an ansvver to a book set forth by sir edward peyton, knight and baronet carrying this title a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture necessary to be used in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament / by rodger cocks ... cocks, roger, fl. 1630-1642. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a33596 of text r13366 in the english short title catalog (wing c4874). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 38 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a33596 wing c4874 estc r13366 12594017 ocm 12594017 64002 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a33596) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 64002) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 251:e141, no 12) an ansvver to a book set forth by sir edward peyton, knight and baronet carrying this title a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture necessary to be used in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament / by rodger cocks ... cocks, roger, fl. 1630-1642. [2], 22 p. printed for nath. butter, london : 1642. reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng peyton, edward, -sir, 1588?-1657. -discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture necessary to be used in taking bread and wine at the sacrament. sacraments -early works to 1800. a33596 r13366 (wing c4874). civilwar no an ansvver to a book set forth by sir edward peyton, knight and baronet, carrying this title, a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the pos cocks, roger 1642 7074 0 20 0 0 0 0 28 c the rate of 28 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the c category of texts with between 10 and 35 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-07 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-07 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-10 celeste ng sampled and proofread 2006-10 celeste ng text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an answer to a book set forth by sir edward peyton , knight and baronet , carrying this title , a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture , necessary to be used , in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament . by roger cocks , preacher of gods word . quàm diu per hanc lineam serram reciprocabimus , habentes observationem inveteratam , quae praeveniendo statum fecit ? hanc si nulla scriptura determinavit , certè consuetudo corroboravit . tertul. de coron . militis , cap. 3. ad quam fortè ecclesiam veneris , eius morem serva , si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo , nec quenquam tibi . sententia ambros. in aug. ut ipse refert , epist. 118. cap. 2. london , printed for nath. butter . 1642. scribimus indocti , doctique . pamphlets , like wild geese , fly up and downe in flocks about the countrey . never was more writing , or lesse matter . that of the preacher , if ever it did reflect on any , may fitly suit with our times . there is no end of making many books . a for in many , in most , there is no end indeed ; nay , there is neither beginning nor ending ; that is , neither head nor foot , as it is in the proverb . i will not absolutely rank yours in the number of these , yet i conceive ( and many , i presume , will be of my opinion ) you should have shewne more wisdome , if you had taken lesse paines , and spared your discourse . for though i commend your moderation , in not being affected with the epidemicall disease of the times , railing , yet i cannot approve your discretion , in acting that upon the publique stage of printing , which might have passed better by private intercourse of writing . i was once about to have answered your discourse with nothing but silence , ( if so be that might have been reputed an answer ) and to this the perswasion of some friends had almost induced me , as well because the sleighting of some wrong , is the best way to overcome them , as because it is not an easie matrer for a practicall divine on the sudden to turne polemicall . but i was diverted from these ( to my thinking ) by stronger considerations : as first , the giving of occasion unto the adverse side , to insult and triumph ; and next to ours , the scandall of deserting my selfe ; and which is more , the publique cause of the church , at which ( it is plain ) you strike , though through the sides of me , an unworthy member of it . over-swaid by these , i thought it better to shew my selfe ( is the times now are ) a foole in print among the rest , then that the truth should suffer by my default , or that your pretending to invincible , unanswerable arguments , should conduce to the offending of others . before i enter upon your book , i cannot passe by the title ; as a man that is to survey some new building , ere he enter the house , will cast his eye upon the portal . now this ( me thinks ) is not given with that advisednesse of judgement that should have been , for you call it a discourse concerning the fitnesse of the posture , necessary to be used , in taking the bread and wine at the sacrament . had you left out [ necessary , ] it would have been a great deale better ; for you change a matter of indifferencie , into a matter of necessity . you cannot ( or at least , writing of that subject , ought not to ) be ignorant , that ceremonies , in their owne nature are but {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , indifferent things ; your postures therefore being not yet enjoyned by authority , cannot be necessary . but a rough outside may have a smooth inside , and a jewell is not alwayes knowne by the case or casket that doth enclose it ; i will therefore come to the discourse it selfe . and this is composed in the forme of a letter , i must therefore shape my answer accordingly ; onely i will adde a superscription , lest i should not seeme to deale with a man of your fashion as i ought to doe . to sir edward peyton , knight and baronet . but i pray give me leave to close it up with that wish of philip , a king of macedon , to menecrates , an over-weening physitian , health of mind . the reason that induceth me to this , is , because the elapsed time you speak of , hath brought forth the foule issue of a collapsed disposition , which ( as you would seeme to pretend ) my rudenesse hath made abortive , and caused it to come into the world before the time : but the truth is , ( for so much i have heard you affirme your selfe ) it was conceived many yeares before , though perhaps not altogether in the same shape it is produced . who advisedly considering this will not argue you of much weaknesse , for being grounded in your opinion ? why did you so often before take the sacrament kneeling without question or scruple , if it were a matter against conscience so to doe ? if it were not , why doe you now refuse it ? i refer my selfe to the indifferent reader , if in this you doe not render your selfe suspected to side more with the times then with the truth . but to proceed . in the first place ( though an easie apprehension may conceive it an impertinent introduction ) you taxe my defect of manners : indeed i was never bred in the schoole of complements , and may therefore haply commit a solecisme against ceremonious forme , but here ( i presume ) i may justly acquit my selfe . the irreverence was on your part , the affront on mine , i did but my duty , which you answered with indignity , and for my beseeching , returned a threatning . as for the satisfaction which you would seeme to have desired , you know well that i was not chiefe in the place , but ( as you acknowledge me your self ) subordinate , curate . therefore you should rather have sought it at his hands who was chiefe , especially being there resident , then at mine , and i make no doubt , he would upon the least intimation of this desire from you ( so well i know his willingnesse and sufficiencie ) have given you ( if any thing could have done it ) satisfaction . howbeit , had you requested as much of me ( for it hath never been my custome to obtrude my labours upon another , especially where i had just cause to suspect the party possest with a prejudicate opinion , and so the matter in all likelyhood , to meete with derision instead of acceptation ) i should as far as my meane ability , and my many occasions and interruptions would have given me leave , have done what i could . let the discreet reader now judge , whether there were more want of manners in me for not writing , or of civility in you , for taxing me in this kind . next , you affirme , that being to receive the sacrament , you did stand , with just ground , and therefore i should not have denyed it unto you in that posture . i answer , you are no pythagoras , or if you were , i am none of your disciples , to be satisfied with an ipse dixit . who of sound judgment will not think that i was tyed in duty to comply rather with publique authority , then with your private , singular , irregular opinion : and whereas you say , i ought not to urge an imposed kneeling , though backt by the authority of the ordinary , the bishop , the canon , because it is not confirmed by act of parliament ; i answer , first , that your inference is not good : are all things unlawfull , that are not confirmed by act of parliament ? surely then many indifferent actions must needs be unlawfully performed ; hath the king , hath the church no authority in these things ? what then shall become of government , if there be no parliament ? but it may be you desire such a time as the israelites had when there was no king in israel , but every man did that which was right in his own eyes . b secondly , i answer , that your assertion is not true , there is an act of parliament for that and other ceremonies , entituled , an act for the uniformity of common prayer , and prefixt as an introduction to the service booke ; but i beleeve you have taken little notice of it , because you are not much affected to the booke it selfe . againe , whereas you say , kneeling is not commanded in the rubrique : surely you doe but take the matter upon trust , and that hath deceived you ; for the words are plaine , that the receiver must take the sacrament kneeling . i will repeat them , that the truth may the better appeare : then shall the minister first receive in both kindes himselfe , and next deliver it to other ministers , if any be present , and after to the people in their hands , kneeling . what can be more plaine ? certainly , if you did not take the matter upon trust ( as i said before ) it must needs be , that either you did not looke so far , or over-looke it . your disallowing of the canon cannot make it of no validity ; for it is confirmed by the king , whom we acknowledge supreame , in causes as well ecclesiasticall as civill ; yea the power thereof is further ratified by a clause mentioned in the latter part of the act made for the uniformity of common prayer ; this three-fold cord then cannot be broken by you , strain a hard as you can . and yet let me advise you as a friend , not to strain too far , lest by this means you doe not onely forfeit your judgment , but your estate ; for the act being still in force , may lay hold upon you . but to follow you , ( as you proceed ) you urge us next ( as if we did we know not what ) with many demands , concerning the object you should kneel unto , and some of them very poore and ridiculous ; you cannot ( without much prejudice to your own judgment ) conceive us to be so simple as to require you to kneele to the creature , whether it be the minister or the sacrament ; but what that should be which may hinder you from kneeling unto god , i am not ( i confesse ) quick sighted enough to perceive ; yes , say you , for if that be required , why did not the disciples kneele ? i answer , first , it is not of absolute necessity that wee should in all things imitate the disciples ; next i affirme , that with all the skill you have , you cannot clearly and fully determine whether they did kneele or no . touching the forme of administration , what if we shall affirme ( for all your negative ) that part of it is a prayer ? i doubt not we shall make it good well enough , doe you your selfe examine it a little better , and you cannot ( if you will confesse a truth ) but conclude it to be so ; i will repeat the former part ( for that only is materiall to the purpurpose ) the body of our lord iesus christ which was given for thee , preserve thy body and soule into everlasting life . the later part is by you vainly added , for who did ever conceive that to be a prayer ? but if it be a prayer , say you , the words should run thus , i pray god to preserve thy body and soule to eternall life . why so ? i see no such necessity . is not that of the apostle paul to timothy , c the lord give thee understanding in all things , a prayer for timothy ? because he doth not say , i pray the lord to give thee understanding in all things . consider what i say , and the lord give you a better understanding . nor is it convenient ( for all your cavill ) that the minister should kneele at the time of administration , though the receiver doe , seeing the former subordinately under christ our saviour , imparts the blessing ; the latter takes it ministerially from him . suppose the king ( nay , let it be some vice-gerent , or generall under him ) be to bestow the order of knight-hood , because he must kneele that takes the honour , must he doe so that gives it ? or , to come neerer to the present question , consider this in matter of ordination , for though it be no sacrament , it is a holy action : because he must kneele who receives orders , must he doe so that doth ordaine him ? who sees not the manifest absurdity of this consequence ? it is sufficient that the minister himselfe receiving first , according to appointment , doe take the sacrament upon his knees . and why ( i pray you ) may you not kneele to christ , when you receive ? what necessity is there that your kneeling to him should make him to be corporally present in the sacrament , when you take the holy communion , more then he is at other times , when you pray unto him ? my lord of yorke ( and it is much that you should vouchsafe to give him that title ) confesseth no such thing as you quote him for ; yea , in the page following , he is directly against you : for he affirmes out of approved authors , that it is a matter of conveniencie for every countrey to use such ceremonies as they shal think fit . d your proposition that we ought to follow christ in all things , is too generall ; s. augustine will tell you otherwise , and so will all other orthodoxe divines ; they will affirme we ought not to imitate him in his miracles , but in his morals ; for though the one may entitle us to obedience , the other cannot acquit us from presumption . in the next place you come upon me like a fencer : but ( venia tua ) give me leave to tell you in a friendly manner , your venies are but triflings in a cause so serious ; i feare your sharp as little as your foils , for unlesse your weapons be ( and i hope they are not ) tincta lycambaeo sanguine , i see no great danger in them , an indifferent judgment may easily blunt their point , and turn their edge . howbeit , i thanke you for your friendly advertisement , for praemonitus praemunitus , forewarn'd forearm'd ; and however you may seeme to your selfe an iuvincible goliah , yet i a little david dare enter the lists with you . first , you make a flourish , not with a two-handed , but with a two-edged sword ; nay with that which is sharper then any two-edged sword , e the word of god : such a weapon , i grant , as being well handled , is not to be resisted ; but you doe onely flourish it , and make a shew of striking that which you doe not come neere . your argument runs thus , that gesture is best which was used by the apostles ; but the apostles used this gesture , therefore it is the best gesture . and here you fall into an error , for you doe not stand to your tackling , but goe from standing to sitting ; nay , you use the demonstrative this , before you mention sitting at all . for the confirmation of that which you would prove , you cite many texts of scripture ; among which , some are meerly impertinent , as belonging nothing to the discourse in hand , because they imply an imitation , not in ceremoniall , but morall duties : such are ephes. 5. 1. 1 cor. 11. 1. 1 tim. 16. you meane ( i conceive ) 1 tim. 1. 16. 2 thes. 3. 7. the other conduce not rightly to your purpose , though they seeme to come nearer . for however you make much adoe with the greek text , and latine translation , where ( by the way ) you have occubuit , for accubuit , which i am willing to passe by , because but a literall error , and conclude that the posture used was sitting , ( howbeit no direct sitting neither , but such an one as did encline to leaning ) yet i may say all this will not help you a jot : for we have two bucklers to oppose against this sharp of yours , ( as you call it ; ) the one , that all this proves nothing , but that our saviour christ and his apostles sate at the celebration of the passeover , not at the institution of the sacrament ; nor can you by direct and evident text of scripture urge it further , as some of the learned have judiciously observed , however others for want of a due consideration , have given too much way to your assertion . and surely if i among these should doe so too , yet it would fare with you , but as with him , qui suo se jugulat gladio , who striking fiercely at his adversary , wounds , yea kils his owne cause . your pretence is to plead for standing at the communion ; nay your offence was , ( howbeit scandalum acceptum non datum ) because you might not receive it in that posture ; and now you plead for sitting , nay affirme it is unlawfull to use other ; concluding it to be , not indifferent , but necessary . risum teneatis amici . surely when you wrote this discourse , you were either forgetfull of your former position , or irresolute in your present opinion ; so that if one proverb will not hit you , you are a man sitting duabus sellis , yet another may fit you , aliud stans , aliud sedens judicas , and thus you quite overthrow , what you seeke to establish ; for if sitting onely be necessary , i do not see how you can stand more for standing , then we for kneeling . your bringing in of calvin , makes nothing to the purpose ; he writes against adoring the host in the sacrament ; and what is that to our kneeling at the communion ? you might as well say , the papists kneel to images , and worship them , therefore we may not kneele to worship god . you presse further the sayings of bullinger and keckerman , who ( if you cite them rightly ) take that for granted , which remaines to be proved , namely , that sitting was the posture used at the sacramentall supper . indeed i should side with chemnitius in his opinion , that the reverence of the sacrament is to be taken from the word of god , if there were any prescript forme , or certaine direction to be found in it . as for that which you quote out of the centuries , namely , that kneeling was never used in three hundred yeares after christ ; were it true , ( which i shall hardly be induced to beleeve , without more pregnant testimony ) yet it is not of sufficient force to infringe the lawfull use of this ceremonie , no not though you could directly prove the apostles did receive sitting . for against this we lift up our second buckler of defence , which ( i conceive ) will be able to ward off the blow that you would give us , and that is this : in circumstantiall things which are indifferent , there is no absolute tye of necessity that we should follow our saviour christ and his apostles , much lesse the practise of the primitive church ; if there were any such necessity , why doe you not plead as well against the change of time and place , as that of gesture ? seeing you cannot be ignorant , that what the apostles took in the evening , we take in the morning ; what they received in a chamber , we receive in a church ; if the church had power to alter these , why should it not have as much to doe the other ? the instances which you produce for standing , ( were they to the purpose , as they are not ) would confirme as much . for if the church in those times had power to varie from the order of sitting , and make use of standing in the place of it , why had not the church afterward as much power to change that standing into kneeling ? but the truth is , the words of tertullian , as s. ierome f notes , have no reference to the sacrament , but to the resurrection : we stand then , saith the father , ( and it is not at the lords supper , but every lords day ) because it is tempus laetitiae , quo nec genua flectuntur , nec curvamur , sed cum domino ad coelorum alta sustollimur : a time of joy , in which we neither bow nor bend our knees , but are with the lord lifted up ( as it were ) to the highest heavens . so s. augustine , propter hoc jejunia relaxantur , & orantes stamus , quod est signum resurrectionis : g for this we give over fasting , and pray standing , which is a signe of the resurrection . the canon of the nicene councel is grounded meerly on the same reason , and so is also that which you cite out of s. basil . howbeit did all these make to your purpose , they would yet but make good what i said before , that the change of things indifferent is in the power of the church ; and if so , why should not that power be obeyed now as well as in former ages ? s. augustine is firme for it ; that is ( saith he ) to be accounted indifferent , and to be observed , in respect of the society of those among whom we live , quod neque contra fidem , neque contra bonos mores injungitur h : which being enjoyned , makes neither against faith , nor good manners . this truth the reformed churches in the low-countries doe acknowledge , i and beza likewise in his 24. epist. indeed if men should be suffered to doe what they list in this case , what would become of that which the apostle requires , k decencie and order ? surely it would breed in the church horribilem {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , saith paraeus l , a horrible confusion ; and from this confusion would arise no small seeds of contention , saith calvin in his institut . m i have cited these , because i conceive this testimony to be of more validity with you , then that of the fathers . but you goe about to make kneeling no matter of indifferencie , because it tends ( as you say ) to idolatry . what conformation hath kneeling , ( say you ) unlesse to conforme us to transubstantiation ? since you doe not know , i will tell you ; it serves to conforme you to reverence , to obedience , to order ; and i hope these are not transubstantiation . indeed could you prove what you pretend , that kneeling at the sacrament is idolatry , ( though that would not necessarily bring in standing ) you should doe something ; but the instances you produce for that purpose , are sleight and triviall . that which you alledge concerning a reason before the rubrique in the beginning of queene elizabeth is nothing probable ; we have but your bare word for it : i may therefore say as s. ierome doth in another case , pari facilitate rejicitur qua recipitur n : i may as easily reject it , as you obtrude it . the rest i omit , as not worth the answeriug ; and the rather , because you knit up afterward the full strength of all in an argument . onely i cannot passe by that speech of yours , it is an absurdity to kneele to christs humanity . it should seeme you doe not either remember or regard what the apostle saith , in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the god head bodily , o and shall we not worship that wherein dwels the fulnesse of the godhead ? doubtlesse we are to worship the humane nature with the divine , for our blessed saviour is not divided , p and we are to adore whole christ . i come now to your argument , which you frame in this manner : to bend the knee to a creature in divine worship , is idolatry ; but to bend the knee at the sacrament , is to bend the knee to a creature : ergo , to bend the knee at the sacrament is idolatry . in seeking to prove the major or proposition , you spend more time , more paine then needs . for as when one would have made , or did make a long oration in the praise of hercules , another did put him off with this short answer , what needs all this ? who ever went about to dispraise him ? so i may say to you , who among us did ever bend the knee in divine adoration to a meere creature ? therefore you might have omitted this as granted , and have prosecuted the proof of your minor or assumption , which how weakly & poorly you doe , when you come at it , will easily appeare upon a due examination of it . in the meane time , you urge some things by the way , at which we may take just exception ; as the definition of will-worship , {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , which you would fasten upon perkins , but unjustly ; for who of sound judgement would say , that will-worship is a worshipping of god , with the intention of the heart , and goes no farther ; how doth this distinguish it from true worship ? no , he affirms it to be when god is worshipped with a naked and bare good intention , not warranted by the word of god . againe , you seeke an utter extirpation of all tradition that is humane , wherein you deale with too much inhumanity against it : for it may no doubt in some kind be lawfull , usefull , so long as it doth not oppose gods word : nor doe any of the learned ( as far as i could ever reade ) deny it in this respect : even perkins himselfe doth in the place where you cite him , affirme as much : nor is it any pollution of gods worship , no addition or diminution of scripture , ( as you pretend ) to make use of an indifferent ceremonie . lastly , your implicite conclusion from the perfect example of our saviour christ , ( as you say ) doth make explicitely against your selfe ; for standing hath as little relation to sitting , as kneeling hath . you proceed now to the assumption , and seek to make good the proofe of it , because ( as you affirme , but you doe not , indeed you cannot confirme , it ) we reverence the actions , and the things in the sacrament more then we ought . in this you are quite mistaken , and cannot be thought to write well , ( though you applaud your self never so much in this worke ) because you distinguish no better : q for you confound using reverence in the actions , and of the actions , bowing the knee at the sacrament , and to the sacrament . your argument then is of no force , unlesse you can prove we worship the actions , or the bread and wine , which i am sure you will never be able to doe . but lest all this should not availe to take away kneeling , you urge an argument of bellarmines to doe that for you , which you cannot doe for your selfe : it should seeme the sword of the scriture failing you , you are glad to borrow a weapon from your adversarie , and it is brandisht by you in this manner : if kneeling at the sacrament may be as the calvinists say , without sin , then it is not idolatry to kneele before images . to this i answer , first , that the case is not alike ; for the sacrament , though it be a representation , is not properly an image . besides , we may be without images , we must not be without the sacrament ; the one is peremtorily commanded , the other onely in some sense permitted . again , i answer , that to kneele before images is not simply in it selfe unlawfull , that is , as the act hath no relation to the image , no more then it is to kneele before a pewe , or a pillar ; for the command is not , that we should not bow before them , but bow to them . r as little availeable is your following reason , that we ought not to kneele , because the sacrament is {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} {non-roman} , a giving of thanks , and kneeling no fit gesture for thanksgiving . certainly you have little ground for this opinion ; for if thanksvc : \balbir\cptx\print\print\ing be a part of prayer , ( as who almost save your selfe will deny ? ) what fitter posture can there be for it then kneeling ? your instance of solomon makes little to the purpose ; for first , it is said , he made an end of praying ; secondly , that he stood to blesse the congregation : s so that it was not onely a thanksgiving unto god . and how unseemly it were in our publique prayers , when we are upon our knees , as soone as we come to a passage of thanksgiving , to start up suddenly upon our feet , let the reader judge . howbeit , if examples in this point may be availeable , it will be a matter of no great difficulty to produce some , who have kneeled in their giving of thanks . the apostle tels the philippians , that he thanks god upon every remembrance of them alwayes , in every prayer that he makes for them . t now it is not to be doubted , but in some of those prayers he was upon his knees . the samaritane leper when he was cured did expresse greater reverence ; he fell downe on his face at the feet of christ , and gave him thanks . u but what should i speak of these ? doe not the angels and the saints in heaven expresse their giving of thanks with all submission and reverence ? we know they doe , for so we read , w and if kneeling be fit to be used in prayer , it is so also in thanksgiving , for that is to be joyned with prayer . x continue in prayer , and watch in the same with thanksgiving , saith the apostle . besides , who will not confesse the gesture of kneeling in this action to be most becomming ? for if the israelites receiving onely a message of their corporall deliverance , by the ministery of moses , bowed their head and worshipped , y surely we have greater reason when we receive an undoubted pledge of our spirituall deliverance by the death and passion of our blessed saviour , to humble our selves to almighty god , and upon our knees to offer up the sacrifice of praise & thanksgiving . we know that men doe many times upon their knees receive temporall favours from the hands of mortall princes : without doubt then it will become us to receive with all submission and reverence , this spirituall favour from the hands of immortall god , the great king of kings . that epistle of s. aug. by you cited for the abolition of indifferent ceremonies , helps you little , unlesse you will say he doth ( which he doth not ) contradict what he had delivered in the epistle immediately going before : for there he gives this rule to ianuarius , nulla disciplina est in his melior gravi prudentique christiano , quàm ut eo modo agat , quo agere viderit ecclesiam , ad quamcunque forte devenerit . z in these things no discipline can be better for a grave and wise christian , then to demeane himself in that manner the church doth , to which it is his hap to come : and he confesses he tooke this rule from s. ambrose , tanquam à coelesti oraculo , as from some heavenly oracle . therefore if you would be indeed , as you desire to be accounted , a grave and wise christian , you must observe that discipline which is enjoyned by the church wherein you live . and indeed in that epistle you cite , he is so far from disallowing the rule before mentioned , that he doth highly commend it , affirming of it , that it is una & saluberrima regula retinenda , a the onely wholsome rule to be observed . your last argument to take away kneeling at the sacrament , is drawn from the avoiding of an inconvenience : it is ( say you ) an occasion of scandall and offence . i answer , the best actions may be so ; but then the offence is in those that take it , not in those that give it . but i would fain know of you , if sitting or standing should be substituted in the place of kneeling , ( for you seeme to be indifferent for either of these , and i think would not care what the posture were , so it were any other ) how these could be used without scandall . for i perswade my selfe , that as they would give more occasion of offence , so they would give occasion of offence to more then kneeling doth . in this the greater number sure will side with us . to say nothing , that whereas you can pretend onely the bond of charity , we have besides this the bond of duty , even the command of authority , which ( as beza observes ) doth impose a kind of necessity . b calvin also affirmes , that where the doctrine is sound and pure , and the ceremonies tend to a civill decencie and honesty , it is fit rather to submit unto them , then to dissent about them , c especially if the greater number carry it . now suppose all the congregations in the kingdome were united into one , and the matter were to goe by votes , i presume i may safely affirm , that where you have ten for sitting or standing severally , nay for both joyntly , we for kneeling shall have an hundred . this reason therefore of yours is of no validity , seeing scandall would not be lessened , but encreased by this meanes . you draw now to a conclusion ; and so would i too , for i am even wearied with following you in such a confused course , but that i meet with one thing which will detain me a while . indeede a good christian , nay a good subject , though a heathen , could not passe by it without offence : are the names of kings ( thinke you ) fit things to be plaid upon , or to be stigmatized by the pens of private persons ? if not , what meanes your new coind word carolicall ? minutius records of mercurius tresmegistus , that even the heathen , because he was a great philosopher , would not use his name without great reverence : is there not as much respect due to kings , as to philosophers ? suetonius reports of augustus caesar , he wrote to the senate of rome , to take order that his name might not absole fieri , be worn thread bare among the common people , by their frequent and triviall using of it ; and can our king then take it wel at your hands you should abuse his name , and that in so serious and weighty a matter as religion ? surely when i consider this , i cannot a little wonder at your inconsiderate boldnesse , nay , irreligious impietie . for if a subject may not revile his prince , no not in his thoughts , d much lesse is he to doe it in his words , especially in such as proceede not from suddain passion , but from mature deliberation , and being committed to the presse , are exposed to a publique view . i could never heare that his majesty is any way tainted in religion , you may justly be suspected , therefore i shall rether follow that church , which is ( if i may lawfully repeat the terme you use ) carolical , then that which is peytonicall , that is , rather the doctrine , and the discipline of the church of england , then the fancies and factions of some few sectaries , and schismaticks . and now i will shut up all with an inversion of your conclusion . seeing kneeling at the receiving of the sacrament , is in it selfe a ceremony that is indifferent ; seeing it is as judicious hooker terms it , the gesture of pietie ; e nay , as beza himselfe acknowledgeth , doth carry a shew of pious reverence ; f seeing it is enjoyned by authority , and that of the king , of the church , of the state ; seeing it is practised by the generality ; seeing it is refused only by some few out of singnlarity , qui nisi quod ipsi faciunt nihil rectum existimant , as saint aug. speaks , g who thinke nothing to be right but what they doe themselves , you ought not to require at my hands an administration of the sacramen unto you standing , or to be offended with me or any other , who ( rebus sic stantibus ) shall refuse to satisfie your desire , that he may comply with the authority of the church . mart. 15. 1642. imprimatur , tho : wykes . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a33596e-160 a eccles. 12. 12 b judg. 17. 6. c 2 tim. 2. 7. d pag. 133. e heb. 4. 12. f in epist ad ephes. g epist. 119. cap. 15. h 118. epist. cap. 2. i thes. belg. 3. art . 6. k 1 cor. 14. 40. l in rom. 14. 5 m li. 4. cap. 10 sect. 32. n cent. helvid . o colos. 2. 9. p 1 cor. 1. 13. q qui bene distinguit , bene direct . r exod. 20. 5. s 1 kings 8. 55. t philip . 3. 4. u luke 17. 16. w revel. 7. 11. & 11. 16. x colos. 4. 2. y exod. 4. 31. z epist. 118. cap. 2. a aug. epist. 119. cap. 18. b epist. 24. c epist. 254. d eccles. 10. 20. e ecclesiast . polit. lib. 5. f epist. 12. g epist. 118. cap. 2. a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment clearly demonstrating from our statute, common and canon laws, the bounden duty of ministers, & vicars of parish-churches, to administer the sacraments, as well as preach to their parishioners; with the legal remedies to reclaim them from, or punish and remove them for their wilfull obstinacy in denying the sacraments to them. by william prynne esq; a bencher of lincolns inne; to whom these quæres were newly propounded by some clients. prynne, william, 1600-1669. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a56177 of text r219602 in the english short title catalog (wing p3995). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 83 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 18 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a56177 wing p3995 estc r219602 99831061 99831061 35523 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a56177) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 35523) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 2038:29) a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment clearly demonstrating from our statute, common and canon laws, the bounden duty of ministers, & vicars of parish-churches, to administer the sacraments, as well as preach to their parishioners; with the legal remedies to reclaim them from, or punish and remove them for their wilfull obstinacy in denying the sacraments to them. by william prynne esq; a bencher of lincolns inne; to whom these quæres were newly propounded by some clients. prynne, william, 1600-1669. [2], 28, [2] p. printed by f.l., london : in the year, 1656. caption title on p. 1 reads: a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment, &c. running title reads: a legal resolution of two important quæres. reproduction of the original in the british library. eng church of england -clergy -early works to 1800. church of england -government -early works to 1800. sacraments -church of england -early works to 1800. a56177 r219602 (wing p3995). civilwar no a legal resolution of two important quæres of general present concernment. clearly demonstrating from our statute, common, and canon laws, t prynne, william 1656 14208 87 0 0 0 0 0 61 d the rate of 61 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the d category of texts with between 35 and 100 defects per 10,000 words. 2005-12 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-01 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-01 ali jakobson sampled and proofread 2007-01 ali jakobson text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a legal resolution of two important quaeres of general present concernment . clearly demonstrating from our statute , common , and canon laws , the bounden duty of ministers , & vicars of parish-churches , to administer the sacraments , as well as to preach to their parishioners ; with the legal remedies to reclaim them from , or punish and remove them for their wilfull obstinacy in denying the sacraments to them . by william prynne esq a bencher of lincolns inne ; to whom these quaeres were newly propounded by some clyents . august . contr ▪ cresconium grammaticum , l. 2. c. 10. christiana sane in vobis sacramenta cognosco , et in his illud quoque diversum improbo ac respuo , quod cum eadem etiam in schismate habea●● , eadem catholicis ex●fflatis . prorsus agnoscit in vobis ecclesia cuncta quae sua sunt , nec ideo non sunt ejus quia apud vos inveniuntur . apud vos quippe aliena sunt , sed cum vos correctos recipit cujus sunt , fiunt etiam salubriter vestra , quae perniciose habebatis aliena ▪ discordia vos possedit sub titulo pacis ; ergo , discordia pellatur , pax introducatur . london , printed by f. l. in the year , 1656. a legal resolution of two important quaeres of general present concernment , &c. the case and quaeres propounded . a. is presented , instituted , inducted to the vicaridge and parish church of b. having immediate and sole cure of souls ( the rectory being impropriate ) and receives the whole profits therof from the parishioners , to whom he usuall preacheth ; but yet ( after many freindly sollicitations and meetings ) peremtorily denieth publikely to administer the sacraments of the lords supper and baptism to the major part of the parishioners ; or to any of them , as his parishoners ; but only to some few in private , as members of his new-gathered congregation ; to the great discontent , grief , injury of the generality of the parishioners . who thereupon desire to be resolved , 1. whether a. their vicar , by the laws of england , accepting of this parochial vicaridge and cure , and receiving the profits thereof , be not in ●oint of right , justice , law , equity , ex officio mero , obliged duly to administer the sacraments publikely to the parishioners in the church , as fitting and formerly accustomed times , as well as to preach unto them , and that in proper person , if in health and required ? 2. whether the parishioners may not now legally prosecute a. for his obstinate peremptory refusal to administer the sacraments publikely , personally , and duly to them ? to what penalties a is lyable for this contemptuous neglect of h●s duty towards them ? and what legal course is best for the parishioners to prosecute for their just relief herein , in these distracted times ? the resolution returned to the propounded case , and quaeres . these quaeres being of great moment and universal concernment to all ministers , vicars , and parishioners throughout the nation ; & not debated to my knowledg in any printed law-books or reports , i shall be more copious in the resolution of them for my own satisfaction , as well as your resolution , whom they so much concern ; this being like to prove a leading case to many others in like condition . to your first question , i return this answer . 1. that it is the general received opinion , resolution of all * councils , fathers , canonists , casuists , schoolmen , divinis , antient or modern , papists or protestants , ( whether lutherans , calvinists , presbyterians , or independents ) i have seen ▪ and the expresse resolution of the church of england , both in antient & modern councils , synods , canons , injunctions , the book of ordination , common prayer , articles of religion , a. 23. 26. homilies , and late directory ; that all ministers , presbyters , priests , whatsoever , lawfully called and ordained , are by christs one gospel institution , specially ordained , injoyned , as well to administer the sacraments of baptism and the lords supper to the people , and parishioners committed to their charge , as to preach the gospel to , or catechise them , and that as an essential part of their ministerial function . which they at large evince from mat. 28. 19 , 20. mar. 14. 22 , &c c. 16. 15 , 16. luke 14. to . 25. c. 17. 37. 22. 1● . c. 24. 47 , john 3. 22 , 23. c. 4. 1 ▪ 2. acts 2. 41 , 42 , 46. c. 6 4. c. 8. 12 , 13 , 36 , 38. c. 10. 48. c. 16. 15. 33. c. 18. 8. c. 19. 4 , 5. c. 20. 7. 11. luke 12. 42. 43. 1 cor. 1. 14 , 15 , 16. c. 9. 11 ▪ to 15. c. 10. 16 , 22. c. 11. 20. ●● 34. c. 4. 1 , 2. rom. 12. 6 , 7 , 8. ephes. 4. 11 ▪ 12 , 13. tit. 1. 7 , 8 , 9. phil. 4 , 17 , gal. 3. 1 , 27. and * other texts . hence all the protestant princes , states , cities , and divines in germany , in their concordia pia , & confessio fidei & doctrinae , under all their hands and seals , printed lipsiae 1584 p. 188. define the ministers office ( commonly called sacerdotium by the papists ) to be ministerium verbi , of sacramentorum aliis porrigendorum : evangelical bishops and presbyters to be such , p. 39. quibussecundum evangelium , sou ut loqunntur de jure divin● , est commissum ministerium verbi et sacramentorum . and p. 15. artic. 14. de ordine ecclesiastico , docent quod nemo debeat in ecclesia publice docere aut sacramenta administrare , nisi ritè vocatus : who when thus duly called to the ministry , ought as well to administer the sacraments , as to preach to the people , as they there resolve , p. 316. and elswhere : with whom all other protestant churches accord , as you may read at large in the harmonie of confessions , sect. 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ▪ &c. this likewise is the resolution of our statutes of 50 e. 3 c. 5. 1 rich 2. c. 15. 31 h. 8. c. 14. 32. h. 8. c. 44. 33 h. 8. c. 32. 1 mariae ▪ c. 3. made in times of popery ; and of the statutes of 1 ed. 6. c. 1. 2 & 3 e. 6. c. 1. 5 & 6 e. 6. c. 1. 1 eliz. c. 2. 8 eliz. c. 1. 13 eliz. c. 12. ( made in times of reformation . ) that preists and ministers ought ex officio mero , to administer the sacraments , as well as preach to their people ; and thereupon these later statutes expresly stile all and every of them in particular , a priest or minister of gods holy word and sacraments , in the copulative ; because they are obliged to minister both of them unto their flocks upon all occasions , both by the laws of god , and the land , as they are ministers . 2ly , as they are parochial ministers , vicars , or incumbents of parish-churches , they are precisely , personally and indispensably obliged , * ex officio , of meer duty and right to administer the sacraments of the lords supper and baptism to all their parishioners ( who are legally qualified and desire the same ) publ●kely in the church at convenient seasons . this i shall clear , first from the very definition of a parish , and parish-church , to which they are presented , and then by direct statu tes and authorities . cardinal hostiensis in his summa , l. 3. tit. de parrochiis , panormitan in rubrica de parrochiis , petrus rebuffus de collationibus , p. 655 willielmus lyndewoode provinc . constit . l. 3. tit. de parrochiis , duarenus de beneficiis , & disputat . anniversaria , l. 1. c. 26. franciscus zerula praxis episcopalis , pars 1. tit. parochia . goffriàus abbas , tit. parrochi● , with sundry others , define a parish to be locus in quo degit populus certis finibus limitatus , et alicui ecclesiae deputatus . and a parish church to be , ecclesia quae habet parochiam ad ejus curam deputatam , ad quam convenit populus * ad recipienda sacramenta , et ad audienda sacra , et verbum dei , et rudimenta fidei , diebus sacris . which dr. iohn cowel in his interpreter , and iohn minshaw , in his guide unto tongues , in the word parish , thus second & english ; a parish in our common law , is the particular charge of a secular priest : and then subjoyn , a parochial church is that which is instituted for the saying of divine service , and ministring of the holy sacraments to the people dwelling within such a compass of ground near unto it . with them accords the book of mich. 34 e : 1. fitz. quare impedit 187. where they prove a church to be no chapel , but a parish church , because it had sepulture , baptism , and sacraments administred in it . and the statute of 32 h. 8. c. 32. for the church of whitegate to be made a parish of it self , and no part of the parish of over ; proves it to be a parish church antiently , from this very reason , because the inhabitants and tenants within such places and precincts , time out of mind , came and resorted to the said parish-church of whitegate , within which times they have continually received sacraments and sacramentals at and in the said church , and have continually used to marry , bury , and christen within the same . and the statute of 32 h. 8. c. 44. reduced the town of royston , belonging to 5 remote parish-churches , to one parish church new built i nt , because it was over-painfull ( especially to the impotent , sickly , and aged inhabitants ( to travel to those churches so remote , or any of them , to hear their divine service , and they could not have the sacraments and sacramentals to be ministred to them , according to the laudable custom of holy church , to their great perils and jeopardies , through the remoteness of these churches , and absence of their parsons and curates in such cases of necessity , when their presence o the comfort and consoliation of their parishioners , is most requisite and ●ehovefull . so that parish churches ( so stiled , because originally built by the patrons and parishioners for their ease , use , benefit , and the use of , and ast; seats in them are still in the patron & parish , who repair them ) were originally built and ast; consecrated , as well for the administration of sacraments in them , by their parish priests , parsons , and vicars , as for divine service , prayers and preaching ; of which the people cannot be deprived , without their great disconsolation , perils and jeopardies , as this paliament and statute resolve : to which the statute of 1 jacobi , ch. 30. for errecting a new church in melcombe regis , to be the parish church of radipol , &c ▪ might be added , to the like effect . this will be most apparent and irrefragable , by considering the office and duty of every parish-priest parson and vicar , and why he is stiled par●chial : he his stiled a parish-priest or minister , as duarenus and others forecited resolve , because he is specially obliged to preach , administer the sacraments , and perform all other duties belonging to a minister , to all and every inhabitant of that parish to whose church he is presented , instituted inducted ; and not to any others , but only voluntarily when he pleaseth , being married and espoused to that peculiar parish ; whence he is stiled * parochus , and the people parochia , by the canonists and lawyer ; a angelus de clavasio , and b franciscus zerula , thus describe the office of a parish-priest , or vicar . parochi officium est , primo praedicare : pueros rudimenta fidei et obedientian docere : vim , et usum sacramentorum exarare populo : oves sass agnoscere , et bono exemplo pascere ; sacramenta administrare , &c. c rebuffus thus seconds them . ecclesia parochialis dicitur beneficium saeculare et cum administratione , quia curatus tenetur ministrare sacramenta ecclesiastica , &c. aliaque opera parochianos tangentia , facere tenetur . and he is called an d incumbent , both by the common , and canon law , from the word incumbo , because he ought diligently and wholly to apply him self to discharge these his pastoral duties him●elf , 1 tim. 4. 15 , 16. acts 6. 4. this duty of administring the sacraments , as well as preaching , is so inseparably annexed to every parochial minister , vicar and incumbent , that e jacobus de graffiis , f jo. andreas , and other casuists , question , whether parochus potest assumere alium sacerdotem in adjutorem pro administranda eucharistia , vel in officio praedicandi , vel aliis ? resolving affirmatively , that he may , only for a season , when himself by reason of sickness , or multitude of the communicants , or other necessary occasions , is unable to discharge those duties in person , quia tunc necessitas legem non habet . non tamen possit per viam delegationis generalis committere alicui omnem suam curam , quia videretur se exonerare , cum tamen debeat per se exercere . with these canonists , the book of the consecration of our english ministers ; the homilies touching the use and administration of the sacraments ; the book of common prayer and administration of the sacraments , with the rubricks therein ; the articles of the church of england , artic. 23 , 26. confirmed by several protestant parliaments , the english * injunctions of h. 8 & qu. eliz. reformatio legum ecclesiasticarum , in king edward the 6. his reign , and the canons of k●ng james , and the convocation under him , can. 20 , 21 , 22 , 23. fully accord , injoyning all parsons , vicars , incumbents whatsoever , to administer baptism and the eucharist to their parishioners , at least * thrice every year in person ( which they used to administer ever● lords day to the people in the primitive church , as i have elsewhere prov'd at large ) as well as to preach , catechise , and read divine service to them . memorable is that passage in that pathetical exhortation prescribed by the church of england , in the b●ok of common prayer , to be used by all ministers when they shall see the people negligent to come to the ho●y communion , viz. when god calleth you , be you not ashamed to say , i will not come ? &c. i for my part am here pesent , and according to mine office , i bid you in the name of god , i call you in christs behalf , i exhort you as you love your own salvation , that ye will be partakers of this holy communion , &c. and whereas you offend god so sore in refusing this holy banquet , i admonish , exhort , and beseech you , that unto this unkindnesse you will not adde any more , which thing ye shall do , if ye stand by as gazers and lookers on them that do communicate , and be not partake●s of the same your self , &c. how many ministers now a days preach direct dehortations from the sacrament , pointblank against this exhortation and their t●●s , prescribed by god and christ himself , 1 cor. 11. 24 , 25. this do , as oft ( as ye do eat and drink ●t ) ●n remembrance of me , and no lesse than 5 acts of parliament , which thus back the premises . the statute of 1 e. 6 c. 1. in the very beginning of reformation , and yet in force , enacts , that the blessed sacrament be hereafter commonly delivered and ministred unto the people within the church of england and ireland , & other the kings dominions , under both the kinds of bread and wine ; that the people present shall receive the same with the priest which shall administer the sam● , who shall , at least one day before , exhort , all persons which shall be present , likewise to resort , and prepare themselves to receive the same : and when the day prefixed commeth , after a godly exhortation by the minister made , the said minister shall not without a lawfull cause deny the same to any person that will devoutly and humbly desire it ; any law , statute , ordinance , or custom to the contrary hereunto in any wise notwithst●nding . the statutes of 2 and 3 ed. 6. c. 1. 5. and 6 e. 6. c. 1. and 1 eliz. c. 2. enact and ordain ▪ that all and singular ministers in any cathedral or parish-church shall be bound to say and use the celebration of the lords supper , and administration of the sacrament of baptism , and of the lords supper , in such order and form as is mentioned in the book of common prayer ; and if any manner of parson , vicar , or other whatsoever minister that ought to mi●ister the sacraments shall refuse to minister the sacraments , in such cathedral or parish-church , or other places , as he should use to minister the same , in such order and form as they be mentioned and set forth in the said book : or shall wilfully and obstinately standing in the same , use any other rite , ceremony , order , form , or manner of administration of the sacraments , than is mentioned and set forth in the same book : that upon his lawfull conviction thereof , by verdict of 12 men , or by his own confession , or by notorious evidence of the fact , he shall lose and forfeit to the king , his heirs and successors , for his first offence , one whole years profit of his benefice , or spiritual promotion , and also suffer imprisonment for 6 months without bayl or main●rise ; and for his second offence , be ipso facto deprived of all his spiritual promotions , and likewise suffer one whole years imprisonment , and for his third offence , suffer imprisonment during life . the statute of 13 eliz. c. 12. enacts , that none shall be made minister , or admitted to preach or minister the sacraments , being under the age of 24 years . that every person admitted to any benefice with cure , shall publickly read the articles of religion in the same church whereof he shall have the cure , in the time of the common prayer there , with declaration of his unfeigned assent thereto , and be admitted to minister the sacraments within one year after his induction ; or else upon every such default , he shall be ipso facto immediately deprived , and there upon the patron prese●t a new incumbent . by all which * acts it is clearly resolved , that every parson , viccar , minister of a parochial church is admitted thereunto , as well to administer the sacraments as to preach , and peremptorily obliged , frequently , constantly to do it in person , as a principal duty of his function and pastoral cure , under pain of forfeiting of the profits of his benefice , imprisonment , and deprivation , for his contempt and neglect thereof , by these expresse statutes of our protestant parliaments , as well as by our canons , convocations , divines and the whole church of england . if any object , that these statutes are now abrogated , repealed by the ordinance of both houses , prescribing the use of the directory , in place of the book of common prayer and administration of the sacraments ; therfore ministers are not now obliged by them to administer the sacraments to their parishioners . to this i answer . 1. that no ordinance of parliament whatsoever ( especially to repeal and alter former acts of parliament ) can be made without the three fold consent of king , lords , and commons in parliament , an act and ordinance of parliament being all●ne , and requiring the self same treble consent in law , as i have irrefragably proved at large in my i●enarches redivivus printed anno 1648. against sir edward cooks and other mistakes in this point ; which threefold assent the objected ordinances wanting , are meer nullities in law , and can no waies repeal these forecited statutes , remaining still in their legal power . 2ly . admit these statutes repealed , or suspended by these ordinances , ( which i deny in point of law ) yet these very objected ordinances , and the directory it self , positively enjoyn all ministers and vicars , duly to administer the sacraments of the lords supper and baptism to all their parishioners ( duly prepared and qualified according to these ordinances ) as well as these statutes and the books of common prayer . therefore if these ordinances or the directory be still in force , they are bound by them to administer the sacraments to their parishioners ; but if they be grown out of date , and absolete , ( as the objectors and those of the congregational way believe , who will not submit unto them ) then the statutes pretended to be repealed by them , are again revived by their expiration , and so oblige them as firmly now as heretofore . 3. the administration of the sacrament being an * essential inseparable part of every ministers duty , who hath a parochial cure , or charge of souls , both by the law of god , and constitutions of our own and all other christian churches , as i have proved , admit these statutes all repealed , yet they are still obliged by their very office , and pastoral function , to administer the sacraments to their parishioners , and therefore liable to divine and humane punishments for contempt or neglect thereof . if any object in the second place , that they are now admitted to parochial cures , only to preach the gospel in their parish churches , but not to administer the sacraments to their parishioners , as formerly . i answer , 1. that if there be any such new forms of admissions and institutions used , they are meerly void in law by the expresse resolution of the statute of 13. eliz. c. 12. and the other forcited acts : and ministers thus admitted are but only bare lecturers , not parsons , vicars or incumbents by our laws , & so the church still void notwithstanding such admissions , which are only to one part of their ministerial function , not to all their spiritual cure ▪ 2ly . such admissions to cures are strange monstrous impostures , hypocritical delusions , yea grosse absurdities , execrable to god and all honest christian men ; enabling ministers to receive the whole tithes , dues of their parishioners , yet exempting them from the moity at least of their pastoral duties , to which the laws of god and the land oblige them . we lately decryed it as an impious solecism & excuse in our old lazy non-preaching parsons and vicars ; that they alleged , they were instituted only to read common p●ayers , homilies , and administer the sacraments ; but not to preach to their parishioners . in the bishop of * dunkelden , and other lordly prelats , that they were ordained bishops only to govern the church , confirm and ordain ministers , but not to preach or administer the sacraments : and shall we now after all our late pretences of reforming their abuses , and declamations against their idlenesse , admit our new parochial incumbents to plead they are only half-ministers ; bound solely to preach , but not to baptise , administer the lords supper , catechise , visit the sick marry , bury , as all their predecessors did ? if any gentlemans hired shepherd should neglect to fold his sheep , or look them out when stray'd , and then plead he was only bound by his office to feed , keep them in their pasture ; or if his hired cook should tell him , that as his cook , he is bound only to boyl , but not to rost his meat , or bake his venison ; or should his laundress affirm , she was hired only to m●ke his bed , and sweep his chamber , but not to wash his linnen , or starch his bands or cuffs ; or his groom maintain , he was by his place obliged only to dress his horses , & give them hay , but not to water or carry them their provender ; would not all deride these their absurd , irrational allegations , and their master cudgell them to the performance of all the parts of their respective duties , or else turn them presently out of service ? and will god or men then indure , that their ministers of the gospel ( especially when pretending extraordinary eminency , diligence and saintship above other of their brethren ) should thus juggle with them to their faces , as openly to affirm , they took the ●ole cure of their souls only to reap all their dues , tithes , and to feed them with gods word in the pulpit , ( of which the * unconverted , unbaptized heathens , are capable as well as christians : ) but not with christs sacramental body or bloud at the lords table ; whereto professed christians only have a right , 1 cor. 10. 16. to 20. c. 11. 22. to the end ? to instruct their aged ▪ but not baptize their infant , or catechize their younger parishioners ? yea , that they took upon them their pastoral cure only to shear their fleeces , but not to own them as any part of their church or ●lock , or discharge the duty of a pastor towards them , unlesse they will unmodel themselves from a parochial church , into a private congregational conventicle ? those who have hearts of * adamant , or faces of brasse , publikely to make such an untheological , irrational , illegal , unministerial plea as this , so diametrically contrary to the very essence of their pastoral function , duty , and to their painfull predecessors practices in all ages , churches ; to our blessed * saviours own prastice , precepts ; and his description of a true and good shepard : john 10 ( yea to the definition of a true * visible church , wherein the word of god is truly preeched , and the sacraments duly administred , ) may justly fear they are no true shepards , but rather theeves , robbers , hirelings ; because they withhold from their flocks the sacrament of their spiritual regeneration ; yea the body , bloud , cup of our lord jesus christ , the g chief shepard of the sheep , who bequeathed it to them as their chiefest legacy , at his death , though themselves stile and confesse them to be , the very * seals of the covenant of grace , which they hold forth unto them only as a blank without a seal , refusing to set these seals unto it , when importuned by their people , upon any terms , but conformity to their own new church-wayes , thereby making the very * sacrament of christian love and union , a meer seminary of schism , contention , division , separation . and because they entred not by the door into the sheepfold , that is by any legal form of admission to their whole pastoral cure , but climbed up some other new way , only to preach unto their people , rather as to a company of unconverted heathens , than a christian church , till new minted into a segregated congregation , ( collected out of sundry parishes though never so remote ) but not to give the sacraments to them upon any terms ; h which they ought to do , yet not to leave their preaching undone , which though it be the first and chiefest part of their ministry , yet it is not the quarter part of their pastoral function , as scriptures and our laws resolve . if a. object , that he hires another to baptize and give the lords supper sometimes to his parishioners , though he do it not himself , his judgement and conscience being to the contrary . i answer , 1. this is a clear confession , that it is a part of his own duty , else why should he hire another to discharge it in his stead ? 2. this proves the former objection ( that he was admitted only to preach ) a meer fiction . 3. if he refuse to do it himself , out of conscience , as a thing utterly unlawfull in his iudgement for him to administer unto his parishioners , whilest in a parochial way ; with what conscience can he hire another to do that in his behalf and right , which himself holds sinfull , unlawfull for himself to do ? doubtlesse a sincere purely tender conscience will never hire or authorize any other to discharge that office for him , which himself holds utterly unlawfull , unevangelicall , nor dare accept or retain a parochial cure upon any terms to gain the fleece so long as he disclaims the constitution as antichristian , and the flock as none of his pasture sheep . 4ly . such a poor tender conscience would rather resign its parochial charge , to avoid all appearance of evill , of scandal , and still the checks arising in it , that grieve the spirits , wound the consciences , or disquiet the peace of the generality of his parishioners , by the personal neglect of his duty , in not communicating with them at the font and lords table as his real flock , or as one speritual bread and body with them , as he ought to do . 1. cor. 10. 16 , 17. and that only upon this ground , because they will not conform to the new independent guarb against our lawes , for which they can produce no text , no colour of authority from scripture , antiquity , or reason , to warrant the seclusion of any from the sacraments that are under their parochial cure . 5ly . the discharge of this part of his duty by such a person , or in such a manner as gives no satisfaction to our lawes , nor his parishioners , is no satisfactory plea before gods or mans tribunal , since he can no more conscientiously or duly administer the sacraments , than the parishioners receive them , only by a substitute . yea , if it were no good excuse for our pluralists , or non-resident prelatical clergy-men heretofore , that they preached and discharged their ministerial function by their curates , their office being i personal and untransferrable to another , then by the selfsame reason , it can be no plea in law or conscience for this vicar , that be administers the sacraments to them only by another vicar ; especially when he doth it to his separate congregation by himself alone , and never by a proxy . 6ly . it it a strange plea to plead conscience against doing that expresse duty , which his very place and calling oblige him both in * conscience and justice to perform . such is the free admission of his parishioners to the lords supper . which christ himself , his apostles , christian ministers in all ages till this present , made conscience duly and diligently to administer to the people , exhorting them frequently to receive the same . i suppose mr. john humfrey his treatises of free admission unto the lords supper , his rejoinder to dr. drake , and john timson his bar removed , will rectifie his conscience , and remove this bar , if perused by him . to your 2 quaere i answer , 1. it is a principle in divine , civil , canon , and common law , & in the gospel too , beneficium propter officium ; that every minister or person who enters into , & reaps the benefit of any office or function , ouhght coscentiously to perform all the duties of his ministry and function , and addict himself fully and personally to discharge them , as luk. 12. 42 , 43. rom. 12. 7. 1 cor. 4. 1 , 2. 2 cor. 4. 1 , 2. & 6. 3 , 11 , 12. 1 cor. 9. 7 , to 13. eph. 4. 12 , 13. col. 4. 17. 1 tim. 4. 15. c. 3. 1 , 2 , 3. 2 tim. 4. 1 , 2 , 5. tit. 1. 7. 2 pet. 1. 12 , 13. compared with luk. 10. 7. 1 tim. 5. 17 , 18. rom. 15. 27. gal. 6. 6. 2 thes. 3. 10. resolve . 2ly . that it is a maxime in law , k that the grant of every office to any person for life or in fee , hath this tacit condition annexed to it by the very law it self , without any special words or condition of the grantor , that the grantee shall well and truly perform his office , execute that which to such office belongeth to be done , and attend upon it ; or otherwise , that he shall forfeit the same : and that it shall be lawful for the grantor or his heirs , to out him of his office , and grant it to another who will more faithfully discharge it . littleton puts the case of a parker , steward , constable , bedelary , baylywick ; and he adds other offices , &c. which extend to ecclesiastical , as well as temporal offices . i shall illustrate it by some few unprinted records . claus. 6. e. 1. m. 1. earl waren camerarius scaccarii ( which office he had leave to execute by deputy ) forfeited his office by the default and negligence of his deputy . claus. 17. e. 2. dors. 31. the marshal's office of england was seised as forfeited by the judges of the king's bench , because he had not one to attend there for him : after which , he was fined at 200 l. and upon promise of better attendance , restored . clause 33. e. 3. m. 33. the king sends a writ to the high-sheriff of cambridge , de subvicecomite amovendo , & aliena substituendo , because he misdemeaned himself in his office , was a person of ill fame , a cozener , one that had two names . claus. 4. e. 1. m. 5. claus. 15. e. 1. m. 4 , 8 , 9. claus. 16. e. 1. m. 2. claus. 17. e. 1. m. 2 , 3. claus. 25. e. 1. dors. 13. claus. 31. e. 1. m. 1. i finde l several writs to remove coroners from their offices , and to elect new in their places , because they could not , or did not attend upon their offices , or were sick , deaf , or unable to discharge them , though elected onely by the county in their couny-court . and if temporal offices have such a condition in law annexed to them , and are forfeited by the non-performance of them , and all the duties belonging to them ; much more then spiritual , which concern mens souls . 3. every person who sustains any considerable prejudice or damage by the wilful negligence , non-performance or mis-performance of any m sheriffs , bayliffs , escheators , guardian , attorny , viteler , hostler , smith , physitian , chirurgion , carpenter , mason , or other officer , or person intrusted by , or set over him ; may have a legal action or remedy against them at the common law , by an action of the case , or otherwise , wherein he shall recover damages : which law holds in spiritual and ecclesiastical offices . littleton is express , sect. 136 , 137. that if a man give lands in frankalmoigne to an abbot , prior , or any other man of religion , or holy church ; or to a parson of a church and his successors , to have onely divine and spiritual services done for him ; if they afterwards will not do , or fail to do such divine services ; if the services be not put in certainty , the lord may complain thereof to their lord or visitor , praying him that he will lay some punishment or correction for this , and also provide that such negligence be no more done ; and the ordinary or visitor of right are to do this : but if the divine service be in certain to be done , as to sing a mass , placebo , or dirge , &c. on some set-day of the week or year ; the lord , if such divine service be not done , may enter and distrain them to do it ; or else detain the lands , as forfeited , and n escheated to him by the non-performance of the divine service . these generals premised , i conceive the grieved parishioners may relieve themselves , and either reclaim or remove their vicar , if obstinate , by these legal proceedings , at the common law , ( which must be as just and equal to right the parishioners against their vicar for detaining their spiritual food and duties from them , as to help the vicar to recover his tythes and duties from them , when injuriously detained ; else it should be either very partial or defective ) there being now no ecclesiastical court , jurisdiction or commission extant , wherein or whereby to right them . 1. they may once more in a christian friendly manner ( for i would have no violent courses used , if christian intercessions may prevail ) repair to their vicar before the first lord's day of the next month ( and so in succeeding months ) and importune him to deliver the sacrament to such of them publickly in the parish-church , as he cannot charge with any scandal or ignorance , and to baptize their children at cording to his duty , else to resign his place to such a godly minister as will constantly do it : and if he peremptorily and frowardly deny to do either , or to allow such other able minister as the parishioners shall make choice of to perform these duties to them , they may then o publickly indict him for it upon the statutes of 1 e. 6. c. 1. and 1 eliz. c. 2. and upon the second conviction , he is ipso facto deprived of all his spiritual promotions , and his vicaredge , and the patron may present another . 2. they may all , after such refusal , joyntly detain their tythes and duties demanded by him as their vicar , because by his own confession he was never legally instituted to discharge all the duties of an incumbent , according to 13 eliz. c. 12. and disclaims to own them as his proper flock and cure , owning onely his segregated congregation for such , in opposition and contradistinction to his parish ; which they may plead in bar of any legal action to recover his dues : this p disclaiming of them , being a kinde of resignation of his vicaredge , and bar unto his dues ; quia beneficium , propter officium : and if he be not their true , real parochial vicar , and do not his duty to them , he hath no right to their parochial dues , nor yet unto the glebe . if he will muzzle their mouths , * not tread out the corn to them at the lord's table ; they may also muzzle his mouth , that he shall not eat of their corn , at his own or their tables , by way of retaliation . our * law-books resolve , that if an annuity be granted to a lawyer , attorny or physitian , pro consilio suo impenso & impendendo ; if they stop or refuse to give the grantors their counsel when required ; or if a. grants an annuity to b. for the use of a way , and b. stops the way , that hereupon the grantors may justly stop and detain the annuities , being forfeited by their stoppage , and refusal of their counsel , advice or way granted ; and may plead the same in bar of any action at law for these annuities : much more then may the parishioners do it , when their vicar or incumbent not only peremptorily refuseth to give them the sacraments , but disclaims to be their vicar or pastor in a parochial and legal way . if they will reap all their temporal things and duties , it is just they should sow and administer to them all their spiritual things and nutriments ; if the parishioners must not muzzle their mouths , much less must they muzzle their parishioners , by keeping them back from the lord's table , 1 cor. 9. 10 , 11. rom. 15. 17. 3. every particular parishioner grieved , may by the statutes of 13 e. 1. c. 24 , 25 , 50. have a special action upon the case against him at the common law , ( as i conceive ) since he can now have no remedy in any spiritual courts , as formerly , being all suppressed : by the self-same reason , as executors and legatees , now sue at the common law , and in chancery , for such things , such legacies , and ministers for such tythes and duties , as formerly they had no suit nor remedy for , but in ecclesiastical courts alone ; else there should be a great failer of justice : and because no ecclesiastical q jurisdiction is now either wronged by , nor can be claimed , pleaded against such actions , there being none to take present conusans of them : or at least , they way have a * special action against him , upon the statutes of 1 ed. 6. c. 1. & 1 eliz. c. 2. as well as upon the statutes of magna charta , c. 20. of merton , c. 10. and other acts . 4. i conceive the patron himself ( from the forecited reasons of littleton's cases of frankalmoigne , sect. 136 , 137. and of conditions in law , sect. 378 , 379. ) upon the vicars refusal to own the parishioners , and administer the sacraments to them , as his flock ; ( for which end , the glebe and duties thereunto belonging , were first given by the patron and his tenants to the vicar and his successors , as well as to preach ) may justly enter upon him for breach of this condition in law , out him of the glebe and vicaredge , and bestow them on some other by his immediate deed of collation , and livery of seisin , without any presentation , as * free chappels used to be , and are still collated ; and that upon this legal ground ; r because patrons originally had the sole right of collating , inducting , instituting clerks and incumbents to their churches , without the bishops special license , ( as they conferred other freeholds to their tenants , by their own immediate grants and liveries ) till bishops and ordinaries , by sundry canons extorted by degrees this jurisdiction from them , ingrossing the power of approving , admitting , instituting , and inducting clerks into parochial churches by degrees into their own hands . which bishops with their canons , ordinances , being now suspended or abrogated in england , and their ancient jurisdiction , by no express act of any real parliament legally transferred to any other ecclesiastical or civil jurisdiction ; thereupon the patron 's original right of collating benefices by immediate grant and livery , and outing the incumbent thereof , ( as patron s and visitor of the church ) for not administring the sacrament and discharging his pastoral office , is * revived , resetled in him by law : so as he may now justly enter , put out , or deprive the vicar , as the bishop and ecclesiastical courts might formerly have done , there being no other legal ecclesiastical powers here extant to depose him : which the marginal law-books , with other authorities will cleer , compared with 21 e. 3. 46. 13 e. 4. 8 , 9. br. extinguishment and reviver . 16. 46. cooks 1 instit. f. 319 , 338. 24. e. 3. 72. bro. escheat 9 , 19 , and 13 e. 1. c. 25 , 50. 5. i conceive a special writ may be framed and directed to the vicar , commanding him to administer the sacraments to his parishioners , according to his pastoral duty , and the laws and customes of england ; and if then he refuse to do it , thereupon he may be fined , attached , ejected for this contempt , and that upon this ground . our king heretofore , being * supreme governours in and over all ecclesiastical and temporal causes , and persons , had by the very common law of england a soveraign power , without any act of parliament , by their remedial writs upon all occasions , to enjoyn all officers , prelates , priests , ministers , persons under them , to discharge those offices , duties , which the laws themselves and their offices engaged them to perform . this is evident , not only from the examples of solomon , jehosaphat , hezekiah , josiah , ezra , and other godly kings and governours in scripture , who appointed the courses of the priests and levites to be in the temple , commanded them to wait upon , and execute their offices in every particular , according to their charges ; to offer sacrifices , praise , and minister before the lord , as the duty of every day required , to kill and prepare the passeover for the people : but likewise , by special proclamations & edicts , commanded both levites , priests , people , to keep , celebrate and eat the passeover ( a type of the lords supper which succeeds it ) when they had neglected it sundry years , 1 chron. 24. 2. chron. 8. 14 , 15. c. 13. 10 , 12 , 18. c. 29. 16 , to 35. & 30. 3 , 16 , 24. c. 35. 2 , to 18. ezek. 6. 18 , to 22. but also , 1. from the elegant t oration of king edgar to his prelates and clergy , et mea quidem interest laicos , cum aequitatis jure tractare , inter virum & proximum suum justum judicium facere , &c. sed & meae sollicitudinis est ecclesiarum ministris , gregibus monachorum , choris virginum & necessaria administrare , & paci corum ac quieti consulere . de quorum omnium moribus ad nos spectat examen , si vivunt continenter , si honeste so habent ad eos qui foris sunt , si in divinis officiis solliciti , ●● in docendo populo as●●dui si victu sobrii , si moderati habitu , s in iudiciis sunt discreti , &c. ego constantini , vos petri gladium habetis in manibus ; jungamus dextras , gladium gladio copulemus , ut projiciantur extra crastra leprosi , &c. 2. from the statute of magna charta , c. 22. we shall deny nor defer to no man justice or right ; to wit , neither in civil nor ecclesiastical things or causes , the words being general , and extending equally to both , as this charter doth , both to all ecclesiastical and temporal persons , freemen of the realm of england , c. 1 , & 2. 3. from this usual recital in our kings writs : u nos qui singulis de regno nostro in exhibitione justitiae sumus debitores : nos volentes quibuscunque legis nostris in curits nostris plenam , & celerem iustitiam exhiberi . precipimus , &c. justiciae complementum sibi fieri & nullatenus differri , &c. secundum legem & consuetudinem regni nostri . 4. by the statute of west . 2. an. 13 e. 1. c. 24 , 25 , 50. which enacts , that where a writ is granted out of the chancery for a thing done to the noysance of another , the plaintiffs from henceforth shall not depart out of the kings courts without remedy , because in the register of the chancery there is no special writ found in his case ; but from henceforth , where in one case a vvrit is granted , in like case when like remedy faileth , the writ shall be made as hath been used before : and from henceforth , as often as it shall fortune in the chancery , that in one case a vvrit is found , and in like case , falling under like law , and requiring like remedy , there is found none ; the clerks of chancery shall agree in making the writ , or the plaintiffs may adjourn it till the next parliament ; and by consent of men learned in the law , a ( new ) writ shall be made ( according to his special new case ) lest it should happen afterwards , that the kings court should fail to minister iustice unto complainants . and lest suiters coming to the kings court should depart from thence without remedy , they shall have writs provided in their cases : by vertue of which statutes , the subjects grieved , have usually had , not only a vvrit grounded thereon , particulatly stiled x in consimili casu , but many other writs , as appeareth in our books , though they bear not that name . and by vertue thereof , i am cleer of opinion , the parishioners may have a special writ against their vicar in this very case , to enjoyn him to administer the sacrament of baptism and the lords supper to them and their children , to admit them thereunto , as well as a vvrit de clerico admittendo , to the bishop , and de attornato recipiendo , to the sheriff , upon the statute of merton , c. 10. when they refuse to admit them contrary to our laws . 5. from the ancient vvrit of william the conqueror to y remigius bishop of lincolu , and all other bishops and archdeacons : willielmus dei gratia , &c. propterea mando & regia auctoritate praecipio , ut nullus episcopus , vel archidiaconus de legibus episcopalibus amplius in hundret , placita , teneant , &c. and from his jurisdiction over all ecclesiastical persons and causes thus recorded by eadmerus , hist. novorum , l. 1. p. 6. cuncta ergo divina simul & humana ejue nutum expectabant . non ergo pati volebat quenquam in omni dominati●ne sua constitutum , romanae urbis pontificem , pro apostolico , nisi se jubente recipere , aut ejus literas si primitu● sibi oftensae non fuissent ullo pacto suscipere . primatum quoque regni sui , archiepiscopum dico centuariensem , si coacto generali episcoporum concilio praesideret , non sinebat quicquam statuere vel prohibere , nisi quae suae voluntati accommodata , & à se primo essent ordinata . nulli nihilominus episcoporum concessum iri permittebat , ut aliquem de baronibus suis , seu ministris , sive incesto , sive adulterio , sive aliquo capitali crimine denotatum , publicè nisi ejus praecepto implacitaret , aut excommunicaret , aut ulla ecclesiastici rigoris poena constringeret : therefore much less would he permit any bishop or minister under him to suspend or seclude them from the sacraments , ( especially those no wayes guilty of such scandalous sins or other crimes ) as now our ministers do their parishioners , without any divine , regal , or legal authority , but their own papal usurpation , pride or peevishness . 6. this is most apparent by the usual known printed writs of our kings to relieve their grieved subjects both in civil and ecclesiastical courts and things ; as namely , the vvrits b de procedendo ad judicium , when any judge or court of justice delayes the plaintiff or defendant of his right , in not giving judgement for them , when , and so speedily as they might . c de libertatibus allocandis , when the justices of the king , eyre or forest , deny or delay to grant any burrough or person the ancient liberties they formerly enjoyed by charter or prescription . the vvrit d de leproso amovendo to the major of london , and other officers , to remove lepers which infect the people ; and , de villi● & venellis mundandis , when they neglect to remove the one , & cleanse the other , as they ought . the several e writs to sheriffs and others , to repair highways , bridges , walls , sea-banks , and the like , extant in the clause and patent rolls , before any statutes made for their repair : the writs f de reparatione facienda , de curia claudenda , & quod permittat , to particular persons to repair houses and fences , when they neglect to do it , and are bound thereto by law , and to enjoy their commons , rights , &c. the vvrits de attornato recipiendo , de moderata misericordia , de secta ad molendinum & curiam , de ne injusta vexos , de non ponendo in assisis & juratis , quod clerico non eligantur in officium ballivi , &c. de corrodio habendo , quo jure , vilaica removenda : vvith many other vvrits of this nature to temporal officers , persons : by these ensuing vvrits to ecclesiastical persons ; as namely , the usual writs to bishops g ad admittendum clericum , & de cautione admittenda ; to enforce them to admit clerks , and absolve , excommunicate persons upon caution tendered , when they refused to do it against right and law . to which i shall add , claus. 24. e. 1. dors . 10. & 8. claus. 32. e. 1. dors . 9. claus. 33. e. 1. dors . 16. claus. 34 e. 1. dors . 10. claus. 8. e. 2. m. 25. claus. 20. e. 2. dors . 10 , 11. claus. 7. e. 3. pars 2. m. 4. where several writs are directed to the bishops and clergy-men , to make special prayers and supplications for the king and his children , the nobles and state of the realm , upon several occasions , in times of war and danger ; to make special thanksgivings for victories , and intercessions for eminent persons souls departed , as they were then obliged to do in those times of superstition . cart. 16. joan. dors . 10. a vvrit to the chapter of york , not to elect s. de c. for their archbishop , quia esset contra honorem nostrum & oommodum regni nostri , pat. 18. h. 3. m. 17. claus. 26. h. 3. m. 12. pat. 29. h. 3. dors . 5. pat. 9. e. 1. m. 2. pat. 25. e. 1. pars 1. m. 9 , 10. pat. 8. joan. m. 1. where king john , henry 3 , and eward 1. by their special writs , prohibited the archbishops , bishops , and clergy in their counsels and synods to do , act , enact , or assent to any thing concerning their crowns , person , state , counsel , or against their royal crown , dignity , or the rights of the realm of england ; and to revoke , suspend the counsels and convocations summoned by the archbishop , under pain of forseiting all their goods , and seisure of their baronies , claus. 41. h. 3. pars 1. dors . 5. a vvrit to walter bishop of duresm , reciting , that none ought to judge the laws of the realm , but the king , and his nobles and judges ; that if he presuming on his royal liberties , did otherwise , ipsas libertates regales , ad nos per vestrum abusum censemus devolvendas , claus. 16. e. 1. dors . 2. a vvrit to the bishop of london injoyning him no longer to permit any persons to come and worship quandam tabulam , ( having divers pictures in it , and the earl of lancansters amongstothers ) which they worshipped and adored , tanquam rem sine sanctum , absque authoritate ecclesiae romanae : with sundry such-like writs to bishops and clergy-men in our records , the grounds whereof extend to our present case . and claus. 4. h. 3. m. 10. a vvrit of prohibition to the archbishop of york , not to excommunicate some who hurt and molested the cruce-signati , because the cruce-signati had no title to the lands . but that which comes neerest to our case , and is the same in substance , ( confirmation and chrism being formerly reputed * sacraments amongst us in time of popery ) is this memorable case , recorded in rot. claus. an. 26. e. 3. the bishop of exeter would have visited the church of st. burian in cornwal , founded by king arthur , and exempted from episcopal jurisdiction : whereupon , they opposing his visitation , the bishop interdicted the parish , and refused to give them oyl and chrism to baptize their infants , or to confirm their children : upon complaint whereof to the king , there issued a writ out of the chancery to the bishop , commanding him to absolve them , confirmare parvulos , & chrisma mittere , to confirm their children , & send them chrism to baptize their infants . this record was vouched and shewed to the judges of the king ; bench , mich. 17 jacobi , upon this occasion : the parishioners of a village in kent , elected a church-warden according to their ancient custom , but the bishops official refused to admit him ; whereupon the parishioners , by m. noy their counsel , moved in the kings bench for a writ and mandamus to the official , to admit the churchwarden , or if he did not , to shew good cause to the court why he refused to do it ; which the court upon view of this president granted them , and upon it the churchwarden was admitted to his office : if then our kings , and their courts of chancery and kings bench might enjoyn this bishop and this official by special writs and mandates to absolve these interdicted parishioners , confirm their children , & send them chrism to baptise their infants , and to admit the churchwarden the others had chosen according to their duties , by the statutes of 13 e. 1. c. 24 , 25 , 50. forecited , or by their own inherent jurisdiction without any special act of parliament , being things to which they were obliged by our laws & their very offices , duties to perform ; then by the self-same law and reason , may our kings , and courts of justice upon all occasions , by vertue of these statutes , whereon these writs were principally grounded , issue forth the like writs and mandates to all ministers and vicars , who refuse personally to baptize or deliver the lords supper to their parishioners at due & accustomed seasons , or to admit them freely to those sacraments , according to their bounden duties , to which their very office with the laws of god & the realm oblige them , unless they can shew a legal cause to the contrary , ( as none of them can do ) and in case they refuse to do it , they may thereupon be attached , fined , imprisoned , till they do conform and assent to do it ; as well as in the case of a * quid juris clamat , or per qua servicia , by which any tenant where he is bound and adjudged by law to attorn , & refuseth to do it , shall be imprisoned till he actually attorn in proper person ; ( not by deputy , which the law will not admit ) it being a personal duty , not performable by any other . i shall conclude this with that memorable record of pa● . 8. e. 1. m. 27. where the king by his writs , commanded all his sheriffs , bayliffs , and lieges , effectually to summon , admonish and induce all the jews within their bayliwicks , diligently to meet together to hear god's word preached to them by the friers predicants without tumult , contention or blasphemy , and not to hinder any jews from conversion whose hearts god should please to convert , as you may read at large in the 2 part of my short domurrer to the jews long discontinued remitter into england , p. 87 , 88. and if our kings by their writs might lay such injunctions on the unbelieving english jews , much more may they enjoyn all english ministers to administer the sacraments to their people , and not to hinder any of them from this * means of their spiritual conversion , as well as confirmation ; and likewise command the people diligently to frequent and receive them , especially when so long discontinued , neglected , slighted , denied , to gods dishonor , religions scandal , our chuches insamy , good christians greatest grief , the grand encrease of impiety , prophaness , schism , and decrease of christian amity , unity , zeal , that cordial brotherly love and sweet communion which was between ministers and their people , and between private christians heretofore when sacraments were more frequent . finally , if any parson or vicar for 2 yeers space refuse and cease to administer the sacrament to his parishioners , ( as many of late times have done ) i conceive a writ of cessavit will lie against him by the patron upon the stat. of west . 2. 13 e. 1. c. 41. as fitzh. natt . brev. f. 209 l. 5. e. 3. 25. b. register f. 238. fit . ●essavit , 12 , 18 , 24. 12 h. 4. 24. 45 e. 3. 10. ploud . f. 58. cook 4. rep. f. 118. 11. rep. f. 63. & 2. instit. f. 460. more then intimate , if not fully resolve . these legal remedies , if pursued in a just and christian way , may through gods blessing reduce many refractory parochical ministers and vicars , to the due administration of the sacraments to their parishioners , which too many of them have of late , totally , & divers in a deplorable measure cast off ▪ restore the comfortable , frequent enjoyment of them to those parishioners who have a long time earnestly thirsted after them , and prevent the anabaptistical , jesuitical design of g john canne with his fraternity , and others of late yeers crept into parochial cures , of purpose to subvert them , with all other parochial congregations , and all patrons rights to present unto them : a design most eagerly prosecuted , publikely allowed , and much advanced of late yeers by unchristian and illegal practices , gilded over with religious pretences : this is the opinion and judgement ( in answer to your case and quaeres ) of your friend and counsellor , will : prynne . lincolns inne , 20 junii , 1656. an appendix . our vicars and ministers refusal to administer the sacraments to their parishioners , is in truth an actual penal suspension and excommunication of them and their infants from the lords supper and baptism , without any precedent citation , articles , legal proceeding , hearing , or sentence denounced against them in any ecclesiastical classis or judicature , against all rules of religion , conscience , law , justice , and the express letter of magna charta , c. 29. wherefore , as king edw. 1 , 2 , & 3. did issue forth several writs and mandates to their bishops and clergy , * not to convent , question , censure , excommunicate any of their officers or subjects within their dominions , for discharging their duties , & duly obeying their mandates , and to absolve all those they had excommunited upon this account ; and likewise issue out writs to their sheriffs . de promulgantibus sententiam excommunicationis in ministros regis capiendis & imprisonandis , for obeying their commands : so by like justice , reason , may writs be issued to all those vicars and ministers who deny the sacraments to their parishioners , without any legal cause or sentence of suspension or excommunication first denounced against them , commanding them peremptorily to admit them to , and administer the sacraments duly to them ; yea , writs to the sheriffs to attach and imprison them in case of their wilful neglect or contempt herein , claus. 12. e. 2. m. 20. the archbishop of york and his ministers , oppressed , vexed the people of his diocess in his courts and visitations , by malicious citations for pretended adulteries , and other ecclesiastical crimes , before they were publickly defamed of , or presented for them , and for which they could not aid themselves by the kings prohibition , they having legal conns●●s of these crimes : upon petition to the king and his counsel against these malicious citations , by the people , there issued a special writ to the bishop , reciting and prohibiting such citations and proceedings for the future ; de oppressionibus populo per citationes non inferendis . by like reason and equity may special writs now be granted to ministers , not to oppress , vex , injure their parishioners , ( especially such as are neither scandalous , ignorant , nor actually excommunicated ) by depriving them of the sacraments at due and accustomed seasons , far worse then those malicious citations , which were but ecclesiastical process , when as these amount at least to ecclesiastical censures , suspensions , excommunications from the sacraments , & that for sundry months , may , yeers , of many whole cities and parishes , without any legal accusation , conviction , hearing . in times of popery , if any religious person or monk professed , departed from his house , and wandred abroad in the country , against the rules of his religion or order , upon a certificate thereof in chancery by the abbot , there issued a writ de * apostata capiendo ( of which i finde * many presidents in our records ) for the sheriffs to apprehend and deliver him to his abbot or his attorney , to be chastised according to the rules of his order . and if any priests wore long hair ( against the canons and rules of their order in the kings court , where the ordinaries had no power to reform them , the king himself granted a special writ and commission to certain persons , giving them plenam potestatem scindendi capillos clericorum qui sunt in hospitio no●●ro , & familia nostra longos crines habentium , & capillos nutrientium , &c. pat. 21. h. 3. dor . 3. by the like and better reason then may special writs be issued , to reduce ministers off●ending in , and apostatizing from the very essential duties of their function , ( not in circumstantials only , as these in former times ) to the due execution of the duties of their function , and administration of the sacraments to their parishioners , according to the rules of their order , the statutes of the realm , the doctrine , custom of the church of england so much now slighted , contemned by them , to gods dishonor , the vilipending of their ministery , function , yea , the sacraments themselves , and their peoples grief , offence and spiritual prejudice , who may doubtless have a * special action at law against them on the stat. of 1 ed. 6. & 1 eliz. c. 2. for their relief herein . the sacraments of baptism and the lords supper are bequeathed by christ to all visible members of every visible church , as visible , ( who are known to their ministers ) not to the elect , invisible , regenerated members only , infallibly a known to god alone , but not to any mortals : every member of a visible church , hath an equal right to , and b in all sacraments , ordinances , priviledges of the visible church , as he is a member of it , by vertue of his membership ; as c all freemen of england have an equal interest in all the laws , rights , liberties , franchises of the realm of england , as they are native freemen of the body politick of england . as therefore no english freeman may or can by law be debarred from the use and benefit of the common laws , liberties and franchises of england , or any pretended or real crimes , but by and upon a legal conviction , and judgement according to the laws of england ; so no member of the church of england ( of ripe yeers , and in his right senses ) may or can be debarred from the lords table , or any other publick ordinances , priviledges of the church of england , for any pretended scandal , but by a judicial legal sentence of excommunication , whereby he is actually suspended or cut off from being a member of the church for the present : his very membership , whiles he is a member , entituling him of right to whatever ordinances any other members enjoy , and to participate with them therein . it is therefore as great , as high an injury , injustice , tyranny , for any ministers whatsoever , to deny , seclude , all or any of their parishioners from receiving the lords supper , upon any pretext of scandal , ignorance , unpreparedness , or for fear those who are scandalous and unregenerate , should participate with such who are regenerated , if they should permit the eucharist to be frequently celebrated , without or beside any real accusation , conviction , and excommunication of them by any legal ecclesiastical jurisdiction ; as for any judge or temporal officer to outlaw , imprison , banish , dis-inherit all or any of them of their hereditary franchises , liberties , free-holds , without the least legal indictment , trial , or judgement by their peers for any real or pretended crimes , or misdemeanors surmised or suggested against them : and therefore not patiently to be tolerated any longer , but suddenly reformed , reduced by all legal means and lawful civil power , without partiality or connivance ; who ought to be as careful of the peoples spiritual food and priviledges , as of their ministers tythes and duties ; and to do equal right to both . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a56177e-200 * in their canons , titles , discourses , treatises de clericis , pastoribus , sacerdotio , parochia , sacramentis , ordinatione , ministris , et ministerio verbi dei , baptismo , divinis officiis , &c. * heb. 6. 1 , 2 c. 7. 31 to 28. c. 8. 3. 4 &c. 10. 29. 1 ▪ pe● 3. 21. c. 5. 2. 3. g●n . 14. 2. 8. * see pontifical● rom. de ordinatione presbyteri , p. 41 , 42 , 50 , 55 , & p. 458. degrada●io ab ordine presbyteratus . fox acts and monuments , vol. 2. p. 87 , 109. 388. 392. * see pontificale roman●● p. 247 , 259. de ecctesiae dedicatione . ast; pas● . 2 car. b. r. carlton and huttons case resolved . ast; pontificale roma●um , de dedica●ione eccle siae . p 247 259. &c. * see calvinii l●x 〈◊〉 〈…〉 cum . tit. parochia & parochus . a summa angelica , tit. parochia . b praxis episcopalis , pars 1. tit. parochia , sect. 3. f. 162. c praxis ben●eficiorum , aps 1 p. 4. sect. 10. d littleton , sect. 180. 14 h. 7. 25 , 26 cooks 1 instit. f. 11 90. e appendicis aurei , l. 1. c. 12. sect. 18. 20. p. 53. f ind. cap. omnis in glos. executionem . * f●x acts and 〈◊〉 vol. 2. p. 388. 392 , 393 ▪ 401 * see sp●lmani concil. p. 529. 548 615. 616. and my suspo siat suspended p. 24 , 25 , 26. giving & receiving being relata ; all those texts , laws , that prove it the peoples duty to receive the sacraments ▪ de eo nomine oblige the minister to admit and del●ver to them . posito 〈◊〉 relatosum ponitur alterum . mr. iohn humfrey . a second vindication of free-admission to the lords supper . p. 125 , &c. nota. * see also 3 jac. c. 4 , 5. 7 jac. c. 2. object . 1. answer , * see fox acts and monuments , vol. 2 p. 87 388 , 392 , 393. the books of ordination ●f ministers . object . 2. answer . * fox acts and monument . vol. 2. p. 614. see re●ves and shelfords treatises to the same purpose . * mat. 28. 19 , 20. acts 26. 18. c. 15 3. c. 21. 22. 2 tim. 4. 17. * eze. 3. 9. zech. 7. 22. * mat. 26. 26. to 31. mark . 14. 22. to 27. lu. 22. 14. 19. 20. 1. cor. 11. 23. 24 : 24. * see dr. john white , and dr. feild of the church . g 1 pet. 2. 3. hebr. 13. 20. * see my sustension suspended . * 1 cor. 11. 26. to 33. 1 cor 10. 16 , 17. h mat. 23. 23 lu. 11. 42 object . 3. answer . i 1 cor. 9. 16 , 17. 2 tim. 4. 1 , 2 , 5. 1. tim. 4 13. 16. col. 4. 17. heb. 7. 24. * see my suspension 1 suspended , and answer to 4 serious questions . quaere . 2. k li●●leton sect. 378 , 379. l. qu. e. 4. ● . 26 , 27. 2 h. 7. 11 , 39. h. 6. 32 , 33. br. office 19. forfeiture 27. plouden . f. 379 , 380. 21 e. 4. 20. cook 8. rep. f. 44. 9. rep. f. 50 , 95 , 96 , 97 & 1 inst. f. 233 , 234. l see fit . nat. brevium ▪ f. 162 , 163. & the regist. de coronatore ox●nerand . m see ashes tables , tit. action sur le case , sect. 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 13 , 15. brook and fitz. actoin sur le case . n see cooks 1 instit. f. 96 , 97. o mr. burroughs did so accolchester by my advice , only for denying him the sacrament , because he would not receive it at the new rail : see my quenchcole at the end . p see cooks 1 instit. f. 101 , 102 , 362 , 363. and brooks and fitz. tit. disclaimer . * 1 cor. 9. 9 , 10 , 11 ▪ 2 thes. 3. 10. * 21 e. 3. 7. 41 e. 3. 6 , 19. 38 h. 6. 20. 39 h. 6. 22. 5 e. 4 , 5. 15 e. 4. 3. 20. e. 4. 18 , 19. brook annuity , 7 , 8 , 25 , 28 , 29. condition 45 dyer . 6 h. 8. 2. 6 e. 6. f. 76. sir john davis reports , f. 1. b. q see brooks and fitz. tit. conusance & jurisdiction . * see fitz. brook & ash . actions sur le statute . * sir john davis reports , f. 46. b. 2 jacob fa●rchelas case cooks 1 instit. f. 344. ● . west's presidents . grants . 337 , 354. r see m. seld●ns history of tythes , ch. 6. sect. 2. ch. 9. sect. 4. my ju● patronatus , p. 15 , 16. s 8 e. 3. 69 , 70. 8 ass . 29 , 31 cooks 1 instit. f. 344. a. fit . natur . brev. 35. a 42. a. b. 6 h. 7. 14. a. dyer 273. b. co. 11. rep. 99. b. fit . breif . 660. 27. e. 3 85. a. 30. e. 3. 10. a. * sir john davis reports , f. 39. b. * 26. h. 8. c. 1. 37 h. 8. c. 17. 1 el. c. 1. 5 el. c. 1. 8 el. c. 1. sir joh. davis reports , f. 19. t ethelredus abbas , de genealogia regum angliae , col. 359. isaac causabon , in epistola exercitationibus praefix● . fox acts and monuments , vol. 1. p. 218. jo. seldeni ad eadmerum notae , p. 161 , 162. mat. parker , antiq. eccles. brit. in dunstano . spe●manni concil. p. 477. u register of writs pars 2. f. 10 , 15 , 38 , 127 , 189. fitz. nar. bre. f. 153 , 154 , &c. see the 2d part of my soveraign power of parlaments p. 79 , 80. x fitz. brief 283 , 309 , 794 , 807 , 810 , 849 , 947. & entree 3 , 7 , 8 , 61 , 68. nat. br. f. 206 , 207 , 38 h. 6. 3 , 12 , 30. cook l. 8. f. 49. instit. 2. f. 405 , 407 , 486. y cart. 2. r. 2. m. 12. n. 5. fox acts & mon. l. 4. p. 154. john seldeni ad eadmerum notae , p. 167. b fitz. nat. bre. f. 153 , 154. regist of writs . c fit . nat. bre. f. 229. register of writs . d register of writs fil. n. br. f. 234. claus. 20 e 3. part 1. m. 18. 14. e pat. 14 e. 1. pars 1. dors . 2. pat. 18. e. 1. m 4 , 5. & dors . 8 9 , 44. claus. 4. e. 3 m. 2. claus. 11. e. 3. pars 2. m. 10. claus. 48. e. 3. m. 22. claus. 10. e 3. m. 28. f fit . nat. er. f. 228 , 229 , 163 , 164. g fit . nat. br. f. 38 , 30 , 63 , 64 65. and the register of writs . * see lindewood , summa angelica , rosella , & thomas zerula praxis episcopal . 1. tit. chrisma & confirmatio sacramentum . * 37 h : 6. 14 brook , quid juris clamat 18. imprisonment 26. 3 e. 3. per quae servitia , fitzh. 17. ash attornment 9. & 12. * see my answer to 4 serious questions , my suspension suspended , mr. humfrey his reply to dr. drake his second vindication of ortodox free admission , p. 58 , 59. mr. blake , his covenants sealed , ch. 7. sect. 13 , 14. g his voice from the temple . see my jus patronatus . notes for div a56177e-8220 * pat. 25. e. 1. pars 1. m. 9 , 10 , 12. pars a. m. 5. claus. 25. e. 1. dors . 6. claus. 30. e. 1. dors . 14. claus. 12. e. 2. m. 12. claus. 15. e. 3. pars 1. dors . 39 , 40. * the register , tir. nat. bre. f. 233 , 234. * pat. 25. h. 3. dori . 8. pat. 39. h. 3. m. ●o . pat. 47. h. 3. pars 1. m. 20. pat. 49. h. 3. m. 2. pat. 53. h. 3. m. 31. pat. 54. h. 3. m 28. pat. ● . e. 1. m. 19. pat. 4. e. 1. m. 29. pat. 9. e. 1. m. 22. claus. 12. e. 2. dors . 12. claus. 25. e. 3. pars● . dors . 14. * see brook , fitzh. ash . action sur le statute . a 2 tim. 2. 9. 1 king. 8. 39. 2 chron. 6. 30. b eph. 2. 13 , 10. 22. c. 4. 4 , 5 , 6. col. 3. 11. 1 cor. 10. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. c. 6. 17 , 18. c. 3. 21 , 22 , 23. c magna charta , c. 29. the petition of rights 3 caroli 5 e. 3. c. 9. 25 e. 3. c. 4. 28 e. 3. c. 3. 47 e. 3. c. 18. 42 e. 3. c. 3. a doubt resolved, or, satisfaction for the seekers wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances, in these times, is handled : wherein also some other questions are more briefly touched, viz. i. whether water-baptism was to continue in force after the ministry of john the baptist ceased, ii. vvhether gospel ordinances are things spirituall, or carnall, iii. vvhether a power to preach by immediate revelation of the spirit, be necessary in every gospel minister?, iiii. what is is to be baptized with the spirit : well worthy the consideration of many who in these times are unsetled in their judgements touching these points / by william allen. allen, william, d. 1686. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a23664 of text r15502 in the english short title catalog (wing a1063). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 93 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 20 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a23664 wing a1063 estc r15502 11723318 ocm 11723318 48350 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a23664) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 48350) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 482:4) a doubt resolved, or, satisfaction for the seekers wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances, in these times, is handled : wherein also some other questions are more briefly touched, viz. i. whether water-baptism was to continue in force after the ministry of john the baptist ceased, ii. vvhether gospel ordinances are things spirituall, or carnall, iii. vvhether a power to preach by immediate revelation of the spirit, be necessary in every gospel minister?, iiii. what is is to be baptized with the spirit : well worthy the consideration of many who in these times are unsetled in their judgements touching these points / by william allen. allen, william, d. 1686. 37 [i.e. 39] p. printed by j.m. for h. cripps, and l. lloyd ..., london : 1655. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. eng sacraments -early works to 1800. baptism -early works to 1800. a23664 r15502 (wing a1063). civilwar no a doubt resolved, or satisfaction for the seekers. wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances, in these times, is handl allen, william 1655 16790 11 0 0 0 0 0 7 b the rate of 7 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the b category of texts with fewer than 10 defects per 10,000 words. 2006-02 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images 2007-05 taryn hakala sampled and proofread 2007-05 taryn hakala text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a doubt resolved , or satisfaction for the seekers . wherein the case touching an administrator of gospel ordinances , in these times , is handled . wherein also some other questions are occasionally and more briefly touched . viz. i. whether water-baptism was to continue in force after the ministry of john the baptist ceased . ii. vvhether gospel ordinances are things spirituall , or but carnall ? iii. vvhether a power to preach by immediate revelation of the spirit , be necessary in every gospel minister ? iiii. what it is to be baptized with the spirit . well worthy the consideration of many who in these times are unsetled in their judgements touching these points . by william allen . 2 thess. 2.15 . therefore bretheren , stand fast , and hold the ordinances which ye have been taught , whether by word or our epistle , london , printed by j. m. for h. cripps , and l. lloyd , and are to be sold at their shop in popes-head alley . 1655. a doubt resolved , or satisfaction for the seekers . section . i. the great enemy of truth , the devil , perceiving that in these times of light and reformation , he could no longer detain men in the erronious and superstitious use of ordinances , as heretofore ; now labours by all means to perswade them , either that they have no need of ordinances at all , or else that there is now none to be found who are in a capacity to administer them . it is true , the devil for the most part deals more subtilly then at first dash to perswade men that they are above , or have no need of ordinances , but first hee labours to stumble them about an administrator , by which means he prevails with them , first to suspend the use of ordinances , and so gains a great advantage thereby , to perswade them after a while that there is no need for them now to live any longer under ordinances . a devise by which he hath brought them into a greater errour , they having recovered themselves out of that which was less : for by perswading men to cast off ordinances , he hath quickly drawn very many to cast off all religion ; these times furnishing us with too many instances , not only of such who having suspended the use of ordinances so long upon the scruple about an administrator as till they are grown from persons of an excellent savour in things of the gospel , to be as dry as a chip , but also of such who having first laid the foundation of their apostacy in their scrupeling an administrator , have proceeded by degrees so far as to lose all religion , and to fall into all loosness and prophanness . wherefore to check this growing evill , and out of tender compassion to those who i apparently perceive to be in this snare of the devill , i shall in the ensuing discourse offer that which i hope , through the blessing of god , may be found sufficient to role this great stumbling block out of the way of as many as shall impartialy weigh the same . sect. ii. and for a ground-work whereon to proceed , i shall lay down that prophesie of moses , deut. 18.18 . as applyed by peter unto the person of christ , acts 3.22 . moses truly said unto the fathers , a prophet shal the lord your god raise up unto you of your brethren , like unto me , him shal ye hear in all things whatsoever he shal say unto you . christ is said to be a prophet like unto moses , in that he is the prophet of the new testament , as moses was the prophet of the old. now moses was so a prophet of the old testament , as that by him the children of israel received from god , such standing laws , as by which they were to be steered both in matters of worship , and of conversation otherwise , throughout their generations , until the coming of christ in the flesh : therefore the law is said to be a schoolmaster untill christ , gal. 3.24 . luke 16.16 . in like manner , christ as the prophet of the new testament , hath delivered and given forth such doctrines , rules , and precepts , as by which all men , especially those of his houshold , are to be ordered in point of faith , worship , ordinances , and all manner of conversation , from the time of his leaving the world , unto the time of his return or visible appearance in the clouds of heaven . in which respect christ is said to be faithful in his house , as moses was in his , heb. 3.2 . and now all nations are to be taught to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded , unto the end of the world , mat. 28.20 . sect. iii. if then christ be thus a prophet like unto moses , then it follows , that as those who lived under the ministration of moses , were to hear him in all things he delivered to them from god , so those that now live under the ministration of christ , are to hear and obey him in all his sayings , mat. 3.17 . and 17.5 . act. 3.22 . and if they escaped not who refused moses that spake on earth , how shal they escape which shall refuse christ which speaketh from heaven ? heb. 12.25 . & 2.2 , 3. act. 3.23 . sect. iiii. furthermore , if christ be a prophet of the new testament like unto moses the prophet of the old , then it follows , that as no man under the ministration of moses might add to or diminish from the law , by omiting any of the ordinances thereof , or by inventing any other way of worship then was by that appointed without provoking god against them , deut. 12.32 . levit. 10.1 , 2. 1 chro. 13.9.10 . with 15.13 . so in like manner , no man under the ministration of christ in the gospel , may presume to add to , or take from the word of the gospel , in omiting any the ordinances thereof , or teaching men so to do , or by inventing any other way of worship then what is by that established , without incuring a curse from god , gal. 1.8 , 9. rev. 22.18 , 19. a word which may well make both the ears of them to tingle , who either cry down all ordinances as fleshly , as some ; or water-baptism as a thing out of use , as others ; or else change the ordinances of jesus christ as they do , who only sprinkle in stead of burying in baptism , or else baptize persons presently after their naturall birth , in stead of baptizing them presently upon their new and spirituall birth , according to the way of the new testament : i pray god open their eyes to see , and awaken their consciences to consider their errour , least he rise up to smite them with a curse . sect. v. neither is that like to prove a shield and buckler to defend them here from , which yet some take hold on for that purpose , viz. that water baptism ( to touch that a little ) was legall , and continued in force but only under the ministery of john the baptist , and if used afterwards , it was but arbitrarily as circumcision was . for the ministry of john and so his baptism , was not legal but evangelicall , in which respect it is called the begining of the gospel of iesus christ the son of god , mark 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. and the date of the ministration of the law and the prophets , was until iohns ministry began , not ended ; for when christ said , the law and the prophets were until iohn , and that since that time ( speaking of a time already past ) the kingdom of god is preached , and every man presseth into it , ( as they did to the baptisme of iohn ) luk. 16.16 . i say when christ spake these words , referring unto a time past , iohns ministry was not as yet finished , he being then alive , as you may perceive plainly if you read , mat. 11. from vers . 2. to vers . 13. and therefore those words vntil iohn , cannot refer unto the ending , but unto the beginning of iohns ministry : which is also yet more manifest , in that christ said , even while iohn and his ministry were yet in being , mat. 11.12 . from the days of iohn the baptist vntil now , the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence , and the violent take it by force : which words from the days of iohn the baptist until now , could not be spoken of the ending of iohns ministry , because when this was said his ministry was yet on foot as appears v. 2. so that cleerly , iohns preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins , was the preaching of the kingdom of god , to wit , the gospel of the kingdom , as that which is distinguished from the ministration of the law and prophets , and therefore not legal but evangelical . besides , ( to shew yet further that water baptism was not limited unto iohns ministry ) iohns ministry was confined within the territories of canaan ( or rather judea ) as was also that of the apostles , till after the resurrection of christ , mat. 10.5 . whereas , after the resurrection of the lord , and immediately before his ascention , christ gave commission to his apostles to teach and baptize all nations , in the doing of which as of other his commands ; he promiseth his presence with them to the end of the world , mat. 28.19.20 . which clearly shews that baptism was not confined to iohns ministry . sect. vi . but if they say , that 's not water baptism , but the baptism of the spirit , of which christ speaks , mat. 28.19.20 . ( which yet is too unreasonable to affirm ) yet the practice of the apostles acting upon this commission , will evince that they understood it otherwise . for surely when peter exhorted the iews to repent and be baptized , for the remission of sins , act. 2.38 . he did not perswade them to be baptized with the spirit for the remission of sins , because the baptism of which he there speaks , he perswades them to use in order to their receiving the spirit , as it there follows : repent and be baptized , &c. and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost . and those that will construe the baptism here spoken of , of the baptism of the spirit , take course to render the apostle to speak as little sence , as they do truth , as will appear if you read the words according to their interpretation , thus , repent and be baptized with the holy ghost , and ye shal receive the gift of the holy ghost . and whereas the eunuch desired philip to baptize him in water , act. 8.36 . will not every man conclude that philip , in preaching the gospel to him , had convinced him of it as a christian duty ? how , or why else should he desire baptism up on philips preaching ? besides , when philips answer to his desire of being baptized runs thus ; if thou beleevest withall thine heart , thou mayest , does it not cleerly imply , that water baptism is a priviledge peculiar to beleevers ? for if it had been then to be used only as a thing indifferent , as they suppose circumcission was , it might have been lawful for him to have been baptized , whether he had beleeved or no , unless we will suppose that his not beleeving would have made an indifferent and lawful thing to become unlawful to him . nor can it reasonably be thought that the men and women of samaria , deluded till then by symon the sorcerer , would have been baptized by philip ; but that they were by his preaching convinced that it was their duty so to be , act. 8.11.12 . nor will any i hope be so unreasonable , as to say this was the baptism of the spirit , since in the 15.16 . verse , this baptism is cleerly distinguished from that of the spirit : for the spirit ( saith he ) was fallen upon none of them , only they were baptized in the name of the lord iesus . so that this baptism went before their receiving the spirit , and therefore could not be their being baptized with the spirit . and when peter said concerning cornelius and his company , can any man forbid water , that these should not be baptized who have received the holy ghost as well as we , acts 10.47 . and withall , commanded them to be baptized in the name of the lord iesus , verse 48. will any imagine that peters commanding them to be baptized , was beside the business for which he was sent thither of god , and not in direct pursuance of his commission ? or that mens having the spirit , though in an excellent degree , as they had , is any excuse from water baptism ? or that it was a thing indifferent to be baptized or not baptized ? especially considering that the angel had told cornelius , that peter should tell him what he ovght to do , act. 10.6 . and declare to him words , by which he and all his should be saved , acts 11.14 . and cornelius his expectation accordingly , was not to hear from him things which might be done , or let alone ; but such things as were commanded him of god , act. 10.33 . and doubtless when peter commanded cornelius to be baptized in the name of the lord , cornelius had reason to conclude , that this , as well as any thing else , was that which he ought to do , and that those words as well as others , were words by which he should be saved , according to the item before given him by the angel . or can it enter into the heart of any christian to think , that the holy apostle would be so prophane as to command and cause a thing to be acted and done in the name of the lord , which the lord had not commanded ? all which considered , what is more plain , then that water baptism was no indifferent thing ; but the express will of god , even after such time as the ministry of iohn baptist was at an end ? sect. vii . and whereas when we alledge the use and practise of water-baptism after the ministry of iohn ceased , they to counter ballance this , aleadge the use of circumcision at the same time , though circumcision was at that time de jure abolished , as they say : to this i answer likewise . 1. if circumcision was used as an indifferent thing ; yet it was not commanded and enjoyned by the apostles , to be used in the name of the lord , as baptism was , act. 10.48 . nor for remission of sins , and in order to mens receiving the holy ghost , as baptism was , acts. 2.38 . nor as a priviledge belonging onely to beleevers , as baptism was , acts 8.36 . therefore water-baptism was not practised upon the same terms as circumcision was in the apostles times . 2. if circumcision was allowed as lawful , and so practised by any , with consent of the apostles , yet this was onely among the iews . and therefore though timothy was circumcised , yet it was in that his mother was a iewesse , acts 16.1.4 . whereas when the same thing was desired in the behalf of titus , the apostle would by no means consent unto it , for as much as he was a greek ; the apostle aleadging that as a reason of his refusal , gal. 2.3 . and further , tels the gentiles , that if they were circumcised , christ should profit them nothing , gal. 5.2 . and the decree of the apostles , was express herein , ( when some would have had the beleeving gentiles circumcised ) that those among the gentiles that were turned to god , should not be troubled with any the jewes customes , but onely that they should abstain from things strangled and from blood &c. acts 15.19.20 with v. 28.29 but now water baptism was used among the beleeving gentiles , as well as the beleeving jews , all along , as well after this decree of the apostles , as before , act. 16.15.33 . and 18.8 . which clearly evinceth the baptism we speak of , to be no jewish rite as is pretended , nor yet to be practised upon like terms as circumcision was in the apostles days . sect. viii . to those that lay aside not onely baptism , but other ordnances also as things fleshly , i shall in short say but this to convince them , that those notions which lead them to this , proceed not from the holy spirit , but from the foul spirit the devil . 1. the lord jesus himself , whose measure of the spirit was greater then any mans , and the apostles and other saints in their times , whose measure of the spirit were greater then any in these times can reasonably pretend to , in that they did such works then , as none now can do , yet they were guided by the holy spirit to use , and to enjoyn others to use water baptism , the word , breaking of bread and prayer as the history of the new testament doth abundantly witness . and therefore for those that have not so much of the spirit , yet to conceit themselves to be elivated higher in the spirit , and to be carryed above those forms which those that had more of the spirit were directed to use , is such an immagination , as may be sensibly felt to be a delusion of the devil , and not any inspiration of the spirit of god . those in the apostles days who separated themselves from the churches of christ , and communion with them in ordinances of the gospel , though probably upon the same pretences with men of like separation in our times , are charractorized by the apostle , to be sensual , not having the spirit , jud. 19. 2. therefore secondly , what ever is meant by mens knowing of christ not after the flesh , 2 cor. 5.16 . or by other scriptures of like import : most certain it is that this is not the meaning of them , that men should not know christ in ordinances , because the apostles themselves knew christ in these , and had communion with him , and with his saints in these , yea and it was their business to perswade others hereunto : and i hope no man will think that the spirit inspired them to speak contradictions : for as god is true ( saith the apostle ) our word toward you was not yea and nay , 2. cor. 1.18 . 3. when the appostle opposeth the spirit unto the letter , in 2. cor. 3.6 . he doth no● mean by letter , gospel ordinances but the ministration of moses ; for that which he calls the letter in this 6 verse , he also calls the ministration of death , written and engraven in stones ▪ verse 7. which can rightly be understood of nothing else but the ministration of moses . and therefore they bewray much ignorance , who from this scripture cry down gospel ordinances , as being but the letter , when as indeed the apostle doth oppose the whole gospel ministration ( which as to the external part , is made up of ordinances ) as being spiritual , unto that of the law which was but litteral . and the reason why the ordinances of the gospel are said to be spiritual , and those of the law but litteral , you may understand by the sequel of the apostles discourse , in this chapter , which is this , viz. because the end and spiritual meaning of the ordinances of the law , was little understood or discerned ; but was vailed and hid under those shaddows , so that as he says , verse 13. the children of israel could not stedfastly look to the end of those things , which now are abolished : whereas the end , scope , spirit , and meaning of gospel ordinances , is plainly revealed , and may cleerly be discerned ; and therefore the apostle by way of magnifying the ministration of the gospel above that of the law , saith , verse 12.13 . we use great plainness of speech , and not as moses , who put a vail over his face , &c. and again , vers. 18. we all with open face , behold as in a glasse , the glory of the lord . and therefore it is doubtless in respect of this difference , that the gospel ministration ( the outward part whereof consists in ordinances ) is in other scriptures , as spiritual , opposed to the ordinances of the law as things fleshly . gal. 3.3 are ye so foolish , having began in the spirit , are ye now made perfect by the flesh ? their folly was this , for which he chids them ; in that they having first embraced the doctrine and ordinance of the gospel , by which christ had before their eyes been evidently set forth , as crucified among them , verse 1. and by which they had received the spirit , vers. 2. yet were so weak as to think to better their condition at last , by taking up the ordinance of the law , which in comparison of those of the gospel which they had already received , were but weak and beggerly elements , chap. 4.9 . most evident it is , that those galatians began their christianity in the beleeving the gospel , and putting on christ in baptism chap. 3.26.27 . which here in chap. 3. vers. 3. the apostle calls their having began in the spirit . if so , then certainly they are not of the apostles mind , who deem ▪ water baptism to be but fleshly . if then the ordinances of the gospel , as a great part of the gospel ministration , be spiritual , and in scripture opposed to carnal ordinances , as we see they are , then most manifest it is , that those poor souls , whom the devil hath so far beguild , as to conceit themselves so spiritual and subline , as to be above ordinances , are indeed , and in truth , so poor , low , as and carnal , to be grosly ignorant of the mind of god , thus plainly laid down in scripture . sect. ix . my next coralary from my first position shall be this . if christ be a prophet of the new testament , as moses was of the old , then it follows , that as the law first given by moses , was a standing rule , according to which the jews upon all back-slidings , were to reform themselves , in worship , and all other things ; until the coming of christ in the flesh ; so likewise the gospel in all the doctrines , precepts and ordinances thereof , first delivered to the saints , either immediately by christ , or immediately by his apostles , is to remain stedfastly as a standard , according to which all men are to reform , in point of faith , worship , discipline , and conversation , otherwise , until christ shall come again at the end of the world . sect. x. that the prophets themselves , though men of extraordinary inspiration , when they found the iews to have corrupted themselves and the worship of god , did still call upon them to reform , according to the written law of moses , and that good men did reform accordingly , will appear by these and the like scriptures , ier. 6.16 . isa. 8.20 . 