or Sanctuaries made immediately by God himself. For, as the Apostle saith, Heb. 8. 2. Christ is a Minister of the Sanctuary, which the Lord hath pitched, and not man. And, Hebr. 9. 11. Christ, being come a high Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is, not of this building &c. Thus much of the Grammatical, or Literal meaning of these words. As for this Opinion of Distinction of Thrones in heaven, as I dare not boldly avouch it, so I am afraid peremptorily to deny it. For, Peremptorie Negatives in Divine Mysteries oft-times sway more dangerously unto Infidelitie, then Affirmative Paradoxes do to Heresie. The Affirmative, in this Mysterie, is (in my opinion) more safe and probable then the Negative. However, The Point which all of us are bound absolutely to Believe, is, That this Article, of Christs sitting at the Right-Hand of God, doth contain the height of His Exaltation, far above all principalitie, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, Eph. 1. 20. [...], God (saith the same Apostle, Phil. 2. 9.) hath very highly exalted him, and given him a Name which is above every Name, that at the Name of Jesus every knee should Bow—&c. And seeing every other Article in this Creed is conceived in literal distinct termes; I see no reason why we should believe this Article (of Christs sitting at the Right-Hand of God) alone, should be represented unto us in Termes Poetical, or meerly Metaphorical. Howbeit, Christs sitting at the Right-Hand of God the Father, according to the Literal meaning of these words, doth by way of Real Embleme import, that Christ's Humane nature is exalted far above Angels, &c. which are often said to Stand, or Attend before, or about the Throne of God, but not to sit on His Throne, or at his Right-Hand. For unto which of them said He at any time, Sit on my Right-Hand—? Heb. 1. ver. 13.
CHAP. II. Of the Real Dignitie contained in This Article; viz. The Exaltation of Christ. That Christ was exalted, both, as the Son of God, and as the Son of David.
1. THe Dignity of this Name, and the Realitie of Dignity answering unto it, is further set forth, in the First Chapter to the Hebrews, ver. 3, 4, 5. He (sate down, or) sitteth on the Right-Hand of the Majestie on High (or in highest places) and is made so much more excellent then the Angels, by how much he hath obtained a more Excellent Name then they. For, unto which of the Angels said [Page 3312] he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day begat I thee? And again, I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son? But if these two Scriptures were literally meant, as most Divines grant, the one of David, the other of Solomon, why may not the Title of Gods Sons agree as literally to Angels, as to David or Salomon? Though these two eminent Princes, as Gods Vicegerents on Earth, were Solo Deominores, yet was David in the height of his Greatnesse too low, and Solomon in the amplitude of his Royaltie too little, to be (in all points) full peeres to the meanest Angel that attends Gods Throne. And yet were not both of them too great to be but Mapps or Models of Evangelical Excellencies. It was the height of both their Excellencies to be Shadows or Types of that Son of David, concerning whom the Lord had sworn by His Holiness, (a most faithful Oath from which he would not shrink; Psal. 132. 11. and Psal. 89. 3, 4, 35, 36.) that He should endure stable for ever, and that his Throne should be as faithful a witnesse in Heaven, as either Sun or Moon. Selah. All the Royaltie, Power, or prosperitie, which David or Solomon enjoyed, were but as pledges or earnests, for the time present, of that mightie power and excellencie wherewith the Son of David was (after that, in the fulnesse of Time he had humbled himself) in the fulnesse of Glorie to be invested. But, as we say, Homo pictus est Homo, and no man saith, Leo vivus est Homo; A dead Corps or Picture of man, doth better brook the name of a man, then a live Lion or other creature indued with sense: So David and Solomon, in that they were Types of Christ, might be more capable of being stiled Gods Sons; or, of being begotten to that earthly Empire, which was the Map or shadow of his only begotten Sons eternal Inheritance, then the Angels were. The greatest Angels of God (whose presence David did reverence as Gods Embassadours) are servants to the Son of David. For so the Apostle, Heb. 1. 6. interprets that of Psalm 97. ver. 7. Let all the Angels of God worship him. No marvel then if David (when he saw as much of his Glorie, as he or some other Psalmist, Psal. 97. did) instile him His Lord, Psal. 110. 1. That all the Glorie and Dignitie, which the Apostle seeks to set forth by the testimonie of the Psalmist, Psalm 45. 6, 7. Psalm 102. 25, 26. is comprehended in this Article of Christs Sitting at the Right-hand of God, the Apostle supposeth, Heb. 1. 13, 14. For so he concludes, by way of an Epiphonema, (the sum of all, which he had said before;) unto which of the Angels said he at any time, Sit thou at my right-hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stool? Are they not all ministring spirits, sent forth to minister for their sakes, which shall be heires unto Salvation? It is A Doctrine full of Comfort, that the Blessed Angels, the Powers and Principalities celestial, one and other, should be at the command of this our High-Priest, who can compassionate our estate much better then any of them can. As they had a Charge given concerning him in the dayes of his humiliation here on earth; So he now being ascended up to his Father, gives them the same Charge over us, to preserve us in all our wayes. It is on our part required, that we make His wayes, Our Wayes; otherwise we have no just assurance of the Angels vigilancie over us. But have they this Charge over all of us? or onely over some few that are Predestinated unto Salvation? The Apostle saith, All of them are sent forth to minister to such as shall be heirs of Salvation, and All of Us, whom God hath called and made partakers of his Word and Sacraments, are under the Promise, and in the estate of the Sons of God; And if we be sons, then are we heirs: yet Haeredes praesumpti, non apparentes, Heirs Presumed, not Heirs Apparent unto Salvation. To be Heirs Apparent, is proper to the Predestinate only, or to [Page 3313] the Elect. But of the Doctrin and Use concerning Angelical Protection and ministrie for our good, elsewhere. It shall suffice to give you notice by the way, that This last quoted place Heb. 1. 14. doth evidently refute a Curious Distinction of Orders amongst the Angels, as if some were Angeli astantes, others ministrantes: one Order of Angels that stand in the presence of God; because the Angel Gabriel gives himself this Title, Luke 1. 19. And another Order of ministring Angels; whereas our Apostles speech is general, that All the Angels (and under this universalitie he comprehends even the most noble Order of heavenly creatures) are ministring spirits, sent forth for our good. If they, which are said in Scripture to stand before God, be either Angels or created substances inferiour to the Son of God, they are sometimes, at least by courses, ministrantes, ministring spirits. So that to stand before God, or to minister for our good, is no true note of any Distinction of Order betwixt Angels, but only of the vicissititude of their service. They, which are to be sent forth, stand in the presence of God to receive their instructions, and at their return, stand before God to deliver the effect or issue of Job 1. 6. their Embassage.
2. But as diverse writers in the Romish Church, not balancing other places of Scripture with this Place of our Apostle last cited, have fram'd a needlesse Distinction of Orders amongst the Angels: So some others, opposite enough to them, offend no lesse by weighing this place alone. For so far hath the misapprehended Doctrine of Predestination, and Certaintie of their own Estate in Salvation, misswaded some, as they have not been affraid to affirm, That the Angels are in some sort inferiour to themselves, because They minister to them as they are Heires of Salvation. Ministers they are indeed, yet not to us, but to God or Christ, though for our good; So is every See Mr. Mede, upon 1 Cor. 4. 1 Magistrate, so is every Pastor in his place; yet God forbid that inferiours should hence collect, That their Magistrates and Pastors should be Inferiour to all them, for whose good they are Ministers.
3. The next Point to be examined is, the Extent of this our High Priests Exaltation; about the Bounds or limits whereof, the Controversies are more then any difficulties in the Rule of Faith do minister; (but not so many as men of rash or audacious understandings make;) and the most of them prosecuted with greater vehemencie of contention, then the spirit of sobrietie, which should be in every good Christian, will approve. The Questions of more profitable Use, are generally Two; The First concerns the Logical Subject of Christs Exaltation comprehended in this Title, of Sitting at the Right-hand of God, and the like: And the Issue is this, Whether Christ be exalted only as he is the Son of David, or as he is the Son of God? or according to both his natures, as well Divine, as humane? The second Quaerie is, about the Extent or Limits of the Exaltation of his humane Nature. The one Question, as Logicians speak, is about the Extent or limit of the Subject; The other about the Extent or limit of the Attribute. That Christ was exalted according to his Humane Nature, or as he was the Son of David, all Christians agree. But that he should be exalted as God, or according to his Divine Nature, which is absolutely Infinite, may well seem impossible for Christ was exalted according to both Natures. the matter, and for the Phrase very harsh. Howbeit, this is avouched by many Orthodoxal and worthy Divines. And if Christ be, as most Protestants avouch, our Mediator, Secundum utr amque naturam, according to Both Natures, why may he not be said to be Exalted according to Both Natures? Yet a Difference there is, which will disjoynt this Consequence; For to be a Mediator betwixt two, doth not necessarily include any Defect [Page 3314] or inequalitie in the partie mediating, in respect of the parties between whom he is a Mediator. Whereas to be Exalted doth necessarily include, or presuppose, some Lower degree, from which he is Exalted to an higher. And if Christ, according to his Divine Nature, be alwayes equal to God the Father; he was, and is, and shall be Absolutely Infinite. And Absolute Infinitie cannot admit of any Degrees, specially of Exaltation. This necessarily argues, that Christs Divine Nature could, in it self, receive no Degree of Diminution, or Exaltation. If then according to his Divine Nature he was exalted, this Exaltation was not by any Real Addition of Dignitie to his Nature, but only quoad nos, in respect of us. And it is (perhaps) one thing to say, that Christ was Exalted according to his Divine Nature; Another to say, That Christ was Exalted as he was the Son of God. However, thus much we are bound to believe, and thus much we may safely say, That Christ as God, was exalted in the same Sense and manner, that he was Humbled as God. Now, that the Son of God, who was as truly God, as God the Father; truly equal to God the Father, did truly humble himself unto death, even to the death of the Cross; was in the first Chapter of our Eighth Book, deduced out of the second to the Philippians. Nor did he humble himself only according to his Humane Nature, for he humbled himself, not only by his life and death here on earth, but by taking the Humane Nature, in which he was humbled. The Humane Nature could not be humbled by being united to his Divine Nature, but rather Exalted. So that the first and Prime Subject of his humiliation was, if not his Divine Nature, yet his Divine Person. The Person of the Son of God was humbled by his Incarnation or Conception, by his Birth, by his Life, by his Death and Passion. And for every degree of his humiliation, there is a correspondent degree of his Exaltation, by his Resurrection, by his Ascension into heaven, and by his Sitting at the Right-hand of God the Father. In what Sense our Apostle saith, He was humbled according to his Divine Person, hath been discussed at large before. The sum was this; If he, that thought it no robberie to be equal with God, had been at any time pleased to have assumed a body or created substance into the unitie of his Infinite Person, such Glorie and honour was unto that his bodie or created substance due, as exceeds the Glorie and honour of all other bodies, or created substances, infinitely more then any creature can possibly exceed another. And yet we know that the Son of God, who was from Eternitie equal to his Father, did in the Fulnesse of Time assume into the unitie of his Divine Person, a Bodie and Soul subject to all the infirmites (sin only excepted) that humane nature is capable of: And by assuming such a bodie, and by exposing it to all the miseries of mortalitie, the Son of God was truly said to be humbled: and the Degrees of his humiliation were as many and large, as are the Degrees by which his immortal glorified Bodie doth exceed his mortal Bodie; as many and large, as are the Degrees of Honour, and Excellencie betwixt that Royal Priesthood which now he exerciseth; and the Form of a Servant wherein he appeared. So that not only the Humane Nature of the Son of God, but the Son of God in his Humane Nature, is truly exalted according to all the Degrees of his former Humiliation. But is this all that we are bound to believe, or may safely acknowledge concerning the Exaltation of Christ, both as he was the Son of God, and as he was the Son of David?
4. If this were all, then his Exaltation as the Son of God should meerly consist, in the Abdication or putting off the Form of a Servant. It could not include, or presuppose, any positive Ground of any new and Real Attribute, [Page 3315] but only a Relation to his former humiliation. Some good Divines (as well Ancient as modern) suppose, that albeit man had never sinned, yet should the Son of God have been incarnate; that is, have taken our nature upon him; yet our nature not humbled or obnoxious to death, but alwaies clothed with glorie and immortalitie. For Illustration or Example sake; Suppose the Son of God had taken an humane bodie altogether as glorious as now it is, from the very first moment of its assumption into the unitie of his Divine Glorious Person; Could the assumption of such a bodie, how glorious soever, or how perpetual soever its glorie had been, have added any least degree of Exaltation unto the Son of God? It could not. There had been indeed an Exaltation of the bodie so assumed, but none of the Nature or Person assuming it. How then is the Son of God said now to be Exalted, by his bodily Ascension into Heaven, or by his Sitting at the Right-hand of the Father in our Nature, wherein he was formerly humbled? Take the Resolution plainely thus. God the Father had remained as glorious as now he is, although he had never created the world. For the creation gave much even all they had, to things created; it gave nothing unto God, who was in Being infinite; yet if God had created nothing, the Attribute of Creator could have had no real Ground, it had been no real Attribute. In like manner, Suppose the Son of God had never condescended to take our nature upon him, he had remained as Glorious in his Nature and Person, as now he is; yet not glorified for, or by, this Title or Attribute of Incarnation. Or suppose he had not humbled himself unto death by taking the Form of a Servant upon him; he had remained as glorious in his Nature and Person, and in the Attribute of Incarnation, as now he is: but without these glorious Attributes of being our Lord and Redeemer, and of being the Fountain of Grace and Salvation unto us. All these are Real Attributes, and suppose a Real Ground or foundation; and that was, his humbling himself unto death, even unto the death of the Cross. Nor are these Attributes only Real, but more Glorious, both in respect of God the Father, who was pleased to give his Only Son for us; and in respect of God the Son, who was pleased to pay our ransome by his humiliation, then the Attribute of Creation is. The Son of God then, not the Son of David only, hath been Exalted since his death, to be our Lord, by a new and Real Title, by the Title of Redemption and Salvation. This is the Sum of our Apostles Inference concerning our Saviours Exaltation, Phil. 2. 11. That every tongue should confesse that Jesus Christ is The Lord unto the Glorie of God the Father. To shut up this Point; Though Christ Jesus be both our High-Priest and Lord, not only as he is the Son of David, but as he is the only begotten Son of God, and so begotten from all Eternitie: yet was he neither begotten a Priest nor Lord from all Eternitie, but made a Priest, and made a Lord in time. The Word of the Oath, (saith the Apostle, Heb. 7. 28.) which was since the Law, maketh the Son a Priest, who was consecrated for evermore. And in the very same Charter, wherein this Word of the Oath, or uncontrollable Fiat, for making the Eternal Word, an Everlasting Priest, is contained; this Peculiar Title of Lord is first inferred: For so that 110th Psalm begins: Jehovah said to my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, untill I make thine Enemies thy foot-stool. Not that Adonai importeth lesse Honour or Majestie then Jehovah doth; as the Jews and Arians ignorantly and impiously collect; but with purpose to notifie, that this Title of Lord, or Adonai, was to become as peculiar to Jehovah the Son of God, as the Title of Cohen or Priest. But this Title of Lord, as peculiar to Christ, will require, and doth well deserve, a peculiar discourse; and [Page 3316] the place allotted it, is in the beginning of the second Section.
5. Now for Use, or Application; These insuing Meditations and Considerations offer themselves. What branch of sorrow, of bodily affliction, or anguish of soul or Spirit, can we imagin incident to any degree, condition, or sort of men, to any son of man at any time, unto which the waters of Comfort may not plentifully be derived from this inexhaustible Fountain of Comfort comprised in This Article of Christs Sitting at the Right-hand of God the Father Almighty? No man can be of so low, dejected, or forlorn estate, for means or friends, re or spe, either by birth or by misfortune, but may raise his heart with this Consideration, that it is no servitude or beggerie, but freedom or riches, to be truly entitled A Servant to the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings; to whom Angels and Principalities, as Saint Peter speaks, (even those Angels and Principalities, to whom not Kings and Monarchs, but even Kingdoms and Monarchies are Pupils) are subject, and his fellow servants. Or in case any poor dejected soul should be surprized with distrust or jealousie lest his Lord, in such infinite height of Exaltation and distance, should not from heaven take notice of him thrown down to earth; let him, to his comfort consider; That the Son of God, and Lord of Glorie (to the end he might assure us, that he was not a Lord more Great in himself, then Gracious and loving unto us) was pleased for a long time to become a Servant, before he would be made a Lord; and a Servant subject to multitudes of publick despights, disgraces, and contempts; from which ordinarie servants, or men of forlorn hopes are freed. If he willingly became such a Servant for thee, to whom he owed nothing, wilt not thou resolve to make a vertue of necessitie, by patient bearing thy meannesse or misfortunes for his sake, to whom even Kings owe themselves, their Scepters, and all their worldly glorie? But though it be a contemplation full of comfort to have him for our Supreme Lord and Protector, who sometimes was a Servant cruelly oppressed by the greatest Powers on earth, without any power of man to defend or protect him; yet the sweet streams of joy and comfort, flow more plentifully to all sorts and conditions of men from the Attribute of his Royal Priesthood. To be a Priest, implies as much as to be a Mediator or Intercessor for averting Gods wrath, or an Advocate for procuring his Favours and blessings. * And what could Comfort her self, wish more for her children (suppose she had been our mother) then to See 8. Book Chap. 15. have Him for our perpetual Advocate and Intercessor at the Right-hand of God, who is equal to God in Glorie, in Power, and Immortalitie; and yet was sometimes more then equal unto us in all manner of anguish, of grievances and afflictions, that either our nature, state, or casual condition of life can be charged with. * Albeit he knew no sin, yet never was the heart of any the most grievovs sinner, no not whilest it melted with penitent tears and See 8. Book Chap. 11. sorrow for misdoings past, so deeply touched with the fellow-feeling of his brothers miseries, of such miseries as were the proper effects or fruits of sin, as the heart of this our High-Priest was touched with every mans miserie and affliction, that presented himself with prayers unto him; his heart was as fit a Receptacle for others sorrows of all sorts, as the eye is of colours. Who was weak, and he was not weak? who was grieved, and he burned not? who was afflicted and he not tormented?
6. There be Two more special and remarkable Maxims of our Apostles for our comfort; The One, Heb. 2. 10. That Christ was consecrated to his Priesthood through afflictions: And consecrated through afflictions more then ordinarie, See 8. Book Chap. 14. through the sufferings of death and torments more then natural; to [Page 3317] the end that being thus consecrated he might become a merciful and faithful High-Priest; a Priest not only able to sanctifie our afflictions to us, but to consecrate and annoint us through patient suffering of afflictions, to be more then Conquerors, even Kings and Priests to our God. So he saith, Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and sit with my Father in his throne. The other remarkable Speech of our Apostle is, Heb. 5. 8. Albeit he were The Son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Being infinite in knowledge as he was God, and of most perfect knowledge as he was man, he could learn nothing by conversing here on earth with men, but only Experience of Godly grief and sorrows for our follies and impieties. Such sorrows were the proper fruits of our Sins: we brought them forth, and he did tast the bitternesse of them. This then is our Comfort, That whatsoever he could learn on earth, he cannot possibly forget in heaven; we have, and ever shall have him, whilest he is in heaven and we on earth, An High-Priest, which will be touched with compassion of our miseries. The End of his coming down from heaven, and his investiture in the Form of a Servant, was, that he might be Consecrated through afflictions here on earth, to be a merciful and faithful High-Priest, and Mediator between God and man. And this Consecration, which was the End of his coming down, being accomplished; the End of his Ascension into heaven, and of his Sitting at the Right-hand of God in our nature, was, that he might make Intercession for us, out of the fresh, and never failing memorie and Experience of his own former grief and sorrows for our sins. And what good thing is it then, which he will not ask of his Father for us? And what is it, that our heavenly Father for his sake will not give us? Nothing in heaven or earth, if we aske it in Faith, and as we ought.
CHAP. III. In what Sense Christs Humane Nature may, in what Sense it may not be said to be Infinitely Exalted. The Question concerning The Ubiquitie of Christs Bodie handled.
1. THe Article of Christ Sitting at the Right-hand of God, in the Construction which all make of it, containes, The Height of his Exaltation. And highly Exalted he was; if not according to both Natures, the Divine as well as the Humane; yet as properly Exalted as he was the Son of God, as in that he was the Son of David. When we say he was truly Exalted; and truly Humbled, as he was the Son of God; our meaning is, That the true and Prime Subject, as of his Humiliation, so of his Exaltation, was not only See Book 8. Chap. 1. his Humane Nature, but his Divine Person. Yet when we say, that his Divine Person was the proper Subject of his Humiliation and Exaltation, we mean, as we say in the Schools, Subjectum Attributionis, not, Subjectum Inhaesionis. His Humiliation and Exaltation are Real Attributes, and the proper Subject of these Real Attributes, was, not only his Humane Nature, but at the least his Divine Person. Yet are they Really Attributed to him without any Real Alteration, or internal change, either in his Divine Nature, or Person. His Divine Person was not lessened in it self by his humiliation, nor was it augmented in it self by his Exaltation. And yet it was Really Humbled, and Really Exalted.
[Page 3318] 2. His Humane Nature is not only the true and proper Subject of his Exaltation, but it is withal Subjectum inhaesionis. His Exaltation in it, or according to it, includes a true and Real Change in it self, not only in respect of us, or of the Titles which we attribute or ascribe unto it: His Humane Nature in his Humiliation was clothed with mortalitie, as with its inner Garment, and had the Form of a Servant, as an outward Vesture, upon it. In his Exaltation he put off Both, and clothed the Humane Nature with his Immortalitie; and covered and adorned his immortal Nature with the Robes of endlesse Glorie and Majestie. This Real Alteration and internal Change all do grant. The Question only is concerning the Bounds or Limits of that Glorie, Majestie, and of other Gifts, and Graces, according to all which his Humane Nature was really and internally changed and Exalted. But shall we take upon us to set Bounds to the Glorie, Power, and Majestie of the Son of Gods Humane Nature? God forbid. One thing it is to set Bounds unto them, Another to acknowledge that they are absolutely Boundless and illimited.
3. Here I must be inforc'd to touch a Sore or Breach in the Church of The difference about the Ubiquitie of Christs Bodie rather Verbal then Real. God, which happy were it for Reformed Religion, had it been made up or Cemented with their blood which first did make it, or being made did seek to make it wider; I mean the Bitter Controversie, between the Lutheran, and other German and Helvetian Churches. How easily this breach, concerning the Manner of Christs presence in the Sacrament, might have been made up, when it first appeared, I refer my self to the Testimonie of Bucer, in whose Judgement, it was rather an Appearance only of a Breach, then an Apparent Breach: If the Lutherans Meaning had been as accurately examined, as their words, or manner of expressing it were. But without diligent examination it was easie for others to mistake their meaning, when as Peter Martyr, a man otherwise as moderate as Learned, did lay those opinions to the Lutherans charge; which, as his dear Friend Bucer (who tendred his seven years service for making a friendly Comprimise in this Controversie) seriously protests, he never could perceive that any Lutheran Minister did maintain. Nor did he write otherwise to Peter Martyr, then out of diligent Examination of their own writings, and as in his own Conscience he was perswaded: for he thus subscribes another Letter of the same Purport, sent to the Italian Churches: Ita sentio, & in hac sententia opto venire ad tribunal Domini. The ancient Lutherans, it seems, affected a language of their own, or a Libertie to expresse their meditations concerning the Dignitie or Exaltation of Christs Humane Nature after another manner, then the Ancients had done, or many Modern Writers could well brook. And this Libertie being denyed them; especially by the Churches of Switzerland, they sought in the issue, to draw or tenter their matter to that frame of speech, which they had not so warily conceived; And so at length, the factious industrie of some German Court-Divines did hatch a Theological endlesse quarrel, out of a Verbal and Grammatical Controversie. It fell out so in the opposition of these German Princes and their Courts, as it doth between the Factions of rank good-Fellows and nice Precisians in Colledges or Corporations: The one sort alwayes provoking the other to be more Prophane; and then taking occasion by the increase of their prophanenesse to be more irregularly Precise. Both parties being by their daily Bandyings far worse, then being sundred they would have been: Whilest in the mean time true Religion, and sober Devotion suffers on both hands betwixt them. Thus, upon the Lutherans Hyperbolical manner of expressing the Exaltation of Christs Man-hood, [Page 3319] the Helvetian Churches took occasion to grant a lesse measure of Dignitie then was fitting; and the lesse They granted, the more the Lutherans still added to the advancement of his Humanitie, or the miraculous manner of his Bodily Presence in the Sacrament; as if they had thought themselves bound in conscience to make a Super-allowance for the others Arrears or detractions, as they at least conceiv'd. And thus the missed Truth oft times lies betwixt disagreeing Parties, as it were offering it self to be surveyed by unpartial by-standers, or sorrowful Spectators of causelesse ruful broyses betwixt brethren.
To add any Excellencie to Christs Divine Nature, by derogating from his Humanitie, we cannot: for being Infinite, It cannot admit of any addition. And to derogate any thing from his Humanitie, whereof it is, or (for ought we know) may be Capable, from That Special Union, which it hath with the Divine Nature, we dare not. For this were to derogate from, or deny the Power of God. But doth he derogate any thing from Christs Humane Nature, that denyes it to be Infinitely Exalted? It may be he doth, that doth deny the Exaltation of his Humane Nature (since his Ascension, and Sitting at the Right-hand of God the Father) to be in Any sort Infinite. The diverse acceptions of Infinitie, or diverse branches of it, to mans apprehension, are almost infinite; more by many, then are fit to be displayed or mentioned in this place. It shall therefore suffice, First, to shew, In what Sense we must denie Christs Humane Nature, to be infinitely Exalted: And this must quash the Lavish Hyperboles of some modern Lutherans. Secondly, In what Sense Christs Humane Nature may be said to be, or at least may not be denyed to be infinitely Exalted.
4. Christs Bodie may be conceived to be Absolutely Infinite, or to be Actually Infinite only, but not absolutely; or to be Potentially Infinite only. To be Absolutely Infinite, or to be Infinite Simply in Being, is proper to God, who is Very Being it self: and as he hath no Cause of Being, so he can have no limits or bounds of Being, either for number of several sorts of Being, or for degrees of several Perfections. What kind of Perfection soever we can conceive to be in any created Substance, that we must acknowledge to be Infinitely greater in him. Again, we may conceive an Actual Infinitie of Being only in One or Two Kinds; as in respect of Place, of Strength or Power. And though God be not Infinite only in respect of these Two Branches of Being, yet he Only is Actually Infinite according to these Two Branches of Infinitie. The One we call his Immensitie, the other his Omnipotencie. No created substance can actually be every where at once. No creature can be Omnipotent, or actually Infinite in strength; for so it should be as strong as God, though not so wise or eternal as God. Now upon these Two Branches of Divine Infinitie, that is, upon his Immensitie and Omnipotencie, the modern Lutherans make the Humane Nature of Christ, to incroach as a Real Participant, or equal sharer with the Divine Nature or Blessed Trinitie, if we may judge of their meaning by their words, or of their intended Conclusions, by their Premisses expresly avouched, and stiffly maintained. After their Doctrine of Christs Real presence in the Sacrament by Consubstantiation, began to be impugned and shaken, the later Lutherans sought to support it by A new Butteresse or pillar, which the Ancienter did not rely upon in this Argument, and that was the Ubiquitie of Christs Bodie, or Humane Nature. Indeed if Christs Bodie were every-where present, it should be Consubstantially present in the Sacrament; But so it should be present in many other places, where Christs Bodie is not every where. none of the Ancients did ever imagine it to be, where no good Christian is bound to seek it.
[Page 3320] 5. But to hunt out their Meaning, at least the Truth, concerning which, their Meaning I hope is better then their Expression; When they say, Christs Glorified Bodie is Every-where, they grant it to be in Heaven. They should then in the First place tell us, whether, in heaven, it be not as visible and conspicuous to Angels and Saints, as it shall be to all men at his coming to Judgement? Secondly, Whether this Visibilitie of it, doth not include a visible or comprehensible Distinction of parts in it, as of his Head from his Feet, or his Right-hand from his Left. This I presume they will not deny; for Christ shall only visibly change the place of his Residence, not the substance, form, or fashion of his Bodie, when he shall come from the Right-hand of God, to Judge the quick and the dead. This being granted, when they say, Christs Bodie is every where, they should in the Third place tell us, Whether it be Every-where according to this Distinction of Parts or no. Si di Christi, If that of Christ, which they hold (as somewhat of Christ besides his Divine Nature, they hold) to be Every where, have no Distinction of parts: Let them call it what they list, it is not in any Language (besides their own, and the Modern Romish Churches) a Bodie; as having no Properties of a Bodie. If they will be content to deny all Distinction of parts in That of Christ, which they make to be the Subiect of this Ubiquitarie presence, we shall be content to take this their Real denyal, for an approach to a Comprimise, or agreement. If they will call that A Bodie, which we would call A Spiritual Influence, or a Virtual presence, (so we may know what they really mean by this Word Bodie,) let them enjoy their Dialect. If they admit a Distinction of Parts in that, which they call Christs Bodie, and which they make the Subject of this Ubiquitarie presence, they should tell us, whether it be Every where present according to every part? or whether it be Every where present according to all its parts respectively? As whether the Hands of Christ be Every where, his Heart Every where, his Head Every where? or whether there be no place in the world wherein some Part of Christs Bodie or Humane Nature is not; yet so, that they will have his Head to be in one part, his Feet in another, his Right-hand in a third, and his Left-hand in a fourth place or dimension of this visible world. If they say, Christs bodie is, in this Latter sort, present Every where, they make him a Gyant, not such a Man as we conceive him to be; they do not Exalt, but rather Extend him according to his Humane Nature, the intire frame of whose bodie no man shall see, no not at the day of Judgement; and yet (by this Tenent) according to some parts of his Humane Nature, he shall be Consubstantially present with the Damned in hell. If they say that Christs whole bodie is intirely Every where, or every part of it Every where, then either he hath no Right-hand, or his Right-hand is in his Left; either he hath no Humane Bodie, or else his whole Bodie is in his Little Finger. But to be after this manner intirely Every where, is Proper only unto God.
6. It may be we shall hit their Meaning better by tracing their footsteps. Thus then they proceed: The Right-hand of God is every where; Christ according to his Humane Nature sitteth at the Right-hand of God. Ergo, A Lutheran Syllogism. Christ according to his Humane Nature sitteth every where; and if his Sear according to his Humane Nature be every where, his Humane Nature is present every where, for Session or Residence, according to his Humane Nature, includeth his Presence according to his Humane Nature. First, admitting the Major [The Right-hand of God is every where] were absolutely true, according to the literal meaning of this Article, they stand bound by [Page 3321] the Rules of Logick to rectifie the Minor, and make it thus; [But Christ according to his Humane Nature is the Right-hand of God] And if Christ according to his Humane Nature be the Right-hand of God, then if the Right-hand of God be every where, it would directly and perpendicularly follow, that Christ is every where according to his Humane Nature. But, this (i. e. the words of the minor) they will not say; Now the minor not being thus rectified, the Conclusion must be corrected, and, in stead of saying [Christs Humanitie is every where,] it must be taught to say, [That Christs Humanitie, or Christ according to his Humane Nature, Sitteth at that, or by that, which is every where.] Secondly, If we take that Definition, which some good Divines make of Christ's Sitting at the Right-hand of God the Father, that is [to be a person equal to the Father, by whom the Father doth immediately rule the world, but the Church especially;] the Inference will be a Fallacie à rebus ad voces. The Connexion between the Terms, howsoever placed, will be no better, then if a man should naile a piece of solid timber at the one end to the Aire, and at the other end to the Water. Lastly, If by the Right-hand of God in this place be Literally meant, A visible or comprehensible Throne, wherein the God head is after the like (but a far more glorious) manner conspicuously present, as it was in the Ark of the Covenant here on earth: then the Major proposition, on which the whole structure of Christs Ubiquitie according to his Manhood depends, will be a great deal too narrow; for, the Right-hand of God the Father Almighty, taken in this Sense, is not every where. That Glorie of God at whose Right-hand Saint Steven saw Christ standing, was not on earth, but in heaven; nor in every place of heaven, but in that place only, where he saw the heavens to open, and on which he fixed his eyes.
7. But they further add, That Christs Humane Nature is glorified with that Glorie, which he had with the Father before the world was made. Now A Lutheran Objection, that proves, aut nihil, aut nimium▪ that Glorie doubtlesse was no created Glorie, but Glorie uncreated; and if uncreated, then questionlesse Infinite; and if this Glorie wherewith his Humane Nature is glorified, be Infinite, then his Humane Nature is infinitely Exalted, or exalted to a Real communication of all the Divine Attributes, as to be every where, to be Omnipotent. &c. To This some answer; Christs Divine Nature or Person, may in that place, John 17. ver. 5. be said to be Glorified after the same manner that it was Exalted. But, though it be true, that Christ meant the Glorification of his Divine Person in that place, yet this no way contadicts the Glorification of his Humane Nature, but rather supposeth it. For his Divine Person was glorified by the glorification of his Humane Nature; that is, The world should not have known the Glorie of the Son of God, or of him as their Lord and Redeemer, unlesse this Glorie had appeared in his Man-hood or Humane Nature. Now if the Humane Nature were glorified with that Glorie, which was before the world, it was glorified with an uncreated Glorie: And uncreated Glorie, is Absolutely Infinite. If this consequence were sound, the First Branch of it would be This, That Christs Humane Nature was glorified with Infinite glorie before the foundation of the world; and so the conclusion should contradict the Article of Christs Incarnation in time, as also the whole course of his Humiliation here on earth. The same Arguments which they bring to prove the Glorie of his Humane Nature to be Infinite in respect of place or power, will prove his Humane Nature to have been Infinite and glorious in respect of its Duration; or Christ as man to be Co-eternal with God the Father, or else they prove just nothing at all. That Real communication of the Divine Attributes, which they so eagerly contend for, is but a dream or Fancie, which could not possibly [Page 3322] have come into their brains, but either for want of Logick, or of Consideration. The root of their Error is, that they distinguish not between the uncreated Glorie, (which is the Incomprehensible Fountain, by participation whereof Christs Humane Nature is immediately Glorified) and the Participation or Communication of it. The Glorie of the God-head, which dwelleth Bodily in Christ, is Infinite. But it is not Communicated to Christs Humane Nature according to its infinitie; The Communication of it, or the Glorie communicated is Created, and therefore finite. The Sun truly and Really Communicates his light unto the Moon, and we properly say, That the Moon is enlightned or made glorious by the light of the Sun; yet will it not hence follow, That the Light Communicated or imparted to the Moon, is equal to the light of the Sun, which doth communicate it or impart it: Much lesse will it follow, that the Glorie wherewith Christs Humane Nature is glorified, should be equal to that Glorie of the God-head, which doth communicate or impart Glorie unto it; or from which, all the Glorie, which it hath above other Creatures, is derived. To conclude this Point; The best Frame, whereunto the Lutherans Arguments in this Controversie can be drawn, is this; The glorie of God is infinite.; Christ as Man is glorified by the glorie of God: Ergo, His glorie as Man is infinite; Yet the connexion is not as good as this following. The light of the Sun doth by his presence make the day, but the Moon is enlightned by the light of the Sun: Ergo, The Moon by presence of its light makes the day. Sooner shall the Lutheran turn night into day, by this or the like Sophism, then prove that Real communication of the Divine Attributes to Christs Humane Nature, which he dreams of; As, that Christ as man should be Really present every where, or Omnipotent; because the glorie of God wherewith he is glorified, is every where; or because the Power or Right-hand, by which he is strengthned, is a Power Omnipotent, Omnipotencie it self. Thus much of that Absolute Infinitie, or Infinitie in Act, unto which Christs Humane Nature was not Exalted; and yet it was Exalted in some sort Infinitly above all other created substances: and so Exalted, or at least declared to be so Exalted, specially, by the Ascension of it into heaven; and by its Sitting at the Righthand of God the Father.
8. That is Infinitum actu, or actually Infinite, Extra quod nihil est; which is so perfect and compleat, that nothing in the same kind can be added unto it: That is Infinitum potentia, or potentially Infinite, unto which somewhat may successively be added without end or ceasing. Thus Philosophers have taught; that, In continuâ quantitate non datur minimum; in discretâ, non datur maximum. There is not the least quantitie, but is divisible into infinite parts. There is no member so great, but may still be made greater by Addition; and albeit Addition were made every moment unto the worlds end, yet the Product could not be actually infinite; some number might be added unto it, which as yet is not contained in it. In this manner the participated Power or Glorie of God, or the participation of this Power or Glorie may be infinite. The participation of this Power or Being, may every moment, whilest the world lasteth, or whilest immortall creatures continue in being, be greater then other, and yet never come to be so great, but that it may be augmented or bettered; and that, which may be augmented or bettered, cannot be actually Infinite. The least parcel of earth could not subsist without the participation of Gods Power or Being, and the least or dullest part of the earth, which participates of his Being, doth in a sort infinitly exceed Nothing, or that which is not. Nothing [Page 3323] could have any Being, but by participating of his Being, who is infinite. No power besides Infinite Power could out of Nothing produce Something. Trees, and plants, and other workes of the 4th and 5th dayes creation excell the earth; Beasts of the field excell them; Man excelleth the beasts of the field, and the Angels excell man in nobilitie and dignitie of being; And yet the most excellent amongst the Angels is but a participation of Gods Power or Excellencie; and as Divines collect, God hath not made any creature so excellent, but he may make it more excellent every day then other; yet (this supposed) should not the Excellencie of it be Actually infinite, because it may be still bettered; Yet may that, which is not actually infinite in any one kind, or according to any one branch of Infinitie, actually contein greater Excellencie or perfection in it, then the addition of perfection unto some other creature, though by succession infinite, can attain unto. And thus Christs Humane Nature, by reason of the Personall Union which it hath with the Godhead, or with the Son of God, containes greater Excellencie in it of diverse kinds, then any other created substance not so united, though the faculties or perfections of it were continually bettered, could reach unto.
9. But, omitting the Dignitie of Christs humane Nature in the general, it will be a more profitable search to examin the particular Effects or Efficacie which his Humane Nature, now Exalted, hath in respect of us. These may not be measured, much lesse limited, by other mens most noble Faculties or perfections. The most dull sight on earth may see as far as the Sun or Starrs; and the most quick sight cannot see beyond them. No mans eye-sight can pierce through the thickest clouds, much lesse through the heavens above, or through the rockes here on earth. ‘Though thus to do, were absolurely impossible to man, or any other creature endued with sight; we might not hence thus collect, Christs glorified eyes are humane eyes, See Chap. 11. §. 11. as ours are; created eyes as ours are, Therefore He cannot with these bodily eyes look down from heaven, and behold what is done, or lyes hid in the most secret corners of the earth; or that his facultie of hearing, because a created facultie, cannot apprehend all the blasphemies, or oathes, even the most secret murmurings of his enemies either against him, or his Church.’ Or, admitting any Saints eyes, already glorified in bodie in heaven, could, by vision of the Divine Nature, see all things that are done in earth; or that his eares could hear all the Conference that passeth in this Kingdom for some one day: yet this excellencie of his outward senses being supposed, his internal or intellective faculties were not able to distinguish betwixt every thing so heard or seen, or to censure every word or deed as it deserves. Nor could his memorie perhaps perfectly retain what for the present the apprehends or conceives. ‘Yet may we not hence argue, Christs intellective Faculties are but Humane, (not divine) Ergo, he cannot distinctly and infallibly Judge or censure every thing he sees or hears, or infallibly retayne the Records of his Judgment or censure inviolate and entire unto the day of Judgment.’ Bound we are rather to beleive, that Christ as Man, or with his Humane eyes, sees all our wrongs, and as Man hears all our prayers, and takes notice of all our doings; Or that he, who as Man shall bee our Judge, is in the mean time an Eye-witnesse of all our misdeedes or well doings, an Eare-witness of all our speeches good or bad. Nor may we again, by broken Inductions, gathered from the effects or efficacie of natural bodies; or created substances upon other bodies, take upon us to limit or bound the Efficacie of Christs Bodie upon the bodies or soules, which he hath taken [Page 3324] to his protection. We may not collect, that Christs bodie, because comprehended within the heavens, can exercise no reall Operation upon our bodies or soules here on earth; or that the live Influence of his glorified Human Nature may not be diffused through the world, as he shall be pleased to dispense it, or to sow the seeds of life issuing from it, sometimes here, sometimes there.
10. This Real though Virtual Influence of Christs Humane Nature is haply See Book 10. Chap. 55. & 56. that, which the Lutherans call the Real Ubiquitarie presence of Christ Bodie. Luther himself never denyed Christs very bodie or Humane Nature, to be comprehended within the heavens; and yet he affirmed it to be present with us in such a manner, as the sound is present with us, which is really made or caused a great way from us. And we may not deny This Real Influence or Virtual Presence of Christ to be in a manner Infinite; or at least to extend it self to all created substances, that are capable of it, in what created distance soever they be from his bodie; whose Residence we beleive to be in the highest heavens, at the Right hand of God. This kind of Infinitie of his Presence can seem no Paradox or improbable Imagination to any good Christian, that will but raise his thoughts above the earth by this or the like Experiment of nature. Albeit this bodily Sun, which we dayly see, were much further distant from the earth, then now it is, yet could we easily conceive it to be of force and efficacie enough to enlighten the earth, whereon we dwell, and those coelestial Spheres, which are, or might be, as farre above it, as it is above the Center. And in the greatest distance we can imagin it is, or might be, distant from the earth; it would give life and vigour to things vegetable, or capable of vital heat. It were a silly Argument to infer, that because the hottest fire on earth, cannot impart his heat to bodies 10 miles distant from it, therefore the Sun cannot communicate vital heat and Comfort to vegetables more then ten-hundred-thousand miles distant from it: This Inference notwithstanding is not so foolish in Philosophie, as This following is in Divinitie. The Sun cannot quicken trees or herbs, which have lost their root and sap; Ergo the Sun of righteousnes, or Christs Humane Nature, in which the Godhead dwelleth Bodily, cannot quicken the dead, or raise up our mortal bodies to immortalitie. The only sure Anchor of all our hopes for a joyfull Resurrection unto the life of Glorie, is the Mystical Union, which must be wrought here on earth, betwixt Christs Humane Nature glorified, and our mortal or dissoluble nature. The Divine Nature indeed is the Prime Fountain of Life to all, but, though inexhaustible in it self, yet a fountain whereof we cannot drink, save as it is derived unto us through the Humane Nature of Christ.
11. Although it be most true which Tertullian (in the 17 Chapter of his Apologie) hath observed, That even those Heathens, which adored Jupiter Capitolinus, and multiplied their Gods according to the number of the places wherein they worshiped them, when they were throughly stung with any grievous affliction or calamitie, were wont to lift up their eyes and hands, not to the Roman Capitol, but to heaven it self; as knowing that, by instinct of nature, to be the seat or throne of Divine Majestie, And the Hill from whence came their help: Yet (notwithstanding the truth of this Observation, and the profitable use, which that Father there makes of it) it was an extraordinary Favour of God unto the Israelites, that they were permitted and instructed to worship God in his Sanctuarie, and to present their devotions towards the Ark of the Covenant, or the Mercy-seat, before which they might adore him in such manner and sort, as they might not in any other place, or before [Page 3325] any other creature. They knew, much better then the heathen, that Gods Throne of Majestie was in heaven, and yet were to tender their devotions unto him as extraordinarily present in his Temple or Sanctuarie here on earth. For as our bodily sight doth scatter or dazle, without some sensible Object to gather and terminate it; So our cogitations, though of heaven and heavenly things, do float or vanish without some determinate and comprehensible Object, whereon to fasten them. Now, albeit the Temple of Jerusalem, wherein Gods People only were to worship, were long since demolished; yet the Sanctuarie, wherein they were to worship God, is rather translated or advanced from earth to heaven, then destroyed; For it was Gods Presence, that made the Temple; and That is more extraordinary in Christs Body (which the Jewes destroyed, but which he raised again in three dayes) then ever it had been in Solomons Temple; in the Glorie of whose goodly structure and manifestation of Gods Glorie in it, the true Israelites did much rejoyce, and the later Iewes too much boast and glorie. But this Prerogative we have in respect of the ancientest and truest Israelites, that, since the vail of the Temple was rent, we may at all times (reflecting upon that modell the Scripture hath imprinted in our mindes) look within the vail, and behold the Ark or Mercy-seat; and use the most holy Sanctuarie, or inner place made with hands, as a Perspective Glasse or instrument for surveying the heavenly Sanctuarie, which God hath pitched and not man. This hope have we (saith St Paul, Heb. 6. 19.) as an anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast, and which entreth into that within the vail, whither the fore-runner is for us entred, even Jesus made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek. He is gone before us into the Sanctuarie to make perpetual intercession, who before had made an everlasting attonement for us here on earth. He is now become to us the Temple of God, the Ark of the Covenant, the Propitiatorie, or Mercie-seat, the fulfilling of all things: and unto him, now placed in his Sanctuarie at the Righthand of God, we are not only to direct our Cogitations or devotions, but to transmit our affections to the Divine Nature by him. The Son of God after he had suffered in Our flesh (and made a full sufficient satisfaction for all our sins) did in our nature rise again, did in our nature ascend into heaven, and in our nature sitteth at the Right-hand of God, not only to gather our scatered contemplations and broken notions of the Godhead, but withall to draw and unite our affections unto him, which otherwise would flagg, droop, or miscarry, if we should direct them to heaven at large, or to the incomprehensible Majestie of the Godhead, without a known Advocate or Intercessor to present them, and to return their effects or issues. Hence saith our Apostle Colos. 3. 1. If ye be risen with Christ, that is, if you sted fastly believe that Christ, who was the Son of God (and as incomprehensible for his Divine Nature as God the Father, to whom he was equal) did dye in your flesh and comprehensible nature, and in the same nature did rise againe from the dead, then seek those things, which are above; where Christ sitteth at the Right-hand of God: Set, (or settle, or fasten) your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. And as we are to settle our dearest affections on him, so are we to direct our prayers unto him in his heavenly Sanctuarie.
12. That we may direct our prayers unto the Blessed Trinitie according to the Rule of Faith (which is the first Degree of praying in Faith) take, for the present, these short Directions. The First and Fundamental Object of Belief, as Christian, is the acknowledgement of the Blessed Trinitie. And by this [Page 3326] Belief we acknowledge such a Distinction of Persons, or Parties, between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy-Ghost: that God the Father doth Personally, and in proprietie of Person, exact Satisfaction for all the offences committed against the God-head or Blessed Trinitie: and that the Son of God doth by like Personal Proprietie, undertake to make Satisfaction and Reconciliation for us. He it is that doth avert the wrath of God from us, and inhibit the proceedings of Divine Justice against us. We are then in the First place either expresly or implicitly to direct our prayers to God the Father, that he would be pleased to forgive us our sins, to be reconciled unto us, and bestow such blessings upon us, as he hath promised to such as shall be reconciled unto him. In the Second place, either expressly or implicitly, we are to beseech him to forgive us our sins, to be reconciled and blesse us for the merits of his only Son, who hath made satisfaction for us. This is a Point, which every Christian is bound expressely to believe, that God the Father, doth neither forgive sins, nor vouchsafe any Term or Plea of Reconciliation, but only for the merits and satisfaction made by the sacrifice of the Son of God, who by the eternal spirit offered himself in our humane nature upon the Crosse. In the next place, we are to believe and acknowledge, that as God the Father doth neither forgive, nor vouchsafe Reconciliation, but for the merits and satisfaction of his only Son; so neither will he vouchsafe to conveigh this, or any other blessing unto us, which his Son hath purchased for us, but only through his Son; not only through him as our Advocate or Intercessor, but through him as our Mediator, that is, through His humanitie, as the Organ or Conduit, or as the only Bond, by which we are united and reconciled unto the Divine Nature. For although the Holy Spirit or Third Person in Trinitie, doth immediately and by Personal Proprietie, work faith and other spiritual Graces in our Souls, yet doth he not by these Spiritual Graces unite our souls or Spirits immediately unto himself, but unto Christs Humane Nature. He doth as it were till the ground of our hearts, and make it fit to receive the seed of life; But this seed of righteousnesse immediately flows from the Sun of Righteousnesse, whose sweet influence likewise it is, which doth immediately season, cherish, and ripen it. The Spirit of life, whereby our Adoption and Election is sealed unto us, is the real participation of Christs Bodie, which was broken, and of Christs Blood, which was shed for us. This is the true and punctual meaning of our Apostles speech, 1 Cor. 15. 45. The first man Adam was made a living soul, or, as the Syriack hath it, Animale Corpus, an enlivened bodie; but the second Adam was made a quickning spirit; and immediately becometh such to all those, which as truely bear his image by the Spirit of Regeneration, which issues from him, as they have born the Image of the first Adam by natural propagation. And this again is the true and punctual meaning of our Saviours words, John. 6. 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth, the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I speak unto you are spirit and life. For so he had said in the verses before, to such as were offended at his words, what if you should see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? The Implication conteined in the Connexion between these two verses, and the precedent is this; That Christs Virtual presence, or the influence of life, which his Humane Nature was to distil from his heavenly Throne, should be more profitable to such as were capable of it, then his Bodily presence; then the bodily Eating of his flesh and blood, could be, although it had been convertible into their bodily substance. This distillation of life and immortalitie from his glorified Humane Nature, is that, which the Ancient and Orthodoxal [Page 3327] Church did mean in their Figurative and lofty speeches of Christs Real presence, or of eating His very Flesh, and drinking His very Blood in the Sacrament. And the Sacramental Bread is called His Bodie, and the Sacramental Wine His Blood; as for other reasons, so especially for This, that the vertue or influence of his Bloody Sacrifice, is most plentifully, and most effectually distilled from heaven unto the worthy Receivers of the Eucharist. And unto this Point and no further will most of the Testimonies reach, which Bellarmin in his books of the Sacraments, or Maldonat in his Comments upon the sixth of Saint John, do quote out of the Fathers for Christs Real Presence by Transubstantiation; or which Chemnitius, that Learned Lutheran, in his Books, De duabus in Christo naturis, and de Fundamentis sanae doctrinae, doth avouch for Consubstantiation. And if thus much had been as distinctly granted to the Ancient Lutherans, as Calvin in some places doth, the controversie between the Lutheran and other Reformed Churches, had Besides what may be found in Cyrill of Alex. See Cyrill Hierosol. in Cateches. Mystag. 1, 3, 4. been at an end when it first begun; Both Parties acknowledging Saint Cyrill to be the fittest Umpire in this Controversie.
A Transition of the Publisher's.
IT must not be dissembled, that I had no Intimation, much lesse Commission, of the Author's, to Insert the Two following Chapters, herein this place. Yet, besides, that I knew not of any fitter place where to dispose of them, I had these Reasons so to do.
1. I held it fit, that His Powerful Disputes against the Church of Rome, about The Lords Supper in the fourth Chapter, and about another Point in the fifth, should immediately follow his Learned Argument with the Lutheran.
2. The sequence seems very Methodical, The Subject of the first Chapter, being, partly, About Christs Exaltation, by becoming The Chief Corner-Stone (cut out of the Rock or quarrey by his Resurrection from The New Scpulchre, lifted up by his Ascension; and placed at the Chief Corner by his Sitting at Gods Right-hand;) and partly, about The Union of Christ with true Christians; which Union, is, both a Considerable part of the fourth Chapter, and was happily touched upon in the Close of the Third.
3. In case any Restive soul, should; perhaps some faint Dejected Spirit having read Christs Great Exaltation, may say, Who shall ascend into Heaven? that is, to bring Christ down from above. Such an one, besides the quickenings he may hear from other Remembrancers (Saint Peter telling us, that we are pilgrims here; and Saint Paul, that we seek a Countrie, and look for a Citie, Jerusalem that is Free; and that being Fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and of Gods hous-hold, our Conversation or Traffick is to be in heaven, for those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at Gods Right-hand, &c.) may receive mightie encouragement by Experimenting the Contents of these two next Chapters, The avowed neer approach and Intimacie of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Believing and Receiving Christian. The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart. When the holy Sacramental pledges be in the mouth, and Faith in the heart, The Word, the Eternal Word that was made flesh, is nigh indeed. For, Verily, Verily—He that eateth my Fesh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in Him.
CHAP. 1111. A Paraphrase upon the sixth of St. John. In what sense Christ's flesh is said to be truly Meat, &c. What it is, To eat Christs Flesh, and drink his Blood. Of eating and drinking Spiritual, and Sacramental; And whether of them is meant, John 6. 56. Of Communion in one Kind, and receiving Christs Blood per Concomitantiam. Tollet's Exposition of Christs words [Except ye eat—And drink—] by Disjunction, turning And into Or, Confuted. And Rules given for Better Expounding like places. How Christ dwels in us, and we in him. The Application. All which be seasonable Meditations upon the Lords Supper.
1. SEeing these words contain the Grand Mystery of godliness, not only of God manifested in the Flesh, but of God still with us, yea dwelling in us; and seeing they are withal the Conclusion or Centre of our Saviours long dispute with the murmuring Jews: It will be necessarie to unfold the chief Contents of this Chapter. At the tenth verse you may read, how our Saviour had satisfied five thousand hungry souls, with five barley loves and two fishes; and filled twelve baskets with the fragments: upon the Experience of this strange wonder, this great multitude sought to make him their King. A good Project, I must confesse, if we value it onely by the usual measure, or aime of popular Elections. What people would not be willing to have such an one for their King, as were able to feed a whole Armie without Contribution, Tax or Toll from them; without any further toil, and care, either on their part or his, then giving of thanks, and distribution of extemporarie provision by his Ministers? ‘But besides this politick motive, they had a Prenotion, that their expected Messias or King, should enter upon his Kingdom at the Feast of the Passover, a little before which time, this Miracle was wrought. And it was a received Opinion (as Hist. lib. 5. So. Suetonius in Vespas. Tacitus telleth us) that there should a great King, about this time arise in Judah.’ Nor did this people err much in the circumstance of time, wherein their Messias should be enthron'd in the Kingdom of David, for so he was, at, or soon after, the Passover following. But they utterly mistook the nature of his Viz. At his Resurrection, and Ascension. See Book 9. Chap. 39. Kingdom, and the manner of his Reign. Yet in that they sought to make this man (for so, and no more then so, they conceived him to be) their King, it is more then probable that they took him for their expected Messias. And indeed upon sight of the Miracle which he had wrought, they expressly confesse so much, ver. 14. This is of a truth, That Prophet which should come into the world. But, seeing neither his Kingdome was of this world, nor was he to be instated in it by the voyces and suffrages of men; he who knew all times and seasons, knew this was not the time of his Coronation, and therfore when he perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him a King, he departed again into a mountain himself alone, ver. 15. And [Page 3329] his Disciples, being for the present discharged of their attendance, crost the sea without him to Capernaum, which was the place of his and their abode, ver. 16, 17. The people which had been more then eye-witnesses of the former miracle, having observed that he could not come to Capernaum, where the next day they found him, by ship or boat, demand of him, ver. 25. Rabbi, when camest thou hither? The strange manner of his coming thither before them, did (it seems) no lesse affect them, then the former miracle, though neither did affect them as was fitting: for so our Saviour plainly tells them, ver. 26. Verily verily, I say unto you, ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled. These were the same men which saw the miracle; but, in seeing it they did not see it, that is, they did not in heart consider, that he had fed their bodies with corporal bread, to no other end, save only to stir up the appetite of their souls after celestial food. So our Saviour testifies unto them, ver. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth to everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you, for him hath God the Father sealed; that is, he was to be a King of Gods appointing, not of theirs.
2. Now albeit the former miracle of five loaves, and two fishes, had extorted that confession from them, before mentioned, Of a truth this is that Prophet which should come into the world; yet this reproof of our Saviour's, provokes them to question the validitie of their former verdict: for they demand a further sign of him, before they will acknowledge that he was indeed the Great Prophet, or one, whom they might believe was sent from God; for so they say, ver. 30, 31. What sign shewest thou then that we may see and believe thee? What dost thou work? our Fathers did eate Manna in the desert, as it is written, he gave them bread from heaven to eate. The question at last comes to this issue, Whether the Manna which their Fathers did eate in the wildernesse, were the true bread of life, or bread from heaven, better then which they were not to expect. Our Saviour maintaines the negative, ver. 32, 33. Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven: For See St. Cyrill Alex. in his G [...]aphyr. on Exodus. the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. All this they can well brook, in Thesi, or General, for so they reply, ver. 34. Lord evermore give us this bread. But when our Saviour comes from the Thesis to the Hypothesis, or from the general Doctrine which they so well approved, to make this particular Application, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me, shall never thirst, ver. 35. They leave their questioning, and fall to murmuring, taking a sudden occasion, or strange hint of offence at his person or Of the inconstancie of Vulgar affections. See Book 10. Ch, 23. f. 3073 Parentage. Whereas before they were forward to make him their King, they now reply, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven? vers. 42.
3. Thus, their fathers had murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wildernesse, one while for want of bread, Exod. 16. 2. accounting their estate in Egypt much better than their present condition in the wildernesse. Another while they murmur for water, Exod. 15. 24. And again Exod. 17. 3. Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to kill us and our Children, and Cattle with thirst? Thus they murmured against Moses, whom they had seen to work so mightie wonders. And thus their foolish posteritie murmured against Him, whom (for the former miracle) they had acknowledged, the great Prophet whom God had promised to raise up unto them like unto Moses [Page 3330] in all things, and therefore like unto him in this, in that he endured their murmurings against him with greater patience and meekenesse, than Moses did; albeit they had no such occasion of murmuring as their forefathers had. For their Fathers murmured in their hunger or thirst, whereas this great Prophet, had prevented this occasion of murmuring, by feeding them plenteously before they had sought to him for food. That which Moses saith unto the murmuring Israelites, Exod. 16. 8. was now exactly fullfilled; The Lord (saith he) heareth your murmurings which you murmur against him; and what are wee? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord. These Jewes murmur against the son (as they suppose) of Joseph, and Mary; lesse weening that in murmuring against him they did personally murmur against the Son of God, then their Fathers did, when they murmured against Moses, that they had murmured against their God. But the same Lord which heard their murmurings then by the mediate presence or infinite knowledge of his God head, heares them now with the eares of man, as immediately and as sensibly, as Moses heard their Fathers murmur. Now, as God in the wildernesse, though he heard their Fathers murmurings, did yet grant them their desire; [at evening ye shall eat flesh, & in the morning ye shall be filled with bread, and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. Exod. 16. 12] So the same Lord now, albeit this foolish people murmur against him to his face, (not for denying, but for proffering them the true food of life) is so farre from chiding them as Moses did, that he presseth them, to make try all of his bountie, and to accept his proffer, with greater vehemency of words, yet with more meeknesse of language, than Moses did at any time use. Murmur not (saith he) amongst your selves, ver. 43. &c. I am that bread of life; your fathers did eat Manna in the wildernesse and are dead. This is the bread which cometh downe from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not dye. I am the living bread that came downe from heaven, if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, wch I will give for the life of the world. 48, 49, 50, 51. And here again they increase their murmuring, for they strove among themselves saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat? v. 52. Thus, as their Fathers tempted God in their hearts by asking meat for their Lust, Ps. 78. 18. so have their posteritie. They fought him out, that they might have their bellyes filled with corporal bread, and yet when he had given them this in great abundance, by meanes miraculous, they will not beleive that he is able to give them what he promiseth, bread from heaven, or his flesh to eate (which is the bread or staff of life.) So incredulous their Fathers had been, that after the sight of many miracles in Egypt, they would not trust him in the wildernesse; after the experience of one miracle in the wildern esse, they would not trust him for a second. They Spake against God, they said, can God furnish a table in the wildernesse? Behold he smote the Rock, that the waters gushed out and the streames over-flowed, but can he give bread also, can he provide flesh for his people? therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth; so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger came up against Israel because they beleived not in God, and trusted not in his salvation; But now this Salvation of God, even God himself made their Jesus, or Salvation (for all is one) is come neerer unto this later people: and yet they will not beleeve him, they will not trust in him. Yet his anger is not presently kindled against them for not beleiving: The more they doubt, the more they question, the more they murmur or strive; the more he presseth the necessitie of eating his flesh, upon them, first Negatively, verily, verily: I say unto you, except [Page 3331] yee eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, yee have no life in you: then Affirmatively, Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life, and I will raise him up at the last day. vers. 53, 54. And lastly, he gives the reason, as well of the negative as of the affirmative, For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed, vers. 55. So that in him, these Jewes were to expect the fulnesse of the body of all those contentments for whose shadowes their Fathers so greedily longed in the wildernesse, and for want of which, they so murmured against Moses, as these men now do against the Lord, which appeared to Moses, for giving them assurance of them.
4. In what sense Christs flesh is said to be truely meate, and his blood to be truely drink, I have shewd elswhere. The summe was this. His flesh is meat indeed, his blood is drink indeed, non Formaliter sed Eminenter; meat indeed and drink indeed, not in respect of the natural qualities of corporal meat and drink, for these must be swallowed, concocted, digested, and finally converted into our bodily substance. That Christs flesh according to these qualities, is truely meat, or his blood truely drink, the Romish Church doth not avouch. For if his body should be concocted, or digested, or converted into our bodily substance, it should suffer corruption. And to be swallowed only and not concocted, is no propertie of meat or drink. Christs Flesh then is said truly meat, and his blood drink indeed, in respect of the End whereto all manner of food is destinated. The best End of all bodily food, is to preserve or continue bodily life. And that is the best food or diet, which most effectually procureth this End. Howbeit bodily life cannot be first given or implanted by the best bodily meat that is, but only continuated or preserved: But Christs Flesh was given not only to continue life, but to give life unto the world: it is the root of life, as well as the food of life; If we John. 6. 32, 33, 41, 48, 50. &c. 1. Cor. 15. 45. speak of life spiritual or Everlasting, which onely is life indeed. And in as much as his flesh and blood are the rootes and fountaines of this kind of life, the one is most truely said to be meat indeed, the other most truely, drink indeed. That is, meat and drink more effectuall and more necessary for the attainement of everlasting life, than bodily food is for life temporal. Again, Temporal or bodily life cannot be continued or preserved otherwise than by the corruption or destruction of the bodily meate which preserves it. But Christs flesh and blood preserve life spiritual, or our soules and bodies unto everlasting life, because they are incorruptible and cannot be changed, be not so So the Church Leiturgie, in the words of ministration. much as subject to alteration. Now if all other meat besides this, must suffer corruption and lose its nature before it can become a cause or meanes of preserving bodily life; Such meat cannot be truely said to remain in us; much lesse can wee be said to remain or abide in it. But of Christs flesh and blood, he himselfe here saith it; He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him: and for this reason his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed, the onely meat and the onely drink which men should hunger and thirst after. Other meates and drinks should be sought for, yea life bodily it self should be desired, onely to this End, that by the prolonging of it, wee might be partakers in greater measure of this meat and drink, which preserves the Bodie and soul unto everlasting life.
5. The Questions then to be discussed are Two.
First, What it is to eat Christs flesh, and drink his Blood?
Secondly, What it is for Christ to Dwell, or abide, in us; and us to dwell, or abide, in Him?
All agree that there is A Twofold eating of Christs Bodie, and A Twofold [Page 3332] drinking of his Blood. One meerly Sacramental, and another, Spiritual. Which agreement notwithstanding, There ariseth, A Third Question; viz. What manner of eating Christs Flesh and drinking his Blood, is, in this place, Three Questions. either onely or principally meant.
For the Resolution of this Question we are breifly to explicate each member of this Division, viz. 1. What it is to eat Christs Bodie and drink his Blood Sacramentally onely. 2. What it is to eat his Bodie and Drink his Blood Spiritually.
First then; All that are partakers of this Sacrament, eat Christs Bodie, and Drink his Blood sacramentally: that is, they eat that Bread which Sacramentally is his Bodie, and drink that Cup which Sacramentally is his Blood, whether they eat or drink faithfully or unfaithfully. For, All the Israelites 1 Cor. 10. Drank of the same Spiritual Rock, which was Christ Sacramentally: All of them were partakers of his presence, when Moses smote the Rock. Yet, with many of them, God was not well pleased, because they did not faithfully either Drink or participate of his presence. And more displeased he is with such as eat Christs Bodie and Drink his blood unworthily, though they eat and drink them Sacramentally: For eating and drinking so onely, that is, without faith, or due respect, they eat and drink to their own Condemnation, because they do not Discern, or rightly esteem Christs Bodie or presence in the H. Sacrament.
May we say then, that Christ is Really present in the Sacrament, as well to the unworthy as to the faithful receivers? Yes, this we must grant: yet must we add withal, that he is really present with them in a quite contrary manner; really present he is, because virtually present to both; because the operation or efficacie of his Bodie and blood is not metaphorical, but real in both. Thus the bodily Sun, though locally distant for its substance, is really See Book 10. f. 3298, & 3304. present by its heat and light, as well to sore eyes, as to clear sights, but really present to both, by a contrarie real operation; and by the like contrary operation, it is really present to clay, and to wax, it really hardneth the one, and really softeneth the other. So doth Christs Bodie and Blood, by its invisible, but real influence, mollifie the hearts of such as come to the Sacrament with due preparation; but harden such as unworthily receive the consecrated Elements. If he that will hear the word, must take heed how he hears, much more must he which means to receive the Sacrament of Christs bodie and blood, be careful how he receives. He that will present himself at this great Marriage Feast of the Lamb without a wedding garment, had better be absent. It was alwayes safer, not to approach the presence of God manifested or exhibited in extraordinarie manner, (as in his Sanctuarie or in the Ark) then to make appearance before it in an unhallowed manner, or without due preparation. Now when we say, that Christ is really present in the Sacrament, our meaning is, that as God, he is present in an extraordinarie manner, after such a manner, as he was present (before his incarnation) in his Sanctuarie, in the Ark of his Covenant; and by the Power of his God-head thus extraordinarilie present, he diffuseth the vertue or operation of his Humane Nature, either to the vivification or hardning of their hearts, who receive the Sacramental Pledges. So then, a man by eating Christs bodie meerly Sacramentally may be hardned, may be excluded from his gracious presence. But no man hath Christ dwelling in him, by this Eating and Drinking meerly Sacramental, not meant in St. John 6. 56. manner of eating his flesh, and drinking his blood, unlesse withal he eate the one, and drink the other Spiritually. The Eating then of Christs bodie, and drinking his blood, meerly Sacramentally, is not the eating and drinking here meant.
[Page 3333] 6. They are said to eat Christs Flesh and drink his Blood Spiritually, which rightly apprehend his Death and Passion; which by Faith meditate and ruminate upon them, making application to themselves aswel of the great danger, which may ensue upon the neglect of such great benefits as he hath purchased for them: as of the inestimable good, which alwayes accompanies the right esteeme, or contemplation of his Bodie, which was given for them, and of his Blood which was shed for them. He which thus eateth Christs Flesh and drinketh his Blood by Faith, although he do not (for the time present) eat his Bodie, or drink his blood Sacramentally, hath a true interest in this promise, [He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him,] so he do not neglect to eat his Bodie and drink his Blood Sacramentally, when occasion requires and opportunitie serves. So that Spiritual eating and drinking Christ by Faith, is the true preparative for the worthy receiving of his bodie and blood Sacramentally. He that doth not so prepare himself for the receiving of his body and blood, doth receive him unworthily whilest he receives him Sacramentally. The main Question is, Whether Christs words be to be understood at all of Sacramental eating and drinking, The 3d. or main Question; or of Spiritual eating and drinking onely.
7. Many there were, and yet are in Reformed Churches, which deny this place to be meant of Sacramental Eating. But, as Beza (amongst others) Beza's Observation. well observes, they which deny this place to be meant at all of Sacramental eating, err no lesse then they do, which restrain it only to Sacramental eating. Their error (which deny it to be meant at all of Sacramental eating) is so much the worse, because it gave advantage to our Adversaries of the Romish Church, which want no wit to work upon all advantages given. To omit others, Jansenius and Dr. Hessels (two of the most exquisite expositors of Scriptures, and most Judicious Divines which the Romish Church had after Jansenius and Dr. Hessells his opinion. the Reformation was begun by Luther, and Zuinglius, and prosecuted by Calvin) expressely deny our Saviours dispute in this Chapter, with the Jews, to be meant at all of Sacramental eating or drinking. The Reason which enforced these two great Divines, to slight the authoritie of most writers in their own Church, and to wave the authoritie of most ancient Fathers (which it is evident do understand this place of Sacramental eating and drinking) was, because they saw no possibilitie how to maintain the peremptorie decrees of the Councels of Constance, and Basil, concerning Communion under one kind, if the words of our Saviour, ver. 53. of this Chapter, be to be understood of Sacramental eating and drinking. For it is granted by all, that the Consecrated bread is Sacramentally his Bodie, not his Blood; and that the Cup is Sacramentally his Blood, not his Bodie: And yet our Saviours words are express, Except ye eate the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. So that all which hope to have life, must Sacramentally drink his blood, aswel as eat his flesh, if this place be meant of Sacramental eating. That evasion, which most o [...] modern Priests and Jesuites use for eluding, rather then answering this Objection, was too palpable in the Judgement of these two great Divines, as it since hath seemed to others of that Church, which yet maintain that the former words of our Saviour, are to be understood of Sacramental eating Christs flesh, and drinking Christs blood. The evasion of modern Priests and Jesuits is, that he which Sacramentally receives Christs Bodie, under the shape or form of Sacramental bread, doth with it receive his blood per Concomitantiam, by way of concomitancie, because there is blood conteined in his bodie which they thus receive. But this cannot satisfie any Romish Divine, [Page 3334] which understands himself, or the ancient Doctrine which that Church pretends to follow. For this device of receiving Christs blood in the bread per concomitantiam, was but a late invention, little above 200. years before Jansenius or Hessels lived. And the newnesse of this imagination or invention (which was generally applauded in the Romish Church in his time) was one special motive, why that Reverend Pastor of Blessed memorie, Mr. Gilpin, did disclaim the Romish Churches Doctrine in the Point of Transubstantiation, as Bishop Tunstall his Uncle before him had done.