2 kings 17.13 . and 18.6 . and 23.25 . neh. 10.29 . and indeed whether they had prophets among them , or whether none , yet still the written law was their rule , mal. 4.4 . psal. 78.5.6.7 . in like manner ( the prophetical office of christ , answering the prophetical office of moses ) the doctrines , ordinances and commands which christ first gave forth , do remain stedfast , as that standing rule according to which all reformations in the church of god , ought to be managed . this appears further by heb. 2.1.2.3 . therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we let them slip , &c. the things which they had heard , and which they had first been taught , he lays down chap. 6.1.2 . viz. repentance from dead works , faith towards god , doctrine of baptism , and laying on of hands , &c. these and the like things which they had heard , are so to be heeded , that they may not at anytime be let slip . again , 2 thes. 2.15 . therefore brethren , stand fast , and hold the ordinances which ye have been taught , whether by word or our epistle . where note likewise , that the ordinances of the gospel , whether taught by word or by writing , as we have them , are to be held fast . and if it be demanded how long ? christ himself resolves the case , rev. 2.25 that which ye have already , hold fast till i come , which cannot be meant of his spiritual coming into the hearts of men ( to which sence some would pervert the words ) because thus he was come to his church of thyatira , and the rest of the seaven churches of asia , before he gave them this charge , for he walked in the midst of the seaven golden candlesticks ; to wit , those seaven churches , rev. 1.13.20 . which notes his coming to them , and abiding amongst them . besides , can any be so weak as to think when paul , 1 cor. 11.26 . directs the church of corinth , to shew forth the lords death till he come , by the breaking of bread , that he means it of christs spiritual coming by his spirit into their hearts ? since it is evident enough , that thus he was come to them already , in as much as the apostle stiles them sanctified ones in christ jesus , and called to be saints , and such as were by him inriched in every thing , waiting for the coming of our lord jesus christ , chap , 1.2.5.7 , again , the same command or law , according to which tymothy was to manage the affairs of the church then in his days , is to be kept without spot , unrebukeable , until the appearing of our lord jesus christ , 1 tim. 6.14 . and when there is any degenerating , backsliding or falling off from the first pure ways of the gospel , there men in repenting and reforming , are to do the first works , rev. 2.5 . sect. xi . many there are indeed , upon whom the spirit of ranteterism hath not yet so far prevailed , but that they acknowledge water baptism in its proper subject , true beleevers , and all other gospel ordinances to be still in force , and agreeable enough to that spiritual worship required under the gospel , were it so that they had but oppertunity of enjoying them in a due way of administration : but that now they make a considerable obsticle in their way of coming into church-communion , gospel ordinances , viz. the want of a right administrator : for they suppose that since that general apostacy , from the purity of faith and gospel order , which befel the churches , upon the entring of the papacie into the world , there hath none appeared sufficiently authorized by god , to rally again what had been routed by hand of the enemy , or to gather churches , or administer ordinances ; all due admistrators in this kind , being perished from the earth : and that therefore we must be content to wait till god shall raise up some such , whose authority in this behalf he shall attest with visible signes of his presence , by gifts of the holy ghost ; and divers miracles , as at the first erection of gospel churches and ordinances . to the solving of which doubt , i shall now apply my self , as unto that which i principally intended . sect. xii . 1. therefore , suppose it were granted , that all right administration of gospel ordinances , did totally cease during the time that papal darknesse over spread the world ; yet this upon such a supposition , would put men but in like condition with the people of god the jews , during the time of their captivity in babylon , in which the temple lay waste , the dayly sacrifice ceased , and all use of publike worship was cut off , and yet when god gave them the oppertunity by bringing them out of babylon , they presently fell to restore the use of decayed ordinances , though prophets extraordinarily inspired by god to direct them , were altogether wanting . and though the temple at the first , might not be built but according to gods own direction , 1 chron. 28.12.19 . yet the jews , though now they had no such extraordinary directions ( ezra 2.63 . ) nor in conclusion did attain the perfection of the temple as at first , ( ezra 3.12 . hag. 2.3 . ) yet they by the light of that written law , set upon restoring of temple and worship , according to such opportunity as they then had . and that they did well in so doing , appears in that after they had begun , and did again desist from the work the lord raised up two prophets , haggai and zachary , to reprove them , for that they had let their hands slick from the work , hag. 1.1 . to 12. ezek. 5.1 . all which considered , together with this , that christ is a prophet in his time , like unto moses in his , may greatly encourage such who are but lately come out of the bondage of mistical babylon , to put to their hands to the restoring of the decayed ordinances of the gospel , to the uttermost of that opportunity they have , and according to that gospel pattern we finde in the writings of the new testament , do but parralel their case with ours , and see if we have not as great reason to be doing this way , as they . 1. have we no men extraordinarily inspired , to lead the way herein , neither had they till such were raised to reprove them for their negligence therein . 2. suppose we should in some things want opportunity of comming up to the utmost of the first gospel pattern : yet they were under the like disadvatage in their low reformation . hag. 2.3 . 3. was the written law a sufficient ground for them to proceed on in this case to restore decayed ordinances though upon terms of some disadvantage , in comparison of what they formerly enjoyed ? then why should not the written gospel in this case , as wel be a rule and ground to us ? 4. were they reproved for leaving off the work till they had prophets sent to quicken them ? and shall they think to escape rebuke from god who now neglect the restoration of gospel ordinances till god raise up men extraordinarily inspired to put them in the way ? 5. did the prophet assure them of the presence of god with them , in the work of reformation and restitution of temple and ordinances , as well as their forefathers enjoyed it , before any such decay fell out ? as we see he did , hag. 2.5 . then why may not we expect that presence of christ with us , in the restitution of his ordinances , which he promised to those that should observe his commands , even to the end of the world ? mat. 28.19.20 . sect. 13. ii. whereas it is supposed by the persons whose scruple i am now labouring to satisfie , that all right administrators , and administration of gospel ordinances , perished from the earth , in times of papal darkness , to this i answer . 1. that so to say , is a meer presumption which cannot be made good . in that great apostacy of israel , eliah that great prophet thought indeed that he , even he alone was left , whereas god had in secret seven thousand which had not bowed the knee to baal , 1 kings 19.14.18 . rom. 11.3.4 . so that we see it s no good argument to conclude , that because in times of great and general apostacy , there is no visible appearance of the faithful servants of god who have not defiled their garments , that therefore there is none . and who knows but that god might as well reserve unto himself in secrets , seven thousand in the time of papal apostacy , as he did in the baalish apostacy . sect. xiv . 2. if that promise of christ , mat. 16.18 . vpon this rock will i build my church , and the gates of hell shall not prevail , against it , be to be understood as commonly it hath been ( and i know no sufficient reason to depart from that received interpretation ) that maugre all the slight , policy and power of satan and his instruments ; yet christ will have a true church on earth to the end of the world , then we must conclude that christ had a true church in being , even all the time of the greatest antichristian apostacy , and popish darkness , though the footsteps thereof could not be discovered in history . a conclusion to which that of the apostle seems to add much strength , eph. 4.11.12.13 . for in that he saith , he gave some apostles , prophets , evangelists , pastors and teachers , for work of the ministry , perfecting of saints , and edifying of the body of christ , tell we all come in the unity of the faith , and of the knowledge of the son of god , unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of christ ; he cannot reasonably be understood to mean less , then that some of these officers should remain and continue unto the coming of christ at the end of the world , when , and not till when , this unity of faith , and knowledge , and the measure of the stature of the fulness of christ , shall be attained by all saints . for the apostle paul himself , who was a saint of the largest growth , and i think we may say came the nearest to the stature of the fulness of christ of all other ; yet he acknowledged , that whilest he was here in the flesh , that he had not as yet attained , or was already perfect , phil. 3.13 . and that he knew but in part , 1 cor. 13.12 . and if not he much lesse the saints that have lived since him in times of degeneration . and if that estate be not yet attained for the compleating of which the lord jesus gave unto his church the officers aforesaid , then they remain in being unto this day , or else christ hath not given them to remain vntill we all come , viz. paul and all the rest of the saints unto a perfect man , which yet the apostle affirms that he hath . but those that will needs suppose all church officers and administrators to have been utterly extinct when once the popish apostacy took place , go about to make the contrary to what the apostle affirms , to be true , and do say in effect , that christ gave some apostles , prophets , evangelists , pastors and teachers , untill the churches and saints came to the measure of the stature of antichrist , and not to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ . sect. xv . 3. but then thirdly , there is much to be said from history , and that in great part of the adversaries own penning , to prove that there hath been a continuance of a true church and a right administration of ordinances , even from the apostles days down to this very time in which we live . there was a people in the darkest times of popery , who opposed themselves against the corruptions of the times , sometimes distinguished by the names of waldenses , and albigenses , and lionists . for their qualifications , a certain frier saith thus of them : that men and woman little and great day and night cease not to learn and to teach , and that divers of them could perfectly deliver all the new testament : a man saith he , would not hurt his enemy , if he should meet him upon the way accompanied with one of these hereticks . they were said to be modest , simple , medling little with bargains , to avoid lying and deceit , living upon their labour , being content with a little chast , sober , and inviting others by their example to every good thing . for the time of their continuance , or being in the world , du plessit an approved author , in his history of the papacy , pag. 330. brings in one rainerius a frier , as writing about the year , 1250. speaking thus of them . among all the sects that are ( saith he ) or ever will be , none can be more pernicious to the church of god then that of lyons , for three causes . first because it hath continued a longer time then any , some say it hath been ever since the time of sylvester , others say from the time of the apostles . the second because it is more general , for there is not almost any country where into this sect hath not crept . the third because all the other procure horrour by their blasphemies against god , this of the lyonists hath a great appearance of piety , in as much as they live uprightly before men , and put their trust in god in all things . sect. 16. though i will not say that all of this way , were such as were nick-named anabaptists , for possibly it may be made out that some of them were tainted with that errour of the times of baptizing their children , yet there is good reason to conceive that many of them did not . for first bernard , who is reported to have lived about the year 1002. which was 250. years before the foresaid frier wrote , this bernard in his 65 sermon on cant. pag. 144. as mr. blackwood in his storming of antichrist pag. 31. but as quoted by mr. tombs , in his 66 sermon , hath this complaint against this people . they laugh at us , saith he , because we baptize infants , because we pray for the dead , because we require the prayers of saints , &c. by which it appears they held the baptizing of infants ridiculous . sect. 17. secondly , it may further appear that this people , or at least many among them , were called anabaptists , because when luther and calvin rise up in their times , they bitterly inveigh against the anabaptists , as well as the papists , as their writings do abundantly declare , by which it appears that they in their times found such a people in being as well as papists . and that these were of the same sort of people , of which bernard , and the frier had formerly complained , may well be conceived , inasmuch as the foresaid author du plessis , saith , they were so spread abroad in germany and france ( where luther and calvin had to do ) as that their prints and footsteps are to be discerned throughout the course of all histories , pag. 403. and that we see their churches out live so many miseries , and even untill these times consist and continue flourishing and largely propagated , pag. 565. and history also relates , how the anabaptists in germany spread themselves into the netherlands , and as it seems from thence into england . for as mr. fox relates in his acts and monuments , vol. 2. fol. 95. in king hen. 8. time , there were two and twenty dutchmen anabaptists apprehended , and about ten of them put to death , in the year 1535. since which time there hath remained in the low countries or england , or both , of the same race unto this every day . if then this kind of people by adversaries own confession , did continue from the apostles days , and that their prints and footsteps are to be discerned throughout all histories till luther's time , and so downwards , why should any man be tender of being confident , ( especially having those scriptures of mat. 16.18 . epk. 4.12 , 13. to back him ) that there hath a successive line of true churches and true gospel administrators , run along throughout all ages , from the apostles times to this day ? sect. 18. thirdly , though it should be granted ( which yet may not ) that the line of succession both of duly constituted churches , and of all due administrators of gospel ordinances , had been cut off by the prevailings of apostacy in times of popery , yet it would not hence follow that there neither is nor can be now , true churches or right administrators of ordinances , because we have upon the matter , and in substance and effect , the same apostolical power now amongst us , to plant and settle churches , & to administer ordinances , as was injoied in the apostles days . the ground upon which i build this assertion is this , viz. because we have the same instructions and directions from the apostles in their writings , about things of this nature , as they had who lived in the apostles times . for though the beleevers then , were sometimes taught the use of ordinances by word of mouth from the apostles , yet other while they were taught the same , but in the same way as we also now are , that is to say , by their writings , or however , their writings were as authentique this waies as their preachings and instructions were , when they were present ▪ this is plain from 2 thes. 2.15 . therefore brethren stand fast , and hold the traditions which ye have been taught , whether by word or our epistle . the word here translated traditions , would surely be better translated ordinances , as it is 1 cor. 11.2 . as those that are well skild in greek do inform , and so mr. tindal hath translated it in this place . in this text there are two things chiefly to be observed to our purpose . 1. that the apostles instructed or taught men about the use of ordinances , as well by their epistles , as by word of mouth . 2. that men were to use , practice and keep those ordinances they had been taught by the apostles writings , as well as when they had been taught the same by word of mouth : their writings did as well authorise , yea oblige them to hold fast ( to wit in use and practise ) the ordinances they had been taught thereby , as any other way of teaching used by the apostles . sect. 19. neither did the epistles of the apostles ( if any should make a doubt of this . ( so appropriately belong to those to whom first and immediately they were directed , but that they also were intended for the good of all that call on the name of the lord jesus christ , for so the 1 cor. 1.1.2 . shews , being directed as well to all those which in every place cal on the name of jesus christ , as unto them . for so the words run : paul called to be an apostle of jesus christ through the will of god , and softhenes our brother , unto the church of god , which is at corinth , to them that are sanctified in christ jesus , called to be saints , with all that in every place call upon the name of our lord jesus christ both theirs and ours . so that if we or any others in any place of the world , call upon the name of jesus christ , this epistle as well belongs to us , as it did unto the corinthians in like cases . besides many of the epistles of the apostles are called general epistles , as being intended indefinitely to all whom they might concern : so the 1 and 2 epistle of peter , 1 epist. john , and the epist. of jude : and the 7 epist. to the 7 churches in asia though immediately directed to them , yet even every one that hath an ear to hear is to hearken what the spirit saith unto the churches , as you have it in the close of every epistle , revel. 2.7.11.17.29 . & 3.6.13.23 . seeing then that the apostles writings do as well concern us , as they did those to whose hands they first came , what being written aforetime , being written for our learning as the apostle teaches , to reason , rom. 15.4 . and since also these writings of theirs do sufficiently direct men about , and authorise them in the use of gospel ordinances , it thence follows , that we have in substance and effect the same apostolical power among us to direct and warrant us in the use of ordinances in church communion , as those beleevers had who lived in the apostles daies . sect. 20. and because the knowledge and beleef hereof is of soveraign use to cure that infirmity which troubles many , and keeps them out of the way of jesus christ , and to resolve the main doubt , therefore i shall yet make this further manifest by what follows . i. then since christ jesus is the prophet of the new-testament , as moses was of the old ( as hath been oft-minded ) it will not be amisse to shew , that moses by his writings was a minister to the jews , as well when he was dead , as while he was alive , john 5.45 . there is one that accuses you , even moses in whom ye trust , saith christ to the jews , in that the doctrine of moses which they had in writing did accuse them , moses himself is said to accuse them . again ver. 46 , 47. for had ye beleeved moses , ye would have beleeved me , for he wrote of me , but if ye beleeve not his writings , how shall ye beleeve my words ? where we see 1. that to beleeve moses , and to beleeve the doctrine of moses in his writings is the same thing . and 2. that christ held it altogether unlikely , that those that would not beleeve and obey those matters of doctrine whilst commended to them in the writings of moses , should ever beleeve and obey christ himself teaching the same things . and by rule of proportion it holds well , that if those that would not beleeve moses writings , could not beleeve christs words , he speaking and moses writing the same thing , neither would they beleeve and obey the apostles themselves , or men of like qualifications , if they should come again amongst us , who now will not obey those doctrines rules and precepts , which they have left us in writing . and hereto agrees that also luke 16.31 . if they heare not moses and the prophets , neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead . again john 7.19.22 . did not moses give you the laws , and yet none of you keepeth the law , ver. 22. moses therefore gave unto you circumcision , &c. how did moses give them the law and circumcision , when as he was dead many hundreds of years before they were born ? why in that they had the writings of moses , and were as well concerned in what they imported , as those were to whom moses first delivered the law , in that respect moses was said to give them the law , as well as to their fore-fathers . acts 21.21 . they are informed of thee , that thou teachest all the jews which are among the gentiles , to forsake moses saying , that they ought not to circumcise their children and to walk after the customes . where likewise we see , that to forsake the doctrine of moses , is to forsake moses and luke 16.13 . they are said to have moses and the prophets , when yet they had but their writings ; so that to forsake moses and to forsake his doctrine , and to have moses and the prophets , and to have their doctrine in writing , is in scripture language and account the same thing in effect and substance . and there is altogether the same reason , why to have the ministry of the apostles , and to have their doctrine in writing , to forsake the one , and to forsake the other , should be substantially the same thing . and let every man be sure of this , that if christ jesus at his first comming did interpret mens neglect of moses in his writings , to be an neglect of moses in his ministry , that he likewise at his second comming , will account mens neglect to observe his ordinances and wayes delivered us in the writings of his apostles , to be an neglect of the apostles ministry , yea of christ himself , whose embassadours they are to the world , and to the saints , as well by writing as speaking , as i shall shew further by and by . sect. 21. 2. the same thing is true also of the doctrines and writings of the prophets ; for they by their writings are as wel ministers to those under the new testament , as they were to those to whom they in their life time preached under the old , so far as their doctrine concerns men now ▪ 1 pet. 1.10 , 11 , 12. of which salvation the prophets have inquired & searched diligently , who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you — ver. 12. unto whom it was revealed , that not unto themselve but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported to you , by them that have preached the gospel unto you where note 1. that the prophets are said to minister to us who now live under the new testament , the things of the gospel , the same things which those have reported who preached the gospel , and to minister to us , and to be ministers to us of the grace of the gospel , is in effect the same thing . but then 2. how or by what means are the prophets ministers to us of this grace , but by their writings ? and if they by their writings are ministers unto us , then much more are the apostles ministers to us upon the like account . again eph. 2.20 . and are built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles , &c. if then the doctrine of the prophets transmitted in writing , was as wel the basis and foundation upon which the churches in the apostles times were built , as the doctrine of the apostles themselves , as by this text it clearly appears that it was then by the same rule , the doctrinal writings both of the prophets and apostles , are a sufficient foundation whereon to build churches now in these times . and therefore the apostle saith , rom. 16.25.26 . that by the scriptures of the prophets , as well as by the preaching of the apostles christ jesus is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith . if then the scriptures of the prophets , be a sufficient ground for men in all nations , in faith to act upon , for so much of the gospel as is revealed in them , as you see by our apostle they are , then without doubt the scriptures of the apostles also are a sufficient ground for men in all nations , in faith to act upon , as touching all those doctrines , ordinances , rules , and precepts of the gospel contained in them , john 20.31 . but these are written that ye might beleeve , that jesus is the christ the son of god , and that beleeving ye might have life through his name . sect. 22. 3. i shall yet further strengthen my principal assertion touching the presence of an apostolical power now amongst us , directing and authorizing men in the gathering of churches , and administration of ordinances ; i say i shall further confirm this by several considerations , taken from the nature , manner , and extant of the apostolical ministration . sect. 23. 1. the apostles were and are apostles to men as well by their writings being absent from them , as by their preachings when present with them . for this , consider first rom. 15.15.16 . neverthelesse brethren , i have written the more boldly to you in some sort , as putting you in mind , because of the grace that is given me of god , that i should be the minister of jesus christ unto the gentiles ministering the gospel of god . two things would be noted here touching our businesse in hand . 1. the act of paul , he wrote , and wrote boldly unto these romans . 2. the reason or ground why he did so write , and that was because by the grace of god he was made the minister of christ to the gentiles , such as they were , to minister to them the gospel of god . by which we gather , that in that he wrote this epistle to them , it was in direct pursuance of his office , as being the minister or apostle of the gentiles , and that he discharged his office and trust towards them , and that they were made partakers of his ministry , even by that epistle which he now wrote to them . which is also further manifest by rom. 11.13 . for i speak to you gentiles , in as much as i am the apostle of the gentiles i magnifie mine office . how did he speak to them but by his epistle ? and why , but because he being the apostle of the gentiles , he hereby magnified his office ; that is , laboured to make the most of it , or to improve it to the utmost . and therefore when he wanted opportunity otherwise , he discharged his office of an apostle by writing . if so what else is the consequence , but that men by the apostles writings , are partakers of the apostles ministry . sect. 24. and it is worth observing , and that which makes this scripture case the more applicable to us , viz. in that when the apostle wrote this epistle to these romans , he had not as yet been personally with them at rome , as may easily be made out , by comparing rom. 15.23 , 24 , 25 , 26. with acts 19.21 . together with the precedent history of paul's travels , in the book of the acts . for if paul were an apostle to those that had his mind and doctrine in writing , who otherwise never saw his face , then the apostle is an apostle to us also , who have his writings as well as they then had . to the former scriptures you may adde col. 2.1 . compared with chap. 1. ver. 25. it should seem that paul had never seen the faces of those colossians to whom he writes . i would ( saith he ) that ye knew what great conflict i have for you , and for them of laodicea , and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh . from which those that write upon this epistle gather , that paul had never seen the face of these colossians when he wrot this epistle to them . which opinion is much confirmed by the 6 , 7 , 8 , 9. ver. of chap. 1. where it appears that they came to the knowledge of the gospel by the ministry , not of paul , but of epaphras , who having acquainted paul with the successe of his ministry , paul thereupon takes occasion to write this epistle to them . by the writing of which epistle he acted the part of a minister , or an apostle towards them , as you may see chap. 1.25 . whereof i am made a minister according to the dispensation of god , which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of god , or fully to preach the word of god as the marginal reading hath it . where note , that paul had received from god , such a dispensation ( or stewardship as it s rendred by some from the greek ) to them ward , or on their behalf , according to which he was made a minister of the church in general : and this stewardship he discharged towards them by writing , not having opportunity of discha●ging it otherwise . so that still we see that the apostles were ministers and apostles to men by their writings , as well as otherwise . and should the apostles come again personally amongst us , yet doubtlesse they would preach but the same thing for substance , which now we have in their writings , 2 cor. 10.11 . let such an one think this ( saith he ) that such as we are in word by letters , when we are absent , such will we be also indeed when we are present . and it must needs be so , because the gospel is but one simple and unchangeable thing , whether preached or written , 2 cor. 1.18 . but as god is true , our word toward you , was not yea and nay . sect. 25. 2. the ministry of the apostles reaches as far as their doctrine reaches rom. 10.14.15 . how then shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved ? and how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard , and how shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall they preach except they be sent ? here the apostle makes all mens beleeving the gospel to depend upon the apostles preaching of it ; i say , upon the apostles preaching of it . for when he saies , how can they preach except they be sent , he speaks of those that were first sent to preach the gospel , to wit the apostles , who indeed could never have found out nor have preached such a doctrine to the world , as the gospel is , had they not been sent on this errand , had they not been indued with power from on high wherwith to do it : the apostle denies any such sufficiency to be of themselves , and ascribes it wholly unto god , 2 cor. 3.5 . that the sending here spoken of rom. 10.15 . is christs sending his apostles to preach the gospel , will further appear , if you compare the effects with their causes , as here set down in order by the apostle . how can they ( saith he ) beleeve in him of whom they have not heard ? that 's a principle in reason , that a man cannot beleeve that , of which he hath never heard . and how shall they hear without a preacher ? here 's another thing as manifest in reason , ( for which cause the apostle makes themselves judges in the case ) a man cannot hear that of which no report hath been given , or of which no declaration hath been made . and how shall they preach except they be sent ? that is how should any man at the first have divulged the gospel and doctrine of salvation ; had he not first been taught it of god , and impowered with knowledge and utterance from him , wherewith to preach it ? which was the apostles case . and that the preaching and sending here spoken of , is the preaching and sending of the apostles , appears yet further by the 18. verse of the same chap. where having continued his discourse of the hearers and preachers , of which he had spoken three verses before ; ver. 14.15 . he here saith of the same preachers , that their sound went into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world ; which all acknowledge to be spoken of the apostles . if then every mans beleeving depends upon his hearing the gospel , and if his hearing of i● likewise depends upon their declaring or preaching it who first received it from god , viz. the apostles , ( for if they had not declared it , we had never heard it ) then it is a thing out of doubt that every mans beleeving the gospel , doth depend upon the preaching and ministery of the apostles . and if so , then the apostles by their doctrine are preachers to all those that in all places and ages where the gospel comes do beleeve . sect. 26. which thing viz , that the apostles ministry extends as far as their doctrine , may be further illustrated and confirmed thus . the apostles commission was to preach the gospel to every creature in all the world . mark . 16.15 . and the apostle paul whilest he was yet living , affirmed that accordingly it had been preached to every creature under heaven , col. 1.23 . but how did twelve apostles think we in their own persons carry the gospel to every man and woman under heaven ? why surely no , that is not lightly imaginable . they indeed first set it on broach in the nations , but there were many others who were instrumental to hand it up and down the world . many of whom the apostle upon that account calls fellow-labourers , fellow-helpers , and fellow-workers , together with them both of men and women , 1 thes. 3.2 . phil. 4.3 . rom. 16.3.2 . cor. 8.23 . col. 4.11 . philem. 1.24 . it was indeed the apostles sound that went into all the earth , and they were their words that went to the ends of the world , rom. 10.18 . they made the whole world to ring with their doctrine , but yet the beleevers which were also made such by their preaching , helped to carry this sound from one place to another , till it had filled the world . in which work the beleevers at rome had not the least share , they having a greater advantage and opportunity this way then many others , inasmuch as the place of their abode was , in the metropolitan city of the world , where the emperour thereof had his seat and residence , whither and from whence upon that account men had recourse from , and to all parts of the known world , whither the influence of the imperial government did extend , and by that means the same of the faith of the gospel professed at rome , went out into all the world , as the apostle informs us , rom. 1.8 . i thank my god through jesus christ for you all , that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world . but whoever were the immediate instruments , the apostles themselves were the original ministers , even to all that beleeved . in which respect all those that have beleeved the gospel , in what place or age of the world soever since the apostles , are all said to beleeve through their word , john 17.20 . for when christ saith ( speaking of his apostles ) neither pray i for these alone , but for them also which shall beleeve on me through their word , he plainly implies , that all that ever should thereafter beleeve , should beleeve through their word , unlesse we will suppose that christ did not pray for all beleevers . in which respect likewise i conceive christ promiseth his apostles to be present with them , to wit in their ministry , unto the end of the world mat. 28.20 . which also shews , that their ministry in their doctrine , should continue even unto the end of the world . if then the ministry of the apostles be of the same extent with their doctrine , and that the one is as broad and as long as the other , and that whomsoever the one reaches , the other reaches 〈◊〉 , the affirmative whereof i conceive hath been abundantly proved , then the case is clear and out of doubt , that the ministry of the apostles is now amongst us , to direct and authorise in what is to be done in the christian life , in matters of worship , ordinances , and otherwise , as well as it was among those churches which were planted in their days , because we have the same doctrine with us in the scriptures , by authority whereof churches were planted , and ordinances administred in the first times of the gospels publication . and that the different terms , upon which we now have , and the beleevers then had , the same doctrinal instructions and directions , from the apostles , the one by word of mouth , the other by writing , doth not alter the case so as to leave us out of that capacity of injoying gospel ordinances which they were in , i shall now come further to clear in the next head of this discourse , therefore sect. 27. 3. the weight , efficacy , authorizing and obliging vertue of the apostles doctrinal instructions about matters of salvation , worship , administration of ordinances and the like , did not depend upon the apostles themselves ; as they were such and such men , but upon the will , pleasure , and grace of god which was indeed made known by them . for which cause the apostles frequently labour to carry mens thoughts and expectations off from themselves , as touching the import , energie , operation and vertue of the things ministred by them , and to charge the same wholly upon god ; that is upon his will and appointment , and the influence of his power and grace , as concurrent with his own appointments , 1 cor. 3.7 . so then , neither is he that planteth any thing , neither is he that watereth , but god that giveth the increase . though paul plant and apollo water , yet the effects which the gospel doth produce in men , depend no more upon paul or apollo , then the increase of the seed depends upon the hand of him that plants or waters it , which by the blessing of god is wont to grow and increase by what hand soever planted and watered . again 2 cor. 4.7 . but we have this treasure in earthen vessels , that the excellency of the power may be of god , and not of us . where we see likewise , that the excellency of the power of this treasure , did not depend upon the vessels as such ( to wit the persons of the apostles ) in which it was brought but upon the will , grace , and power of god , how weak , or earthen soever the vessels are , in which it is carried unto men , see further for this 1 cor. 15.10 . and 2 cor. 3.5 , act. 3.12 . this being so , it follows that we having the same will of god now made known to us by the writings of the apostles , by which men were directed , authorized and warranted to beleeve be baptized , gather into churches , and to hold communion in all ordinances in the apostles days , that therefore we also are every whit as well authorized and required to repent beleeve , be baptized , unite in church bodies , hold communion in all ordinances of the gospel as they were , for the will of god which is the ground and foundation of all , is the same , whether it be expressed by speaking or writing . and i fear it will be found a slender excuse for men in the great day of reckokoning , to say , that therefore they had not kept his orninances , because he did not deliver his mind about them upon the same terms to all as he had done to some , when as notwithstanding he hath sufficiently enough discovered his mind & will herein . and why should any think either that god will more excuse men in these days from obeying him in his ordinances , then he did in the apostles times , or that men have lesse need now of the help and benefit of all the ordinances of the gospel , then they then had ? sect. 28. what hath been said already touching the presence of the apostolical ministry among us , and the validity of their writings as being equivolent with their personal speaking , to authorise men in the use and administration of ordinances , may i suppose abundantly satisfie any that are desirous of satisfaction , touching an administrator , and mens power of administring baptism now in these daies ; yet because men might in this kind have good measure , heaped up , pressed down , and running over into their bosoms , i shall speak yet something further to that particular case . the question is , what power any man hath in these days to administer baptism ? the answer is , even the very same that those men had , whom the apostles in their time did put upon this work . and the reason hereof is because the power of appointing men then to administer baptism , was not arbitrary , or in the liberty of the apostles own wills , for they were but instruments and ministers of jesus christ to declare , who and what manner of persons he would have imployed therein ; but it was the will of god ( when known ) whose work it is , that did impower men to administer baptism . this was proved above in section 27. not onely in relation to this particular administration , but all others also . and the very truth is , the whole power of administration of any of the things of the gospel , not onely by men of a lower rank and degree , but even by the apostles themselves , yea which is more , even by christ himself is charged upon the will of god , 1 cor. 1.1 . and 2 cor. 1.1 . gal. 1.1 , eph. 1.1 . col , 1.1 . 2 tim. 1.1 . john 6.38 . and 12.49 . heb. 3.2 . now look then what manner of persons stand declared in the scriptures of the new testament , as allowed by god in the apostles dayes , as meet for this work of baptizing , the same manner or sort of men , are likewise in the same capacity of doing it now ; for the will of god herein , respects the qualifications of men and not their person . sect. 29. but now the scripture is expresse , that this work of baptizing , was not restrained or tied to the apostles as such , but might be done , as usually it was by the disciples , 1 cor. 1.17 . for christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel . the meaning is not that christ did not in his commission appoint paul to preach baptism , to presse and perswade men upon their repentance to be baptized ( as peter did , whose commission was the same , acts 2.38 . ) for this being one of the beginning doctrines of christ , heb. 6.1 , 2. could not be left out of the commission , mat. 28.18 . nor is this the meaning as if christ had not impowered him to baptize when occasion was , for he confesses that he did baptize crispus and gaius , and the houshold of stephanus among these corinthians , ver 14.16 . but his meaning is , when he saies christ had not sent him to baptize , that christ had not imposed any such thing upon him , as that he should himself , and with his own hands baptize all those that he converted to the faith , but this was such a work as in which other common disciples might ease paul . so that though paul begot them all to the faith by the gospel , chap. 4.15 . and though they were all of them baptized , as appears chap. 1.13 . and 12.13 . yet as he declares he baptized but few of them himsel● , chap. 1.14.16 . and it should seem by this of paul and that of peter , acts 10.48 . ( who is said to have commanded cornelius , and his , to be baptized that it was an usual thing with apostles to leave the administration of baptism to disciples . christ also who was never backward in any thing that was necessary for him to do , left this work of baptizing to his disciples and followers , john 4 1 , 2. jesus made and baptized more disciples then john , though jesus himself baptized not , but his disciples , [ what a disciple is , see jon. 8.31 . ] by which it appears to be a work rather belonging to followers then to leaders . and philip at that time when he baptized the eunuch , acts 8.38 . was for ought appears but a deacon . ananius also , who it seems baptized paul , is described but as a disciple acts 9.10 . and whereas three thousand were baptized , and added unto the church in one day , yea in lesse then a day since it was the third hour , when peter began his sermon , acts 2.15 . it s no wise likely , but that many of the hundred and twenty disciples that till then had kept together , were imployed thereabout , otherwise it s not like , so much work could be done in so little time , but by many hands , acts 2.41 . if then beleevers or men-disciples as such , are sufficient administrators of water baptism in scripture account , as by what hath been said may appear , then for as much as that through the grace of god , there are many such among us now in these days , no man need to keep out of this gospel way , for want of a fit administrator . sect. 30. if any shall here object ( as its like there will ) that the apostles did never appoint those to baptize others , who were not first baptized themselves , as those are suspected to have done who first began the practise of baptizing among us , since reformation began . answ. 1. to this i answer , 1. i cannot say that the apostles did set any to baptize others , who were not first baptized themselves , neither is it likely they did , there being no such need , seeing there were other enough in that capacity to do it : yet this i may say , though we find baptism pressed on men as a duty , acts 2.38 . and 10.48 . yet we do not find that they were injoined to be baptized by men so and so qualified , but onely indefinitely to be baptized , by which , we may gather that the care of being baptized , is a matter of greater consequence , then what manner of administrator should do it . 2 john the baptist questionlesse did administer baptism , while he himself was yet unbaptized , for if he were the first instrument of erecting that ordinance , then of necessity he must baptize somebody before he himself could be baptized , which shews , that under some circumstances it is not unlawful for one to be baptized , by one that is himself unbaptized , viz. where it appears to be the will of god that baptism should be received , and yet none willing to administer it , but he who is not baptized . and therefore should we suppose that the line of such administrators of baptism had been cut off , as had been duly baptized themselves , yet in the restitution of this ordinance unto its primitive use and purity , there would be the same necessity for some one to renew this administration who is not baptized , as was at the first to begin it . sect. 31. nor do i know any reason to make the weight and benefit of baptism received , to depend upon his personal baptism that does administer it , seeing neither is he that planteth any thing , nor he that watereth , but god that giveth the increase , 1 cor. 3 , 7. besides , though we find men in scripture injoined baptism , yet we do not find them injoined to receive it from such and such hands , as namely from such as are baptized , or else not at all ; but it rather seems to be injoined in this respect as circumcision was , which was indeed injoined to all the males among the jews , but not determinately appointing it to be administred by such or such hands . so that if there be no positure law in this case , there can be no transgression . sect , 32. 3. i might bring an argument ad hominem , from the practise of many of those men themselves , who keep off from baptism upon the scruple of an administrator ; for they themselves preach the gospel , which is a greater thing then to baptize , and therefore why should they scruple to baptize , or at least to receive baptism from one who is able to preach the gospel , for he that may do the greater , may do the lesse also . now that it is a greater matter to preach the gospel , then to administer baptism , is most evident by that of the apostle , 1 cor. 1.17 . christ sent me not to baptize , but to preach the gospel : meaning that to preach the gospel was more apostolical , then to administer baptism ; the latter might better be done by inferiour hands then the former , as i shewed before . the true tendency therefore of this opinion , that none may receive baptism , because there is none duly qualified to administer it , is to eject and cast all preaching of the gospel out of the world , a● well as baptism , for if there be none qualified to administer baptism which is the lesse , there is none qualified to minister the word , which is the greater . sect. 33. but because some also are gone so far out of the way , as to think that none may preach the gospel ; except they were so indued with power from on high , as were the apostles , and could speak by immediate revelation of the spirit as they did , i shall here insert one word from the scriptures to prove the contrary . it doth sufficiently appear , that even in the apostles days , whilest yet extraordinary gifts were abroad , men might prophesie , who yet could not speak by any such immediate and infallible revelation of the spirit as the apostles did . therefore the apostle cautions those that prophesied in the church at rome , to prophesie according to the proportion of faith , rom. 12 6. that is , either according to the rule of faith , or according to that measure of faith and knowledge , which they had attained in the doctrine of the gospel , which caution were needlesse , if they had prophesied according to the immediate dictates of the spirit , as they did who speak as the spirit gave them utterance ; for then they could not be in danger of erring in their prophecying , because prophesie in this kind , came not at any time by , or according to the will of man , but holy men of god , spake as they were moved by the holy ghost , as the apostle peter hath it , 2 pet. 1.21 . yea if any had the spirit of prophesie in this sence , they could not , though they had a desire to speak otherwise then the spirit moved them , as appears in the case of baalam , who said , if balak would give me his house full of silver and gold , i cannot go beyond the commandement of the lord , to do either good or bad of mine own mind ; but what the lord saith , that will i speak , num. 24 13. and it is not unlike but that the extraordinary prophets , sometimes spake things by the guidance of the spirit , which they themselves understood not ; i heard , saith daniel , but i understood not , dan. 12.8 . see 1 pet. 1.10.11.12 . but these who are directed to prophesie according to the proportion of faith , are to keep within the bounds of their own knowledge , and not undertake to teach others , what they do not well understand themselves . besides the apostle describing the subject matter of those prophecyings , which were used in the churches saith , he that prophecieth speaketh unto men to edification , and exhortation and comfort , 1 cor. 14.3 . which to do , were things not peculiar to extraordinary prophets , but common duties among christians , 1 thes. 5.11 . wherefore comfort your selves together , and edifie one another , even as also ye do , and exhort one another daily , heb. 3.13 . and 10.25 . as every man hath received the gift , even so minister the same one to another , as good stewards of the manifold grace of god . 1 pet. 4.10 . in which the apostle gives this caution , verse 11 , if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of god , that is , according to , and as becomes the words of god ; of which caution there had been no use as i said before , if none had spoke in a way of prophecying , that is , to edification , exhortation and comfort , but onely such as spake by immediate revelation . and whatever the gift was which timothy received by the putting on of paul's hands , 2 tim. 1.6 . or which afterward he received by prophesie , and the laying on of the hands of the presbytery , 1 tim , 4.14 . i say what ever other gift it was , it seems it was not a gift of preaching the gospel by immediate revelation of the spirit , because in order to his teaching he is exhorted , to give attendance to reading , 1 tim. 4.13 . and is admonished also , to take heed unto his doctrine , verse 16. and directed to hold fast the form of sound words , which he had heard of paul , 2 tim. 1.13 . for all which there had been no place , if what he had taught , had been onely by the immediate dictates of the spirit : for he that speakes by immediate revelation and infallible guidance of the spirit , needs not give attendanc● to reading , in order thereunto , nor is in danger ( unlesse he take heed ) of miscarrying in his doctrine , or of expressing himself in unsound words . nor doth the apostle in his directions about the choice of elders , 1 tim 3. where he insists at large on the qualifications requisite in such officers , speak one word of those extraordinary gifts . and as the apostle would not have the prophecying then used in the church to be despised , so he would not have ought delivered therein , to be received without examination and tryal , 1 thes. 5.20.21 . despise not prophecying , prove all things , &c. which shews , that those that did then prophesie , might possibly deliver errour as well as truth , which those who spake onely as the spirit gave them utterance could not do ; but of this onely by the way . i shall now return to add a word more towards their satisfaction who lay so great a stress upon a baptized administrator of baptism , as for the supposed want whereof they are content , that both baptism , and all those other ordinances in church communion which depend thereon , should lie desolate and wast . sect. 34. 4. that therefore which i shall say in the last place to such , is , that the want of a baptized administratour , can be no just plea for any among us to keep off from obeying jesus christ in submitting to the ordinance of baptism , because blessed be god , there are many amongst us meet to administer that ordinance , who have been themselves baptized by such as were baptized also . neither is it necessary , nor indeed reasonable , for any man to suspend his submitting to baptism , till he be able to make out by clear proof , not onely that he from whom he is about to receive baptism was baptized , but also that that third person , from whom the second received it , and a fourth from whom the third received it , and so on to john the baptist or the disciples of christ , who first administred the same ; for there would have been no end of scrupling , nor hardly a possibility of satisfaction in this case , no not in the apostles times , and that successive time in which this administration was not corrupted , if such a thing had been necessary . nor can it easily be imagined how the eunuch could have come at satisfaction in this point touching philips meetnesse to administer baptism to him , if such a lineal demonstration had been requisite hereunto . nor can it reasonably be thought that that mans baptism should be the lesse available to him , who in uprightnesse of heart , submits himself thereto , though he should be mistaken about the meetness of the administrator ; for paul doubtlesse would never have rejoiced as he did , that christ was preached , though but in pretence by some , as in truth by others , but that he knew that a benefit would redound even by their preaching of christ to those that with honest hearts received the word from them , their unmeetnesse to minister the gospel otherwise notwithstanding , phil. 1.18 . a postscript . in as much as there are too many in these times , who to render waterbaptism unnecessary , do construe most of those scriptures as meant of the baptism of the spirit , which speak of baptism , after the ministry of john the baptist ceased , and who also do interpret those words , 1 cor. 12.13 . by one spirit we are all baptized into one body , to be meant of the baptism of the spirit ; and so do take themselves as having the spirit , to be duly incorporated visibly into this one body of christ which is his church , by vertue of their being baptized with the spirit , whether they have ever received water-baptism or no : therefore having this opportunity , i shall here adde a word to convince such from the scripture , of their delusion and mistake herein . in order hereunto , let such know , that for men to receive of the spirit of god , onely unto their own personal regeneration , and sanctification , is one thing , & to be baptized with the spirit , is another . those whom john baptized , at least many of them had received of the spirit to their own personal regeneration and sanctification , mat. 21.32 . luke 7.29 . and yet they were not then baptized with the holy ghost , but were directed to expect that from him that was to come after john , to wit christ jesus , mat. 3.11 . those eleven apostles of christ also , who being assembled together , and christ with them , a little before his ascension , had at that time certainly received , of the spirit to their own regeneration and sanctification , yea and to a good degree for the edification of others also ; and yet at that time they were not baptized with the holy spirit , but they then received a promise from christ that they should be baptized with the spirit not many days thence , acts 1.5 . the baptism of the spirit then , properly , is such a being filled with the holy spirit , as by which men are able to speak with other tongues , and to act and do things of like high and extraordinary import . this is evident , first , from the tenor of that saying of the baptist , mat. 3.11 . i indeed baptize you with water unto repentance , but he that commeth after me , is mightier then i , whose shooes i am not worthy to bear , he shall baptize you with the holy ghost and with fire . which accordingly was fulfilled to as many of the jews as were professedly the disciples of christ at the day of penticost following the ascention of christ . for speaking of the hundred and twenty disciples which were all with one accord in one place , it s said that there appeared unto them eleven tongues , like as of fire , and it sate upon each of them , and they were all filled with the holy ghost , and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance , acts 2.1.3.4 . 2. that such a being filled with the holy spirit , was meant by the promise of being baptized with the spirit , appears by the words of christ , acts 1.5 . compared with acts 2.1.2.3.4 , and acts 11.16 . christ commanded the disciples that they should not depart from jerusalem , but wait for the promise of the father , which said he , ye have heard of me : for john truly baptized with water , but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost , not many daies hence , acts 1.4.5 . which accordingly they were as we had it before , acts 2.1.3.4 . which yet is more evident in acts 11.15.16 . where peter rehearsing the effect of his preaching the gospel to cornelius and his company , saith , and as i began to speak the holy ghost fell on them , as on us at the beginning , then remembred i the word of the lord , how that he said , john indeed baptized with water , but ye shall be baptized with the holy ghost . where note , that the falling of the holy ghost upon cornelius and those with him , as on the apostles and disciples on the day of pentecost , causing them to speak with tongues as they did , acts 10.46 . this peter deems , to be a like act of grace vouchsaled the gentiles , as was that which christ promised his disciples when he told them that they should be baptized with the holy spirit not many days after . the reason why such a rich measure of the spirit is expressed by this metaphor of being baptized with it , is i conceive because of that analogy which is between this metaphorical baptism , and that which is literal and proper : for as no man is litterally and properly baptized without abundance of water , john 3.23 . so much as in which he is buried , col. 2.12 . so no man is metaphorically baptized with the spirit , but he that receives ▪ it in great abundance likewise . sufferings also which are another metaphorical baptism , a man is not said to be baptized herewith whilest they be but ordinary and common , but then onely when they are very great and many , such as that he may say concerning them , i am come into deep waters , where the floods overflow me , psal. 69.2 . and therefore christ when he speaks of his being baptized in this kind , doth appropriate it to his suffering the sorrows of death , luke 12.50 . and not to those lesser degrees of suffering which befell him in the former part of his life . if then to be so filled with the spirit , as by means thereof to be able to speak with other tongues , and the like , be in scripture sence to be baptized with the spirit , and not otherwise ; then those that will needs make a being baptized with the spirit , the condition of the injoyment of gospel priviledges , and the means of mens being made members of that one body of christ which is the church ( 1 cor. 12.13 , ) as many now a daies do , on purpose to exclude water-baptism altogether here-from , do not onely thereby exclude themselves , but also all others now living ( so far as known to us ) from all part and fellowship in such gospel priviledges , in as much as neither they nor any other visible to us , are in a scripture account baptized with the spirit . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a23664e-220 note this . note this . note . an endeavovr of making the principles of christian religion, namely the creed, the ten commandements, the lords prayer, and the sacraments, plaine and easie tending to the more speedy instruction of the meanest capacities, and weakest memories, and for the making triall also of their understandings, who though they have attained some measure of saving knowledge, yet through the weaknesse of their abilities cannot expresse even that which they doe conceive. palmer, herbert, 1601-1647. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a70809 of text r2981 in the english short title catalog (wing p230a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. 133 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 27 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo 2017 a70809 wing p230a estc r2981 12017431 ocm 12017431 52568 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a70809) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 52568) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 573:3 or 1388:15) an endeavovr of making the principles of christian religion, namely the creed, the ten commandements, the lords prayer, and the sacraments, plaine and easie tending to the more speedy instruction of the meanest capacities, and weakest memories, and for the making triall also of their understandings, who though they have attained some measure of saving knowledge, yet through the weaknesse of their abilities cannot expresse even that which they doe conceive. palmer, herbert, 1601-1647. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a70809 of text r2981 in the english short title catalog (wing p230a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread [6], 47 p. printed for thomas vnderhill ..., london : 1644. reproduction of original in huntington library. this item appears at reels 573:3 and 1388:15. eng ten commandments -early works to 1800. lord's prayer -early works to 1800. apostles' creed -early works to 1800. sacraments -early works to 1800. a70809 r2981 (wing p230a). civilwar no an endeavour of making the principles of christian religion, namely the creed, the ten commandements, the lords prayer, and the sacraments, palmer, herbert 1644 18850 423 0 0 0 0 0 224 f the rate of 224 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the f category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2005-10 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-11 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2006-01 john latta sampled and proofread 2006-01 john latta text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an endeavovr of making the principles of christian religion , namely the creed , the ten commandements , the lords prayer , and the sacraments , plaine and easie : tending to the more speedy instruction of the meanest capacities , and weakest memories . and for the making triall also of their understandings , who though they have attained some measure of saving knowledge , yet through the weaknesse of their abilities cannot expresse even that which they doe conceive . the third impression . the preface is specially to be heeded . hos. 4. ver. 6. my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . iohn 17. ver. 3. this is life eternall , to know thee the only true god , and him whom thou hast sent , iesus christ . london : printed for thomas vnderhill at the bible in woodstreete . 1644. a direction to the christian reader , concerning the reason and use of this way of questions and answers . christian reader , thou hast here an endeavour of making the principles of our christian religion plaine and familiar , even to very weak capacities , and easie to be remembred , even by very weak memories . how fit it is to perform this , though thy own expe●●ce will best inform thee , if thou be pleased to make triall of it toward any thou hast care of , yet thou maist partly conceive , if thou wilt take along with thee the reason of the composition of it in this forme , and the drift aimed at by the author , which will also direct thee to make right use of it . vvhereas thou canst not but observe at the first view , both a double sort of answers and a double sort of questions ; that is done , because the author conceives that neither sort alone will suffice to drop in knowledge into narrow mouth'd vessels , for whose sake this labour hath been undertaken . experience hath taught him this , and he is willing to teach it thee better cheape . for the answers ( to speak of them first ) observe in them first their brevity : secondly , their compleatnesse : thirdly , their 〈◊〉 1. one sort of them are undeniably as breef as may be ; only yes , or no : and yet even they will be of good use for instruction , but especially for triall . 2. of the other sort also speciall ●are hath been had , to make them all as short as may be ( considering their compleatnesse ) that the weakest memory may not justly complaine of burthen . 2. then for the compleatnesse of these answers , take notice , 1. that they are all framed into entire sentences of themselves , without depending for their sense upon the f●regoing questions . hereby the learner shall have a stock of divine truth in his head , even though he should forget the questions . and withall , this may help to prevent a common error observable in divers learners ; who when the sense is shared between the question and the answer ( as for brevities sake it is usuall ) forgetting the question , oft give the answer , which they have learned by rote , to a wrong question , to the great confounding of their understandings : which cannot so easily be here , where the answer carries ever a full sense in it selfe ; besides that for the most part it repeats part of the question . 2. these answers , though suiting directly to the first or head-question of every division , yet also agree fully to every one of the under-questions , by joyning but the brief answer yes , or no , which is placed at the end of the question , & making it the beginning of the larger answer . 3 these answers are also remarkable easie , by reason that there is not a word in any of them , but hath been before in some of the questions of that division . and so after the learner is but little used to them , he will soon get the answer ; as having it altogether or in parcels , put into his mouth before in the questions , and after he hath once learned them , hee will the easier both understand and remember them upon the rehearsall of the questions again , or even of some of them . now concerning the questions . first , as there is ever more then one question belonging to the same division and full answer ; so ordinarily and as oft as could be with convenience , the first question is generall , and therefore printed in a different character , as the answers also are : and then the following questions are sub-divisions of that into more particulars , so to help to make the meaning of it more plain . secondly , where ever the nature of the generall question would fairly beare it , and that it could be without multiplying too many questions under one head , the under-questions are by way of disjunction one crosse to the other , is it so ? or so ? directing to own the truth by answering yes , & deny the falshood or falshoods ( for oftentime they are more then one ) by saying no . yet now and then it could not well be avoided but they must be all of one sort , & so the brief answers of that division , all yes , or all no . but these are but few if compared with the rest . thirdly to every question there is a proper answer fitted . to the head-question the larger answer suits fully ; to the rest , the brief , yes , or no over against it , besides the light it hath from the larger answer , as was noted before . so that in teaching or examining any one question may be asked alone , or at the most borrowing but a word or two out of the foregoing question ( which is sometimes left out to spare the trouble of repeating too often the same common and plain words ) and even the answering so any one question of a division ( if done with understanding & discretion ) wil be cleerly so much progresse in the knowledge of divine and saving truth , and lead on fairly to more . fourthly , the totall number of the head questions and larger answers amounts not to any great proportion , and so will be the sooner learned and easilyer remembred : and the under-questions and brief answers , though making the volume swell , yet diminish the difficulty both of understanding and memory : and by the advantage of them , the author hopes that nothing necessary to be known by way of foundation or principle is omitted , or left without some clearing . after all , the method and way of teaching these questions & answers to yong beginners may be this : first , read over to them all the questions of a division together , without expecting any answer at all from them at the first . secondly , then go over the severals , and see what answer they can now make to the head-question by having heard the under-questions , containing among them the full answer . thirdly , if they cannot doe this , then try whether they can discerne the truth from falshood , by answering yes or no to the under-questions severally . 4. if this yet be too much for them , then reach them those brief answers in order . 5. being perfect in the briefe answers of that division ( and not before ) teach them the larger answer . 6. in examining when they have once learned all the answers of a division , ask the head-question twice , namely first and last , that so the larger answer may ever be made to the head-question , and so proceed to another question in due season . now the god of all wisdome & grace , who hath graciously promised , that under the kingdom of christ the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the ●●ord , ●s the waters cover the sea , and particularly that all our children shall be taught of him : von ●safe for iesus christs sake , and through him our great prophet his blessing , as upon all other means used by any , so upon these weak indeavours of his 〈◊〉 thiest servant , that by them , thou ( whoever thou art ) that thinkest good to attempt the making use of them , maist for thyselfe and thine , si●de some help toward the more easie overcoming the conceited inseparable difficulty of making those that are not book learn'd ( as the phrase is ) attain to any measure of understanding in matters of religion , so as both thou and they may be both the more willing and able to teach and to learn , untill we all com● to the blessed persection promised , when there shall be no more need of teaching every man hi , neighbour , and every man his brother , saying , know the lord , because all shall know him from the least to the greatest : comming all in the unity of 〈◊〉 , and of the knowledge of the son of god , unto a perfect man , unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of christ . i end with a double suit to thee-one , that according to thy knowledge , thou be carefull to walke humbly , holidy and justly : the other , that receiving any good by this little work , thou pay the author ( though unknown to thee ) by affording him a share in thy prayers : in which latter he promiseth againe to requite thee whether known or unknown ; as being ever thine in the lord iosia christ , herbert palmer questions and answers tending to explaine the articles of the creed . question 1. what is a mans greatest businesse in this world ?   a. a mans greatest businesse in this world is to a glorifie god , & b save his own soule , a 1 cor. 6. 20. 1 cor. 10. 31. b mat. 16. 26. is it to follow the world , and live as hee list ? no .   or , is it to glorifie god , and save his own soule ? yes .   2 q. how shall a man come to glorifie god and save his own soule ?   2 a. they that will glorifie god , and save their owne souls , must needs learn to c know god , and d beleeve in him , and e serve him . c 1 chro. 28. 9. 2 thes. 1. 7 , 8. d rom. 4. 20. heb. 10. 39. e deu. 10. 12. rom 6. 22. can they do so that are ignorant ? no   or , they that do not believe in god ? no .   or , do not serve him ? no .   or , must they not needs learn to know god ? and believe in him , and serve him ? yes .   q. say the articles of the beliefe .   a. i beleeve in god , &c. 3 q. what is it to beleeve in god ?   3 a. to beleeve in god , is f to be perswaded that there is a god , and g to trust in him h as my god , i at all times , k according to his word , f heb. 11. is it not first to be perswaded that there is a god ? yes .   and , is that enough without trusting in him as my god ? no .   or , is it enough to trust in him at some time only ? no .   or , to trust in him , and not   according to his vvord , no . 6. g ps. 78. 22. h dan. 6. 23. i ps. 62. 8. k psa. 56. 4. 10. 11. or , is it to trust in him as my god , at all times , according to his word ? yes .   4 q. what is god ?   4. a. god is l a being , m infinite in all perfection . l exod. 8. 14. m job 11. 7 , 8 , 9. is he a being , infinite in all perfection ? yes .   or , is he finite and imperfect as all other things are ? no .   5 q. are there many gods ? no . 5 a. there is but n one god . n 1 tim. 2. 5. 1 cor. 8. 4 , 5 , 6. or , is there but one god ? yes .   6 q. how many persons are there in the godhead ?   6 a. there are o three persons in the godhead , the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost ; yet still there is but one god . o 1 joh. 5. 7. are there not three , the father , the sonne , and the holy ghost ? yes .   or , are there more then three ? no .   or , fewer ? no   and , is there still but one god ? yes .   7 q. is iesus christ god ? yes . 7 a. p jesus christ is god , rom. 9. 5. or , is he not ? yes .   8. q. which person is iesus christ ?   8 a. jesus christ is q god the son , r the onely begotten of the father . q 1 john 5. 20. r john 1. 14 , 17. is he god the father ? no .   or , god the son ? yes .   or , god the holy ghost ? no .   and , is he the onely begotten of the father ? yes .   9 q. is the holy ghost god ? yes . 9 a. the holy ghost is s god , t equall with the father and the sonne . s act. 5. 3 , 4. t mat. 28. 19. and , is he equall with the father , and the son ? yes   or , is he not ? yes .   10. q. from whom hath god his being ?   10. a. god hath his u being onely from himselfe . u exod. 3. 14. from himselfe onely ? yes .   or , hath he it from any other ? no .   11 q. what manner of being hath god ?   11 a. god is a x spirit and y hath no body . x iohn 4. 24. y iob 10. 4. is god a spirit ? yes .   or , hath he any body or bodily parts , as men and other creatures have ? no .   12 q. where is gods dwelling ?   12 a. god is z every where , and in all places . z ierem. 23. 23 , 24. psal. 139. 7. &c. doth god dwell onely in heaven ? no .   or , is hee every where in all places ? yes .   or , onely in one place at once ? no .   13 q. if god be every where , how is it we do not see him ?   13 a. god is a invisible . a 1 tim. 1. 17. 1 tim. 6. 16. iohn 1. 18. is god to be seen with a mans bodily eyes ? no .   or , is he invisible ? yes .   14 q. what , or who is god likeunto ?   14 a. god is not b like a man , or any thing to bee seene in the world . b isai. 40. 18 , 25. cannot a man make a picture that may be like god , as of an old man sit●ing in heaven ? no .   or , is he like any thing to be seen in the world ? no .   15 q. what perfection of power , or strength is there in god ?   15 a. god is c almighty , and d can doe all things . c exod. 6. 3. d iob. 42. 2. is he almighty ? and can he do all things ? yes .   or , is there any thing too hard for him ? no .   16 q. what perfection of wisdome or knowledge is there in god ?   16 a. god is e most wise , f knowing all things , and g doth all is any thing hid from god , which he doth not know ? no . things most wisely . e 1 tim. 1. 17. f heb. 4. 13. g psal. 104. 24. or , is he most wise , and knoweth all things ? yes .   and , doth he all things most wisely ? yes .   17 q. what perfection of holinesse is there in god ?   17 a. god is most perfect h holy , and i alloweth not any to sin . is he most perfectly holy ? yes .   or , hath he any sin in himself ? no .   or , doth he cause any to sin ? no .   or , allow any to sin ? no .   18 q. what perfection of justice , or righteousnesse in there god ?   18 a. god is always most k just , and in all things ; l whether he punish or spare good or bad , m punishing all sin either in the sinner , n or in christ the surety . k psa. 115. 17. l job 34. 10 , 11 , 12 , 23. m mal. 4. 1. n esa. 53. 6. rom. 3. 23 , 24 , 25. is he alwayes most just in all things ? yes .   and , that whether he punisheth or spareth good or bad ? yes .   or , is there any unjustice or unrighteousnesse in him at any time ? no .   and doth he punish all sin , either in the sinner , or in christ the surety ? yes .   19 q. what perfection of mercie is there in god ?   19 a. god is most o mercifull , both in giving and p forgiving beyond desert . o psal. 145. 8 , 9. p ex. 34. 6 , 7. is he most mercifull both in giving and forgiving beyond desert ? yes .   or , doth he no more for any of his creatures then they deserve ? yes .   20 q. to whom of mankinde ●oth god show such mercie as to forgive them ?   20 a. gods mercy onely forgiveth those that q repent of their sins , and r beleeve in christ . q prov. 28. 13. r john 3. 36. doth he shew a like mercy to all ? no .   or , doth hee forgive onely those that repent of their sins , and beleeve in christ ? yes .   or , every one that crieth , lord   have mercy upon me , whether they repent and beleeve , or not ? no .   21 q. what perfection is there in god in regard of time or continuance ?   21. a. god is seternall , t from everlasting to everlasting , u having no beginning not end . s 1 tim. 1. 17. c psal. 90. 2. u rev. 1. 8. is god eternall from everlasting to everlasting ? yes .   or , had he any beginning ? no .   or , shall he ever have any end ? no .   22 q. what perfection is there in god , in regard of sted fastnesse or mutability ?   22 a. god is x unchangeably y the same for ever . notwithstanding the changes he makes in all other things . x mal. 3. 6. ja. 1. 17. y psalm . 102. 26 , &c. is there any change or changeablenesse in god ? no .   or , in any of his perfections ? no .   or , is he unchangeably the same for ever ? yes .   and , that notwithstanding the changes he makes in all other things ? yes .   23 q. what perfection of truth or faithfulnes is there in god ?   23 a. god is most ● true , and it is not * possible for him to lie . z rom. 3. 4. * tit. 1. 2. heb. 6. 18. nu●●●● . 23. 19. is god most true in all his words ? yes .   and , particularly in his promises and threatnings ? yes .   or , is it possible for him to lie ? no .   24 q. what perfection of blessednesse doth god enjoy ?   24 a. god is in himselfe most x blessed every way and y for ever , x 1 tim. 6. 15. act. 17. 25. y rom. 9. 5. doth god want any happinesse in himselfe ? no .   needing the service of any creature ? no .   or , can any creature make him unhappy ? no .   or , is he in himselfe most blessed every way and for ever ? yes .   25 q. what certaine proofe have you that there is a god , such an one as you have acknowledged him to bee ?   25 a. i am sure there is a god : because neither of my self nor any thing in the world could z make me , or a preserve me , or b order things that befall mee without god . z psal. 100. 3. psal. 139. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16. a psal. 22. 9 , 10. b iob 1. 21. doth not your own very being give you assurance of it ? yes .   or , could you your self , or any thing in the world have made you without god ? no .   and , doth not your preservation make you also sure that there is a god ? yes .   or , could you your selfe , or any thing in the world , preserve you without god ? no .   and , doth not the ordering of things that befall you also prove assuredly there is a god ? yes .   or , could you your self , or any thing in the world , so order those things that befall you , without god ? no .   26 q. who made the world and all things in it ?   26 a. god is the c maker of the world , and of all things in it . c gen. 1. 1. acts 17. 24. is god the maker of all ? yes .   or , were any of them from everlasting , and without a beginning ? no .   or , did any of them make the rest ? no .   27 q. how are things preserved in the world ?   27 a. the power of god is that that d preserveth all things in the world . d neh. 9. 6. heb. 1. 3. hath any of them , without god , power enough of themselves to preserve themselves ? no .   or , one another ? no .   or , is it the power of god that preserveth them all ? yes .   28 q. how is the world governed , & how come things to passe ?   28. a. gods providence is that that e ruleth all things . e psal. 103. 19. iam. 1. 17. amos 3. 6. is it gods providence that ruleth all things ? yes .   or , doe chance and fortune rule some things ? no .   or , destiny and the course of nature meerly ? no .   or , doth any creature rule any thing at its own pleasure ? no .   29 q. from whence must wee learn to know god and serve him rightly ?   29 a. to f know god , and to g serve him rightly , wee must be taught out of gods word . f psal. 19. 1. &c. with 7 , 8. g esay 8. 20. can it be of our selves only ? no .   or , by beholding gods works of creation , preservation , and providence onely ? no .   or , must we be taught it out of gods word ? yes .   30 q. which book is gods word ?   30 a. the bible or the h scripture of the old and new testament is the very word of god . h 2 tim. 3. 16. 2 pet. 1. 21. is the bible the scripture of the old and new testament the very word of god ? yes .   or , is it meerly the invention of man ? no .   or , is any other book besides the bible the word of god ?     31 q. how may it be proved that the scriptures are the very word of god ?   31 a. the scriptures are sufficiently proved to be gods word , by their being wholly to gods i glory & their k perfection , & l power upon consciences , i iohn 7. 18. k psal. 19. 7. l heb. 4. 12. psal. 19. 7. is their being wholly to gods glory and their perfection , and their power upon consciences a sufficient proof of it ? yes .   or , may all this be , & yet they be but the word of a meer man ? no .   or , doe these things agree to any other word or booke not   taken out of the scriptures ? no .   32 q in what condition was man created by god at first ?   32 a. man was created at the first in a very happy condition , in the m image of god . m gen. 1. 26. vvas he made miserable ? no .   or , very happy ? yes .   in the image of god ? yes .   or , no better then other earthly creatures ? yes .   33 q. what was the image of god in man ?   33 a. gods n image in man stood in the perfection of his immortall soule , and dominion over the creatures . n gen. 1. 26 , 27 , 28. did it stand in the shape and frame of mans body ? no .   or , in the perfection of his immortall soule ? yes .   and , had he dominion given him over the creatures ? yes .   or , vvas any of them , as they are now , rebellious against man ? no .   or , hurtfull to him ? no .   34 q. in what specially did gods image in mans so●●e stand ?   34 a. gods image in mans soule was specially in a knowledge , p righteousnesse and holinesse . o col. 3. 10. p e●hes . 4. 24. vvas he created in knowledge ? yes .   or , ignorant ? no .   in righteousnesse ? yes .   or , sinfull ? no .   in holinesse ? yes .   or , vnholy ? no .   35 q. what condition is mankinde now naturally in ?   35 a. mankinde is now naturally in a very q miserable condition . q ephes. 2. 1 , 2 , 3. still happy ? no .   or , very miserable ? yes .   36 q. wherein is mankinds condition now so miserable ?   36. a. mans misery is , that they are now r all sinners , and subject to s punishment for sin ; and that is not mankind still righteous ? no .   or , are they all sinners ? yes .   and , are you a sinner as well as others ? yes .   and , are they all subject to punishment ? yes .     is t my condition as well as others . r rom. 3. 9. to 19. s r● . 5. ●2 . t. ephes. 2. 3 , 4. and , is that your condition is well as others ? yes .   or , are any free from punishment , you or others ? no .   or , out of danger of it ? no .   37 q. what is sin ?   37 a. sinne is any u transgressiō of gods law , bee it but in x words or y thoughts u 1 ioh. 3. 4. x mat. 12. 36 , 37. y ier. 4. 14. is it onely a transgression of gods law in deeds ? no .   or , any transgression , be it in words or thoughts ? yes .   38 q. how came mankind to be miserable ?     was it without their owne fault ? no . 38 a. mankind became miserable by sinning z all with our first parents adam & eve , in * eating the forbidden fruit : and i sinned among them . ●rom . ● . 12 , 18. * gen. 3. 6. or , because they all sinned with our first parents adam and eve in eateng the forbidden fruit ? yes .   and , did you sinne among them ? yes .   39 q. why should children ●e charged with their parents faults ?     is it not unjust ? no . 39 a. men confess it just to charge children sometimes with the parents faults , doing so to bastards and traitours children . or , do● men conf●sse it just , sometimes doing so to bastards and traitors children ? yes .   40 q. how farre are all mankinde corrupted with sin ?     are they onely guilty of that first sin of adam ? no . 40 a. all mankinde are a altogether corrupted with sin , and that in every part both of soul and body ; and b so am ● . a gen. 6. 5. or , are they all in themselves corrupted with sin ? yes .   and , ●●e you so too ? yes .   and , that altogether in every part both of soule and body ? yes .   or , onely in some part ? no .   41 q. what doe you meane by saying all men are altogether corrupted with sin ?   rom. 3. 9. to 19. b rom. 7. 24. prov. 27. 19. are they all inclined to all sins ? yes 41 a. c all men are inclined to all sns , and d untoward to any good : and e i as much as any other by nature . c rom. 3. 9. to . 19. d ier. 4. 22. e tit. 3. 3. or , only to some ? no .   and , are they all untoward to any good ? yes .   or , inclined at least to some good ? no   and , are you as much inclined to fin , and as untoward to good , as any other by nature ? yes   42 q. what say you of children new borne ?   42. a. f all children that are conceived a naturall way , are conceived and borne in sin ; and so was g i too . f ephef. 2. 3. ●g psal. 51. 5. are they not altogether innocents ? no   and , free from all taint of sinfulness and corruption ? no   or , are they all that are conceived a naturall way , conceived and borne in sin ? yes .   and , were you your self conceived and born so too ? yes .   or , without any sin or sinfulness ? no   43. q. you say all mankinde are altogether corrupted : how then came any to be of a better minde or behaviour then others ?   43 a. gods h grace is onely that that makes one man better then another . h 1 cor. 4. 7. 1 cor. 15. 10. doth not that shew they are of a better nature ? no .   or , is it only gods grace that makes one man better then another ? yes .   44. q. what is the punishment due to sin , which even the least sinne deserveth ?   44 a. the punishment due to sin , even the least , is i death , and k eternall damnation , is it death and eternall damnation ? yes .   and , all curses and crosses in the meane time besides ? yes and , all l curses and crosses in the meane time . i rom. 6. 23. k 2 thess. 1. 8 , 9. psal. 9. 17. l deut. 27. 26. or , is that too great a punishment ? no .   specially for some sins ? no .   45 q. what punishment do● your sins deserue ?   45 a. even m my sins deserve damnation and all punishments besides . m ephes. 2. 3. doe you acknowledge that even they deserve damnation ? yes .   and , all punishments besides ? yes .   or , is any of that too much ? no .   or , all that too much ? no .   46 q. if the least sin deserves damnation , and all punishments besides● what matter is it what sins a man commits that is guilty of any ?   46 a. they that have n more and greaters sins , shall have more punishment in hell , if they o repent not . n luke 12. 47 , 48. mat. 11. 20. to 24. o rom. 2. 4 , 5. do men make their condition no worse by living in the world and multiplying sins ? yes .   or , shall all be punished alike in hell , whether their sinnes bee more or fewer , greater or smaller ? no .   or , shall they that have more and greater sins , have more punishment in hell if they repent not ? yes .   47 q. but what if men be punished in this world ?   47 a. they that are punished here and yet will not repent p deserve more punishment for that , and so shall be q sure also not to escape damnation . p levit. 26. 18 , 21 , 23 , 24 , 27 , 28. q deut. 29. 18 , 19 , 20 , 21. shall not they escape all punishment in hell , though they never repent of their sins ? no .   or , doe not they deserve more punishment in hell , because they would not amend for any punishment here ? yes .   and , so shall be sure also not to escape damnation ? yes .   48 q. what is repentance ?   48 a. repentance is to r confesse our sins to s god , with t shame and sorrow , and u to forsake them . r prov. 28. 13. s psal. 32. 5. ●●er . 31. 18 , 19. u esay 55. 7. doth a man repent that covers his sins ? no .   and , will not confesse them to god ? no .   or , that is not ashamed of them when hee doth confesse them ? no .   or , not sorrowfull for them ? no .   or , however doth not forsake them ? no .   or , is it to confesse our sins to god with shame and sorrow , and to forsake them ? yes .   49 q. whereby may repentance be knowne to be true ?   49 a. then a ma●●● repentance is true whe● he turnes from x al● knowne sins , and doth not willingly fall to y new ones . x ezek 18. 30 , 31. y ezek. 33 15. acts 26. 2● . is that true when it is only for some sins ● and not for all known sins ? no .   or , when a man turns from his former sins , and willingly fals to new ones ? no .   or , may not a man be sure of his repentance if he be sure hee doth not cleave to any knowne sinne ? yes .   50 q. how far is it possible for a man that truly repents to forsake all sin in the world ?   50 a. those that truly repent have some sin in them still but none have 〈…〉 dominion over ● the● z rom. 7. 15. & c. 1 jo● 18. * rom. 6. 14. 1. jo● 3. 9. hath any sinne dominion over him still ? no .   or , can they bee perfectly without all sin here ? no .   or , is there sin still in the best upon the earth ? yes .   51 q. when is it that sin reigneth or hath dominion over man ?   51 a. sin hath the a dominion over man , when he b yei●… is it in those that offend● in many     things , but yet unwillingly ? no . eth himselfe to obey the lust of it , and c commit sinne d freely . a rom. 6. 12 , 14. b rom. 6. 16. c iohn 8. 34. d rom. 6. 20. or , alwaies when one sinne th●● some hainouser matter with some willingnesse ? no .   or , only when he yeilds himself to obey the lusts of sin and commit ●●●ely yes .   52. q. since you say that no●e ●an so perfectly repent as to ●● without all sin in this world ● how shall any man be saved ?   52 a. even those that e repent have need to be f saved by iesus christ , and his g satisfaction e acts 20. 21. f tit. 3. 5 , 6 , 7. g phil. 3. 9. can a ●ans owne works of righte on 〈…〉 save him ? no .   or , can he make satisfaction ●o god for his sins by them ? no .   or , by any other meane● of ●●s procuring ? no .   or , have even those that repent need to be saved by iesus christ and his satisfaction yes .   53 q. why must all ●●a● are saved , be saved by iesus christ ?   53 a. iesus christ is the h only saviour of mankind . h 1 tim. 2. 5. acts. 4. 12. is he the only saviour of mankinde ? yes .   and , cannot some creature , ●aint , or angell , save by their ●●ents ? no .   54 q. what is iesus christ ?   54 a. iesus christ is i god and man in one person . i rom. 9. 5. iohn 1. 14. you 〈…〉 god : ● but is he ●nely so ? no   is he not man too ? true man ? yes   and , so god and man in one ●erson ? yes   55 q. why was the saviour of mankind both god and man ?   55 a. the saviour of mankind must needs be both god and man , to k suffer and satisfie must it needs be so that hee ●ight suffer and satisfie for the ●…n of man ? yes .   and , because god alone could not suffer , and man alone could not satisfie for sin ? yes . for the sinne of man k heb. 2. 14 , 15 , 17. heb. 9. 14. 56 q. vnto what offices was our saviour iesus christ ordained of god , that he might compleatly save us ?   56 a. christ was anointed , that is , ordained of god , the great m prophet , priest , & o king of his church , & p lord q of all . l act. 10. 38. m act 3.22 . n heb. 5. 6. o luk. 1. 32 , 33. p act. ● 36. q acts 10. 36. doth not his name christ , signifie anointed , shew him to bee the great prophet , priest , and king of his church and people , and lord of all ? yes   and , was he sufficiently furnished with abilities for every one of these offices . yes .   or , did he fail in fulfilling any of them ? no .   57 q. how did iesus christ become man ?   57 a. iesus christ was r conceived by the holy ghost , and born of the virgin mary r mat. 1. 20. 25. had he a naturall father as hee was man , as all others since our first parents have ? no   or , was he conceived by the holy ghost , and born of the virgin mary ? yes .   58 q. seeing you say iesus christ was conceived by the holy ghost , and borne of a virgin ; what perfection of nature had he as he was man ?   58 a. iesus christ was s conceived and born t without sin and u never sinned in all his life time , but * else was like othe● men . s luk. 1. 35. t he● 7. 26. u 1 pet. 2. 2 2 corinth . 5. 21. * he● 2. 17. heb. 415. do you reckon him in the number of sinners and guilty persons ? no .   or , was he conceived and born without sinne , though no other children be so ? yes .   or , did he ever sin all his life time ? no .   and , was he not else like other men , even in naturall infirmities and temptations ? yes .   59 q. since christ was without sin , how came he to suffer ?   59 a. christ suffered under x pontius pilate the iudge , who y knew him innocent , and yet z condemned him . x mat. 27. 2. y iohn 18. 38. iohn 19. 46. z luke 23. 24 , 25. was it by a tumult of people falling upon him ? no .   or , by any sicknesse ? no .   or , outward accident of mischiefe lighting on him . no .   or , was he condemned by any iudge ? yes .   and , namely pontius pilate the governour for the roman emperour ? yes .   and , did he believe him to be a guilty person deserving punishment ? no .   or , did he know and proclaim him innocent , and yet condemn him ? yes .   60 q. what speciall suffering did christ undergoe ?   60 a. christ was a crucified , that is , b hanged c naked and alive upon a crosse of wood , by d nailing his hands and feet to it . a 1 cor. 1. 23. ioh. 19. 17 , 18. b gal. 3. 13. c iohn 19. 23. d iohn 20. 25. was it onely some small paine or shame ? no .   or , was he crucified , that is , hanged naked and alive upon a crosse of wood , by nailing his hands and feet to it ? yes .   61 q. what necessity was there ●hat christ should undergoe such a punishment as to be hanged on a crosse of wood ?   61 a. christ , to redeeme us from the ● curse of the law and our sins , was to endure a cursed punishment , as hanging was by f gods law . e gal. 3. 10 , 13. f deut. 21. 23. was not hanging a cursed punishment by gods law ? yes .   and , was it fit that to redeem ●…s from the curse of the law and our sins , christ should endure ● cursed punishment ? yes .   or , was not that too much for him to endure ? no .   62 q. how long did christ continue on the crosse ?   62 a. christ hung ●pon the crosse till he g died , and gave his very h life a ransome for us . g iohn 19. 30. phil. 2. 8. h mat. 20. 28. vvas hee taken down alive after he had hanged a while upon it ? no .   or , did he hang upon the cross till he died , and gave his very life a ransome for us ? yes .   63 q. why would christ dye ?   63 a. christ to deliver us from i death , was to undergo death it selfe for us . i heb. 2. 14 , 15. might he not have spared himself in that and yet we have been redeemed ? no .   or , was it necessary to deliver us from death , that christ should undergoe death it selfe for us ? yes .   64 q. what became of christs body and soule after death ?   64 a. christs body was k buried and he descended into l hel to shew him to be truly dead , and to make his resurrection m more glorious . k 1 cor. 15. 4. ●acts 2. 27 , 31. m luk. 24. 26. was not his body buried ? yes .   and , did he not descend into hell ? yes .   and , was not this fit to shew him to be truly dead , and to make his resurrection more glorious ? yes .   or , was it unfit he should tarry at all in the state of death ? no .   65 q. how long did christ continue dead ?   65 a. christ n rose againe the third day from the dead . n luke 24. 46. 1 cor. 15. 4. did he rise againe the third day from the dead ? yes .   or , is he dead still ? no .   or , did he rise sooner ? no .   or , later ? no .   66 q. how came christ out of the prison of the grave , since he wa● the surety to pay the debt of our sins ?   66 a. christ rising and comming out of the prison of the grave sheweth that he , as our doth his rising from the dead shew that he hath fully paid the d●bt● yes .   or , might he have beene raised , and yet the debt of our sins still remaine to be paid by our selves ? no . o surety , hath p fully payed all the debt of our sins . o heb. 7. 22. p rom. 4. 24 , 25. or , by some other ? no .   67 q. how long did christ continue on the earth after his rising from the dead ?   67. a. q forty daies after his rising from the dead christ ascended into r heaven body and soule . q acts 1. 3 , 9. r acts 3. 2● . is he still upon earth ? no .   or , did he forty dayes after ascend into heaven body and soule ? yes .   or , is he anywhere else ? no .   or , stayed he longer on earth ? no .   or , lesse while ? no .   68 q. what honour and happinesse hath christ in heaven ?   68 a. christ s sits at the right hand of god in the highest t happinesse and u glory that can be . s mark . 16. 19. t psal. 16. 11. u ephes. 1. 20 , 21 , 22. doth he sit at the right hand of god in the highest happinesse and glory that can be ? yes .   or , doth he want either happinesse and glory now ? no .   or hath any of the saints or angels any higher honour then hee ? no .   or , equall to him ? no .   69 q. what power and authority hath christ by being a gods right hand ?   69 a. christ at gods right hand * ruleth gods kingdome with all power and x authority . * heb. 8. 1. x 1 pet. 3. 22. ephes. 20 , 21 , 22. doth his sitting at gods right hand signifie that he is upon a seat there ? no .   or , that god hath any hand properly right or left ? no .   or , doth it signifie that hee ruleth gods kingdome with all power and authority ? yes .   70 q. what is the greatest proofe of christs authority ?   70 a. christ shall come to y judge the quick and the dead , even z all mankinde none excepted . y acts 10. 42. z 2 cor. 5. 10. shall hee come with glory to judge both the quicke and the dead ? yes .   or , shall his authority bee at an end before the last day ? no .   or , some other be iudge ? no .   or , shall not some or other of mankinde be excepted from being judged by him ? no .   71 q. what is the meanes of partaking of christ , and making him and all his benefits ours ?   71 a. faith is the only means wherby we a partake of christ & make him and b all his benefits ours . a ioh. 1. 12. b acts 26. 18. is faith the onely meanes ? yes .   or , is there any other meanes wherby we can partake of him ? no .   72 q. what is faith ? i meane true , justifying , ●●●ing faith ?   72 a. true faith in christ is to c rest in him alone for d pardon through his death , e according to gods offer , and then for all f grace and g salvation . c phil. 3. 7 , 8 , 9. d ro. 3. 25 , 26 , e luke 24. 47. esay 59. 20. f iohn 1. 16. g acts 15. 11. is it not to rest on christ alone for pardon through his death according to gods offer ? and then for all grace and salvation ? yes .   or , do they truly and throughly believe the doctrine of christ who rest not on him ? no .   or , who rest on any thing or person besides him ? no .   or , together with him ? no .   or , who think of resting on him otherwise then god offers him ? no .   73 q. what warrant have you to believe in christ , and rest so on him ?   73 a. god in his h word offers christ to me as well as to any other man ; and i commands me to is it not presumption for such a sinner to offer to rest on him ? no .   or , doth god in his word   ●ffer christ to you as well as ●o any other man ? yes . believe in him as well as to believe , or obey any other thing in his word . h iohn 3. 15 , 16. 36. i 1 iohn 3. 23. iohn 6. 29. and , doth he command you ●o beleeve in him , as well as to beleeve or obey any other thing in his word ? yes .   and , do all the promises , which are of all sorts , to second the commandment to beleeve , concerne you as well as any other man ? yes .   and , do the threatnings against unbeliefe also concerne you in like sort ? yes .   and , likewise the examples of grace ? yes .   and , as well as any other thing in the word doth ? yes .   74 q. how do you call the generall company of those that do truly beleeve in christ ?   74 a. the generall company of those that truly believe in christ is called the holy catholick k church . k 1. cor. 1. 2. 1 thess. 1. 1. is it not that which you mean by the holy catholike church ? yes .   or , doth the holy catholike church signifie any other sort or company of men ? no .   75 q. why is the church said to be holy ?   79 a. every true l believer and member of the m church is a saint and holy , truly sanctified , though not n fully in this world . ●acts 15. 9. in ephe. 5. 25 , 26 , 27. n iames 3. 2. is it for that every true beleever and member of the church ●● a saint and holy , truly sancti●●ed , though not fully in this world ? yes .   or , is any one a true beleever and member of the church that is not sanctified and holy ? no .   or , are any of them fully sanctified in this world ? no .   76 q. what is it to be truly sanctified or holy ?   76 a. to be truly holy , one is to o hat● all sin , and p forsake all creatures so far , as to strive to q serve god according to r all his will . o psalm . 97. 10 p luke 14. 26 , 33 q heb. 9. 14. r col. 4 12. heb. 13. 21. 1 pe●. 4. 2 , 3. are they so , who allow themselves in any one sin , how smal● so ever they judge it to be ? no .   or , how necessary soever ? no .   or , that are so fond of any creature , as that they cannot be content if they enjoy it not at their owne desire ? no .   or , who serve god after their own will ? no .   or , who will do his will ●n some things , but not in all no .   or , do they hate all sin , and forsake all creatures so far , as to strive to serve god according to all his will ? yes .   77 q. why is the church called catholicke , that is , universall , or generall ?   77 a. the church is called catholicke , because in s all ages christ hath had church , and he gathereth it out of all t countrys , & u ranks of people . s heb. 13. 8. mat. 28. 20. t rom 13. 29 , 30. act. 10. 34 , 35. u gal. 3. 28. col. 3. 11. is it because in all ages god hath had a church ? yes .   and , because he gathers it out of all countreys and ranks of people ? yes .   or , was there never no time since christ was first preached unto mankinde , when there was no church at all ? no .   or , are there some nations or conditions of men , out of which god never takes any to be of his church ? no .   78 q. what generall benefit do all true beleevers and members of the church enjoy from christ together ?   78 a. all true beleevers and member● of the church enjoy together a * communion of saints , that is a fellowship , with x christ and y one with another . * 1 iohn 1. 3. 7. x 1 cor. 1. 9. y iohn 17. 11. do they not enjoy together a communion of saints , that is , ● fellowship with christ and one with another ? yes .   or , is any of them being poor , o● the like , denied fellowship with christ in his grace , in any respect ? no .   or , denied a right to any good their fellow members might do for them ? no .   79 q. what speciall benefit hath every true beleever from christ in this life ?   79 a. z every true believer hath from christ in this life forgivenesse of sinnes . z acts 10. 43. 1 john 2 12. acts 5. 31. have they not forgivenesse of sins ? yes .   or , are they not forgiven till after this life ? yes .   and , so any of them die without forgivenesse ? no .   80 q. what do you meane by forgivenesse of sins ?   80 a. forgivenesse of sins is a gods not requiring of us ourselves to satisfie for our sinnes , because christ hath done that already . a rom. 3. 24 , 25 , 26. is it not that god requireth not of us ourselves to satisfie for our sins , because christ hath done that already ? yes .   or , must we , notwithstanding our pardon , make god satisfaction by doing somewhat ourselves in this world ? no .   or , by suffering in this life ? no .   or , afterward ? no .   81 q. but why then are the faithfull afflicted in this life ?   81 a. the afflictions that the faithfull endure in this life are onely b fatherly corrections for their amendment , is it not to make , at least , part of the satisfaction to god for their sins ? no .   or , is it not a wrong that they   should be afflicted when christ hath made satisfaction for their sins ? no . and c trials of gods grace in them , and to make them d like christ . b heb. 12 , 6. 10 , 11. c jam. 1. 2 , 3 , 4. d rom. 8. 29. john 15. 18. 20. or , is it onely fatherly correction for their amendment , and triall of gods grace in them , and to make them like christ ? yes .   82. q. but what say you to death , which the faithfull en●ure as well as others ?   82 a. e death it self to the faithfull is but a temporall chastisement at the worst and withall a passage to a better condition , e 1 cor. 15. 54 , 55. is not that at least laid on them to satisfie god in part for their sins ? no .   or , is death it selfe a temporall chastisement at the worst to the faithfull ? yes .   and , withall a passage to a better condition ? yes .   83. q. what benefit or better condition can there be to the body after death ?   83 a. there shall be to every faithfull soul f resurrection of the body from death . f 1 cor. 15. 42. 44. 1 cor. 6. 14. shall there be to every faithfull soule , a resurrection of the body from death ? yes .   or , shall not the bodies ( even of the faithfull ) remaine for ever in their graves dead and rotten ? no .   84. q what bodies shall be raised againe ?   84 a. the g very same body shall be raised again that died ● but the bodies of the faithfull shall ●ow be made strong and h glorious . g 1 cor. 15. 42. 43. 44. h phil. 3. 21. shall they be the very same bodies that died ? yes .   or , others like them , new created and joyned to the soules ? no .   and , shall the bodies of the faithfull be now made strong and glorious ? yes .   or , be raised weak and imperfect as they were before ? no .   85. q. what shall become of the bodies of the wicked at the last day ?   85 a. the bodies of the ● wicked shall be raised also at the last day , that being con●emned , both body & soule may be cast into k hell fire for ever . ●john 5. 29. k matth. 25. 41 , and 46. shall they be raised also ? yes   or , shall they continue in the grave still ? no   and , shall they be raised with any honour , or for their good ? no   or , that being condemned , both body and soule may be cast into hell fire for ever ? yes .   86 q. what benefit shall be to the faithfull after the generall resurrection ?   86 a. after the generall resurrection the faithfull shall l die no more , but enjoy m life everlasting , & all happines and glory o with christ p in heaven . l luke 20. 35 , 36. m mat. 25. 46. n eph. 1. 18. o john 17. 24. p 1 pet. 1. 4. shall they die any more ? no .   or , enjoy life everlasting ? yes .   and , shall they live upon earth any more ? no .   or , endure any more misery pain , or sorrow ? no .   or , enjoy all happinesse and glory with christ in heaven ? yes .   questions and answers tending to explaine the ten commandments . question 1. how do they live here , who partake of christ and all his benefits ?   a. they that partake of christ and all his benefits , do a serve god and b keepe his commandments . a heb. 9. 14. rom. 6. 22. b 1 joh. 2. v. 3 , 4 , 5. do they live in sin as they list ? no .   or , do they serve god and keep his commandments ? yes .   2 q. how many commandments are there ?   2. a. there are ten commandments wch are the sum and substance of all gods perpetuall law . c deut. 10. 9. exod. 34. 28. are there not ten ? yes .   and , are they not the summe and substance of all gods perpetuall law ? yes .   and , hath not every one of them a gener●ll meaning and ●●pe , and so ●●●●a●●th whatsoever tendeth to that ? yes .   and , do they not among them forbid all evill ? yes   and , command all good ? yes .   and , that in words & thoughts as well as deeds ? yes .   q. what is the first commandment ?   a. i am the lord , &c. 3 q. what is the generall meaning and scope of the first commandment ?   3 a. the generall meaning and scope of the first commandment , is the giving all possible d glory and is it not the giving of all possible glory and worship to one onely god , without any equal or partner ? yes .   or , may ●e worship more ●●ds then one ? no . e worship to one onely god , without any equall or f partner . d psal. 96 7 , 8. mat. 4. 10. 1 john 2. 15. or , faile , to love , trust , feare , praise or obey god sometimes without sin ? no .   or , love , trust , feare , praise or ●●ey some creature , at least ●ometimes , more then god ? no .   or , as much as god in any ●espect whatsoever ? no .   or , set up our owne selves by ●●●de , or trusting to our selves , without regard of god ? no .   q. what is the second commandment ?   a. thou shalt not make , &c. 4 q. what is the generall mean●ing of the second commandment ?   4 a. the generall meaning of the second commandment , is the worshipping of god with those things and actions which g himselfe onely hath appointed . g deut. 4. 2. matth. 15. 9. is it not the worshipping of god with those things and action● which himself onely hath appointed ? yes .   or , may we not use as parts of worship , and matters of religion and holinesse , something or o●her , meerly invented by man ? no .   or , be carelesse of those duties which god hath appointed for his worship ? no .   5 q. why are images forbidden by name in the 2. commandment ? ●●● how far are they forbidden ?   5 a. all h images and pictures to represent god are ● abomi●●ble to be made ; and so is all k worship of them , though with pretence of ● worshipping god by them , are all images and pictures to represent god , abominable to be made ? yes .   and , are all pictures of a man ( as of ones friend , and the like ) also unlawfull and abominable ? no .   but is not all worshipping of   any image or picture , and bowing own to them also abominable ? yes . h deut. 4. 15 , 16 , 1● 18. i deut. 27. 1● k esay 44. 15. 17. 19 i exod. 32. 4. 5. un the 8. and , is it any way excusable though it be with pretence of worshipping god by them ? no .   what is the third commandment ?   thou shalt not tak● &c. 6 q. what is the generall meaning of the third commandment ?   6 a. the genera meaning of the thi●… commandment , is t●… reverent using whatsoever belonget to god , and to tho●… ends onely which 〈…〉 hath allowed . is it not the reverend using of whatsoever belongeth to god , and to those ends onely which he hath alloweth ? yes .   or , may we profane any of them ? no .   or , abuse them to ill ends ? no .   or , neg●●● gods ends in the using of them ? no .   q. what is the fourth commandment ?   a. remember , & ● ● q. what is the generall meaning of the 4. commandment ?   2 a. the genera meaning of the four●… commandment , is th●… solemn times of wo●…ship , necessary to religion at gods one● appointment , an chiefly a standing d●… in the weeke , of re from worldly busin●… to attend on god . is it not the solemne times of worship , necessary to religion , at gods one y appointment , and chiefly , a standing day in the week , of rest from worldly businesse to attend on god ? yes .   or , may men of themselves appoint any dayes or times , as necessary to religion ? no .   or , may we unnecessarily spend gods day upon our selves ? no .   or , vpon any worldly mattes ? no .   q. what is the fifth commandment ?   a. honour thy f●…ther , &c. ● q. what is the generall meaning of the fifth commandment ?   8 a. the generall meaning of the fifth commandment , is the giving all due m honour and respect to all men , specially n superiours . m 1 pet. 2. 17. n rom. 13. 7. is it not the giving all due honour , and respect to all men , specially superiours ? yes .   or , may we disobey the lawfull commands of superiours when they please us not ? no .   or , carry our selves proudly toward any , even the meanest under●ing ? no .   q. what is the sixth commandment ?   a. thou shalt not kill . 9 q. what is the generall meaning of the sixth commandment ?   9 a. the generall meaning of the sixth commandment , is the preserving of mens o persons and p lives , q and fouls in all safety . o math. 5. 21 , 22. ●proverbs 24. 11 , 12. q jude 22 , 23. levit : 19. 17. 〈…〉 not the preserving of 〈…〉 and lives and souls ●n all safety ? yes .   or , may we , though we are ●…oked , do them the least ●urt ? no .   or , give them any despight ●ull words ? no .   or , harbour hatred or maice against them ? no .   or , may we be angry with ●hem without cause ? no .   or , more then there is cause ? no .   or , forbeare to have a tender are of any to the utmost of our ●ower ? no .   q. what is the seventh commandment ?   a. thou shalt not commit adultery . 10 q. what is the generall meaning of the seventh commandment ?   10 a. the generall meaning of the seventh commandment is the is it not the maintaining of ha●tity in all , married and un   married , and in the heart , and words , as well as behaviour ? yes . maintaining r chastity in all , married or unmarried , and in s heart and t words , as well as u behaviour , r 1 thess. 4. 3 , 4. s mat. 5. 27. 28. t ephes. 3. 4. 5. rom. 13. 13. or , may not any , the unmarried at least , especially young people , take liberty to use some light and wanton carriage sometimes ? no .   or , wanton speethes ? no .   or , wanton looks ? no .   or , at least have lustfull , and wanton thoughts ? no .   and , are not unnaturall lusts specially forbidden ? yes .   q. what is the eighth commandment ?   a. thou shalt no●… steale . 11 q. what is the generall meaning of the eighth commandment ?   11 a. the general● meaning of the eighth commandment is the preserving of m●… * goods and estates 〈…〉 x all safety . * ●thess 4. 6. x exod. 23. 4. 5. is it not the preserving of mens goods and estates in all safety ? yes .   or , may we never wrong them in their estates any way , though they be able to beare it , and we are poor ? no .   or , oppresse them in any thing , having the law of men on our side ? no .   or , defraud them in any kind , when we find them unskilfull , or heedlesse ; even though they pretend great skill or care ? no .   or , may we forbeare to help them or further their good when we may without speciall wrong to our selves ? no .   q what is the ninth commandment ?   a. thou shalt not bear , &c. 12 q. what is the generall meaning of the ninth commandment ?   12 a. the general is it not the maintaining of truth ? yes . meaning of the ninth commandment is y the maintaining of a truth z and the preserving of mens a good names . y prov. 24. 28. z ephes. 4. 25. ●●james 4. 11. levit. 19. 16. and , preserving mens good names ? yes .   or , may we ●t any time ●ie ? no .   though it be for our advan●… no .   or , for our safety no .   or , for any other a sak● ? no .   or , even for gods glory ? no .   or , 〈…〉 just cause speake 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 no .   or , though the thing wee ●peak be true ? no .   or , forbear to speak good of 〈…〉 when we might speake with truth and wisdome ? no .   or , forbear to maintaine the 〈…〉 when it is seasonable and ●● are called to maintain it ? no .   q. what is the tenth commandment ?   a. thou shalt not covet , &c. 13 q. what is the generall meaning of the tenth commandment ?   13 a. the generall meaning of the tenth commandement is b contentednesse with what is our own , and c rejoycing in anothers good d as in our own , e forbidding the least motions and inclinations to the contrary . b heb. 13. 5. c rom. 12. 16. d phil. 2. 4. e rom. 7. 7. is it not contentednesse with ●hat is our own ? yes .   and , rojoycing in anothers ●ood , as our owne yes .   or , may we at any time grudge 〈…〉 good others enjoy ? no .   though we our selves did exect as much and have it not ? no .   or , may we envy them at any ●●e for any thing ? no .   though we think they deserve or what they have ? no .   or , that they ●ouse it ? no .   or , will abu●e it ? no . 〈…〉 may ●…e 〈…〉 for our selves , and regardlesse of others ? no .   and , are not the least motions and inclinations to the contrary forbidden ? yes .   14. q. how perfectly ●●● the faithfull keep gods commandments while they are upon earth ?   14 a. the faithfull do not f attain to perfection in gods sight 〈…〉 , g yet they str●… for it , and may be ●…blameable before men f phil. 3. 12 , 13. gal. 5●… 17. g 1 joh. 3. 3. h 1 the 2. 10. phil. 2. 15. is there a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not ? no .   or , do any attaine to perfection in gods sight here ? no .   yet , do not the faithfull strive for perfection . yes .   and , may they not be unblameable before men ? yes .   15 q. how then are any justified and counted righteous before god ?   15 a. i none can ever be justified by thei● workes and obedience to the law : but onely by gods free grac● through faith 〈…〉 christs righteousnesse i gal. 4. 16. rom. 3. 23 , 24 , 25 , 26. ephes. 2. 8 , 9. can they ever be justified by their works and obedience to the law ? no .   or , onely by gods free grace , through faith in christs righteousnesse ? yes .   16 q. what must a faithfull man do , when he hath again sinned and broken gods commandment after god hath justified him ?   16 a. when a faithful man hath sinned h● must k returne to god by renewing his l repentance , and m faith in christ . k hosea 1● 1. l 1 john 1. 9. he● 4. 14 , 15 , 16. may hee go on carelesly in sinne , and presume god will justifie him still though he repent not ? no .   or , must he not returne to   god by renewing his repentance ●nd faith in christ ? yes .   17 q. but how can a man ●ave pardon that sinneth againe and againe ?   17 a. christ is still our n advocate and surety procuring us pardon o when we repent , and come to him by faith . ● 1. john● . ● . 2. o heb. 10. 21 , 22. is it not impossible there ●…ould be any pardon for such ? no .   or , ●● christ still our advocate and surety procuring 9● pardon when we repent and come to 〈…〉 by faith ? yes .   questions and answers tending to explain the lords prayer . question 1. wh●… that we repent and beleeue , and keep● gods commandements .   a. it is onely from gods grace 〈…〉 christ that we a repent , and b believe , and c keep gods commandments . a 2 tim. 2. 25. acts 5. 31. b ephes. 2. 8. heb. 12. 2. e heb. 8. 10. john 15. 5. phil. 4. 13. is it altogether from our selves ? no .   or , onely from gods grace through christ ? yes .   or , partly from god , and partly from our selves ? no .   or , from god , through any mediator besides christ ? no .   2 q. how doth god use to work repentance and faith in us ?   2 a. god workes d repentance , and e faith in us by his word , with which his f spirit conveyeth his grace unto us . d 2 tim. 2. 25. e rom. 17. 〈…〉 2 cor. 3. 3. ●pet. 1. 22. is it not by his word , with which his spirit conveyeth his grace unto us ? yes .   or , vseth he to worke by his spirit without his word ? no .   or , would the word doe us any good without the spirit ? no .   3 q. how may we obtain grace from god when we finde our selves to want it ?   3 a. god will have us to g pray to him for grace , as h also for all other good things , when we want them . g ezek. 36. 25 , & . with 37. h jer. 29. 11. 12. luke 11. 9 , 10. 13. will ●e not have us to pray to him for it ? yes .   or , may we expect it without praying for it ? no .   or , may we expect any other good thing without prayer ? no .   or , will god ●●ve us to pray to him also for all other good things when we want them ? yes .   4 q. what is prayer ?   4. a. prayer is the i making of our requests to god , by k powring out our hearts before him . i phi. 4. 6. k psa. 62. 8. is it not the making our requests to god , by pouring out our hearts before him ? yes .   or , is the repeating of the beliefe a prayer ? no .   or , is the repeating of the ten commandments a prayer ? no .   or , do we pray when we say over the words of any prayer without understanding ? no .   or , without our hearts go a long with our tongues and lips ? no .   5 q. to whom must we pray or may we pray ?   5. a. we must pray to l god alone , and none else . l psal. 65. 2. must we pray to god alone ? yes .   and , may we pray to none else ? no .   or , may we pray to angels ? no .   or , to saints in heaven ? no .   or , to the blessed virgin ? no .   6 q. in whose name must we pray , or may we pray ?   6 a. we must pray in the m name of christ alone , and n of none else , trusting only upon him , for making our prayers accepted . m john . 16. 23. n iohn 14. 6. 1. tim. 2. 5. may we pray in our owne names , that is , trusting in our own righteousnesse ? no .   or , in the name of any saint ? no .   or , angel ? no .   or , of the blessed virgin ? no .   trusting in any of them , or any other meere creature , for accepta●●on of our prayers ? no .   or , must we pray in the name of christ alone ? yes .   trusting upon him and none else , for making our prayers accepted ? yes .   7 q. what rule or direction have we for the making of our prayers ? with what affections we should pray , and for what things ?   7 a. the rule of our prayers is o gods word , p specially the lords prayer , o esa. 8. 20. p mat. 6. 9 , &c. luke 11. 2 , &c. q. what is that you call the lords prayer ? repeat it .   a. our father , &c. is not gods word to be our rule and direction ? yes .   and , specially the lords prayer , which christ himselfe hath taught us ? yes .   or , may we pray as we list ? no .   or , for what we list ? no .   8 q. with what affections must we alwayes pray , according to the direction of the lords prayer ?   8 a. the lords prayer directeth us to pray in faith , and humility , and charity , & thankfulnesse . must we not alwayes pray in faith , as coming to a father , and one who hath all power ? yes .   and , in humility , as to our heavenly father , and the king of the whole world ? yes .   and , in charity for others , as for ourselves ? yes .   and , forgiving , as we expect forgivenesse ? yes .   and , in thankfulnesse , as to him that ruleth all , and doth all for us ? yes .   or , may any of these be altogether wanting , and yet our prayer acceptable ? no .   9 q. what are we taught to pray for in the lords prayer , saying , hallowed be thy name ?   9 a. when we say hallowed be thy name , we pray , that god may be infinitely honoured q above us and all creatures , and everlastingly glorified ● by us and all creatures . q psal. 115. 1 , 2. &c. psal. 103. 22. it is not that god may be infinitely honoured above us and ●ll creatures ? yes .   and , everlastingly glorified by us and all creatures ? yes .   or , may we at any time take the honour of any thing wholly ●o ourselves ? no .   or , match ourselves with god ●n any respect ? no .   or , ascribe like honour in any respect to any creature that wee do to god ? no .   or , be carelesse of glorifying god in some thing or other , at ●ome time or other ? no .   and , need wee trouble ourselves , if others neglect to glorifie god any way ? yes .   or , when any thing is spoken or done to his dishonour , may we be carelesse of it ? no .   10 q. what are wee taught to pray for , saying . thy kingdome come ?   10 a. when we say , thy kingdome come , we pray , that s christ may reign throughout the world t by his word in despite of satan and all other rebellious enemies . s ps. 110. 1 , 2. t ●thes . 3. 1. is it not that christ may reign throughout the vvorld by his word ? yes .   and , that in despite of satan , and all other rebellious enemies ? yes .   and , is gods kingdome and christs kingdome all one ? yes .   doth christs kingdome anywhere take place , where his word beareth not the sway ? no .   or , need we trouble ourselves , 〈…〉 christ and his word doe not   prevaile anywhere so long 〈…〉 o●● ourselves a●● 〈…〉 by it ? yes .   or , when satans kingdome prevaileth , and any other rebellious enemies of christ , may wee 〈…〉 to see or hear● it ? no .   11. q. wh●● are wee 〈…〉 to pray for , saying , thy will b●● done ?   11 a. when 〈…〉 say , thy will be done we pray that 〈…〉 god will may be fully ye●ded to , x not our ow● wils , y nor the lusts 〈…〉 men . ●psal . 142. 1● x matth. 26. 39. 42. y psal. 140. 8. 1 pet 4. 2 , 3. is it not that gods will may bee fully yeilded to a● all times ? yes .   or , may wee not sometime● stand upon having our own● wils ? no .   or , grudge that we are forced to endure gods will ? no .   or , give way sometimes to the lusts of men contrarying gods will ? no .   and , need wee trouble ourselves if gods will be not done by 〈…〉 as we do it● ourselves ? yes .   or , if others grudge to be forced to endure gods will , may wee bee carelesse to see or heare it ? no .   12 q. w●●●●●● w●●●●●ght to pray for , saying give ●●●●is ●●y o●● daily bread ?   12 a. when wee say , give us this day our daily bread , we begge all y needfull things for our bodily life and outward condition , with a 〈…〉 doe wee not beg of god all needfull things for our bodily life and outward condition ? yes .   and , a blessing withall upon the things that are given us ? yes .   and , freedome also from all   〈…〉 ●● our ●●●ward 〈…〉 ? yes . sing o● them , and a freedome from all 〈…〉 y prov. 30. 8. ●psal . ●8 . 9. a ps● 17. 8. or , i●●●re ●●ead the onely 〈…〉 we are ●llowed to 〈…〉 no .   13 q. what are we taught to 〈…〉 saying 〈…〉 .   13 a. when wee say , forgive us our ●rrespasses , wee beg or god ● never to require of us ourselves to suffer and satisfie for our c sins past , and to d assure us that hee will not . b psal. 143. 2. c psal. 79. 8. psal. 25. 7. d psal. 51. 12. doe wee not beg of god , never to require of us ourselves ●o suffer o● satisfie for our sinne● 〈…〉 ? yes .   and , wi●… that ●…e will not ? yes .   or , are wee forgiven if god ●oe require of us ourselves , to suffer or satisfie for our sinnes ●ast ? no .   or , vnlesse he accept the suffering and satisfaction of another , namely of christ ? no .   14 q. what are wee taught ●o pray for , saying , lead us not into ●emptation ?   14 a. when wee say , lead us not into temptation , we beg of god that we may not meet with any e provocation to sin , and may have f a●● helps to grace . e prov. 30. 8 , 9. psal 141. 4. f psal. 43. 3. psal. 119. 43. psal. 141. 5. doe we not beg of god that we may not meet with any pro●ocation to sin ? yes .   and , may also have all helps ●o grace ? yes .   or , may we be so confident of ourselves as wee need not aske these things . no .   15 q. what are we taught 〈…〉 pray for , saying , deliver us from 〈…〉 ?   15 a. when we say , deliver us from evill , wee beg of god to be kept from g sin , specially doe we not beg that we may ●e kept from sin ? yes .   and , specially from living in sinne ? yes . from the living in it ; and so from satan and k hell , having all things blessed to ou●l grace , and m salvation . g ioh. 17. 15. psal 19. 12 , 13. ●psal . 119 ▪ 133. i zach. 3. 2. ● . ●tim . 1. 18. l ioh. 17. 17. m iohn●7 . 24. and , to have all things bles●… to our grace and salvation ? yes .   and , so kept from satan and hell ? yes .   or , is any of this needlesse to be asked ? no .   or , may wee presume to live in sin , and yet thinke to escape satan and hell , and be saved ? no .   questions and answers tending to explaine the sacraments . question 1. what other meanes , besides prayer , hath god appointed i● to use , to confirm● and increase our faith and grace ?   a. to confirme and increase our faith and grace , god , besides prayer , hath appointed us to use his a word & b sacraments . a col. 3. 16. b marke 16. 16 luke 22. 19 , 20. hath he not appointed us to ●se his word and sacraments ? yes .   or , may we at any time wilingly forbeare the use of them without offence to god , and hurt ●o our selves ? no .   2 q. how will god have us ●se his word , that it may doe us further good ?   2 a. we are both to c read gods word , & d heare it e preached and f read , with g delight , h meeknesse , i faith , and a faithfull k desire to grow thereby . e iohn 5. 39. acts 17. 11 , 12. d 1 thes. 5. 20. e 2 tim. 4. 1 , 2. f acts 13. 15. g psal. 1. 2. h iam. 1. 21. ●heb . 42. k 1 pet. 2. 2. is it enough onely to reade it , without hearing of it preached ? no .   or , to heare it onely preached , without reading of it ? no .   or , without hearing it read ? no .   or , will it doe us any good ●…ther way , unlesse wee use it with delight , meeknesse , faith , and ● faithfull desire to grow thereby ? no .   3 q. how many sacraments are ●…re appointed by christ ?   3 a. there are two sacraments appointed by christ , namely , are there onely two , namely   baptisme and the lords supper ? yes . baptisme , and the lords 〈…〉 more . l matth. 28. 1● m ●cor. 11. 23 , 24 , 25 or , are to ●re more then two ? no .   o , ●●●ter ? no .   4 q. what is a sacrament ?   4. a. sacrament the applying an outward visible creature to our bodies as 〈…〉 signe , seal , and pledge from god of a ● like inward and spiritual grace to our soules n gen. ●●●● . rom. ● 11. ●●cor . 10. 16. is it not the applying of an outward visible creature to our bodies , as a signe , seale , or pledge from god of a like inward and spirituall grace to ou● soules ? yes .   or , is there a sacrament where there is no outward visible signe ? no .   or , where the outward creatures are not applyed to our bodies , but onely gazed on ? no .   or , are the sacraments bar● signes , without any spirituall grace to our soules offered by them ? no   ● q. who hath authority and power to ordaine a sacrament ?   5. a. p christ ●●on● hath authority to command the use of any creature for a sacrament , and q alone power to assure any r grace with i● . p ma● . 7. 7. q. col. 2. 8 , 9 , 10 r john 1. 16 , 17. hath not christ alone authority to command any such use of any creature for a sacrament ? yes .   or , hath any man , or company of man any such authority ? no .   and , hath christ alone power to assure any such grace with it ? yes .   or , can any man , or men of themselves promise it ? no .   6. q. what is baptisme outwardly in regard of the vi●●l● signe , or creature commanded to be a pli●●t to our bodies ?   6. a. baptisme outwardly is washing the body with s water b● dipping or sprinkling is it washing the body with   water by dipping , or sprinkling the name of the father ? ●● . yes . ●n the t name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost . iohn 3. 23. t mat. 28 , 19. or , may not any other creature 〈…〉 for it 〈…〉 water ? no .   and , will sprinkling the 〈…〉 d●● it without dipping 〈…〉 it ? yes .   and , will not other words do as well , where there is not all the three persons of the blessed trinity named ? no .   7 q. what is the inward and 〈…〉 grace sealed to the faithfull , ●…li●… ?   7 a. the inward grace sealed to the faithfull in baptisme , is the u vertue of christs blood and of his spirit , to the x was●ing away of sin , and y new birth to the life of grace . u rom. 6. 3 , 4. x acts 22. 16. y titus 3. 5. 〈…〉 of christe 〈…〉 and of 〈…〉 to the washing awa● of sin and new ●…rth to the life of grace ? yes .   or , do any of the faithfull ●●o are baptized , mi●●e of this 〈…〉 ? no .   or , do hypocri●es , though outwardly baptized , partake of his grace ? no .   8. q. how often is baptisme to 〈…〉 administred to any one party ? no . 8. a. baptisme is to be administred to any one onely once , and no more , because as we can be borne but once naturally , so but once spiritually . must it be often administred 〈…〉 the same party ? no .   or , may it be if any desire it ? no .   or , must it be to any one o●…●●ce and no more ? yes .   and , 〈…〉 it so because as we ●…n ●…t once naturally b●● once spiritually ? yes .   q. 9. how is it proved , th●… within the ch●… ?   9. a. children born within the church are to be baptised because 〈…〉 a just proofe of it , th●…   children were wont to be circumcised by gods command ? yes . they were y wont be circumcised , a● because 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 within gods . gov●…nant , and ●●●●ve 〈…〉 to the seal of it . y g●● 17. 12. ● . gen. 17. ● 1 cor. 7. 14. or , is there any such difference between circumcision and baptisme , as for children to be admitted to the one and not to the other ? no .   and , is it not also a just proofe of it , because such children are within gods covenant , and so have right to the seale of it ? yes .   10. q. since nothing can be required of children when they are brought to ba●●isme ; what is required of them afterward when they come to yeeres of discretion , in consideration that they have been baptized ?   10 a. children ba●…tized are ●ound wh●● they come to yeers 〈…〉 discretion , to practi●…a faith , 〈…〉 and obed●ence , and then th●● shall feel , the bene●… of their baptism● a gal. 3. 26. b. ro● 6 : 3 , 4. are they not then bound to practise faith and obedience ? yes .   or , are they free from any such engagements , although their sureties that required baptisme for them did promise and vow it in their names ? no .   and , shall they feele any benefit of their baptisme , when they come to yeares , without this ? no .   or , faile , to feele it if they practise this ? no .   11 q. what is the lords supper outwardly , in regard of the visible g●e or crea●●●● commanded to be applied to our bodies ?   11 a. the lor● supper outwardly c both eating brea● and drinking wit● in remembrance 〈…〉 christ and his de●… is it both eating bread , and drinking wine , in remembrance of christ , and his death for us ? yes .   or , may we not onely eat   〈…〉 bread , and for beare to drink 〈…〉 wine ? no . for us . c 1. cor. 11. 23. 24 , 25 , 26. 〈…〉 , after the ●…tration for 〈…〉 sacrame●… it still bread ●hich we 〈…〉 and eate ? yes .   and , wine which we drink ? yes .   or , is it substantially changed into the very body and blood of christ ? no .   and , do● wee receive a right 〈…〉 receive the bread and wine ●nd forget christ ? no .   or , 〈…〉 person , and 〈…〉 his death for us ? no .   12. q. what is the lords sup●… towardly in regard of the reward ●nd spirituall grace there offered 〈…〉 i● ?   12 a. the spirituall grace in the lords supper is d christs body & blood , e nourishing our souls by renewing pardon for sin past , and grace against sinne hereafter . d 1 cor. 10. 16. e ioh. 6. 51 , 54 , 55 , 58. is it not christs body and blood nourishing our soules by renewing pardon for sin past , and grace against sin hereafter ? yes .   or , is there onely a bare remembrance of christs body and blood , without an effectuall par●aking of them by those that ●ome aright to receive them ? no .   or , can the body and blood of christ bee received by any without benefit to their soules ? no .   and , they missing pardon for 〈…〉 past ? no .   or , missing of some renewed grace against sin hereafter ? no .   13. q. who doe partake of the ●…y and blood of christ in the 〈…〉 supper , and how is it re●… ?   13 a. the body & blood of christ in the lords supper is f only is it onely received by the faithful , and onely by thei● faith ? yes . received by the faithfull , and only b● their g faith . f 〈…〉 11. 29. g 〈◊〉 6. 3 〈…〉 48. 54. or , doe any else receive it though they eate the bread , and drink the wine ? no .   or , doe the faithfull them selves receive it with their hands and mouthes ? no .   14 q. how often is the lord supper to bee administred and received ?   14 a. the lords supper is to be often administred , and received often by ever● christian . h 1 cor. 2● 25 , 26 , 27 , 28. is it often to be administred ? yes .   or , seldome ? no .   and , must it be received often ? yes .   or , seldome ? no .   or , may any keepe away at their owne pleasure , and come onely when they lift ? no .   or , are they excusable that refuse to come , because they have no leisure for worldly businesses ? no .   or , because they have not repented of their sins ? no .   or , because they are not in charity ? no .   or , any such like excuse ? no .   15 q. how must a man come to the lords supper ?   15. a. he that commeth to the lord● supper must i i exami● himself , or else he ea●eth and drinketh unworthily ; and so 〈◊〉 ignorant person 〈◊〉 come . i 1 cor. 11. ●● 28 , 29. may a man come carelesly ; without preparing himselfe ? no .   or , can a man prepare himself sufficiently unless he examin himself ? no .   and , doth not a man else eate and drink unworthily ? yes .   and , may any ignorant persons ,   whether children , or grown 〈…〉 come to the lords supper , 〈…〉 they ●n●●●ot how to examine them●… ? no .   16 q. what is the sinne , ●nd danger of these t●●● eate and drinke ●● the lords supper unworthily ?   16. a. ● they that eate and drink unworthily at the lords supper , are guilty of christs body & blood , and eate and drinke damnation to themselves , if they repent not of it . k 1 cor. 11. 27 , 29 , 31 , 32. are● they ●●● guilty of the body and blood of christ ? yes .   and , do they not eat and drink damnation to themselves if they repent not of it . yes .   or , 〈…〉 to accuse them of such a sin●● no .   or is that too sort a punish them for such an offence ? no . 17 a. when a man commeth to the lords supper , the things he must examine himself about , are l repentance and m faith , & n thankfulnesse , and o charity : for a man is no christian that is altogether without these . l luke 13. 3 , 5. m iohn 3. 36. n col. 3. 15 , 17. o mat. 6. 15. 1 cor. 10. 17. 17 q. what are the things 〈…〉 man must examine himselfe about , 〈…〉 to the lords supper ?     are they not repentance and faith , and thankfulnesse , and charity ? yes .   or , may a man come in his 〈◊〉 unrepented of ? no .   or , without faith in christ ? no .   or , without thankfulnesse ●o christ ? no .   or , without charity to men ? no .   or , is any man a christian that 〈◊〉 altogether without these ? no .   18 q. h●… a man examine himselfe about his repentance ●o , as hee may know hee doth ●…pent ?   18 a. a man may know that he truly repenteth , when he seeth sin p so odious , and so q mischievous , as he is it when he seeth sin so odious ●●● mis●●ievous as he resolveth   nothing shall make him willing to sin againe ? yes . r resolveth nothing shall make him willing to sin again p. ezek. 36 , 31. q ro. 6. 11 r esay 30. 22. ioh. 34 31 , 31. hos. 14. 38. or , doth a man truly repent unlesse he see sin to be most odious and most mischievous ? no .   or , vnlesse he resolve against all sin ? no .   19 q. how may a man examine himselfe about his faith so , as to know he hath true faith in christ ?   19 〈…〉 man may know hee hath tru●… faith in christ , when s onely from his dea●… he looketh for pardon , and all good to h●… soule , and looking at that keepeth his soule from fainting utterly s phil. 3. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10. is it not when he looketh for pardon and all good , to his soule onely from christs death , and looking at that , keepeth his soule from fainting utterly ? yes .   or , doth he truly beleeve that ioyneth any creature with christ in expectation of pardon and good to his soule ? no .   or , whose spirit so fainteth as he looketh not at all for any good from christ ? no .   20 q how may a man examine himselfe about his thankfulnes to christ so , as he may know he is truly thankfull .   20 a. a man may know he is truly thankfull to christ when he esteemeth christs love and u benefits above all others , and so desireth to x please christ in all things . t eph. 3 17 , 18 , 19. ●phil . 3. 8 x 2 cor. 5 , 14 , 15. is it when he esteemeth christs love and benefits above al others , and so desireth to please him in al things ? yes .   or , is he truly thankful that esteemeth the love of men or their benefits , more then christs ? no .   or , equall to them ? no .   or , any benefits in temporall respects , equall to christs ? no .   or , that is not moved by   christs love and benefits to de●… please him in all things ? no .   21 q. how may a man examine ●…selfe about his charity so , as he 〈…〉 know he hath true charity to●…d all men ?   21 a. a man may know he hath true charity toward all men , when he loveth x every one , y even those that have wronged him , as he desires z god or * men should love him . x james 2. 8 , 9. y mat. 5. 43 , 44 , 45. z math. 12. * mat. 7. 12. 1 ioh. 3. 18 , 19. is it when he loveth every one , ●…en those that have wronged ●● , as he desireth god and men ●…uld love him ? yes .   or , hath he true charity that ●…ly loveth his friends who are ●…de to him ? no .   or , at the most those onely it wrong him not ? no .   or , pretending to love even ●●e that wrong him , yet his ●●art , and words , and dealings , 〈◊〉 otherwise towards them , ●…en he desireth from god and ●●th men as love him ? no .   finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a70809e-180 i ii iii. 1 2 3 4 iv 1 2 3 4 5 6 esay 12. 9 esay 54. 13. ier. 31. 34 heb. 8. 11 ephes. 4. 43. the lambes spouse or the heauenly bride a theologicall discourse, wherin the contract betwixt christ and the church; the preparation against the mariage; and the solemnization it selfe, and the exclusion of hypocrites and temporizers, is plainly and profitably, with the partucular vses, set forth. whereunto is annexed an exact preparatiue to the lords supper. by t.d. minister of the word of god. draxe, thomas, d. 1618. 1608 approx. 191 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 106 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2003-05 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a20805 stc 7185 estc s114693 99849917 99849917 15090 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a20805) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 15090) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1270:02) the lambes spouse or the heauenly bride a theologicall discourse, wherin the contract betwixt christ and the church; the preparation against the mariage; and the solemnization it selfe, and the exclusion of hypocrites and temporizers, is plainly and profitably, with the partucular vses, set forth. whereunto is annexed an exact preparatiue to the lords supper. by t.d. minister of the word of god. draxe, thomas, d. 1618. [192] p. by g. eld, dwelling in fleete-lane, at the signe of the printers presse, imprinted at london : 1608. t.d. = thomas draxe. the "an exact preparative to the lords supper" has a caption title that reads: an appendix or necessary addition, touching the docrtine, nature and vse of the sacraments, propounded in plaine and profitable questions, and answeres, very requisite and comfortable for euery christian to know. signatures: a-m. imperfect; lacking all after l3 (title page and leaves k4-m8 supplied from bodleian library copy filmed at end). reproduction of the original in the princeton theological seminary. library. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership 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lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of england -catechisms -early works to 1800. sacraments -church of england -early works to 1800. 2003-01 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2003-03 olivia bottum sampled and proofread 2003-03 olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-04 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the lambes spovse or the heauenly bride . a theologicall discourse , wherin the contract betwixt christ and the church ; the preparation against the mariage ; and the solemnization it selfe , and the exclusion of hypocrites and temporizers , is plainly and profitably , with the particular vses , set forth . wherevnto is annexed an exact preparatiue to the lords supper . by t. d. minister of the word of god imprinted at london by g. eld , dwelling in fleete lane , at the signe of the printers presse , 1608. to the worshipfull company of drapers in couentry , his very good benefactors , peace and prosperitie . if wee duly and diligently as we ought ( men , brethren & fathers , ) consider & obserue , gods vnspeakeable mercy & goodnesse towards our english nation ; not onely in the fruition and continuance of such vncomparable peace and prosperitie aboue other countries and king domes , and in the exquisite and excellent knowledge of liberall artes and the learned languages : but also ( and that most eminently ) in the pure and publike preaching of christ his blessed gospell , in so many places and parishes . wee cannot but iudge and acknowledge our selues to be highly beloued , and admirably blessed of almighty god. but contrariwise , if wee marke and take notice of the merueilous abuses of our peace and prosperitie , the exceeding contempt of artes and good learning , and ( that , which most aggrauateth our iudgement ) the generall neglect of piety , and the horrible hypocrisie of many in the profession of sincere religion , and withall call to remembrance the sundrie and fearefull ( if not ominous , ) warnings and iudgements that god hath inflicted vpon vs in these few last yeares , wee then haue iust cause to feare , that god hath reserued vs to some more dangerous plagues , and that hee will by degrees strip and depriue vs of all his mercies . wherefore least wee should take ouer-much offence at the prophanesse and hypocrisie of the mvltitude , and hereby faile and shrinke in our holy courses and exercises of godlinesse , or else should deceiue our owne soules , because wee reteine an outward forme and profession of holinesse , and because our outward tranquillitie & happinesse yet continueth : two points and conclusions must heedfully be considered of vs. first , that the number of sincere christians and vndissembling gospellers , is very rare : they are in comparison of them that perish , but a remnant , a gleaning after the haruest or vintage , a small flock , one of a tribe , and two of a citie . the truth of this assertion most euidently appeareth in the time of any generall apostacie and persecution , 1. reg. 19. 14. apoc. 12. ver . 5. and 6. and chapt . 13. ver . 7. and 8. and shall be made manifest to all the world , at christ his second comming , when he shal scarcely finde sauing faith vpon the earth . luke . 18. ver . 7. 8. therfore we may not define and measure the truth of religion by the esteeme and practise of the erring multitude , but wee must make gods word the onely rule and touchstone of our faith and life . secondly , for the auoiding and preuenting of hypocrisie , which maketh vs odious both to god and men , wee must not so much ( in a curious humor ) desire to know strange mysteries , as to know that which most concerneth vs , and to make a good vse and apply of our knowledge . againe , wee must in all our actions and profession of religion , propound to our selues no sinister ends . as for example , wee must not intend gaine but godlinesse , not credit amongst men ( onely ) but the glorie of god ; not policie , but piety , and not the aduancing of our outward state , but the amendment of our liues , and the saluation of our soules ; and hereby we shall notably and vnfallibly distinguish our selues from all hypocrites whatsoeuer . lastly , we must with the woman in the apocalips , cloath our selues with the sunne of righteousnesse , and tread the moone , that is , all changeable and transitorie things vnder our feete , and wee must with the wise virgins , whiles it is the time of grace , and the day of saluation , prouide our selues of the oyle of true saith , get the garment of true holinesse and keepe it vndefiled ; and in hope and patience waite long , and wish for , the second comming of christ , when the mariage shall be eternally solemnized betweene the bridegroome and vs in the highest heauens . this doing we shall be happy and blessed here in hope and beginning , and after this mortall life ended , in act and perfection . and because , next vnto the sacred ministery of the word , and the spirituall exercises of christians , the publishing of sound and elaborate treatises , are a singular helpe and furtherance herevnto , i , ( in the mediocritie of my skill ) for the direction of those that be well disposed , haue compiled and framed this small worke . moreouer , because the argument of it so fitteth your affections , being ( generally ) men of religion and conscience , & instrumēts of good , & because your liberal kindnesse & long continued beneficence hath bin so amply extended to me , i doe most humbly and deuoutly dedicate it vnto you all ; most submissiuely , beseeching you courteoussy to accept of it , and to vse it for your edification and comfort . in assured expectation whereof , i here take my leaue . the god of heauen , and father of our lord iesus christ , remember in goodnesse all your kindnesses shewed to his house , and vnto so many of his seruants , fill you with all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding , make you fruitefull in all good workes , prosper you in this world , and make you euerlastingly blessed in the world to come . amen . couentry . ianu. 1608. your worships in all duty to command , thomas drâx . venerabili & doctissimo viro domino hintono sacrae theologiae doctori , couentriae archidiacono & michaelis ecclesiae pastori vigilantissimo , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cvm totum & beneficentissimū maecenatum meorum ordinem , iustissimis de causis , compellare & salutare ausus sim ; non committendum putaui , vt te ( vir verè obseruande ) meum ●ingularem patronum & perueterem amicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praeterirem . malo igitur importunus quàm ingratus videri , & libelluli vestibulo ( licet menùs decorè ) aliquid adiicere , quaém de officio meo tantillum imminuere . huc addatur etiam , quòd argumenti vsus & praestantia , tua magna in ecclesia , existimatio & authoritas , & tui iudicii non tam exquisiti quàm candidi expectatio , me ( alioqui ●b invitum ) ad te alloqu●●dum , a●●iciunt ● inu●tant . quocirca 〈◊〉 etiam digni●●ti , idque , meritissimo ▪ has meas qualescunque comn●e tationes , consecrodedicoque . ●e ideo subiectissimè & demisissimè ●ro , vt eas in optimam partem interpreteris , tuamque erga me beneuolenti●m retineas & confirmes . sed de tuae propitiae voluntatis propensione nequaquam dubitans & quia molestus esse nolim , h●c sanè dicendi , at te diligendi finem numquam fac●o . christus opt : max : pastorum princeps , te quàm diutissimè valentem & vigentem conserue● , 〈◊〉 sacrum mi●isterium prosperet , tuam ecclesiasticam praefecturam dirigat , teque tandem summa & sancta senectute confectum , in sempiternae be●titudinis portum & paradisum perducat . couentriae , ian. 1. 1608. tuae dignitatis studiosissimus thomas drâx . the lambes spouse , or the heauenly bride . math. 25. 10. and they that were ready went with him to the wedding , and the gate was shut . ovr sauiour christ the onely head & br●de-groome of the church , hauing in the former part of this allegorie , vnder the metaphoricall & borrowed termes of wise virgins , that were inwardly called , furnished with sauing faith and godlinesse , and watchfully expected his comming : and vnder the appellation of fool●sh virgins , that were hypocrites and temporizers , called onely outwardly , and contenting themselues with the outward profession and blaze of faith and godlinesse , the pith and substance whereof they wanted , described and depainted vnto vs the estate and condition of the visible church , ( wherein amongst the beleeuers are intermingled hypocrits , and onely seeming christians ) he doth in this tenth verse set downe their contrary euents and iudgements : for the wise virgins , the sincere and vndissembling christians went with christ to the wedding , that is , they were receiued into heaven , & vnto the immediate fellowship & presence of christ , but the foolish virgins , voide and destitute of iustifying faith and inward holinesse , were shut out , that is , debarred from entring into the kingdome of heauen , and consequently adiudged and cast into hell . wherevpon our sauiour exhorteth all men to watch , and carefully to waite for his comming to iudgement : least being vnready at his comming , they be shut out from the heauenly marriage : vnto which dutie they are so much more to attend , because that they know not the day , nor the houre wherein hee will come ; thus much of the dependance and order of the text . now according to the difference and diuersity of persons , viz. the wise virgins , and the foolish , their diuers and different euents and iudgements , are to be obserued and handled . in the wise virgins , three heads or points are to be considered first their contract with christ ( in these words ) wise virgins . secondly , their readinesse and fitnesse therevnto in these termes , they that were ready . lastly , the consummation of the marriage in these words , went with him to the wedding . of all these points i will speake in order , and afterwards ( god assisting ) proceed to propound and handle the most different estate & iudgment of the foolish virgins . in the cōtract diuers points are contained . as first , that there is such a contract betwixt christ and his church . secondly , the forme & nature of it . thirdly the benefits & prerogatiues of it : lastly the vses of the doctrin . touching the contract , that there is such a contract betweene christ and the church , it is plaine and demonstrable by sundry places of scripture . the lord by the ministery of esaias the prophet , whom he sent vnto ezechies to comfort him and his people against the blasphemies and threatning speeches of railing rabsaketh , the seruant of the king of assur thus stileth and saluteth the church . this is the word that the lord hath against him . the virgin , the daughter of syon hath despised thee , and laughed thee to scorne ; the daughter of ierusalem hath shaken her head at thee , isay. 57. 22. the church is distinguished and adorned with the title of virgin. because shee was consecrated and espoused to god alone , and his true worship ; as a virgin to her onely bridegroome or husband . likewise psal. 45. 10. hearken o daughter and consider & incline thine eare , &c. so shall the king haue pleasure in thy beauty for hee is thy lord and worship thou him . heere solomon representeth christ , and king pharaoes daughter that was married to him , the church of the gentiles espoused and affianced to christ. thirdly the lord by hosea speaketh ; i will marry thee vnto me for euer , i will marry thee vnto mee in faithfulnesse . hos. 2. 19. 20. in the canticl●s , the church by force of this contract maketh claime to christ , saying ; my beloued is mine , and i am his , &c. cant. 2. 16. paul shewing his vnfeigned affection to the corinthians , who in part ( missed by false apostles ) began without cause to distaste him , maketh this protestation . i am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie , for i haue prepared you for one husband to present you as a pure virgin to christ. 2. cor. 11. 2. in the apocalyps the church is called virgins that are not defiled with women , apoc. 14. 4. and the lambes wife or brid● . chap. 19. 7. and chap. 21. 2 ▪ all these places euince and demo●strate a spirituall coniunction and contract betweene christ and the elect . lastly , not to dwell long vpon authorities , saint iohn most notably & manifestly in the allegorie of the vine and the branches , iohn . 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. shadoweth and setteth out vnto vs , the nature of the coniunction , for as the vine doth yeeld and communicate life and nourishment to the branches , and the branches receiue and partake it from the vine : so christ the noble vine , that hath life in himselfe , and of himselfe , and that is full of grace and truth , doth infuse and communicate spirituall life , comfort and grace vnto his seuerall members ; and the church being ingrafted into him , draweth and receiueth the same from him by the hand and instrument of faith . whereas therefore the true church of god , consisting aswell of marryed persons as vnmarried , yea for the greatest part in all times and ages of those that bee marryed ; thus the holye scriptures , and experience and practise of all pure and holye churches doe testifie ; is in respect of their sound faith onely , and firme hope in christ , and sincere loue ; stiled by the name of virgins : it serueth to check and condemne the error of the church of rome , who from these and like places of scripture taketh occasion , and would needs prooue , that virginitie and single life , is a state in it selfe farre more holy and acceptable before god thē mariage , yea that it is meritorious and a type of the perfection of eternall life ▪ and here-vpon they forbid their bishoppes , ptiests , deacons , monkes , iesuits , &c. to marry , tollerating notwithstanding and allowing the stewes , concubines , hatlots , and all manner of vncleannesse . they vrge and commend virginity , with as much conscience and equity , as the theefe doth truth , the drunken man sobriety , and the glutton abstinence . for it is notoriously knowne to the world , not onely what vnchaste hearts they carry , and in what lusts they burne ; but how filthily they liue , that amongst the rest would be accounted the most holy & exquisite . but briefly to refute their error , wee thus prooue , that virginity is not a state more holy in it selfe before god then marriage , much lesse meritorious . first god in the old testament , and christ in the new , allowed and permitted marriage to priests , prophets , patria●kes , apostles , euangelists and ministers ▪ aswell as any others . if there had beene any vnholinesse in their marriage , or virginity estate for them , so incomparably better or more necessary , god in his wisedome would haue otherwise ordered it . secondly , marriage is honorable in all men , it hath his chastity , it is for the comfort of man , the medicine of incontinence , the meane to preserue the world , and the seminary of the faithfull , therefore in it selfe not inferiour to a single life . thirdly , if single life were so holy and meritorious a state before god , as they would make it , then all vnmarried persons should be so . but the examples of absolon , adoniah , & iudas , &c. euince the contrarye . secondly , it should bee without the least taint of concupiscence . thirdly , the scriptures would auerre and auouch it . fourthly , albeit virginity and single life in times of generall persecution be more to be wished , and more conuenient then marriage ; yet then paul rather wisheth that all men in respect of the time present were such , then commandeth and inioyneth them . 1. cor. 7. 7. for he leauerh them to their liberties ▪ and this occurrence of affliction and trouble , seemeth to bee a principall cause why bishops & ministers so sparingly were married in the primitiue church , for some 200 yeares after the apostles decease . lastly , i conclude with saint augustine ; melius est humile coniugium , quàm superba virginitas . secondly , in that the true church is called by the name of virgin , in respect of her sound faith , and pure affection to christ : wee are first admonished hereby to beware of , and to shunne , as the very plague or poison of our soules , the dangerous and damnable errous and heresies of al papists , turkes anabaptists , schismatikes , p●gans & ● . for these like a gangrene & cankar eate into & corrupt our soules , they put out the light of our vnderstanding and wound the vitall parts of spirituall life . mathew 6. 23. 2. pet. 2. vers . 2. 3. apoc. 13. verse 7. and 8. 2. thessa 2. vers . 9 and 10. secondly wee must entirely and vnfainedly loue christ. ioh 21. hee must be our loue as ignatius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is that christ his loue was crucified : he alone must haue our hearts . pro. 23. ver . 26. we must account al things but losse and dung in comparison of gayning him phil. 3. 8. hee is the pretious margarite or pearle , wee must sell all that we haue to purchase it . mat. 13. 46. finally our loue or affection to christ , his word and sacraments must bee so feruent , so fi●y and so vehement that no water should quench it , nor the floudes drowne it , and we should greatly contemne al substāce in respect of it . cant. 8 , 6 , 7. this meeteth with those that haue a forme and shew of godlines ; yet they would serue god and mammon , two cōtrary maisters if they be worldlings , or if they be licentious , they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 1. louers of pleasures more then god. wherfore let vs auoide all hipocrisie and loue christ sincerely , for as christ himselfe is simple & sincere in his nature , and in his promises , loue and workes , towards vs , so let vs labor in some good conformity to behaue and carry our selues to him . and thus much touching the first branch viz. that there is such a contract and of the vses of it . 2. the second point to be considered in this spiritual cōtract or vnion , is the definition , nature and forme of it . this contract therfore is that mistical & spiritual , yet real & substantial vnion & coniunction between christ and the church , whereby they are made one flesh , and by special compact & consent haue right & interest one in another , yea & abide and dwel one in an other . in the clearing and manifestation hereof ▪ three particulars are to bee handled , first that this coniunction is onely spirituall , not naturall , or carnall . secondly , that it is reall and substantiall , and lastly the order and manner of it is to be touched . it is mysticall and spirituall , first because the persons betweene whom it is made , viz. christ ( as man ) and the church militant , are farre distant in place , and therefore it cannot bee any naturall or carnall coniunction . secondly , because the meanes and manner of working it are spirituall , it needs must be spirituall also . now it is wrought & effected not by nerues , bonds , ●inews , as this naturall coniunction betweene the body and the soule is caused , but by the spirit of christ , which he sendeth from heauen into vs ; and by our faith , stirred vp by his spirit , whereby we send it vp againe to him : so that this coniunction must needs bee as spirituall , so relatiue and mutuall . first therefore that christ sendeth his spirit into vs , and that the same spirit that dwelleth in his manhood , and filleth it with all graces aboue measure , is deriued thence and dwelleth in all the true members , raising vp and working in vs faith and strength whereby we apprehend him ▪ loue whereby wee affect him , and all other graces needfull for euery mans saluation , it is pregnantly prooued by these places of scripture following ▪ and the like . hee giueth vs of his spirit and hereby wee know that he dwelleth in vs and we in him , iohn 4. 14. god hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into our hearts which crieth abba father gal. 46. lastly the church is the habitation of god. eph. 2. 22. and the temple of god. 1. cor. 6. 19. secondly our faith ascendeth vp to christ. acts. 7. 56. doth incorporate vs into him . ephes. 3. 12. 17. and hereby wee both liue and dwell in him , galath . 2. 20. but this our faith is spirituall and inuisible , for wee walke by faith and not by sight , 2. cor. 5. 6. and faith is the ground of things that are hoped for , and the euidence of things which are not seene . heb. 11. 1. 2. obiect . but some perhaps will obiect , that wee feed vpon christ in the sacrament , we indeed eate his flesh & drinke his bloud . iohn . 6. 55. 56. ergo our vnion is not spirituall . &c. ans. albeit , wee really , corporally and substantially receiue , partake of , and eare the elements and outward signes , namely the bread & the wine , according to christs institution in memory and representation of his body broken and his bloud shed , and yet wee receiue and feede vpon christ by faith . for not euery one that eateth the bread and drinketh the wine in the lords supper doth feede vpon christ , but onely the true beleeuers ; who feed of him both in the sacramēt and also out the sacrament as may appeare . ioh. 6. 17. 51. secondly as the fathers in the time of the law did all eate the same spiritual meate ( that we do ) and drinke the same spirituall drinke , but they did it onely by faith , which apprehendeth things to come as present , ( for christ was not then incarnate , much lesse was he dead , ) euen so we receiue and partake of christ , that is spiritually by faith and not carnally and substantiallye , as the papists imagine . 1. cor. 10. 3. 4. thirdly christ is now in heauen & there contayned , and his body there glorified , therfore cannot he be eaten carnally , corporally , substantially , for hee is many millions of miles distant hence . secondly his body is impassible & not subiect to any such indignities . thirdly then iudas and all reprobate and wicked men who receiue the sacrament of christs body and bloud , should bee saued , for they that eate of the bread of life liue for euer . ioh. 5. 57. they that eate his flesh & drinke his bloud dwell in him & he in them . vers . 56. but they doe not feede vpon the bodie and bloud of christ because they want the mouth and stomack of faith , to receiue and digest it . iohn . 6. 63. lastly , the elements of bread and wine retaine both their names and natures , euen after the words of consecration , as is perspicuous and euident by the scripture . 1. cor. 1. 26. 27. 28. 29. and herevnto accord the ancient fathers , as augustine , theodoret , tertullian , cyprian , chrysostome , yea and some of later times among the papists , as gela●ius and bertram . ergo. christ is not there bodily present , neither is the bread and wine conuerted substantially and really into his body and bloud , therefore as the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation is an inuention of later times , and here ouerthrowne : so must it needs also follow that our coniunction with him in this mortalitie must needs bee altother spirituall . the second thing to be considered in the diffinition , is , that albeit this contract and vnion is not feigned , supposed , imagined , or by touching and commixion : yet it is a true , a reall and a substantiall vnion , for wee are substantially vnited to him ; our body , to his body , our soule to his soule , and our whole person to his whole person , so that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones . eph. 5. 30. and as adams whole person was really and substantially coupled with the whole person of eue. so is it betwixt christ and the church . he is the head and we the members , hee is the husband , and we the wife . now in that this contract and vnion is reall and substantiall , it is also indissoluble and eternall . for first the lord saith by hosea ( as i haue before mentioned , ) i will marry thee vnto mee for euer . secondly christ his power is infinite , and none can take any out of his hands , iohn . 10. 28. thirdly , his loue is constant , whom hee loueth hee loueth to the end . iohn 13. 3. fourthly the sauing graces of his spirit , the proper endowments of his elect , are without repentance and irreuocable . rom. 11. 29. fiftly christ is an effectual and continuall mediator vnto god his heauenly father for them . luke . 22. 32. heb. 7. 25. lastly if any true and liuely member of christs body should bee lost , then either christ should want either power , loue , or wisdome , to preserue and saue it , but hee wanteth none of them : or els his body should be maymed and vnperfect , which can neuer bee , for it is his fulnesse . ephesians . 1. 23. and hee will in the life to come make it vnto himselfe a glorious church without spot or wrinkle , or any such thing . eph. 5. 27. vse . therefore let euery man trie by the touch-stone of gods word , whether he feele the spirit of god in lightning and renuing him , and faith purging his heart , and firmely apprehending and applying christ withall his benefits vnto himselfe , if hee finde himselfe in this estate let him thanke god and by the continuall and serious vse of the worde , sacraments , prayer and practise of good workes , maintaine and confirme it , for doubtlesse hee is a true member of iesvs christ , ingrafted into him , and shall thus continue for euer . for these are not the workes of flesh and bloud , and meere nature , but of the spirit of god and grace . the third thing in the deffinition to be explained is the order of the vnion , touching which wee are to note that the church is first vnited vnto the body and flesh of christ . secondly to his soule , and lastly to his god-head , and so to his whole person : and therefore the scriptures commonly speake of first , & propound christs humanity vnto vs and afterward his deity . rom. 1. verse 3. and 4. chap. 9. ver . 5. and 6. the reason herof is , because we cannot bee vnited vnto his deity but by his flesh , wherin hee wrought our redemption , for the humane nature of christ is as it were a doore to let vs into the communion of his deitie , and the conduict pipe of deity to conuey and deriue it vnto vs. and as in the sacraments , the true-beleeuers doe by the outward signes and symboles as by instruments receiue the thing signified viz , christ and his merits : so they also by the meanes of his humanity , are made partakers of his god-head , and so are vnited vnto him . the third thing to be considered in this : contract , is the rare and royall benefits and prerogatiues , that hereby flowe and redound vnto vs. first wee haue from christ , and from his merits and sufferings , the foundation and beginning of our new birth and being : he is the roote , and wee are the plants , he the vine and wee the branches : of his fulnesse we all receiue grace for grace : finally , we are in him , who is made vnto vs of god , wisedome and righteousnesse , sanctification and redemption , ioh. 15. 2. iohn . 1. 16. 1. cor. 1. 30. ier. 2● . 5. 6. secondly , we being contracted vnto christ our head and husband , are interessed in and partakers of all his royalties and benefits so far forth as may be , ( the proportion and difference beweene the husband and the wife beting retained ) for from the fountaine of his god-head and conduit of his humanity , are deriued vnto us , his righteousnes ; santification , triumph , glory . from christ wee haue , redemption through his blood , euen remission of our sinnes according to his rich grace , by his sufferings we are ●reed and deliuered from the guilt of our sinnes and the feare of condemnation , & by his obedie●ce to the law imputed to vs we are accepted as iust before god and fit for eternall life . 2. cor. 5. 19. 21. apoc. 12. 1 , now what an vnspeakable benefit is remission of sinnes , which sinne draweth vpon vs all temporall and eternall plagues & can be by noe other meanes obtained then by our coniunction with him psal. 32. 1. 2. thirdly communicating with christ in the vnion of nature , we also ( in some proportion and similitude are partakers of his propheticall , priestly , and kingly office. we are made prophets to confesse him and to teach and comfort others , priests to mortyfie sinne , to suffer for christ , to offer sacrifices of praise & thankesgiuing vnto him , and to consecrate our selues , soules and bodies wholy vnto him . rom 8. 39. apo. 1. 6. 1. peter . 1. 9. wee are kings to fight against the world , the flesh , and the deuill , and by faith in him to ouercome them . 1. iohn . 4. 5. and here wee receiue that right in whole , and dominion in part which we wholy lost in adam . math. 19. 28. 1. cor. 6. 2. 1. tim. 4. 4. 5. fourthly all plagues , aduersities , crosses , punishments , are made but only temporary and fatherly corrections vnto vs , tending to our correction , and not our destruction , and they are medicines to cure our infirmities and not meanes to increase our miseries . heb. 12. 6. 10. 11. pro. 3. 11. apoc. 3. 19. fiftly wee haue all the angells of god in this life for our good to attend vpon vs and to defend vs. heb. 1. 14. 2. kings . 6. 16. 17. psal. 34 7. and in the life to come , especially by reason of this neere and admirable coniunction with christ our head and husband , and because we are made kings to rule with him , we are & shal be superior to the angels , for there is no such coniunction betwixt his nature and theirs as betweene his and ours , neither shall they raigne as kings with him in the life to come as the saints shall ; apoca. 2 verse . 26. and chap. 3. verse . 21. sixtly satan cannot indite and condemne vs , for as no man can sue the wife in the lawe , the husband liuing and not giuing his consent ▪ soe christ our husband liuing and alwaies iustifying vs , who shall condemne vs ? romans 8. 33. 34. or who shall seperate vs from his loue ? verse . 35. lastly when the husband , especially being a mighty monarch is highly offended , the wife may and hath free accesse vnto him when none other can or may haue the like liberty ; so may and hath the true church free acces●e vnto christ by praier when the wicked are debarred from him , and cannot or dare not approch neere to him . thus much of the benefits and priuileges . now in the last place follow the manifold vses of this contract and vnion . 1. vse . first seeing our vnion with christ is reall and substantiall and continueth for euer , ( for we are made one flesh with him , bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh ) heb. 2. 14. eph. 5. 30. ergo he still ( albeit he be glorified ) reteineth the essentiall parts of a true humaine body , the quality is onely altered , but the substance and dimentions remaine , for otherwise we could haue no fellowshippe with him , and so the foundation of all our comfort should be rased and ruinated . and therefore here is condemned the absurd and grosse errour of them that defie christs humanity by making it infinite , omnipotent & knowing al things , and ours only finite and circumscribed in power place and knowledge , whereas betweene that which is finite , and that which is infinite there can be no such vnion and substantiall coniunction . secondly we must labour & endeuor alwaies to continue in this vnion and communion with christ , and not departe an haires breadth from him ; for remayning and abiding in christ wee finde all comfort , refreshment and peace ; and being out of him we runne head-long into all euill ; for euen the godly themselues , being out of it , and the efficacy of it but alittle , feele themselues as it were tormented with a flame of fire . psalm . 77. 2. 3. iob. 6. verse . 1. 2. 3. wherefore we must beware of and shunne all idolatry , errour , atheisme , fornication , vncleanesse , drunkenesse , schisme , and all other raigning sinnes whereby we dissolue and cut in sunder this vnion . thirdly by reason of this misticall and straite coniunction betwixt christ and the church , hee hath a simpathy and feeling of all their wants and miseries , & though now he be exalted to the highest degree of glory in heauen yet doth he in nothing ( as worldly men in their exaltation vsually forget & neglect their old & poore friends & acquaintance ) remit and abate of his care and compassion towardes his poore and afflicted members in earth , but hee succoureth them in all their extremities , imputeth and rewardeth any good done vnto them as done to himselfe , and censureth and reuengeth the wrongs and indignities offered them as done to his owne person . hence wee learne diuers lessons and duties . first we in all our afflictions and necessities must flee vnto him and to the throne of grace , in confidence and assurance of faith , and wee shall find rest vnto our soules and helpe in time of need . math. 11. 26. heb. 4. 16. for as philo said to the iewes his country men , when he could find no fauour with caius the romaine emperour ) vbi deficit humanum praesidium , ibi necesse est inciperem diuinū auxilium , that is , where mans helpe fayleth , there gods must needs begin . secondly wee must doe all possible good to gods saints , wee must comfort his bowells , shew them all kindnesse , and supply their wants , for then are we liuely and feeling members , and christ will take notice of all the comfort wee yeeld them , and reward and regard it both in this life & in the life to come , bee the offices of charity neuer so meane so they be vnfained , mat. 25. 35. 36. 40. luk. 21. 34 thirdly me must take heed that we neuer grieue , wrong , vexe , and persecute gods deere seruants and saints ; for then wee doe but fight against god , kick against the pricks , touch the apple of gods owne eye . zacha. 2. 8. grieue hi : spirit , and procure to our selues many iudgments , and if we are and continue in the number of open & professed enemies we besides temporall plagues most iustly , draw vpon our selues eternall vengeance . the last vse is , that being ioynd and united to christ the fountaine of all good workes , we wust contend and endeuour to conforme our selues to his example and bring forth timely and plentifull fruits of piety , charity , and iustice . phil. 1. 11. tit. 2. 14 psal. 13. the second section . they that were ready . now ( as order requireth ) we are to treat and dispute of the fitnesse & preparation that ought to be in the true church of christ and is required of ●hem against his second comming : for as these wise virgins were before-hand prepared in faith , grounded only vpon the scriptures and relying vpon christs only merits , in feruent loue and sincere affection to christ , and in hearty desire and earnest expectation of his comming : so must we also , if we would be assured of our contract and vnion which christ in this life , and enioy his glorious presence and haue perfect fellowshippe with him in the world to come ; trimme prepare and make ready our selues against the solemnization of the marriage : and therefore it is said in the apocalyps ; the marriage of the lambe is come and the bride hath made her selfe ready . apo. 19. 7. and so they are presented as a chast virgin vnto one husband iesus christ. the truth and necessity of this preparation is plainely and plentifully set forth in the scriptures , whether we r●spect christ as the princypall and inward trimmer of the bride , or the ministers of the word as his agents and instruments , or the b●ide her selfe , as the proper subiect of it . first christ trimmeth his spouse the church , and therfore the holy company of his elect are sayd to come downe from heauen , prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband . apoc. 21. 2. that is , purged from all corruption , god through christ doth make vs meete to bee partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light . col. 7. 12. christ sanctifieth & clenseth his church by the washing of water through the word , that he may make it vnto himselfe a glorious church , without spot or wrinckle &c. eph. 5 , 26 , and 27. the graces that christ bestoweth vpon her are as chaines to adorne her , as myrrh , incense and the spices of the merchants to persume her , as purple and skarletto clothe her , & as pretious iewels to beautifie & enrich her , finally shee as queene standeth , at his right hand in a vesture of the gold of ophir , psalme 45 , vers . 9. more particularly christ trimmeth and prepareth his spouse . first by offering and affording vnto her the means and ministery of grace and saluation , as the preaching of the worde , ephesians 4 , 11 , 12 , 13. the seale of the sacraments . mathew 28 , 19. 1. corinthi . 1 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26. herevnto may be added troubles , crosses , and afflictions , which albeit in their owne nature they bee euils and plagues for sinne , yet the quality and property being altered by christ his death ; they are made meanes to humble vs , medicines to purge vs , sowre sauce to make vs to relish better the heauenly foode of our soules , bridles to curbe and restraine vs from sinne , and spirituall directers to guide vs to the kingdome of heauen . secondly christ trimmeth his spouse by the continual and effectual in working and efficacy of his blessed spirit . for without this all the outward meanes should bee onelie for conuictment of men , and for their more iust condemnation , and not for conuersion or consolation ) for by it hee alone giueth the encrease . 1. cor. 3. hereby he epeneth mēs vnderstanding to vnderstād the scriptures , lu. 24. ve . 32. he openeth their hearts ( as hee did lydias ) to attend vnto good doctrine . acts 16. ver , 14 , he cōuerteth their hearts as he did the heart of cornelius : & all that heard the words with him . ac. 10. ve . 44 , hereby he leadeth them into all truth . iohn 16. 13 , he dwelleth in them . 1. cor. 3. 16 , he regenerateth them . ioh. 3. 5. & . 8 finally he comforteth & strengtheneth them . ioh. 16. 8 , in that he is the principall in trimming and preparing the church his spouse , and that vnlesse hee giue grace and successe al other meanes ( albeit neuer so good & holy ) be vaine and frustrate , it must teach ernestly and continually by praier , to desire and entreat the lord , to prepare vs : to make vs meet for his kindome , and to make the ministery of his word and sacraments , and all other good means profitable and effectual vnto vs , & herein wee must say with the church in the cantikles , arise o north and come o south , and blowe on my garden , that the spices thereof may flow out : and ( then ) let my beloued come to his garden , and eate his pleasat fruite . cātickles 4. v. the 16. the instrumentall trimmers , adorners of the bride are specially and most singularly , the ministers and preachers of the word . for these doe with paul labour to present their congregation as a chast virgin vnto one hul band lesus christ 2. cor . vers 1. 2. they haue the ministery and embassie of reconciliation committed vnto them . 2. cor . 5. ver . 18. they are the preachers of faith & repentance mark. 1. ver . 15. math. 3 2. act. 26. 20. they haue the keyes and authority subordinatly vnder christ to binde and to loose , to remit and to retaine . mat. 16. 19. ioh. 20. ver . 23. finally they are the outward organes & meanes of illumination , conuersion and saluation as may appeare . act. 26. 18. 1. tim. 4. 16. 1. cor . 1. 21. hence it is that philip must teach and conuert the enuch . act. 8. 35. ananias , paul : paul lidia ; and peter cornelius . act. 9. 10. 11. act. 16. 14. act. 10. ver . 7. and 3. 4 the vse hereof is to teach in no wise to neglect , despise or distast the preaching of the worde , and other holie meanes of our saluation ( as many and most do vpon the perill of their owne saluation ) but vse them with all care , reuerence diligence and constancy . and therefore what a shame is it for most men , yea what an occasion to aggrauate their condemnation that they will for supplie and obteyning of earthlie foode , prouision and aduancement , trudge , and trauaile farre and neere , almost to euetie market and faire , and in the meane time neglect the foode of their soule : suffer it to pine , and to perrish , they are more churlish to it then nabal was to dauid : more without compassion then the rich glutton was to lazarus , and more hard hearted and mercilesse then the iayler to innocent paul and sylas , who put them into the dungeon or inner prison , and locked their feete fast in the stocks . act. 16. 24. and thus much of the principall preparer of the bride , and also of the instrumentall . thirdly the subiect or person that is thus prepared of christ and his ministers , that is also as a voluntary and vnderstanding creature , by remouing the bar and incumbrances of infidelity , idolatry and impenitency : and by vsing and frequenting all the holie meanes of begetting , confirming and increasing the sauing graces and gifts of god : is this spouse of christ , the church , the elect , the beleeuers , and ( in a worde ) all that desire and seeke to be saued . for these are often and continually warned and perswaded in the scriptures : to watch , marke 13. verse 35 , 36. to bee sober , and to watch vnto prayer , 1. peter 4 , 7. and to haue feruent charity amongst themselues . verse 8. to repent . act. 17. ver . 30. to purge themselues . 1. iohn . 3. 3. to put on the brest-plate of faith and loue 1. theff . 5. 8. and hope of saluation for an helmet , ibidem . to beware of surfeting , dronkennes and the cares of the world luke . 21. 34. to waile yea sigh & mourne for the redemption of their bodies . rom. 8. vers 20. 21. 22. 23. to vse the world and all things thereof , as though they vsed them not , 1. cor. 7. 27. to feare god and giue glory to him apo. 14. vers . 7. to make an eccho and cry with the bride in the apocalyps , come euen , so come lord iesus apoc. 22. vers . 14. & 20. and lastly at the discerning of the neere approch of christ by the accomplishment of the last signes such as are the ruine of romish babilon , the conuersion of the nation of the iewes in the kingdome and countries into which they are dispersed , the roaring of the seas and waters &c. reioysingly to looke and li●t vp our heads because our ( full ) redemption draweth neare luke . 21. verse . 28. apoc. 19. 7. this espoused virgin or bride therefore , must of necessity being stirred vp and assisted by the spirit of god , and hauing the meanes of grace so abundantly ministred vnto her , get the wedding garment ( of faith and holines ) math. 22. vers . 11. 12. 12 , make her selfe ready apoc. 19. verse . 7. to desire to bee dis●olued and to be with christ phil. 1. 23. and to endeuour to be acceptable to him . 2. cor. 5. reasons and arguments further to induce and perswade her hereunto are these first the transceudent and incomparable dignity and maiesty of the person , to whom she is contracted , and to whome , she is to bee married , and that is iesus christ , the kings sonne , the king of kings : and lord of lords : the naturall heire of heauen and earth ; the mighty iehoua : the euerlasting father he that hath all power in heauen and earth ; and god hath so he ighly exalted him at his right hand and giuuen him a name aboue all names , that at the name of iesvs should euery knee bow of things in heauen , of things in earth , and things vnder the earth , philip. 2. vers . 9. 10. wherefore if king pharaoes daughter being wedded to earthlye salomon , must hearken vnto him , consider and incline her eare . yea forget her own people , & her fathers house ; psa. 45. verse 10. how much more must euery good christian , espoused & affianced to the heauenlye salomon iesvs christ our sauiour , performe these duties . and if the maides and virgins that went in by course and appointment to great king ahashuerash , that raigned from india vnto aethiopia , ouer a hundred and twenty seauen prouinces , hester . 1. verse . 1. were before hand sixe moneths , purified with oyle of myrrhe , and sixe moneths with sweete odours , hester . 2. vers . 12. so much more must the members of the church , before they shall or can enioy christ iesvs his presence in glorye ; not for a fewe dayes or moneths ; but all the dayes of their life , they must purge , sweeten , and prepare them-selues ; for hee alone is king of kings , and lord of lords , and no power or ma●estie in earth can compare with him . and by our coniunction and marriage with him , wee shall bee exempted and freed from all euills what-so-euer , and possessed with all good things vnspeakably for euer-more . secondly , by the strange iudgements of almighty god , especially in the foure or fiue yeares last past , whether generall , or more particular , wee ought , as by so many voyces and signes of our omnipotent god preaching from heauen vnto vs ( and almost at the end of the world ) teaching and exhorting men to seious repentance , and to bee mooued and stirred vp more speedily , and specially to prepare our selues to meete god in the waye , wee must submit and humble our selues before him , forsake our sinnes , giue glory to him ; and entreateth him by prayer and by repentance , to quench the fire of his begun wrath and indignation . for it is an vndoubted truth , that if to all our other sinnes there be adioyned security and deadnesse of heart , that punishments from god are both hastned and doubled : and the remouall and ceasing of one plague , is nothing else but the occasioning and beginning of another , as we may read in exod. against pharao and the aegyptians , in the 4. of amos against the israelites , and in the 15. 16. 17. chapters of iohns apocalips against ▪ antichrist , and the experience of former and later times in many countries doth verifie it . herevpon gods destroying angell ; and his killing arrowe , the consuming pestilence hath ( not long sithence ) destroyed so many thousands in this iland , and yet is not ceased . all the foure elements which otherwise would fight for vs , haue beene armed against vs ; first the ayre , partly by his often eclipses portending perhapps the eclipting and darkning of the glory and soundnesse of the truth , and other temporall euils , partly by prodigious and vnvsuall stormes and tempests , giuing warning of the wrath to come . secondly the fire by consuming and burning so many houses and habitations within these few yeares : seemeth to presage eyther the fire of the last iudgement , or else some fearefull and strange euent . thirdly the seas and waters in diuers parts of the kingdome , haue most horribly roared , swelled , broken their banckes ; and encroached vpon the maine land , and firme continent , so terrified the people the beholders , and done so much harme . adde herevnto the vnwonted , sudden , and wonderfull invndations of riuers and brookes , as though like vnto the men of the olde world wee all deserued to bee drowned . lastly the earth by his moouing and shaking sensibly perceiued in many places , hath declared the lord to bee angrie , and seemeth to proclaime against vs that wee are vnworthy to liue vpon it , wee must generally and particularly returne vnto him , by vnfained repentance ; and then they shall bee but fatherly corrections , and gentle warnings vnto vs. but if wee persist and insist in our sinne and securitie , then let vs beware and feare least they bee but the beginning of ( further ) euills . and euen herodotus an heathen historian diuinely speaketh : cùm deus puniturus est gentem vel vrbens , prodigiis id priùs solet significare . that is , when god will punish a nation or cittie , he vseth to giue significatiō of it by prodigies ▪ & this doth the destructiō of icrusalem and the dispersion of the nation of the iewes , witnesse and warrant plainely vnto vs. thirdly , the approaching and neernesse of the day of the lord , must bee a trumpet to fore-warne and waken vs , and as the voyce of thunder to terrifie vs from our securitie , and to compell vs to watch and pray , that wee may bee accompted worthy to escape all these things that shall come , and that wee may stand before the sonne of man. luk. 22. verse 36. signes and fore-runners of our sauiour iesvs christs second comming already fulfilled , are these , not onely the destruction of ierusalem , and the temple of god manye hundred yeares agoe accomplished , but more specially , the discouerie , reuealing , and the decaye of the romish antichrist , that false prophet , and king of the locusts , within this foure score and sixteene yeares last expired . 2. thessalon . 2. verse . 8. apoc. 17. verse . 16. and his ruine and the ouerthrowe and vtter desolation of his babylon and metropolis surelie is at hand , as the scriptures foreshew it to come to passe . apoc. 18. verse . 8. for their sinnes of idolatry , of filthy and abhominable liuing , of the bloud-shed of so many millions of gods elected saints , of most horrible and vnmatchable conspiracies and treasons against christian kings and states , as their most execrable and damnable plot of powder treason , wherein they purposed at one blowe to haue blowne vp and destroied , both our most excellent and mightie soueraigne , the most hopefull prince henry , together with all the honorable personages , and the state of the kingdome there assembled , doe to their publike and eternall shame , ( amongst infinite other their villanies ) demonstrate , are ( as it were ) come to the full : and god hath ( in part ) and will remember their iniquitye . adde herevnto their shamelesse corrupting and mangling of the writings and volumes , both of the ancient fathers , and also later writers , yea those of their owne faction , as iansenius , ferus , bertram , &c. togither with the burning of so many olde copies : both of the ancient and also of the later writers of their owne , that in ought made against them . lastly , their late , yet most lewd , lying , sophisticall and hellish doctrine of aequiuocation , shifting euasions , and mentall reseruations , when they are called into question before ciuill magistrates , doth by their bookes and practise euince . a third signe , already in great measure fulfilled , is the aboundance and shamelesse defence of sinne , deadnesse , & dulnesse of heart , whereby men are neither sensitiue of their sinnes , nor aware of gods iudgements ; and want of true faith on the earth ; as may bee discerned by so much atheisme and hypocrisie , so little inuocation of gods name , so horrible and vsuall blasphemie , and such vile practises of iniustice and oppression : wherefore christ that sitteth on the ●lowde , must needes shortly thrust in his sickle and reape : for the grapes of sinne , and the har●est of iniquitie is ripe . a fourth and dreadfull signe and fore-runner of the last iudgement : are strange meteors , comets , new , or blazing starres which haue beene euidently seene and noted , as anno christi , 1572. and anno 1577. many countries and kingdomes , beyond the seas anno 1604 and 1605. about the beginning of october in 17. degrees of sagittarius shinyng forth gloriously after the sunne setting ; in figure and colour not vnlike vnto that which thirtie and two yeares agoe was seene in cassiopeia , without beard our tayle , rounde , pure and bright , so that manie of the learned thought it to bee venus starre and the most excellent astronomers , in the beginning of it , tooke it also for the euening starre : keckermanus , disp. philos. extraord . pag. 373. and 406. adde herevnto a late comet appearing northwest , 1607. vse . 1. the noting , seeing and contemplation of these and the like fearefull and ominous signes and occurrences , should driue and drawe to feare almightie god , and stand in awe of him , that causeth and sendeth them ; as lodowicke the first emperour the father of charles the great answered one edmund and astrologer , that abusing wordes of scripture , exhorted him not to feare the comete which hee then sawe : let vs not feare the comete sayth hee , but the creator of it , and let vs praise his clemencie , who doth vouchsafe by such iudgements to remember vs of , and to reprooue vs , for out dulnesse and sluggishnesse . secondly let vs ( taking also as à praesagium and forerunner of the last daie ) bee aduertised and induced heereby to prepare our lampes , to furnish the oyle and to make readie for our lord iesvs christ at his comming , that we may goe with him vnto the marriage and enter into his ioye . amen . thirdly the consideration of infinite losse , detriment and torment that will follow ( if wee doe not in this life , the time of grace and reconciliation prepare our selues ) must driue and compell vs herevnto , for they shal be excluded out of heauen , and bee punnished with euerlasting perdition , form the presence of the lord , and from the glorie of his power . 2. thess. 1. 9. and the shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone . apoc. 21 , ver . 8 , and the smoke of their torment shal ascende euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night , apoc. 14. vers . 11. wherefore if the former argument cannot like an heauenly adamant and loadstone drawe vs to preparation , ( as this argument is most effectuall & preualent with the regenerate , ) yet let the threatning of damnation , like a terrible thunderclap , or a great peale of ordinance rowse & awake vs from sinne , and driue and enforce vs to make our selues ready . and if the feare hereof in very reprobates , can worke so far forth as to compel simon magus to desire peter , and iohn to pray to the lord for him , that none of the things that they had spoken might come vpon him , act. 8. 24. and when paule disputed of iudgment , it could make faelax to tremble . act. 24. 26. much more must it preuaile with those that make a better profession , and waite for eternall redemption . lastly our sauiour christ , and paul &c. by this argument endeuoured to awaken the secure . mathew 23. 33. 2. cor . 5. 11. and thus much in generall of the person that is to be prepared and to pr●pare her selfe . now that we may proceede more orderly in this point , and the reader may take the more benefite , and profit by it . we are first to propound the principall heads of this preparation , and secondly the proper and set time of it . the principall heads are these foure , faith in christ ; secondly purity and innocency of life . thirdly the duties of charity and good workes , and lastly a feruent desire , and huely hope in the patient expectation of the consumation of the marriage . the first head is faith , which is nothing els but a perswasion of the fauour of god towardes vs in christ , or as saint paul to the hebrewes defineth it , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance of things hoped for , it is called a substance , not for that in very deede it doth subsist , and hath abeeing , but because it doth present , and as it were set before our eyes that which is promised by god. hebrewes 11. 1. apoc. 1 , 8. and it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a demonstration of things not seene ; the worde signifieth properly a conuincing of the conscience , for faith doth so conuince him that doubteth hee can doubt no more , not otherwise then if hee sawe them with his bodily eyes , and herevnto is to bee referred that saying of christ. thomas because thou hast seene thou hast ●eleeued , but blessed are they that haue not seene , and ( yet ) haue beleeued . ioh. 20. 29. therfore sayth that giueth vs an assurance of the accomplishment of gods promises , whether corporall , or spirituall , temporall , and eternall , must needs bee the first , and the principall part of this preparation : this is the entry dore whereby wee are admitted vnto god , and into his house . ephe. 3 , 12. without this it is impossible to please god for hee that commeth vnto god must beleeue hebre. 11 , 5. and what soeuer is not of faith ( that is done in a conscionable knowledge of gods will ) is sinne ro. 14. 23. faith is the eye of the body , if the eye be single id est the faith sincere , thēal the body shal be light : but if the eye be darke id est the faith corrupt , & vnsound , then the whole body is dark , so that neither hand , foote &c. can execute and performe his function . this faith is the stomach of the soule to attract , digest , and conuert into good bloud , and norishment , the heauenly food of gods word , & if it either want appetite , to desire , power to digest , or strength to retaine &c. the whole body must needes by degrees languish , and decay : finally it is the roote , foundation , and the instrumentall cause of our iustification , regeneration , victory ouer sinne , and satan , peace of conscience , and eternall saluation . col . 2. 5. 6. ephe. 6. 16. act. 15 , 9. 1. iohn . 5. 4. rom. 5. 1. mar 16. 16. ioe . 3. 15. 16. thus wee see by the properties , effects , and vses of faith it is necessary , & there can bee no preparation acceptable to god without it ; wherefore if we want it , wee must vse the meanes to get , and obtai●e it : and if wee finde our selues possessed with it , wee must then preserue , cherish and norish this holy flame with the knowledg● of gods word , with the vse of the sacraments , by conference , by meditation , by prayer , by practise of good workes , and by hope , expecting , and waiting for the ende of it , euen the saluation of our soules . for first our faith through the frequency and violence of temptations , is often fore assaulted and weakened , and therefore it had neede be repayred and confirmed . secondly onely that faith that vsually doth growe and encrease , is the sauing , and liuely faith , and shall neuer be extinct , for defect of oile ; nor pine away by any spirituall consumption , but continueth firme , and vnmoueable , and obtaineth the promises eph. 4. 11. 12. 13. lastly if faith haue not ( as before specified ) his continuall supply of food , it will faile as the wine did at the mariage in cana of galil , if it be not norished , and preserued , it will wither like the corne sowen in the stony ground for want of moisture , and it wil be lost as we see how it was in the foolish virgins at the bride groomes comming , and that argued that it was not true faith in existence ; but onely in apparence , and that it was rather an opinion then a deepe impression : for otherwise the faith of peter , and so of gods elect , shall not faile , and the gifts of god ( namely that directly concerne saluation ) are without repentance . luk 22. 32. rom. 11. 19. neuer extinct , or taken away . but that neither with the ignorant , nor with the hypocrites , nor yet with the papists and other heretikes wee content , and deceiue our selues with a mocke faith ▪ an historicall and temporary faith , or with a crackt , and erronious faith , insteed of that which is sauing , and iustifying , we must found and search our soules , whether wee bee orthodoxe , and vncorrupt in the principles of faith , whether we rest wholy vpon the right obiect , whether it be ioyned with particuler application , and lastly whether we discerne and find in our selues the inward & outward signes , and euidences of it , for then vndoubtedly wee haue that faith that iustifieth the sinner , purgeth the heart , engrafteth vs into christ , and saueth our soules . but of these , and the like particulers briefely , and in order . principles and foundations of faith are these , preaching of the word of god , is the ordinary and principall meanes of saluation . rom. 10 14. christ is both god and man in one person , perfect god and perfect man : man to suffer and dye , and satisfie for sinne in our nature that had offended , and god to support his humanitie , to giue efficacie and power to his doctrine and miracles , and to adde infinite merite and desert to all his actions , and sufferings . thirdly , onely faith is the hand and instrument to apprehend , and apply christ vnto vs with all his blessing● , and so to iustifie vs. faith is like the eye , which albeit in the acte , and vertue of seeing , it is alone : yet not solitarye and alone in the bodye , but ioyned to other parts : so faith , albeit it alone iustifieth vs before god , yet it is not solitarie , and alone , but alwayes according to the proportion of it accompanied with holy life and good workes . gal. 5. verse . 6. there are onely two sacraments which christ instituted , and left vnto the church , baptisme the sacrament of our new birth , and entrance into christianity , the outward signe whereof is water : and the lords supper , the sacrament of our growth and perfect nourishment , and encrease in christianity , the outward signes and matter whereof are bread and wine , remaining both bread and wine for substance , both in the sacramentall vse of them , and afterwards as paul maketh it manifest . 1. cor. 11. 26. 27. that no man performe and fulfill the lawe , and therfore no man is to hope and looke for righteousnesse and saluation by that obedience which hee sheweth to the lawe , rom. 8. 3. gal. 2. 15. 16. that we cannot make satisfaction to god for the least of our sinnes , but that christ alone hath most fully , and onely performed it . 1. pet. 2. 24. apoc. 1. 5. 6. that the saluation , of all that beleeue is certaine and infallible , not onely in gods decree , but also to themselues , rom. 8. 38. heb. 10. 22. and therefore that the opinion of the papists is wicked , which make faith vncertaine , and so holde our saluation to bee doubtfull . that all doctrine necessary to saluation is contained in the scriptures , so that nothing is either to be added to it , or detracted from it , deut. 4. 2. apoc. 22. 18. 19. gal. 1. 8. that the knowledge of the scriptures are necessary for all sorts of people for their saluation , and therefore that they ought to read them , that they may thereby learne and vnderstand , what god would haue them to beleeue , and doe , iohn . 5. 39. mar. 12. 24. math , 22. 29. that god alone is to be adored of vs , and that no part of diuine worship is to bee giuen vnto any creature , math. 4. 10. that holinesse of life , & good workes as effects , and consequents of faith , and the way wherein wee should walke , ephes. 2. 10. is necessarily required of all that will be saued , hebr. 12. that the sacraments are onelye signes and seales of righteousnesse , and not causes of saluation , and therefore our saluation doth not so depend vpon them , that they that want them must needs bee damned , whereas our saluation consisteth onely in christ his merits , marc. 16. 16. which none can dispoile and dismantle vs of . that christ his body was but once conceiued of the substance of the virgin mary , and cannot bee made of any other matter , and that christ hath onely one body , and therefore it is not made of wheate bread ( as the papists say it is dayly ) for it is not the seede of dauid , and bread is not the flesh of the virgin. that the humaine nature of christ is now onely resident , and contained in heauen , and therefore it is not to be adored in earth , acts. 3. that the whole force , vertue , and efficacie of our saluation , and redemption , is in the onely , and once offered sacrifice of christ , heb. 10. 12. 14. and that this sacrifice could bee offered of none but christ , who was to be a priest for euer . lastly ( to omit diuers other articles , which bee more plaine , and confessed ) it is a foundation of faith , to know , beleeue , and hold , that then immediatly after the dissolution from the body , the soules of the righteous are carryed by the angels into heauen , and the soules of the wicked and impenitent , are carryed by the diuill into hell : and that the same bodyes with all their perfect partes , and demensions shall for substance bee raised vp by christ at the day of iudgment , iob. 19. 25. 26. of this maine and principall article many are ignorant , or at least not iuditiously and soundly perswaded , as may appeare by the examinatiō of the ignorant people both in their sicknesse , and otherwise . these heads , & foundations viz. they that shall either with atheists deny al , or with the church of rome deny , or by consequence ouerthrowe most of them , or with the common , or vulgar protestant bee ignorant of them ; cannot possibly ( for the time present ) haue true faith , for faith can no more then a temple , a house , or any other edifice bee without his many grounds , and foundation . wherefore if we erre , or bee ignorant in these , or in the like principles of faith , let vs by diligent hearing of the word , reading of the scriptures , and orthodoxe bookes , by consulting the godly learned , and by earnest prayer to god for illumination and vnderstanding , seeke to bee better informed , and resolued . the second point to bee considered , is whether christ with his onely merites , and obedience bee the onely obiect of our faith , so that in matter of saluation wee vtterly disclame , and renounce all other feined merites , satisfactions , intercessions of men , and angells , for christ alone is our perfect redeemer , and mediator . act. 4. 12. heb. 7 , 25. phi. 3. the third point , whether our faith doe not onely rest in abare and naked knowledge , and history of christ , ( as the fayth of the deuills , and reprobates doth ) but also apply , and appropriate christ , yea and enclose ( as it were ) him , and all his merits vnto themselues , and their owne saluation : for as without vse , and application of the weapon there is no defence , or anoyance : without vse , and application of medicine no cure , without vse , and applie of meate and drinke , no continuance of life , without putting on of apparell no warmth , or hiding of our vnseemly partes , without acceptance , and perticuler acknowledgement of the kings generall pardon , there is no forgiuenesse : so vnlesse we apply and appropriate christ with all his obedience , and merites vnto our selues wee haue no comfort ; helpe , and benefit by him wee do ebut beate the ayre , run at randome , and shoote at the rouers . wherefore to conclude this point , wee must say with dauid , o lord my strength and my redeemer , and with thomas the apostle , my lord and my god , and with the church in the canticles my welbeloued is mine , and i am his . cant. 2. 16. fourthly we are a little to consider , & take a view of some pregnant , & remarkable signes , and effectes of true faith , whereby ( as by certaine trusty intelligencers ) we may be informed , and certified whether we haue true fayth , or not . first it is one signe of a beleeuer to ioyne , and associate himselfe to those assemblies and those people wherein , and amongst whom the true , & sincere worship of god is professed , and established : for in the 2. of the acts of the apostles it is sayd the lord added to the church from day to day such as should be saued . act. 2. 47. and it is a note of perdition for a man to forsake the holy assemblys , & so to withdraw himselfe and his faith from god. hebrewes . 10. 25. and 39. thomas absenting himselfe from the apostles and their fellowship but some eight daies , or there abouts was so hardned in vnbeleife that he would not beleeue the testimony , and asseueration of the rest of the apostles that told him that christ was risen , except hee might see the print of the nailes , and put his finger into the print of them , and put his hand into his side , and had not christ beene so mercifull vnto him , as to condescend to his infirmitie , and withall to molli●ie his heart hee had perished in his obstinacie . what then is to bee sayd of them that seldome , that negligently , yea that neuer come into gods chamber of presence to heare the blessed preaching of his word , and to pertake of the heau●nly manna of the sacraments , surely they are in a most dangerous and desperate case . a second note of faith is , constantly , wisely , and boldly to confesse and maintaine the doctrine of saluation , and all the foundations of fayth when we are therevnto called : for we must beleeue with the heart , and confesse with the mouth . rom. 10. 10. we must haue christ his name written in our forheads . apoc. 14. 1. wee though we liue wheresathan hath his throne , must keepe christs name and not deny the faith . apoc. 2. 13. whereso ● it standeth vs vpon to looke to our selues , and to beeware that wee bee not daunted with scoffes , and slaunders , terrified with feare of trouble , and persecution , seduced with flattery , ouercome , with false perswasions , and corrupted with offer of profit , and preferment . for if wee bee ashamed of christ our good lord , maister , and redeemer , he wil be ashamed of vs , if wee deny him , hee will deny vs before his heauenly father , and all the holy angells : and contrarywise if wee confesse , and honour him before men , hee wil confesse and honour vs. finally wee are ( then onely ) made partakers of christ if wee keepe sure vnto the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , id est , the beginning of our assurance , ( or wherby we are vpholden . ) heb. 3. 14. a third euidence of fayth is to shew and make knowne our dislike , and hatred of errour , and false doctrine , yea to set , and oppose our selues against it , so farre forth as our calling will warrant . thus dauid professeth that hee hateth all false waies . psal. 119. 104. and 128. thus paul being at athens , and seeing the citty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est that is addicted to idolatry , it is sayd that the spirit in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was prouoked to indignation . acts. 17. 16. and thus the angell of the church of ephesus is commended , because hee could not forbeare them that were euill , because hee did examine the ●alse apostles & found them out . apoc. 2. 2. a 〈◊〉 , and that a more inward , and in●allible note of faith is with ezechias , dauid , iob , anna , gedeon , and others to beleeue , and depend vpon god , euen then when wee haue ( for the present ) no feeling , and when in trouble we see no meane of deliuerance , for this is a demonstration that we rely wholy , and only on his helpe , and therefore is most acceptable to his maiesty , yea , if god in our seeming , and apprehension should wound vs , bee an enemy vnto vs , write bitter things against vs , yea , and kill vs , yet must wee trust in him . 2. chro. 32. 31. 32. isay. 38. ver . 2. 3. psalm 77. 7. 8. 9. iob. 13. vers . 15. 1. sam. ver . 15. ●udg . 6. 13. 2. sam. 15. 26. for god many times leaueth his children without sense , and feeling of present comfort , & that partly to bring them to repentance for sinnes past . iob. 13. 26. partly to make them knowe themselues for the time present . deut. 13. 2. 3. partly to preuēt sinnes in time to come . 2. cor. 12. 7. 8. a fourth , note is the gift , & practise of prayer , or the inuocation of gods name in the only mediation of christ , for this is a speciall character , and note of an elect of god , whereby he is discerned from an infidell , or reprobate , and is knowne to bee one of gods children . rom. 10. 14. 1. cer. 1. 3 , 2. tim. 1. 19. and contrariwise it is a brand of an infidell , or an atheist neuer to pray . ieremy 10 , 25. psalme 14 , 4. but that wee bee not deceiued herein , for ignorant people may mutter ouer , and say by rote certayne prayers , and the hipocrite , may make a goodly shew , certaine rules must bee obserued and heeded . first that our praiers bee made in knowledge of gods will , otherwise they are not made in ●ayth , and so cannot please god. rom. 14 , ver . 4. secondly that in priuate we pray not so much by prescript for me , as according to the present sense , & feeling of our owne wants , & imperfections crauing the supply of them . thirdly , that it doe not consist in a few words of course , but bee enlarged as time , and our present necessities occasion vs. 1. sam. 1. vers . 15. fourthly , that the matter and subiect of our prayers bee chiefely , and in the first place , the aduancement of gods gospell and kingdome , the remission of our owne sinnes , and the saluation of our soules , and then in the second place to pray for temporalls , and outward things , but alwayes conditionally , and with subiecting our wills to gods will. math. 26. ver . 39. fistly , it must not be only for a brunt vpon a sudden motion , or onely in time of great trouble , but daily , and continually , for thus are wee taught to pray incessantly , and neuer to giue ouer vntill god grant our requests . 1. thes. 5 ▪ luke . 18 7 sixtly , wee must pray in humilitie , and in vnfained loue to god and men , for the proud mans prayer god reiecteth , luke 18. vers . 14. and the malitious mans prayer , and sacrifice is abhominable . lastly , ( not to be tedious , ) wee must not pray onely for our selues , and kindred as carnall men ( in their manner ) sometimes doe , but for the whole church of god vpon earth , and for euery state and condition of christians , as kings , counsellers , rulers , iudges , magistrates , the reuerend prelates , pastors , preachers , ministers , commons , and most earnestly and compassionately , for those whom wee know afflicted , hated , persecuted for the truth , and gospels sake , or for any good cause whatsoeuer , or where-soeuer . if thou finde all these signes of faith , or most of them in thy selfc , be thankfull to god for them , and which of them thou feelest , and perceiuest thy selfe to bee destitute of , in part , or whole , seeke for the obtaining of it , and if thou bee wholy voyde of them , then it is high time , whiles opportunitie serueth , to labour to procure them by all holy meanes . looke therefore to the maine chance , get and nourish faith , and thou canst ▪ not perish : but want , or neglect thou it , and thou canst not bee saued , i am horum mauis accipe . to the former notes , and testimonies of faith , may very well be added puritie , and innocencie of life , and a liuely hope of eternall glory , for these are certaine and infallible notes of faith , and peculiar effects of it , but of these i purpose to treate distinctly , and more at large in the two next points of preparation , wherof these are branches . and thus much of faith , the foundations obiect , application , and notes of it . the second principall head in this preparation , is puritie , and innocencie of life and conuersation . this is a notable and peculier worke , and declaration of faith , and it proceedeth , as naturally from it , as the beames from the sunne , the waters from the fountaine , and the fruites in their season from the fruitfull tree , herevpon fai●h is said to purifie the heart , acts. 15. 9. faith , and repentance are both preached together , and so ought to bee practised , mark. 1. 15. the necessitie of this holinesse , and innocencie appeareth plainely : without holinesse , no man shall see god. heb. 12. ●4 . except christ washe vs wee haue no part with him , ●ohn . 13. 8. except a man bee borne of water , and the holye ghost , hee shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen . iohn . 3. 5. finally no vncleane thing shall enter into the heauenly cittie , neither whatsoeuer worketh abhomination , or lyes , apoc. 21. 27. likewise innocencie and harmlesse simplicitie is a cognizance and badge of them that are prepared for gods kingdome ; for they must bee innocent as doues , math. 10. 16. harmelesse as yong children , mat. 18. 3. without guile in their mouthes , psalm . 32. 2 ▪ suffering wrong rather then offering it , and dooing no man iniurye , but labouring to doe good to all men ; and no maruaile , for beeing borne a new and cast into a new molde , wee must operari secundum formam renouatam , according to our new nature , so must be our actions ; and if wee bee rightly regenerate , the effects that doe retaine the similitude of the cause , must needs entertaine some correspondencie with it . secondly , christ iesus the vnspotted lambe of god , will neuer marry with the church , vntill shee bee first washed and sanctified , ephes. 5. 26. 27. and they onely that haue not defiled their garments , idest , corrupted their conscience with grosse and grieuous sinnes , shall walke with christ in white , apoc. 3. vers . 4. thirdly , being contracted , and ingrafted into christ , that is , holinesse it selfe , we must not walke after the flesh , but after the spirit , rom. 8. 1 , wee must be conformable vnto christ his death by mortification , and to his resurrection , by newnesse of life , or else wee are no liuely members of his body , but dead and rotren flesh . it is an axiome in philosophy , quo quid propinquius bono●eo melius , aristo . 3. top. wherefore if we be in christ , and contracted to him , wee must needs be better , for wee are not onely neere him , but of him , and he in vs , and we in him . and that our holinesse and innocencie of life bee not rather in the flowre , then in the fruite , and in pompe more then in proofe , we must sce that it be constant , and encrease ; 〈◊〉 as wee continually , partly by ordinary slips , and infirmities , and partly by spirituall conflicts , & combates , receiue some losse , foiles , decayes ; so must we dayly endeuour to strengthen our selues , to repaire our decayes , and to mend our garments , and to regaine , and recouer our losses , and as generatio vnius est corruptio alterius , so wee must see how by the engendering of holynesse , sinne doth decrease ; for as one kingdome cannot endure two kings , so the kingdome of christ cannot consort with the dominion of satan . wherefore we must not please , and content ourselues with the out-ward shew of holinesse , or deceiue our selues with the opinion that men may conceiue of vs , out-ward shewes are like sodome apples , goodly in colour , and appearance , but if a man crush , and open them , they are nothing but powder , or ashes , and as for mens opinion of vs , it is no certaine euidence of our inward holines , for hipocrisie is spunne with so fine a 〈◊〉 , that it can deceiue the most godly , and iudicious ( at least for a long time ) in the world , thus dauid was deceiued in achitophell his ●amiliar and counsellor , the apostles in iudas , and the whole church in nicolas , one of the seauen deacons . secondly wee must not onely bee innocent our selues , and holy , and here-vpon thinke wee may endure filthy speach , horrible blasphemye of gods sacred name , false imputations laide vppon iust men , open drunckennesse , and notorious profanesse in others ; but we must ( if wee haue any dramme , or sparke of grace in vs , or any partickle of zeale for god , ) rebuke them , and shew our hatred , offence , and opposition against them . eph. 5. 11. herein our loue to god , our hatred of euill , our strength , and resolution in godlines is euidently discryed , and discouered luke . 23. 41. act. 14. ver . 14. . thirdly wee must beware , and shunne ill company and fellowship ; for if wee bee not armed with speciall grace , and also most chary how wee come into their company , they will soone infect , coole , and corrupt vs. they are as the pestilent vapor to the apt and open body , as fire to the tynder , as pitch to the hands , as dalila to sampson , and as iesabel to achab ; they are so ready and forcyble by their ill president , and perswasions to infect , and our nature soe weake , and impotent to resist if it bee not alwayes assisted with speciall grace , and the spirir of god , that the holiest , the wisest , the strongest haue hereby soone beene defiled , and polluted , how much more those that either haue very little grace , or none at all , and that make no conscience , and choise of their company . the third head , or principall part in preparation is charity , and the fruites , and effects of it , charity , or loue is the fulfilling of the lawe . rom. 13. 10. it is the bond of perfection . colo. 3. 14. for it knitteth , and bindeth all other vertues together , that they be not dissolued , and it prefereth them ; this charitie dependeth vpon the loue of god , and cannot bee in any hethen , the shadow of all other vertues ( besides this ) may bee in pagans , as pi●ty , bountie , modestie , patience &c. but not this , & this doth vnite , and ioyne all the members of the church together . finally without this , if wee haue all other rare perfections yet before god wee are nothing . cor. 13. 2. charity is in respect of the eternity of it greater , yea preferred before sayth , and hope . 1. cor. 13 , 13. for sayth , and hope determine with this life , but loue abideth for euer . againe in respect of the obiect , and the visibility of it , it is greater then either sayth , or hope , for fayth , and hope haue for their obiect only god , and christ , but loue extendeth it selfe to god , and man. rom. 8. 25. fayth is in it selfe inuisible , but loue , and charity perspicuous , and apparant . iac. 2. 16. 18. this charity , and loue is not onely in tongue , in promises , and in affection , and welwishing to men , but also in truth and indeede , as 1. iohn . 3. 18. charity is bountifull and seeketh not her owne . 1. cor. 13 , 4 , 5. it is communicatiuum sui , that is , imparteth that which she hath to others , and here that principle of philosophy is verified , bonum quo communius eo melius ; the more common it is the more comfortable . it doth not ( as many of our inclosers ) impale , imparke , and hedge in the common groundes , and fields to her priuate vse , to the weakening of the state , and the ruinating of the communalty , but like a fountaine , sendeth , and streameth forth her waters vnto others , shee is so farre ( as it is to be feared many practise ) from appropriating to her selfe in part , or in whole the poore mens stocke , and collection-mony gathered , and giuen for building , or repaireing of churches , or townes , that haue beene consumed by fire , that she liberally giueth of her owne . but ( to ende this point ) the practise whereof should neuer ende . as faith worketh by charity , so there are certaine particulers wherin her offices are most conspicuous , and obseruable . first we must bee lights , and lamps to others by our examples , and not looke who will begin first , as mathew 5. 16. 2. cor. 9. 2. secondly when our brother offendeth , we must in charity , and discretion admonish him , and not to suffer him to perish in his sinne ( as many do ) rather deridyng him , then directing him , mat. 18. 15. thirdly , wee must exhort , and perswade others to godlines , and good workes , heb. 3 , 13. fourthly we must by simpathy , and fellow-feeling , & especially by words of scripture rightly vnderstood ▪ and well applied , comfort , and cheere the afflicted . 1. thessa. 5 , 14 , and therefore wee must not post , and put off , all to the minister , as though it cōcerned not vs at all . fiftly we must pray for others , and especially for their conuersion , and saluation . 1. timot. 2. 1 2. and that both publikly , and priuately . and lastly euery man must according to his ability , & other mens wants and necessities willingly & seasonably impart of his worldly goodes for their releife , acts. 2. 21. 2. corinthi . 8. galla. 6. 10. 1 iohn . 3 , 16. this is the touchstone of many , and most mens religion in these last and worst dayes , for herein they are most fauty and defectiue , but let them that will not doe good with their temporalls , beware least they for omission heereof , iustly bee condemned with the two rich worldling , in luke chapter 12. 17. 19. and chapter 16. 24 , and with infinite others at the day of iudgement . mathew 23. 42. 43. 45. the last point , and branch of the preparation is hope , desire , and expectation of the marriage , and the glorie , and ioye of it , and herevpon it is that hope is called the anker of the soule , sure , and steadfast , to stay , and sustaine vs in all stormes , and tempestes of temptations , hebre. 6. 19. yea the kingdome of heauen , which wee waite for , is called , a blessed hope . titus . 2 , 13. this hope of eternall glorie ) , is a notable meanes to stirre vp men to purge , and reforme themselues . 2. iohn 2. 3. with the expectation of which blisse , wee must comfort one another . 1. thesalonians 4 , 17. and wee must both in temporall , and spiritually tryalls not growe impatient , as the rebellious iewes that could not expect , and stay for moyses fortie daies , but would needes in the meane time play the idolators ; but with the woman of canaan , after a first , second , and third repulse hope still mat. 15. 27. 28 , we must with the creeple , in iohn sometime before wee be cured waite thirty eight yeares . ioh. 5. 5. 7. wee must with abraham against hope , beleeue vnder hope , romans 4 , 8. and as the iewes patiently ( many of them ) waited in hope of the accomplishment of gods promises many yeares , both their deliuerance out of egipts tirranny , and afterwards out of babilons captiuitie , yea and expected , and desired many hundred yeares the incarnation of christ before that they in their posterity enioyed it : so must we also tarry the lords leasure , in patience , and in hope fustaine our soules . psal. 37 , and waite all the daies of our pilgrimage vntill christ come vnto vs by death , or the last iudgement , for our full , and finall redemption . shall the husbandman waite for the pretious fruite of the earth , and haue long patience vntill hee receiue the first , and the latter raine , and shall not wee bee much more patient , and settle our hearts , seeing the comming of the lord i● so neere . iam. 57 , 8. to this hope wee must annexe , and adioyne an earnest desire , and ardent prayer ; as for the accomplishment of other promises , so specially for the second comming of our lord and sauiour iesvs christ . hence it is that wee are tought to pray thy kingdome come , mathew 6 , 10 to hasten vnto the day of the comming of god , 2 peter 3 , 12. to desire to bee cloathed with immortalitie , yea , to si●h for it . 2. co●inthi . 5. 9 we must say come lord iesvs , come quicklie , apoc. 22. 19. 20. how long lord iesvs , how long ? apoc. 6. 10. 11. wee must with the creatures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is carefully , and desirously looke for . romans 8. 19. as hee that out of a prison grate , or casement , putteth forth his head to behold a farre off him that is expected . reasons in briefe to kindle and encrease this hope , and desire of this solemnization , and per●ect coniunction with christ , are especially foure : first the example , and feruent desire of the creatures , who albeit they be sin-lesse , yet because mans sinne hath corrupted them , and doth continually peruert and abuse them ; they in their kinde feruently desire to bee freed from this bondage , and to bee restored into the glorious lib●rtie of gods children ; much more wee that haue receiued the first fruites of the spirit must long and looke for a farre more glorious estate . roman . 8. 19. 21. 22. 23. secondly , the infinite miseries , troubles , persecutions of the world , and the vanitie , ticklish and sickle estate , and mortality of all things herein contained , must stirre vp our hearts desire , and expectation of full redemption , and glorification , phil. 3. 20. heb. 13. 13. 2. cor. 4. 8. 9 , 17. collos. 3. 1. 2. 3. to this purpose doth the triumphant church in heauen , ( in a generall sort ) desire the end of the world , that the lord may iudge , and auenge their bloud that was shed vpon the earth , apoc. 6. vers . 10. a third reason , and that more principall , is that an end may bee put to all sinne , and wee may haue perfect victorie ouer it , yea , and treade downe satan vnder our feete ; for then we shall be deliuered frō all the relicks , stumps , root●s , and remainders of sinne . 1. cor. 15. 55. 56. rom. 16. 20. apoc. 3. 4. and 19. 8. whereas in this mortalitie , wee dayly , and euery moment , sinne against , and offend our god , breake all his commandements , and prouoke his anger , and pull downe many iudgements vpon vs. rom. 7. 17. 18. 19. and 23 24. gala. 5. 17. yea all our obedience , and our best actions , are tainted with sinne , and so vnperfect , isa. 63. tit. 3. 5. 1. cor. 13. 10. 11 , lastly , the fruition and enioyment of christ his glorious presence , and perfect fellowship , must be a forcible , and effectuall meanes to confirme our hope & enflame our desire , phil. 1. 23. hebr. 11. 25. 27. for here is the banquet that neuer endeth , the mariage that lasteth for euer , the triumph that is perpetuall , the absence and remouall of all euill , and the presence and possession of all good ; but hereof wee must speake more at large in the third generall section . here , by this doctrine are condemned all sadduces , athe●sts , nulli-fidians , and scorners of christs comming , who because they walke by sense , and not by faith , by reason , and not by scripture , and follow their owne lusts ; and will not bee ruled by the line of gods word , deny , and deride the doctrine of the resurrection , christs second comming , heauen , and hell , as 2. pet. 3. 3. 4. 2. tim. 2. 17. 18. secondly , here are reproued , and conuinced all epicures , libertines , loose-liuers , and all worldlings , and voluptuous persons , who albeit they in worde deny not any article of faith , as the former did , and doe ; yet they denie the power of all religion in their hearts , and so liue as though there were neither god nor diuell , heauen or hell , louing riches more then religion , and pleasures more then pietie . 2. timot. 3. 45. vse . 3. thirdly wee shall by obseruing and noting the measure & quantitie of our hope , and desire of christs comming , &c. iudge of , and discerne the quantitie of our faith ; for these being necessary effects of faith , if they be great and liuely so is our faith , and if they bee weake or dead , so is our faith ; for the tree is knowne by the fruites , and the cause by the vndoubted and proper effects of it ; and thus much of preparation , and the principall parts of it . now we are to come to treat of the speciall opportunitie , and time when , both this generall , and particuler preparation is to be made , & that is onely the present time , and this present life , whiles the day , the light , and the truth lasteth , and while the meanes , and ministery of grace , reconciliation , and saluation are offered , and continue , titus 2. 10. gal. 6. 10. ioh. 9. 4. ioh. 12. 35. 36. 2. cor. 61. before our hearts be hardened with the long custome of sinne , and so they become vncurable , hebr. 3. 13. acts. 28. 27. whilest c●rist knocketh at the doore of our hearts . 3. 20. before the night commeth . iohn . 9. 4. and the doore bee shut , luke . 13. 25. for in the graue , in death , and hell , noe praysing of god , and no time of repentance , and reconciliation , as isay. 38. luke . 16. 24. 25. the bride must trimme her selfe in this life . apo. 19 7. now must the wedding garment bee prouided , math. 22. 11. this life is the time of grace , for the ministerie of reconeiliation is onely here . 2. cor. 5. 18. 1. cor. 15. 24. and 28. ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13. for at the daye of iudgement it shall wholy cease . lastly , christ forgiueth sinnes ( onely ) in earth , luk. 5. 24. and the apostles , and so the ministers of the word in al ages succeeding them , binde and loose , retaine , and remit sinnes in earth , math. 16. 19. iohn . 20. 23. wherefore we must seeke the lord ●hiles he may be found , and in the sixe dayes of this life , prouide vs of the heauenly manna , that wee may keepe with him an euerlasting sabboth in the highest heauens . here is ouer-throwne that vile and damn●ble doctrine of the popish purgatorie , who imagine , and teach that the soules of many are temporallye tormented in purgatorie flames , and that they may bee eased and released of their torments , by the prayers and intercessions and satisfactions of the liuing , and specially by the pardons of the beast , i meane not nebuchadnezar transformed for seauen yeares into a beast , but the pope eternized for one ; whereas first , this late coyned doct●ine is iniurious and derogatorie to christ his all-sufficient satisfaction , who dyed ( onely ) once to put away sinne , heb. 9. 26. hebr. 7. 25. and in all places of scripture , merite , satisfaction , and redemption , is onely ascribed to his bloud , to his stripes , to his sufferings , both in soule immediatly , and also in body ioyntly and apart , &c. secondly , he that beleeueth is saued , and he that beleeueth not is cōndemned already , viz. in the decree , and by the word of god ▪ iohn . 3. 8. thirdly , who-so-euer repenteth not , and beleeueth not , dyeth in his sinnes , and so vndoubtedly perisheth , iohn . 8. 21. ezechi . 18 , 24. luke 13. 3. 5. fourthly , the rich glutton making intercession to abraham in behalfe of his fiue bretheren found no fauour , but receiued a iust repulse & reproofe , luke . 16. 29. 31. fiftly , dauid whiles the child borne in adultery liued , prayed for his life , but as soone as it was dead , then hee ceased p●aying , and fasting for it , for hee knew it would not auayle . 2. sam. 12. verse . 22. 23. lastly , the penitent thee●e that suffered with christ , and neuer had done good , vpon his serious repentance , and firme faith , albeit wrought miraculously at the last houre , had a promise made him to bee that same daye with christ in paradice , luke 23. 43. which saint paul enterpreteth to be the third heauen . 2. cor. 12. 3. 4. beeing compared together . now if any man had gone to purgatorie fire , and should there be further p●rged and prepared , no doubt he had beene one , sed haec hactenus de questuosissima papistarum fabula . vse . 2. secondly , seeing that there is no libertie , and peace of conscience vntill men repent , prou. 18 14. and no actuall pardon , and that the time to repent , a●d prepare our selues , is onely this life , which is short , momentary , & transitory , and wherein , the children dye as well as the ancient , yong-men as well as the olde , the strong and lustie , as soone , and as sodenly , as the weake , it must learne , and schoole vs in no wise to deferre our repentance , and time of preparing our selues , but to begin betimes , and to hold on to the last breath . for first we are bound , and commanded to serue god in spirit , and trueth , and that all the dayes of our life , luk. 1. 74. 75 ergo , we must not put and post of all to old age , not knowing whether we shall euer liue to it , or not . secondly our iourney to heauen being long , the preparation great , and the time very short and vncertaine , we must bee wise , and redeeme it , and repent when we may . thirdly , we must with salomon , iosias , timothy , ioseph , and others , serue god in the dayes of youth , and in the floure of our age , when our memory is most apt and firme , our vnderstanding most sharpe , our sences most liuely , & we may best lay the foundation of an holy and comfortable old age , thus are we commanded and exhorted , eccles. 13 , 1. psal. 119. 9. psal. 78. 6. 7. and it is their greate commendation . tit. 1. 4. 2. tim. 1. 5. 2. epist. ioh. 4. 1. ioh. 2. 12. 13 , 14. whereas otherwise they that neglect , and omit to reconcile themselues vnto god in their best time , & in the daies of their child-hood , and youth grow in time senceles , and brutish , and hard hearted , and are iustly forsaken of god in their old , and impotent age , that had no care , and conscience to feare , obey , and serue him in their youth . thirdly it is seldome , and rarely seene , that men that haue liued all their life , and spent all their golden dayes ( as they call them ) in superstition , sinne , and vanity , should vndoubtedly turne vnto god in their old age . it is more wonderous then vsuall , and there are onely some examples of it in scriptures to keepe the aged from dispaire , but they are very fewe and rare , that we should not ( as most doe ) presume to much of it . lastly of all ages , olde age ( if it bee not before rooted , and grounded in fayth , in loue , and in the practise of godlinesse ) is of all ages the most vnapt , and vntoward , to performe these duties , to begin , and lay the foundation of repentance , and to make it ready for christ. wee may in this case in some sorte say , can a man bee ( new ) borne when he is old , can he enter into his mothers wombe againe , and bee borne , iohn 3. 4. not being ignorant , and misvnderstanding the doctrine of regeneration , as nicodemus ; but onely in another sense affirming that time to be the most vnfit . and there is sufficient reason for it ; for in olde age the memory decayeth , the strength fayleth , the senses are infeebled and wast , then are the euill daies of sorrow , and labour , of payne , and aches , then the daies , and yeares approch , when men shal say that they haue no pleasure in them . ecclesi . 12 , 1 , 2. then sathan is most egar , and busie , knowing right well , that then he must loose all , or gaine all , wherefore let vs with the wise virgins prepare our selues whiles wee haue time , let vs walke in the light whiles the light shineth , and seeke the lord whilst wee may finde him . isay ▪ 55. 6. 7. which god grant . a men . the third section . then , they that were ready &c. in these wordes the solemnization , and consumation of the mariage betwixt christ , and the wise virgins , ( or true church ) is contrayned , and it doth deuide it selfe into foure partes , viz. first what this solemnization is . secondly the place where ; thirdly , the priui●●dges and prerogatiues of it . lastly , the vse , and application of it . the so●emnization , or consummation of the marriage is the glorious , and perfect state of the elect after the resurrection , when they in the highest heaues shall with their eyes behold christ , haue fellowshippe and liue with him , and raigne with him for euermore , being perfectly conformable vnto him , and to his will , both in body , and soule . phil. 1. 23. mat. 25. 34. 1. thess. 4. 17. apo. 7. 15. 17. 21. 2. 3. 4. iohn . 17. 21. in this description two points are to be explained and expoūded , first the dignity , and comfort of this communion , and coniunction with christ in glory . secōdly the perfestion , and glorification of the bride , and virgin both in soule , and body . first touching the coniunction , and marriage , and the excellency of it , the continuall sight ▪ & company of christ , the sonne of right cousnesse and fountaine , of all fellici●●e , shall minister perpetuall , and vnspeakeable ioy and comfort to all gods saints , for they shal no more walke by faith , ( as in this life ) but by sight : they shall no more darkely behold god in the glasse , and ministery of the worde● , or in the spectakle of the creatures , but see him face , to face , they shall in the imperiall , and maiestica●l court , and pallace of heauen see god , as he is . 1. ioh. 3 , 2. 1. cor. 13 , 12 namely they shall so farre forth behold gods maiesty , and the perfection of his glory , as a finite creature , albeit glorified , is capable off ; they shall see him as hee is , but not how infinite hee is ▪ 1. timo. 6. 16. and as for christ iesus their redeemer , husband , and head , they shall ( as iob speaketh , ) see him with these same , and no other eyes , iob. 19. 25. 26. they shall follow him wheresoeuer hee goeth . apoc. 14. 4 ▪ they shall see his face , and his name shal be in their for-head , apoc. 22. 4. finally the tabernacle of god shal be with them , and hee will dwell with them , and they shal be his people , and god himselfe shal be their god with them , apoc. 22. 3. now if the sight , salutation , and company of man , and wife , father , and children , kinsfolke , and acquaintance , friends and welwil●ers , that are farre distant , and haue beene long absent one from another , bee so admirably gratefull and so wonderfully delightsome , how much more desirable , maruelous , and vneffable will the continuall sight , and fruition of god the father , christ the sonne our redeemer , and the holy ghost our comforter bee vnto vs in the parliament , and throne of heauen ? and if moyses that onely talked , and had conference with god in the mount but fortie dayes , was so glorious in his face , at his discent , and returne , that the children of israell could not , or durst not behold it , how much more vnspeakably maiesticall , and glorious shall they bee that haue fellowish , ( not as sinners with god on earth for a fewe dayes ) but as perfectly sanctified in the pallace of heauen for euermore ? herevnto in the second place , i may well adioyne the mutuall , ioyfull , and vnutterable communion with all angells , archangels , patriarks , prophets , fathers , apostles , euangelists , confessors , martirs , and all the true saintes of god , of all degrees for euermore , who , by how many degrees , and in how many properties , especially in knowledge , in holinesse , and loue , they exceede , and excell all mortall creatures : so much more rare , and incredible comfort shal they by their mutuall fellowshippe , communicate one to another . they shall not be ignorant one of another , nor strange , and suspected one to another , much lesse , false , and hollow ; as in this worlde , partly by reason of ignorance , partly by reason of hypocrisie , and partly by reason of humane infirmities it commeth oftentimes to passe , but they shal be all one , in will , and consent , liuing , and louing together in perfect harmony of concorde , and charity . vse . the consideration hereof must cause vs to shun , decline , and abhor ill , and contagious company , ( what in vs lyeth ) and to haue our hearts , and mindes inflamed , and possessed with a longing desire to bee dissolued , in the time appointed , and to enioy the most blessed fellowshippe of god , of the lambe , and of all the saints , and angels in glory for euermore . the second partickle to bee made lightsome , and vnfolded is , the perfection , of the glorified soule , and the body . touching the soules iust and perfect men , they now after their dissolution from the body , are replenished with infinite ioye , and triumph in the heauenly ierusalem . luke . 16. 25. hebre. 12 , 22 , 23. math. 25. 21. 23. but their ioye shal be much more encreased , when the soules shal be reunited to their bodies , phil. 3. 20. and when the whole number of gods elect saints are accomplished , and come in , apoc. 6. 10. 11. heere they shall in quires , and companies , mutually , and eternally magnifie , and praise the lord ( as afterwards i will more fully shew ( when i come to speake of the rest of their prerogatiues . secondly in the minde , & vnderstāding their shal be no error , ignorance , dulnes , but cleere iudgemēt & perfect wisedome , 1. cor. 13. 12. for wee shall be in perfect light , and the wisdome of god shall manifest it selfe vnto vs : secondly in the will and affections , there shall bee no extasie or distemper , but perfect righteousnesse , integritie , perfect loue of god , and his saints , a●d angels , and absolute conformity to gods will. lastly the body it shall be a bright , glorious , beautifull , strong , nimble , perfect , and in●orrupt instrument , habitation , and receptacle of the glorified soule . it shall be so bright and glorious , that it shall shine forth as the sunne , and shall send forth beames of light , math. 13. 43. it shall rise a glorious bodie , 1. cor. 15. 43. it shall bee like to christ his body , ergo , no doubt most glorious , phil ▪ 3. 20. some glimpse , taste , and representation hereof , wee haue in the transfiguration of christ , whose garment was white and glist●red ▪ luke . 9. 29. it was very white as snowe , so white as no fuller can make vpon the earth , marke , 9. 3. in moses and elias that appeared to our sauiour in glory , luke 9. 31. and in the sundry and glorious apparitions of angels in the old , and in the beginning of the new testament . it shall bee a strong body , for it shall rise againe in power , and not in weakenesse , as 1. cor. 15. 43. it shall be a nimble body , as well able by the proper forme of it , to ascend , as to descend , as may be collected out of 1. thes 4. 17. math. 22. 30. phil. 3. 20. compared together ; it shall bee a beautifull and goodly body , because it is and shall be a vessell of honour , as rom 9 33. lastly , it shall bee perfect , and incorrupt , because as there is no fault , defect and deformitie in it , so it shall be a spirituall body , 1. cor. 15. 44. spirituall , not because the substance shall bee changed , for glorification taketh nor away the trueth , and demensions of a naturall body , but because it needeth none of these outward and earthly supplyes , and helpes of meate , drinke , apparell , sleepe , rest , mariage , phisick , light , &c. for christ shall bee in steed of all these vnto it , and supply all . 1. cor. 15. vse . 1. the first vse that ariseth from the consideration and meditation of the body and soule ioyntly glorified is , a notable comfort for gods children , that for the time present , liue obscurely , and in great contempt , in no regarde and reputation , traduced and troubled in euery place , for they shall see the lord , & haue immediate fellowship with him , and shall shine as the sunne in a cleare skie . vse . 2. in any bodily defect , weakenesse , sicknesse , ache , paine , vlcers , deformitie , lamenesse , and maimednesse , we are not to be discontent , and offended , but endure them patiently ; for first they are but fatherly corrections , and trials , heb. 12. 7. and 8. secondly they are but temporary . thirdly , the dearest and holyest of gods children , are as well subiect to them , and beare their portion in them as much as any , yea much more then other , psal. 73. vers . 5. & 15. lastly , they shall be taken all away , and eternall glory , and perfection shall succeed in their place . and thus much of the explanation , and description of the mariage : what it is . the fourth section . the priuiledges and prerogatiues of this mariage , remaine to bee considered , and they are principally foure : first a perpetuall and solemne sabboth , which the saints of god shall inuiolably obserue in singing the new song of their redemption , apoc. 14. 3. they with one voyce and heart shall singe , and acknowledge that christ hath redeemed them to god by his bloud out of euery kindered , and tongue , and people , and nation , apoc. 5. 9. and hath made them vnto their god , kings , and priests , and in the 7. chap. 10. 11. 12. they shall found forth this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or thankesgiuing : and they cried saying , saluation commeth of our god that sitteth vpon the throne , and the lambe , and they shall fall before the throne on their faces , and worship god saying , amen , praise , and glory , and wisdome , and thankes , and honour , and power , and might , be vnto our god for euermore , amen . finally their voice shal be like the voice of great ●aters and as the vyoce of strong thunder , saying halleluia , our lord god all mighty hath raigned , apoc. 19. 6. more-heareof 〈◊〉 may read , isai. 66. 22. apo. 21. 3. apoc. 11. 17. but this sabboth shal be without peculier preist , for all shal be preists vnto god , it shal be without temple , or ceremonies , for god , and the lambe are the temple of it , and shall supply these occasious . wherefore seeing that there is an eternall rest in heauen , and that our sabboth , which according to christ his institution , the apostles practise , & the custome of the vinuersal church , we keepe the first day of the weeke in memory , and honour of christs resurrection , is a tipe , and representation of it , it must reach vs to obserue it , both incorruptly touching the out-ward forme , and spiritually touching the the inward disposition of our mindes , and hearts , or els we shall neuer keepe it in heauen , for god will neuer honour vs in heauen luke . 9. 26. vnles we honour him in earth , and neuer perfect vs in heauen , vnlesse by the workes of sanctification wee begin it heare , apoc. 20. 6. 7. the second priuiledge , and prerogatiue is the actuall , and eternall inheritance , and possessing of the new heauen and the new earth , part of the dowry , & ioynter of the saints . 1. pet. 1. 4. apo. 5. 10. 2. pet. 3. 13. rom. 8. 21. 22. math. 5. now whether they shall sometimes by locall motion , and bodily presence , ( albeit some new , and learned writers out of the. apoc. 5. 10. and apo. 21. 8. 2. pet. 3. 13. before named , and from the nature of a glorified body that can both , ascend , and discend at his pleasure , doe collect , and would conclud it ) or which is more probable , and likely by vision , and heauenly contemplation , and noe absurdite , for if saint steuen being on earth and hauing noe doubt his eyes , for the present clarified , looked vp into heauen , and saw christ sitting on the right hand of god. act. 7. ver . 56. why may not a glorified body by his glorified eyes , and the aire , and skye , being also purified looke downe from heauen , and contemplate the earth &c. but because this poynt is difficult , and the knowledg of it , is rather coniecturall then certaine , wee must bee content to bee ignorant of it , vntell the day , when all secrets shal be made manifest ; and let vs in the meane time make some vse of the point as most may concerne vs ; here is matter of consolatiō for poore christians , that either neuer actually possessed any worldly goods , lands , or liuings , as lazarus , and others , or haue beene with the religious hebrewes , by the enimies of the truth dispoiled , and depriued of them , heb. 10. 34. or els by the men of the earth , whose portion is ( as it is to be feared ) in most , or many of them ( only ) in this life , and that enclose , and hedge in , al to themselues and their proper vses , vnmercifully turning men out of home , house , and liuing ; well let them possesse , their soules in patience , and in faith , and hope , apprehend and waite for it , for they shall one day inherite the new heauen , and the new earth , they shall haue roome enough , and larg demaines when their enimies repining at it , shall remaine foreuer excluded , and excomunicated from them , and it . the third preuiledge is that the godly then compleatly , and perfectly , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal be all kings , preists , prophets , apoc. 5. 10. and so partake of christ his dignity , and offices , as kings they shall raigne with christ , and triumph ouer satan , and all the wicked , yea , and treade them vnder their feete rom 6. 20. mal. 4. 3. as preists they shall eternally praise god , and the lambe for the redemption of his people . &c. and perfectly obey his will apoc. 22. 3. and as prophets they shal ( as far forth as is possible for a finite , and circumscriptible creature ) knowe god , and see him , and exquisitely vnderstand all things that shall concerne their felicitie . 1. ioh. 3. 3. 2. cor. 12. vse . wherefore if euer wee looke , and hope to be kings , priests , and prophets in heauen , let vs as spiritually , so conscionably practise these offices in earth : for the practise of them in this life , and in the life to come differ not in essence , and substance , but onely in place , and degrees , let vs then as kings rule , and raigne ouer ●ur affections , and desires , and gouerne our familyes ( like so many little churches ) in the feare of god. let vs as priests consecrate our selues , soules , and bodies to christ , and his worship , and seruice , and pray continually to god in behalfe of our selues , and our domestiques . lastly , let vs as prophets , labour to bee rich in the knowledge , and vnderstanding of gods will , and so ( to our vtmost power , and skill ) impart , it ( as occasion , and our calling shall require ) vnto others , especially to those of our owne family . gen. 18 , ver . 17. 18. the fourth priuiledge of the saints in glory is their glorious , and perpetuall triumph , and perfect victory ouer sinne , death , hell , satan , and his angels , and all the reprobate whatsoeuer . sinne , and death , and hell shal be a bolished , and cease foreuer . 1. cor. 15. 55. 56. 57. & in respect of the godly bee destroied , as apoc. 20. 14. antichrist , and his members shall no more assaulte , and persecute vs , for the beast , and the false prophet shall be cast aliue into the lake of fire burning with brimstone , apoc. 19. 20. and all the members , and worshippers of the beast shall drinke of the pure wrath , and ●ee tormented in fire , and brimstone before the holy angels , and before the lambe . apoc. 14. 10 , 11. they shall goe forth , and looke vpon the carcases of the men that haue transgressed , isa. 66. 24. finally the saints shall treade downe sathan , and all their enemies vnder their feete , rom. 16. 20. and shall stand before the throne , and before the lambe cloathed with long white robes , ( uiz. of purity , and inocency , ) and hauing palmes , ( in signification of victory ) in their hands . apoc. 7. 9. vse . wherefore the due consideration of this last prerogatiue , as also of the former must kindle , and worke in vs , an earnest , and continuall expectation , and longing after our full , and finall redemption , and perfect glorification . the dutifull wife should not so long , and looke for the returne of her husband , farre , and long time absent , the husbandman so hope , and waite for the haruest ; the mariner the hauen , the wayfaring-man , his iorneyes ende , the woman in trauell her deliuerance , the captiue his liberty , as wee should wish , and waite for , pray for , and expect the time of the marriage , and our consumation . vse . if wee would bee perfect conquerers , and raigne , and triumph with christ in heauen , we must in earth take his part against the mighty . iudg. 5. 23. we must vnder the condu●t of our generall christ iesus our heauenly michaell , as his angels , and souldiers , fight against the dragon , and his angells , and wee shall ouercome by the bloud of the lambe , and by the worde of his testimony , and by not louing our liues vnto death . apoc. 12. 7. 11. finally wee must put on the whole armour of god ; fayth , hope , conscience , confession , and profession of the truth , righteousnesse , and the sworde of the spirit which is the worde of god , ephesi . 6. 13. and wee must pray constantly with all manner of prayer , and supplications in the spirit for our selues , and for all saints . &c. and by the right vse , and continuall handling of these , wee shall crucifie the flesh with the affectons , and lustes thereof . gallathians . 5. 24 , wee shal be able to resist in the euill day , and hauing finished all things to stand fast , and wee shall ouercome sathan ▪ and all his batteries , and temptations ; and then after all our fight , contention and victory ended , wee shall in the life to come , eate of the tree of life , which is in the midst of the paradice of god , apoc. 2. 17. we shall eate of the hidden manna , apoc. 2. 17. wee shall haue power ouer nations , vers . 26. wee shall bee cloathed with white araye , and our name neuer put out of the booke of life , chap. 35. wee shall be pillers in gods house , and goe out no more , 16 , 12. and to conclude , we shall sit with christ in his throne , euen as he sitteth with his father in his throne , apoc. 3. 21. which god at length fulfill , and accomplish in vs , for his most deerely beloued sonnes sake , iesus christ our onely , and all-sufficient redeemer , and mediator , amen . now we are briefly to consider the place where this marriage shal be solemnized , and all this glory , ioy , and priuileges eternally possessed , & communicated vnto vs. the place therfore is the highest heauens , the throne of god , and the lambe , the heauenly hierusalem , the cittie of the liuing god , paradise , the seates , and habitations of the saints , & angels , the wedding chamber : and finally , the new heauen & the new earth . this blessed heauen is a place in respect of substance subiect to no change , and corruption , in respect of quantity , and extent farre exceeding other places , and of sufficient capacitie to receiue all the elect of god ; in respect of qualities , it is of all places most bright , most glorious , most pleasant : finally it is such a place wherin no euill can be feared , and no good can be wanting , and in which god doth offer himselfe to bee seene of men and angels face to face ; and the humanitie of christ more glorious then the sunne ▪ shall bee seene , and bee beheld with vs , euen with our bodily eyes . apoc. 21. the whole chapter , and chapter 22 from the first verse to the sixt verse , hebrew . 11. iohn . 14. wherfore fat be it from vs ; that vainly looking for a visible church heere without all spot , or wrinckle in order , and maner , and seeing , and finding it not , proudly , vnthankfully , rashly , and without cause to deuide , and seperate our selues ( as is the maner of schismatickes ) frō the church of god , which notwithstāding al other defects , whether in doctrine that is not fundamental or policy . yet firmely and purely retaineth the scūd preaching of apostolicall doctrine , pure inuocation of gods name in christ , and right vse of the two sacraments , baptisme , and the lords supper , for these notes are essentiall , substantiall , and of the life of the church , other things are outward , accidentall , and circumstantial , and rather of the comelinesse , well beeing , and ornament , then , of the simple necessity , and essence of the church , yet it were to be much wished that the defects were supplied , abuses remoued , & corruptions taken away , but it must bee done by thē who haue lawfull authority ▪ & in order without tumult , and rashnes , and repugnance , cause , and sound ground , in the meane time , it is the dutie of priuate persons to take the benefit of the word , and sacramēts with thankesgiuing , least god for their vnthākefulnes in time take it away , and to pray for the amendment of that which is amisse , and patiently expecting it , in the interim to walke in their seuerall callings with diligence , and conscience . vse . 2. seeing all blisse , felicitie , and euer-during happinesse is onely in heauen , and not in earth ▪ wee must not rest in these temporall and transitorie things of honour , wealth , preferment , beauty , buildings , credit pleasure , delights , recreations , outward peace , and prosperitie , neither must wee thinke that true felicitie and happinesse consisteth herein ; for first all these are vncertaine , and transitorie , as the grasse , vapor , flower , shaddow , they are like ionas his gourde of one dayes continuance , and are like reeds , or rotten posts fayling , and causing them to fall that leane vpon them . secondly they are rather ( by reason of our corrupt nature ) fnares , baits , and traps to deceiue , and hurt vs ( as infinite , examples euince ) thē simply meanes , and instruments of our selicity , and faluation . thirdly they cannot saue our soules , and make vs blessed before god , as solomon acknowledged when hee called them all vanity of vanities , but this worke is proper onely to grace , and gods speciall mercy in christ. fourthly , they are no especiall , and proper endowments of gods , church , and children , ( though sometimes they in good sort enioy them , and pertake of them ) for the wicked commonly possesse them in farre greater measure then the godly who are rather rich in minde , and in grace , then in these externall , and perishable profits , honours , and pleasures . wherefore wee must eleuate our hearts , and mindes farre aboue these earthly , and momentary things , and seeke the things aboue ; wee must get vs vp into the mountaine of deuine contemplation , and by the eyes of true fayth , behold ▪ and view our country the heauenly canaan : we haue no abiding citie here , wherefore we must seeke one to come hauing a foundation , whose builder , and maker is god. and as for these worldly , and outward things wee must onely vse them so farre forth as they are lawfull , and are helpes vnto vs for the furthering of of our iorney , & the aduancement of godlinesse , and no otherwise ; for els it is better that they should perish then wee ; and it is farre better that wee should alienate ▪ and withdrawe our mindes , and affections from them , then that they should seperate vs from god ( as they doe the most ) and depriue vs of the kingdome of heauen ; and in this case if they were as deere , and necessary vnto vs , as our eyes , handes , feete , yea fathers , and mothers , yet we must cut them off , and hate them . and thus much touching the place . the fourth and the last branche , is the manifold vses and applications of this doctrine of the heauenly mariage ; first by consideration hereof , wee must be stirred vp , and doe our vtmost endeuour to mortifie , and ouercome all worldly desires , and earthly pleasures ; for otherwise we cannot addict and wedde our selues to these , and withall truely prepare our selues for the comming of christ : for touching riches , and worldly cares , there is such an antipathy , an opposition betweene them and grace , that the one cannot consist without the other : for as the eye cannot at one instant , beholde heauen and earth , euen so a man cannot serue god and the world together , they are so aduerse and contrarie ; and as those places where gold and siluer growe , are in all other respects most barraine , and fruitlesse , so where the loue of money , riches , and the world doe beare swaye , and preuaile , there true zeale , and sincere godlinesse can neuer ▪ bee found ; and as touching pleasures , they are the matter , and fewell of euill desires , they are honey mixt with poyson , and they are as haw-thornes , and bryers , which albeit some-times they beare goodly leaues , and flowers ; yet if a man gripe them hard , they will pricke and wound him ; wherefore it standeth vs vpon to be wary of them , and when wee vse them , to vse them charily and moderately . vse . 