Secondly, Admitting the bread were turned into Christs very bodie, and after this conversion, had blood in it as truly as flesh and bones, yet all this would not salve the literal sense of our Saviours words in the 53d verse, if the eating and drinking which he there speaks of were Sacramental. For suppose a man should feed upon raw flesh, or upon flesh which had visible or material blood in it, we might say indeed that he did eat blood per concomitantiam, by way of concomitancie, because the flesh which he eats had blood in it: But no man would say, That he did drink blood per concomitantiam. For eating and drinking are two distinct acts, and incompatible at one and the same time. He that eateth flesh with blood in it, doth not eat the flesh and drink the blood whilest he only eats, but eats both together, the one as principal, the other as an appurtenance, if he eat as a man, and not as Swine do draugh, which is no more an eating then a drinking. Or if a man should drink blood mingled with some small portions of flesh, we might say, He did drink flesh by way of Concomitancie; but no man would say that he did eat blood per concomitantiam, albeit there were flesh in the blood which he drinks, for he drinks both together, he doth not eat either. And for these reasons Pope Vid. Tollet in 6. Johan. Annot. 26. Innocent expressely denies, that he which eats Christs bodie, whilst he only eats it, doth drink his blood. In his fourth Book Myster. Evangel. Legis, ac Sacramenti Eucharist. Chap. 21. Edit. Venet. in quarto.
8. The only refuge which the most learned in the Romish Church since Jansenius, and Hessels dyed, have found out for answering the former Objection of Reformed Writers, is, That the words of our Saviour, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man, And drink his blood, ye have no life in you; are to be Expounded disjunctively; as thus, Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man, Or drink his blood, ye have no life in you. The use or Corollarie of this Exposition, is, That if Christian people do Sacramentally Either eat Christs flesh, Or drink his Blood as they ought, that is, with due preparation, this will suffice; seeing, as they pretend, By this Exposition, one might as well Communicate by Receiving only the Cup, as the Bread only. there is no Divine precept which enjoynes all Christian People Sacramentally to receive Christs bodie and blood under both kindes: Nor all Priests, but only such as do Officiate or Consecrate. The precept of Institution, Bibite ex hoc omnes, Drink ye all of this, was punctually directed (as they alledg) to our Saviours Apostles only, who were at this time made Priests, and authorized to minister Christs bodie and blood after his death. Yet were they not (by their leave) at this time Sacerdotes conficientes. Our Saviour Christ himself did Consecrate both the Bread and Wine, the Apostles were as much inferior to him, as the meanest Lay-people are to the greatest Priest in the Romish Church, to the Pope or summus Pontifex himself. But the further Discussion of this Point belongs more properly to the words of the Institution. The other Point of expounding et, by vel, or of shuffling in Or for And, belongs to the Cognizance of the 53, and 56. verses. ‘To justifie this exposition, Cardinal Tollet would perswade us, That St Johns Greek Text is full of Hebraismes, and there is nothing more familiar with [Page 3335] Moses, or with other sacred Hebrew writers, then to use And for Or, Et for Vel.’ And he brings divers instances to this purpose: As for example, that in Exod. 21. 17. He that curseth father And mother, shall surely be put to death. So it is word for word in the Hebrew, and yet our English Translation, as well as the Vulgar Latin, renders the Original thus, He that curseth father Or mother, shall surely be put to death. And it would be an ungodly Evasion for any Magistrate, not to censure him as a transgressour of this Law, which curseth his father, albeit he do not curse his mother; or which curseth his mother, albeit he do not curse, but rather blesse his father. But must the true interpretation of such as are to judge according to this Law, be derived from the peculiar phrase, or dialect of the Hebrews? No, this was Cardinal Tollet's Errour; for the Rule of Interpretation (so the matter or circumstance be the same) would hold as true in any dialect or language whatsoever.
The Question then is, What certain general Rule we have, when, or in what cases, the conjunctive particle [And] doth produce this, or the like disjunctive sense, or may warrant this, or the like Exposition of this Law. [He that curseth father And mother, shall surely die; that is, he which curseth Either father Or mother, shall surely die. For the like Exposition, the Rules are Two. One General and infallible Rule is this,
Whensoever the particle And, doth couple not two parts of one and the same proposition; but two intire propositions together, [That which is thus conjunctively A Rule to know when And may may be changed into Or. affirmed of two propositions coupled together, must be disjunctively expounded of either proposition divided one from the other.] Now when it is said, He that curseth Father And Mother shall die, there be two intire propositions coupled together by this particle And, implicitly; the explicit sense or Resolution of which speech is this, He that curseth his Father, shall surely die; And he that curseth his Mother shall surely die. And if both these propositions conjunctively taken, be true, this disjunctive will be as true, He that curseth either father or mother shall die.
Secondly, the Rule is universally true; When two incompatible attributes, A Second Rule, when And must be turned into Or. are conjunctively avouched of one and the same subject in one and the same ꝓposition universally taken, the particle And in this case must be resolved into the particle Or, when the universall ꝓposition or subject of it is divided into its parts. Quae dicuntur conjunctim de genere, dicuntur divisim de specie. As for example, the Philosopher describing the native propertie of quantitie, saith maximè proprium est quantitati, ut ex ea dicantur res aequales & inaequales. But in as much, as equalitie and inequalitie, are incompatible, if wee apply them to the the same particular things which are compared together for quantitie; hence it is, that every particular substance, which is compared to, or measured with another, must either be equal or unequal unto it. That one and the same particular substance should be both equal and unequal to another for quantitie, is impossible. So the Philosopher saith, (and it is a naturall truth, which none can deny) that the living or sensitive creature universally taken, is rational and irrational; but because one and the same living Creature, cannot be both rational and irrational, when wee descend to particular living creatures, wee cannot say that any of them is both rationall and irrationall, but either rationall or irrationall. Yet in as much as every particular living creature, is either endowed with reason, or not endowed with reason; the living creature universally taken, that is, as it comprehends every particular living creature, must be both rationall and irrationall: For, Quicquid dicitur [Page 3336] divisim de Specibus, dicitur conjunctim de Genere.
9. To give such a direct and punctuall answer to the Cardinals instance out of Exod. 21. 17. [He that curseth father and mother shall dye.] as may satisfie all the rest which he brings or can be brought to like purpose; we say, as was intimated before, there be two intire propositions. 1. He that curseth his father shall dye. 2. He that curseth his mother shall dye; and the explication or unfolding of these two propositions is disjunctively set down by our Saviour himself Matth. 15. 4. He that curseth father or mother shall surely dye. But there are not two propositions, but one proposition in this Text, He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him. He doth not say here or elswhere, He that eateth my flesh dwelleth in me and I in him, and he that drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him. Nor is this disjunctive any where in Scripture exprest, That he which eateth Christs flesh, or drinketh his blood, dwelleth in Christ and he in him. That instance which the Cardinall would wrest to justifie his interpretation of our Saviours words in the 53. and 56. verses, doth make against him. His instance is, 1 Cor. 11. ver. 27. Whosoever shall eat this bread, or drinke the cup of the Lord unworthily, is guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord. For in as much as St Paul had said before, vers 26. that as often as wee eat this bread and drink this cup, wee shew the Lords death till he come, it will necessarily follow, that albeit wee eat the bread not unworthily, and yet (put such a Case) drink the cup unworthily, we become guiltie both of his Body and Blood, because in both wee solemnize the memory of his death: and he that should both eat the bread and drink the cup unworthily, is twice guiltie of the body and blood of the Lord; As he that curseth both farther and mother is worthy of double death, because he that curseth either father or mother is guiltie of death. Nor can it be alledged that the severall parts of this proposition, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, are incompatible, or cannot be performed at one and the same sacramentall action by one and the same man: or that they are to be universally, or collectively understood of the whole Church, as consisting of Priests and Laicks, and not distributively of every man: and therefore to seek a disjunctive sense of these words to this or like effect, he that eateth my flesh, or drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him, is to seek a knot in [...]ulrush, or a division in Unitie.
Again, The form of our Saviours speech, ver. 53. is exceptive [Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.] The form is the very same, as if we should say, Except a man honour his Father and Mother, his seed shall not long prosper upon earth; Now, it would be impiously absurd to make this construction of that Commandment, Except a man honour Either his Father, Or his Mother, his seed shall not long prosper upon the earth. And no better then Thus, is the Construction which Cardinal Tollet or his followers make of our Saviour's words in the 53. verse. Our Saviour had told them before, that He was the Bread of life which came down from heaven; And pressing the Belief of this Point upon them further, (not by division, but by addition) he addeth, ver. 51. That The Bread which he meant was his Flesh. And when the Jews, ver. 52. strove about this; He further adds, ver. 53. Verily, Verily—Except ye eat—and drink—ye have no life in you.
10. But besides the former plunge, whereto the best Scholars in the Romish Church are put, in justifying their practice for Deteining the Cup from the Laitie, if This Chapter be meant of Sacramental eating, there is another Difficultie, which neither the late Device of Drinking Christs Blood per concomitantiam, [Page 3337] nor the Cardinals interpretation of ver. 56. by Disjunction, will any way touch, much lesse satisfie.
And the Difficultie is this, If these words be literally meant of Sacramental A difficultie arising from the words, if literally meant of Sacramental eating. eating and drinking, their literal sense must be as plain, and as void of all Trope or Metaphor, as the words of the Institution related by Saint Matthew, Chap. 26. 26. are by them supposed to be. Now when Christ saith in Saint Matthew, That the bread is his Bodie, this speech, in the literal sense (as they contend) inferreth a substantial change of the Bread into the substance of his bodie. Now our Saviours words are in this place as plain and as certain as in that. He avoucheth again and again that he is the bread of life, that the bread which he will give is his flesh, that his flesh is meat indeed, that his blood is drink indeed. Now, if the sacramental bread, in St Matthew, cannot literally be said to be his body unlesse it be converted into the substance of his body, then cannot Christ himselfe literally be said to be bread, unlesse his substance be converted into the substance of bread. His flesh cannot literaly be said meat indeed, unlesse it be really and substantially converted into meat; his blood cannot be said drink indeed, unlesse it be really transubstantiated into drink.: If they grant these words to be meant of Sacramental eating, or to be equivalent to the words of the Institution. Now to deny these words to be meant of sacramentall eating is every way lesse expedient for reformed Churches than for the Romish. And yet to restrayn them either to Sacramental eating onely, or to Spirituall eating excluding sacramental, is worst of all. We are therefore to consider, that sacramental eating and spiritual eating, are not opposite or incompatible, but subordinate. Our eating of Christs body and drinking of Christs blood are then compleat, when they are Sacramentally spiritual, or spiritually sacramentall. For as Calvin excellently observes (albeit such as professe themselves zealous followers of him, either do not understand him, or do not second him) to eat Christs body and drink Christs blood [Sacramentally] is more then to beleive in Christ, more than to have our faith awaked or quickned by the sacramentall pledges. For no man can spiritually eat Christ, but by beleeving his death and passion; yet sacramental eating addes some what to spiritual eating, how quick and lively soever our faith be whilest wee eat him onely spiritually. For though our faith were in both the same, as well for degree as qualitie: yet the object of our faith is not altogether the same, at least the Union of our faith unto the same object, is not altogether the same, in sacramental and in spiritual eating. Christs body and blood are so present in the Sacrament, that wee receive a more speciall influence from them in use of the sacrament, than without it wee do; so we receive it worthily, or with hearts prepared by spiritual eating precedent, that is, by serious meditation of Christs death and passion. It is not all one, either not to think on Christs death and passion out of the sacrament, or to think on them negligently or not reverently, and to receive the sacrament of his body and blood unworthily, negligently or irreverently. Now as the effects or consequence of the unworthy Receiving the Holy Sacrament is more Dangerous then the Effects or Consequence of not eating Christ Spiritually, or of Careless Meditation upon Christs death and passion; so the Effect of Sacramental Receiving worthily and faithfully performed, is a Greater refreshing to the Soul, then the effect of Receiving Him Spiritually onely, though reverently and as becomes us. Now unto the reverent and worthy Receiving of Christs Bodie and Blood both ways, that is, both Spiritually and Sacramentally, as being the most complete performance [Page 3338] of the Condition required, is the Promise of our Saviour most immediatly annexed; He that So eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood Dwelleth in Mee and I in Him. The meaning of which Promise was the Second Point proposed paragraph the 5th. and should be next handled, but that the Application here desireth to be inserted.
11. What hath been spelled apart, let us now put together. He that The Application relating to the 1st General. intends aright to eat Christs flesh and drink his Blood Sacramentally, to his Souls Health, must come prepared by a right and worthy receiving of Both, Spiritually. Now we Spiritually eat Christs Flesh, and drink his Blood, as often as we reverently, and faithfully meditate upon Christs Death, and remember it aright. And this we do, when we take a true Estimate of ourselves, and of his death and sufferings for us. For this is both duely to examine our selves, or our own soules; and rightly to Esteem or Discern the Two Duties. 1 To examine our selves. 2. To Discern The Lords Bodie. Lord's Bodie. To Discern his Bodie from the bodies of other men, we cannot; unlesse we believe and acknowledge it to be The Bodie of the Son of God, The bodie of God Blessed for ever: as was shewed at large before in other Tracts, and in the fore-part of this Book. And this we may do, and yet not rightly esteem that Love which Christ shewed unto us, in offering his Bodie and Blood, in respect of the love of others which would perhaps adventure their Bodies, and shed their blood for us.
12. To remember a A Good turn done by a friend, and not to value and prize it as we ought, is rather to forget then to remember his Friendlinesse. Now no man can rightly prize the Death of Christ and the benefits thereof, unlesse he truely believe that Christ Dyed for him. But is Every one bound to believe This? Yes. He that doth not believe This, doth not believe that Christ is The Messias, or the Redeemer of the World. To doubt of This, is a degree of Infidelitie: to denie it, is more then Heresie, a point of Jewish Infidelitie. Yet to believe thus much, and no more, doth not immediately make a good Christian, or worthy receiver of the Holy Sacrament. What more then must every one believe? That Christ dyed for him in particular? certainly he must. Nor doth the belief of This make him sure of his Salvation. Every one must believe that Christ dyed for him in particular, that he may be a worthy Receiver; And Every One must worthily receive this Holy Sacrament, that is, worthily remember Christs death, that he may make his Election sure.
But in what sense must Every one believe that Christ dyed for him in particular? not Exclusively, as if he dyed not for others as well as for him: for this were to have the faith of Christ with respect of persons; without charitie, Of the first part of mans Redemption, or the Ransom paid for all. See Book 9. Chap. 5. and contrarie to reason. For if Every one must believe that Christ died for him in particular, then every man must believe that Christ dyed for all men as well as for him. Otherwise, some men should be bound to believe an untruth. But if he died for all men, how is he said to die for thee and me in particular? Verie well; Thus. Though He dyed for all as well as for Thee or me, yet did he not Die partly for thee, and partly for me, and partly for others, but intirely for every one.
13. Plato (as Seneca in his 6. Book De Beneficijs, Cap. 18. tells us) thought himself obliged in kindnesse to one that had Transported him over a River without paying his Fare; he reckoned it, Positum apud Platonem officium: But when he saw others partakers of the same Benefit, he Disclaimed the Debt. Hence Seneca draws This Aphorism; It is not enough for him that will oblige me unto him, to do me a good Turn, unlesse he do it, as to [Page 3339] my self directly: non tantùm mihi sed tanquàm mihi. If upon the like considerations, or to the end that they may think themselves obliged to the Son of God more then other men are, some in our dayes have taught, That Christ did not only suffer all for them, but as for them in particular; all others, (being not such as they deemed themselves to be, that is, not truly Elect) being excluded from the Benefit of his sufferings: This is the best Use, and most Charitable construction that can be made of so unuseful and uncharitable a Doctrine. Though, to gather any good Use from it, is as impossible as to reap Figgs of Thistles.
Howbeit, as well as they who hold That Christ died for the Elect only, as they which teach, That he dyed for all, must beware, lest they mis-apply That Rule of Seneca's, touching ordinarie benefits, or Common courtesies, unto that Extraordinarie loving kindnesse of Christs sufferings: Quod debeo cum multis, solvam cum multis; That which I owe amongst others, I will not pay alone. His meaning is, That for Common benefits he is only bound to pay his share or portion. Far be it from any one that nameth the Name of the Lord Jesus, to reason thus in his heart or secret thoughts. ‘Christ died for the many hundreds of thousands now living, and for the more hundreds of ten thousands late or long since dead, as well as for me; therefore I owe him love and thankfulnesse, but pro ratà; (suppose the exact number was certainly known) I am but to acknowledge such a part of his sufferings to have been undertaken for me, as I am of that great multitude.’ Every humane soul is indebted to Christ for the whole, not every single man for his part of mans Redemption. That which St. Bernard speaks in a Case not altogether the same, is most true of the Benefits of Christs sufferings; Nec in multitudinem divisa sunt, nec ad paucitatem restricta: If Gods love to mankind be infinite, and if the value of Christs blood or sufferings be truly infinite (as they truly be) they cannot be divided amongst many, much lesse can they be restrained to some few; both these being against the nature of Infinitie. And if the value of Christs sufferings cannot be divided into parts, Everie one must acknowledge, that He paid an infinite price for his Redemption in particular. A price lesse then infinite could not have Redeemed any one of us, and a price more then infinite could not be given for all. If Christ became a second Adam, to die and suffer for redeeming man, he dyed and suffered for all men, for every man, albeit the number of men which proceed from the first Adam could be infinite. Had it been the Will or Purpose of the Son of God, to have taken upon him the Form of a Servant, immediately upon the First Woman's sin of Disobedience, his sufferings for her could not have sufficed, unlesse they had been of value infinite: And being of value infinite for her, they had been of the same value for everie living Soul that issued from her to the Worlds end.
If then, the price he laid down for thee were infinite, that is, without measure or Bounds, thy Love and thankfulnesse to Him must be without Stint or limit. Though He died for others as well as thee, yet art thou bound to love Him no lesse, then if he had died for thee alone. Thus must Thou think of Christ's Death and Passion if thou remember it aright: ‘And as often as thou Readest, Hearest, or makest Confession with thy Lips That Christ's Blood was shed for thee, make this Comment or Paraphrase in thine heart, He shed his whole Blood for me, every drop that fell from Him, either in the Garden or on the Crosse, or elsewhere, was poured out for my sake, for me in particular.’ Yea, every one which hears of Christ is [Page 3340] bound to believe that he dyed for him, and as for him, that the benefit of his Passion redounds et mihi, et tanquam mihi: and charitie, if it spring from Faith, will teach us to exclude none from Title to the benefits of Christs Death and sufferings.
14. This Doctrine of Christ's Dying for All, of His purpose to dissolve the works of Satan in all, I am bold to professe in every place where Christ's Name is called upon, in every place where I have or may have oportunitie to make Christ known: The bolder, because it sets forth, not only the Love and Mercie, but the Justice of God, a great deal more, then the contrarie Doctrine can do. It makes mans sinfulnesse and unthankfulnesse appear much greater, then by the contrarie Doctrine can be apprehended or acknowledged. Besides, it makes our Ministrie of preaching more useful then otherwise it could be. For, if we grant That Christ dyed only Three Uses of the Doctrine, that Christ paid the Ransom for all. for the Elect, we might acquit our selves with safetie of Conscience from the burden of preaching or Catechizing, save only in those Congregations which we know to be of the number of the Elect, or men alreadie regenerate. Howbeit even in respect of Them, our preaching could not be so useful, as it would be harmful to others. We could but testifie that to the Elect which they already know, that is, that they shall be saved. But if once we teach that the Elect only or some few (perhaps one of a Thousand, not one of five hundred) have any interest in Christs sufferings, every man which is not as yet regenerate nor in the state of Election, would forthwith conclude, that it is a thousand to One (more then five hundred to One) that he can receive no benefit from Christs sufferings, having no interest in the everlasting inheritance purchased by them. And were it not much better to be silenced, then by our preaching to put such stumbling-blocks in their wayes whom we are sent to call unto Christ? For we are not sent to call the righteous, or men alreadie regenerate, but sinners to repentance, to the state of regeneration.
How true soever in the Event it may prove, That but a Few shall be saved in respect of them that perish, though the most part of men do die in their sins, yet their blood shall be required at their hands, who have taught, that they could not be saved, that Christ did not die, did not suffer for them. But if we teach, as God in his Word hath taught us, That Christ Dyed and suffered for all men, no man can doubt whether Christ dyed Joh. 1. 29 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15 Heb. 2. 9 2 Pet. 2. 1 for him or no; and not doubting that Christ dyed for him, he need not Dispair of Salvation by him: we leave him without excuse for not repenting and seeking Christ.
Again, This same Doctrine sets forth the Glorie of God much more then the other can. For, albeit Gods mercies unto One man be truly infinite, or rather infinite in themselves, yet, if according to this infinitie they be extended unto all, they are extensively much greater. If God had created only these inferior Elements, and man; their creation would necessarily infer the infinitie of his power (for without infinite power nothing could have been made of Nothing) but yet his praise or glorie would not have appear'd so great in the creation of Earth and Water, as it doth in the creation, not of them only, but of the whole heavens with all their Hosts and furniture. The more Gods creatures be, the greater be his praises, for this Tribute he ought to receive from all of them, for their verie Being. In like manner, though the Redemption of one or some few men, do truly argue the value of his sufferings to be truly infinite; yet, the more they be for whom he dyed, the more is his glorie, the greater is his praise: [Page 3341] For all are bound joyntly and severally to laud and magnifie his Name for the infinite price of their Redemption.
15. Lastly, This Doctrine is so necessarie for manifesting the just measure of their unthankfulnesse which perish, that without This we cannot take so much as a true Surface of it; not so much as the least Dimension of Sin. ‘Some there be which tell us, that we had power in Adam to Glorifie God, but, that finning in Adam, our sin is infinite, because against an infinite Majestie: For so it is, that the greater the Partie is whom we offend, the greater always the offence is.’ And thus by degrees they gather, that everie sin against the infinite Majestie of God deserveth infinitie of Punishment. But, albeit, the degrees of Sin, which See Book 8. pag. 142. accrue from the degrees of Dignitie in the person whom we offend, be successively infinite; yet because these Degrees are indeterminate, every man, which hath any skill at all in Arguments of Proportion, must needs know, that it is impossible for the wit or art of man to find out the true Product of such Calculatorie Inductions, or to conjecture unto what set measure of ingratitude, these infinite degrees will amount. It is not the ten-hundreth-thousandth part of any Sin that can be truly notifyed unto us by inferences of this kind. How then shall we take the true measure of our Sinnes, or the full Dimension of our unthankfulnesse? From the Great Goodnesse of God in our Creation, and the unmeasurable Love of Christ in our Redemption. If God in our Creation (as the Psalmist saies) did make us but litle lower then the Glorious Angels, that the might afterward crown us with Glorie everlasting: if, when, through the First mans follie we had lost that Honour; he made his Onely Son for a litle while, for 33. yeares space, lower then the Angels, that he might exalt Him above all Principalitie and Power, and in Him recrown us with Honour and Glorie aequal to the Angels, Their Sin is truly infinite, their unthankfulnesse is unexpressible, and justly deserveth punishment everlasting, who voluntarily and continually despise so great Salvation which by Christ was purchased for them. No Torment can be too great, no anguish too Durable, because no Happiness could be in any degree comparable, much lesse equal, to that which they refused, though treasured up for them in that inexhaustible fountain of happinesse Christ Jesus our Lord, our God, and our Redeemer.
To conclude this meditation: It is a thing most seriously to be considered, That though Gods mercies in Christ can never be magnified too much, yet may they be apprehended amisse: And, that, as it is most Dangerous to sink in Deep waters wherein it is the easiest to Swim; so, the more infinite Gods mercies towards us are, the more deadly sin it is to Dallie with them, or Dangerous to Dallie with Gods mercies. to take incouragement by the Contemplation of them to continue in Sin. The contemplation of their infinitie is then most seasonable, when we are touched with a feeling of the infinitenesse of our sins. In that case, we can not look upon them but we shall be desirous to be partakers of them, and that upon such Termes as God offers them, the forsaking of all our sinnes. Pro. 28. 13.
16. But is this all that thou art to remember, when thou art, by Spirituall eating and drinking Christs flesh and blood, a preparing thy self for Sacramental and Spiritual receiving him together in The Lords Supper? is it enough to acknowledge, that he payd as great a Ransom for thee as he did for all Mankind in general? No! This is but the first part of thy Redemption: and this first part of thy redemption was intirely, and alsufficiently, and most effectually wrought for thee, before any part of thy bodie was framed, before thy Soul was created: it was then wrought for thee without [Page 3342] any endeavour or wish of thine: No more was required at thy hands for this work, then was required of thee for thy creation. But there is A second part of thy Redemption, of which that saying of A Father, is true, Qui fecit te sine te, non salvabit te sine te, He that made thee without any work or endeavour of thine, will not save (wil not Redeem) thee, without some, endeavour at least, on thy part.
What then is the second part of the Redemption, which wee expect that Christ should yet work in us and for us? or what is the endeavour on our parts required that he should work it in us and for us? The second part of our Redemption, which is yet in most of us to be accomplished, is, The Mortification of our Bodies, the diminishing the Reign of sin in them; in a word, our Sanctification or Ratification of our Election. These are wholly Christ's See Book 10. Chap. 31. workes, the sole works of God, for it is He that works in us both the will and the Deed: and yet are we commanded to work out our own Salvation; to make our Election sure. But how shall we do this, which is wholly Gods work? or what are we to do, that these works may be wrought in us? Besides the renewing of the Astipulation or answer of a Pure Conscience, and Resumption of our BAPTISMAL VOW, heretofore mentioned; we are to humble our selves mightily before the Lord, by a meek Book 10. Ch. 50 acknowledgement of our vilenesse, and sincere confession of our sinnes. And if we so humble our selves, Hee that giveth Grace to the humble will lift us up; if we confesse our sinnes, he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse: not only to remit and cover our iniquities, but to purifie our hearts, and renew our spirits and mindes, that they shall bring forth fruits unto holinesse. We are to call upon God by the prayer of faith and perseverance: Turn thou us Good Lord, and so shall we be turned; Speak but Thou the word, and Thy Servants shall be whole.
17. Thus we may esteem of Christs love to us, and yet not examin or judge our selves as wee ought before we eat This Bread and Drink this Cup. A Second Duty to Examine our selves. To examin and judge our selves aright, requires these Two meditations, or Two parts of one and the same meditation. First, How farre wee are guilty of Christ's Death by our Sinnes. But this falles under the former Meditation, That Christ Dyed for us all, not onely all joyntly considered, but for everie one in particular, or as alone considered: and if he dyed for everie one in particular, or as alone considered, then everie one may and must thus judge, Then were all dead, and everie one in particular was a true cause of His Death. And this Meditation will make easie way to the Second, or second part of the same Meditation, which is This: Wherein, or in what respects, everie one of us doth wrong Christ Jesus more, or may do him more wrong then they did, which actually wrought his Death: that is, then Annas and Caiaphas, then the Scribes and Pharisees, then the Priests and Elders that plotted and conspired it, did.
But, doth any man which Professes Christianitie at this day, wrong Him more then Annas and Caiaphas, and their associats did? Yes, a great many! All that both daily and hourely do that which is more against his most Holie will, then all that Annas and Caiaphas and the Roman Souldiers did unto Him, wrong Him more then they did in putting Him to Death. ‘The only Rule for measuring any personal wrong, is the opposition which the Act or practise bears or includes unto the will or liking of the partie which is displeased or wronged.’
To apply this to our present purpose. Annas and Caiaphas and their complices, did our Saviour more wrong, then Cain did Abel his innocent Brother, [Page 3343] when he took away his life. For, Death, especially a violent death, was as bitter unto Christ, as man, as it was to Abel. So were the revileings, the slanders, and the defamations, which the people (by the instigation of the Priests, Scribes, and Pharisees) cast upon him, most displeasing to His Humane Will. Yet were all these personal wrongs more unpleasant to his most Holy Will as he was The Son of God, then unto his Humane Nature, then unto his disposition or affection, as He was the Son of David. And albeit he suffered nothing which his heavenly Father had not fore-determined, yet he that would excuse his persecutors from doing him wrong, were worse then an Infidel. Neither will this excuse us from doing him greater wrong then these his persecutors did, if we do those things which are more displeasant to Him, more contrarie, not only to his Divine, but even to His Humane Will and Nature now Glorified in Heaven, then all the wrongs which Satan and his instruments did unto Him, whilest He lived here on earth, whilest He was partaker of mortalitie with us.
18. But what do we? or what can we do more displeasant to His Holie Will, then what they did, who maliciously accused Him, who more maliciously sought his condemnation, who after. His condemnation, did more maliciously and Inhumanely treat and persecute Him, then any Barbarian would do a Malefactor which had yeilded himself to a Legal Tryall?
Surely, if we do those things which He is more unwilling we should do, then He was to suffer all the indignities which the Scribes and Pharisees could put upon Him, then all the torments which the Roman Laws could inflict upon Him; we wrong Him much more, then either the Jews or the Roman Souldiers did. For He did not suffer, either the Torments which seazed upon Him whilest He was upon the Crosse, or in the Garden, because He could not avoid or resist them, but because He was more willing to suffer all these, then a greater inconvenience, which should have befallen all and everie one of Us, unlesse these mischiefs (as the world accounts them) had befallen Him. The inconveniences which He sought to prevent by voluntarie undergoing these Calamities, were, the Dominion or Reign of Sin in us, and our Servitude unto Satan by this Reign of Sin. For, for this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might Dissolve or Destroy the works of the Divel: And His manifestation did contein, not only His Incarnation, but His Exemplarie persecution, His Death and Passion, which he was more willing to undergo, then to suffer the works of Satan, in any one of us, to be undissolved. If we then shall hold on his side, or seek to keep him in, whom Christ came to cast out; or shall build again that Babel which Christ came to destroy; if we take part with Satan, as all those do, which do those things whereby the works of Satan may be maintained or augmented, whereby the Reign or Soveraigntie of Satan may be confirmed or inlarged, we do those things which are more displeasing to Christ, then his Death and Passion was. And by doing such things (according to the former Rule) we wrong Him more then they did, which did conspire or Complot His Death, then they did, which put Him to that most cruel ignominious Death: For He was more willing to suffer That Death, to suffer all the indignities, that the Divel or world could put upon Him, then to suffer us, any one of us, to live and dye in our sins, and in the servitude and power of Satan. Thus much by way of Application, as relating to the First Generall; Proceed we now to the Second General; He—Dwelleth in mee, and I in him.
[Page 3344] 19. Dwelleth in Me, and I in him: Or, Abideth in Me, and I in him.
The word in the Original varies it's signification according to the Circumstances of matters handled. Somtimes it signifies no more then to The Second General. abide or remain, though but for an Houre or Two. Sometimes it necessarily imports as much as our English Expresseth in the Text, that is, A dwelling or mansion. From this real difference of the matter and circumstance, the word [...] is by our English one while exprest (as here it is) by Dwelling, another while by Abiding or remaining, within the compasse of one Period. For Example; John 1. ver. 39. John's two Disciples ask our Saviour, Rabbi, [...]; where dost thou dwell? And he saith unto them; Come and see. They came and saw where He dwelt; [...], and abode with Him that day. Though the word in the Original be in all three places the same, and though the Translators had twice rendered it by Dwelling, yet in the third place, they do not say, And they dwelt, but, they Abode with Him that day. Everie Dwelling includes an Abiding, but every Abiding doth not include or implie a Dwelling. Dwelling implies a constant or frequent place of Abode; and somewhat more then so, a place of known or professed Abode, no lurking-hole, or sculking-place. All these circumstances concur to justifie the Translation of the Original word here, rather by Dwelling, than by Abiding. For Christs abiding in us (if we so eat his flesh and drink his blood as he prescribes) is constant, is frequent, and perpetual. And whilest he abides in us, our abiding in him is not only constant and frequent, but the known, or professed place of our abode (and it is the best profession to be of his houshold). It is he that feeds us in time of peace, and he is our Tower of defence in time of War, the Rock of our Salvation, whilest we are beset with death and danger. Be thou to me, saith the Psalmist, Psal 71. 3. my strong habitation, whereto I may continually resort; thou hast given commandement to save me, for thou art my Rock, and my Fortresse.
But that Christ is the Rock of our Salvation, of our habitation in distresse, is a point which needs no further proof, no amplification. Yet seeing he is our dwelling place, the Rock of our Habitation in whom we dwell: Though a man be in the house as the Dweller; The house may be in the Man, as the right owner, possessor, & hous-holder. How can he be said to dwell in us? An house may be said to be in the Citie, but may we say that the Citie is in the house? Men dwel in Houses or Tents, but was it ever heard that Houses or Tents did dwell in men, that are the Lords and owners of them? The branch may abide in the Tree; So may the Graft in the Stock, but who would say, That the Tree abideth in the Branch, or the Stock in the Graft? How then is it said, That the Rock both of our Salvation and Habitation, the Sanctuarie of our Souls in all distresse doth dwell in us? How can He, who is the Root of Jesse (the Root of David Revel. 5. 5.) The True Vine which Gods own Right-Hand hath planted, abide in us, who are but wild slips lately ingrafted into the Stem from which the natural Branches were broken off?
20. The Difficultie arising from this Doubled Comparison, though really Two Difficulties. but One, must be handled in Two.
First, How Christ may be said to dwell in us, and we in Him.
Secondly, How He may be said to abide in us, and not we in Him onely.
This mutual Inhabitation and Reciprocal abode or In-Being, is very mystical and admirable. Yet may our apprehension of it be facilitated, by observing some resemblances thereof in other things, far different. To name that First which is worst. That possession of the Bodie of man, which evil [Page 3345] Spirits did usurp, in our Saviours time, is in H. Scripture oft set down in terms denoting the Evil Spirits being in the man, Matth. 12. 45. They enter in and dwell there. and Ch. 8. 31. if thou cast us out, suffer us to go into the Herd of swine. And Acts. 19. 16. The man in whom the evil spirit was. Yet doth S. Mark, Chapt. 1. 23. and Chapt. 5. 2. expresse this in the Original, as if the man was in an Evil Spirit: [...] Logick and Philosophie tell us, that The whole is in the parts, and the parts in the whole; whether it be a Totum potentiale, or Universale. (as Genus, which is in the Species; & the Species likewise in the Genus:) or whether it be Totum Collectivum; so the Citie is in the Several Families or Houshoulds, and these again are in the Citie. Some Good Divines have taken notice of That Speech or expression, Enter thou into thy Masters Joy; as importing the wondrous amplitude thereof: it is such, as cannot be comprehended or contained within him, but he must enter into it. Yet sure, that Joy doth both Satiate the Soul and Replenish the Bodie of him that enters into it. He is, as if we could suppose a large Vessel of Chrystal or transparent Gold let down into a Sea of Nectar or living waters. But the expressions of Scripture about God the Father his being in Christ, and Christ in Him, and in us, and of our Being in Him; and of Joh. 17. 11, 21, 22, 23, 26. Christ & his Holy Spirit being in us, is various; Especially, In S. John. Chap. 14. verses 10, 11, 16, 17, 20, 23. and perhaps more easie to be experimented by the Christian Union with God, then to be explayned in words more easie then the texts themselves.
21. To let these pass then; The proposed Difficulties must have their proper Solutions: the former from the explication of that Great Attribute of Christ, to wit, that He is the Chief-corner stone &c. The other Difficultie referres to that Metaphor of the vine and the Branches, or of the Stock and the Grafts.
Christ is compared unto A stone or Rock, and wee unto living Stones The former difficulty explained. built upon it, in respect of the strength and firmness of the foundation and structure of Gods House or Temple.
He is, again, rightly compared to the vine, to an Olive or other more fruitfull tree, and we unto Branches or grafts (not springing from the Root, but ingrafted into it) in respect of our growth in Him, and of the Diffusion of His virtue into us and through us.
That we are built upon Christ (as the Apostle saith Eph. 2. 20.) this doth argue that we dwell in him, that Hee is the Rock of our habitation. In that we are built on him, as on the Chief Corner-stone: not under Him onely, as He is Summus angularis lapis, the Chief Stone at the Topp, but upon Him as Lapis imus, the First-Foundation-stone too, and that a Living stone, which was cut out of the Mountain without Hands, and which was to grow into a Mountain filling the whole earth; This inferres, That he must dwell in us. For the stone, which Daniel speakes of, did not become a great mountain, so great a mountain as should fill all the earth, by addition or by heaping, or building one stone upon another, but by the growth of life; that is, by increase or augmentation of the same stone. Did this stone then increase or grow from small beginings unto a mountain, overspreading the whole earth? If this wee say, the rock of our salvation or habitation must receive increase of life, and become a greater habitation or dwelling place in this last Age than he had been in any former. But how should this be true? seeing he is, and was the rock of ages, the Rock on which the world it self is Founded; the rock by which the earth it self which supporteth all other rocks, is supported, Heb. 1. 3.
[Page 3346] 22. Such a Rock he was from eternitie as he is God, not as he is man. As man, he was first as a little stone, yet a growing stone, for he grew in wisdom, and stature, and favour with God and man, Luke. 2. 52. As God he could not be the corner-stone which God had promised to lay in Sion. Yet was Christ, who was both God and man, That stone which was layd in Sion. And as he, which was both God and man, did suffer for us, was raysed again the third day from the dead, not according to his Godhead, but according to his manhood: So was he (the same Christ, which was both God and man) the stone layd in Sion, not according to his Godhead, but according to his manhood. This gives us the ordinary interpretation of the Prophet Esay Chapt. 28. 16. But A late Interpreter of prophecies or visions, hath observed an Hypallage, or inversion in these words, not infrequent in the Prophets, familiar (as he alledgeth) to the Hebrew writers, such an inversion Esai. 8. 14. Rom. 9 33. 1 Pet. 2. 6. as Grammarians observe in that of the Poet,
That is, Formes changed into new bodies, for bodies changed into new formes. Thus saith this late Interpreter, when the Prophet saith, mitto lapidem in Sionem, I lay or place a stone in Sion, the meaning is, as if he had said, I lay Anton. Fernandius, Cited in the next Chapter. or found Sion, the spirituall Sion or new Jerusalem in a Stone, or cheif corner stone elect and pretious. But whether this be the grammatical or literal sense of the prophet, I leave for Criticks in the Hebrew dialect to determine. Both constructions, the ordinary and this Critical, are true, and compatible; both in respect of the matter, are necessarie: Christ God and man was layd in Sion, as a sure foundation stone, as Imus angularis Lapis, as the lowest corner stone, unto which S. Peter, for precedencie of time (so far wee yeild unto his primacie) was first annexed. Peter was the first living stone, which was Built upon this foundation stone: the other Apostles were layd, not upon Peter, but upon the same foundation stone, whether one after another or all together, wee will not dspute. However, all that beleive as Peter and the other Apostles did, or shall so beleive unto the worlds end, are immediately layd upon the same foundation stone, not one upon another, no one of them upon Peter, or upon any other Apostle; their union or annexion unto Christ, is as immediate as Peters was, and is or shalbe, as indissoluble as his was to Christ, albeit, their growth be not so great, nor for qualitie so glorious. The best inscription of this edifice thus immediately erected upon the same stone, would be that of the Poet, Crescet crescentibus illis. As the number of living stones, which are layd upon this foundation stone increase, so the foundation or corner stone which God did promise to lay in Sion, doth still increase. As every particular living stone increaseth or groweth from a stone into a pillar of this house of God; from a pillar in the house of God, unto a temple of God; so this foundation stone, that is, Christ as man, still groweth, still increaseth, not in himselfe, but in them. For they grow by his growth in them, or by diffusion of life from him into them.
23. But though Christ be often called A stone, a rock, a living stone, The Second Difficultie explained. a living rock, or a stone which being cut out of a mountain, became a Mountain which filled all the earth; yet the manner of his growth in us, or the manner of his inlarged habitation through the Church, may be best conceived by the manner of the soules growth or diffusion of his Vertue throughout Vegetable or sensible bodies, that is, through trees or plants, or through the bodies of men, of beasts, or such as wee call living creatures. There is [Page 3347] a vegetable soul in the Ake-corn when it is first set or planted; and this soul we may truely say dwelleth or abideth in the Akorn, and is the cause why the Akorn sprouteth into a rod: the same soul is the cause why the rod or twig groweth greater, the true cause why this twig growes into a stemme, why the stemme grown greater, spreads it self into branches, why every branch beareth leaf, blossom, or seed. Now the greater the stemme doth grow, the further the vegetable soul doth spread it self; The same vegetable soul which was in the Akorn diffuseth it self into the stemme, into the branches, into the leaf, into the blossom, into the Fruit or seed. None of these could thrive or prosper at all, unlesse the vegetable soul did abide or dwell in them, none of them can thrive or prosper any longer, than the vegetable soul abideth or dwelleth in them. Thus was Christ the root out of which S. Peter See Joh. 15. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. where the abode is mutuall. sprouted, the soul of Peter as he was a living or Spiritual man. He had no life but from Christ, he grew by Christ dwelling or abiding in him. And as he did grow by Christ abiding in him; So he bare fruit by Christs dwelling in him, by the diffusion of life, and vegetation from Christ. And so all they, that abiding in Christ do grow in faith, grow by Christ dwelling in them and spreading his vertue through them, after such a manner as the vegetable soule doth diffuse it self throughout the Branches which spring from the root or stemme, or through the branches which are ingrafted or inoculated into it. And this manner of the vegetable souls diffusion of it self (or of its vertue) into all the Branches which are ingrafted into the same stock or root, doth better resemble the manner of Christs dwelling in us, than the diffusion of life or vegetation from the root into the stemmes, stovens or branches, which without ingraffing or inoculation naturally spring from it.
24. But this later similitude of the Stock and Grafts, although it well expresse the manner of Christs abiding or growing, not in himself, but in us, and the manner of our abiding or dwelling in him; it may seem to fail in this; That ordinarie Stocks, howsoever the ingrafted branches be supported by them, and receive life and nutriment from them, yet do they not receive their specifical kind of life from the stocks into which they are ingrafted, but still retain their own native qualitie. As a good Apple or Pear grafted into a Crab stock or Thorn, doth not degenerate into a Crab or Thorn, but reteins its native sweetnesse, and bears the same fruit which it would have done, although it had grown up into a Tree from its own root, or from the root whereof it was a native Branch. It would be a Soloecism to say, That any such stock doth remain or dwell in the Graft, because it doth not diffuse its specifical qualitie into it. But Christ in this manner abideth or dwelleth in us. He is the Root and Stem, and we the Grafts and inset branches, and yet he is said as truely to dwell in us, as we in him. This argues that the manner of our ingrafting and abiding in him is not natural, because the Stock or Stem, is for nature and qualitie much better than all the Branches or Grafts which are supported by it, which receive life and nutriment by it. Hence saith the Apostle, Rom. 11. 24. That we Gentiles were cut out of the Olive tree which was wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good Olive tree. This ingraftment is contrary unto nature two wayes;
First, In that the Grafts being wild by nature, without any root, or fat, or sweetness in themselves, grow better qualified then they were, by participation of the sweetness of the Stock.
Secondly, In that the Stock whereinto they are ingrafted, is a good Olive; whereas the Olive tree, naturally admits no ingraftment, or incision, being [Page 3348] by nature so fat, that it seems to envie or scorn to participate his fatness unto any other Branches. In arbore pingui non vivunt insita, Grafts do not thrive or prosper in any fat tree or stock, saith A late Naturalist. And as an Hebrew Doctor hath Observed, the Olive, being the fattest of Trees, will admit no incision, nor ingraftment. Nor will any Olive Graft thrive or prosper, unlesse it be ingrafted in an hungry stock. That fatnesse is as peculiar to the Olive, as sweetness to the Fig or Vine; besides experience, we have the authoritie of Scripture, Judg. 9. ver. 9. The trees went forth on a time to annoint a King over them, and they said unto the Olive tree, Reign thou over us; But the Olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatnesse wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said unto the Fig tree, Come thou and Reign over us; But the Fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetnesse and my good fruit, &c? Yet is Christ Jesus the True Olive Tree, but left his fatnesse for a time, that we, being by nature wild Olives might be ingrafted into him, and being ingrafted might participate of his fatnesse and sweetnesse, which is no other, then that whereof the natural Olive is the Embleme, to wit, Peace, even the Peace of God which surpasseth all understanding. Peace was his Embassage; as the Apostle saith, He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between Joh. 14. 27 Joh. 16. 33 us, &c. And came and preached peace unto you, which were afar off, and to them that were nigh, Eph. 2. verses 14. 17.
CHAP. V. The Great Attribute of Christ [His being the Chief Corner-Stone] handled in the fore-going Chapter, prosecuted more amply in this. Christ is the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. How Christians being built upon this Foundation, do grow into an Holie Temple.
1. THe Sum of our Apostles speech in this Chapter, (whereof these words are the Conclusion) is this; ‘That these Ephesians who were Gentiles by progenie, far off from God, and Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, had now the priviledge of Gods Saints, were fellow Citizens with them, and of the houshold of God, as it is, ver. 19. And to assure them of this Priviledge or perogative,’ he adds ver. 20. That they were built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner-stone. Jesus Christ was the Best Foundation, the only foundation, which could give this prerogative to the Apostles or Prophets, to be either Saints or of the houshold of God. And he it is, that gave to these Ephesians, though by nature Gentiles; and that gives to all, whosoever are built upon this Corner-stone, the like Priviledge, a priviledge or prerogative [Page 3349] to be native parts of that Holy Temple, which Jesus Christ came down from heaven to build here on earth.
2. The Points then to be discussed are Three.
First, What is meant by the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles. Three Points to be Discussed.
Secondly, In what manner Christ is said to be the chief Cornerstone.
Thirdly, The manner how we are built upon the foundation here meant, or upon this Corner-stone, with the manner of our growth into an Holy Temple.
First, Whatsoever be here meant by the Foundation, it is not restrained to any one Prophet or Apostle. The meanest Prophet is not excluded; Moses and Samuel are to be numbred amongst the Prophets here meant, they were no foundations of the rest. Nor is Peter here included as the foundation of the other Apostles, but as a joynt part of this Foundation, or of the Building erected upon it; whether we consider his Person or Doctrine. Many Interpreters of good note, understand the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets, so saith Hugo Cardinalis, Super doctrinam Apostolorum & Prophetarum: But every Sound Doctrine must have a sure Foundation. What then is the Foundation of the Apostolick and Prophetical Doctrine? That can be no other then the Corner-Stone here mentioned; to wit, Christ Jesus God and man. Are not the Apostles then true foundations of this building? or will not Saint Johns words. Rev. 21. 14. infer thus much? And the wall of the Citie had twelve foundations, and in them the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Surely neither his words, nor the circumstance of the place, will conclude that the twelve Apostles were the twelve Foundations; but only that their names were inscribed in them. So were not, for ought we read, the names of the Prophets; nor can it be concluded, that St John did mean the self same thing, by the twelve foundations, that Saint Paul here doth by the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles. Saint John describes the new Jerusalem, as a Citie lying four square, with twelve Gates. Three on the East, and three on the North, three on the South, and three on the West, bearing the Inscription of the twelve Tribes of Israel: And having twelve Gates, it must needs have twelve foundations, that is, the whole Foundation is divided into twelve parts. The Apostles were in no other sense the twelve foundations, than the twelve Tribes of Israel were the twelve Gates. Yet foundations the Apostles might be said of this Citie, in such a sense as Hesychius saith, Saint Andrew was of Saint Peter, because he brought him to Christ. Thus the whole Christian world, was by the Apostles, brought unto Christ as to the only sure foundation, which God had promised to lay in Sion, or (as the Hebraism imports) on which, or in which. God had promised to build up Sion, that is (in Saint Johns language) the new Jerusalem. Christ then was the chief Corner-Stone, on which the Prophet foretold Sion should be Re-erected; the foundation on which the Apostles themselves were laid: and we should no way swerve from the meaning of Saint Paul, if by the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, we neither understand their persons nor their Doctrine, or neither of these only or especially, but the self same foundation upon which the Prophets and Apostles were built, by whose vertue they grew to be living stones of this edifice: For other foundation then this Corner-stone can no man lay; nor did Christ himself build upon any other foundation then upon himself. He is the only Foundation, whether of the Apostles persons or Doctrine. I am the bolder to Commend this Interpretation [Page 3350] unto you, because I see it ingenuously acknowledged by a late Learned Anton. Fernand. Conimb. visiones vet. Test. vis. 2. Cap. 28. Gen. fol. 83. Sect. 6. num. 9. And Benedictus Ferdinandius Borb. Lusit. in his 2d Tom. of Comments, upon Gen. Cap. 28. Sect. 2. Num. 8. Fol. 568. saith, Rom. Ecclesia—est Turris—fundatur in Petri confessione at que in Domini promissiore—.And a little after he cites S. Athanasius (Lib. 2. De Trin.) Optimè S. Athanasius; Unum hoc est immobile fundamentum, una haec est felix fidei petra Petriore Confessae, Tues Filius Dei vivi, &c. Jesuite, who (I think) learned it of Thomas Aquinas. Superaedificati supra fundamentum Apostolorum; id est, Christum, qui est Fundamentum Apostolorum.
3. But in what sense is Christ said to be the chief Corner-Stone? In the The 2d Point interpretation of the Original word, I find the Diversitie to be greater then the real difference. Some translate the Original [ [...]] Summo angulari lapide, the highest or supreme Corner-Stone, which couples or bindes the Building. Beza will have it [imo angulari lapide,] the lowest stone in the corner, which we call, the Foundation Stone; and which in Buildings (especially consecrated to sacred use) is commonly laid with great Solemnitie, and by the hands of some principal man, or publick Officer. And Beza well observes, that the Greek [...], which is the epithite or title of the Corner-stone Beza's Observation. here in the Text, doth signifie both extremes of any dimension, as well the lowest, as the highest; and he gives this good Caveat withal, that we are not to presse this comparison of Christ to a Corner-stone too far; no further than our Apostle meant it: which was, the joyning of two wals together, which before had been distant, and unsociable; to wit, the Jew and the Gentile.
Now in everie compleat building, there must be more then two walls, four at the least, and therefore four Corner-stones, four imi angulares lapides, four Foundation-stones, and four Summi angulares lapides, that is, four Supreme, or binding Corner-stones; and all these corner-stones are said to be the chief in the building. It is evident, that Christ is the First foundation-stone, and yet may it not be denyed that he is also the chief Corner-stone which binds the building. For in this sense must that of the Psalmist, Psal. 118. 22. be understood: The Stone which the Builders refused is become the Head-Stone of the corner. For if we respect the literal sense of this Prophesie, or the ground of the metaphor, the lowest or foundation stone, being once refused by the builders, cannot by the same builders be layed in the foundation again, unless they will pull down what they have built: But whilest the foundation is in laying, a stone may be rejected, or laid aside by the builders, as not so fitting to be laid in the Foundation (or to be any intermediate part of the edifice erected) and yet may come to be the fittest Stone for coupling or binding the building; that is, to be the supreme Corner-stone. The Author of the Scholastick Historie hath a Tradition, for whose authoritie he (perhaps) could have produced better Warrant, then we can take from him, that in the building of the second Temple (at whose consecration, in all probabilitie, this 118. Psalm was conceived) there was a peculiar Stone often layed aside by the builders, as unfitting (in their judgement) to become any part of the foundation or intermediate building, which yet afterwards proved the fittest Corner-stone for binding or coupling together the walls erected. And the extraordinarie unexpected fitnesse of this stone, to finish that building, for whose erection it was continually held unfit, did minister hint or occasion unto the Psalmist to say, This is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.
[Page 3351] But leaving the truth or probabilitie of this Tradition to the search of Antiquaries or Criticks, the literal or emblematicall sense which the author makes of the Psalmist, doth well suit with the allegorical and mystical, which the Apostles S. Paul here, and S. Peter, Act. 4. 11. from our Saviours mouth, have made of the Psalmists parabolicall speech. For thus our Saviour Christ (whom God had presented and commended to the Master builders of his Temple, that is, to the Priests the Scribes and Pharisees, to the elders and chief rulers of the Synagogue, in the dayes of his humiliation here on earth,) was by them rejected, scoffed and spurned at, and lastly buryed in the earth, as altogether uselesse and unfit for Building. And yet, after his resurrection, He became not onely imus, but summus angularis lapis, not only the first firm Corner-stone or supporter, but the chief and supreme Corner-stone too; aswell the finishing as the Foundation of this spiritual Temple not made with hands. That Christ himselfe is both the Foundation and finisher, that is, both the highest perfection and lowest foundation in this building, his owne interpretation of the Psalmists words, Matth. 21. 42, 44. will necessarily inferre. Did you never read (saith he) in the Scriptures, The stone which the Builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lords doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And whosoever shall fall on this Stone shall be broken: but on whom soever it shall fall it shall grind him to powder. Fall upon this corner-stone they could not, but as it was the lowest in the building. Their fall upon it could not be so grievous as to break their limbs, unlesse it had been layd deeper or lower then ordinary foundations or corner-stones are usually layd. And the mystical sense of our Saviours words is, that such as spurned and stumbled at him, in his humilitie, should as it were break their limbes; But that this stone should fall upon any, this in the literall sense supposeth, that it should be higher than they were, so high placed in this building, that the fall of it should not bruise or break their limbes, but grind their bones to powder. And thus was the Jewish nation broken or cut off from being Gods people for their contempt of Christ in his humilitie. And not onely they, but all such as continue the like contempt of his passion and resurrection, shall by his second coming (to Judgement) in glorie, be ground to powder; that is, the paines of their first breaking by falling upon this corner-stone shall be multiplied without end or measure.
To conclude this second Point; Christ is both Lapis summus angularis, lapis imus, primus & latissimus angularis, as Pineda saith in Chap. 38. Job. vers. 6. The highest and the lowest corner-stone in this building, the center and Pineda on Ch. 38. Job. vers. 6. circumference, the whole strength of this citie and the walls about it; so saith the Prophet Esay. 26. 1. Wee have a strong citie, salvation will God appoint for walls, and bulwarks. Open yee the gates that the righteous Nation, which keepeth the truth, may enter in. And again ver. 4. Trust yee in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, or (as the Hebrew) the rock of ages. As this Spiritual temple in the Text, is a Temple not made with hands, (for God dwelleth not in such Temples. Act. 7. 48. Heb. 9. 11, 24.) So Christ, who is the chief corner-stone of it, is that stone, which Nebuchadnezzar saw in visions by night, Dan. 2. vers. 34. A stone not cut out of any quarrie by hands, yet a stone, which smote the Image upon the feet, which were of Iron and clay, and broke not them onely, but the whole Image, aswell the brasse, the Gold and Silver, as the iron and clay unto peeces. And afterwards became a great mountain, which filled the whole earth. But how or when this stone became a great mountain, or in what manner wee are [Page 3352] said to grow into an holy temple, will better appear in discussing the third Point proposed, which was, Concerning the manner how these Ephesians or others are said to be built upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles, and upon Jesus Christ the chief Corner-stone; and how they grow into an Holie Temple.
4. When the Prophet saith that the stone cut without hands did become a Great Mountain, he supposeth, that it should be a living stone. And The 3. Point. propounded Paragr. 2. when our Apostle here saith that the whole building doth grow unto an holy temple, it is included, that every part of this temple should be a living stone. For growth, (such growth as the Apostle speakes of) is an effect of life. Things inanimate or without life, as materiall buildings, stones of the quarrie, or any heap or congest, may become greater by addition of matter unto them: they cannot Grow unto greatnesse, as wanting the facultie of vegetation or Nutrition. That onely is capable of growth, which is capable of nutrition, and nothing is capable of nutrition, but that which is endowed with life. Hence saith S. Peter 1. Ep. cap. 2. vers. 2. &c. As new born babes desire the Sincere milk of the word, that yee may grow thereby, if so be yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious. The Growth then of every Christian, is more than the Growth of vegetables; for it includeth the sense of tast, wee must tast the graciousnesse of the Lord by faith, and wee must come unto him by faith, as unto a Living stone, disallowed of men, but chosen of God and pretaious, and coming thus unto him, As the Apostle adds, vers. 5. wee also become lively stones, and are built up a spirituall house, an holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. S. Peters inference in that place vers. 6, 7, &c. is the very same with our Apostle S. Pauls in this place; and so is the Use or Application of it the very same with that, which our Apostle makes in the later end of this Epistle. But of the Use hereafter.
‘It will in the meane time be very Usefull for us to observe, That neither S. Paul, nor S. Peter, when they purposely handled the building of the Gentiles upon this chief Corner-stone, do mention or intimate any other Foundation, on which wee are to be builded, before we be builded on Christ: Neither of them taught us to rely on themselves, or on their personal faith, or their successors Authoritie, as upon secondary foundations, by Union with whom (or relying upon whom) we might be grounded upon the Prime Foundation, which is Christ.’ If this they had taught us, they had taught us not to believe as they believed, and not believing as they believed, we could not possibly become such live stones of this spirituall edifice as they were.
5. But if wee must beleeve as S. Peter believed, must wee not beleive as the Church beleeves? yes! Al that hope to be saved must believe as the true Church believes; and they onely are the true Church which believe as S. Peter believed. The Question is, Who they be that believe as S. Peter believed? These (wee say) are the members of Reformed Churches, or the Reformed Churches themselves. No member of the Romish Church can possibly believe as S. Peter did unlesse they will abandon the absolute infallibilitie of the visible Romish Church. For every one which beleeves as S. Peter did, must have the same Object of Faith which S. Peter had. He may not believe any Article of faith which S. Peter did not believe: he may not seek, he cannot hope to be built on the same Foundation on which Peter was built, by relying upon any Authoritie See Book 3. Chap. 7. 8. A Discourse about, Thou art Peter, &c. upon which Peter himselfe did not rely. The manner of his union unto this Foundation must be the same that Peters was, as immediate as Peters [Page 3353] Union was. What then was the proper Object of Peters faith? What was the Fundamental Rock on which Peter was by this faith immediately built? That was only Christ, the Son of man, and the Son of the living God: ‘And the Branches which naturally issue out of this Root (or living Rock) are: That Christ the Son of the living God, the Son of God the Father, was Conceived by the Holy Ghost, was Born of the Virgin Mary, did suffer under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified, dead, and buried, &c.’ Did S. Peter believe all or any of these Articles by believing his own Authoritie? Was he founded on Christ by the intermediation, or interposition of any other secondarie foundation? Was he the foundation or Rock on which himself was built? If we cannot believe these Articles, but by believing S. Peter or his personal faith, to be the Rock on which the Church is built, then Peter, or his personal faith, must be to us as a second foundation. We cannot be united to Christ, we cannot be builded on Christ, unlesse we be first united unto, and builded on Peter. But Peter was not builded upon himself, or upon his own faith; wherefore if we be builded upon Peter or upon Peters faith, we have not the same Object of faith, nor the same faith which Peter had; for neither Peters person, nor his faith, were any part of the Object of his Faith. His Authoritie was no meanes of his Union with Christ.
6. That the Object of Faith must be formally the very Same in all true Believers, the present Romish Church (if this were the Question between her and us) could not deny. Her greatest Clerks do expressely teach and maintaine it as a principle of true Divinitie. And maintaining this truth, they must confesse (unlesse they will contradict themselves) that we must be as immediately united to Christ by Faith, as Peter was; we must be as immediately builded on Christ by this faith, as Peter was; we must not be built on him, by being built upon Petes Faith, or upon his successors Infallible Authoritie. For so we should have another Object or Article of faith than Peter had, or his successors have: We should have another foundation then Pete had, as many more foundations as Peter hath successors. Our Union with them should be a part of our Union with Christ; Our Belief of their Infallible Authoritie, should be the chief Bond of this Union, such a bond or stay of our edification upon Christ as the stones or cement in a material building, is, between the lowest foundation, and the intermediate Rows of stone which are layed one upon another until the highest Row be finished. And to be thus united unto Christ, were to make him no living stone, which diffuseth life unto all that are built upon him; but a dead stone, or a stone only able to support the material or dead weight which is laid upon it; there should be no growth in faith, but an addition, or cementing of one part unto another, until the edifice were finished. Whereas our Apostles words are expresse, that all the building is fitly framed together in Christ, and so framed groweth up unto an holy Temple in the Lord. He saith not, we are builded one upon another, but builded together in Him for an habitation of God through the Spirit. This Spirit by which we are builded together in Christ, or through which we become the habitation of God, is not communicated and propagated unto us from S. Peter, and his Successors, as from intermediate Foundations or Roots. We, and all true believers, receive the influence of the Spirit, as immediately from Christ, or from God the Father and the Son, in the same manner as Saint Peter did, though not in the same measure. But the Difference of the measure in which we receive it, or the difference of our growth in Christ, doth not argue a different manner either of our receiving it, or of growth by it.
[Page 3354] 7. But is this the worst Practise of the Romish Church, that she adds one Article more unto our Creed, than Saint Peter knew, or taught others to believe; or that she makes Peters successors to have a Foundation which he had not? If thus she did, and no more, this were enough to convince her of Grosse Heresie. But this one Article of faith, or this second foundation of faith which she pretends, is of such a transcendent nature, that it devours all the rest; and doth, if not overthrow the First foundation of our faith, yet, which is all one, it draws us from it. For as many successions as there be of Popes, or of Peters pretended successors, so many several foundations there be of their faith, which successively adhere unto them. Nor are these several or successive foundations either immediately cemented, or firmly united to the first Foundation, which is Christ, or one to another: They are as so many Rows or Piles of stone laid one upon another without any juncture or binding, than loose sand. And all that absolutely unite themselves to the present Romish Church, that is, to Peters pretended successors, must of necessity fall off from the First Foundation, Christ God and man, and flote with these secondarie foundations, to wit, Peters succcessors, when the floods of temptations do arise.
The point then to be proved is this, That the present Romish Church, to wit, the present Pope, or such as rely upon him, as a second or intermediate foundation in this structure, cannot possibly be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, they cannot grow up together as living stones firmly united in Christ Jesus, as in the Corner-stone. Now the proof of this Point is clear, because none can be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles, unlesse they absolutely believe, as they believed, and firmly acknowledge that which they have commended unto us in their writings to have been delivered unto them by God himself; for so they expressely teach us to believe. Believing then as they believed, we must believe, that albeit the Apostles and Prophets be not the Foundation here meant in the Text, yet, that they were Master Builders appointed by God for squaring and fitting all that lived with them, or that succeeded them, for this foundation; and that the Rule by which, as well the Pastors and Teachers, as the people taught by them, must be fitted and squared for this foundation, is the doctrine of faith conteined in their Writings. Both these parts of truth, to wit, that the Books of the Old and New Testament are their Writings or Dictates, and that in these Writings the Doctrine, or Rule of Faith is contained, must be absolutely believed, and taken for unquestionable, before any modern pastors in the Church, can be fram'd or fashioned to be true stones in this building. ‘But no man which absolutely believes the present Romish Church, can have any absolute belief, that the Old and New Testament, or the Writings of the Apostles and Prophets are infallibly true or contain the Word of God. The best belief that any Romanist can have is but Conditional, and the Condition is this, If the present Romish Church (to wit, the Pope, and such as rely upon his authoritie) be absolutely infallible, and cannot err in matter of faith.’
But it will be Replyed; In as much as the Roman Catholicks take it as a Principle most unquestionable, that their Church cannot erre, they for this reason must beleeve the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets concerning Christ to be infallible, and the bookes of the Old and New Testament to conteyne the word of God, because the Church their Mother, which they firmely beleeve cannot erre, doth tell them so; or, (as their owne writers speake) because the Church their mother doth Canonize these bookes [Page 3355] for the bookes of God. This indeed is the chiefe advantage, which they Presume their Lay-people have of ours, in that they believe the Churches testimony concerning the bookes of God to be infallible, and if they beleeve the Church to be in this point infallible, they cannot doubt but that these bookes are the word of God.
But if wee look more narrowly into this mysterie of iniquitie, and take their full meaning with us, it will further appear, that this absolute belief of this present Churches absolute infallibilite doth overthrow or undermine the whole frame of faith. For they extend this supposed infallibilitie of the Romish Church so farre, and make the belief of it so necessarie, that without this fundamentall principle (as they say) wee cannot infallibly believe or know the bookes of the, Old and New Testament, to containe in them the word of God. And in avouching this, it is evident that they leave both the Authoritie of the Apostolical and Prophetical writings, and the Authoritie of the Present Church, altogether uncertaine, so uncertaine, that nothing avouched by either of them can be (by their doctrine) so certain, as to become any Foundation of their faith. If wee cannot infallibly believe the bookes of the Old and New Testament to be the bookes of God himselfe, and of divine Authoritie, otherwise then by believing the present Romish Church to be infallible, let them tell us how they can possibly believe or prove, that the Romish Church, or any other Congregation of men, hath any such infallible authoritie. This authoritie must be either believed, or known by light of nature, or by Divine Testimonie, or Revelation. That the infallibilitie of their Church can be known by light of Nature, they do not, they dare not say. For that Peter, on whom that Church (as they pretend) is founded, was an Apostle of Christ, cannot be known by light of Nature, or by sense; it cannot be infallibly believed, but by Divine Authoritie, Revelation, or Testimonie. By what Divine Testimonie then do they know that Peter was an Apostle, or that the Church was to be builded on him, or on his successors? You know they pretend that place of S. Matthew Chap. 16. 18. Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church: and that of S. Luke, Chap. 22. 32. I have prayed for thee that thy faith shall not fail; And yet they deny, that we can possibly know these words to be the words of God, or to have any such meaning as they make of them, unlesse we will believe the Churches Authoritie, in avouching them to be the words of God, and her interpretation of them to be infallible.
But leaving them wandring in this Round or Circle, as we found them long agoe, let us further consider the manner how we are built upon Christ Book 2. ch. 30 Valentian his Inchanted Circle. the Chief Corner-stone, and how we must grow unto an holy Temple in the Lord.
9. Christ (as you heard before) is not the Corner-stone or Foundation only, but the Temple of God: A Greater and more spacious Temple, then all the building which is erected upon him, which groweth up in him. We must be living stones, we must be Pillars in the house of God, we must be Temples of God; that is, an habitation of God through the Spirit; but no Foundations, no chief corner-stones, these are Christs prerogatives; Behold I have graven thee (to wit, the Spiritual Sion, saith the Prophet, Isa. 49. 16.) upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me: that is, as a late Interpreter of the Romish Church saith, I have pitched thy Anton. Fernand. foundations in my hands by the wounds which I received in them. By whose diduction or rent, a place was opened for this future edifice to be erected in him. [Page 3356] And for this cause Christ (who is the Rock) was every way digged into, in his side, in his hands, in his feet. The mysterie whereof is, that he might exhibit a firm foundation out of which the fabrick of the Church should grow. That we then become living stones in this edifice, it is from our immediate Union with this chief corner-stone; being united to him, he is fashioned in us: and by him fashioned in us, we become living stones, growing stones: we grow from living stones to living pillars, from living pillars to living Temples, or habitations for our God. That the children of God are not onely living stones, but from living stones grow into pillars, our Saviour himselfe hath taught us by S. John. Rev. 3. 12. Him that overcometh will I make A Pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and if wee be pillars in the temple of God, we must be as immediately placed on the foundation or chief corner-stone as S. Peter or Christs other Apostles were: We must be as intire Temples as they were. And for this reason, our Saviour adds, upon every one whom he makes a pillar, the name of God and the name of the City of God the new Jerusalem which cometh out of Heaven. Know ye not, saith S. Paul, 1 Cor. 6. 19. That your bodie is the temple of the Holy Ghost? As wee say, the Kings presence makes the Court; So it is Gods Holy Spirits extraordinary presence in man which makes him his Temple. And the Reason why Christ is called The Temple of God, is because the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily. And for the like reason every one in whom Christ dwelleth by faith, is, in a participated sense, called, The Temple of God. And as visible Cities consist of severall houses, and as the beautie of every Citie consists in the Uniformitie of houses well built and joyned together, so the heavenly Jerusalem consists of several Temples, whose beautie or Uniformitie consists in this, that Christ Jesus is the life and light of every severall Temple, and that his spirit is uniformely diffused through all.