2. secondly , wee must learne hence to bee forward , and constant in well-doing , and still to repaire our ruines , and prepare our selues vntill the last breath ; for hee onely that continueth ( in godlinesse , and patience ) to the end , hee shall bee saued , hee that is found watching and wakefull at his maisters comming , shall be blessed , luk. 12. 36. 37. and he that fainteth not in weldoing shall in due time reape math. 24. 13. luke . 12. 38. gal. 6. 9. otherwise we , if we faile neuer so prosperously , and sinke at the hauen mouth ; if we trauell directly to heauen , and turne backe almost at our iorneyes end ; if wee doe god good and faithfull seruice in our youth , and afterwards proue faithles , and prefidious in our elder yeares ; and finally if we begin in the spirit , and end in the flesh all our former endeuours labours , and sufferings are to noe purpose , all our righteousnes shal be forgotten , and we shall die in the sinnes and transgress●●ns that we haue committed , eze. 18. 24. wherefore if the hope of ransomming worke patience in the captiue , assurance of liberty , and freedome constant labour , and faithfulnes in the prenrise ▪ and seruant ; and expectation of victory , and spoile , constant resolution , and valowrous courage in the souldier : why should not much more the certaine , and vndoub●ed hope , and assurance of this happines , and eternall coniunction with christ make , & moue vs to be constant , & vnmoueable in all duty of piety , charity , & iustice , knowing that our workes are not in vaine in the lord 1. cor. 15. 58. vse 3. thirdly the assured expectation of this heauenly , and glorious vnion must teach vs with the patriarks , prophets , apostles , martirs , confessors and with all the saints of god both of former , and also of later time to endure and vnder goe all sicknesses , trials , afflictions , losses , contempts , and persecutions ioyfully , and patiently , heb. 11. 25. 2. cor. 4. 16. 17. 18. and heb. 11. 8. 9. for first they are but momentary , and neuer beyond the date , and terme of this life , secondly christs yoake is easie and his bu● then light ▪ mat. 11. 31. & he wil lay vpon his no greater burden , then he will make them able to beare . 1. cor. 10. 13. but will giue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idest an issue , and euasion with the temptation . lastly god will recompence , and reward these temporary , and transitory euills , and sufferings with an infinite waight of glory in all his saints . 2. cor. 4. 17. 18. vse . fourthly the vse of this doctrine serueth notably to mollifie , and mitigate the sorrowes of death , and all the paines , and pangs of it , for the stinge of it , ( viz. eternall condemnation , ) is taken away . 1. cor. 15. ver . 55. 56. secondly it is not a plague vnto vs , but onely a temporary correction , nay a narrow wicket , or gate to intromit , and send vs forthwith into the possession of eternall life . apoc. 14. 13. for if wee bee loosed then we goe straitly to the lord. phil. 1. 23. if wee remoue hence wee dwell with the lord , & are married vnto him . 2. cor. 5. 8. and ( to end the poynt ) wee rest from all the labours of this life ; and our workes ( first the rewarde of them in mercy , and fauour ) follow , and attend vpon vs as an honourable guard . apoc. 14. 13. wherfore let vs not feare death & dānation , but let vs arme our selues with faith , & hope , & let vs often , & seriously meditate vpon the life to come , & the glory of it , and wee shall ( when the time is come ) be willing to die , & die with much comfort , and assurance . lastly ( amongst many other vses ) wee must not mourne vnmeasurably for our friends , and kinsfolkes , or any other that liue , and die in the lord , for they are with god , & in perfect blisse . and as any man will rather reioyce , then sorrow , if his sonne , daughter , friend , kinsman bee happely , worshipfully , honourably , preferred in marriage , albeit hee is otherwise to want their ordinary company , and presence , so should wee rather reioyce that they now are perfited , and most honourably , and gloriously wedded to iesus christ , their king , and head , then mourne as they that haue no hope . it is indeede lawfull , and fit to mourne , for nature , and religion warranteth it , but it must bee in measure , and for our sinnes that haue depriued vs of them , & for that the church feeleth and findeth the losse of them , then for any priuate and carnall respect , and herein notwithstanding wee must submit our wills to gods will , and rather labour to im●sitate their excellent and manifold vertues , then to lament immoderately , or ouer-long for their departure ; but alas the world knoweth not , nor acknowledgeth good , and godly men . the righteous , and mercifull men , ( as wee haue had lamentable experience within these few yeares ) of all rancks and callings , dye , they are taken away from the euill , and rest in peace , and no man considereth it in heart , or vnderstandeth it . isa. 57. 1. and therefore because the world maketh no more account of them , and is not worthy of them , god most iustly depriueth them of their presence and comfort . and thus much of the solemnization , and the priuiledges and vses of it . the fourth part of the deuision . and the gate was shut . now wee are come to speake and treate of the last branche , and part of the distribution , namely the contrary euent ▪ in respect of the foolish virgins ; for they hauing onely common graces , and a temporall faith , which failes in time of necessitie , and temptation , and seeking for supply when the time was past , were by the bridegroome christ repelled , and put by from entring into the wedding chamber , and kingdome of heauen . in the vnfolding and explication whereof , diuerse particulers are to bee discussed ; as first , who shutteth the gate ▪ secondly , when it is shut ; thirdlye , who are shut out : fourthly , the condition , and miserable estate of them thus excluded . lastly , the ●enerall application and vse of the doctrine . the person that excludeth them , that indeed first excluded him , because they did not , nor would not receiue him into their heart , is christ , the bridegroome , the sonne of god , and the iudge of the world : he is the porter by whom , and through faith in whom all the beleeuers enter in , and finde pasture , iohn . 10. 9. hee is the prince of shepheards , as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the bishop of our soules , that properly , and by his owne power , bindeth and looseth , retaineth , and remitteth . for that which his ministers doe subordinately , and ministerially , that doth hee absolutely and as cause and principall . iohn 20. 22. 23. math. 16. 19. hee alone hath the keye of dauid which openeth , and no man shutteth , and shutteth , and no man openeth , so that hee hath right power , and authoritie , to receiue in , or put out whome hee will , apoc. 3. 7. they that kisse him , beleeue in and obey him , shall bee saued and glorified , psalm ▪ 2. 12. marke . 16. 16. hebr. 5. 9. and they that sinne against him , hurt their owne soule , they that hate him loue death . prou. 8. 35. they that will not haue him to raigne ouer them , are his enimies , and shal be slaine before his face , luke . 19. verse . 27. and they that eyther by open persecution : or else by infidelitie , and by contempt , scorne , or impenitencie fall on this stone shall bee broken , and on whom soeuer of them it shall fall , it will grinde him to powder . luke . 21. 44. the vse of this doctrine is two-fold , first it condemneth and ouer-throweth the vsurped , false , and forged authoritie of the romish antichrist , who will needes bee christs vicar generall on earth , and blasphemouslie assumeth vnto himselfe the keyes of heauen and hell , as though it were in his power to saue , pardon , or to retaine , and condemne whome hee would : whereas first hee cannot bee christs vicar , for christ in the spirituall regiment , and gouernment of the church , is with it to the ende of the world . math. 18. ver . 19. 20. and is present by his power , aud deitie in euery place , math. 28. 19. 20. and therefore needeth no substitute to supplie his roome . secondly , the holy ghost is christs deputy , and vice●erent , for hee is in euery place , and enlighteneth , guideth , sanctif●eth , and gouerneth the church , and so neither doth , nor can the man of rome , saue himselfe from death , diseases , much lesse , from the bottomlesse pit , from whence hee came , and whether hee must needes goe ( withall our consents ) as ●udas to his place . thirdly in respect of order , and publicke administration the christian magistrate may with much better right , and equity bee called the vicar of christ in gouerning the people according to the worde of god. and in this sense , eleutherius bishoppe of rome writing to lucius king of the brittaines calleth him christs vicar : for by christ kings raigne , and princes decree iustice . and as for the authoritie of binding , and loosing , the ministers of the true church , ( wherein the pope hath no more right , then the pirate in the true ownershippe ) haue onely a ministery of reconciliation and a ministery of binding , and loosing , but the inwarde operation , and working of the holie ghost in the heart , is principall , and belongeth to christ iesvs alone . luke . 24. 45. act. 16. 14. so in censuring , admonishing , suspending , excommunicating , exhorting , threatning , and in all other ecclesiasticall offices christ hath no deputie , but onely instruments that doe witnesse , and testifie his will according to the rule of scriptures , but the whole entire action is personall , and proper to him alone , and vtterly ouerthroweth , the feigned , and counterfaite supremacie of the romish pirate , and prelate . vse . if wee would not haue christ at the day of iudgement to disclaime , and exclude vs as hee did the foolish virgins , wee must not by infidelitie , and impenitencie debar●e him out of our hearts , but by a liuely fayth let , and receiue him into them , and entertaine , and feast him with loue , reuerence , amendment of life , obedience , and the like graces of the spirit ; for christ dwelleth in our hearts , if we beleeue , he knocketh at our hearts often by his worde , by his spirit , by his mercies , and by his iudgementes , and if wee assent vnto him , and by fayth admit into the chamber of our hearts , he will dwell with vs , yea dine , and suppe with vs , and supply all our wants . apoc. 3. 20. wherefore let vs not ( as the church in the cantikles ) suffer christ our beloued to remaine without , hauing his head full of dewe , and his lockes with the drops of the night , because forthwith wee would not arise , and dresse vs , nor defile our feete . cantickels 5. 2. and 3. or put our selues to any payne , or trouble , but let vs let open vnto him by yeelding vnto the truth , and by beeing amended by his admonitions , so shall wee bee christ iesvs his possession , his peculier people , and a temple for him , and his spirit to dwell in ; otherwise if wee suffer any one sinne , whether of idolatrie or of infidelitie , or of worldlinesse , or of filtie liuing , or of grosse ignorance , or any raigning , and dominering sinne that is vnfelt , and vnresisted , to sway vs , and tyrannizc ouer vs , wee driue , and bannish iesvs christ not so much out of our coastes , as the gergesites did . mathew . 12. 45. as out of the castle , and pallace of our heartes , and admit sathan our deadly enemie in his roome , and steade . thus much of the first part , name●y the person who shutteth . the second branch , is the time when the gate is shut , viz ▪ when all meanes , and occasions of comming vnto saluation are taken away ▪ and when the time of grace , repentance , and reconciliation is past , which is , when this life is ended , luke . 16. 23. 24. 25. 26. 28. 29. 〈◊〉 the ●iche glutton in hell , desiring and seeking vnto abraham , that hee would send lazarus , whom hee had neglected and contemned , to yeelde him the least comfort , hee could not obtaine it , and when he desired that lazarus might bee sent to his fathers ho●se , to aduise and warne his fiue brethren that they should not come into that place of torment , hee speedeth not in his preposterous and vnlawfull suite , but his brethren are referred , and rem●tted vnto the interpreters of moses and the prophets . againe , the dead do not praise the lord , neither doth the dust giue thankes vnto him , or declare his trueth , isay. 38. 18. secondly , at the day of the lord ( for as death leaueth men , whether penitent , or impenitent , so the last iudgement findeth , and iudgeth them , and no otherwise ) it is no time of reconciliation , and of obtaining mercy , as the example of the fiue foolish . virgins , and of those that luke , 13. 25. cryed , lord , open vnto vs , when the doore was shut , and could not be admitted , and intromitted , doth plainly proue , and demonstrate . the reason hereof is , because the lord in his mercie and grace , doth in this life , to those especially that be in , and of the visible church offer , and tender the meanes of faith , repentance , grace , mercy , and forgiuenesse of all their sinnes , by the holy ministery of the worde , and sacraments , as 2. cor. 6. 2. titus . 2 , 10. 11. 12. iohn 12. 35. iohn 4. 9. isay. 55. 67. gala. 6. 10. prouer. 1. 24. 25. 26. and because the wicked are temporizers , eyther vtterlye and totally dispise , and contemne it , as luke 14. 18. 19. 20. or else they come onely in shew , and content themselues with a naked profession , and some outward reformation , wanting the hand , and firme grapple of true faith , that firmeth , apprehendeth , claspeth , and applyeth christ to their eternall saluation , hebr. 4. 2. and also destitute of inward reformation and holinesse , comming ( i say ) without the wedding garment of faith , and sanctification , they are found detected by christ , conuinced of hypocrisie , bound hand and foote , and cast into vtter darkenesse , where is weeping and gnashing of teeth , math. 22. 11. 12. 13. vse . the vse hereof is first to shew the vilenesse , and vanitie of the doctrine of popish purgatory ( whereof i spake at large before ( and therefore a word now shall suffice ) it is a vile doctrine , because it detracteth from , yea and maketh frustrate the all-sufficient death , and purgation of iesus christ. hebrew . 7. 25. it is vaine and false , for as there are but two sorts of persons , elect , or reprobate , sheepe , or goates , good or euill , and as men dye eyther in the estate of grace ( as all the elect doe ) or else in ●he estate of damnation ( as doe all the reprobate and impenitent ) so are there but two places in the scriptures appointed for them , after this life , viz. heauen , and hell , therefore no purgatory , or third place , iohn . 5. 29. apoc. 14. 13. wherefore seeing there is no such purgatorie after this life , nor no meanes left to relieue , or release them : therefore all prayer of the liuing for the dead , is simplye vnlawfull , for first it is against the rule of faith , videliz . the worde of god , and therefore must of necessitie be sinne . secondlie , it is against the rule of charitie , that should alwayes iudge the best of the dead , and not perswade themseues the dead , are in torments where-of they haue noe certaine ground , or knowledge . vse . the second , and last vse is to teach vs not to stay for companions in the way to eternall life , iohn . 13. 24. for so wee may perish together , nor to deferre , or put of our conuersion from day to day math. 24 48. 49. 50. 51. least either by death , or the last iudgement we be suddenly surprised , and ouertaken , and accordingly iudged , and condemned , 1. the. 5. 2. thus much of the time . the third branch , and member of the diuision , is the persons , and parties that are shut out : viz. the foolish virgins , idest , those that did not prouide for the time to come , because they did carelessely please them-selues in their wants , and so passed by the time of mutuall communication and they contemned the helps that were offered vnto them , and therefore they are deseruedly derided for their folly , and doe suffer the iust punishment of their negligence , and brutishnes . hence wee learne that it sufficeth not to carry onely the shining lamps of externall profession , to haue asight , or tast of gods mercies ( without sound feeling of them , and norishment by them ) hebr. 6. 4. mat. 13. 20. or to haue onely an externall holines amongst men , as these foolish virgins ( noe doubt ) had , for if a man haue noe more then this , hee cannot goe beyond a reprobate in christianity , and all these temporall , and common graces will faile a man in the time of temptation , in the day of death , and at the last iudgement as hebre. 6. 4. 1. iohn . 2. 19. but true fayth whereby wee are iustified , and sanctified before god neuer faileth , luke . 22. 32. and all the ( sauing ) guifts of god are without repentance . rom. 11. 29. and god will remember their sinnes , and iniquities noe more , heb. 10. 17. therfore hee will neuer take his grace wholly from them ; wherefore let vs not content our selues with a bare knowledge , and historicall faith , but turne this temporary faith into a true , and sauing faith ; and let not the strangnes , or rarenes of diuine misteryes onely , or principally moue , and enduce vs to the profession of religion , for so may simon magus , and the athenians bee christians , neither let gaining , or retaining of worldly wealth , peace , prosperity , friendship , and dignity , or credit bee our inducements , or perswations to christianity , for these things are vncertaine , and when these ends faile ( as they doe oft ) then their profession , religion , and temporary fayth and obedience determineth , wherefore let the ends of our fayth , profession , and religion be only the loue of god and the zeale of his glory , the delight in the truth , the obedience of his will , and a carefull , and constant desire of saluation ; and that wee may know that our faith is not temporary , and historicall , but sound , and sauing , let vs try and examine it by these rules following , first that wee bee humbled in our hearts for our sinnes , isai. 51. 17. and that wee haue a godly sorrow for them 2. cor. 7. 10. secondly that wee bee perswaded that our sinnes be pardonable , for otherwise wee shall dispaire as caine did gen. 4. 13. thirdly wee must sincerely desire the meanes of saluation , such as faith , repentance , mortification , and reconciliation are : fourthly wee must pray for nothing in the earth so much , so earnestly , and so continually as for the forgiuenesse of our knowne and vnknowne sinnes : fiftly wee must labour , and endeuour in all our actions to approue and commend our selues rather vnto god , then vnto men : lastly whether by experience , and continuall obseruation , of gods fauour , goodnesse , and mercifull prouidence towardes vs , wee attayne vnto the strength , ripenesse , and full measure of fayth . rom. 5. 4. 5 , psal. 23. 6. 1. sam. 17. 34. 35 , 36. if wee finde these things in our selues , wee haue true fayth , and shall neuer perish , but if wee want them either in part , or in whole let vs seeke betimes to procure , and so to encrease them . and thus much of the persons . the fourth branch , and part is the state , and condition of the foolish virgins at the comming of the bride-grome , and that is contayned in these wordes viz. and the gate was shut , and heere two principall poynts are to bee marked , and attended . first from what they are excluded , viz. from the fauourable , and comfortable presence of christ , and from the glory of heauen . secondly into what place and companie they are remitted , and reserued , viz. to hell , where they shal be tormented with the diuill , and his angells in the lake that burneth with fire , and brimstone foreuermore . touching their exclusion from the glorious and blessed fellowshippe of christ , what a torment is this , and how doth it greeue , and gall them to thinke , and consider of it ? surely it cannot bee imagined , much lesse liuely expressed ; it is at this day a great part of the diuills torment to remember from how great glorie , and excellency hee is irrecouerably fallen . now that they , and all the reprobate are eternally seperate from the company of christ it is apparent , 2. thess. 1. 9. math. 25. 41. luk. 13. 27. apo● . 22. 11. what a greuious , and vnspeakable torment this is , we may by the helpes , and occurrences of outward things , and examples in the world consider . of a wife for her offences excluded , and deuorced from her louing , and honorable husband , and so from all maintenance , and comfort ; of a seruant imprysoned as onesimus for playing the theefe against his good , and gratious master : of absolon two whole yeares banished from his fathers sight , and presence : and of a subiect in great grace , fauour , place , and familiaritie with his ●●ghtie , and gratious soueraigne , and afterward exiled , degraded , imprisoned , and disgraced foreuer . how much more fearefull , horrible , and vncomfortable is it to bee excommunicated and seperated not for a small time , but for euer , and euer from the presence , and fauour of christ who is the summe of all grace , and fauour , and the fountaine of all happinesse , and felicity . thus much of the first point ▪ namely from what they are excluded . secondly touching the proper , and peculier place of vnspeakable torment , which from the foundation of the worlde is appointed for them , it is hell , or a place of eternall , and vnvtterable payne farre remote , and distant from the highest heauen ; and as sundrie both ancient , and latter deuines probablie thinke , and collect out of the scriptures as . deutronomy 32. 22. isay ▪ 30. 33. nomber 16. 30. 33. prouerbes 15. psalme 86. 13. psalme 30. 6. philip 2. 10. luke . 8. 31. and ( though this poynt is more curious then profitable , and more con●ecturall then certainely knowne where it is ) that it is in some place vnder the earth . and to signifie , and set forth the nature , and terror of it , it 's called hell , the bottomlesse pit . apoc. 9. 10 , the lake that burneth with fire , and brimstone , a prison . 1. pet. 3. 19. a place of darknesse . 2. pet. 2. 4. euerlasting destruction . 2. thessalo . 1. 9. a place without , apoc. 22. 15. vnquenchable fire . marke . 9. 43 , mathew , 3. verse 12. the vse of the place is to conuince all atheistes that denie it , and all that say there is no other hell , but a mans conscience , but they one day ( if they continue their errors and madnesse ) shall finde and feele that there is an hell ; and if their conscience sometime terrifie them for their wickednesse here , let them assure themselues that this is to them but the flashings , and beginnings of hell fire . thirdly , if they will not beleeue the scriptures and word of god , yet in that they beleeue , and are conuinced by many meanes , that there are diuels , let them beware that they bee not lead blindfolded by sathan into hell , and there feele the eternall torment of that which here they neither feele , nor acknowledge , and bee most deseruedly depriued of that glory and ioy , whereof they neuer in this life would take notice . now touching the paines , and punishments , tortures , and torments of the damned , wee are to consider , and handle them first generally , and then more specially , and seuerally . first in generall they are vnspeakeable and intollerable ; secondly , endlesse , and eternall . that they are intollerable and vnsufferable , these scriptures following doe aboundantly testifie and affirme ; the great day of his wrath is come , and who can withstand it , apoc. 6. 17. there is said to be wailing and gnashing of teeth , math. 22. there torment is shadowed forth vnder the borrowed and metaphoricall termes ( of such things as be most subiect to our sence , and fearefull in our apprehension ) of fire , brimstone , the worme of conscience that neuer dieth , vtter darknesse ; and if the enimies of the truth in this life vpon the sence , and apprehension of the heauy waight of gods iudgement against them , shall seeke death , and shall not finde it , and shall desire to dye , and death shall flee from them ; how much more shall this come to passe , when the full vyoles of gods ▪ wrath shall bee finally powred out vppon them , and when they shall drinke the pure wine of his wrath apoc. 9. 6. apoc. 14. 10. rom. 2. 4 psal. 74. 10. luke . 16 ▪ 24. 25. touching the eternitie , and euer-lastingnesse of their paynes , and tortures both in soule , and bodie , both playne places of scripture ▪ and sound arguments thence collected aboundantly euince and testifie . first the paynes and punnishments are called euerlasting fire , mathew 25. 41. the worme that neuer dieth . isa 66. 24. the smoake of their torments doth ascend euermore , they haue no rest day , nor night . apoc. 14. 11. and they shal be punnished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the lord , and from the glorie of his power , as 2. thessal . 1. 9. so that when as many millions of yeares bee expired , as there bee motes in the sunne , droppes of water in the ocean sea ▪ sands vpon the sea shoare , creatures vpon the earth : and when so many yeares shall be accomplished , as all arithmetitians can number all their life long ; yet their torments shall haue no end , nor ease , but begin againe a fresh . now the reasons why their tormēts shal be eternal are these : first the ioyes of heauen are eternall , math. 25. 46 ▪ and therefore the paines of the damned are eternall also , for contrariorum contraria sunt consequenta : secondly god whom the reprobates haue offended , and contemned is an euerlasting maiestie , and the chiefe and eternall good ▪ and therefore the punishment of the sinne committed against him is eternall , for sinne committed against the infinite maiestie , is infinite . thirdly , if the reprobates liued here for euer , they would sinne for euer , and being in hell they cannot praise god. psal. 30. 9. but hate , repine , and murmur against him . but god is merciful , and therefore hee will at length end their torments ▪ or at least ease them . first they dispised gods mercy in this life when it was offered them , and therby haue made thēselues altogither vnworthy of it . secondly they shal be punished more gently then they haue des●●ued . mathew . 11. 22. for god could much more haue aggrauated , and encreased the quantity of their torments . and thus much in generall of the paines of the damned . now let vs come to some particulers . first in their faces , and countenances there shal be shame , and confusion for euermore , dan. 1. 8 9. 7 , and for this cause the reprobates are called the vessels of dishonour . 2. tim. 1. 20. rom. 9. 21. for then all their secrete sinnes shal be layd open , and discouered . 1. cor. 4. 5. and their conscience bringing them alwayes fresh into their rememberance shall alwaies v●xe , and torment them . isa. 66. 24. mark. 9. 44. and wee gather this punnishment by the contrary estate of the godly at christ his comming . 1. ioh. 2. 28. for they shal be bold , and not ashamed . now if many men in this life for auoyding and preuenting of open shame , and punishment , doe not onely hide , but also make away themselues , in what horror , & vexation thinke we they shal be in , when they shall suffer full and euerlasting shame , and punishment ? secondly , they vpon the perfect sense of their infinite sinnes , and vpon the full apprehension of gods infinite indignation , shall euerlastingly dispaire , and shall alwayes desire to dye , and shall not dye , apoc. 9. 6. thirdly , in their minds and wils being vnspeakeably infected , and possessed with enuie , and malice , they on the one part seeing themselues depriued of so infinite glory , and plunged into so endlesse miseries , by reason of their sinnes and offences , and on the other side , either by present sight and view , as some diuines collect out of luk. 13. 28. luke . 16. 23. apoc. 14. 10. or else ( which is an vndoubted truth ) by keeping in fresh and perpetuall memory , the absolute and glorious estate , & glorification of the godly at the last day , obseruing and perceiuing the godly whom they in their life time so scorned , abused , wronged , persecuted to be so vnconceaueably blessed , shall be tormented and vexed with an vncredible enuie , isa. 66. 23. 24. psal. 85. 10. 11. luk. 16. 23. we haue some instance hereof in proud hamon that cursed agagite that could in no wise endure the exaltation of mordocheus , but it was a sword to his heart , and a vexation to his conscience . and if the enuious in this life repine , yea , and pine away at the felicitie and fauours of others , how much more will they then enuy , when they themselues shal be incomparably more miserable , and the godly vnspeakably more blessed . fourthly , the reprobate shal be as wel tormented in their bodies , which haue bin the vessels & instruments of sinne , and iniquity , as in their soules , for as their bodies shal be darke , ●inglorious , and deformed , contrary vnto the glory of the elect : so shall they be tormented not with any materiall fire , for thē the worme of conscience , the carcases of the slaine , and the metaphoricall speeches , especially in the apoc. 22. 23 that describe and delineate vnto vs the ioy and glory of heauen should be litterally vnderstood , which is very absurd to thinke , but with that which is equiualent , yea farre more extreame , namely the full , and finall wrath of god ceazing and inuading the soule and body , as appeareth , apoc. 14. 10. they shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of god , yea of the p●re wine that is powred into the cup of his wrath , and shal be tormented in fire & brimston before the holy angels , and before the lambe for euermore , they shall drinke vp the dregs of gods wrath , which is their portion to drinke , psal. 74. 10. & psal. 11. 6. lastly because they must in soule & body suffer the vnsupportable indignation of the lord , are called , and so indeed are , vessels of wrath prepared to destruction . now if the anger of a lion , of a beare robbed of her whelps , much more of a mighty monarch be so pernicious● and dāgerous , how much more incōparable then is the wrath and indignation of the almighty and the most iust lord , who is to his enimies a consuming fire , hebr. 12. 29. and whose wrath burneth vnto the bottome of hell . deut. 32. 22. god giue vs grace by our godly feare , true repentance , and sound obedience in this life , to preuent it , amen . thus much of the generall and particuler punishment of those that are excluded . the last point , and part to be handled , and wherewith we will conclude the whole treatise , is the manifold , and wholsome vses that we are to make of this doctrine : first therfore the serious consideration , and meditation of the state , & paines of the damned , must be a forcible motiue to diswade and reclaime vs from committing sinne , and iniquitie for feare , of falling into the same condemnation . chrysostome in his 13. homilie , or sermon vpon the romaines , saith well to this purpose ; vtinam ( inquit ) vbique de gehenna dissereretur , non enim sinet in gehennam incidere , gehennae meminisse , &c. that is , would to god euery man would speake of hel ; for to remember hell , will not suffer a man to fall into hell ; for if the due consideration of seuere humane lawes that shall be duly executed , doe keepe the most vnruly from offending , much more will the serious consideration of the paines of hell ( if men haue grace to thinke on them ) reforme & amend men , i●de . 23. secondly the preachers & ministers of the word of god , when they see & perceiue the deadnesse , dulnesse , ●and impenitencie of the hearers ▪ must labour by laying open the multitude , and torments of the damned , to draw men to feare god , and to repent their sinnes . math ▪ 23. 33. heb. 10. 27. apoc. 14. 9. 10. 11. the third vse is to teach vs not to be enuious against the wicked , nor to repine at their temporall dominion , and prosperitie : for first , neither they , nor their pompe nor prosperity shall continue long , but perish suddainly . psal. 73. 18. 19. 20. psal. 37. 12. secondly , they haue ( for the most part ) their portion in this life , psal. 17. 14. lastly , their damnation is iust , & sleepeth not , 2. p●t . 2. 3. wherefore wee must rather commisserate and pitty them , yea , and pray god to conuert them , for in so doing we shall please god , discharge our owne duties , & perhaps in the end , be a meanes to win , and reclaime them . fourthly & lastly , finding in our selues by due examination , that god hath deliuered vs from so great condemnation and made vs heires , in hope of eternall life , we must continually , and from our hearts giue all glory & praise vnto god , apoc. 5. 9. 10. col. 1. 12. 13. 14. and hereby bee stirred vp to be stedfast , vnmoueable , aboundant alwayes in the worke of the lord , 1. cor. 15. 57. 58. now the lord god , the fountaine of mercies , and the father of our lord iesus christ , grant wee may performe these duties , and continue constant like pillars in his loue , and seruice to the end , for his beloued sonnes sake iesus christ our onely redeemer , and mediator , amen . an appendix or necessary addition , touching the doctrine , nature and vse of the sacraments , propounded in plaine and profitable questions , and answeres , very requisite and comfortable for euery christian to know . to the vvor shipfull , learned and religious gentleman , maister thomas gibbs of watergaull esquier : thomas draxe wisheth encrease of grace and of all prosperity , and for a monument of his loue and duetifull affection , consecrateth this small adioynder following . the doctrine , nature and vse of the sacraments . qu. what signi●ieth this word s●ments ? an. a ●ouldiers oath made to his captaine whereby he is sworne to be true to and consecrated to the ●eruice of the generall , and from that original signification it is drawne by the common consent of the church , to signifie the holy s●ales of gods mercie . for as the souldier by his oth administred and taken , bindeth himselfe to the seruice of his generall ▪ so wee by the vse of the sacraments binde our selues to god and to his worship . qu ▪ what is a sacrament ? ans. an outward ●igne or ●eale ordayned of god , to confirme our fayth in the c●rtenty of our redemption , and to signifie and seale vnto vs the graces and benefits that ●lowe thence . gen. 17. 11. rom. 4. qu. what are the endes of sacraments in generall ? an. first and princially to confirme our faith in the promises of grace , and to be seales and pledges thereof vnto vs. 1 cor. 10. 16. rom. 6. 3. gal. 3. 2. 6. secondly to distinguish vs from all infidells and atheists whatsoeuer . thirdly to preserue the remembrance and memory of christ his benefits . exod. 12. 14. luk. 22. ver . 19. lastly to bind & vnite vs more firmly to god , and his seruice , and to one another . qu. are the sacraments necessary to saluation ? ans. yes , for first god in his wisedome and mercy hath instituted them to that end , and hath also commaunded them to be vsed . secondly by the refusall and contempt of them , we declare our selues to bee none of christs desciples , of whome these sacraments are badges . thirdly ( during this mortality ) we are weake infaith & ful of infirmities & therfore haue need of thē . qu. but are the sacraments so simply and absolutely needfull to sal●ation that hee that wanteth them cannot bee saued ? an. no , for first , not the want but the contempt of them damneth . secondly the israelits in the wildernesse wanted them 40. yeares , but were not therefore condemned , & the theife vpon the crosse was saued , albeit neuer baptized luke . 23. lastly damnation is denounced to the vnbeleeuer and impenitent person , and not to haue that ( without his owne defaute ) is depriued of the sacraments . qu. then grace and remission of sinnes is not inherent , in , annexed and tied so to the sacraments , that whosoeuer vseth them should by his very act of receiuing , be partaker of it ? an. no , for first , it is the proper worke of god to confer grace , albeit ( ordinarily ) by the means . secondly the sacraments are signes & seales of grace , but not causes therof . thirdly their nature and substance is not changed ; therfore they cannot of themselues conferre grace . lastly , achit●phell , simon magus , iudas , were partakers of the sacraments , yet because they wanted faith , they receued no good by them , for here , in regard of vs faith is all in all heb. 4 ver . 2. qu. if there be no grace contained and inherent in the sacraments , why are the signes and the things signified called so often in scripture by one and the same name ? exo. 12. 11. 1. cor. 5. 7. math. 26. 28. 1. cor. 11. 24. ans. they are often times thus named , onely to shew the straite vnion and neere coniunction , that is betwixt the signes and the things signified in the beleeuers , for at what time they in faith receiue the signes , god by his spirit conferreth the things signified . qu. what difference is there betwixt the word preached and the sacraments ? ans. frst the word preached is only audible and propounded to the eares , but the sacraments are sensible , and offered & subiect to the sense of seeing , fasting , handling . secondly , grace is offered in the word more generally , but in the sacrament more particularly . thirdly the word is preached both to beleeuers and vnbeleeuers , but the sacraments , ( especialy that of the lords supper ) are communicated to those that beleeue , or ( at least ) thus probably iudged . forthly , the word is of force towards faith and saluation without , or before that the sacraments bee receiued ; as may appeare in abraham , gen. the enuch act. 8. corn. act. 10. ve . 2. 3. and 44. 45. but the sacrament without the word is of no validity , i meane the words of institution . qu. how are sacraments deuided ? a. into sacraments of the old testament & sacraments of the new. qu. what is a sacrament of the old testament ? a. that which was instituted & ordaned of god for the faithfull before christs in carnation . qu. of how many sortes was it ? ans. of two sortes , ordinary and extraordinary . q what were their ordinary sacramēts . an. circumcision and the passouer . qu. what is circumcision ? an. an ordinary sacrament of the old testament whereby by reason of the cutting off & circumcizing of the foreskin the premise of grace , that is , of redemption & sanctification in the messias to come was signified and sealed . gen. 7. ver . 11. & 12. rom. 4. 11. qu ▪ what is the passeouer ? an. an ordinary sacrament of the old testament , whereby , by the eating of a lambe , the beleeuers were put in mind of their deliuerance out of egypt and especially were confirmed concerning their redemption from the power of satan sinne and death , to be performed by christ that was then to come . qu. what were the extraordinary sacraments of the old testament . an. those that were not so solemly repeated , of this sort was the arke , wherein noe and his family were preserued in the time of the deluge ; and hereby was signified & sealed our preseruation from eternall damnation , by christ , 1. pe. 3. 3. & 20. such like sacraments were the baptisme of the cloud & of the sea 1. cor. 10. 1. 2. likewise the eating of manna & the drinking of the water flowing out of the rocke , ibid vers . 3. and 4. q. what are the sacraments of the new testament ? a. those which christ the mediator of mankind being now exhibited did institute & ordaine for his that be●eeued q ▪ what & how many are these sacramēts ? ans. onely two , baptisme and the lords supper . q. what difference is there betweene the sacraments of the old testament and of the new that succeede them . ans. they are both the same altogether in substance , or in respect of the thing signified ; for as the substance of the word was the same in the time of the old testament and of the new , so also the substance of the sacraments , & this is made plaine by diuers places of scripture . ●ebr . 13. 8. collo . 2. ver . 11. 1. cor. 5. 11. qu. how then do they differ ? ans. only in certaine circumstances and accidents , as for example . first they differ in the externall signe or element . secondly in number , for they were more in number , but these few . thirdly in manner of signification , for they signified christ to come , and therfore were more darke , but these christ presented and exhibited , and therefore more plaine and easie . lastly they differ in time and person , for the sacraments of the old testament were proper to the iewes , and lasted onely vnto the comming of the messias , but the sacraments of the new testament are common both to iewes , gentiles & doe continue vnto the worlds end . qu. how many things are wee to consider in a sacrament ? answ. three , first the outwarde signe or matter . secondly the thing signified . thirdly the forme , order and analogy between the signe & the thing signified . qu. vvhat is the signe ? an. the outward or sensible matter which is the substance , & the externall act●ons cōuersant about the sacramēt , which is the accidentall circumstance . q ▪ what are the things signifyed by thē ? ans. christ with all his mercies and sauing graces . q ▪ vvhat is the forme of a sacrament ? an. the relation , order or proportion that is betwixt the signe and the thing signified ? q what is baptisme ? a. the sacrament of our new birth , or of our first admittance , or entrance into the church , or christianity ▪ rom. 4. 11. math. 28. 19. qu. to whom doth baptisme belong ? a. to al beleeuers , & to their childrē . qu. are in●ants then to be baptised , especially seeing that the scripture maketh no expresse mention thereof ? a. yes vndoubtedly , for first there is such an affinity betweene circumcision & baptisme that succeedeth it ; that by what reason the children of the iewes were circumcized , by the same may the children of christians be baptized . secondly the commission that christ graue to his apostles , commanding them to baptisze all nations , was general and made no exception of infants . thirdly the apostles baptized whole families . ac. 16 , 15. 1 cor. 1. 16 , 1 & therfore in al likelihood infants that are a part of thē . lastly the grace , promise , & the thing signified belong to infāts , therfore the outward signe also . q. how often is a man to be baptized ? an. only once . for as it is sufficient to be once ingrafted into the church & once borne , so it sufficeth to bee but once baptized . secondly there is but one baptisme . ephe 4. lastly circumsition was but once administred & therefore baptisme in like manner . qu. what is the outward signe or element in baptisme ? answ. water onely , and no signes or matter els . que. vvhat is the thing signifyed by baptisme ? answ. first the purging and washing away of our sinnes by the sprinkling of the bloud of christ. secondly our regeneration or sanctification to eternall life . titus 3 , 5. rom. 3. verse 25. q. vvhat is the forme of baptisme ? an. the diuing , dipping or baptizing of the infant & with water by the minister into the name of the father , the sonne & the holy ghost . mat. 28 , 29. qu. vvhat gather you hence ? ans. a double & solemne couenant , first in regard of god the father to receiue the party baptized into his fauor , of god the sonne to redeeme him , & of god the holy ghost to regenerate him . secondly of the party baptized who here solemnely promiseth to acknowledge , inuocate & worship god alone , and withall to renounce the world , the flesh and the diuell . q. what vse are we to make of baptisme ? an. first when we are tēpted to commit any sin , we must for the preueting of it , call to our●remembrance , our solemne vow made in baptisme . seco●dly we must dayly labour to feele and discerne in our selues the proper effect & frute of baptisme , namely the power of christs death mortifying sinne , and the power of his resurrection quickning and renewing vs. and thus much of sacraments in generall , and of baptisme , in particuler . qu. vvhat is the lords supper ? an. a sacrament of our spirituall norrishment growth and preseruation in christianity . qu. who instituted it ? ans. the lord iesus . qu. when ? ans. at supper time . qu. why at that time ? an. because at that euening began the day of the passouer , and christ being forthwith to be apprehēded , could not defer it to the next morning . qu. why did the church change the time of the administration of it ? ans. the time is but an externall accident , which is in the churches liberty to reteine or alter . secondly the reason why they changed it vnto the morning was the preuention of drunkennesse , gluttony or the like abuses that in processe of time crept in . qu. what are the outward signes or elements in the sacrament ? ans. bread and wine . qu. why are there two signes in the lords supper ? answ. for two endes . first more liuely and fully to set forth christ his passion . secondly to signifie and seale vnto vs , our full and perfect norrishment and saluation in christ. que. what doth the breaking of the bread signifie ? an. the body of christ bruized and crucified for vs. qu. vvhat doth the powring out of tht wine signifie ? an. the bloud of christ shed for the remission of our sinnes . qu. then we neede no popish images pictures , crucifixes and to represent vnto vnto vs christs passion ? an. no , for the death and passion of christs holy scriptures , and also in this sacrament ( especially ) is described , set forth and depainted liuely before our eyes . and as for the papists ▪ lying vanities , they are flat idolatrous and we abho● and detest them . qu. what is the thing signfied b● this sacrament ? an. christ iesus and all his merits and blessings . q. what is the forme of this sacramēt ? an. the order & relation betweene bread & the wine & the thing signified , in the administration and vse of this sacrament ? qu. explaine and shew vnto me the order , analogie and proportion betweene the signes and the thing signified ? an. thus it appeareth , as the bread and wine haue force and efficacy to norish and strenthen the body : so the body & blood of christ , together with al the benifits that flow frō his death & passion , doe inwardly norish & strengthen a beleeuer vnto eternall life . qu. are the bread and wine in the vse of the sacrament things really existing , or but only outward shewes & apparēts ( as the church of rome imagineth ? ) an. they doe really exist and retaine their former substance & nature : for first ( according to the infallible rule in philosophy ) no accidents can subsist without their subiects to whome they are tyed . secondly the apostle paul in the whole discourse of the sacrament , mentioneth the expresse words of bread and wine ▪ 1. cor. 1. 26. 27. 28. qu. how then and wherein differeth the bread and wine in the sacrament from common bread and wine ? a. not in nature & substance , but only in end vse & significatiō . for in common vse they serue only to the nourishment of the body , but in the sacramētal vse to the norishing of the soule , secondly before they were without signification & relation , but in the sacrament they signifie christs body ▪ and blood . q. then the elemenss of bread & wine are not transsubstantiated or turned into the very body and bloud of christ ? a. no , for first it is a spiritual foode & therfore spiritually to be eaten and receiued by ●aith . secondly the holding of this absurd opinion ouerthroweth the articles of christs incarnation & ascension , for if he was borne of the virgin mary , then not made of bread , & if he be ascended into heauen and there contained vnto the ende of the world , then he is not corporally presēt & much lesse made of bread . thirdly it destroyeth the very nature and forme of a sacrament , which consisteth in the relation & respect that is betwixt the signe and the thing signified . fourthly the bread in time will mould , and the wine turne into vinegar , ergo there is no such conuersion . lastly ( to omit many other arguments ) if there were any such transubstantiation , the very reprobates as iudas should truly feede on the body & bloud of christ and so should bee saued but this is flat against scripture . qu. if there be no such reall conuersion of the bread & wine into christ his body & bloud , why thē are the vnworthy receiuers guilty of the body & bloud of christ ? ans. first , because they wanting faith , which is the eie , mouth , an● stomack of the soule ; discerne not this mysticall bread and wine from common bread and wine , but come vnto it as vnto a prophane banquet . secondly , because they by their infidelity and wicked hearts abuse and prophane these holy seales and pictures ; and therefore are guilty of high treason before god , euē as he that rendeth , abuseth and trampleth vpon the kings image or broad ●eale , is guilty of treason before men . qu. how then is the bread and wine to be receiued ? ans. reuerently and by faith . qu. how by faith ? ans. by beleeuing that , as verily as i receiue the bread and wine , so spiritually i receiue and feed vpon christ his body and bloud for faith maketh that present to the ●oule , that is in place far distant . and as the eye of a man doth by his sight touch the starres though many thousands of miles distant : so doth faith mount vp into heauen & so apprehend and feede on christ. act. 7 , verse 55. q. what is fayth ? answ. a perswasion of gods fauour and mercy in christ. que. who are worthy communicants or receiuers ? an. they only that firmly beleeue in christ ▪ hunger and thirst after him , truly repent them of their sinnes , and are thankfull for the great worke of their redemption . qu. but the faithfull themselues , ( as we haue the apostles themselues for instances ) labour of many doubts , wants , infirmities , relesses , ergo no man is worthy to comm●nicate ? ans. first the lords supper is a medicine to the weake & fainting soule , & therfore wee are as well to purifie our hearts in it , as to bring pure hearts to it . secondly al ( notwithstāding al their other ignorances and infirmities ) in whom sinne raigneth not , and that come to the lords supper without guile and hypocrisie , are worthy in gods acceptation . q. vvho then are vnworthy receiuers ? ans. all that are grosely ignorant , all infidels , atheists , hypocrites , hereticks , schismatiques , and ( in a word ) all impenitent and prophane persons . qu. vvhat danger do these incurre ? ans. if they repent ●ot , besides temporall plagues , they incurre eternall condemnation . q. may not an elect and a true beleeuer , sometime receiue vnworthy ? ans. yes . qu. how then doth ●e escape eternall condemnation ? ans. first , his person is accepted with god , & therefore being once in christ he cāneuer perish . rom. 8. 1. ioh. 10. 27 ▪ secōdly he is temporally chastised for his vnworthy receiuing , as the corinthians were , but all his sinnes are pardoned & the gilt of them taken away . q may not a true christian with a safe conscience communicate there where is know●e to bee present some open and vile offenders . ans. yes , if he do not consent vnto their sinne or approoue of it , for it is not his fault , and another mans badnes must not make him to refuse the manna of his soule . secondly , the prophets themselues and others , obserued the sacrifices and feasts with those that were most wicked ; yea christ himselfe kept the pasouer amongst the wicked ●ewes . qu. what benefit and comfort hath a right receiuer by the lords supper ? ans. first , a confirmation of faith in the promise of grace , and in his communion with christ ▪ secondly a reuiuing of the death and passion of christ and the benefits that proceed thence , in his memory . thirdly , a more firme and neere vnion with the members of christ. lastly , a most certaine hope of the life to come . 1. cor. 11. 26. qu. what must a man do that h● may be a worthy receiuer ? ans. he is to performe three seuerall duties . first before he communice : secondly in the time of communicating ; and thirdly after that hee hath communicated . qu. vvhat must a man doe before he communicate ? ans. hee must trie and examine himselfe . qu. is it not sufficient that his pastor or minister examine him and approue of him ? ans. no for albeit it be a good and necessary duty , yet it sufficeth not , for first hee may deceiue the minister , but he is better knowne to himselfe . secondly hee must liue by his owne faith , and answer for his owne sinnes , wherefore it concerneth him neerely to looke to himselfe . qu. vvherein must a man examine himselfe ? ans. in foure things . first whether hee know god , know the fall of man , and the maner of his restitution by christ. secondly in his faith , namely whether hee desire , apprehend and receiue christ , as he is described in the scriptures , and exhibited in the sacraments . thirdly in repentance , viz. whether he repent of all his knowne sinnes , and haue a care and resolution to do those things that please god , math 3. 17. lastly in charity , whether hee loue good men , and wis● well euen to his enimies , and seeke daily to reconcile himselfe vnto his neighbour , whom he hath wronged or offended . mat. 5. 25. q. vvhat is the duty of a worthy receiuer in the very art and time of the receiuing of the sacrament ? ans. he must reuerently behaue himselfe , ponder the great mercies of god vouchsafed him , & by the eyes of faith so behold and contemplate all the storie of christ his passion , as if with his eyes he saw him hanging on the crosse and crucified , and his bloud dropping out of his vaines . qu. how oft must a man receiue the sacrament ? ans. very often , for so the apostle willeth , 1. corinth . 11. so the primitiue church practised , and euer neede the often vse of it . q. vvhat duty must a man performe after the receiuing of the sacrament ? ans. hee must praise the lord , and giue him thankes for the wonderfull worke of his redemption , and for all the meanes therevnto belonging . secondly , hee must bee occasioned hence , more constantlye to prosesse christ , and more entirely to loue his children and seruants . finis . deo tri-vno laus & gloria . si christum bene scis satis est si caetera nescis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a20805-e380 2. obser. vse . ioh , 6. 26. obs. psa. 45. 10. chap. 8. 9. 10. 11. psal. 18. 7. luk. 18. 8. luke 21. ver . 11. math. 4. 7. isa. 47. 13 and 14. luke . 16. vers . 22. psal. 19. 14. iob. 20. ve . 21. ioh. 26. ver . 25. vse . 1. vse . 2. vse . 1. 1. reason . 2. reason . 2. cor. 12 exo. 3. 4. ver . 3. 5. heb. 11. verse . act. 1. 25. pro. 8. ver . 15. and 16. apoc. 316. apoc. 6. 9. obiect . ans. rom. 9. 22 a brief exposition of the lord's prayer and the decalogue to which is added the doctrine of the sacraments / by isaac barrow ... barrow, isaac, 1630-1677. 1681 approx. 244 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 136 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-08 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a31058 wing b928 estc r20292 12733944 ocm 12733944 66525 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a31058) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 66525) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 374:14) a brief exposition of the lord's prayer and the decalogue to which is added the doctrine of the sacraments / by isaac barrow ... barrow, isaac, 1630-1677. [6], 333-459, [1] p. : port. printed by m. flesher for brabazon aylmer ..., london : 1681. advertisement on p. [1]. reproduction of original in union theological seminary library, new york. marginal notes. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the 25,363 texts created during phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 january 2015. anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng lord's prayer -early works to 1800. ten commandments -early works to 1800. sacraments. 2004-05 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-05 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-06 mona logarbo sampled and proofread 2004-06 mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a brief exposition of the lord's prayer and the decalogue . to which is added the doctrine of the sacraments . by isaac barrow , d. d. and late master of trinity college in cambridge . london , printed by m. flesher , for brabazon aylmer , at the three pigeons , over against the royal exchange in cornhill . 1681. isaacus barrow s.t.p. reg. ma. a sacris coll s. s. trini . cantab praefec . nec non acad . eiusdem procanc : 1676 portrait to the right honourable heneage earl of nottingham , lord high chancellour of england , and one of the lords of his majesty's most honourable privy council ; thomas barrow , the authour's father , humbly dedicateth these discourses . the publisher to the reader . among the remains of this pious and learned authour , fit to be communicated to the publick , none more likely to be of general use and advantage than this explication of the lord's prayer , the decalogue , and the doctrine of the sacraments ; whether we regard the brevity and plainness , or the admirable weight and fulness of it . and therefore i thought fit to publish it in a small manual by it self , and not to join it with other discourses of the authour , that so this little treatise , which is so necessary and usefull to all , might be had upon the easiest terms . it were to be wish'd , that the creed also had been explain'd by him in the same manner ; but that he hath handled in a larger way , in a great many excellent sermons upon the several articles of it , wherein he hath not onely explain'd and confirm'd the great doctrines of our religion , but likewise shewn what influence every article of our faith ought to have upon our practice . these discourses will make a very considerable treatise , which will in due time be made publick . in the mean time enjoy and make use of this . jo. tillotson . an exposition of the lord's prayer . orat. domin . si per omnia precationum sanctarum verba discurras , quantum existimo nihil invenies , quod non ista dominica contineat & concludat oratio : unde liberum est aliis atque aliis verbis , eadem tamen in orando dicere , sed non debet esse liberum alia dicere . aug. ad probam epist. cxxi . an exposition of the lord's prayer . among all the duties , prescribed to us by our religion , the rendring due worship to god is in nature , and for consequence the principal ; god thereby being most directly honoured , and served , we from it immediately deriving most ample , and high benefits ; to the performance of which duty we are furnished with excellent direction , and assistance from that prayer , which our lord ( at several times , and upon several occasions ) dictated , and recommended to his disciples , both as a pattern , according to which they should regulate their devotions ( pray thus , or in this manner , saith he in saint matthew ) and as a form , in which they should express them ( when you pray , say ; that is , say this or in these words ; so he injoins them in saint luke ) : unto it therefore we should carefully attend as to our best rule ; and we should frequently use it as our best matter of devotion ; to the well performing of both which duties , it is requisite that we should distinctly understand the particulars contained therein , in order to which purpose we shall endeavour to explain them ; but first let us premise a few words in general about prayer . prayer in its latitude of acception doth comprehend all devotion , or worship immediately addressed unto almighty god ; consisting of praise , which we render to god in regard to his most excellent perfections , and glorious works ; of submissive gratulation , declaring our satisfaction in all the dispensations of his most wise and just providence ; of thanksgiving , for the numberless great benefits we have received from him ; of acknowledging our total dependence on him , and our subjection to him ; of professing faith in him , and vowing service to him ; of confessing the sins we have committed against him , with the guilt and aggravation of them ; of deprecating the wrath and punishment due to us for our offences ; of petition for all things needfull and convenient for us ; of intercession for others , whose good we according to duty or charity are concerned to desire and promote : prayer , i say ( although according to its most restrained sense it onely doth signifie one of these particulars , namely the petition of what is needfull or expedient for us , yet ) in its larger acception , as it commonly is used , it doth comprize them all ; and so we may well take it here ; this form , although so very brief , being with so admirable wisedom contrived , as without straining the words beyond their natural importance , we may , applying a moderate attention , discern them all , as to their main substance , couched therein ; so that we may indeed reasonably regard this prayer as a compleat directory , and a full exercise of all our devotion toward god : of devotion , i say , the which ( to engage , excite , and encourage us to the carefull and constant practise thereof ) we may consider injoin'd us as a necessary duty , commended to us as a requisite means of good , and a special instrument of all piety , and as a high privilege granted to us by god. 1. it is a natural duty and debt we owe to god ( both in correspondence to the design of our being made and endowed with rational capacities agreeable to our relations ; and in requital for our being , and for all the good we have , and do continually receive from him ) as most highly to love and reverence him in our hearts ; so to declare our esteem of his excellencies , and our sense of his bounty toward us : to avow the dependence we have upon his will and providence ; the obligations we are under to his mercy and goodness ; to yield our due homage of respect , submission and obedience to him : if we do acknowledge a god , our maker , our lord , our continual benefactour to be , we must consequently acknowledge these performances in reason , justice and gratitude due to him ; and god accordingly requires , and positively injoins them : he is the lord our god , whom we must worship and serve ; the god , whom praise waiteth for ; who heareth prayers , and to whom therefore all flesh must come : the scripture is very frequent in commanding the duty . 2. it is a most usefull means , or a condition requisite for the procurement of benefits , and blessings upon us . god hath declared that he doth accept , he hath promised that he will reward all devotions with an honest intention , and pure mind offered up unto him ; that he is nigh unto all them that call upon him in truth ; that he will be found of them who seek him with all their heart ; that he will fulfill the desire of them that fear him ; he will hear their cry , and will save them ; that they who seek him shall not want any good thing ; that , whatever we ask in prayer believing we shall receive ; that if we ask , it shall be given us , if we seek , we shall find ; if we knock , it shall be opened to us . prayer is also a means of procuring a blessing upon all our undertakings ; it sanctifieth every performance , &c. there is no good thing so great and precious , so high above the reach of common power ; so strange to expect or difficult to compass , which we may not easily and surely by this means obtain ; relief in all distresses both of our outward and inward estate ; supplies of all our needs both corporal and spiritual ; comfort in all our sorrows and sadnesses ; satisfaction in all our doubts and darknesses of mind ; help and strength against all our temptations we may be confident to obtain , if we duly seek them from the almighty dispenser of all good gifts : sure promises there are , and obvious examples hereof , too many to be now recited : as on the other hand ; they that will neglect this duty , that will not vouchsafe to seek help and remedy of god , may be sure to want it ; shall certainly suffer for their proud contempt , profane diffidence , or foolish sloth : you will not ( saith our saviour ) come to me , that ye may have life ; no wonder then if they do not receive it , if they will not go thither for it , where onely it is to be had . all good things are in god's hand , and we shall never by any force or policy get them thence without his will , moved by intreaty ; all good gifts come from heaven , and thence we shall never fetch them down , without ascending thither in our hearts and affections , spiritual goods especially are so high above us , that we can never reach them otherwise , than by god's help by humble supplication obtained . 3. it is not onely a means by impetration acquiring for us , but it is an effectual instrument working in us all true good ; it is the channel , by which god conveyeth spiritual light into our minds , and spiritual vigour into our hearts . it is both the seed and the food of spiritual life ; by which all holy dispositions of soul , and all honest resolutions of practice are bred , are nourished , are augmented and strengthened in us . it exciteth , it quickneth , it maintaineth all pious affections ; the love of god can no otherwise than by it be kindled , fomented or kept in life ( without it we certainly shall have an enstrangement , and an aversation from him ) it alone can maintain a constant reverence and awe of god , keeping him in our thoughts , and making us to live as in his presence ; it chiefly enliveneth and exerciseth our faith and our hope in god : it is that which begetteth in our hearts a savoury relish of divine things ; which sweetneth and endeareth to our souls the practice of piety ; which onely can enable us with delight and alacrity to obey god's commandments : it alone can raise our minds from the cares and concernments of this world to a sense and desire of heavenly things . by it god imparteth strength to subdue bad inclinations , to restrain sensual appetites , to compress irregular passions ; to evade the allurements to evil , and the discouragements from good , which this world always presenteth ; to support also with patience and equanimity the many crosses and troubles we must surely meet with therein . it is , in short , the onely strong bulwark against temptation and sin ; the onely sure guard of piety and a good conscience : no man indeed can be a faithfull servant to god , a real friend to goodness , a serious practicer of duty without a constant tenour of devotion . 4. it is a most high privilege and advantage to us , that we are allowed to pray and address our devotions to god. to have a free access to the presence and audience of an earthly prince ( to the effect of receiving from him all that we could desire ) would be deemed a matter of great honour , and much advantage ; how much more is it so to us , that we are admitted to the presence and ear of the great king of all the world ; so mighty in power , so large in bounty , so full of goodness and pity ; so thoroughly able , so exceedingly willing to grant and perform our requests ? how sweet a thing , of what comfort and benefit is it , to have the liberty of pouring out our souls and our hearts ( as the psalmist speaks ) before god ; of disburthening our minds of all their cares , their desires , their doubts , their griefs and anxieties into the breast of so kind a friend , so wise a counseller , so able a helper ; who alone indeed can afford relief , ease , satisfaction and comfort to us ? considering which things we shall appear not onely very disobedient to god , and highly ingratefull toward him ( who so infinitely condescends in vouchsafing to us dust and ashes ( vile and unworthy creatures ) leave to speak and converse with him ) but very injurious and unfaithfull to our selves , and to our own good ; if we neglect this duty commanded , or slight this privilege indulged to us : in the due performance of which we are directed and assisted by this form of prayer , composed and dictated for that purpose by him , who best knew what we ought to pray for , and how we ought to pray ; what matter of desire , what manner of address ; what disposition of mind would be most pleasing and acceptable to his father , would most become and befit us in our approaches to him . we might consequently observe many things concerning those particulars , discernible in this form : the sublimity , the gravity , the necessity , the singular choiceness of the matter ; together with the fit order , and just disposition thereof ; according to the natural precedence of things in dignity or necessity ; the full brevity , the deep plainness , the comely simplicity of expression ; the lowly reverence signified therein accompanied with due faith and confidence : these , and the like vertues directive of our devotion we might observe running generally through the whole contexture of this venerable form ; but we shall rather chuse to take notice of them as they shall offer themselves in their particular places , to the consideration of which in order we now do apply our selves . our father which art in heaven . our father ; upon this title , or manner of compellation , we may first observe , that although our saviour prescribeth this form as a pattern , and an exercise of private prayer to be performed in the closet ( and alone in secret as is expressed in the gospel ) yet he directeth us to make our addresses to god in a style of plurality , saying , not my father , but our father ; thereby , it seems , implying ; 1. that we should in our prayers consider and acknowledge the universality of god's power and goodness . 2. that we should not in our conceit proudly and vainly appropriate or engross the regard of god unto our selves ; but remember that our brethren have an equal share with us therein . 3. that in all our devotions we should be mindfull of those common bands which knit us together as men and as christians ( the band of nature and humanity ; the more strict tyes of common faith and hope ; of manifold relations unto god that made us , and our saviour that redeemed us , and the holy spirit who animateth and quickneth us , and combineth us in spiritual union . ) 4. that we should bear such hearty good-will , and charitable affection toward others , as not onely to seek and desire our own particular and private good , but that of all men ; especially of all good christians ; who in a peculiar manner are god's children and our brethren ; he did not bid us say my father , but our father , who art in heaven ; that being taught that we have a common father , we might shew a brotherly good-will one toward another , saith s. chrysostome . as for the appellation father ; it doth mind us of our relation to god , who upon many grounds , and in divers high respects is our father ( by nature , for that he gave us our being , and made us after his own image ; by providence , for that he continually preserveth and maintaineth us ; by grace , for that he reneweth us to his image in righteousness and holiness ; by adoption , for that he alloweth us the benefit and privilege of his children , assigning an eternal inheritance to us ) of this relation , which as creatures , as men , as christians , we bear to god it mindeth us , and consequently how we ought in correspondence thereto to behave our selves ; yielding to him all respect , affection and observance ; demeaning our selves in all things as becomes such a relation , and rank : this indeed of all god's names , titles and attributes is chosen as most sutable to the nature of the present duty ; as most encouraging to the performance thereof , as most fully implying the dispositions required in us , when we apply our selves thereto . our saviour used to compare prayer to a son 's asking nourishment of his father ; arguing thence what success , and benefit we may expect from it : we come therein to god , not ( directly ) as to a lord or master , to receive commands ; but rather as to a father to request from him the sustenance of our life , and supply of our needs ; to render withall unto him our thankfull acknowledgments , for having continuedly done those things for us ; and to demonstrate our dutifull respect , and affection toward him . it is natural for children in any danger , streight , or want to fly to their parents for shelter , relief and succour ; and it is so likewise for us to have recourse unto god , in all those cases , wherein no visible means of help appear from elsewhere : and to doe so the title of father doth encourage us , signifying not onely power and authority over us , but affection and dearness toward us : the name god , importing his excellent perfections ; the name lord , minding us of his power , and empire over us , with the like titles declarative of his supereminent majesty , might deter us , being conscious of our meanness and unworthiness , from approaching to him ; but the word father is attractive and emboldning ; thinking on that we shall be apt to conceive hope , that how mean , how unworthy soever , yet being his children , he will not reject , or refuse us : if men being evil do give good gifts unto their children ; how much more will our father , which is in heaven , give good things to them that ask him ? it also plainly intimates how qualified and disposed in mind we should come to god ; namely , with high reverence , with humble affection , with hearty gratitude ; as to the authour of our being , to him that hath continually preserved and brought us up ; from whose care and providence we have received all the good we have ever enjoyed ; from whose mercy and favour we can onely expect any good for the future . by calling god father , we avow our selves obliged to honour and love him incomparably beyond all things ; we also declare our faith , and hope in god ; that we believe him well affected toward us , and willing to doe us good ; and that we thence hope to receive the good desirable from him ( the which are dispositions necessary to the due performance of this duty . ) it also implyeth , that we should come thereto with purity of mind and good conscience , which is also requisite to the same intent : for if we are conscious of undutifull and disobedient carriage toward god , how can we call him father ? with what heart , or face can we assume to our selves the title of children ? if ( saith s. peter ) ye call upon him as father , who impartially judges according to every man's work , ( that is , who onely esteemeth them for his children , who truly behave themselves as becometh children ) pass the time of your pilgrimage in fear ( or in reverence toward god ) . we may add , that we also hereby may be supposed to express our charity toward our brethren ; who bear unto god , the father of all men , the same common relation . but i proceed : which art in heaven . god almighty is substantially present every where ; but he doth not every where in effects discover himself alike , nor with equal splendour in all places display the beams of his glorious majesty . the scripture frequently mentioneth a place of his special residence ( seated in regions of inaccessible light , above the reach not onely of our sense , but of our fancy and conception ) where his royal court , his presence chamber , his imperial throne are ; where he is more immediately attended upon by the glorious angels , and blessed saints ; which place is called heaven , the highest heavens ; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the highest places ; by his presence wherein god is described here , as for distinction from all other parents here on earth , so to encrease reverence in us toward him ( while we reflect upon his supereminent glory and majesty ) and to raise our hearts from these inferiour things unto desire , and hope , and love of heavenly things ; withdrawing ( saith s. chrysostome ) him that prays from earth , and fastning him to the places on high , and to the mansions above . but so much for the title . the first sentence of our prayer is , hallowed ( or sanctified ) be thy name . let us first ( with s. chrysostome ) observe the direction we hence receive in all our prayers to have a prime , and principal regard to the glory of god ; not seeking any thing concerning our own good before his praise ; that for the order . as to the substance of this particular we may consider , that sanctity implying a discrimination , a distance , an exaltment in nature or use of the thing , which is denominated thereby ; and god's name signifying himself with all that we can know of him ; himself , as however discovered or declared , with all that relates to him , and bears his inscription ; we do here accordingly express our due acknowledgments and desires ; for by a rare complication this sentence doth involve both praise and petition ; doth express both our acknowledgment of what is , and our desire of what should be : we do i say hereby partly acknowledge , and praise the supereminent perfections of god above all things , in all kind of excellency , joining in that seraphical doxology ( which to utter is the continual employment of the blessed spirits above ) who incessantly day and night cry out , holy , holy , holy ; confessing with the heavenly host in the apocalypse , that he is worthy of all honour , glory and power ; we do also partly declare our hearty wishes , that god may be every where had in highest veneration ; that all things relating to him may receive their due regard ; that all honour and praise , all duty and service may in a peculiar manner be rendred unto him by all men , by all creatures , by our selves especially : that all minds may entertain good and worthy opinions of him ; all tongues speak well of him , celebrate and bless him ; all creatures yield adoration to his name , and obedience to his will : that he be worshipped in truth and sincerity , with zeal and fervency ; this particularly in the prophet esay , and by s. peter is called sanctifying god's name in opposition to idolatrous and profane religion ( sanctifie the lord of hosts himself , and let him be your fear , let him be your dread , saith the prophet ; and , fear not their fear , nor be troubled ; but sanctifie the lord god in your hearts , saith the apostle . ) thus do we here pray and wish in respect to all men , and to all creatures capable of thus sanctifying god's name ; but more particularly we pray for our selves , that god would grant to us , that we by our religious and righteous conversation may bring honour to his name ; so that men seeing our good works may glorifie our father , which is in heaven . ( vouchsafe , saith he , that we may live so purely , that all men by us may glorifie thee : so descants s. chrysostome . ) thy kingdom come . this petition , or devout wish , being subordinate to the former , as expressing a main particular of that , which is there generally desired ( we here to the glory of god desiring a successfull and speedy propagation of true religion ) seems in its direct , and immediate sense to respect the state of things in that time , more especially befitting our lord's disciples then , when the kingdom of god ( that is , the state of religion under the evangelical dispensation ) was coming and approaching ; ( according to that of our saviour in s. luke : i say unto you of a truth , there be some of you standing here that shall not taste death , till they see the kingdom of god ) whence it did become them in zeal to god's glory , and charity for mens salvation , to desire that christianity might soon effectually be propagated over the world , being generally entertained by men with due faith and obedience : that is , that all men willingly might acknowledge god as their lord and maker , worshipping and serving him in truth ; that they might receive his blessed son jesus christ as their king and saviour , heartily embracing his doctrine , and humbly submitting to his laws ; to which purpose our lord injoins his disciples to pray , that the lord of the harvest would send labourers into his harvest ; and s. paul exhorts the thessalonians to pray , that the word of the lord may run and be glorified . and in parity of reason , upon the same grounds , we are concerned , and obliged to desire , that christian religion may be settled and confirmed ; may grow and be encreased ; may prosper and flourish in the world ; that god's authority may to the largest extension of place , to the highest intention of degree , universally and perfectly , be maintained and promoted , both in external profession and real effect ; the minds of all men being subdued to the obedience of faith ; and avowing the subjection due to him ; and truly yielding obedience to all his most just and holy laws . thus should we pray that god's kingdom may come ; particularly desiring that it may so come into our own hearts ; humbli●● imploring his grace , that he thereby would rule in our hearts , quelling in them all exorbitant passions , and vicious desires ; protecting them from all spiritual enemies , disposing them to an entire subjection to his will , and a willing compliance with all his commandments : for this is the kingdom of god , which ( as our lord telleth us ) is within us ; the which doth not ( as s. paul teacheth us ) consist in meat and drink ( in any outward formal performances ) but in righteousness , and peace , and joy in the holy ghost ; that is , in obedience to god's will , and in the comfortable consequences thereof : this is the kingdome of god , which we are enjoined , before any worldly accommodations , first to seek . thy will be done in earth , as it is in heaven . this sentence is likewise complicated of praise , good desire , and petition : for we thereby first do acknowledge the wisedom , justice , and goodness of god in all resolutions of his will , and dispensations of his providence : 1. we profess our approbation of all god's counsels , our complacence and satisfaction in all his proceedings ; our cheerfull submission and consent to all his pleasure ; joining our suffrage , and saying in harmony with that blessed choire in the revelation : great , and wonderfull are thy works , o lord god almighty ; just and true are thy ways , o thou king of saints . we disclaim our own judgments and conceits ; we renounce our own desires and designs , so far as they appear inconsistent with the determinations of gods wisedom , or discordant with his pleasure ; saying after our lord , let not my will , but thine be done . 2. we do also express our desire , that as in heaven all things with a free , and undisturbed course do pass according to god's will , and good liking ; every intimation of his pleasure finding there a most entire and ready compliance , from those perfectly loyal and pious spirits ( those ministers of his , that do his pleasure , as the psalmist calls them ) so that here on earth the gracious designs of god may be accomplished without opposition or rub ; that none should presume , as the pharisees and lawyers are said to doe , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to disappoint or defeat god's counsel ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to thrust away or repulse god's word , as the jews did in the acts ; to resist , provoke , or defie god by obstinate disobedience ; as many are said to do in the scriptures ; but that every where a free , humble , hearty , and full obedience be rendred to his commands . 3. we do also pray , that god would grant us the grace willingly to perform , whatever he requires of us , ( perfecting us , as the apostle speaketh , in every good work to do his will , and working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight ) contentedly to bear whatever he layeth upon us ; that god would bestow upon us a perfect resignation of our wills unto his will ; a cheerfull acquiescence in that state and station wherein he hath placed us ; a submiss patience in all adversities , whereinto he disposeth us to fall ; a constant readiness with satisfaction and thankfulness ( without reluctancy or repining ) to receive whatever cometh from his will , whether gratefull or distastefull to our present sense ; acknowledging his wisedom , his goodness , his justice in all his dealings toward us ; heartily saying with good eli , it is the lord , let him do what seemeth him good ; with hezekiah ; good is the word of the lord , which thou hast spoken , with david ; behold here i am , let him do to me , as seemeth good to him ; with job ; shall we receive good at the hand of god , and shall we not receive evil ? and , the lord gave , and the lord hath taken away , blessed be the name of the lord : yea it were well , if we could after the heathen philosopher , upon all occasions with our hearts say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if god will have it so , so let be : if we could observe those rules and precepts , which even the philosophers so much inculcate ; to commit all our affairs to god , to love and embrace ( hugg ) all events ; to follow , and to accompany god ; to yield , deliver , and resign our selves up to him . ( deo se praebere , dedere , tradere , &c. ) and the like . give us this day our daily bread . i shall not stand to criticise upon the hard word here used , translated daily ; i onely say , that of two senses offering themselves , both are probable , and by good authority countenanced ; both are proper and sutable to the matter , or nature of the thing : according to one we pray for the bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of the time to come , or of that future life , which it shall please god to allow us ; according to the other , we request bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is necessary for our being , and the preservation of our lives ; joining both together ( which is more sure and safe ) we pray for a competent provision toward the maintenance of our life hereafter , during our appointed time : that for the sense ; upon the petition it self we observe : 1. that after we have rendred our due tribute of praise , and respect unto god , we are allowed , and directed to request of him good things for our selves ; beginning , as nature prompteth , with the preservation of our beings , and lives ; whereby we become capable of receiving and enjoying other good things ; 2. by doing which we also do imply the sense we have of our total dependence upon god ; avowing our selves to subsist by his care and bounty ; disclaiming consequently all confidence in any other means to maintain or support us ; in any store we have laid up , or estate we pretend to ; in any contrivance or industry we can use ; in any succour of friends or relations ; for that notwithstanding all these , we do need our daily bread to be dealt to us by god , and must continually beg it as a gift from his hands . 3. we are by that word , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , this day , taught our duty ( signifying withall our performance thereof ) of being willing continually to rely upon god ; not affecting to ever be so much before hand , as not to need god's constant assistance : we ask not , that god would give us at once , what may serve us for ever , and may put us out of any fear to want hereafter ; we ask not for that which may suffice for a long time , for many years , many months , many days ; but that god would give us to day , or rather day by day ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as it is expressed in s. luke ) that is , that he would continually dispense to us , what is needfull for us : we should not therefore desire to have an estate settled upon us ; to live by our selves , or on our own incomes ; to be set out of god's house , or immediate protection and care ; this in it self cannot be ( for god cannot alienate his goods from himself , nor can we subsist out of his hand ) nor must we desire it should be ; 't is a part of atheism , of infidelity , of heathenish profaneness and folly to desire it ( these things , saith our lord , do the gentiles seek ; that is , they are covetous of wealth , and carefull for provisions to live without dependence upon god ) but we must esteem god's providence our surest estate , god's bounty our best treasure , god's fatherly care our most certain , and most comfortable support ; casting all our care on him , as being assured that he careth for us ; will not leave nor forsake us ; will not withhold , what is necessary for our comfortable sustenance . 4. it is here intimated , how sober , and moderate our appetites should be , in regard both to the quality and quantity of the things we use : we are directed to ask 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( as s. chrysostome says ) necessary food , not luxurious plenty , or delicacy : it is bread ( the most simple , homely , and common diet ) that is , such accommodations as are necessary to maintain our lives , and satisfie our natural desires ; not superfluities , serving to please our wanton appetites , or humour our curious fancies ; 't is not variety , daintiness , elegancy , or splendour we should affect to enjoy , but be content to have our necessities supplied , with the coursest diet , and the meanest apparel , if our condition requireth it , or god's providence in an honest way allotteth no other to us : we may soberly and thankfully enjoy what god sends ; but we should not presume to ask for , or desire other than this . and for the measure , we learn to ask onely for so much as shall be fit to maintain us ; not for rich , or plentifull store ; not for full barns , or for heaps of treasure ; not for wherewith to glut , or pamper our selves ; but for daily bread , a moderate provision then to be dealt to us , when we need it . it follows , and forgive us our trespasses , as we forgive them that trespass against us ( our trespasses , 't is our debts ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in s. matthew ; our sins ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) in s. luke ; and they who trespass against us are in both evangelists called our debtors : for he that injures another is obnoxious and in debt to him ; owing him satisfaction , either by making reparation , or undergoing punishment . ) after the preservation of our beings ( the foundation of enjoying other good things ) our first care , we see , ought to be concerning the welfare of our better part , and state ; which chiefly consists in the terms , whereon we stand , toward god , upon whose favour all our happiness dependeth , and from whose displeasure all our misery must proceed : since therefore we all do stand obnoxious to god's wrath and justice ; having omitted many duties , which we own to him , having committed manifold offences against him ; it is therefore most expedient , that we first endeavour to get him reconciled to us , by the forgiveness of our debts and offences ; concerning which remission , upon what account it is necessary , upon what terms it is granted , by what means it is obtained , in what manner it is dispensed by god , i have otherwhere touched , and it is not seasonable now farther to insist thereon : onely it may be pertinent here to observe , 1. that this being the first of petitions ( formally such , and ) purely spiritual ; we are hereby admonished to lay the foundation of our devotions in humility ; that we are obliged , before we presume to ask any thing of god concerning our chief happiness , and well-being , to reflect upon , acknowledge , and confess our unworthiness ( not coming to our prayers as the pharisee did , doting upon our worthy qualities , and good deeds ; but like the poor publican , with a sense of our infirmities and miscarriages ; so as to be ready to acknowledge our selves , as indeed we all are , guilty of many , and great sins ) this is here implyed ; for in requesting pardon for our sins , we confess our selves to be sinners , and to need god's mercy . 2. we may hence learn the necessity , and the excellency of that benefit we here beg . when the psalmist applied himself to praise god for his benefits , this he set in the first place , as most needfull and considerable to him : bless the lord , o my soul ( said he ) and forget not all his benefits ( or rather , not any of his benefits ) who forgiveth all thine iniquities , who healeth all thy diseases ; and answerably , it is the first particular benefit we pray for . 3. we must take notice , that we are obliged to go to our devotions with universal charity , and good-will toward others ; to lift up ( as s. paul injoineth ) holy hands without wrath , and doubting ( or without wrath , and dissension ) to depose all enmity ( as our lord adviseth ) before we bring our oblation to the altar of god ; reserving no spight , or grudge toward any man , but having a heart clear of all ill-will , and desire of revenge ; being in affection of mind toward others as we do wish , and hope , and pray that god would be toward us : such in all reason , equity , and ingenuity should our disposition be ; and such god requires it to be ; and such we do assert , and promise it to be ; implying also a compact with god , no otherwise to desire , or expect his favour , and mercy toward us , than as we resemble him in kind and mercifull intentions toward our brethren : it is implyed on god's part , that he vouchsafes pardon onely upon these terms ; yea more , that he doth truly promise pardon upon our performing this condition ; so our saviour , purposely reflecting on this petition , doth afterward expound it : for , saith he , if you forgive to men their trespasses , your heavenly father will also forgive you ; it also implies a consent on our parts , and submission to this condition , as most equal and reasonable ; so that if we break it , if we do retain any uncharitable inclinations , we deal , falsely with god ; we forfeit all pretence to favour , and mercy from him ; we are neither qualified for mercy , nor shall obtain it from god. lead us not into temptation . temptation is sometime taken in a middle , and indifferent sense for any occasion , by which the moral quality of persons ( their vertue , or vice ) is examined , and discovered : so god is said to have tempted abraham , when he propounded to him the offering up of his son ; so he tempted the israelites , by leading them in that long journey through the wilderness , that he might know what was in their heart , whether they would keep his commandments , or no : so he likewise tempted them by permitting seducers to do wonderfull things , that he might know , whether they did love the lord with all their heart , and with all their soul : and because affliction is of such a nature , as to try the temper , disposition , and intentions of men , therefore temptation often is used for affliction . it seemeth also sometimes put in a good sense , for an occasion designed to exercise , or to improve , or to declare the vertues of a person ; so the inconveniencies , and crosses incident to our nature , and condition here , the which our lord did undergo , are by s. luke , and others of the apostles styled temptations ; so the fiery trial in s. peter was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to exercise and refine them , that ( saith he ) the trial of their faith might be to praise , and honour , and glory ; so s. james biddeth christians to rejoice , when they fall into divers temptations ; that is when they meet with opportunities of exercising their faith , and patience ; and so we may understand that place in deuteronomy : who ( 't is said ) sed thee with manna , that he might humble , and prove thee ( or tempt thee , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , say the lxx . ) to do thee good at the latter end ; that he might tempt thee , that is , that he might render thee approved ; might exercise , and improve thy dependence on god , thy patience , thy obedience . but the word is commonly taken in a worse sense , for an occasion presented with ill purpose , or naturally tending and not easily avoided , of falling into sin ; a stumbling block , a snare ; as when s. paul saith , that they who will be rich , do fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , into temptation , and a snare ; thus s. james assureth us , that god tempteth no man ; that is , doth not intend to seduce , or inveagle any man into sin . yet because nothing in the world , either good or bad , doth happen without god's permission , and governance ; and the devil himself must obtain licence from god , before he can tempt any man , or do any mischief ( as we see in job's case , and in the history of ahab ) since god seeth whatever is done , and with greatest ease could hinder it ; and doth not otherwise than for some good end suffer any evill to be designed , or atchieved , it is the style of scripture to attribute such things in some sense to him ; as when god is said to send joseph into egypt to preserve life ; when as in truth his brethren out of envy , and ill-will did sell him thither ; and , god is said to move david to number the people ; when as indeed satan ( as it is otherwhere affirmed ) provoked him to number them ; and that horrid tragedy acted by the jews upon our blessed saviour is said to be brought to pass by the hand and definite counsel of god ; because god foreseeing the temptations , which those men should incurr of committing such acts , and their inclinations to perform them , did resolve not to interpose his power in hindrance of them , but suffering them to proceed , would turn their mischievous practices to an excellently good end , and use them as instruments of his just , holy , and gracious purposes : thus then whereas by temptation here is meant any occasion alluring , or provoking to sin , or withdrawing from duty , with a violence , all things considered , exceeding our strength to resist or avoid ; ( or however such an one , that is apt to overthrow us ) god may be said to bring them into it , whom in justice he permits to be exposed thereto ; although he do no otherwise intermeddle , or concur therein , than by not affording , or by withdrawing his especial direction , and assistance ; leaving them without check blindly or wilfully to follow the sway of their own tempers , the instinct of their vain minds , the bent of their corrupt wills ; the violence of their unruly passions , and appetites ; letting them to fall into the manifold snares of false opinion , evil custom , and contagious example , which the world sets before them ; ( the world , which by its fair promises , and pleasing flatteries enticeth to sin , or by its angry frowns , & fierce threats discourageth from goodness ) permitting the devil , without controll or impediment , by his wiles to delude and seduce them ; which kind of proceeding of god with men is clearly represented in the 81 psalm ; where , of the israelites god says , that having signally declared his pleasure to them , and by promise of great benefits invited them to observe it ; upon their wilfull neglect , he dealth thus with them : but ( says god there ) my people would not hearken to my voice , and israel would none of me ; so i gave them up unto their own hearts lusts ; and they walked in their own counsels . in such manner , if god , provoked thereto by our heinous miscarriages , doth justly bring us into , or doth let us enter into temptation ( as our lord otherwhere expresseth it , pray , saith he , that ye enter not into temptation ) we shall infallibly run into many grievous sins , and desperate mischiefs ; no less surely , than we shall wander , and stumble in the dark , than we shall slide , and fall in the most slippery places ; and sometimes be entangled , when we do walk in the midst of snares , surrounded with traps innumerable , most cunningly laid to catch us : it is not ( saith the prophet ) in man to direct his steps ; so as to go streight , and upright ; 't is not in him to see his duty , to bend his inclinations to compliance therewith ; to restrain his appetites , when sensible objects forcibly press on them ; to govern his passions , when they are vehemently stirr'd to disorderly motion : we do continually need god's instruction to guide us , god's hand to uphold us , god's care , and help to guard us : when therefore , i say , our condition and circumstances do minister dangerous occasions of sin ; when our vain and weak tempers do incline , or betray us thereto ; when the world would smile , or frown us into it ; when the devil violently solicits , or thrusts on toward it ; thus to be destitute of god's grace , thus to be left to our selves , is the most horrible judgment , that can be . in such cases and seasons god's interposal is necessary either to remove those temptations , or to support , and defend us from the prevalence of them , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , keeping us from stumbling and falling ( as s. jude speaks ) not suffering us ( as s. paul expresseth it ) to be tempted above what we are able , but making with the temptation also a way to escape , so that we shall be able to sustain it . that god would please to do this for us , we do here pray ; and in pursuance of this petition we subjoin that , which in part may pass for an illustration thereof ; ( implying an antithesis serving to that purpose : for delivering from evil importeth the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , being rescued from temptation , in s. peter ; the lord , saith he , knoweth how to rescue the godly out of temptation , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to preserve from the time of temptation , in the revelation ; which are opposed to bringing into temptation ) partly it may be supposed an improvement thereof ; delivering from evil signifying perhaps somewhat more , than not permitting us to incur occasions strongly inviting us to evil ; even the effectual keeping us from being overborn , or complying with it ; but let us consider that petition it self . but deliver us from evil . from evil , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; s. chrysostome takes it for the devil ; who is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the evil one , the tempter ; who seduceth us to evil : but we shall take it , according to the more common acception : from evil , that is principally from sin , or evil moral and spiritual ; the onely evil , simply and in its own nature such ; and the root of all other evil ; from that , and consequently from all mischief ( evil natural , and temporal ; or evil penal , and afflictive ) which may grow upon , or sprout from thence . as for such evils as these , the want of things necessary , or convenient for us , bodily disease , and pain , disappointment in our designs and ill success in our undertakings , disgrace and reproach upon our good names , dangers , difficulties and distresses concerning our outward estate , distractions , vexations , and troubles of mind about temporal matters , with the like evils , ( in some sense , in some degree evils , or appearing such to our natural sense and fancy ) we may indeed deprecate them ( as even our lord himself did ) with submission ( as he did ) to the wisedom and will of god , in case it pleaseth him , and he thinketh fit to remove them ; but all these things , being but names and empty sounds in comparison to spiritual and eternal evils ( such as are vicious distempers of mind , indispositions to serve god , ill progress in our spiritual affairs , dissatisfaction concerning our state in respect to god ; actual transgression of god's holy will and law ; incurring god's displeasure and disfavour ; being deprived of his grace and assistence ; wanting the communion and comfort of his holy spirit ; remorse of conscience , and anguish of spirit for having violated or neglected our duty ; blindness of mind , hardness of heart ; want of love , reverence , devotion toward god , of charity and good-will toward our neighbour ; of sobriety , humility , regularity of passion , and calmness of temper in respect to our selves and the inward frame of our souls ; these , i say , and such like evils ) we should absolutely request of god , that he in mercy would deliver and free us from them ; they being irreconcileably repugnant to his will and glory ; and inconsistent with our eternal welfare . yet even these , and all other things we do request onely in general terms , leaving the distinct matter , and manner and measure , according to which they should be dispensed , to the wisedom , and goodness of god ; who doth ( as our lord telleth us ) know what things we need before we ask him ; and is not onely able ( as s. paul says , but willing also ) to do for us superabundantly above what we can ask , or think . we are hereby ( it seems ) taught this point of good manners in our devotion , not to be tediously punctual and particular in our prayers , as if god needed our information , or were apt to neglect the particulars concerning our good . we shut up all with a doxology , most sutable to the nature of devotion , signifying our due faith , our affection , and our reverence toward god : for thine is the kingdom , the power , and the glory , for ever , and ever . amen . that is , for thou hast a perpetual and unmoveable authority whereby justly to dispose of all things ; thou hast an indefectible , and irresistible power , whereby thou canst effect whatever seems just and good to thee ; wherefore we profess onely to rely upon , and seek help from thee ; with hope and confidence we address our selves to thee for the supply of our needs ; thine is the glory ; all honour and reverence , all love and thankfulness are due unto thee , therefore we render our adorations and acknowledgments to thee . even so to thee , god the father , god the son , and god the holy ghost be for ever ascribed all glory and praise . amen . an exposition of the decalogue . although this systeme of precepts may seem to have been in its design rather political , than moral ; to regard publick , and external , rather than private , and interiour action ; that great branch of morality , which respecteth our selves in our private retirements , or in our particular conversation , sobriety of mind and manners , being scarce touched herein , at least not openly and plainly expressed ; as also devotion toward god ( in any of its kinds , of praise , thanksgiving , confession of sin , prayer and intercession ) that great part of natural religion , being not explicitly , and positively injoined : although also ( as by the introduction thereto , and some passages therein , especially as it is delivered in deuteronomy , may appear ) it seemeth particularly to concern the jewish nation ; a people called , and chosen by god out of all nations , to be governed in a more special , and immediate manner by god himself , obliged to him by peculiar benefits and favours , designed by him to a separate manner of living ; being also perhaps in temper and disposition as well as in condition and circumstances of life different from other people ; whence laws convenient , ( or in a manner necessary ) for them , might not so well sute to all others ; upon which accompts as other of their laws , so perchance some passages in this notable part of them may not unreasonably be deemed peculiarly to concern them ; although however this systeme doth more directly and immediately oblige that people , all being formally , and in style of law directed onely to them , promulged in their ears , expressed in their language , inserted into the body of their laws as a principal member of them ; it being also expresly called a covenant with that people ( he declared unto you , says the text , his covenant , which he commanded you to perform , even ten commandments ) and accordingly was reposed in the ark , hence it seems named the ark of the covenant , the which , when all nations should be converted to god , and admitted into the church , was ( as the prophet jeremy foretold ) to be utterly discarded and laid aside . ( in those days , saith god in him , they shall say no more the ark of the covenant of the lord ; neither shall it come to mind , neither shall they remember it , neither shall they visit it ; neither shall that be done any more . ) hence although some passages herein , according to their primary , strict , and literal meaning might never have been intended universally and perpetually to oblige ; yet notwithstanding these exceptions , if we consider , 1. the manner of its delivery ; with what extraordinary solemnity it was proclaimed ; how it was dictated immediately from god's own mouth ; and written with his finger ; on 2. the matter of it , containing the prime dictates of natural reason , the chief rules of piety toward god , and equity toward our neighbour ( whence those elogies conferr'd on it , in nehemiah : thou camest also down upon mount sinai , and gavest them right judgments , and true laws , good statutes and commandments ; and by saint paul : the law is holy ; the commandment holy , just and good ; ( for that commendation doth i suppose especially respect this part of the jewish law ; out of which he takes his instance , thou shalt not covet ) if we also consider , 3. the end and design of these precepts , which was to ground them in true notions of religion , and to dispose them to the practice of righteousness ; to render them loyal and acceptable subjects to god ; to promote god's glory , and their own good ; which being expressed in general concerning their law , doth more especially agree to this systeme ; being as the base and platform , the heart and quintessence of all their other laws ; the which seem added as superstructures on it , or fences thereof : 4. if we also consider , that our saviour did not derogate from this law , but declared his intention onely to expound it , or to ampliate , and extend it ( they are the words of tertullian and irenaeus ) and how the apostles do sometimes allege some passages in it , as retaining some authority , and force to oblige . 5. considering also farther , that there is no commandment herein ( howsoever , according to its immediate and direct sense seeming peculiar to that people ) which may not in a larger , or in a mysterious and spiritual meaning ; which at least may not according to good analogy , or parity of reason concern us ; obliging us , if not by direct authority in punctual manner to the very same thing , yet , as a signification of god's pleasure and approbation , to somewhat answerable and like thereto ; 6. lastly , if we consider that all , or the greatest part of , the main duties concerning us are either plainly expressed , or closely insinuated in them ; or may at least be conveniently reduced to them ; our saviour himself having gone before , directing us in the matter and manner of doing it ; considering , i say , these things , we have no small reason to yield great veneration to this ancient systeme of precepts ; and to acknowledge the great use thereof in order to the guidance of our life , and practice : we accordingly shall so descant thereon , as by considering the main drift , intrinsick reason , and spiritual intention of each particular , to reduce the chief precepts of christian doctrine , which oblige us , thereto . premising thus much i address my discourse to the particulars ; omitting all controverted niceties concerning the division thereof ; and all circumstantial questions ; touching onely such things , as shall appear substantial , and usefull . god spake all these words , saying : this is a title , or superscription like the par de le roy , ( by the king ) at the head of a proclamation declaring from whom , and in what manner , that which follows doth come ; and therefore implying what it is , and how it should be received . god spake ; it comes from god as authour ; and that most immediately , as it were from his own mouth ; and hath consequently the nature and force of a law , obliging to highest regard and obedience ; as that which proceedeth from the most sovereign , unquestionable , and uncontrollable authority ; which is promulged in a way most evident , and most direct : every signification of god's purpose , or pleasure is usually called god's word ; for god ( as the apostle says ) in divers kinds , and manners did speak unto the fathers ; and to every such word our ear should be attentive , our heart should be submissive , our hand should be obedient ; but especially they should be so , when god himself immediately declares his mind and will ; as he did notoriously in this case , by a great voice , distinctly audible and intelligible , miraculously formed by himself : behold , say the people , the lord our god hath shewed us his glory , and his greatness , and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire ; we have seen this day , that god doth talk with man , and he liveth : and if whatever is in god's name ( by message of angels , by inspiration of men , or by any other ways ) revealed must be entertained with all submiss respect , what regard is due to that word , which god is pleased , not by his ministers and instruments , but himself in person , as it were , to pronounce ? these words : that is these speeches , or sentences ; ( for so a word in scripture style signifieth ) or these things , and matters ( for the hebrew word debarim , as the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , signifieth both words and things : they are several times in the pentateuch called the ten words , or ten things ; whence the systeme of them is named the decalogue . all these words : all , without distinction or exception , did proceed from the same authority , and in the same manner ; and all therefore do require the like regard , and observance to be yielded to them : i am the lord ; or , i am jehovah , thy god , which brought thee out of the land of egypt : these words are by some taken for a precept ; injoining the acknowledgment , and acceptance of god , answerable to what is here implyed ; and consequently all the positive duties of religion , deducible hence ; but we see the style is declarative , and assertive , not directly imperative ; and so it may pass rather as a preface farther enforcing obligation to obedience ; wherein are expressed , or intimated the chief reasons , upon which it is grounded ; every word containing in it somewhat of remarkable emphasis : i am jehovah ; or that very same god , who under this appellation discovered my self to thy forefathers ; who enacted a special covenant with them ; who received homage , worship , and engagements to service from them ; who promised especial protection and favour to them , and to their seed ; that jehovah , who indeed am , what this name importeth , the onely true and real god ; eternal , independent , and indefectible in essence ; true and infallible in word ; constant and immutable in purpose ; firm and faithfull in performance of whatever i promise , or threaten : that same jehovah i am ; to whose words therefore , upon all accompts of reason , of duty , of interest thou particularly dost owe most submissive attention , and obedience . thy god : that supereminent being , and power , to whom thou peculiarly dost owe worship and honour , love and affection , duty , and service : who although he be indeed the lord of all the world , yet beareth a special relation unto thee ; as having chosen , and avouched thee to be a special people to himself , above all the people , that are upon the face of the earth ; having promised thee to make thee high above all nations , which he hath made , in praise , and in name , and in honour ; and having by many signal demonstrations of favour and mercy confirmed to thee the performance of his covenant , and promise ; thou also reciprocally having avowed me to be thy god , to walk in my ways , to keep my statutes , my commandments , my judgments , and to hearken to my voice . who brought thee out of the land of egypt ; out of the house of bondage : this is a particular , and most remarkable instance , by which it appeareth what god it is , that doth thus impose law upon them ; and how they are obliged to entertain it : that god it is , who in pursuance of his singular favour toward thee , and of his covenant made with thee , hath particularly obliged thee by so eminent a benefit , in a manner so full of wonder in it self , so full of grace toward thee , delivering thee from saddest oppression and slavery , bringing thee into a desirable state of present liberty , and of sure tendency ( not otherwise than by thy fault to be frustrated ) toward enjoyment of rest , of plenty , of all joy and comfort in the promised land ; declaring hereby , as his glorious and divine perfections of wisedom , and power , so his exceeding goodness toward thee , his faithfull care over thee , his readiness and sufficiency in all thy needs and exigencies to protect , preserve , and deliver thee : i then being such , jehovah , the onely true god ; thy god , by particular engagement , and endearment ; thy gracious and bountifull benefactour not in will onely , but in deed ; do thus propound my will unto thee ; and upon all accompts of general and special duty ; of reason , of justice , of gratitude require thy regard , and observance of what follows . now what god in a direct , and literal sense thus speaketh to the jewish people , may according to likeness of case , and parity of reason ( especially in a mystical and spiritual way ) upon more considerable , and effectual accompts be applied unto us : the lord jehovah is such no less to us than to them : he is the same yesterday , to day , and for ever ; to him , as to the onely , true , eternal , and almighty god , the essential authour , lord , and governour of all things , our highest respect , and observance are due ; he also , in a stricter relation , founded on higher grounds , is our god , having chosen us , and consecrated us more especially to himself ; having received us into a closer confederacy ( a new and better covenant , as the apostle calls it , established upon better promises ) having obliged us by granting nobler privileges , and dispensing more excellent benefits to us : who likewise hath brought us up out of a spiritual egypt , and state of infinitely more wretched bondage ; hath rescued us from the tyrannical dominion of satan ( a far more intolerably cruel and hard master , than any pharaoh ) hath freed us from serving sin in our souls and bodies , a far harder service , than making bricks , or any bodily toil can be ; who hath conducted us in the way , and conferr'd on us an assured hope ( if we be not wanting to our selves , and our duty ) of entring into the heavenly canaan , a place of perfect rest , and unconceivable bliss : who ( as s. paul expresseth it ) hath delivered us from the power of darkness , and translated us into the kingdom of his most beloved son : who therefore here , according to spiritual intent , may be understood to speak in a higher strain to us ; justly exacting a more punctual and accurate obedience to his commandments . but so much for that part , which seems introductory . i. commandment . thou shalt have no other god's before me . 't is in the hebrew ; there shall be to thee no other gods ( or no strange gods ; for alii some render it , some alieni ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( al-panai ) to my face , or at my face ; that is in comparison , or competition with me ; so as to be confronted to me ; or together and in consort with me : i am he ( saith god otherwhere ) and there is no god 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( immadhi ) with me ; or beside me ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the lxx render it ; and so the phrase commonly importeth ; as in that saying of the scribe , answering to this : there is one god , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and there is no other god beside him : but we need not criticize on the words , the sense being plain ; as containing a prohibition of assuming any other into partnership with the one true god ; acknowledging in mind , or in outward expression any other for god. the precept , as most of the rest , is in form negative , and prohibitive , but supposeth and implyeth somewhat affirmative and positive ; as the rest also may be conceived to do . it implies this affirmative precept , thou shalt have me for thy god : now to have for our god , signifies as to internal disposition of mind a most high esteem , honour , dread , and love of that being , as endued with attributes , and perfections superlatively excellent ; the admiring all his works , approving all his actions , acquiescing in all his proceedings and dealings with us ; the reposing our hope and trust in him as most able and willing to help us , and do us good ; in outward expression to acknowledge , praise , and bless him as such ; to yield all sitting demonstrations of respect to his name , and to whatever is specially related to him ; patiently to submit to his will , and readily to obey his commandments : these principally and the like acts of internal devotion , and external piety are comprized in the words , having him for our god ; and we are to understand them here injoined to us ; the same , which is in scripture called the fearing , the serving , the worshipping , the loving god with all our heart , and all our soul , and all our mind , and all our might . this is implied ; and it is expresly prohibited us to yield to any other , beside him , the like esteem , acknowledgment , or service : that there is in truth but one such being , to whom eminently those acts are due , nature , ancient tradition , general consent , and especially divine revelation do assure us ; whereupon is consequent , that yielding them ( yielding , i say , those opinions , estimations , and affections of our mind , or those acknowledgments and expressions in word , or those performances in deed or work , which we before specified ) to any other being whatever , whether really existent in the world , or meerly formed by our imagination , is highly unreasonable , unbeseeming us , and unjust toward him . 1. it is highly unreasonable , as false and groundless in it self ; as vain and unprofitable to us ; as productive of many bad effects . it is from errour in a matter of the highest nature , and mainest consequence ; and so beyond any other mistake hurtfull to us , as reasonable and intelligent creatures ; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; the transmuting the truth of god into a lye , s. paul calls it ; reckoning it for a grievous folly , and crime . it is a vanity of all most lamentable ; a pursuance of shadows , an embracing of clouds ; a building in air , or meer vacuity ; a leaning upon that , which hath no substance , or no strength to support us ; a dreaming and doting upon meer nothing ; whence those false deities well in scripture are termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vanities , for that as they have no truth , or substance , or efficacy considerable in them , so all our thoughts , affections , expectations , and labours are idly misemployed , and unprofitably mispent upon them . 2. it is also a thing most unbeseeming us men , ( whom god hath placed in so high a rank of worth and dignity , among his creatures ; who are in our original so near of kin , so like in nature , so dear in relation , and regard unto god himself ) to admire , and worship , to place our choice affections upon , to afford lowly submissions unto , to rest our hope and confidence in any other , but him , who alone truly so far excels us , and can worthily challenge such respects from us ; all flattery is base and unworthy , but this of all is the worst and most unbecoming . 3. to do so , is also most unjust and injurious to god ; to whom as to the authour of our being , and of all our good received since , we do ow all that our mind can yield of reverence , all that our heart can hold of affection , all that our tongue can utter of praise , all that our utmost might can perform of service ; and since the exhibiting to any other thing part of these must needs not onely by that communication debase , and derogate from their worth , but also withdraw them in great measure from him , so diminishing and embezilling his due ( for we cannot , as our saviour teacheth us , together adhere unto , or serve divers masters ) therefore having any other god , but the true one , is a high indignity , and a heinous injury to him . this command therefore is most reasonable upon many accompts ; which as it hath been in grossest manner violated by those , who have not acknowledged , or worshipped any god at all , and by those who have acknowledged and adored many gods ( by all atheists and polytheists ) from which transgressions thereof we christians may seem totally exempt , who in formal profession and practice have but one god ( the maker and lord of all things , infinitely perfect , and glorious ) yet there are many subtle , and perchance no less mischievous transgressions thereof , of which even we may be very guilty , and to which we are very obnoxious . if we do not with all our hearts reverence , and love the most wise and powerfull , the most just and holy , the most good and gracious god ; if we do not trust and hope in him as the fountain of all our good ; if we do not diligently worship and praise him ; if we do not humbly submit to his will , and obey his laws , we break the positive intent of this law , not having him for our god ; being indeed like those , of whom s. paul speaketh , who profess to know god ( that is , who in words and outward pretence acknowledge him ) but in works deny him , being abominable , and disobedient , and to every good work reprobate . likewise if we frame in our fancy an idea untrue , disagreeable unto , or unworthy of that one most excellent being , and to such a phantasm of our own creation do yield our highest respects , and best affections , we break this law , and have another god to our selves . if upon any creature ( whether our selves , or any other thing ) we impart our chief esteem , or affection ; or employ our most earnest care and endeavour ; or chiefly rely upon it , or most delight in it , that thing we make a god unto us , and are guilty of breaking this law ; hence saint paul more than once calls the covetous ( or wrongfull ) person an idolater ; and our lord calls the ●mmoderate pursuit of riches , the serving ( or worshipping ) of mammon ; and saint paul speaketh of some persons , who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , lovers of pleasures , rather than lovers of god ; of whom otherwhere he says , that their god was their belly : we meet with those in the scripture , who put their trusts in their horses , and their chariots ; with those , who sacrifice to their net , and burn incense to their drag ; with them who trust in man , and make flesh their arm ( men of mezentius his faith ; ready to say with him , dextra mihi deus est , & telum quod missile libro ) with those , whose heart is lifted up ( as the prince of tyre in ezekiel ) and who say they are gods ; these , and whoever practise in like manner , are so many transgressours of this covenant : in short , whoever chiefly regards and affects , seeks and pursues , confides and delights in wealth , or honour , or pleasure ; wit , wisedom , strength , or beauty ; himself , friends , or any other creature , he hath another god , against the design , and meaning of this holy law. ii. commandment . thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image , &c. the first commandment determined the final object of our religion ; this doth limit the manner of exercising and expressing it ; as to the chief intent of it , interdicting that mode , which in the practice of ancient times had so generally prevailed , of representing the deities ( apprehended so ) in some corporeal shape , and thereto yielding such expressions of respect , as they conceived sutable and acceptable to such deities . i cannot stand to declare the rise , and progress of such a practice ; how the devil's malice , and some mens fraud conspiring with other mens superstitious ignorance and fondness , prevailed so far to impose upon mankind ; i shall onely observe , that men naturally are very prone to comply with suggestions to such guises of religion : for as the sense of want , and pain , and manifold inconvenience , not to be removed or remedied by any present sensible means , doth prompt men to wish , and seek for help from otherwhere ; and this disposes them to entertain any hopes propounded to them ( with how little soever ground of probability ) of receiving it from any absent , or invisible power ; as it also consequently engageth them to undertake any conditions required by those , who propound such hopes , as needfull for obtaining thereof ; whence the ordinary sort of men are very apt to embrace any way of religion suggested to them , especially by persons of credit , and authority for knowledge ; so also , when the proposition thereof doth come attended with circumstantial appearances , and shews gratifying their senses , or humouring their passions , or delightfully amusing their fancies , it most easily allures , and takes them ; as likewise on the other side , when abstraction of mind , and restraint of passion are required , and sense or fancy are little entertained thereby , men are somewhat averse from such proposals of religion , and are not so easily brought heartily to like , or earnestly to embrace them ; wherefore since the propounding of images and sensible representations ( relating to somewhat not immediately discerned , from whence men are promised the supply of their needs , or relief from the inconveniencies , which they endure ) by their magnificency , beauty , curiosity , strangeness , or even by their sensibility it self , do make so facile , and pleasant impressions upon the dull and low conceits of men , it is the less wonderfull , that men commonly have been so easily inveagled into such idolatrous superstitions ; so unreasonable in themselves , and of so mischievous consequence . for what can be more senseless , than to imagine , that that being , which in wisedom and power is sufficient to over-rule nature , and thereby to afford us the assistance we need may be resembled by any of these corporeal things , the best of which we cannot , without debasing our selves , esteem superiour to our selves ? how unreasonable is it to conceit thus , how unworthy is it , and unsutable to the dignity of our nature , derived from heaven , to crouch unto such mean representations ? it is s. paul's discourse : being ( saith he ) the off-spring of god , we ought not to think , that the godhead is like unto gold , or silver , or stone graven by art , and man's device . how injurious also to that most excellent nature must it be to frame , and expose to view such not onely homely and mean , but in respect of the divine nature , most foul and ugly portaictures of him , which cannot but tend to vilifie him in men's conceit ? * he that should form the image of a serpent , or a toad , and exhibit it as the similitude of a king , would surely derogate much from his majesty , and beget very mean and unbeseeming conceits of his person in their minds , whom he should perswade to take it for such ; and infinitely more must he detract from the dignity , and diminish the reverence due to that immense , almighty , alwise , most pure and perfect being , who shall presume to present any sensible , any finite , any corruptible thing as a resemblance of him ; changing ( as s. paul expresseth it ) the glory of the incorruptible god into an image made like to corruptible man , and to birds , and fourfooted beasts , and creeping things ; as the israelites are said to have changed their glory ( that is , their glorious god ) into the similitude of an ox , that eateth grass : no wonder it was , that they , who used such expressions of their religion , had so low opinions concerning those supposed deities whom they worshipped ; that they supposed them liable to such passions , fathered such actions upon them , described them as vile in their dispositions and their doings , as they represented them in their shape : most reasonable therefore is this prohibition of making any resemblance of what kind soever ( by picture , sculpture , or fusion ) in order to religious adoration ; and yielding to them any such signification of respect , which the custom or consent of men hath appropriated to religion ; as bowing , falling down , lying prostrate before them , or the like : most reasonable i say , for since there is but one proper , and allowable object of our worship , as the first commandment declares and enacts , the making an image of any other existent in nature , or devised by our own fancy in order to the worship thereof , is but a pursuance of that unreasonable , unhandsome , and unjust superstition there forbidden ; adding some absurdity in the manner to the pravity in the substance of such worship . and as for that one true object of our devotion , the eternal , immense , and all perfect god ; the glorious excellency of whose nature doth infinitely transcend our comprehension , and consequently of whom we cannot devise any resemblance not infinitely beneath him , unlike to him , unworthy of him ( whereby we shall not disparage him , and expose him to irreverent apprehensions , especially with the gross vulgar ; whereby indeed we shall not cloud his true inimitable perfections , and affix imperfections to him ; blending inexpressible truth with apparent falshood ) it must be therefore a profane folly to pretend the representing him by any image ; and the doing of it is upon such accompts in many places of scripture forbidden ; and that it is so here , according to the intent of this precept is plain by that place in deuteronomy , where moses reports the ground of this prohibition : take ye therefore ( saith he ) good heed unto your selves ; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day , that the lord spake unto you in horeb , out of the midst of the fire , lest you corrupt , and make you a graven image : no shape representing god did appear at his utterance of these laws , to prevent their framing any resemblance of god , and taking occasion to practise this sort of worship ; thereby implyed to be unreasonable . and the prophet esay having in sublime language and discourse set out the incomparable greatness , power , and majesty of god ( who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand , and meted out heaven with a span , and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure , and weighed the mountains in scales , and the hills in a ballance ; before whom the nations are as a drop of a bucket , and are counted as the small dust of a balance — yea before whom all nations are as nothing , and are counted to him less than nothing and vanity : who sitteth upon the circle of the earth ; and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers ; who stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain , and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in ) having , i say , in this , and more such language endeavoured to describe the might , and majesty of god , he infers : to whom then will ye liken god ; or what likeness will ye compare unto him ? and thereupon he proceeds to discourse against making images for religious use . like whereto is the discourse of s. paul to the athenians : god ( saith he ) who made the world , and all things that are therein , being lord of heaven and earth , dwelleth not in temples made with hands ; nor is worshipped by the hands of men , — we therefore being the off-spring of god , ought not to think that the godhead is like unto gold , or silver , or stone , the engravement of art , and man's device ; in which place , as the forming any image to represent divine things is manifestly prohibited ; so the reasons which we touched against such practice , are discernibly enough insinuated . neither should we omit , that this law is confirmed in the new testament , and there made a part of god's new law : for we are therein often commanded to flee idols , not to be idolaters , to shun idolatry as a most heinous crime , of the highest rank , proceeding from fleshly pravity , inconsistent with good conscience , and exposing to damnation : for the meaning and notion of idolatry in which places , why should we understand it otherwise , than according to the plain sense of the word , which is the worship of images , or resemblances ? why should we take it otherwise , than as opposite to god's law , then in force ? why shold we otherwise expound it , than according to the common notion and acceptance of god's people at that time ? the word idolatry was unknown to other people than the jews ; among the jews it signified the violation of the second commandment ; wherefore the observance of that commandment is established and enforced by the apostles . the jews detested the worshipping any images ; their detestation was grounded on this law ; they therefore , who earnestly exhort them to continue in detestation thereof , do confirm , and enforce the obligation of this law ; nor can we reasonably suppose any distinction , or reservation for any idolatry ( or any worshipping of images ) as lawfull , or allowable to christians ; since the apostles as they found it universally prohibited to the jews , so they continued to charge christians against it . this discourse hath more force , considering that the same reason , upon which this law was enacted , doth still apparently continue ; men still unmeasurably affecting this fancifull way of religion , being apt in the exercise thereof ( if not curb'd by a law ) to dote upon sensible representations ; being averse from raising up their minds to the onely true object of worship , as endued with intelligible , and spiritual perfections : this the experience of mens wild eagerness for images , reliques , and other such foolish trinkets , which had almost quite oppressed our religion ( as in many ages the best and wisest men did observe and complain ) doth plainly evince . we may add , that if the common tradition and consent of the ancient church is in any case a ground of perswasion , or rule of practice to us , we are thence obliged to disapprove , and decline the worshipping images ; for nothing can be more evident than that all such worship was not onely carefully eschewed , but zealously detested by the primitive christians : this is manifest from most express words of the fathers generally impugning and condemning all worship of images ; which are as applicable to that worship , which hath been practised among christians , as to that of the heathens ; their expressions do not signifie , nor their arguments prove any thing , if any worship of images be allowable , if they do not as well condemn and confute the modern , as the ancient romans ; they could not with any reason , or modesty have used such words , or urged such reasons , if their practice had been like that , which afterward crept into the church ; their darts then against pagan idolatry easily might , surely would have been , retorted on themselves ; which is so far from having been done , that the pagans accused them for having no images * ( celsus objecteth , † saith origen , that we shun making altars , statues , and shrines , thinking this to be a faithfull pledge ( or mark ) of our secret communion together : this origen answers by confessing the matter of fact ; but defending the right ; not for your reason , saith he , we shun these things , but * because we , by the doctrine of jesus , having found the true manner of piety toward god , do eschew those things , which in conceit or appearance of piety do make men impious — and the images of christians are ( saith he ) their vertues , whereby they resemble god ; and truly worship him ; and every good christian , carefully imitating god , is his best statue . yea the fathers were so far from practising worship of images that some of them condemn the simple making of them ; calling the art of doing it a fallacious art , introduced by the devil and forbidden by god ; expounding this commandment so , as that in it not onely the worshipping , but the forming any similitude is forbidden : * ( moses , saith clem ▪ alex . did of old expresly give law , that no carved , or fusile , or plaistered , or painted portraicture , or imagery should be made ; that we should not attend to sensible things , but pass to things intelligible : and † tertullian in several places saith the same . whether their exposition ( concurring it seems with the common opinion of the jews in their time ) were true , i shall not now discuss ; that making any similitudes in order to worship is prohibited , is most evident . in fine , divers of the fathers say , that all the commands in the decalogue , excepting the sabbath , do continue in force , as naturally obligatory , and as confirmed by the christian law : for instance s. augustin in his 119 epistle speaketh thus : the other precepts ( excepting the sabbath ) there ( in the decalogue ) we do observe properly as they are commanded without any figurate observation ; for we have manifestly learnt , not to worship idols , and not to take the name of the lord our god in vain , to honour father and mother , &c. do not figurately pretend one thing and mystically signifie another thing , but are so observed as they sound . but so much for the prohibition : i shall add , that we may conceive this positive precept implied , and intended here , that in our devotions and religious services of god we should raise our mind above gross sense and fancy ; that we should entertain high and worthy conceptions of god ; that we should apprehend him incomparably superiour to all things , which we do see or know ; that we direct our minds unto him as to a being transcendently perfect in goodness , justice , wisedom and power , above what we can comprehend and think ; that which our saviour calls worshipping god in spirit and truth ; which is ( as i take it ) the special positive duty of this commandment . i need not farther to urge , how presumptuous and dangerous the practices of those men are , who ( to the great danger , and scandal of christianity among jews , and mahometans , and men of other religions ) notwithstanding these commandments of god , backed with others , of the same import , frequently occurring in the holy scripture , ( never that we find any intimation of , repealed or relaxed ) particularly against that signal one made use or by our saviour , thou shalt worship the lord , thy god , and him onely shalt thou serve ; without any ancient good authority , or example , without any necessity or good reason inducing , do not onely yield themselves , but violently force others to yield unto angels , and unto the souls of dead men ( men of dubious state in reference to god , not having past the last trial and judgment , the result whereof 't is a profane temerity in us peremptorily to anticipate ) all kinds of worship , both internal ( reposing trust and hope in them of obtaining benefits from them ; attributing unto them in their esteem the knowledge and power , which for all that we can know are incommunicably proper unto god himself ) and external , of prayer and invocation , of praise and thanksgiving ; and not onely thus as to the substance imparting a kind of divine worship to them , but as to the manner , erecting images of them , even in the places devoted to god's own service , and affording to them the same expressions of reverence and respect , that we do or can present unto god himself ( with great solemnity dedicating such images to them , with huge care and cost decking them , with great semblance of devotion saluting them ; and casting themselves down before them ; carrying them in procession , exposing them to the people , and making long pilgrimages to them ; ) so that instead of the spiritual worship of god himself , peculiarly required of christians , and to which our religion is perfectly suted , a religion chiefly employing sense , and fancy , and for the greatest part directed unto the representations of creatures is substituted , in despight , as it were , and in defiance of these commandments : the plain force of which they endeavour to elude and evade by slender pretences , and subtle distinctions , by the like to which there is no law , which may not as easily be rendred insignificant , and invalid ; never in the mean time considering , that these laws were not given to employ the wits of sophisters and schoolmen ; but to direct the practice of rude and plain people ; to which purpose no law , after such artists have had the handling of it , can signifie any thing : nothing being so clear which by their cavillations and quirks they cannot confound ; nothing so smooth wherein they cannot find or make knots . there is subjoined to these two commandments ( as we reckon them ; others * have accounted them but one ; and their opinion is somewhat countenanced , by what is added here seeming to bear a common respect to both , there is i say subjoined ) a reason , or rather a contexture of reasons strongly pressing and encouraging to obedience , deterring and discouraging from disobedience to them ; or indeed generally to all god's commandments , but especially unto these , most immediately relating to him : for i the lord thy god am a jealous god. ( am el kanah , fortis zelotes , as the vulg. latine reads it : it may seem to have been a name of god , implying , as all the other names of god do , some attribute of god ; for it is in the 34th . of exodus , said : thou shalt worship no other god , for the lord , whose name is jealous , or kana , is a jealous god ; ) i am a jealous god , that is , a god very tender of my honour , and of my right ; who am impatient of any mate , or competitour in respect to those duties , which properly and incommunicably belong unto me ; i am ( saith god in the prophet esay ) the lord , that is my name , and my glory i will not give to another , nor my praise to graven images : this jealousie doth contain in it not onely a strong dislike , but a fierce displeasure , against the infringers of these laws : for the lord thy god ( saith moses in deuteronomy , pressing the observance of this same precept , concerning the worship of images ) is a consuming fire , he is a jealous god : and if god be thus jealous , so easily provoked to indignation by our detracting his due honour , and imparting it to any other , we have great reason to be afraid of incurring the guilt of either ; for who can stand in his sight , when he is angry ? who can support the effects of his displeasure ? uisiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children , unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me . visiting the iniquities of fathers upon the children ; god doth not onely punish those persons themselves , who commit notorious and heinous sins ( such as these of idolatry and profaneness , whereby he is publickly wrong'd and dishonoured ) but the more to deter men ( who naturally bear much regard to their posterity , and are afraid to be , ashamed to appear the causes of ruine and calamity to their family ) he declareth that in respect to their doings it shall go ill with their posterity ; they shall therefore be more strictly and severely dealt with ; they shall upon this score be capable of less favour and mercy from god , than otherwise they might have been : for we must not hereby understand , that god will arbitrarily inflict undeserved pains upon the children of bad men for the faults of their ancestours ( god doth expresly disclaim such kind of proceeding ; the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father ; the soul that sinneth it shall die ; saith he in the prophet : and , every one shall die for his own iniquity ; every man that eateth the sowre grape , his teeth shall be set on edge ) but that he will upon that accompt withdraw his free favours from them 〈…〉 that measure of grace and indulgence , which otherwise the son of such a person ( had he not been a great traitour against god ) might according to the general course of god's goodness have received , the which might have more effectually restrained him from sin , and consequently have prevented his guilt and his punishment , god may well ( in consistence with his justice and goodness , to manifest his detestation of heinous wickedness ) withhold from him . such a son , if he do fall into personal offences ( for that also is to be understood ; otherwise such is the goodness of god , that he hath declared , if a son seeing his fathers sins , and considering doth not the like , he shall not die for the iniquity of his father , but shall surely live ; if i say he falleth into personal sins ) god will visit ; that is , will use a close inspection and animadversion upon him , will severely punish and avenge his sin ; not onely upon his own , but on his father's accompt ; examples of which proceeding do in the divine histories frequently occurr ; in solomon , in jeroboam , in baasha , in ahab , in jehu , and in others . of them that hate me . we may observe that in the scripture style the transgressours of god's laws are termed haters , and enemies of god ; because their actions signifie a disposition of mind in them repugnant to the mind of god ; and because by them they resist , and oppose god's will ; no wonder then if god deal thus severely with them . but god not onely deters from disobedience by threatning a train of punishments , but he encourageth to obedience by a declaration of his intention ( or promise ) graciously to reward not onely upon the obedient persons themselves , but upon their posterity for ever ( in a manner ) unto thousands , that is unto a thousand descents : shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me , and keep my commandments . shewing mercy ; god doth not absolutely promise , that he will forbear to punish the posterity of good men , in case they offend , but that he will shew mercy , and deal the more favourably with them in that respect : his meaning and method in these cases are plainly represented in those words concerning david : if his children forsake my law , and walk not in my judgments , if they break my statutes , and keep not my commandments ; then will i visit their transgression with the rod , and their iniquity with stripes ; nevertheless my loving kindness will i not utterly take from him — : god declares he will punish the offending children of very good men , yet so that their misdeeds shall not interrupt his kindness toward the rest of their posterity , or abolish his remembrance of their goodness : so we may see god dealt with abraham , and the patriarchs , passing by ( in memory of their love and reverence to him ; and their faithfull obedience to his will ) the manifold provocations of their posterity ; so that he did not for a long tract of time , and after many generations past suffer them ( according as their personal demeanour highly deserved ) to incurr ruine ; upon this consideration he brought them out of egypt , he settled them in canaan , he frequently delivered them from their enemies , he restored them from oppressions , and captivities ; as is often expressed , and insinuated in scripture . so also it is frequently mentioned , that for david's sake , his posterity , although highly provoking god by their miscarriages , was protected and preserved ; i cannot stand to mention places : i shall onely farther note that which is very obvious , and most remarkable here ; the difference between god's proceeding in way of severity , and in way of favour ; by a vast proportion the expressions of god's mercy do exceed those of justice , although both insisting upon like , or correspondent grounds : he visiteth the iniquities of disobedient fathers unto the third or fourth generation , but he sheweth mercy to a thousand generations of those that love and obey him ; he soon forgetteth the wrongs done , but he long retaineth in memory the services performed to him ; which consideration should work upon our ingenuity , and engage us willingly to obey so gracious a lord. it is also observable , that as disobedience is styled hatred of god , so loving god and keeping his commandments are conjoined as terms equivalent : they are indeed inseparably connected , love being a certain cause of obedience , obedience an infallible sign of love : he that hath my commandments , and observeth them , he it is ( saith our saviour ) that loveth me : and , if any man loveth me , he will keep my word . but i pass forward to the next , iii. commandment . thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain , for the lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain . it consisteth we see of a precept , and of a reason deterring from disobedience thereto , by declaring or threatning the mischief ensuing thereon . the precept is : thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain : it might be rendred , thou shalt not bring the name of the lord thy god to a vanity ( or to a lye , for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , shaveh , frequently importeth ) that is ( as it seems interpreted in a parallel place , where most of these laws are repeated , inculcated , and fenced by additional injunctions ) thou shalt not swear in my name to a falshood ; and in the 24th . psalm , to lift up one's soul to vanity , is explained by swearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( lemirmah ) to deceit , or falshood . josephus expresseth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to adjure god to no bad matter ( or to no false matter , as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commonly in good writers is taken . ) and our lord himself in his sermon on the mount seemeth to respect this law , when he says ; ye have heard that it was said to the ancients , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ye shall not forswear , but shall render to the lord your oaths ; for he doth immediately before cite other passages out of the decalogue ( thou shalt not kill , thou shalt not commit adultery ) with intention to explain or extend them ; and therefore probably he proceeds respecting this law , the most conspicuous of all those , which relate to this matter ; and if this law be ( as some conceive ) supposed to signifie more strictly , it had been more sutable to his purpose to cite it , than any other of more lax importance ; his drift being plainly to extend in matter ; and to streighten in obligation even the fullest , and strictest of ancient laws , at least as they were then commonly expounded , and understood ; yea even in this case our lord seemeth to affirm that the ancients had no law strict and perfect enough for evangelical practice : considering which things , it is probable , that the prime intent of this law is to prohibit that great sin of perjury , that is of invoking god's attestation to a lie ; thereupon appealing to him as witness , and judge , that what we assert is true ; as a surety , that what we promise we do stedfastly resolve and shall faithfully endeavour to perform ; implying also , that we do expect a curse , and vengeance from him upon us , if we be found knowingly to falsifie in our affirmation , or wilfully to violate our promise . swearing is in its own nature immediately an act of religion , and as such was injoined by god ( thou shalt fear the lord thy god , and serve him , and shalt swear by his name ; ) it expresseth the pious persuasion we have concerning god's chief attributes and prerogatives ; of his omnipresence and omniscience ( extending to the knowledge of our most inward thoughts , and secret purposes ) of his watchfull providence over what we do , of his justice , and fidelity in maintaining truth and right ; in avenging iniquity and falshood : the reason of using it , was derived from , or grounded upon a persuasion , about god , which hath ever been common among men , that god the governour and judge of the world , the protectour and patron of right , is always ready upon our invocation and reference unto him to undertake the cognizance of matters in debate and controversie between men , for the protection of truth , the maintenance of right , and preservation of peace among them ( an oath , saith the apostle , for confirmation is to men an end of all strife ) so that the use thereof becometh a main instrument of promoting those purposes , the strongest tye of fidelity , the surest ground to proceed upon in administration of justice , the most sacred band of all society ; which therefore he that shall presume to violate , doth not onely most unworthily wrong this or that person , this or that society of men , but doth what in him lies to subvert the foundations of all publick justice and peace ; withall most impiously abusing , and affronting god almighty himself ; profaning his most sacred ordinance , making his name instrumental to the compassing his deceitfull and base purposes , despising his judgment , and defying his vengeance . this seems to be the first , and direct meaning of this law ; but it may by parity of reason well be extended farther , so as we may hereby understand all light and vain swearing , all wanton and irreverent use of god's holy name : and hitherto our lord hath plainly extended it , forbidding us to swear at all , and charging us in our conversation to use onely the simple and plain manner of assertion , or promise , saying onely yea , yea , or nay , nay ; without presuming upon any slight occasion to introduce the holy name of god ; which indeed we should not without extreme awe of spirit ever think upon , nor without high veneration dare to mention : 't is an instance of the most sottish folly , 't is an argument of most horrible impiety that can be thus ( without any cause , or temptation thereto , without any profit or pleasure thence ) to trifle with the divine majesty ; to abuse his glorious name , and provoke his dreadfull vengeance ; who will no wise hold him guiltless , that taketh his name in vain . iv. commandment . remember the sabbath day to keep it holy , &c. the decalogue is in several places of scripture ( as we before noted ) called a covenant with the jewish people , and the observation of this law is likewise so called in a particular and special manner : it is expressed to have been appointed as a sign , or characteristical note , whereby their peculiar relation to god might be discerned , and they distinguished from all other people . as circumcision was a seal of the covenant made with abraham and his posterity ; so keeping the sabbath did obsignate the covenant made with the children of israel after their delivery out of egypt : the children of israel ( saith the text ) shall keep the sabbath to observe the sabbath , throughout their generations for a perpetual covenant , it is a sign between me , and the children of israel for ever : and , i gave them ( saith god in ezekiel ) my statutes , and shewed them my judgments , which if a man do , he shall live in them ; moreover i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me , and them , that they might know , that i am the lord , who sanctifies them : and , thou camest down from mount sinai ( say the levites in nehemiah ) and spakest with them from heaven , and gavest them right judgments , and true laws , good statutes , and commandments ; and madest known unto them thy holy sabbaths : where making known to them the sabbaths , as also otherwhere giving them the sabbath are expressions ( together with the special ends of the sabbath's appointment , which are mentioned in those places ) confirming the judgment of the ancient christians , justin m. irenaeus , tertullian , &c. who refer the first institution of the sabbath to moses , affirming ( that which indeed the history by its total silence concerning the sabbath before him sufficiently doth seem to confirm ) that the patriarchs were not obliged thereto , nor did practise it . and we may observe , that the law concerning the sabbath , is mentioned and insisted upon separately from the body of their laws , as being in nature different from the rest , and enacted upon a special design ; as from the forecited passages appeareth ; and farther may appear from considering how the condition of proselytes ( those of the stricter sort , called proselytes of righteousness ) is described in esay the sons of the strangers , ( saith god in that prophet ) that join themselves to the lord , to serve him , and to love the name of the lord , to be his servants , every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it , and taketh hold of my covenant ; even them will i bring to my holy mountain , and make them joyfull in my house of prayer : where to undertake the observance of the sabbath , and to lay hold of the jewish covenant are signified to be coincident , or especially coherent . all the other precepts indeed ( one passage in the second commandment as it may be understood to prohibit absolutely the making of any similitude , being liable to exception ) are immediately grounded in the reason of the thing , and have a necessary obligation even visible to natural light ; they consequently have been acknowledged as reasonable , and obliging by the general consent of men ; or might be so propounded and asserted by argument , as easily to extort such consent : but this command , ( although as to its general and remote matter it is most evidently reasonable , and requireth that , which no man can deny to be matter of necessary duty , yet ) as to the more immediate matter , as to the determinate measure , and manner of performing those general duties , no reason can discern an obligation distinct from , or antecedent to the law givers will , to practise according thereto : that we should frequently with gratefull and joyfull sense reflect upon the glorious works of god ( especially that grand and fundamental one , wherein god's wonderfull excellencies of goodness , wisedom , and power were so illustriously displayed ; the creation of the world , wherein so great accommodations , and benefits were generally dispensed to all the creatures , and to us eminently among them ; remembring with deepest respect , and most hearty thankfulness our bountifull maker ; ) that we should be unmindfull of the special favours by god's gracious providence vouchsafed to our country , our relations , our selves ( especially such very signal ones , as was that of the delivery from egyptian slavery in a manner so remarkable and miraculous ) ; that we should not spend our selves , and our time in perpetually carking and labouring about affairs touching our body , and this present life , but should assign some competent time both for the relaxation of our mind , and for attendance to the concernments of our soul : that also we should allow fitting time of respite , and refreshment to those of our brethren , whom divine providence hath disposed into a meaner condition , and relation of servants to us ; that their lives may not by incessant care , and toil be rendred over burthensome , and grievous to them ; but so that they may with some comfort serve us ; that also they be not destituted of leasure and opportunity to serve god , our common master ; and to regard the welfare of their souls , no less precious than our own : that also we should shew some kindness , and mercy even toward our beasts , allowing them some ease from their painfull drudgeries in our behalf ; these are all of them things , which reason evidently dictates ; which common sense must needs admit , as duties of piety , justice , and humanity : and to secure the performance of them both as to the substance , due measure , and fit manner of them , common prudence would suggest , that set times should be appointed ; in which they should be solemnly and notoriously discharged , under the publick testimony and cognizance : and accordingly we find , that in all wise and civil societies some provision ever hath been made , by appointing festival times , for the practice of such duties , in some kind or degree : the founders of laws ( saith seneca ) did institute festival days , that men should publickly be constrained to cheerfulness ; interposing as necessary a temperament of their pains ; plato with a more admirable sagacity refers the invention , or first institution of such times unto god himself ; the gods ( saith he ; that is , the divine providence administring affairs here by the ministery of inferiour invisible powers , according to his notion and manner of speaking ) pitying mankind , born to painfull labour , appointed for an ease and cessation from their toils the recourses of festival seasons observed to the gods. thus ( i say ) reason acknowledges the substance of these duties , and approves the securing their performance , as a good end , or fit matter of law both divine and humane . but as to the circumstantial determination of measure and manner ; that a seventh day precisely should be assigned , that a total cessation from labour for man and beast should be prescribed ; this is above reason to discern a necessity of ; or a conveniency in comparison with other limitations in those respects deviseable and practicable : nor can we assuredly resolve the obligation thereto into any other ground , than the pleasure of 〈◊〉 most wise author of this law ; who did see what was most fit to be prescribed to those , whom this law concerned . here is indeed mentioned a reason , why god specially did choose this day to bless , and sanctifie it in this manner to such purposes ; namely , his resting upon the seventh day from his works of creation ; the which yet doth not certainly import a natural conveniency , toward accomplishing those purposes , of this precise quantity of time , or in this way of observing it , in preference to any other , that might have been appointed ; it onely seemeth to imply a fitness of these determinations , as containing somewhat of profitable significancy ; that such a correspondency in circumstance of time , and manner of practice might admonish us concerning the substance of our duty , or a principal part thereof peculiarly designed in the sanction of this law , the gratefull commemoration of god's most glorious work ( the foundation as it were of all other his acts of beneficence ) the creation of the world : for thus in all ceremonial institutions we may observe , that some significant circumstance is selected , on purpose to instruct or excite us to practice , by representing to our fancy the nature and intention of the main duty required , as in circumcision , in the passover , in baptism , and other ritual constitutions it is not hard to perceive : so it being god's design to enforce the performance of that excellent duty , by appropriating a time thereto , we may conceive that he therefore especially selected that day , as most apt to mind them , to whom this law was given , of the history of the creation ; the reflecting upon and celebrating which was the main duty intended : seeing therefore the observation of the sabbath is expressed to have a peculiar respect to the children of israel , as a sign of the covenant made with them , when he led them out of egypt ; seeing in its own nature it differeth from the rest of the ten laws , the obligation thereto being not , discernibly to natural light , grounded in the reason of the thing , we can no wise be assured , that an universal and perpetual obligation thereto was intended , or that its obligation did extend farther than to the jews , to whom it was as a formal law delivered , and upon special considerations severely inculcated ; to whose humour , condition , and circumstances it might also perhaps be particularly suted : justin m. was of opinion that this law , as many others was given to the jews , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for their iniquity , and hardness of heart , by way of concession and indulgence ; for , because they by their natural disposition were apt to forget their maker ; to neglect the state of their soul , being wholly intent on worldly affairs ; to exact intolerable pains from their brethren , who served them ; to use cruelly the poor beasts , employed in tilling their ground , or bearing their burthens ; therefore god ( considering this incorrigible temper of theirs ) did indulge six days to them for the prosecution of those affairs , to which they were so devoted , contenting himself to exact from them no more , than this part of time for his own service , for the benefit of servants , and ease of beasts ; if he had required more of them they could it seems or would hardly have endured it ; the command would perhaps not onely have been disobeyed it self , but the dislike thereof might have rendred them averse from all religion , and service of god ; as it happeneth , when commands very rigorous , and exceeding mens strength are enjoined ; for we see the prophets complain of them , that they could hardly be induced to go thus far , or to afford god this so moderate share of time ; but were impatient even for this one day in seven to abstain from their secular business , to relax themselves , or their servants , or their cattel from their daily labours : they impeach them for polluting , profaning , hiding their eyes from ( that is , wholly overlooking , neglecting and disregarding ) the sabbath ; for doing their own pleasure , and exacting their own labours upon it , for not delighting therein , or not willingly observing it : hear this ( saith the prophet amos ) o ye that swallow up the needy , even to make the poor of the land to fail , saying , when will the new-moon be gone , that we may sell corn , and the sabbath that we may set forth wheat ? this being the disposition of that people , not bearing a greater strictness , they not being able to preserve within their hearts a perpetual remembrance of god's works and favours ; not to moderate their pursuits of temporal good things ; not to bear a due regard and tenderness toward their brethren , and their fellow-creatures ( the performing which things in a constant uninterrupted tenour the said holy father , and blessed martyr supposeth to be the sabbatism , which christians are bound to observe ) therefore god considering their infirmity and incapacity to comply with higher injunctions , did use ( as in the cases of divorce , revenge , and the like ) an indulgence toward them , permitting them on the other days to do their pleasure ( as the prophet speaks ) , reserving onely this day for a punctual and solemn performance of the duties specified : thus discourses that good ancient in his dialogue with the jew . however , that this law ( as to its circumstantial parts ) was not intended to oblige generally and perpetually , we have a most forcible ground to suppose ; s. paul himself his express discharging christians from the observation thereof ; yea his earnest reprehension of some persons for rigorously insisting thereon , deeming themselves and urging it upon others as a necessary duty to observe it ; his conjoining it with other ceremonial observances , whose nature was meerly symbolical , and whose design was to continue no longer , than till the real substance of that , which they represented , came into full force and practice : let no man ( saith he to the colossians ) judge you for meat , or drink , or upon account of a festival day , or new moon , * or sabbath , which things are the shadow of future things , but the body is of christ ( that is , they did onely prefigure , and presignifie ; the real substance intended , and represented by them is somewhat in the law , and doctrine of christ ; which coming immediately to appear , and to oblige , that shadow vanisheth , and ceaseth to have any regard due thereto ) again more sharply to the galatians , whom some judaizing dogmatists had reduced , or were reducing to the practice of legal rites , under conceit of needfull obligation to them ; how saith he , do ye return again to those weak , and beggerly elements , to which back again you are pleased to be enslaved : ye observe days , and months , and years ; which words , that they relate generally to the jewish festivals , the context doth plainly enough shew , and there is good reason to think , that they chiefly respect the sabbath we treat on , for which probably these men had the greatest respect , and zeal ; again in the 14th . to the romans the same great patron and champion of christian liberty , not obscurely declareth his mind , that christians of strength in judgment did regard no day above another , but esteemed all days ( he excepteth none ) alike , as to any special obligation , grounded upon divine law and right ; in subordination to which doctrine we may add , that this appears with great evidence to have been the common opinion of the wisest , and most orthodox christians in the primitive church ; the most constant and strict adherents to catholick tradition ( who from the apostles instruction best understood the purport and limits of the liberty purchased by christ ) that this law , † as it was not known or practised before moses , so it ceased to oblige after christ ; being one of the shadows which the evangelical light dispelled ; one of the burthens , which this law of liberty did take off us † now although upon these accompts we cannot press the strict observation of this law in all its parts , according to its literal , and direct intention , yet we may learn much of our duty , much of god's will from it : all god's laws , spiritually and wisely , understood did tend to the promoting of piety and vertue ; and abstracting from the special circumstances of that people , to whom they were consigned , may ( so far as our case is like theirs , and wherein a common reason doth appear ) pass for fit patterns for us to imitate , suggesting proper means of exercising , nourishing , encreasing those qualities in us ; and so from this law we may learn these duties : 1. that we should frequently call to mind , and consider the great and glorious works of god , performed for the general good of his creatures , and specially for mankind : the creation of the world , the redemption of mankind ; the nativity , passion , resurrection , and exaltation of our lord and saviour , and the like , no less now considerable to us , both in respect of glory due to god , and of benefit accruing to us , then was the creation formerly to the jews . 2. that we are bound to restrain our selves in the prosecution of worldly business ; not distracting our minds with care , not exhausting our bodies with toil about them , but allowing our mind convenient and seasonable freedom , affording our soul sufficient leisure with vigour and alacrity to enjoy its nobler entertainments , and to pursue its higher interests . 3. that we are obliged to use the same indulgence toward those , whom divine providence hath disposed to be under our power , care , or governance : to allow our children , our subjects , our servants a competent measure of rest , and refreshment from their ordinary labours , sufficient time and leisure undistractedly to serve god , and quietly to mind their spiritual welfare : we must so charitably tender their good , as to permit and procure , that their life may be easie and comfortable here ; and that also they may have means to obtain for themselves a happy immortality hereafter ; not being in these respects either harsh to their outward man , or uncharitable to their souls . 4. that we must no be unmercifull to any creature , not onely abstaining from inflicting , in wantonness of humour , needless vexation upon them , but also from wearying and grieving them too much for our emolument or convenience : the advantage and preeminency bestowed upon us by god over them should be managed with moderation , and clemency ; we should be gentle masters to them , not cruel tyrants over them : we should consider , that god did make them , as to help and serve us , so to enjoy somewhat themselves of delight and satisfaction in their being ; which if we go to deprive them of , rendring their condition intolerable and worse than if they had no being , as we do abuse and injure them , transgressing the bounds of our right over them , so we encroach upon , disappoint , and wrong their maker , and cannot therein but displease him ; doing thus is a point of injustice not enough considered by them , who commit it : they consider not how beastly they are themselves , when they misuse poor beasts . 5. we may hence farther learn , that it is fit certain times should be allotted for the publick , and solemn performance of the forenamed duties : common reason prompteth , that god ( upon whose protection , and disposal the publick good depends ) should be publickly honoured , and his benefits frequently acknowledged ; also that care should be taken in every society , that all states of men should lead their lives in some competent degree of content ; that all objects of grievous pity should be removed from publick view ; also common sense will inform us , that these things cannot effectually be executed , without constituting definite periods of time , and limiting circumstances , according to which they shall be practised under publick inspection , and censure : and these dictates of ordinary prudence the divine wisedom hath ratified by his exemplary order ; the which in cases , wherein he hath not interposed his direct authority by way of precept may serve for a good direction to governours , what they may with safety , what they should in wisedom establish ; what provision they should make for the promotion of piety and vertue : such a precedent requires greatest veneration , and respect , cannot but appear of high moment in consultation about matters of this nature . it is indeed particularly observable , that in this command there is not an express order concerning the natural or moral service of god ( by prayer , or hearing god's law ) to be publickly performed on this day ; but the jews were themselves so wise as to understand these duties couched in the sanctification of the day prescribed to them ; and accordingly they practised ; they in all places of their habitation did settle synagogues , and oratories ; to them upon this day they resorted ; in them then they did offer devotions to god ; ( as the names 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did import ) the scribes did reade the law , and expound it to the people : moses ( saith josephus ) did command the people to assemble for hearing of the law , not once or twice , or many times , but every seventh day , laying aside their works ; and exactly to learn it ; whence , addeth he , the people became so skilfull in the laws , that if one asked any of them concerning them , he would more easily tell them all than his own name ; whence also an admirable concord in mind , and uniformity in practice did ( as he farther observes ) arise : and the custom ( saith philo ) was always as occasion gave leave , especially upon the seventh days , to philosophate , &c. in consideration of which practice it was , that jews so highly valued this precept , that it was a saying among them , the sabbath weigheth against all the commandments ; as procuring them all to be known , and observed : and if that blind people could pick these duties out of this law , much more should we see our selves obliged , according to analogy thereof , to appoint set times for ensuring the practice of them . 6. again , we may hence also learn our obligation to submit obediently to the constitution of governours relating to this matter ; that we readily should observe all solemn times of festivity and rest , which the rulers of church , or state do appoint for the securing or the promoting those purposes of piety , or charity , according to the measure and manner prescribed by them : for reason approving the thing as good and usefull ; and divine order more clearly and fully confirming it to be so , and it not appearing that god hath made express determinations about it , it remains , that it is left wholly to them , to whose care god hath entrusted the publick welfare , and hath committed to their judgments the providing means conducible thereto ; having also consequently injoined us in all lawfull things to follow their guidance and appointment in order thereto . god decreed death to be inflicted on those , who violated his command concerning the sabbath ; which sheweth how great a fault it is to offend in this particular ; and we may reasonably esteem that command to be his , which proceedeth from his ministers by authority from himself , and in conformity to his own pattern . 7. we add , that whereas god required of the jews such a portion of time to be solemnly dedicated to religion , and mercy , we to whom he hath vouchsafed higher benefits , and proposed greater encouragements , cannot reasonably but deem our selves obliged to sequester and consecrate as much or more time to the same intents : we should indeed be content to withdraw our selves more frequently from pursuance of our own profits and pleasures to the service of god , to the remembrance and celebration of his favours : we should willingly allow greater relaxation to our dependents : and should the publick be deficient in exacting a performance of such duties from us , it would become us to supply such defects by our private devoting fit and frequent seasons thereto : that in some proportion we may exceed the jews in gratefull piety , as we surpass them in the matter , and causes thereof ; that we may appear in some degree more charitable than they , as we have much greater reason and obligation to be so then they . so much for this ; i proceed briefly to consider the remaining commandments , the which immediately concern another object : those foregoing did chiefly serve to regulate our religious practice in yielding due reverence toward god ; these following ( which are supposed to have made up the second of those tables , which written by god's hand were delivered to moses , and preserved in the ark of the testimony ) do guide our conversation and carriage toward our neighbour ; in the front of which worthily is placed that which obligeth to dutifulness toward our parents ; unto whom after god , and his supreme vice-gerents we owe the highest respect , gratitude and duty . v. commandment . honour thy father , and thy mother . honour ; the word signifies to have in weighty regard , and aptly serves to denote those particular acts of duty , which are otherwhere expressed in scripture ; fear and reverence ( ye shall fear every man his father and his mother ) observance and obedience ( children obey your parents in all things , for this is well pleasing to god ) gratitude and retribution ( let children learn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to be pious toward their own family ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to render sutable returns , or to requite their parents , for this is good , and acceptable before god. ) regarding their instruction and advice ( my son hear the instruction of thy father , and forsake not the law of thy mother ) it also comprehendeth a prohibition of the contrary acts , contemning , cursing , offering violence or contumely unto , disobedience and contumacy toward parents , the which are forbidden under capital penalties , and dreadfull comminations : cursed be he that setteth light by his father or mother : and , the eye that mocketh at his father , and despiseth to obey his mother , the ravens of the valley shall pick it out , and the young eagles shall eat it ( that is , god in a fearfull and strange manner will avenge that wickedness upon him ) and in the law it is ordained that the rebellious and stubborn son , who will not obey the voice of his father , or the voice of his mother ; and that when they have chastned him , will not hearken unto them , shall be stoned by all the men of his city , and put to death in that manner . whence we may learn the nature of the duty here enjoined , and what rank it beareth among other duties ; what high obligation belongs thereto , of what consideration it is with god , and how grievous a crime the violation thereof is ; that , briefly , we are obliged to yield our parents high affection of heart , great expressions of respect and observance in word and deed ; that the neglect of these duties is , next to that of profaneness and undutifulness toward god himself , the greatest disorder we can be guilty of : this all civil nations have consented to be our duty ; and if we consider the grounds , upon which it is built , we shall find that reason , justice , and necessity do require it : s. paul presseth his precept of observance to parents with , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for this is just and equal : for if we look upon the disposition of parents in their mind toward children , we may presume them always full of tender affection , and good will toward them , full of desire , and care for their good , full of pity and compassion toward them ; in the highest and most especial degree beyond what they bear to others ; which dispositions in reason and equity do require answerable dispositions in those , upon whom they are placed , and who from them do receive inestimable benefits : for if we do regard the effects proceeding from them we shall discern , that 1. from parents children do receive being and life ; that good which nature inclineth so highly to value and tender , as the foundation of all the good , happiness , and comfort we are capable of . 2. they are obliged to their parents for the preservation , maintenance , and protection of their life : it is a long time before we came to be able ( such is the particular condition of man among all living creatures , so ordered on purpose , as it were , to beget this obligation and endearment ) any-wise to provide for , or to defend our selves ; and the doing thereof , in that senseless and helpless state , relies upon the care , pain , and solicitous vigilance of our parents ; the which they are not onely always obliged , but are commonly disposed with admirable willingness to spend on their children . 3. parents not onely thus at first undergo such care and trouble to maintain their children , but by expensive education ( often with much inconvenience and incommodity to themselves ) they provide means for their future support , and subsistence , during life . 4. children are so strictly tied to their parents , as by their willing concession to partake in all the comforts of their state , and ornaments of their fortune . 5. the goods acquired by the parents industry do usually devolve upon their children by inheritance and succession ; whence that children live handsomely and comfortably , is the reward of their parents merit , comes from the store , that they have carefully provided , and laid up for them . 6. to which we may add , that not onely the provision for our temporal necessities and conveniencies dependeth upon our parents , but the care of our souls , and our spiritual welfare is incumbent on them : they are obliged to instruct us in the fear of god , and to set us in the way toward eternal happiness . 7. we may consider also , that all this they do most frankly and out of pure kindness ; without regard to any merit antecedent , or benefit consequent to themselves : as they received nothing to oblige and move them to such performances , so they can seldom hope for answerable returns : it is abundant satisfaction to them if they see their children do well ; their chief delight and contentment is in their childrens good absolutely and abstractedly , without indirect regards to their own advantage . upon these , and the like accompts it appeareth , that as parents have the affections most resembling those of god toward us , as they perform toward us the actions most like to his , as they are the principal instruments of divine providence and bounty ( by which god's blessings are conveyed and conferred upon us ) so they may be deemed in a sort to represent god , and as his most lively images have an especial veneration due to them . god himself , to endear and render himself amiable , or in the most kindly way venerable to us , to engage us to a more ready obedience of him , to declare the nature of our duty toward him , assumes the title of father ; and all nations have agreed to style him so ; reciprocally also , whereas the duties toward other men are termed justice , or charity , or courtesie , or liberality , or gratitude , those toward parents in every language ( i suppose ) are styled piety , implying somewhat divine in the object of those duties ; 't is more than injustice to wrong a parent ; 't is more than uncharitableness to refuse them succour , or relief ; 't is more than discourtesie to be unkind to them ; 't is more than sordid avarice to be in their need illiberal to them ; 't is rather high impiety to offend in any of these kinds . he that returns not love in answer to their tender affection ; that doth not ( as occasion requires , and his ability permits ) requite the benefits received from them , doth not defer to them an especial reverence , in regard to that sacred name and character they bear , thereby intimates , that he would in like manner be unjust , ungratefull , and disingenuous toward god , from whom he hath received the like benefits ; the beginning and continuance of his being ; the preservation , maintenance , and protection of his life : if he will not honour his earthly parents , whom he hath seen , how will he reverence his heavenly father , whom he hath not seen ? so we may according to s. john argue . i might subjoin , that as justice , and ingenuity do enforce this duty , so for the good of the world there is a necessity that it should be observed : if parents are not onely by natural instinct disposed , but by divine command obliged , and by humane law ( the preservation of the world so requiring ) constrained to undergo such hardships for the maintenance , and education of their children , it is fit and necessary they should be supported and encouraged in the bearing them by reciprocal obligations in children to return them dutifull respect , observance , and requital ; the world could not well subsist without children being engaged to these duties : there were no reason to exact , there were no ground to expect , that parents should cheerfully and faithfully discharge their part , upon other terms . to this precept there is added a promise ( and it is , as s. paul observeth , the first precept , that hath a promise formally annexed ; whereby he enforceth his exhortation to the observance thereof . ) that thy days may be long upon the land , which the lord thy god giveth thee . so god expresly promiseth to bless dutifull children with a long life in the comfortable possession of those good things , which he should bestow upon them ; this was the most of reward , explicitly covenanted to the jews , in regard to their obedience : there is also implyed a commination of a contrary curse from god upon the infringers of this law , that they should either be immaturely cut off from life ( as abimelech and absalom were upon this score ) or should draw on a wretched life in banishment from the contents thereof ; by which things respectively are intimated to us the rewards of piety in this kind , or the punishments of impiety in the future state , whereof the land here mentioned was a shadow , or figure : what length of days in canaan was to them , that to us is immortal life in heaven ; what being excluded thence was then , that now is everlasting death , or banishment into the regions of misery . i might also note the congruity of the reward propounded , that they who are gratefull to those from whom , in subordination to god , they received life , shall by god's dispensation enjoy that life long and well ; and that they who neglect the authours of their life , shall soon be deprived of it , or of its comforts . but i find the same reward assigned to the diligent observers of other duties ; particularly to them , who are just in their dealings ; to them who are charitable to the poor ; to them who are meek and patient ; to them who confide in god ; and to all good men that obey god's commandments . i shall onely add farther , that we may , according to analogy and like ground of reason , reduce unto this commandment the obligation we have to honour all those , who perform toward us beneficial offices like unto those , which we receive from our parents ; those who preserve our life by relief , protection or defence ; those who afford us maintenance , or education ; those who watch over us for the good of our body , or of our soul ; those who instruct us , or advise us : such are our governours and magistrates either political or ecclesiastical ; our benefactours and patrons ; our schoolmasters , and tutours ; our especial faithfull friends ; and the like ; but i pass forward . in the subsequent precepts are contained the prime rules of justice toward our neighbour ; the observation of which is not onely most equal and reasonable in it self , but necessary for the preservation of civil society , and publick peace among men ; for the procurement of our safe , and pleasant living and conversing in the world ; men thereby being secured in the quiet enjoyment of god's gifts , and the fruits of their industry , and of whatever is dear and precious to them ; of their lives first ; then of the comforts of their conjugal state ; of their possessions ; of their reputations ; the laws respecting these being here disposed in order , according to the value of their respective objects , in the nature of things , or in the opinion of men , or in regard to the consequences arising from them . vi. commandment . thou shalt not kill . of all good gifts conferr'd upon us none ( according to the natural and common esteem of men ) is more precious than life it self , the foundation of enjoying the rest . god hath therefore reserved the disposal of it entirely to himself , as his special prerogative : neither he that hath it , nor any other person having absolutely any just power or right over it ; no man can take away any man's life , but by commission or licence from god , reasonably presumed to be granted by him : so may god ( the absolute king of the world ) be supposed to have committed to lawfull magistrates , as his vice-gerents and officers , in his name and behalf , upon reasonable cause , for preservation of publick justice , peace , and order , in a lawfull course of justice , to dispose of mens lives , who have forfeited them to the law : ( the magistrate , as s. paul saith , beareth not the sword in vain ; for he is the minister of god ; an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doth evil . ) he hath not forbidden sovereigns ( in case of necessity , and when amicable means will not prevail ) to maintain the safety or welfare of the societies entrusted to their care , even by armed violence , against such as wrongfully invade them , or any wise harm them , and will not otherwise be induced to forbear doing so ; in which case the resolution of such differences ( insomuch as they cannot be tried at any other bar , or composed by other means ) is referred to god's arbitrement ; who is the lord of hosts , the sovereign protectour of right , and dispenser of success ; the souldier in a just cause being then his minister , and carrying a tacit commission from him . god also may be supposed together with life , with a natural love to it , with means to preserve it , to have imparted to every man a right to defend his life , with its necessary supports , against unjust , extreme , and inevitable violence upon it , or them : the slaughter therefore , which may happen in these cases ( or in the like , wherein god hath plainly by a general order , or by special command , or by permission reasonably supposed , conferred on any person a power over his neighbour's lise , in the maintenance of god's own honour , or in subserviency to publick good ) is not concerned in the design , or meaning of this precept : for he that kills another , in a way not irregular , as a minister of justice , or in a lawfull war as a souldier authorized by a sovereign power here under god , or for his own just and necessary defence , doth not , according to the intent of this law , kill ; but rather god himself , the lord of life and death , doth then kill ; the authority of killing so being derived from him , and his work being done thereby : vengeance is his , and he so ( by his instruments ) repays it . but here is forbidden all other voluntary taking away our neighbour's life , when a man acts as a private person ; without just and necessary cause , in any illegal or irregular way ; upon what motive , principle , or end soever ( whether it be out of hatred , spight , envy , revenge ; for our presumed safety , or pretended reparation of honour ; for promoting what interest , or procuring what satisfaction soever to our selves ) by what means soever , either by direct violence , or by fraudulent contrivance ; in an open , or clandestine manner ; immediately by our selves , or by means of others ; by advising , encouraging , any wise becoming instrumental , or accessory thereto . this is the crime expresly prohibited ; but a positive duty should also be understood ; that we are obliged , so far as we are able , to preserve our neighbour's life ; by relieving him in extreme need , by succouring him in extreme danger ; by admonishing him of any destructive mischief , when he appears tending unawares thereinto ; the neglect of which things argueth a murtherous disposition toward our neighbour , is in reasonable esteem , and in god's sight a killing of him ; for we mistake , if we think with cain , that we are not our brother's keepers , or are not bound when we are able to preserve his life . the violation of which commandment is certainly the most heinous sin , that can be committed of all those ▪ which are not immediately directed against god himself , or the persons which peculiarly represent him ; and a sin which never can escape vengeance and due punishment from him . it is the greatest wrong to god ; it is the extremest injury to our neighbour ; it is the highest sort of uncharitableness ; it is a principal offence against publick society . 1. it is an exceeding wrong and affront done unto god ; in assuming the disposal of his gifts ; in dispossessing him of his rights , by robbing him of a creature , of his child , his servant , his subject ( one whose life is precious to him , and toward whom he beareth a tender regard ) an usurping in a high way his sovereign authority , his throne of majesty , his tribunal of justice , his sword of vengeance ; to omit the sacrilege ( as philo speaks ) committed herein by violating god's own image , which every man doth bear . 2. it is also an extreme injury to the person , who is thereby deprived of an unvaluable good , which can no wise be repaired , or compensated : he that loses his life , doth therewith lose all the good he possesseth , or is capable of here , without any possibility of recovering it again : the taking therefore of life can be no sutable revenge , no reasonable satisfaction for any injury or damage received ; it infinitely , in a manner , surpasseth all the evil , which any man can sustain from another in his estate , or fame , or welfare of any kind ; for those things have their measure , and may be capable of some reparation , but this is altogether extreme and irreparable ; and therefore doth include greatest iniquity : add hereto , that not onely all temporal good is hereby at once ravished from a man , but the soul also of the person may incur the greatest damage or hazard in respect to its future estate by being thus snatched away : the slayer not onely robbeth his brother of his temporal life , but of his time of repentance , and opportunity of making peace with god. 3. it is also the highest uncharitableness to deal thus with our neighbour ; arguing that nothing of good will , of pity , of humanity toward him is left in us : to hate his brother to the death is the utmost pitch of hatred . if in imitation of our saviour , and out of respect to him we ought ( as s. john instructeth us ) to be willing to lay down our lives for our brethren ; how enormous a crime , how opposite to christian charity is it to take away our brother's life ? 4. it is likewise a main offence against the publick ; not onely by unlawfully bereaving it of a member and subject , but to its prejudice and dishonour ( yea so far as lies in us to its subversion and dissolution ) assuming to our selves , pulling away from it its rights , and prerogatives of judgment . such briefly is the direct intent , and importance of this law ; but our saviour in his comment hereon hath explained and extended it farther , so as to interdict all , that any wise approaches in nature , or in effect tends unto this heinous evil : he means to obstruct all the springs , and extirpate all the roots thereof ; such as are rash , causeless , outragious , inveterate anger , contumelious and despightfull language , reserving grudges , or spight in our heart , not endeavouring speedily to reconcile our selves to them , who have done us injury or displeasure ; for these things as they commonly do produce the act of murther , so they argue inclinations thereto ( which if fear and self-respect did not restrain , would produce it ) , and consequently in moral accompt , which regardeth not so much the act as the will , are of the same quality therewith ; however they arise from the same bitter root of great uncharitableness ; upon which score s. john telleth us , that he that hateth his brother is a murtherer ; and consequently in effect all malice , and spight , envy , hatred , malignity , rancour , immoderate , and pertinacious anger , and animosity are here prohibited . vii . commandment . thou shalt not commit adultery . after life ( if after that , for this command in the greek translation of exodus ( though not in deuteronomy ) in some places of the new testament , and in sundry ancient writers is placed before that against murther ) nothing commonly is more dear to men , than the comforts of their conjugal estate ; the enjoyment of that special affection , and friendship , together with those instances of benevolence , which by divine institution and mutual contract , ratified by most sacred and solemn promises of fidelity , are reserved peculiar to that state : which enclosures therefore of his neighbour whoever shall invade , or trespass upon , who shall any wise loose or slacken those holy bands , who shall attempt the affection , or chastity of his neighbour's wife , doth most grievously offend god , and committeth ( as joseph , when he was tempted thereto , did call it ) a great evil against god , against his neighbour , against himself , against the common society of men . he violateth an institution , to which god hath affixed especial marks of respect , and sanctity ; he wounds his neighbour's honour , and interest in the most tender part , wherein the content of his mind and comfort of his life are most deeply concerned : he as much ( or rather more ) dishonoureth and abuseth himself , not onely by committing a fact of so high injustice , but by making himself accessory to the basest perfidiousness that can be . [ whoso committeth adultery , lacketh understanding ; he that doth it , destroyeth his own soul ; a wound and dishonour shall he get , and his reproach shall not be wiped away ; for jealousie is the rage of a man , therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance ; he will not regard any ransome , neither will he rest content though thou givest many gifts . ] he also offendeth against the publick quiet , and welfare , breeding inextricable confusions , and implacable dissensions in families , so that hardly from any other cause such tragical events have issued as from this : in fine this crime is , as philo calls it , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a loathsome unrighteousness , most odious to god ; and a fire ( as job representeth it ) that consurneth to destruction . but we must further also consider , that acts of this kind contain also in them another evil ; that persons committing them do not onely so highly wrong their neighbour , but defile themselves also by the foulest turpitude ; in which respect the prohibition of all unlawfull and irregular satisfactions to lustfull appetite ; all compliance with that great enemy of our souls , the flesh ; all kinds of impurity and lasciviousness , not in act onely , but in thought , in speech , in gesture may be reduced to this law : our lord himself doth so interpret it , as to make it include a forbidding of all unchast desires ; and christianity doth in a most strict and special manner oblige us to all kinds of sobriety and modesty , of chastity and purity in body and spirit ; injoining us to abstain from all fleshly lusts , as enemies to our souls , to mortifie our fleshly members ; to possess our vessels ( or bodies ) in sanctity and honour ; not to have any impurity , or filthiness so much as named among us ; nor to suffer a foul word to proceed out of our mouth ; not to defile our bodies , consecrated unto to god , and made temples of the holy spirit ; excluding persons guilty of such things from any title , or capacity of entring into god's kingdom ; in fine representing all such practices as most dishonourable to us , most displeasing to god , most grievous to god's holy spirit ( the fountain of all vertue and goodness ) most contrary to the nature and design of our religion , and most destructive of our souls . viii . commandment . thou shalt not steal . that every man should quietly enjoy those supports and those conveniencies of life , which in any honest manner ( by god's bounty immediately dispensing it , or by god's blessing upon his industry ) he hath acquired the possession of , or right unto , as all reason and equity do require , so it must be acknowledged absolutely necessary for the preservation of common peace , and the maintenance of civil society among men : to secure which purposes , and to encourage honest industry , this law prohibiteth all invasion , or usurpation by any means whatever ( either by open violence , and extortion ; or by clandestine fraud , and surreption ) of our neighbour's proper goods and rights : he that in any way , against his neighbour's knowledge or will , getteth into his power , or detaineth therein what doth in equity belong to his neighbour , and which he can restore to him , doth transgress against the intent of this law ; as we see it interpreted in leviticus ; where it is thus expressed : thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour , nor rob him : defrauding by cunning practice , is no less forbidden , than robbing by violent force . any wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( that is , to deprive our neighbour of his due ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to purloin , or ( by subtle and sly conveyance ) to separate any part of our neighbour's substance from him ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to exact , or extort any thing more than ones due , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to go beyond , or over-reach our neighbour in dealing ; to delude and cozen him by false speeches , or fallacious pretences , are acts in s. paul's expression , to be referred hither ; as so many special acts of theft . i cannot stand to reckon up all the sorts of unrighteousness included here , or reducible to this matter ( such as , beside down-right rapine and cheating , are , fould dealing in bargains and contracts ; using false weights , and measures , withholding the pledge , detaining the labourer's wages from him ; the exercising vexatious , biting , and devouring usuries ; removing bounds of possession , oppressing by undue , or rigorous exaction , corrupting justice for reward or favour , raising gain by unlawfull and shamefull arts , or practices ; consenting , or sharing with , advising , or instigating to these , and the like acts ; these i shall not particularly insist upon ) but shall onely say , that god expresseth great indignation against , and threatneth most severely to punish all acts of this kind : for all ( saith he ) that do such things ( such as use deceitfull measures in trade ) , and all that do unrighteousness are an abomination unto the lord , thy god : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , god ( saith s. paul , speaking against the circumventing , and defrauding our neighbour ) is an avenger for all these kinds of things : nor indeed is the gospel more severe in denunciation of punishment against any crime than this : know ye not , that unjust persons ( saith s. paul , meaning this sort of unjust persons , so most properly and strictly called ) shall not inherit the kingdom of god ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thieves , exactors ( or cheaters ) and rapacious persons make a good party in the catalogue of those , who shall be excluded from eternal bliss . i should add the positive duties , here to be understood , and referr'd to this matter , the which are commended to us in scripture ; such are , diligence and industry in our calling , whereby with god's blessing we may support our selves , preventing the need , and escaping the temptation of encroachment upon our neighbour's property ; ( whereby we may , as saint paul speaketh , have need of nothing , may eat our own bread , may even have wherewith to impart to the needs of others ) contentment in that estate , wherein god hath placed us , how mean soever ; trusting in god , and relying upon his providence ; casting our burthen and care upon him ; who hath promised to sustain us ; who hath said , that he will never leave , or forsake us ; lastly , charitable relief of our neighbour in his need ; for in such a case our neighbour hath a title to the goods we possess ; derived from the appointment and donation of god , who is the absolute proprietor of all we have , we being onely his stewards , and dispensers thereof according to the rules he hath declared ; so that if we do not according to his order , supply our poor neighbour , we are in just estimation , we shall in god's judgment appear to be thieves , both in respect to god himself , and to our neighbour ; for that we thereby detain from god what by original right is his , and bereave our neighbour of what god hath bestowed on him . ix . commandment . thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour . 't is in the hebrew , thou shalt not answer ( to wit being examined , or adjured in judgment ) against thy neighbour as a false witness ; so that primarily , it seems , bearing false testimony against our neighbour ( especially in matters of capital , or of high concernment to him ) is prohibited : yet that not onely this great crime , but that all injurious ( even extrajudicial ) prejudicing our neighbour's reputation , and consequently of his safety , or his welfare in any sort , is forbidden , we may collect from that explication of this law , or that parallel law , which we have in leviticus : thou shalt not ( 't is there said ) go up and down as a talebearer among thy people ; neither shalt thou stand against the bloud of thy neighbour : as a talebearer , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , a merchant , or trader in ill reports and stories concerning our neighbour , to his prejudice ; defaming him , or detracting from him , or breeding in the minds of men an ill opinion of him ; which vile and mischievous practice is otherwhere under several names condemned and reproved ; such are muttering : ( the words of a mutterer , saith the wise man , are as wounds , going into the innermost parts of the belly ) : whispering , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have often in the son of sirach , and in s. paul mentioned with a bad character , or with prohibition , and reproof : supplanting ; ( so in the good man's description , psal. 15. 't is said , he supplants not with his tongue , so the word signifies ) detraction or backbiting ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is so often in the apostolical writings forbidden , and reprehended ; slander , or calumny , and sycophantry ; that is , oppressing , abusing , or any way harming men by false tales , suggestions , or pretences ; which sort of practices how base they are in themselves ( nothing being more unworthy of an honest and ingenuous mind , nothing more ugly to the judgment of them , who have any sense of goodness ) how contrary they are to justice , which doth not permit us to wrong our neighbour , as well in his credit and good name , as in his other goods ( for they perhaps may be as much valued by him , may really be of as much consequence to him , as any thing that he hath ) which bindeth us to abstain from hurting him as well in word , as in deed ; how opposite they are to charity , which obligeth us to think the best of our neighbour , and to endeavour that others also may do so ; to conceal his real faults and blemishes ; much more not to devise , and affix false ones to him ; not to gather and disperse ill reports to his prejudice ; of how mischievous consequence also they are , breeding ill will , and sowing strife in all societies both publick , and private ( even separating chief friends , as the wise man telleth us ) common sense , and experience do shew : they consequently must be very odious in the sight of god , who loveth the peace and welfare of men ; and very offensive to men , who do the mischiefs springing from them . to this law may be reduced our obligations to be candid in our opinions , and discourses concerning others ( according to saint paul's excellent description of charity : ) to forbear all rash and harsh censure , as you know our saviour in his most divine sermon on the mount chargeth us ; to be veracious , sincere and faithfull in all our conversation ; which duties are so often taught and pressed in both testaments : ye shall not ( saith the law ) steal , nor deal falsely , nor lye one to another ; and , to walk uprightly , and work righteousness , and speak the truth from his heart , are the first lineaments in the good man's character drawn by the psalmist : and , these are the things ye shall do ( saith god in the prophet ) speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour ; execute the judgment of truth , and peace in your gates : and in the new testament , to lay aside lying , to speak the truth every man with his neighbour ; to lay aside all malice , all guile , all hypocrisies , envyings and backbitings are apostolical commands . x. commandment . thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house ; thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife ; nor his man-servant , nor his maid-servant , nor his oxe , nor his ass , nor any thing that is thy neighbour's . this law is comprehensive , and recapitulatory ( as it were ) of the rest concerning our neighbour , prescribing universal justice toward him ( whence s. mark it seems meaneth to render it in one word , by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , deprive not , or bereave not your neighbour of any thing ) and this not onely in outward deed , and dealing , but in inward thought , and desire , the spring , whence they do issue forth ( for , from the heart , as our saviour teacheth , do proceed evil thoughts , murthers , adulteries , fornications , thefts , false witness , blasphemies ) we are obliged to be so far from depriving our neighbour of any good thing belonging to him ; that we are not so much as to wish , or desire it ; not onely to abstain from injurious action , but to repress covetous inclinations : wherein is also implyed , that we should have a delight and complacence in our neighbour's good ; not envying him any enjoyment ; being in our minds content with the portion god pleaseth to vouchsafe us ; and entirely trusting in him , that he will supply us with what is needfull or befitting to us , without the damage of our neighbour . thus god's law is as saint paul observed ) spiritual ; not onely restraining exteriour acts , but regulating our inmost thoughts , quelling all inordinate appetites and affections of heart within us ; the which may be extended so as to respect not onely matters of justice toward our neighbour , but all objects whatever of our practice ; so as to import that , which in the christian law is so frequently injoined us , as the life of our religion , circumcising our hearts , crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires , mortifying our earthly members , putting to death by the spirit the deeds of the body , putting off the old man , which is corrupted according to deceitfull lusts : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , thou shalt not unlawfully or irregularly desire doth , according to the spiritual intent , import all this . i have done ; and shall onely add , that the sum and end of these , and all other good laws , of all religion , and all our duty is ( as we often are taught in the new testament ) comprized in those two rules , of loving god with all our heart , and , loving our neighbour as our selves ; seriously and honestly attending unto which we can hardly fail of knowing what in any case our duty is ; it remains that we employ our best care and endeavour on the conscientious practice thereof ; imploring therewith the assistance of god's grace , and that good spirit , which god hath most graciously promised to those , who duly ask it , by which alone we can be enabled to keep god's commandments : to him be all glory and praise . amen . the doctrine of the sacraments . the doctrine of the sacraments . it is a peculiar excellency of our religion , that it doth not much employ mens care , pains , and time , about matters of ceremonial observance ; but doth chiefly ( and in a manner wholly ) exercise them in works of substantial duty , agreeable to reason , perfective of man's nature , productive of true glory to god , and solid benefit to men . it s design is not to amuse our fancies with empty shews , nor to take up our endeavours in fruitless performances , but to render us truly good , and like unto god ; first in interior disposition of mind , then in exterior practice ; full of hearty love and reverence to god , of tender charity and good will toward men , of moderation and purity in the enjoyment of these things ; of all true piety and vertue ; whereby we may become qualified for that life of bliss which it tendereth and promiseth ; for conversation in that holy society above , to which it designeth and calleth us . yet because fancy is naturally a medium , and an effectual instrument of action ; and because sensible objects are apt strongly to affect our minds ; it hath pleased the divine wisdom to apply them , in fit measure , and to sanctify them to those good purposes , by appointing some few solemn and significant rites to be observed by us , being in their own nature proper and useful , and by god designed to declare his mind , and gracious intents to us ; to consign and convey his grace into our souls , to confirm our faith in him , to raise our devotion toward him , to quicken our resolutions of obeying his will ; to enable and excite us to the practice of those great duties which he requireth of us : * our lord jesus christ , saith s. austin , hath subjected us to his gentle yoke , and light burthen ; whence with sacraments most few in number , most easy for observance , most excellent in signification he bound together the society of new people . and , the mercy of god ( saith he again ) would have religion free , by the celebration of a most few , and most clear sacraments . of these there appear two ( and s. austin in the place cited could instance in no more ) of general and principal use , instituted by our lord hismelf ; which , because they represent to us somewhat not subject to sense , and have a secret influence upon us ; because what is intended by them , is not immediately discernible by what is done , without some explication , ( their significancy being not wholly grounded in the nature , but depending upon arbitrary institution , as that of words , which is of kin to them ; whence s. austin calls a sacrament , verbum visibile ) have usually been called mysteries , ( that is , actions of a close and occult importance , of deeper meaning and design , than is obvious to ordinary perception ) and thence are also called sacraments , for no other reason , i conceive , then because the ancientest translators of the bible into latin , did usually render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the word sacramentum ; whence every thing containing under it somewhat of abstruse meaning , is by ancient writers termed a sacrament . ( so tertullian calls all christianity the sacrament of christian religion ; and * elisha's ax he calls the sacrament of wood ; and s. austin speaks of the sacrament of bread , of fish , of numbers , of the rock , &c. in short , he says of all signs , that when they belong to divine things , they are called sacraments † ; which shews to how small purpose the disputes are , yea on what small grounds the decrees are , concerning the number , general nature , and efficacy of sacraments ; for where a name or form of a sacrament is of so large , ambiguous , and indeterminate signification , there can be nothing but confusion in the disputes about it ) but those which chiefly at least , and in way of eminency have obtained this name , are those two instituted by our lord , baptism , and the lord's supper ; of which i shall in order discourse ; and so of each , as very briefly to consider the occasion of their institution , the actions injoined in them ; the nature of them , or wherein their mystery doth consist , the ends for which they were intended , and the effects they produce ; together with the dispositions and duties ( antecedent , concomitant , and consequent ) required of us in the use and practice of them . and first , of baptism . there were , ( as the apostle to the hebrews telleth us ) in sacred use among the jews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , several kinds of baptisms . the learned in their laws and customs teach , that they never did receive any person into their covenant , whether that which was more strict ( to which natural jews , and proselytes of righteousness were tyed ) or that which was more lax , with which strangers and proselytes of the gate did comply , without a baptism . and that priests and levites entring into their office , were to be sanctifyed by washing with water , we see plainly prescribed in their law ; likewise that all persons , who had contracted any kind of defilement , were purified by the like ceremony , particularly children new-born , is expressed there . moreover , that it was in use for persons , who were conscious to themselves of having trangressed god's law , being in god's name invited by some person of eminent authority ( a prophet , or like a prophet , one commissionated by god ) unto repentance , and amendment of life , to be washed by him , in testimony of their stedfast purpose to amend ; and in hope to obtain pardon from god of their past offences , and to be reinstated in his favour , appears probable by s. john the baptist his undertaking , and the success thereof . for if the manner of his proceeding had been altogether unusual , and unknown , so many it seems would not so readily ( without any stir or obstacle ) have complyed therewith ; especially among the scribes and pharisees , those zealous adherents to traditionary practice , who to maintain their credit and interest with the people , were so averse from all appearance of novelty . this practice then of washing in so many cases , and to so many purposes customary among god's people , to signify mens entring into a new state or course of life , being withal most apt and proper for his design , our blessed saviour , who never favoured needless innovations , was pleased to assume and impose upon the disciples and followers of his religion , accommodating it to those holy purposes , which we shall now endeavour to declare . what the action it self enjoined is , what the manner and form thereof , is apparent by the words of our lord's institution ; going forth therefore , ( saith he ) teach ( or disciple ) all nations , baptizing them in the name of the father , and of the son , and of the holy ghost , teaching them to observe all things which i have commanded you . the action is baptizing , or immersing in water ; the object thereof , those persons of any nation , whom his ministers can by their instruction and perswasion render disciples , that is , such as do sincerely believe the truth of his doctrine , and seriously resolve to obey his commandments . it is performed in the name ; that is , it is ministred by the authority , and bears special relation unto the persons of the blessed trinity , as the chief objects of the faith professed , and the sole objects of the obedience undertaken therein ; as exhibiting gracious favours unto the person baptized , and as receiving special obligations from him . such is the action it self declared to be ; the mystery thereof consists in its being a notable sign to represent , and an authentick seal to ratify the collation then made of certain great benefits to us ; and our undertaking correspondent duties toward god. the benefits which god then signifies , and ( upon due terms ) engageth to confer on us , are these : 1. the purgation or absolution of us from the guilt of past offences , by a free and full remission of them , ( the which washing by water , cleansing from all stains , doth most appositely represent ) and consequently god's being reconciled unto us , his receiving us into a state of grace and favour , his freely justifying us , ( that is , looking upon us , or treating us as just and innocent persons , although before we stood guilty of heinous sins , and thereupon lyable to grievous punishments ) that these benefits are conferred in baptism , many places of scripture plainly shew ; [ and the primitive church , with most firm and unanimous consent , did believe * . ] and now ( said ananias to s. paul ) why dost thou tarry ? arise and be baptized , and wash away thy sins . and , repent ( saith s. peter , preaching to the jews ) and let every one of you be baptized for the remission of sins . and , christ ( saith s. paul again to the ephesians ) loved his church , and delivered himself for it , that he might sanctify it , purging it by the washing of water , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( that is , he effectually in baptism consigned to the members of his church , that mercy and remission of sins , which he purchased and merited by his passion ) . and again , such ( saith he to the corinthians ) were some of you , ( that is , ye were persons guilty of heinous sins ) but ye have been washed , ye have been sanctifyed , ye have been justified in the name of our lord , and by the spirit of our god ; where , having been washed in christ's name , doth ( in congruity with what is said in other places ) denote baptism in his name ; being sanctified and justified , do express the first benefits accompanying that baptism . and indeed , where-ever a general remission of sins , or a full sanctification , or consecration , and justification , or consecration , and justification of mens persons in god's sight , are mentioned ; that remission of sins , that separation , or dedication unto god's service , that reception into grace , which are consigned in baptism , are ( i conceive ) understood ; there being no other season or occasion , wherein ordinarily and visibly god doth exhibit those benefits . it may be demanded , how children , by reason of their innocent age , are capable of these benefits ; how they can be pardoned , who never had offended , how they can be justified , who never were capable of being unjust ? i briefly answer , that because they come from that race , which by sin had forfeited god's favour , and had alienated it self from him ; because also they have in them those seeds of pravity from which afterward certainly , life continuing , ( without god's restraining grace ) will sprout forth innumerable evil actions ; therefore that god overlooking all the defects of their nature , both relative , and absolute , or personal , doth assume them into his special favour , is no small benefit to them , answerable to the remission of actual sin , and restitution from the state consequent thereon in others . 2. in baptism , the gift of god's holy spirit is conferred , qualifying us for the state into which we then come , and enabling us to perform the duties we then undertake , which otherwise we should be unable to perform ; for purification of our hearts from vitious inclinations , and desires ; for begetting holy dispositions , and affections in our souls ; for to guide and instruct us , to sustain and strengthen us , to encourage and comfort us in all the course of christian piety : the which effects are well also figured by water , which purifieth things both from inherent and adherent filth . that this benefit is annexed to baptism , the scripture also teacheth us : be baptized ( saith s. peter ) in the name of christ to the remission of sins , and ye shall receive the gift of the holy ghost : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , we being baptized in one body , are made to drink of one spirit , saith s. paul : and with the * laver of regeneration , s. paul again joineth the renovation of the holy ghost : and it is represented as an advantage of our saviour's baptism above that of john , that our lord not only baptized with water to repentance , but with the holy ghost , and fire . some preventing operations of the holy ghost ( whereby god freely draweth men to christianity , persuading their minds to assent thereto , inspiring their hearts with resolutions to comply with it ) do precede baptism ; but a more full communication thereof ( due by compact , assured by promise ) for the confirming , and maintaining us in the firm belief , and constant practice of christianity , is consequent thereon ; after ye had believed , ye were sealed by the holy spirit of promise , saith s. paul : to signify which benefit then conferr'd , the ancient christians did to baptism annex the chrism , or holy unction , signifying the collation of that healing and chearing spirit to the baptized person ; that which s. paul may seem to respect , when he saith , he that establisheth ( or confirmeth ) us with you into christ , and who hath anointed us , is god ; who also hath sealed us , and hath given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts . 3. with those gifts is connected the benefit of regeneration , implying our entrance into a new state and course of life ; being endowed with new faculties , dispositions , and capacities of souls , becoming new creatures , and new men , as it were , renewed after the likeness of god in righteousness and true holiness , our being sanctified in our hearts and lives ; being mortified to fleshly lusts , and worldly affections ; being quickned to a spiritual life , and heavenly conversation : in short , becoming in relation and in disposition of mind , the children of god. this the matter , and the action of baptism doth set out ; for as children new born , ( for cleansing them from impurities adherent from the womb ) both among the jews and other people , were wont to be washed ; so are we in baptism , signifying our purification from natural and worldly defilements : the mersion also in water , and the emersion thence , doth figure our death to the former , and receiving to a new life . whence baptism is by s. paul called the laver of regeneration ; and our lord saith , that , if a man be not born again of water and the spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdom of god ; that is , every one becoming a christian , is by baptism regenerated , or put into a new state of life , getteth new dispositions of soul , and new relations to god. ye are all ( saith s. paul ) the children of god by faith in christ jesus ; that is , by embracing his doctrine , and submitting to his law professedly in baptism . and , we ( saith s. paul again ) are buried with christ through baptism unto death ; that as christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the father , so also we should walk in newness of life . 4. with these benefits is conjoined that of being inserted into god's church , his family , the number of his chosen people , the mystical body of christ , whereby we become entitled to the privileges and immunities of that heavenly corporation . we ( saith s. paul ) have been all baptized in one spirit into one body , the mystical body of christ : and , so many of you ( saith he again ) as have been baptized into christ , ( into christ mystical , or the church ) have put on christ , and ye are ( adds he ) all one in christ jesus . as proselytes among the jews by baptism were admitted unto the communion , and privileges of the jewish ; so thereby are we received into the like communion and privileges of the christian , far more excellent , society . 5. in consequence of these things , there is with baptism conferred a capacity of , a title unto , an assurance ( under condition of persevering in faith and obedience to our lord ) of eternal life and salvation . we are therein , in s. peter's words , regenerated unto a lively hope of an incorruptible inheritance , by that resurrection of christ , which is represented to us in this action ; and so therein applied , as to beget in us a title and a hope to rise again in like manner to a blissful life ; whence we are said therein to rise with him : being , saith s. paul , buried with him in baptism , wherein also we were raised again : whence by the two great apostles , baptism is said to save us : baptism ( saith s. peter ) the antitype of the delivery in the flood , doth save us , that is , admitteth us into the ark , putteth us into the sure way of salvation ; and , god ( saith s. paul ) according to his mercy saved us , by the laver of regeneration ; and , he that shall believe , and shall be baptized , shall be saved , is our saviour's own word and promise ; shall be saved , that is , shall be put into a state and way of salvation , continuing in which state , proceeding in which way he assuredly shall be saved : for faith there denoteth perseverance in faith , and baptism implyeth performance of the conditions therein undertaken ; which next is to be considered . for as this holy rite signifieth , and sealeth god's collation of so many great benefits on us ; so it also implyeth , and on our part ratifieth our obligation , then in an especial manner commencing , to several most important duties toward him . it implyeth , that we are in mind fully persuaded concerning the truth of that doctrine , which god the father revealed by his blessed son , and confirmed by the miraculous operation of the holy ghost ; we therein profess our humble and thankful embracing the overtures of mercy and grace , purchased for us by our saviour's meritorious undertaking and performances , the which are then exhibited and tendred to us ; we therein declare our hearty resolution to forsake all wicked courses of life , repugnant to the doctrine and law of christ ; fully to conform our lives to his will , living thereafter in all piety , righteousness , and sobriety , as loyal subjects , faithful servants , and dutiful children to god ; in brief , we therein are bound , renouncing all erroneous principles , all vitious inclinations , and all other engagements whatever , entirely to devote our selves to the faith and obedience of god the father , our glorious and good maker ; of god the son our gracious redeemer ; of god the holy ghost our blessed guide , assistant , advocate , and comforter : these are the duties antecedent unto , and concomitant of our baptism ( immediately and formally required of those , who are capable of performing them , mediately and virtually of them who are not ) the which are signified by our being baptized in the name of the holy trinity . these duties the scripture commonly expresseth by the word , faith and repentance ; sometimes singly , sometimes conjunctly : if ( said philip to the eunuch ) thou believest with thy heart it is lawful ( for thee to be baptized ) ; faith was an indispensible condition prerequisite thereto ; and , repent ( saith s. peter ) and let every of you be baptized ; repentance also was necessary to precede it ; indeed both these ( as they are meant in this case ) do in effect signify the same ; each importeth a being renewed in mind , in judgment , in will , in affection ; a serious embracing of christ's doctrine , and a stedfast resolution to adhere thereto in practice . hence are those effects , or consequences attributed to faith ; justifying us , reconciling and bringing us near to god , saying us ; because it is the necessary condition required by god , and by him accepted , that we may be capable of these benefits conferred in baptism ; the same being also referr'd to that repentance , or change of mind , which must accompany our entrance into christianity ; that good conscience , with which we stipulate a perpetual devotion and obedience to god , the which therefore doth ( as s. peter telleth us ) save us ; it contributing to our salvation , as a duty necessarily required in order thereto . this is that death to sin , and resurrection to righteousness , that being buried with christ , and rising again with him , so as to walk in newness of life , which the baptismal action signifies , and which we then really undertake to perform . and as such are the duties preceding or accompanying baptism ; so making good the engagements they contain , constantly persisting in them , maintaining and improving them , are duties necessarily consequent thereupon . having ( saith the apostle ) had our bodies washed with pure water , let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering . we should indeed continually remember , frequently and seriously consider , what in so solemn a manner we ( upon so valuable considerations ) did then undertake , promise , and vow to god , diligently striving to perform it ; for violating our part of the covenant , and stipulation then made , by apostacy in profession or practice from god and goodness , we certainly must forfeit those inestimable benefits , which god otherwise hath tied himself to bestow ; the pardon of our sins , the favour of god , the being members of christ , the grace , guidance , assistance , and comfort of the holy spirit ; the right unto , and hope of salvation . we so doing , shall not only simply disobey , and offend god ; but add the highest breach of fidelity to our disobedience , together with the most heinous ingratitude , abusing the greatest grace that could be vouchsafed us : if we wilfully sin , after we have taken the acknowledgment of the truth , ( saith the apostle , meaning that solmen profession of our faith in baptism ) we trample under foot the son of god ; we profane the blood of the covenant ; we do despite unto the spirit of grace ; and incurring so deep guilt , we must expect sutable punishment . but i proceed to the other sacrament , the eucharist . among the wonderful works of power , and grace performed by god almighty , in favour of the children of israel , and in order to their delivery from the egyptian slavery , a most signal one , was the smiting the first-born in every house of the egyptians , and passing over the houses of the children of israel ; wherein god declared his just wrath against their cruel oppressors , depriving them in a sudden and dreadful manner of what was nearest and dearest to them ; and his gracious mercy toward them , in preserving what was alike dear to them from so woful a calamity ; thus ( as the text expresseth it ) putting a difference between the egyptians and the children of israel . now that the memory of so remarkable a mercy might be preserved , that their affections might be raised to a strong sense of god's goodness , and their faith in them confirmed , so as in the like need to hope for the same favourable help and protection , by the consideration of so notable an experiment , it pleased god to appoint a sacrament , or mysterious rite to be annually celebrated , representing and recalling to mind , that act of god , wherein his special kindness was so eminently demonstrated toward his people : the same also ( as did other rites and sacrifices , instituted by god among that people ) looking directly forward upon that other great delivery from sin and hell , which god in mercy designed toward mankind , to be atchieved by our saviour ; prefiguring , that the souls of them who should be willing to forsake the spiritual bondage of sin , should be saved from the ruin coming upon them who would abide therein ; god regarding the blood of our saviour ( that immaculate lamb , sacrificed for them ) sprinkled upon the doors of their houses , that is , by hearty faith and repentance , applyed to their consciences . the occasion of celebrating which holy rite , our saviour we see did improve to the institution of this sacrament , most agreeing therewith in design , as representative and commemorative of the greatest blessing and mercy that we are capable of having vouchsafed to us ; some part of that ancient rite , or sacrifice ( which was most suitable to the special purposes of this institution , and most conformable to the general constitution of the christian religion , whereby all bloody sacrifices are abolished ) being retained in this . the action it self ( or rather the whole rite , consisting of divers actions ) we see plainly described in the gospels , and in the first epistle of s. paul to the corinthians ; distinguishable into these chief parts . 1. the benediction and consecration ( by prayer and thanksgiving ) of bread and wine . 2. the breaking of bread , and handling the cup. 3. the delivery and distribution of them to the persons present . 4. the declaration accompanying that delivery , that those symbolical things and actions did represent our saviour's body given and broken , our saviour's blood shed and poured out for us , in sanction of the new covenant . 5. the actual partaking of those symbols , by eating the bread , and drinking the wine , done by all present . these things we find done at the first institution and exemplary practice of this holy ceremony ; the which our saviour obliged us to imitate , saying , do this in remembrance of me . there followeth , in s. matthew and s. mark , presently after the narration concerning these particulars , — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and having sung a hymn , they went to the mount of olives : which action was indeed in it self proper to conclude the practice of this holy rite , yet what reference it hath thereto , cannot thence be determined ; however with these the church hath always joined several acts of devotion ( confessions , prayers , praises , thanksgivings , intercessions , vows ) suitable to the nature and design of the sacrament , apt to glorify god , and edify the faithful in the celebration thereof . such is the practice it self instituted and injoined by our saviour ; the mysterious importance thereof , as we find it explained in holy scripture , ( the only solid and sure ground , upon which we can build the explication of supernatural mysteries ) consisteth chiefly in these particulars : 1. it was intended for a commemorative representation of our saviour's passion for us ; fit to mind us of it , to move us to consider it , to beget affections in us , suitable to the memory and consideration thereof : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do this ( saith our lord ) for my remembrance , or in commemoration of me ; that is so , as thereby to have raised in you a reflection of mind and heart upon those grievous pains , which i shall have endured for your sake , to procure for you a remission of sins , and reconciliation to god : and , so often ( saith s. paul ) as you eat this bread , and drink this cup , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ye tell forth ( or significantly express ) the death of our lord till he come , or during his absence from us . the suffering of our saviour ( the most wonderful act of goodness and charity , that ever was performed in the world , which produced effects of highest consequence to our benefit , the consideration whereof is apt to work the best dispositions of piety in us ) should very frequently be present to our thoughts and affections ; and that it may be so with advantage , such a solemn and sensible representation thereof is very conducible ; wherein we behold him crucified , as it were in effigie , his body broken , his blood poured out for us ; it being in a sort a putting us into the circumstances of those , who did behold our saviour for us hanging upon the cross. our lord being absent in body from us , ( sitting in heaven at god's right hand ) to supply that absence , that we should not be apt to forget him , and thereby become wholly estranged from him , is pleased to order this occasion of being present , and conversing with us , in such a manner , as may retain in our memories his gracious performances for us ; may impress in our hearts a kindly sense of them ; may raise us up in mind and affection to him . 2. the benefits consequent upon our saviour's passion , rightly apprehended , heartily believed , seriously considered by us , are hereby lively represented , and effectually conveyed ; to the sustenance and nourishment of our spiritual life , to the refreshment and comfort of our souls . it is a holy feast , a spiritual repast , a divine entertainment , to which god in kindness invites us ; to which if we come with well-disposed minds , he there feeds us with most holy and delicious viands , with heavenly manna , with most reviving and cherishing liquor . bread is the staff of life , the most common , most necessary , and most wholsome , and most savory meat ; wine is the most pleasant and wholsome also , the most sprightly and cordial drink ; by them therefore our lord chose to represent that body and blood , by the oblation of which a capacity of life and health was procured to mankind ; the taking in which by right apprehension , tasting it by hearty faith , digesting it by careful attention and meditation , converting it into our substance by devout , grateful , and holy affections , joined with serious and steady resolutions of living answerable thereto , will certainly support and maintain our spiritual life in a vigorous health , and happy growth of grace ; refreshing our hearts with comfort and satisfaction unspeakable ; he that doth thus , eats our saviour's flesh , and drinks his blood , ( that is , who as our saviour interpreteth it , doth believe in him ; that belief importing all other acts of mind and will , connected with right persuasions concerning him ) hath eternal life , and shall live for ever , as himself declares and promises : which benefits therefore in the due performance of this holy duty , are conveyed unto us . 3. this sacrament declares that union , which good christians partaking thereof have with christ ; their mystical insertion into him , by a close dependence upon him for spiritual life , mercy , grace , and salvation ; a constant adherence to him by faith and obedience , a near conformity to him in mind and affection ; an inseparable conjunction with him , by the strictest bands of fidelity , and by the most endearing relations : which things could not more fitly be set out , than by the partaking our best and most necessary food ; which being taken in , soon becomes united to us , assimilated and converted into our substance ; thereby renewing our strength , and repairing the decays of our nature : wherefore , he ( saith our saviour ) that eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , abides in me , and i in him ; and , the cup of blessing ( saith s. paul ) which we bless , is it not the communion of the blood of christ ? the bread which we break , is it not the communion of the body of christ ? we in the outward action , partake of the symbols representing our saviour's body and blood ; we in the spiritual intention , communicate of his very person , being ( according to the manner insinuated ) intimately united to him . 4. by this sacrament consequently is signified and sealed that union , which is among our saviour's true disciples communicating therein ; their being together united in consent of mind , and unity of faith ; in mutual good will and affection , in hope and tendency to the same blessed end , in spiritual brotherhood and society ; especially upon account of their communion with christ , which most closely ties them one to another ; they partaking of this one individual food , become translated , as it were , into one body and substance : seeing ( saith s. paul ) we being many , are one bread , one body ; for all of us do partake of one bread. in the representing , produceing , and promoting these things , we are taught the mystery of this sacrament doth consist ; it was designed as a proper and efficacious instrument , to raise in us pious affections toward our good god , and gracious redeemer ; to dispose us to all holy practice ; to confirm our faith , to nourish our hope , to quicken our resolutions of walking carefully in the ways of duty ; to unite us more fastly to our saviour , and to combine us in charity one toward another ; the accomplishing of which intents thereof , doth suppose our faithful and diligent concurrence in the use thereof ; whence arise many duties incumbent upon us in respect thereto , some antecedent , some concomitant , some consequent to the use thereof . 1. before we address our selves to the partaking of this venerable mystery , we should consider whither we are going , what is the nature and importance of the action we set our selves about ; that we are approaching to our lord's table , ( so s. paul calleth it ) to come into his more especial presence , to be entertained by him with the dearest welcome , and the best chear that can be ; to receive the fullest testimonies of his mercy , and the surest pledges of his favour toward us ; that we are going to behold our lord in tenderest love , offering up himself a sacrifice to god , therein undergoing the sorest pains , and foulest disgraces for our good and salvation ; that we ought therefore to bring with us dispositions of soul , suitable to such an access unto , such an entercourse with our gracious lord. had we the honour and favour to be invited to the table of a great prince , what especial care should we have to dress our bodies in a clean and decent garb , to compose our minds in order to expression of all due respect to him ; to bring nothing about us noisome or ugly , that might offend his sight , or displease his mind ? the like surely , and greater care we should apply , when we thus being called , do go into god's presence and communion . we should , in preparation thereto , with all our power , endeavour to cleanse our souls from all impurity of thought and desire ; from all iniquity and perverseness ; from all malice , envy , hatred , anger , and all such evil dispositions , which are most offensive to god's all-piercing sight , and unbeseeming his glorious presence ; we should dress our souls with all those comely ornaments of grace ( with purity , humility , meekness , and charity ) which will render us acceptable and well-pleasing to him : we should compose our minds into a frame of reverence and awful regard to the majesty of god , into a lowly , calm , and tender disposition of heart , apt to express all respect due to his presence , fit to admit the gracious illapses of his holy spirit ; very susceptive of all holy and heavenly affections , which are sutable to such a communion , or may spring from it . we should therefore remove and abandon from us , not only all vitious inclinations , and evil purposes ; but even all worldly cares , desires , and passions , which may distract , or discompose us , that may dull or deject us , that may cause us to behave our selves indecently or unworthily before god , that may bereave us of the excellent fruits from so blessed an entertainment . to these purposes we should , according to s. paul's advice , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , examine and approve our selves ; considering our past actions , and our present inclinations , and accordingly , by serious meditation , and fervent prayer to god for his gracious assistance therein , working our souls into a hearty remorse for our past miscarriages , and a sincere resolution to amend for the future ; forsaking all sin , endeavouring in all our actions to serve and please god ; purging out ( as s. paul again injoineth us ) the old leaven of vice and wickedness ; so that we may feast , and celebrate this passeover , in which christ is mystically sacrificed for us , in the unleavened dispositions of sincerity and truth . such are the duties previous to our partaking this sacrament . 2. those duties which accompany it , are a reverent and devout affection of heart , with a suitable behaviour therein ; an awful sense of mind befitting the majesty of that presence wherein we do appear , answerable to the greatness , and goodness , and holiness of him , with whom we converse ; becoming the sacredness of those mysteries , which are exhibited to us , ( that which s. paul seemeth to call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to discern or distinguish our lord's body ; that is , yielding a peculiar reverence of mind and behaviour in regard thereto ) a devotion of heart , consisting in hearty contrition for our sins , which did expose our saviour to the enduring such pains , then remembred ; in firm resolution to forsake the like thereafter , as injurious , dishonourable , and displeasing to him ; in fervent love of him , as full of so wonderful goodness and charity toward us ; in most hearty thankfulness for those unconceivably great expressions of kindness toward us ; in deepest humility , upon sense of our unworthiness , to receive such testimonies of grace and favour from him , ( our unworthiness to eat the crumbs that fall from his table , how much more to be admitted into such degrees of honourable communion , and familiarity , of close conjunction and union with him ? ) of pious joy in consideration of the excellent privileges herein imparted , and of the blessed fruits accruing to us from his gracious performances ; in a comfortable hope of obtaining and enjoying the benefits of his obedience and passion , by the assistance of his grace ; in steady faith , and full persuasion of mind , that he is ( supposing our dutiful compliance ) ready to bestow upon us all the blessings then exhibited ; in attentively fixing the eyes of our mind , and all the powers of our soul ( our understanding , will , memory , fancy , affection ) upon him , as willingly pouring forth his life for our salvation ; lastly , in motions of enlarged good-will and charity toward all our brethren for his sake , in obedience to his will , and in imitation of him ; such-like duties should attend our participation of this holy sacrament . 3. the effects of having duly performed which , should appear in the practice of those duties , which are consequent thereon ; being such as these ; an increase of all pious inclinations and affections , expressing themselves in a real amendment of our lives , and producing more goodly fruits of obedience ; the thorough digestion of that spiritual nourishment by our becoming more fastly knit to our saviour by higher degrees of faith and love ; the maintaining a more lively sense of his superabundant goodness ; the cherishing those influences of grace , which descend upon our hearts in this communion , and improving them to nearer degrees of perfection in all piety and vertue ; a watchful care , and endeavour in our lives to approve our selves in some measure worthy of that great honour and favour , which god hath vouchsafed us in admitting us to so near approaches to himself ; an earnest pursuance of the resolutions , performance of the vows , making good the engagements , which in so solemn a manner , upon so great an occasion we made , and offered up unto our god and saviour ; finally , the considering , that by the breach of such resolutions , by the violation of such engagements , our sins receiving so mighty aggravation of vain inconstancy and wicked perfidiousness , our guilt will hugely be increased ; our souls relapsing into so grievous distemper , our spiritual strength will be exceedingly impaired ; consequently hence our true comforts will be abated , our best hopes will be shaken ; our eternal state will be desperately endangered . there is one duty which i should not forbear to touch , concerning this sacrament , that is , our gladly embracing any opportunity presented of communicating therein ; the doing so , being not only our duty , but a great aid and instrument of piety ; the neglecting it a grievous sin , and productive of great mischiefs to us . the primitive christians did very frequently use it , partaking therein , as it seems at every time of their meeting for god's service ; it is said of them , by s. luke , that they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine , and communion , and in breaking of bread , and in prayers ; and , when you meet together , it is not ( as according to the intent and duty of meeting it should be ) to eat the lord's supper , saith s. paul : and just. martyr in his second apologie , describing the religious service of god in their assemblies , mentioneth it as a constant part thereof ; and epiphanius reporteth it as a custom in the church , derived from apostolical institution , to celebrate the eucharist thrice every week , that is , so often as they did meet to pray and praise god ; which practice may well be conceived , a great means of kindling and preserving in them that holy fervour of piety , which they so illustriously expressed in their conversation , and in their gladsome suffering for christ's sake : and the remitting of that frequency , as it is certainly a sign and an effect , so in part it may possibly be reckoned a cause of the degeneracy of christian practice , into that great coldness and slackness which afterward did seize upon it , and now doth apparently keep it in a languishing and half-dying state . the rarer occasions therefore we now have of performing this duty , ( the which indeed was always esteemed the principal office of god's service ) of enjoying this benefit , ( the being deprived whereof , was also deemed the greatest punishment and infelicity that could arrive to a christian ) the more ready we should be to embrace them . if we dread god's displeasure , if we value our lord and his benefits , if we tender the life , health , and welfare of our souls , we shall not neglect it ; for how can we but extreamly offend god by so extream rudeness , that when he kindly invites us to his table , we are averse from coming thither , or utterly refuse it ? that when he calleth us into his presence , we run from him ; that when he , with his own hand , offereth us inestimable mercies and blessings , we reject them ? it is not only the breach of god's command , who enjoined us to do this , but a direct contempt of his favour and goodness , most clearly and largely exhibited in this office. and how can we bear any regard to our lord , or be any wise sensible of his gracious performances in our behalf , if we are unwilling to join in thankful and joyful commemoration of them ? how little do we love our own souls , if we suffer them to pine and starve for want of that food , which god here dispenseth for its sustenance and comfort ; if we bereave them of enjoying so high a privilege , so inestimable a benefit , so incomparable pleasures as are to be found and felt in this service , or do spring and flow from it ? what reasonable excuse can we frame for such neglect ? are we otherwise employed ? what business can there be more important , than serving god , and saying our own souls ? is it wisdom , in pursuance of any the greatest affair here , to disregard the principal concern of our souls ? do we think our selves unfit and unworthy to appear in god's presence ? but is any man unworthy to obey god's commands ? is any man unfit to implore and partake of god's mercy , if he be not unwilling to do it ? what unworthiness should hinder us from remembring our lord's excessive charity towards us , and thanking him for it ? from praying for his grace ; from resolving to amend our lives ? must we , because we are unworthy , continue so still , by shunning the means of correcting and curing us ? must we encrease our unworthiness , by transgressing our duty ? if we esteem things well , the conscience of our sinfulness should rather drive us to it , as to our medicine , than detain us from it . there is no man indeed , who must not conceive and confess himself unworthy ; therefore must no man come thither at god's call ? if we have a sense of our sins , and a mind to leave them ; if we have a sense of god's goodness , and a heart to thank him for it ; we are so worthy , that we shall be kindly received there , and graciously rewarded . if we will not take a little care to work these dispositions in us , we are indeed unworthy ; but the being so , from our own perverse negligence , is a bad excuse for the neglect of our duty . in fine , i dare say , that he , who with an honest meaning ( altho with an imperfect devotion ) doth address himself to the performance of this duty , is far more excusable , than he that upon whatever score declineth it ; no scrupulous shiness can ward us from blame ; what then shall we say , if supine sloth , or prophane contempt , are the causes of such neglect ? 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. in 1 cor. or. 24. thus having briefly dispatched the considerations that offered themselves upon these subjects , i shall conclude all with prayer to almighty god , that we by his grace and help believing rightly , strongly , constantly , and finally ; being frequent and fervent in prayer , and all pious devotion , sincerely obeying all god's commandments ; continuing orderly , dutiful , and worthy members of christ's church , growing continually in grace , by the worthy participation of the holy sacraments , may obtain the end of our faith , the success of our prayers , the reward of our obedience , the continuance in that holy society , the perfect consummation of grace in the possession of eternal joy , glory , and bliss ; which god in his infinite mercy grant to us , for our blessed saviour's sake ; to whom be all glory and praise for ever and ever . amen . finis . books writ by the learned dr. isaac barrow , and printed for brabazon aylmer , at the three pigeons over against the royal exchange in cornhill . twelve sermons preached upon several occasions : in octavo , being the first volume . ten sermons against evil speaking , in octavo , being the second volume . eight sermons of the love of god and our neighbour : in octavo , being the third volume . the duty and reward of bounty to the poor : in a sermon , much enlarged , preached at the spittal upon wednesday in easter week , anno dom. 1671. in octavo . a sermon upon the passion of our blessed saviour : preached at guild-hall chappel , on good-friday , the 13th day of april , 1677. in octavo . a learned treatise of the pope's supremacy . to which is added a discourse concerning the unity of the church . in quarto . the said discourse concerning the unity of the church , is also printed alone : in octavo . an exposition of the lord's prayer ; of the ten commandments . and the doctrine of the sacraments : in octavo . all the said books of the learned dr. isaac barrow , ( except the sermon of bounty to the poor ) are since the author's death published by dr. tillotson dean of canterbury . the true and lively effigies of dr. isaac barrow , in a large print ; ingraven ( from the life ) by the excellent artist d. loggan : price without frame six pence . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a31058-e490 matt. 6. 9. luk. 11. 2. quamlibet alia verba dicamus , quae affectus orantis vel praecedendo format ut clareat , vel consequendo attendit ut crescat , nihil aliud dicimus , quàm quod in ista dominica oratione positum est , si rectè & congruenter oramus . aug. epist. 121. vide illum . 1 tim. 2. 1. — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. tom. v. p. 185. totius evangelii breviarium ; tert. de orat. 1 , 9. deut. 10. 20. matt. 4. 10. psal. 65. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . psal. 34. 10. 145. 18 , 19. 10. 17. jer. 29. 13. 1 john 3. 22. matt. 21. 22. 7. 7. luk. 11. 9. joh. 14. 13. 15. 7. 16. 23. joh. 5. 40. difficillimum est opus orare . luth. fervour of spirit . rom. 12. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . psal. 62. 8. 4● . 4. gen. 18. 