10. Christ (as you have read before) Communicates his Titles unto his Saints, but not the Reall Prerogative of his Titles. He is The Rock, so was Peter a rock, so are wee rocks, but not The rock on which the Church is built. He is the Chiefe Corner-stone, we are living stones; he is the temple and the Priest of the most high God; and he makes us both temples and Priests unto his God. So saith S. Peter. 1. Ep. cap. 2. vers. 5. Yee all as lively stones are built up a spirituall house, an holy Priest-hood to offer up Spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. The Modell of this spirituall Temple and Priest-hood (that is, of the new Jerusalem, and the service of God performed in it) was exhibited by Moses Exod. 24. 4, 5. at the making of the first covenant. Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up earely in the morning, and builded an altar under the Hill, and twelve pillars according to the 12. tribes of Israel. And he sent yong-men of the Children of Israel, which offered burnt offrings, and sacrificed peace offerings of Oxen unto the Lord. Immediately, after this, Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feete, as it were a paved work of a saphire stone, and as it were the bodie of Heaven in his clearnesse, ver. 9. The yong men which he sent to offer sacrifices (as the best interpreters observe) were the first-born of their families. For till that time, and at that time, which was before the consecration of Aaron and his sonnes, it was Lawfull for the First born male of every family to execute the office of the Priest; This was his dutie. So that every family was as a little parish-Church, and had his Priest, to performe this service of God. Now though all that are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, are not admitted to be Architects or master-builders, though all be not publick [Page 3357] teachers or pastors; yet all that are, or hope to be parts of this building, have the same Prerogative which the First-born males of Israel had before Aaron was consecrated; All must be Priests to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices unto God. But seeing wee must grow unto an holy temple; and growth (as was said before) supposeth nutrition, let us now see what is the nourishment by which we must grow from living stones to be living pillars, from pillars to be living Temples, yea Kings and Priests unto our God.
11. The nature and qualitie of the Nutriment by which wee must grow, cannot in fewer words be more pithily exprest, than it is by S. Peter, 1 Pet. 2. cap. vers. 2. It is the sincere milk of the word: But how good soever the nutriment be, it doth not kindly nourish unlesse wee have an appetite to it; Therefore the same Apostle addes, [...], desire, or long after, the sincere milk of the word. We must then desire to have the word dwell in us plentifully, and wee must desire to have it sincere, that is, pure and unmingled. Now this milk may become unsincere or mingled, sometimes by the default of the Pastor or teacher, sometimes by the default of the hearers. The dutie which concernes us teachers is, that wee do not mingle the word, with the Traditions of men, how ancient soever they be. This is the fault of the Romish Church, which the Church our mother hath sufficiently prevented by publick edicts or decrees. But many otherwise averse enough from Traditions of the Romish or other ancient Church, ofttimes corrupt it with their own Conceits or Phansies, which will easily mingle themselves with the word, unlesse we speak out of premeditation, and have both art and leasure to revise and examine, aswell our own meditations, as the meditations or expositions of others whose help wee use. ‘Since the ordinary Gifts of the Spirit did cease, there is no facultie under the sun which more requires the help of art and study than the exposition of Scriptures doth. It requires a greater skill then the skill of Alchymie, to extract the true sense and meaning of the holy Ghost, from the plausible glosses or expositions which are dayly made upon them.’ But how sincerely soever the word may be delivered by the Pastor, it may be corrupted by the hearer. Milk (as Physicians tell us) is turned into purer blood with greater facilitie, than any other nutriment, so the body which receives it, be free from humors; but if the stomack or other vitall parts, be stuft with Phlegm, opprest with Choler, or other corruption, there is no nutriment which is more easily corrupted, or more apt to feed bad humors than milk, how pure soever it be. Thus though the sincere milk of the word be not only the best, but the onely nutriment of soules, by which wee must grow up in faith: yet if the heart which receives it from the preachers mouth, sincere, be pestered with corrupt affections, it doth not nourish; if it do not purge or purifie the corrupt humours but mingle with them, they malignifie one another. The speciall humours, which on the hearers part, corrupt the sincere milk of the word, and of which every one that will be a diligent hearer, must endeavour to purge his soule by repentance, are set downe by S. Peter in the same Chapter, vers. 1. Wherefore laying aside all malice, all guile, and all hypocrisie, and envies, and evill-speakings, as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word. Wee must first, (then) desire the word as Physick to purge our soules: That part of the word I mean, which teacheth Repentance, and denyall of all ungodliness, before wee can hope to grow by the milk of it, that is, by the comfort of Gods promises. Unlesse our hearts be, in good measure purified, by obedience to the Generall precepts, or morall duties; how sincere soever the milk of the word preached be, our desire of it [Page 3358] cannot be sincere; wee shall desire it, or delight in it, to maintain Faction, or secret pride, not to grow up thereby in sinceritie of mind and humblenesse of spirit, which are the most proper effects of the milk of the word sincerely delivered and sincerely received.
SECT. II. Of Christs Lordship or Dominion.
The Degrees, or Steps by which we must ascend before we enter this Beautiful Gate of the Lords House, are Three,
First, What it is to be a LORD.
Second, Upon what Grounds, or in what respects, Christ is, by peculiar Title, called THE LORD.
Third, How our Confession or acknowledgment of Christ to be The Lord, doth redound to the Glorie of God the Father.
CHAP. VI. What it is to be a Lord. Though there be many called Lords, yet is there but One Absolute Lord.
1. THe Title of Lord, whether we take it in the Greek, in the Latin, or in our English, is sometimes a Title only of Respect or courtesie: So strangers usually salute men of place or note, by the name of Dominus, or sometimes of Domination it self. And we usually instile the Eldest Sons of Earles by the title of Lords; And all the Sons of Dukes, even from their Cradles are so instiled. Not to vouchsafe them this Title, when we mention them, were ill manners or discourtesie. Howbeit, even they which are bound to [Page 3359] love them best, the very parents of their bodies, do not permit them to enjoy the Realities answering to these honourable Titles, before their full age; and for the most part till they themselves have surrendred them by death. The Realitie answering to this title of Lord is Dominion. Every one that hath Dominion is a Lord, in respect of that over which he hath Dominion; and whosoever really is a Lord, is so instiled from some Dominion, which he exerciseth. Dominus in Latin sometimes goes for no more then our English word [Owner:] and this is the lowest or meanest signification of the word, Lord. The full Extent or highest value of the word Dominus, or Lord, must be gathered from the several degrees, or scale of Dominion; as either from the Extent of the matter or subject over which Dominion is exercised, or from the Soveraigntie of Title. Dominion, as Lawyers define it, is A Facultie or power, fully to dispose of any corporal or bodily substance, so far as they are not restrained by law. And by how much a mans power to dispose of what he hath, is lesse restrained by law, by so much his Dominion over it is the greater; and he, in respect of it, is, if not so much a greater Lord, yet so much more properly a Lord. But fitting it is, in regard of publick good, or of posteritie, that most mens power to dispose of that, which otherwise by full right is their own, should be in certain Cases restrained. Many are Lords of great Lands, and may dispose of their annual profits as they please; but yet cannot sell, or alienate their perpetual inheritance.
Others have a more full power to dispose of the houses wherein they dwell, a power not only to let or set them for yeers, but to sell or give away the perpetual inheritance; who yet are by Law restrained utterly to demolish or set them on fire, especially if they be inclosed by neighbour Lodgings. The Cases are many, wherein Dominuim sub altiore dominio est. There is a sub ordination of Lordships or Dominions; some are Mean Lords, some are Chief Lords. Even meaner Lords or owners are not to be denyed the titles of Lords, albeit they cannot alienate the soil, whereof they are owners, without licence of the Chief Lord; much more are chief or higher Lords to be so reputed, because their Dominion or power to dispose of their own Lands is lesse subordinate; howbeit in some cases limited by the Rule of Law. And this restraint, in how few cases soever it be, hinders their greatnesse from growing into absolute Dominion: Lords they are, but not absolute Lords. This is a Title peculiar to Kings or Monarches, who are so called only in respect of their own subjects, or of their own Lands. No meere mortal man since Adam was Lord of the whole earth, or bare soveraigntie over all men or bodily substances. And the greatest of men have been subject or inferiour to Angels.
2. To leave other divisions of Dominion to Lawyers; All Dominion is either, Jurisdictionis or Proprietatis; A power of Jurisdiction, or a right to the Propertie. The former branch of Dominion, is exercised only over men or resonable creatures, which only are capable of Jurisdiction passive, or of Government. The later branch, which we call Dominion of propertie, for the most part respects things corporall. Howbeit, even men or reasonable creatures are sometimes subject to both Branches of Dominion, but in different measure, according to the severall rites or customes of diverse ages, nations, or people. Such as the Latins call Servi or Servuli, slaves (or servants properly so called) were in bonis Domini; they were the goods or possession of their Masters. These bodily Lords had not only Dominion of Jurisdiction over, See Book 8. Ch. 7. And Book 10. Chap. 15, 16. but Dominion of propertie, to their persons. No law did restrain their Masters from disposing of these servants as they pleased; as either to exchange, [Page 3360] give away or sell, them and their children. The poor servants did oftentimes mutare dominum, non servitutem, change their Lords, without any exchange or alteration of their slaverie. Sometimes the Romans had, and some other nations at this day have, Dominium vitae & necis, power or dominion to kill, maim or wound their servants without any restraint or controll of law. But this absolute power to dispose of their slaves or servants was afterwards by the Romane Law inhibited. Lords and Masters of private servants were lyable to the sentence of publick Law, if they did use intolerable crueltie or severitie towards their slaves. But, by the Lawes or most Christian nations, this absolute Dominion of Lords over their servants, (and consequently this kind of subjection and slaverie) is taken away. For every Christian is an Israelite or Hebrew, and somewhat more. All are in reputation the Sons of Abraham. Now the positive Law of God, before our Saviours time, did exempt the Sons of Abraham by the free woman from slaverie. The Kings of Judah might not make bondmen of their brethren the Sons of Jacob.
3. Albeit we retein the name of Masters and Servants, yet neither are the one sort properly called Domini, nor the other Servi. A master with us is no more then Pater familias amongst the Latines; and those whom we call servants, are famuli. Every Father of a familie hath Dominium Jurisdictionis, a right or power of Jurisdiction over his familie, but not Dominium proprietatis, not right, or power of propertie in their persons. Howbeit, even this power or Dominion of Jurisdiction is limited, as well by the Lawes of God, as of man. No father of his family may correct any of his familie as he pleaseth, but in such cases, and so far as the Law will permit; And according to the different condition of the parties, over whom the Father of the familie hath this power of Jurisdiction or correction, must the exercise of it be alwayes tempered: No husband or Master of a familie may exercise the same power over his wife, which he doth over his children. No man by the Law of nature ought to use his children, as his servants, or apprentices; unlesse they be such by estate or condition of life. Nor can a Master of a familie, which is of a more ingenuous or generous profession, put his servants or apprentices, which are of the same profession, upon such services, as a Master of some inferiour trade or profession may put his servants to. A Merchant may not imploy an apprentice to that profession, in such workes and services, as are proper to, and well befitting a Tinker or Cobler, or some other inferiour crafts-man, or day labourer. Howbeit, every Master of an apprentice or hired servant hath a right or power, not only of Iurisdiction or of government, but of propertie, though not over his servants bodie or person, yet over his bodily labours or imployments. Apprentices or servants, which are as free born, and of parentage as good, perhaps better, then their Masters, have no power to dispose of their own Labours or imployments, but must herein follow their Masters directions and appointment; and in case they alienate their industrie from their Masters service, though to their owne profit, without his leave, they are subject to his power or Jurisdiction; he may authoritatively admonish, chastise, or otherwise require satisfaction for wronging him by mis-expense of time, or in that power or interest which he hath by Covenant in their labours or imployments. Yet may not any master of a familie punish a servant as he pleaseth, or as his passion shall suggest, but so far only as the Law shall permit: For every master of a private familie is under the power or Dominion of the publick Magistrate, and subject, if he be a Christian, [Page 3361] to Ecclesiastick Censure, in case he transgresse the manner or measure of the punishment, which the Law of God or of man doth permit him to excercise only within his familie. Nor may any Master exact those services or bodily imployments of his servants or apprentices at all times, or upon all dayes, which at sometimes, or upon most dayes, he may. If a servant should refuse to labour in his ordinary vocation upon the Lords day, though commanded so to do by his Master, the Master hath no lawfull power of Iurisdiction over him, no power to chastise him for such refusall; because the Masters right or power to dispose either of his own, or of his servants imployments, for that day, is inhibited by the Law of God, and of his Church, which hath Dominion of Iurisdiction in those Cases over Masters.
4. The issue of these Generalities concerning Lordship or dominion, is this. ‘Though there be many which are called Lords and Masters, (and many there be which really and indeed are such) yet is there in truth, but One Absolute Lord, whether we speak of the Lordship or Dominion of proprietie, or of Iurisdiction, and that is God.’ For by right or title of Creation he hath more absolute power over all his creatures, then any creature, then absolute Kings and Monarchs (as we call them) then any chief Lord hath over his Lands or Goods, over any thing which they can call theirs; whether by gift, purchase, or inheritance. For whatsoever by these, or any other means is theirs, as money, goods, or any other bodily substance, they did not make any parcel or matter of the substance of it, but only acquired a right or title to it being made. As they cannot create or make any thing out of nothing, so can they not utterly destroy or annihilate any thing created or made. The height of all created Power is only to amend or marre the fashion of things, and this is but permitted; yea even the permission it self presupposed, this power is still subordinate in the exercise of it, to an higher power. But God doth found his right of Dominion over all things, or his power to dispose of them and of their appurtenances, in their very radical Being. This is his sole Gift. Nor is His power or dominion only more Soveraign, or intensively greater over the most noble bodily substance that is, then any creature can have over the least thing that is; but it extends also unto those substances, which are not subject to man, or any creatures dominion. He hath a more Soveraign Title of dominion over the souls and spirits of Kings and Monarchs, over the blessed Angels under whose Guardianship the greatest Monarchs are, then they have over their meanest Vassals.
So that His dominion extends beyond the definition given by Lawyers, which comprehends only things corporal, but meddles not with coelestial substances, or spiritual, as Angels, which are not subject to the Iurisdiction of Princes, nor can they be imprisoned in their coffers. Men, as they could not make themselves, so neither can they by their valour, wit, or industrie, gain or create a title to any thing, which is not Gods, and whereof he is not Absolute Lord before and after they come to be Lords, and owners subordinate of it. They cannot move their bodies, nor imploy their minds, but by his free donation; nor can they enjoy his freest gifts, but by his concurse or Co-operation. He hath a Dominion of propertie over their souls, yea an absolute dominion, not of propertie only, but of uncontrollable iurisdiction over their very thoughts, as it is implyed, Deut. 8. 17, 18. He doth not only give us the substance, which we are enabled to get, but gives us the very power, wit, and strength, to get or gather it; Not this power only, whereby we gather substance, [Page 3362] but our very Being, which supports this power, is his gift; and unlesse our Being be supported and strengthned hy his power sustentative, we cannot so much as think of gathering wealth or getting necessaries, much less can we dispose of our own endeavours for accomplishing our hopes, desires, or thoughts. To conclude then, All we have, even wee our selves are, Gods by absolute Dominion, as well of propertie as of Iurisdiction. There is no Law in heaven or earth, that can inhibit or restrayne his absolute Power to dispose of all things as he pleaseth; for he works all things by the Counsel of his Will, and He only is Absolute Lord.
But absolute Lordship or Dominion, how far soever extended, though over Angels, Powers, and Principalites, from this ground or universal Title of Creation, is intirely, jointly, and indivisibly common to the Blessed Trinitie. For so S. Athanasius teacheh us; the Father is LORD, the Son is LORD, & the Holie Ghost is LORD, (absolute Lord, as well in respect of Dominion, as of Jurisdiction) and yet not three Lords, but one Lord; and if but One Lord, then the Lordship or dominion is One and the same, alike absolute either for intensive Perfection, or Extension, in the Son as in the Father, in the Holy Ghost as in the Son. Yet is it well observed by a judicious Commentator upon S. Pauls Epistles, that to be LORD is the proper Title or Epitheton (in S. Pauls Language) of Christ the Son of God both God and Man, and Emphatically ascribed to him even in those passages, wherein he had occasion expressely to mention the distinction of Persons in the Trinitie. As where he saith, The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, the love of God (he doth not say, of God the Lord) and the fellowship of the Holie Ghost, (without addition of this title of Lord,) be with you all. And so in our Apostles Creed we professe to Believe in God the Father Almightie, without addition of the title [LORD;] and so in God the Holie Ghost, not in the Lord the Holy Ghost, but in Christ our Lord. Which leades to the Second Point proposed in the Entrance to this Second Section.
CHAP. VII. In what respects, or upon what grounds Christ is by peculiar Title called The Lord. And First, of the Title it self. Secondly, Of the Real grounds unto this Title.
1. COncerning the name of Lord, there is no verbal difference in the Greek, or Latin, whether this name or Title be attributed to God the Father (as oft it is) or to God the Holy Ghost, unto the Blessed Trinitie, or unto Christ God and Man. Yet in the Hebrew there is a difference in the very Names or words. The Name Jehovah, which is usually rendred [...], Dominus, or Lord, is alike common to every Person in the Holie Trinitie, as expressing the Nature of the God-head [he that is being it self:] Howbeit, even this Name is sometimes in peculiar sort attributed unto Christ. But that Christ, or the Son of God, is in those places personally meant, this must be gathered from the Subject, or special Circumstances of the matter, not from the Name or Title it self. But the name Adonai, which properly signifies Lord or King, as [...] in Greek doth (implying as much as the Pillar, or Foundation of the people) is the peculiar Title of the Son of God, or of [Page 3363] God incarnate. And for attributing this Title unto Christ as his peculiar, the Apostle St. Paul had a good warrant out of the Prophetical Writings, especially the Psalms, which he questionlesse understood a great deal better then many great Divines, and accurate Linguists have done his writings, or the harmonie betwixt the Psalmists, and his Evangelical Comments on them. This Title of Lord [Adonai] is used most frequently in those Psalmes, which contain the most pregnant Prophecies of Christ, or the Messias his exaltation. Psal. 2. 2, 4. The Kings of the earth band themselves, and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord, and against his Christ. But he that dwelleth in the heavens (doubtlesse he means the same Jehovah) shall laugh. Yet he doth not say, Jehovah, but Adonai, the Lord shall have them in derision.
The Reality of Dominion answering to this Title of Lord, whereunto the Messias, against whom they conspired, was exalted, is more fully expressed in the same Psalm, v. 8, 9, 10. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt crush them with a Scepter of Iron, and break them in pieces like a Potters vessel. Be wise now therefore ye Kings, be learned ye Judges of the earth: serve the Lord in fear, and rejoyce in trembling. Kisse the Son (the Son doubtlesse of Jehovah) lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenly burn; Blessed are all they that trust in him. And so again Psal. 45. which is as it were the Epithalamium, or marriage song of Christ and his Church: The Prophet exhorts the Spouse to do, as Christ willed his Disciples to do, and as Abraham had done at Gods Command, Forget thine own people, and thy Fathers house, so shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty, for he is the Lord; reverence or worship him v. 10, 11. And again, Psal. 110. wherein Christs everlasting Priesthood is confirmed by Oath, it is said, Jehovah said to my Lord [Adonai] sit thou at my Right hand, until I make thine enemies thy foot-stool. But may not the Jew thus Object; that seeing our Christ or their expected Messias is enstyled Adonai, not Jehovah, in these very places, wherein his Exaltation or supreme Dominion is foretold; That therefore he is not truly God, as Jehovah is? To this Objection our Saviours Reply to the Jews (which had answer'd him rightly, that the Messias was to be the Son of David) is unanswerable and most satisfactorie. If the expected Messias were not to be the Son of God, and truly God the supreme Lord, as well of the dead, as of the living, why did David in spirit call him Lord, before he was the Son of David? It is a point to be observed, that the Iews in our Saviours time did not, or could not deny, that this Psalm was literally meant of their expected Messias, albeit the later Iews seek to wrest it (but most ridiculously) some to Ezekiah, some to Abraham.
But that the word [Adonai] is of no lesse value or importance then Iehovah, but only imports Iehovah, or God incarnate, or the Messias his Exaltation to be Lord or King, may be evinced against the Iew; for that the same sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, which One Psalmist solemnly offers unto Iehovah, Another Psalmist (or perhaps the same) doth alike solemnly offer up to [Adonai] or to the expected Messias, in another Psalm. As Psal. 57. (which is a Prophetical Song of David, and containes the Exaltation of his God and Lord,) Exalt thy self O God above the heaven, and let thy glory be upon all the earth, ver. 5, 11. This Prophecie was then punctually fulfilled, and Davids prayer, or request signed by the mouth of God, when our Saviour after his Resurrection said; All power is given to me in heaven and in earth; go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name [Page 3364] of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holie Ghost, Mat. 28. 18. Unto this Iehovah or God, whose Exaltation he foresaw, and heartily prayed for, and unto whom he had directed his prayers, ver. 1. He offers the Sacrifice of See Matth. 16. 16, 19. praise, ver. 9. under the title of Adonai; I will praise or confesse thee among the people, O Lord, I will sing unto thee among the Nations. The verie selfsame sacrifice David offers unto the same God, under the title of Iehovah, Psal. 108. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. O God mine heart is prepared, so is my tongue. I will sing and give praise. Awake Viol and Harp, I will awake early. I will praise thee O Lord, among the people, I will sing unto thee among the Nations. For thy mercie is great above the heavens, and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Exalt thy self O God above the heavens, and let thy glorie be upon all the earth: which last words, were twice repeated in the 57. Psam.
2. These Fundamental Points of Faith are clear from this collation of Scripture. Two Fundamental points collected, by collating Scripture with Scripture. First, That Adonai, or Lord, was the known Title of the Messias, whom the Jews expected in our Saviours time; and this was the reason that the Pharisces had not a word to answer or rejoyn unto our Saviour, when he avouched, that the Messias was to be The Son of God, because David in Spirit called him [Adonai] Lord, Matth. 22. 45. The second; That he that was Adonai, or the Messias, was likewise Jehovah, truly God, because David did not in spirit onely call him Lord, but did in spirit worship him, as his Lord and God, with the best sacrifice that he could devise, as appears from Psalm 57. 8.
‘A great part of the Book of Psalms, even all those passages (if my observation fail me not) without exception, which mention the extraordinary manifestation of Gods glory, or his exaltation as King, run the same way, and as it were pay Tribute unto the infinite Ocean of Gods mercy; first manifested in our Saviours Exaltation to the right hand of God.’ The more remarkable Passages are these. Psal. 97. ver. 1. Jehovah reigneth, let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of the Isles be glad. Whilest Jehovah was The Exaltation of Jehovah as King, is that Kingdom of Heaven which S. John Baptist preached, to be then approaching. onely known in Jurie, the multitude of the Isles or Nations, had no special reason to be glad, for Iudah was then his Sanctuary and Israel his dominion; but after God had given our Saviour Christ the utmost parts of the earth for his possession; that is, after our Saviours Ascension into Heaven, and the effusion of the Holy Ghost upon his Disciples, enabling them to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom unto all Nations, the multitude of the Isles, the whole Earth had reason to rejoyce: Then was that fulfilled, which followeth in that Psal. ver. 6. The Heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people saw his Glory. That this Psalm is literally meant of Christs Exaltation to be Lord of Lords, and of his Inauguration to his everlasting Kingdom; The Apostle St. Paul, Heb. 1. 6. puts out of question amongst all Christians; when he bringeth in his first begotten Son into the world, he saith, Let all the Angels of God worship him; so the Psalmist had said in this 97. Psal. ver. 7. Confounded be all they that serve graven Images, worship Him all ye Gods; or as the Septuagint (upon which our Apostle often Paraphrased) Worship him all ye Angels of God. The matter or subject of this Psalm is almost the same with Psal. 2. Both of them contain Prophesies concerning the Declaration of Christ to be the Son of God. And from this harmonie between this 97. and the second Psalm, and from the common Prenotion or Rule of interpreting Scriptures, known to the Learned or unpartially observant in those days, the Apostle adds that Preface unto his Testimonie; when he bringeth in his onely begotten Son into the World: He supposeth that the Learned among his Countrie-men should or might have known that [Page 3365] both these Prophecies were to be punctually fulfilled upon the Exaltation of the Messias, or of those times, wherein God should be manifested in the Flesh.
3. Yet some conjecture that our Apostle, Heb. 1. 6. hath reference rather to The Septuagint Deut. 32. 43. reconciled with Psal. 97. 7. Deut. 32. ver. 43. in the Greek Translation, then unto the 97 Psalm in the Hebrew. The words indeed in the Greek or Septuagint are the very same, though in the Hebrew not the same by any Equivalencie of the literal sense. At nec sic quidem malè. There is a varietie of sense, yet no discord, but rather a full and perfect Consort between the Literal and Grammatical sense of the Hebrew, and the mystical and real sense, which the Greek or Septuagint in both places expresseth. First, The 97 Psalm (as many others are) is a Poetical descant upon Moses his divine Prophetical Song, Deut. 32. And the 70 Interpreters (whether out of some Prenotion, or out of the admirable Concord between that song of Moses and the 97 Psalm, or out of a divine Instinct, wherewith (as St. Augustine is of opinion) they were impelled sometimes to intersert a more express meaning of the Holie Ghost, then an ordinary Commentator could out of the Hebrew have observed; whether this way, or that way moved, they) have given the same Paraphrase upon Deut. 32. ver. 43. which our Apostle hath made upon Psal. 97. ver. 7. which is no other then the Septuagint had made before, but literally more consonant to the Hebrew, then their Paraphrase upon Deut. 32. is.
But more probable it is, that our Apostle did aim at the 97. Psal. then at the forecited place of Deut. because the other Testimonies following in that Hebr. 1. 8, 9. are evidently taken out of the Book of Psalmes: unto the SON, he saith; O GOD, Thy throne is for ever and ever, the Scepter of thy Kingdome is a Scepter of righteousness. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquitie, wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oyle of gladness above thy fellowes. This Testimonie is evident in the 45. Psal. v. 6, 7. So is that other Heb. 1. 10, 11, 12. expressely contained in Psal. 102, Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth, and the heavens are the workes of thine hands; They shall perish, but thou dost remain, and they all shall wax old, as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; But thou art the same, and thy yeares shall not fail.
The former testimonie is perhaps Typically Propheticall, and may in some sort concern Salomon according to the literal sense, but Salomon only as he was a Type of that Son of David, who was likewise to be the Son of God. But the Character almost of every line in the hundred and second Psalm, testifies, that the Psalmist in this grievous complaint had more then a Typical representation, such a distinct and clear vision of Christs Glorie and Exaltation as the Prophet Esay Chap. 53. had of his humiliation in our flesh or humane nature. The Title of this Psalm is, A prayer of the afflicted, when he shall be in distress, and powr forth his meditations before the Lord. And, The only fountain of comfort to all afflicted in bodie or soul is the Exaltation See Chap. 2. §. 5. and ch. 3. §. 11. of Christ the Son of God in our flesh or nature. That, which must sweeten all our bodily sorrowes or afflictions, even the bitterness of death it self, whereof this Psalmist, and the people of God in his time, had tasted, must be our meditation upon that, and the like speeches of our Apostle; If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with him. And for your comfort in all distress, I cannot commend any fitter matter of meditation to you, then is contained in this 102 Psalm, and in the 2. 4. and 12. Chapters to the Hebrews. This Exaltation of Christ to be Lord, is alike clearly fore-prophesied, Psalm 99. and Psalm 145. as every observant Reader may of himself collect.
[Page 3366] 4. The more extraordinary and more special Grounds or Bases whereupon this Title of Lord, as it is peculiar to Christ, is erected, are these. First, Christ is in peculiar sort called The LORD, because it was God the Son, not The Grounds of Christs Title to be Lord. God the Father, or God the Holie Ghost, who did personally pay the ransom of our Sins; and this he fully payed by offering up part of our nature, made his own, in a bloody Sacrifice to the Father. Servants we were by creation of our nature, not onely to God the Son, but to God the Father, and to God the Holie Ghost, to the Divine nature or blessed Trinity: But we had sold our selves, for enjoying the pleasures of the flesh, unto Gods adversary: And albeit we could not by any compact or Covenant, whether implicit or express, made with Satan by our first Parents, or by our selves, alienate our selves from Gods Dominion of Jurisdiction over us; yet we did renounce his Service, and that Interest which we had in his gracious protection as he was our Lord, and alienate unto his enemy that property or disposal of our imployments, which by right of creation intirely belong'd to God. God, after our first Parents Fall, was no otherwise our Lord, then any King is Lord over Rebels, Traytors, Murtherers; or of others, who by their misdemeanors may alienate their allegeance from him, and exempt themselves from his gracious protection, but not from his power or Dominion of Jurisdiction; for he is the minister of God, for executing vengeance upon such. Our first Parents had declared themselves to be Traytors, and we had continued a race of Rebels against our God and Creator, without all hope of being restored unto Gods favor and service, unless satisfaction were made for our transgression, and means purchased for establishing us in a better estate, then the estate of Servants, which we had by the gift of Creation. Now, not onely our redemption from the estate of Slaverie unto Satan, but all the means for our further advancement (after our ransom was paid) were purchased by the Son of God: And that, which most advanceth the peculiar Title of Christs Dominion and Lordship over us, was the price which he gave for us: For we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as with silver and gold (though men with these, and things more corruptible then these, do purchase the real title of Lords, and exercise the dominion of Lords over Lands or Servants so purchased) but we were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb undefiled and without spot, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Blood is the most precious and dearest part of mans bodie, and greater love we cannot testifie unto our dearest friends, then by spending our blood for them. Losses we value none so deeply as forgetfulness, ungrateful neglects, or contempt from them for whose sakes and credit we have been content (specially out of sinceritie of love and sober resolution) to shed our blood: Never was any blood either so copiously shed, or out of the like sinceritie of love, or sobriety of resolution, as Christs blood was shed for all and every one of us; This blood did immediatly issue from his Man-hood, whereof it was a true and lively part; yet was it the blood not of Man onely, but of God: whence if we consider either our own miserable estate, being then the enemies of God, or his dignitie that made Attonement for us; What real portion, branch, or degree of service can we imagin answerable to this Soveraign Title of Lord, which Christ hath not more then fully purchased over all that are partakers of flesh and blood?
5. Yet, Besides this Ground or Title of Christs peculiar Lordship, or dominion Other grounds of Christs Title to be the Lord. over us, there is another, more forcible to command our most chearful service, unless our hope be quite dead, or the affection of love utterly extinguished in us: For, Christ by his precious blood did not onely purchase [Page 3367] our Freedom from the Slavery of Satan; but, being set free, doth by the everlasting efficacie of this blood once shed, both wash and nourish us, not as his Servants, but as the Sons of his and our heavenly Father. Sin and slaverie was the Terminus a quo, the condition or state from which he redeemed us; but the end of our redemption from these, was to invest us in the libertie of the Sons of God. The height of all our hopes in the life to come, is, to be Kings and Priests as he is; but in the mean time we are or may be, live members of his Glorious Body; and being such, he hath a more peculiar right of Dominion over us, over all that pertain unto his Church, then by right of Creation he hath as God, then by right of Redemption or Attonement he hath as God and Man: For, That part of our nature, that flesh and blood which he took of his Mother, was his by a more peculiar Title and real property, then it was God the Fathers or the Holie Ghosts; and we by mystical and spiritual union with that part of the humane nature, which he assum'd into the Unitie of his Divine Person, are His, at least He by this union is our Head and Lord, by a more strict and proper Title, then God the Father or God the Holie Ghost is: By the former Title of Redemption or satisfaction made for us, he is our Lord, and we his servants: By this Title of mystical Union with him, he is the Bridegroom or Head, the Church is his Spouse; and being Head of the Church, every member of it is bound (as God by the Psalmist exhorts the Spouse, Psal. 45.) to worship him as our Lord and God, for the husband is Lord of the wife. He bought all our souls being in the state of Aliens or bond-servants, and after cleansed and purified them, that they might be espoused to him, and finally presented to his Father: He hath purchased the Church of God (saith St. Paul) with his own blood, Acts 20. 28. And again, Eph. 5. Christ gave himself for the Church, that he might Sanctifie it, and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word: That he might make it unto himself a glorious Church, &c. ver. 25, 26, 27.
CHAP. VIII. What our Confession of Christ to be The Lord, importeth, and how it redounds to the Glory of God the Father.
1. EVery tongue must confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, Our Lord, by a peculiar Revel. 5. 13. real Title. To this Confession every Son of Adam, to whom God hath given the use of the tongue, is bound de Iure; but many sons of Adam, to whom God hath given the use of the tongue, do not confess so much de Facto: The Jews with their tongues flatly deny him to be the Lord, or their promised Messias: The Turks and Mahumetans confess him to be a Lord of Christians, but deny him to be The Lord, The chief Lord under God the Father; This title of Chief Lord they ascribe to Mahomet, and under his right they pretend a title of dominion over Christendom. The Heathens, which know not God, do not so much as question whether he be a Lord, or whether He or Mahomet be under God the chief Lord. But as for us Christians, we all, to whom God hath given the use of the tongue, do confess him to be The Lord: As for those, to whom the use of the tongue is by the course of nature, and Gods ordinarie providence denyed, others for them do ingage [Page 3368] themselves at Sacred Baptisme, that they, when God shall grant them a heart to understand and a tongue to speak, shall confess him to be the Lord; and to be unto them their Lord. And in case they dye before they come to possesse the use of their hearts or of their tongues, the Church or parish, wherein this profession of faith was made on their behalfs, are bound to profess thus much for them. And as God (no doubt) accepts the prayers of the Church wherein they are baptized, for them, which cannot so much as speak to men, much less pray to God or to Christ, That they may be admitted into his visible Church, and be reputed as members of his mystical bodie: so doubtless he will accept the prayers of the Church, and of every faithfull member of the Church wherein they live and dye, that they may be accepted into the Church Triumphant, and to us invisible: albeit they never attained unto the use of the tongue; or, when as the Lord, which gave others this blessing, hath taken it from them: For even of the tongue, or of the use of the tongue, that of Iob is most true, and to be resumed by all, as well by the dying as by the living: by him for his owne part; and by the living on his behalfe: the Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord, Job 1. 21.
2. Thus every tongue is bound de Jure to confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord; that Lord, whom Job so long before did confess. But though every tongue of men throughout the world, every tongue of Christians, of Jewes, of Mahumetans or Infidels should from their birth confess thus much; would this be enough for that acknowledment, which here is required, that Jesus Christ is the Lord? or would such acknowledgement of every tongue be sufficient to pay that tribute, which is due unto the Glorie of God the Father, from this Confession, which is here required, that Jesus Christ is the Lord? No, it is not the Confession of every tongue that will suffice, albeit the acknowledgment or Confession of every tongue be de jure required. In this speech, [Every tongue must confess &c.] there is a Twofold An universalitie of Duties as well as of Tongues is included in this confession. Universalitie included. The One, of the Parties thus confessing or aknowledging, The Other, of the Duties or services to be performed by everie party thus acknowledging Christ to be the Lord.
To begin with the Former: when the Apostle saith, That every tongue must Confesse that Jesus Christ is THE LORD; You must take this Universal note to be equivalent to that phrase so often used (in the Book of the Revelation) by the Evangelist and Apostle; [all nations and Kindreds, all people and Tongues] every one, of all Sorts, of the Sons of Adam, are bound, de Jure, to confesse, ‘That Jesus Christ the son of God, and the son of man, conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Marie, is THE LORD, of the Dying and of the Living, of the Quick and of the Dead.’ As for all such as do not either in heart or tongue, or in both, either by themselves or by others for them, truly acknowledge Him in this life to be such a Lord, they shall acknowledge Him to be such A Lord after their Resurrection from death, of which likewise He is Lord.
3. But the acknowledgment of Every Tongue, or of every one, to whom God hath vouchsafed either a tongue or the use of the tongue, will not suffice to find him a Gracious Lord at the resurrection from the dead, and at the day of finall Judgment. There must be, (as is said) an Universalitie as well of duties and services to be performed by every particular person to whom God hath given an heart to understand, as an universalitie of tongues or lips, which are to make this confession. The real language of every heart will be sufficient for every one in particular, whom God hath deprived or denied [Page 3369] the use of the tongue. But unto him, to whom God hath given an understanding heart, and the use of the tongue also, the hearty prayers and gracious words of others in his behalfe will not suffice, unless God by their praiers do frame his heart to beleive, and move his tongue (if God have given him the use of the tongue) to Confess that Iesus Christ is the Lord. Corde creditur ad justitiam, ore fit confessio ad salutem. If thou shalt confess, with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt beleive in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man beleiveth unto righteousnes, and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation. Rom. 10. 9, 10.
The Universalitie or extent of this Belief or Confession, in respect of the parties whom it concernes, is most fully exprest in the verse following. For the Scripture saith, Esa. 28. 16. Whosoever believeth on him shall (not make haste, or) not be ashamed. And again Joel 2. 32. Whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord (whether he be Jew or Gentile) shall be saved. Thus you see, that there is an universalitie of the parties or persons, which are bound de Jure to make this Confession, and an Universalitie of comfortable promises unto all such as make it as they ought; that is, not in tongue only, but with the Heart; not in heart only, if God have given them the use of the heart and of the tongue, or his blessings of memory and understanding.
4. That (besides this universality of persons confessing Christ with their tongues to be the Lord) there is an Universalitie or Totality of duties to be performed by every one that confesseth Christ to be the Lord, is evident from Iesus Christ our Lords own mouth, Luke 6. 46. Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things, which I say? ‘This speech infers thus much at least, That though all other, both Jews & Gentiles; even every tongue throughout the world, had confessed as much as these his present Disciples (of which some were temporary, some perpetual Professors) did; yet this would not suffice to make them capable of the reward universally promised to his true Disciples and servants: That this confession, though made by every tongue besides, was not sufficient to make any particular man capable of the reward (promised to all his true servants, that are capable of his words and sayings) which was not ready and willing to do them.’ That every one, which heard his sayings, and was willing to do them, was truly capable of all the blessings, which he promised, is clear from his words following, ver. 47, 48, 49. Who so cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a Rock: And when the flood arose the stream brake violently upon that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded upon a Rock. But he that heareth and doth not, is like unto a man, that without a foundation built an house upon the earth, against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell, and the ruine of that house was great. But our Lord and Saviours mind is by himself more fully exprest to this purpose, Math. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, But he that doth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. ‘The limitation of these words, as well for their negative as affirmative extent, is this: That neither every one, nor any one of them, which shall confess onely with their tongues that he is the Lord, shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven.’ This limitation of the Negative, or rather our Assurance of Faith, that this negative is thus far to be extended, is manifest from the verse following. For to prophesie in the Name of Christ, is more than to confesse with the tongue only that Christ is Lord. To cast out Divels in the Name of Christ [Page 3370] is more then to prophecie in his Name: To do many works of wonder in Christs Name is more than to cast out Devils in his Name. For to cast out Divels indeed is a wonderful work, and yet but One of those wonderful works, which then and for many years after were done in Christs Name, by such as (although they did call Christ, Lord, Lord, as he truly is the Lord of all) were not Christs true servants, not such as Christ will take notice of or approve as better, but rather reject as worse then Infidels, in that last and dreadful day, when he shall call his servants (whether de jure, or de facto) to a final account. For so it is expressed in the words following, ver. 23, 23. Many will say unto me in that day (and the more the better, so their plea were good) Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works? And then will I professe unto them, I never knew you; that is, I never approved of you, but rather disapproved you and your works, as worse then the works of heathens, or heathenish workers. For unto the Heathens, as Heathens, he hath not said, that he will say in the last day, Depart from me Ye Workers of iniquity. That the Affirmative extent of his words, to such as shall not only with their tongues confess, but in heart and practice acknowledge him to be the Lord, is as large and ample as his former threatnings to such as either indeed and facts deny him, or with their tongues and lips do not confess him to be the Lord; his promise in the next words, ver. 24. will give us full assurance. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. ‘And thus you see, The words of our Lord and Savior (confirmed by the mouthes of two Authentick witnesses, St. Matthew and St. Luke) do warrant the truth of these two Universals, That never a one of such, as onely with the tongue confess him to be the Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: That every one, which in heart confesseth him, though with tongue he cannot confess him to be the Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven:’ For every one which doth the will of his Father which is in heaven (and the doing of this his heavenly Fathers will here, is not an act of the Tongue, but of the heart, and of the affections) shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the place and seat appointed for all Christs true Servants, and onely for them. The onely question then remaining, is, What this Will of his heavenly Father is? what it is to do it?
5. This will of His heavenly Father is either General, whatsoever is expressed in the Ten Commandements, in the moral Law, or in the Prophets; or more Special, as it is revealed in Christ or by Christ: Did Christ then give us a New Law, or other precepts, then God by Moses had done? Or did he give us (as the Church of Rome saith) Evangelical Counsels as Additionals unto the Law? In no wise: Christ taught no other things, then his Apostles after his resurrection did preach; and his Apostles taught no other things then Moses and the Prophets had taught, Acts 26. 22. But these they taught after The same will of God is declared by Moses and the Prophets, and by Christ; but more fully by Christ. another maner, then the Scribes and Pharisees did, then the ordinary Expositors of the Law and the Prophesies had done.
So that Gods will concerning man, was more fully declared by Christ, then it was by Moses or by the Prophets; the very true meaning of Moses himself and of the Prophets was more fully revealed and clearly manifested unto mankinde in Christ, then it was to Moses himself or to the Prophets: Unto me (saith our Apostle, Ephes. 3. 8, 9, 10.) who am less then the least of all Saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ: And to make all men see what is the [Page 3371] fellowship of the mysterie, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God. And by this more full declaration of Gods Will in Christ, we Christians are tyed unto more strict observance of His Will known, then men were tyed unto before Christ was declared to be the Lord; Admitting the Services to be the very same, yet the same services are now due under a double Title: They are due to God the Father by right of Creation, and due to Christ as he is Lord; For God the Father is to be honored not onely in himself, but in Christ.
6. God, when he gave the moral Law to Israel, useth this Preface, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the Land of Egypt: This was his The first Instance how Christians are bound more strictly to obey now, then Jews were before Christ. peculiar right or Title unto Israel, and the Precept grounded upon this Title follows, Thou shalt have no other Gods but me. But you may remember how it was foretold by the Prophet Jeremie, Jer. 23. 7, 8. That it should no more be said, the Lord liveth, which brought the children of Israel out of Egypt; But the Lord liveth, which brought up the seed of the house of Israel out of the North Land: Or (according to the prime Grammatical sense of the word principally intended by the Holie Ghost) out of the Land of darkness; and This was fulfilled onely in Christ: So that He, who was the Lord of Israel by right of redemption from Egyptian bondage, is now become the Lord of every Language, of every Nation and Kindred by a more peculiar Title, by right of redemption from the Powers of darkness, and from Hell it self. Mal. 4. 2. Matth. 4. 16. Luke 2. 32. John 1. 6. Hence saith our Apostle, 1. Cor. 8. 5, 6. Though there be that are called Gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there are Gods many and Lords many) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him: As the Israelites are forbid to have any other God, besides the Lord, which brought them out of the Land of Egypt; so are we Christians forbid to have any Lords or Masters besides Christ: So saith our Saviour, Matth. 23. 8, 9, 10. Be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ; call no man your father upon the Earth, for one is your Father which is in heaven: And he repeats the former Caveat, Neither be ye called Masters, for one is your Master, even Christ. He that forbids them to be called Masters over others, doth likewise forbid them to be servants to other Masters besides himself: And this Duty is more fully exprest by our Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price, be not ye the servants of men. He no way forbids bodily service, but rather injoyns such as were servants (properly so called, that is slaves or bond-men) to continue in their calling, ver. 20, 21. as knowing bodily servitude not to be incompatible with Christian liberty, no not with the Liberty of the Sons of God: He that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lords free-man; likewise he that is called, being a Free-man, is Christs servant: What service of men then doth Christ or his Apostles forbid? ‘The vassalage of our reason or understanding, or the submission of our consciences to the pleasures or services of men, or of the corrupt times wherein we live: What service of men is forbidden, 1 Cor. 7. 23. Thus to alienate our service from Christ to any mortal men, is (whether you list to call it) a branch of Sacriledge or Idolatry, if not more gross, yet certainly more deadly in all such as confess Christ to be their Lord, then the worshipping of stocks and stones was either in the Heathen, or in the Israelites themselves, before Christ was declared to be the Son of God, and solemnly proclaimed to be the Lord.’ To give you another Instance how Gods Will is more exactly done by Real Confession of Christ to be THE LORD.
[Page 3372] 7. This is the will of God, saith the Apostle, 1 Thess. 4. 3. Even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles, which know not God. To this duty the Israelites A second instance of obedience more strictly enioyned Christians, then it was the Jews. were as truly tyed as we Christians are: It was (as the Apostle intimates) a necessary branch or fruit of the true knowledge of God, a service due unto him, as he was the Creator; But unto this same duty, the Israelites were not bound by so many ties, as we Christians are: It is required of us by a strict peculiar Title, not onely by our knowledge of God as our Creator, nor by our acknowledgement of Christ to be the Lord, as this Title of Lord hath relation onely unto servants; he may and doth exact this duty at our hands, not onely by right of Redemption, or by paying the ransom for our sins upon the Cross, but by right of Espousals, or by Title of Lord, as he is the Head and Husband of his Spouse, the Church: No motive can be so forcible to deter men from transgressing this negative Commandment, or for incouraging them to do Gods Will in the affirmative part of the former Commandment; as that of our Apostle, 1 Cor. 6. 13. 14, 15. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body: And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power: Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid: And again, ver. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit, which are Gods.
8. It was well observed long ago by Occolampadius, that children were See the 10 Book Chap. 39. pag. 3187. taught amiss to know the nature of God, or of his Enemy, by vulgar Pictures or Representations. For so the fashion was long before, and continued till his time, to picture God, or the blessed Trinity, in some fair and beautiful form, and to paint the divel in some foul, loathsom, or ugly shape. And this good Writer to correct their error, well admonished, as well the parents as their children, That if they would learn to know what God was, they must first be taught to know what Goodness is, what Justice is, what Mercy is, what Bounty or loving kindness is: And if they desire to know what maner of creature the divel is, who is the chief enemy of God, they should first be taught to know what malice is, what filthiness is, what loathsomness is, what villany or treachery is. For Satan is but a Compost of these, or an extract of all that children or their parents acknowledge for evil: Howbeit, if either children or parents could be taught to know what Iustice is, what Mercy is, what loving kindness is; or if they could be taught to know that God is, what all these are, even Iustice it self, even mercy it self, loving kindness it self, wisdom it self; or Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, and loving kindness it self truly infinite; yet his wisdom, his mercy, and loving kindness would be to us incomprehensible, unapprehensible, even in that these Attributes in him are infinite: We could have no true or lively apprehension, either speculative to inform our understandings what were good and ought to be followed; or moral, to enable and qualifie our hearts and affections to imitate or express that patern of goodness, or so much of it as we apprehend in God, if we should look upon these Attributes as they are in God the Father only, or in the Divine nature: But as he that cannot look upon the Sun in its strength or brightness, or at the noon day, may take the model of it in the water, or in the Moon at full; So we that cannot behold the glory of Divine Majesty in the Godhead, may safely behold the Map or Model of his incomprehensible Goodness in the Man Christ Iesus: All His actions and endeavors were with such wisdom set and bent upon mercy, on goodness, on [Page 3373] loving kindness, that every one which saw, and duly considered his maner and course of life here on Earth, might collect that he truly was (as himself avouched) more then the Son of man, the very Son of God himself, who is good and gracious to all: For Christ as Man, went about doing good to all, doing hurt to none. Now (as the Son of Syrach saith, Ecclus. 22. 3.) That an evil son is the dishonor of his father: So it will follow by the Rule of Contraries; That a wise or good son is the honor of his father: So Solomon hath said in express terms, Prov. 10. 1. A wise son maketh a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother: Now Christ, as we know, is called, The Wisdom of the onely wise immortal God, his beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased: And well pleased with him he is, for that he is the honor of his Father: And as Christ by confessing God, and by real expression of his Goodness in his life and actions, did truly glorifie his Father, as he himself expresly avoucheth, John 17. So all that really confess Christ to be the Lord; that is, all which throughly express the Map or Model of his Goodness in their lives and conversations, do truly glorifie God the Father.
9. Briefly then, Every tongue truly and rightly confesseth Christ to be the Lord; that observes his Commandments, or that observes the Commandments of God more strictly and more religiously then others do, who although they profess they honor God, yet do not honor him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, or do not honor Jesus Christ as his only Son: This is that special Will of the Father which is in heaven, and that which must be done by all which mean to enter into Heaven, that every one which honoreth the Father, should also honor the Son, Joh. 5. 23. Honor the Son they must, not in words or title only, but by performance of real Service: Every one that thus honoreth the Son, doth hereby glorifie God the Father: Hence saith our Savior, Matth. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works; and glorifie your Father which is in heaven. And again, Ioh. 15. 1. Our Savior compares himself to the Vine, and his Father unto a Husbandman, which expects the fruit of his vineyard: So that the end why the Son of God did descend from heaven, why he was planted and took root here on earth, was that the sons of Adam, or Abraham, might be ingrafted in him; and the End of our ingrafting in him was, that we might bring forth fruit unto his So Christ saith, Joh. 15. 8. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bring forth much fruit, so shall ye be my Disciples. Father.
But What comfort is it to have Christ Our Lord, if by Allegeance to him, we be more strictly bound to do the will of God, then those which do not acknowledge See how Salvian answers the like Objection in his 5 Book, De Providentia. Him their Lord? I Answer: 1. It is a credit (by consent of Nations, and repute of men naturally wise, if not A Real Comfort, to have him Our Lord, who governs his people by the most excellent and equitable Laws: Such were those which the Son of God gave the Jews: What are these now refined in the Gospel? All men naturally desire happiness: As by those Laws Deut. 4. 5, 6, 7, 8. God directed the Jews, so by these he disciplines Us, for our Good; seeking occasion or Title in our obedience, to exercise his bounty, by rewarding us for doing good to our selves and others at his command: He that sins against the laws of Christ (doth it, in Sui damnum) sins against his own soul; and by straying from them, goes out of that way which only can lead him to the happiness he desireth. 2. It is comfort that our Lord rules not with rigor, but masters See the Application, Chap. 2. §. 5, 6. f. 3316. his Dominion with Equity: Novit figmentum nostrum, having Himself been compassed with the infirmities of mans nature (all but such as did proceed from sin, or lead unto sin) he can, by acquaintance and experience of them, tell, both how willing the spirit, and how weak the flesh of miserable Mortals be, and ready is he to give allowance accordingly. But Thirdly, Here is comfort indeed, That as JESUS CHRIST the [Page 3374] Righteous is our Lord; so He is The Lord our Righteousness; so is He our Sollicitor, our Advocate, our most compassionate High-Priest, who, ex officio, negotiates on our behalf, by mediation and intercession with the Father, for pardon of all our transgressions, negligences, ignorances; both of all sins committed, and duties omitted, or performed untowardly and amiss: He made One Propitiation by his death, and he lives for ever to make intercession for us. Yea, so gracious is This our Lord, that he seems, in a manner (during this Acceptable Day, or time of Grace) to lay aside The Title and Dignity of Lord, and to put on The Affection of a Priest, perpetually to make intercession on our behalf, for Remission of sins past, (Rom. 3. 26.) and for Grace, whereby for the future we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear: Seeing then we have so great an High Priest, Let us hold fast our Profession—And let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and finde grace to help in time of need.
SECTION III. Of Christs coming to Judgement.
CHAP. IX.
THe First Words contain an undoubted Maxim, or principal Article of our Faith; yea, such a Plurality of Articles of Christian Belief, that I could not choose fitter, for continuation of my former Argument, concerning Christs Lordship or Dominion: And His Dominion (as was said before) was A Dominion both of Property and of Jurisdiction: We are his servants, not our own Men (as we say) we may not dispose of our own souls, or bodies, much less of our bodily imployments or endeavours, as We please, but as He pleases: Or in case we wrong him, by alienating the imployments of our bodies, or of our souls from his service, who hath the full Dominion of Propertie; we cannot exempt our selves from his Dominion of Jurisdiction, to which all flesh [Page 3376] is lyable without Appeal. Now of his Dominion of Jurisdiction, or of his Royal Power over us, the Exercise of Final Judgment, is the Principal Part: And of this Judgment the general Sum or Abstract is contained in 2 Cor. 5. 10.
‘Before I enter upon the Particulars therein contained, I am in General to advertise, That albeit the Scripture be such A Compleat Rule of Christian An Advertisement concerning H. Scripture Faith, That neither those which are appointed to interpret the Scriptures ought to propose or commend any point or doctrine as an Article of Faith, unto others; nor are others bound to believe any thing as a Point of Faith, unless it be either expresly contained in the Scriptures, or may out of the express testimonies of them, be deduced by infallible Rules of Reason and Art: Yet in the things believed, because contained in Scripture, there is a Difference to be observed. Some things we believe without any Ground at all besides the meer Authority of Scriptures: Other things we beleive from the Authority of Scriptures too; yet so, as we have the truth, which the Scriptures teach concerning them, ensealed unto us by Experiments answering to the Rules of Scriptures.’ And these Experiments be Experiments in Nature, and in our selves or Consciences, confirm the truths of H. Scripture. of two sorts; Either Observable in the general Book of Nature, and course of times; or Observable in our selves. Of this later rank are the Articles of the Godhead, of the Creation, of Divine Providence, of Original Sin, of Final judgment, and of Life and Death everlasting.
The Being of a Godhead or Divine Power, the very Heathens, which knew not Scriptures, did in some sort believe: of Gods Providence, and of Judgment after this life, the Heathens likewise had divers Notions, which were as rude materials or stuffe unwrought. The frame or fashioning of which Notions into true and Christian Belief, cannot otherwise be effected then by the Rules of Scripture, which are The Lines, by which the structure or edifice of Faith must be squared or wrought. Now whatsoever the Heathens without the help of Scriptures, or Divine Revelations, did believe or conceive concerning the Points mentioned, Every Christian man, which doth believe the Scriptures, though but by an historical Faith, may much better believe and conceive by the help of Scriptures, albeit his affections be not as yet sanctified by the Spirit of Grace; although he be but in the Estate of a meer Moral or Natural man; so he be not delivered up unto a Reprobate sense.
The Branches then of my Meditations, concerning this Grand Article of Christs coming to Judgment, shall be in general These.
First, Of the Natural Notions, which the Heathens had, and which every natural man (so his Conscience be not seared) may have Experienced in himself, Five General Points. of a Final Judgment after this life, or of a Recompence according to his wayes or works.
The Second, By what Authoritie of Scriptures, the Exercise of this Final Iudgment is appropriated to Christ.
The Third, The manner of Christs coming to Iudgment.
The Fourth, The parties that are to be Iudged, to wit, the Quick and the Dead.
The Fifth, The Sentence or Award of this great Iudge; and that is, Everlasting Life, or Everlasting Death.
Thus you see, Three Principal Articles of Our Creed, to wit, This, of Christs coming to Iudge the quick and the dead; and the Two last, viz. The Resurrection of the body, and The life everlasting, are so link't together, that they cannot be so commodiously explained in several, as they may be in this proposed Link or Chain.
CHAP. X. Of the Natural Notions, which the Heathens had, and the Internal Experiments, which every true Christian may have, answering to these Notions of a Final Judgment.
1. THe Notions, which the Heathens had of a Iudgment to passe upon them after this life, were of Two Sorts; Either Implicite and Indirect; Heathen Notions, of Two Sorts. such [...]s give better Testimony to us, then they made of it to themselves; or Direct and Express, though indefinite and imperfect, and mingled for the most part with some errour. And these Later are most frequent in the ancient heathen Poets; Many of whose Testimonies to this purpose are so Express and direct, that they may well seem to have been taken from some scattered Traditions of that truth, which God had revealed unto the Patriarchs before the Law was written, or from the written Law it self, which it is probable Plato with some other Philosophers and Poets had read, at the least received at the second hand. ‘However, unless the truth concerning this point delivered in Scriptures had been imperfectly implanted in mens hearts by nature, these meer natural men could not have submitted their Assent or Opinions unto it.’
That not the ancient Poets onely, but the ancient Philosophers had an express Notion of pains or torments, which the wicked after this life were to The Pythagorean Notion. suffer, we may gather from Aristotle, Poster. lib. 2. cap. 11. For so he tels us, that the Pythagoreans did assign this final cause of thunder, namely, to terrifie such as were reserved in infernal prisons. And in assigning this Final Cause of thunder, whose Material and Efficient Cause with its properties they were not ignorant of; they did acknowledge an Higher Guide or Governor of these natural Effects then nature her self. We may perhaps rectifie this Notion by saying, The thunder was created by this Guide or Governour of Nature, rather to terrifie such as live here on earth, that they come not into these infernal prisons. And to avoid or prevent their coming into them, Nature her self, which taught Pythagoras this Philosophy, might teach all, ‘That there can be no means so safe or so compendious, as the making of our peace with that divine Power, who speaks to men in this terrible language.’ The thunder of his power (saith Iob, cap. 26. 14.) Who can understand? But the less we understand It in Particular, the better we understand Him to be a Terrible Judge. That this Notion, which the thunder did suggest to the Pythagorean Philosophers of the Divine Power, as avenger of Evil, was not a Philosophical Phancie, but implanted by Nature in the heart, may be further evinced; for that the thunder did imprint the like fear in such as in words or opinion did deny the Divine Providence, or sought to shake off all conceit of future Judgment. Witness the Emperor Caligula, who so demeaned himself in his Empire and tyrannie over others, as if he never looked to be called to any account for his Regencie; and yet this man (as Suetonius tels us) would rise from the table, when it thundred, and oft times for fear run under his Bed; He knew himself exempt from the censure or controll of man, and had enough about him to instruct him in the natural causes of thunder; and yet by this strange fear he did acknowledge a superior Judge, from whose presence or apprehension he sought to hide himself, as Malefactors do themselves from the eyes or hands of earthly Judges, or from the ministers of civil Justice.
[Page 3378] 2. But might not this strange fear arise rather from some peculiar disposition in Caligula, then from any instinct of nature, universal to all such as he was, upon the like or equivalent Summons or admonitions? From whatsoever disposition we can imagine this servile or slavish fear should proceed, it was a timorous disposition, and could not have wrought or inclined such men, as he was, unto such manifest documents of imminent fear, but from a feeling consciousness of a foul and beastly life: For he was a man that in other cases had gotten as full a Conquest over his Conscience, as any Man, Prince or Subject, in this life can possibly get. He had with much care and cost lull'd his conscience with varietie of all pleasures incident to sense or earthly affections, into so dead a sleep, that no voice of man, though Embassador from God; no voice of God (known to men) besides this terrible voice of his thunder, could have awaked it. But amongst ten thousand such as he was, that is, of such as for the most part have lived as beasts, and for this reason could desire to dye like beasts, without any account or reckoning how they had spent their Lives; it will be hard to find one, that in some or other particular did not give A true Crisis or proof of this Truth, which now we teach (that is, of a Iudgement after this life) by nature implanted in their hearts; albeit most of them in words would not confess it: albeit many of them used their own and their Parasites wits by natural reasons to overthrow or enervate the force of it. But as in Cases of civil Justice, the unwitting acknowledgement of some material or pertinent Circumstances, drawn from such, as otherwise seek to conceal or smother the Main truth (upon which they are directly examined) is with intelligent Judges, of more force, then one or two voluntary testimonies of men suspected to be Accessaries in the business, or partial favourers of the principal Actor: So in this controversie betwixt God and our own Consciences, The unwitting practises (or passionate expressions made in some extremitie) of such heathens, as either denied or knew not the truth of a Final Iudgment, do give more powerful and more authentick testimonies for it, then either the authoritie or express testimonie of other heathens, which did expresly or directly affirm it (save onely so farre, as their testimony was grounded upon the like instinct of nature, or implanted Notion, which did move the others to confess it indirectly or in practise, although in words they did deny it, or not confess it) do for it; or then the avowed denials of any more debauched Heathens in their Jollity do against it.
3. In many Cases as well natural and moral as divine, there may be a real and solid truth, or ground of truth in the practise, without any apprehension of it in the practitioner; oft times with opposition to it in his Conceipt or Opinion. Most men, when they desire to call things forgotten to mind, will rub or scratch the back part of their head. The Ground or Reason of their Practise is from Nature her self, which hath placed the facultie of memory in that part of the brain, or at least in some other part, betwixt which and that which they so handle, there is special intercourse. Howbeit most men observe this practise or custom by meer instinct of nature, without so much as once questioning or thinking whether their faculty of memory be seated in the brain or in the brest. And some perhaps do use this custom, being of a contrary opinion, viz. That the memory is seated in the fore-part of the Brain. But their manifest conformity to others in this custom, will in any indifferent Moderators Judgement prevailingly prescribe against their Opinion. Few there be again so destitute of natural reason, but would be able as occasion requires, or exigents impel, to give warmth to some things that were cold, and to cool other things that be hot, by blowing or breathing upon them. Yet this custom [Page 3379] is practised by most out of meer instinct of nature, without thought or question, how such two contrarie effects, as heat and cold, could possibly issue from one and the same mouth or breath. There is a true and real cause of this diversity or contrariety in the effects, and a true reason in nature, how they are wrought, albeit this cause or reason be, neither in whole nor in part, apprehended by such as practise it with success. Yea of such as have their senses exercised in the study of Philosophie, scarce one of five there is, but if he should on the suddain be put thus to practise by rule of Art, would fail of his purpose, more, then such as thus practise by meer instinct of nature; or would be as far to seek, if he were put to give the true reason of it, as the poor Pilgrim in the Fable was, who being kindly entertained by a Satyr, which had found him blowing his fingers for extremity of cold in the woods, was unkindly thrust out of his house, only for seeking to cool his broth with the same breath, wherewith he had warmed his fingers.
4. But in what practises or resolutions in the heathen was this divine truth of a Judgment after this life necessarily included? The particulars are many, but most of them may be reduced unto this General. As many of the heathens as either esteemed the love of virtue, honestie, or godliness more dear then this mortal life with its appurtenances temporal; or as many of them as did abhorre the practise of any villani or impietie more than death; whatsoever they themselves did expresly say or think concerning this Article of Final Judgment in particular, did by these practises or resolutions give authentick testimony unto it. Now that virtue or honesty were to be more esteemed then this mortal life, with all the commodities of it, the most part of heathen Philosophers (besides the Sect of Epicures) did grant and maintain. The Stoicks went further in the esteem of moral virtue, then any wise Christian will do in practise, then any good Christian ought to do in opinion: (but of their errors or Hyperboles anon.) Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers grants, that there is [...]; that some things be absolutely good, so good that a man ought to love them more than life, or rather to abandon life than their practise. Some things again he grants absolutely evil; So evil, that a man ought rather to chuse death then adventure upon them; such are Treason against our native Country, Incest, Perjury, &c. This great Philosopher, in expresly granting thus much, is necessarily concluded by his own Principles to grant a life after this life ended much better then this; and a death, or an estate of life much worse than death, to such as have lived and died dishonestly. Nor is he thus far concluded onely by his own Principles, but by the very Principles of Nature, whose chief Secretary he was. For every thing that hath Being, doth by an indispensable Law of nature desire the continuance of such Being as it hath; but most of all of its Well-being or bettering of its present estate. Now if mans hopes or fears were terminated in this life (as needs they must with this life be terminated, unless we grant a Judgment after death, or an award of the evils which men fear, or of the good things which they hope) every man were bound in reason and by nature to seek the preservation or continuance of his own life before all things in the world besides. Nothing were to be esteemed worse then a bodily death, nothing so good as continuation of bodily life with health and competency. Much better it were to be a part of this visible world, then utterly not to Be. To avoid or put off this utter not-Being, so long as were possible, no devise could be dishonest, no practise amiss. We do not blame bruit beasts for making what shift they can for maintaining or saving their lives; no means, which they can use to this end onely, are by us accounted foul; for as we say, they do but follow kind, or do as nature directs [Page 3380] them: But what is the reason why in thus doing they do not amiss, nor deserve blame? Because nothing can be so ill to them as death, nothing so good as life: But for a Man to transform himself into a Beast, or to continue beastly or filthy practices, for continuance or preservation of his bodily life; this the very Heathens did detest as unnatural, base, and odious: What was the reason? they saw by light of nature, that man had better hopes then beasts are capable of, as it were wrapped up for him in the constant practice of honesty and vertue, and was capable withal, of greater evil which might accrew from a dishonest and filthy life, then any evil that is incident to the nature of beasts; yet did not that Good which good men did aim at, either in practice of virtue, or by declining vice, always betide them in this life, in the Judgement of most Heathen.
5. Two things there were, which most later Heathens (not the Stoicks onely) did highly extol in Regulus; the one, That he did prefer the love of his Countrie, before the contentments of this life, which he might have enjoyed in plenteous manner. The other, That he did prefer a lingring and cruel death, before the stain or guilt of perjury: For being in hold or durance amongst the Carthaginians, he was remitted to Rome, upon oath, That if he did not effect what they had given him in charge to treat for, he should return again to Carthage, and undergo such punishment as they should think fit to inflict: It was in his power to have effected with the Romans that, which the Carthaginians did desire; but he would not use his power to perswade, but rather to disswade the Romans from condescending to their enemies desire, because he saw it would be prejudicial to their Commonweal and posterity, though advantageous to him in particular: But he accounted it rather loss then gain, as well to himself as to the Roman State, to save the life, though of some worthy Peer as he was, by breach of Oath or Perjury; and in this resolution he returned unto the Carthaginians, although he knew they resolved to put him to cruel and lingring torture. The Observation upon this resolution of Regulus (which will generally serve for all the like, by what Heathen soever practised or commended) is briefly This: No humane practise or resolution can be truly commendable, but onely so far as it helps to make the Practitioner a better man then he was before, or could continue to be, without such practise. Was Regulus then a better man by this practise, then without it he could have been? Or did it truly propagate or continue that goodness which before he had? If he by doing this did not continue his former goodness, or become a better man, his commendations are unjust; the Fact it self was not truly commendable, was no argument either of reason or wit in the Practiser, or of honesty in the Resolution: If by this Resolution he became a better man then before he was, or without it could have been, somewhat of Regulus, did, after the accomplishment of this fact, remain to receive the due reward of this Resolution, as either his soul, his body, or both: For every real Accident or Attribute, necessarily supposeth a real subject to support it; and if no better doom had been reserved for Regulus, then that which the Carthaginians, his chief Judges on earth, did award him, he could not possibly either have continued or bettered his well-being by undertaking it; it was altogether impossible for him to become a better man by this practise, by which he doth utterly cease to be a man, if his hopes had been terminated with this mortal life, or if he had not remained capable of reward or punishment after death.
That very thing was, even by the verdict of the Heathen, highly magnified in Regulus (a wise States-man and good Patriot) which in a bruit Beast, [Page 3381] of what kinde soever would have been accounted, and that justly, more then unreasonableness, a very madness: For no beast, unless it be altogether mad, will evidently expose it self to death. That which exempts Regulus his witting exposing of himself to a more cruel death then any sober man could finde in his heart to put a dumb beast unto, from censure of Folly, was, The managing of his undertakings by Resolution and Reason: And all the reason that he had thus to resolve, was, That he hoped not utterly to perish as beasts do, although certain he was to die. Beasts, which run upon their own deaths, are therefore accounted mad, because by death they utterly cease from being what they were: For them to desire death, is to desire their utter destruction, which they could not desire, but seek by all means possible to avoid, unless they had first put of all common sense, wherein the height of their madness consists: Regulus was therefore accounted manly resolute, and resolutely wise, for that in choosing rather to die, then to live with stain of perjury, or taint his soul with breach of oath; he did not desire his own destruction, but the continuation of his well-being, or bettering his own or his Countries estate: And this his desire or resolution (which supposeth another sentence after this life ended) the Heathens which so highly magnified his resolution did subscribe unto as good, and fit to be imitated by all honest men and true Patriots, albeit perhaps most of them were unwilling to be his seconds in like attempts, when the matter came to the tryal.
6. Nor did the Romans onely commend this Resolution in Regulus, whose Memory for well deserving of that Commonweal, they had in perpetual Reverence: But other Heathens which did detest the very name of Christians, and eagerly sought the extirpation of Christs Church on earth, did as much admire and commend the like in Christian Bishops: Two memorable stories very apposite to this purpose, come to my minde; the one related by St. Gregory Nazianzen, the other by St. Austin. Nazianzens story is of Bishop Marcus S. G. Nazianzen's story of Bishop Marcus Arethusus, is in his third Oration; or former Invective against Julian. Arethusus, who was sentenced to a cruel death and torture by Julian the Emperor, unless he would at his own cost and charges build up an Idol Temple, which he had caused to be pulled down: After that his persecutors had brought the damages required at his hands so low, that if he would be content to give but an Angel (or some small piece of Gold currant in those times) to the re-edifying of the Temple which he had destroyed, he should live; yet he persevered so constantly in his former Resolution (which was not to give so much as a peny by way of Contribution for building up any house of Iniquity) that his Persecutors were ashamed to take life from him.
Saint Augustine (in his Tract against Lying) tells us of Bishop Firmus, S. Austins story of Bishop Firmus. who, being pressed to bewray another Christian Brother (whose death (or Turning) the Heathens earnestly sought, having strong presumptions that This good Bishop knew where he was) after many torments, and threats of more, with great constancy refused: All the words that they could wrest Metaphrastes hath a story of Anthimus Bishop of Nicomedia, partly like This. from him, were these, Mentiri non possum, I cannot lie; (and yet he must haue lyed, if he had denyed that he knew where the Party was whose life they sought:) But as I cannot lie, so I cannot become a Traytor or Bewrayer of my Brother; do what you will or can unto me.
This constant Resolution, as Saint Austine testifies, did so turn the edge of his Persecutors malice into admiration and reverence of his integrity, that they dismist him with honor: Howbeit, there had been no wit or praise-worthiness in the practise, unless the Practiser had expected some beter Sentence after Death (to which he did thus constantly expose himself) then the applause of these Heathens, which he could not hope for, [Page 3382] which he did not expect. And the heathens in commending and admiring his constancy and integrity, did, though faintly or unwittingly, yet necessarily subscribe unto the truth of his hopes or belief of a Iudgment after death; as also unto that Oracle of God delivered by his Apostle, that seeing Christ hath laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 1 Iohn 3. 16. At least we ought to expose our selves to bodily death, rather then suffer them to be put upon the hazard of death eternal: As it is likely this Good Bishop feared, lest he should hazard this poor Christian soul, whose death or Turning the Heathens sought, being not so certain of his Resolution as of his own, but doubtful whether he would not deny Christ, or renounce the Christian Faith, rather then suffer such tortures, as he now felt, or expose himself to such a violent and cruel death, as they threatned him with.
7. Again, The most wise and learned among the heathen Philosophers did place Felicity or true happiness in the constant practise of Virtue, as in Temperance, Justice, Wisdom, &c. The Stoicks were so wedded to this Opinion, The opinion of the Stoicks. that they held virtue to be a sufficient recompence to it self, at what rate soever it was purchased or maintained; though with the loss of life, and limbs, with the most exquisite and lingring tortures, that our senses are capable of. They esteemed Regulus more happy even in the middest of his torments, then his persecutors were or could be in the height of their mirth and prosperity, or in the perfect fruition of their health, or best contentments of their senses or understandings; Yea so far they went, that they judged Regulus to perpetual happiness, albeit he had been perpetually or everlastingly so tormented as for a time he was. But This [...] (as was formerly intimated) then any good Christian is bound to believe [...], we are bound to believe the contrary. For so St. Paul (who was more virtuously constant then Regulus was in his profession; more then virtuously, Religiously constant in all the wayes of Godliness) tels us, 1 Cor. 15. 19. That if in this life only we had hope (that is, were quite without hopes of a better life, then this present is) we (Christians, such good Christians as he himself was) were of all men the most miserable. The Heathen then (the Stoicks especially) did well and wisely in acknowledging How Virtue is a Reward to it self. Felicity to consist in Virtue; in acknowleding Virtue to be a full recompence to it self, in respect of any temporary evil or punishment, that could be opposed unto it. They wisely resolved in holding them more happy which did suffer torments for a good Cause, then they which made it a part of their pleasure or happiness to torment them: Yet it is not possible that the entire and uninterrupted possession, or the undisinheritable tenor of virtue compleat, should alwayes in this life, be a sufficient recompence to it self, or able to countervail all the costs or grievances wherewith the most virtuous, or most Godly men that live, may in this life be charged. Virtue then or Godliness is in this life a sufficient recompence to it self spe only, not re; so far as it is the only Way to our union with God or with Christ, who is to all the sons of Abraham (as he professed himself to Abraham Gen. 15. 1.) their exceeding great reward. Nor could true Happiness consist in Virtue, if our hopes or fruition of it might be terminated with this life. In what sense then is Felicity said to consist in Virtue? Only so far as our assured hope of a better life after death is unseparably annexed, and indissolubly wedded unto the constant practice of Virtue and Godliness in this life. Without Assurance of this hope, that Magnificent Confidence, which the Stoicks put in Virtue, was but a vain imagination in respect of themselves: And for this reason, albeit all of them were more then Christians, Hyperbolical Christians in their speculative commendations of Virtue, yet many of them were in practice as cowardly, [Page 3383] as other heathen. And no marvel, seeing it is This Hope which must strengthen other Graces of God in us, & enable our spirits to countersway the contrary inclinations of natural fear of death, or torments in the day of tryal. Cast not away your confidence (saith the Apostle) Heb. 10. 35, 36 Which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the Will of God, ye might receive the promise. And again Hebr. 12. ver. 1, 2. Let us lay aside every weight, and the Sin which doth so easily be et us; and let us run with patience the race that is set before us; looking unto Iesus the Author and finisher of our faith; who for the Ioy that was set before him endured the crosse, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. As to encourage our selves to do well with hope or conceit of meriting any thing at Gods hand, is pride and presumption (a natural branch of Popish Superstition:) So not to strengthen our selves, or quicken our patience in the suffering of any bodily evils that for Christ's Cause can befal us, with Hope of Reward, or certain expectance of a better Sentence to be pronounced by a supreme Judge, is but a branch of the blind Stoicks Affection, or of his forced and affected Zeal to Virtue. And it is no better then a Stoical Doctrine or error, which some have taught, that we are to do good meerly for goodness sake, sine intuitu mercedis, without any eye or respect to our reward or recompence. It is an error, if it be persisted in, so much more dangerously heretical in Divinity, then theirs was in Philosophy; by how much we are more deeply bound, then they were, not to sever those things, by Nicities or speculative Distinctions, which God hath indissolubly conjoyned, Gen. 15. 1. Hebr. 11. 26. Philip. 3. 14. Heb. 12. 2. Rom. 2. 7. and whose conjunction the Son of God himself, whilest he lived on earth, hath by his practice and example ratified unto us. And St. Paul delivers it as a point of useful doctrine to the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. 4. 13. to comfort themselves against the terrors and assaults of death (whether made upon themselves, or upon their friends) with hope of a resurrection to a better life. Now it were impossible for any man to comfort himself with this hope, without intuition or respect unto this great reward, that God hath to bestow on men. For greater reward he hath none to bestow then Life eternal; nor is man capable of any like unto it. But of this Point more fully, when we come to the last point proposed, to wit, The Sentence or Award of this Final Judgement.
8. But now to shut up the First Point, concerning the natural Notions which the heathens had (and The internal Experiments, which every true Christian may have answering to these Notions) of a Final Judgment. The sum of all is compriz'd by our Apostle, Rom. 2. 14, 15, 16. whose words are a full confirmation of what hath been before observed concerning the Heathens. (—When the Gentiles, which have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law; these, having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves, which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts; their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while, accusing, or else excusing one another) In the day when God shall Judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel. It was no part of our Apostles meaning, that the Consciences of these heathens should not give in their Evidence or accusations until the day of Final Iudgment? No: their Evidence shall in that day appear more full and publick, when God shall Iudge the secrets of the heart, but even in this secrecie of the heart, there was an Evidence, though private, yet full enough to themselves, of a Judgment to come. The Apostles speech is distributively universal: every mans thoughts do accuse or excuse Notions of Good and Evil as fresh as those of True and false. him for all his own deeds respectively. ‘And no marvel, seeing the [Page 3384] Notions of good and evil are as naturally implanted in our souls, as the Notions of truth and falshood; And children (so such as have the Tuition of them would be careful, so their parents were not more delighted to ripen their wits, then to ripen the seeds of morality) might as soon be taught to put a difference betwixt things sacred and prophane, as between the right hand and the left.’ But this is our miserie, that these Notions of good or evil are sooner ☞ corrupted and choked, then our Notions of truth and falshood. Yet however, The working of Conscience cannot utterly be choked or deaded in any, although the voice of it be oft times unheard, although most men seek to stifle it.
9. The Internal Experiments which certifie the Christian of a Judgment to come, be so frequent and forcible, that pains will be better spent in perswading men to take notice of them, then in a long discourse of them. It is the chief wisdom of a Christian, the very life of Christian Sobriety, not to exceed so much in mirth, though honest, harmless and in season; nor in the frequency of any business, though indifferent and lawful; as not to allot the secrets of our hearts and consciences some set hours and times for Audience. Multiplicitie of business without interposition of vacancies to this purpose, is but like perpetual noise and clamor in a Court of Justice; and not to use some retired Interims for examination of our souls, is but as if men should continually laugh or brawl, whilest the Officers of the Court injoyn peace or silence. So often then as we shall perceive our Conscience either expresly to check us, or inwardly to ☞ work, let us still call to mind, that it now is in Executione Officii; and its Office is, to be our Remembrancer of that which our Apostle admonisheth us, 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves, we should not be judged. In this Judgment or examination of our selves, Nature her self would teach us thus much, so we would be observant of the Process; That seeing Conscience is not onely the Lamp of the Lord, but also a part of our selves, a principal Ray or beam of our The Jealousie and inquisitiveness of Conscience, shews that it is deputed by God as our visitor or supervisour. souls, it could not be so suspitious of our actions, or so inquisitive after every circumstance that may make against us when we do evil, unless it were deputed by a supreme Judge to bring us to a Judgment, and either in this life to acquit us, by perswading us to judge our selves, or in that last day to accuse and condemn us. It would teach us again, That albeit there be a General day for final Judgment appointed, wherein Christ himself shall sit as Judge; yet he every day holds or cals, A private Sessions within our brests, wherein Conscience sits his Atturney or Deputy. Again, let us still remember, that albeit the work of the Law be written in our hearts (so it was in the hearts of the very heathens:) that albeit we give Conscience full Audience and leave to examine us by the Law of God, whether written in our hearts, or in the sacred Book; yet is it but a small part of our accounts, which we shall be able to read in the Register of our own Consciences, in respect of what is to be found written in that Book or Scrowl, which shall be opened and unfolded in the day of final Iudgement, Rev. 20. 12. Howbeit, even so much, as every man (which will diligently hearken to his own Conscience) shall in this life be able to read and hear distinctly, will make deep impression in his heart, and wound his very spirit. And (as Solomon speaks) a wounded Spirit, who can bear? rather, who can heal it? None but he that shall be our Judge. Yet may we not look that when he shall come to judge all, he will vouchsafe to heal any. He healeth all our infirmities, as he is our High-Priest, not as he is our Judge; And so healed by him our Consciences must be in this life; otherwise the wound will prove deadly and incurable in that last day. Nothing besides the wounds of Christ can cure the wounds and [Page 3385] sores of our spirits and consciences; Therefore was he smitten and bruised, therefore was he wounded unto death, that his blood poured forth might be as a Fountain of Oyl or Balm to cure and heal the broken hearted: For, The broken hearted onely are his true Patients: All of us one time or other must feel the sting of Serpents, more fiery then such as stung the Israelites in the wilderness, even the sting of death, and of that old Serpent (which, in our first Parents, envenomed our nature) before we can thirst after this fountain of life, with that fervencie of spirit, which he requireth in his Patients; without this thirst thus occasioned by this sting of conscience, and poyson of sin in some measure apprehended by us, we cannot drink the water of life, or suck in the balm of health and salvation, which issued out of Christs wounds in such a plentiful measure, as may cure the festered wounds of our souls and consciences, and purge us from that corruption, which we and our Fathers have sucked from our first Parents, or contracted by the incessant overflow of our actual and daily sins.
10. Yet is not this apprehension of our actual and daily sins, or the smart or sting of conscience so perpetually uncessant in any one of us, but that we may feel or perceive some interposed gleams of joy and comfort, The Checks & Gratulations of our Consciences, be tastes or pledges of the Two-fold award that shall be given at the last day. some Gratulations of our Consciences for businesses sincerely managed by us, or for those particular actions, or good deeds, which in respect of some one or other circumstance, we have done amiss; but for their substance, well and with a good intention, and without a sinister respect to our own private temporal ends, or to the prejudice of others with whom we live. So that no man, unless he be much wanting to himself, can want undoubted Experiments in himself of a future and Final Judgement; or of the Two-fold sentence, which in it shall be awarded to all, according to the diversity of their ways: As often then as any of us shall feel the sting, or perceive the check of our consciences for the evils we have done, let us take this irksomness or indisposition of our minds and souls, not for a meer effect of natural Melancholie (though that perhaps may concur as a cause to increase our heaviness) but rather take all together, as a Crisis of that disease growing upon our souls; which unless it be cured by our heavenly Physician in this life, will prove incurable in that last and dreadful day, and will bring upon us perpetual weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth: If our Consciences again at any time shall Congratulate us for well doing, we may take these Congratulations or Applauses of our souls and spirits, as so many undoubted pledges or earnests of that unspeakable and uncessant joy, which the supream Iudge shall award to all, that by constancy in well-doing acknowledge him for their Soveraign Lord, and expect him as their supream Iudge: If we cease not to continue these good actions or performances, he will not cease to renew the undoubted pledges or earnests of eternal Joy unto us daily: For so S. Paul saith, He will render to every man according to his deeds: To them, who by patient continuance Rom. 2. 6, 7, &c. in well doing seek for glory, and honor, and immortalitie, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, indignation, and wrath, tribulation & anguish &c.
11. The best use which the Heathens (as meer Heathens) made of such Notions, as nature had implanted in them of a future Judgement; or rather their misapplications of what nature did rightly suggest unto them, to this purpose, The Heathen Notions of a final Judgement vanished like dreams. cannot better be resembled then by the use or applications which men naturally make of Dreams: Now of Dreams, some are vain and idle, as arising onely from the Garboils of the Phantasie (most frequent in men sick or distempered) or from such thoughts, discourses, or speeches, as we have entertained by day, or been entertained with for some short time before: Of [Page 3386] these Dreams, and of their serious observation, that of The Son of Sirach, Eccl. 34. 1, 2, 3. is most true. The hopes of a man void of understanding are vain and false; and dreams lift up fools. Who so regardeth dreams is like him, that catcheth at a shadow, and followeth after the wind. The vision of dreams is like the resemblance of one thing to another, even as the likeness of a face to a face. Howbeit, even such Dreams may be resolved into some natural Causes precedent. Nor do men fail in the apprehension of particulars represented (which is alwayes more lively by night, then by day) but in the application or composition of such representations whilest they dream: This commonly is as imperfect or monstrous, as if one should be able to name his Letters right, but not able to spell or make a syllable otherwise then by rote or guess; or apt to put those syllables ill-favouredly together, which he had severally spelled not much amiss.
Like to mens apprehensions of these Dreams were most speculations of the Heathens concerning the truth, or manner of a final Iudgment, or future Resurrection; whose indefinite Notions Nature had implanted in their hearts. So vain and idle they were for the most part in their Collections or applications of what they conceived, that no more credence was to be given unto their particular speculations or doctrine, then unto a sick mans apprehensions of his present Dream. But however many of them did write and speak of a future Iudgment, more out of Art and imitation of others, then out of any solid Experiments; yet was it not possible that the wits of all or most of them, of the Antients especially, should have been set a working in this Argument, without some undoubted and experienced impulsions of nature seeking to lead or drive them upon that Truth, which we Christians are expresly taught by a Better Master then Nature.
12. Other Dreams there be, which are reputed natural, whose observation is very useful; because they have real Causes in nature, and alwayes exhibit A Discourse about Dreames. either a true Crisis or notice of mens present estate of body, or some right Prognosticks of some disease growing upon them, whose original or progress is to their waking thoughts unsensible or unapprehended, Howbeit, the right interpretation or signification of such suggestions or intimations, as nature gives to men in Dreams, is usually unknown, or much mistaken for the present, by the parties, to whom they are immediately made by nature; They must be expounded or Judged of by the Physician, or Philosopher. Some men, no way distempered nor disquieted in thought, have dreamed, that some part of their Legs or Arms have been turned into a stone, or into an Icie substance. The apprehension or composition was vain and false; yet not without a true and observable Cause. The Physician did by the relation of the circumstances perceive (as the Event did prove) a cold humor beginning to settle in that part of the body, whose transformation was represented in the Dream; and gather'd withall, that the humor not thence removed would breed a numness or oppression of the nerves in that part. Others oft times dream (not from any thoughts or discourses to that purpose) that they are flying in the air, or can jump from one place to another, further distant then any man can conceive it possible for himself, or other terrestrial creatures to leap or skip. The Philosopher or Physician knows this, or the like representation made in sleep, not occasioned from any late waking thoughts, to be a token of a clean stomack, of pure blood, or lively spirits. Others, I have heard of, in the midst of their quiet sleep, have suddenly cryed out as if they had been stabbed under the ribs. Themselves after they awaked, and such as heard them before they were awakt, knew the conceit or apprehension to be altogether false, yet [Page 3387] not vain or idle in respect of the Cause or observation. The skilful Physician, from this their mis-apprehension, rightly apprehended a salt humor violently distilling upon the lungs, ready to breed a dangerous Consumption, whose removal would have been more difficult, had not Nature given this imperfect advice or forewarning for the speedy prevention of it: This secret advice, or forewarning of Nature, was so much the more to be credited, because no occasion of any quarrel, no thought or discourse tending to the representation of any such fear, had presented it self to the waking thoughts of the party thus dreaming for a long time before: Every real occasion of joy or fear, the very least annoyance or pleasance, that can befall our bodies in night-sleep or slumber (as the Philosopher long ago observed) is apt to misinform our Common sense (or Judicative faculty) being now surprised by sleep, with representations or conceipts of the greatest delight or fear that is of the same kinde with that which is really represented; as if a drop of sweet flegm do distil upon the swallowing place, it raiseth an apprehension of honey, or other sweet meat, to which the tast of the party thus dreaming hath been accustomed; and from this Original, hungry men in their sleep feed their Phantasies with apprehension of pleasant Banquets. Abundance of choler ofttimes raiseth an apprehension of some great fire: And nothing more common then for men, troubled with flux of Rheum from the brain, to dream of drowning, or danger by floods or water: The least oppression of the motive faculty, will occasion the Ephialtes or Gigas, that affection which we commonly call The Mare. In all these and the like affections, Nature doth her part, however the Parties to whom she secretly suggests these signs or tokens of their bodily estate or constitution, do for the most part grosly erre in their constructions of them, until they be rectified or better instructed by the Physician or Philosopher, who onely know the natural causes of such representations by sleep, which is as a false glass, wherein every thing appears much greater to the Phantasie, then in nature it is, or would appear to our vigilant senses.
13. In like manner the best apprehensions or collections which the Heathens made of those Real Notions, which are by nature implanted (of a Final Judgement) were erroneous; their Doctrinal speculations or expressions, were no better then an ignorant mans apprehension of his natural Dreams; howbeit, even the speculations of such Heathens, as did most erre in particular, do minister much matter of true and useful Contemplation unto the Christian Divine, part of whose office it is, or should be, to search the original of others errors, whose rectification must be made by the Scripture, Though Heathen Notions were like Dreams; Christian Divines may see realities of Truth in them. which is the Rule of Life; without whose Aphorisms or directions, the apprehension of natural Notions or Suggestions (even when they work most strongly) would lead or push the Physicians of souls themselves into Heresie.
Of all the Sects of Heathen Philosophers the Sect of Epicures did seek most earnestly to exempt themselves from the Jurisdiction, and their actions from the Cognizance of A divine Providence; yet could they not so dead the working of the Notion of it in themselves, or hood-wink their own understandings so close, as not to apprehend or observe the working of it in others. Epicurus himself, albeit he placed felicity in the moderate pleasures Touching Epicurus See Book 10. fol. 3139. of this life (though not in bodily pleasures onely, for he was not so gross as to exclude the delights or pleasures of the soul or minde, but rather required a competency of bodily pleasures for the fruition of this delight:) yet, however he failed in his apprehensions of felicity; or in his application of those [Page 3388] good Lessons, which Nature did suggest unto him, he found himself tyed by bond of Conscience to observe the Law of Nature: The Original of his positive error, was an ignorance or blindness common to him and most Heathen in some degree or other, in not being able to discern the corruption of nature from Nature her self; or to distinguish between the suggestions or intimations of Nature, as it sometimes was, and universally might have continued; and the particular suggestions or longings of Nature, as it was corrupted or tainted in himself or others, more or less in all. It was a Principle of his Doctrine, as Seneca tells us, That Nature (which he profest to follow as his guide) did abhor all vice or wickedness: It seems, he held those courses or habits of life onely vicious, which we Christians account unnatural or prodigious vices; as Tyranny, Cruelty, or excessive Luxury. And such vices as these, the most Heathens (whom corruption of Nature did lead blindfold into many grievous sins, and cast such a mist before their eyes, as made unlawful pleasures appear unto them as parts of true happiness) did by the light of Nature detest, as contrary to the unapprehended Remnants or Reliques of Gods Image yet inherent in them, though mingled with Corruption, or much defaced with the Image of Satan.
But from what Grounds of Nature or Experiments did this Author or first Founder of the Sect of Epicures collect, that Nature did detest all wickedness: ‘Thus he did reason and collect: Quia sceleratis etiam inter tuta timor est: How Epicurus did collect. That Nature detested Vice. Because he saw such as had polluted their Consciences with wicked and prodigious practises, to live in fear, even whilest they seemed to have safety her self for their guard against all external Occurrences, whose probable assaults or annoyances, humane Policy could possibly forecast:’ And none more subject to this slavish fear, which their Consciences did inwardly suggest, then such as for their greatness and confidence in Tyranny and Cruelty were most terrible to others. What was it then, which these men did so See the conference betwixt Dionysius and Da [...]ocles, Tull. Tùscul. Lib. 5. And Philip Comines, of Lewis the eleventh. much fear? No other men, nor any revenge that man could attempt upon them: What then? The company of themselves, or solitary conference with their own Consciences: Yet no mans conscience can make his heart afraid, unless the conscience it self be first affrighted: What is it then which the consciences of supream earthly Judges, or Monarchs absolute by right of Conquest, can so much fear in the height of their temporal security? The Censure (doubtless) or check of some superior Judge: If this fear had been vain, or but a speculative Phansie, it could not have been uinversal or general in all or most wicked men, specially in such as were by nature terrible and stout, and wary withal to prevent all probabilities of danger from men. Yet was this check of Conscience, or this unknown Doom or Censure (which See Wisdom 17. ver. 11. See Juvenal. Set. 13. Conscience, whilest it checkt the hearts of wicked men, did so much fear) so universal and constant, that Epicurus, a man of no scrupulous Conscience, did observe it to be implanted by nature in all; and upon this observation did ground his former general Principle, That nature her self did abhor or detest wickedness: The suggestion then or intimation of a future Judgement was natural; but the apprehension or construction which Epicurus made of these suggestions, was but such as ordinary men make of representations in natural Dreams, before they be throughly awaked, or before they consult the Philosopher or Physician. The Christian Truth, which nature in these Heathens (being in respect of any supernatural use or end of her own suggestions, altogether dumb) did seek by these signs or intimations to express, was that Lesson which the Author of nature, & great Physician of our souls hath expresly taught us, Fear not them, which after they have killed the body, can do no more; but fear [Page 3389] him who is able to cast both body and soul into Hell fire; yea, I say unto you, fear him, Matth. 10. 28. Luke 12. 4.
14. As the wicked amongst the Heathens could not by any earthly Guard or greatness, exempt themselves from that Dread or Fear, which their corrupt Consciences did internally suggest: So that confident Boldness, which the integrity of conscience doth naturally suggest unto every man in his laudable actions, was sometimes represented by the more civil and sober sort of Heathens, after a manner more magnificent, and in a measure more ample, then it usually is by most Christians: Their expressions or conceipts of such confidence, as integrity of conscience doth arm men withal, did as far exceed our ordinary apprehensions of it, as the representations of natural Causes working within us, which are made unto us in sleep or dreams, do our waking apprehensions of the like workings or suggestions of nature. Si Fractus illabatur orbis, (saith Horace, a profest Disciple of Epicurus, Carm. Lib. 3. Ode 3.) impavidum ferient ruinae: Albeit the Heavens should rend assunder See Horace, Epist. Lib. 1. Epist. 1. above his head, and this inferior world break in pieces about his ears, yet a man of an intire and sound conscience would stand unmoved, unaffrighted, like a —. Hic murus abenev [...] esto, Nil conscire sibi— pillar of brass or marble, when the roof which it supporteth were blown away or fallen from it: This Hyperbolical expression of that Confidence, which integrity of Conscience in some measure always affords, was in this Heathen (if he had been put upon the tryal) but as the representation of a mans bodily estate made in a Dream, whose true cause is unknown unto the Dreamer. As in men that dream, so in this Heathen Poet, the apprehension of that which Nature did truly and really suggest, is most full and lively; but full and lively in both, without Judgement, without true use or right application: That Confidence then is the companion of a good Conscience, is a truth implanted by Nature, and freely acknowledged by the oppugners of Divine Providence. But from what original or fountain this truth should issue, or to what comfortable Use it might serve, were points which Nature could not distinctly teach; or points at least, which the meer natural man without help of Scriptures, or instructions from those Heavenly Physicians of the soul, whom God hath appointed Interpreters of this Book of life, could not learn: But we Christians know and believe, that when the Heavens shall be gathered as a Scroul, when the Elements shall melt with heat, and when the earth shall be removed out of his Psalm 3. 6. and 23. 4. and 27 1. and 46 1. Prov. 28. 1. Wisd. 5. 1. place; that even in the midst of these terrible spectacles, such as have their Consciences purified by Faith, shall lift up their heads for joy, as knowing these and the like to be undoubted Prognosticks or fore-running signs of their Redemption drawing nigh unto them. A Crisis (rather a kinde of First-fruits) of this Holy Confidence, was most remarkably attested to have been in the Primitive Christians. So Antoninus the Emperor (as in our 1. Book, chap. 24. out of Eusebius his 4. Book of Hist. Eccles. chap. 13. we did observe) did report of Them to the Asiaticks, who slandered and persecuted them: Take notice, saith he, of the late and daily Earthquakes, compare our estate with theirs; They (he means Christians) have more confidence to God-ward then you have.
15. This was The solid Truth, whose liveless Lineaments, or obscure Picture, nature had drawn unto the Heathen in the former indefinite Notions or Suggestions: The best fruits of a good conscience, the principal end why we are to study and labor for the preservation of our Consciences void of offence towards God and man, throughout the whole course of our life, is, that we may be enabled in that last day to stand without horror or confusion before the Son of Man. As peace of conscience breedeth confidence; so the onely Fountain whence this peace of conscience can issue, must be our reconciliation to that supreme Judge, [Page 3390] whose doom or Censure the Consciences of meer natural men, implicitly or by instinct of Nature dread; albeit they cannot apprehend the express manner of the Judgement to come, or who it is that shall be Judge: Both these, and all like points which are necessary unto true Christian Faith, must be learned out of the Book of Life.
Thus much of the First General, viz. Heathen Notions of a Judgement to come, &c. we proceed to the second, according to the method proposed in the 9th Chapter.
CHAP. XI. By what authority of Scripture the Exercise of this Final Judgement is appropriated unto our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. THat there was to be a Judgement general to all, but most terrible to the That there was to be a Judgement, was known to the original world. wicked and ungodly, was a Truth revealed before any part of the sacred Books now extant were written: But if it be a Revelation more ancient then the written Canon, what warrant can we have to believe it besides Tradition? Is then Tradition a sufficient warrant for us to believe unwritten verities, or Revelations made to Gods Saints for many thousand years ago? It is not, unless the Tradition be expresly avouched by some Canonical Writer; But then it, or rather the Vouchers authority concerning the truth of the Tradition, is to be believed: So that our Belief in this Point, must be resolved into a written verity, or a parcel of Canonical Scripture.
The Revelation concerning the final Judgement, whereof we now speak, was made to Enoch before the Flood: The Avoucher of this Revelation is St. Jude. ver. 14, 15. And Enoch also the seventh from Adam, prophesied of It was foretold by Enoch. these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints; To execute Judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him: Besides the authority of St. Jude, which makes this Tradition to be no more a meer Tradition, but Canonical Scripture; we have other more special Grounds to believe that Enoch did thus Prophesie, then we have to believe any other pretended Revelations, which are not contained in Scripture.
The truth and certainty of this Judgment denounced by Enoch was so publickly and notoriously known, that the Hebrew Church before our Saviours incarnation, did begin the Writ or Instrument of their Great and terrible Excommunication with the first words of Enochs Prophesie, Dominus veniet, the Lord See Book 10. Chap. 38. num. 11. p. 3171. shall come. As if they meant to bind the party whom they excommunicated (besides all other punishments or infamies) over to this Grand Assize. But is there in this Prophecie any particular character of Christ? Any pregnant intimation that this Great Judge of the world should be the Second Person in the Trinity, rather then The First? In the words themselves there is no peculiar Character of Christ, save only in The Title LORD; which (as we said before) is peculiar to Christ; whether it be in the Original exprest by the word Jehovah, or Adonai; whensoever Judgment, or visible exercise of Jurisdiction Regal, is the subject or matter of the prophetical discourse, as in this Prophecy [Page 3391] of Enoch it is. Besides this Character in the words of the prophecie, the Prophet himself, Enoch, was a lively Type of Christ the great Prophet, in the very ground of his Title to Lordship and Jurisdiction. Enoch was Enoch a lively Type of Christ translated that he should not see death; but before his translation had this testimony, that he Pleased God; Hebr. 11. 5. Before his Translation he denounced this Wo or Curse against all, that continue in ungodliness, fore warning the world withal, that the Lord himself, whose Embassador he was, should come to put his Embassage in execution. The congruity of the Fact or Type with the Body fore-shadowed, implies, that this Propheeie was then to be fulfilled, after the Prince of Prophets had been translated, as Enoch was from earth (but in a higher degree then Enoch was) into heaven it self. And albeit before his translation he had a more ample Testimony then Enoch had (this is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased) yet was he not made Lord, and King, and Judge, till after his Resurrection and Translation. From that time, the Angels, and Principalities, and Powers, even all the Hoast of Heaven intimated by Enoch, became (by that Title) subject unto him. That Christ is that very Lord, against whom those ungodly men whom Enoch mentions, did speak such bitter words; our Apostle St. Paul, though obscurely, yet fully implies, in the conclusion of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, chapt. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus, let him be Anathema [...], that is, Let him be accursed or excommunicated with that Great and terrible Excommunication [...]; that is, the Lord shall come; for so they call their Excommunication, as we do Writs, by the first words of the Writ or Instrument; and these were the first words of Enochs Prophecie; Veniet Dominus, The Lord shall come. The full meaning or implication of the Apostle is; That whosoever doth not love the Lord Jesus, shall be liable to all the Iudgments or Woes denounced by Enoch against the hard speeches of ungodly Sinners, which they have spoken against their Lord and Iudge.
2. That God is Judge of all the Earth, that there shall be a final Judgment generally awarded to all the Inhabitants of the Earth by God himself; the Testimonies of the Old Testament, That God, That Christ shall be Judge. places of the old Testament are infinite. I shall only touch the principal or more pregnant testimonies to this purpose. To begin with the First. Gen. 18. 22. When the men turned their faces from thence, and went towards Sodom, Abraham stood yet before The Lord, and drawing neer, he said; wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? ver. 23. And again ver. 25. To slay the righteous with the wicked, and, that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee; Shall not The Judge of all the Earth do right? Thus he spake in the case of Sodom, whose Judgment this Lord and Judge of all the earth was then ready to put in execution. Now this Judgment of Sodom was but as a Private or Particular Sessions to give the world an undoubted pledge of that General and Terrible Judgment, which must be given upon all such as they were, by the same Lord's visible appearance, before whom Abraham did now appear as Advocate or Intercessor for these men of Sodom. So St. Iude instructs us, Ver. 6, 7. And the Angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the Judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them, in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. There were Three in number which then appeared unto Abraham under the shape and likeness of men; yet to his apprehension more then Men, Angels of the Lord, or the Lord Himself in a Trinity of Angels representing the Blessed Trinity; in which, as Athanasius tels us, there are [Page 3392] not three Lords, but one Lord; Yet, though there be but one Lord Iehovah, and though the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost be This One Lord; yet (as we said, Chap. 6. 7.) The Son of God is Adonai or [...], The Lord or Judge by peculiar Title; and by such personal Right, as God the Father, and God See Book 7. Chap. 36. the Holy Ghost is not Lord and Judge: And for this reason, albeit there were Three that appeared to Abraham, yet Abraham directs his speech unto One, as unto his Lord; & this Lord did vouchsafe his answer unto Abraham after the men which appeared unto him turned their faces thence, and went towards Sodom.
Other Testimonies to this purpose are most frequent in the book of Psalms, Psal. 50. 1, 2, 3. The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the Earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined. Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. And ver. 6. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God is Judge himself. Psal. 93. 1, 2. The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty, the Lord is cloathed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: The world also is established, that it cannot be moved. Thy Throne is established of old, thou art from everlasting. Every Throne or Tribunal is established for execution of Judgment: But this Throne, though established of old or from Eternity, yet was not the Judgment, for which this Throne was established, executed from eternity, or so executed at any time before the Date of this Psalm, as the Psalmist expected in due time, or at the end of time it would be. And the Author of the next Psalm (whether the same or some other) conceives a solemn prayer for the speedy execution of that Judgment, which was to proceed from the former Throne, which had been established from everlasting, and to be executed by that God, to whose honor the former Psalm was consecrated. O Lord God (saith the Psalmist, Psal. 94. 1, 2, 3, 4.) to whom vengeance belongeth, O God, to whom vengeance belongeth shew thy self; lift up thy self, thou Judge of the Earth; render a reward to the proud. Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? how long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? To omit other testimonies to the like purpose; ‘This one Observation is general to all; As the Messias, who was first promised, and but Promised only, to Adam, was afterwards Promised by Oath to Abraham, It was revealed by degrees, That Christ should be Judge. and to David, and by them to all mankind; So this future general Judgement, which was first revealed, for ought we read, to Enoch, afterwards known to Abraham, and to David, and to the Psalmists (were they one or more) was afterwards confirmed by the Oath of God himself unto the Prophet Esay, Cap. 45. ver. 22, 23.’ Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by my self, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return; that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
3. All these Testimonies are Concludent, that God is Judge of all the earth, and that there shall be A final Judgment executed by God himself. But the Point wherein the Reader (as I suppose) expects satisfaction, is, From what authentick Testimony of Scripture it is, or may be made as clear and evident, that This final Iudgment shall be personally executed by the Son of God, or by the Man Christ Jesus. As much as to this purpose can be required is avouched by our Apostle St. Paul, Rom. 14. 11. It is written; as I live (saith the Lord) Every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. The written Testimony which he avoucheth, is That before last cited, Esay 45. 23. And from this Testimony he infers these Two Conclusions, the Former, [Page 3393] ver. 10. (which is the same with 2 Cor. 5. 10.) We shall all stand before the Iudgment seat of Christ; The Later, ver. 12. So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God. The Issue or Corollary of both Two Conclusions. one Corollary. Conclusions is, That Iesus Christ is that Lord and God which had interposed his Oath unto the Prophet Esay, that every knee should bow unto him. This Issue of both Conclusions, Rom. 14. is more fully exprest, Phil. 2. 9, 10, 11. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a Name, which is above every name, that at the name of JESUS every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on the earth, and things under the earth: and that every tongue should confess that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
‘But for more full satisfaction, some here may justly Demand: Whether St. Paul did make this interpretation of the Prophet Esay by some new Revelation of the Spirit made in particular to him, unknown to most others before that time? Or whether the interpretation of the Prophet Esay, and of other like prophecies which he made, were literally and really included in the prophecies themselves, and ratified by the General Analogie of Faith, or by the Common Rule of interpretation in those times sufficiently known to the learned, whose eyes were not blinded with passion, nor prejudiced with partiality to their own Sects or Factions?’
To this we Answer, that St. Paul's Interpretation of the Prophet was really included in the literal sense of the Prophecie, and the literal sense or construction, which he made of the fore-cited passage in the Prophet Esay, and other Prophets, was warrantable by the Common Rule of Interpretation sufficiently known in those times.
‘The Rule is General; That all those places of the old Testament, which An useful General Rule. intimate either a new manner of Gods governing the world, or a beginning of his reign over all Nations, or of being made Lord and King, or of arising to Judge the earth, must be meant of God incarnate, that is, of the Son of God begotten before all worlds, and begotten again from the dead.’ For as the Son of God by his death and resurrection became our Lord by a peculiar Title; So he was from the ground of the same Title appointed Judge of quick and dead by a peculiar and personal right. This is more often and more Emphatically intimated by our Saviour Christ, and by his Apostles, then observed by many of their profest Interpreters. First by St. Peter, Acts 10. 40, 41, 42. Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly, not unto all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. And he commanded us to preach to the people, and to testifie, that it is he, which was ordained of God to be the Judge of the quick and the dead. And again by St. Paul, Acts 17. 30, 31. And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will Judge the world in righteousness, by that man, whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead. But more fully by the same St. Paul, Rom. 14. 9. To this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might he Lord both of the dead and living. In this Collection from the Prophet Esay he saith no more, then our Saviour hath done, Iohn 5. 21, 22. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father Iudgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgment unto the Son.
4. But the Former Question still revolves upon the same Center that it [Page 3394] did before. The Point or Center is This; Whether St. Peter, or St. Paul, or whether our Saviour himself did deliver the doctrine fore-cited from that authority only, which was delegated to them from God, within that compass of time, wherein they did converse with men here on earth? ‘or whether the doctrine, which they then delivered, were fully ratified by Divine Authority revealed and written before?’ ‘To this we Answer, that our Saviour Himself in all his Christs Answers to the Jews were but Comments upon the Prophets Answers to the Jews did but Comment upon, or expound those Texts of holy Scripture, which he had put into his Prophets mouthes long before he himself had spoken with the mouth of man.’ ‘One of the most pregnant Texts of the Old Testament is Psal. 82. 1, 2. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty, he judgeth among the Gods: How long will ye Judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? I have said ye are Gods; and all of you are children of the most High; but ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the Princes: that is, like any Princes amongst the Heathen:’ And dying and falling thus, they could not expect that they were to rise again to Judge others, but rather to be Judged by God himself, or by him that was the Son of the most High in another manner then they were: who though he were to die as man, yet did he not cease to be the Son of God by his death: Yea, He was declared to be The only Son of God with Power, by His Resurrection from the Dead. And out of this hope of his future resurrection, the Psalmist for Conclusion, being as it seems opprest with corruption of Judgment, appeals unto the supreme Judge as well of the dead as of the living. Arise O God, Iudge the earth for thou shalt inherit all Nations, ver. 8. He doth not say, Thou dost inherit all Nations, or thou art already set in Judgment; but arise O God to Iudge the earth, for thou shalt inherit all Nations. ‘So that the ground or Title of his universal Jurisdiction or judicature is his Inheritance of all Nations, and his Title of Inheritance over all Nations bears date, or began to be in Esse from the day of his Resurrection;’ as you heard before out of St Paul, Rom. 14. ‘And was before him expresly foretold by the Prophet David, Psal. 2. 7, 8, 9. I will declare the Decree; the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; This day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession, Thou shalt break them with a rod of Iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel.’ This Decree was executed, this promise performed, when, All Power in Heaven and Earth was given unto Christ: Matth. 28. 18.
5. To omit all further variety of Testimonies; No other Article in our Creed is, or can be so authentickly testified, as This One Article of Christs coming to Judgment is. Besides that it was expresly and distinctly foretold by the Prophets, and the fulfilling of their prophecies expresly avouched by the Evangelists and the Apostles, the Truth of it was in special manner sealed by the blood of this Great Judge himself. The only matter of death, which the malicious wit of his enemies could invent or pretend against him, A main Branch of That Good Confession, which Christ witnessed, was, His Title to be Judge. was from his voluntary Confession of this Article, in the same Form or Terms wherein we profess our Belief of it. For, as you may read Matth. 26. 59. After the High-Priest and Elders had found, that the Witnesses suborned against him did not agree in their testimonies, or else (which is more probable) that their testimonies, though well agreeing, did not amount to any matter Capital: the High-Priest seeks to intangle him in his own Answers to This Interrogatory: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us, whether thou be The Christ, the Son of God, ver. 63. Our Saviour confesseth the Article or Interrogatory; For so much is answered, at least in the next words, [Page 3395] Thou hast said it, Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming in the Clouds of Heaven.
This Adversative Particle [Nevertheless] hath much troubled some Interpreters; and some, to ease themselves of further trouble, would have it The Adversative Particle Nevertheless. to be no Adversative, but an Affirmative: As to their apprehensions the Hebrew Ac (whereof the Greek [...] in this place is the expression) in many places of the Old Testament, is an Affirmative, no Adversative Particle.
But it were easie to shew them wherein their Observations fail. The difficulty of the Construction in this place may be Two wayes salved; either 1. by filling up this Hiatus or chink in St. Matthew, with the words of our Saviours answer, which St. Luke relates: Or 2. by borrowing this Adversative Particle from St. Matthew, and adding it unto St. Luke's Relation.
Unto the former Question; Art Thou The Christ? Our Saviour in the morning answered, If I tell you, you will not believe, Luke 22. 67. And it is probable our Saviours words related by St. Matthew; thou sayest it, include as much, as if he had said; Thy Conscience tels thee, though thou wilt not hearken to it, nor believe it, that I am Christ the Son of God; but howsoever you will not now believe it, nevertheless hereafter you shall be inforced to acknowledge it. Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the Clouds of Heaven. Then the High Priest rent his clothes, saying; he hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Indeed if the matter which he confessed had been truly Capital, his own confession, being made before a competent Judge, had been a sufficient and full conviction without any further witness. But there was nothing in his Answer which, according to these High-Priests Rules or Principles, could bear so much as the least colour or appearance of any Crime, much less of Blasphemy; unlesse their hearts had been infected with malice against his Person.
They now condemn him of Blasphemy in their own Court, And yet immediately after they accuse him of Treason in the Roman Court, for saying The blasphemous and treacherous Jews condemn Christ of Treason and Blasphemy. he was the King of the Iews: Their accusation in both was so grosly malicious, that it did plainly reverberate or reflect upon themselves; For if to be King of the Iews were Treason against the Roman State, then the High-Priests and Elders with all their complices were traytors; because they expected their Messias to be a temporal King, greater then Caesar. But such is their malice against Jesus of Nazareth, that rather then he should be acknowledged for their Messias, they would make their Messias a traytor, & their own doctrine concerning him to be treason. Rather then they will acknowledge Iesus of Nazareth to be the Son of God, or the Son of man, appointed to be the Iudge of quick & dead, they will make their Messias to be a Blasphemer, & the Prophets doctrine concerning his Personal Office to be blasphemy: for if the vail of malice had been removed from their hearts, or if they had not looked upon our Saviours Answer through it, there is no branch or part of this Answer, which was not distinctly and expresly foretold by the Prophets. As, That their expected Messias should be both the Son of God, and the Son of Man, and the Judge of all the earth; First, David had said of their Messias; Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psal. 110. 1. Here was the Seat of his Judgment prepared at the right hand of Power. His Coming likewise in the clouds as the Son of Man to the Antient of dayes to receive this Power and Jurisdiction is expresly foretold by Daniel, Chap. 7. ver. 13. And was [Page 3396] it not now full time that God, as the Psalmist before had prayed, Psal. 82. 8. should arise to Iudge the earth, when as malice had so far perverted the Judgement of the children of God, of Moses and Aarons Successors, that they had adjudged the Son of God to death for avouching himself to be the Judge of the quick and the dead.
6. The Particular Duties, whereunto the Belief of this Article doth unpartially The Application. bind all, may be prest upon the soul of the Reader with better opportunity, when we come unto the later General branches proposed; viz. the Process or Sentence. The most general fruit which this Second Branch affords, is Comfort in oppression, or when Judgment either publickly, or in our own particular is perverted.
Tully, that famous Orator and great States-man, seeing his Country laws and priviledges overthrown, and his Country brought into Slavery by Augustus, writes unto the Emperor, that he for his part would leave this world, and prefer a complaint against him unto the Decii and Curii, Antient Romans which had laid down their lives for the Liberty of their Country long before. Thus to desire rather to die, then to behold the evil, which was likely to befal that goodly and flourishing Common-weal, was not amiss, not (in it self) unchristian. For so God in mercy takes away good and merciful men before he begin to execute his severe and publick Judgments upon any So God took away the Author of this Book some 16. or 17. years ago. Land, lest they should see the evil to come. And out of the strength of this good desire perhaps it was, that Tully, albeit he had been noted for timorousness in his prosperity, did entertain a violent death with manly and Christianlike Courage. But alas, what a miserable comfort was it, which he could hope for from Decius or Curius, or from any of his deceased Predecessors, whom he knew not where, or in what estate to find? With what constancie and patience would this man have maintained a just Cause, specially his Countries right, whether by living or dying, if his heart had been fraught with Belief or hopes of finding so wise, so gracious, so upright and powerful a Judge, as we acknowledge Christ Jesus the Son of God to be. If he be for us, what can be against us? If he be pleased to heal us, what wounds can hurt us? If he acquits us, what Sentence or condemnation can prejudice us? The Heathen Poet and Epicurean Philosopher had observed;
Integer vitae sceleris (que) purus, Horace Carm lib.
Non eget Mauri jaculis, nec arcu: &c. 1. Ode. 22.
That there could be no weapons, whether offensive or defensive, so useful, as integrity of life, and soundness of Conscience. He that was thus armed, needed no other armour or weapons. This was but a dreaming apprehension of that Confidence, which our Apostle deduceth from its true original, Rom. 8. ver. 31. to 37. In all these things we are more then Conquerors. I do not herein dissent from them: And I could wish they would not herein dissent from me;
7. I know a great many ready to derive this Confidence from the doctrine of Election or Predestination. ‘but think, that their perswasions of their own Election and Predestination are but vain and meerly Jewish, unless in all their troubles and oppressions they become like unto their supream Judge in these Two Points: First in the Integrity or uprightness of the Cause, for which they suffer oppressions or grievances; Secondly in suffering grievances though openly wrongful with Meekness and It is [...] this was preac [...]'d at Newcastle, where he was Vicar divers yeers. Patience.’ A Lesson most necessary for these times, though hard to learn in this and neighbour places; Many (I dare not say all, or most part) of whose Inhabitants are of that disposition and education, that they neither know how [Page 3397] to entertain wholesom Justice or Government, with that obedience and respect which they owe unto it; nor can brook any injustice or error in judgement, though executed by their lawful Magistrates or Superiors, without intemperate speeches, undecent opposition, or unmannerly Censure. Yet let me tell them, that this proneness to speak evil of Dignities and Dominions, whether Ecclesiastick or Temporal, is one of those grievous sins, whereof, as St. Iude intimates, the supream Iudge will take special notice in that day; and the harborers of it, without repentance, shall have a large portion of the wo or curse denounced by Enoch: There is no sin, for its quality, more opposite to Iustice, or that can more provoke a just & gracious Iudge, then intrusion into his Office without Warrant or Commission; and yet so they all do, that without warrant will become Magistrates, or Censurers, or Judges of others. Such as affect the name of Zealous Professors in our times, cannot more directly impeach themselves of gross Hypocrisie, then by nursing this censuring humor in themselves, orr applauding it in others, whilest they profess to believe this Article, of appearing before the Judgement seat of Christ: The Belief whereof, were it true or sound, would not suffer this censorious humour, of all others whatsoever, to lodge in the same brest with it, as being most directly opposite unto it, most incompatible with it.
Nor did our Apostle St. Paul himself know any other Medicine or possible cure of this Malady, then the pressing this Article upon such as were tainted with it: Who art thou (saith he, Rom. 14. 4.) that judgest another mans servant? to his own Master he standeth or falleth: What more would you have said (or have left un-said) to such, as take upon them to judge or censure their lawful Magistrates and Pastors? And again, ver. 10. Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? seeing we shall all stand before the Iudgement seat of Christ; and ver. 12. So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God: As for the Magistrate, or such as have taken the charge of souls upon them, they must give an account to God, not of themselves onely, but of others committed to their charge; but their flock or inferiors are not bound to give account of them; and for this reason, should in conscience be more ready to be directed or censured by them, then to direct or judge their Actions.
8. The former Point might pass without further Addition or Annotation, were it not that a late Divine of deserved note, seems to deny the place avouched, Dan. 7. 13. to be literally meant of a final Judgement; of which, if it were not literally meant, our Saviors Allegation of it was not concludent; The literal meaning of Dan. 7. 13. enquired. nor should the conviction of the High Priest, for giving wrong Judgement upon our Savior, be so notorious and manifest as we suppose it to be, and at the last day it will appear: The prejudice of one modern Divines authority in a Negative of this nature cannot be great, especially seeing this Negation is grounded onely upon an inconsiderate or careless Inference: This place of Daniel (saith he) is literally meant of Christs ascending to his Father, and of his investiture in the Kingdom of Heaven: This no man denies. And necessary it was that he should ascend into Heaven, and be established in his Throne, before he came to the accomplishment of Jurisdiction Royal; such is the exercise or execution of final Judgement: The Argument then will hold much better Affirmatively, then Negatively: The forecited place of Daniel is literally meant of Christs Ascension and Enthronization; Ergo, it is principally meant of the execution of final Judgement, of such a Judgement as is to reverse or rectifie whatsoever hath been wrongfully done or adjudged by the most potent Monarchs or supream Tribunals of the [Page 3398] earth: So it is expresly foretold, Dan. 2. 44, 45. That this Kingdom, whereof the Son of Man did take possession, should destroy or break in pieces the Babylonian, the Persian, the Macedonian, and the Roman Monarchy, with all their appurtenances and attendances, or reliques: And in the days of these Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever: Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the Iron, the brass, the clay, the silver and gold; the great God hath made known to the King what shall come to pass hereafter, and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
To omit all Question, how Christs Kingdom here foretold, being not erected till the Roman Monarchy was at the height, should destroy the Babylonian, the Persian, or the Macedonian Monarchy, all which three were in the wane before the Roman was Crescent; Certain it is, that the Roman Monarchy being at the height when Christ ascended, was to be destroyed by him, yet not destroyed at his Ascension. The Case then is clear, that the forementioned Prophecie of Daniel cannot be terminated by the time of our Saviours Ascension, but is to be extended to all succeding ages, yea after time shall be no more. If the Kingdom, whereof Christ at his Ascension took possession, be for duration everlasting, for power most Soveraign; so absolute and independent, that all other Kingdoms which have been, are, or shal be, depend on it, and are responsible to it; the execution of all Judgement, whether past or to come, whether temporal or eternal, must either be ratified or reverst, or immediately awarded by This everlasting King.
Polanus himself, (the principal Author or Abettor of the former Opinion, Polanus his restriction of Dan. 7. 13. to Christs Ascension. viz. That the place of Dan. 7. 13. is not literally meant of Christs coming to Judgement) grants, That the Kingdom, whereof Christ at his Ascension took possession, shall be consummate in the life to come, and not before; And in granting thus much, he is concluded to grant withal, that the former places are principally or consummatly meant of Christs coming to Iudge the World, and to translate the Kingdom of God begun here on earth, into the Heaven of Heavens; in which, so translated, all shall be Kings, all shall be Judges, all shall be perpetual Laws unto themselves; there shall be no place for after Judgement, especially for any sentence of condemnation.
9. To let the former mis-interpretation of the Prophet Daniel pass as a private error, or oversight rather, which wants the general consent, as well of the Roman Church, as of the Reformed; it is now (God be praised) on all hands agreed on, and acknowledged by the best learned of both Churches, that many places of the Old Testament are literally and truly meant both of Christs first coming in humility to be judged of men, and of his second coming in glory One Prophesie may in the literal sense have two verifications; yea, contrary senses, lib. 7. cap. 17. to give Iudgement upon the world: And not of these two Periods of times onely, but of all the times intermediate or interjacent: Howbeit, of these times onely Inchoativè; consummately, finally, or punctually of the life to come, which takes beginning from the last Iudgement. That this place of Dan. 7. is Inchoativè meant of Christs first coming; that is, that it first began literally to be verified then, but shall not be consummated or fulfilled until the last Judgement, or in the life to come, is acknowledged and well observed by a late learned Jesuit: And this Interpretation being proffered by a man of that profession, I entertain the rather, because it affords us a facile and commodious interpretation of all or most of those places (whether in the Old Testament or in the New) which the Romish Church, the Iesuits in special [Page 3399] insist upon, for the glorious Prerogatives of the visible Church, and of the visible Roman Church above all Churches visible.
How many instances soever or places they bring, whether general for the visible or militant Church, or for the glory of the Roman Church in special; this One Answer will give satisfaction to all: ‘They are meant of the visible or militant Church Inchoativè, but of the Church triumphant, Consummativè: An answer to all Texts b [...]ought for the Rom: Churches great Glory; by distinction, Inchoativè and Completivè. See chap. 12. §. 8. They are meant of the visible or militant Church indefinitely; that is, some particular members of the visible Church, have undoubted pledges or earnests of those glorious promises in this life, which notwithstanding shall not be either universally, punctually, or solidly accomplished, save onely in the members of the Church triumphant.’
Christs Church (whether we consider it as militant or triumphant) is an essential or integral part of his Kingdom; and as his Kingdom, so his Church, hath its first plantation or beginning here on earth: Both have a right or interest in the glorious promises made to the Church universal; neither Church nor Kingdom here on earth can have entire possession of the blessings or prerogatives promised, until it be given them by the Great King at the day of Final Judgment. Of this rank is that prophecie, Jer. 31. 34. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of An Exposition of Jerem. 31. 34. them, saith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. This Place (no man denies) was literally verified in the Effusion of the Holy Ghost upon our Saviours Ascension; But shall not be punctually and solidly fulfilled until the day of Judgment be past: Then the true members of Christs Church shall neither need Tradition, nor the written Word, they shall be all immediately taught of God, and have his Laws most perfectly and indeliblely written in their hearts. The gates of hell shall not, then, in any wise prevail against them, not so far as to annoy their bodies or interrupt their peace and happiness. Of this intire happiness and perfection, the Church Militant had a pledge or earnest in the effusion of the Holy Ghost, and all that be true Members of Christs Church, have a superficial draught or picture of this entire happiness in their hearts. But Christ at his Ascension was so far from annulling the use of preaching, or teaching one another, that, as the Apostle tels us, Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13. He gave some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers, (more extraordinary, then any had been during the time of the Law) for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of faith, &c.
10. Thus to interpret the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Church indefinitely taken, can be no Paradox, seeing the predictions of our Saviour himself concerning his Kingdom must of necessity be thus interpreted; witness that Prediction (to omit others) Matth. 16. 27, 28. The Son of man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here, that shall not tast of death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.
The later part of this Prediction, or the Experiment answering unto it, was exemplified in Peter, Iames and John, within seven dayes after: For these Three were Spectators of his Transfiguration in the Mount; And his transfiguration was but a representation or exemplification of that glory wherein he shall appear in the day of Judgment, when he shall give these Apostles, and all that shall obey his precepts, full possession of the Kingdom of God prepared [Page 3400] for them. But albeit these three Apostles had not onely their eyes, but their ears true witnesses of his glory, as of the glory of the onely begotten Son of God (for so it is said, Matth. 17. 2. His face did shine as the Sun, and his raiment was white as the light; and ver. 5. A bright cloud over shadowed them, and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased, hear him:) Yet miserable men had they been for all this, if their hopes or expectations had been terminated or accomplished with this transient glorious spectacle or voice: Both the voice and the spectacle were but earnests or pledges of that everlasting joy or happiness, which they were to expect in the perpetual fruition of the like sights or sounds in the life to come.
Of this sort or rank is that Prophecie of Esay 2. 4. And he shall judge among the Nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into Plow-shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks: Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation, neither shall they learn War any more. There was at the birth of this great Judge, a glimps exhibited of this Universal Peace, which shall not be universally established before the last and final Judgement: All the Nations of the Earth were quiet and free from any noise of War when he came first into the World: For Janus his Temple was then shut; And after he shall be revealed again unto the World from Heaven, there shall be neither Death, nor Famine, nor the Sword. Howbeit, even the dearest of his Saints, which have lived since his first Birth, were to endure a perpetual War in their Pilgrimage here on earth; and the end of their War is to make them capable of this everlasting peace.
11. Another Prediction of his coming to Judgement there is, which must be interpreted according to the former Rule; that is, Inchoativè, or in part Mal. 3. 2. meant Inchoativè of Christs first coming, Completivè of his second. of his first coming to visit us in humility, and to instruct the World; but Completivè, or fully, of his second coming to Judge the World, Mal. 3. 2, 3. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiners fire, and like fullers sope: And he shall sit as a refiner or purifier of silver, and he shall purifie the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
So certain and so general is the former Rule of interpretation, that not this prediction of Malachi's onely, and the like of other Prophets; but the fulfilling of them related by the Evangelists, cannot rightly be interpreted without the help of this Rule: For Instance, to lay this Rule unto St. John Baptists speech, Matth. 3. 10, 11, 12. Now also the ax is laid unto the root of the tree: Therefore every tree which bringeth forth not good fruit, shall be hewn down and cast into the fire: I indeed Baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me, is mightier then I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall Baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the Garner: But will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. This Prediction cannot be exactly fulfilled until the Final Sentence be given and put in execution: And yet within 43 years after his Baptism by John, there was a manifest and lively representation exhibited to the World of his second coming unto Judgement; and this representation was exhibited upon the Nation of the Jews: The full accomplishment whereof shall at his second By first coming, he means His coming to judge and punish the Jews: The coming spoken of John 21. 22. coming (and not before) be universally and exactly accomplished in all Nations, and Languages, and People: Wherein then doth this representation of Final Judgement, which at his first coming was exhibited in the Jewish Nation, [Page 3401] punctually consist? ‘In this especially. There was such a notorious and manifest Crisis or distinction between the Elect and Reprobate of the Jewish Nation, or seed of Abraham at his first coming, as in no Nation or People had been experienced before, nor shall be experienced in any before the day of Final Judgement, in which, this distinction of Elect and Reprobates Such a discrimination of Elect and Reprobate, as was then, may not be lookt for till Doomes-day. shall not be onely universally manifested, but solemnly declared in respect of all mankinde: Every Son of Adam shall in that day be irrevocably marshalled or ranked, either amongst the absolute Reprobates, or absolute Elect: In the one or other rank of which estates, neither all nor most of every Nation or Church are at all points of time in the Interim to be accounted, no not in respect of Gods Eternal Decree:’ Nor may the Verdicts or Aphorisms, See Book 10. chap. 37, 38. whether of our Saviour himself, or of his Apostles after his death, concerning Election or Reprobation, be extended to other times or Nations in the same measure or Tenor, wherein they were verified and experienced in the Nation of the Jews, at, or upon our Saviors first coming. Thus far to extend them in respect of all Times or Nations were to transgress the Analogie of Faith, or received Rules of Interpreting Scriptures; and to dissolve the sweet and pleasant Harmony between the Law and the Gospel, or between the Evangelists and the Prophets.
And thus far of the second Point; in handling whereof, divers passages have intruded themselves, which are not impertinent to the third Point.
CHAP. XII. Of the manner of Christs coming to Judgement, which was the third General proposed in the ninth Chapter.
1. IT is said in the former Prophecie of Daniel, chap. 7. ver. 13. that One like the Son of Man came in the clouds of Heaven unto the Ancient of days. The literal fulfilling of this Prophetical vision is recorded, Acts 1. 9. And Dan. 7. 13. fulfilled. Acts 1. 9. when he (to wit Christ the Son of Man) had spoken these things, whilest they beheld, He was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight: But whither he was carried in the Cloud which received him, they could not distinctly see: Their bodily eyes could not see so much by day, as had been revealed to Daniel in vision by night: But admit that this cloud did carry him into the presence of the Ancient of days, or of God his Father; What is this manner of his going into Heaven, unto the manner of his coming to Judge the Earth, which is The Point in hand? Certainly much! for so the Angels, ver. 11. admonished his Disciples, which stedfastly beheld the Manner of his Ascension: Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner, as you have seen him go into Heaven: But shall the manner of his coming to Judge the World, be in every point like unto the manner of his ascending into Heaven? No! then it should not be so terrible, as we believe it shall be. The chief parts then of this similitude are these Two. The manner of Christs going up to Heaven, shewd the manner of his coming to Judge the Earth.
The First, As he did locally and visibly go into Heaven, so he shall locally and visibly come to judge the earth.
The second, As he was received into Heaven in a cloud, so he shall come to Judge the World (as he himself foretold the High Priest, and his Complices, [Page 3402] Matthew 26. 64.) in the clouds of heaven.
The literal meaning of both places, and the intent and purpose, as well of the Angels, as of our Saviour in this prediction, infers, That this Son of man, whom they now beheld with bodily eyes, was that very God, whose glorious kingdom and reign the Psalmist describes, Psal. 104. 3. Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters, who maketh the clouds his chariots, who walketh upon the wings of the wind. Who maketh his Angels Spirits (or the Spirits his Angels) his Ministers a flame of fire. So they will appear when they attend him Coming to Judgment, which will be in flaming Fire.
In all the manifestations of Christ to be the Son of God, The Cloud is still a Witness.
First, In his Transfiguration upon the Mount. A Cloud did overshadow him; and out of the Cloud this testimony was given him by God the Father, Matth. 17. 5. this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear him.
2. Whilest he ascends to God his Father, Acts 1. 9. A Cloud receives him.
And 3. When he shall come from heaven, or from his Fathers presence, to judge the earth, he shall have a Cloud for his Canopy.
‘For more particular Description of the Manner of his Coming, the next Point is; From what place he shall come? Now it is expresly said in our Creed [That Christ Jesus our Lord, who was conceived by the holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, descended into hell, who the third day rose again from The Place or Term from which Christ shall come to Judgment. the dead, ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of God, shall thence come to Judge the quick and the dead.’] But this word [Thence] is of ambiguous Reference. It may be referred in general either to the Heavens, into which he ascended, or unto the Right hand of God, or unto both. Certain it is, that he shall come from Heaven as visibly and locally, as he ascended thither. Yet whether he shall come from the Right hand of God, is questionable, but not by us determinable, unless it be determined already in the first Chapter of this Book, what is literally meant by The Right hand of God, either in the Creed or in those places of the New Testament, out of which This Article is taken. If Christs Body (as Lutherans did contend, chapt. 3. § 6.) be every where; or, if by the Right hand of God only the Power of God be literally meant, as many other Protestant Writers take as granted, or leave unquestioned; then Christ cannot be said to come from the Right hand of God; for it is impossible that Christ should come, or that there should be any true motion from that, which is every where. Neither can it be said, nor may it so much as be imagined, that Christ should depart from the Power of God, which (wheresoever he be as man) doth accompany and guard him. But if by the Right hand of God, at which Christ sitteth, be literally meant A visible and glorious Throne, then Christ may be said as truly and locally to come from thence, as from heaven, to Iudge the Quick and the dead. At least His Throne may remove with him. Now that by the Right hand of God, at which Christ sitteth, A Visible or local Throne is meant, I will at this time add only one Testimony unto the rest heretofore avouched in the handling of that Article, which is more literally concludent then all the rest; and it is Heb. 12. 2. He endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Throne of God. Not at the right hand of his own Throne, but at the right hand of the Throne of God the Father.
[Page 3403] 2. For perfecting this Map or Survey of Christs coming to Judgment already begun; would it not be as pertinent to know The Place, unto which he shall come, as the Place whence he comes? By the Rules of Art or method, this last Question would be more pertinent then the former. But seeing To what Place Christ (probably) shall come. the Scriptures are not in this Point so express and punctual as in the former, we may not so peremptorily determine it, or so curiously search into it. This is certain, That Christ after his descending from heaven, shall have his Throne or Seat of Judgment placed between the heaven and the earth in the air over-shadowed with clouds; But over what part of the earth his throne shall be thus placed is uncertain or conjectural; at the most but probable
Many notwithstanding, as well Antient as Modern, are of Opinion, That the Throne or Seat of Iudgment shall be placed over the Mount of Olives, from which Christ did ascend; and This (for ought we have to say against it) may be A Third Branch of the fore-mentioned similitude betwixt the manner of Christs ascending up into heaven, and of his Coming to Judgment; that is, As he was received in a cloud into heaven over Mount Olivet, so he shall descend in the clouds of heaven, to Judge the world in the same place. But the Testimony of Scripture, which gives the best Ground of probability, and a Tincture at least of moral certainty to the former opinion or conjecture, is that of Zach. cap. 14. ver. 3, 4. Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those Nations (to wit all those Nations, which have been gathered in See Book 9. Chap. 43. battel against Ierusalem, and these in the verse precedent were all Nations) as when he fought in the day of battel. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the East, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West, and there shall be a very great Valley, and half of the Mountain shall remove toward the North, and half of it toward the South, &c. This place, albeit (perhaps) in part it were verified in the destruction of Ierusalem, yet may it be also literally meant of the Last General Judgment, in which the rest of the prophecie following shall punctually and exactly be fulfilled.
3. But to leave these Circumstances of Place, from which, and unto which Christ shall come, and utterly to omit the Circumstance of Time, which is more uncertain. The most useful branch of the Third General Point proposed, is to know or apprehend the Terrible manner of his Coming. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord (saith our Apostle, 2 Cor. 5. 11.) we perswade men. His Speech is very Emphatical and Significant; an Aphorism of Life, unto whose Truth every experienced Physician of the soul will easily subscribe. For but a few men there be (especially in these later times, and these must be more then Men; in some good measure Christian Men) whom we can hope to perswade unto Godliness by the Love of God in Christ our Lord; Albeit we should spend our brains in drawing the picture or proportion of the Love exhibited in Christ, or give lustre or colour to the proportion drawn by the Evangelists, with our own blood. But by the Terror of the Lord, or by decyphering of that last and dreadful day, we shall perhaps perswade some men to become Christians, as well in heart as in profession, by taking Christ's Death and their own Lives into serious consideration.
Now of Terror or dread there be Two Corporeal Senses more apprehensive Two Senses chiefly apt to receive the impressions of Terror. then the rest, which are apt rather to suffer or feel, then to Dread the evils, which befal them; The Two In-lets by which Dread or terror enters [Page 3404] into the soul of man, are the Eye and the Ear. All the Terrors of that last day may be reduced to these Two Heads: To the strange and unusual Sights, which shall then be seen, and unto the strange and unusual Sounds or Voices, Terrors of Sounds, and Terrors of Sights. which shall then be heard. If we would search the Sacred Records from the Fall of our first Parents until our restauration was accomplished by Christ, or until the Sacred Canon was compleat, The notifications or apprehensions of Gods extraordinary presence, whether they were made by voice, or spectacle unusual, have been fearful and terrible to flesh and blood; though much better acquainted with Gods Presence then we are.
When our first Parents heard but the Voice of the Lord God walk in the garden, in the cool of the day, they hid themselves from his presence amongst the trees of the Garden, Gen. 3. 8, 10. When Gideon (Judg. 6. 22.) perceived that he which had spoken unto him (albeit he had spoken nothing but words of comfort and encouragement) was the Angel of the Lord, Gideon said, Alas O Lord God, because I have seen an Angel of the Lord face to face. The issue of his fear was Death, which happily he conceived from Gods word to Moses, Exod. 33. 20. Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me, and live. But to assure Gideon, that he was not compriz'd under that universal sentence of Death denounced, by God himself, to all that shall see him face to face, the Lord saith unto him, ver. 23, 24. Peace be unto thee; fear not; thou shalt not die; and Gideon (for further ratification of this Priviledge or dispensation) built an altar unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah Shalom, that is, the Lord send peace; or the Lord will be a Lord of peace unto his servants. Yet could not this assurance, made by the Lord himself unto Gideon, exempt his Successors from the like or greater fear upon notice of Gods extraordinary presence. For so Manoah (Samsons father) after long Conference with the Lord, after he knew that it was an Angel of the Lord, which had brought the Message to him of Samsons birth, said unto his Wife, Judg. 13. 22. We shall surely die, because we have seen God. But his Wife said unto him, if the Lord were pleased to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering, and a meat offering at our hands; neither would he have shewed us all these things, neither would he at this time have told us such things, as these, ver. 23. So then Gods extraordinary presence is terrible even to his servants, to flesh and blood without exception, though in the issue it will prove comfortable to such as truly fear him, and faithfully rely upon his promises. St. Peter long after this time was a man less conscious of many grievous sins, then most of us alive this day are, yet not upon any sight or spectacle of Gods Extraordinary Presence; but only upon an instinct or secret apprehension of his Peculiar Presence in Christ as man, notified unto him by the miraculous draught of fishes, which he took by his direction and command, cries out; Lord depart from me: for I am a sinful man, Luke 5. 8. And St. Paul before his conversion fell to the earth upon a suddain glimpse or representation of that glorious light, wherein Christ shall appear at the last day, Acts 9. 3, 4. And after he had heard A Voyce saying unto him (though in no extraordinary manner for terror) Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? He trembling and astonished at the name of Jesus, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? ver. 6. No marvel if St. Paul, being conscious of persecution intended by him against Christs Church, and having by Fact and Resolution declared himself to be Christs Enemy, were thus affrighted at the Sight and Voice; when as St. Peter, St. James and St. John, after long and peculiar familiarity with Christ, and after many gracious promises made unto them of Gods special protection over them, were thrown down to the earth with a more placid and comfortable [Page 3405] Voice, then that, which St. Paul heard. The Voice, which they heard out of the cloud, was this, This is my well beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when they heard it (saith the text, Matth. 17. 6.) they fell on their faces, and were sore afraid; until Christ came and touched them, and said; arise and be not afraid. This strange dejection of these three great Apostles at so mild and gentle a Voice, yet a Voice uttered from the extraordinary presence of God, gives us a Remarkable Document or grounded Observation of the truth of that saying of St. Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 50. Now this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Christ had told these Three, Matth. 16. 28. that they should see, not God, but the Son of man coming in his Kingdom. Peter had a desire to have inherited that joy, wherewith his heart was ravished at the sight of our Saviours Transfiguration, which (as you heard before) was but a representation of his coming in glory to Judge the world; and out of this desire he said, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three Tabernacles; one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias. Yet as soon as he heard the Voice, the Antipathie between sinful flesh, and the fruition of Gods presence (or the inheritance of that Kingdom of Christ, which was then represented) begun to shew it self. And what shall We do then, which are conscious of more grievous sins, then St. Peter, S. Iames, or S. John, then were? unto whom both the Spectacle of Christs glorious presence, and the Voice or Sound, which in that day shall be heard from heaven, will be far more terrible then any manifestation of Gods presence, whether made by Voice or Sight unto our First Parents, unto Gideon, unto Manoah, or unto any of his Apostles recorded in Scripture.