27. deus solus docere potuit , ut se vellet orari . tert. de orat. cap. 9. matt. 6. 6 , 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tom. v. p. 186. matt. 7. 9. luk. 11. 11. matt. 6. 11. matt. 21. 22. jam. 1. 6. 1 tim. 2. 8. 1 pet. 1. 17. luk. 2. 14. 19. 38. matt. 21. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . apoc. 4. 8. apoc. 4. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. tem. v. p. 186. esa. 8. 13. 29. 23. 1 pet. 3. 14 , 15. matt. 5. 16. 1 pet. 2. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. chrys. in matt. 6. luk. 9. 27. matt. 16. 28. 3. 2. matt. 9. 38. 2 thess. 3. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 &c. chrys. luk. 17. 21. rom. 14. 17. matt. 6. 33. apoc. 15. 3. luk. 22. 42. psal. 103. 20. luk. 7. 30. acts 13. 46. heb. 13. 21. phil. 4. 11. 1 sam. 3. 18. 2 king. 20. 19. 2 sam. 15. 26. job 2. 10. 1. 21. psal. 37. 5. 55. 22. epict. ench. 38. plat. criton . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. ant. iv. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ant. iii. 4 ; 16. ii. 17. x. 11. xii . 1. ant. vii . 31. x. 11. sen. de or. sap. 32. ego secundum naturam vivo , si totum me illi dedo . optimum est deum , quo auctore cuncta proveniunt sine murmuratione comitari , &c. — hic est magnus animus , qui se deo tradidit — sen. ep. 37 , 54 , 71 , &c. de prov. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . chrys. tom. v. 187. luk. 11. 3. matt. 6. 32. matt. 6. 25. 1 pet. 5. 7. heb. 13. 5. phil. 4. 6. psal. 103. 2 , 3. 1 tim. 2. 8. matt. 5. 23. matt. 6. 14. gen. 22. 1. deut. 8. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deut. 13. 3. luk. 22. 28. heb. 2. 18. 4. 15. 1 pet. 4. 12. 1. 6 , 7. jam. 1. 2. deut. 8. 16. 1 tim. 6. 9. jam. 1. 13. job 2. 6. 1 king. 21. 22. gen. 45. 5. 2 sam. 24. 1. 1 chron. 21. 1. act. 2. 23. 4. 28. psal. 81. 11 12. luk. 22. 40 , 46. jer. 10. 23. psal. 37. 23 , 24. jud. 24. 1 cor. 10. 23. 2 pet. 2. 9. apoc. 3. 10. matt. 6. 8. eph. 3. 20. notes for div a31058-e4810 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. just. m. dial. cum tryph. p. ●28 . deut. 4. 13. 10. 2. exod. 34. 1 , 28. jer. 3. 16 , 17. neh. 9. 13. rom. 7. 12. rom. 7. 7. deut. 10. 12. rom. 7. 7. eph. 6. 2. heb. 1. 1. deut. 5. 24. exod. 34. 28. deut. 4. 13. 10. 2. jam. 2. 10 , 11. matt. 5. 19. deut. 7. 6. 4. ● deut. 26. 16. heb. 13. 8. heb. 8. 6. 7. 22. colos. 1. 13. matt. 4. deut. 3● . 39. mark 12. 32. matt. 2● . 37. luk. 10. 27. deut. 6. 5. rom. 1. 25. jer. 2. ●3 . jer. 8. 19. &c. act. 14. 15. &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . orig. l. 8. p. 382. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . clem. alex. strom. v. p. 426. id. de numa . p. 223. strom. i. vid. aug. de c. d. 4. 31. tit. 1. 16. eph. 5. 5. coloss. 3. 5. 2 tim. 3. 4. phil. 3. 19. psal. 20. 7. hab. 1. 16. jer. 17. 5. virgil aen. 10. ezek. 28. 2. isa. 10. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ma● . tyr. diss . 38. where he defendeth idolatry . act. 17. 29. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . clem. strom. v. p. 408. the being ordinarily exposed to view doth ( saith clem. alex. ) extenuate the venerability of god ; and to worship the intelligible nature by matter doth vilifie it through the sense . rom. 1. 23. psal. 106. 20. deut. 4. 15. esa. 40. 18. — 25. act. 17. 24. — 29. 1 joh. 5. 21. 1 cor. 10. 7 , 14. 1 cor. 5. 10 , 11. 6. 9. gal. 5. 20. apoc. 9. 20. 21. 8. 22. 15. * cur nullas aras habent , templa nulla , nulla noia simulacra ? minut. consuestis crimen nobis maximum impietatis aff●gere , quòd neque aedes sacras venerationis ad officia construomus , non deorum alicujus simulacrum constituamus , aut formam , &c. arnob. 6. † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 8. p. 389. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . philo de gig. * — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. vid. tertul. de idol . 3. 4. p. 389. p. 39● . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. clem. strom. v. p. 408. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. 411. † tertul. de spectac . cap. 23. de idol . 3 , 4 , 5 , &c. contra marc. 2. 22. vid. iren. 4. 31 , 32. tertul. de id. per tot . aug. contra faust. 15. 4 , 7. & 19. 18. contra 2 epist. pet. 3. 4. joh. 4. 23 , 24. * s. austin , bede , &c. exod. 34. 14. isa. 42. 8. deut. 4. 24 ▪ psal. 76. 7. ezek. 18. 20. deut. 24. 16. jer. 31. 30. ezek. 18. 14 , 17. 1 kings 11. 35. 1 kings 11. 13. 13. 34. 14. 10. 16. 3. 21. 29. 2 kings 9. 8. 10. 30. 15. 12. job 27. 14. vid. deut. 7. 9. psal. 89. 30. 2 chron. 21. 7. isa. 45. 4. psal. 105. 42. deut. 4. 37. levit. 26. 42. exod. 2. 34. 1 king. 11. 12 , 34. 15. 4. psal. 18. 50. isa. 37. 35. joh. 1● . 21. 〈◊〉 . joh. 23 , 24. 〈◊〉 . 1● . 12. psal. ●● . 4. jos. ar●h . 3. 4. matt. 5. 3● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. heb. 6. 16. matt. 5. 37. exod. 31. 16. ezek. 20. 11 , 12 , 20. neh. 9. 13 , 14. exod. 16. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. just. p. 236. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. 261. abraham sine circumcisione , & sine observatione sabbatorum credidit deo , &c. iren. iv. 30. tertul. adv . jud. 2 , 4. isa. 56. 6. ( 4. ) psal. 143. 5. 92. 4. 107. 22. 26. 7. 145. 10. legum conditores festos instituerunt dies , ut ad hilaritatem homines publicè cogerentur , tanquam necessarium laboribus interponentes temperamentum . sen. de tranq . an . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . plat. de leg. ii. p. 787. just. dial. cum tryph. p. 235. &c. isa. 58. 3 , ●3 . ezek. 20. 13 , 21 , 23. 38. 22. 26. amos 8. 4 ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pag. 229. isa. 58. 13. coloss. 2. 16 , 17. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , are both read ; both equivalent . gal. ● . 10. rom. 14. 5 , &c. † inter omnia deem praecepta solùm ibi quod de sabbato positum est figuratè observandum praecipitur . aug. ep. 119. † vid. cit. patres . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . joseph . adv . app. 2. p. 946. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ib. 947. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , &c. philo de vit. mos. midrash . exod. 26. levit. 9. 3. coloss. 3. 20. 1 tim. 5. 4. prov. 1. 8. 23. 22. deut. 27. 16. exod. 21. 15 ▪ 17. eph. 6. 1. deut. 6. 7 , 20. eph. 6. 4. deut. 32. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 1 tim. 5. 4. colere parentes . eph. 6. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . deut. 16. 20. psal. 37. 29. psal. 37. 9 , 11. psal. ●4 . 12 , 13 , 16. prov. 8 16. deut. 26. 15. rom. 13. 4. 1 pet. 2. 14. matt. 5. 21. 1 joh. 3. 15 , 17. prov. 6. 34. job 31. 12. matt. 5. 14. 1 pet. 2. 11. coloss. 3. 5. 1 thess. 4. 4. eph. 5. 3. eph. 4. 29. 1 cor. 3. 17. 6. 18 , 19. eph. 5. 4 , &c. levit. 19. 13. ● cor. 6. 8. tit. 2. 10. 1 thess. 4. 6. prov. 22. 18. 20. 14. 9. 24. ezek. 22. 12. 18. 7 , 16. hos. 5. 10. amos 8. 5. deut. 25. 13. levit. 19. 13. deut. 24. 14. psal. 15. 4. isa. 1. 23. jam. 5. 4. deut. 15. 16. 1 tess. 4. 6. 1 cor. 6. 9. eph. 4. 28. 1 thess. 4. 12. 2 thess. 8. 12. phil. 4. 11. 1 tim. 6. 8. prov. 30. 8. psal. 55. 23. 1 pet. 5. 7. heb. 13. 5. levit. 19. 16. lxx 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . prov. 18. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sirac . 5. 14. 21. 30. 28. 13. 2 cor. 12. 20. rom. 1. 30. ps. 15. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 cor. 12. 20. jam. 4. 11. rom. 1. 30. 1 pet. 2. 1. luk. 3. 14. 19. 8. lev. 19. 11. psal. 72. 4. 119. 134. prov. 10. 12. 1 cor. 13. 5 ▪ 7. prov. 16. 28. 1 cor. 13. levit. 19. 11. psal. 15. 2. zech. 8. 16 ▪ eph. 4. 25. col. 3. 9. 1 pet. 2. 1. mark 10. 19. matt. 15. 19. rom. 7. 7 , 14. rom. 2. 29. phil. 3. 3. coloss. 2. 11. gal. 5. 24. rom. 6. 6. col. 3. 5. 2. 11. eph. 4. 22. rom. 8. 13. 1 tim. 1. 5. notes for div a31058-e14350 cyp. epist. 76. it hath especially upon vulgar , and weaker minds a strong efficacy . * dominus noster leni jugo suo nos subdidit , & sarcinae levi ; unde sacramentis numero paucissimis , observatione facillimis , significatione praestantissimis societatem novi populi colligavit : sicut est baptismus trinitatis nomine consecratus , communicatio corporis & sanguinis ipsius ; & siquid aliud in scripturis canonicis commendatur , &c. ep. 118. religionem paucissimis , & manifestissimis clebrationum sacramentis misericordia dei liberam esse voluit . id. ep. 119. * exod 12. 26. sacramenti natura disertè & planè exprimitur . † nimis autem longum est convenienter disputare de varietate signorum , quae , cum ad res divinas pertinent , sacramenta appellantur . aug. ep. 5. in cunctis christi actionibus sacramentorum mysteria coruscarunt . leo i. ep. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . heb. 6. 1 , 2. heb. 9. 10. seld. de synedriis . exod. 29. 4. numb . 8. 6. levit. 15. 8 , 16 , 18 , 27. & 22. 6. numb . 19. 7 , &c. ezek. 16. 4. joh. 1. 25 , 33. mat. 28. 19. mark 16. 15. * vid. just. apol . 2. tertul. de bapt. &c. acts 22. 16. acts 2. 38. ephes. 5. 26. 1 cor. 6. 11. quid festinat innocens aetas ad remissionem peccatorum ? tertull. — impletur apud nos spiritu sancto puerorum innocens aetas , &c. cypr. ep. 10. acts 2. 38. 1 cor. 12. 13. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . tit. 3. 5. mat. 3. 15. ephes. 1. 14. 2 cor. 1. 21. ephes. 2. 22 , 23 , 24. colos. 3. 10. 2 cor. 5. 17. ezek. 16. 4. — 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . theocr. tit. 3. 5. john 3. 5. gal. 3. 26. rom. 6. 4. col. 2. 12. 1 cor. 12. 13. gal. 3. 27. 1 pet. 1. 2. colos. 2. 12. 1 pet. 3. 21. tit. 3. 5. mat. 16. 16. acts 8. 37. acts 2. 38. acts 26. 14. 5. 31. & 20. 21. & 26. 20. & 3. 19. & 17. 30. rom. 5. 1 , 2. & 3. 25. & 2. 4. gal. 2. 16. & 3. 8. heb. 10. 39. ephes. 2. 8. & 3. 12. 2 thess. 2. 13. 2 tim. 2. 25. 2 pet. 3. 9. mat. 9. 13. luke 24. 47. mark 2. 17. 1 pet. 3. 21. rom. 6. 3 , 4 , &c heb. 10. 23. 2 pet. 3. 17. heb. 10. 26. cyp. epist. 63. exod. 12. 23. heb. 10. 22. 1 pet. 1. 2. 1 tim. 4. 5. luk. 22. 19 , 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 1 cor. 11. 24 , 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . luke 22. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mark 14 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mat. 26. 30. mark 14. 26. luke 22. 19. 1 cor. 11. 25. 1 cor. 11. 26. joh 6. 51 , 47. & 5. 36. joh. 15. 4. john 6. 56. 1 cor. 10. 16. vid. cyp. ep. 63. p. 146. ep. 67. p. 208. 1 cor. 10. 17. 1 cor. 10. 21. 1 cor. 11. 28. 1 cor. 5. 7. 1 cor. 11. 29. acts 2. 42. 1 cor. 10. 20. mens deficit , quam non recepta eucharistia erigit & accendit . cyp. ep. 54. the originall of idolatries: or, the birth of heresies a true, sincere, and exact description of all such sacred signes, sacrifices, and sacraments as haue been instituted and ordained of god since adam; with the true source and liuely anatomy of the sacrifice of the masse. first faithfully gathered out of sundry greeke and latine authors, as also out of diuers learned fathers; by that famous and learned isaac casaubon, and by him published in french, for the good of gods church: and now translated into english for the benefit of this monarchy; by abraham darcie. 1624 approx. 265 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 76 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2006-02 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a18103 stc 4747 estc s107577 99843276 99843276 7993 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons 0 1.0 universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a18103) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 7993) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1475-1640 ; 1229:05) the originall of idolatries: or, the birth of heresies a true, sincere, and exact description of all such sacred signes, sacrifices, and sacraments as haue been instituted and ordained of god since adam; with the true source and liuely anatomy of the sacrifice of the masse. first faithfully gathered out of sundry greeke and latine authors, as also out of diuers learned fathers; by that famous and learned isaac casaubon, and by him published in french, for the good of gods church: and now translated into english for the benefit of this monarchy; by abraham darcie. darcie, abraham, fl. 1625. casaubon, isaac, 1559-1614, attributed name. [18], 108 p. printed by authoritie [by george purslowe and miles flesher], for nathaniel butter, london : anno dom. mdcxxiv. [1624] not in fact by casaubon. original french title not traced. "flesher pr[inted]. g-p, purslowe the rest"--stc. with a leaf inserted after a3 with heading "in perpetuall honor ..". variant: lacking this leaf. for various states of the dedications see: williams, franklin b., jr. index of dedicatory and commendatory verses, london, 1962, p. 242. reproduction of the original in the henry e. huntington library and art gallery. created by converting tcp files to tei p5 using tcp2tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim 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limit of 100 instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng catholic church -controversial literature -early works to 1800. sacraments -early works to 1800. 2005-09 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2005-09 aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images 2005-11 andrew kuster sampled and proofread 2005-11 andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the originall of idolatries : or , the birth of heresies : a true , sincere , and exact description of all such sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments as haue been instituted and ordained of god since adam ; with the true source and liuely anatomy of the sacrifice of the masse . first faithfully gathered out of sundry greeke and latine authors , as also out of diuers learned fathers ; by that famous and learned isaac casavbon , and by him published in french , for the good of gods church : and now translated into english for the benefit of this monarchy ; by abraham darcie . london printed by authoritie , for nathaniel bvtter . anno dom. mdcxxiv . to the high and mighty charles prince of vvales , &c. heire apparant to the incomparable monarchies of great britaine , &c. most mighty prince , heaven turning all the eminent dangers and perils , of your highnes famous travell to a strengthening and confirmation of your heroicall and magnanimous spirit , happily returned your highnes to your owne proper soyle with all true hearts , ioyfull cries , and inexpressible acclamations of your loyall subiects , who ( with the rest of gods people ) are euer bound to yeeld thankes vnto the lord ; in solemnizing that blest svnday whereon your highnes landed : i am bold at this your ioyfull returne , to present to your princely view , this excellent , sincere , and most learned worke , which may serue for a true and bright mirror , wherein cleerely to discerne the liuely portraiture of the true chvrch , by the foule and odious deformities of her opposite . a treatise so faithfull and rare , that it will absolutely resolue many doubts which vndoubtedly haue beene discussed in your highnes hearing ; and poynt out , as it were , with a diuine finger , the vncleane puddle and sinke , from which all moderne impurities in gods service tooke apparant originall . it was first published in french , and now by my willing indeauors exprest in english , out of a poore strangers zeale , and desire herein to make knowne to your highnes the inward loyall affection of my heart , wholly douoted to the humble obseruance of your high , and most deseruing titles , and illustrious dignities : resoluing euer both in life and death , constantly to perseuer your highnes most humble and deuoted prostitute , ab . darcie . a tres-pvissant prince charles prince de galles dvc de cornvall , yorke , et albani , marqvis d'ormont , conte de chester , &c. filz vniqve dv roy . charles stvart anagram . chast star rvle long , on your illustr'ous name , heav'n pleasing prince , accept this anagrame . at home , in forreigne parts , at sea , on land safe you haue stood ; so may you euer stand , to fright pale danger , checke sinnes surging seas , sinne that doth hourely seeke the sovles diseas ; the various changes of your fames bright story ; angels protect for that immortal glory : rich glittering star-light , ( sempiternall sence rauisht at sight ) of gods omnipotence : vnder whose sacred sempitern defence , long liue chast star , on earth , to rvle and shine eternally in heav'n , a star divine . in perpetvall honor and immortall fame of the right honourable , most pious , religious , and truly noble , the lords of the magnificent court of the most gracious and noble prince of great brittaine . sir thomas howard viscount andiver master of the horse to our gracious prince . robert lord carie baron of lepinton , chamberlaine to the prince's highnes . spencer lord compton master of the robes to his highnesse . iohn lord vaghan , controler of his highnes , illustrious and honourable houshold . and to the right generous , and most vertuous sir robert carr master of his highnes priuie purse , one of the gentlemen of the prince his bed-chamber . sir francis cottington , his highnes secretary , sir edmond varney . sir william howard . sir richard winn . sir william crofts . sir iohn north . mr. iohn sandelans . mr. francis carie . gentlemen of his highnes priuie chamber . mr. thomas carie . mr. george kirke . mr. archibald pitcarne . mr. endimion porter . mr. william mvrray . mr. iames leviston groomes of his highnes bed-chamber . mr. robert tervvit , and mr. iames bvy . quary to the prince . mr. peter yong . mr. peter nevvton . gentlemen vshers dayly wayter . mr. hvmphrey deticke , gentleman vsher quarter wayter . mr. iames eliot , mr. philip proger , mr. iohn portvis , groomes of the priuy chamber . mr. thomas german , page to his highnes . and to the most learned and pious , mr. doctor mavve , and mr. doctor wren , chaplaines to the highnes of prince charles . most worthy patrons of honovr , patternes of vertve , and noble louers of learning and good endeuours . abraham darcie presents to their iudicious viewes , this excellent worke by him translated for their honorable vse . wishing to their religious selues , with the rest of the nobles and worthy seruants of his highnesse that were in spaine with our prince , all externall , internall , and eternall happines in the holy trinity . to the honor and vse of the most illvstriovs , george , duke of buckingham , his grace : and to the right honourable the earle of arran , son to the marquis hamilton . william earle of denbigh , &c. henry viscount rochford , &c. sir henry rich , baron of kenzington . sir dvdly north . sir george goring . iames earle of carlile viscount doncoster &c. thomas viscount andeuer , &c. spencer lord compton . robert lord digbigh . sir robert carr . sir iohn north . sir william croft . sir francis cottington . sir edward varney . with the rest of the noble peeres and worthy gentlemen of great britaine , that were in spaine , to attend on the most mighty and gracious prince charles , our incomparable prince . abraham darcie humbly presents the translation of this excellent and rare worke to their honorable censure ; wishing to their noble , religious and vertuous persons all increase of true honor in this world , and in heaven infinity of those incomprehensible felicities , and eternall ioyes allotted to christs elect. most illvstriovs , right honorable , right worthy , no honors can bee comparable to those , which god most graciously returnes vpon them , who constantly in this world , aduance the true honor of his name , and confidently maintaine , against all oppositions , his sacred verity and truth . this famous monarchy hath alwayes , as vpon so many firme and noble pillars , committed the earthly foundation of gods church and flocke , to the religious care and honourable supportations of her noble peeres , out of which number , you are such patrons , as haue euer manifested a rare and confident protection of gods vnspotted religion and worship : but in your late honovrable employments in forraine parts , vnder our illustrious prince , they haue receiued a more apparent testimony of your true hearts religion and zeale , when soiourning for a time , ( as one may say ) in the very tents of kedar , and beholding with your bodily eyes , many superstitious idolatries , you yet retained firme and vnshaken , the treasure of a sincere faith , and inuiolable conscience , hauing conueniently — l'oevil av gvet , the eye at his sight-hole , ( as our french prouerbe termes it ) the better to discerne of all obiects , and with the surer ayme , to leuell all your honourable actions , and worthy designes . there is no doubt but your noble selues mette with many oppositions and encounters , by way of discussion and argument : but the scripture being a test & quadrant , by which they are not willing to trie , or square their proceedings , learned casavbon hath made a diligent search & inquisition of their owne registers , and records , and chiefly out of the volumes of the commentaries of elasopolitan , whereas by the direction of a diuine hand , may bee found out the birth and originall of all adulterous and strange adoration , from the first adam , to these our later times , but especially the sacrifice of the romane masse , is here most learnedly delineated to true life , from the cradle and infancie thereof , till now that it hath made so great and perillous a progression . the avthors are nominated the seuerall parcels set downe , as they were in seuerall ages annexed , the perspicuous difference betwixt it , and the infallible forme of the apostolicall , and primitiue christian worship is explained , with whatsoeuer else that meere hvmane tradition & invention hath vniustly vsurped , ouer orthodoxall , and vnspoated true seruice in the chvrch of god. so as clearely discerning the scandals , the scandalizers likewise are as plainely reuealed , and this christian domus deuisa in se : out of my humble and dutifull affection , i could not but commend this excellent treatise , to your honourable viewes , and learned censure , the which i haue studiously expressed in the english tongue , principally to manifest vnto all your lorships , my seruiceable and grateful heart , both to euery one of your honours in particular , as also to this happy kingdome in generall , to whose bounties and protection i stand deepely oblieged ; and as he , whose thoughts haue no higher scopes nor ayme , then iustly to bee reputed . yovr grace , yovr honors , and yovr worthines , most faithfull , and humbly deuoted , abraham darcie . the avthors epistle to the reader . most courteous reader , considering the controuersies and bloudy hatred grown betwixt those ( who professe themselues christians ) about religion , for they aspiring to retaine these vaine superstitions proceeding from their predecessors : and many also not contented , do inuent new sects , schismes and heresies : others ( least in number ) diuinely inspired , and of god elocted , desire to extirpate the darknesse of ignorance , thereby to cause resplendently to shine , the light , and claritie of truth : but it seemes , that the most dangerous poyson that satan vseth to entoxicate men with the venym of sedition , and cruell contention and hatred , deriues chiefly from the masse , desguised with some good meaning , masked and couered ( peraduenture ) with a good intention . and although that many heretofore haue by sundry faithfull descriptions endeueured to discouer to the world the deceitfulnes , error , and blindnesse thereof , yet could they not preuailc , nor giue light to their duskish and heauy sight . therefore now , without any passion , i haue faithfully extracted , and liuely drawne out , from the volumes of elasopolitan's comment aries : ( it is a large & faithfull description ; whereof the second volume treates of the constitutions of great pontiss , soueraigne priests , and sacrificers , as haue been ordained since the beginning of the world , and their true number power , riches and authority ; ( all for thy only benefit ) this sincere summary of the sacrifice , called the masse . in this treatise ( though little in appearance ) are designed and set downe all such sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments ordained of god from time to time : as also the corruptions that haue grown successiuely in the church of god : whereby i doe euidently shew the birth of all heresies and idolatries , and especially the true originall of the masse ; for the which the world is in great strifes , bloudy contentions , cruell diuisions , hatred , and lamentable ciuile warres : for some do inuectiuate & inueigh against it , alleaging that it is newly deuised and inueuted ; others defend it by prescription , and long possession ; and thus by such like altercations the christian church is sore afflicted with the yoke and terror of sedition . but if thou art a christian ( beloued reader ) of what sect soeuer , papist , or euangelicall ; i pray thee heartily , for thy owne good , to haue patience to reade this worke ; for by it thou mayest euidently know , and plainely discouer the very trueth of what soeuer thou standest in doubt of , what sacrifices , sacraments , and sacred signes haue beene instituted of god since adam ; what is the masse and originall thereof ; who were her founders , augmenters , and inuenters ; and to the end thou mayest firmely beleeue with assurance , all the contents herein mentioned , haue recourse to those authors out of whose bookes and workes i haue drawne and deriued it : their names and bookes are quoted in the margent . so ayming at gods glory and thy owne benefit , i rest with my prayers to god. to inspire thee with his holy spirit , by the intercession of our onely sauiour , redeemer , and mediatour iesvs christ . amen . the translator to the courteous reader , wisheth all sauing health in iesvs christ . wise politicians ( fauourable reader ) in their institutions , and gouernnement of common-wealths , doe hold for an infallible maxime , that to reforme corruptions and abuses in states , better course cannot be taken , then often to reduce things to their primitiue original ; because lawes at first enacted with good and profitable intention , in the reuolution of few yeeres , by mens instability and inconstancie of minde , or the peculiar interest of auarice by iniustice , are abrogated and neglected . the venetians beeing a people at this day celebrous , and famous for their gouernement , have a supreame magistracie , which they call a syndicate , that once in a few yeeres , suruey all the offices and dignities in their common-wealth , the duke himselfe not there excepted , to looke into abuses , and preuent their deepe roo●e and plantation ; that so all things may continue and stand entire , according to the rules and precepts of their first constitutions and ordinances . also a garden-plot , though neuer so curiously drawne or distinguished into borders , and set with all manner of odoriferous flowers , and wholesome herbes , yet euery showre of raine brings foorth new weedes , the which if they be not carefully , and dayly supplanted , will soone ouergrow the good plants , and bring the same to a wilde and sauage plot of ground . and though the ineuitable deprauation and corruption of mans nature carry so strong a hand in things transitory and mutable , yet one would thinke they should be more stable and prouident in those courses tending to eternall saluation , and soules reprobation , in obseruing those lawes and commandements , vttered by god himselfe , and recommended to all posterities for a square rule , whereby to measure our faith and actions . notwithstanding men are more prone to declination and corruption , in that from the very beginning , and first institution of the law mosaicall , till these present times , that for many ages haue receiued the cleere and manifest truth , and doctrine euangelicall , heresies haue euer crept in and caried too powerful an hand , as verity it selfe , like gold in the bowels and entrals of the earth , is encombred with a wonderfull deale of oare and drosse , which is not like to be separated till the last fire of tryall , which shall prooue euery mans worke , and cast out the drosse to be trampled and troden vnder foote ; wherefore ( christian reader ) for the better satisfaction and generall good of all gods church , i haue laboured to translate this curious and admirable master peece , most worthy and necessary to be obserued and read : for thou mayest , as in a miner , cleerely see and discouer the birth and the originall of this soule monster heresie , in the church , euen from the first ages before the written law , as also during the force and efficacie of the mosoicall sacrifices , and now in these later times more pertinent vnder the law and precepts of christs holy gospel , wherein are deduced the authors and founders of the romane masse . and what conformity it holds with the ethnicke-rites and ceremonies , and how farre a digression it hath made from the doctrine , life , and practise apostolicall , and the ages of the primitiue church , wherein the author euer hath abandoned all passion & partiality , and in ful proofes , cited none but either approued and authentike authors , as the ancient doctors and writers of the church , that liued before the present inundations of superstitious traditions . bring them to the text of gods word , compare them with the example of the prophets and apostles , obserue the customes of the primitiue churches and thus , by reducing them to their beginnings it will be , easie to iudge whether they stand still in that v● spotted integrit●e , or haue not adulterously prophaned the sincere worship of god , with many , and meere humane int●emions . if thou doest but vouchsafe the diligent and carefull reading hereof , i make no doubt but it will yeeld great comfort to thy conscience , & confirmation to thy faith , as that which will cleerely delucidate many hidden passages that haue not hitherto been reuealed : and if it may take this happy effect , i shall thinke my paines sufficiently requited and recompen●ed in all things , ayming at gods glory , and not mine owne . and thus i rest thine affectionate , and humbly deuoted , abr . darcie . a table of the contents of this booke . chap. 1. of sacred signes . fol. 1. chap. 2. of sacrifices . 2. chap. 3. of corruptions . 10 chap. 4. corruptions punished . 18 chap. 5. the ceremoniall law accomplished by iesvs christ . 21 chap. 6. of sacraments ordained by iesvs christ himselfe . 23 chap. 7. of the corruption of the sacrament of baptisme . 27 chap. 8. of the corruption of the sacrament of the lords supper . 30 chap. 9. the ancient religion of the romane empire . 37 chap. 10. how the bishops of rome began their corruptions . 40 chap. 11. the first greatnesse of popes , proouing antichrists , and bringing in the sacrifice of the masse . 44 chap. 12. of the masse in particular , with her true original . 48 chap. 13. the masse diuided , with the true nature of holy water . fol. 54 chap. 14. the procession of the masse . 57 chap. 15. the third part of the masse , that is , the altars and candles lighted . 61 chap. 16. of incense and offertories , with other parts of the masse . 65 chap. 17. of the round hoste , with the consecration of the same . 69 chap. 18. of diuers parts and sundry ceremonies belonging to the masse . 72 chap. 19. against idolaters antiquity , and long possession of the masse . 76 chap. 20. against the idolatry of the round hoste . 80 chap. 21. the inuention of transubstantiation , with confutation of that labyrinth of idolatry . 83 chap. 22. comparison betweene the two holy sacraments . 99 the birth of heresies : or , a true and faithfull description of all such sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments , as haue been instituted of god since the worlds creation ; together with the originall and true anatomie of the masse : as also the corruptions and abuses of all those holy things from the beginning . chap. i. of sacred signes . in the time preordained of god by his inscrutable and incomprehensible wisedome , ( when hee had created man to his true image and likenesse , the better to moue and incite him to feare and obedience , as also to make him partaker of his blessings , he gaue him some exercise of vertue whereby hee might acknowledge him his almighty god , and omnipotent creatour ) were ordained many signes , sacrifices , and sacraments : first , to our first father adam , to whom with his successors , corporall men , god allotted corporall signes , to approue the better of their obedience , to wit , trees planted in the middest of the orchard , and earthly paradise , which although they were not of any other qualitie then the other plants : yet notwithstanding being dedicated and consecrated of god for sacraments , or sacred signes , their qualitie was then for to serue as seales for the testimonie and approbation of his diuine wil and pleasure , which was effected by the infinite goodnesse and bounty of god , to make appeare and knowne , that the association , confederation and alliance contracted with man his creature , was ordained from time to time , yea , from the beginning of all times : thus , i say , were exteriour and corporall signes , which man could see and contemplate with his corporall eyes , constituted to serue for an assurance , pledge , and hostage of the diuine couenant . these trees and substantiall fruits ordained for our first and common father , were committed and giuen vnto him to keepe , without diminishing , eating , or wasting of them , vpon paine of eternal death . wherefore wee must in faith beleeue , that they were not vaine signes and sacraments , or as a meere and simple picture , but whereas life or death depended on them : they comprehended both the signes and thing signified ; wherein consisted the knowledge and wisedom to feare god , and obey him . and therefore they were called the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill , & the trees of life ; for in the careful keeping of these sacred fruits , and obeying god , there was promised etetnall life ; whereas on the contrary , by abusing the sacrraments , and opposing the will of god , there was intimated to vs by exteriour signes , that eternall death and damnation was purchased . for other exercises required of man towards god , concerning the reuerence , honor & adoration of him , many and diuers sacrifices were celebrated , euen before the law , written by moses . and though god almighty , creatour of heauen and earth , needs not any humane workes , or to bee nourished with the bloud of beasts , or with terrestriall fruits , yet hee had alwayes a desire to draw man vnto him , in an externall obedience and feare , by signes , sacrifices , and sacraments : so as the sacrifice of lambes , offered by abel , were agreeable and pleasing to god. noah in like manner , after the inundation of waters past , in signe of his recognition and obedience towards god , erected an altar , immolated an offered sacrifices of vnspotted sheepe and birds , whereof hee made a reall holocaust acceptable to the lord. by which examples we may easily discerne , that sacrifices tooke not their beginning in moses time , but that innocent and iust lambe was prefigured in abels sacrifice , as a type of iesus christ , slaine and offered from the beginning of the world . after the rigor & iustice of the deluge was appeased , that hapned for a punishment of tyrants offences on earth , in signe of a reconciliation , & couenant renewed , our good god ordained the signe of the rainbow , for a pledge and assurance of his diuine mercie . this signe and celestiall bowe , though it formerly appeared in thicke cloudes , beeing a notice of raine to ensue , notwithstanding it was not as yet constituted nor appointed to serue man for a signe or sacrament , vntill the time that it was by god ordained for an assurance of the couenant contracted with the good father noah , and his successors . after this , with the faithfull patriarch abraham , there was another confederation and alliance contracted by the wisedome of god , who , for a pledge and assurance to him and his posterity , constituted the externall signe of circumcision , to serue him for a sacrament , and a perpetuall notice of gods holy will and pleasure : and so he was enioyned to circumcise the male infants within the eighth day of their natiuitie , vpon paine of being reiected from the number of those people whom god had adopted . then followed to his posterity afterward , called the people of israel , the sacrifice of the immaculate lambe , which was ordain'd by the shedding of bloud , to preserue them from the appointed slaughter in egypt : as also the flesh thereof was appointed to bee eaten , and celebrated festiually euery yeere , on the day called the pascha , or easter ; for a signe and commemoration of their deliuerance from pharaohs seruitude : and to the participation of the flesh of this paschall lambe , was annexed the vnleauened bread for seuen dayes , on paine of death . other sacred signes were sent by god to his elect people , to winne them continually to his feare and obedience : as the signe of the cloud , to conduct the people by day ; and the flaming and fierie pillar , for their guide and direction by night ; and all to deliuer them out of the hands of the tyrant pharaoh . then followed the signe of the diuision of the arabicke red sea , ouer which the elect people of god passed . by all which admirable signes , it pleased god to prefigure the holy sacrament of baptisme , instituted afterwards by the elementall signe of water , which is the washing of regeneration , and the renouation of the holy ghost . now during the time that this elect people of god were detained in the arabian desarts , and barren wildernes , they had prouision of heauenly bread , wherewith they were nourished for fortie yeeres , which was also holy a sacrament , instituted by the power and will of god , and held in so high an admimiration , that each one amongst the people said , man-hu , what a wonderfull thing is this ? they saw celestiall manna exhibited to them without trauell , a figure of the bread of life , which came downe from heauen , giuing life to all the faithfull . another wonderfull signe there was ordained by god , of the rocke gushing out with cleere water in mount horeb , to quench the peoples thirst , who were very dry , and almost stifled with heat . this was a signe and figure of the true rocke iesus christ , out of whom came bloud & water , to quench perpetually the thirst of sinners , and refresh our soules . chap. ii. of sacrifices . besides these signes and sacraments aboue-mentioned , which were onely by god ordain'd : there was also a law enacted & published for sacrificers by moses , as signes , figures , and shadowes of that absolute sacrifice , consummated by iesus christ ; so that sacrifices were either publike , or priuate ; generall , or particular . some were holocausts , being sacrifices that were wholly consumed with fire : others consisted of beasts slaine and immolated to eate , there were earthly and ayerie creatures . amongst those terrestriall , were the most obedient and obsequious beasts ; as the oxe and the calfe , the hee , and shee goat : and so likewise amongst fowle , the most mild and gentle ; as the pidgeon , and turtle . of sacrifices againe , some were publike , and others priuate or particular : those publike were either quotidian or euery seuenth day , either at new moones , or in times of fasting : but they were chiefely celebrated at three festiuall times of the yeere ; which were : first , the dayes of vnleauened bread , when the paschall lambe was offered , and eaten . secondly , the time of haruest , and first fruits . and thirdly , at the feast of vines , and oliues , towards the end of the yeere . they were commanded to immolate euery day two lambes ; one in the morning , another in the euening , after the altar was first perfumed , with incense and odours . some of the sacrifices also were ordain'd , for corporall things , which were celebrated with shedding of bloud , other sacrifices were without bloud for things incorporate . sacrifices named holocausts concerned onely the honour of god , because the whole oblation was consum'd in the fire . for which holocausts , the male , and not the female was receiued as an oblation , that is to say , the oxe , the lamb , or goat of a yeere old . in the sacrifice for health , it was a matter indifferent , whether the oblation were male or female : but of the victime offered , three parts were reserued for the priest , which was the fat , the two rumnions , and the kidney , or fillet of the kidneys . there was another difference betweene the sacrifice for health , and that celebrated for sinne : for in the one , they were inioyn'd to eate vp all the oblation in two dayes ; and in the other for sinne , the priest was commanded to eate it vp in one day : and by this meanes some sacrifices were termed holocausts : some were ordained for health , other some for sinnes . sacrifices for sinne were diuers , both in respect of the persons , and of the oblations . for he that offended out of ignorance , his expiation was celebrated with a female sheepe or goat : but the expiation for voluntary and wilfull sinne , was with a male sheepe . the high priests sinne was expiated by the sacrifice of an immolated calfe : that of the prince with an hee goat , or bull : that of a magistrate , with an hee goat ; and the sinne of a particular man , with a female oblation . the sacrifice for expiation of offences towards god , was with a ramme . the sacrifice of a man polluted , was also with a female sheepe or goat : and for a womans expiation after child-bed , was a lambe of yeere old , a yong pidgeon , and a turtle . for the clensing of the leprous were appointed two liuing fowles , pure and cleane , cedar-wood , and hysop , two whole lambes , and a female sheepe of a yeere old , with meale and oyle . another sacrifice was celebrated , for a man or woman polluted , by shedding his seed , or her menstruall bloud ; with two turtles , and two yong pigeons . if the great oblations failed , they had recourse to doues , pigeons , or turtles , or for holocausts : others , maintenance . in all sacrifices there was pure flowre , vvithout leauen , salt , incense , and oyle : and nothing was permitted to be offered vpon the altar , with leauen or honey . notwithstanding in the sacrifice constituted for the purification of a woman suspected of adulterie , there was neither incense , nor oyle , as in other sacrifices ; but it was offered with water , mingled with the dust , or ashes , gathered vp from the floore of the temple . there was also another sacrifice , celebrated for those that had made some great vow , called nazareans , when the time of their deuotion was expired , wherein they were appointed to offer three victimes , a lambe of a yeere old , a sheepe , and a ramme : the one , that is , the lambe , to serue for a holocaust : the other , of a female sheepe , for saluation , and the third oblation for health . furthermore , his haires that made the oblation , were to be cast into the fire , to be burned together with the holocaust . i was willing particularly to discourse of the diuersitie of sacrifices , that hereby i might make knowne the great goodnesse , and bounty of our god : who in the law of sacrifices , publisht by moses , meant to curbe and reyne in the rude people of israel , as it were with a bridle , who could not forget the aegyptian idolatries , wherein they had beene nourished and bred , for foure hundred and thirty yeeres , vnder the tyranny of the pharaohs . but what rigorous lawes soeuer enacted : what ceremonies or sacrifices soeuer he did ordaine them : this people euer made a relapse into their idolatry , abusing the law of god , and corrupting the holy sacraments , and sacrifices , as hereafter shall be expressed . but if any man desire to know more at large , the multitude and varietie of sacrifices : let him reade the bookes of philo the iew ● ; and of iosephus in his antiquities of the iewes , according as moses hath expressely written in the bookes of leuiticus , and numbers . there was another signe and sacrament instituted of god , by the arke of couenant , described in exodus , being a sacred signe , and dedicated to receiue celestiall diuine oracles , to the end to induce the people to a remembrance , feare , and obedience of god to accompany and honour the arke of couenant , many other externall signes were constituted by god , as the ornaments and consecrations of the priests ; especially that ornament called the ephod : both which and the sacrifices , the israelites abused and prophaned with their idolatries . another sacred signe there was , of cleansing water , or water of expiation , instituted by god , for moses and aaron the high priest . this cleansing or purifying water was consecrated , with ashes taken vp by an vnpolluted man , of the oblation offered in the holocaust , that is to say , of the whole red cow , without spot , not hauing euer bin exposed to labour . the fire ; for the burnt-offering was ordained to be of cedar-wood , hysop , and of purple-crymosine . polluted men were sprinkled ouer with this water , for an expiation and purgation of their corporall blemishes . at the entry of the tabernacle , or temple , there was a kinde of lauer like a font of brasse , forged at first of seeing glasses , of the israelitish women . in this lauer or holy-water font , was put this water of purification , where with the priests besprinkled themselues , before they celebrated their sacrifices , to the end they might be purified , and obtaine grace and remission of sinnes . after the death of the high priest aaron , the israelitish people , ingratefull towards god , for the benefit he sent them , murmuring when they were wearie of the heauenly manna , which hee gaue them bountifully for their sustentation , they were punished with the stingings of venemous serpents . but god being mercifull , gaue them a sacred signe , to bee preserued and restored to health , that is to say , the signe of the brazen serpent erected vp on high , which was a figure of iesus christ crucified . this in briefe is the greatest part of the signes , sacrifices , and sacraments , instituted by god , in the first church of the israelites , being figures of the true and perfect sacrifice , accomplished and immolated by iesus christ , the true messias , the eternall priest , who sits at the right hand of god his father . chap. iii. of corruptions . now wee must succinctly produce how man by his owne fault falling into obliuion and disobedience against god his creator , abused herein diuine fauour and grace , and corrupted the sacred signes , sacrifices & sacraments , by him ordain'd and instituted . for else what perswaded our first father and his wife eue to hide themselues , when they heard and were set in the way of god , but that they had abused his sacred signes , and violated the law of those fruits prohibited and forbidden them ? this holy signe which our first parents so alienated and abused , was the originall of other vices and corruptions hereafter described , wherein two men are falne , hauing a rellish of the corrupt masse in adam . omitting the particular corruptions of signes , sacrifices , and sacraments , before the law written by moses , we will begin in setting downe briefely , the most notable errors committed by the greatest sacrificers , kings and priests , with others , that had the gouernment and charge of the people . when moses remained in mount sinai , to receiue the commandements from god , his brother aaron the high priest caused a golden calfe to be framed , of the earings deliuered vnto him by the people of israel , hee built an altar , offered incense , and celebrated sacrifice , causing the common people to adore this image . was not this an abusing of the sacrifices ordained by god , and a corrupting of their true vse , procuring the same to be ador'd , which before was it selfe offered , and immolated , according as the custome was ? his sonnes also , nadab , and abihu , were they not consum'd with fire , because they adulterated the true vse of sacrifices , and tooke vnconsecrated wood , by corrupting the instituted law ? the people of israel ingratefull for the benefit receiued , in being deliuered from pharaohs captiuitie ; did they not murmure against the holy sacrament of celestiall manna , when they contemned and despised this bread of life , crying out for flesh to eate ? achan the sonne of charmes , did not hee violate the law of sacred signes , when hee committed sacriledge , by detaining the spoiles of iericho , which were vowed and consecrated for sacrifices to god ? if any man more curious , desires to see the abuses and corruptions continued by the same people , let him reade the histories of the iudges of israel , and he shall perceiue , that in all ages men haue neuer been content with the true adoration instituted by god ; but in stead of externall signes constituted by god , to drawe the people to his feare , and obedience , they haue forged and brought in their owne inuentions : and in stead of reuerencing the altars , and the arke of couenant , in the name of the lonely one god , which were externall sacred signes , the israelites mis-led by the idolatries of their neighbours , the syrians , sidonians , moabites , ammonites , and palestines , erected altars to strange gods , to baal and astaroth . iephta iudge , and conductor of the israelites , did not he corrupt the law of sacrifices , when he offered vp his owne daughter , excusing himselfe by a vow he made , which was not so enioyned him by god ? the sacred signe ordain'd for the high priest , and sacrificer , in celebrating of sacrifice , called the ephod , seruing for an externall ornament , was it not abused by gideon , captaine of israel , when of the spoiles of the madianites , and their earerings , hee forged an ephod of gold ; by meanes whereof , the people fell to great idolatrie ? how long was this externall signe of the ephod abused , when an image was thereof erected in siloe , by the mother of michas : so that priests were expressely instituted to sacrifice thereunto , and an altar edified ; and thus was the true vse of holy sacrifices corrupted ? while the temple continued in siloe , into what depraued and adulterate rites did the priests and sacrificers fall , who were appointed , and ordained for the celebration and ministerie of holy sacrifices , and sacraments , when by long custome , they vsurped this priuiledge ouer the people , that when the sacrifice was solemnized , and the flesh of the oblations was a boiling , their sonne or seruant hauing a trident or iron hooke in his hand , he had the libertie to rake out of the pot or cauldron , whatsoeuer he could bring vp with his hooke ? moreouer , with more extreme leuiticall tyrannie , this seruant of the priests had the priuiledge , to demand of the celebrater some flesh to roast for the priest , or else he might violently take whatsoeuer he listed . were not these wonderfull abuses , and detestable corruptious practised by the sacrificers and high priests , vnder the pretext and colour of sacrifice ? what groffer corruption can be mentioned , then that of the children of eli the high priest , nam'd ophni , and phinees ; who , vnder the colour of deuotion , committed infamous whoredoms , with the women that watcht neere to the holy oraculous signe , instituted by god. for which sinne , they were lamentably slaine , and the arke of couenant violently taken away by the philistims , who erected it in the temple of their idol dagon . but god not permitting this sacred signe to the thus prophaned , he caused the image of dagon to fall downe , and sent grieuous punishments vpon the philistims , so as they were constrained to re-deliuer vp againe the arke of gods couenant . this sacred signe was so precious and estimable , that being but abused and prophaned by the bethsamites , that were not of the order of the leuites , fiftie thousand of the common people , and seuenty of the most apparant and remarkeable amongst them , were by diuine reuenge cut off by sodaine death . this example may make them tremble , that presume to profane the fignes and sacraments instituted by god , vzza also , for abusing the same sacred signe , though it were with a good intention , to ease the arke of the couenant , that leaned too much of one side , was he not punished with death ? for other prophanations committed by the israelites , there are examples of osias punished with leprosie ; for adulterating the sacrifices , and assuming the ministerie of incensing , allotted onely to the priests . saul the first elected king of the israelites , was put to the sword , and his kingdom succeeded to another , as was foretold him by samnel , in that he prophaned the sacrifices , and permitted his subiects to commit the like abuses . his successors to the kingdomes of the lewes , and israelites , did they not perseuer in their abuses and corruptions of the sacrifices and sacraments ordained by god , when they celebrated sacrifices to the gods , astaroth the god of the sidonians ; chamos , of the moabites ; and melcom , or moloch of the ammonites : building temples and oratories for them , offering incense , and solemnizing sacrifices to them ? ieroboam king of the israelites , did not onely erect a golden calfe , as the high priest aaron formerly did ; but hee set vp two golden cowes in the two temples of bethel , and of dan : he instituted strange priests , corrupted the law of god , and caused sacrifices to be celebrated after the manner and forme of aarons . this idolatrie and corruption of sacrifices was continued by the israelites for more then foure hundred yeeres , during the reignes of their kings , who had taught them to adulterate the true manner and forme of sacrifices , in particular chappels and oratories , edified on the tops of hilles , and consecrated in shadie forrests , violating the law of sacrifices ordained for the holy temple , in the sacred citie of god : for particualr examples of abuses committed against the true vse of sacrifices , we reade an historie of maacha , the mother of king asa , who caused an image to bee erected to god pan : she consecrated and dedicated vnto him a shadie forrest , and celebrated to him sacrifices . achab another king of the israelites erected an altar , and procured sacrifices to bee solemnized to god mars , otherwise called baal ; to whom hee dedicated and vmbragious groue , to please herein his wicked wife iezabel . hee also built another temple and altar to the god of the tyrians , ordained sacrificing priests , and instituted about 40. false prophets . his sonne & successor ochosias , instructed by his father in corrupting the true vse of the sacrifices , caused men not onely to immolate to baal , who signified mars , but perseuering still in farre greater corruptions , he built another temple to the god of the acaronites , called by iosephus , myos ; and by the grecians priapus , to which god hee offered sacrifice . and to bee short , what more abominable corruption can bee imagined , then the inuention of purgatory fire , which the israelites abused , causing their children to passe through the middest of the fire , in tophet , a valley belonging to the sonnes of ennon , sacrificing to god moloch ? this corruption of sacrifice , though it had been practised since moses time , notwithstanding the idole of moloch , in the valley of ennon , was not demolished till the reigne of good king josias , more then nine hundred yeeres after moses . neuerthelesse , this abuse hath been continued by the arabians and africans , euen to this present day ; for the alcaronists and mahumetans are of this beliefe , that the soules of the dead shall passe through fire , to bee purged and purified of their offences . by this briefe collection wee may cleerely discerne , how from the beginning of the world man hath fallen by his owne defect into this gulph of the error and corruption of sacred signes , sacrifices , and sacraments instituted for him , by god. but the most capitall abuses ; from whence the original of all idolatry deriues , haue proceeded from this , in that , carnall and fleshly men haue bin alwayes more addicted to visible signes and externall ceremonies , then to things signified and intimated in sacraments ; for in stead of circumcising their hearts , and casting off the old skinne of sinne , to bee regenerated , and purified by the bloud of the heauenly oblation offered vp before all ages , they haue taken and vnderstood the circumcision carnally , for nothing but the corporall foreskin circumcised . for did they follow the interpretation of god hereof by moses , which was to circumcise the prepuce of their hearts ? did the people of israel giue credit to the good prophet ieremias , who admonished them of the spirituall circumcision , and to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts , in casting off the old skinne of their corrupt nature ? the like hath hapned in sacrifices and sacred signes instituted by god , for signes of that sacrifice consummated in the sacred person of iesus christ : for carnall man had reference to the corporall bloud of the terrestriall beasts , whereas man should haue raised vp his spirit to heauen , to haue apprehended what was presigured and signified , by the immolation and oblation of beasts . and therefore diuine iustice is denounced by the prophets ; what neede haue i , saith the lord god , of your sacrifices ? i am angry with the oblation of your sheep ; i take no more delight in the bloud of oxen , nor of lambes , and sacrificed goats . why labour you to erect altars to mee ? i le none of your vaine offerings and oblations ; i abhorre your incenses ; i cannot endure your new moones , your sabbaths , your assemblies , nor your feasts : all this is but vanity . i haue conceiued an hatred against your feasts of new moones , o you israelites , and your solemne celebrations . i am weary with hauing endured so much : you are ready to addresse vnto mee your prayers , but i will no more heare you , for the abuses you haue committed , by your hands full of blood : i will accept of no bull hereafter , from the house of israel , because sacrifices are not pleasing to mee . i take as much delight in the sacrifice of an immolated oxe , as in the murder of a man slaine : and in the oblation of incense , as in the adoration of an idoll : wherefore then , saith god , take you so much paines to hunt after incense from saba , and for odours out of a farre countrey to mee , to celebrate sacrifices that are not pleasing to mee ? who incited you , o israelites , to erect images to the god moloch , and to the starre of romphan , during the time you were in the desarts , where i fed you with my heauenly manna ? your feastes are odious to mee , your holocausts , oblatio ns , and sacrifices for safetie i will reiect ; your offerings displease mee . by what meanes therefore must wee present our selues before god ? must it bee by oblations of heifers of a yeere old ? doth god take pleasure in the great number of sheepe sacrificed to him , or in the abundance of consecrated oyles ? shal i offer vnto him , saith the prophet , the first born , for remission of sinnes ? our good god herein clearely expresseth what he would haue vs to follow ; which is equity , to loue mercie , and to humble themselues before him with a contrite heart : obedience is better then sacrifice , or the fat of sacrificed sheepe . what mooued god to refuse the sacraments and sacrifices by himselfe ordayned , but onely the abuses and corruptions the israelites had committed , vnderstanding too carnally , the signes and ceremonies therein concurring to drawe them onely to true feare and obedince ? for , in stead of comprehending what was figured in the signes and corporall sacrifices , they relyed on the flesh of immolated beasts : whereas they should haue circumcized the prepuce of their hearts , they depended meerely in carnall circumcision , and in the meane while strayed from the true adoration of god , in repairing to the creatures , as to the starres , and the queene of heauen , and to other strange gods , offering incense to them , building of temples , instituting of priests , chaplaines , and sacrificers , making oblations , and celebrating sacrifices to them . and then further , to heape vp all corruptions , they offered sacrifice with the bloud of innocents , offering , and causing them to passe thorow the purgatory fire , in the valley of tophet . for the abuses also committed in the holy sacrifices , sacred signes , and oblations constituted for god , it was said to the people of israel by the prophets , that god would haue no more of their feasts , of their new moones , nor of their celebrated sacrifices , by bloudy and idolatrous people . chap. iiii. corruptions punished . after that the inscrutable wisedome of god knew the obstinacie and infidelity of the israelitish people , which perseuered still in committing idolatrie , by corrupting the sacred signes , sacraments , and sacrifices ; and in stead of acknowledging gods infinite goodnesse , that had freed them from the tyranny of pharaoh , and fedde them in the desart ; who had brought them into a promised fertile land , and had so many times assisted them in the warres , against their neighbours , the canaanites , moabites , madianites , philistines , ammonites , syrians , sydonians , and other enuious people , and enemies : this rude and ingratefull people continued still in their idolatry , instructed by their priests , sacrificers , princes , and kings , without returning to the true adoration of one onely god : for this cause , after great mercies shewed , and long expectation of a iust & rigorous iudge , who by all courses of correction was desirous to reduce his people by diuine particular inflictions ; which was , by excited wars , by captiuities , & seruitudes , by diuisions of the kingdom , distributed between roboam and ieroboam , successours to salomon , who fell to extreme idolatry , by intestine and ciuill warres , growing betweene the same people , diuided in themselues , and by other vsuall scourges , to chastize those whom god meant to fauour , for the reducing of them vnder his feare and obedience . at last , this people beeing too much obdurate , and inueterated in their idolatries , were brought into miserable seruitude vnder the tyranny of the vnbeleeuing assyrians , the idolatrous babylonians , and their kingdomes wholly extirpated . but some pretty while after , when the same people by the speciall mercy of god , were deliuered out of the hands of these infidell tyrants , restored to their liberty , and countrey of promise , they againe fell to idolatry more then before , vnder the gouernement of their sacrificers and high priests , which confounded the spirituall and temporall together , so farre as to inuest themselues with the royall scepter , and diadem . then came in the heresies of the pharisees , the sadducees , the esseans , galileans , masbutheans hermerobaptists , and samaritanes , corrupted through the diuersity of strange nations , hauing subdued , and inhabited the countrey of samaria next to iudea . for the babylonians worshipped succobenoth for their god . the cutheans of persia had for their god , nergal , or nergel . the hamathensians called vpon their god asima . the ananoys worshipped nebahaze , and thartace . the sepharuamensians , held for their gods , adramelech , and anamelech ; to which gods they sacrificed their childrē , causing them to passe through the fire . wherefore , when all kind of idolatry was thus spred among the israelites , when the sacrifices were absolutely corrupted , the sacrificers became mercenary , auaricious , tyrants and idolatrous . the people made tributary to the tyrants of rome ; the countrey of judeae reduced to a prouince , next to that of syria , vnder the subiection and power of the romanes ; as also the order and law of electing high priests adulterated , and their dignity quite bastardized , so as without any respect made of the race leuiticall ; the sacrificers were constituted by the consuls , and deputies of rome at their pleasure , and whereas before they were permanent during life , they now became annuall . when the royall scepter was alienated from the progenie of judea , their kingdome wholly subuerted , as before was prophecied : the incomprehensible power of god was reuealed by his sonne , begotten before all ages , who humbled himselfe to take vpon him humane flesh , in the wombe of the virgin , to redeeme his people , and to restore them to grace and fauour with god. chap. v. the ceremoniall law accomplished by iesus christ . now , as in adam , through his preuarication and sinne , and in abusing the sacred signes committed to his guard and custodie , as the whole masse of humane flesh was tainted with the leauen of sinne ; so by the second adam iesus christ , wee were againe by grace purged from all our offences . to our first and generall father adam , was giuen the sacred signe for an exercise of obedience , and other sacred signes to his successors , sacrifices , and sacraments instituted by god , the tree of life , the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill ; the rainbowe ; circumcision ; the vnspotted lambe ; the vnleauened bread ; the cloude ; the pillar of fire ; the red sea diuided ; heauenly manna ; water out of the rocke ; the oblations & holocausts of beasts for sacrifice ; the arke of couenant ; the brazen serpent ; the temple edified in the holy citie : all which sacred signes , sacrifices and sacraments , were figures of that which was accomplished in iesus christ . for first hee was the true tree of life , planted in the middest of the paradise of god , in and by whom , wee that were bastard slips , haue been engraffed , to obtaine eternall life : hee committed to our keeping the fruits of the tree of wisedome , by his holy gospel commanding vs to preserue it entirely , without adulterating or corrupting the same , without adding or dimishing there-from , vpon pain of eternall death . hee was as the rain-bow , extended all ouer the aire , to assure vs of the league and couenant contracted between god and vs , that we should no more be drowned in the deluge of sinne : he was circumcised , that the law in him might be accomplished , that so the prepuce of our hearts might be circumcised , and to make vs cast off our old corrupted skinne in adam . hee was like the flaming bush , incarnate in the wombe of the virgin , conceiued by the holy ghost , without the seed of man ; the sacred virgin , like the bush , remaining notwithstanding entire , and not consumed . he was sacrificed , like the iust & innocent lambe , and his blood shed , to preserue vs from the tyranny of satan , and to open vnto vs a passage , whereby we may enter into the land of promise , the heauenly kingdome . hee is that true vnleauened bread which came downe from heauen , incorrupt and vnspotted ; of whom we must eate for our spirituall nourishment ; that we may celebrate the feast of that miraculous passage from pharaoh , in the land of true liberty . hee was the cloud , the firie pillar , the diuided red sea , which conducted and deliuered vs out of the hands of our enemies ; out of whose opened side , came water and bloud for our saluation . he was the heauenly manna , sent from heauen , to feed vs for euer ; and the true rocke , out of which issued water , to quench their thirst for euer , which beleeue in him . it was he , that onely offered vp the sauing sacrifice for the expiation of our sinnes ; both priest and sacrifice , both the offerer , and the oblation ; remaining an eternall high-priest , at the right hand of god , his father ; beeing entred into the holy and heauenly sanctuarie , not built with mens hands , but by the hand of god. he was the true arke of alliance and couenant , by which god reuealed and manifested his oracles ; and in him he did reside , to accomplish his diuine and incomprehensible mysteries . he was like to the brazen serpent , fastened to the crosse , to giue health vnto the sicke , which returne to him , and contemplate on him by faith. he was the true temple of god , wherein the holy ghost dwels , one god in trinity ; in , and by whom god is onely adored . he was the true and sacred oblation , of whom the reall water purgatorie was made , for the purgation of euery blemish . himselfe , with his owne ashes , that is , with his immolated body , besprinkled and wet with water issuing out of his side , all people and nations that beleeue in him . chap. vi. of sacraments ordained by iesus christ himselfe . the law ceremoniall beeing by this meanes accomplished , not in figures , but really executed , by the incarnation , death , and resurrection of jesus christ , our sauiour , our mediator , our eternall priest and propitiator ; the infinite goodnesse of god was yet further reuealed , by the new couenant , new alliance , and new comming of the sonne of god , incarnate : for , by his new testament , ratified and confirmed in the death of the testator ▪ he hath constituted vs as heires and coheires to god , in his heauenly kingdome . for assurance of this celestiall succession , purchased for vs by grace , after the consummation of the law ceremoniall , and the same abolished ( as we haue formerly declared ) through that perfect sacrifice of the priest eternall ; there were left vnto vs two sacred signes or sacraments , wherein god bestowed greater fauour , and more speciall grace , then he had done before his incarnation : for hee hath freed vs from the seruile law of circumcision , from the difference of meates , and diuers sacrifices ordained in the first church of the israelites : and by easing vs of this waighty burthen , hee further conferred vpon vs a greater comfort ; in constituting , for a memoriall and remembrance of our regeneration and eternall life , two holy sacraments , vnder two sacred signes ; which are , the water of baptisme , and the bread and wine in the communion of his body . now , that his grace might be extended to all nations , god thought good to make choice of the most familiar and ordinary signes and symboles : for circumcision was a speciall marke for abraham and his posterity ; to which circumcision , other nations were not accustomed ; though herodotus , a grecian borne , in an history he wrote of the aegyptian manners , specifies their manner and custome of beeing circumcised , but especially the priests : and we may easily coniecture , that he had heard of it , at the time when the iewes dwelt in aegypt for the space of 430 yeeres , and obserued circumcision . moreouer , circumcision was appointed onely for the males , and not for females : there was a limited time appointed for circumcision ; which was , within eight dayes after the natiuity ; and the cutting of the fore-skin , was with griefe and paine . but the grace of god , by his incarnation and plenary sacrifice , hauing abolished the rigor of the law ceremoniall , as well for difference of meates , as of daies ; he left vnto vs by his new testament , and new alliance , the sacred signe of water , common to all , both male and female , without any distinstion of dayes ; and the infant , by the sacrament of baptisme , feeling no paine , as it did by the circumcision of the fore-skinne . this signe of water , intimating vnto vs the purgation and expiation of our sinnes , through the bloud of iesus christ , was common , not onely among the iewes , who vsed ordinarily , water purgatorie , and of expiation ; but the gentiles also , and all other nations , were accustomed to a lotion and purgation of cleansing , and purgatorie water , as we may perceiue in reading ancient histories . wherefore , to the end that gods grace in iesus christ , might generally bee spred oner all the earth ; to all nations , regions , and prouinces ; both to the circumcised and vncircumcised ; to the iewes , and to the gentiles ; god made election of the most common signe of water , the more freely to expose himselfe vnto man , and to win him to his feere and obedience . by which signe , he hath instituted his holy sacrament of baptisme , for an assured note and marke of our regeneration and purification , sacramentally conferred by the power of the holy ghost : in which sacrament , god doth warrant vs his helpe and assistance , so ingrafted and regenerate in iesus christ , to be made and renewed the members of his members ; and to receiue vs , as clothed anew , and reincorporated by and through him . the like reasons may be produced , for the other holy sacrament instituted by god in his new testament , which is that of bread and wine : which signes symboles , and externall elements , all nations were accustomed to vse , in their sacrifices , oblations , and ceremonies belonging to their religions ; both circumcised and vncircumcised , both iewes and gentiles : as also , the two specificall refections for the nourishment and sustentation of men , are comprehended vnder these signes of bread and wine . our good god therefore , for these reasons , desiring to draw all nations to himselfe ; to nourish , and minister vnto them most necessarie prouisions , he instituted the communion of the body and bloud of our sauiour iesus christ , vnder the symboles , sacred signes , and sacraments of bread and wine : and looke how we are assured by the outward marke and character of water in baptisme , to bee regenerate and incorporated into the body and blood of iesus christ , represented in this sacrament of consecrated water , by the power of the holy ghost ; so are wee nourished by the communion of his body and bloud really presented to vs , in the consecrated bread and wine , for our spirituall foode , liuing and eternall , by the vertue and power of the holy ghost : wherein god hath shewed vs this speciall fauour , to discharge vs of all bloudie sacrifices , ordained in the first church of the israelites , who were charged with sundry and diuers sacrifices , celebrated with the bloud of many earthly beasts shed , according to the diuersitie of sinnes and offences , and of persons that had offended . all which sacrifices were consummated and abolished , by shedding of the bloud of that iust and innocent lambe , iesvs christ ; who , by his perfect sacrifice , hath absolutely abolished all other sacrifices , reseruing to himselfe , the dignity of high and eternall priest , placed at the right hand of god the father . but so much hee hath fauoured vs , that in stead of abolished sacrifices , hee hath instituted two holy sacraments heretofore mentioned , for an infallible assurance of our regeneration , purgation , adoption , and of our nourishment and eternall life bestowed vpon vs by the blood of our sauiour iesus christ . chap. vii . of the corruption of the sacrament of baptisme . as the israelites being too grosse and carnall , relyed too much on externall signes , hauing corrupted the true vse of sacrifices , and sacraments appointed for them by god ; so such like abuses , yea , farre greater corruptions haue happened in the two holy sacraments , left vnto vs by the new testament of iesus christ . for in the sacrament of baptisme , which succeeded in the place of circumcision , man conceiued of a foule and wicked masse , could not bee contented with the holy institution from god , but quickly depraued and defiled the vse of the holy sacrament of baptisme , by coniurations , exorcismes , mixtures of salt and oyle , waxe candles , extreme vnctiōs , breathings , babies , or puppets , with a thousand cruzadoes in the forehead , in the eyes , on the backe , on the stomacke , on the shoulders , and at the mouth , and all to driue away deuils . for the messalian heretikes , authors of exorcismes of cruzadoes , affirmed , that euery borne infant , was borne with his peculiar daemon , or deuill , which cannot bee driuen away , but by coniurations and exorcismes . by this meanes the holy sacrament of baptisme came to bee corrupted , euen to the adding and annexing of syriacke words of driuell , and purgatory-spittle . what greater corruption can bee imagined , then such abominable inuentions ; as if the bloud of christ iesus were not sufficient for our regeneration and purgation ; and that god of himselfe were not powerfull enough to engraft and regenerate vs , by the sacred signe of water , representing the bloud of iesus christ , but that there must bee exorcised spittle , and driuell , oyle , salt , puppet-images , creames , torches , waxe-candles , milke , or honie , inuented and deuised by other heretikes ? some also there bee more subtill magicians , pithagoreans , instructed in the messalian heresie , haue added to all this , the pronouncing of the deuils name twenty times , to exorcise and coniure him , as ●e that associates the male infant when hee comes to be baptized ; and thirty times they vtter it , at the baptizing of a daughter . was there euer so detestable a corruption in the sacrament of circumcision ? wherefore , o you messalians , haue you foysted in oyles , into the holy sacrament of baptisme ; imitating herein the heresie of marcus , and marcosus , who commanded that infants to be baptized , should bee anointed ? the sacred signe of water , instituted by the hand of god , was it not sufficient to signifie the precious blood of iesus christ , for our regeneration and purification , without intruding of fattes , oiles , spittle , and other mixtures inuented by the corrupters of sacraments ? the body and bloud of iesus christ , wherewith wee are clothed anew by the sacred water of baptisme , was it not powerfull enough , and efficacious , to preserue vs from all tempests , without borrowing of your exorcismes and vnctions ? and yet , for a further corruption and abuse , women were permitted to baptize , conformable to the errour of the marcionists , quintilians , cataphrigians , montanists , pepuzians , priscilians , and artotirites . were women euer admitted by the law of god to minister the holy sacraments , or sacrifices instituted in the first church of the israelites ? or in the new testament of iesus christ ? in the historie of moses it is reported , that his wife sephora excited with feminine furie , tooke the stone or knife wherewith shee circumcised her sonne : but it is not written , that shee , or any other like her , were euer permitted to administer the holy sacraments . out of these corruptions in the holy sacrament of baptisme , many heresies were raised by the catabaptists , anabaptists , antipedobaptists , with other heretikes , and schismatikes , who were not satisfied with gods pure and sincere institution , but regarded more exteriour signes , then that which in them was spiritually represented . whosoeuer desires to vnderstand more particularly , the abuses and corruptions , inuented and deuised in diuers ages , out of the variable humours of men , let them read our ecclesiasticall commentaries . wee must now at this present descend to the corruptions in the other holy sacrament of the supper , and communion of the body and bloud of iesus christ . chap. viii . of the corruption of the sacrament of the lords supper . wee may euidently discerne by this succinct discourse , how weake and mutable man is , euer abusing and alienating the graces of god. for as the people of israel , from the beginning of the law and institution to them recommended , corrupted the true vse of sacrifices , sacred signes , and sacraments ordained of god , so hath it falne out to the law of god by iesus christ , hauing constituted a forme of communicating his body ●and bloud , vnder the symboles and sacred signes of bread and wine : which holy sacrament began to bee alienated , euen in the very times of the apostles , by the corinthians ; against whom saint paul wrote epistles , to reduce them to the sincere and true obseruation of this holy sacrament . wherefore , let no man hereafter thinke it strange , if the apostles successors haue from time to time adulterated the true vse and rite of this holy sacrament ; and the further off they were in the present age of their liuing , from the reigne of the apostles of iesus christ , the more easily they fell into corruptions ; yea , such as were most abominable ; hauing conuerted the sincere vse of this sacrament , into a gulph and precipice of all idolatry . first of all , what an alteration happened in the church , next and immediatly succeeding the apostles , touching a comprimission of dayes , when this holy sacrament was to be celebrated . sabatius the heretike instituted the celebration of the passeouer , with vnleauened bread , after the manner of the iewes . some of his sect ordained , that this holy sacrament should bee solemnized the fourteenth moneth , as the iewes did . policrates , bishop of the ephesians , was said to bee of this sect ; philip hiropolitan , policarpus , truscas , melitus , and narcissus bishop of ierusalem ; victor bishop of rome , eleutherius his predecessor , and theophilus bishop of palestina were of a contrary opinion . this difference continued for more then three hundred yeeres after the apostles time . others celebrated the passeouer after the aequinoctiall season , when the sunne entred into the signe of aries : and others obserued the moneth xanthicke , called by the romanes , aprill . some affirmed for example the quartodocumans , how they were informed by s. iohn , to celebrate it in the fourteenth moneth . the romanes vaunted that they were taught by s. peter and s. paul , whereof notwithstanding no manifest proofe appeared . the phrygian montanists condemne the quartodecumans , which obserued the fourteenth moneth ; and that they ought herein to bee gouerned by the course of the sunne , and so to begin it at the springs aequinoctiall : and for this reason they celebrated it the eight of the ides of aprill , which was the fourteenth of the said moneth , though it fell vpon a sunday . and there was not a contention onely touching the administration of this holy sacrament , on the seuerall dayes assigned for celebrating thereof : but there was likewise a notable deuision among the christians , about the ceremonies inuented , whereby worthily to receyue the same . for some , as in particular , the romanes , obserued the fast , or euen , three weekes before the day it selfe of easter . the illyrians , and all greece , as likewise the alexandrians , instituted a quadragesima , to fast for sixe weekes . some others ordained a seuen weekes abstinence , with an intermission from fiue to fiue dayes . then was another iewish ceremonie restored , the more to corrupt the holy sacrament of the supper , through diffrence and distinction of meats . for some prohibited during the feast , the eating either of fish , or flesh : others forbade the vse of flesh onely , permitting men to eate fish , or fowle ; which they said , according to moses , did participate of the substance of the water . some in like manner ordained , that men should only eate bread and water : others fasted till noone , without any distinction of meates . and to resolue briefly : there was in the beginning , an infinite number of corruptions and customes , in the communion of the holy sacrament of the supper , by meanes of the ceremonies renewed , about difference of daies and meates , abrogated by the grace and law of iesus christ . but was there any holy apostle of god , that euer left in writing any law or cōmandement , for distinction of daies and meates , in celebrating the holy supper of iesus christ ? their intention was not to institute a religion of feasts , a distinction of dayes and meates : their doctrine onely aimed to instruct men how to liue well ; and that one onely god was to be adored and worshipped . wherefore , we must necessarily hereupon inferre , that the ceremony and festiuity of the pascha , or easter , proceeded from a custome ; for none of the apostles left any thing thereof in writing . to qualifie such dissentions and corruptions , many councels were assembled ; one , at sangariae in bithinia ; by which , to auoid all contentions , euery man was apermitted to celebrate the passeouer , when he would . another councell was held in cesarea , by theophilus , bishop of that place , and by narcissus , bishop of ierusalem . another councell there was in achaia . and another councell was conuented at rome , by victor , bishop of the same place . after these petty corruptions , there succeeded greater from time to time , according to the humors and affections of the bishops of rome . alexander , 1. of that name , being raised to the superintendencie of the romane church ; one of the first successors to the apostles of iesus christ , and one of the first corruptors also of the holy sacrament of the supper ; inuented the mingling of water with wine , before the communion : wherein , hee went about to reforme the holy gospell of iesus christ , which instituted the communion of his body and bloud , vnder the two kindes of bread and wine ; but alexander added thereunto a third kind , which was water . he also renewed the iewish ceremony of vnleauened bread , wherewith to celebrate the passeouer , as the iewes did ; following herein the opinion of the ebionites , who taught , that the ceremoniall law of moses was necessary for saluation : as also , symmachus the hereticke in palestine , taught the like . if iesus christ was circumcised to fulfill the lawe of moses , must it therefore be requisite to vse circum●nmcision ? as also , if it were his pleasure , for accomplishing the law of ceremonies , to vse one daies appointed vnleauened bread , must wee needs therefore returne to the rigour of this ceremonie , abrogated by the complete sacrifice of iesus christ ? in what place of scripture did alexander learne to mingle water with wine ? and to restraine christians to vnleauened bread ; as also his other inuention , of driuing away diuels with salt water exorcized ? as for the purgatory water by him ordained , wee will hereafter deriue the originall thereof from numa pompilius , that great magician , and romane idolater . but touching the mixture of water with wine , he might peraduenture be instructed by the ancient idolaters ; who , in celebrating their sacrifices , were wont , in a chalice , to consecrate water with bread : especially vpon the festiuals dedicated to the sunne , which the persians worshipped , called by them , mythros . and in the feast of the nephalies , they also vsed water for sacrifice . with this comparison , iustine martyr relates the custome obserued amongst idolaters , and by christians , in the consecration of bread , wine , and water : by the one , which is to say by the idolaters , in the name of their idols ; and by christians , in the name of their true god. and yet this first corruption in the administration of the holy sacrament , by the mixture of water with wine , perseuered not without contradiction : for the greekes were of a contrary opinion ; and that it was not requisite to brew water with wine , neither would they herein follow the alexandrian corruptions . amarcanus was of the same opinion as alexander ; affirming , that the mixture of water with wine was necessary . scotus the subtile sophister , absolutely denied , that it was necessary to mingle the water with the wine : because , saith he , it cannot then be changed , nor transubstantiated into bloud , except the same were first changed into wine . some others , more ingenious , laboured to interpret this institution of alexander , by alleadging , that the wine was conuerted into blood : but as for the water , it was transubstantiated into the water that came out of christs side . this first corruption of alexanders , gaue occasion of many other succeeding abuses : for some other more profound impostors deuised to mingle with the wine , bloud , that was taken from yong infants , wherewith to besmeare the bread of the holy supper of iesus christ as the cataphrigians , who brought in a kinde of transubstantiation of wine into bloud , really and corporlly . some others added cheese thereunto , called artotirites ; which is to say , cheese-bread-mongers . certaine also abusing this holy sacrament , in stead of wine , put in water , vnder pretext of the greater abstinence . others had an institution of steeping bread in the wine , the which custome the messalians also retained in their missall sacrifices . for another detestable corruption of this holy sacrament , some popes of rome forbade their messalian sacrificers , not to administer to christian people , whom they call lay-men , the body of iesus christ in both kindes , but onely vnder the sacred signe of bread , and not of wine ; which they reserued for their messalian sacrificing priests . is not this corruption directly against the holy gospel , and institution of the supper of iesus christ , ordained and commaunded , that all faithfull men should eate his body , and drinke of his blood ? when he tooke the cup , did he not vse these proper words ? drinke all of this wine , in memoriall of my bloud shed ? vsed hee any other words for the eating of his bodie in the symbole of bread , then hee did of his blond , vnder the signe of wine ? for if wee compare the sacred signe , ordained by god in the church of the israelites , being a figure of the communion of the body of iesus christ , which was the true paschal lambe , whose flesh was ordained to bee eaten without exception of persons , so they were circumcised ; was there euer any difference in the eating of the paschall lambe , and the celebration of the passeouer among the iewes ; betweene the leuites being of the race of sacrificing priests , and others of the common people ? to bring in another odious corruption , the messalians instituted in their missall-idolatries , to sacrifice and offer the body and bloud of iesus christ , reiterating by this means the sacrifice fully consummated by iesus christ , which cannot bee reiterated , because it was , not according to the forme of aaron , but of melchizedec , the eternall sacrifizer and priest , without leauing any successor . as also when the apostle admonished the corinthians to celebrate sacredly the supper of iesus christ , were they commanded to sacrifice ? no ; but to eate , and communicate together of the body , & to drinke of the blood of iesus christ . the beginning of the supper , was not to kill or immolate , or to sacrifice any beast , or oblation to god ; but onely to eate and drinke at his holy banquet , prepared for vs by iesus christ , the eternall sacrifice , and sacrificer ; who reserued onely for himselfe this eternall priesthood ; yet neuerthelesse , hee left vnto vs a sacred institution of a banquet , set before vs in the bread and wine , which represent his body and bloud . after these aboue-named corruptions , satan , a diligent babylonian architect , employed all his power and means , to rayse an inexpugnable fort of idolatry ; to the end that hee might wholly demolish and subuert the kingdome of iesus christ , when hee vndertooke to suborne the masse , in stead of the holy sacrament of the supper , as wee will briefly produce , and so clearely , that the most hard-hearted pharaohs inueterated in their ancient idolatries , shall by the trueth of histories acknowledge their errours , and abominable heresies . chap. ix . the ancient religion of the romane empire . before my deciphering of this labyrinth of errour , wherein the messalians did so lose themselues , i thinke it verie requisite succinctly to lay open the ancient religion of the romanes , during the reigne of the occidentall empire : and of the emperours vsurping both the temporall scepter , and the dignitie of high priests , superintendents ouer the romane church and religion . all of them , as well as my selfe , will confesse , that the ancient romane religion was either wholly , or for the greatest part instituted by numa pompilius , the second king of the romanes , about seuen hundred yeeres before the incarnation of iesus christ . then were your high priests inuested , which afterwards were reduced to a certaine number , euen to foure : then the number was augmented to eight : and afterwards by silla to fifteene . in the colledge of priests , there was one pontifex maximus , who was chosen by the other inferiour priests , of their order and dignitie ; euen as the pettie priest purple-cardinals make the election of their great romane pope , out of their place , order , and dignitie . this pompilian religion was so religiously obserued by the romanes from father to sonne , as it was neuer possible to irradicate , or supplant it : but it continues euen to this day , as euery one shall manifestly discerne by this succinct narration . to confirme this point , no man can be ignorant , if euer he read the romane histories ; but that , before the incarnation of christ , there was not so much as one king , consull , dictator , or romane emperour , instructed in the law of god , but all were idolaters and infidels , obseruing the religion of that magician , numa pompilius . for since the incarnation of iesus christ , for the space of three hundred yeeres , or thereabouts , there was not likewise any emperour , or romane consull , that changed his religion , to embrace the law of iesus christ : but , on the contrary , they strayn'd all their might and power , to put in practice what cruelties soeuer against the church of iesus christ ; which may bee iustified by the ecclesiasticall histories : wherein are explained , about eleuen seuerall great persequutions , vnder the romane pontifes ; which were , claudius , tiber. nero , claud. domitian . nero , flau. . domitian . traian . elia. adrian . antonine the philosopher , septimius seuerus , jul. maximin . mar. quint. traian . decius , licinus , valerianus , valerius aurelianus , and dioclesian . all which emperours gouerned both the empire , and the superintendents ouer the romane religion for three hundred yeeres after the incarnation of iesus christ ; and in their coynes , sepulchres , monuments , titles , and letters patents , they retained the stile of great pontifes , and high priests : as is most diligently collected in a booke of the antiquities of rome , wherein are specified the medails , coynes , and monuments of the ancient romane emperours , all which were enstil'd pontifes , vnder these titles : iul. caesar . pont. max. tiber. nero pont. max. vesp . caesar pont. max. marc. aurel. antonine . aug. ponti . max. heliogabalus high priest : aug. adrianus jmp. pontif. max. tit. caes . pontif. max. commod . jmpe . pontif . max. galerius maximianus pontif. max. elauianus constantinus , aug. pontif. max. beeing therefore in this manner emperours , and romane pontifes , they neuer would permit any other head aboue themselues , in the church and religion of rome , which in all ages was an enemie to iesus christ . for when the apostles preached christ to bee the high and soueraigne priest , the eternall and great sacrificer , without successour , after the order of melchizedec , the romane tyrants tooke occasion , or at least their lieutenants , to condemne iesus christ , for feare of impayring the authority of the caesars high romane pontifes . with what fury for the space of three hundred yeeres , were they excited against christians , and the religion of iesus christ , to maintaine their ancient pompilian religion ? what answere was giuen to the emperour theodosius , by the senate and senators of rome , when they were mooued to change their religion , and imbrace that of iesus christ ? they shewed how they had bin in possession of their pompilian religion for more then a thousand yeeres , and that the alteration of religion , was the ruine of common-wealths . for these reasons persisting in their old romane religion , they forbare to receiue the law of iesus christ . chap. x. how the bishops of rome began their corruptions . by these histories we may easily resolue , that during foure hundred yeeres and more , the bishops of rome , who tearmed themselues christians , could neuer draw the senate nor senators of rome , to entertaine the holy gospel . as also they could hardly conuert the romane idolaters from their old and inueterate idolatries . for the bishops of rome were too busie in restoring the iewish and heathen ceremonies , about difference of meats , touching ordinances not to fast on sundayes or thursdayes ; to inuent table-●lothes , vailes , vessels of gold and siluer , on hangings , tapistries , and other ornaments of the altar , worne out with old age , and to be burned , and the ashes to be laid vp in fonts . some also were mightily busied to renew the iewish ceremonies of vnleauened bread , hauing their mindes greatly turmoyled to corrupt the true vse of the holy sacraments instituted by god , by the mingling of water with winae , nd seasoning water with salt , to make it purgatory , and exorciz'd for the repelling of deuils . othersome in like maner tooke great paines to ordaine ephods of fine linnen , wherin to wrap the sacred host : also to constitute aubes , and other vestiments for the priests in their sacrifices , of white , & no died colours . some had their braines troubled to deuise feasts of dedication , and consecration with exorcismes , to driue away deuills with salt : and othersome to inuent oyles and vnctions , wherewith to corrupt the holy sacrament of baptisme . then afterwards during the time of these tyrant emperours , and great pontifes , the bishops of rome , desiring to perpetuate their names , they wore out their braines in building of temples , not to the honour of god , but to the names of men , and women , saints by them cannonized , at their owne pleasure . others were occupied in ordaining and decreeing , that the consecrated bread or wine falling to the ground , should be licked vp by the priests ▪ and the rest remaining to be burnd in the fire : and the ashes to be reserud in a reliquarie . some looke out for chalices , that they should be of glasse , and not of wood. others instituted solemne ceremonies for the foure seuerall seasons of the yeare , to bring christians by this meanes vnder the seruitude of destinction of daies . others were studiously employed in ordaining the oblation , and consecration of beanes : to solemnize funeralls with purple habites , after the forme of a vestment called trabea , which idolaters vsed in their triumphs celebrated to the honour of their gods. the like purple ornament is in vse at this day amongst the cardinals . others were occupied in deuising confirmation for little infants , and to consecrate the creame for bishops only , also to honour extraordinarily the bishop of hostia , by whose hands the bishop of rome is to be consecrated , with a kinde of mantle called pallium : and to inuent a number of other vnecessary ceremonies , yea such as were opposite to the euangelicall libertie , ginen vnto vs by iesus christ . how was it possible therefore , for the first bishops of rome to drawe the princes and romane senators , to the law of the gospell , for three or foure hundred yeares after the incarnation of christ , when they laboured nothing else but to corrupt the vse of the holy sacraments , to restore the iewish ceremonies , and the idolatries of the ancient heathen romanes ? they may here obiect one philip , which some vaunt , was conuerted to holy baptism , whose depraued māners gaue occasion to the most authentick historiographers , to esteeme him vnworthy of the name of a christian ; whereunto they adde constantine the great , that assembled the counsell of nice , but his residence was in greece , called the empire of the east , and yet he would neuer embrace the character of baptisme , to be regenerate by the blood of christ , till he was threescore and fiue yeares old , when he was baptised by an arian bishop of nicomedia , named eusebius : when the same constantine was at the point of death . wherefore syluester bishop of rome need not vaunt of conuerting this emperour to the faith. for the same siluester likewise would not be present in the assembly of the counsell held at nice , in the yeare of iesus christ 327. howsoeuer the matter stands , we must euer haue recourse to the truth of histories , wherein is recited the answer which the senate , and senators of rome made to the emperour theodofius more then threescore yeares after the death of the said constantine the great : to wit , that they would not receiue the law of iesus christ , but rather obserue their ancient pompilian law , to auoid the ruine of their common-wealth through a change , and alteration of religion : wherefore it must needes bee inferred , that the law of god was not receiued nor approued at rome , by the senate and senators . now we must come to the subsequent times . after the decease of theodosius , the romane westerne empire began so much to decline , that in a short space , it was cleane extirpated by the vandales and alands , who were the first that sacked rome , in part burned it , and carryed away the emperour theodosius owne daughter , whom they married to atolphus king of the gothes . not long after succeeded the hunnes , and then attila king of the gothes , which vsurped italie . about this time the occidentall romane empire was stript of all germany , dacia , sarmatia , and all other tributarie prouinces euen to dannbius . spaine also , aquitane , gascoyne , burgundie , and all the gaules reuolted from the romane tyrannie . then came the astrogothes with their kings , valamir , and theodemir , theodoric , with other barbarians and infidels , as likewise the visigothes , all vsurpers successiuely in italie . after this raigned totilas , who entred , sackt and burnt rome , and all sicilia . at last the lombardes came to raigne , conducted by their king alb●im , who vsurped ouer all italie . these barberous , idolatrous , and infidell nations were as gods scourges , ordained to punish the romaine idolaters committed by them , who had receiued the knowledge of the holy gospell : and yet ranne astray from the true adoration and worship of god , violated and corrupted the holy sacraments by their humane inuentions and fictions : in like manner to punish the obstinacie , and infidelity of the emperours and senators of rome , who first by their officers , and lieuetenants deputies , had caused iesus christ , and his holy apostles to bee crucified : daily persecuted the christians , and euer opposed the law euangelicall , to maintaine their pompilian religion . we may therefore resolue , and conclude , that for the space of foure hundred yeares , the romane church of emperours and senators were alwaies opposites and enemies to the law of iesus christ . afterwards when the vvesterne empire was extinguished for three hundred yeares or thereabouts , that rome , and all italie was rulde and gouerned by kings , princes , and dukes , that were infidels , and idolaters , which was by the vuandales , by the gothes , by the hunnes , ostrogothes , visigothes , and lumbards , for the space of seauen hundred yeares or thereabouts after the iucarnation of iesus christ there was no emperours , kings nor princes at rome , that would embrace the law of iesus christ . the which i desired briefly to produce , to the end the reader ▪ might not thinke it strange , though i here set downe how the sacrifice of the masse tooke originall , from the auncient ethnicke religion , instituted by numa , more then seauen hundred yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ : and that since also the same sacrifice hath beene continued by the romane idolaters , hardened and inuerated in their pompilian religion , which they would neuer abandon nor giue ouer . chap. xi . the first greatnesse of popes ; prouing antichrists , and bringing in the sacrifice of the masse . now , to the end nothing might be concealed out of the romane histories , to obscure the clearenesse and sun-shine of truth , during the tyranny and vsurpation of the aboue mentioned nations , there was erected in italie a petty exarcate at rauenna , which stood for an hundred eighty three yeares , till it was supprest by a pope , who was inuested in the same , & encroacht vpon st. peters chaire , by a donation or dismission wrought by pepyn in the yeare 758. in requitall of the tyrannie vsed by zacharias , a greeke romane pope , who depriu'd ▪ the true heires of the crowne of france , which were chilperio , or childeric , whom hee shut vp in a monasterie , to conferre the kingdome vpon the said pepyn , sonne to charles martell the bastard . this donation of pepyns bestowed on the great romane pontife , was the first originall of the exaltation and eminencie of the romane popes , who to this day remaine the exarcate of rauenna , since about eight hundred yeares , with many townes along the coast of the adriatick , assign'd ouer to them by pepyn , against the expresse prohibitions of constantine , then raigning emperour of the east in greece . while this pettie exarcate continued at rauenna a long time before pepyns donation , the bishop of the place seeing that there were no more experors at rome , tyranniz'd and gouern'd by barbarous and miscreant nations , began to lift vp his hornes , so as hee would be preferred before the bishop of rome , and stile himselfe head of the church , both he and his successours bishops of rauenna , while the exarcate lasted . this was the first petty antichrist that assum'd a tyrannie in the church , pursuing the terrestriall tyrannie of his exarcate . after him rose another great antichrist in constantinople , named iohn , bishop of the place : who perceiuing the occidentall empire of rome cleane extinguished , and that of constantinople risen to a great heigth , he grew also affected to worldly tyrannie , and conformable therevnto erected one spirituall in the church of iesus christ . by a councell held for the purpose , hee denounced himselfe to be oecumenicall bishop , which signifies generall , and head of all the church . but presently after , the great romane pontifes tooke so good a course herein , that by treason the emperor mauricius was cruelly slaine in constantinople , himselfe , his wife , and family , by that wicked phocas : who , for recompence of this abominable murther committed , by the notice and intelligence of their church of rome , alwayes contrary to iesus christ , caused boniface the third of that name , to be declar'd head , and generall of the church of god , vsurping the authority of the great and eternall sacrificing high priest , the onely spouse , and head of his church iesus christ . who could better resemble antichrist then he that assumes a tyrannie in the church of god , a poligamie in the church , the spouse of iesus christ : ascribing to himselfe that power , which iesus christ reseru'd for himselfe , to reside perpetually with his church , by the power and vertue of the holy ghost , for the conduct and gouernement of the same . may not he rightly be term'd antichrist , that labours directly to oppose the holy gospell of iesus christ , who forbad his apostles , when hee sent them to preach the word , that they should not constitute a monarchie in the church , as the princes , kings , and tyrants of the earth are wont to doe ? that none of them should presume to bee called head , or greater then the rest ; but that they should all be humbled as brethren : being assured that they had one onely head , and one heauenly father , who would dwell and continue with them for euer , to conduct and inspire them in his holy will ? is not he truly an antichrist , that will terme himselfe to be iesus christs successour to the chiefe pontificacie , and to the soueraignty of priesthood by him administred , which dignity he reseru'd onely to himselfe , he remaining eternall and high priest for euer : who left no successour in his dignity , as aaron and his successours did , to the dignity of the iewes high priesthood ; but according to the order of melchisedeck , king , and high priest , without any successour in his dignity . wherefore o you romane antichrists , why haue you assum'd the dignity of high priests , as heads and soueraignes of the church of god , and vsurpe the authority of iesus christ , causing your selues to be entituled , most happy , and most re●erend fathers , and popes , hauing founded a colledge of petty purple pontifes , to elect a great pontife or high priest : but to the end to renew the auncient ethnick romane religion of numa pompilius , the first founder and erecter of your pontificall dignities . about the same time that this cruell murtherer phocas set vp antichrist in the romane church , mahomet rose vp in the church of arabia , instructed by sergius a monke , about the yeare 620. for this apostaticall heritick perceiuing the whole law of god to be corrupted by humane traditions , and the holy gospell contemn'd : also the sects , and diuers heresies , planted as well by the iewish pharisies , esseans , saduces , masbuthians , galileans , hemerobaptists , and samaritanes : as also by christians , the symoniackes , nicolaitans , cerinthians , menandrians , and ebionites , the valentinians , cerdonians , marcionists , montanists , cataphrigians , tatians , eucratites , seuerians , artemonists , porphirians , helchefaites , nouatians , sabellians , chiliasts , paulianists , manechees , antomousiastes , arrians , eunomians , macedonians , eunomiotheophroniens , eunomeoeutichians , aetians , donatists , luciferians , patripassians , or theopachites , photinians , marcellians , paulosomosetans , apolinarists , iouianists , pelagians , platirians , anthropomorphites , nestorians , sabbatians , acephalians , acarians , olympians , quaternians , monothelites , and other hereticks , hauing corrupted the true vse of the sacraments ordayned of god. and seeing also , that the sect of the messalians , especially prospered in their ceremonies , taken partly out of the iewish law , and partly from the panyme idolatries , hee inuented the high decrees of the alcoran , wherein hee employed many chapters and articles called azoares , which are like canons and rules of the mahumetan religion . this briefe and compendious discourse of the romane history , i thought requisite to recite , before i began to discribe the originall of the sacrifice of the masse , : that thereby i might induce the reader no vnderstand the truth of the matter : how the romane empire was gouern'd till the declination of the same , which was about the yeare of christ 410. and how the barbarous idolaters vsurpt it since , for the space of 300. yeares : as also the antichrists haue beene rais'd , which still enioy it at this day , and haue done for some fiue hundred yeares past . chap. xii . of the masse in particular , with her true originall . for beginning to this our briefe missall treatise , we must first expresse this terme of masse , called by the ancient romanes missa . some haue preferr'd this missall sacrifice , to take originall from the hebrewes : alleadging that place of daniell , when he speakes of maozin , as if by maozin they would signifie the masse . but this word in sence , stands farre from the missa or masse : and there are some hebrew words which come farre nearer to it , as messa ; which by enterpretation is conculcation : of which word mention is made in the historie of the kings of israell . there is also an other hebrew word very conformable to the vulgar terme of messel , which is missal , and that is hell , or the graue . but i suppose the great romane pontifes would not deriue the originall of the sacrifice of their masse , from the hebrewes , because then they must acknowledge the masse , or their missell , to be a conculcation or extortion , and hell , or a graue . and to speake but truth , the author of the romane religion numa pompilius , neuer thought of the hebrewes , when he first instituted the masse : neither can this word missa , or messe , take originall from the greekes . because there is no sacrifice of this name or title , though some haue brought in a colourable reason from this greeke word myzein , which is to say in french ; to hide or keepe in secret : as if the messalian sacrificers receiued from the auncient idolatrous greekes , to mumble secretly the principall words of their masses , that the auditors might not heare them : but they vsed to murmur and whisper betwixt the teeth , the canons , and some speciall words , which neither themselues , nor they that looke on vnderstand . neuerthelesse , neither the hebrew nor greeke words cannot properly be applyed to the missall sacrifice . and therefore we must repaire to the true etimologie of the word missa , or messe , drawne from the ancient latine romanes , who vsed these words , missus , missa , missilis , and missio : euen as in french we have messager , message , and messiues , for letters sent . wherefore , when the ancient romane idolaters meant to dismisse the assistants at the sacrifices celebrated , they pronounced in the end these words . i. licet missa est : depart , t is permitted , and so the assembly was dismist to goe home . but in time , because this note signified a pleasing release of the people , to goe home to their houses , being a chearefull , and acceptable sound , it was supprest , and the sacrifice honoured with this terme of missa . to confirme this point , two thousand yeares being now come and gone , these words are pronounced at this present day . ite , missa est , which signifies a leaue giuen to the company or assembly , to depart : so as they themselues , which frequent these temples , so soone as they heare this pleasing note , ite , missa est , commonly they skip and leape for ioy , being assured that they are then licenced to goe to dinner . the arabians , and mahumetists , instructed for a long time by the monke sergius , as formerly we cited , hold this word of messa in great esteeme . by which word they haue nominated three townes or cities called messa , scituated vpon the ocean shore , vpon the cape , where mount atlas takes his beginning . neere to the same townes , in the suburbs , there is a temple much reuerenced by the turkish idolaters , because they beleeue , that from messa should come the righteous pontife , promised and prophefied of by mahomet : they also thinke , that about that quarter or shore of messa , ionas was cast vp againe , after his being swallowed vp by the whale . furthermore , they so highly esteeme this name of messelmans , as we doe the name and title of christians . intimating by this word messelman , as much as saued . moreouer , the mahumetists honoured their priests with the name of messe , calling them messen , and their temples messites , or meschites : wherefore , they that publisht the anatomie of the masse , the centons , the foundation , augmentation , and embellishing thereof , could not but write with speciall reuerence , in respect of the ancient pompilian religion and the alcaron , institutions of mahumet . after we haue thus decided the word of messe , or of in the romane tongue , to be deriued from the auncient romane idolaters , and not from the hebrewes not the greekes : we must now discend to the vestments of these missalian sacrificers . but by the way , we must not omit the name of pontife , or pontifex , taking also it 's originall from the romanes , as we declared in our commentaries . the stile also of pope proceeding from the ancient idolaters , who vsed to ●nstile their god iupiter , calling him pope iupiter , but especially the bithinians and scithians . which word papa , comes from the greeke word papus : which is to say , great father . as also the true title subscribed to any sutes presented to the great romane pontife , is : most blessed father . the next purple pontifes are termed , most reuerend fathers , and petty bishops , reuerend fathers : all of them retayning this word father , or pope , great father , which was wont to be a common name to all bishops : but afterwards the great romane pontifes reserued it onely to themselues . another title is also retayned for the demie bishops termed curates , who are superintendants in euery parish , borrowing this nomination , from the ancient romane curates : which is to say , a rasing , or shauing , because the ancient curions and sacrificers were cut , and shauen in their heads , after the babilonian manner , or of the herculean pontifes , called for this reason stephanophores , as wearing a crowne vpon their heads . neuerthelesse , by the reason that all the members of the missall sacrifice , deriue from the pompilian religion● , wee should wrong the ancient romane idolaters , to take from them the originall of these names masse , pontife , and curate , as may be iustified by the romane histories . as for the vestment of missall sacrificers , numa ordained that it should be white , called by the latine word alba , an aube : which name of aube continues to this day , for the vestment of him that sacrificeth and celebrates masse . moreouer , aboue his aube , the priest was appointed to weare a tunickle painted , and aboue that the ornament of a pectorall of copper or brasse , afterwards changed into gold or siluer , which the missalists terme a chasuble . they also vsed a vaile to couer their heads , when they sacrificed called amictus , first instituted by aeneas . these are the principall vestments , instituted by numa more then 700. yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ . t is true , that since , there haue beene many iewish ornamens added , as the stole , ephod , zone , or centure , the myter or theare , and some other decorations , the better to pownce , and set forth the great babilonish whore . but the missalians desirous to alter the original of their missall vestments , pretend that the aube is a figure of iesus christs conuersation in the flesh , or the purity of his body incarnate in the wombe of the virgine . others interprete the white colour , to signifie chastity and continencie . some minding to mocke , and make playes sophistically of the passion of iesus christ , say , that by the aube , the white robe is represented , which was offered by herod to christ , when he was sent back againe , like a foole to pylat . philo the iew , a more worthy philosopher , in his treatise of dreames , subtilly deuiseth , that the aube signifies the solidity of the most resplendant light of the dyetie , which he calls ens. the linnen also whereof the aube is made , they expresse for the subtilty of the scriptures . as for the amict inuented by aeneas , they adulterate it , for the vayle wherewith christ was couered , when the iewes mocking him in caiphas house , did smite him . titilman one of the subtilest missalians , deuiseth , that in the amict , christs deuinity , concealed in his humanity , was intimated . some likewise confesse , that the amict was subrogated in stead of the iewish ephod , by the zone , maniple , and stole , which are three ligaments , they vnderstand the three cordes wherewith christ was bound ▪ and drawne before the high priests : and after that , before the romane lieutenants in iudea . biel another pregnant missalian , by the zone , conceiues the rods wherwith christ was scourged : by the stole , extended in forme of a crosse , there was signified the gibbet or crosse , which christ bare vpon his shoulders . the maniple also which he weares on his left arme , to figure the band of loue , wherewith christ was bound . another mummerie they haue for the zone , wherewith the aube is trussed , and this signifies the band of gods charity . the stole put ouer the amict , at the missalians necke ▪ in forme of a crosse , deciphers christs obedience , euen to the death of the crosse . the maniple worne on the left hand , signifies the reward of christs eternall felicitie . other sophistries there are vpon the amict , as that it represents faith : the stole humility and obedience : the maniple , the vigilancie and hearty deuotion of the missalian priest . tittilman hath another subtle deuise for the maniple worne on the priests left hand ; which as he saies , doth expresse the battaile and power of christ , against all visible and inuisible dominations , being as a buckler against all temptations : and the buttons of the maniple , portend finall perseuerance . he also further sophisticates , that by the left hand is vnderstood the humane infirmity of christ , which being tyed with the maniple , that christ is tyed and bound by his diuinitie , like a mad man. brunus another missalian doctor , fantasticates , that by the maniple is inferred the missalian priests speciall care to driue away bad affections : or else that it figures the cord , wherewith christ was bound by the iewes ; and that the stole is a figure of the lords yoake , which the masse-priest must weare garnished with the armes of iustice on the right and on the left hand . the other painted ornament instituted formerly by the magitian numa , they disguise by the name of a planet , as an errant vestment ; otherwise called a cap , or chasuble , which they say resembles the purple robe presented to christ , in pilates hall , when they mocked and called him king of the iewes . there is another sophistrie , how this vestment implies the nature of christ , wherein the deity was couched . philo the iew immitating plato , interprets this vestment so adorned with colours , to be a figure of the signes , and coelestiall starres . now the masse-priest being roabed , with his aube , amict , zone , maniple , stole , and his chasuble , or cap of diuers colours ; he must stretch out his armes , to play two parts at an instant , represented by the chasuble , whose quarter before , is lesse then that behinde , figuring herein the primatiue church , from abel till christ , and by the after part more ample , and enricht with the signe of the crosse christian people are signified . this chasuble must be ioyned to the amict , which was in the beginning in the head , to represent the coniunction of christ with his church . the aube also must be correspondent to the chasuble : to intimate how christ applied himselfe to our infirmities . besides , the aboue mentioned vestments , philo the iew addes a myter , to declare the messalians royall diadem , who must haue their heads annointed with creame , or sacred oyle , to signifie the priests dignitie : which mytrall ornament , is only preserued for eminent and higher priests . chap. xiii . the masse diuided , with the true nature of holy water . now we must discend to the description of seuerall parts of the masse , whose head and originall we will particularly set down according to the truth . first of all in those which are called high masses , celebrated on sundayes , the missalian priests , retaine somewhat of the pompilian religion , as to exercise a lustrall water , called holy water , wherewith to besprinckle the assistants or beholders at the sacrifice . the coniuration and exorcisme instituted by numa , was of sea or salt water , because ( said he ) salt did participate of the fierie nature , or of fire , very proper to purifie . for this reason , the ancient romane idolaters , besprinckled this salt exorcised water , as a mercuriall expiatorie and purgatory water for popular offences , especially for periurie and lying . to preserue this consecrated , and exorcizd salt water , they had two sorts of holy water fonts : one was large not moueable , but placed at the entrie of their temples , where they adored their images , that so they might sprinckle those which entred into the same temples . the other was a portable font , to conueigh therein lustrall water into any part of their temples or houses , that they might be watered with it , for their expiations , and purifications . they that were to celebrate masse , if it were to the inferiour gods , it was enough for the sacrificing priest to sprinckle himselfe with that lustrall water . but if the priest celabrated masse , to the superiour gods , hee must bathe his whole body , and wash all his members therewith . furthermore , he was prohibited , not to vse this lustrall water for any other purpose , but for expiations , & purgations . conformable to which pompilian constitution ; alexander the first of that name , next successor to the apostles of iesus christ , and one of the first corrupters of the holy sacraments ordained by god , continued this idolatrie , of consecrating and exercising lustrall water with salt , to repell deuils . neuerthelesse , the better to maske pompilian magicke , he framed this comparison : so it is , said alexander , that the ashes of an inuiolated red cow for sacrifice , mingled with fountaine water , purified the people of the iewes , and therefore by a more preualent reason , water exorcizd with salt , must needs purifie christians , and driue away deuils . was not this a violating , and corrupting of the holy law of god , to content and please the romaines , tainted with the auncient religion of numa pompilius the magician ? if alexander had not yeelded to the vse of salt , instituted by the auncient idolaters for lustrall water , he would rather haue followed the iewish ceremonie , and ordained ashes to consecrate the water of expiation . for if he thought to disguise it by the miracle of elizeus , that purified the water with salt , moyses also did the like , with the wood which was brought him , when the people of israel were distressed for sweet water to drinke . but in these miracles no mention is made , that elizens or moyses instituted any lustrall water to purifie the people of the iewes . and we cannot finde , that there was euer any lustrall water amongst the iewish ceremonies , but only with ashes of the victime offered for sacrifice . and therefore alexander and his followers must needs acknowledge , that the inuention of salt water exorcizd for the remission of sinnes , tooke originall from numa pompilius more then 700. yeares before the incarnation of christ . this lustrall water was so religiously obserud by the romane idolaters , that more then 360. yeares after the incarnation of christ , it is related how valentinian the emperour entring into the temple of the goddesse fortune , a priest who was guardian of the same temple , sprinckled some of this holy lustrall and salt water vpon him , which he tooke out of a font at the going into the temple : wherewith the emperour being angred , strooke the priest with his asperges in his hand , alleaging how t was rather defiled then purified . by these true histories the missalians may boast , that the first part of their missall sacrifice is very auncient indeed ; and that their holy-water fonts , and their lustrall salt waters of expiation , proceed from the auncient doctrine of numa pompilius , but not from the euangelicall doctrine of iesus christ , which they tearme a new doctrine , and the new testament differing from the ancient iewish ceremonies , and heathen idolatries . and though i cannot sufficiently wonder , wherefore alexander presumed to renew the pompilian idolatrie , considering he had meanes to restore the water ceremoniall after the manner of the iewes ; and in this doing , to follow rather the law of god , then that of numa pompilins : for he had easie meanes to get ashes wherewith to compound a lustrall water after the iewish forme : nay , pretious and sacred ashes : which is to say , ashes reserud in reliquaries , comming from vailes , napkins , and consecrated vessels , which pope clement , alexanders predecessor , forbid to be applied to any prophane vse , but when they were consumed with time to burne them in the fire , and the ashes to be preserued in the baptisterie . yet were these sacred ashes , to incite alexander to restore cinderal & lustral water after the manner of the iewes , if he had not bin so addicted to salt , & found a better relish to maintaine the ancient idolatrous romane religion . alexanders successors , might haue gotten other ashes , that is , from the round azimall consecrated hostes , which the high pontife higinus appointed to be burnt , if falling to the ground , they could not be lickt vp by the masse-priest , & the ashes of the said hostes to be laid vp in a reliquarie . he might also haue had other ashes of ratts or mice , or other creatures , when they deuoured the said hostes , ordaind to be burned , & reserued in a reliquary . wherfore seeing alexander would not follow the cerimoniall law of god , to institute a salt holy & ex●rcise water , at least why did he not emplore the salt with the host of the masse priest , which they say they offer to god as a sauing sacrifice ? in doing so , he had imitated the moysaicall ceremonie , wherein they were commanded to offer salt in all sacrifices , and to sprinckle therewith the sacrifices that were emmolated for safetie . but if alexander & other his successors had followed the law of god , they could haue added nothing of their owne braine , they could haue no memoriall nor renowne of their owne institution . and therefore in this respect they would in nothing follow the law of god , but contrariwise , they prohibited the vse of salt with their round consecrated hostes , to celebrate their missall sacrifices . they also forbid the mingling of ashes in their lustrall waters , that in all their institutions , they may not be thought to haue taken any thing from gods pr●scription , neither from the law of moyses , as also much lesse , from the law euangelicall of iesus christ : they thought to attribute these inuentions meerely to themselues , though they had their originall from the ancient heathen romane idolaters 700. yeares before the incarnation of christ . to resolue this first missall part , it were much more expedient ; o you missalians , in stead of your sacrifices and exorcismes of salt water , wherewith you sprinckle the people , to preach purely , and cincerely the holy gospell , and to teach christian people , that the true purification & washing away of sins , depends on the blood of iesus christ , which is powerfull enough to repell deuils , to deliuer vs from hell , to preserue vs from eternall death , and to wipe out in vs euery spot and blemish of sin : without vsing exorcismes , or coniurations with salt , to driue away deuils conformable to pompilian magicke , & the herefie of the samaritans , who thought themselues purified by those , and washing with the same euery day . chap. 14. the procession of the masse . after the asperges is sung , the lustral exercizde water sprinckled vpon the altars , the images , and all the assistants at a masse , then followes ▪ procession , which is attributed to agapet the romane pope : but this was instituted aboue a thousand yeares before him ; for the ancient romane idolaters called it supplication . a forme instituted by numa to goe on procession , either to appease the wrath of the godds , to obtaine peace , or to pray vnto god for the fruits of the earth ; the order was in the manner : first before the procession walkt certaine young children , then the sacrificing priests clad in white surplesses , singing hymnes , paeans , and canticles to the honour of their gods . then marched the high priest , or curio : then marched the romane senators , with their wiues and children : and sometimes the common people assisted . there was commonly carried about in procession , the shrine or reliquarie of god iupiter , or of anubis , by some priests clad in white surpleses , with shauen heads , and thereon wearing crownes . this crowne was of such reuerence and esteeme , that the emperour himselfe commodus antonius high pontifex , caused his head to be shauen & cut round , expressely to carry the cabinet of god anubis . before the cabinet or reliquarie , went a cierger , carrying a light taper in his hand . when the procession went along through the streets , there were seats erected , to serue for stations or places , where the priests , which caried the relicks were apointed to rest & take breath . when the procession was ended , the temples were opened , the altars & images perfumd with insence , and the reliques of their gods shewed . on those dayes , when the procession went abroad , a feast was celebrated , the shops were closde vp , the hall of iustice shut in , and the prisoners vnshackled : who can better discipher the order of processions obserued euen at this day , by the missalians instructed from father to sonne in the pompilian religion . what other author can be alleadged touching the ceremonies performed in procession , except numa pompilius himselfe ? if the missalians sought not out further , for their crowned shauen crownes , and white surplesses which the ancient aegiptian idolaters were wont to vse : the priests of the goddesse isis , or the babilonian sacrificers , wearing their heads and beards shauen . as for the law of god , the contrary therein was obserued , and the sacrificing priests were forbidden , to cut their heads or haire round , and to shaue their heads . and as for the law of the gospel , there is no such like ceremony commanded by iesus christ , nor by his apostles : they must therefore needs proceed from the ancient pompilian religion : for other things in the procession , they haue added the carrying of the crosse or banner : this banner was tearmed by the ancient romane idolaters labarum : which was reputed a sacred ensigne , so much reueerd by the dictators and emperours , as also by the souldiers that went to the wars . antenor first pictured in that banner a sow , by reason of the name troia , which in the vulgar italian tongue signifies a sow : which ensigne antenor vowed and dedicated in the temple of iuno , queen of the heauens : because the sow , was the consecrated victime to the same goddesse . the old romans afterwards caused a mercurius caduce to be drawn vpon the banner whereon was painted the picture of two serpents coupyed together ▪ then was an eagle portraced for the ensigne of the romain empire : but constantine the great , emperour in greece , made to be drawne therein a figure of greek letters , a x interlaced with an ę , & on the two sides α & ω in this signe , α ☧ ω signifying thereby this word christos , or christ . this banner was spread vpon a pole or staffe of wood , made in forme of a crosse , the bāner being foure square , in the fashion of an ensigne of crymosine violet silke , edgd about with fringe of gold or siluer , & pretious stones . in imitation of this , the missalian priests haue adornd their pompilian processions , in which they carry banners , as if they meant to goe to the wars , or conduct a martiall army : but in stead of portraying therin the name of iesus christ , they paint the effigies & images of diuers gods and goddesses , saints , men & women , the patrons of each parish . this in somme is the originall of the missall procession , standing for the second part of the masse . was there euer such palpable idolatry vsed by the israelites , when they would celebrate the feast of vnleauened bread , to eate the paschall lambe , a figure of the holy sacrament of the supper , which the missalians haue adulterated by their missall sacrifices ? did they euer carry about in procession the flesh , or the bloud of the immaculate lambe ? did they euer lay it vp in a reliquarie to be carried in procession about the streets ? the serpent of brasse , though they much prophaned and abused it , yet did they at any time carry any part of it in a reliquarie vpon the shoulders of their priests , wearing their heads and beards shauen , as the greek pontife vrban ordained , that the round consecrated hoste should be carried in procession by the missalians , & instituted a solemn feast euery yeare on holy thursday , that so he might conuert the vse of the holy sacrament , to a more detestable idolitrie then all his predecessors ? chap. xv. the third part of the masse , that is , the altar and candels lighted . after the sprinkling of holy-water , & procession performed , numa instituted that the masse priest , to celebrate sacrifice , being clad with his aube , and chasible , or painted coate , his head crown'd , & beard shauen , that he should approach to the altar , prepared for sacrifice , set forth with a lamp or light taper , which ordinarily was of tede or pine. for without an altar & fire , no sacrifice could be celebrated . he also ordained that the masse priest should turne himselfe neere to the altar , towards the east . porphirius the heretick did not only continue this pompilean magick , but further he constituted , that the entry into the temple , and the images shold be turned towards the east , to the end that those which went into the temples , prostituting themselues before the images , might adore & make their prayers towards the east : euen as the persians did , who worshipped the sunne in the east . are not these missalian & pompilian institutions contrary to the auncient ceremoniall law of the iewes , wherein they were prohibited to pray towards the east , that so they might be different from the ancient idolaters ? and therefore acknowledge , o you missalians , that your erection of altars towards the east , your lamps and light tapers , the pictures and images worshipped in your sacrifices , to haue had their originall from one to another . for those images and pictures wherewith your altars are enritched and adorned , cannot be deriued from the law of god : which doth not only prohibite the permission of any images in temples , but the very hewing of them out , and that they should not be renewed . to what can god be resembled ? what image , picture , or pourtrature can be deuised to his similitude ? and yet neuerthelesse , out of most detestable & abhominable heresie , you ( o missalians ) draw the image & forme of the trinity , of one god in 3. persons , in your round hostel , which you cause to be ador'd . neuerthelesse , two missalian doctors , titelman & biel , expresse the altar otherwise , when the masse priest approacheth with the golden chalice in his hand , they alle adging , how this doth figure christ , bearing his crosse to mount caluary . and then the priests kissing of the altar , to signifie the nuptials and nuptiaell signe of christ , with his church . the right side of the altar to figure the people of the iewes , and the left the gentiles . for this reason , durand a subtill missalian , writes , that the missall mummery must begin at the right side of the altar , and conclude in the same : neuerthelesse , all the principall monkeries are celebrated on the left side of the altar . as for the fire & light taper , they apply them to christ , as being the fire which purifies the rust of our sinnes : or otherwise , the fire of charity enuironing all christian poople : and the light taper portends the light of faith , and the ioyfull comming of christs incarnation . and not these abhominable sophistications , which numa the magitian neuer dreamt vpon , when he instituted the altar , the fire , and light taper wherewith to sacrifice . to continue the order of the missall sacrifice , when the masse priest hath made his approach to the altar , the taper lighted , and he adorned with his aube , and chasible , turning his face towards the east , and contemplating the guilded , and beautified images , he must say his confiteor , & confesse himselfe , acknowledging his owne proper offences , and crauing pardon of the gods and goddesses , men and women saints , requesting iust and reasonable things , as pythagor as said in his golden charmes , and orpheus in his hymnes . it seemes that numa the magitian thought the masse priests conscience cleared by confession , and without the confiteor , that the sacrifice could not be worthily celebrated : wherefore damasus and pontiam romane pontifes , cannot iustly take vnto themselues the glory , of being the first institutors of the confiteor , for the masse priest . for aboue a thousand yeares before their time , it was forged by the ancient romane idolaters : being also vpheld to this present day : for when priests celebrate their missall sacrifice , they pronounce or murmur a confiteor in a language not vnderstood by themselues , nor the standers by , addressing their prayers and supplications to the gods and goddesses , men or women saints : in stead of reuerencing , honouring , adoring , and praying to the onely true and omnipotent god , creator of all good things . neuerthelesse titelmans alcoran applies the masse priests confiteor to the confession of christ for the sinnes of the people . after the confiteor mutterd ; for better obseruance of the pompilian religion and ceremonies , the masse priest must wheele and rewheele about , turne and returne along the side of the altar , first lifting vp , then abasing his hands , with prayers and meditations towards the east . for numa the magitian held opinion , that there was great sanctity , in these wheelings , wreathings , and turning about of the sacrificer : as may be coniectured , it was an occasion of adding this pleasant song to the missall introduction , when the priest begins to make his wheelings & turnings , i will goe vp saith he , to the altar of god , which reioyceth my youth . hath he not iust cause to reioyce , when he sees the cloath laid , the table set , the banquet prepared , the musick of organs & other instruments to sound , odours & incenses , the chalice full of wine , the collation prepared , and chink offertories ready to fill his purse ? are not all these meanes to exhilerate the sacrificers youth , when he goes vp to the altar to say masse , to dance and turne about , in forme to him prescribed by the magician numa pompilius ? and not only the romanes but other idolaters , also in celebrating their sacrifices , were wont to turne and wheele about , lifting vp the hand to their mouth , and then turning the whole body round about , which windings and wreathings were reputed sacred . titilman in his alcoran makes mention , that the masse priest in making his vagaries along the altar , dischargeth 7. reuerences or salutations to the assistants in his sacrifice : that h● may repell the 7. mortall sins , by the seuen-fold grace of the holy ghost . but in performing the 7. reuerences in his missall dance , he must turne about to the standers by except before the preface , and the kisse pixe , he being then employd in the fraction of his round host , to conuert it transubstantiate into an accident without substance . when these wheelings , windings , wreathings , & gesticulations , are perfor'md by the missalian priest , numa cōstituted the sound of organs , flutes , & viols , to sing hymnes , peans , and canticles , to the honor of the gods , in whose name the missall sacrifices was celebrated . this part of the masse hath bin enritched with diuers antems & songs , by many roman pontifes . some , as flaman , and diodorus , instituted antems , prelesphorus collects . leo , or gelasius graduals . gregory , or gelasius tractes . gottigerus abbot of sandal sequences : which are sundry musicall notes , to serue for decoration and ornament to the sacrifice of the masse . but if the ancient cōmentaries of the romane pontifes , instituted by numa were reuealed , wee might finde great variety of songs , peans , hymnes , canticles , & odes , dedicated & consecrated to sundry gods & goddesses , euen as much diuersity of musicall songs haue bin annexed , by reason of different missall sacrifices ordained for diuers gods & goddesses , men and women saints . for as the old idolaters celebrated their sacrifices to sundry gods & goddesses , the missalians also perseuer to celebrate their masses to diuers men and women saints : some in the name of our lady , others of st. sebastian : some of the holy ghost , and others of requiem , putting a distinction euen betweene dry , and common masses , wherein the sop is steept in wine : so as an infinite company of missall sacrifices haue sprowted out to diuers saints of both sexes , wherein are sung sundry canticles and sequences . were not these horrible and abhominable corruptions of the holy sacrament of christs supper , to make an idolatry of it , after the manner of the ancient sacrifices instituted by numa the magitian ? wherefore vitellianus the pontife cannot glory for hauing enrich'd the sacrifice of the masse , with the sound of the organs . for aboue 1200. yeares before his dayes , this institution was published by the magitian numa . chap. xvi . of incense and offertories , with other parts of the masse . bvt to varnish this babylonian sacrifice , the alcoranist missalians interpret the variety of their musicall songs by pythagoricall philosophy . as for the collects , that is to say , pieced or annexed prayers ; they co●mand them to besung in vneauen numbers : that is , three , fiue , or seuen : three , to intimate the trinity ; fiue , to represent the fiue wounds of christ ; and seuen , to symbolize the seuen words of christ which he vttered vpon the crosse ; or else the seuen gifts of the holy-ghost . furthermore , for the more subtill pythagoricall philosophy , the masse-priest must not passe the number of seuen , by the ordinance of pope innocent the third of that name . the sophister biel in his alcoran of the interpretation of the masse , addes , that the number of the collects are equall to that of the secrets ; which is to say , to prayers secretly mumbled by the masse-priest , that they might not be contemned of the people . after the collects , the graduall song more sharpe and graue , is a figure of the confession of publicans , when they heard the preaching of saint iohn baptist : notwithstanding , this graduall note is not sung in the missall sacrifices from easter till the feast of pentecost , to decypher the happy estate of the time to come . besides the sound of the organs , and musicall songs , the ancient romane idolaters were wont to vse in their sacrifices , the perfume of incense which they preserued in a little vessell called acerra . in this little thurall coffer lay the odors which the priest tooke to incense the altars , images , hoste or victime , especially in masses celebrared to god ianus , and to the goddesse vest● , who reioyced in the wine and incense offered to them . for in the troians time , in stead of incense they vsed cedar or pomecytron wood for perfume . wherefore it was not leo the romane pontifex that first instituted the vse of incense , and to smoake inc●nse at the missall sacrifice : for more then seuen hundred yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ , the ancient romane idolaters practised incense in their sacrifices . as also the romanes retained the latine word which significes incense , thus , from the old greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is to say , i sacrifice : because the idolaters in all their sacrifices vsed incense , as likewise they had a portable incenser , wherewith to incense : although some haue written , that the ancient romane idolaters celebrated sacrifices to the goddesse ceres , and vsed the gum of the pinetree called tede , in stead of incense : for which cause ceres was termed by the poets tedi●era . in titlemans alcoran , the incense is interpreted for the prayer of the masse-priest , that it may mount vp into heauen with the odour of swauity : euen as the fume of incense steames up on high . he sophisticates also with biel his companion , auerring that the incense signified the grace of the holy spirit . these subtill alcoranists alledge the passage of tobia , who draue away the deuill by the perfume of a burnt liuer . the same biel makes another interpretation of the incense , as that it figures the vnction of christ by mary magdalen , because christ was anointed twice , the incense is also twice offered in the missall sacrifice . for another part of the missall sacrifice celebrated by the ancient idolaters , the offerto●y of the first-fruits comes in , which were offered to the honour of the gods , in whose name the sacrifice was solemnized . this offering belonged to the masse-priest , and hee might freely cary it home vnto his house , for the nourishment of himselfe and his family . notwithstanding there were other offerings distributed to such as were indigent . afterwards through the missalians auarice , this vse was conuerted into an offertory , or offering of gold or siluer to line the purse , which some attribute to leo the romane pontifex ; though this offertory had beene practised more then a thousand yeares before his time . and for a iustification hereof by the romane stories , when numa had instituted all the ministers of his religion , as pontifes , augures , saliens , fecials , curioes , and others , he also constituted meanes to nourish and maintaine them . he caused a fundamentall allowance to be raised out of the publike reuennues for the maintenance and entertainment of religious vestals . after his example , many particular men did the like , so as their benefices grew rich by these foundations or annuities : and these benefices were of two kinds ; one at the presentation and inauguration of a prince , of the common-wealth , or of the colledge of pontifes : the other were at the presentation of some particulars , patrons of the same benefices by them founded , and endued with great richesse . ouer which ben●fices the high romane pontifes had vsurped a power to giue dispensation for the holding of two together , as in titus liuius it is related of fabius maximius , who by a dispensation held two benefices when he was created pontifex , more then two hundred yeares before the incarnation of iesus christ . this was therefore the first reuennne of missalian sacrificers to haue benefices richly founded . their second reuennue or emolument , grew by offertories , offerings or oblations . the third reuennue confisted of annuall meanes and contributions , as the first yeares fruits , which the idolatrous romane pontifes were wont to take , for the vacancy of benefices in their gift , or that they sold and dispensed with . the fourth reuennue grew from obsequies , anniuersaries , legacies , and donatiues conferred , to pray to their gods for the soules of the deceased . all which is verified likewise at this day , by the monuments and sepulchres of the ancient idolaters . the fift reuennue came in by amercements , condemnations , and confiscations , which were adiudged by the romane pontifes : as ciceroes house and palace when he was banished , were confiscated to the colledge pontificall : & specially allotted for sacrifices to be celebrated in the temple consecrated to the goddesse liberty . i was desirous by the way , briefly to recite the reuennues and supportations of the ancient romane sacrificers , to the end that men might more and more discerne that all abuses and idolatries succeeding in the church of iesus christ , are not new ▪ but originally deriued or reuiued from the ancient romane idolaters , as the foundation of masses , obits , anniuersaries , dispensations for holding sundry benefices , pensions , vacancies , first-fruits , offerings , and the missalian treasure , all amercements , and confiscations adiudged within the demeans of the romane pontife , with other ordinances reuiued by new romane popes , which haue descended from one to another . to this purpose reade in the romane stories , that during the reigne of the emperour valentinian the second of this name , there hapned a dangerous sedition at rome , betweene the christian and idolatrous priests , which stroue who should amasse or heape vp together most wealth in the church by grants , testamentary legacies , oblations and other inuentions : so as the heathen and infidell idolaters , who retained yet a temple to themselues , called at this day the church of saint peter ad vincula , fought with the christians at rome , who would haue dedicated it to their deuotion . after the offertory , titlemans alcoran sets downe how the masse-priest should bee silent for a time , to figure the flight of christ , or his disciples feare to confesse him before the iewes . then this being performed , the priest sings aloud , per omnia secula seculorum : because after christ had hidden himselfe , he publikely came forth in lazarus house : then he sings sanctus , sanctus , sanctus ; to allude to the iewes song , when christ entred into ierusalem . when this musicke ends , the priest must murmur in secret , and betweene his teeth , counterfeiting sorrow , without any turne-abouts , but then he must expresse a kind of mute mummery , by the making of many reiterated croysadoes , as shall hereafter be mentioned . chap. xvii . of the round host , with the consecration of the same . next to the offertory , we must come to the ninth part of the masse , the most rich and most pleasing for the missalians . this is the host or victime , which comprehends the end of all this missall sacrifice . in the dayes of numa the magician , the romanes were not yet accustomed to kill , and immolate with the blood of beasts : but men were appointed to eate and communicate within the temple , after the end of the missall sacrifice , small round loaues consecrated to the honour of the gods , in whose name the sacrifice was celebrated . these little round hosts of fine meale , were eaten by the priest , & by the assistants , standing vpright , and not sitting . the flower whereof they were made , was called mola , and from thence came this word immolare . there were diuers hosts , that is to say , little round loaues dedicated to diuers gods , as there were likewise sundry missall sacrifices . with the said round hosts they also offered wine : the altars seruing for tables . while the priests & the assistants in the sacrifice , eate and communicated together of the said little round loaues consecrated to the honor of their gods , hymnes and thanksgiuings were sung , and some vsed the sound of the organs and cymbals . before the swallowing of this round host , printed with imagery , the missalian doctors ordained the priest , to vtter certaine exorcismes , and coniurations , with many signes of the crosse . first , hee must make three crosses vpon this round host , to figure the trinall tradition of christ ; that is to say , by the father , by himselfe christ , and by the holy ghost , in pronouncing these words ; haec dona , haec munera , haec sancta sacrificia illibata . some other doctors alcoranists and missalians interpret the third crossing for iudas treason , who deliuered his master into the hands of the iewes . besides the aboue mentioned three croisadoes , fiue other follow : to intimate the fiue dayes space from the day of palmes , to the day of the passion , or otherwise to represent the fiue wounds of christ ; two in the hands , two in the feet , and one in the right side . of which fiue croysadoes , the three first must be made ouer the chalice , and the round host ; to figure the deliuery of christ to the priests , scribes and pharisies , or to signifie the price of christs sale , that is to say , three times ten , which import the thirty pence . the two other crossi●gs are made distinctly ; on which is the fourth ouer the host , and the other ouer the chalice distinctly , to manifest vnto vs the two persons , of christ and iudas : when this is done , the masse-priest continuing in his fooleries and monckeries , stretcheth out his armes , to delineate christ spred vpon the crosse : then , he lifts the round host printed with imagery on high , that it may be adored : afterwards , he returnes to make three crosses ; one ouer the host , another ouer the chalice , and a third ouer himselfe : to play herein the part of three estates or conditions : of those that are in heauen , in purgatory , and in the earth . then he thumps vpon his brest , to play the penitent theefe that was hanged vpon the crosse . this thumping of his stomacke must bee performed with the three last fingers of his hand , because the thumbe and the next finger are reserued to consecrate and transubstantiate the round host . moreouer , he must beat his brest three times , to figure a triple offence , of the heart , of the mouth , and of reall act ; exalting his voice , to represent the theefe or the centurion which confessed god in the passion . sixe other croisadoes are afterwards reiterated , three ouer the cou●red chalice , to commemorate the three houres that christ hung aliue vpon the crosse ; and three other crosses are made ouer the open chalice , and the round host , being once more eleuated , to decypher the three houres , that christ hung dead vpon the crosse . then does he adde two other crosses , after the masse-monger hath kist his chalice , to describe the mystery of blood and water issuing out of christs sides . besides all the aboue mentioned mute mummeries , the priest must lift the vaile ouer the chalice , and release it from the plataine , to represent the rent vaile in the midst , at christs death . this being done , the round host is laid vpon the chalice , and couched in the corporall , to figure the burial of christ . when the masse priest hath plaia the part of the hang'd theefe , of the traitor iudas , of christ , of the publicanes , hee afterwards comoediates the centurion , singing the pater noster . but durandus alcoran , by the seuen petitions in the pater noster , expresseth the seuen teares of the virgin mary , the seuen vertues ; or the seuen mortall sinnes . when this song is ended , the priest remaines silent for a while , to represent the silence and repose of christ in the graue . another apery or monckery is plaid by the masse-priest , with the round host , which he layes vpon the pix , to decypher the vnion of his diuinity with his humanity : but when hee plaies the secret mystery , the host is hidden out of sight . chap. xviii . of diuers parts and sundry ceremonies belonging to the masse . when the sacrifice was ended , & the little round hosts eaten , numa appointed these words to be sung , i , licet , or , ite , missa est : which is to say , go , you are permitted , the assembly is dismist , to repaire home to their houses . are not these all the parts of the missall sacrifice , most of which were ordained by numa the magician aboue 700 years before the incarnation of iesus christ : that is , the vestments of the aube , chasible , lustrall holy exorcis'd water , with salt , to repell deuils : the altar , the light taper , the sweepings and glancings along the altar , with prayers and meditations towards the east : procession , with the reliques and shrines caried on mens shoulders by the priests clothed in white surplices ; & crowns vpon their heads : the confiteor addressed to men and women saints ; the sound of the organs , canticles , peans , hymnes , and odes : the incenser and incense : the offetory , the communication of little round loaues consecrated to the name of their gods ; and at last the note , ite , missa est ? will you now at last acknowledge , o missalians , that you borrowed all these parts and members in your masses from the pompilian religion ? why retaine you the name of masse , which iesus christ called a supper , or the communion of his body ? why haue you made choice of the peculiar vestments of an aube , and painted chasible , from the ancient romane idolaters ; which habits were neuer appointed you by iesus christ ? why haue you giuen more credit to pompilians migicke , for the driuing away of deuils with salt , exorcis'd water , termed holy water , then to the sacred word and gospell of iesus christ , who inabled you in his name , to repell deuils , and not with the magicke of salt ? who inspired you but the spirit of numa , to shaue your heads round , to put on white surplices , to cary about shrines in procession with a banner ? when iesus christ celebrated his holy supper , and instructed his apostles in the communion of his body and blood , did hee command them to follow the rites of the ancient romane idolaters ? to haue altars set forth with images , to vse windings , and wreathings along the altar , to be cut round , to haue aubes and chasibles ; addressing your confessions to men and women saints , to sound the organs , to perfume the altars and images with incense , to gape after the offertory , to bring money to the coquille for the priest , to eate little round hosts consecrated and adorned with imagery , and then after all to sing , ite , missa est . but you missalists , i fore-see your cautels , wherein ( missalians ) you wil readily confesse that the main body , and principall parts of the masse , were digested and brought in by numa pompilius : the further additions notwithstanding and ornaments were inuented by other romane pontifes ; and especially by a monck called gregory , the first of that name , who attained to the papacy : who being instructed in pythagoricall magicke and philosophy , hauing also studied the lawes of king tullus hostilius , successor to numa , to the end to perpetuate his name by some new addition to the sacrifice of the masse , instituted the singing nine times these greeke words kyrie eleyson . gregory held this ninth number in great reuerence , euen as the ancient romane idolaters had recourse likewise to the nouemdiall masse , vpon any monstrous prodigies or sights . he also ordained , that at the missall sacrifice , there should bee sung two hebrew words to accompany the two greeke words : and on some dayes these words to be sung , alleluia : being on other dayes forbidden . instead of which alleluia is sung another song called a tract , with a loud voice , and a protracted note , in a graue kind of musicke , to decypher the miseries of this age . now , hee that sings the alleluia must sing with a higher voice then he that howles the graduall , as titlemans alcoran makes mention . was there not m●gicke enough in the missalians sacrifice without adding these greeke and hebrew words ? and foisting in pithagoricall numbers , and the song nouemdiall ; instituting a distinction of daies , where on to sing the hebrew words , on other dayes prohibiting them ? and to inuent croysadoes and mute mummeries ? are not these corruptions of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained by god ? some others augumented this missal sacrifice , as damasus the romane pontifice , with a gloria patri : sergius with the agnus dei song thrice : which titleman interprets to be a figure of christs ascension . innocent with a kissing of the pix by the priest . which pix of gold signifies the diuinity of christ , by the doctrine of the alcoran : the gloria in excelsis by symmachus , which must be sung with a low and mild voice , and it represents as titlemans alcoran relates , the weak and infantine voice of christ while he was yet in the cradle . o blasphemous and detestable mummeries of the sonne of god! leo the second instituted the kissing of the pix , which titlemans alcoran sayes doth signifie the vnion of christians , and that the kissing of the pix was subrogated in stead of the holy communion obserued in the first and next primatiue church to the apostles . this kisse-pix is sung by the masse-priest in saying ; pax domini : and making three crosses vpon the chalice , when the third part of the host , is put into the wine , to intimate the incarnation of christ , or to signifie the triple peace , of the time , of the spirit , and of future eternity . furthermore , there is added the forging of the missall canon to alexander , gelasius , syricius , leo , and pelagius . these be peeces patcht together , according to the humour of the romane pontifes , authors , restorers , endowers , and augmenters of the missall sacrifice . we must not omit the greatest enrichment instituted in this missall sacrifice , which is , to say some passages of the old and new testament , called epistles and gospels : which the missalians haue cut out , and mixed with pompilian idolatry , and therein prophane the law of god , as sergiu● the apostate mahomets doctor did , who adorn'd the alcoran with many passages of the holy bible , and forged a gallomawfry of fables and heresies , to bee of equall authority with the sacred law of god. the missalians for the song after the epistles and gospels , constituted two persons , to solemnize their missall dance , which is to say , the subdeacon who marcheth afore , to play the part of the first law of the iewes ; and the deacon who comes after in greater dignity , to represent the law euangelicall . which deacon caries a pillow against his stomacke , to figure an humbled heart : the subdeacon receiues no benediction from the masse-priest , as the deacon doth : because , say the missalian doctors , god sent his prophets inuisibly : but the deacon representing the euangelicall law receiues benediction , as being sent among wolues , in that christ sent his apostles visibly like men . the deacon is enioyned to we are a crost stole hanging downe his shoulders crosse the reines of the backe , to figure force and continencie ioyned together in the masse-priest . the deacon playing his part , and singing some abstracted passage of the gospell , in a language not vnderstood either by himselfe , or the assistants , must wheele about toward the north , standing vpright : because saith titleman , the northerne parts are cold and abnoxious : for this reason he must make a crosse , to repell northerne deuills . are not these more blasphemous i●glings and incantations , then all the commentaries of the ancient idolatrous romane pontifes . chap. xix . against the idolaters antiquity , and long possession of the masse . is not this long possession , to confirme the mahumetan alcoran , which the turks at this day haue enioyed , for aboue nine hundred yeares ; hauing conquered countries , kingdomes , and empires , prospered in their enterprizes , and alwaies obserued that abominable law prescribed in their alcoran . was the people of israel excusable before god , when they offered sacrifice of the blood of innocents in the valley of tophet to moloch , by alledging the long possession thereof and inueterate vse , for aboue 1200 years before this idolatry was wholly abolished by good king iosias ? did the israelites murmure aginst the vertuous king ezechias when he demolished the brazen serpent , which was instituted by gods expresse commandement , aboue 900 yeares before ? were the people themselues excused of their idolatry committed in the two temples erected in dan and bethel , wherein were the images of two young heifers of gold , vnder the pretext and allegation of long possession , for they had continued this idolatry for the space of three or foure hundred yeares ? the iewes that are at this day vagabonds , shall they be excused before the maiestie of god , by presenting the long possession of their ceremoniall law , instituted euen by god himselfe aboue three thousand yeares agoe ? as likewise your selues , o missalians , can you alledge against god a long possession and prescription of hauing celebrated pompilian masses for a long time , that you and your predecessors vsed it , sold and set to sale your missall sacrifices ? is long possession a sufficient and well grounded reason , as your predecessors the romane senators alledged to the emperour theodosius , that their pompilian religion had beene obserued for aboue a thousand yeares ? the inducing of long possession , and vse obserued of long time , will not be a sufficient reason to approue your idolatries . for if god out of his vnspeakable mercy and patience , hath tolerated the iewes in their infidelity , the turkes in their alcoran law , and christians in their missalian idolatries , we must not argue nor dispute of gods incomprehensible secrets . but in humility re-enter the way of verity , when he is pleased to point it out vnto vs , after long and palpable darknesse , whereinto people in all ages haue fallen by straying from gods true institution and worship , as wee briefly before declared of the israelites an elect people of god , who though they had moses and the prophets , which admonished them by many miracles and comminations how they ought to honour god , and obserue his law , yet would they neuer cease idolatrizing with their owne fond and humane inuentions . if therefore during the reignes of princes , iudges of israel , when this people was gouerned as in an aristocracy , then yeelding to the yoake of kings , as by a monarchy : and at last reduced vnder the gouernment of priests , embracing the spirituall and temporall , the law of god was corrupted , the sacrifices and sacraments adulterated and violated , and idolatry erected and propagated , for more then sixteeene hundred years from the written law , publisht by moses , till the incarnation of iesus christ ; what may be hoped of the people of rome , instructed and nourished in all idolatry , like a withered tree , like a bastard and heathen people ? notwithstanding that the missalian heretikes may not vaunt of long possession , in their missall sacrifices , except it be by the restauration of the nine parts formerly described , borrowed from numa pompilius : the other members of the masse , were inuented at diuers times by sundry antichrists , corrupters of the holy sacraments ordained by god. and to vnderstand the peculiar times and ages of these famous architects ; agapit romane pope , reigning in the yeare of christ 577 , added to the procession instituted after the prescript forme of numa , the confiteor , restored by damasus , reigning in the yeare 377 : the kyrie-eleyson was annexed by gregory , reigning in the yeare 593 : the collects and tracts by gelasius , reigning in the yeare 493 : and the sequences by gotherus abbot of sandale : the gloria in excelsis by symmachus , reigning in the yeare 508 : the incense and offertory , renewed out of the ancient pompilian doctrine by leo the third of that name , in the yeare 800 : the kisse-pix by innocent the first of that name , reigning in the yeare 408 : the agnus dei instituted by sergius in the yeare 697 : dirges for the dead , were inuented by pelagius in the yeare 558 : the canon forged by gelasius , syricius , leo and pelagius , reigning in the yeare 800 : transubstantiation was instituted by the romane pontifes , about the yeare of christ 1062. and therefore what an impudency is it in the messalian alcoranist doctors falsely to auerre , that the holy apostles of iesus christ celebrated the missall sacrifice ? considering that this sacrifice was not restored to its integrity since the dayes of numa pompilius , but aboue 800 yeares after iesus christ . what approued history makes mention that such an idolatry was committed by the holy apostles of god ? how can we possibly beleeue or imagine it , when this great babylonish whore was not restored to her maske and vizard of sanctity but long time after the incarnation of iesus christ . chap. xx. against the idolatry of the round host . bvt we must returne to our romane history , that wee may more and more discouer the true originall of the masse . in discoursing of the parts and principal members of the missall sacrifice , wee related how the ancient romanes , before they were accustomed to sacrifice with the blood of beasts , vsed little round loaues consecrated to the honor of their gods , which they eate standing within the temples , at the end of the sacrifice . these little round hosts of wheat floure were taken by the missalian sacrificers , but they haue augmented the magicke and idolatry of numa pompilius , in that they beautify their little round hosts with pictures and images printed within the rotundity of the said hosts , to make them the more sacred , yea that they may bee adored , out of honorius inuention a romane antichrist , reigning in the yeare of christs incarnation 1226 , which numa the magician neuer practised before , neither grew to this abominable idolatry : what more detestable heresie can be laid open , then to paint the maiestie of god in the forme of humane similitude as the anthropomorphites did ? who taught you , o missalians , to corrupt the holy sacrament of the supper of iesus christ , in deuising these little round loaues and hosts , but the magician numa ? when iesus christ celebrated the holy supper with the apostles , did he appoint them to haue little loaues or round hosts , to print them with humane characters and effigies , to coniure and exorcise them with crosses and croysadoes in equall or vnequall numbers , and cause them to bee adored ? confesse therefore , o missalians , that the principall part of your masse , that is , your little round hosts , to be originall from the ancient pompilian religion , more then seuen hundred years before the incarnation of iesus christ ; who did not institute for you these rotundall hosts , or that they should bee rather round then square , tryangle or octangle : so farre hee was from ordaining the round figure correspondent to numaes forme , that on the contrary , when he instituted the sacrament of the communion of his body , he vsed a fraction of bread by morsels , which he distributed to his apostles , for a symbole , signe , and figure , signifying really and sacramentally his body by the power of the holy ghost . and the missalians haue not onely made choice of the round forme in their consecrated hosts , printed with images , to make them be adored after the manner of the ancient romans : but moreouer they haue exceeded all other idolaters . for in the daies of numa and his successors , those that were present at the missall sacrifice , eate standing together the said little round consecrated hosts , they vsing no charity towards them that assist in their missall sacrifices ? is this to follow the ordinance of iesus christ , who brake the bread and distributed it to his apostles ? iesus christ the eternall priest , stood he alone neere to an altar , munching a little round host , printed with images , when he celebrated the holy cōmunion of his body . o you missalians , more detestable , and lesse charitable idolaters , then all the other ancient romanes ; can you so sophisticate and iuggle , as to procure your missall sacrifice ( wherein the priest alone deuoures the little round printed host with images , giuing no share of it to others ) to be taken and receiued as a communion , causing them that are present at your masse by an admirable magicke to beleeue , that they haue communicated together with the priest , though they neither eate , nor receiue any portion of the round host . and yet further , for a more extreame idolatry , the missalian doctors interpreters informe , that the round host must be diuided into three parts , one for those that are in paradise , another for those that are in purgatory , to obtaine remission of their sinnes , and a third steept in wine , for those that are liuing in the world . but durands alcoran sets downe , that the three broken portions of the host , represents the triple forme of christs body , sleeping in the graue , lying on the earth , and afterwards raised vp from the dead . biel another subtil doctor , not to confesse the body of christ to be broken or bruised in the round host , deuiseth the fraction of the host to be made of an accident without substance . are not these abhominable heresies , to make soules that are in paradise , or purgatory communicate : instituted by sergius a mahumetan doctor , by the meanes of a round host deuoured by the masse-priest ? but peraduenture ( missalians ) you may obiect vnto me , the vse of the primatiue church obserued in the communion of the holy supper , where euery one of the assembly in the temple , tooke a portion of the broken bread ; being also consecrated to eate , and communicate together : which custome was retained till this present day , in your missall sacrifices , celebrated on sundayes , which you cause to bee distributed of morsels of holy bread to those present within the temple . but this ancient commandement , was maintained onely in picture ; because the missalians abusing the holy sacrament , ha●e reserued the round little consecrated host to be eaten by themselues , distributing no portion of it to the assistants : for whom they leaue morsels of holy bread , which for the most part were foure square . the round host is azimall , and the holy bread made with leuen : the round host is without salt , and the holy bread seasoned : the round host is printed with images , & the holy bread is without characters or effigies : the round host is adored , and the holy bread receiued with thanksgiuing : the round host is deuoured by the priest , and the holy bread distributed to euery one of the assembly , to communicate and eate thereof : the round host is in part steeped in wine , and the holy bread is eaten dry without wine . to conclude , there is so great a difference betweene these two seuerall communions , as there is betweene the law of the ancient idolaters , and the law euangelicall : but that they iumpe in one point : which is that both in the one , and the other , there is a corruption of the holy sacrament of the supper ordained by god. chap. xxi . the inuention of transubstantiation , with confutation of that labyrinth of idolatry . we must now descend to the very bottome of this idolatrous labyrinth : we did recite the history of the people of israel , who were not content with the celestiall bread , and manna giuen vnto them by god , while they remained in the desart , but murmured against god , and moses his seruant , they demanding to eate flesh : the people also of pagan and infidell rome , were not content with the pompilian institution in the communion of little round loaues ; but that the romane idolatrous pontifes must needs further ordaine the killing and immolating of beasts , that they might eate , and communicate of the flesh of victimes in their sacrifices , especially the sheepe , the sow , the goate , and the oxe : which was first instituted by euander king of arcadia . wherefore , that the missalians might not degenerate from the idolatry of their predecessors , they must needs follow this communion of flesh : and they are not content with their little round azimall hosts , consecrated , and printed with images ; but with time they haue inuented a new magicke to transubstantiate their little hosts of flower , into flesh and bones , the bread being no more bread , but an accident without substance : and by this means to conuert the round host of flower into a carnall and sanguinolent host . the wine also offred in their missall chalices to bee transubstantiated into blood , the wine being no more wine , but an accident without substance . was there euer a more abominable magicke , or a more detestable heresie then this missaline transubstantiation ? when the people of israel murmured against god , because they were weary of eating manna and celestiall bread , calling for flesh , was the manna transubstantiated into flesh , bones , and blood ? when the ancient romane idolaters , meant to change their round hosts of flower , or meale , and grew to eate flesh in their sacrifices , did they vse this magicke of transubstantiation ? wherefore i freely auerre , that this missall addition was lately inuented by the missalians , more then a thousand yeares after the incarnation of iesus christ . this heresie began to spread very much of a nicholaitan antichrist climbing vp to the romane pontificacie , by the monopoly and suggestions of hildebrand , expelling by force the other elected pope , which was benedict the second of that name , in the yeare of iesus christ 1062. afterwards by a monopoly held in saint iohn lateran in rome , it was aduanced during the ecclesiasticall tyranny of innocent the third of that name , about two hundred yeares after the palinodie canonized by berengarius deane of s. maurice in angiers . against which abominable magick and heresie we must briefly by forme of a recapitulation compare the institutions of the sacraments ordained by god. first of all , the fruits of the knowledge of good and ill , forbidden to our first father adam , as sacred signes and sacraments of feare and obedience , whereon depended life or death , were they transubstantiated or conuerted into knowledge or into death , to leaue their nature of being trees or fruits , reduced to an accident without substance ? the celestiall manna , and the rocke gushing out liuely water , sacraments that had reference to the holy sacrament of the supper , were they transubstantiated into an accident without substance ? the vnspotted lambs immolated by abel , in his acceptable sacrifice to god , were they transubstantiated into any other nature ? the fore-skinne circumcised for a note and marke of couenant to the good patriarche abraham and his posterity , was it conuerted into an accident without substance ? the blood of the paschall lamb , for an assurance of israels saluation , was that conuerted into any other substance ? the flesh of the immaculate lambe , to bee eaten on the day of the passeouer , a true figure of the holy sacrament of the supper , was it transubstantiated into an accident without substance ? the brazen serpent , which being only beheld , health was granted to the sicke , did it not continue a serpent of brasse ? was that transubstantiated , being ordained for a sacrament and sacred signe to the people of israel ? victimes offered in sacrifice , both of beasts of the earth , and azimall loaues , with other sacred signes ordained by god , for holy signes and sacraments of expiation and saluation for the people of israel , were they euer transubstantiated into accidents without substance ? all sacred signes ordained by god in the israelitish church , though they really and sacramently represented that which was by them figured , and not as a simple picture without reall effect , yet did there neuer liue so detestable an heretique , which inuented or added thereunto this magicke of transubstantiation . and neuerthelesse , o missalians , you must needs confesse that the good and holy fathers of israel were adopted , engrafted , and regenerated by faith in iesus christ , begotten before all ages : that they were nourished , and purchased eternall life by iesus christ : that they and we haue but one god , and one onely iesus christ , one mediator and redeeme● : that by faith , they sacramentally communicated , and participated spiritually of the blood of iesus christ , for their saluation and eternall life : that there is no difference touching god , betweene them who did precede the incarnation of iesus christ , and vs that were since his incarnation : but both they and wee are equally the church of god redeemed by the blood of the iust and vnspotted lambe christ iesus . for the rest , they had a faith of the future promise , and obserued the holy sacraments and sacred symboles of the sacrifice which should be consummated by iesus christ : and wee in the new law celebrate the memoriall and remembrance of the sacrifice now finished by iesus christ , hauing a fruition of the promise accomplished . if then the israelites eate the same celestiall bread , and drunke the same sauing drinke , which we doe by faith in one onely iesus christ : if they had sacred signes to represent actually and really the future death of iesus christ , euen as we retaine sacred signes of his present , or past death : they for the future , and we for that which is past ; why did the missalians inuent this new magicke , to conuert an holy sacrament ordained by god , into a magicke of transubstantiation , and into an accident without substance ? i god to approue his power , and to manifest the hardnesse and obstinacy of pharaoh was pleased to performe wonderfull things by moses and aaron , by conuerting a rod into a serpent , water of the riuer into blood , and into frogs : the dust of the earth into lice : and then to make the nauigable sea d●y , performing many other miracles : can we by this infer a transubstantiation of the little round azimall host , printed with images , into an accident without a substance ? in what place of the holy scriptures , when mention is made of sacred signes , and sacraments , or sacrifices ordained by god , is it said that the signe or sacrament was transubstantiated ? but on the contrary , gods will accommodating it selfe to mans infirmity , he ordained from time to time cōmon signes , for notes & marks of assurance of the thing signified : wherein gods power is the more renowned and exalted , in really giuing vs , what by the sacred signe is represented by the vertue of faith , and of the holy ghost , as if the signe it selfe had beene really transubstantiated by some occular miracle . for the sacraments comprehend in them , more spirituall then carnall sense . for this reason god by his prophets euer blamed his people of israel , for vnderstanding the sacraments too carnally , as succinctly we haue before declared . but tell me o missalians , when iesus christ made it knowne how himselfe was the true bread of life descended from heauen , to conferre life eternall ; and how these sacramentall words of eating his flesh , and drinking his blood , were to be vnderstood , wherewith the capernaits your predecessors were scandalized ; did he teach vs in this interpretation , that to eate his flesh should be meant , by a little round transubstantiated host ? that the round host of flower , and the wine , is no more bread or wine , but accidents without substance ? is this your abhominable magicke , the doctrine of iesus christ . nothing lesse . but iesus christ like a true and heauenly lawgiuer , who can onely sincerely interpret his owne law , made answer to the capernait doctors , how they were grosse and carnall minded , minding onely the flesh , as you missalians doe , though the flesh alone profits nothing : alleaging how his sacramental words were spirituall : the flesh saith he , profits nothing : but the spirit quickens . as also , o missalians , how can you religiously accord your transubstantiation with the doctrine of iesus christ , which promiseth and assureth eternall life to those , that shall eate his flesh , and drinke his blood , if you conceiue these words carnally ? for you cannot be ignorant , but that your owne bodies when they haue deuoured these round transubstantiated hosts into flesh and bones , drunke and taken downe the transubstantiated wine into blood , notwithstanding liue & are mortal through the necessity of the law . wherefore eternall life promised by this communion , cannot be vnderstood by a mortall body , or flesh . and therefore of necessity you must needs acknowledge , for the most sacred interpretation , that to eate the body and drinke the blood of iesus christ , must haue reference to a spirituall and heauenly life : and that the flesh profits nothing , but the spirituall words ; and the communion of the body and blood of iesus christ , by faith and spirit giue eternall life . this interpretation is many times recited by the holy apost●e st. iohn , when iesus christ himselfe vseth these words , hee that comes to mee , shall neuer hunger ; he that beleeues in me shall neuer feele thirst , but haue eternall life . are not these termes intelligible enough , to expresse this holy sacrament of the communion of the body and blood of iesus christ , without running to your magick of transubstantiation ? another interpretation of the holy doctor and author of the sacramentall law is described , when iesus christ was interrogated by nicodemus , of the meanes how a man might be regenerated , and borne anew . is it possible saith nicodemus , that a man can returne again into his mothers wombe ? did iesus christ answer this demand , by affirming that in the holy sacrament of baptisme , the water was conuerted into the body , into flesh & blood , and transubstantiated in a carnall womb , to be there againe ingendered and regenerate ? was there not also as great reason , according to your magicke , to haue returned this answer , as well as in the holy sacrament of the supper ? for by the one of these two sacraments , we are regenerated , and by the other nourisht . now regeneration is as admirable to humane wisdome , as nourishment ; for conformable to humane and carnall iudgement it may seeme vnpossible , that we can be twice engendered and begotten . but our good god vseth the like interpretation of regeneration , as of the communion of his flesh and blood : which is , that these sacramentall termes must bee spiritually conceiued , and not carnally : for the flesh profits not ; but the spirit quickens . what is of the flesh is carnall , what of the spirit , spirituall . the holy apostle , relating to the corinthians what he had receiued from gods hand , admonished them of the comming of iesus christ : during the expectation whereof , hee commands them to communicate of the body , and blood of iesus christ , by the fraction of bread , and the cup of benediction called the new testament , and new couenant contracted by the blood of iesus christ : wherefore seeing wee are assured of the second comming of iesus christ , being ascended vp into heauen , and set at the right hand of god his father : till the day predestinate that hee shall returne to iudge both the quicke and the dead : how will you reconcile this passage , o missalians , when by the magicke you vtter , you make him descend , and returne the body of iesus christ in flesh and bone , before the time preordained for his second comming . this magicke was by you restored , since the first author of your missall sacrifice numa pompilius : who by his magicke diuulged , that he made his nymph and goddesse egeria come downe from heauen , as also his iupiter elicius , by whose meanes there were celestiall secrets and mysteries reuealed vnto him . if by your magicke the round consecrated host , was transubstantiated into the true and reall body of iesus christ , the bread being no more bread , but the true body , how came you to be so presumptuous , to breake and teare in peeces the body of iesus christ , according to the inuention of sergius the second of that name your predecessor romane pontife ? are not you farre more execrable executioners then your predecessors , lieutenants of the romane church , which crucified iesus christ , and yet they neuer tare , nor rent his body in peeces , as he prophesied ? and notwithstanding you are not contented to haue broken it into three peeces , but in your missall sacrifices you presume to drowne and steepe one portion in wine , transubstantiated into blood , to be swallowed , and drunke . to confirme your magick of transubstantiation : why tooke you no order to preserue from corruption your little round printed hosts , which you keepe and lay vp so curiously in reliquaries and boxes , after they are transubstantiated into flesh and bone , and into the reall bodie of iesus christ ? is it not an abominable heresie to beleeue , that the bodie of iesus christ is capable of corruption ? nay , and oftentimes is eaten , by wormes , weasels , rats , and mice ? can you interpret this , to be an accident without substance ? when your hosts become many times stinking and corrupted in your cybaries ? many times likewise deuoured by bruite beasts of the earth , which you cause to be burned , and their ashes laid vp in reliquaries ? when victor the third of that name , pope of rome , receiued poison by your transubstantiated wine into blood : was this an accident without substance ? or when the emperour henry the seuenth of that name , was poysoned , by eating of a little round , consecrated , and transubstantiated host , was it without substance , when it procured death ? there was much more apparance for the celestiall manna , giuen to the people of israel , the which though it corrupted , when it was kept ; yet that which was reserued in secret , within the arke of the lords couenant , was preserued without corruption : but yet for all this was it transubstantiated into flesh , and bones , to bee called celestiall bread ▪ bread descending from heauen , the bread of life , or the bread of angels ? now it remaines for vs to contest with the subtill reasons of the missalians , who to make a foundation for their magicke , insist carnally vpon the word est , saying , that these words were expressely written : this is my body , this is my blood , when iesus christ instituted the holy sacrament of his body and of his blood ▪ vnder the symboles of bread and wine . but i desire all those that are zealous of the honour of god , exactly to weigh the sacred institution of this sacrament , by which god meant to symbolize and signifie the communion of his body by the bread , and the drinking of his bloud by the wine and cup. all will confesse , that the true and principall nourishment of mans body , is comprehended vnder the kinds of bread and wine : so that the terme of bread is often taken in the holy scriptures for the nourishment and life of man. let vs enter into an examination of the passages of the bible . was not the first man , created after gods similitude , for the penalty of his offence , told , that hee should eate his bread with the sweat and labour of his body ? can any man be so ignorant as not to confesse , that this was vnderstood by the liuing and life of man ? when iacob prayed vnto god to giue him bread and raiment : did hee not vnderstand by bread , whatsoeuer was requisite for his whole nourishment ? when wee heare recited , that god rained bread vpon the people of israel being in the desart , and that the israelites were replenished with this celestiall bread : this terme of bread , was it not conceiued by the celestiall manna , sent by god to sustaine the people of israel ? is this manna called the bread of heauen , and the bread of angels , giuen to the people without labour or trauaile ? when mel●hisedech meant to furnish good father abrahams armie , did hee not present him with bread and wine ? when abraham was to gratifie and refresh three angels that appeared vnto him : did he not expose vnto them bread baked vpon the embers ? did hee not giue agar bread for her nourishment ? isaacs mother to fauour her best beloued sonne , gaue him bread . ioseph in egypt offered bread to his brethren for their nourishment . when we goe about to describe a famine and scarcitie of victuall , doe we not say there wants bread ? when god promised any mercy or fauour to his people that did keepe his commandements ; did he not giue them assurance of bread in sufficiencie ? when hee recommends vnto vs the poore , as his members , commands hee vs not to giue them bread ? it is bread therefore , which nourisheth and sustaines the heart and life of man. when satan enterprized to tempt iesus christ , to testifie that he was true man : did hee not make choice of bread , when hee incited him to make the stones bread ? when iesus christ celebrated his banquets to giue bodily nourishment , once to fiue thousand men , and then againe to foure thousand persons : did he not shew his power vnder the symbole of bread ? when hee taught vs to addresse our prayers to god : did he not expressely ordaine in the lords prayer that we should request of god to giue vs our dayly bread ? and bread is not onely mentioned in the holy scriptures for vulgar and corporall nourishment : but also in sacrifices celebrated by the hebrew priests , and the prescript law of sacred bread ordained by god : that was azimall bread without leauen . other bread was tearmed the bread of proposition , which the priests euery weeke renued and eate , which dauid vsed , presented to him by achimelech the high priest . contrariwise the tearme of bread , is appropriated to the bread of iniquitie , of lyes , of sorrow , to polluted bread of idolaters , to bread of coinquination offered vpon the altar ; to bread of mourning , and to bread of trembling . the ephraimites also called ashy and vnturned loaues : that is to say , halfe hak't , halfe circumcised , and idolaters . and therefore , o you missalian capernaites , you must not be so obdurate , and inueterate in your carnalities , as not to obserue the phrases of the holy scripture , in which bread is oftentimes taken for terrestriall and corporall bread ; as when it was said , that man did not liue onely by bread , but also by whatsoeuer proceeded out of the mouth of god. sometimes also bread is taken for the word of god , and doctrine . when iesus christ commanded his apostles to keepe themselues from eating leauened bread with the pharises : these tearmes of bread and leauen , are they not expressed by the doctrine of the hereticall pharises ? when the cananitish woman demanded grace and mercy for her daughters health , detained in in a long malady of sicknesse : did not iesus christ answer her , how it was not lawfull to take the childrens bread , and cast it to doggs ? was not the bread in this answer , taken for life and health , and not onely for corporall nourishment ? wherefore if bread bee taken for the life of man , which depends principally of bread and of wine , and that gods goodnesse , accommodating it selfe to our infirmities , made choise of these two signes and symboles , or notable markes , to signifie his body and his blood ; that is to say , the bread , the wine , these two prouisions being common to all nations , was this any reason , to build vpon it a carnall transubstantiation , as if god without it were not mighty enough , really to figure , and represent vnto vs sacramentally , that life was giuen vs : yea , life eternall , by the communion of consecrated bread , and wine of benediction ; these being figures and symboles of his body , and of his blood ? iesus christ produced these words , that the bread is his body , and the wine is his blood : he also said , that himselfe was the bread of life , the liuing bread , and that he was the liuing bread come down from heauen . furher hee sayes , that hee who eates of that bread , shall liue eternally . doth this inferre by the word est , that iesus christ is conuerted and transubstantiated into bread , and that hee is no more christ , but an accident without substance . o abominable heresies ! haue you any more reason , o you missalians , to interpret these words carnally , this is my body , to transubstantiate the bread into the body , then when hee testifies , that himselfe was the bread , to transubstantiate him into bread , considering that it is written , how the communion of this bread giues eternall life ? iesus christ said , hoc est corpus meum : he also sayes of himselfe , hic est panis qui de coelo descendit : in both these places , is not this word est vsed ? and yet must we needs hereupon inferre a transubstantiation , in stead of orthodoxally interpreting the same by a metonimy and familiar comparison of bread to iesus christ , that we might apprehend , how eternall life was giuen vs by him , and likewise by him our spirituall food is ministred , euen as by bread , a nourishment corporall ? howsoeuer , wee must alwayes haue recourse to the true expression of iesus christ , the absolute law-giuer , and author of this holy sacrament , who expounding his owne institution , saith in the first place , that hee is the bread of life , then afterwards hee sayes , that this bread is his flesh and his body , which must be offered for the saluation of the world : he saith , his flesh is true meate , and his blood true drinke ; he sayes , that whosoeuer eates of his flesh , and drinkes of his blood , he will remaine in him . how doth hee himselfe expound this manducation ? iesus christ by his owne words expresseth himselfe : whosoeuer comes to me , shall neuer hunger ; and hee that beleues in me , shall neuer thirst . is not this a true eating , and a true drinking , neuer againe to be hungry , nor neuer to thirst ? must wee not in this haue faith , which consists in spirit ? to addresse our selues to iesus christ , our celestiall bread , our spirituall drinke , wherewith to bee satisfied for euer , to quench our thirst of sinne perpetually , must we runne to the magicke of transubstantiation , and forge an accident without substance ? wherefore , o missalians , doe you presume to inuent any other interpretation , then that of iesus christ , who witnesseth that the flesh profits nothing ; but the spirit quickens ? and that his words are not carnall , but spirituall , giuing spirit and life , by faith and confidence , that hee is the sauiour of the world , incarnate , dead , and crucified , to purchase for vs eternall life : and then raised vp againe , he ascended into heauen , sits at the right hand of god his father , remaining an eternall priest , propitiator , mediator , and redeemer . to returne to this terme , est , that does so molest the missalians braines , that they dreame out of it a transubstantiation . if iesus christ vttered how he was the true vine , that god his father was the keeper , and that we are the branches ; can wee hereupon conclude by this word , est , a magick of the transubstantiation of god , into the keeper of a vine , of iesus christ into a vine , and of our selues into branches ? if iesus christ was said to be the immaculate lambe that wipes out the sinnes of the world ; can wee herevpon induce a transubstantiation ? if iesus christ said that he was the doore of the sheepe-fold , by whom we must enter to be saued : and that hee is the good pastor , and wee his sheepe ; must we needs so straine and wrest these places of the holy scripture , as to thinke it necessary , because the word est is mentioned , to beleeue a transubstantiation ? when iesus christ admonished his apostles , saying , that they were the salt of the earth ; did hee therefore transubstantiate or conuert them into statues of pillars of salt , as he did lots wife ? if iesus christ said by his apostles , that we are the temples of god , in which the holy ghost inhabits ; must wee therefore imagine , that we are transubstantiated into a masse of stone ? if the holy apostle writ , that iesus christ is the rocke , out of whom came liuing water , to wash and purge vs from our sinnes : must we wrest out of this a transmutation , and transubstantiation of iesus christ into a rocke , or a materiall stone ? if the holy apostle testifieth , that we are the bodie of christ : may wee by this inferre , that we are translated , and now no more men , but transubstantiated into an accident without substance ? i readily foresee , o you obdurate missalians , that you will obiect all these pre-alleadged places : wherein this word est , is , and make no mention of the sacraments , which must the more exactly bee obserued , in that these be sacred mysteries ordained of god : which is most true . and this word est , is not onely found in the holy scriptures formerly cited : but when we speake of holy sacraments first instituted by god for his people of israel ; is it written , that circumcision is gods alliance and couenant ? in the other holy sacrament of the communion of the paschall lambe ; was it said that the lambe was the passeouer , which is to say the passage ? but shall we induce hereupon a magicke of transubstantiation ? will you not confesse , o missalian transubstantiators , that in these passages of the holy scriptures , speaking of holy sacraments , that this word est , can not be otherwise interpreted , then to signifie some reall performance : and that circumcision was a signe and a marke of the couenant and alliance contracted by god with abraham . the paschall lambe was also a sacred signe of the passage , for a remembrance of their deliuerie out of egypt ? the arke of alliance for another sacrament , of which it is written , that it is the truth and power of the lord : must wee vnderstand by this , that it was transubstantiated into the reall maiestie of god ? wee must , wee must i say , interpret the holy scriptures with discretion , and in humilitie without sophistication , and without magicke , soundly to apprehend the conception of words , and not sticke so close to the letter , which kils : but receiue the word of god in liuely spirit . if then the sacred arke is called the lord , and nominated god , because in it he exercised his omnipotent power , and declared his oracles and mysteries , by exteriour signes , to draw the israelitish people to bee mindfull of god , and to feare and obey him : if iesus christ also said that hee was bread which came downe from heauen , the bread of life ; and that the wine was his bloud : that the cup is the new testament , by the externall signes of bread and wine , to giue vs to vnderstand , that our life and sauing nutriment depended onely on iesus christ , and that by his death & bloodshed , we haue assurance of eternall life ; euen as bread and wine serue for corporall nourishment , and that he meant and ordained these sacred signes , to bee to vs for sacraments , to approue and confirme our faith : did he determin we should hereby capernize , & nicodemize , to enquire , or make doubt of gods power how it is possible to eate the body , or drinke the blood of iesus christ : how we can possibly be regenerated and borne anew ? seeing the promise was made vnto vs by the word , wherefore , haue you , o missalians , conceiued a carnall transubstantiation , distrusting in the incomprehensible power of god ? may it not suffice you simply to beleeue , that the body and blood of iesus christ was really and sacramentally offered , to communicate thereof for our spirituall nourishment , and to grant vs eternall life , through the bread and wine consecrated , with giuing of thankes ; the bread being truely his bodie , and the wine his blood , which we must worthily receiue by faith , and puritie of conscience , as sacred signes and markes of the diuine character , without searching too subtilly after the meanes , other then the plaine interpretation of iesus christ , that the flesh profits not , but the spirit quickens , and that his words are spirit and life ? should wee doubt whether god hath power , by the symboles of bread and wine consecrated to make vs communicate of the bodie and blood of iesus christ , though the bread remaine bread , and the wine wine ? if it were otherwise , this could be no sacrament , but rather called a miracle . as when iesus christ conuerted the water into wine , hee then vsed the miracle of transubstantiation , changing the water into wine : but hee ordained not this for a sacrament , as he did the communion of his body & blood by the sacred figures of bread and wine . was it not also as easie for god to change the wine into blood , or the bread into flesh , as for moses and aaron , to change the water of the riuer into blood , to confirme the hardnes of pharaohs heart ; or when the clouds were turned into the flesh of quailes , that rained vpon the people of israel ? neuerthelesse , god did not ordaine , that these miracles should serue for ordinarie sacraments : but herein he applyed himselfe to our infirmitie , exhibiting to vs sacred , but not transubstantiated signes , and yet are not vaine nor fantasticall : but signes externall that we may behold ▪ touch , eate ▪ and taste , remaining still in their substance : and neuerthelesse they represent sacramentally what is by them comprehended , and intimated , wherein consists the approbation of our faith , to manifest by a sacramentall worke and ministration , that wee are in the number of the regenerate , and sustained by the holy sacraments of baptisme , and the supper . chap. xxii . comparison betweene the two holy sacraments . if wee may presume to make comparison of the two holy sacraments of baptisme , and of the supper , though there bee a difference betweene it , and regeneration , which is not reiterated : for it sufficeth that we be once regenerate , and begotten anew ; but this spirituall nutriment is often renued , according to the course of nature , and other differences , very amply described by the holy apostles , and ministers of gods word . notwithstanding the same end , the same iesus christ is represented as well in baptisme , as in the supper . by the blood of iesus christ wee are regenerated , and by the same blood nourished . by the blood of iesus christ we are renued , sett , and engraffed ; and by the same blood we are entertained and preserued from hungring or thirsting for euer . by the blood of iesus christ , wee cast off our old corrupt skin , and put on his body , from which likewise wee receiue nourishment , and eternall life . by the blood of iesus christ , we haue accesse and entry into the kingdome of heauen : and by the same blood , we haue fruition of the same kingdome . in this sense the holy apostle testifieth , that wee were all baptized by the vertue of the holy spirit , and we are likewise drunke of the same spirituall drinke , giuen vnto vs by iesus christ . be not these comparisons drawne out of the holy scriptures ? to witnesse that iesus christ is the onely aime and scope , whereto we must tend both in baptisme and the holy supper ? if therefore that the signes of sacramentall water in baptisme , and of bread and wine in the supper of iesus christ , are sacred signes , earnests , gages , hostages , symboles , seales , and sacraments , instituted by god for an assurance , and approbation of our faith : wherefore , o missalians , seeing you haue inuented a magicke of transubstantiation for the sacrament of the supper : why did you not likewise with the same magicke sophisticate the sacrament of baptisme ? why haue you not constituted that sacramentall water , after it is by you exorcis'd and coniur'd with salt , to repell diuels , to be transubstantiated into the blood of iesus christ ; the water being no more water , but an accident without substance , as you haue forged by the bread and wine ? what difference doe you assigne , but sophistries , sophismes , and missalian subtilties ? if you perseuere in your heresie , by reason of this word est : this word is also vsed in the water of baptisme , which is termed renouation , and regeneration ; it is named the holy spirit , and the vestment , by , and with which wee are reuested , renued , and regenerated in the blood of iesus christ . seeing therefore you acknowledge , o missalians , that you could neuer yet meet with a second berengarius , to institute another decree of a palinody , for the extending of your magicall transubstantiation , to the sacred water of baptisme , and by the same meanes likewise to transubstantiate your lustrall plegme & spittle ; your oyle , your creames , your salt , & other drugges , wherewith you haue corrupted the holy sacrament of baptisme ; why are you so inueterate , and obdurate in your pompilian religion , as to hale iesus christ from the right hand of his father , to make him in body and blood to descend by your muttered magick , like another iupiter elicius , before the day preordained for his second comming ? i may well propound vnto you the similitude of the sunne , called by some apostles the sunne of righteousnes iesus christ , because light comes from heauen , by this luminous and glorious sphericall planet : and so spirituall light is exhibited to vs by iesus christ , who out of the night and darknesse of sinne hath brought vs into the brightnesse , and cleare sun-shine of his grace . you may now therefore vnderstand , carnall & grosse capernaites , this sufficient and euident comparison , to intimate that the infinite power of god , is much more compleat and perfect , then your abominable inuention of transubstantiation . will you not acknowledge , except your eyes be blinded , and obfu●cated with the palpable darknes of obstinacie , that the sunne giues vs his light , his force , his heat and vigour , and yet neuerthelesse , the body it self of the planetall sunne remaines and continues in his sphericall orbe ? doe you not vse to say ordinarily in common language when the window of an house is open on that part where the sunne shines , that the sunne is come into the house , although the sunne remaines still in the firmament ? must wee therefore violently hale and pull the body of the sun , to make it descend , and bee transubstantiated into this earthly substance , before it can affoord its heat , beames , light and nourishment , to plants , trees , herbes , and beasts of the earth ? are you so brutish , o capernaits , as not to recognize that the true sunne of righteousnes iesus christ , hath more power then this astrall sunne , being but mortall , and created ? if then a mortall creature hath this power to infuse into vs the vertue and efficacie of his body , by his beames , light , and heate , extended really and effectually ouer the whole earth , the body remaining still in its heauen : and shall wee not beleeue that god an immortall creator hath much more power to grant vs the true sunne of righteousnesse iesus christ : to giue vs the vertue and power of his body and bloodshed for vs by the beames , light , and heate of his holy spirit , except hee be by your magicke pluckt from the right hand of god , and his body drawne out of heauen , to be transubstantiated vpon earth ? why should not iesus christ haue this power to affoord vs his light , and to offer his body and blood to enter into vs , if by faith and a pure conscience wee be ready to receiue him , by the efficacy of his holy spirit , as well and better , then the sphericall sunne can enter into our houses , with his force and power , and neuer be drawne out of his heauen , to bee transubstantiated ? the sunne is an entire body created , residing in heauen : the cause of the generation of plants , trees , and herbes , which by his force and calidity , giues sustentation to whatsoeuer liues vpon the earth , and in one and the same moment , hath power to quicken , heat , and nourish , an infinit number of plants , trees , herbes , and beasts of the earth ; and yet his body is neuer separated , diuided , drawne out of his spheare , nor transubstantiated . the body also of iesus christ which he assumed vp into heauen , set at the right hand of god : hath not that more force , more vertue , more power , to regenerate , nourish and sustaine vs ; to giue vs his vertue , light and beames ; to inspire , quicken , illuminate and nourish vs , and in a moment to make vs all by faith partakers of his body and bloud : to make vs members of his members , vnited in , and by him , through his true promise , comprehended vnder the symboles & sacred signes commended vnto vs , till the second cōming of his humanity be reuealed vpon earth ? wherefore then o missalians , haue you deuised this magicke of transubstantiation , to blaspheme against god , to impaire his omnipotency , and disable his vertue more then you do that of the sphericall sun , but his creature ? why should you hale the body of iesus christ out of heauen , before the preordained time , to transubstantiate it into your little round azimall hosts printed with image●y , which you cause to bee ador●d , seeing christ as god , there assists his church perpetually , and hath the power to regenerate , feed , and sustaine vs : yea , with an eternall life and nourishment , by his most assured promise , testified by the holy sacraments of baptisme and the sacred supper . for other more familiar and domesticall comparisons , consider o missalians , how earthly and mo●tall princes are reputed , reuerenced and honoured by such sacred signes as they ordaine ; i will onely propound vnto you two , which is to say , waxe and mettals : of one the princes seale is composed , with which grants , pardons , and remissions are sealed , charters , and priuiledges by the prince conferred . he that falsifies this seale is he not punisht as in case of high treason , euen as if hee had outraged the person of the prince ? does not this seale represent his owne person , euen as if himselfe were present ? neuerthelesse the seale though it bee called the seale of the prince , is not transubstantiated , but still remaines waxe : but otherwise hauing receiued the sacred character of the prince , being then no more called waxe , but the princes seale . also the mettals of gold or siluer coyned with the princes stampe , doe serue for mony , although they are no more called gold nor siluer ; but hauing once exchanged their names at the princes wil , they are either crownes , angels or pistols , or else shillings , groats or penies , or other such like names ; they are yet notwithstanding mettals of the very substance as they were before , there is but that difference , that they haue the princes impression vpon them by and in which hee is represented really : so that whosoeuer clips or falsifies that money , is sorely punisht by death as a fellon and a traitor his prince , for it is in a manner as bad , and as if he had offended and conspired against the princes owne person ; by farre greater reason the bread and the wine consecrated and ordained to bee sacraments of the pretious body and blood of christ iesus , represents them really , and not by picture . wherefore whosoeuer receiues it vnworthily , commits a haynous crime against the supreame and diuine maiesty of him , to his eternall damnation ; but t is not to conclude a transubstantiation by a most abhominable coniuration or witchcraft . but if you massalians or masse-priests , nicholaits and transubstantiators , be not sufficiently satisfied with iesus christ & his apostles interpretations , as likewise with those similitudes and familiar comparisons , to reduce and bring you to the sincere way , and certaine forme ordained of god for to celebrate his holy sacraments , in abolishing your pompilian and missafique idolatries , eiecting from you your abhominable witchcraft of transubstantiation . at the least will ye not beleeue at all the interpretations of the anci●et authors of the church : hearken but to the sayings of st. augustin against adamantine that notable hereticke : euen as the blood , saith hee , in many parts and places of the holy scripture is said to be the water , the stone also to bee christ ; euen so the bread is said to be his body : which three places must be vnderstood and interpreted to bee sacred signes and figures , then when this very author said christ iesus vttered these words ; hoc est corpus meum , this is my body , in presenting and breaking bread to his disciples , hee gaue them the signe of his body : for otherwise it should seeme to bee a thing both inhumane and vnlawfull , to deuoure the pretious flesh and blood of iesus christ ; if there were not the figure of the bread and wine for to keepe in memory his flesh and blood , the body of christ hauing beene sacrificed to god his father for our life and eternal nourishment . againe the same author vseth this interpretation , the sacrament visible is the new testament , that is to say , the sacred signe of the inuisible sacrifice : the like interpretations are described by tertullian against that hereticke marcion , christus acceptum panem corpus suum fecit , dicendo , hoc est corpus meum : id est , figura corporis mei . wherefore then o missalians , haue you not followed the authority of these holy doctors , of the church which would not blasphem against god by the magick of transubstantiation , but haue freely and vertuously acknowledged the sacrament to be a visible signe or sacred figure , signifying by faith & spirit that which is inuisible ? wherefore do you prepare the mouth and the belly for to deuoure the body and blood of christ corporally , really and carnally ? why offer you not your selues by true & liuely faith for to eate worthily christ iesus ? why haue you not vnderstood the manducation of the body of christ , by the notable distinction of that learned doctor s. ierome , saying , the flesh of christ iesus is to be vnderstood carnally , when it is spoken of the shedding his blood , and crucifying of his body for our saluation ; but spiritually , when it is said that his flesh is the true meat for vs to eate . for another proofe , i will alledge that learned prelate gelase bishop of rome , the which disputing against the heretickes eutichines and nestorians , doth affirme the bread & wine consecrated and made sacraments are neuerthelesse in substance bread and wine , but to be signes of the body and blood of christ iesus by the mystery of the sacrament . and if ye desire larger testimonies , saint ambrosius vpon the epistle of saint paul to the corinthians hath explicated and made manifest , that the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine doth signifie the flesh and the blood of christ iesus offered for vs. origen likewise in his homilies teacheth the sacraments to be figures , which we ought to examine really , and not carnally : because saith he , that those words , hoc est corpus meum , not vnderstood spiritually kils the soule , when he writes to eate the flesh of christ . wherefore s. chrysostome admonished the people to honour that holy sacrament in offring himselfe his soule to god , for the which christ iesus was crucified ; & that by that holy sacament of bread & wine , is signified to vs the similitude of the body and blood of iesus christ . for resolution , we must follow and be ruled , according to the instruction and interpretation of our holy sauiour christ iesus and his apostles , to honor and reuerence his holy sacraments instituted of him by exterior signes , to lift vp our hearts and raise our spirits and minds to heauen , for to comprehend that which by those signes is represented to vs , and not to esteeme , hold , & account them as vaine pictures or apparitions ; but endeuour to receiue them worthily by liuely faith and vertue of the holy ghost , to the end to be fed and nourished with celestiall bread , to the saluation of our soules thereby to attaine life eternall . let vs then be assured in christ iesus as members of his body that we may be reduced and brought all into one vnity , for to communicate and eate the same bread and drink the same wine compounded of many graines vnited together , to the end that wee may say with the holy apostle , all wee faithfull are the body of christ iesus , saued and redeemed by his holy body crucified , and pretious blood shed for vs , and so remaining permanent in faith in christ iesus , in eating his body and drinking his blood , to beleeue firmely to haue beene crucified and risen from the dead , ascended into heauen , and sitteth at the right hand of god his father , vntill that he returnes as he is ascended with his humanity , and neuerthelesse his almighty power and diuinity to be distributed to vs and diffused in earth , and in all places , especially in his holy sacraments , which he hath left vs for a pledge , and exteriour approbation of our faith , for memory and recordation of the death and passion of our sauiour iesus christ . finis . to my noble and most learned author , on his worthy name . i n the circumference of all natures frame , s o honor'd is ( learn'd casaubon ) thy name , a s so much need my encomiasticke lines , a s a small taper when that phaebus shines c leare at noone day : c an this so litterate age afford a brest , a closet where such profound wit doth rest , s vch abstruce learning ? these he did combine a peerlesse graecian , and vnmatcht diuine : v nder the wounds of his polemicke pen b led the idolatrous whore : rarest of men , o ver all nations flies thy far-spred name , n o angle but resounds thy datelesse fame . the admirer of his works , abraham darcie . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a18103-e2330 prou 7. 2 , 3. sacrifices before the written law. psal . 50 genes . 4. hebr. 11. genes . 6. 7 , 5. apoc. 13. the rainbow . genes . 9. circumcision in the yeere of the world 2048. genes . 17. exodus 12. exodus 12. the cloud . the pillar of fire , exod. 13. the diuision of the arabick red sea , in the yeere of the world , 2403. 1. cor. 10. titus 3. heauenly manna . exod. 16. 1. cor. 10. iohn 6. diuers sacrifices ordained by god , in the yeere of the world 2455. holocausts . diuision of sacrifices , extracted out of exodus , leuiticus , & numbers . beasts appointed for sacrifice . daies appointed for sacrifices . exod. 23. see the books of philo the iew , and of iosephus . holocaust : philo the iew in his treatise of beasts , appointed for sacrifice . ioseph lib. 3 c. 20. de antiq. iudaic. leu. 9. 2 , 3 , 4. sacrifice for health . sacrifices for sinne . sacrifices for sinne out of ignorance . sacrifices for the high priests sinne , for the princes , for the magistrate , and for particular men . leu. 3. 4 , 5 6. sacrifice for a polluted man. sacrifice for a deliuered woman . leuit. 12. sacrifice for the leprous . leuit. 14. sacrifice for manstruall polution . leauen and honey forbidden in all sacrifices . sacrifice for a woman suspected of adulterie . numb . 5. sacrifice of nazareans . numb . 6. philo the iew in his treatise abouenamed . exod. 20. arke of couenant . exod. 25. 26 , 27 , 28. ephod . water of purification consecrated . numb . 15. exod. 38. brazen serpent . numb . 27. iohn 3. 7. corruption began first in adam . corruption of the sacrifices by aaron . exod. 32. deut. 9. corruption of sacrifices by nadab and abihu . leuit. 10. numb . 11. iosh . 7. iud. 6. 3. 6. 8 , 9. iud. 10. judg. 50. inhumane sacrifice of iephta . iudg. 17. idolatry by the golden ephod . 1. sam. 2. ophni and phinees corrupters of sacrifices . 1. sam. 2. 1. sam. 4. 1. sam. 5. 6. arke of sacred . couenant . against the corruption of sacred signes . 2. sams 6. osias . 2 chron. 26. saul . 1. sam. 13. ioseph . lib. ● . cap. 4. de . antiq. ludae . 1. kings 11. ieroboam . 1. kings . 12. 1. kings 14. 1. kings 16. achab. 1. kings 16. ioseph . lib. 8. cap. 10. ochosias . 2. kings 1. ioseph . li. 9. cap. 1. purgatory fire . 2. kings 16. in the booke alcoran . asoar . 29. lib. 46. and asoar . 5. ignem gehennae , non nisi numero dierum praeterminato . animas sentire docet alcoranliber , & ad diem veritatis omnes accedere operum suorum mercedem accepturos , asoar . 5. the cause of corruption in sacraments . apo● . 13. deut. 10. 50. ierem. 4. esay 7. psal . 41. esay 66. ierem. 6. amos 5. psal . ● . 2. sam. 15. 4. esdras 7. 4. kings 15. 24. ioseph . lib. 13. ca. 16. de ant. iud. ioseph . lib. de antiq. iud. ioseph . lib. 15. cap. 3. ioseph . li. 8. cap. 8. entros . 1. cap. 12. genes . 49. comparison between adam and iesus christ . iesus christ the tree of life . apoc. 2. rom. 12. the rain-bow . circumcision . galat. 4. the flaming bush . pascall lambe . iohn 1. heb. 13. the bread of life . 1. cor. 5. the cloud , the pillar of fire , the red sea. 1. cor. 10. job . 19. heauenly manna . the flowing rocke . liuing water . 1. cor. 10. sacrifice . heb. 1. 8 , 9 , 10. heb. 9. arke of couenant . brazen serpent . ioh. 3. temple of god. ioh. 2. holocaust , and water purgatorie . joh. 15. heb. 9. rom. 8. st. augustine lib. 3. de doct . christ . cap. 9. sacraments of the new testament . distribution of the sacraments to all conuerts . herod . lib. 2. gen. 17. numb . 19. tit. 3. gal. 3. corruptions of the holy sacraments . sacrament of baptisme corrupted . theod. in the booke of the fables of heretikes . ca●sine , & ca●posiquam de conerat . distinct . 4. epheta . per. satyr . 2. galat. 3. ●phes . 4. 1. corinth . 15. epiphan . lib. 1. tom . 3. haeres . 38. epipha . lib. 1. tom . 3. haeres . 42. and lib. 2. tom . 1. haeres . 49. exod. 4. sacrament of the supper corrupted . 1. corinth . 11. hist. eccle. hist . tripart it . lib. 9. cap. 37. & lib. 11. cap. 5. euseb . lib. 5. cap. 24. hist . tripart . lib. 9 cap. 39. & 39. euseb . lib. 5. cap. 24. hist . tripar . chap 38. col. 2. galat. 4. heb. 7. hist. tripar . lib. 9. cap. 38. euseb . lib. 5. cap. 23 in the yeere of christ , 114. tlatina sabelli . euseb . lib. 3. cap. 27. & lib. 8. cap. 14. cel. li. 39. cap. 21. iustin . in apolo . 2. inno lib. 4. cap. 5. de officio disial . august . lib. de haereti . cap. 26. & 64. epiphan . lib. 2. tom . 5. haeret . 49. matth. 29. marc. 14. luc. 22. 1. corint . 11. 1. cor. 11 , the romane emperors and their priests . titiuill . lib. 1. deca . 1. fenestell . lib. de magist . rom. euseb . in his bookes of the eccl. hist . anno dom. 34. & 68. anno dom. 94. 112. & 183. 167. 202. 238. 254. 257. 276. 292. pontifex maximus . in a booke intituled , a discourse of the ancient religion of the romanes , by william de choue bayly of dolphinois . catalogue of the caesars , at the end of nicephorus historie . anno dom. 410. in the canons collected by clement bishop of rome , 21. 22. 62. & 95. anno dom. 93. alexander the first , bishop of rome , in the yeere of our lord 110. sixtus bishop of rome in the yeere of our lord 127. syluester bishop of rome . higinus bishop of rome the yeere 140. fabian bishop of rome in the yeare 240. pius bishop of rome , in the yeare , 144. z●pherin : bishop of rome , in the yeare 200. calixtus bishop of rome , in the yeare , 280. eutiches bishop of rome , in the yeare , 262. red roabes of cardinals . siluest : bishop of rome , in the yeare 314. cronic . of iohn baptista ignatius . hist●tripartit : lib. 3. cap. 12. paul : aenul . lib. 1. in the yeare 412. in the yeare 434. blon . lib. 2. d●cad , 2. procop. lib. 3. of the wars of the vuandales in the yeare 486. in the yeare 550. 554. paul acmil . lib. 1. in the yeare 568. in the yeare , 572. platine blond : volaterad . paul : aemil : lib. 10. blond : lib. 10. blond . lib. 1. decad. 2. paul. enul . lib. 2. the first apparant antichrist . in the yeare 588. sabellic . in the yeare 600. blond . lib. 1. greg. lib. 4. of epist . cha . 29. in the yeare 604. platin. sabellic . in the yeare 612. math. 26. math. 23. luc. 11. marc. 2. the cause of mahomets originall . looke the ecclesiasticall history . hereticks in the church . originall of the masse : with exposition of the word . dan. 11. 4. kings 11. messa . messell . hell. masse drawne from the ancient latine romanes . amongst the greekes the priest hauing discharged his function , spake aloud in this manner . laiois aphesis , as if he discharged the people . apule . lib. 11. de asm . aur . in the booke of the description of affrick , by iohn leo affricanus . messa of the turkes . messelmans , in the booke of the great turks court , by frier antonie geffrie . in the booke of the aboue said , messen , messi . pontife lib. 1. of commenta . a curate . curio , a priest , or curat , who in his cure , that is , in his parish had the care of sacred celebrations . tit. liui. lib. 1. decad. tit. lini . fenest . pompo . l●tt . aube . alex. ab alex. lib. 4. chap. 17. super tunicam aeneam pectori regumen . 1. decad . 1. virg. lib. a●neid . 3. purpureovel are comas ad opertus maictu , ca●ite ante aras phrigius velamus amict● . titilman . in tractat . de expo . myster . missae . et gab. e●el . in lib. de exposit . missae . philo : in lib. de profug . apul. lib. 11. de lasno auri . proclus in lib. de sacrafic . & gag . procl . platoni . catul. eius aquae aspersione , peccata , presertim per iuria , mendati aque dilui credebant . blond . lib. de rom. trium . ouid lib. fast 3 fonts of two sorts . dijs supcris sacra facturus , corporis ablutione purgabatur : cum vero inferis lijamdum erat , sola aspersio sufficiebat . blond . lib. 2. de rom. trium . ma●r . lib. 3. satu. chap. 1. in delij apolinis templo praecipua erat aqua sacrificantium vsui accommoda , quam ad alios vsus hausisse magni criminis instar erat . alex . ab alex : lib. 4. ca. 17. platine . si ciuis vitula aspersus populum iudaeorum mundabat , multo magis aqua sale conspersa populum sanctificat , & insidias diaboli auertit ea , a quam , de consecrat . distinct . 1. the law of god corrupted . numb . 19. 4. king. 2. exod. 15. numb . 19. hysto . trip . lib. 6. cap. 35. valentinian the emperor against holy water sprinckle . salt holy water very auncient . against the salt lustrall water of alexander pope of rome . ca : omnes de consecrat : distinct . 4. & cap. altaria & cap. vestimenta : distinct . 2. cap. altar●s : de confecra : distinct . 1. in lib. cantel : miss : leuit. 2. 5. 6. the reason why new idolatries were inuented . true holy water for christians . heb. 9. epiph. lib. 1. tom . 1. sec . 9. & 17. cont. haer . 2. part of the masse , procession . platina . tit : liu : in his decades . supplicationes , quit ▪ nos processiones vocamus , fiebant circa delubra fanaque & puluinaria , in quibus honos dijs dabatur , praecedentibus pueris ingenuis ac sacer dotibus cora●atis , ac laurean● tenentibus manum , voce ●odulata ca●entibu● . c●●men , subsequent maximo pontifice vel curione : dein . de sequentibus patritijs ac senatoribus cum coniugibus & liberis plaerunque coronatis . apul. lib. 17. de asi . aur . blond . lib. 2. de rom. trium . alex . ab alex. lib. 5. chap. 27. in the booke of the discourse of the ancient romaines religion . lamprid. apul. lib. 11. de asm . aur . alex. ab alex. lib. 50. chap. 27. herodote in his histories . ierem. in his epist . ad iudeos in babylonem abducendos . neverticem deraditore , noue barbam vollitote . leuit. 19. nec in gyrum ac rotundum attondebitis comam vestram , nec radetis barbam . ezech : 44. ex libris messaae ad octauianum augustum : apul. lib. 2. de asin . aur . in the said booke of the religion of the ancient romaines . a● : christ . ●64 the third part of the masse . altar , and tapers light . omil. lib. 4. de fast . apul. lib. 11. de asm . aur . plut. in numa . alex. ab alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. exod. 20. leuit. 26. deut. 5. esay 40. abhominable idolatry . durand : lib. 4. rub . de mutat . 4. part of the masse . confiteor . r●m diuinam facturus , ad suā leuandam culpam , semi primis reum dicere debebat , & noxae poenitere ac fateri admissum , vultumque submittere . alex. ab alex. lib. 4. cap. 37. bl●nd . lib. 1. de rom. triumph . chap. 9. fift part of the masse . turnings and wheelings about . hae sunt vertegines in sacris , à numae institutae , dextram ad osculam ferre , et se in orbem circum agere . blond . lib. 1. do rom. triumph . macro in saturnali . introduction to the masse . plin. lib. 28. the sixt part of the masse . the second of the organes . antems . collects . gradualls . tracts . sequences . hymnorum plures species ●r a●t , hyping●s , dianam , apollini , p●an , sit prosaedia . dionisio dithirambus . ceteri , iulus , vencri , cr●tyetus , praeter quos fuere , prosaeduri , hypacthema , et stasimon . alex. ab alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. diuers masses . dry masses . seuenth part of the masse . perfume of incense . blond . lib. i. de rom. trium . alex. ab alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. iliacus temporibus veteres non thure sed ced●i , & 〈◊〉 i fu●●o , deos adolebant . alex ab alex. lib. 4. cap. 17. platina . tit. liu. 3. decad . 3. tit. liu. lib. 9. d●cad . 3. o●id . l●b . 3. f●st the eight part of the mas●e . plin. lib. 11. cap. 3 blond . lib. 2. de rom. trium . sacerdotiorum siue beneficiorum duo eraat genera : vnum , quorum colla●io adremp : aut principem , aut ad pontificum collegiū spectabat : alterum , quorum collatio ad aliquam f●mil●am , eiusque successores pertineb ●t : quae benefi●ia 〈◊〉 is patronatus censebantur . blond . lib 2. de rom. triumph . disp●ns●tion to hold many benefices . tit. liu. lib. 30. foundation of benefices . offertories . first-fruits and vacancies . tertia , sacer dotiorum opulentia , à solutionibꝰ proueniebat , quas inferiores , superioribus pontificibusim pendebant , quale apud nos est , cum pontifici romano fructus primos , antisiites & his minores sacerdotes ad obtinenda beneficia pecuniam dissol●unt . blond . lib 2. de rom triumph . viuentes 〈◊〉 deos haberent propitios , multa sacerdotibꝰ largi●bantur faelici●ati animarum consul turi . blond lib. 2. de rom trium . cicero in oratione pro demo sua ad pontisi 〈◊〉 . blond . lib. 3. de rom. trium . chap. 35. ninth part of the masse . round host of flower . plutarch . in numa . pollux . in onom . lib 6 mysteriis peractis , qui sacris intererant rotundis panibus quos in honorem deorum abbibebant stan●es vescebantur , nec nisi sacrificio persecto vesci licebat alex. ab alex l. 4. cap. 17 ▪ re diuina & ceremoniis celebraetis , sacerdos tunc , i , licet , succlamabat : qua voce illos qui interfuerant , missos faciebat . alex ab alex. lib. gen . dic . 4. cap. 17. masse instituted by numa more then 700 yeares before the incarnation of christ . mat. 27. luk. 20. mark. 14. 1. cor. 11. mark. 16. platina , volaterra . kyrie eleyson . quoties prodigium nunciabatur , sacrum nouemdiale per nouem dies agebatur . tit. liu. lib. 1. decad 1. alleluia . platina . sabell . gloria patri , agnus dei , kisse-pix , instituted . chap. 15. chap. 56. & 57. kisse-pix . canon of the masse . platina . sabell . epistles and gospels cut out in the masse . against the long possession and prescription of idolatries . against the turkes . against the israelites sacrificing to moloch . 2 king. 16. and 23. against the idolatry of the brazen serpent . num. 27. against the iewes infidelity . against the missalians . prescription takes no place against god. continuation of histories . abominable idolatrie . against the idolatry of round hosts . communion of holy bread . a notable difference betweene round consecrated hosts and holy bread . transubstantiation instituted . blond lib. 1. de rom. triump . hosts made of flower transubstantiated into flesh , and the wine into blood . detestable heresie . an. christ . 1062 , in chronolog . 10. volateran . lanfrac : de sac . against transubstantiation . tree of life . celestiall manna . the rocke flowing out water . lambs immolated by abel . circumcision . paschall lamb . brazen serpent victimes sacrificed . comparison of the faith of the ancient fathers of israel with ours . d. aug. contra faust . 20. ca. 21. & cap. 14. l. 19. & contra petilian . lib. 2. ca. 37 , 77. ● cor. 10. august . in psal . against miracles alleaged by the missalians . exod. 7. exod. 8. exod. 14. the interpretation of iesus christ touching the eating of his body . iohn 6. comparison of baptisme with the sacraments of the supper . iohn 3. 1. corinth . 11. numa pompilius , vt populum romanorum sacris obligaret , volebat videri sibi cum dea aegeria congressus esse nocturnos , eiusque monituse , quae accepta diis immortalibus sacra forent , insti●uere valer. max. lib. 1. cap. 3. iohn 19. exod. 12. numb . 9. corruption of the holy sacrament . against transubstantiation . herman . cont. blond . platin. nehem. 9. psal . 78. 104. psal . 16. iohn 6. genes . 3. genes . 28. exod. 16. nehem 9. psal . 78. 6. sap. 16. iohn 6. gen. 14. gen 18. gen. 21. gen. 27. gen. 43. gen. 47. numb . 37. tobit . 4. psal . 104. mar. 4. luk. 4. mat. 6. luke 2. exod. 21. leuit. 24. math. 11. 1. king. 27. ose 7. deut. 8. mar. 4. luke 4. math. 15. math 15. mar. 7. math. 26. mar. 4. iohn 6. math. 16. iohn 6. iohn 6. iohn 6. iohn 15. iohn 4. iohn 10. math. 5. genes . 19. 1. cor. 5. 2. cor. 6. 1. cor. 10. 1. cor. 12. gen. 17. exod. 10. 13. gen. 17. numb . 10. psal . 68. 94. mat. 21. iohn 2. iohn 2. exod. 4. 7 , 8. exod. 16. comparison of the two holy sacraments . t it 3. ioh. 3 6. rom. 11. iohn 6. gal. 3. ephes . 4. 1. cor. 12. 1. cor. 10. against the missalians . iohn 3. 4 , 7. tit. 3. gal. 3. against the corrupters of baptisme . luke 1. mal. 4. comparison of the sun of iesus christ , which iustine the martyr vseth in his treatise of the exposition of faith , chap. 2. a notable comparison of the sunne , to vtterly confute the erroneous doctrine of transubstantiation . iesus christ as god assists all . familiar comparisons of princes seales and coynings , which if they be conterfeited or falsified , the counterfeiters therof are executed as offenders to the princes person . 1. cor , 11. 13. here is proued by the doctors the words of christ concerning the sacrament of his body and blood , to be spiritually taken and not carnally , and so vtterly transubstantiation is confuted . l. 8. aug. ch . 12. the authority of ancient doctors . st. augustines interpretation . lib. 3. de doctr . christ . & in praefat . psa . l. 3. lib. 10. de cant. des . cha . 5. ca. sacrificium de consecr . distinct . 2. tertullian . lib. 1. & 3. 4. vt quid paras dentem & ventrem ? crede & manducasti , ea . vt quid , de consecrat . distin . 2. aug. in lib. de remed . paeniten . & in ioan. tra . 25. cap. 6. s hiero in epist ad ephef . ca. dupliciter ead . distinct . s. gel●se against eutychius and nestorieus . s. ambr●se in the booke of sacraments , cap. 1. & 11. origen . in leu. ho●● . 7. s. chrysostom . hom . 31. ch . 15. com . 1. psal . 12. 1. corinth . 10. 1. corinth . 12. d. august . in ioan. tra●● . 30. ●rt . 1. & 3. a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry concerning mr. j. boyse's vindication of his remarks on a discourse concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god : with an appendix containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross / by william, lord bishop of derry. king, william, 1650-1729. 1696 approx. 363 kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from 144 1-bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : 2004-11 (eebo-tcp phase 1). a47442 wing k534 estc r4453 13080512 ocm 13080512 97229 this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase 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(eebo-tcp ; phase 1, no. a47442) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set 97229) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, 1641-1700 ; 743:8) a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry concerning mr. j. boyse's vindication of his remarks on a discourse concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god : with an appendix containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross / by william, lord bishop of derry. king, william, 1650-1729. [4], 281, [1] p. printed for r. clavel ..., london : 1696. advertisement: p. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p5, characters represented either as utf-8 unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng boyse, j. -(joseph), 1660-1728. -vindication of the remarks on the bishop of derry's discourse about human inventions. sacraments. public worship -early works to 1800. 2004-08 tcp assigned for keying and markup 2004-08 apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images 2004-09 judith siefring sampled and proofread 2004-09 judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry , concerning , mr. j. boyse's vindication of his remarks on a discourse concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god. with an appendix containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross. by william lord bishop of derry . london , printed for r. clavel at the peacock in st. paul's church-yard . 1696. heads of the discourse . chap. i. matters of fact. sect. i. the numbers of those that neglect all publick worship on the lord's day . p. 3. ii. the frequency of sacraments . p. 11 iii. the number of communicants . p. 20 iv. the directory a hindrance to communions . p. 24 v. mr. b's excuses for few communions examined . p. 27 vi. the reading the scriptures . p. 38 vii . the mysteries of religion . p. 44 viii . the catechism . p. 54 ix . bodily worship . p. 59 x. the practice of reverence by dissenters . p. 75 xi . the praises of god. p. 77 xii . the rule of human prudence . p. 79 xiii . the 3d , 4th and 5th canons . p. 97 xiv . mr. b's demands . p. 99 xv. mr. sq. p. 107 xvi . personal vindication . p. 112 chap. ii. of the reasoning part of mr. b's book . sect. i. mr. b's stating the case as to purity of worship and discipline . p. 126 ii. mr. b's partiality p. 138 appendix . containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross. sect. i. the proper method to discover the true nature of sacraments as signs . p. 159 ii. that sacraments are primarily signs of god's grace , & not of our duty . 171 iii. that the scriptures warrant us to use other signs that are not sacraments for the several uses assigned by mr. b. to sacraments . 201 iv. of representing signs . 208 v. of obliging signs . 221 vi. of distinguishing signs . 240 vii . that the cross is such a sign as the scriptures warrant . 251 conclusion . 274 a second admonition to the dissenting inhabitants of the diocess of derry , concerning mr. j. boyse his vindication of his remarks on a late discourse of william lord bishop of derry , concerning the inventions of men , in the worship of god. chap. i. concerning matters of fact. i. i thought it necessary in a former admonition to give you some account of my design in my book concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god , in order to enable you to pass a judgment on mr. boyse's remarks on it : he has thought himself concerned to write a vindication of them ; and tho' i do not suppose it very necessary , i shall give you a few reflections on it . it consists of matters of fact and reasonings . i shall say a little to each of them , and leave you to judge of it . and i pray most heartily to god that it would please him to direct you . the matter is of great moment , since it concerns the worship of god ; and ( whatever mr. boyse would suggest ) the true point is , whether about nine in ten of you shall worship god publickly any where on the lord's day , or stay at home ? if i can prevail with you to come to the established worship , you may easily and conveniently worship god in your parish churches every lords ▪ day , or oftner ; and receive the lords-supper four times every year , at least , and oftener if you desire it . but if i cannot perswade you to this , about nine in ten of you must stay at home , as you have done for many years , and perhaps not have a fit opportunity of communicating afforded you once in seven years . sect. i. concerning the numbers of those that neglect all publick worship on the lord's day . this then shall be the first matter of fact , of which i shall endeavour to make you sensible , since mr. boyse questions it , and jests at my concern about it , vind. p. 2. the account he opposes to it is in these words , that in the parish of templemore , alias derry , there are two meetings , in which there will be found above 2400 who ordinarily worship god every lord's day — the least congregation amongst you are ordinarily 600 , and some above a thousand that do worship god every lord's day , so that where ministers are settled you do not know of one in twenty that do not ordinarily attend publick worship . this account he says he has from your ministers : you will easily be judges of the truth of it ; and therefore i desire you to consider , ii. first , that even in derry there are congregations much less than 600 , and seldom in burt above 400 or 500 ; and that those two meeting-houses , tho the largest , will not hold 1200 to hear . i sent to count , and am assured both have not a thousand ordinarily . 2dly , i desire you to remember , that tho' these meeting-houses are both in the parish of derry , yet the inhabitants of 11 parishes depend on them , who have no nearer , or more convenient meetings to go to : that is to say , fanthen , desertegny , clonmany , coldagh , clonca , donagh , movill , clandermot , part of faughanvale , part of cumber , and part of donaghedey ; a district in length from malin to donaghedey church , about 33 miles ; and in breadth , from the church of faughanvale to the lower end of inch , about 14 miles : in which there are 14 churches and chappels ; and in which 12 conformable clergy-men continually officiate , preaching in the morning , and catechizing , for about one half of the year , in the afternoons , with an explanation of some heads of the catechism : this scope of ground is well inhabited ; and if i mistake not , is near as big as the county of dublin , and contains , at least , one fourth part of the whole diocess ; and if there be in the parish of templemore of your perswasion 2400 as mr. boyse intimates , and i do believe there are , there can hardly be less in the other 11 parishes than 4 times as many , and then in all about 12000 depend on these two meeting-houses ; of which i doubt , if a thousand attend publick worship on one lord's day with another : and if we allow 1200 as mr boyse suggests , yet it doth not mend the matter ; for it is still but a tenth part of the whole . iii. your next meeting is yet in a worse condition , for there depends on it tamlaghfinlagan alias ballykilly , drumchose , aughanlow , balteagh , dongevin , banagher , part of cumber , part of faughanvale , and of tamlanghard ; a district containing some of the richest and best planted parishes in the county of londonderry , and in length , from the point of magilligan to the further part of banagher , at least 20 miles , and in breadth from the church of faughanvale to the utmost part of balteagh or drumchose about 14. yet here the meeting-house will not contain , as i am informed , above 400. the like may be said of the meeting of aghadowy ; upon which there depend the parishes of aghadowy , kilrea , desertoghill , erregill , part of macosquin , part of tamlaghocrielly , and the chappel of fagevy in length from the old church of camus , to the most distant parts of tamlaghocrielly 13 or 14 miles ; and from the ban river to the most distant parts of desertoghill , about 10 or 12. the like might be shewed of magh●ra , ardstra and donaghmore ; and there needs no more to prove the truth of this than to consult the maps of the counties . iv let me add , that even these are not constantly supplyed ; for the ministers , what on account of assisting their neighbour ministers at sacraments , what on account of their visiting other parts of the kingdom ; and what on account of their private affairs , do frequently miss and disappoint their people ; insomuch that in ardstra , for example , their minister has been absent at least 7 or 8 months . if then we lay these things together , and take one meeting and one sunday with another , i think my computation was very modest , when i conjectured , that hardly one in ten of you worshiped god any where on the lords-day . v. but because i would have as little dispute with mr. boyse as possible , i will take his own computation , and allow , 1st , that there are 9 meeting-houses in the diocess ; tho really for the last 2 years there has been only 8 , and for the last 7 or 8 months , only 7 2dly , i will allow that there are 700 at each meeting ( mr. boyse sayes 600 ordinarily , and some above 1000 ) tho' really take one sunday , and one meeting with another , there are not 300. 3dly , i will allow that there are but 30 thousand dissenters in the diocess ; tho really there are more . and now let us see how many worship god on the lords day ; and how many prophane it by staying at home , according to mr. boyse's own account : and it is thus ; nine times 700 make 6300 , the number of worshipers ; which taken out of 30000 , there remains 23700 that stay at home and attend no worship at all . perhaps half as many as worship god in all the dissenters meetings in ireland . a thing that deserves a serious consideration and concern ; and tho mr. b. seemes to make light of it , ( vind. p. 2. ) yet sure to use my endeavours to perswade these 23000 to attend their parish churches , rather than to stay at home on the lords day , was my duty as a christian bishop and pastour ; and how mr. b. will answer to god , that he has contributed to hinder my endeavours , tho he professes he did not design it , i leave it to our common judge and master . vi. neither mr. boyse nor your ministers could be ignorant of this , since it arises clearly from their own compuration . and i leave you to judge , whether it looks not like amusing the world , and serving a party to publish such an account as he and they have done : for to tell us of two meeting-houses in one parish , when indeed there are only those two in one quarter of the diocess , i am sure looks like such a design . yet this has been your case for many years past , and is like to be in a great measure for many to come : for when can you expect ten ministers more than you have in the district of derry and burt ? and yet these would be rather of the fewest to accommodate each place with a meeting at a due distance : vvhen can you expect seven instead of one in the district of ballykelly ; or six in the district of aghadowy , and proportionally in the rest ? vii . i desire you to observe , that mr. b. p. 26. declares , that it was not his design to hinder you from joyning with the established church in our ordinary lords-day service , and expresly declares his own opinion for the lawfulness of it : i hope your own ministers are of the same opinion , since he professes p. 24. that he had a just call to write his remarks , and that from the dissenting ministers of this diocess : and three of them , by their certificates , seem to approve of his performances . if then it be their opinion , that it is lawful for you to joyn in our publick worship , at least when you cannot go to your own meetings , and that you had better do so than stay at home , especially where the established ministers are sober , able , orthodox and diligent , as those of this diocess i presume generally are ; i desire you to call to mind whether your ministers have declared their opinion to you in this point or no. if they have , consider how you will answer your neglect of god's publick worship so long , at the last day , when it shall appear you might lawfully have joyned in it . but if your ministers have not made any such declaration of their opinion in this point , tho they know it to be lawful , judge with your selves , whether they have discharged the office of faithful guides to you , in revealing to you the whole will of god , as they ought to have done ; since they have suffered for many years , and yet do suffer about nine in ten of you to stay at home on the lord's day , and joyn in no publick service of god , rather than joyn in the worship , praises , prayers and sacraments celebrated in your own parish churches , or hear the scriptures read , and the great mysteries of the kingdom of heaven opened to you by such ministers as you cannot but in your conscience acknowledge , and many of you have acknowledged , to be equal to your own in piety , learning , diligence and industry , and who would have been eminent amongst you , if they had been of your party . i conceive the resolution of this question to be of great moment to you , and a great step to our peace and union ; and therefore you ought every one of you to require your ministers direct and positive resolution in it : by which you will perceive , whether your guides are of one mind in this weighty affair ; and if they be , you 'l consider how you came to be ignorant of it , as your practice and profession declare you are , and where the fault is to be laid . i the rather press this , because i know that several are willing and desirous to frequent the publick worship , but dare not , fearing the malice and hatred of their neghbours , who treat them as apostates that do so , and contrive their ruine . the truth is , your ministers have preached you into a dislike of the established worship , they have represented it as * idolatrous , and by these means they have entirely separated you from us , as to all publick worship , and have got you to depend on themselves : and now when they have you , they are not able to supply you , but have dealt with you as the false mother did with the child before sol●mon , they would rather you should not worship god at all , than with us . but whether this looks like zeal for god's worship , i must leave it with you to judge : as for my self , i hope i shall not be reputed ( i am sure i shall not become ) your enemy , because i tell you the truth ; and shall apply the words of st. paul , gal. 4. 17. to you and your teachers , they zealously affect you , but not well , they would exclude you , or rather us , ( as in the margine of your bibles ) that you may affect their . sect. ii. concerning frequency of sacraments . i. but , secondly , because the frequency of your sacraments ( which is the next greatest matter of fact ) has a great dependance on this last ; i shall consider it next , and compare my assertions with mr. boyse's , and engage you to judge who comes nearest the truth . my words at which mr. boyse takes so great exception are these , dis. chap. 5. sect. 3. n. 3. when people were relaxed from the particular and certain rules of our church by the first breaking off of those of your perswasion from us , the lord's supper was laid aside wholly for several years by some congregations . i appeal to you , whether it is not yet reckoned a great thing among you , if once in a year or two a communion be celebrated in one of your meetings , nay , among some of you it is omitted for several years — by the best enquiry i could make , i could not compute that one in ten that go to your meetings ever receive thro' the whole course of their lives — i should be glad to find that i were mistaken in this computation . mr. b. denies every one of these , with many hard words ; and asserts , p. 136. that it is universally usual in every meeting where an ordained minister is , to have the lord's supper administred once a year , and twice in the larger towns. to convince the world of the truth of what i said , and of mr. boyse's mistake , i laid down the account i received of this matter , and found that the sacrament was administred but about nine times in seven years in all the meeting-houses of the diocess before the writing of my admonition , which was may 1694 , as appears from the date of it : mr. b. is very ill pleased with my computation , and alledges , that a very particular enquiry has been made . ( vind. p. 16. ) the account of which he sums up in these words , the year 88 falling within the compass of the seven years mentioned by the bishop , you had it in that seven years 22 or 23 times . if it had been thus , it is very little to the purpose , since even so it doth not amount to once a year in every meeting where there was an ordained minister . but mr. boyse might have observed that eight of these were celebrated amongst you last summer , since my admonition ; that is , at burt , strabane , donaghmore , ardstra , ballykelly , aughadowy , maghera , and derry . this last appears by the derry certificate it self to have been july 22 , 1694 , near three months after my admonition was written ; which shews , that he includes the sacraments of summer 1694. there remains then confessedly but about 14 ; and i do not think it material to contend about five sacraments in a whole diocess in seven years . ii. but secondly , mr. b. is so far from shewing any mistake in what i asserted , that i think he has furnished me with a sufficient proof of it , for he affirms , p. 16. that after a very particular enquiry , he finds in the years 87 and 88. the sacrament was administred in derry twice , in donagheede twice , in drumrah twice , in ardstra twice , in urny twice , in donaghmore twice , in lifford once , in clandermot once . these then are all the sacraments , that your ministers on a particular enquiry could find administred in these two years in this diocess : and indeed , i perceive they took great pains in the enquiry , sending quaeries about to this purpose ; it appears then , that in other meetings in this diocess there was none administred in those two years ; and of such as had ordained ministers , there was these following : 1 burt. mr. ferguson their present minister . no sacrament in 1687 or 88. they had before , mr. grahms , mr. haunton , mr. haliday ; these officiated about 20 years , and had but three sacraments that i can find . 2 ballykelly . mr. crooke their present minister , has served above 30 years . no sacrament in 87 or 88. when or how often before , not known . 3 aughadowy . mr. boyd their present minister , for above 30 years . no sacrament in 87 or 88. nor can i find when , or how often before . 4 tamlaghocricly . mr. gilchrest for many years before the troubles . no sacrament in 87 or 88. nor any before , that i can find . 5 macosquin . mr. lowry before the troubles . no sacrament in 87 or 88. before him , they had mr. boyd , mr. wilson , mr. eliot ; but no sacrament for 16 years that i can find . 6 maghera . mr. kilpatrick who officiated above 20 years . no sacrament in 87 or 88. the sacrament administred seven or eight times , and no more in those 20 years that i can find . 7 dumboe . mr. wilson , till the troubles and four years before . no sacrament in his time . mr. blair before , no sacrament two years before he died ; i cannot find how many before . 8 strabane . mr. wilson before the troubles for 20 years . no sacrament in 87 or 88. but one or two at the most in his time , as i can find . here you may observe , that eight meetings in this diocess for the years 87 and 88 , had no sacrament at all ; of the rest some had one , some had two , as is alledged ; which to shorten the dispute , i will take for granted ; since this is sufficient to prove , that it is a great matter if a sacrament be administred in one of your meetings in a year or two , which was my assertion . and i have been so far from wronging you in it , that it appears , after the most strict enquiry , that none had above one in a year ; in which number , mr. b. reckons six ; two had but one in two years , and eight meetings had none at all in these two years . but secondly , how they behaved themselves before those two years , appears sufficiently from the account i have added ; and if there should happen to have been twice more sacraments than i have an account of , yet it would not excuse your ministers from a very criminal neglect , and fully justifies my assertion , that the sacrament is often omitted for several years together in some of your meetings , and in some places for ten years or more : in which number , are tamlaugh o crilly , macosquin and strabane , the second best town in the diocess . thirdly , it shews what you are to judge of mr. b's assertion , p. 14. that it is universally usual in every meeting where an ordained minister is settled , to have the lords-supper administred constantly once a year ; here are eight had none in two years , and i doubt whether it has been a constant custom in any one meeting to have it once a year ; at least i have seen no voucher for it . iii. as to his asserting your having the lord's supper administred constantly twice a year in the larger towns , i have told you in my admonition , p. 153 , that i can call only three such in this part of the country , that is londonderry and strabane , in this diocess , and colrain in the border of it . now , as to londonderry , it has had this sacrament administred but twice in six or seven years , and colrain but once in that time . and as to strabane , tho' it , as well as the other , had a setled minister in it , before , and some time since the troubles , yet i am informed from good hands , that in six and twenty years the lord's supper has been administred but twice in it . the point then here is , whether the holy sacrament was administred twice yearly in larger towns , in which number these three are ; and if it was not , then mr. b. is mistaken . as to what i asserted of colraine and strabane , i find no doubt made ; but he produces a certificate from derry , in which it is said , that the sacrament was administred may 87 , april 88 , july 91 , july 92 , july 93 , and july 94. and the certifiers desire , that this may be compar'd with the passage i have above cited out of the admonition , p. 153. and mr. b. adds , p. 23. that he hopes i will either yield this point , or produce as credible vouchers as these . but i take this to be a full voucher for what i there asserted , and a demonstration that mr. boyse was mistaken , when he affirmed , that the sacrament was constantly administred twice a year in larger towns , rem . p. 136. this was the point in question , and mr. boyse's voucher is positive against him in it . i say , that in six or seven years ( that is from may 1688 , till may 1694 , when my admonition was written ) the sacrament was administred twice at derry , ( in which the certificate says three times ) twice in six and twenty years in strabane , and once in colraine in seven . all the contradiction then between this passage and the certificate is concerning one time in derry , that is 1691 , the account of the other towns being unquestionable . now , supposing my informers mistaken in this one time , i think it is very little to the purpose : here is an account of about forty years , and the informers , as is pretended , miss'd one sacrament ; whereas mr. boyse's informers mistook about fifty in sixty , to make the whole come up to two a year , as appears from this certificate . but after all , i am not satisfied that there is any mistake at all in my account in this one sacrament in dispute , and can produce good reasons for my believing so , if it were worth the while . however , i desire the oath that the certifiers offer about the truth of their certificate in all the parts of it , since it carries a manifest sign of some tampering in it , being dated sept. 25. 