4. Let us now take a view of such representations or descriptions of the A view of the terrible Spectacles and Sounds preceding Doomsday. Terrible Spectacles, which shall be seen, and of the Terrible Voices or sounds, which in that last day shall be heard, as Gods Prophets or Evangelists have framed to us.
These representations are of Two Sorts, either Charactred out unto us in meer Words, or in Matters of Fact historically related.
To begin with the Terrible Spectacles, which shall appear before the last day, or at the least before the Process or Judgment begin. These are most punctually exprest by the Prophet Joel, Cap. 2. 30, 31. And I will shew wonders in the heavens, and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoak, the Sun shall be turned into darkness, and the Moon into blood, before the great and terrible See Book 1. Chap. 24. day of the Lord come. And Ioel 3. 15, 16. The Sun and the Moon shall be darkned, and the Stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Sion & utter his voice out of Jerusalem, & the heavens & the earth shall shake. The Terrors here foretold were really represented by the first desolation of Iudah, and destruction of Jerusalem by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, whose approach to execute Gods Judgments upon that land and people was prophesied of, by this Prophet, in the beginning of this Second Chapter; yet so foretold by him, as the plagues there threatned might by Repentance have been prevented; So could not the Terrors foretold in the Second Prophecie; at least the Prophet expresseth no means for averting these fearful signs in the heavens and earth. This later prophecie is in particular exemplified by our Saviour; Matth. 24. 27, 29, 30. For as the lightning cometh out of the East, and shineth even unto the West; So shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Immediately after the tribulation of those dayes shall the Sun be darkned, and the Moon shall not give her light, and the Stars of heaven shall fall, and the Powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of [Page 3406] the Son of man in Heaven; and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory: Both the Prophecie of Joel, and this prediction of our Savior were in part fulfilled, shortly after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, by the burning of the Mount Vesuvius in Campania, a Province of Italy; the See Book 1. chap. 24. §. 4, 5, &c. manner and effects whereof, how fearful and terrible they were, not to Rome onely or Italy, but to a great part of Africa, to Egypt, to Syria, and to Constantinople, with the Countries adjoyning, and how consonant they were unto the Prophet Joels, and our Saviors Prediction, may be gathered from Dion, in his 66. and 68. Books; and from other Roman Heathenish Writers of those times: But however the world had a general warning of the last Judgement, in that fearful Spectacle, yet may we not deny that the like or more fearful Spectacles shall be again exhibited, upon, or immediatly before our Savior's second coming.
From St. Peters Comments upon the forecited Prophecie of Ioel, Acts 2. 20. there ariseth A Question; The Prophet saith, as the Hebrew word imports, that these signs should be exhibited before the great and Terrible day of the Lord. St. Peter saith, They shall be exhibited before the great and Conspicuous, or notable day of the Lord: So indeed the 70 Interpreters, whose Translation St. Peter follows, renders the Hebrew [Hannora] not as the Latines do, horrendum, or tremendum, but [...], Conspicuous: And the reason why they so render it, as some later Criticks think, was because they took the Original word to be a Derivative, or Branch of the Hebrew word Raah, which signifies, To see; and so the Object of it should be only some visible apparition or matter of Sight; whereas the later and more accurate Hebricians, take the same Hebrew word to be a Branch of the root Jarah, which signifieth to Fear, or Dread; and for this reason render it not the visible or conspicuous day, but the terrible day of the Lord. But there is no necessity of conceiving any error, either in the 70 Interpreters concerning the derivation of the Hebrew word [Hannora] or of any alteration of Rules (concerning the right derivation of words) between the Ancient and Modern Hebricians: For the Greek word, [...], which our English renders, Notable, or Conspicuous, is, as Grammarians say, Mediae significationis; that is, General, to any strange or uncouth apparitions in the Heavens; whether they be apparitions of Horror and Dread, or onely of Lightsomness, or good hope: Every man prayed, saith the Author of the second of Maccabees, chap. 5. 4. that the apparition might turn to good: Yet was the Apparition then exhibited Prodigious and fearful.
5. But the most lively representation of the last Judgement, as well for The terrors on mount Sinai, Types of the Terrors of Doomsday. matter of Fearful Spectacle, as for matter of Terrible Sound, was exhibited immediately by God himself, at the promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sinai: And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders, and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the Trumpet exceeding loud, so that all the people that were in the camp trembled: And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the neather part of the mount: And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak, because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and the smoak thereof ascended as the smoak of a Furnace, and the whole Mount quaked greatly, Exod. 19. 16, 17, 18. Our Apostle, Heb. 12. 21. addeth (which is not in the Old Testament exprest) So terrible was the Sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: And if Moses the Man of God did so exceedingly quake at this Sight, Who shall be able to stand without trembling and quaking at the like?
[Page 3407] But shall Christs appearance at the last day be like to this fearful Sight at the giving of the Law? Yes, and a great deal more terrible. What Comfort then doth the Gospel of Christ afford us Christians more, then Moses his Law did the Israelites? The Law being given in this Terrible manner, did Prognosticate or portend their fearful end which should adhere unto it, or seck salvation by it without the intercession of a Mediator, who was to be the Author and Fountain of a better message, and more gladsome tidings from Heaven to all such as shall seek Redemption by him, or Absolution from the curse of the Law.
This is the Prerogative of the Gospel, as it stands in opposition to the Law, and this Prerogative is prosecuted at large by our Apostle in that Chapter, Hebr. 12. But the benefit of this Prerogative is not absolutely Universal, but Conditional. It extends onely to such as shall shew better obedience unto Christ and to his Gospel, then most of the Israelites did to Moses and to his Law: To such as contemn or disobey the Gospel, Christ shall appear a more dreadful and terrible Judge in the last day, then he appeared unto Israel in Mount Sinai: This point of Doctrine is fully prosecuted by our Apostle, Heb. 12. 25, 26, 27. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on the earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him, that speaketh from heaven; whose voice then did shake the earth; but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth onely, but also heaven: And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that these things which cannot be shaken, may remain: God (as a learned Father observes) did call his people at the giving of the Law unto the mountain then burning with fire, to testifie unto the world what our Apostle saith in the conclusion of chap. 12. That he is a consuming fire unto the obstinate Transgressors of his Laws; and that fire and smoke, that burning, blackness, darkness, and tempest, shall be the everlasting portion of all such, as shall not be found in Christ at the day of Judgement, nor then absolved by him from the curse of the Law.
6. The Point which I would commend to the Reader's more special consideration, A special Observable, It was Christ that shook the earth at the giving of the Law. out of the 26. verse of this Chapter, is, That it was the voice of Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant, which did shake the earth at the giving of the Law: The Apostle takes it as granted from the Common Rule of Interpretation, well known in those times, that the shaking of the Earth then, was an Emblem or token of the mutability of the Law, and of the unstability of the Earth or visible World it self. The Earth being then subject to shaking or motion, did thereby testifie it self to be obnoxious unto ruine and destruction: And in that (after this terrible commotion of the Earth at the giving of the Law, when the Mountains, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 114. 4. skipped like rams, and the little hills like yong sheep) God again, by the Prophet Haggai, chap. 2. ver. 6. denounceth, That yet once more he would suddenly shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land: This intimates unto us, that the second commotion of the Heavens, and of the Earth (which was to be once, and no more) should finally accomplish that which was fore-shadowed or represented by the former commotion of the earth at the giving of the Law: This second commotion shall bring the Heaven and Earth to ruine, and put an end to all things mutable; or (as our Apostle speaks) it includes the removing of those things that can be shaken, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain; that is, that there may be a world everlasting: That which the Prophet Haggai intimates more darkly, the Prophet [Page 3408] Esay had exprest more plainly, chap, 34. ver. 4. And all the host of Heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroul, and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth from the Vine, and as a falling fig from a fig-tree.
The same vision was more lively and clearly made unto St. John, Rev. 6. 12, 13, 14. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth Seal, and lo there was a great earthquake, and the Sun became black as sack-cloth of hair, and the Moon became as blood: And the Stars of Heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind: And the heaven departed as a scroul, when it is rolled together, and every mountain and Island were moved out of their places.
7. But that which shall adde life and spirit to all these, is, The terrible The dreadful sounds that will be heard at Doomsday. Voice or sound, which shall then be heard, summoning all flesh to appear before the Iudgement seat of Christ: As it was the Voice of Christ, which did shake the earth at the giving of the Law; so shall the Voice of Christ (but a Voice more terrible then That) produce this terrible commotion here mentioned, in the Heavens and in the earth: For as St. Paul instructs us, 1 Cor. 15. 52. The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised, &c. And again, 1 Thess. 4. 16. The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven in a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. The Terror of this Voice to such as sleep not in Christ, may be gathered from the power or efficacy of it, which is more fully expressed by St. John, Rev. 20. 13. The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works: This universal efficacy of his Voice is expressed by our Saviour, Iohn 5. 28, 29. The hour is coming, in which all that are in the grave, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Some late Historians and Astronomers, relate a natural Eclipse of the Clavius. Sun so terrible in Spain, that the Crows, and other Fowls of the air, seeking as it seems to flie from it, were so affrighted with the suddain increase of darkness about mid-day, that they fell down to the earth in a deadly astonishment: What tongue then can express the Dread and Horror, which the Another Author tells, that the Birds fell to the earth upon a great shout given by a multitude in an Army, or at some great solemnity. terrible apparitions at that day shall produce in all such as have lived and died in incredulity or security of the Judgement which shall follow them; in all on whom that day shall come, as suddenly (without any better observation or preparation for it) as the forementioned Eclipse of the Sun did upon the reasonless Fowls of the air? Or if you desire a further a description of the Terror, which shall then fall upon the Inhabitants of the earth, even upon the most intrepid and undanted, in respect of any ordinary Terrors; then take it from St. Iohn, Rev. 6. 15, 16. ‘And the Kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief Captains, and the mighty men, and every bond-man, and every free-man, hid themselves in the dens, and in the Rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains, and to the rocks, fall on us, and hide us,—.’
Thus much was distinctly likewise fore-told, and Prophetically set forth by the Prophet Esay, chap. 2. 11, &c. That neither St. Johns words, nor the Prophet Esays are Hyperbolical, but are Literally meant by them, and really and punctually to be fulfilled, is clear from our Saviors Interpretation of the Prophet Esay, and the like passages of other Prophets, at his going to the Cross, Luke 23. 30, 31. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, [Page 3409] fall on us; and to the hills, cover us; for if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in a dry? Howbeit, this terror shall not meerly proceed from these Terrible Spectacles and Sounds which shall be Antecedent to the Final Judgement, but from the Sight of Christ placed in his seat of Judicature. So St. Iohn (in the forecited place, Rev. 6. 16.) tells us, That the Affrightment and dread that seized upon the great men of the Earth did arise from seeing the face of him that sate upon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
8. Having thus shown the Terrors antecedent to the Process, we go on to The Process of the final Judgement. the Process it self. That takes beginning from the Manner of Christ's Coming and approach; or from His Appearance, as he shall sit in Judgement. He shall come from Heaven, or from the Right hand of the Throne of God, where he now sitteth, to execute Judgment, in the open air, or in that region wherein the clouds have their Rake. The Manner of his Progress or approach shall be Swift; and, as before hath been intimated, to our apprehension Violent. For at his coming to Judgment, and not before, shall the Prophet Esay's Prayer or Wish be accomplished; Oh that thou wouldest rent the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boyl; to make thy name known to thy adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence: When thou didst terrible things, which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence, Esay, 64. 1, 2, 3. But because St. John intimates (in the fore-cited place) that the chief cause of Terror, was the sight of him that sate upon the Throne; we shall first consider, how his Throne or Presence is described in the Old Testament: Secondly, how these Descriptions or Representations are decyphred or charactred out unto us (by more then parallels) in the New.
Now all the Prophecies or Predictions, which to this purpose can be produced, Of this Rule, see chap. 11. §. 9. must all be interpreted by the Rule heretofore given; ‘that is, However they may be literally meant or verified of some former times or events, yet they are verified or meant of them Inchoativè onely: They are not, they cannot be Completivè applyed to any other time or times, besides the day of Final Judgement, or the world to come, which shall ensue upon it:’ The terror of his Throne, and of him that sitteth thereon, is described, Dan. 7. 9, 10. ‘I beheld till the Thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his Throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him, thousand thousands ministred unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the Judgement was set, and the Books were opened.’
The Fiery Wheels are Emblems of his suddain approach, or of the swiftness of his Judgements to overtake his Enemies: Though the Vision was new and uncouth, yet the Branches of the things seen or revealed unto Daniel, were known before unto Gods Prophets; His Seat or Throne was prepared of old; so faith the Psalmist, Psal. 9. 4. ‘Thou hast maintained my right and my cause, thou satest in the Throne Judging right: And again, ver. 6, 7.’ ‘O thou enemy, destruction is come to a perpetual end, and thou hast destroyed Cities, their memorial is perished with them: But the Lord shall endure for ever, he hath prepared his Throne for Judgement.’ [See Psal. 96: ver. 10. 13. And Psal. 98. ver. 8, 9.] But Daniel saw more seats, and Thrones then one, albeit he mention (as perhaps he saw) none sitting in them: This, as one wittily commenteth upon this place of Daniel, is [Page 3410] an Emblem of the Law, which was an Emptiness or vacuum in respect of the Gospel; and as all things else in the Law prefigured or forepainted, were solidly accomplished in the Gospel: So these Seats, which are here indefinitely represented unto us by Daniel, without any specification of their number, without intimation of any sitting on them, are pictured unto us by St. John, with 24. Elders sitting upon them, Rev. 4. 4. And round about the Throne were 24. seats, and upon the seats I saw 24. Elders sitting, and clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads Crowns of Gold: Our Savior had said unto his Apostles, Matth. 19. 28. that They should sit upon twelve seats, Iudging the twelve Tribes of Israel. And twelve Heads of the Tribes of Israel, or the like number of Select Ones, who lived under the Old Testament, may make up the number of 24. That as all the Truths of both Testaments will consummately be fulfilled, so the Saints of Both may then be most perfectly united in the Church Triumphant.
9. But to proceed to such other Representations as are to be found in the Scripture: This manner of Christs coming to Judge the earth, or of his appearance in glory, was represented unto Moses and to the Israelites, Exod. 24. 10. 17. ‘The sight of the glory of the Lord, was like devouring fire on the top of the mount, in the eyes of the children of Israel:’ And this fire had devoured them, if they had approached the mountain, or Gods presence, without Gods invitation: ‘But Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70. of the Elders of Israel went up, and saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a Saphir stone, and as it were the body of Heaven in its clearness:’ And upon the Nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand.
This was a Peculiar Priviledge or dispensation: Also they saw God, and did eat and drink; and in this they represented the state of the Elect; which, notwithstanding the terror of that last day, shall be invited by Christ, and be admitted to eat and drink with him in his Kingdom. But this dispensation during the time of the Law was not granted to all Israel, but to Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and to the 70. Elders or Nobles of Israel only; unto all the rest, whom God did not vouchsafe to invite, the Spectacle, though seen afar off, was Terrible; so terrible that they durst not approach unto it. So shall the coming of the Son of Man be to all the kindreds of the earth, which have not hearkned to his sweet and loving Invitations here on earth: All such as have neglected them, or make their appearance before him without a garment or habit in some sort suitable to the Marriage, unto which they have been invited, shall be everlastingly excluded and cast into utter darkness, where shall be nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth: But the thred which I am now to follow, is the forementioned Prophecie, Dan. 7. v. 9.
10. Now, whether in the vision of the Ancient of days, God the Father were personally represented; or whether it were a representation of the Godhead or Divine Power onely, as it is indivisibly in the Blessed Trinity, without any note of Personal difference; or whether at the last day there shall be any distinct representation of Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father; or whether The Throne of the Son of God shall then onely appear; are Questions which I will refer wholly to the Schools. It sufficeth us to believe and know, that the Father Judgeth no man, but hath committed all Judgement, especially this Final Judgement, to the Son; and that the SON OF MAN shall then appear in the Glory of his God-head, in Glory equal to God the Father.
[Page 3411] What Manner of appearance this shall be, and how the world shall be affected with it, we are now to inquire so far as is fitting, taking the description of it from Gods written word. And haply, lest we should conceive of God the Father, as more ancient for dayes, then the Son, (which Transformation of the Divine Nature the pictures of the Blessed Trinity seen and allowed by the Roman Church, do naturally and inevitably suggest to the unlearned) St. John doth describe the Son of Man, or that glory wherein the Son of God and the Son of Man shall then appear, much what after the same manner, that Daniel had done the Ancient of dayes, Dan. 7. 9, 10. The description of the Son of God and of the Son of Man taken by St. John, is, Rev. 1. 13, 14, 15, 16. And I saw in the middest of the 7. Candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wooll, as white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire. And his feet like unto fine brasse, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword, and his countenance was as the Sun shineth in his strength.
You have heard before out of the seventeenth of St. Matthew, that St. Peter, Iames and John, when they were spectators of his transfiguration, (which was but a representation of the Son of Mans coming in his kingdom) when they heard the voice out of the cloud, fell on their faces, and were sore afraid, until he came and touched them, and said, arise, be not afraid. This sight or vision of his glory, Apoc. 1. 17, 18. was more terrible then the Voice, which they then heard. When I saw him (saith St. John) I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, fear not, I am the first and the last, I am be that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and of death. The exercise of this Christs Exercise of the power of the Keys, of Hell, and Death, not fully manifested till Doomsday. great Power, and of the Keys shall not be fully manifested until his glorious appearance in Judgment. The like description of the Son of man in his Glory, we have, Apoc. 19. 11, 12. ‘And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white Horse, and he that sate upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns.’ Now albeit in this verse Christ be called Faithful and True, as being the sole and full Accomplisher of our Belief in Gods promises, yet these Titles are no way sufficient to express his dignity. To shew us that his Glorious Majesty is altogether unexpressible by Man or Angel, it is expresly added by St. Iohn in the next words, And he had A Name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And yet, ver. 13. it is said, His Name is called, The Word of God. This is not that Name which no man knew besides himself, for St. John knew him by this Name when he wrote his Gospel; and this is a Name, which doth more fitly, and more fully express the Majesty, Glory and Power, wherein he shall at the last day appear, then the former Attributes of Faithful and True, or any other Name that is given unto him in the Word of God: This contains all the rest. And they much disparage this Name, and much eclipse the dignity contained in it, who The great Excellencies of Christs Name, The Word. restrain it only unto his Fidelitie in fulfilling or performing Gods Word to his Elect, or to the execution of Gods Judgments upon their Enemies; Though all this be included in it, as it followeth ver. 15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the Nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of Iron, and he treadeth the wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written, [Page 3412] KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
11. But both these Descriptions of St. Iohn, you will say, are Emblematical, and not to be understood according to the Letter; at the least Christ shall not at the day of Judgment visibly appear in this Form and Habit, or with a sharp Sword in his mouth. The Real Power and Dignity, which is painted out unto us by this Emblem, is already exemplified, and shall be further The Real Dignity Emblemed in the Sharp Sword going out of Christs mouth; is, Defender of his Church. exemplified in Defending His Church in general, or advancing the estate of the forlorn Jewish Nation before that great and terrible day, wherein he shall set a Period to all wars and contentions, to all exercise of hostility against his Church.
The Power of Christ here described by S. John (the exercise whereof is not yet accomplished, but shall, as some Interpreters think, be remarkably verified before the last day, in advancing the Jewish Nation, and executing vengeance upon their persecutors) was most divinely displayed by Moses in that his excellent Song, Deut. 32. 41, 42. and in particular represented in an Emblem or character, like to that which St. Iohn saw: ‘If I whet my glittering Sword, and my hand take hold of Judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood (and my Sword shall devour flesh) and that with the blood of the slain and of the Captives, &c.’ But however this Prophecy may be remarkably verified in the calling of the Jews, yet the Majesty and Power, which is pictured out unto us in these Emblematical descriptions, whether made by Moses or St. John, shall not fully be accomplished or exemplified before the last day; At that Day, and not before, shall the full importance of his former Name be made known; then he shall manifest himself to be the OMNIPOTENT AND ETERNAL WORD.
But is the importance of this Name, or Emblem by which the power of it is Emblazon'd; to wit, his Sharp and Glittering Sword, any where literally exprest in the Apostles writings? It is most fully and most emphatically, Hebr. 4. 12, 13. Vivus est Sermo Dei, The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper then any two edged Sword, &c. Yet is it questioned by some Whether S. John, and S. Paul, by The Word of God, mean our Lord Jesus Christ. (whose names I conceal) whether, by The Word of God in that place, the Eternal Word himself be literally and directly meant; or whether St. Paul, by The Word of God, meanes the self same that St. Iohn doth in his Gospel, ver. 1. In the beginning was the Word. And again, ver. 14. The Word was made flesh. It is a very weak Exception, which some, otherwise learned Interpreters of this Epistle, and powerful in the Word of God, have made unto the contrary. ‘The strength of their Exception is this, Because the Author of that Epistle no where else enstiles the Son of God, The Word of God.’ ‘But to this Exception the Answer is very easie: Because the Author of that Epistle had no where else the like occasion thus to enstile him.’ And the same exception, were it warrantable, might be taken against the literal meaning of St. Iohn, or against the ordinary interpretation of the first verse of his Gospel; because St. Iohn no where else, besides in the Two verses before mentioned, enstiles the Son of God by the same name; nor doth any other Evangelist besides St. Iohn enstile him by this name at all. Now because this passage of St. Paul, Hebr. 4. is misinterpreted by divers, and not fully interpreted by any, that I have read, and yet, being rightly or more fully interpreted, will give best light unto the Manner of Christs Process in Judgement, I cannot better bestow my pains and time then in the Explication of those words, Vivus est Sermo Dei, or vivum est verbum Dei: The Word of God is quick and powerful, &c.
[Page 3413] 12. If by The Word of God in this place. The Son of God, God blessed for ever, be not literally and most directly meant; the full meaning of the Apostle must be restrained either to the Word of God written, or spoken by his Embassadors. Now that the Word of God whether written or preached An Explication of Heb. 4. 12, 13. (or Both written and preached) cannot be the direct and compleat Subject of the Apostles Assertion in these two verses, the former Arguments or exceptions against this interpretation will clearly evince, if we retort them, Thus. Such glorious Attributes as are in these verses ascribed unto the Word of God, are no where else, either in this Epistle, or in the Old Testament, or in the New, attributed to the Word of God either as written or preached; no, not to it as preached by the Son of God himself; Therefore this place cannot be fully or compleatly meant of the Word of God either Written or Preached. No other besides the Son of God, can be the direct or principal Subject of the Literal and assertive sense in any proposition in these two verses contained. Yet do we not deny that both verses may in some Sort be literally meant of the Word Preached or Written, Pro modulo; that is, so far as the Word Written or Preached hath reference or Analogie to the Eternal Word, or to his Power here described. For the Son of God is seldom, if at all, enstiled The Word of God, without importance of some transcendent relation to the Word of God Written or Preached. And from this affinity, which the word Written or Uttered hath with the eternal and unutterable Word of God, the Word Written or Preached may have some share or portion, as it were by Reversion, in the Attributes here assigned unto The Word of God.
But the compleat Subject either of the First Proposition, The Word of God is lively; or of the second, The Word of God is powerful; or of the third, The The Word writ or preached, not only nor chiefly meant, Heb. 4. 12. Word of God is sharper then any two edged Sword: the Word Written or Preached cannot be: Nothing can be besides God himself, or that Word which St. Iohn saith, was in the beginning, in whom was Life, and whose life was the light of men.
Nor are the peculiar and special Attributes of God any where in Scripture set forth in a more full and Majestick Character of words, then in these words of St. Paul.
The propositions are in number seven or eight. The Subject of all the propositions, [...], THE WORD, is the same. And for this reason, if any of these Attributes be literally meant of the Son of God, or of the Son of God only Completiveè, all the rest must be compleatly meant of him. He only it is, Qui [...]anti mensuram nominis implet, who rightly fils the Importance of this Title, [...], or Word, in that place. Admit then the Word Written or Preached may truly be said to be quick and powerful, and in some sort, not more sharp, but more peircing, then any two edged Sword (for a Sword with one edge may be as sharp as a Sword with two edges, but not so piercing;) but admit the Word of God preached might be more piercing then any Sword, yet could it not properly be said to be a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, or that there is no creature, which is not manifest unto it; nor can it possibly be imagined to be the Logical Subject of the two last Propositions: for the Apostle plainly speaks of a living person; Neither is there any creature, that is not manifest in HIS SIGHT, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes OF HIM, [...], that is, as our English renders it, with whom we have to do; as Beza and Calvin had before better expressed it then Erasmus, who renders it, of whom we speak; or then the Vulgar Latine, adquem nobis est sermo; Of which Latine I know [Page 3414] not how to make good English. But the Syriack of all most fully; All things are opened unto the eyes of him, to whom MEN must render an account. Every one that hears the Word preached must give an account of the Word which he hears; but this account we must not, we cannot give unto the Word preached, but unto him whose Words they are which we hear, or from Whom the Word preached must derive all the efficacy, force and power, which it hath.
The full meaning of the Original, if any be disposed to have it fully rendred in the Original tongue, is as much as, [...], cui à nobis reddenda est ratio, to whom we must render our final account; such is the usual importance of the word [ [...]] in matters civil, or of contract or covenant. So saith Athanasius in his Creed; at his coming to judge the quick and the dead, all men shall rise again with their bodies, and shall give ACCOUNT for their own works. And our Apostle supposeth, that this account must be given by every one, before he receive his doom for things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
13. So then all men must be [...], must reddere rationem, render a final account of their own works; And we Christians in special, of the Word of God read or preached unto us; how far it hath fructified or miscarried in us. And this account, or [...], we must render [...], to the Eternal Word or Son of God, by whom God made the world. But albeit St. Paul by the word [ [...]] Hebr. 4. mean the self same Person, or partie, whom St. John doth in the first of his Gospel; yet may we hence discover a further Notion or imPortance of the same word [ [...]] as it is the peculiar Title of the Son of God, then was before (Book 7th, Chap. 26.) exprest in handling that Point [how the word was made flesh] or why the Son of God was called THE WORD.] The Reason was, not only because he was the Speaker of the Trinity, or the Declarer of Gods Will unto men, nor because he was the main Object of all Gods word, whether revealed to Moses or the Prophets; but specially or most principally, for that he was the express Image of God the Father, or Verbum internum, the full expression of the Wisdom, Power and Majesty of the Father; And withal more then the Ideal Pattern, according to which all things were made. For though he be the full expression of the power and wisdom of his Father, as he is his only begotten Son from all eternity, yet are not all things, which are made by him, or can be made by him, a full expression of his power or wisdom. He was begotten, not made, by his Father, and therefore equal to him. The world was made by Him, not begotten, and therefore far inferior to him. He is a patern, or [...] of all things, that are made; but a patern that cannot be paralleld by them. As He was the patern, or [...], by whom the world was made, and so considered by St. Iohn; So is He the pattern or exemplary Rule of all the Laws, which God hath given to man, whether written in their hearts, or in the Book of Grace, or of Nature; The Rule or patern of all the Words which God hath spoken to men by his Apostles, by his Prophets, or by this [...] or Son himself. And, according to this Notion or importance of the word [ [...]] he is, by St. Paul called, [...], unto whom all men must reddere [...], render an account of their words, of their works, and of their thoughts: he being in all respects the most compleat Rule or Exemplar by which all words, all works & thoughts, for which men are to make account, are to be valued or censured; the only [...], or exact measure of all approbation or disprovement of the accompts to be made, or of the words, works, or thoughts, for which we are to render account. From this Notion or importance of the word [ [...]] [Page 3415] we may take a true Notion or scantling of the Attributes or Titles given to the Word of God by St. Paul, Heb. 4. and how well they consort with the Word Written or Preached, as it hath reference to this Eternal Word. The Word of God Written or Preached, although in it self it be more powerful then any two edged Sword; yet, as it is managed or weilded by us his weak Instruments, is but as a good sword in an Infants hand; but though as uttered by us it doth not exercise its strength upon our hearers, yet doth it not utterly perish or lose its efficacy; but every Word spoken in his Name, though for the present it have no such success as we could wish, yet it is not altogether spoken in vain, it returns unto him whose Word it is; and in his mouth or presence the Word preached by us becomes like Scanderbegs Sword in Scanderbegs hand, and shall in the last day recover strength and force from the powerful appearance of this Eternal Word, or [...]. So that all the glorious Attributes given by St. Paul unto The Word of God, are primarily and principally true of the Eternal Word, yet secondarily and less principally of the Word preached with reference unto him.
14. The Word preached is not altogether dead, but lively, & quick, & powerful in its operation; and shall at the last day be more piercing then any two edged sword, and divide between the spirit and the soul. A two edged sword may cut the bones, and divide the joynts and the marrow, it may divide the soul from the body, or at least send the soul out of the body before the time by the course of nature allotted. But between the soul and the spirit no material sword can make division. The most piercing sword, though it hath (as the Original imports) two mouthes to devour, yet eyes it hath none to distinguish between the parts which it divides; but cuts as it fals, or as it is direrected by the eyes and hands of him which weilds it; But The Word of God, here principally meant, seeth all the particles, betwixt which it makes division; it is a discerner or Judge of the thoughts and intents of the heart, how secret soever they be, how inseparable soever they be from the soul or spirit; though our inward parts be covered with skin, with flesh and bones, yet are they naked and as it were anatomized (for so the Original imports) unto the eyes of this [...], to whom we are to render our account.
In the first creation he was not only [...], the live Idea or patern, unto whose Image men and Angels were created, and of whose Excellency the whole world, and all the creatures in it, are but scattered and broken expressions; but withal [...], the framer or maker of all things visible and invisible; for God the Father made all things by this [...], without any instrumental help or service, after a more excellent and expedite manner, then (should we suppose, or could we imagine such a thing) any Architect, or skilful Artificer, that could be supposed able to frame or make a material building, or other work of his profession, without any manual labour, without any materials or instruments, besides the patern or exemplar, which he conceives in his mind or imagination. In the dissolution of this world, or in the erection of the world to come, which shall take beginning from the day of our final accompts, the same [...], or Eternal VVord of God, shall manifest himself to be, not only the live Idaea or patern of Gods moral or eternal Law, by which all mankind shall be judged, and our accompts either finally approved or disproved; but to be withall [...]; A Law endued with Life, with wisdom and power: Nor such a Law only, but a Living, Wise, Omnipotent Iudge. All these Attributes, or the things signified by them, with all the rest, that can be required in a Law, a Rule, or Iudge, are in Him undivided, and according to the Infinitie of perfection. Yet that we may the better conceive [Page 3416] the infiniteness of his perfection, as Law and Judge, it will not be amiss to consider these Attributes severally, as they are found amongst us.
15. Every good Law is a kind of silent Magistrate or Judge; and every good and perfect Judge or Magistrate is a speaking Law. So they ought to be. But these Two Perfections seldom meet in the Government of any well ordered Common-weal, or Church on earth. In some Nations the written Laws be tolerably good, or comparatively very good, but the Magistrates for the most part, either ignorant in the Laws, or unexperienced in applying their true intent and meaning to meet with every transgression; or so manacled with Golden Fetters, that they have no great list or dexterity to put what they know in execution In other places the Magistrates or Judges are learned and sincere laws to themselves, and fit Laws for others to be ruled by, were not their good purposes restrained or pinyoned by harsh and obsolete Laws, or not well consorting with the times wherein they live.
This Jargon between wise and wholsom Laws, and unskilful or corrupt Magistrates; or between religious, wise and industrious Magistrates, and imperfect, partial, or naughty Laws, hath been in most Ages and Nations so common, that many accurate Politicians, or Observers of the course of Justice, have brought the main Question concerning all State Government to this short issue, and submitted it to the touch and tryal of learned dispute, Whether it be better to be governed by a dead and silent, or by a live and speaking Law? That is, whether were most expedient for all or most States, that the written Law should be above the supream Magistrate, or Majesty; or the supream Magistrate or Majesty of every Nation above the written Laws? But admitting that every Nation had Laws as perfect as the wit of man could devise, such as would give contentment to every member that were to be governed by them, and Magistrates to put such Laws in execution as sincere, as wise, as well experienced, as industrious, as couragious as any in former times have been, or can in this life be expected; yet the most perfect or absolute Law that can be made by man; that can be written, though made by God himself, could not be able to put it self in execution, or to recompence every transgression as it deserves. Nor can the wisest, the most sincere and industrious Magistrate possibly know every transgressor of the Law, or every misdemeanor committed within a little Province or Corporation. And albeit the Magistrate only can give life to the Law, yet can no Magistrate give life to any Law, or put it in execution according to the Rule of Justice, unless he know the transgressor, and the quality of his transgression And for this reason, even those States which have comparatively the best Laws, and the wisest Magistrates, admit, or rather require and authorize Informers. And after the Information given, the Magistrate must proceed secundum allegata & probata, according to the information given by legal and competent witnesses. Now to make the Informers and Witnesses alwayes sincere, the best Laws and Magistrates are not able.
The Law of God indeed is a Law most perfect, most infallible, but no living Rule to see and discern every transgression against it, no speaking Rule to give information or testimony against the transgressors of it, much less a living Judge to reward or punish every observer or transgressor of it. But all the Most high perfections implyed in [...] ▪ perfections, that can be imagined in any Law, in any Informer, in any Witness, in any Judge or manager of Justice are eminently and most perfectly contained in This Word, or [...], with whom we have to do, or, to whom we are to render our accompt, without any tincture or admixture of their imperfections. And [Page 3417] thus they all are in Him most perfect, not by way of Union or Unition, but according to most perfect and indivisible Unitie.
As all things were made by him without help or instrumental service; So all the thoughts, all the words and works of men are immediatly known unto him without any Prompter or Informer, and every man shal be judged by him according to all his works without any Advocate or assistant. As he is the expresse Image or full expression of his Fathers Person, and himselfe as truly God as his Father is; so he is the [...] or mensura omnium, the exact measure of every thing, that can be known, that can be done, spoken, or thought, and the just recompence of all deserts. He containes an exact proportion or disproportion to every thought, word, or action, that hath proceeded from the heart or mind of man; an exact proportion of every thought, word, or deed, that held consort with the Law of the mind or of the spirit; an exact disproportion to every rebellious motion, that hath been conceived by the Law of the flesh against the Law of the mind; and even in this respect he is called [...]; for so the Original word oft times imports as much as proportion, or an exact measure, by which all proportion or consonancy, all disproportion or dissonancy may be known or notified: As, if the Base or Diapason be sound and good, every Note or sound of the same instrument doth notifie the measure of its consonancie or dissonancie to it by its own sound. And in this sense he is, [...], a living measure or proportion. And every thought or secret inclination of man, that is consonant to this living Rule or Law, hath more then a Geometrical proportion, a live proportion or Sympathie with him. And we shall need no other bliss and happines, then a true Sympathie and consort with him. Every thought or inclination of the flesh, that is dissonant to this living Rule, or [...], includes, more then a dead disproportion, a live Antipathie to his puritie; and according to the measure of every mans disproportion or Antipathie to this living Rule shall the measure of his wretchednes or infelicitie be. In all these, and many other respects is the Son of God enstyled [...], as he is the Judge of quick and dead.
16. But doth the Intent or Inference of the Apostle in that fourth Chapter to the Hebrews, lead us unto any such apprehension or construction as hath been made of his Attributes? It doth, if we look not, as the Jews did, only into the dead Letter, but dive into the live sense or meaning of the Spirit, or of the Apostle himself: His principal scope or aim was, to admonish his hearers, and in them all, that confess Christ to be the Son of God and their Redeemer, to be vigilant and careful whilest it is called to day, that they do not incur Gods high displeasure, or provoke his sentence of utter exclusion from that Eternal Rest, whereof that Rest which Joshuah brought the Israelites unto, when he gave them possession of the land of Canaan, was but the Map or shadow. The Israelites without exception had a promise of entring into the land of Canaan, and under it a promise of entring into a better Rest. But the word preached, saith the Apostle vers. 2. did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith. The foolish posteritie of those rebellious Fathers, which were excluded by oath from entring into the land of Canaan, and were consumed in the wildernes, misdeemed, that Gods promise of bringing that Nation into the land of their Rest had been accomplished in the conquest of it by Ioshuah, or in continuance of like victorious success unto themselves. And by this conceit, and by the dissobedience (which this conceit brought forth) against the Son of God revealed, the most of this Nation, since his manifestation in the flesh, have lived and died in a more miserable estate then [Page 3418] their Fathers did, which died in the wildernes. For neither Christian charitie, nor the Analogie of Christian faith, will permitt us to say or think, that all the Israelites, which were excluded by Oath from entring into the land of Canaan, or of their promised earthly Rest, were also utterly excluded from entring into the Kingdom of heaven. They, as well as we, were to render an accompt; unto This Eternal Word; for he it was, which spake to Moses in Mount Sinai, but was not then manifested in the flesh; nor was the Article of his incarnation expresly or explicitly known to all or most that received benefit by it. The accompt which they were to make, was not so punctuall, nor their examination so strict. For that, which St. Paul saith of the antient heathens, holds true in proportion of the ancient Israelites. God (saith he) winked at these times of ignorance. Act. 17. 30, 31. but now commandeth all men every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day, in which he will Judge the world in righteousnes. But was not this day appointed in these times of ignorance, at which God winked? Yes, before them; but not so fully declared, nor the manner of it so distinctly known, as since Christs resurrection it hath been. From this difference of times, and from the different condition of men living since Christs Resurrection, and from the diversity of the account, which they must render, in respect of them, which lived before it, St. Paul makes that inference Hebrews. 4. 11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief (or disobedience.) The Israelites fell in the wildernes for their disobedience to Gods word written or spoken; they did not so immediatly trespasse against this [...], or Word, which since hath been made flesh, as all unbelievers and disobedient men since hee was made flesh.
Now to fortifie this inference he addeth, ver. 12. Vivus est sermo Dei, The Word or [...], to whom wee are to render an accompt, is quick and power full, more piercing then any two edged sword. So farre from winking at the ignorance of these times, that all things are naked and open unto his eyes. His countenance (as saint John saith) was as the Sun shineth in his strength. Rev. 1. 16. and his eyes as a flame of fire; vers. 14. unto his eyes, thus opened, when the Judgment shall be set, the bookes, as Daniel saith, were opened, Dan. 7. 10. And this prophecie is unfolded by St. John, Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were Judged out of those things, which were written in the books according to their works.
17. This is the next part of the Process; and by the Books which are opened, the best Interpreters, Ancient and Modern, understand the Books of Conscience, The Books to be opened at Christs coming which until that day shall not be unfolded, or become fully legible, no not unto them which keep these Books, though every man have one of them, or at least an exact Copie or Exemplification of them. For it may be that the Authentick Copie or Register of every mans Conscience is treasured up in this Eternal [...], and their Copies shall become legible by his appearance. Many actual sins, many secret thoughts, or evil words, have been daily practised or entertained by us, wch leave no print or impression in our Phantasies of their passage. The memorie of many gross sins, which for the present make deep impression, daily wears out or decayes to our apprehensions; their print or Character in some being defac'd or obliterated by new ones more gross; as if a man should write in Capital Letters upon a paper already written in a smaller See ch. 10. §. 9 Character and more obscure. In others, the Records of Conscience, though [Page 3419] in themselves legible, so they would look into them, are wrapt up in multiplicitie of business. But when the Judge shall appear in his Glorie, the Book shall be fully opened, the Character or impression of every sinful thought or action shall then become legible; not a syllable of what we have spoken to our selves shall be lost; and every letter, and every syllable, which hath not been washt away or purified by the Blood of the Lamb, shall be as a stigma, or brand to the Soul and Conscience, wherein it is found, and shall fret as an incurable Gangren, or Canker. Every seed of corruption, whether propagated from our first parents, or sown by our selves, which seemed to lie dead without all motion, unlesse they be truly mortified by the spirit, shall at the appearance of the Sun of Righteousness begin to quicken and grow ripe in a moment. And albeit these seeds be as many in number as the sand, though our whole flesh or bodily man be more full of them, then any fishes ventricle is full of Spawn, yet the least of them shall grow for its malignant quality into a Serpent, and sting the soul and body, wherein it bred like an Adder. These are the best fruits, which they that daily sow unto the flesh, shall then reap of the flesh, even corruption, sorrow, and torments incorruptible and unsufferable, yet perpetually to be suffered by them. But of the quality and perpetuity of these pains hereafter by Gods assistance, when we come to the Award or Sentence.
18. Now to conclude; Albeit this [...], this Eternal Word of God, before whose Judgment Seat we must appear, and to whom we are to render our final accompt, were made flesh, to the end and purpose that the very words of God immediately uttered by himself, which formerly so uttered, did sound nothing but death and destruction to flesh and blood, might become the very food of life, being thus distilled and uttered by an Organ of flesh; yet such they are only unto such as receive him, and are purified in soul and conscience by them. To such as received him, saith S. John, he gave this priviledge to become the Sons of God, John 1. 12. But every man (saith the same S. John, 1 Epist. cap. 3. ver. 3.) that hath this hope in him, purifies himself, even as he is pure. As for the disobedient, and such as wallow in filthiness, the presence or voice of God, though he appear or speak unto us in our nature, shall not be less dreadful to them, then it was before the word was made flesh; but rather his appearance in our nature shall add terror and dread to his voice and presence. And therefore it is remarkably added by S. John, Rev. 6. 16. that the disobedient shall say unto the Mountains and Rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For though the wisdome of the flesh did alwayes include an Enmitie unto the puritie of the Divine Nature, yet this Enmitie or Antipathie is most directly against the innocencie and integritie of the Lamb; It is under the same Kind with the Enmitie of the womans seede and the Serpents. nor shall the malignitie of it fully appear or come unto a perfect Crisis until the Lamb appear in Judgment. He is now a Lamb mild and gentle, and easy to be intreated by all such, as seek to become like him in innocencie and puritie of life, but shall in that day manifest himself to the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, to execute vengeance upon all such as have abused his patience and long suffering by continuance in beastlines, or enmitie to Lamb-like innocency and purity. He shall then appear an inflexible Judge, but yet continues a mercifull and loving High-priest to make intercession for us. Seeing then saith St. Paul, Heb. 4. 14. &c. (and it is his Conclusion of his former description of him, as our Omnipotent Alseeing Judge) that we have a great High-priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of [Page 3420] God (this is a Title more mild and comfortable then the former of [...], The Word of God) Let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High-Priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. This Time of need, is the day of judgment, or time of death.
But whereby shall we make just proof and trial, whether we hold our profession fast or no? By no other means, then by the preserving the integritie and puritie of our Conscience: For we do not truly acknowledge or believe him to be our High-Priest, unless we suffer him, whilst it is called to day, to cleanse, and purifie our Consciences. If our heart condemn us not, saith S. John, 1. Joh. 3. 22. then have we confidence towards God. To shut up all with that of the Prophet Malachi, chap. 3. 2, 3. which is fully Parallel to the former place of S. Paul, Heb. 12. 12, 13. He shall sit as a refiner and parifier of silver, and he shall purifie the Sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. So then they must be Sons of Levi, (that is, men consecrated unto the service of the Lord) and, even in this life, as gold and silver (though mingled with dross) which hope to escape that last and Fiery Tryal. And such as hope to be made Kings and Priestes unto our God for ever, must in this life be careful and diligent to practise upon themselves: daily presenting unto Him, First, The Sacrifices of God, a troubled and broken spirit, (breathing out Prayers, and sending forth Tears:) and then Their Bodies a Living Sacrifice, holie and acceptable. And Lastly, The Sacrifice of Praise, that is, the calves or fruit of the lips; withall, not forgetting to do good, and to communicate, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
19. The Use of all that is said in this whole third Section, concerning Christs coming to Judgment, is most flagrantly set down in Powerful and moving Expressions, by S. Peter, 2. Epist. 3 Chap. ‘And the short of his Three Inferences, is this, Beloved, I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance—, knowing that there shall come in the last daies scoffers, walking after their own lusts; and saying, where is the promise of his coming—?—But the Lord is not slack concerning his promise—, but is long suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. And the day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the night—. Seeing then that all these things must be—, What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness; looking for, and hasting to the coming of the day of God? Seeing that ye look for these things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in Peace, without spot, and blemish; and account that the long suffering of the Lord is Salvation. Ye therefore, Seeing ye know all these Things before, beware, lest ye also, being led away with the Error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastnesse: But grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST; To Him be Glorie both now and for ever.’
AMEN.
SECTION IV. Of the Resurrection of the Dead.
OF The Five General Heades, Proposed in the so oft mentioned ninth Chapter, wee have (after a sort) dispatched The First Three. The Fourth was, The Parties to be judged; viz. The Quick and the Dead. Of Those that shall be found alive at the Coming of our Lord, I shall say no more then This (Till I come to the fift Head, touching the Final Award:) The One Distinction shall stand with great Boldness, and with joy lift up their heads, that they, (being caught up in the Clouds) may meet the Lord in the air, and so be ever with the Lord. The Other Retchless and most wretched part of mankinde, shall, but all in vain, cry to the Hills to fall upon them, and to the Rocks to cover them from His eys, to whom night and Hell are manifest. Of those that sleep in the Dust, The Dead in Christ shall rise first, and having happily passed the Judgement of Discussion, shall be amazed at the strangeness of their own Psal. 32. 1. salvation so far beyond all they looked for. Then shall The Dead in Sin be raised also; to receive the Dreadfull sentence of Our most worthie Iudge Eternal, and to put on such immortalitie as shall onely make them Capable of The Wages of Sin which is eternall Death, or Endless vivacitie unto Torments. The proof of the Resurrection of Both these, is our next Design.
CHAP. XIII.
The Beleif of This Article of the Resurrection, of High concernment; malignantly oppugned by Satan and his agents: needs and deserves our best Fortification. The Heathen had implicit Notions of A Resurrection. The Obstacle of impossibilitie, removed, by Proof of This Conclusion; [That though all things were annihilated, yet God is able to retreive or recover The numerical same.]
1. SO Admirable is the Constancie of the Celestial Bodies, in their courses, that every unusuall Spectacle in the heavens, be it but the appearance of a Comet in the air, or of 2 Sunnes, whereof the one is in the air, not in the heaven; doth alwaies imprint a Terror or amazement in the inhabitants of the earth. Whence, if wee could out of a serious apprehension of both, rightly compare the face of the heavens, as now it is, with that strange alteration described by St. John, Rev. 6. 12, 13. ‘as, that the pale moon shall be turned into blood; that the Sun, which now dazles our eyes with its brightnes, shall becom as black as a sackcloth of hair; or that the fixed stars, which have continued their March from East to West without check or controll for almost 6000 yeares (and yet have kept their ranks without any declination to the right hand or to the left) shall then begin to reel and stagger like so many drunken men, and fall to the earth, like as when a figtree casteth her green figs, being shaken of a mighty wind:’ The very cogitation of this sudden change or confusion would make death seem a welcom Messenger, and loss of life and external senses a gainfull exchange, if by their loss we might be exempted or acquit from those fearfull Sights, wherewith the eyes, or from those hideous noyses, wherewith the eares and hearts of all then living shall be filled. But most men hope for, or at least expect, a dissolution of this sensitive life before the appearance of that great and terrible day. And this very Imagination or conceipt, that all our senses shall be locked up by death, the eares utterly deprived of hearing, the eyes of sight; that the whole body, even the heart if self, being bestript of all feeling or motion, shall put on a thick covering of sad earth; doth, for the most part, benum our senses, enfeeble our faith, and dead our apprehensions, either of the Terrours of that day, or of the joyes, that shall ensue unto all them that do escape them. Whilst we think of death, or of their estate which have been long dead and consumed in the grave, we say in our hearts, not as the Psalmist did, Lord shall the dead praise thee? but shall the dead fear thee, O Lord? shall such as descend into the pit, are covered with dust, and resolv'd into rotteness, be affrighted with thy voice; or stand amazed at thy appearance? Thus then, as there is no Article of Christian Faith more available to make men live a Christian life, then this Article of the last general Judgement; So is there no branch, either of this general, nor any other Article of Christian Faith in particular, which requireth more fortification, whether from the store-house of the book of Nature, or from the book of Grace, then this point of the Resurrection doth. This is the Hold, which Satan the sworn enemy of our Souls eternal peace and welfare, seeks by all means to surprize, and subvert, and unto whose speedie surprizal, or utter subversion, flesh and blood have been in all Ages most prone to yeild their consent and furtherance. As Christ Crucified was the main stumbling-block to the Iew: So the preaching of his Resurrection, and of our hopes of a joyful Resurrection by the power and virtue of His, was the main rock of offence, 1 Cor. 1. 23 of Contradiction, or gain-saying to the Infidels or irreligious Heathens. [Page 3423] When the Athenians, saith S. Luke, Act. 17. 32. (these were the most civil and learned people amongst the Heathen) heard of the Resurrection of the dead, some mocked: others said, we will hear thee again of this thing. The rest of his Learned and Philosophical discourse, all of them heard with atention: and would he have spoken more, they would have been willing to have heard him longer upon any other Argument; But their entertainment of this Treatise of the Resurection was generally so rude, so unrespective on their parts, and so unwelcome to him, that he immediately departed from them. Howbeit, God did not leave the truth deliverd by him, even in this point, without competent Testimonie; for Denys of Areopagus, and a woman named Damaris, with some others, did believe Paul; But these were but a few in respect of them that did not believe, or did mock him. Now it is a Rule undoubted; that The same motives or temptations, which drew the heathen to contradict ☜ or oppugn the truth, will abate or weaken the Assent of Christians unto the same truth unless they be removed by discovery of their original error.
2. The Errors concerning the Final Judgment (in general or indefinitely considered) are specially Three. The First of such as denied the Divine Providence Three Errors about the last Judgment. over men, or did confine it to this transitory life without expectation of any account or reckoning to be made after death. And these were but few among the ancient Heathens; to wit, the sect of Epicures, whose opinion was refuted by the verdict of most other Heathens, and by the contradiction which the denial of the Divine Providence did include unto the opinions of the Epicures themselves.
The Second gross Error or branch of infidelity concerning the Final Judgement was, The denial of the Immortality of the human soul; And this was accounted an Heresie or impious opinion by the most, and hath been exquisitely See Tully De Senectute. refuted by the most learned amongst the Heathens.
The third Error or branch of infidelity concerning the Final Iudgment, was The denial, ignorance, or doubt of the Resurrection of the body, or of the whole man as consisting of body and soul. And this Error in some degree or other was most general to all the heathen. All such as denied either the Divine Providence, or the Immortality of the Soul, all such as doubted or were ignorant of either of these truths, did likewise deny, or were doubtful or ignorant of the Resurrection of the body. But on the contrary, neither all, nor most of such as did deny, or were ignorant, or doubtful of the Resurrection of the body, did either deny or were ignorant or doubtful of the immortality of the soul.
But no marvel if the heathens, which did not doubt of the immortality of the soul, were altogether, or for the most part, ignorant of the Resurrection of the body, when as in this Church of Corinth, which God had visibly graced with many excellent gifts of the Spirit, there were some, a great sort too many, which said, There was no Resurrection of the dead; and the Thessalonians, a people docile and apt to take the impression or most lively character of Christianity, a people excelling other Christians in brotherly love, were ignorant, in part, of this great Mystery, and from their ignorance or scant measure of knowledge in it, did mourn beyond measure for their dead, 1 Thess. 4. 13, &c. Of these Corinthians and Thessalonians, and of the Heathens, that of our Saviour unto the Sadduces, Matth. 22. 29. is most true. They therefore erred because they knew not the Scriptures, nor the Power of God.
We are then, First, To remove that Obstacle of Impossibility, which is pretended Two Points proposed. from Nature, and may seemingly be argued by natural and Philosophical Reasons.
[Page 3424] Secondly, To set down the manner of the Resurrection, and the positive Proofs of it out of the Scriptures or Word of God.
3. Albeit none of the heathens did expresly acknowledge such a Resurrection as we believe; although the most of them were ready to deny it when it was proposed unto them; yet, many of them had divers Implicit Notions of it. There were, though not in any one Sect of their Philosophers, yet in divers Sects, such scattered Reliques or Fragments of this Eternal Truth, as, being skilfully put together, will represent more then most Christians conceive of it.
The First Fragment or implicit Notion of it was; That antient Opinion fathered upon Pythagoras; That the soules of men after their departure from Pythagoras his broken Notion of a Resurrection their proper bodies, did (according to their several demeanors) enter into bruit Beasts, or other creatures. The souls, of men which had been given to spoil and raven, were, in this Philosophers opinion, to be imprisoned in the bodies of Wolves, of Lyons, or Tygers. Such as had been given over to beastly pleasures, were to take up their habitations in the bodies of Swine. The souls of others less harmful, yet stupid and dull, had their transmigration allotted by this Philosopher into Sheep or Calves. This Metempsychosis, or flitting of mens souls into the bodies of beasts, is described by Ovid in the 15. of his Metamorphosis, seeking to give some countenance to his poetical fictions from Pythagoras his Philosophical opinion plausible in ancient times. And from this conceit or opinion it was; that Pythagoras and his followers did abstain from eating of any flesh, whether of birds or beasts, and laboured by all See Juvenal 15. Sat. v. 174. means to perswade others to like abstinence, lest by killing or devouring them, they might indeed kill or devour their dearest friends, kinsfolks, or neighbors.
The souls of vertuous or good men, or of better spirits, did in this Philosophers opinion, either go into some place of happiness, or else return into some humane body again; So as one and the same man might be often begotten, born; or die. Thus Pythagoras himself thought that Euphorbus his soul was come into his body, that he himself had been present at the siege of Troy in the shape and likeness of him that was called then Euphorbus; whose body was turned to dust long before any part of this Pythagoras his body was framed. And in the confidence of this opinion or imagination, he laid claim unto Euphorbus his Shield, as the Right Owner of it.
This Opinion or Imagination, though gross and foolish, doth yet include These Two Branches of Truth. The Solid Truth extract out of Pythagoras his Opinion of Transmigration.
First, That Animus cujusque est unusquisque, The soul or mind of man is the man himself.
And Second, That the Soul remains in Being after the Body or visible part (which is but as the Case or Husk) be dissolved.
Both These, Tully had Collected (as he professes in his Book, De Senectute) from the followers of Pythagoras, of Socrates, and Plato. These Both, he, (or the Person he makes Speaker there) repeats in his piece, De Somnio Scipionis.—Tu vero—sic habeto, Te non esse mortalem, sed corpus hoc; nec enim is es, quem forma ista declarat, sed mens cujus (que) is est quis (que), non ea figura quae digito monstrari potest. Deum te igitur scito esse—.
Yet were it possible (or had God to whom all things are possible so appointed) that one and the same immortal soul of man should have its habitation in two, three, or more, distinct bodies; they should not be so truly many [Page 3425] men, as one and the same man; for the unity or Identity of mans person depends more immediately and necessarily upon the unity or Identity of the soul, then upon the unity or Identity of the body. This progress of one and the same soul through divers bodies, was not (in the opinion of such as first conceived or nurst it) to continue for ever. For Pythagoras did not deny an eternal Rest unto mens souls after this pilgrimage or progress were ended. Vid. For catulum. lib. 1. pag. 87, 90. Now this progress or pilgrimage, as some avouch, was to endure but unto the production of the third or fourth Body.
4. From Pythagoras and the Druides (whom Pythagoras did rather follow then teach) Plato did not much differ. All of them in some Points hold good consort with Christianity; In these especially. Points wherein Heathens held consort with Christianitie.
First, That the soul of man doth not perish with the body, from which it is by death dissolved.
Secondly, That it should go well with such as lived well, and ill with such as lived amiss, after the dissolution of soul and body.
But how often one and the same soul by Plato's opinion might become a widower, how long it might so continue, or with how many several bodies it might successively match, we will not question.
In this and the like particulars Pythagoras and Plato might many wayes err without any gross inconsonancy to their general principles. And one of Plato's general Principles was, That the humane soul was in the body tanquam nauta in nave, after such a manner as the Master Mariner is in the ship to direct and guide it. And as a Mariner may without loss undertake the government of divers Ships successively, so one and the same reasonable soul might guide or manage sundry bodies. In the opinion of Pythagoras or Plato, diversity of actions, of manners, of dispositions did no more argue diversity of human souls or spirits, then variety of musical sounds in various wind-instruments (as in the Sackbut, Cornet, Shalm, or Trumpet) doth argue diversity of breath, or of Musicians. One and the same musician may wind them all successively, and yet the musick shall be much different, because of the diversity of the instrument. In all these opinions they did only err, not knowing the Scriptures. They did not err against, at least their error includes no opposition unto, the Power of God. For if it had pleased him thus to place the soul in the body, or to take it out of one body, and put it into another, as these Philosophers dreamed, so it might have been, so it must have been. Nor did their error include any denial of the Power of God, but rather an approach or step to the discovery or acknowledgement of it, against modern Atheists.
Others there were, who held a [...], that is, a Regeneration or new production of one and the same man again. These were the Genethliaci, or Nativitie-Casters; of whom S. Augustine (out of Varro) speaks, Lib. 22. De The opinion of the Genethliaci Civitate Dei, Cap. 28. The time, which (as That Father there saies) they prefixed for this [...], or re-production of the self-same men, which formerly had been, was 440. years. Though (as you will soon see) other Authors make it far above that proportion. This particular errour of theirs, took its original from an errour common to most Philosophers, whose generally affected custom it hath been, to assign some External cause of every External or visible Effect. And some modern Astrologers make the heavens such total causes of Sublunary Effects, that if the position and conjunction of stars should possibly come to be the self same again, as they formerly have been, the self same bodies should be produced again, which formerly had been. And 16000 years (I take it) in the account of these ancient [Page 3426] Astrologers, did make up the full period or circuit of all celestial motions. Now it is a general Maxim in Philosophie, Idem, secundum Idem, semper producit Idem. If the influence of the stars were the full and total cause of the Sublunary Effects, it would follow directly, that when the conjunction of Stars, which [...] his influence, returned the same again which it had been [...] years more or fewer) the Sublunary Effects or events should be the same, as they then had been, and the same men which had formerly dyed, should revive again.
5. The Genethliaci did foully err in imagining the stars or host of heaven, to be the adaequate or total causes of Sublunary Effects or alterations. They This Error of the Genethliaci may Facilitate the Christians Belief of Gods Power. might err again in Calculating the Course of the Starrs: and (for ought I know) they did err in denying, or not avouching the Immortalitie of the soul. But herein they come the nearest to us Christians in this Article, That they held it possible, and agreeable to Nature, for one and the same body, for one and the same man, consisting of body and soul, which had been dissolved for many thousand yeares before, to be restored to life again. But whereas they thought the conjunction of stars to be the full and total cause of sublunary effects, let us suppose Gods Will, or Powerfull Ordinance, to be the sole cause of all things, and there willbe no contradiction or impossibilitie in nature, why the self same men, which have been, may not bee again, albeit they had died more then 5000. years ago. For his Will, as it is more powerfull then all the influence of stars, so is it more truly One and the same then any conjunction or aspect of stars can be; yea, His Will or His Power was the true immediat or total Cause of the Matter of every thing, as well as of its forme or soul; The true cause likewise of the conjunction of the soul and body.
6. It being then admitted that the Genethliaci did deny the Immortalitie or perpetual duration of the reasonable Soul; which to deny is a gross heresie in Christianitie; yet this Errour in them was more pardonable by much, then the Inference which some Christians make; who holding the Immortalitie Some Christians erre as much as the Genethliaci. of the soul, hold it withall to be an Antecedent so necessary for evincing the future Resurrection of the body (or restauration of the same man who dyes) that if the soul were not immortal, there could be no resurrection of the body, no Identical restauration of men that perish and are consumed to dust. They which deny the Immortalitie of the soul, do therefore erre because they know not the Scriptures, nor the Will of God revealed in them concerning the state of the soul after death. For if the soul of Christ, as man, were (as we must believe it was) of the same nature that our souls are of; if his soul did not die with his body, our souls shall not die with our bodies.
Now Christ at the very point of death or dissolution of soul and body, did commend his soul into his Fathers hands. And God the Father took a more special care of his soul then either Nicodemus, or Joseph of Arimathea did of his body. That God likewise did take the souls of the faithful into his custody at their departure from their bodies, our Saviour long before had taught us, in his Answer to the Sadduces, Matth. 22. 31, 32. As touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying? I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead but of the living. And, as St. Luke addeth Chap. 20. ver. 38. All live unto him: not alwayes in their bodies, but alwayes in their souls, which alwayes expect a second conjunction or re-union to their proper bodies. And St. Stephen, when his persecutors did destroy his body, commends his soul into Christs hands, as Christ had done His Soul into the hands of his Father. So that no man can doubt of the Immortality [Page 3427] or perpetual duration of the soul, unless he be altogether ignorant of these, and many like passages in the Scriptures. But they which deny all Possibilitie of the Resurrection, or Identical restauration of the same man to bodily life (in case his soul were mortal, or might utterly cease to be with the body) do err, not only out of ignorance of the Scriptures, or of The Will of God revealed in Scriptures; but this their ignorance supposeth an ignorance or denial of the Power of God. For God, who is able out of stones to raise up children unto Abraham, is no less powerful perfectly to restore the self same body and soul which now are, and really to represent the self same man which now is, albeit both body and soul should, at his death, not only die, but be utterly annihilated; that is, although no more either of body or soul did remain after death then was extant before the first Creation of all things. Now before the first Creation there was not so much as a particle or least portion either of mans soul or body; For all things were created out of Nothing; and all things might be created the same again that now they are, albeit they were by Gods power, or by substraction of his influence totally resolved into nothing.
7. All these Propositions following are most true.
1. That as God did make all things of nothing, so he is able, if it should please him, to resolve all things into nothing. This is essentially included in the Article Three principal Propositions of Omnipotencie.
So is this Second likewise; Although all things created were resolved into nothing, God is able to make them again the self same substances that they sometimes were, or now are.
So likewise is this Third: Albeit the bodies of men be not utterly resolved into nothing when they die, but into the Elements, of which they consist or are compounded; as into the Earth, Air, Water, &c. yet every mans body, at the day of final appearance before our Judge, may be Numerically the same that now it is.
All these Propositions are Objectively Possible, that is, they imply no Contradiction in nature; and, not implying any contradiction in nature, they are the proper Objects of Omnipotent Power. That is, God is able to work all these Effects in nature, which unto Nature, or natural Causes are impossible. But that either the souls or bodies of men shall be annihilated or resolved into nothing, we are not bound to believe; because the Scripture doth no where testifie Gods Will or purpose so to resolve them. Their annihilation or dissolution, their re-production or re-union meerly depends upon the Will or Powerful Ordinance of God. And albeit the Resurrection of one and the same man may be demonstrated to be in Nature possible: Yet, That this Possibilitie shall be reduced into Act; That every Man shall undoubtedly rise again in the body, to receive that which he hath done in his body: Or, With what manner of body for qualifications they shall arise, This cannot be taught by Nature, but must be learned or believed from Scripture.
To begin with the Second Proposition [Although all things created were resolved into nothing, God is able to make them again the self same numerical substances, that they sometime were, or now are.]
For Proof of this Proposition, I take as granted; That all things, which by Creation took their beginning, had a true Possibilitie of being numerically That there is a Logical Possibilitie presupposed to the working of Gods Power. See Book 10. Fol. 3177. what they were, before they actually were: otherwise it was impossible for them actually to have been. Now this Possibility (allotted to every thing before it be) of being numerically what it is (or hath been) was not limited unto This or That set Point or tract of time, but was of it self, indifferent unto all times, from eternitie. All the Coexistence, which any thing created hath with [Page 3428] this or that part of time, is not from any essentiall dependence which it hath on this or that time, but meerly from the Will or Pleasure of the eternall Creator, who hath appointed to every thing a set time or season. The self same men which now are, might have been an hundred years ago; or, if their birth or production had been deferred till a hundred years after this present time, they might by their Creators appointment be Then the same men that now they are. Their Actual Being in this Age, doth not take away the The bringing Possibilitie into Act, doth not impair Gods power, but shewes the exercise of it, pro hac vice. See §. 9. Possibilitie either of being before this Time or after it: For, Possibilitie is perpetuall, and at all times reducible into Act, whensoever it shall please the Creator to appoint or allott it actuall Being or existence. The Reduction of Possibilitie into Act (which is the perfection thereof) doth not prejudice or diminish the Creators Power of doing the like again; though the doing of it once makes it impossible that the doing of it again should be the first time or Turn of doing it. The omiting or forbearance to bring Possibilitie into Act, in the time past, doth not lapse it more then pro illâ vice. It leaves us this possibilitie, now truly to say; That which was not done a thousand years ago might have been then done; and the like or same may yet be done by The Power Almightie. As every body indued with Colour is alwayes visible, though there be no eye present to look upon it, (for it is therefore truely visible, in that any creature endued with sight may actually see it so often as it shall please to look upon it:) So, every thing which implies no contradiction in nature, is always truely Possible; and therefore eternally Possible, because The Eternall may give it actuall Being or existence at all times, when it pleaseth him. This Possibilitie is at all times the object of his Omnipotent Power, as visibilitie is of sight; and, as whatsoever is visible may at all times be seen by a clear eye; so whatever is possible may at all times be done or made by God.
8. It is evident, That God by his Power hath given all things, which now are, or heretofore have been, actuall Being; that is, he hath created them. Creation is the making all things of Nothing: Annihilation is the reducing of any thing that hath been made, into Nothing. Both acts are proper only unto the These differ, as Addition and Substraction. Omnipotent Creator. Suppose then some man or Angel had been annihilated by his Omnipotent Power a thousand years ago; It is yet as possible for the same man or Angel to be made again, as it was for him to be made at the first. And the Reason is this; Annihilation could take nothing from him, save only that which Creation gave him. But Creation only gave him Actuall Being or existence; Therefore annihilation onely takes away actual being or existence, not the Possibilitie of Being; for that he had before he could be created. Seeing then Creation did not give man or Angel Possibilitie of Being, which was eternally included in the Creators Power; Annihilation ☞ doth not dissolve or destroy this Possibilitie, but leaves it only, as Creation found it. And whilst the Possibliitie remaines the same, it is still the same Object of the same Omnipotent Power, and may as easily be reduced into Act a thousand years hence, as it was in the first Creation.
To make this Probleme more plain by Demonstrating it upon a particular. Adam the firstman was Created upon the 6. day from the beginning of time, wherein the heavens and earth were made of nothing. Now no distinction of time, which did then begin to be; no secret power or vertue of time, (which is but a circumstance of things that are) could either hinder or limit the Creators Power for creating of Adam upon the first day, or give any furtherance to his power for creating him upon the sixth day, rather then upon the twelfth or 13. day from the beginning of the Creation. Admitting his Creation had been deferred untill the twelfth day, this deferring of his Creation could [Page 3429] have been no lett or hinderance why he might not have been the self same man which was created the sixth day. As if any man should cast a bullet in the same mould at twelve of the clock, which he had purposed to cast at eight, but did deferr the casting of it till that time, either upon pleasure, or interposition of other occasions; that delay would no way argue the bullet moulded at that time not to be the very self same which it would have been, if it had been cast four hours before, or four hours after.
The Models of all things created, or possible to be created, are more certainly, and more constantly contained in the Almighty Creators Power or Wisedom, then any Models which man can make, are in mans power and skill. And so are all the creatures likewise more exactly answerable to the Models contained in his Power and Wisdom, then any bullet or other materialls can be to the mould, wherein they are cast. Difference of time or delay of their production can breed no difference at all in the things produced, so long as every one is produced according to that exact Modell, or exemplary forme which it had in God from Eternity. According to this patern or modell, the first man (as Scripture tells us) was created upon the sixth day: Suppose the same Creator had annihilated him upon the eighth day; This Annihilation supposed, there is no impossibilitie or difficultie imaginable, why he might not upon the twelfth or thirteenth day have been created again the self same man he was upon the sixth day; seeing it was possible for God to have deferred his Creation till that day, and yet to have created him the self same individall person, that was created upon the sixth day.
9. Neither the exercise of Gods Almighty Power in creating Adam upon the sixth day, nor the supposed exercise of the same power in annihilating him the eighth day, could breed any prejudice to the possibilitie of being created the self same man upon the twelfth or thirteenth day, which he had been from his first Creation to his annihilation. Indeed to say, That Adam, being created the sixth day, and supposed to be annihilated upon the eighth day, and created again upon the twelfth or thirteenth day, should be then first created, would imply a contradiction. But it is one thing to say, there be two Creations, another to say; there be two distinct creatures, or two distinct substances created. A man might be twice created, and yet not be two distinct creatures, but numerically and Identically one and the self same man which he was, as perfectly one and the self same man, as if he had been but once created, or had continued from his creation without any interruption of his duration or existence. This implies no more contradiction in nature, then to say; that the King may create one and the same man twice Earl or Duke, or make him often the same Magistrate. The Office or dignity may be the self same, albeit there be some vacancie or interruption in the Administration or duration of it. As if a man was deposed of his Office and dignity at the end of the first year, and restored again at the end of the second year; this would imply a diversity of Creation or advancement, no diversitie at all in the Office or dignitie, unto which the same person is twice advanced. Now Gods Power over all his creatures, either utterly to annihilate them, or to interrupt them in their actuall existence or duration, and to create them in the self same or better estate again, is farre greater and more Soveraigne, then any Princes civill power to advance or depose his subjects, or to restore them intirely to their former dignities. Admit then, That God had resolved the first man Adam into nothing at the very first instant, wherein he did eat the forbidden fruit, with purpose not to create him again untill the last trumpet shall sound to Judgement; the Terrour of that day should make as deep impression in him then first restored [Page 3430] to life and sense again, as if he had suffered him to live but one day, and had called him at even unto Judgment or a final accompt as terrible as in that last day it shall be to all that die in their sins. This whole time of vacancy or cessation from actual Being for almost six thousand years would not have seem'd so long to him at his Resurrection, as a night past over in a dead sleep is to a malefactor, which had murthered his Father in the Evening, and is drawn to the execution as soon as he awakes in the morning.
Thus much of Gods Power in general to raise up the self same men again, which have been long dead, or, by supposition, more then dead, utterly resolved into nothing. Now if we must acknowledge it as an essential Branch of the Almighty Creators Power to be able to raise up or create the self same men again, although they had been annihilated or turned to nothing, we must needs acknowledge it as a fruit or effect of the same Power, to re-unite every mans soul and body again at the last day; seeing the soul (as Christian Faith doth teach us) doth still remain the same it was, the body being not utterly annihilated or consumed to nothing, but only resolved into dust, or into the Elements, of which it was first made. Sed quomodo, inquis, dissoluta materia exhiberi potest? Consider a temetipsum O homo, & fidem rei invenies. Recogita quid fueris antequàm esses, uti (que) nihil; meminisses enim, si quid fuisses. Qui ergo nihil fuer as priusquam esses, idem nihil factus, cum esse desieris, cur non posses esse rursus de nihilo ejusdem ipsius Auctoris voluntate, qui te voluit esse ex nihilo? Quid novi tibi eveniet? qui non eras, factus es: cumiterum non eris, fies. Redde rationem, si potes quâ factus es, & tunc require, quà Fies. Et tamen facilius uti (que) fies, quod fuisti aliquando, quia aeque non difficile factus es, quod nunquam fuisti aliquando—. Quaecun (que) te materia, destruxerit, hauserit, aboleverit, in nihilum prodegerit, reddet te; ejus est nihilum ipsum, cujus est totum. This is the sum of Tertullian's Collections, Apolog. cap. 48.
10. This Power of God to create man of nothing, and to create every one the self same man he was, albeit he had been annihilated or turned into nothing; The School Divines of the Romish Church acknowledge, and with great subtilty of wit and strength of Argument prove out of the Article of Gods Omnipotencie, unto which all Possibilitie meerly Logical, (or which implies no evident contradiction in nature) is alwayes subject and obedient. But of This, as of most other Orthodoxal Doctrines or Principles of Faith, The Jesuite makes a Sinister use of this Truth touching The Power of God. wherein we hold communion and consort with the Roman Church, the modern Advocates of that Church, the Jesuites especially, make a very malicious and Sinister use. The most learned amongst the modern Jesuites, being pressed by our Writers with the gross absurdities and scandalous inconveniences, which necessarily follow upon their doctrine of Transubstantiation, or of Christs local Circumscriptive bodily presence in the blessed Sacrament; Fly to this doctrine of Gods Almighty Power, whereby he is able to create one and the self same Individual Substance again and again, as oft as it pleaseth him, as to their last Hold and refuge. Their only hope is, that this General Doctrine being made plausible by them, they shall be able to make their quarrel Just, not in it self, but upon expected advantage; if any of our Writers should be so forward (as in divers other Cases some have been too forward) to deny their Antecedents, when as they should Traverse the Inference or conclusions, which they labor with subtiltie to infer from plausible and Orthodoxal Premisses. Howbeit this Antecedent [That God is able to create the self same man or bodily substance again, and again, and as oft as it shall please him] no Protestant Writer (to my observation) hath yet denied, none as I hope, will ever deny. But such is our adversaries confidence of Christs promise [Page 3431] to St. Peter, I have prayed for thee, that thy faith shall not fail, Luke 22. 32. and of the Popes authority, as of Peters pretended Successor in this promise; that whatsoever doctrine the Pope shall deliver ex Cathedra (as he hath done this doctrine of Transubstantiation) for a point of Faith, they think God bound in Justice to use his absolute and Omnipotent power to make it true. For if the Pope or the visible Romish Church could possibly err in this or any other point of faith, God (by their doctrine) should fail in the performance of his former general promise, which undoubtedly he will not do, so long as he hath power to make his promise good, or to make the visible Churches interpretations true and justifiable; to the preservation of whose Infallibility he hath (as they teach) bound himself by solemn promise,
11. But, The Question betwixt us and them, Concerning Christs local or circumscriptive Bodily presence in the Sacrament; is not, whether God can make one and the same body, to be, at one and the same time, in divers places; or whether He can create one and the same body again in every hour, or in every place, as shall seem good to him; But whether it be his will to use this his power? Or whether his will thus to do, be so fully revealed in Scripture, as that we are bound to believe, That he doth or will make Christs very Bodie and Blood to be locally present in every place where, and at all times when, that blessed Sacrament shall be celebrated.
This we deny; And the former Principle or Antecedent [That God is able to create the self same body as often as it pleases him] will never infer their intended Conclusion. Not to question what God can do; we further add [For Christs body, or whole Christ God and man, to be bodily present, by this means, in many places at once, or in all places at all times wherein that blessed Sacrament shall be celebrated, is one of those things, which, according to their rules as well as ours, cannot be done, as implying an evident Contradiction in nature:] It may not be believed nor imagined, because God did never bind any man to believe such an impossibilitie, or Contradiction, as is involved in this doctrine. It is altogether without the compass of the most miraculous work, which God hath at any time wrought, or ever promised to work. All the former Instances or Cases possible, concerning Gods Power to make one and the same man again after he had been annihilated, are most unlike to their intended Conclusion. All the former Instances or suppositions are free from all color or suspition of Contradiction in nature. This supposed Creation of Christs Body often since his death, implies as many and as manifest Contradictions, as there have been Masses in the Romish Church.
Not only these Assertions, but the dissimilitude also of the Case in question, to the former Cases, will be immediately made clear from the very Definition of Creation. To create a body is to make it of nothing; and to make the self same Body which formerly had been, but is resolved into Nothing, out of Nothing again, is but a second exercise of his Creative Power; and whatsoever God before hath done, he is able to do the same again. But the Body of Christ they acknowledge to be immortal, and absolutely exempted, not only from Annihilation or resolution into Nothing, but from all danger of Corruption or diminution.
Again, whatsoever is Created, whether at the first, second, or third time, hath no Actual being until it begin to be by Creation: Now to make that very thing begin to be, or to begin to be out of nothing, which already actually is, is something, is immortal, and more glorious then any other creature, implies a manifest Contradiction. But Christs Body they grant to be immortal since his Resurrection, more unalterable then the heaven of heavens, so immortal [Page 3432] that it can never cease to be what it is; therefore it is impossible that it should begin to be by a new creation, or be created again. For that which is created, or may be created again, must first be resolved into nothing, or cease to be, before it can be created again (seeing creation is the making of that, which is not, out of Nothing) or be made again by means miraculous. If then Christs Body be locally present in the Sacrament, it must either be created again, and this supposeth either annihilation or dissolution of it; or else it must be brought out of the heavens into the Priests hands; or else the presence of it in many places must be created: but Local Presence is altogether uncapable of Creation, for it is a Meer Relation, which can neither be created nor made, but resulteth from, or followeth upon the motion (of things created) from one place to another, or from their creation or beginning to be in that place, wherein they are said to be created.
12. So it fares with our Adversaries in this Argument, as it doth with Boot-halers or night-riders which have caught an unlawful prey, being hotly pursued by the right owners. Now their manner is to divide the spoil and their company, that they may carry one part one way, and another part another way; that so whilst one is pursued, others may escape without pursuit or rescue of the prey. Through the ignorance or carelesness of Gods people, which should have kept a better watch over their own souls, the Romish Priests had made a gainful prey by transporting the native sense of our Saviours Words in the institution of the Sacrament to justifie the doctrine of Transubstantiation. And since they have been pursued by reformed Writers, as Cozeners and Cheaters of Gods people, some of them run one way, some The several Shifts of Romish Writers, to maintain their Doctrine of Transubstantiation. another; Some of them seek to maintain Christs local presence or Transubstantiation by the former doctrine of Gods Almighty Power, which is able to create one and the same body often: Others seek to maintain the same doctrine, and carry away the prey by the manner of Angelical motion from one place to another in an instant or moment of time. And if they could draw such as pursue them into these straits and subtilities, they hope to make their part good against such, as are not much conversant in the School-mens nice disputes concerning the nature or motions of Angels, or know not the difference between the nature and motions of Spirits and Spiritual Bodies. Others seek to maintain the same doctrine by the infinitie of divisible quantities; (as if it were possible for a flies wing to overspread the whole earth, as a hen doth her chickens:) And that Christs Body may, by this kind of Infinitie, be in many places at once, in as many as God shall appoint: hoping by this means to cast a mist before the eyes of such Readers, as know not the difference betwixt a real material or substantial, and a mathematical or imaginary quantitie. But all these fictions or suppositions they cast forth only to offer play unto their adversaries, or to gain some time for invention of new shifts. None of them dare pitch upon any or all of these wayes or imaginations, or put the Case upon this issue, Whether any of them be in nature possible or agreeable to the Analogie of Faith: The only point wherein they agree is, the submission of their judgments or imaginations to the authoritie of the Church; which is no better agreement, then if amongst a multitude of unlearned men, one of them should maintain, that snow is white, another black, another pawn his estate that it is blew, and a fourth that it is green, and yet in the end refer themselves to be tried by some Philosopher, which had written of the nature of Snow in a language that none of them understands, whose books they know not where to find. For what the Church is that cannot err, or of whom it consists, the French and Italian Catholicks do not agree. [Page 3433] Or if we take the Church for the Trent Council confirmed by the Pope, the Jesuites themselves cannot agree about the meaning of it in this point. Divers of them do in Effect deny any Transubstantiation in this Sacrament; albeit that Council under pain of curse enjoyneth all Christians to believe, That there is a true Conversion of the bread into the substance of Christs Body, and of the wine into the substance of his Blood, and that this conversion is rightly called Transubstantiation: So that in fine, the unitie, whereof the children of that Church do so much brag, is not an unity of faith or belief, but an unity of faction or conspiracy for their own gain; such as may be between the Jews, the Turks, the Heathens, and the Arian hereticks which denied the Divinity of Christ, to rob or spoil the Orthodoxal or true Catholick Christians.
13. Most men have often read; All almost have often heard of a Twofold Resurrection. The one from death in sin, unto newness of life: The other from bodily death, unto glory and immortality. The second Resurrection is the End of our whole life here on earth; the first Resurrection from death in sin to newness of life, is the mean most necessary for attaining this joyful and happy End. Now as the second Resurrection from bodily death unto glory, is the End of the first Resurrection from sin to newness of life: So is the first Resurrection the End of the blessed Sacrament, or solemn commemoration of Christs death till he come to Judgment. And although the Omnipotent Power of God, by which all things were created of nothing, be the most prime and powerful Cause of the second Resurrection; yet of our Resurrection unto that Glory and Immortality, whereof Christ is now possest, Christ, as man, is not only the Idaeal or Exemplarie, but the immediate Efficient, or working Cause also: Howbeit the power of his Efficiency or working, as man, be derived from the Omnipotent Power of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily. But unto the real participation of this All-powerful Influence from Christs humanity, by which the dead shall be quickned, by which these mortal bodies shall be cloathed with glory and immortality, the bodily or local presence of Christ is not required by the Romish Church. It doth not hold it necessary, that all or any body, which shall be quickened or raised to Glorie, shall first swallow Christs Body, or be touched by it. Of Angelical ministerie or service for gathering the dispersed reliques of mens bodies, which have been dissolved by death, some use there shall be in the last day, as some Romanists, with divers Antients, think: but no use at all of any Mass-Priest to make Christs Body to be locally present unto all, that shall be quickened by it. There shall be no need then of Transubstantiating Sacramental bread into Christs Body, or wine into his bloud for giving life unto those, that have been long dead, or for effecting that change, which shall be wrought in the living; Now, if by the meer virtual presence of Christs Body and Blood, the men which have been long dead, shall be restored to perfect life & immortalitie; shall not the souls of all, which receive him in the Sacrament by Faith and true repentance, be raised to Newness of life by the same virtual presence, without any Of Christs virtual influence. See Book 10. ch. 55, 56. local touch of His Body, but only by that sweet Influence, which daily issueth from this Sun of righteousness now placed at the Right hand of God as in its proper Sphere. This manner of Christs presence, of his real presence in the Sacrament, to wit, by powerful Influence from his Humanitie, our Church did never deny; nor doth God the Father, or Christ the Son deny this Real Influence of life unto any, that hunger and thirst after it in the Sacrament.
CHAP. XIV.
But some will say, How are the dead raised up? and, With what body do they come.?
Thou Fool! That which thou sowest is not quickened except it die, &c.
That this Argument, drawn from Seed sown, is a Concludent Proof of the Resurrection of The Bodie.
THe Questions are Two; First, How the dead shall be raised? The second, With what bodies shall they come forth? The Corinthian Naturalist his Two curious Questions.
The former imports thus much; How is it possible that the Dead shall be raised? Or, it being admitted that it is possible for the dead in some sort or manner to arise to life; the next branch of the same Question is, in what particular manner they shall de Facto arise? as whether by Gods Creative Power, by which he made all things of nothing; or by his Conservative Power, by which he preserveth all things that are, in their proper Being; or advanceth them to an higher estate or better Tenure of Being?
The second Question or Quaerie is, With what kind of bodies shall the dead arise? Whether with the self same bodies wherein they died? Or if not every way the same, what alteration or change shall be wrought in them?
Unto Both these Questions our Apostle vouchsafeth but this one Answer, [...] O Fool! that which thou sowest St. Pauls first Answer to both Questions. is not quickened, except it die.
But this Answer may seem in the first place to break the Rule of Christian Charity: For many of these Corinthians, though in this point of the Resurrection An Objection against the Answer in point of Charitie. erroneous and ignorant, were yet Christian, though weak brethren; and the Law is general: he that shall say unto his brother, THOU FOOL, shall be guilty of Hell fire, Matth. 5. 22.
‘The Rule indeed is General, if this or the like opprobrious speech be hatched out of malice, leavened wrath, or invetered hatred: But this sentence they do not incur, out of whose mouthes these or the like speeches issue by The Answer to that Objection. way of just reproof or instruction; as from a Master to his Scholers, or from a Lord to his Servants, in points wherein they err, and are to be corrected or instructed by him. In these cases, or upon these occasions, their censure passeth rather upon the folly, then upon the persons of them, whom they so chastise, correct, or seek to instruct.’ And it is not altogether impertinent which some have noted upon that place, That our Apostles censure doth not aim at any particular or determinate person, but it is indefinitely directed to all those, which seriously make the former questions, either concerning the Possibilitie of mens arising from the dead, or the particular Manner how this Resurrection should be wrought, or with what bodies they should come forth.
But many such, as will confess his reason or Argument to be free from [Page 3435] breach of Christian Charitie or good manners, will question the Logical strength or pertinence of it. The strength or efficacy of it, is questionable upon These points; As first, How the dayly experiment of seed-corn, which A second objection in point of sufficiencie. first dies and is quickned again, can inferr the Fundamental conclusion by our Apostle intended; to wit, the Resurrection of mens bodies, which have been dead and rotten for many hundred years, and their Reliques dispersed into so many several Elements, or places, that if the seed-corn which men sow, were but dispersed into half so many places; the husband-man should in vain expect an increase, or his seed again. Secondly, admitting this yearly experiment of the seed dying and reviving were of force sufficient to inforce our belief of the former conclusion, that the bodies of men dead may be raised to life again, yet the manner or ground of his inference would be impertinent, if not contradictory to the principal conclusion intended by him, which we are bound explicitly to believe. For it is not enough to believe that the bodies of men, which are committed to the grave, shall not utterly perish, but be quickned again, (as the corn which is covered with the ground:) but we are bound further to believe, That every man shall arise with his own body, with the same very body, wherein he lived, that he may receive his doom according to that which he hath done in the body, whether it be good or bad. This conclusion is not included in the Apostles inference or Experiment drawn from the corn, which groweth out of the putrified seed: for he expressly affirmes in the ver. 37. that the body, which springeth out of the ground, is not the same seed that is sown.
2. In Answer to the former difficultie, some good Commentators there be, The Answer to this objection. which grant that our Apostles instance in the seed, which first dies and is afterwards quickned, is not a Concludent proof or forcible Reason, but rather a similitude or Exemplification; and it is the property or character of similitudes or examples, illustrant, non docent, they may illustrate the truth taught, they do not teach or confirm it. Tertullian with other of the Fathers have diverse illustrations or exmeplifications of the Resurrection in the course of nature, out of all which it would be hard to extract a full Concludent proof. Lux quotidie interfect a resplendet, The light dayly vanisheth and recovers brightnesse again; darknesse goes and comes by an interparallel course to the removall of light. Sidera defuncta reviviscunt. The stars dayly set, or fall, and rise again. The seeds of vegetables do not fructifie untill themselves be dissolved and corrupted. All things sublunary are preserved by perishing, their reformation or renewing supposeth a defacing. Many of these and like observations, taken out of the book of Nature, may serve as Emblemes or devices for emblazoning or setting forth our hopes or belief of the Resurrection; But concludent proofs they cannot be, unlesse we grant that the Book of nature hath by Gods appointment, Types, or silent Prophecies of Divine mysteries, as well as hath the book of Grace. But shall we say or believe that the Apostles inference in this place is only Emblematical or Allegorical? or rather a Physical or Metaphysical Concludent Proof? Aproof, not only against such as acknowledge the truth of the Old Testament or written word of God, but a proof (so far as it concerns the possibility of a Resurrection) contained in the Book of nature? His conclusion, he supposeth, might by observant Readers be extracted out of the Instance or Experiment which he brings. For unlesse out of the Instance given in the Corn, which first dies and afterwards is quickened, the Possibilitie of the Resurrection, of such a Resurrection as he taught, might concludently be proved; they which doubted of, or denyed this truth, had not incurr'd the censure of folly, they had not deserved [Page 3436] the Title or name of fools. But not to be able to read that, which was legible in their own books; that is, in the works of nature, was a childish folly; a folly, which in men of years and discretion could not proceed but from insufferable incogitancy or negligence. If we examine the Apostles inference according to the Rules of true Philosophie, which never dissents from true Divinitie, his Instances are concludent, his Argument is an Argument of proportion, a majore ad minus, from the greater to the lesse. All the difficultie is in framing or setting the Termes of it aright.
3. All the exceptions, which are taken against his proof, are reducible to this Exceptions against the Proof. one general Head; That he argues, or makes his inference, from the works of nature unto a work supernatural, or from the generation of vegetables ordinary in the course of nature, unto the Resurrection of our bodies, which can be no work of nature, no generation; but a work as supernatural as Creation. But they which thus Object, should consider that those works, which we term works of Nature The Exceptions answered. (as generation of vegetables, the increase of the earth, the fruit of trees, and the like) are not in our Apostles Philosophie any way opposite to the works of God, or to works miraculous and supernatural. This Proposition is in his Divinitie, and in true Philosophie, most certain; [Whatsoever nature works, God doth work the same:] and he works the same immediatly, though not by himself alone, for nature worketh with him, though immediatly by him. But the former Proposition is not convertible; that is, we cannot say, that God works nothing without the Co-agencie of nature, as we say, that nature worketh nothing without the co-operation or Power of God. Nature worketh nothing, cannot possibly work without the power and direction of God; God worketh many things, since the world was made by him, or nature created by him, without the association or co-operation of nature, or any causes naturall. And the works which he worketh by himself alone, either without the association or interposition of causes naturall, or contrary to the ordinary course of nature; are properly called works miraculous or supernaturall; and Miraculous they are called, not because they alwayes argue a greater or more immediate exercise of Gods Power, then is contained in the works of nature; but in that they are unusuall, and without the compasse of ordinary Observation. Sometimes those works, which are truly miraculous, may less participate of the Almighty Power, then the usual works of nature do. It was a true miracle, that the Sun should stand still in the vale of Aialon; but Works truly miraculous may have a less share of Gods Power then usual works of nature. not therefore a Miracle in that it did argue a greater manifestation of Gods Power, then is dayly manifested in the course of nature or works of other creatures; But a great Miracle only in that it was so rare and unusual. The dayly motion of the Sun about the earth, if we search into the true and prime causes of it, includes a greater measure or more branches of the Almighty Ceators Power, then the standing still of the Sun, did, in the dayes of Joshua, or the going back of it did in the dayes of Hezekiah. For in our Apostles Divinitie, Act. 17. 28. We live and move and have our being in God; that is, all things that are have their being in him, and from him; their being is but a participation of his infinite being. The life of all things living, is but a participation or shadow of his Life; The Motion of all things that move, is but the participation of his Power: so that when the Sun did cease to move or stand still in the dayes of Joshua, it was partaker only of his Power sustentative, or of that power by which he supporteth all things; It ceased to move, only by meer substraction or cessation of his motive Power, by whose vertue or influence it dayly, like a Gyant-runs his course. Thus dayly to run its course it could not, without a positive force or power communicated unto [Page 3437] it from The Creator in whom (as the Apostle speakes) it moves. But it ceased for a while to move, without any positive force or power to inhibit or restrain its course; But, as we said, by meer substraction of that power, by which it moves. So long as it continues its course, it both moves and hath its Being in God, and it is partaker of two branches of His Almighty Power. But when it stood still, it onely had its Being in him. The influence of the other branch of Power was intercepted. Now the Argument drawn from those works, which we call, The works of nature, unto works miraculous or supernatural, would in this case hold a majore. He that dayly makes the Sun to compasse the world, is able to stay its course when he pleaseth.
4. A miracle likewise it was, and a great one too, that The three Children should be untouched in the midst of the flaming furnace: yet neither was there a greater nor more immediate positive effect of Gods Power in the restraint of that fire then, then was in the sustaining other Fire, which at other times devoured the bodies of his Saints, The Holy Martyrs, who loved not their lives unto the death, but gave them up for the Testimonie of the Lord Jesus: For, Without the co-operation or concurse of Gods Power, the fire could not have touched their bodies. Wherein then did the Miracle, Recorded in Daniel, and experienced in the three children, properly consist? Not so much, if at all, in fencing their bodies from the violence of the flame, by imposition or infusion of any new created qualitie into their bodies, as in substracting or withdrawing his ordinary Co-operation from the fire, whose natural propertie is to consume or devour bodies combustible; such as the bodies of the three Children by nature were. The only cause, why the fire did not burn them, was, the substraction or withdrawing of Gods Co-operative Power, without whose strength or assistance the hottest furnace, that Art or experience can devise, cannot exercise the most natural operation of fire. For as the substance of the fire cannot subsist, or have any place in the Fabrick of this universe, unless it be supported by Gods Power sustentative; So neither, whilst it subsists or hath actual being amongst Gods creatures, can it work or move without the assistance of Gods co-operative or all-working Power. In Him both these Powers are one; both, as he is, are infinite: But as communicated unto his creatures they are not altogether one, but two participated branches of his infinite Power. And in the burning of the Martyrs, or in other destructions made by fire; both branches, as well of his sustentative, as of his co-operative power, are manifested; Whereas in the preserving of the three Children from the violence of the flaming furnace, the one branch only; to wit, His Power sustentative, was communicated to the fire; the other branch, to wit, the participation of his co-operative or working Power, was, for the time being, lop't off from the body or substance of the fire. Now this withdrawing of his co-operative Power from the fire, was a true document or proof that he is the God and guide of nature. That without him the fire, even whilst it is for nature and substance most compleat, cannot perform the proper work or exercise of its nature. The necessary consequence of which Proof or experiment is this; That he is the Author or fountain as well of all the works or exercises of natural causes, as of natural bodies or substances themselves. And if we consider his Power, not in it self, but as communicated to his Creatures or natural Agents, it is and ought to be acknowledged greater in See this Authors Sermons, printed at Oxon. Anno 1637. pag. 39, 40. those works which we call works of nature, and of which we have dayly experience; then it was in either of these two Miracles before mentioned. Both of them were for this Reason only Miraculous, in that they were most [Page 3438] unusual, and without the circuit of any experiment or observation in the course of nature before the times, wherein they hapned.
5. To raise Mens Bodies out of the Grave, or out of the Elements into which they have been dissolved, is far more unusual, then to raise up Corn out of putrified seed; and in this respect the Resurrection, which we hope for, must be acknowledged a work more Miraculous and wonderful, then the yearly springing of Corn, of fruits, of herbs, or grass. But may we say in this Case as in the former, that the Power of God is no less, but rather greater, in these ordinary works of nature (as in causing herbs, fruit, or corn to sprout or fructifie with advantage of increase) then it shall be in the Resurrection of the dead; which is a work, not of Nature, but miraculous and supernatural; a work in which natural Causes shall not be entertained nor imployed by God? No: there shall be a manifestation of greater Power, then either of Gods Sustentative Power, by which all things, that were created, are still preserved; or of His Co-operative Power, without whose participation nothing, which is so preserved, can work at all, or perform the exercises of its proper nature. The Power indeed, by which He Preserveth all things, is the self same Power, by which He Made all things out of nothing. The Preservation of things that are, is but a continuation or proroguing of the first Creation. As all things are made of Nothing; so would they instantly return into Nothing, were they not continually supported and preserved by the self same Power, by which they begun to Be, when they were not. Creation and preservation differ onely in sensu connotativo, only in relation, not in substance. Creation includes a Negation of Being before; For all things, that are, took their beginning by Creation. Conservation supposeth a beginning of things that are, and includes a Negation of their returning into nothing. These Two Negations being abstracted or sequestred, the Creation of all things and their Conservation, are as truly and properly the same Power or work of one and the same party, as the way from Athens to Thebes, and from Thebes to Athens is the same.
But if the Continuation of things, that are, be a Creation; or if the self same Almighty Power be still manifested in the preservation of things temporal, that was manifested in the first Creation, what greater power can be manifested in the Resurrection from the dead, then is daily manifested, and ought to be acknowledged in the preservation and daily increase of herbs, of fruits, of corn sown, and springing out of the earth? Or if any greater power shall be manifested in the Resurrection from the dead, then is daily experienced in these works of nature, how shall we justifie our Apostles Argument in this place to be an Argument of proportion, or an Argument (as we said before) from the greater to the lesse, or an Argument à pari, from The like Case or Instance? The Argument indeed would directly follow; He that is able to make men live again, that have been dead for a thousand years, is also able to quicken the corn in the next month, which died the last month. This kind of Argument would be as clear, as if you should say, That he, that is able to make ready payment of a thousand pounds, may soon and easily pay an hundred. But you would take it as an impertinent or indiscreet allegation to say, I know this man is able to pay you an hundred pounds, therefore I would perswade you to take his bond for a thousand. But our Apostles Argument in this place may seem less probable, and it is, at least to appearance, but Thus; God dayly raiseth up corn within a year after it is sowen. Ergo, he shall raise up Adams body, which was consumed to dust five thousand years ago.
[Page 3439] 6. To frame the Apostles Argument, which is an Argument of Proportion, aright, you must take his Principles or grounds into your consideration. Now he first supposeth, and takes it (as all good Christians ought to do) for granted, that God doth give that body unto every seed with which it ariseth or cometh out of the ground. The increase of things sown or planted, is not, in his Language or Philosophie, the meer Effect or gift of Nature; For even Nature her self, or whatsoever she hath to bestow, is the gift of God. That which Philosophers call Nature is in true Divinity nothing else, but The Law which God hath set to things natural, or subject to change or motion. Now he which made this Law, whether for guiding bodies sublunary or celestial, can dispense with it at his pleasure. He sometimes inhibits the ordinary course of the Law of Nature by substraction, as it were, of his Royal Assent; or by suspending the concurrence of his Operative Power; And sometimes again he advanceth the state of things natural, by creating or making a New Law unto the manner of their Being, or of their Operations; that is, he changeth their Qualities, though not their Natures or Essences. Thus much presupposed or premised, our Apostles Inference is as firm and strong, as it is Emphatical; Stulte! Tu quod Seminas—. O Fool! that which THOU sowest is not quickened, except it die &c. The force or Emphasis may be gathered thus. If God doth give a body unto that seed, which thou sowest for thine own use and benefit, much more will the same God give a body to The Seed, which He Himself doth sow, much more will he quicken it, after it hath been dead; seeing the End, why he sowes it, is not thy temporal benefit or commodity, but His Own immortal glory.
When God did enact that severe Law, from which death natural takes its original, Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return; the Intent or purport of that Law was not, that man by returning to dust should utterly or finally perish, and be for ever as if he never had been: What then was the intent or purport of this Law? That mans body should be committed unto the earth, as seed is committed to the ground; that as the corn, which springs out of the earth, returns to earth again, and is still raised up with advantage and increase unto the Sower: So the bodies of men, after that by the first mans folly they became corruptible and certain to suffer corruption (whether in the earth in the air, or in the Sea) might be raised again, but not to corruption; that God may receive the seed, which is sown, with increase of Glory to himself; this increase of Glorie being rooted in the increase of their happiness, by whose immortalitie he is immediately glorified. Thus much of the former difficulty, to wit, how our Apostles Instance or experiment in the work of nature doth infer his intended Conclusion, to wit, the future Resurrection from the dead. And from the Solution of this Former, the Second may easily be assoyled.
7. The second Difficulty was; How this Instance or Experiment of the The 2d Difficultie urged. Corn dying, and being quickened again, can fit or parallel the Resurrection of the body, seeing the Corn, which is quickened, or springeth up, is not The same body, which was sown? Whereas it is a Point of our Belief, that the same numerical bodies which die and return to dust, or are resolved into ashes or into the Elements, of which they consist, shall be raised up at the last day. For if The Body raised up were not the self same that died, the Body which died, should not be parttaker either of pain or joy everlasting, but another Bodie should be tormented or glorified instead of the Body which died; Every man should not receive reward or punishment according to that, which he had done in the body; or at least this reward or punishment should not be received in the same Body, in whhic he had done ill or well.
[Page 3440] Aquinas, a Great School-man in his time, labours to assoyl the proposed Difficultie by framing the Apostles Argument Thus. If Nature can repair that which dies, Idem Specie, that is, If Nature can make it to be of the same Aquinas his Solution true but impertinent. Kind it was, though not the same numerical body it was (as he that sows Wheat reaps Wheat, not Rie or Barley, though not the self same grains of Wheat, which he sows;) Then The God of nature and Creator of all things shall raise up the bodies of men, which are his seed and proper husbandry, the very self same which they were, not the self same for kind or specifical Unity, but the same Individuals. Of all the bodies, which have died, not one shall miscarry, not so much as a hair of any mans head, or any least part of his body shall finally perish.
But though all this be True, yet is it Impertinent, it fals not within the compass of our Apostles Inference in this place, who neither affirms, nor denies, nor took it so much as into his consideration, whether the Corn which springs The Authors Solution of the former Difficultie. up, be the same Individual Nature or substance, which did putrifie and die in the ground. ‘The utmost Circumference of his considerations or thoughts extends no further then thus; That the Body which God doth give to every seed, is not for qualitie the same, which was sown; for it was sown Bare Corn without blade, husk, or ear, and loseth that corpulencie or quantitie, which it had: But it springs not up bare Corn.’ The new life, which it gets in the womb of the earth, is cloathed with a fresh body capable of nourishment and growth; of both which it was uncapable whilst it was severed from the ear wherein it grew, or after the stalk was cut down. And This Change or alteration in the Corn sown and springing up doth well fit the Change or alteration, which shall be wrought in our Bodies at the Resurrection, or last day. Our bodies by death become more uncapable of nourishment then the corn severed from the ear or cut down; for they are utterly deprived of life, of sense, of motion, in all the Interim between the day of their dissolution and the last day. By the Resurrection they shall not only recover life, sense and motion, but the life which they get shall be indowed with Immortalitie; the bodies shall be clothed with Glory.
This change of our mortal bodies into immortal is much greater, then the most plentifull increase, which any seed doth yield. One seed or grain may in some soils bring forth thirty, in others sixtie, in others a hundred; but immortality added to the life of the body is an increase in respect of this mortal life, which now we lead, inexpressible by any number. The life of Methuselah is not comparable to it, albeit the years which he lived on earth, were multiplied by the dayes contained in them, and both multiplied again by all the minutes and scruples conteined in the dayes and years which he lived. And yet after this increase of life our bodies shall be the same they were, for nature and essence, but not the same for qualities or capacities, whether of joyes or pains. In these respects they shall differ far more, then any corn growing doth from the seed, from which it springs. And this difference of qualities, between the bodies which die, and shall be raised again, was all that our Apostle sought or intended to illustrate or set forth by that similitude which he useth. Thou sowest not the corn which shall be; that is, not the same corn for quantitie, for qualitie, for vigour of life; nor shall mens bodies be raised again to such a life only, as they formerly had, or to such a corruptible estate as that, wherein death did apprehend them, but to a life truly immortal.
8. The second question proposed, by the Corinthian Naturalist, was, with The Corinthian Naturalists second Question what bodies shall the dead come forth or appear? And the direct Answer to this [Page 3441] Question is included in the former similitude; (so much insisted on before, as that it needs not to be repeated here:) the Effect of it is This; That they shall come forth with bodies much more excellent then those, with which they descended The answer to this Question. into the grave.
And of this general Answer, included in the similitude of the Corn, or Seed sown, all the Exemplifications following unto verse 45. are native Branches.
39. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
41. There is one glory of the Sun, another of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars; for one Star differeth from another in glory.
42. So also is the resurrection of the dead; it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption:
43. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
44. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body, &c.
Thus much of the Positive Force of our Apostles Argument drawn from the similitude of the Corn, which by the Law of Nature must die before it be quickned and receive increase.
9. But of this similitude it is no native branch or part, whether the corn which dies being sown, do rise again the next year for vital substance or life, the same, which it was whilst it was contained in the blade or ear, the year before; certainly it is not the same for Corpulencie, for matter or quantitie. But whether the seeds of life or spirit of corn do not remain the same by continuation, though in divers bodies or matter, our Apostle disputes not, nor do I dispute. This is a curiositie, which cannot be determined in the Pulpit without appeal unto the Schools. The vital spirit or essence of the Corn may be so far the same in the corn which is sown, and which is reaped, that, if we should for disputation sake, suppose or imagine, what some have dogmatically affirmed, to wit, That the corn sown were endowed with sense or feeling, were capable of pleasure or pain; the pleasure, which it formerly enjoyed might be renewed, increased, or multiplied with increase or multiplication of its bodily substance; so might the pain, which it had felt before it was sown, be renewed and increased after it were quickned again, if any sort of corn were appointed, as some men are, to torture and punishment. Now albeit we must believe, that mens bodies after the Resurrection shall be the very same for substance which they were before death, yet are we not bound to believe that they shall be any further the same, then that every man which died in his sins, may in his bodie feel an infinite increase of those miseries, which he had deserved; and in some sort felt whilst he lived on earth. Or, that every man at the last day may reap an infinite increase of those joyes and comforts, of which in this life he had some tasts or pledges whilst he sowed unto the spirit. For, as the Apostle elsewhere speaks, he that soweth unto the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; a full crop of all the miseries incident to mortalitie, but miseries more then mortal, miseries everlasting and never dying. And he that in this life soweth unto the spirit, shall at the Resurrection, of the spirit reap life, but a life immortal without end, without annoyance or interruption of joy.
Again, they extend the former similitude too far, which from it would gather, [Page 3442] that as there is a natural force or previal disposition in the corn sown, by which, as by a secondary cause or instrumental mean, it is quickned and increased; So there be natural seeds of life in the putrified reliques of mens bodies, or remnants of the matter dissolved, out of which life immortal shall so spring, as the blade doth out of the seed which is sown, only by the sustentative or operative power of God, by which all things are supported, or enabled to produce their natural effects. For although it be true, that the works which we ascribe to nature, are wrought by God, or by continuation of the same power, by which they were first created and set a working; yet the Resurrection of mens bodies shall not be wrought by the mere continuation of This Power; There must be more then a conservation of their matter, more then an usual co-operation with the Elements, out of which they are raised, there must be even a new creation of their bodies; yet not a Creation of them out of nothing, but out of the scattered fragments of their matter; such a creation as the works of the fifth and sixth day were, when God commanded the sea or water to bring forth fishes in their kind, and the earth to bring forth trees or plants in their kinde. These were not effects of See Book. 10. Fol. 3113. nature, or of that power only, by which the Sea and earth were from the first day preserved; but here was a new creation out of that, which Philosophers properly term The mater; that is, the common mother of generation or corruption. And thus God at the last day shall command not the earth only, but the Sea also with the other Elements to give up their dead. Rev. 20. 13. Lastly, they extended this similitude too far, which hence imagined, that as the corn often dies and is often quickned, and dies again; So, by the doctrine of Christians, there should be a death after the Resurrection, and a Resurrection after death, or such a continual vicissitude between life and death, as is between light and darkness.
This objection is punctually resolved by Tertullian in the 48. Chapt. of his Apologie. ‘The sum of his answer is; That so it might be, if the Omnipotent Creator had so appointed; for he is able to work this continual interchange, or vicissitude of life and death, as well in mens bodies, as in the bodies of corn sown or reaped; or as he doth the perpetual vicissitude of light and darkness in the two Hemispheres of the world; but he hath revealed his Will to the contrary.’ And the reason is not the same (but rather contrary) in Gods crop or harvest, as it is in the crops or harvests of mortal men: As men in this life are mortal, so is their food or nutriment; and for this reason, their nutriment must be supplied by continual sowing and reaping. But God is immortal, and so shall the crop of his harvest be. Our Resurrection from the dead is his general crop or harvest; and this needs to be no more then One; because our bodies, being once raised up to life again, shall never die; but enjoy immortalitie in his presence. Heaven is his Granary, and what is gathered into it cannot perish or consume.
10. The general use of this Doctrine is punctually made to our hands by The general use of this Doctrine. our Apostle in the last verse of this Chapt. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. And more particulary, 1 Thessal. 4. 13. &c. I would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are a sleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope, &c. The Apostle there doth not forbid all mourning for the dead, but the manner of mourning only; that they mourn not as they which have no hope, no expectation of any Resurrection after death. Nature will teach us, as it did these Thessalonians, to mourn for the death of our friends and kindred. And our [Page 3443] belief of this Article will give us the true mean, and prescribe the due manner or measure of mourning: Our sorrow, though natural and just, yet if it be truly Christian and seasoned with Grace, will still be mingled with comfort and supported by hope. To be either impatient towards God, or immoderatly dejected for the death of our dearest friends, whose bodies God hath in mercy committed to the custody of the earth, of the sea, or other Elements; is but A Symptome of heathenish ignorance (or infidelity) of this Article, A Barbarism in Christianitie.
If we of this Land should live amongst Barbarians, whom we had taught to make bread of Corn, and accustomed to the tast of this bread as unknown to their forefathers, as Manna at first appearance was to the Israelites, but not acquainted them with the mystery of sowing and reaping; they would be as ready ☜ in their hunger or scarcitie of bread to stone us, as the Israelites were to stone Moses in their thirst, if they should see us offer to bury that corn in the earth, with which their bowels might be comforted: yet if they were but so far capable of reason as to be perswaded, or we so capable of trust or credit with them as to perswade them, that there were no possibilitie left either to have bread without supply of corn, or for corn to increase and multiply, unless it did first die and putrifie in the ground; hope of a more plentiful crop or harvest would naturally incline them to brook the present scarcity wth patience, and to be thankfull towards such, as would so carefully provide for them.
Now, besides, that the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; the committing of their bodies to the grave is but as a solemn preparation of seed for a future crop or harvest. If in these premisses we do rely and trust in God, our sorrow and heaviness for the dead, though it may endure for a while, will be swallowed up in comfort; our mournfull tears and weeping will be still accompanied with praises and thanksgiving unto him, that hath so well provided for them that live in his fear, and die in his favour.
11. But as this Doctrine administreth plentie of comfort in respect of friends deceased; so it should move us to make choice of such only for our dearest friends, as we see inclined to live in the fear of the Lord. Or, if we have prevented our selves and this advice, in making such choice, yet let us ☜ never be prevented by others for making the main and principal end of our Christians should chuse such friends as have share in the First, and hopes of the second Resurrection. friendship or delight in any mans company to be this; A serious study and endevour to prepare others, and to be prepared by them, to live and die in the Lord. As there is no greater comfort in this life, then a faithfull and hearty friend; So can no greater grief befall a man at the hour of death, then to have had a friend trusty and hearty in other offices and services, but negligent and backward in cherishing the seeds of faith, of love, or fear of the Lord, or other provision of our way-fare towards the life to come. No practise of the most malicious, or most inveterate, or most provoked foe, can breed half so much danger to any man, as the affectionate intentions of a carnal friend, always officious to entertain him with pleasant impertinences, which will draw his mind from the fear and love of God, and either divert or effeminat his cogitations from resolute pitching upon the means and hopes of a joyfull Resurrection to everlasting life.
Even to minds and affections already sweetned with sure hope of that life to come, what grief must it needs breed in this life, if he be a loving husband, to think he shall be by death eternally divorced from the companie of his dearest consort? Or, if he be an affectionate friend, to consider that the league of mutual amitie in this life (never interrupted, but secured from danger of impairment whilst their pilgramage lasts here on earth) should be [Page 3444] everlastingly dissolved after the one hath taken up his lodging in the dust? that all former dearest kindness should not only be forgotten, but be further estranged from performance of any common courtesie, then any Christian in this life can be in regard of any Jew, or Turk, or any Jew or Turk from them? For what Jew or Turk is there, that would not be ready to relieve a Christian with some off-fals from his Table, whom he sees ready to pull the flesh off his own arms to satiate hunger? yet this is more then the most loving Husband may do unto his dearest Wife; then a Father may wish to his Son; or any Friend that dies in the Lord, may do unto another after death, unless they both repair to one Home, and be not divided by that Gulf, which was set between Dives and Lazarus.
You know the Story; how that Lazarus was not permitted to minister so much as a drop of water unto Dives to cool his tongue. Nor shall the Father, which dies in the Lord, be permitted to do or wish so great a kindness unto the Son; nor the Husband to the Wife, which live and die in their sins. What remedie then can be prescribed for preventing the just occasions of this grief? but that Husband and Wife, Father and Son, Mother and Daughter, and others linkt in any bend of love and friendship, do mutually labour to wain each others Affections from earth and earthly things, and each lend other their helping hand to fasten their affections on things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God.
CHAP. XV. The Objections of the Atheist, and the Exceptions of the Naturalist, Both, put fully Home, and as fully Answered. The falsitie of the Supposals and Paradoxes (rather then Principles) of the Atheist, discovered; and made even Palpable by ocular demonstration, and by Instances in bodies vegetant and sensitive. A Scruple that might trouble some Pious mind, after all this, satisfied. A short Application of the Doctrine contained in the whole Chapter.
1. BUt here the Atheist will except, That the former Reasons are Concludent only in Case the whole substance or bodily part of man be annihilated. The Atheist's Exception. That indeed, which is annihilated, is as if it had never been, and is as capable of Creation as it was at the first, or at the time when it was Nothing; For Creation makes that to be which is not; and that is most properly said to be created, which is made of nothing or without any matter or stuffe pre-existent. But thus it is not in the Bodies of men that are dead; these are not annihilated or resolved into nothing: the matter of them still remaineth, though not in the same Place or shape, but some part of it in This Body, some part in That.
Of a mans Body which died twenty years ago, some part is changed or transformed into the nature of earth, some part resolved into vapors or Exhalations; Some part into grosser moisture, whereof other live creatures are produced: No part of it returns into meer Nothing. Whatsoever bodily substance hath been by God created out of Nothing, hath all its reliques one [Page 3445] where or other still remaining; And the very least Fragment of the meanest of them is a great deal more then Nothing.
And here the subtil Naturalist coming in, demands, What possibilitie can be conceived, that the self same Bodies, which were consumed a thousand years The Naturalist his Demand. ago, should be intirely restored again?
‘This supposed Restauration must either be by a New Creation; or it must be only by a Recollection or gathering together of the reliques or matter, which have been dispersed and scattered through divers places, and transformed into so many several bodies.’
2. That the bodies, which have been dissolved, should at the last day be made the self same they were by a new Creation, (properly so called) seems impossible. For every bodie must have its proper and immediate Matter, and no bodie can be created without the Creation of such a Matter. The soul of man may be created in the Body without creation of the Matter whereto it is annexed, because the soul is no material substance; But the creation of a bodily or material substance essentially includes a Creation of the Matter, and this Matter may be either created before The Compound, into which it is afterward formed; (as the Body and Matter of the First Man was created out of the earth, before it was wrought by the breath of God into a living or sensitive substance:) or this Matter may be concreated with the body or Compound, whose matter it is.
Thus the Fishes in the Sea, and the Plants in the Earth were each of them See Book 10. Fol. 3113. created by one intire Creation; there was not one creation of their proper Matter, and another of their proper Form. The bulks or stems of trees were not made or created out of the earth before the vegetable or vital facultie was infused into them; Both were made at once.
The several branches of the Difficulty in this Argument may be framed thus: If the bodies of men, which have been resolved into dust (perhaps into as many several bodies, as there be men now living) must all be created again; The Naturalist's Objections framed into a Bodie. and every one created again the self same it was; Then either the matter must be the self same, which it was; or else it must have some new matter equivalent, or of the self same use or service in respect of the soul, unto which the former matter had been, and this new matter (not altogether the same but the same by Equivalencie) is, or is to be, united.
That the self same matter which was in a mans body when he died, should become the same again by a new creation ex nihilo, implies a Contradiction; For that very material substance, which was in Adam at his death, is not to this day annihilated; not the least scrap or fragment of it, but is now existent in some body or other. And that, which at this very hour actually is or existeth in some other body, cannot at this very hour begin to Be, cannot at this very hour be made of nothing, because it self already is something. If the matter of Adams bodie (which we suppose not to be utterly annihilated) could be created again whiles it so continues, it should be existent, and not existent, it should begin to be, and not begin to be, at the same point of time. Both which imply a manifest Contradiction; and all Contradictions, though See Chap. 13. §. 11. in matters meerly speculative, are as contrary to the Unitie and truth of the Godhead, as dissimulation, fraud or cozenage are to the Holiness of God. To make both parts of a Contradiction true, fals not under the Object or exercise of His Almighty Power.
If then the Body of Adam cannot be created the same it was, unless the self same matter, whereof his bodie was first made, be restored; it is clear It is the very nature of the Matter not to be unum & idem. that the self same matter cannot be intirely restored by Creation, unless those [Page 3446] bodies wherein it is, be first annihilated or turned into nothing: For whilest they remain something, or rather, whilest the matter which was in Adam remaineth in them, the same matter being something in them, cannot properly be Created again, or begin to Be out of Nothing.
3. But, that the Body of Adam should be at the last day the same it was when he died, by Recollecting or putting together the self same material parts The Answer to the Naturalist his Objections. whereof his soul was possest at her departure from the body, is not impossible. That the bodies of all men should at the Resurrection become the same they were, by this means, not by Creation of new bodies, or by new creation of any bodily substance or new matter out of nothing, the Heathens (it seems) did conceive to be the Opinion of the ancient Christians, when the Gospel of Christ (concerning the Resurrection of the body) begun to be prest and preached among them. For to disprove Christians Belief of this Article, or at least to defeat Christians of their hopes of a bodily Resurrection to a better life, their heathen persecutors, did burn their bodies unto ashes, and afterwards sow their ashes, some in the waters, See the Epistle of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons to the Brethren of Asia and Phrygia, in Euseb. Hist. 5. book 1. chap. ad finem. some in the air, or expose them to the blasts of boysterous winds; hoping by these practises to find the God of these Christians a cumbersome work, before he could accomplish what they profest he had promised unto them concerning the Resurrection of the same bodies, and of rendring to every soul the same material portions, whereof it was sometimes seized. But whether the malicious heathens did punctually oppose these practises unto the assertions of the Christians, as if from their mouths they had heard that the Resurrection of the body should be accomplished by Recollection of all the particles, into which it had been resolved (through what Elements soever they had been in long tract of time dispersed;) or whether these Heathens did thus practise upon the Christians bodies out of their own imaginations, as not conceiving any other means possible, by which every man might arise with his own body, I find not upon Record.
Some of the Antient Fathers in their Arguments against the Heathen, or in their Apologies for This Article of our Faith, suppose the Resurrection of the body shall be accomplished by the Recollection of the Reliques or Fragments, into which each ones bodie hath been dissolved. And to this purpose There is much good moralitie to be learned from the contemplating the mixtures and separation of metals. use divers Similitudes or illustrations drawn from Gold-smiths, or Refiners of Metals, who by their Art or Mysterie can extract the fragments of Gold or Silver out of any other metal or body, with which they are mingled. Howbeit other of the Fathers, and sometimes the same Fathers, which use these Similitudes or illustrations, principally rely upon Gods Creative Power, by which he made all things out of Nothing, or by which he multiplieth or advanceth things, that have some actual Being, unto a more excellent and more plentiful kind of Being.
It was an exercise of the Creative Power to turn Water (in an Instant) into Wine; to multiply five loaves and two fishes unto the sustentation of more then five thousand men, besides the fragments remaining, which were ten times more then the provision it self. And in thus resolving the possibility of every mans Rising with his own Bodie, into the Power of God, whereby he is able either to make all things out of nothing, or to make one thing out of another by means miraculous and far surmounting all force of natural Agents, the antient Fathers did wisely. For admitting (what no Christian can denie) that Gods Skill or knowledge to recollect all the several parcels of every mans bodie (which way soever dispersed) doth infinitely exceed the most exquisite Skill of any Mineralist or Refiner in severing one metal from [Page 3447] another, and in wedding and uniting every parcel, fragment, or remnant, of what kind soever, with others of it own kind: Yet this Infinite Skill or knowledge in Recollecting or uniting the several parts of mens bodies, which have been dissolved by death, could not suffice to the supportance of that truth, which in this Article we all believe, against the assaults of the Atheists; unless this infinite Skill or knowledge were seconded with an infinite Creative Power.
4. Against the Recollection of all the Reliques or fragments of mens bodies, the Atheist or subtil Naturalist would thus Object. All Christians do The Atheists wilie (but not wise) Objection against the possibilitie of a Resurrection by Recollection of Reliques. not die a natural death, all come not to the Sepulchres of their Fathers, many perish in the Sea, and the bodies of many, which thus perish, are quite devoured by fishes, Sea-monsters, or other inhabitants of the Sea; and the fishes which thus devour even Christian men, are again devoured by other men, and those men again, which have sed on fishes which devoured men, become a prey unto other fishes, and these fishes are taken again and eaten by men: The men, that eat these fishes, may (saies He, and we may suppose they do) become a prey unto the Canibals, a barbarous and monstrous people, which feed as greedily upon mans flesh, as any Sea-monster or ravenous land Creature would feed on theirs. Now the matter or bodily substance of every man that is devoured by fishes or other inhabitants of the Sea, is turned into the matter or bodily substance of the devourer. The matter again of every fish, that is eaten by man, is converted or changed into the matter or substance of that man which eats it. The Canibal would not so greedily feed upon mans flesh as he doth, unless he were truly nourished by it; and nourishment is the conversion of the matter or substance eaten into the matter or substance of him that eateth it.
Now if the Resurrection of every man with his own body, with the same body, from which his soul was by death divorced, did only, or principally consist in the Recollection or re-union of the same material parts or reliques which were dissolved by death, it would be a hard point to resolve or satisfie the Atheist or incredulous Naturalist, how it were possible that every man should have the self same Bodie that he had at the hour of death.
To twist the difficultie harder, according to the Atheists suppositions (which are not impossible, nor in ordinary conjecture improbable.) The same Objection re-inforced.
From what creature shall the first mans body, which the fish devoured be challenged? Or what creature shall the Almighty injoyn to make restitution of his intire matter? Shall the Almighty injoyn the fishes of the Sea to cast up the morsels of mans flesh, which they have eaten, as the Whale did Jonas? But it is supposed, that the bodily substance or matter of the man, was converted into the substance or bodies of the fishes, which did eat him; for God did not preserve either the life or bodily matter of men devoured by fishes, as he did preserve Ionas. Shall the mans bodie then be repaired out of the matter or bodily substance of the fishes, which did eat him? But that (as the Atheists suppose, and is not in it self improbable) other men have eaten and turned it into the matter and substance of their bodies. And these men again have been eaten by other fishes, or by such Land-monsters as the Canibals. Shall the first then or second mens bodies be repaired out of the bodily substance or matter of these later men, which have eaten the fishes that eat the former, or out of the bodies of Canibals, which have eaten them?
[Page 3448] The Question then remains; How the bodies of those men shall be repaired? or from what Elements shall the Reliques or dissolved fragments of their bodies be recollected? Seeing their bodies also have been either immediately devoured by Canibals, or mediately by other men, which have eaten the creatures, that have devoured the former men? The Canibals, which devoured men must, by this Article of Christian Faith, arise again with their own bodies, not with the bodies of other men whom they have devoured; how then is it possible for every man to arise with his own body, seeing the bodies of many men, at least the reliques or fragments into which they are dissolved, have been swallowed up by some one ravenous creature, and some one Canibals humane body may successively be the Tomb or Sepulcher of many mens bodies?
And here me thinks that question, which the Sadduces put unto our Saviour concerning the woman which had been married to seven brethren, one after another, might be more punctually proposed concerning the women of Samaria or Jerusalem, which in the extremitie of seige did make their hunger-starved stomacks the grave or Sarcophagus of those tender Infants, whom they had lately conceived in their womb, and brought forth with joy.
The Question by the Sadduces was thus proposed, Which of the seven brethren should have the woman to wife at the Resurrection, seeing she had been wife successively to all the seven?
The Atheist or Naturalist would propose his Question thus; Whose shall the bodies of the Infants (which their mothers devoured) at the day of the resurrection be? shall they belong as appurtenances to the bodies of their mothers, of which they were (though most unnaturally) made natural or material and substantial parts a little before these cruel mothers died? But then the Infants should have no bodily substance, they could not arise with their own bodies. Or shall the reliques of the bodies, which their mothers swallowed, be drawn or extracted (as a refiner doth gold out of dross, or silver out of baser metal) out of the ruines of their mothers bodies? but so their mothers should seem at the resurrection to want part of their bodily and much pined substances, which they had at the separation of their souls and bodies: Their bodies, by this supposition, cannot be the same they were when they dyed.
5. This Difficultie might by many like Instances be both increased and inlarged; but the same Answer, which our Saviour gave unto the Sadduces, Matth. 22. 29. will sufficiently satisfie the Atheists Objection, though not the Atheist himself. He therefore errs, because he knows not the Scriptures, nor the Power of God. We may further add; In these Collections he therefore errs, because he knows not the Passive obediential Power or capacitie of nature, as subject and obedient to the Active or all-working Power of God. The Atheists Objection answered: It hath Two Loops.
How cunningly soever the aforesaid or the like knot may be cast by the Naturalist, it hath Two Loops, by which it may easily be loosed, by which it doth in a manner unloose or untie itself.
First, The Atheist takes that as granted, which he can never prove nor make probable out of the course of Nature; to wit, that when one living creature devours another, as when fishes devour men, or men feed on fishes, or when one man eats another, the whole Matter or bodily substance of the creature devoured should be converted into the matter or bodily substance of the First Loop. cater or devourer. This never fals out in the whole course of nature. Of the most nourishing live creature that is, some part or fragment is not fit for nutriment; Not the greediest fish that is can so intirely devour a man, but some [Page 3449] part of his bodily substance will dissolve into the water, air, or some other Element or mixt bodies; so will some part of the fishes or live creatures which men eat alwayes dissolve into some other bodily substance, besides the substance of the man which eats them. So that notwithstanding all the former supposed transmutations, or all that can be in like case supposed, some part of every mans body still remains; not converted into the substance of any other bodies, but into the air, earth, or water: And our of these reliques and remainders, every mans body may be raised again, and raised again the self same it was, but in a condition much advanced and improved for the Better. As a great tree grows out of a small and slender root by the Creators Power, by that Power, which made the earth to bring forth trees most perfect in their kind in an instant; So the least fragment of mans body, which remains either in the earth, in the water, or in other Elements, may in a moment grow into an intire or perfect bodie. And this manner of the Resurrection of one and the same body, not by an intire Recollection or gathering together of all the materal parts whereof the same body did sometimes consist; but by the Improvement or Multiplication of some one or few principal portions of the body which hath been, seems most agreeably to our Apostles Inference in this place, of which hereafter.
6. Secondly; All the Objections of the Atheist or Naturalist against this Article are grounded upon another supposition taken by them as granted, which The Second Loop of the Atheists Objection. notwithstanding in true Philosophy is apparently false. And their false Ground or Supposition is this; That unto the Identity or Unity of the same vegetable or sensitive body (be it the body of a man, of a beast, or of a tree) the Unity or Identity of the same material parts is necessarily required.
The grossness of this Paradox or false supposition will appear from the very explication of the Terms. The demonstration of its falshood may be made An Ocular Demonstration that the Atheists principles or supposals be False. ocular and palpable out of any vegetable or live body, wherein the Atheist or Naturalist can make Instance; but most apparently in the Oak, which is the longest a dying of any tree; in the Hart or Raven, which are the longest liv'd amongst the beasts of the field or fowls of the air. An Oak, albeit it stand four hundred years, or unto whatsoever height or greatness in that time it grows, is still the same tree or vegetable body, which it was at the first plantation: yet the Material Parts of it, cannot be altogether, or for the most part, the same that they were. The whole Matter or bodily substance of it, when it was first set, was not the thousandth part of that bodily substance, which after three hundred years growth, it hath; And of the matter, which it had, when it was but a yard high, it is not imaginable that any one part, so much as a pins head, should be remaining the same it was, after it come to be twenty yards in height and a yard in thickness. It could not grow in height or breadth, unless some parts of the matter, which it first had, did dayly exhale or evaporate, and new matter come into their places.
Augmentation and growth, in vegetables, necessarily supposeth nutrition; and nutrition includes a dayly decay of nutriment gotten, or of the matter whereof the body consists, and a new supply or reparation of the matter or substance lost or wasted by preparation of some new nutriment.
A Raven likewise is the self same Fowl when it is ready to die for age, that it was, when it was first hatched; but the matter of it cannot possibly be the self same; it is not conceivable that so much as an inch of the same matter, which it had when it was first hatched, should continue in it, the same till death. For its natural heat doth perpetually consume or wast some part of [Page 3450] its matter or substance; and its blood, without perpetual nourishment by new food or matter prepared, would be dried up by its natural heat; For life consists in calido et humido, in heat and moisture, and cannot be continued in any live creature without continual nutriment, more then the fire or flame can be preserved without fewel. Nor could the life, or natural heat, wherein life specially consists, stand in such perpetual need of nutrition or new mater whereon to feed, unless there were a continual dissolution of some material parts, which vanish or expire out of the body, though not so visibly, yet as certainly, as fume or smoak doth out of the fewel, wherewith the fire or flame is fed. Unless there were some precedent diminution or wasting of the material parts in mans body, there could be no proper growth or augmentation of the whole body, or of every part; For if every least particle did remain the same it was, as well for quantitie as for qualitie, the whole body could not be augmented in every part, but it must be as great again as it was before, after every such growth or Augmentation. For there can be no Augmentation or growth in any part otherwise then by addition of some sensible nutriment: Now if every least part be augmented by addition of some new or sensible matter or substance, the addition, which is made unto every least part, would be as great as the part, to which it is added: For it is supposed that every least part is augmented, and augmented it cannot be, but by addition of some other sensible body, which cannot be less, then the least part sensible of a body; or of a sensible body.
7. But if we grant, as the truth is, that the material parts of the body augmented remain not the self same to day, which they were yesterday or a week ago, but are still fluent and wasting, other material parts coming into their place with some addition of quantitie, so as the addition in bodies growing by dayly nutriment be still greater, then the wast or diminution, The manner of natural growth or augmentation may be easily conceived. And it was a truth of nature excellently expressed by the great Philosopher; Aucto toto augetur quaelibet pars etiam minutissima: Whensoever the whole body is augmented, every least part is augmented. As if the whole body in the space of a year be augmented by the quantitie of a palm or a span, the thousandth part of the body must be augmented by the thousandth part of a palm or span. But thus the whole body (as the same Philosopher observes) is in every part augmented non quoad formam sed quoad materiam. And his reason is qua materia est in perpetuo fluxu; because the material parts of mans body are perpetually fluent, alwayes decaying and alwayes repaired. It is a maxim again of the same Philosopher, that, Auctum manet idem numero, that every vegetable body being augmented (how long soever the growth or augmentation lasts) is numerically the same it was.
The case then is clear out of the Book of Nature, (by which the Atheist or infidel will only be tryed) That, the body or bodily life of man, how long soever he live, remains one and the same from his birth unto his death, albeit the matter of which his body is composed, and wherein his life is seated, do not remain the same. As the face or image of the Sun remains the same in a water or river, albeit the parts of the water, in which it is imprinted, do not continue the same, but as one portion of water slideth away, another comes in its place, altogether as apt to take the impression or picture of the Sun as the former; Or as the light continues one and the same in a lamp, albeit the oil, which preserves its light, do continually wast; For one drop or portion of the same oyl, or of new oyl poured in, is as [Page 3451] apt to continue the light, as the former drops were, which are wasted. The light then remains the self same, albeit the oyl continually wast: So that unto numerical Identitie of the same light, the numerical unitie or Identitie or the same portion of oil is not required, cannot possibly be had. It sufficeth that the oyl or matter, which feeds the lamp, be the same by Equivalencie. By these and many like unquestionable instances in nature the Atheists or infidels supposition is altogether false, to wit, That, unto the Resurrection of the same body, or unto the restauration of the same bodily life, the Identitie of matter, or of material parts, which it formerly had, is necessarily required. I adde, that, This Identitie or unitie of matter is less needfull unto the numerical unitie or Identitie of mans body, because the soul of man, amongst all other vegetables, is only immortal, and remaineth the same it was after it be severed from the body.
8. Taking then the first supposition of the Atheists as True; Suppose the bodily matter of some men to have been altogether or intirely transubstantiatea or changed into the bodily substance of some other men, and that two or three of such men might have the whole bodily substance of some other man, or child, in their bodies when they died: it is no probable Argument or forcible Objection, to say, This man, or child, whose bodily substance is supposed to be converted into the substance of other men, cannot arise again with the same body, which he had, because he cannot have the same matter which he had, unless the other lose some part of the matter, which they had in them when they died. Suppose the material parts of every man were utterly annihilated when they died, yet their bodies may be made the self same again, which they were, not only by Creation of new matter out of nothing, but out of any matter or Elements prae-existent, so prepared and proportioned to their individual nature or bodily life, as the former was. For, the numerical unitie or individual entitie of every nature consists in the unitie or proportioned correspondencie to that modell, whereto the Almighty Creator did frame it.
To conclude then; seeing the Resurrection of the same bodies wherein we die, must be wrought by the Power of God, it is fitting that we refer the particular manner, how our bodies shall be intirely restored, unto God himself. We will not dispute whether the Resurrection of every man in his own body shall be wrought, de facto, by recollecting of the dust, into which men are turned; or of the same material parts which every man had when he died; or whether it shall be wrought by Creation of some new matter, or only by preparing some other Elementary matter prae-existent, and working it into the same individual temper or constitution, into which our bodily food or nutriment was wrought, whilst we lived. It sufficeth to have shewed, that every man may arise with his own body by any of the former wayes; or partly by one, partly by another.
Lastly, the Recollection of the same material fragments or reliques, into which our bodies are dissolved, is no more necessary by the Principles of nature or true Philosophie unto the constitution of the same bodies (at the day of the Resurrection) which before have been, then the recollection or regresse of the same matter or nutriment, whereof our blood or flesh was made, or by which our life was preserved in childhood, is unto the continuance or ☜ constitution of the same life, flesh, or blood in old age. The life of every man in old age is the same, the body the same, the flesh the same, the blood the same, which it was it childhood; albeit the blood or greatest part of our bodies in childhood was made of one kind of nutriment, and the blood, which we have in mature or old age be made of another, much different [Page 3452] nutriment. Yea albeit we alter our food or diet every year, yet our bodies remain still the same, every finger the same, whilst it continues in the body, and whilst this bodily life continues. For albeit the nutriment be of divers kinds, yet nature or the digestive facultie works all into one temper, and this temper continues the same in divers portions of the matter which is continually fluent, and the same only by Equivalencie.
Now, if nature by Gods appointment and co-operation can work divers kinds of food or nutriment into the same form or constitution, it will be no improbable supposall to say, that, The God of nature can work any part of the Element of water, of ayre, or of earth, any fragment or relique of Adams body into the same individual form or mould, wherein the bodily life of the man, that shall be last dead before Christs coming to Judgement, did consist. Yet will it be no hard thing for God to make Adam the self same body, wherein he died, out of the reliques of this mans body.
To work this mutual exchange between the material parts of several mens bodies without any hinderance or impeachment to the numerical Identity of any mans body; or without any prejudice to this truth, [That every man shall arise with his own body] which, we Christians believe, is impossible to nature, or to any natural causes; they can be no Agents in this work: yet it is no wayes impossible (for it implyeth no contradiction) for nature thus to be wrought and fashioned by the Creator and preserver of mankind. In avouching thus much, we say no more then some (I take it) meer Philosophers have delivered in other Termes. Quicquid potest prima causa per secundam, idem potest per se sola. Whatsoever the first cause doth by the instrumental Agencie or service of second causes, the same he may do by his sole Power, without the service, of any instrumental or second cause. Now God, by the heart, by the Liver and by the digestive facultie, as by causes instrumental or secondary, doth change the substance of herbs, of fruits, of fish, of roots into the very substance of mans body, without dissolving the unitie of his bodily life; and therefore, if it please him, may change the material parts of one man into another mans body or substance, without the help or instrumental service of the nutritive or digestive faculty, or any other instrumental cause; All this he may do immediatly by His sole Power; But whether it be His Will so to do or no at the last day, be it ever reserved with all reverence and submission to his infinite wisdom alone.
9. One scruple more there is, wherewith ingenuous minds and well affected The scruple incident into an ingenuous minde. may be sometimes touched. The doubt may be framed, Thus. Although it be most true and evident from the Book of nature, that the natural or digestive faculty of man doth preserve the unitie of bodily life entire by diversitie of mater or nutriment, yet the living body so preserved is one and the same by continuation of existence or duration. His dayes, whilst natural life continues, are not cut off by death, he doth not for a moment cease to be what he was: But when we speak of Resurrection from death, when we say the dead shall arise with their own bodies, here is a manifest interruption of bodily life, or of mans duration in bodily life. His body ceaseth to be a living body as it was. And therefore if he must live again in the body, the body to which his soul shall be united at his Resurrection, may be called his own body, because it shall be inhabited or possessed with his immortal soul, but how shall it be The same body: which he formerly had; seeing the existence or duration of him, or of his soul in the body, is divided by death; and division destroyeth unitie? This leaf or paper is one, yet if we divide it in the middle, it is no more one but two papers.
The question then comes to this short and perspicuous issue. Whether the uninterrupted continuance of duration or existence, or unitie of time, wherewith [Page 3453] the duration of mans life is measured, be as necessary to the Unitie or Identity of his bodily Nature or Being, as Unitie or Continuation of Quantitie is unto the Unitie of Bodies divisible or quantitative. The determination or Judgment is easie. The Book of Nature being Judge, it is evident; That Unitie of Time or continuation of mans life, without interruption, is but Accidental to the unitie of bodily nature or being. It is a circumstance only, no such part of the Essence or nature, as continuation or unitie of quantitie is of the unitie of bodies divisible; for time and quantitie are by nature divisible, whereas the nature of man, or other things, that exist in time, is indivisible. It is true, Division makes a pluralitie in things that are by nature divisible, but not in natures indivisible. Every thing that is divisible, though it be unum actu, yet it is plura in potentiâ. In that it may be divided, it is not purely, simply, or altogether one, but may be made two or more. And whilst it remains one, it is one by conjunction of parts. The entire substance of any natural bodie as it is divisible or subject to dimension, cannot be contained under one part of quantitie, but part of it is contained under one part of quantitie, part of it under another: For, Omne quantum habet partem extra partem, and in that regard is divisible. The whole substance divisible cannot subsist, but in the whole quantitie or measure.
The higher and lower parts of a tree or pillar have no unitie betwixt themselves, but as both are united to the middle parts. If it be divided in the middle, the union and unity is lost; after the division made it is not one but two; one division makes its two, two divisions makes it three. But in bodies sensible or vegetable, considered as parts of the nature or essence of such Bodies, the case is quite otherwise. A man is the same man, the self same bodily substance or vegetable this year, which he was three years ago; and his bodily substance this year is not therefore one and the same with the bodily substance which he had three years ago, because it is one with the bodily substance, which he had the last year; but intirely one and the same in all: We cannot say, that part of his bodily nature was existent in the first year, part in the second year, and part in the third year, for his whole bodily nature was intirely in the first year, and in every part or hour of the first year: The same bodily nature was intirely in every hour of the second year, and so in every hour of the third year. For though mans body be divisible in quantitie; though his duration be likewise divisible; yet his bodily nature is indivisible, and intirely the same in every moment of its own duration. And for this Reason, Although death may make a division or interruption in its duration or existence; yet it makes no pluralitie or division in its nature: in what part of time soever his nature gets new existence, it is intirely and indivisibly the same it was.
10. The former Instance drawn from the Divisibilitie of a bodie subject to quantitie or dimension would hold much better Thus. As one part of such a body being separated from the rest, (suppose a branch or slip of a tree being united to another tree by inoculation or ingrafting) remains the self same substance it was, though it now exist not in the same tree, but in another: So the bodily substance of man, though cut off by death from the company of the living, and severed from all co-existence with the things which now are, may be the self same substance which it sometimes was, although it get no co-existence with the things which now are, but with the substances which shall be many hundred years hence; it may be at that time the same which formerly it was, as truly and properly, as if it had continued its co-existence or actual being with the things which now are, or actually shall be, till it be again. As [Page 3452] [...] [Page 3453] [...] [Page 3454] a slip or branch taken from a tree in France, and ingrafted in a tree in England, is as truly and properly the same branch it was, as if it had continued still united to the same tree, wherein it did first grow. In this later Case there is only A separation of place, a pluralitie only of Unitions, or Co-existences of the same branch with divers trees, no pluralitie of branches.
Suppose God had cut off Adams dayes on earth at the instant wherein he did eat the forbidden fruit, and deferred his replantation in the Land of the living again until these times wherein we live; here had been a separation of him from those times, wherein he lived many hundred of years; here had been a pluralitie of times, wherein he lived, a pluralitie of his Co-existences with divers times, and with divers men, no pluralitie of humane natures in Adam: His nature might have been one and the same as truly, and as indivisibly one and the same in these times distant one from the other by the space of five thousand years, as if he had lived from his first creation till the sounding of the last trump unto Judgment. And thus much of the Exceptions or Cavils made by Atheists or Infidels against This Article of the Resurrection; In which we Christians believe, That every man shall arise with his own body, the same bodily substance, which he had or was whilest he lived here on earth.
11. And now for Application or Conclusion; let us here suppose that the Atheist, as he makes himself worse then a beast whilst he lives on earth, could hope to make himself equal to beasts in his death, or to be transformed into a swine. Imagine he should endeavour to drown his immortal soul in a Tavern, or to bury his bodily natural Essence in the Stews; suppose his body might, by Venus fire, or other loathsom fruits of filthy lusts, be dissolved into ashes, and the ashes of it be dispersed through all the winds: Imagine his bones might in some filthy puddle be resolved into slime, and become the food or nutriment of crawling toads, or of other more venemous creatures; The pursuit of these his fearful desperate hopes could nothing avail him, they would be at best but as pledges of greater shame and misery to befal him; The powerful hand of his Almighty Iudge will raise him up at the last day with the same body, which he had exposed to all this shame and misery, with the self same body for nature and substance, but not the same for qualitie or durabilitie; For it shall after death be ten thousand times more capable of pain, then in this life it was of pleasure. All his bodily pleasures came to an end before he came to an end of his bodily life: These alwayes die before he dies that hath wedded himself unto them. But his pain shall never die, his paines though deadly shall never come to an end. These are the endless fruits of that mans short dayes on earth, which wholly mispends his time in foolish bodily pleasures or noysom lusts. But for the souls of the Righteous (whatsoever become of their bodies after death) They are still in the hands of God, they are wholly at his disposal; whether those Bodies wherein they dwelt do fall by the enemies sword, or come unto their graves in peace, whether they become a prey unto the beasts of the field, to the fowls of the Air, or to the fishes of the Sea. And let us, whilst we live, establish our souls with this Doctrine of our Apostle; And also lay that saying of Tertullian (recited before, chapter 13. §. 9.) unto our hearts; Consider a teipsum, O homo, & fidem rei invenies; Recogita quid fueris, antequam esses, uti (que) nihil: Consider thy self, O man, and thou shalt find the undoubted truth of what we teach; recal to mind, if thou canst, what thou wast before thou wast, and thou shalt find that thou wert nothing. Qui non eras, factus es; cum iterum non eris, fies. There [Page 3455] was a time when thou wast not, and yet there was a time wherein thou wast made; and albeit the times be now coming, wherein thou shalt not be, yet shalt thou be made again. All times are alike to God; His power to make thee again cannot be restrained by thy weakness or not Being; it cannot be shortened by any length of time; All of us that now are, all the Generations that hereafter shall be, must appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that all may receive in the body according to the things done in the body, whether they be good or bad. For he shall recompence every man according to all his works; Yea so recompence, That both those which now deny it, and those that now believe and confess it, shall from experience then say; Verily there is a Reward for the Righteous; Doubtlesse there is a God that judgeth the earth.
CHAP. XVI.
16. For if the dead Rise not, then is not Christ raised.
17. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins, &c.
20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the First-Fruits of them that slept.
The Apostles Method in proving The Resurrection peculiar, and yet artificial. His way of mutual or reciprocal Inference both Negative and Assertive, justified; and shewed, That both these Inferences, naturally arise, and may concludently be gathered from the Text, and from the Principles of Christian Belief. Wherein the witness (false upon supposition, verse 14, & 15.) should consist. That Philosophical Principle [Deus & natura nihil faciunt frustrà] divinely improved. Gods special and admirable works have ever, A Correspondent; That is, some extraordinarie rare End. How sin is taken away by Christ's death: How by His Resurrection. How we are justified by Christ's Resurrection. How we may try our selves, and know, Whether we rightly believe this Article, Of the Resurrection of the Dead, or No.
1. THat the Resurrection from death to life is in nature possible (as implying no Contradiction) though unto nature or any natural Agent most impossible, hath been discussed at large before. That there shall, De Facto, be a Resurrection unto Glorie, meerly depends upon the Will and Pleasure, or powerful Ordinance of God; who, as we believe, is able to effect whatsoever His Will or Pleasure is should be wrought. And our Belief of this Resurrection [Page 3456] unto Glorie must be grounded upon His Will and pleasure revealed in Scriptures.
How Gods Will and Pleasure to raise up the Dead in Christ, to an endless, immortal and most happy Life, hath been clearly revealed by his Prophets in The Old Testament, I have shewed other-where: and any one, of ordinary observation in Reading the Scriptures and Commentators, may Collect. Especially, taking Example and light, from our blessed Saviour his managing that Text, Exod. 3. 6. [I am the God of Abraham, &c.] in his Argument with the Sadduces, who both denied the Resurrection, and disputed (as they thought subtilly and irrefragably) against it: And observing the great dexteritie of St. Peter in the second, and of St. Paul in the thirteenth of the Acts, in proving the Resurrection of Christ out of the Psalms, and out of the Prophet Isaiah: and how fitly St. Paul in the 54. and 55. verses of this Chapter, makes application of the Prophecie of Hosea (Chap. 13. v. 14.) unto the proper matter and season wherein it shall Consummativè be fulfilled.
I shall here make such observations as naturally arise from the verses before recited; and from other verses in that Chapter; wherein, The Apostle useth such a method or manner of Argument, to prove the Resurrection from the Dead, as neither Moses nor any Prophet had used before. They indeed foretold and fore-signified respectively, that Christ should die and rise again: and that all, which believe in him, should be raised to a life immortal with him. But the Connexion betwixt these two Assertions (which we are bound severally to believe from the authoritie of Moses and the Prophets) as, That Christs Resurrection from the grave should be the necessarie Cause of our Resurrection; or, That our future Resurrection should necessarily infer Christs Resurrection from the dead; or, that the denial or doubt of our Resurrection should infer a denial or doubt of his Resurrection, is more then can easily be gathered out of Moses or the Prophets.
This mutual Inference of the ones Resurrection by the other, whether Negatively or Assertively, was first made by our Apostle in this place, at least in expresse Terms, though implicitely made by our Saviour before.
Our Apostle in making this mutual Inference, seems in the Judgment of some, to transgress or violate the Laws of Argumentation generally agreed upon Vide Glossam & Hugonem in hunc Locum. in the School of nature, which notwithstanding he elsewhere and usually more exquisitely observes, then any Naturalist doth.
The Inferences made by our Apostle are radically and generally Two. The One Negative, Per Reductionem ad impossibile, aut absurdum: The other Affirmative, by Positive Proof.
The Negative hath many branches:
The First is, ver. 13. If there be no Resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen.
The Second springs out of this, in the 14. verse; And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. And yet of this their Faith One Branch was, Their Belief in Christs death and passion.
The Third Branch seems to spring out of both these, verse 15. Yea and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God, that he raised up Christ, whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
The First Branch is resumed again by our Apostle in the sixteenth verse: and the Second likewise in the seventeenth, with this Addition, that, If Christ be not raised, then such as believe in Christ are yet in their sins. And ver. 18. Then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished; not only frustrated of [Page 3457] their hopes of the life to come, but deprived or couzened of such pleasures or contentments of this life, as the unbelievers injoy, and without loss or detriment might injoy, if the dead were not to be raised up; or if Christ were not already raised from the dead. For he saith, ver. 19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
The affirmative inference is contained in ver. 12. (& 20.) Now if Christ be Preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you, that there is no Resurrection from the dead? ‘This interrogation resolved into an Affirmative, imports thus much; If we truly Preach, and you truly believe, that Christ was raised from the dead, then we must of necessity Preach, and you of necessity believe, that there shall be a general Resurrection of the dead, and that such as die in Christ shall be raised up to immortal Glory. And this affirmative is expressly assumed by our Apostle, ver. 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.’ And afterward, by him powerfully re-inforced, as may be seen, in the 21, 22, & 23. verses.
That this is our Apostles intent and meaning there can be no question; All The difficultie is, how either the Negative inferences or inconveniences How S. Pauls inferences may be collected. which he presseth upon such as deny the Resurrection of the dead, or the affirmative points which he chargeth these Corinthians, and in them, us, undoubtedly to believe, can be concludently gathered from the principles of our beleif.
2. To begin with the Negative Inferences, and in particular with the third Branch, ver. 15. Yea, and We are found false witnesses of God, &c. Let us examine wherein did, wherein could, the falshood of this Testimonie consist?
Some perhaps would reply, that, We are not to say any thing of God (though not benefitting his Majestie,) but that which is most true. We are not indeed; so far as we know or believe: But albeit we fail in that we speak of him, yet this is not enough to convince us of bearing false Testimony of Him. To say or speak that of any which we take to be the Truth, and to say it, not with purpose to caluminate or slander, but rather to his praise or commendations, is not to bear false Testimonie of him, much less against him; albeit we be out of charitie mistaken in that which we say of him. Admit then, That the Apostle had been in some errour concerning the Resurrection, when he first taught the Romans and these Corinthians; That, As Christ was raised from the dead to life immortal, so we also in good time shall be raised to the same or like imortal life; and, that, as he, So we also, should be raised by the immediate power of God, his supposed mistake in the latter, could not convince him of bearing false Testimonie on Gods behalf, seeing that which he saith concerning the Resurrection of others (besides Christ) from the dead, doth tend to Gods glory. For to bear false Testimony of or against any, Doth alwayes include some mater of imputation, of aspersion, or prejudice; Whether we bear such testimony of God or of man.
What imputation or prejudice was it then to affirm, that God had raised up Christ from the dead, if there were no general Resurrection of others from the dead? or wherein doth the falshood of the testimonie, which our Apostle seeks to avert from himself, punctually consist? Did it consist in saying, That he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up, if so be the dead rise not? The Apostle doth not suppose it as questionable (much lesse simply deny it) [Page 3458] That God did raise up Christ from the dead; but only deduceth his adversary to this inconvenience or absurditie, that if the dead were not raised up, then Christ was not raised, and that he had born false witness of God in saying that he had raised up Christ. So that, The ground of the false Testimony lies in the denying of others Resurrection from the dead. Yea to avouch that God did raise up Christ from the dead (although the fact were true and unquestionable that God did raise him up,) were in our Apostles Divinitie to lay an imputation or slander on God, if so be that such as beleive in Christ, and die in Christ, should not be raised up unto blisse and glory: Better it were (or at least less evil) in our Apostles Judgement, to deny that Christ was risen from the dead, then granting This, to deny The Resurrection of such as sleep in Christ. For to grant the former and to deny the Latter, were to cast an imputation of folly upon God, and an aspersion of imposture upon the Son of God Christ Jesus our Lord. What imputation then is it unto God, or how doth this Aspersion rise, and fall upon Christ or his Apostle, by granting that Christ was indeed raised up; and yet denying, that the dead shall be raised up again?
3. It is a Maxim in Philosophie generally acknowledged if not first conceived A Philosophical Maxim advanced and much improved. by the heathens: [Deus et natura nihil frustra Faciunt, God and nature work nothing in vain.] From this principle such of the heathens as knew not God, such as denyed His providence, or knew not how to distinguish him or it from nature, held it an impietie or prophaness, to slander nature either of Errour in her working, or of folly in producing effects to no good end or purpose. Some there were, which did question whether Monsters (as children, which are born with two heads, with more Toes or fingers then are usual &c.) were not Errata naturae, errours, imperfections or oversights of nature. But they finally resolve, that albeit such events might fall out by the errour, or contrary to the intentions or indeavours of That particular nature, wherein these misfigurations were found; yet they were intended by a more General nature, and intended by it to some good use and purpose: As, commonly, prodigious births do portend somewhat, whose knowledge is usefull and good for others. Now the Heathens erred in ascribing that, to general or universal Nature, which was peculiar unto God, who is the Author, Moderator, and guide of Nature, whether general or particular.
And if by general or Universal nature they meant no other thing, then we do by the guide and God of nature, Mentem teneant, Linguam corrigant, their meaning was good, but their expression of it much amiss. This we know, that God doth suffer or cause nature oft times to miscarry in her course or projects for ends best known to himself. No man is born blind, or deaf, or dumb, without some errour or defect in that particular nature, whereof, or by which, his body is framed. All these and the like effects are besides the intention, or contrary to the endeavour of nature, which alwayes aymes at the best. Hence our Saviours Disciples, as we read, John 9. ver. 2. When they saw a man, which was blind from his birth, asked of their master; who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? They had not moved this Question, unless by light of nature they had known, that blindness from his birth, was contrarie to the ordinarie and common course of nature; though not contrarie but consonant, to the Will of God in this particular. For it is more then probable that they had read, though then perhaps they did not actually remember, who made the dumb or the deaf, him that seeth or the blind? Have not I the Lord? Exod. 4. 11. God, they likewise knew, did for some good end or just cause, either suffer or [Page 3459] cause nature to miscarry in this man; And they likewise knew sin to be a just cause of many miscarriages in the humane nature. And hence they question, Whether God had punished this man with blindness from the birth for his own or for his parents sins.
But they themselves did erre in collecting, That extraordinarie blindness had befallen him, either for some extraordinarie sins of his own, or of his parents, and this error our Saviour rectifies ver. 3. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; that is, neither of them were more extraordinarie sinners then others were, who neither were blind themselves, nor had children that were blind from the birth. The true cause of this defect in natures work in framing this man; the true reason why he was born blind (as our Saviour expresseth in the next words) was, that the works of God should be made manifest in him. So true it is, which the heathens had observed, [Deus et natura nihil frustrà faciunt.] It was not in vain, nor to no purpose, that nature did not effect or accomplish her work in this poor man; for by this means, Gods works in him were more manifest to himself and others, then if he had been born with Eagles eyes. He was not only cured miraculously of his native blindness, but the eyes of his understanding by this miraculous cure were opened and inlightned to see more for his souls health, then the learned Scribes and Pharisees did, in whom neither nature nor Art had been defective.
4. Galen, that great Physician and curious searcher into all the secrets of the humane nature, had well observed, That there is no part nor parcell in the whole body of man, which hath not its proper use. And from contemplation of this undoubted Truth; he was inforced to acknowledge, what otherwise he seemd to deny, Divinum Opificem, A Divine Artificer or worker, even of the least and most contemptible parts of mans natural bodie. And of This work of God, though much defaced by our first parents sin, he gave the like verdict that God himself did of all his works; That every part of mans body was good, exceeding good, and admirably framed to its proper use or function. The most artificial works of man, of the most exquisit, and most industrious Artificer, will alwayes admit some errours and defects; no work of man is good in its kind; That is the best, which hath the fewest faults or oversights, or is adorned with the fewest impertinent or unuseful beautifications; Whereas the works of nature, even the defects of particular nature, are useful and profitable for the setting forth of Gods glory, and for procurement or advancement of the publick good. Now if the ordinary works of nature (which be likewise the works of God) be never vain, idle, or impertinent; but have a correspondent use or End, to which without errour they serve; Much more must the extraordinarie works of God be presupposed to have some special End or extraordinary use, as proportionable to them, as the end or use of ordinary works of nature are to the ordinary operations or indeavours of nature. Now our Apostle supposeth That our Saviours Resurrection from the dead, was an extraordinary work of God; The most remarkable work of God, ☞ that had been manifested to the world; and by necessarie consequence, it must have an effect or end most remarkably correspondent unto it; and what was that? The resurrection of such as live and die in Christ; or rather the manifestation of Gods glory and unspeakable goodness in their Resurrection unto immortal glory and happiness.
5. The former principle [Deus nihil frustrà facit] being thus far improved That all Gods special and admirable works tend to some special and admirable use and purpose:) both parts of our Apostles mutual inference; as well the Negative; [Page 3460] [If the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised,] as the Affirmative; [If Christ be raised, then shall the dead arise] will appear to be as Firm and sound, as the mutual Inference of the Cause from the Effect, and of the Effect from the Cause; or as firm and sound as the mutual Inference of the Final Cause by the Efficient, and of the Efficient by the Final. Albeit to speak properly, and in the exact terms of the Schools; The necessity of the Efficient Cause depends upon the necessity of the End; The End makes the Efficient to be necessary; The Efficient doth not make the End to be necessarie. The immediate proper Effect of the Efficient is not the End or final Cause it self, but Medium proximè destinatum ad finem, some Mean immediately destinated to the end; without which the End or scope, at which Nature in her operations aimed, cannot be obtained.
If one should ask why man and other terrestrial creatures have Lungs, when as fishes (as most men and more probably think) have none?
The reason were good, and the answer satisfactory, to say, That man and other like creatures stand in need of Respiration, and so of Lungs to temperor cool their blood, with whose excessive heat or distemper life otherwise would quickly be choaked. The preservation then of life is the End or Final Cause, why man and other like creatures have Lungs. But why life should be preserved no Cause can be given in nature; This is a Principle presupposed. Howbeit of respiration or breathing, without which the life of man cannot be preserved or continued, the Lungs are the true and proper Efficient Cause.
This Mutual Inference is good, Quicquid pulmones habet, respirat; Quicquid respirat, pulmones habet. Whatsoever creature hath lungs, hath also the benefit of breath or respiration; This is an Argument from the Cause. And whatsoever hath the benefit of breathing or respiration hath lungs; This is an Argument from the Effect. And again Negatively; Whatsoever hath no lungs, hath no benefit of breath or respiration. Whatsoever hath not the benefit of respiration hath no Lungs.
In St. Pauls Divinity, The manifestation of Gods Glory and Goodness in the Redemption of man, is the End or Final Cause of all the Articles which we believe concerning Christ as God and man; of which, even for this reason, we are to seek no further Cause or reason. But the manifestation of this His Goodness being presupposed as made necessary by His Omnipotent Will; The Mutual Inference between the Son of Gods Incarnation, or between the several parts of his Sacerdotal or Regal Function, and the several parts of our Redemption, will be as perspicuous and firm, as any Inference included in the former or like Instances.
First, Unless Gods Will and Pleasure had been set to manifest His Goodness in the Redemption of mankind, the Son of God had not been Incarnate, had not Died, had not been Raised from the dead. The manifestation of Gods Glory in our Redemption was the true Cause why the Son of God was to be incarnate: His Incarnation was not the Cause why Gods Goodness was to be manifested, or why His Will and pleasure was set to redeem us. For This (as we said) is the Final Cause, and can have no other Cause of its necessitie; but rather imposeth a necessitie upon other Causes subordinate, as upon Christs Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection. But however Christs Incarnation was not the Cause why Gods Glory and Goodness was to be manifested in our Redemption; yet the actual manifestation of Gods Goodness in our Redemption, and our Redemption it self is procured by the Incarnation and Sacerdotal function of Christ, as by a true and proper Efficient Cause.
[Page 3461] And we may safely Infer: First, That unless the Son of God had been incarnate, Gods Goodness to us had not been so admirably manifested.
Secondly, Unless the Son of God had become man, man could not have been delivered from the fetters and chains of sin, much less restored to his first dignitie.
And yet more; in that the Son of God became man, this is an Argument evident to us from the Effect, that man by sin had become the Son of Satan: Sin then was the cause of Christs Incarnation, and Christs Incarnation is the cause or means of our deliverance or Redemption from sin.
Again, Unless man by Sin had become the servant of sin and bond-man of Satan, the Son of God had not taken upon him the Form of a Servant. But in as much as the Son of God was found in the true Form of a Servant, this is an Argument from the Effect, evident to convince our consciences that we Sons of men were by nature the servants or bond-men of Satan.
Lastly, Unless the wages of sin, and of our service done to Satan by working the works of sin, had been death; the true and natural Son of God had not been put to death. Our sins then, and the wages due to our sins (that was death) were the Causes of his death. And in that he truly dyed for us, This is an Argument evident from the Effect, Therefore, we were dead in our sins.
Be it so! Yet seeing the Son of God died for our sins before he was raised from the dead, how saith our Apostle in the 17. verse, [If Christ be not raised ye are yet in your sins?] Could these Corinthians or any others be still in their sins after their sins were taken away? Or will any man deny that their sins were taken away by Christ's death at the very instant of his souls departure from the bodie, or when he said Consummatum est, it is finished? What was finished? The work which he undertook; and that was the Taking away of our sins, or the work of our Redemption. Now if this work were finished, when our Saviour Christ said, It is finished, these Corinthians sins were taken away before Christs Resurrection. And if sin by Christs death had been actually and utterly taken away, our Apostles Inference in this place had been unsound, none had remained in their sins, albeit Christ had not risen again. Sin then, even the sins of the world were taken away by Christs death, but not actually and utterly taken away, If sin had been so taken away by Christs death, there ☜ had been no such necessity of Christs Resurrection from the dead, as our Apostle here presseth upon the Corinthians, not as matter of Opinion, but as a Fundamental Principle of Faith. It remains then to be declared, In what sense, or how far, sin was taken away by Christs death; In what sense it hath been, or how far it shall be taken away by his Resurrection.
7. First then Christs death was a Ransome all-sufficient for the sins of the See Chap. 4. §. 12. world, the full price of redemption for all mankind throughout the world from the beginning to the end of it. But did not many, who died before Christ, die in their sins? They did; yet He was promised to our first Parents, To the end, that even these might not die in their sins. How these come to forfeit their Interest in the Promise made to Adam, and to all that came after him, That we leave to the Wisdom of God. Of this we are sure, That the Wisdom and Son of God did die for all men then living, and for all that were to live after unto the worlds end. And in as much as he dyed for all, he is said to take away the sins of all; that is, he payed the full Ransome for the sins of all, and purchased A General Pardon at his Fathers hands; and he himself by [Page 3462] dying became an universal inexhaustible soveraign Medicine for all sins, that were then extant in the world, or should be extant in man untill the worlds end.
So then by his death he took away the sins of the world in a Twofold Sense. Christs death said to take away sin, in a Twofold Sense. The First.
First, In that he payed the full Ransome for the sins of all men. Whatsoever sins were past could be no prejudice to any, so they would imbrace Gods Pardon sealed by Christs death, and proclaimed by his Apostles and Disciples after his death. In this sense we may say, The Kings General Pardon takes away all offences and misdemeanors against his Crown and Dignitie, albeit many afterwards suffer for such Misdemeanors, only, because they do not sue out their Pardons, or crave allowance of them.
Christ is said again to take away the sins of the world by his death, in as much as by his death he became the universal and soveraign medicine for all mens The second Sense. sins. But many dyed in Israel, not because there was no Balm in Gilead; as many do amongst us, not so much for want of good Physick or soveraign Medicines, as for want of will to seek for them in due time; or for wilfulness in not using Medicines profered unto them. So then, it will not follow, That no man dies in his sin since Christs Death; Albeit we grant that the sins of all were taken away by his death. For They were not so taken away, as that men might not resume or take them again; ‘And the greatest condemnation, which shall befal the world, will be; That when God had taken away their sins, they would not part with their sins; That when God would have healed them, they would not be healed.’
But had these Corinthians been any further from having their sins taken away by Christs death, if Christ had truly died for them, and yet but only died The Benefits punctually arising from Christs Death, and from His Resurrection. for them, and not risen again?
Yes! Though Christ had dyed for All, yet all had died in their sins, if He had only died, and had not been raised again. This Inference is expresly avouched by our Apostle in the 17, and 18, verses; If Christ be not raised, then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished; and yet he supposeth that they believed in Christs Death.
But though the Inference be most true, because avouched by our Apostle, yet is it not Universally, but Indefinitely true: How far, and in respect of what sins, or in what degree of perishing, it is true, That is the Question.
8. Christ was delivered, saith the Apostle (his meaning is, He was delivered unto death) for our sins, and he was raised again for our Justification, Rom. 4. 25. Are we then Otherwise Justified by His Resurrection, then we are by His Death? So our Apostles words import: And if otherwise Justified by His Resurrection then by His Death, Then are our sins Otherwise taken away by vertue of His Resurrection, then by vertue of His Death they were taken away. What shall we say then? That Christs Death did not Merit all the benefits, which God had to bestow upon us? God forbid! all this notwithstanding, We do not receive all the Benefits, which God for his Deaths sake bestows upon us, by believing only in his death; But even This benefit of our Iustification we receive more immediately by our Belief of his Resurrection from the dead.
This is the doctrine of our Apostle even in that place, wherein he handles the doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, or by the Imputation of Christs Righteousness, Ex Professe; as, Rom. 4. 23, 24. Now it was not written for his sake (to wit, Abrahams) alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to [Page 3463] whom it shall be imputed, if we beleive on him, that raised up Iesus from the dead. And he gives the Reason, why our Belief of this Article should be imputed unto us (in the next words) Seeing he was delivered to death for our offences, and raised again for our Justification. ‘Howbeit even This Belief of His Resurrection is a Grace or Blessing of God, which Christ did merit by His Death; yet a Grace conveihed unto us by the vertue of His Resurrection, or by Christ himself, by his Resurrection, exalted unto glory in his human nature.’
We were Justified by his Death, in as much as The Pardon for our sins was by it purchased, and the hand writing or obligation against us cancelled. If Christ then had only dyed for us and not risen again, we might by Belief in his Death have escaped the Second Death or everlasting pains of hell. We Had Christ only died, and not risen again; Though we had not come in Hell, yet we had never come out of the Grave should notwithstanding, as our Apostle here supposeth, have been detained perpetual prisoners in the grave. Our bodily or corporal being should have been utterly consumed by the first Death, without hope of recovery or restitution. And so far as the first Death had dominion over men, so far had these Corinthians remained in their sins. So long as the first Death remains unconquered, sin remains. Now if Christ had not been raised from the dead, the first Death or death of the body, had remained unconquered. Belief in Christs death could not utterly have freed them from all the wages of sin; For death of the body is in us part of the wages of sin; and it was to Christ part of the burden of our sin. But in as much as Christ is risen from the dead, and raised to an immortal life, over which bodily death hath no Rule or dominion, but must be put in absolute subjection to Him; all that truly believe such a Resurrection are justified not only from the eternal guilt of sin, nor only freed from everlasting death; but are made heirs by adoption unto a life, over which death shall have no power. So then by Christs Death we are freed from the everlasting Curse; by his Resurrection we are made free Denisons of the heavenly Jerusalem, heirs by promise of an everlasting and most blessed life. And thus far all that are partakers of the Word and Sacraments are said to be justified by his Resurrection; that is, they are bound to believe, that as He died for their Sins to redeem them from the second death; so he rose again for their further Justification to free them from the death of the bodie: He therefore rose from the dead, that we, by believing this Article, might receive the Adoption of the Sons of God.
But yet there is a further degree of Justification, that is, an Actual Absolution from the Reign or Dominion of sin in our Bodies, which is never obtained without some measure of Faith or Sanctifying Grace inherent; albeit the true use and end of such Grace and Faith inherent, be, to sue out the Pardon, for our sins in particular; not by our works or merits, (which are none) but meerly and solely by the Free-Grace and Favour of God in Christ. True it is, that even This Gift of Faith, by which we must sue out our Pardon in particular, and supplicate for the Adoption of the Sons of God, was purchased by Christs death; nor may we sue for it under any other Stile or Form then propter merita Christi, for the merits of Christ. Yet after this plea made, we may not expect to receive this blessing otherwise, then per Jesum Christum, through or by Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead. This Grace, this Faith, and whatsoever other blessing of God, which Christ by his death hath merited for us; whatsoever is any way conducent to our full and final Redemption, descends immediately from the Son of God exalted in his human nature, as from its proper Fountain. He was consecrated by his death (and his Consecration was accomplished by his Resurrection) to be an inexhaustible [Page 3464] fountain of life and salvation to all, that truly believe in his death and Resurrection from the dead.
Thus we are fallen into the Affirmative Inference [If Christ be risen from the dead, then such as die in Christ shall be raised from death to immortal Glory.] The same Almighty Power, by which Christ was raised unto glorie, shall be manifested even in these our mortal bodies: [But now is Christ risen from the dead, and is become the first fruits of them that slept.]
9. The Inference or implication is; That seeing Christ, whose mortalitie was clearly testified by his death, was raised up to an endless and immortal life, Therefore such as die in Christ (whatsoever in the mean time become of their bodies) shall be raised up to the like life, against which death shall never be able to make any attempt or approach. For as the Apostle saith, Rom. 11. 16. If the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches. But we are to remember that there were Two sorts of First fruits appointed by the Law; the One of the first corn that was reaped, being ground and made up into loaves, which were offered at the Two sorts of First fruits appointed by the Law. feast of Pentecost; And unto this sort of First fruits the Apostle, Rom. 11. 16. hath Reference.
The other was the offering of green corn when it first begun to bud or ear; And unto this sort of First fruits our Apostle here in the twentieth verse, hath Reference. Christ then is the root, and we are the branches; he is the First fruits, and we are the after-crop and harvest. Now as the offering of the First fruits; that is, of the green corn, was the hallowing of the whole crop; So the Resurrection of Christ from the grave was the hallowing or consecration of these our mortal bodies unto that glory and immortalitie which shall be at the finall Resurrection. If God did accept the offering of the First fruits, it was a pledge unto his people, that he would extraordinarily bless the after-crop with large increase; his people might with confidence expect a joyfull harvest. To manifest the meaning or fulfilling of this Type or legal Ceremonie in our Saviour; He was raised up from the dead upon that very day in the morning, wherein the first fruits of green corn were by the priests of the Law offered unto God. His resurrection (as was said before) was the accomplishment of his consecration to the priesthood after the order of Melchisedec; His presentation of himself to his Father as our High-Priest, and as the First fruits from the dead, was the most acceptable offering or sacrifice that ever was offered unto God; a matter of greater joy ☞ and triumph to all the inhabitants of Heaven, then Isaac's safe return from the intended sacrifice was to Abrahams familie, or then Josephs advancement in Egypt was to old Jacob. Now if the First fruits from the dead were thus acceptable unto God, we cannot distrust but that the after-crop shall prosper, and shall be gathered by the Angels of God (when the the time of ripeness shall come) into everlasting habitations. However in the mean time it be sown, it shall be reaped in Glory, and possesse its glory in immortalitie.
This Article then of Christs Resurrection from the dead, and of his becoming the First fruits of them that sleep, is the ground or root of all our Apostles Inferences from vers. 35, to the end of this chapter, concerning the Resurrection, or the estate of their bodies, that shall be raised to life: but of these we have spoken at large before: The sum of all is intimated by our Saviour himself, John 12. 23, 24. The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth muh fruit. Thus [Page 3465] much likewise was foretold by the Prophet Esay in that Evangelical Prophecie, Esay 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his Seed, he shall prolong his dayes, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Now this pleasure of the Lord was our full Redemption.
10. To conclude this point: Albeit our Sins were taken away by Christs death in both the Senses before mentioned; and albeit in this life we be Actually See Paragraph the 7th, Justified, that is actually acquitted from the guilt of sins past by Belief in Christs Death and Resurrection; and freed likewise from the rage and tyrannie of sin by Participation of his Grace, and Inhabitation of his Spirit in us; yet shall we not be Absolutely and Finally Justified, that is freed from all Reliques of sin inherent, until we be made partakers of his Glorie, This must be the Accomplishment of our Justification by Faith in this life: ‘And it is no Paradox or strange opinion to say, that We sinful men shall be finally Justified by utter extirpation of sin out of our nature at our last Resurrection:’ When as Christ himself, in whom sin never took any root, much less bore any branch; into whom no seed of sin did ever fall, is said to be Justified by His Resurrection from the Dead, that is, acquitted from all burthen of our sins.
But where is Christ said, in this sense, to be Justified? In the 1 Tim. 3. 16: Without controversie, Great is the mysterie of godlinesse; God was manifested in the flesh, and Justified in the Spirit. To omit all other interpretation of this phrase, St. Paul means the very self same thing by saying, Christ is Justified in the Spirit, that St. Peter means when he saith, He was quickened in the Spirit, 1 Pet. 3. 18. Both mean, That he was Justified or freed, by the Spirit or Power of the Godhead, from death or any other further burthen of our sins. Christ, saith St. Paul, Heb. 9. 28. was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him, he shall appear the second time without sin unto salvation: that is, to free us from the power of death, and all burthen of sin, from which he himself was freed at His Resurrection. So then, it is in its time and place most true, which the Romish Church doth most untruly teach; that there is a Justification by inherent righteousnesse. But this Justification cannot be had, may not be expected in this life; it cannot be accomplished in us until that Change be wrought, whereof our Apostle speaks, verse 51. of this Chapter. This Final Justification by this blessed Change, is the full Effect or final issue of Christs Resurrection from the dead: he that doth not believe this future change or final issue of Christs Resurrection, doth bear false Testimonie of God, or against him, even whilst he saith, that he believeth that Christ was raised from the dead. For to grant Christs Resurrection from the dead, and to deny or doubt of this Final Justification or Absolution of all true believers in his Resurrection, from the reliques of sin, is to cast an Aspersion upon God himself, as if he had wrought this great work of Christs Resurrection, frustra; that is, to no Use or End correspondent to such a mighty Ground-work or Foundation.
11. Every man then is bound to believe, That all true Beleivers of Christs Resurrection from the dead shall be undoubted partakers of that endlesse and immortal glory, unto which Christ hath been raised. But no man is bound to beleive his own Resurrection in particular unto such glory, any further or upon more certain terms, then he can (upon just and deliberate Examination) find, that he himself doth truly and stedfastly believe this Fundamental Article of Christs Resurrection from the dead. Now if it were certainly determined and agreed upon by all, what it were truly and stedfastly to believe this Article, all the controversies concerning the Certaintie of Salvation, or Irrevocable Justification, [Page 3466] in this life, by Faith, would determine themselves, and be at an end. But of the Examination of our Faith, or of its truth, sincerity, or strength, we shall have fitter occasion and more full time to speak in unfolding of the last part of the Article of Christs coming to Judgment; that is, the manner of the Process in the Award of final Sentence.
In the mean time it shall suffice to admonish the Reader, That he rate not the truth, or measure the strength of his Belief in this main Article of Christs Resurrection, only by the strength of his perswasions of its Speculative and General Truth; specially, in the absence of temptations to the contrarie, or How we may try our selves. See Book 10. Chapt. 28. 30. whiles it is opposed to the exceptions of Atheists or Insidels, which deny or oppugn it. How then must the truth or strength of our Belief or Faith in this Article be measured? Only by our stedfast and constant practise of the Special Duties, whereunto the belief of it doth bind all professors of it. Now the Special Duties, whereunto the Belief of it doth bind us, are succinctly and pithily set down by our Apostle, Col. 3. 1, 2. If then ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; set your affections on things above, not on things on earth, &c. And verse the 5. Mortifie therefore your members, which are upon earth, fornication, uncleannesse, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is Idolatry. And verse 8. Put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemie, silthy communication out of your mouth, Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds. All of us have put off the old man by profession and Solemn Vow at our Baptism; and a double Wo or Curse shall befal us, unless we put him off in practise and resolution; and labour to put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him.
The particular Limbs of this New man are set forth unto us by our Apostle, verse 13, 14. Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye: And above all these things put on Charity, which is the bond of perfectnesse. The particular Duties required of men and women according to their several conditions or states of life, (as of Wives to Husbands, and of Husbands to Wives; as of Children to Parents, and of Parents to Children; of Servants to Masters, and of Masters to Servants) are set down by the same Apostle in the verses following unto the end of the Chapter.
Now we must be altogether as certain that we do truely, sincerely, and constantly perform these duties which are by our Apostle in this place required (whether as General to all Christians, or such as concern particular estates of life) as we are of This general, [That whosoever doth truly mortifie the deeds of the body and perform the other duties here required shall be undoubted partaker of the Resurrection unto Glory] before we can be certain certitudine fidei, by certaintie of faith, of our salvation or Resurrection unto glory in particular.
12. Doth any amongst us upon the examination required, before the receiving of the Sacrament, find himself extreamly negligent or generally defective in performance of these duties? Let not such a one take his negligence past, as any sign or undoubted mark of reprobation; yet would I withall advise him not to approach the Lords Table without a wedding garment, without a sincere and hearty sorrow for his negligences past, without a sincere hearty desire of doing better hereafter. If consciousness of former negligence in these duties, or of practises contrary unto them, be seasoned with sorrow and hearty desire of amendment; the point whereon I would advise such a man for the present to pitch his faith, shall not be his own Election, nor the [Page 3467] Certaintie of his present and future estate in Grace, or Real and infallible Interest in Christ his Resurrection; But upon that Character or description of our Saviour, given by the Evangelical Prophet, Esay 42. 3. and experienced upon Record by the Evangelist St. Matthew, Matth. 12. 20. That he quencheth not smoaking flax; that he will not shake the bruised Reed: Remember, that as the Second Resurrection unto glorie, must be wrought by vertue of Christs Resurrection from the dead; so the first Resurrection, from the dead works of sin unto newness of life, must be wrought by the participation of his Body which was given, and of his Blood which was shed for us. Remember that by his death and passion he became not only the Ransom, but the Soveraign Medicine for all our sins; A Medicine for our sins of wilfulness and commission, to make us more wary not to offend: A Medicine for our sins of negligence and omission, to make us more diligent in the works of pietie; And the time and place appointed for the receiving of the body and blood of Christ, is the time and place appointed by Him, for our cure. Heal us then, O Lord, and we shall be healed. Thou, O Lord, who hast abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel; Enliven and enlighten our hearts by thy Spirit; and in them, thus enlightned, kindle a love of doing thy Will; bring good intentions to good desires; and good desires to firm resolutions: and confirm our Resolutions with constancie and perseverance in thy service.
Amen.
ALmighty God, which hast given thine only Son to die for our Sins, and to rise again for our Justification; mercifully grant, that we both follow the example of his patience, and be made partakers of his Resurrection, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Almighty God, give us Grace so to cast away the works of Darknesse and put on the Armour of light, now in the Time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humilitie; that at the last day when he shall come again in his Glorious Majestie to judge both the Quick and the Dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holie Ghost now and ever. Amen,
SECTION V. Of the Article of Everlasting life.
A Transition of the Publishers.
VVE are now, by the Good hand of God upon the Work, arrived at The fifth Section: A very Considerable Part of this Eleventh Book. The Subject matter of this Section (according to what was cut out, by the Method proposed in the oft mentioned Ninth Chapter) is, The Final Doom, Award, or Sentence of Life and Death, which, The King of Glorie, our most worthy Judge Eternal, shall respectively pronounce and pass upon all, at that Dreadful and yet Ioyful Day of Iudgment; when he shall deal and distribute Palms and Prizes, Crowns and a Kingdom, to the little (or, in Comparison the less) Flock, or Sheep set at his Right hand, for whom such good things were prepared from the Foundation of the world: But utter Extermination to the goats on the Left hand, whom he will send accursed into Everlasting Prisons, there to be tormented in that fire which was first prepared (not for them, but) for their Tempter and tormentors the Divel and his Angels.
I confess, our Great Author closes not with the Point of Everlasting life, till he come to the Twentieth Chapter. But I thought my self bound here to insert the Three next Chapters viz. the 17, 18, and 19, for these reasons following.
1. Because they be Three, and the First Three of Thirteen Excellent and most Elaborate Tracts all in order composed upon The sixth Chapter to the Romans: and pity it was to sever them from the Other, with which they so well consort and sure.
2. If I had left out These Three, I should not onely have done prejudice to the Author and his work, but to the Reader (and his Content or benefit) who will find, that these Three Chapters are as comely and as useful Introductions to his Rich Discourses about the Domus Aeternitatis, the two several long Homes of all mankind; as any Propylaea or Areae can possibly be to any two Houses of this Worlds Building.
3. The Doctrine delivered in these Three Next Chapters is so promotive and incentive of Christian Pietie, and some of it so Homogeneal to the ensuing Tracts, that they could not be more fitly placed then before the Discourses about the Final Award or Sentence.
4. It is my Iudgement; That had this learned Author left none other, These Thirteen Treatises put together would make a very Excellent Compend of Christian Instruction.
CHAP. XVII.
21. What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is Death.
22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
[Page 3469] 23. For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Connexion of the fifth and sixth Chapters. A Paraphrase upon this Sixth. The Importance of the Phrase [Dead to Sin.] No Christians in this life so dead to sin as to come up to the Resemblance of Death Natural. True Christians Dead to Sin in a proportion to Civil Death. All Christians (at least all the Romans to whom St. Paul writes did so) in Baptism profess themselves Dead to Sin; and vow Death to Sin by a true Mortification thereof. All have in Baptism (or may have) a Talent of Grace as an Antidote and Medicine against the deadly infection of Sin; as a strengthening to make us victorious over sin.
Three Motives to deter us from the Service of Sin. 1. It is fruitless. 2. It is Shameful. 3. It is Mortiferous.
Two Motives to engage us in Gods Service. 1. Present and sweet Fruit unto Holiness. 2. Future Happiness.
THese three verses being the Close or binding of all the rest in this Chapter, or as the Solid Angle in which there The Model or Scope of the whole Chapter. is a punctual and full Coincidence of all the former Lines, I must be inforced to exhibit unto the Reader A Model or Abstract of the Whole, before I can shew him the true Connexion or References between these later, and the foregoing verses. And the Model or Abstract of the whole Chapter is This.
Our Apostle had given up this Conclusion as the main Aphorism or Resultance of the fifth Chapter, verse 20, 21. Where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound. That as sin had raigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Now whether it were to check that preposterous Inference which some had alreadie made of this Doctrine, when first it was delivered unto them (for it was delivered before he wrote this Epistle:) or whether it were to prevent the making of it, upon the reading of the former Chapter; our Apostle propounds that Objection, (which either had been or might be made against the former Doctrine) in the begining of this Sixth Chapter; and he propounds it by way of Interrogation. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? And he gives the Answer unto it in the second verse, by an Absit, God forbid: That is, far be it from us, far be it from every Christian, thus to resolve, thus to infer, say or think. And to shew the absurditie of that inference, he adds this Reason; How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?
But this Refutation may seem to participate more of Rhetorical Passion or indignation, then of sound and Logical Reason; an artificial Evasion rather then a concludent Proof. For these Romans might have demanded of him: [Page 3470] what just fear is there that we shall, what possibilitie that we can live any longer in sin, if, as you suppose, we be already dead unto it? Only prove what you suppose or take as granted, that we are already dead to sin, or that sin is dead in us, and we shall make just proof that we neither do, nor can live any longer in it, that it doth not, neither shall it live in us.
2. All the Question then is (and a Great Question it is, upon whose true resolution, the resolution of all the questions or difficulties which are emergent Of death to sin. out of this and other Chapters depends:) In what sense every true Christian is said to be dead to sin; as St. Paul supposeth all these Romans were, which were true members of the true visible Church.
Of death, there be but two sorts or kinds usually known or acknowledged; The one a Natural, the other a Civil Death. He that is dead according to a Natural Death, is utterly deprived of all sense or motion; he cannot feel, he A natural and a civil death. cannot taste, he cannot smell, see or hear; his heart pants not, his lungs cease to send forth any breath. And according to this kind of death Saint Paul himself could not be accompted dead to sin: Sin was not so fully mortified or put to death in him, but that it had its Motions in his inward parts; and these Motions he by experience felt.
But there is a civil as well as a natural death, and many are said to be civilly dead whose natural life is yet sound and entire. Thus men which are condemned or sentenced to die, are said to be dead in Law, albeit the execution or taking away of their natural life be a long time deferred. The like we say of men which have been free born, but afterwards fall into slaverie or bondage. Both these sorts of men are said to be dead in Law, or to be subject to civil death, because they cannot do or make any legal act either to the benefit of their friends or posteritie, or to the prejudice of their enemies. Of any civil contract or legal deed they are as uncapable, as he that is naturally dead is of breathing, sense, or motion. And according to this acception or importance of death, Every one in whom the reign or dominion of sin is broken, in whom the flesh is made subject to the spirit, is truely said to be dead to sin: that is, in every man thus qualified, sin is put unto a civil, though not unto a natural death.
But neither is this civil death the death here punctually meant by Saint Paul, when he saith, How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? For he speaks not of such a death to sin, as was peculiar to himself or to some few; but of such a death as was common to all these Romans, and to every true member of the visible Church. He doth not suppose (nor was it imaginable) that all of them to whom he wrote, were thus actually dead to sin; or that sin did not, or could not raign in some of them; at least it may and doth to this day raign in many which have by baptisme been admitted into the visible Church: whereas Our Apostles Reason equally concerns all that are baptized. All and every one of them are in his sense and meaning in this place, dead to sin; and yet are not all of them dead to sin, or sin dead to them, or in them, either by a natural or civil death. In all of them sin retains some life or being, in many of them it still retains its Soveraigntie or Dominion. how then are all of them, how are all of us, that have been baptized, dead to sin? Thus in the first place.
3. All of them did solemnly promise and vow to mortifie the deeds of the body, as we now do. But so may others do which never meant to be baptized. Death to sin is vowed by us in Baptism. It is true; and therefore the full and onely Reason, why these Romans (one and other) were reckoned as dead to sin, was not because they had promised or vowed to mortifie the deeds of the flesh, or to put sin unto a civil death, that is [Page 3471] to break the Raign or Dominion of it: For thus to promise or thus to vow without sufficient means or probable hopes, such hopes and means as by nature they could not have to perform what they thus vow, were presumption, a tempting of God, and provocation of Satan, to take that opportunitie which they themselves offer, to assault them. To compell all that come unto the Sacred Laver, to undertake that treble vow (which is and hath been alwayes solemnly made and undertaken, either by the parties themselves, which are to be baptized in case they be of years, or by their sureties) were the part rather of a cruel Stepdame than the office of a loving Mother, unlesse the Church our Mother which exacts this vow of all and every one, could give full assurance to all and every one of her sons, that God in baptisme for his part never failes to give means sufficient for quelling the reign of sin, for mortifying the deeds of the body. Means (I mean) sufficient not in themselves only, but sufficient to every one of us, unlesse we will be defective unto our selves.
Now adde this Reason unto the former, and you have the true and full meaning of our Apostle when he saith, that all that are Baptized are dead to sin; Meanes also of dying to sin received in baptisme. that is, First they are dead unto it by solemn vow or profession, Secondly they are said to be dead unto sin, or sin to be dead in them, in as much as they in Baptism receive an Antidote from God by which the rage and poison of it might easily be asswaged or expelled, so they would not either receive that grace or means which God in Baptisme exhibits unto them in vain, or use it amisse. ‘So we may say that any popular disease is quelled or taken away, after a soveraign remedie be found against it, which never fails, so men will seek for it, seasonably apply it, and observe that Dyet which the Physitian, upon the taking of it, prescribes unto them.’
4. Some in our times there be (and more I think than have been in all the former) which deny all Baptismal Grace. Others there be which grant some Of baptismall Grace. Grace to be conferred by Baptisme, even unto infants; but yet these restrain it onely to infants Elect. And This they take to be the meaning of our Churches Catechisme, wherein Children are taught to believe [That as Christ the second Person in the Trinitie did Redeem them and all mankind: So the Holy Ghost (the third Person) doth sanctifie them and all the Elect People of God.]
But can any man be perswaded, that it was any part of Our Churches meaning, to teach Children when they first make profession of their Faith, to believe, that they are of the number of the Elect, that is, of such as cannot finally perish? This were to teach them their Faith backwards, and to seek the Kingdom of Heaven not Ascendendo by ascending, but Descendendo by descending from it. For higher then thus Saint Paul himself in his greatest perfection could not possibly reach; no, nor the blessed Angels which have kept their First station almost these 6000 years. Yet certain it is, that Our Church would have every one at the very first profession of his Faith, to believe that he is One of the Elect People of God.
But those Reverend Fathers which did compose that Catechisme, and the Church our Mother which did approve and authorize it, did in charity presume, that every one which would take upon him to expound this Catechisme or Difference betwixt the Elect and the Elect people of God. other principles of Faith, should first know the Distinction between the Elect, that is, such persons as cannot perish, and the Elect People of God: or between Election unto Gods ordinarie Grace or means of salvation, and Election unto eternal glory. Every People or Nation, every company of men, when they are first converted from Gentilism to Christianitie become an Elect People, a chosen generation or company of men: that is, they [Page 3472] and their seed after them are made capable of Baptism, receive an Interest in Gods promises made unto us in Christ, which the heathens whilst they continue heathens cannot have. And all of Us are in Baptism thus far sanctified, that we are made true members of the visible Church, qualified for hearing the word, for receiving the Sacrament of Christs Body and Blood, and whatsoever Benefits of Christs Priestly Function, are committed to the dispensation of his Ministers. And thus far sanctified by Baptisme, no man can be but by the Holy Ghost. Our Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 7. 14. That the unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the believing wife: and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing Husband else were your children unclean, but now they are holy.
So that he attributes an holiness unto the children of believing Parents by which they are more capable of Baptisme then the children of unbelieving Parents are. And of this holiness by which they are capable of Baptisme, all children are partakers, although but one of their Parents, whether Father or Mother, do believe: much more are the children of believing Parents to be reputed holy or sanctified after baptisme, by which alwayes some Gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred upon them. For even that holiness which was communicated or derived unto them from their Parents before they were baptized, or by which they became capable of Baptisme, was conferred upon their Parents by Baptisme.
5. Whether This gift or Qualification wherewith The Holy Ghost is said to sanctifie all the Elect people of God, be, or include in it, the Grace of Regeneration, I will not dispute. That infants are by Baptisme regenerated we may not deny; unlesse we will take upon us to put another sense upon the Articles of our Church, than they will naturally bear. But whether such as were baptized when they came to years of discretion (as most of these Romanes were) did in Baptisme receive the Grace of Regeneration, or were forthwith regenerated; That I leave unto the Schools. It sufficeth us to know the true meaning of our Apostle in this place. ‘And this it is. All of us in baptisme receive A gift or Talent which by nature we had not, we could not have. For the use of this talent we shall be called unto a strict accompt. ☞ And when this accompt shall be taken, it shall go harder with those which either have abused it, misimployed it or not used it, than with the Gentiles, Heathens or Infidels which never received the like.’ For to whom more is given, of them more shall be required.
And unlesse their means to vanquish Satan the world and the flesh had been greater than the meer natural man had any, the just Lord would not punish them more severely than he doth the heathen or meer natural men for suffering themselves to be vanquished by his enemies. They which deny any grace or talent to be always given in baptisme; or affirm this Talent to be given onely to some few which are of the number of the Elect; either do not understand In Baptism, there is a mutual Astipulation, or promise between God and man. or do not call to minde what baptisme is. Now Baptisme on our part is an Astipulation or promise; (1 Peter 3. ver. 21.) And it is no lesse on Gods part. It is a mutual Covenant or Astipulation between God and us. And in every Covenant or Astipulation there is Ratio dati et accepti, somewhat given and and somewhat taken. The giving is properly on Gods part, the taking on ours. For in true and proper terms we cannot give any thing to God, because all we have, even we our selves, are his by double right, by right of creation and redemption. Yet it is his pleasure that we in baptisme should sincerely and heartily surrender that unto him which is his own, even our selves, our souls, and bodies. And he upon this surrender or vow, if it be sincerely [Page 3473] made, doth give to us that which was not ours, even his only son with all the benefits of his death and passion. All of us put him on in baptism, though not all in the same degree; and we may rest assured, that God would never presse us in baptisme, to fight under the banner of his Son, unless he were ready to furnish us with strength, with weapons, and skill to fight his battails. So we will (as our Apostle exhorts us) yeeld our members unto his service, he will teach our hands to War, and our fingers to fight, and every facultie of our body and soul to do their part.
6. The Abstract or Briefe of our Apostles discourse in this chapter is to stir up that Gift of God in these Romans which they had received in baptism; or which is all one, to animate or incourage them to imploy that talent, which God in that Sacrament had concredited unto them, unto his glory. And this his Exhortation is grounded upon their Profession of dying to sin which they had made in baptisme: or upon the assurance of Gods spirit in the sacred War, so we will take heart and courage to undertake the fight. There is not one branch of this Exhortation from the second verse of this chap. to this one and twentieth, but is rooted in one of these two considerations, or joyntly in both. That all of us in baptisme are dead to sin (in that sense which we have shewed before) that is, by solemn vow, or by Professing our death unto it, our Apostle infers ver. 3. and not onely dead but buried. And both this Death and Burial unto sin was solemnly professed not by Word or Vow only, but by matter of fact or visible Ceremony then usuall in Baptisme; for every one that was baptized (seeing all that were baptized were of good years, and strength of body to undergo this Ceremony,) were ter demersi in aquis, their whole bodies were plunged thrice in the water to represent their vowed death and buriall unto sin. This Ternal demersion of their Bodies, as some collect, was not only to represent Ceremonies used at Baptism and the meaning thereof. The Holy and blessed Trinitie of the Divine Persons in whose names they were baptized; but withall to represent the three several dayes wherein Christ lay buried in the grave. Therefore saith the Apostle, we are buried with him by Baptisme unto death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father: even so we also should walk in newnesse of life. ver. 4.
7. The meaning of the former Ceremony was, and so of Baptisme to this day, is, That as Christ did leave the burthen of our sins, and put off the form of a servant, which for our sakes he undertook, in the grave: so we by baptisme and buriall into his death, should put off the old man or body of sin and be raised unto newness of life, and become partakers of his Resurrection unto glory.
This raising unto newnesse of life by the Sacrament of Baptisme was represented by the safe Ascension of their Bodies out of the water in the which they had been thrice plunged. And of our Resurrection unto glory, we receive the pledge or earnest, when we receive the Grace of Regeneration, that is the Grace which enables us to walk in newnesse of life. And this is called the First Resurrection, without which no man shall be partaker of the second unto Glory. Now that all such as are truly buried with him by baptisme into death, that is, all such as observe and perform their vow made in baptisme shall undoubtedly be partakers of his Resurrection unto Glory, the Apostle inferres ver. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likenesse of his death; we shall be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection, and vers. the sixth. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead, is free from sin, ver. 7. that is, He that is dead to sin in this life, is freed from the life or reign of sin. For it is observable that he doth [Page 3474] not say, if we have been planted together in his death, but if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death. It is not required that we should die the death of the body as Christ did, but to die as Isaac did, in the similitude and figure of his death; that is, we should die to sin, or crucifie that sin in us, for which Christ was crucified. And as it is not required that we should die the death of the body in baptisme: so is it not to be expected that we should forthwith be raised unto that glory whereunto he rose, but to be raised unto A similitude or likeness of it; that is, unto newness of life, which is the First Resurrection. And of this Resurrection we shall not fail to be actual partakers by vertue of baptisme, if we be rightly implanted into the similitude of his death: for so the Apostles words are, If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his Resurrection.
But what is it to be [...] planted together? or with whom are we planted? we Gentiles together with the Jews? So some conjecture. But the more ancient and better exposition is, that we are [...] with Christ, planted together with Him; yet not so planted together with him as one tree is planted together by another (Arbor inter or juxta Arbores) each having its several root. But as Christ was planted by his death and burial, and consecrated to be the root of life; So we likewise should be planted by Baptisme in Him to die to sin, and being so planted in his death, to be partakers of his Resurrection unto life: As the implanted graft which loseth leaf and sap and (to outward view) life also in winter, with the Branch or stock into which it was planted, doth recover all again when the root sends back the sap at the Spring or the Resurrection of the year.
8. This is that which our Saviour himself had said, John 15. 4, 5. As the branch cannot bear fruit in it self, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. That is, ye have no root in your selves, and therefore no life but as you are planted in me, the Vine. Now this Vine was opened in his death upon the Crosse, and planted in his burial: and from him so planted, That of the Psalmist Ps. 85. 11. was fulfilled, Righteousness did grow out of the earth; and we being ingrafted or inoculated into him thus planted, become true branches of the same Vine. Branches we are, but without root in our selves: all the life we can hope for must be derived from His root.
And the very sum and proper effect of our beleif in his death and Resurrection, is set down by our Apostle ver. 8. 9, 10, 11. Now if we be dead with Christ, we beleive that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise, reckon your selves also to be dead indeed unto sin: but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then if all which are baptized are dead to sin by solemn vow; every one must know it to be his duty to mortifie his earthly members; but none are bound to beleive that they are already actually dead to sin, because they are baptized. The sum of our Apostles exhortation in the twelfth verse, is, Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodie, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof; neither yeild ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yeild your selves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The height of our hopes in this life, is, to put sin unto a civil death; that is, to bring the flesh in subjection to the spirit. And this we may and ought [Page 3475] to hope for; So saith the Apostle v. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, but under grace. And Grace is able to give us that victory over sin which the Law could not, if we will submit our selves unto the regiment of Grace, and not presume of Gods favour in consciousness The Regiment of the Law & of Grace. of sin. This is that which the Apostle rejects with the like indignation (v. 15.) as he had done the former imagination of continuing in sin that grace might abound. What then? shall we sin because we are not under the Law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not that unto whom ye yeild your selves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey: whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? His meaning is, that albeit they were by baptism translated from the regiment of the Law unto the regiment of grace: yet if by presuming upon Gods Grace or favour they continue in sin, they shall cease to be Gods servants, and become again the servants of sin.
9. It is the Observation of Prosper (an Ancient writer) upon this place. ‘That as no man can serve two masters; So every man must serve one of these two, either sin or righteousness; God or Satan: and he that is a servant Prospers Observation. to the one, is exempted from the service of the other. He that is a servant of righteousness is freed from sin, and he that is a servant unto sin, is rather exempted, then freed from the service of righteousness.’ Both are avouched by our Apostle, but with this difference, that being made free from sin, they were made the servants of righteousness; but when they were the servants of sin, they were free, not from righteousness, but to righteousness: that is, they did righteousness no service, de facto, but used their freedom rather to wrong it.
But God be thanked (saith our Apostle ver. 17.) that ye were the servants of sin. A strange kinde of speech! The Pharisee indeed did thank God, that he was no extortioner, no covetous person, nor tainted with such sins, as he thought the Publican was; but we never read that any Pharisee, Publican, or other did thank God that he was an extortioner, or that he was a grievous sinner, nor would God questionless accept of such thanks: For he expects no thanks but for the good which he doth unto the Children of men. Now to be a covetous person, to be an extortioner, to be a servant to sin, are things which have no goodness in them, therefore no works of God, no part of his doings. How then doth the Apostle so solemnly thank God on these Romanes behalf, that they were the servants of sin? or is this his thanksgiving to be referred onely to the later part of that 17. verse? But ye have obeyed from the heart that Form of doctrine which was delivered you. This indeed was worthy of thanks: yet not this alone. The form of thanksgiving refers as properly and punctually to the first part of the verse [God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin] as it doth to the later part, [But you have obeyed the form of doctrine, which was delivered unto you.]
And in the first place, it refers to their former servitude unto sin. For though God were not the Author of their servitude to sin, as he was of their obedience to the Doctrine of life; Yet his goodness did turn their former servitude to sin, the ☜ very worst deed which they had done, unto their good. For take them as now they were, it was better for them that they had been the servants of sin, than not to have been so. God, you must consider, at this time required the service of righteousness at their hands. And he that hath been a diligent servant to an hard and cruel master, from whom he could not in reason expect any recompence worth his toil, is thereby well enapted and trained to be diligent and faithful in the service of a gentle loving and bountiful Master. Such was the case and state of these Romans. They had don extraordinary kindness [Page 3476] for a long time unto sin, and this their service was not only lost in respect of times past, but very dangerous in the future. Upon this known case or experiment among men, doth our Apostle ground those forcible exhortations in the verses precedent, which he most strongly concludes with the words of the 21. verse. I speak (saith he ver. 19.) after the manner of men, because of the infirmitie of the flesh: for as ye have yeilded your members servants unto uncleanness and to iniquitie unto iniquitie: even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free to righteousness: that is, you did acknowledge no service due unto it. ‘The implication which he expresseth not, is this: Being now become the servants of righteousness, do as little service unto sin, as when you were its servants, ye did to righteousness: acknowledge none to it, for none is due to it, especially from you.’
10. But in the 21. verse, if you mark his placing of the words well; he puts the case home. What fruit had ye then of those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? What fruit had ye then, at that time when ye did them with greediness? If the service of sin at any time were fruitful, it is questionless then, whilst it is a doing. For this Dalilah hath the trick to wipe off all shame from her Lovers faces, whilst sin is in the action or motion. But our Apostle proves this service of sin to be fruitless, even then, because now, when these motions were past, it makes them ashamed.
Nor is the service of sin fruitless, only because it bringeth forth shame, but therefore more then shamefull, full of danger and dread because the shame which it bringeth forth, is alwayes the Harbinger or fore-runner of death. For so the Apostles adds, For the end of those things is death. These are the best fruits of their service to sin; and sin it self is more then fruitles, because the best fruits which it seems to bring are poisonous. But now these Romans are called unto the service of a far better master; one from whom they have somewhat in re, but much more in spe; a bountiful earnest, for the present, of an invaluable recompence and future reward, ver. 22. But now being free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holines, and the end everlasting life.
And finally he binds all his former Exhortations with this undoubted Assertion; For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thus you have seen The dutie whereunto we stand bound by our Baptisme.
And it is twofold. 1. To forsake the Divel, the world, and the flesh; and secondly to betake our selves to the service of God.
The motives to withdraw us from this service of sin, are three. The service of it, first, is fruitless, 2. it is shamefull. 3. it causeth death: to wit, a most shamefull bitter and endless death.
The motives to draw us unto the service of God, are Two. 1. The present fruit which it yieldeth, viz. the peace of conscience, or that righteousness which is the flour and Blossom unto Holiness. 2. The Final Reward, which is a most blessed life without end. The First three Motives to withdraw us from the service of sin, are as it were linked or mortized one into another. The very Fruitlesness of Sins service shuts up into shame; and the shame arresting or seazing upon the sinner is no other then the very Harbinger, Fore-runner or Serjeant of Death.
CHAP. XVIII.
Of the fruitlesnes of Sin. Of the shame That follows and dogs sin, as the shadow doth the Body. What shame is. Whence it ariseth; and what Use may be made thereof. Of Fame, praise, and Honour. Satans Stales, False shame and False Honour. The Character of both in Greek and Latine. Of Pudor, which is alwayes malè Facti. of Verecundia, which may somtimes be, de modo rectè Facti. Perijt vir cui Pudor Perijt. Erubuit, salva res est.
1. WE are here to speak somwhat to The First Point, which was the fruitlesness of Sin; of which more afterwards.
It was an Ancient saying of a good Writer, praestat otiosum esse quam nihil agere: it were better to sit still and do nothing, then to busie, and wearie our selves to no purpose. A shame it is in it self, but commonly the beginning of a far greater shame, to spend our time without any fruit. And if we could perswade a man that for the present he labours in vain; that for the future he can expect nothing but wearisom trouble for his long pains, it would be enough to make him (if he have any wit) ashamed of what he hath done; more then enough (unlesse he be impudent) to make him give over what he hath begun. Yea he is not a wise man, that doth not forecast some probable hopes or gainfull issues of his labours before he begin them. So our Saviour tels us, Luke 14. 28. For which of you intending to build a Tower; sitteth not down first and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply after he hath laid the foundation and is not able to finish it, all that behold it, begin to mock him, saying: This man began to build, and was not able to finish. If want of forecast to go through with a work which in the beginning promised fruit, be a shame, or expose men to scorn or mockerie; what is it to begin and continue those works, whose accomplishing or finishing is more fruitless then the first beginning? So that the service of sin is in this respect shamefull, because it is Fruitless. But if you observe our Apostle well, he doth not infer, that the works of sin are shamefull because they are Fruitless, but, that they are Fruitless because they are shamefull. Shame, and that A positive shame, is the natural fruit or issue of all service to sin; and not every kinde of positive shame; but a shame accompanied or seconded with death.
That the Apostles Argument may have its full weight or sway upon our souls, we are in the First place to examine What shame properly is. Secondly, What manner of death it is which is the wages of sin.
2. Shame is a fear of some evil to ensue; Or an impression of some evil present; Of shame; what it is, and whence arising. the fear of whose continuance is more greivous than any present smart. But though all Shame be a Fear or sense of evil, yet every fear or sense of evil doth not cause shame. Men naturally fear the loss of goods, but, [Page 3478] as our Saviour intimates, Mat. 6. 25. most naturally the loss of their lives. Yet if our goods be taken from us by violence, we are not ashamed of it: the Expectation or sufferance of this evil causeth only sorrow or grief to us, it causeth Shame to him that doth it. There is no man almost, but feareth a violent and undeserved death; yet if such a death be set before him, it causeth only Sorrow or heaviness of heart, a dejection of spirit, no Shame or confusion of face: Such as die guiltlesse are rather comforted then confounded at the sight or presence of others. That evil, whose sight moveth pitie and compassion in others, cannot breed Shame to him that suffers it. Shame then is a fear of such evil only, which consists in disgrace or loss of reputation, and is opposed to See Aristotle Rhet. l. 2. cap. 6 Ethic. Nic. lib. 4. cap. 15. honor, fame, or praise. Now the desire of honor, fame or praise is the strongest Motive, the sharpest spur to animate men (especially of better Spirits) to undertake any danger, to undergo any evil, that is free from disgrace, or not charged with shame. His Rule in the General was exceeding good, though mis-applied to him, and to his followers Case; Praestat per virtutem emori, quam per dedecus vivere. It is better to die with Credit, then to live with Shame. And this wrought so deeply with him and his Souldiers, that never any died with greater Resolution then they did; Though all were slain, yet every man fell in his own rank. But many Romans and other Heathens, less furious then Catiline and his Souldiers were, have voluntarily submitted themselves to the lingring tortures of death without any other motive to undergo or endure them, besides the desire of Fame and Honour. Now the desire of Fame cannot be so sharp a spur to make men adventure upon noble Enterprizes, though full of danger; but the fear or apprehension of Shame will be as strong a Curb to withdraw them from lewd and naughtie courses. And if the Ministers of the Gospel, who are Gods Embassadors; or the Magistrate, who is his Deputie, had no other Hank or Curb over men committed to their charge, then This: this alone would be sufficient to keep the most of them from gross exorbitances or outragious Courses, did not Satan, the world and flesh, still set up their Stales or counterfeit pictures of shame to drive men Satan's Stales; false honor, and false shame. the contrary way to that whereto we seek by representation of true Shame to draw them.
3. The Heathen Poet could vantingly say, That none but Fools were either lifted up with false Honour, or dejected with slanderous Infamie.
Falsus Honor juvat, & mendax Infamia terret; Hor. Epist.
Quem? nisi mendacem & mendosum?—Lib. 1. Ep. 16.
But it is a sad truth whereof we daily have experiment; That The main Conflict in our Christian warfare, is between that honour which one man seeks to receive from another, & that Honor which cometh from God alone: Between the fear of shame and disgrace from men, and that disgrace or shame which is the Award of Divine Justice. Painted Honor and counterfeit Shame still command in chief (as it were by Course) for the flesh, the world and the Divel. Nothing is truly shameful, but malum culpae, but that which is evil or dishonest and against the Commandements of God. The only constant Rule for knowing what deserveth Shame, what not, is the Decalogue, or ten Commandements. But this is A Rule which will not be easily applied unto particulars; otherwise then by way of Catechism; and by this way, God willing, it may be had hereafter: In the mean time, for those that be Parents of Children, or Fathers of Families, One of the best Catechisms which they can read unto their Children or other Relations in private, the best preparation to the more immediate grounds of Religion which they can plant in any committed [Page 3479] to their charge, would be, To inure them to modestie whilest their affections are plyable; To teach them both by Word and Example, of what things they ought to be ashamed, and wherein to rejoyce or glory.
Aristotle in the second of his Ethicks gives this up as the Breif or Compend of right Education:— [...] And Siracides sets down (in the 41. Chapter of Ecclesiasticus) A A large Catalogue or Roll of those things whereof it is a shameful thing not to be ashamed: And another smaller Table of such things whereof men ought not to be ashamed, in the 42. If those that are in parendi sortem geniti and should be under discipline, be suffered to shake off this Curb or bridle (modestie or fear of shame) whilest they are young, not only Parents and Masters, but Magistrates and Ministers shall find them past Rule and Government, when they grow elder and stronger. There is no loss can happen to man in this life so grievous as the loss of shamefacedness and modestie, especially in youth.
4. That disposition of mind which in our English we call Shame and Modestie, or Shamefacedness, hath two Characters in the Greek; [...] and Shame and Modesty. [...]; The former, the Latines express by the word verecundia: the later by Pudor. This difference the Grammarians observe between them, that the former, verecundia, is sometime rectè facti, there may be a modest fear, at least for the manner of doing that which in it self is not evil, but not so comely, the circumstances of time and place, especially the place of our betters being considered; Pudor is alwayes malè facti. We are not or ought not to be ashamed but for that which is evil. So that Pudor is opposed to moral filthiness or naughtiness, as verecundia is to unseemliness, or uncomliness: both of them agree in the general, both are A fear of some censure; but Pudor, or Shame, is, metus vituperij, a fear of reproach or infamy for doing that which in it self is evil,
That disposition which the Latines call verecundia was incident to man in his first and pure estate; The very Angels cover their faces at the presence of God. And so no doubt but Children should have born an awful and modest respect unto their Parents, and have been afraid to do those things in their presence, which done out of their presence had not been evil or unseemly. But that which the Latines call Pudor, had found no entrance into our nature unless sin had made it One. Our nature had been sufficiently guarded by its Original Integritie against just fear of infamy or disgrace. But taking our nature as now it is polluted with sin, and stained with filthiness, the fear of disgrace or infamy is no prejudice, but rather an advantage to it. It is a qualification which makes men more capable of Rule or Government then any reasonlesse creature is; none of which are capable of this qualification.
5. The life of Government or Jurisdiction consists in the right dispensation of Poena and Premium, that is, of punishment and reward. And in every well governed Common-wealth Fame and Honour are the top branches of reward; wealth or bodily contentments are but supporters unto it. Many, otherwayes well ordered Common-wealths, might erre (as most Heathen Common-wealths did) in defining what true Honour was, or wherein true honour did consist. They did not err in determining honour as the chief reward or Crown of well doing. Nor did they err in making disgrace or infamy, as the special branch of punishment. Mulcts, or loss of goods, loss of life, or bodily torture, come but in the second or third place: Fear of infamy and hope of Honour were of themselves sufficient to keep most men within the [Page 3480] compass of civilitie, or moral goodness, were it not generally true in all Common-wealths, which Solomon had observed in his times. Prov. 28. 4. That they which forsake the Law do praise the wicked; and so St. Peter tells us, 1 Pet. cap. 4. v. 4. That such as walked in the wayes of the Gentiles, in lasciviousnesse, lust, excesse of wine, ryotings, banquettings and abominable idolatry, did think it a strange thing, that these late Converts to whom he wrote this Epistle, did not run with them to the like excesse. And for this cause, as he adds, they speak evil of them; that is, they put all the shame they could upon them.
As then, so now; Every societie of lewd or naughtie men, have their usurped customs, which are equivalent with them to Laws: have their Parliaments whereby, (wo unto them! Esay 5. 20.) they attempt to alter or invert the Law of God, and the Law of nature; to establsh evil for good, and to disgrace goodness, as if it were evil.
What course of life, what branch of lewdness more infamous by the Law of God then ryot or drunkenness? a vice so shameful, that the Fathers eye must not pity it in his Children that are tainted with it, but even their natural Parents, as well the Mother as the Father, are bound by the Law of God (Deut. 21. 20, 21.) to inform against them, to accuse them before the Magistrate, lest the shame and sin should reflect upon themselves by connivance. And by the same Law the publick Magistrate is bound upon the accusation of their Parents to put them to an ignominious death. And yet there is a generation of men outwardly professing the knowledge of God, and of Christ, which seek to put shame & ignominie upon all such as will not run with them to the like excess: which have their Laws and Rules for authorizing and cherishing this lawless and unruly custom.
God again by his written Law, and by his Sentence against Cain, awards death and shame to murtherers: And yet the seeds of this accursed sin are more then legitimated; ranked amongst the essential parts of honour; made as the very touch and tryal of Gentry, by men which esteem it a greater shame ☞ to indure the breath of a verbal Lie from anothers rash mouth, then to tell or devise an hundred real Lies, or to outface a truth by false oaths. And by this corrupt custom, which goes currant for a soveraign Law amongst braver Spirits (as they account themselves) the observance of Laws divine and humane (which forbid all private Revenge, all resolutions to kill or be killed) is branded with the infamy of Cowardise; A terrible bug-bear, but to such only as are Men in maliciousness, but Children in Knowledge. For it is a sign of the greatest Cowardise that can be, to be affrighted at the noise of vain words. or to forsake the Fortress upon a false Alarm, or representation of counterfeit Colors. As these, so every other vice hath its Baud or Advocate to give it countenance, and to disgrace the contrary vertue.
6. The old Serpent which beguiled the first Man by the first woman, works still upon the weaker vessel, and makes it his instrument to foyl the stronger. He is not ignorant that this masculus pudor, as the Philosopher cals it, this virile or manly fear of shame, whereby youth is naturally restrained from shameful courses, cannot easily be vanquished, but by suborning this effeminate or womanish fear of worldly or popular disgrace to betray it, as Dalilah did her Husband Samson. And the expelling of this masculine by this womanish fear of disgrace or reproach, is as the putting out of the eyes of discretion, whereby we discern good from evil. So that Satan leads them up and down at his pleasure as the Philistines did Samson after he had lost his bodily eyes by the cutting off his hair.
[Page 3481] We have a Saying or Proverb rather; Past Shame, past Grace. The Heathens had the like Observation, save only that they knew not what Grace meant. They had no use of the word [Grace] in that sense, which is most common, and yet most proper with us.
A Child or man past Grace is, with us, as much as Filius perditus, A Son of perdition; Such an one as Judas was, who yet was not past Grace, that is, not irrecoverably lost, until he became impudent and obdurate in sin. Now it was the observation of one, and he was none of the precisest amongst the Heathen,
I give that man (saith Plautus) for lost, which hath lost modestie, or is past shame. Our Common Proverb, and the Saying of this Poet have this sure Ground in true Divinitie; That want of modestie, or a face uncapable of shame supposeth a great measure of iniquity in the brest. That which we call a Brazen face hath alwayes for its Supporter an Iron sinew, or a brawny heart, Jer. 3. 3. and 5. 3. and 6. 15. and 8. 12.
7. As nothing passeth into the understanding but by the gates of sense: So the true belief of that which God threatened unto sin, and that was death, is ushered into the heart of man by shame and confusion of face. The first impression of Gods threatenings unto our first Parents was made upon this part. And all the Sons of Adam even unto this day, either have or might have a pledge of that which Moses relates concerning their and their eldest Sons hiding themselves and going out from the presence of the Lord. To this day it is true, Qui male agit odit Lucem; an evil conscience flies the light or presence of men; And the face commonly bewrayes the heart; as he said,
It is an hard matter not to confess a crime, or the truth, although the mouth be silent. Yet as some men by long custom in sin degenerate into Atheists, and see no reliques of Gods image (wherein they were created) in themselves, although the notion of a Godhead or Divine Power be naturally ingrafted in all: So, though shame and blushing be most natural to man when he doth evil; yet some by long continuance in sin, shake off this vail or covering of their nakedness. Such they are of whom Jeremie spake in the Old, and in the New Testament St. Jude speaks, ver. 10. Men that are prone to speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally as bruit beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves; and become as impenetrable by shame, as bruit beasts whom God hath deprived of reason. He that is not subject to this passion participates more of the nature or disposition of collapsed Angels than of collapsed man. The Divels (we read) do tremble at their belief or apprehension of Gods Judgments. We do not read that they are ashamed of the evil which deserves it; as our first Parents were. It is true (though) that they through want of awful respect or reverence unto the divine Majestie were the Authors of sin, and propagators of shame to their posteritie. All of us are prone to think that they deserved ill, not of God only but of us: and yet the truth is, that we lay a great deal more blame upon them then they deserved. They indeed were the first, yet not the greatest sinners. Many of their posteritie in this qualitie go beyond them: all of us imitate them too well in their sin, but not in being ashamed when we sin.
8. They had but one Commandement given by God; and having transgressed that, their Consciences did accuse them; their very looks and gestures [Page 3482] gave evidences against them. We transgress all Gods Commandements, and one and the same Commandement over and over, God onely knows how often; yet are not dejected, are not confounded, but bear out sail, as if there were no danger: Though every thing which God in his written Law hath prohibited, is a branch of the forbidden tree. He hath as peremptorily forbidden all To have any Gods but Him; to worship any graven Image; to take his Name in vain, as he did our first Parents to taste of the Tree of good and evil: Yet even such as would be held the only true Catholiques, Worship Images: and such again as would be accounted the pure Worshippers of God in truth and spirit, worship their own Imaginations; and transform the unchangeable nature of the Deitie, into unfit similitudes. Little Children amongst us are mightie Swearers; and nothing more common in publique or private, then to take Gods holy Name in vain, to abuse it more grosly then the Jew or Heathen could, who knew not God incarnate. And all this they do without any sign of shame. Women rail upon, revile and curse one another in the open streets, until their faces grow red indeed, but with a redness which betokens no shame, which bears no tincture of blush, but rather of revenge and malice boyling in the heart, or of heat in their tongue, set on fire by Hell. But these for the most part are of the meaner and baser sort. Others there be, as far transported with mis-guided Zeal from that modestie which becomes their Sex; and this Zeal they offer up as strange fire unto God without blushing, taking the Priests office upon them; to be more then Teachers, censurers of their Teachers: swift to hear any doctrine that shall contradict the publique voice of the Church, alwayes listening after the whisperings of such private Spirits, as invert the Tenor of the Gospel, no less then the old Serpent did the first Commandement which God gave unto mankind. God had said unto them, Gen. 3. ver. 3. Ye shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. But the Serpent whispers, ver. 4. 5. Ye shall not surely die. For God doth know, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened: and ye shall be as Gods, knowing good and evil. A plausible Comment to her which was now giving the raines to her longing appetite. As plausible a doctrine it is to many of her Daughters to meddle with the marks of Election and Reprobation, secrets which God hath reserved unto himself. Points full of great difficultie and greater danger, and wherein such as have waded farthest, have (as I said before) inverted the Tenor of the Gospel. For it is the perpetual voice of the Gospel [If thou believe, thou shalt be saved: if thou believest not, thou canst not be saved.] The very sum and final resolution of the doctrine of Election, as it is vulgarly taught, is this: [If thou must be saved, that is, if thou be of the number of the Elect or predestinated, thou shalt believe; If thou be not of the number of the Elect, thou canst not believe.] To listen after such whisperings as these, the weaker Sex take from their Mother Eve; but to be confident or presumptuous upon such misinterpretations, or to be censurers of their Superiors, this they learn not from their Mother Eve, but from her false Teacher. This is a prodigious disposition in Women, whom the Apostle commands to learn in silence with all subjection, but will not suffer them to teach, or to usurp authoritie over the man. 1 Tim. cap. 2. ver. 12. This silence and modestie is injoyned them as a Pennance for their Mother Eves transgression, Ver. 13, 14. For Adam (saith the Apostle) was first formed, then Eve: And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved ( [...]) by the promised Seed: If they continue in faith and charitie, [Page 3483] and holinesse with Sobrietie. These are the meanes to make their Election sure.
9. All of us both men and women are too prone to imitate our first Parents in doing that which is evil and forbidden by the Law of God. And seeing better cannot be expected, it were well if we could as truly imitate them, in being ashamed of the evil which we have done. They no sooner knew that they were naked, but they sought a covering for their nakedness of fig-leaves: but this would not serve: For when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden: they hid themselves from his presence amongst the trees. All of us have an experimental pledge of this which Moses relates concerning them in our selves, unless we choke or stifle the instinct of corrupted nature, by long custom or continuance in sin. That our consciences do accuse us; that the sight of men whom we know or suspect to be conscious of our mis-doings deject us; both these argue, that we must appear before a Judge, even before that Judge from whose presence our first Parents hid themselves; at whose appearance we shall be confounded, if we come before him polluted with such blots and stains as our souls are ashamed sinful men (such as our selves are) should look upon. For even that redness or blushing which appears in mens faces upon consciousness of their infirmities or misdeeds, is but a mask which our souls do naturally put before them, as being afraid lest others should see the stain or blemish of sin.
As our first Parents sought to hide themselves from God after they had transgressed his Commandements: So Offenders hide themselves from his Deputies or Vicegerents on earth, not only for fear of punishment, but for shame. ‘And if we should give you the real or physical Definition of shame, It is no other then the striving of Nature to hide the stain of our souls by sending out blood into the face or visage.’ And men do but second this dictate ☜ of Nature, when they put their hands or other covering before their faces. So Disarius one of the Discoursers in Macrobius (Saturn. lib. 7. cap. 11.) saith: Natura pudore tacta sanguinem ante se pro velamento tendit.
Thus both corrupted nature, and we our selves seek to hide our souls from the view of others, albeit we cannot discern the inward stain or filth of sin, but are rather in love with her painted pleasures: But when he shall appear, that knew no sin in himself, and yet knows all the secrets of mans heart: it is no vail of flesh, no die of nature, no covering of the visage with bloud, that will avail such as continue to do those things whereof they are or ought to be ashamed, or which they are afraid that others should see or know. They shall then desire the Hils for a vail, and the Rocks and Mountains for a covering to their shame; but in vain, for perpetual darkness shall be their habitation, and their present shame and confusion of face shall then appear to be the harbinger or fore-runner of death.
CHAP. XIX.
We are many wayes ingaged to serve God rather then to serve sin, though sin could afford us as much fruit and reward as God doth. But there is no proportion, no ground of Comparison betwixt the fruits of sin and the Gift of God. The Case stated betwixt the voluptuous sensual life and the life truly Christian. Satans method; And Gods method. A Complaint of the neglect of Grace.
1. THe Scope of our Apostles whole discourse in this Chapter is to deter us from the service of sin; and by the help of Super-abounding Grace, and Hope of an exceeding great Reward, both to encourage and engage our best Endeavors unto the service of God. His Motion or Argument was reasonable, albeit sin (or he that is the Author of sin) were able to afford us as much fruit, or as full a recompence, as the service of God doth.
There is no man amongst us of this Church, I presume, but doth abhor the Heresie of the Manichees, which was in part this, that we were beholding to another God for our bodies, then unto Him which made our souls. Yet if their abominable doctrine were (for disputation sake) supposed as true: We could not be by any right so ingaged unto the service of this imaginary god, as unto the service of the True God, which made our souls, and doth purifie them by his Word and Sacraments. For we are not debters to the flesh, but unto the God of the Spirits of all Flesh we are. Debtors indeed unto the only God which made both our bodies, and souls, and spirits: He may challenge our service by double right.
First, by the right of Creation; which we had shamefully violated by alienating Our service is due to God upon several Titles. our Allegeance unto his Enemy.
Secondly, by right of Redemption; for he that made us all, hath redeemed us all; and if we continue servants unto sin, we do not only violate that antient or former Bond which we owed unto him by right of Creation, but that second Bond, whereby we stand bound unto him by right of redemption. And transgressors we should be, and most unthankful wretches, if we did not cheerfully and sincerely betake our selves unto his service, albeit the reward or recompence, which he hath promised and will perform, were but equal to the fruits or pleasures of sin.
But the truth is, that so far they are from all equalitie, that there is No Proportion between them. The wages of sin, are lesse then nothing, compared to the reward of righteousnesse, which is more then all things else that can befal us. ☞ For not to Be at all, never to have had any Being, were better then to suffer the death here meant: So that death and life, especially everlasting death and everlasting life, cannot come into any Ballance. That which is worse then [Page 3485] nothing, or not Being (so is everlasting death) cannot be compared with any thing that is Good, much less with the perfection of goodness (such is everlasting life) which containeth all goodness, whereof we can imagine our nature to be capable.
2. The only Comparison then must be, between the service of sin and the service of righteousness, in respect of our present estate, or during the time of The service of sin and Righteousness compared in regard of this present Life. this mortal life. And so (if you mark it) our Apostle hath Two Motives to withdraw us from the service of sin; and Two to draw us to the service of righteousness.
The first Motive to withdraw us from the service of sin, is, that it is fruitless and shameful for the present.
The First Motive again to sway us unto the service of righteousness, is the present fruit which we have unto Holiness, and between these two there may be some Comparison, if we sequester them from the other two, to wit, from life and death everlasting.
To sequester the service of righteousness altogether from the hope of everlasting life; or the service of sin altogether from the fear of everlasting death, is a thing, if not impossible, yet not warrantable, as was shewed before in the tenth Chapter: For those things which God hath conjoyned man may not sever. Yet we may so far sever them, as God permitted them to be severed in the wiser Heathen. The very Heathens felt a kind of Compunction or sting of conscience upon the commission of grossers sins, which did suggest a See Chapter the tenth. kind of tacit fear, but of what evil to come they expresly knew not. They had again a kind of joy, or Grateful Testimonie, or congratulation of spirit or conscience upon the practise of things honest and comely: And this joy did kindle a secret hope or incouragement to go forwards in those courses; but it burst not out into a flame, it wanted the light or guidance of divine truth. For both this fear and this hope they had without any express hope of everlasting life, or express fear of everlasting death. However the wiser or more moderate sort of them did prefer the practise of vertue or such pietie as they knew before the wonted pleasures of this life.
Yet this their greatest Philosophers did not do, without the Contradiction of such as were given over to bodily pleasures. And this opposition of sensual men may seem to have some Ground of Reason, even from the Rule of Faith it self, if we had no more express hopes of everlasting life, or more distinct fear of everlasting death, then they had.
For shall we not think that the estate of Dives was much better then the estate of Lazarus in this life, wherein Dives received pleasure, and Lazarus, pain? Now pleasure is much better then pain; And if such a life as Dives here led, afforded pleasure, how was it Fruitless, specially in respect of Lazarus his life, which was full of pain? Indeed in respect of a life so charged with pain as Lazarus's was, or with such vexations and dangers as the life of Saint Paul, and other more eminent Saints of God in the primitive Church were: That Saying of our Apostle is most true; 1 Cor. 15. 19. If in this life onely we have hope in Christ, then are we of all men most miserable. His meaning is, That if bodily death might have put an unquestionable end to all the Controversies betwixt him and his persecutors, there had been no gain but losse rather in the prolongation of his life. But when men truly professing the power of Christianitie may be devout, be religious, be obedient without danger of persecution, the case is altered. So that our Apostles saying doth not concern the peaceable and prosperous estate of Christians, but the iniquitie of those times and of such Times as those.
[Page 3486] 3. But we must consider that there is a great deal of difference between contradicting infidelitie, or express denyall of the souls immortalitie or the Resurrection of the body, and such an implicit or indistinct notion of some recompence for wel-doing, and punishments for ill doings, as the wiser Heathens did acknowledge. Such of them as constantly acknowledged but thus much, though not without interposition of some doubting or distrusting fits concerning the souls imortalitie, without any notion at all of the bodies Resurrection, did fully accord with our Apostle in this place. That the service of sin, or (to speak in their language) a voluptuous life, was altogether The emptiness and vanitie of sinful pleasures. Fruitless. So the Roman Orator tels us. Omnis voluptas pro nihilo putanda est, quod cum praeterierit perinde sit ac si nulla fuisset. All pleasure is to be accompted as nothing worth, because when it is once past, it is as if it had never been; that is, it leaves no fruit behind it: it is at the best but as a blossom or bud which withers or falls away before the fruit be set: and a blossom without hope of fruit is altogether fruitless, and of no esteem. Thus he spake of Voluptas, that is, of pleasure of the body: but he alwayes mainteined the contrary concerning Gaudium, which we call the pleasure or joy of the mind, or the inward testimonie of a good Conscience. In this Point, the same Roman Orator (with Seneca and divers other Heathen Poets and Philosophers) did accord aswell with Solomon, as in the other sentence he did with Saint Paul, to wit, That a good conscience was a continual Feast. See the tenth Chapter of this Book. And See Tullie de Finib. Lib. 2. & De Senectute. And his Paradoxes.
4. But I know what a more dissolute Heathen then Tullie was; or a voluptuous Christian or carnal Gospeller would at this day object; that they are acquainted with greater bodily pleasures then the Heathen Philosophers or precise Christians have experience of; And for this reason will appeal from us as incompetent Judges. And I confesse it is true! A dissolute or voluptuous man whether Heathen or Christian, oftimes enjoyes for a space, some greater pleasures of the flesh, then any civil or modest man can do. And this was the miserie or ignorance of the best sort of Heathens (which did excuse them a Tanto, though not a Toto; that is, in respect of us, not simply) in that they did not know or suspect an invisible Adversarie which deals with us as a cunning Quacksalver, or craftie Mountebank; one that secretly ☞ corrupts our dyet, and by degrees insensible brings many diseases upon us, That he may gain credit or esteem by giving us some present ease or pleasant remedie, though never any perfect cure. And yet the Heathen Philospher had observed, that most of those pleasures of the body or flesh, by which men are specially drawn from the practise of vertue, or moral honestie, were usually apprehended, to be much greater then they truly were; both, because most men look upon their faces or approaches in coming towards them; not upon their departure or back parts at their going away: and because, they are the remedies or present abatements of some grievous disease, which it were much better not to have, then to stand in need of any medicine how pleasant soever.
He that is cured of a deep wound or sore, feels more ease or pleasure when it growes toward the healing, then he should have done in that part if it had continued whole. Yet who would long for a wound to find such ease and contentment?
He that is sick of a burning feaver will take more pleasure, for the time being, in drinking a cup of cold water; then a man in perfect health would do in a draught of the pleasantest wine. Yet who would chuse to be sick to enjoy such pleasure? There is (I take it) no greater pleasure of any sense then cooling moisture in the extremitie of thirst. But it is a greater miserie [Page 3487] to be put unto this need or exigence. So is it with all dissolute or voluptuous men. Take them for the present, as they are overgrown in dissoluteness and intemperancie; and it is a great pleasure for them to have their desires satisfied: But it is a kind of Hell in the mean time to be pestered with such desires which are alwayes more permanent and more durable then their satisfactions, or contentments can be. Besides, that the ease and remedies which for the present they find, do in the issue increase and malignifie the nature of their disease.
And if they had been once acquainted with the true delight and pleasures of a moderate and sober life, they would loath their desires as much as a man that knowes what health is, would dislike the momentany pleasures of the sick.
5. That commendation which the Governour of the marriage feast of Gods Method, and Satans practise. Canaa in Galilee did give the Bridegroom, in comparison of ordinarie Inne-keepers or wine-drawers in his time, may serve to set forth the difference between the service of righteousness, and the service of sin: or between the the contrary Method which our Lord and master, and the prince of this world observe in rewarding their followers. Every one (saith the Governour of the feast, John 2. 10.) doth at the beginning set forth good wine, and when men have well drunk then that which is worse. This is the very picture or image of Satans practise: But thou (saith the same Governour of the feast unto the Bridegroom) hast kept the good wine until now; that is, until the close of the feast. And this is the Type or Emblem of our Saviours Method.
To apply it more plainly. The Divel still labours to glut men in their best dayes with the sweetest pleasures or contentments of the body: and when he ☞ hath made them drunk, or brought upon them an unquenchable thirst or longing after the like, then he vents his [...]uffes or refuse upon them, and plyes them untill they drink the very dregs of Gods wrath. But our Saviour keepes his best fruits unto the last, and by his first blessings doth but as it were prepare and qualifie our corrupted nature to be every day then other more capable of better. And as of Satans malice and mischief, so of his mercy and goodness there is no end to such as embrace them, untill they bring us to an endless and most blessed life.
The beginnings of sin are alwayes pleasant, at least, sin puts us to no pain in producing the habit or custome of it, because it is implanted in us by Holiness bitter in the root or beginning but sweet in the Fruit. nature. But that which one wittily said of good Arts or learning, is most true of the service of righteousness. Radices amarae, fructus dulces. The root or beginning of it is commonly unpleasant, because it cannot be ingrafted into our corrupted nature, but as it were by incision: but the growth of it is pleasant, and the fruits to such as are exercised therein, most sweet and wholsome.
This is in effect the very same, that Siracides saith, (perhaps himself had experimented) Ecclus. 4. 17. At the first wisdom will walk with a man by crooked wayes, and bring fear and dread upon him, and torment him with her discipline, untill she may trust his soul, and try him by her Laws. Then will she return the straight way unto him, and comfort him, and shew him her secrets.
For planting a firm Resolution in us to endeavor the performance of those duties, whereto our Apostle in this place exhorts us: It is an Excellent motive which another Heathen Philosopher, Musonius, a Greek, as I take it, commended See A. Gellius lib. 16. cap. 1. to his Scholars, (and Cato urged the same to his Souldiers at Numantia:) If (saith he) you bestow your pains in the studie of virtue and goodnesse, the pains will go away as fast as they come, but the vertue or goodnesse will [Page 3488] abide with you: But if you take delight or pleasure in that which is evil, the pleasure will vanish, the evill will habituate it self, and incorporate it self in your nature, from which it may be more easily repelled, then ejected after it hath taken ☞ possession.
Now to review honest pains or labors past, is a thing grateful to our memorie; a good fruit in it self of labors past, if they were not otherwise fruitful. But the regretting remembrance of time mis-spent in the pursuit of fruitless or unlawful pleasures, is irksome, is tedious, is loathsome, even to corrupted nature. Thus far and further some of the Heathens did run parallel with our Apostle in this place. What manner of men then may we think these Philosophers would have proved as well in practise as speculation; if their speculations had been seasoned or ballanced (as ours are) either with the certain hope of everlasting life by perseverance in well-doing, or with fear of an everlasting death for continuance in doing evill? And yet we say that even the best works, the best endeavors and speculations of these Heathens, were but splendida peccata, more neat and handsome sins. God grant that most of our own works or speculations may prove much better.
6. Whilest I compare the industrie of these Heathen Philosophers, in imploying those poor Talents which were bestowed upon them, with the sluggish and decrepit temper of this age, wherein the plentiful revelation of Divine truth, to them unknown, becomes but barren: methinks the Epigrammatists Case might be a fit Emblem for the world as it stood affected, whilest civilitie and good literature were but young, and as it is now disposed, whilest it hath all experience and helps of former ages. The Tenor of the Epigrammatist's complaint was thus.
Whilest I was young and able to enjoy the contentments which wealth affords, my fortunes were mean, and my estate but poor: But now wealth is fallen upon me when I have one foot in the grave, and know no use of it: So that in both ages, in both Fortunes I am a miserable man.
But why the revelations of Divine Truth are so plentiful in this dull, this old and sleepie age of the world, which will not make right use of them, when as they were so rare and scant in those times and Nations which in all humane probabilitie would have used them much better: this is a depth or Abyssus which may not be dived into. Only this we are bound to believe in General; that the only wise immortal God, whose Judgments are unsearchable, and his wayes past finding out, hath reasons in themselves most iust, though known to himself alone, why he thus dispenseth his blessings: and such reasons as shall appear not only most just, but most admirable unto us, when we shall know, as we are known.
7. If in the mean time our Consciences tell us, that we our selves; or common report informs us, that many of our brethren fall short, not of our calling only, but even of those Heathers in the knowledge or practise of many Our fruitlesness in Holiness to be imputed only to our own ill use of the Talent of Grace given us. moral duties required of both; let us not make the final Resolution of this defect into the Eternal and Irresistible Decree, or into the want of means of Grace for doing either better or less amiss, then we do. For even those Heathens which had not half the ordinary means, nor any portion of these special gifts which we have received, did much better then most of us do. Oh say not! oh think not! That even this want of Grace, or neglect, or ill imployment of those talents which God hath given us, are to be imputed either to Adam's Fall, or our pollution in him. Adam's Fall indeed was the only Cause why we [Page 3489] stood in need of Grace or means extraordinary for our recovery: but neither His Fall, nor any Preterition of our persons or individuals which have fallen in him, are either the only or the principal cause, why we are destitute of that measure of Grace, which is not, but should be in us; or of our present unbelief or misbelief.
The true Cause of all these, is, Our non-imployment, or misimployment of our Talent, which we have received in Baptism; or our abuse of that favour or mercie which God for his part in Baptism sincerely hath plighted unto us.
But now that we have not only shamefully broke, but almost perpetually broken That Vow which we made to God in Baptism, are we in the same estate that Adam was? Or is this Covenant no better then that which God made with him? Yes: He had no promise of being renewed by repentance, if he should fall from His first estate. The first Covenant being once broken was not to be renewed, but a second to come in its place; And into this Covenant we entred by Baptism. And though the Sacrament of Baptism or the visible sign of it may not be iterated, yet the Astipulation or answer of a good conscience to God may and ought to be renewed, and at no time more fitly or opportunely then at the receiving of the Sacrament of Christs body and blood.
One special Use of this Sacrament in the primitive Church (in the times of persecution) was to resume or ratifie the Vow made in Baptism, as appears by Plinie the second, who had the Christians in Bithynia in examination upon Plin Epist. lib. 10. Ep. 97. the meaning or intent of this Sacrament. For the very name of it was suspitious to the Roman State. And that very Preparation which is required of all which mean to be partakers of the Sacrament may be reduced to these Three Heads.
First, To arraign, accuse and judge our selves, for our former frequent neglect of our Vow in Baptism.
Secondly, To request Absolution and pardon of God, which no man humbly Three Heads of preparation to the holy Sacrament. and seriously doth, but he solemnly promiseth amendment of what is past.
Thirdly, To implore the special aid or assistance of Gods Spirit for better performance of our Vow and of what we now promise. And all this only for the merits of Christ, and through the efficacy of his Body and Blood. I will conclude with that of the Psalmist. Vovete, & vota reddite Jehovae.
CHAP. XX.
—21. For the end of those things is Death.
—23. For the wages of sin is Death.
The first and second Death Both literally meant, The wages of Sin. Both described, Both compared, and shewed, How and wherein [Page 3490] the Second Death exceeds the First. The greater deprivation of Good, the worse and more unwelcom death is. Every member of the Bodie, every facultie of the Soul the Seat and Subject of the Second Death. A Map and Scale: The Surface and Soliditie, of the Second Death. Pain improved, by inlarging the capacitie of the Patient, and by intending or advancing the activitie of the Agent. Three Dimensions of the second Death: 1. Intensiveness. 2. Duration. 3. Un-intermitting Continuation of Torment Poena Damni & Sensus, Terms Co-incident. Pains of the Damned Essential and Accidental. Just to punish momentanie sin with pain eternal. The reflection and revolution of thoughts upon the sinners folly, The Worm of Conscience.
1. DEath and life have the same Seat and Subject. Nothing dieth unless it first live: and Death in the General is An Extinction of life. Death in Scripture is two Wayes taken.
First, For bodily Death, which is the First Death.
Secondly, For the Death of both Body and Soul, which is called the Second Death.
Both are here literally meant, both are the wages of sin.
The former Death is common to all; excepting such of the Godly as shall be found alive at Christs coming to Judgment; they shall not die but be changed.
First then of bodily death; and secondly of supernatural or the second death, Of Bodily Death or the First Death. and wherein it exceedeth the first death.
The Opposition between Bodily Death and Bodily Life is meerly Privative; such as is between light and darkness, or between sight and blindness. And this death must be distinguished according to the degrees of life of which it is the Privation.
Of life the degrees be three. The First of meer Vegetables, as of trees, of plants, of herbs, or whatsoever is capable of growth or nourishment. The Second is of Creatures indued with sense. The third is the life of man, who besides sense, is endued with reason. The reasonable life includes the sensitive, as the sensitive doth the life vegetable. Whatsoever bodily creature is endowed with reason is likewise endowed with sense. But many things which are endowed with sense are uncapable of reason. And again, what Creature soever it be which is partaker of the life sensitive, is partaker likewise of Vegetation, of growth or nourishment. But many things which are nourished and grow, as trees, herbs, plants, grass and corn, are uncapable of the life sensitive; and yet even these are said to die, as they properly do when their nutriment fails. But albeit the first beginning of mans life in the womb be only vegetative, not sensible or reasonable, yet no man dieth according to this kind of death only. For such as fall into an Atrophie (which is a kind of death or privation of the nutritive facultie;) yet are they not to be accounted as dead so long as they have the use of any sense, no nor after they be deprived of all outward senses: so long as their hearts do move, or their lungs send out breath. So that the bodily death of man includes a privation of sense and motion. This difference again may be observed in the degrees of bodily death.
[Page 3491] 2. Trees and vegetables alwayes die without pain, so do not man and beast. For that both of them are endowed with sense and motion, both of them are capable of pain. And pain if it be continued and extream drawes sensitive death after it. Nor can this death approach or finde entrance into the seat of life but by pain. And in as much as this kind of life is sweet, death which is the deprivation of it, is alwayes unpleasant and terrible unto man; not only in respect of the pain which ushers it in, but in respect of the loss of vitall sweetness which it brings with it. The pains of dying may be as great in beasts as in man; so is not the loss of that goodness which is conteined in life; for reasonless creatures perceive it not. A memorie they have of pains past, a sense or feeling of pains present, and a fear of death, when it approacheth. But no fore-thought or reckoning of what followes after death. This is proper to the reasonable creature. Now this Fore-thought of what may follow after, makes death more bitter to man, then it can be to reasonless creatures. And amongst men, the more or greater the contentments of life have been, and the better they are provided for the continual supply of such contentments, the more grievous is the conceipt or fore-thought of death natural unto them. The summons of death are usually more unwelcome to a man in perfect health, then to a crased body. So it is to a man of wealth and credit, more then to one of a forlorn estate or broken fortunes. So ☜ saith Ecclesiasticus, Chap. 41. 1. O death! how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his Possessions? unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath prosperitie in all things? yea, unto him that is yet able to receive meat?
Yet is not the loss of life, of sense, or the foregoing of worldly contentments the only cause why men naturally fear death. For though it deprive them of all these, yet doth not the death of man consist in this deprivation. The body loseth all these by the divorce which death makes betwixt it and the soul. But seeing the substance of the soul still remains: the greatest fear which can possess a natural man, is the future doubtful estate of the soul after this dissolution. Many which never hoped or expected any Re-union or second marriage between the soul and body, after death had once divorced them, had yet a true Notion that the soul did not die with the body: and out of this conceipt some were more afraid of death then any brutish or reasonless creature can be.
Some other few became as desirous of it, as Prisoners, which hope to scape, are of a Gaol deliverie; and thought it a great freedom (especially in their discontented Desire of death or self Homicide melancholy passion) to have the keyes of this mortal prison in their own keeping, to be able to let their souls and life out at their pleasure. But though it be universally true, that the corruptible body during the time of this life, is but a walking prison, or moveable Cage unto the immortal soul; yet the soul being long accustomed to this prison, doth naturally chuse to continue in it still, rather then to be uncertain, whither to repair after it go hence.
That some Heathens have taken upon them to let their souls out of their bodies before the time appointed by course of nature, or doom given upon them by their supream Judge: This was but such a delusion of Sathan, as one man somtimes in malice puts upon another. For so oftimes a secret enemie or false friend hath perswaded others to break the prison whereto they were upon presumption rather then on evidence of any notorious fact committed, ☜ to make them by this means unquestionably lyable unto the punishment of death, which without such an escape they might have escaped. For [Page 3492] any man wittingly and willingly to separate the soul and body which God hath joyned, is A damnable presumption, an usurpation of Gods own office or Authoritie.
To sollicit or sue for a divorce betwixt them is not safe for any, save only for such as have Good Assurance or probable hopes, that when they are dissolved they shall be with Christ. Now the souls of such as die in him, have no desire to return unto the former prison of the body. But such as have not in this life been espoused unto him, would chuse rather to remain in, or to return unto, their former prison, then to be held in custody by their spiritual enemies. Their estate for the present is worse then the sufferance of bodily death: being charged, both with perpetual sufferance, and expectation to suffer the second death.
3. And this death differs more from the First death then inter numerandum; Of the second Death wherein it exceeds the First. that is, more then in order of accompt, or rank of place. What then is not the second death a privation of life? Yes; it is all this, and somewhat more besides. Every vice includes a privation of the contrary vertue, and is a great deal worse then want of vertue. So every sickness includes a privation of some branch of health, and is much worse then a Neutralitie, or middle temper (if any such there be) between health and sickness. So doth the Second death include an extream contrarietie to life and all the contentments of it. Blindness is a meer privation of sight; and the eye which cannot see is dead in respect of this branch of life, and this death or deprivation of this sense is only matter of losse. The eye or subject of sight (oft-times) after the loss of sight, suffers no pain; no more doth the ear after it becomes deaf: nor the sense of feeling after it be numm'd. A man stricken with the palsie feels no smart in that part which it possesseth. Whilest any part of our body is sensible of pain, it is an argument that it is yet alive, not quite dead: And yet is all pain rather a branch of death, then of life. For much better it were to die the first death then to live continually in deadly pain. No man but would be willing to loose a tooth, rather then to have it perpetually tormented with the tooth-ach. Now the second death is no other then a perpetual living unto deadly pain or torture.
Bodily death, or not being, is not so much worse then life natural with all its contentments, as the second death is worse then the First, or the bodily pains which can accompany it. The parts or branches of the first death are altogether as many as the parts of life natural. The seat or subject of the second death is larger. There is no member of the body or facultie of the soul, whether sensitive or rational, which becomes not the seat or subject of the second death. As this death is the wages of sin, so it is for Extention commensurable unto the body of sin. Now there is no part or facultie in man which in this life hath been free from sin: And whatsoever part or facultie hath in this life been polluted with sin, becomes the seat & dwelling place of the second death: Wheresoever sin did enter, it did enter but as an Harbinger to take up so many several Roomes for that death. Who is he that can say, that lust hath not sometimes entred in at the eye? that the seeds of lust, of Envy, of murther, ☞ and of other sins have not taken possession of the ear; that his tongue or tast hath not given entertainment to ryot gluttony and excesse in meat and drink? That his sense of smell hath not been sometimes a pander to these and the like Exorbitances? And the other fifth or grosse sense of Touch is as the common bed of sin; for it spreads it self throughout all the rest, and is the foundation of every other external sense.
4. To give you then a true map of the second death, and more then a Map of it, [Page 3493] or of their estate that are subject unto it, we cannot exhibit. The Map with the true scale for measuring the Region of death with the miserable estate of its inhabitants, is thus.
Nature and common Experience afford us These general un-erring Rules.
That, all pain and grief are improved by one of these two means; or by A double Reason of the vehemency of pain or torment in the second death. both.
As First, by enlarging the capacitie of every sense or facultie which is capable of pain or discontent. Secondly, by the vehemency or violence of the object or agent which makes the impression upon the passive sense or capacitie.
One and the same Agent, aswell for qualitie, as for intention of its active force, doth not make the same impression upon different subjects though both capable of impression. As one and the same flame and steam of fire hath not one and the same effect on iron, steel, and wax; though all of them be in the same distance from it. Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recipientis: How powerful soever any Agent be, the Patient can receive or retein no more of its power then it is capable of. Again; how capable soever the Patient be of any violent impression: yet the capacitie of it, is not filled unlesse the force of the Agent be proportionable unto it. And though it be able to receive never so much; yet it is true again, Nihil dat quod non habet, nec plus dat quam habet: No creature, no Agent whatsoever, can bestow any greater measure whether of good or evil, whether of pain or pleasure, then is conteined within the sphere of its activitie.
From these unquestionable Principles this Universal Conclusion will undoubtedly follow: That all excesse, or full measure of pain, of grief, or woe, of every branch of malum poenae, must amount from the improved capacitie of the sense or facultie, which receives impression, and from the strength and potencie of the Object which makes the impression.
5. There is no humane body which is not by nature capable of the Gout; yet such as are accustomed to courser fare, to moderate dyet, and hard labour, are lesse capable of this disease then such as cherish and pamper the sense of taste and touching. What is the reason? Daintiness of diet improves the capacitie of the sense of feeling, and makes it more tender, and so more apt to receive the impression of noisom humours, and the same daintiness or excesse of delicate fare, is more apt and forcible to breed plentie of forcible and peircing humours, then courser fare or moderate dyet is. For the same reason, he, whose sense of smelling, or tast, is by natural disposition of Bodie or by accustomance, more subtle or accurate, will be more offended with loathsome smells and nastie food, then he which hath the same senses, by a natural disposition, more dull, or more dis-used from delicate odours, or daintie meats. And a musical ear accustomed to melodious consorts, will be more displeased with jarring or discording sounds, then he which hath the same sense of hearing unpolished by Art, or accustomed to ruder noises. The more accurate a mans sight is by natural disposition, or the more insight a man hath in the Art of limning or painting, or the more accustomed he is to view fresh colours and proportions, the more impatient he is to behold unsightly Objects or deformed prospects. And according to the increase of unsightliness or ugliness in the object, his offence, or grief doth still grow and increase. The Rule then is general, That the discontent, the grief or pain of every one of the five outward senses, still accrues from the capacitie or aptitude of the sense to receive ingrateful impressions: And from the potencie or efficacie of the Agent to make such impressions.
[Page 3494] The same Rule holds as true in our internal faculties or senses. A man by natural disposition of immoderate appetite for meat and drink is far more tormented with the same want of them, then a moderate or less greedie appetite is. And this sense, which is none of the five, hath this peculiar propertie, that it is tormented with its own Capacitie, without any agent or object to inflict pain upon it. The meer want of food is more grievous to it, then any positive pain that can befal it, by any external Agents.
To a man (again) of a curious Phansie or accurate Judgment, an ignorant or slovenly discourse, is more unpleasant, then to an illiterate man; or to one of duller capacitie for wit.
To an ambitious or popular man, the least touch of dis-esteem or jealousie of dis-respect, is more bitter then an open affront or disgrace unto an honest upright heart which looks no way but one, to that which leads to truth and honestie. And he that labors to improve this appetite of honor or popular esteem, doth but sollicit the multiplication of his own woes. For seeing Honor est in Honorante, honor is seated in them that do the honor, not in them that are honored; seeing popular applause depends upon the breath of the multitude; the man that sets his mind upon it, doth but as one that exposeth his naked body to the lash or scourge, or at the best to others courtesie. A man that much mindeth his gain, and hath his senses exercised in cunning bargainings, takes the loss of opportunitie or fair advantage to increase his wealth, more deeply to heart, then another man whose mind is weaned from the world doth his very want or penury. So that, though the want or loss of the one be much greater then the others: yet the Capacitie of his appetite or desire of gain is much less, and therefore no way so apt to receive the impression of discontentment or grief from the same occurrences or occasions which torment the other.
6. Now to put all these together; Let us suppose one and the same man to be immoderately desirous of worldly honors and riches: And by this means of an extraordinary Capacitie for receiving all those parts of grief or sorrow, which can accrue from loss of goods, from contempt, disgrace and scorn; and yet withall, as capable of, and as much inclined to, all the pleasures of bodily senses, whereby his Capacitie of pain or torture may be improved to the uttermost. Let us also suppose or imagine the same man to be daily exposed to all the temptations, to all the vexations that his bodily senses or internal faculties are capable of, from the occurrences or impressions of objects most ingrateful; as to be daily cheated, daily disgraced, to have his eyes filled with ghastly sights, his ears with hideous noises, his smell cloyed with loathsome savours, and his tast vexed with bitter and unpleasant meats, or rather poison which cannot be digested; and his sense of touch daily infested with deadly pain; his appetite of meat and drink daily tormented with hunger and thirst: ☞ And from a man in this woful estate and piteous plight, we may take the surface or first dimension of the second death, but not the Thicknesse or Soliditie of it.
That we must gather thus; first by Negatives. How capable soever a mans bodily senses may be of pain or pleasure, or his internal faculties of joy or sorrow: yet it is Generally true in this life; Vehemens sensibile corrumpit sensum: The vehemencie or excessive strength of the Agent or sensible Object doth corrupt or dead the sense. Huge noises, though in their nature not hideous, or for qualitie not displeasing, will breed a deafness in the ear. And though light be the most grateful object that the eye can behold: yet the too much gazing upon it, or the admission of too much of it into the eye will [Page 3495] strike it with blindness. Long accustomance unto daintie meats doth dull the taste and take away the appetite. Likewise too much cold, or too much heat, doth either dissolve or benumme the sense of feeling: and a man may loose not the smelling onely, but even the common sense, or Animal Facultie by strong perfumes, much more by loathsome and abominable smels. There is not one of the five outward senses, but if its proper object be too violent, or too vehement, may let in death to all the rest. A man may be killed without a wound; either at the eye, or at the ear; at the nose, or at the mouth: so he may be by the sense of hunger or thirst, without any weapon or poison, only by meer want of food. The Gangrene (or other like disease which works only upon the sense of touch or feeling) brings many to an end without any forraign enemie. Some have died a miserable death by close imprisonment in a nastie prison, without violence to any other sense save only to the sense of smelling. Many have died of surfets, though of delicate, and in their kind, wholsome meats. Regulus that famous Romane Senator did die as miserable a death, as his enemies could devise against him, without any other instrument of crueltie, besides the force or strength of the most grateful object, which the eye can behold; that is, of the sun: unto whose splendent beams his eyes were exposed without the mask or shelter of his ey lids, which his cruell enemies (for increasing his pain and lingring torture) had cut off.
Others again, which wanted no contentment either of the outward or internal senses, have died through meer grief and sorrow, first conceived, either from losse of goods or friends; or for fear of disgrace and shame; and some through excessive and suddain joy. So that in this life, it is universally true, and undoubtedly experienced in all the bodily senses; and most other faculties of the soul: Nullum violentum est Perpetuum. There is no grief, no pain or sorrow, whether inflicted by external Agents; or whether it breeds within us, or be hatched by the reflection of our own thoughts upon others wrongs, or our own oversights or misdeeds; but if it be violent, or excessive, it becomes like a raging flame, which both devours the subject whereon it exerciseth its efficacie, and puts an end to its own Being, by destroying that fuel which fed it.
7. This then is the propertie of the second death, and the miserable condition of such as must receive the wages of sin; That after the Resurrection The duration or Eternity of the second death and pains of it. of the body; the capacitie, aswell of the bodily senses, as of other faculties, are so far improved, so far inlarged; that no extremity of any external Agent, no virulency of any disease which breeds within them, no strength of imagination or Reflection upon what they have in time past foolishly done, or what they suffer for the present, or may justly fear hereafter, can either dissolve or weaken their passive capacities or strength to indure the like. Every facultie becomes more durable then an Anvil to receive all the blows that can be fastned upon them, and all the impressions how violent soever which in this life would in an instant dissolve or dead them. So that the second death, as is said before, is a life or vivacitie continually to sustain deadly pains.
The Dimensions of this death may be deduced to these three heads.
First to the intensiveness of the pain or grief, which is more extream then any man in this life can suffer, because the capacities of every sense or passive facultie are in a manner infinitely inlarged; and so is the strength or violence of external Agents, and the sting of conscience or perplexed thoughts wonderfully increased.
[Page 3496] Secondly, to the duration of all those punishments, for it is a death everlasting.
Lastly to the uncessant perpetuitie of these everlasting pains; for they are not inflicted by fits, but without all intermission though but for a moment. There is not an ill day and a good, not an ill hour and a good, not an ill minute and a good, not an ill moment and a good, in hell; All times are extreamly evil; varietie of torments breed no ease. Thus much appeared by the Parable of the rich glutton, who could not obtain so much of Abraham as a drop of water to cool his tongue; which if it had been granted could not have effected any intermission or intercision of pain, nor any abatement, for the present, which would not have inraged the flame as much in the next moment. So that such as suffer the second death know not how to ask any thing for their good, because indeed nothing can do them any good, but all things, even their own wishes conspire unto their harme, and increase their wo and miserie.
8. Some, taking occasion from this Parable have moved a question, not much necessarie; whether the fire of hell be material fire or no; that is, such as may palpably or visibly scorch the body, and torment the outward senses. Sometimes this fire is described by a flame, as in the Parable of the rich glutton; sometimes by the blackness of darkness, as in Saint Jude. It is not the flame or visibilitie of this fire which argues it to be material; the flame is least material in our fire. And palpable it may be, though not visible; But with this question I will not meddle, being impossible to be determined without sight or experience, which God grant we never have. It shall suffice therefore in brief to shew, how this fire, or rather the pains of the second death are decyphered or displayed in Scripture.
Now, As the joyes of Heaven are set forth unto us under such Emblemes or representations, as are visible or known unto us; and yet we do not beleive that they are formally or properly such as these shadows or pictures represent, but rather eminently contain the greatest joyes that by these representations we can conceive or imagine: So we are bound to beleive, That the pains of Hell, are at least, either properly and formally such as the Scripture describes See M Mede, on Pro. 21. 16 of the valley of Rephaim. them to be, or more extream and violent, then if they were such as the characters which the holy Ghost hath put upon them, do without Metaphor import or signifie. More extream they are then flesh and blood in this life could endure for a minute; For as flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven: so neither can they endure or inherit the kingdom of Satan: there must be a change of this corruptible nature before it be capable of these everlasting pains. So much the description of it in holy Scripture doth import.
The first, and that a Terrible description of it, is, Esai. 30. 33. Tophet is ordained of old, yea for the King it is prepared; the pile thereof is fire and much [...], the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it. The like, but more terrible hath Saint John, Rev. 20. 10. The Divel that deceived them was cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone, where the Beast and the false Prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever: and as he adds ver. 14. This lake of fire is the second death. And Saint Jude tels us that, The destruction, of Sodom and Gommorrah, and the cities about them, is set forth as an example, or type of this eternal fire; that is, such fearful torments as that people suffered for a moment, the damned shall suffer in hell eternally. The ruines of Sodom and Gomorah, and the dead sea or brimstone Lake, wherein, neither fish nor other creature liveth, was [Page 3497] left unto all future ages, to serve as a map or picture of that lake of fire and brimstone which Saint Iohn mentions, that is, of Hell. Now the very steam of such a Lake would stifle or torment flesh and blood to death in a moment; the outward senses are not capable of its first impressions.
9. Some School-men have moved A more pertinent Question, whether this punishment of sense (which (or the instrumental mean of which) is thus described unto us, by a Lake of fire and brimstone) be greater or lesse then the Poena damni; that is, Whether their imprisonment or confinement to Hell, and their subjection to tormenting Fiends, be worse then their Exclusion out of Heaven, and the perpetual loss of Gods joyful presence. The most Resolve; That Poena damni, the loss of Gods presence is of the two, the worse. And certain it is, that it cannot be less; seeing, that, Everlasting Life, which is The Gift of God, and Crown of holiness, is, at the least, so much better, as the second death or pains of hell are worse, then this mortal life. But, if I mistake not, the Members of this Distinction concerning the punishment Poena damni & Sensus Terms subordinate. of losse, and the punishment of sense by pain, are not altogether Opposite, but Co-incident, The very conceit or remembrance of this infinite loss, and of their folly in procuring it, cannot but breed an insufferable measure of grief and sorrow unto the damned, which will be fully equivalent to all their bodily pain. And this fretting remembrance, and perpetual reflection upon the folly of their former wayes, is, as I take it, That Worm of Conscience that never dies. But of this hereafter.
The miserable estate of the damned, or such as shall suffer the second death, may be reduced to these two Heads: to Punishment Essential, or to Punishment Accidental or concomitant. The Essential Punishment comprehends both Poena damni, and Poena sensus: The positive pains of that brimstone Lake, and the Worm of Conscience which gnaweth upon their souls. The Punishment Accidental or concomitant, is that Loathsomnesse of the Region or place wherein they are tormented, and of their Companions in these torments.
In this life, that Saying is generally true:
it is alwayes some comfort to have Consorts in our pain or distress. But this Saying is out of date in the Region of death; the more there be that suffer these pains, the less comfort there is to every one in particular. For there is no concord or consort, but perpetual discord, which is alwayes so much greater, by how much the parties discording are more in number: And to live in continual discord, though with but some few, is a kind of Hell on earth. And thus much in brief of the second death, wherein it exceeds the First.
10. If any one that shall read this should but suspect or fear that God had inevitably ordained him unto this death, or created him to no better end then to the day of wrath: This very cogitation could not but much abate his ☜ love towards God, Whom no man can truly love, unless he be first perswaded, That God is good and loving, not towards his Elect only, but toward all men, towards himself in particular. But this opinion of Absolute Reprobation, or ordination to the day of wrath, I pray may never enter into any mans brains.
But flesh and blood, though not polluted with this Opinion, will, if not repine and murmur, yet perhaps demur a while upon another Point more questionable, to wit; How it may stand with the Justice of the most righteous Judge [Page 3498] to recompence the pleasures of sin in this life, which is but short, with such exquisite and everlasting torments in the life to come: Specially seeing the pleasures of sin are but transient, neither enjoyed nor pursued but by interposed Fits, whereas the torments of that Lake are uncessantly perpetual, and admit no intermission.
The usual Answer to this Quaere is: That every sin deserves a punishment infinite, as being committed against an infinite Majestie. But seeing this answer hath no Ground or warrant from the Rule of Faith, in which neither the Maxim it self is expresly contained, nor can it be deduced thence by any good Consequence; we may examine it by the Rule of Reason. Now by the Rule of Reason and proportion, the punishment due to offences as committed against an infinite Majestie; should not be punishment infinite for time and duration, but infinite for qualitie or extremitie of pain whiles it continues. If every minute of sinful pleasures in this world should be recompenced with a thousand years of Hell-pains, this might seem rigorous and harsh to be conceived of him, that is, as infinite in Goodness as in Greatness, as full of Mercie as of Majestie. But whatsoever our thoughts or wayes be, his wayes we know are equal and just; most equal, not in themselves only, but even unto such as in sobrietie of spirit consider them.
But wherein doth the equalitie of his wayes or justice appear, when he recompenceth the momentany pleasures of sin with such unspeakable everlasting torments? It appears in this: That he sentenceth no creatures unto such endlesse pains, but only such as he had first ordained unto an endlesse life: so much See Chap. 4: § 15: And Attrib: 1: part: p: 219. & 2 part: p: 27. better at least then this bodily and mortal life, as the second death is worse then it. Adam had an immortal life (as a pledge or earnest of an eternal life) in possession; and had not lost it either for himself or us, if he had not wilfully declined unto the wayes of death, of which the righteous Judge had fore-warned him. Now when life and death are so set before us, as that Hold is given us of life; to recompence the wilful choice of death with death it self, this is most equal and just. And if the righteous Lord had sentenced our first Parents unto the second death immediately upon their first transgression, his sentence had been but just and equal; their destruction had been from themselves. Yet, as all this had been no more then just, so it had been less then justice moderated, or rather over-ruled by mercie. Now instead of executing justice upon our first Parents, the righteous Lord did immediately promise a gratious redemption: and as one of the Antients said, Foelix peccatum quod talem meruit Redemptorem, it was a happy sin which gave occasion of the promise of such a Redeemer.
11. But did this extraordinary mercy promised to Adam extend it self to all? or to Adam only? or to some few that should proceed from him? Our publick Liturgie, our Articles of Religion, and other Acts of our Church, extend it See Chapt: 4 § 12. to Adam and to all that came after him. But how the Nations whom God as yet hath not called unto the light of his Gospel, or whose fore-elders he did not call unto the knowledge of his Laws given unto Israel; how either Fathers or Children came to forsake the mercies wherein the whole humane nature in our first Parents was interested, is, A Secret known to God, and not fit to be disputed in particular. This we are sure of in the General, That God did not forsake them, till they had forsaken their own mercies. But for our selves; All of us have been by Baptism re-ordained unto a better estate then Adam lost: Now, if upon our first, second, third, or fourth open breach or wilful contempt of our Vow in Baptism, the Lord had sentenced us unto everlasting death, or given Satan a Commission or warrant to pay us the [Page 3499] wages of sin, this had been but just and right; his wayes in this, had been equal, because our wayes were so unequal. But now he hath so long time spared us, and given us so large a time of repentance, seeking to win us unto his love by many blessings and favours bestowed upon us: This (as the Apostle speakes) is the riches of his bountie; certainly exceeding great mercy, much greater then justice; even mercy triumphing against judgment. Now if after all this, we shall continue to provoke him, and defer our repentance, turning his Grace into wantonness, making the plentifulness of his word the nurse and fuel of Schism and faction, no judgement can be too great, no pain too grievous, either for Qualitie or for Continuance.
12. The Doctrine of such Catechists as would perswade or occasion men Possibilitie repentance. to suspect, that God hath not yet mercy in store, or that there is no possibilitie for all that hear the word, to repent, to beleive, and be saved; whatsoever it do to the Authors and followers of it in this life, it shall in the life to come appear even to such as perish to have been erroneons. For, one special branch of their punishment, and that wherein the punishment of such as hear the word and repent not, doth specially exceed the punishment of the Heathen or infidels, shall be their continual cogitation, how possible it was for them to have repented: How possible for them? how much more possible for them then for infidels to have been saved. The bodily pains of Hell fire shall be (as is probable) equal to all; but the worm of Conscience, which is no other then Worm of conscience. the reflection of their thoughts upon their madness in following the pleasures of sin, and neglecting the promises of Grace, shall be more grievous to impenitent Christians.
A true Scale or scantling of these torments we may take from the consideration how apt we are to grieve at our extraordinarie folly or Retchlesness in this life; whether that have turned to the prejudice of our temporal estate, of our health, or bodily life, of our credit or good name. There is not a man on earth but if he would enter into his own heart, might find that he had many times committed greater folly then Esau did, when he sold his Birth-right for a messe of pottage. He set his Birth-right (that is his Interest in the Land of Canaan) on sale, without the hazard of that inheritance which God had elswhere provided for him; for he became Lord of Mount Seir. He did not contract for his own imprisonment or captivitie: but we daily set Heaven to sale, and hazard our everlasting exclusion from Gods presence, for toyes less worth, at least less necessarie for us, then bodily meat was for Esau in his hunger. And yet by such foolish bargains we enter a Covenant with death, and contract, (though not expressly, yet implicitely) for an everlasting inheritance in Hell. Now unto such as thus live and die without repentance, the most cruell torments that can be imagined, cannot be so grievous, as the continual cogitation, how they did bind themselves (without any necessitie laid upon them) to receive the wages of sin, by receiving such base earnest as in this life was given them.
13. A more exact Scale of the reward for this their folly; we have in Two Fictions of the Heathen, The one is That of Sisyphus his uncessant labour, in rolling a huge stone, which still turns upon him with greater force. The other is of Prometheus, whose Liver (as they imagined) was continually gnawen upon by a vultur or Cormorant without wasting the substance of it, or deading its capacitie of pain. The continuall reflection, of such as perish, upon their former folly, is as the rolling of Sisyphus's stone, a grievous labour, a perpetual torment, still resumed by them, but still more and more in vain; for no sorrow bringeth forth repentance there. And every [Page 3500] such Reflection or Revolution of their thoughts upon their former wayes, is The gnawing of the worm of Conscience, more grievous by much unto their souls, then if a vultur should so continually gnaw their hearts.
CHAP. XXI.
But now ye have your fruit unto Holiness, and the end everlasting life.
The Gift of God is Eternall Life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Eternal Life Compared with this present Life: The several Tenures of Both. The method proposed: The instabilitie of this present Life. The contentments of it short: and the capacities of man, to injoy such contentments as this life affords, narrower. In the life to come the capacitie of every facultie shall be inlarged, some senses shall receive their former contentments only Eminenter; as if one should receive the weight in Gold for dross. Some Formaliter. Joy Essential and Joy Accidental.
1. THe Point remaining is, that, This Eternal Life which is the Crown of Holiness, is so much better then this present life, and its best contentments, as the second death is worse then this present life, however taken at the best or worst. Now both sorts of life and death may be compared either in respect of their proper qualitie or of their Duration. That, in respect of Duration or continuance, this good and happy life, which is the Crown of Holiness, and that miserable death, which is the wages of sin, are equall, no Christian may deny, may suspect; for both are endless. That this life was endless, that such as are once possessed of it, shall never be dispossessed of it, even Origen and his followers did never question, who not withstanding did deny, that this death which was opposed unto it was absolutely endless, though in Scripture often said to be everlasting: For That in their interpretation was no more then to be of exceeding long continuance. But this Heresie hath been long buried in the Church; and his sin be upon him that shall seek to revive it.
The Method then which we mean to observe is this:
First to set forth the excellencie of everlasting life in respect of this life present.
Secondly to unfold the Reasons, why neither the hope of everlasting life, nor the fear of an endless miserable death do sway so much with most Christians, as in reason they ought, either for deterring them from the fruitless service of sin, or for incouraging them to proceed in holy and godly courses, whose end is everlasting life. In this later we shall take occasion [Page 3501] to unfold the Fallacies or Sophisms which Satan in his temptations puts upon us, with some brief rules or directions how to avoid them. A work questionless of much use and fruit, though handled by a few, either so seriously or so largely as the matter requires.
In comparing this life with the life to come, we are in the first place to set forth the different Tenures of them. Secondly, to compare the several joys or contentments.
2. This present life even at the best is in comparison but a kind of death. For as the Heathen Philosopher had observed, it is alwayes in fluxu, like a stream or current, it runs as fast from us as it comes unto us. That part of our life which is past (saith Seneca) is, as it were, resigned up to death; That part which is yet to come, is not yet ours, nor can we make any sure reckoning of it. That part which we account as present, is equally divided between death and us: Not unconsonantly to that of David, Psalm 103. 15. The dayes of man are but as grasse; He flourisheth as a Flour of the Field. As soon as the wind goeth over it, it is gone, &c. Or to that of Job; Man that is born of a woman, is of few dayes and full of trouble: he cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down, he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not. The Addition or Comment upon this, in our Liturgie, is, That in the midst of life we be in death; that is, we die as fast as we live. The first part of our life is the beginning of our death; and death it self differs from life, but as the Point doth from the Line which it terminates, or as the line doth from the surface, or the surface from the body whose surface it is. Mors ultima line a rerum est. The whole course of our life is full of interpunctions, or Commaes; death is but the Period or full point.
Take it at the very best, it is in respect of true life or stedfast Being, but as the Reflex or Image of a star in a flowing stream. The seat or subject of life doth not continue the same it was, no not for a moment; it is but one by continuation, or fresh supply of the like; As an Army is said to be the same which consists of the like number of men, though most of the Commanders Coel Rodigin. lib. 8. cap. 2. & lib. 25. cap. 1 and Souldiers of the first levie be slain. So Darius the Persian had a Legion which they called Immortal; because it was continually supplied with the like number of new Souldiers, when the old ones failed. For the same reason, some have compared the life of man unto a Lamp, which burneth so long as it hath supply of oyl, but is presently extinguished when the oyl doth fail. And indeed as the oyl and light is to the Lamp, wherein the one is contained, the other shineth; so is the natural heat and moisture unto the soul, especially as to life sensitive. But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, our souls shall then be in our glorified bodies, as light is in the stars, in their proper sphere. Our life shall be one and the same, not by continuation or succession of bodily parts. So as this first life, and that other life which we expect, differ for their Tenure and manner, as the representation or figure of the Sun in the water, and the Sun in its sphere. The Tenure of the one is fluent and transitory, The Tenure of the other is solid and permanent. And proportionable to this difference of their Tenures or durations, are the different joyes or contentments. If all the possible contentments in this life (suppose they were far more in number then they are) were put together, they could not equalize the Contentments of one minute in the life to come. The unsatisfaction of our desires in the Contentments of this present life.
3. Our desires in this life are vast, and our capacities to enjoy the good of what we desire but narrow and slender. They consort no better than a decrepit gluttons eye or appetite with his digestive facultie. Now it is a miserie [Page 3502] to have vast or strong desires, and not to be able to give them satisfaction; most miserable to take those courses which exclude them from possibilitie of satisfaction. Hence an Heathen Philosopher took the want or Emptinesse of this miserie to be the compleat Sphere of true happinesse: and out of this conceit defined a happy man, briefly this: Beatus est qui vivit ut vult: He is happy or blessed which hath all the contentments that he desires or wishes. But, St. Austine tells us that another Heathen (whom he names not, but whose saying he often applauds) corrected this Definition thus; Beatus est qui vivit ut vult, modo nihil velit quod non debet: He is a happy man that See Book 10. Chap. 17. hath all that he desireth; so he desire nothing but what he ought to desire. And certain it is, that the former Definition without this Correction, comes far short of that true happiness, which is contained in everlasting life, or which all men by nature confusedly desire. For a man in this life may have every thing which in this life his heart desires, and yet not have his hearts desire. The hearts desire is True Happiness. This no man can have in this life: nor doth the meer natural man find the way or entrance to it. See Christs Answer to Johns Disciples. pag. 17.
Solomon had tried as great varietie of particular contentments as any man living can project unto himself: and yet after long experience of every particular that he could propose unto himself, gives up this general verdict, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity, and vexation of mind. Yet is this vanitie seated in the unsetled and fluctuant desires of man; not in the things themselves which he desires; for these have their right Use, so they be referred to their proper End, which is no other then true happiness; and no man can have his hearts desire until his heart do pitch and settle on this, as its Center.
Hence some would Define True happiness to be Plenitudo desideriorum: the full satisfaction of our desires. This all seek after without cessation; and some print, some Sent or rellish of it, we find in most desires of it. Somewhat there is in the right use of every Creature, which would lead us the right way unto it, did we not run Counter, striving to make up a full measure of joy by the abundant fruition of these materials wherein we delight. Whereas the delight and contentment which we find in any Creatures should turn our thoughts from them unto the inexhaustible fountain whence all the goodness that we find in them or in our selves, is derived. The neerer we draw to him, the neerer we are to true happiness: truly happy we cannot be until we enjoy his presence. Irrequietum est cor nostrum ad te Domine, donec quiescat in te. Our hearts are restless in the pursuit of happiness, until they rest in thee, O Lord.
4. The first step to happiness which we can make, is, to be perswaded, That true happinesse cannot in this life be obtained. Our Senses are uncapable of the Accidental joyes or concomitant glory which attend this happiness. And our Reasonable Soul, how magnificently soever Philosophers speak of its nature, is more uncapable of Essential joy and happiness; That consists in the Fruition or enjoyment of the Divine Nature, which is, Happiness it self.
All the Contentments of this life will serve to no other use then to be as a Foyl to set forth the happinesse of the life to come. All the Contentments possible of this life are entertained either by our bodily Senses, or by the internal faculties of our Souls. Now by the discovery of the imperfections of such Contentments, we may ascend by degrees to some competent Scale or view for discovering the perfection of Joyes in the Life to come.
The imperfection of all Contentments incident to this life, discovers it self these Two Wayes.
[Page 3503] First, The several capacities are too narrow and feeble in themselves to give entertainment to a