1694. and signed by alexander lecky , mayor elect , who yet , as every body may know , was not elected mayor till november following . upon the whole , if mr. b. had produced a voucher , that the sacrament was administred twice a year in each of these towns , it had been something to the purpose ; but as it is now , it makes directly against him . i am sorry that i am forced to take notice of these little things that are not to the cause ; for if instead of five communions in seven years ( according to mr. b's account ) you had had fourteen in such a congregation as derry , i should still reckon you very negligent , and to have violated the scripture-rule in an unexcusable manner . sect. iii. concerning the number of communicants . i. the second thing i affirmed concerning this sacrament was , that by the best enquiry i could make i could not compute that one in ten that go to your meetings ever receive thro' the whole course of their lives : in opposition to this , he affirms , that by the best computation your ministers can make , there is not one in ten , rather in twenty or thirty , that do not receive , except such as are with ▪ held for want of competent knowledge , or on the account of scandal ; rem . p. 137. there is a great difference between these two assertions : i say one in ten , mr. boyse and your ministers say nine in ten , nay , nineteen in twenty , or nine and twenty in thirty . either they or i must be widely mistaken , and which of us come nearest the truth will appear on examination of the proofs which mr. b. himself produces . in his vindication , p. 19. he asserts , that the ordinary hearers in the two meetings of derry and burt are about 2400 — that we may compute about 1600 communicants in both . now , tho' me allow a considerable deduction out of this number for strangers , that may be supposed to have received , yet the number of communicants belonging to those two congregations , compared with that part of their hearers that are of age to receive , will sufficiently demonstrate , that the bishop's computation , that not one in ten receive , must be very wide from truth . ii. now , to this i reply , first , that mr. b. has produc'd no voucher of the number of communicants in your meetings before my book and admonition , these two sacraments of which he speaks being last summer , one of them after the writing of my admonition , and the other after it was publish'd ; and i hope i contributed to the numerousness of them . but secondly , now your ministers have used their utmost endeavours , and brought as many as they cou'd to communicate , let us examine whether mr. b. or i come nearest truth , in order to discover it . i desire you to remember two assertions of mr. b's ; the first , remarks , p. 136. where-ever the sacrament is administred , 't is usual for two thirds of the congregation to be strangers . — and it is usual for most of the members of the neighbouring parishes to frequent it . secondly , p. 137. that those that communicate once , do it ordinarily on all following occasions . if then we take away two thirds from 1600 , there remains 534 ; the proportion of 2400 belonging to these two meetings that ever communicated at once ; which is not one in four ; and is much nearer my computation than that of mr. b's or your ministers : and which is alone sufficient to shew that i consider'd the matter better than they . but thirdly , i desire you to observe , that the 2400 are supposed to be of the parish of derry , and there is no account of the other eleven parishes that depend on these two meeting-houses ; the not mentioning of which gives the matter a quite different face from what it really ought to have ; and being consider'd , after all , i see no reason to alter my conjecture of one in ten . and this will appear from the following suppositions , which i think much nearer truth than mr. b's . first , i suppose that one fourth of those that received at derry received also at burt ; and on the other hand , one fourth of those at burt came to derry , other wise it could not be true what he now asserts , vind. p. 17. that the most devout and serious of you communicate four or five times a year . secondly , i suppose , that those made up another fourth , who came out of 〈◊〉 and ray meetings , nearer burt than derry , tho' in rapho diocess , and out of letterkenny , strabane , lifford , donaghmore , ballikelly , rapho , and colraine , and other remote parts , from every one of which there came some to derry , and i believe to burt ; and then there remains 800 communicants belonging to the twelve parishes that i have shew'd depend on these two meeting-houses , which is not a tenth part of them . fourthly , let me observe , that most other meeting-houses are in worse circumstances than these , as i have already shew'd ; in ballikelly there was no sacrament confessedly from summer 1686 till 1693 , that is for seven years , and then , as i was informed , there were not 400 communicants : nor do i see any thing yet to oblige me to a ter my account ; but let it be 800 , if we allow two thirds of these to be strangers , according to mr. b's assertion , there remain 268 communicants in that district , in which there are five or six thousand people . the like may be shewed of aghadowy , maghera , and others ; all which consider'd , i think i spake modestly , when i said one in ten . iii. but to comply with mr. b. as much as i can , i will take his own informations , and examine this matter by them . he mentions only one sacrament celebrated in each meeting-house amongst you this year ; there are but eight in the diocess , but i will allow ten sacraments . secondly , he pleads for 1600 at two sacraments in derry and burt ; i will allow proportionally for each of the rest ; tho' really some had not 400. the number then of communicants in the diocess were this year 8000 , and those in effect are all that ever communicated : for he affirms ( as i already observed ) that those that communicate once , do it ordinarily on all following occasions . of these two thirds were strangers by his own confession ; that is , such as came from other parishes or diocesses , where they were likewise communicants : from whence it follows , that only 2666 distinct persons communicated ; which is not one in ten of thirty thousand , ( the number of those of your perswasion in this diocess . ) sect. iv. the directory a hindrance to communions . i. there remains now my third assertion to be examined , that after the establishing your government , the lord's supper was laid aside wholly for several years : this indeed i reckoned as an effect of your directory , as you may see in my book , chap. 5. sect. 3. . n. 3. and to make it good , i will put you in mind that it orders , that how often the lord's supper shall be celebrated , may be determined by the ministers and other church-governours . by other church-governours , the assembly tells us in their humble advice , &c. are meant officers commonly called elders . from which it follows , that where there are no such elders , the people must want the comfort of this sacrament ; and the parliament refusing the erection of such elders in every parish , the body of the people of england were kept from the lord's supper for many years ; insomuch , that in the year 1649 , i find ministers meeting together to determine this question , whether there were any course warranted by the word of god , wherein ministers might proceed to the administration of this sacrament , as their case then stood . i find ten of these ministers met at taunton , and wrote a letter , dated june 13. 1649 , on this subject , to mr. henry jeanes of chedzoy , desiring him , that he would be pleased to take the question into serious consideration , and give his thoughts of it : and say they , we are the rather enclined to desire your particular resolution therein , because we understand that you have administred that sacrament , and therefore doubt not but you have some way satisfied your self therein . upon this mr. jeans wrote a piece , publish'd 1650 , entituled , the want of church-government no warrant for a total omission of the lord's supper : or , a debate of that question which hath so wonderfully perplexed many , both ministers and people , whether or no — the lord's supper may be lawfully administred in — a church destitute of ruling elders . he intimates , p. 5. that they had omitted it five , six , or seven years together , and might for the whole space of the remainder of their days : for , saith he , to suppose that we shall never live to see the church of god here in england setled in a presbyterian way , is a supposition of that which is neither impossible nor improbable . ii. from this you may observe to what a miserable condition your directory had brought the people of england , as to the participation of this institution of christ. i do believe mr. jeans's book might do good , and bring some ●o do what it seems he alone had ventur'd to do in those parts , even to administer the lord's supper ; yet many continued in the omission of it , as appears by the testimony of dr. causabon , who lived at that time , and has this passage in his vindication of the lord's prayer , published 1660 , ( p. 55. ) publick catechising so necessary to uphold christianity among men , tho' not so pleasing to itching ears , as ordinary preaching is : the use of the sacraments , which in divers parishes were formerly duly administred , are now scarce known or named . mr. boyse may give him hard words for this , as he gives me , but the thing is too notorious to be denied and when it was thus in oxford , where dr. owen had the government , and in dublin till the restauration , you may imagine how it fared with country parishes ; whereas therefore mr. b. would throw this practice of rare or no communions peculiarly on you ; 't is manifest , that you have only followed the president set you in england and ireland , by the body of dissenters in their prosperity ; and they are concerned in it as well as you , tho' i did not address my self to them . sect. v. mr. boyse's excuses for few communions examined . i. it remains to consider some things that mr. b. offers , that seem to extenuate or excuse your ministers , us to their rare communions . the first is , rem . p. 137. that ministers of particular congregations prepare their own people for it , by visiting ●em round , examining every particular member anew , about their spiritual estate , and making due enquiry about their conversation ; all which takes up a considerable time . now to this i answer , that it is the duty of ministers to enquire concerning the spiritual estate of their people , when it may be conveniently done ; but there is no obligation on them to examine men anew before every sacrament : the scripture says , let a man examine himself , and so let him eat . your directory requires no such examination ; nor is it agreeable to the sence of your own party ; as appears from the vindication of the presbyterial government , by the london ministers 1649 , who own ( p. 59. ) this examination or profession is not required every time a man comes to the sacrament , but only at their first admission ; and a compleat member is , by vertue of his first admission , freed from all after-examination , except in case of scandal . for your ministers therefore , on pretence of their extraordinary pains in examining , to celebrate the lord's supper but once in the year , is , plainly to prefer their own tradition to the command of god , that requires frequent celebration of this sacrament . ii. but secondly , mr. b. alledges , that you were persecuted , and that made you have the sacrament so seldom : this he alledges for strabane ( vind. p. 17. ) but i answer , first , that persecution is no reason for omitting the lord's supper , any more than for omitting sermons ; whilst your ministers could not get opportunity to preach , they might be excused for omission of this sacrament ; but it is full as easie to draw people together to receive the sacrament , as to hear a sermon ; and to administer it to them , as to preach twice or once a day . if we will be content with the plainness and simplicity with which christ instituted it ; and accordingly we find the first christians , in the deepest persecutions , were as constant in the one as in the other , and thought the receiving it then most necessary to fortifie their members with resolution to endure torments and martyrdom . from whence it is manifest your ministers have a notion of this sacrament different from the primitive martyrs . but secondly , i desire you to consider your manner of administring this sacrament , concerning which mr. b. tells us , ( remarks , p. 137. ) that amongst you every parish having usually but one minister , 't is requisite the ministers of neighbouring parishes should assist them on that occasion ; and consequently they usually bring their people along with them . i may add , that there are often four or five ministers at your sacraments , and sometimes 4 or 5000 people , when only 400 receive : you have likewise usually a sermon some day before , and the day after . i confess , persecution is an effectual means to hinder the celebration of the lord's supper in this fashion ; for no government that is jealous of a people , will suffer them to meet or continue together in this manner . but i desire you to remember , that christ never required these things at your hands , and therefore your omitting the lord's supper , because you were not permitted thus to celebrate it , is another instance of your ministers making void the commands of god by their own tradition . lastly , i believe some of your ministers might be hinder'd from publick preaching and sacraments , for some short time , that is , whilst some of your brethren were in arms against the government at pentland-hills and bothwell-bridge , against whom they never made any publick declaration or address that i can learn ; but that this continued for any considerable time , or that the inspection was so strict that they might not have administred the lord's supper as our saviour instituted it , doth not appear , nor is pretended . and it is manifest , that this is only a pretence , since they were no less negligent in the year 1687 & 88 , when they had their full liberty . iii. a third thing offered by mr. b. is , vind. p. 15 , that i know well enough , that for two years of the seven , at least , both the ministers and people were scattered , and had no opportunity of celebrating the institution . i must profess , that i neither know , nor have heard of any such dispersion of the people or ministers , as to hinder you from an opportunity of celebrating this sacrament for two years . the irish army came into this diocess about april 1689 , and left it in august following ; during which time some of your ministers were in derry , and some in scotland . the people in the country were then , and for a considerable time after , in a miserable condition , and plunder'd of what they had ; but there were still great numbers of them , and in their circumstances being depriv'd of worldly comforts , they needed , and i hope were prepared for spiritual : but your ministers did not afford it to them as they ought to have done ; and this i do still make an aggravation of their negligence , tho' mr. b. makes it an argument of imprudence in me to do so : but i desire you to consider the case , and judge . mr. crooke returned after the siege to ballikelly , where there was still a large congregation ; yet as he had been negligent for two years or longer before , so he continued unawakened by god's judgments in the same negligence , till summer 1693. mr. boyd had the same opportunity at aghadowy , and yet shared in the same guilt . mr. ferguson returned soon after the siege , to his congregation at burt , yet had no sacrament till summer 1692. mr. craghead returned soon likewise to his congregation at donaghmore , and after removed to derry , and yet had no sacrament till summer 91 , as is confessed at large in the derry certificate ; so far were these from going about and administring to their afflicted and desolate neighbours , that they starved their own flocks , and kept them from this food of life . and this they did not only after the siege , till i came to this place , but in it at that time when continual deaths before their eyes ought to have awaken'd them to more devotion . iii. mr. b. alledges , vind. p. 16. that the conformists there ought to have a share in this reproof : for those that he has desired to enquire upon the place could not learn that they administred it more than the other . i have enquired of this matter , and am assured by those that received at that time , that this holy sacrament was administred monthly in the cathedral , as was usual , that eleven clergy-men received it together , and that towards the latter end , when wine grew scarce , dr. walker reserved a proportion for the sacrament , and when he apprehended it would not hold out , he declared , that rather than not celebrate he would mix it . a practice much more allowable than omitting it : besides the publick administration , it was frequently administred to the sick ; and as to the clergy that remained in the diocess they behaved themselves worthy of their character , travelling on foot many miles to visit the sick , baptise and preach ; and as soon as they could procure wine ( which was not to be had till after the siege was rais'd ) administred the lord's supper , which so many as were not chas'd by the enemy from their cures , had done the easter before , and did again christmas after . iv. but now i must tell you that recrimination , if true , is a plain confession of guilt , and a sign of a desperate cause ; it may be very proper for a man that has authority , and is called to it by his duty , as i take my self to be , to reprove what he finds amiss amongst those that he conceives to belong to his inspection . but for any one to go about to defend the guilty by recriminating , is to harden and encourage them in their sins , by finding them out examples and presidents for their wickedness , and is in effect to tell them , what they are too apt of themselves to offer as an excuse for the worst of practices , that others are as ill as they . surely examples fortify most of the world in sin , and i am heartily sorry that any one of credit should point out this way of recrimination to harden them by it . he is very guilty that has no way to clear himself but by blackening another ; and when that is done , without truth , as the case is here , it is a grief to a good man to think that serving a party should influence any to do it . v. but mr. b. gives me very hard words ( vind. p. 15. ) for looking back no further than my own time in my account of sacraments administred in the establish'd church ; whereas i give an account of yours for seven years . if i had for 30 , i do not see any harm in it ; but the truth was , that many ministers were dead , and i could not meet with any that readily could inform me . but to satisfy you , that i had no design in this , i will not give you the best account i can get for these three years that are omitted . tho' i suppose all are not come yet to my knowledge . in the year 1688 the sacrament of the lord's supper was administred in the cathedral , 12 times . in the parish churches , 83 times . in the cathedral , in the year 1689 , 12 times . in the parish churches , 41 times . in the year 1690 , in the cathedral , 12 times . in the parish churches , 39 times . in all , 199 and now i do not see what advantage it was to me to have omitted this , or why mr. b. should express such resentment at it . st paul cautions us against evil surmisings , 1 tim. 6. 4. and whether the imputing this to disingenuity in me be of that sort , i leave you to judge , if you compare the two years of the troubles , there is 104 of ours to none among you . vi. the last excuse mr. b. makes for your ministers , is their sickness ; this he alledges in behalf of mr. wilson for strabane , mr. rowat for l●fford , and mr. crooke for ballykelly ; but this is no excuse : these were as negligent when well , as sick ; and none of them was a year without preaching several sundays twice . and it is full as easy to administer the sacrament to two or three hundred , as to preach a sermon . it is usual for 3 or 4 of your ministers to assist at neighbouring sacraments , and one assistant would have prevented any disappointment of the people , which mr. b. says ( vin. p. 16. ) hapned twice at balindret . ministers that are infirm may very lawfully omit one of their sermons on the lords day , and administer the sacrament in lieu of it ; in which case there is no hardship on them , since the people give it to one another amongst you , without any blessing at the delivery to each : neither doth your directory require the minister to make any exhortation whilst the people are receiving , nor after they have received , only says , he may in a few words put them in mind , &c. and therefore whilst your ministers make two sermons a-day , and yet pretend disability for administring the lords-supper , we must reckon this another instance of your making void the commands of god by your own tradition . a sermon that justles out the sacrament , is a human invention , as much as alms that hinder a man from relieving his parent , mark 7. 11. vii . these are all the excuses that mr. b. seem to have made for you , and i doubt they will appear very slender in the eyes of god , when he calls your teachers to an account for their stewardship in dispersing the misteries of god. it had been much more proper methinks for a christian minister to have reproved you for your negligence , than to have denied plain matter of fact , and pleaded such excuses . mr. b. doth both in his remarks and vindication , object to us the diocess of down and conor ; i think he has little reason to do it to me : but i must now tell you , that the neglects there were neither so universal , nor unexcusable as these of your ministers have been in this particular ; and had you been in chancery , michaelmas term last , you would have heard as much said for the most negligent there , as mr. b. has written for your ministers : which only shews , that money and interest will find colours for every thing . but the negligence of your ministers sufficiently shews the want of discipline amongst them ; and that the inspection of a bishop would do them no harm : and i hope this admonition will not hurt you , nor them . i shall think i have done a good work , and thank god for it , if i can awaken you to more care for the future ; and reckon that the nearer you come to the scripture-rule , the nearer you will come to us , and there will be the more hopes of an union , which i shall always heartily endeavour . sect. vi. concerning the reading the scriptures . i. the third matter of fact in dispute between mr. b. and me , is concerning your reading the holy scriptures . the words he excepts against are these ( disc. chap. 3. s. 3. n. 3. ) but the most sad and deplorable defect of your performances of this duty is your casting out the word of god from most of your publick assemblies , directly contrary to god's institution and ordinance for the instruction of his church , insomuch that in many of your meetings , setting aside a verse or two for a text or quotation , at the discretion of the minister , the voice of god is never publickly heard amongst them — and in all the meetings in the north of ireland in a whole year perhaps there is not so much scripture read , as in one day in our church — and 't is a sad thing that a man may go to most meetings , many years , and never hear one entire chapter read in them . the things asserted here , are , first , that the reading of the word of god , as god instituted and ordained it for the instruction of his church , is cast out of most of your meetings . i shewed , that god ordered his word to be read regularly and in order ▪ and that this reading of it is cast out not only of most of your meetings , but out of all of them , there not being one of them that yet appears to have read either testament through in 30 years before the writing of my discourse , or indeed ever that i can learn : and therefore till i see good vouchers that the word of god has been thus read , i think there can be no question of the truth of this fact. it is not only the manner of reading is here in dispute , and denied by me , but the thing it self , of which we can never be sure without the manner be settled ; for when there is a certain method for reading the word of god , as in our church , we can be sure that it is read : but this is so far otherwise with you , that no man that ever i yet met with , or could have an account of , could vouch that he heard so much of the bible read in your meetings in his whole life as is read in the cathedral of derry every year , and in many other churches ; and ought by our rules to be in all . now when a man has been a hearer 50 years in your meetings , and cannot affirm , that ever he heard two intire books of the bible read in them , i reckon that the word of god , as god requires it for the instruction of his church is cast out of those meetings , and that they act directly contrary to his command . therefore except mr. b. produce vouchers , that in most of your meetings , the whole word of god , or the most material parts of it , have been read in a competent time , he will never acquit them before god or impartial men , of this fault : if the books that have been read , and the time be specified , the truth will then appear ; but without this i shall look on any general assertion as a subterfuge , and a declining the light . ii. the second thing asserted by me , is , that in many of your meetings , seting aside a verse or two for a text or quotation , at the discretion of the minister , the voice of god is never heard . this is owned by mr. b. to be true , in effect , as to the winter-quarter in most of your meetings ( rem . p. 92. ) but how far this winter-quarter is stretched , wants being cleared ; for some have stretched it very far : and as to those that he affirms now to lecture in winter in this diocess , i desire to know how long they have thus lectured . last winter i believe they did , but i must see a good voucher before i believe that either all of them lectured any part of every year before , or all but one , constantly in the winter . secondly , you have meetings in the afternoons , as well as in the mornings , and the scriptures ought to be read in them , but in these you have only a text and quotations ; and therefore what i affirmed , is true , not only of many of your meetings , but of one half of them all . iii. the third thing opposed by mr. b. is , that perhaps in all the meetings in the north there is not so much scripture read as in our church in one day . to prove this , i took mr. b's own concessions ( rem . p. 92. ) and according to them , shew'd , that there was really four times more scripture read in our church in one day than in all the meetings in the north in a year . but he seems not willing to stand to these concessions , and farther excepts ( vind. p. 9. ) that eleven psalms which i reckon as chapters read for instruction , were forms of thanksgiving . but i answer , that these agree very well together ; the apostle having commanded us to teach and admonish one another in them at the same time we speak or sing them ; as appears from ephes. 5. 19. and col. 3. 16. and indeed it is manifest that the psalms were written for publick instruction , as well as for publick thanksgivings and prayers : twelve of them bear the title for instruction before them , as most of them are called prayers , psal. 72. 20. &c. thirdly , he will have two chapters allowed for quotations in your sermons every day ; but i particularly excepted quotations from the account . and quoting scripture is not reading it , nor is that the way god appointed his word to be read , deut. 31. 10. nor did the people of god so read it : nor doth your directory prescribe this as reading but preaching . lastly , no body knows what or how many these are , or how they are applied ; all these depending on the discretion of your ministers : but after all , he makes his computation , and concludes , that in a whole year there is near as much read in your meetings as in two days in our church ; for saith he ( vind. p. 10. ) in the nine meetings of this diocess there are read in a year 1287 chapters ; of which 936 are quotations : and in one day in our church but 714 which is a little more than half what is read in those nine meetings in the whole year . this is truly his conclusion ; and i value your time more , than to dispute about it , and therefore let it stand so . iv. the last thing i asserted in this matter was , that a man might go to most meetings many years , and never hear one intire chapter read in them : what has been done may be done ; and i have met with several that have thus frequented meetings several years , and could not say they had heard an intire chapter read at a time : i sent one to enquire , and he returned an account only of six verses read for a text to the lecture ; and i have been informed , that usually no more were read . and therefore whereas mr. b. asserts ( rem . p. 92. ) that usually a whole chapter was read ; this may be true , since my book ; but that it was otherwise before , is notorious . but when it appears what books have been read in each meeting every year before , 't will be easy to judge how much has been read each lords-day ; and without this , it is impossible to judge exactly of it ; and till i see particular evidence to the contrary , i must suppose that what hapned in these times when i sent to enquire , was what was usual . upon the whole , the slight you put on the word of god , by throwing it out of your meetings , when you cannot have time to put your own glosses on it , your allowing two hours to your sermons , and not ten minuits to the reading god's word , are faults that mr. b. may endeavour to palliate , but will never solidly justify . the true way to answer them is to mend them , and i am heartily glad to hear that you have made some progress that way , tho' far from what is requisite . sect. vii . concerning the mysteries of religion . i. a fourth matter of fact denied by mr. b. is , that a man may frequent your meetings all his life , and yet have no security , or hardly possibility of learning from your publick teaching , all the great mysteries of his religion . i laid before you in my former admonition , p. 17. the excellent method our church had taken to secure the publick teaching of all the great mysteries of christianity to all her members , by appointing a certain time in the year for each of them ; whereas there is no such rule or order for your ministers : and whereas mr. b. asserted there was an obligation put on you by the directory to teach all those mysteries , i shewed he was mistaken ; and he now contends ( vind. p. 12. ) that you need none besides the scriptures : which is ( as i shewed in my admon . p. 20. ) a very great defect since the scriptures require we should have such a rule besides . ii. secondly , i shewed , that i had examined and put it to many of your perswasion , whether they ever heard any of your ministers that professedly made a whole discourse on the trinity , conception , nativity , resurrection or ascension of our saviour ; or on his sending down the holy ghost : and i did , and do profess , that i never met one man that could satisfy me in it , or assure me , that his minister had done it : and i concluded from hence , that it was a most dangerous matter to leave these things to mens choice . iii ▪ to this mr. b. replies , vind. 11. that i overlooked the plain evidence , nay , the demonstration he produced against the truth of this charge in these words , that your people are in publick teachings yearly catechised , in which exercise all the mysteries of the christian religion are explained to them . but i answer , first , that i did not overlook this , but particularly answered it , where i thought most proper , admon . p. 23. and shewed that there is no rule in your directory , that requires your ministers to examine either privately or publickly ; so that their performances in this point are meerly voluntary , and therefore their hearers can have no security by this . secondly , i added , that your directory doth exclude catechising from being any part of god's publick worship ; either ordinary or extraordinary ; as appears from the preface to it , which proposes it as rules for all parts of publick worship ; and likewise from the title , which pretends the same : and yet the book says not one word concerning catechising , but excludes it by excluding our common-prayer book , that requires it as a part of publick worship : so that amongst you , whatever mr. b. pretends , catechising is no publick teaching , nor are your people , by any rule that i know amongst you , obliged to attend it in publick ; and this i reckon as another inexcusable defect of your directory . thirdly , your way of catechising is not sufficient for this purpose . mr. b. describes your manner of catechising thus , rem . p. 85. they divide their parishes into so many districts , and accordingly for every district once a year , they publickly appoint the time and place when they intend to catechise them , and accordingly go thro' the whole catechism with ' em . i will add the account i had of this matter from good hands . the dissenters practice in instructing and examining the younger sort , is in this manner . the minister has a meeting for this purpose in six several places in this parish , and examins once a year in each place . his method is to take four or five heads of their catechism , and to ask questions concerning them , and expound them ; according to which method , if they took the catechism in order , which yet i do not find they do , the minister would be at least ten years in going over the whole of it in one place . let us suppose then a man constantly to attend catechising in his district , once a year , yet it is impossible the minister should teach him all the mysteries of our religion sufficiently , at one time ; and if he take one mystery at once , which is as much as he can do , if he explain it as he ought , you see what it comes to : he has no security of hearing them all explained at any time , your ministers not being bound to any method ; and if they should bind themselves to one , yet so many years are required to go thorow them , that a man has no security to live so long . but further , i find that catechising is generaly amongst you only in order to a sacrament , and whilst there are no sacraments administered , there is usually no publick catechising ; and then judge in what condition those places were that wanted sacraments , for seven , ten , or more years . and perhaps to avoid the trouble of examining , was the very reason that there were none celebrated , as mr. b. himself partly confesses . the truth is , this seems to me a meer pretence set up to excuse your ministers for their negligence in preaching the gospel ; that is , the greatest , the highest , and most necessary parts of it ; it being plain , that a man may remain ignorant of them all his life , notwithstanding your publick teaching , whatever mr. b. pretends to the contrary . iv. but secondly , he objects , that your ministers most frequently insist on the particular mysteries of the christian religion ( vind. p. 12 ) and quotes a passage from one of them , affirming it and taxing me most severely for asserting the contrary . but i answer , these are but general affirmations of the persons accused , without any particular proof . i told you in my admonition , p. 18. that the greatest mysteries of the gospel , are the conception , birth , passion , resurrection , ascention , and final coming of our saviour to judge the quick and dead ; the doctrine of the trinity , in whose name we are baptized , and the descent of the holy ghost . let me add to these , tho' they are included in them , the manifestation of our saviour to the gentile world , which the scriptures reckon a great mystery , the communion of saints in one catholick church , and the doctrine of repentance and forgiveness of sins . each of these are , and ought to be at least once , or twice a year solemnly and professedly taught in our church , at their proper and appointed times , and in the explanation of our catechism : so that we are sure that at least we shall hear them so often . now to know whether your ministers or ours preach the gospel most diligently , faithfully and expresly : it is not sufficient to say in general that you do it often , but we must know how often each minister has solemnly , professedly , and in a full discourse explained and enforced each of these mysteries . v. for secondly , it is not sufficient for one to pretend that by the by , and on occasion they have touched these mysteries ; for they are of that nature and moment , that people ought to be taught , that these , and none else , are the peculiar mysteries of the gospel ; that all other knowledge or preaching is of little value in respect of teaching these ; and the ministers that teach them plainly , diligently , and solidly , are the true preachers of the gospel ; and those that preach them slightly and seldom , are unfaithful stewards . that each of them is of that consequence , that to explain them , prove them from scripture , enforce them , and press and shew the benefits and effects of them , requires frequent and particular sett discourses upon them ; and the least that can be expected is , that they be handled once every year solemnly , fully , and professedly . and here let me desire you to recollect your memory , and consider , whether you have heard each of these treated thus before my book appeared : if you did , you have reason to think your ministers preached in earnest the gospel to you ; but if they omitted any of these , if they did not give you at least one sermon on each of these great articles in a competent time , they omitted so much of the gospel , and were unfaithful stewards of the mysteries committed to them , and must be judged so if they continue in this neglect . i shall be glad if they amend it , but am sure the order in our church provides better against it . vi. we hear complaints every day as if the gospel were not preached in our church ; we are reproached as if we taught little but morality ; and mr. b. talks of desolate congregations amongst us . now , while these mysteries are solemnly , constantly , solidly , and professedly taught at least once a year in every one of our churches , bating accidents of sickness , &c. judge with your selves how unjustly we are accused , and what ill terms i should have received , if i had charged you with such a crime , when your innocency was so demonstrable : but till you produce as plain , certain , and obligatory a rule for the teaching of them , as i have done amongst us , you can never be so secure of learning them from your ministers publick teaching as we are . i must profess again that i have put it to many of you my self , and have got others to do the same , and could never be assured that they heard one discourse professedly on the trinity , conception , nativity , resurrection , or ascension of our saviour , or his sending down the holy ghost ; much less one or two every year , as it is with us . and till mr. b. produce vouchers of the times and places , i shall believe those that have been thus put to it , would have told a thing so remarkable , and in which the honour of their ministers is so much concerned , if they could have done it with truth . vii . fifthly , those people that have for many years complained , that christ and the gospel was not preached amongst us , may justly be suspected not to understand what the gospel is : and whilst they accused us of preaching nothing but morality , i am afraid that they reckon these mysteries , and our pressing the necessity of a good life from them , only dead and moral preaching , and that they expect some greater and more spiritual mysteries from us : but if any pretend to such , they are unfaithful teachers , and fall under the apostle's censure , gal. 1. 8. viii . lastly , let me say one word to you of our own communion . you see ( my brethren ) what an excellent order our church has establish'd to secure your being taught all the mysteries of the gospel , by appointing a peculiar time of the year for teaching each of the principal of them : this way of keeping the great works and mercies of god in memory , is what nature teaches us as the most effectual method , and it is also approved by presidents in both the old and new testament , and is of such force , that experience shews us that this one rule , well observed , has been the principal means of preserving christianity in the worst of times , and under the most barbarous tyranny and persecution of the * turks ; and therefore let me entreat you , as you love your saviour , and expect a share in the happiness of his kingdom , that you would diligently observe those times appointed by the church for the instructing you in the mysteries of his kingdom ; whilst you do so , you are sure that you will be fed with the true bread of life , the old and substantial articles of your faith , that are able to save your souls , and will not be led away with every wind of doctrin , or new coined mysteries of great pretenders : therefore let neither the abuses or arguments of your adversaries discourage you , nor much less covetousness or laziness divert your attendance : and remember , if at any time your ministers do not teach them , it is contrary to the order of our church , and proceeds generally from your non-attendance , and then you only are guilty of the neglect . sect. viii . concerning the catechism . i. a fifth matter of fact denied by mr. b. is , that hardly one in ten get your catechism by heart , nor one in five hundred retain it . this i proved by my own experience , and can by the testimony of many witnesses that were present at the tryals , to which mr. b. replies , vind. p. 13. that this is to be imputed to the sullenness , or the bashfulness of those i examined . but i found no such thing as bashfulness in them ; and as to sullenness , many of them were under obligations to me , being my tenants , or otherwise obnoxious ; and they generally endeavour'd to answer , but could not remember either the words or matter . i got several to make the same experiment , and they returned me the like account . ii. mr. b. alledges that there are in the parish of derry two meetings , and in those two congregations 600 can give a good account of , and repeat the assembly's catechism . to this i reply , first , that this tryal is since my book , and doth not come home to the time of which i speak : i am glad if so many can do this , and believe my book contributed to it . secondly , there are in those meetings 2400 hearers in their rolls , and then after all their labour and pains , only one in four has gotten it . thirdly , there are many in this parish that do not enter themselves in your books , and yet go to your meetings and no where else ; there is no account of these , who are the most ignorant . fourthly , here is no account of the whole district that depends on these meetings , of which 600 is not the tenth , if the twentieth part . fifthly , a catechism is chiefly designed for the ignorant , and such as cannot read ; and here is no voucher that one such has it , and they generally speaking are never like to get it ; so that your catechism is useless to those to whom it is most necessary . sixthly , here is no assurance how many of these will retain it for any considerable time : an experiment has been made of this , and a man of good natural parts has not been able to retain it a month after examination : i am sure some eminent persons of your perswasion could not give an account of it sometime before i published my book . i accidentally discoursed four or five of them about repairing a burying place , and prov'd to them , that it was a duty so to do , from that question in your catechism , what benefits do believers receive from christ at death ? to which the answer is , that the souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness , and do immediately pass into glory , and their bodies being still united to christ do rest in their graves till the resurrection . therefore to expose their bodies to doggs or swine , or any other indignity , is to affront christ to whom they are united . they seemed surprized at this ; and as i understood afterward , did not believe me till they went and consulted the catechism : from whence i concluded , that they did not know , or believe the doctrine thereof ; much less remember the words , which indeed i did not expect from them . lastly , i do not believe your ministers can certainly tell who have the catechism , and who have not . the questions they ask are so few of each , and so confin'd to one head ( as i am informed ) that perhaps there are very few for whom they could vouch on such examinations : and often the persons guess before-hand in what place of the catechism they shall be examined , and prepare for it . upon the whole , i am afraid my conclusion is too near a truth ; and i am confirmed in it by experiments every day : in which i do not expect the repeating the catechism , but the lords-prayer and ten commandments and belief , which many either never learned , or have forgotten . these then are not rash or mistaken accusations , as mr. b. alledges ( p. 11. ) but the effect of tryal and certainty . i can very well distinguish between silence and ignorance , whatever mr. b. suggests . all that he alledges to justify his pretences , is ( vind. p. 2 ) that any one that considers the genius of that people , and their particular dissatisfaction with his lordship , will be easily inclined to believe this to be the genuin account of the matter . i do believe your ministers whom i have reproved , are angry at me ; and some ( i am informed ) in this country pray against me by name in their pulpits ; and those joyn with them that are deep in your interests , as it is a faction , rather than a religion . but i thank god , i do not find any such dissatisfaction as mr. b. would have the world believe . on the contrary , i find great respect from the pious and humble ; and many have been so far from sullenness , when i have discoursed them , that they have even with tears bewailed their ignorance . so that i do not find all the endeavours that have been used , or the misrepresentations spread either by mr. b. or your leading men have been able to hinder , in a great measure , the effect of my book ; and even they that are most angry at it , are forced for very shame to mend several things ; and some have had their eyes opened by it ; and do not only frequent their parish churches , but communicate in them . these are all the matters of fact of which i took notice in my admonition , and you see ( without troubling my self with any other informations than those mr. b. has published ) the truth sufficiently appears in every particular : yet he is not content with these , but renews several others which i passed over , either as not material , or so apparently true on my part , that they needed no justification : yet since he has insisted on them again , i will take notice of the most material . sect. ix . concerning bodily worship . i. sixthly , therefore he reckons it as a mistake in matter of fact , that i affirm , that the directory excludes all bodily worship ; these he quotes as my words , dis. p. 128. and vind. p. 23. tho' these are not the very words i used , yet i will shew there is no mistake in them . first , then the composers of the dirictory own no worship of the body , as requisite in the service of god ; nor do they require any either in general , or particular ; and for this , i urge not only their omitting it in general , but their leaving it out in these particular places ; where if they had believed it a duty , they could not without the greatest unfaithfulness have passed it over . if any place of scripture require bodily worship , certainly the first or second commandment must do it ; and mr. b. owns ( r●m . p. 107. ) that in the second command , these external marks of our inward reverence , when we offer up our prayers and thanksgivings , are required by god. but if you look into your larger or shorter catechism , the assembly owns no such duties to be required in those mandments , or so much as hints at them : nay , in the particular and large catalogue of sins forbidden in them , there is not so much as irreverence in publick worship mentioned . look likewise into the confession of faith , chap. 1. where religious worship is handled , and there is not the least mention made of bodily adoration , tho' that only be called worship in scripture ; as i shewed dis. chap. 4. sect. 1. n. 6. and i do not find that it is denied : therefore if the assembly thought it still to be a christian duty to worship god with the body , it was great unfaithfulness in them to omit it in all the places they treat of religious worship in their directory , catechism and confession of faith. ii. secondly , they positively forbid it in one place where it was most proper , that is , in our first appearance in gods peculiar presence in the publick assemblies . to this mr. b. answers ( rem . p. 108. ) that this order was only levelled against the custom of bowing towards the altar : which is a plain mistake , for it forbids all adoration or bowing themselves towards one place or other ; therefore not only towards the altar . he alledges secondly , rem . p. 109. that the assembly forbid bowing should be used by the people as they entered the church , because they supposed such external adoration should be only used , when some part of publick worship was to be performed . but i answer , they supposed in this , that which neither they or mr. b. have proved from scripture , or i believe ever will be proved ; since adoration is to be used in the congregation , not only to signify our joyning with them in publick prayers or praises , but likewise to declare that we come into the assembly as worshipers , not spectators , and to stirr up and prepare our hearts to meet our god : every good man comes there with a design to appear in god's presence , and with expectation to receive a blessing from him in the answer of his prayers ; and ought to have his heart affected with this , when he enters especially . and tho' no publick worship is performed by the minister at that time ; yet he that enters ought to acknowledge by adoration his belief of god's presence amongst a people met to worship him , and exert an act of submission in his mind , and certify it with his body , and joyn some short prayer or ejaculation with it : and when i see a man who comes into an assembly thus prostrating his body , and lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven , to suppose that this is separated from a mental act of worship , is as uncharitable as eli's censure of hanna , when she thus prayed privately in the tabernacle . and therefore 't is very unreasonable which mr. b. requires ( re. p. 107. ) that i should prove meer bowing the knee , &c. when there is no other part of worship offered , neither vocal nor mental , is yet made in scripture a part of worship . since i suppose bowing our knees in a publick assembly is a sign of our sence of god's presence , and our inward submission to him , which it signifies and testifies to all present , tho' no other part of publick worship is at that time performed by the minister . without this inward sense , it is hypocrisy , not worship ; and so are all our praises and prayers when separated from this mental devotion , being only parts of worship as they signify our sense of god's excellency , and our desires to be assisted by him : and if bowing the knee , &c. signify our submission and sense of god's sovereignty , as universally , certainly , and explicitely , as praises do our sense of his excellencies ; the one is as proper a part of external worship as the other . and indeed only bending the body is called worship in scripture , as i shewed in my book ; and it would seem to me , by mr. b's denying it to be a proper part of worship , that he will not allow the scripture to call things by their proper names , but will set up his reasons against the letter of it ; as i have observed him often to do . to conclude , that the assemblies of christians are places for secret prayers of each apart ( when they do not interfere with any publick office , as well as for publick ) appears from the whole tenour of the scripture , and the constant practice of the churches of god antient and reformed . and that those secret prayers ought to be offered with adoration , as well as the publick , is likewise manifest . and therefore the directory , by forbidding adoration at our first coming into church , has excluded it where it was most proper . iii. but thirdly , i take it for granted , that when an old law or rule is laid aside , and a new substituted in the place of it , all things contained in the old repealed law or order are laid aside , which are not contained and again injoyned in the new. by which rule the directory doth plainly exclude all bodily worship : for in the preface to it , we are told : that they resolve to lay aside the former liturgy , with the many rites and ceremonies formerly used in the worship of god , and have agreed on this following directory for all the parts of publick worship at ordinary and extraordinary times . here then the liturgy , with all the rites and ceremonies used formerly in the worship of god are laid aside ; not only our praises , prayers , &c. are excluded , but all the rites and ceremonies with which they were performed , such as kneeling , standing , &c. and instead of these , we are oblig'd to no more than is ordered in the directory . prayers , praises , &c. are there indeed ordered , and the way of performing them prescribed , but not a word of bodily worship ; and therefore it is plainly excluded among the other rites and ceremonies that are laid aside . iv. all that mr. b. alledges , to prove that this bodily adoration is required by the directory , is , ( rem . p. 109. ) that it requires such as come into the congregation after publick worship is begun , not to betake themselves to their private devotions , but reverently to compose themselves to joyn with the assembly in that ordinance of god that is then in hand ; which can import no less than putting themselves into a bodily posture , most suitable to that ordinance . but i answer , this passage imports no such thing ; the assembly has no where explained reverence in this sence , or given the least reason to believe that they thought one posture more suitable to one ordinance than another , except sitting at the lords supper ; which posture they seem to approve thro' the whole service ; for they require those that come in to take their seats or places ; which in common acceptation is to sit down , and they never require them to rise . it was therefore incumbent on mr. b. to prove that by joyning reverently in prayers or thanksgiving ( for example ) is meant standing or kneeling at them , or else this is no vindication of the directory . but secondly , we are not left to guess what is meant by joyning reverently in the ordinance then in hand ; the sentence immediately going before explains it , where the assembly tells how the people are to joyn in publick worship , even by forbearing to read any thing — abstaining from private whisperings , conferences , salutations , or doing reverence to any persons — from all gazing , sleeping , and other indecent behaviour which may disturb the minister or people — . this is the way they are to joyn in the service of god. but not one word of putting themselves into a bodily posture most suitable to the ordinance that is in hand . it is plain therefore , as i said before , that they excluded these when they laid aside the many rites and ceremonies used formerly in the worship of god , and never restored them . v. let me add further , that reverence and worship are very different things : we ought to behave our selves reverently to all our betters , and at all times : but worship is peculiarly to our superiours , who have power over us . and as the things are different , so there are different outward acts that express them , and neither your directory , confession of faith , or catechism , or any other authentick rule that i know of amongst you , require any one visible act peculiar to worship in your assemblies . nor do i see by what authority your ministers can exact it from their people , where they pretend to conform to the directory ; nor can it be pretended that the composers of it forgot this : for it is manifest that they remembred it so far as to forbid all adoration , where it was most proper , that is at our coming into the assembly , and never require nor allow it any where after . vi. thirdly , what i have said concerning the sense of the assembly that composed your directory , is agreeable to the notion dr. twiss their chairman had of this matter ; as appears from his letter directed to mr. mede , dated july 27. 1635. 't is the 59 in the collection : in which he gives this censure of bodily worship , the lord requires the true worshippers should worship him in spirit and truth in distinction from worshipping him either at jerusalem , or in the mount the woman spake of ; but as to the outward gestures , i doubt i shall prove a novice as long as i breath , and we affect not to make ostentation of our devotion in the face of the world ; the rather because thereby we draw upon our selves the censure of hypocrisy : and sometimes if a man lift up his eyes he is censured as a p. i confess there is no outward gesture of devotion which may not be as handsomly performed by as carnal a heart as breaths . and in his thirteenth letter , being the seventieth in the forementioned collection , he adds , and as for outward complements , nothing more pleases a natural man in religious worship , and he finds himself apt enough in it , yea , far more apt than he who knowing and considering that god is a spirit , and they that worship him must worship him in spirit , are most carefull for the performance thereof ; whereupon while their minds are intent they find themselves not so free for outward complements ; the care whereof is apt to cause avocation and disturbance in that unum necessarium . hence in the same letter he blames himself for being prevailed with to rise up at the solemn glory given to the father , son , and holy ghost , and commends one that could never be perswaded to it . thus you see how the prolocutor of the assembly ridicules outward worship , under the names of outward postures and complements . you find himself likewise alledging , in opposition to it , our saviours command of worshipping in spirit , jo. 4. 24 ▪ and the very same arguments that i mentioned , and answered in my discourse , chap. 4. sect. 3. plainly intimating withal , that it is a piece of ostentation to use these acts of bodily worship , a sign of a carnal heart to be pleased with them ; and to neglect them , a sign of an heart intent on god's spiritual service . yet mr. b. gives me very hard words for answering these arguments , alledging ( rem . p. 125. ) that he never heard any dissenter alledge such trifling reasons , — — that i framed them my self ; and intimates , that few can be of so sottish an opinion : and yet you see the chairman of your assembly offered these reasons , and mr. mede answered them sixty years ago , as trifling and sottish as they are in mr. b's account : and perhaps his declaring himself of these , and other as odd opinions , was one reason made the parliament name him for chairman . i wish he had not influenced them to lay aside all bodily worship in the service of god. vii . fourthly , the directory excludes bodily worship by imposing sitting at the whole office of the administration of the holy sacrament , even at those prayers and thanksgivings that are most properly christian , and peculiar to the compleat members of christ's church . the words of the directory are these ; the table being decently covered , and so conveniently placed , that the communicants may sit about it , or at it , the minister is to begin the action , with sanctifying and blessing the elements . here you see the communicants are to sit about the table , or at it , whilst the minister begins the blessing and thanksgiving . mr. b. replies two things to this ( rem . p. 113. ) first , that sitting during the time of receiving the elements , is supposed , tho' not enjoyned by the directory . but supposing in this case is enjoyning ; otherwise our liturgy doth not enjoyn kneeling in the act of receiving : for the words of it are , that the minister shall deliver the elements to the people , into their hands , all meekly kneeling . this ( according to mr. b. ) only supposes the people to kneel , but doth not enjoyn it ; but it is manifest , that in these cases to suppose that people sit or stand , is equivalent to imposing , because if they do not sit or stand , they do not conform to the order . but secondly , he alledges , that this imports no more , than that the table must be placed , that the communicants may sit about it , but that they must actually sit during the blessing or thanksgiving , is no where affirmed , much less imposed . but i answer , it is as much supposed , and consequently enjoyned , that they should sit during the whole action , as during the receiving : that they must sit sometime is plain ; the question is , when ? all indifferent persons will understand it to be at that time where it is mentioned ; that is , before the minister begin the action . and the whole directory supposes both minister and people in the same posture throughout , and gives no order for altering it when they come to distribution or receiving ; which they would in all reason have done , if they had meant that they should bless and give thanks in one posture , and receive in another . let me add , that the president and practice they had before them was contrary to mr. b's interpretation ; i mean the church of scotland : the doctrine , worship , discipline , and government of which they had sworn to preserve in their covenant . now , in the liturgy of that church , which is plainly their precedent in this part of the directory , ( as any one will see by comparing them ) the order is conceived thus ; the exhortation ended , the minister cometh down from the pulpit , and sitteth at the table , every man and woman likewise taking their places as occasion best serveth ; then he taketh bread , and giveth thanks ; and after all , the action thus ended , the people sing the 103 psalm , or some other of thanksgiving ; which ended , one of the blessings before ▪ mentioned is recited , and so they rise from the table . here is sitting enjoyned throughout . thus you have understood the directory hitherto ; and thus your people have practised to this day : and in this the assembly were sworn to preserve you . and this i did say , and must say , hardens you against reverence in the other parts of the worship of god. for if sitting be a suitable posture for offering up the most solemn prayers , thanksgiving , and praises to god , and such as are peculiar to our religion , as christians , they certainly are suitable to all others . and yet this the church of scotland and assembly have determined to be suitable . and therefore mr. b. is very unreasonable , when he asserts , ( vind. p. 31. ) that he is no more obliged to defend any particular persons in that posture , that indulge it out of sloth , than i am to defend the toying or laughing that is too often used in our church . this he repeats out of his remarks , but the case is not parallel . for first , we have particular canons against all such behaviour , namely , the seventh , that forbids any person to be otherwise at such times busied , than in quiet attendance to hear , mark , and understand that which is read , &c. and the 88th , which requires the church-wardens , &c. to see , that none walk , talk , or stand idle in the church-yord , or porch ; much more in the church . and the 91st has these words ; they shall also see , that in every meeting of the congregation peace be well kept ; and that none behave themselves rudely , or disorderly in the church . and to that end they shall warn the people , that they bring not with them to the church , dogs , hawks with bells , or children which are not so nurtured , as they can be kept quiet in their seats , without running up and down . neither shall they suffer any person to disturb the service or sermon , either by untimely ringing of bells , or by walking , talking , laughing , or any other noise , which may hinder the minister , or offend the people . and the names of all such as offend in this kind , they shall truly and personally present in the ordinary's visitations . till he shew as express a rule against sitting at prayers in the directory , he and all that own that directory are concerned in this charge . but secondly , it is very uncharitable , and without ground , to insinuate , that toying or luighing is as universally practis'd with us , as sitting with you . i have been in more churches than mr. b. and i must profess , that i have generally observed the people behave themselves with reverence and devotion ; and i do not believe that any church in the kingdom can be justly charged with irreverence of this kind , any more than your meetings , except perhaps one ; and that is not because those that do it there are not admonished of their duty , but because they are too big to be corrected . i have not said this to encourage you in your irreverence , but to shew you the unreasonableness of it , and to convince you of the weakness or unfaithfulness of the guides your party followed when they left our church , of whom your advocate is ashamed , and whom he would fain excuse by denying plain matters of fact : as for me , i do assure you i should be much better pleased to find i was mistaken in your principles and practices , then that the whole body of you should be guilty of such an irregularity ; and therefore , if i had observed that you had reformed effectually these abuses , i should not have troubled my self with a vindication ; for my design was not to accuse , but reform you : yet i thank god my endeavours have not altogether proved unsuccessful upon you , even in this point . viii . mr. b. affirms ( rem . p. 111. ) that your ministers frequently in their discourses to their people recommend standing or kneeling in their publick prayers ; and p. 112 , that they have faithfully declared to their people their dislike of sitting . now , pray let me give you this easie test to distinguish your faithful ministers from the unfaithful ; those of them that have frequently and heartily reproved you for sitting at your publick prayers , before my book appeared , count them in this point faithful ministers of the gospel ; and those that have not done so , reckon them , as they truly are , unfaithful and conniving shepherds . and take heed how you trust them in other cases . i thank god for it , that by all i can learn , my book has done more to reform this unseemly practice , as mr. b. himself calls it , ( rem . p. 112. ) amongst you than all your ministers these 50 years ; and plainly shews , that they need some inspection to mind them of their duty . sect. x. concerning the practise of bodily reverence by dissenters . 1. a seventh matter of fact with which mr. b. anew charges me , ( vind. p. 23. ) is , that i affirm , that the dissenters are taught , that external postures of bodily worship may in no case be practised : for which he quotes my discourse , p. 137. i wish that mr. b. while he taxes me for accusing you unjustly , and misrepresenting you , were careful of avoiding such dealings toward others . if you look into the place quoted , you will neither find the words nor sence of what he alledges against me ; my words are , that in case of necessity we think our outward performances may be lawfully omitted ; but you are taught , that in no case they may be lawfully practised : you are taught rather to stay at home , and not to worship god at all publickly , than to conform in outward gestures or circumstances . in which words it is plain , first , that i address my self to you in particular , and not to dissenters in general , as he represents me . secondly , it is evident i spake here of the outward gestures and circumstances to which our church requires you to conform , in order to joyn in her publick worship ; and not of all external postures of bodily worship : and it is too sad a truth , that above twenty thousand of you in this diocess refrain , and have refrained every lord's day from all publick worship for many years , rather than joyn in these ; and that you have counted our standing , kneeling , &c. idolatrous heretofore , appears not only from your practice and profession , but from your authors . witness the reasons for which the service-book urged upon scotland , ought to be refused , printed 1638 , in which — the third reason is , because it hath a number of popish , superstitious , and idolatrous ceremonies ; amongst which are reckoned , the priest's standing , kneeling , turning to the people , and the peoples standing at gospels , at gloria patri , &c. creeds , their answering the minister , and many such-like , in number above fifty . these unchristian and unjust censures are still in many of your minds , and for ought i find , they are the chief objections you have against our service ; and i beseech god in his mercy to grant , that either my reasons , or mr. b's concessions , may remove them , so that we may hear no more from you of the idolatry , superstition or popery of our ministers kneeling at their prayers , or standing at their blessings ; or of our peoples kneeling at their confessions of sins , at their prayers and communions , or standing at their praises , thanksgivings , professions of faith , and other parts of our service , that require a more solemn attention and concern . sect. xi . concerning the praises of god. 1. i shall add an eighth matter of fact , that has relation to the same affair , and that is concerning your praising god ; mr. b. alledges ( vind. p. 23. ) these as my words , and puts them , as such , in italian characters , that you have no other way of praising god , but by singing a verse or two of a psalm . and quotes my discourse , p. 24 , for them ; but if you look into the place , you will find that these are neither my words nor sense : i am there only comparing your use of psalms and hymns in the praises of god , with ours ; and i observed that our church praises god every day with five or six psalms , besides other hymns — — whereas you only praise him in a piece of a psalm of a few verses . a thing so notoriously true , that without perverting the words , 't is impossible to find any exception against them . he objects indeed , that your directory prescribes extemporary thanksgivings , and spends many pages in his remarks about them . but i answer , thanksgivings and praises are different things , tho' they commonly go together ; and your extempory thanksgivings are reckoned in your directory under the head of prayers : the title under which they are prescribed , is that of publick prayer after sermon : the rule is , the sermon being ended , the minister shall give thanks , &c. and then the prayer ended , let a psalm be sung . i had no intention to deny these , but reckoned them , as your directory doth , with your prayers : which gives no other rule for the praises of god , but under the head of singing psalms ; the words there are , it is the duty of christians to praise god by singing of psalms ; the only rule for the praises of god in the whole directory . properly speaking , psalms and hymns are the scripture way of praising god , tho' in a large sense we praise him by our confessions of sins and faith ; and by our prayers , as well as by our thanksgivings . sect. xii . concerning the rule of human prudence . 1. a ninth matter of fact is , concerning the rule of human prudence , that we find , rem . p. 7 , & 9 , he charges me , vind. p. 28 , with mistaking that rule , and supposing that he denied that god had given us any particular directions at all in reference to the modes of worship . but i must declare i neither did , nor intended to ascribe any such opinion to him ; i knew very well , that he owned many such , but he positively affirmed , rem . p. 7. that tho' god has commanded publick prayer , praise , hearing , celebration of the lords-supper , &c. yet at what time or place we shall assemble in , in what order these parts of worship shall be performed , what particular devout posture we shall use among several equally expressive of our religious reverence , what translation of the bible , or version of the psalms we shall chuse , what portion of the scripture shall be read , explained , and applied , what utensils shall be employed in the celebration of the sacraments ; and a multitude of such circumstances , and modes of that kind , are left to human determination ; only therein the general rules of scripture must be regarded . now , tho' mr. b. in other matters allows particular directions for the modes of worship , as he calls them ; yet it is plain in these of time , place , postures , translations , order and circumstances , he allows no particular directions in scripture , by which we are obliged , but only general rules . against this i argued in my admonition , and shewed that god had not only given us general rules for these matters , but likewise many particular directions and examples concerning each of them ; indeed so many , that if we diligently attend , and mind the consequences of them , and apply them to like cases , we may have sufficient direction from scripture to order our worship in each of these respects , and that it is a great presumption to lay aside these particular directions and examples , and to substitute other in their stead , because our own prudence judges them more for edification . ii. as for example , the new testament shews us , that there was a translation of the psalms in prose , and it doth not appear that either our saviour or his apostles used any other translation , or the church of god for 1500 years : but mr. b. tells us , vind. p. 29. that the command which obliges christian churches to sing psalms , necessarily obliges us to turn 'em in such sort of metre and verse as will best accommodate them to be sung by the people . now , this i say , is directly to set up the determination of our own prudence against scripture-precedent , and to accuse christ , his apostles and the church of god , of not having done that which the command of god obliged them necessarily to do ; since it doth not appear that they ever translated the psalms into any sort of verse to accommodate the people ; but plainly supposed they might sing them very well in prose , as they found them translated to their hands by the seventy interpreters . they are in no better metre in the greek , latin , syriack , or in any other antient translation used by the church of god , than in the common-prayer-book . yet the generality of those that used these translations were not excluded from singing them according to god's command , nor are they with us : and indeed if people were not prejudiced against them by such false reasonings as mr. b. offers , it is easier to sing them , and understand them when sung by others , in our way ( which is the antient christian method ) than when sung according to the new metre tunes . as to the original hebrew psalms , i knew very well that learned men had disputed much about them : that some have endeavoured to find measure in them , others rhime ; but after all , they come generally to that result which gave you , dis. chap. 1. sect. 1. n. 3. that it is evident they are poetical , but the poetry of them consists rather in the stile or manner of expression than in any certain measures or verses . and the same is observed in the hymns and songs of the new testament ; such as those of zacharias , and the blessed virgin : which are plainly poetical composures , and as much hymns as any of david's psalms , and as fit to be sung . and more particularly those two songs which the church is represented singing in the rev. chap. 9. and chap. 15. which are as much verse in the english as in the original . he alledges indeed , vind. p. 29. that the psalms of david were wrote in such ▪ sort of metre and verse as was then used . but this is more than any one knows , and no ways concern us , since the translation of them , which we find under the new testament , and the hymns and songs recorded in it , are not in that sort of verse or metre , or poetry that was then used in the world , but in such as we find in the old testament ; and such as our church still retains in our hymns and psalms : nor has she ever allowed by any publick act the metre psalms ; much less that they should justle out the scripture-way of using them in prose . iii. secondly , the scripture directs us to use all the ways of offering up psalms to god that were then common . first , by singing them together ; so did moses and the children of israel , ex. 15. secondly , by courses ; so did the priests and levites , ezra 3. 11. thirdly , by a select choire ; so was the custom in the temple . fourthly , by one's singing , and the rest joyning with him in their minds , and attending for their edification and comfort . so the prophets did that had inspired psalms , 1 cor. 14. 26. for it is not conceiveable how the congregation could joyn their voices in a psalm that was either inspired in the place , or brought prepared by the prophet , since we all agree that there was no reading a line , as with us , and then singing it . fifthly , by speaking or reciting psalms , hymns and spiritual songs . sixthly , by plain singing them . and seventhly , by playing to them ; so eph. 5. 19. speaking to your selves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs ▪ singing and making melody in your heart to the lord. the word we render making melody , is literally ( as i have formerly observ'd ) singing or playing to an instrument : and these three , speaking , singing , and playing , are literally the ways men used their hymns , poems , and songs : and the apostle directs us to use our psalms all these ways , as we have occasion ; adding , that we must use them to the lord only , and with grace in our hearts . these are the precedents and directions the scriptures give us for the use of our psalms ; and our church retains them all on occasions . and to pretend that all or any of these are impractical , disorderly , or contrary to edification , i take to be a great presumption ; and this i suppose to be your case , and mr. b's . he asserts , rem . p. 13. that the new testament recommends no other use of psalms but singing , and quotes , eph. 5. 19. to prove it ; whereas the very letter of the place recommends speaking them , and playing to them , as well as singing them . and so protestant interpreters , both our own and strangers , understand it . thirdly , you and he have laid aside all these ways precedented in scripture , and substituted instead of them one that is not yet a hundred year old , peculiar to these countries , and not commonly used in other singing ; i mean reading a line , and the people singing it after ; which mr. b. confesses , remarks p. 28. to be indeed a defect , but such as we must be forced to condescend to , unless we could prevail with all our people to get psalm books , and learn to read , or to commit 'em to memory : as if all the poor christians in the apostles time had had psalm-books ; or cou'd have read ; or had the psalms by heart ; or as if our neighbour reformed churches were in a better case in this point than we : but this is plainly to suppose that the apostles and and the church of god were ignorant of this necessary means of edifying the people till a few years ago ; and that the scripture failed to give us direction what we are to do with the psalms when the people want books , cannot read , or have them not by heart : which has ever been the case of many since they were first sung. but the same scripture that commands us to do all things for edification , commands us likewise to use the psalms as i have shewed , and never prescribes or mentions the defective way used by you ; and therefore we may be sure singing the psalms by a choir , reading them by courses , and playing to them are not contrary to edification : and to oppose the determinations of human prudence to these particular precedents , is to make the word of god of none effect by your tradition : and is what i blame in you and mr. b. as teaching your own inventions . i positively declared that i did not condemn singing metre psalms as unlawful , but only your casting out the prose intirely in your publick praises of god , and preferring the metre meerly on the strength of our own prudential determinations ; as more edifying and fitter for a congregation . this i took to be a preferring your own reason , or tradition , to the word of god. iv. the same i say concerning extemporary prayer : i never denied but extemporary prayers may be lawful , nay , necessary on extraordinary occasions , when a man has not a form ready , or time to compose one . i granted , that in this case , we may depend on the assistance of god's spirit , as in all other cases of necessity ; or at least hope for pardon , of course , to our infirmities . but i shewed , dis. chap. 2. sect. 3. n. 3. that god had commanded forms of prayer , both to priests and people , in the old and new testament : that the church of the jews use a form of prayer in their publick ordinary service ; that the psalms of david are a collection of such forms , and so are called , psal. 72. 20. and it doth not appear , that any other publick prayers were ordinarily used in the temple ; and that we have many precedents of such . i add now , that such prayers are sufficient to express all our desires to god on ordinary publick occasions , which are constantly the same ; and if any thing extraordinary happen , the church may provide a form for it , it being unreasonable that it should be left to every private minister to impose what confession or petitions he pleases on the people ; or at least in such a solemn affair as uttering to god the sense of a nation , or even of a congregation , a minister ought to reduce what he intends to say into form , and consider it well beforehand , that he may be sure that the words are fit and proper for the publick , as well as the matter . i shewed further , that there is no promise in scripture to furnish us with words without this care ; and , that the spirit of prayer promised in scripture doth not include any such gift either to minister or people : and therefore to lay aside prayers by a form , in our ordinary publick occasions ( which are still the same ) is plainly to prefer our own inventions to scripture-precedents , and our prudential application of a general rule , to the method prescribed in several particular cases under that general rule by god himself . i grant , praying extemporarily , and prayer by a form , are different ways of worshipping god , or modes , to use mr. b's phrase , ( who commonly , in these cases , shelters himself in some new difficult word , which many of you do not understand . ) but , i say , we have only precedents for one of these ways in scripture , in performing of publick prayers in an ordinary setled congregation ; and therefore for you to lay aside this way ( as you do in your most publick and ordinary addresses ) for extemporary prayers , is to prefer your own wisdom to god's . if the thing it self had been feasible , the method of answering this argument against extemporary prayer was easie ; nor was there any need of that long discourse you find in mr. b's remarks , or the hard words he gives me about it . the whole difficulty incumbent on him , was to shew some command of god in scripture , requiring us to worship or pray to him in a conceived , or unpremeditated , or free-prayer , as he calls it ; or some example in a setled ordinary congregation , where it was practised . till he do this , his arguments for the usefulness of such prayers , and for their necessity , drawn from their being more moving and more edifying than forms , are only opposing his own experience to the precedents of holy scripture ; and it seems to me , that only the itching ears of people who love novelty and variety give ground for such surmises : but these are vices against which they ought to be cautioned , not to be cherished and encouraged in them , as mr. b. does , rem . p. 163. since they are apt to cheat men with a false devotion , and are not necessary to a true one ; of which , had mr. b. been throughly sensible , i conceive he would not have given me such very hard words for interpreting an itching ear , to be an ear that loves them ; or affirmed ( as he does , rem . p. 101. ) that no expositor before me ever dream'd of such a sence of them . i wish he would consult a few more expositors before he peremptorily determine concerning the sence of scriptures : he might have found estius , al●pide , and galvin , noted commentators , concurr in this sence with me , and the context , as well as the words , where they are used , enforce it , 2 tim. 43. for the time will come , when they will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their own lusts , heap up to themselves teachers having itching ears . which words plainly give two reasons that move people to heap up teachers to themselves , their lusts and their itching ears ; but mr. b. would perswade us , that the apostle meant only one of them ; whereas the experience of all ages has found , that the desire ▪ of novelty and variety has made men ready to entertain fables and false doctrines , as well as their wanton fancies , or various inolinations , as he alledges : if by wanton fancies he meant any thing else than a fancy that loves novelty and variety , and if the same be meant by it , then he had no reason to abuse me for a whole page together , for interpreting the words in that sence , since he himself doth the same . m. b. i confess , offers some scripture precedents for extemporary prayer in publick , rem . p. 36. namely solomon's , 1 king ▪ s 8. 22. asa's , 2 chron. 14. 11. jehosophat's , 2 chron. 20. 5. hezekia's , isa. 36. 15 , 16. ezra's , chap. 9. 5. nehemiah's , chap. 9. 5. but these are not to the purpose ; they are all of them on extraordinary occasions , and in extraordinary assemblies , in which 't is granted , that extemporary prayers may be necessary . secondly , they are generally the particular prayers of the men that offered them , and not of the assembly ; such is solomon's , hezekiah's , and ezra's . thirdly , it doth not appear but they were all forms written and prepared beforehand . i take it for granted , that the confession in neh. 9. was so , for eight levites repeated it , the people standing ; as appears by the fifth verse , then the levites , jeshua and cadmiel , bani , hashabniah , sherebijah , hodijah , shebaniah , said , stand up and bless the lord your god for ever and ever . and so they go on with the confession , and it is like the people joyned their voices also , for they used to joyn in the blessings and praises of god ; to do which , the levites now invite them : and in the latter end of the confession it is said , v. 18. because of all this , we make a sure covenant , and write it . this confession is then plainly the preface to that covenant , and therefore these are no clear instances ( as he alledges ) or precedents for extemporary prayers in an ordinary setled congregation ; much less is there any command for such : whereas the precedents for forms of prayer are express , and the command to use the lord's prayer in particular , literal , luk. 11. 2. when you pray , say , our father ; to which mr. b's interpretation is a contradiction ; when you pray you need not say our father , &c. either in ordinary publick addresses to god , or occasional . v. let me observe further , that tho' mr. b. gives me such hard words for not distinguishing between the spirit of prayer and the grift , rem . p. 60. yet he doth not bring one place of scripture where they are distinguished : it was directly my business , to shew , that there was no such ordinary gift , without the help of forms , necessary or promised , either to the children of god , or ( which is the same thing , as mr. b. now states it , rem . p. 59. ) to all ministers or private christians , in the diligent use of such helps as they are furnished with , and frequent exercising themselves in this excellent duty . this is a point so material , that we ought to have plain scripture for it , and a clear promise that god will give this gift to us on all occasions ordinary and extraordinary , without the help of forms , if we use the means , endeavour it heartily , and exercise our selves in it . but mr. b. has not produced one particular , much less clear promise to this purpose ; only he argues the conveniences of it from general rules , which signifie nothing when duly examined ; neither ought to be put in the balance with our saviour's command and scripture ▪ precedents : and therefore i had good reason to suppose that mr. b. set up his rule of human prudence to the exclusion of any particular rule or precedent in scripture in these duties he mentioned : nay , i had good warrant to believe , that he allows a dispensing power even against express scripture-rules and precedents , when his human prudence judges them contrary to edification : he asserts this positively in the matter of ordination , and i had reason to believe the same as to matter of worship . saith he , reflect . p. 37. positive precepts must always yield to moral , and matters of meer order to the end of the duty ordered : and the former must never be pleaded against the latter . this i take to be a dangerous position ; for it is in effect to say , that all the particular rules in scripture about the worship of god , and discipline of his church , cease to be obligatory on any party of men that think them contrary to edification : whereas we ought to suppose , that they never are contrary to it , and therefore are never to be laid aside ; and that tho' they seem to us to be contrary , yet they are not , but are some way misapplied ; which is to be amended without dispensing with them . thus i may be assured , that praying to god by a form is very edifying , because i find precedents for doing so in scripture ; and i ought to look on it as a very corrupt human prudence , that suggests the contrary . and herein , as i take it , lies the principal difference between mr. b. and me , concerning this rule ; i argue , that forms of prayer , singing prose-psalms , &c. are edifying , because i find them used in scripture ; he argues , that they ought not to be generally used , because his human prudence and observation finds them contrary to edification . i must leave you to judge which of us pay the greatest deference to the holy scripture , or have the greatest opinion of our own prudence . vi. to conclude this head , i will deal easily with mr. b. and allow him the interpretation of his rule which he now gives ; and tho' he says , that only the general rules must be regarded , yet i will allow he did not intend to exclude particular directions ; and i will take the rule as mr. baxter has it , from whence i suppose mr. b. took it , in these words ; ( conformity stated , p. 13. ) we never held , that the scripture is a particular rule , commanding every accident and circumstance about god's worship ( but only a general rule requiring all to be done in love and peace , and to edification , and decently , &c. ) in those circumstances which must be some way determined , and god hath left to variable human determinations , such as are time , place , utensils , translations , sections , metres , tunes , methods and words in preaching and prayer , habits , gestures , and many such-like . this rule is laid down in the name of all your party , and i hope you will stand by it ; for it not only justifies our holy-days ▪ communion-table , rails , habits , desks , pulpit and fonts , as i shewed in my admonitton , but also our office for the dead ; for we have a general rule in scripture to pray always , more especially when we meet with any loss , or cause of sorrow : and i suppose our human prudence doth determine , that the death of a friend is a very sensible loss ; that the time of his burial is a very proper time for prayer ; and his grave , where we take our last farewell of him , is a very proper place to express our hope of his resurrection , and to thank god for that hope ; which is the sum of that office of our church . the same may be said for the thanksgiving of women after child-birth , and indeed for every other office appointed by our church ; and every practice even of our reading the apocrypha , and standing at the gospel ; the one being a gesture within the very letter of the rule , and as the prudence of the church has judged for many ages , very edifying ; and the other full as warrantable as your ministers reading the covenant and acknowledgment of sins , which they were ordered to do two lord's days , octob. 6. 1648. nay , it justifies that which we are no ways obliged to justifie , tho' mr. b. often objects it to us , that is , bowing towards the east , or altar , it being no rule of our church , or universal practice ; for god has in general commanded us to worship him with our bodies ; and it is very convenient , decent , and solemn , that the whole congregation should bow one way , without meeting each others faces . if therefore human prudence determine , that this gesture shall be used at certain times , and that it shall be towards the east or communion-table , it only does what the rule impowers , and it fully justifies it . the same may be said of bowing the head at the name of jesus , which yet is not required of you , there being no rule for it in the church of ireland ; and the same is obvious of all these other things mr. b. excepts against , vind. p. 28. sect. xiii . concerning the third , fourth , and fifth canons . 1. atenth matter of fact is his adding and taking away from our third , fourth , and fifth canons . he professes that he cannot imagine wherein he has added to them , vind. p. 33. for the determination of this i desire you to consult the remarks , p. 179. and there you will find him affirming that our fifth and third canon excommunicate ipso facto all that are guilty of the crimes mentioned in them ; and intimates the same concerning the fourth : but he has added these words ipso facto out of his own head , or by inconsiderately transcribing mr. baxter , who indeed quotes the third , fourth and fifth english canons ; but the irish canons which mr. b. here quotes , treat of different matters , and have no such words in them ; and yet these words are so material , that he founds his principal arguments against these canons on them ; alledging it ( rem . p. 180. ) as a great absurdity that they excommunicate without any other admonition than what the canons themselves give ; and that they peremptorily cut off from christ without presonal warning ; and p. 146. that all are denounced excommunicated who affirm or maintain the doctrines condemned in those canons . whereas those canons neither denounce any excommunicated , nor excommunicate any ipso facto ; and tho' the crimes be very grievous , such as preaching against the established worship in the common-prayer-book ; condemning our orders , unchurching our congregations ; separating from us as profane ; and setting up altar against altar ; yet the canons do not impower the bishops to excommunicate persons so guilty till they be cited , admonished , the fact proved , and they persist impenitently in their errors : whereas if they were excommunicated ipso facto ( as mr. b. alledges ) there needed only citation and a proof of the fact , and a declaration of the sentence . sect. xiv . concerning his demands . 1. but eleventhly , as mr. b. denies , that he has added to our canons , so he likewise asserts , vind. p. 33. that he has reviewed all the demands he has made in his remarks , and can see no unjust representation in them . i do not think it proper to trouble you with an examination of all those . i will only put you in mind that i hinted at some of them in my admonition , p 49. as in the fifth , where he represents us absolving the uncensured ; which is a very unjust representation : for the absolution of the sick is not the absolving of the uncensured , but of one that by , a special confession of some weighty ▪ matter that troubles his conscience has submitted himself to the censure and judgment of a minister . secondly , in the seventh demand he censures our canons in the matter of such as are to be ordained as very desective ; which is a very unjust representation , they being as strict as the apostles , 1 tim. 3. and in such a degree , that if duly observed , no insufficient person can be admitted into orders . i will add two or three more , for i cannot go thro' all . ii. thirdly , therefore in his second demand , p. 171. he represents the authority of bishops to be so devolved on their chancellours , as to be out of their one hands ; and humbly desires they would endeavour to recover the spiritual part of it . this is an unjust representation , and shews he does not understand our constitution , or practice ; for , first , in many cases the bishop cannot devolve his power on his chancellour , but must act himself . secondly , the chancellour's power doth not exclude the bishops in any case . on the contrary , he is only his substitute when absent , and his assistant when present : the bishop may when he pleases sit in his own courts , and when he pleases admit what clergy-men he thinks proper to assist him , and dispose of all things according to the canons ; he may reserve a cause to his own hearing ; pass sentence in it according to his own judgment ; and dismiss or suspend it ; and in every step act independently of his chancellour . it is true , he cannot in some cases dispose of the chancellour , or registers fees ; to which ( being a lay-perquisite ) the common law intitles them ; and it is not the churches fault that we cannot reform it . but from this it sufficiently appears that to represent our jurisdiction as out of our hands is very unjust . and here let me take notice of a most unjust reflection mr. b. has cast on the jurisdiction of this diocess , in particular : he asserts , p 157. that you have very little hopes of reformation of manners , from either the persons that compose those c●urts , or from the manner of their proceedings ; and hopes that i should not expect that you should turn informers , to bring grist to our mills . and intimates , that we only draw people in there to make a prey of them . these are every one most unjust representations ; and i dare appeal to the several hundreds i have had in my court , since i came to this diocess , for the truth of what i assert : i can answer for my self and all the officers of the court , and dare affirm that none of them ever made a prey of any . i shall only give the chancellours account of this matter , and desire mr. b. to try if he can produce one instance to the contrary . my lord , after all the tenderness of your lordships ecclesiastical courts , i am surpriz'd to find that mr. b. ( in his book against you ) speaks to your lordship of such courts as bring contempt on the censures of the church , decreeing 'em on frivolous causes , in a rash and precipitant manner , making 'em an engine to squeeze the purses of men , rather than reform their manners , p. 155. as hunting for prey , and on that score drawing men into their clutches , p. 156. as scandalously managed : the censures of the church prostituted to so vile a purpose as that of filthy lucre , and that thereby the temple of god is turned into a house of merchandize , p. 171. this , in a book so full of harsh innuendo's may make some readers believe that the accounts he has from hence ( of which he sometimes speaks ) give him ground to talk at this rate . and seeing these things are said to the bishop of derry , and the reformation of them desir'd , those who are strangers to your lordships courts , and your diocess , may be inclin'd to believe that the jurisdiction here is managed by such harpy's as he has described ; for what courts can your lordship reform but your own ? and why is this objected to your lordship unless you are supposed to be guilty ? therefore as far as this may be understood to relate to your lordships diocess ( concerning which , properly , all the dispute is ) i shall beg leave of your lordship to offer this short answer to it . i have never heard that any judge of the consistory of derry since june 1691 , when i came first into this diocess , receiv'd any fees but what came through my hands ; for i attended constantly on the courts since that time ( as surrogate the first year , and chancellor the two last ) to your lordships knowledge , who was duly present at them when you were in town . now during these three years there are , or have been , about 200 persons ( reputed of that perswasion that mr. b. seems to vindicate ) proceeded against in the ecclesiastical courts of derry , presented by the church-wardens , for fornication , adultery , incest , &c. from all which , there has not been taken for the judges fees to the value of ten pounds . the last fifteen months i resided in my parish , seven miles distant from the court , yet attended without any surrogate , lest i should be obliged to grant the full fees to others which i remit often my self ; so that my many necessary journeys , my neglect of my own private concerns , my staying many nights and weeks from my own dwelling , being considered , any reasonable person may compute my gains . i shall not enter into any invidious comparison between this management and the times of presbitery or independency ; but supposing that my brethren may justify their courts in the same manner , if the scene of the present dispute were not laid in this see : i shall content my self with this , that all men may hence discern , whether our courts have deserved the severe intimations before-mentioned , or whether mr. b's . friends here , have been devoured as a prey , &c. — — ballychelaghan june 6 1694. my lord , your lordships , &c. robert gourney . to conclude , i dare affirm , that all the officers of the court of derry , have not had forty pound fees from all the several hundred criminals that have been in it since i came into the diocess ; so far have they been from oppressing or squeezing any : and yet i am not satisfied that this mildness is commendable , for i find the greater part so lost to all sense of goodness , and so exceedingly sordid in their temper , that they had rather do penance both at meeting and church than pay a few shilings ; and perhaps on such people , the fear of paying a little money , would work a greater reformation , and awaken them more than all other endeavours . iii. fourthly , he represents ministers in his sixth demand , p. 173. as depriv'd of their pastoral power that belongs to them , and wishes that bishops would exercise their authority in concurrence with their presbyters ; and another of your ministers represents bishops as the sole pastours of the whole diocess , mr. craghead p. 145. now all these are misrepresentations . for first . there are many acts of episcopal power and authority which a bishop connot exercise without the concurrence of his presbyters . secondly , there is not one act belonging to a congregation , except confirming the baptised ( which has ever been peculiar to bishops ) but a presbyter , with the consent of his bishop , may exercise it . thirdly , a presbyter has as much power in the matter of excommunication as any presbyterian minister , since he can reprove , rebuke , exhort and suspend from the sacrament ; which is all that any of them can do . and whereas mr. b. alledges that he must turn informer against such as he suspends , in the spiritual courts , where they are sure to be put to great charges . this is another misrepresentation ; for there is no such necessity of putting into the court such offenders , except their sins be publick ; or if they should be put into it , that they should be put to much charges , except they continue impenitent , and then it is necessary they should pay the fees of the office , which are very small , whatever mr. b. suggests , and 't is the offenders own fault , if they be otherwise who make them so by their obstinacy : to conclude , a presbyter must act in dependance and with consent of his bishop in many things , but this doth not hinder him from being a pastour , joyntly with his bishop of the whole diocess , and particularly in his own cure. iv. let me observe further , that neither presbyterians or independents can with any reason object this to our presbyters ; for every presbyterian minister depends on his brethren in these acts . and can neither excommunicate or perform any other proper act of government , that concerns the whole church , without consent of a synod ; and if his depending on a synod in these acts , doth not hinder him from esteeming himself a pastour , why shou'd a presbyter with us not count himself a pastour , since he has as much power alone as your ministers , and as much in conjunction with his bishop , as yours have with a synod ? and especially when it is considered that the presence and consent of a bishop is easier had than that of a synod ; and the bishop is obliged by known rules and laws to concur in those things that are reasonable , whereas generally your matters are arbitrary and depend on the major votes . as to the congregational ministers , they in these acts depend on the consent of their own congregations , in whom ( according to them ) the power of the keys is originally seated ; and they cannot excommunicate any without consent of their people , which is more opposite to the nature of a pastour , than acting with the consent of a bishop , and in subordination to him ; and indeed such ministers are rather meer servants , than pastours of their people : in this point therefore , mr. b. has made a very unjust representation of our principles and practice . sect. xv. concerning mr. sq. 1. the last matter of fact , of which i shall take notice , concerns a person rejected from orders in our church , and now a preacher of your party . mr. b. affirms , that your ministers declare , that they know of no such person , and says , that if i mean mr. sq. he declares he was never examined , as to his learning , by us ; and that most that know him , think , that if i reject all those , of my clergy , that are not mr. sq ' s. superiors in learning , i must exclude a great many of those that are now in this diocess . you see how he necessitates me to give an account of this affair . this gentleman whom i did not name , out of the great respect i had to his relations , soon after the troubles , procur'd mr. robert gage , of this diocess , to present him to the then bishop of rapho , for the order of a deacon ; the bishop , according to the 31st canon , demanded a certificate of his degree , good life and conversation under the colledge seal ; but that he neither had , nor could procure ; whereupon , the bishop refus'd him . after i came to this place he applied himself to me , both in person and by his friends ; but i refused him and them , till such time as he was publickly examined according to the canons : in the mean while i discours'd him several times , and found him unfit as to his learning , yet wou'd not discourage him , but advised him to such books as i thought most fit and necessary for him : when the time drew near , that i intended to have an ordination , he petitioned to be admitted to the publick examination which was to precede it ; i read the petition written in his own hand , but the latin so false and improper , that it appeared by it , he was not master of the grammar , much less of the latin tongue . i consulted some of the clergy about him , and came to a resolution not to admit him ; but to do it in the softest way i cou'd ; i discours'd him again , shewed him his defects , and that it wou'd expose him to be examined publickly , especially at the same time , when others were to be examined of parts and learning , and therefore advised him to delay till some other time , and till he cou'd get a certificate from the colledge , without which i could not regularly ordain him : he seemed discontented , and the next thing i heard , was , that the sunday after he went to the meeting , and declared against the church . this is the truth of the matter , and i must declare , that i never admitted any , to any order , benefice or curacy , in this diocess , who were not by many degrees his superiors in learning , parts and steadiness of thoughts ; and as to those that were preferred in the diocess before my coming to it , i suppose that mr. sq. himself will have more modesty than to compare himself with them : i must add , that he is not the only person has served me at this rate . ii. and from this you may observe . first , that no people are more impatient of discipline , than such as would perswade the world that they are the great patrons of it , and most zealous for it . this gentleman , that is now joyned with you , for purer ordinances and discipline , was so disgusted by the strictness of ours , that he left our church . secondly , you may observe , that some people are resolved to be ministers at any rate , and when those that have the keys of the church will not admit them , they leap over the wall. thirdly , you see by this how much men advance their reputation and interest , by being of a party . here is a gentleman that had so little reputation amongst us , for learning and sufficiency , that he was not thought fit to be a deacon , by two bishops , and several clergy men ; and yet by joyning with you , most of your party that knew him in dublin , where they are best able to judge , prefer him to many of the clergy of this diocess . so unjust and partial are men in their judgments where their party is concerned ; and thus it has been since divisions were first in the church : st. paul hints at it , 2 cor. 10. 12. and tertullian speaks to it in point , above 1400 years ago , in his book de prescriptionibus , where he observes of those that divided from the church , that they ordained , apost at as nostros ut gloria eos obligent , quia veritate non possunt . nus● quam facilius proficitur quam in castris rebellium . 't were too severe to translate these words ; but the meaning is , that so a man left the church , he might have reputation and orders easily amongst the divided parties . fourthly , you may observe , that it is not always conviction of conscience brings men to your party ; here in the beginning of the week a gentleman gave in a petition in his own hand writing , and was earnest to be admitted into orders ; and being put off , next sunday he declares himself of your party against the church . he must have great charity , that will suppose this to proceed from meer conviction of conscience . fifthly , you may observe , how unfit judges the people are of the ability and qualifications of men for the ministery , and how easy it is to deceive and impose on them , in which i have had experience in three or four other cases . sixthly , this shews the misery , and mischief of parties in the church , and how impracticable they render discipline . i have taken what care i cou'd to obviate this ; and have refus'd to admit some that were driven out of scotland by the fury of the rabble , till they brought a certificate from their adversaries , of their lives and conversations ; and that they had no other exception against them , except their not complying with the church government there established . whether your party take the same measures , they know best that admitted mr. sq. to preach . sect. xvi . personal vindication . i. there is one thing further that i am obliged to take notice of , rather indeed to comply with the suggestions of my friends , than that i judge it necessary , or so much as convenient . it concerns my own person , and not the cause ; and i reckon where ▪ ever a man that pretends to answer a book meddles with the person or personal affairs of his adversary , it is a plain confession that he has the worst of the argument , and that he is forced to make up with slight and art what is wanting in point of reason . yet this mr. b. has done in several places of his remarks , and has employ'd most of those arts that popular lawyers make use of to carry their clients cause at the barr , but are very improper to be used by the advocates of truth , who ought to have no view but the glory of god , the advancement of his true worship , and the peace and unity of his church . i am conscious to my self , that i had no other aim in the writing my book ; and i hope i may say that the deep concern i had for the due observation of the worship of god , and the danger of such as neglect it , did influence every sentence in it . i had before me the great obligation that lay on me as a pastour and father in the church ; even the great and solemn oath of god , made in my ordination . i remembred that the truest evidences of the presence of the spirit of christ , and hardest to be counterfeited , are gentleness , goodness and meekness ; and i called to mind that a tender father wou'd not reprove his erring children , nor a man treat his friend with bitterness , pride , scoffing or lightness . that a pastour has no less reason for bowels of compassion towards his straying sheep , than a father towards his children : that a christian was as deeply obliged to meekness towards his erring brother , as any man towards his dearest friend . and tho' that brother be mistaken in his judgment , and alienated in his affections to the highest degree , even to railing and madness , yet the injured person ought still to treat him with the same gentleness and tenderness , and look on all those extravagancies as the effects of a spiritual feaver , which to a mind truly affected with the love of christ , are as little provoking as the ravings occasioned by a natural one , and much more to be pitied . ii. these were the considerations i had before me , and the measures i took in writing my book , and i hope in god they shall always remain with me , and influence my words and actions ; and , i thank god , they yield me a comfort and satisfaction above all that the world can afford me . but this was very different from what many of your party expected ; they measured me not from what i am , or from what i do and say , but from the representations some of themselves had made of me . 't was from these that a rumour went abroad whilst my book was in the press , that i was publishing a most furious book full of bitterness and railing ; and that i wou'd now discover what a passionate angry man i was : this went current ; but when my book appeared i thank god it was of a different sort , and and very much surprised those whose interest it was to represent me and it otherwise ; and by all i can learn , nothing displeased them more than the seriousness , charity and civility with which it was written . iii. mr. b. seems to be sensible that this gives my book some advantage , and takes great care to prevent it ; sometimes he makes slight of it , sometimes endeavours to expose it as ridiculous : but his greatest endeavour is to perswade you that it is not real and sincere in me . to make this appear probable he produces several arguments both in his preface , and in his remarks . in the last he insists on one , p. 157. on which he thinks fit to enlarge again in his vindication ( p. 25 ) 't is taken from a clause in the leases of the see of derry , whereby the tenants are obliged not to sett to mass-priests , or dissenting ministers : this he thinks will excuse all the hard words he gives me , and prove me guilty of unfair dealing ; but this is to censure actions before he knows the reason of them , as i suppose every body may observe ; and since it concerns only my own person , i did not think it necessary to make any apology for it ; and i assure you my tenderness to you , and indeed to our common christianity , obliged me rather to suffer the reproach , as i have done in many other cases , than to publish those things of which i apprehended the common enemies of our religion might make advantage . and had not the importunity and perswasions of my friends , to whose judgments i have a deference , required it now from me , no provocations of my answerers shou'd have done it . however i shall endeavour to give an account of this matter in the least offensive way i can ; and if any thing seem hard in it , the blame must be justly theirs who gave the occasion . iv. i find this clause verbatim ( so far as relates to popish priests ) in the oldest leases of this see of derry ; in which there has been , since the reformation , a succession of wise , learned , and pious men , my predecessors . dr. montgomery , dr. babington , dr. downam , dr. bramhall , dr. wild , dr. mossom , dr. ward , and dr. hopkins , were men generally famous for their works yet remaining , and for their eminent service they did to the church of god. these found it necessary to put this clause into their leases ( at the first making of them ) or to continue it , in as many as were renew'd . so far therefore this is no new clause ; it being ( as i have said ) in the oldest leases of the see , and put in by wise and good men , for good reasons . i found the same reasons not only to continue it , but to extend it to all teachers dissenting from the church ; and should have thought my self answerable to my successors , if whilst the reasons were as good , i had departed from the wise conduct of my predecessors . that the reasons are as good , will appear from what follows . my predecessors found that their tenants liv'd easily as to rents , and freest of any from exactions or oppressions , and that this made , as it still makes , those that are averse to the office and revenues of a protestant bishop , yet desirous to be their tenants : that the popish priests especially found their advantage in living under them , both to their temporal and spiritual interest ; for they had such influence on their own party , that none of them durst come in competition with them , in taking their farms ; and so they had them at what rate they pleas'd , and ( where they had such influence ) the protestants durst not take them ; by which means they were able to keep them waste , if they could not get them to themselves ; which i have effectually found in a farm where one of them had crept in . and as to their spiritual interest , it was no ill policy to secure those places where the bishop had greatest influence . i am sure these things are true of your ministers ; and these , or the like motives , so far prevail'd on them , that before the troubles they had at least one half of their meetings on the church lands . again , no one would willingly have a tenant that looks on him as an usurper , or is sworn to extirpate him as soon as he can ; this was a good reason to refuse popish priests for tenants , and holds no less against such of your teachers as adhere to the solemn league and covenant . i must mind you also , that coshering and exacting on tenants by way of meat and lodging , is against the laws of this kingdom ; and the popish priests lived by such ways , but were not near so oppressive to their neighbours as your meetings are : your sacraments especially are attended with a most oppressive coshering ; and so it is , and must be , where four or five thousand meet together from distant places , and stay several days . and indeed , none that live near the meeting house can call their meat or drink , or grass , or houses their own , during these times ; or dare refuse them to those cosherers , if they would live quietly . and here i must declare , that i had private information from several of my tenants of this oppression ; and they were heartily glad when they found i had contrived a way to ease them , tho' they durst not publickly own it . there is a further reason , and that is , that men whose avowed principle it is to tolerate no body , when they have power , ought not to pretend to the same favour with other people that are moderate . this is a just exception against popish priests ; and for ought yet appears , it is no less against your teachers , some of which seem to be of as persecuting a spirit as they ; and have so far influenced the most zealous of their hearers , that they already persecute , as far as they have power , those that dissent from them ; insomuch that ( as i observed before ) some that are heartily desirous to come to church , dare not , for fear of being undone by their neighbours . and no wonder it should be so , since you are taught in your very catechism to oppose all false worship ; and , according to each ones place and calling , to remove it . and tolerating a false religion is reckoned , in express terms , a breach of the second commandment . a clause very unfit for a catechism , that ought to contain only the principles of our holy and meek religion , and which i do not find in the catechism of the council of trent , notwithstanding the persecuting spirit of that church ; and indeed , it is not only a wicked , but an imprudent thing to impose on all christians the necessity of either persecuting all their neighbours that are mistaken in matters of religion , or violating their own consciences ; which sufficiently shews the spirit of those that compos'd your catechism , and discovers the principle that makes you so uneasie to your neighbours ; which principle your teachers still refuse to renounce . these , i suppose , are sufficient to shew , that there is neither rashness nor uncharitableness in this clause of my leases , which has now been three times objected to me in print , twice by mr. b. and once by mr. craghead ; as if it were indeed of moment , or any thing to the subject of my book . but this makes it plain , that the business of the answerers was , to answer my book by prejudicing people against my person ; a certain sign , that they wrote for a party rather than truth . after all , i must profess to you , and have always declared , that it never was my intention by that clause to hinder any one to live under me that was peaceable , and of whose honesty , as a tenant , i could have any reasonable security , of what perswasion soever he was ; but i thought it but reasonable to reserve to my self and my successors a liberty to make a difference between moderate honest men , whom one may suppose to be lead by conscience , and others that appear to be acted by other motives ; which shall always be the rule of my proceedings . there is a further matter under this head which mr. b. objects to me ( vind. p. 25. ) in these words , we like not the gentle language of writs de excom . cap. by which he would insinuate some very hard or unfair dealing in me . a few words will clear it ; i never procur'd more than one or two of these writs to be executed , and that against a person who refus'd to stand for sidesman ( being duly elected by his parish ) or to find another for it , which the very act of toleration in england requireth to be done ; and the government on full consideration of the matter , found i had reason in it ; and the person confess'd , that he would never have contended it ( as indeed he neither had , nor could have any scruple ) had not his minister , mr. crook , engag'd to bring him off , if he stood it out ; which i am able to prove . but mr. b. makes no scruple to censure his governours , before whom this matter was adjudged , and pronounce concerning things of which it is manifest he had no due information . having thus examin'd the principal matters of fact , i must observe , that mr. b. ( who makes himself your advocate ) in the end of his vindication ( p. 55. ) takes it for granted , that the matters of fact with which i charged you , and for the truth of which i appealed to your own knowledge and consciences , were false ; and alledges it as the greatest provocation given you , that i appealed to your selves as evidences for what you certainly know to be untrue . i do not find any sufficient ground for his asserting this in your behalf ; i have conversed with many of you since the writing of my book and admonition , before many witnesses , and could never meet with any of you that could deny any one matter of fact in them . and as to the vouchers that mr. b. has produc'd to disprove what i said , they are so far from justifying what he asserted , as to your practice , or contradicting what i charged on you , that the truth of his assertions depends still on his own credit . but whatever effect his endeavours to palliate the matters with which i tax you may have on strangers , they can never make you think otherwise of them than what you know . and i am sure you cannot but know , ( what i have been now necessitated to prove in the foregoing chapter ) that the main and most considerable matters which i charg'd on you were true ; that your communions have been scandalously infrequent ; that your publick worship of god was generally performed by you sitting , which i reckon irreverent ; that you had no orderly publick reading of the scriptures , nor any practicē that could properly be called reading them ; that you have no order or rule of teaching the great mysteries of our religion in your sermons or set discourses ; which certainly do deserve such set discourses , if any thing can deserve them . i am conscious to my self , and have god for my witness , that i had no design in what i have publish'd of your faults in the worship of god , but to endeavour , according to my duty , your amendment of them , ( of which could i have made you sensible in a private way , you should not have been told so publickly . ) and it had been a very ridiculous undertaking for me , as i often have observ'd before , to put the stress of your reforming them ( which i most seriously coveted and desired ) upon your knowledge of the truth of them , if i had not been sure that you did sufficiently know it ; nay , had i not understood it from the mouths and confession of many of you . but the truth is , these things are so notorious , ev'n from the defence which your advocate and his certifiers would make for you , that i had , and still have , all reason to appeal to your own consciences for the truth of them , and to hope for the desired success of my writings in your amendment of them ▪ from the undeniable evidence of this truth in your selves ; which success , i thank god , i have already in some measure found , and do beseech him still to encrease . chap. ii. of the reasoning part of mr. b's book . sect. i. mr. b's stating the case between you and us , as to purity of worship and discipline . i. i proceed now to some observations on the reasoning part of mr. b's book ; and the first thing i shall take notice of , is his stating the difference between you and us. vindic. p. 33. we have these words ; where there are in a kingdom two parties , or bodies of protestants , in one of which both the worship and discipline of christ is more fully restor'd to its primitive simplicity and purity ; in the other , there are some defects and corruptions left in their worship , and discipline almost entirely neglected , or perverted and abused ; i think every considerate christian should prefer the stated communion of that party , in which necessary reformation has made a happier progress . i confess , i am partly of mr. b's opinion ; and think , for this very reason you ought to embrace the communion of our church , as of that in which both worship and disciplin is more fully restor'd to its primitive simplicity and purity ; for i do not know one thing in which you have the advantage of us ; as will appear on examination of these particulars . ii. first , in discipline you have nothing to boast of , since you have no authentick rule concerning it at all ; as i shew'd in my admonition . and when proposals were made concerning it , they were rejected by a parliament of your own party with great abhorrence ; we cannot , say they in their declaration 1646 , consent to the granting of an arbitrary and unlimited , power and jurisdiction to near ten thousand judicatories to be erected within this kingdom , and this demanded in a way inconsistent with the fundamentals of government , excluding the power of parliaments . the question then between your discipline and ours , is , whether it is better to have no rules , but meer arbitrary power in ten thousand judicatories , to exercise a discipline inconsistent with the fundamental laws of the kingdom , and the power of parliaments ; or to have certain and determinate rules for the exercise of it ; such as our canons and rubricks , which are very consistent with the constitution of the kingdom , and would certainly reform the world if executed ; and nothing hinders their execution ( that i know ) but your separation . i cannot reckon it a happy progress in reformation , as mr. b. does , to throw down a well-establish'd discipline founded on good authority , and with good rules , and establish nothing in the place of it . 't is not purity of discipline to make it arbitrary , and have no rules at all . and yet i am afraid many are for reforming faith as you have reformed discipline . iii. secondly , in your church ▪ constitution , you are not yet agreed ; and we do not know what you would have . i observed that mr. b's sense of these things is much different from yours ; both as to the rules and manner of proceeding in your judicatories insomuch as you are not yet agreed who shall have the power of the keys , whether a single congregation , or a presbytery ( adm. p. 47. ) to make you a little sensible of this , i will compare mr. b. and his parties sentiments with yours . first then , you own generally , that a national church is of divine institution ; but mr. b. and his party declare , ( reflect . p. 4. ) that such a national church is not of divine institution , and is indeed only a combination of churches , as united under one civil soveraign ; its true notion lies not in any combination purely ecclesiastical and intrinsical , but civil and extrinsical . secondly , you hold , that many particular congregations may be under one presbyterial government . mr. b. and his party , that no particular church shall be subordinate to another , — and , that none of them , their officer or officers shall exercise any power , or have any superiority over any other church , or their officers . heads of agreement , p. 11. you hold , that it is agreeable to the word of god , that there be a subordination of congregational . classical , provincial , and national assemblies , for the government of the church . mr. b. and his party , that church-councils are not for government , but for unity ; not as being in order of government over the several bishops . reflect . p. 58. and heads of agreement , p. 10. thirdly , you hold that excommunication is a shutting the kingdom of heaven against impenitent sinners . but with mr ▪ b. and his party , excommunication it self , in their respective churches is no other than a declaring such scandalous members as are irreconcilable , to be incapable of communion with them in things peculiar to the visible relievers . ( pref. to the heads of agreement ) in which sense any two men may excommunicate a third . it requires no power at all to declare a man incapable of communion with me , but only judgment ; and so there is an end of church governors and censures . fourthly , you hold , that those that are ordained ought not to be ordained again ; but mr. b. and his party teach , that if any hold , in case of the removal of one formerly ordained , to a new station or pastoral charge , there ought to be a like solemn recommending him and his labours to the grace and blessing of god : no different sentiments or practice herein , shall be any occasion of contention or breach of communion amongst you . fifthly , you hold , that ruling elders are of divine right , and your constitution , so far as appears to us , is founded on them ; but mr. b. and his party declare , that whereas divers are of opinion , that there is also the office of ruling elders — and others think otherwise : they agree that this makes no breach among them . heads of agreement , p. 13. sixthly , you hold , that the ruling officers of a particular congregation , have only power to suspend from the lord's table , and that casting out belongs to the presbytery . but mr. b. and his party hold , that each particular church hath authority from christ , for exercising government , and of enjoying all the ordinances of worship within it self . heads of agreement , p. 4. all these are material differences , and concern the being of a government , and in all of them you differ from mr. b. and his party , and only in one of them from us , that is , in the fifth , and then judge what progress it is in reformation , to separate from a national constitution , to joyn with such that do not so much as pretend to it . iv. thirdly , your purity , that should invite men to joyn with you , doth not consist in doctrine ; for in this , confessedly , you have no advantage of us ; for these very heads of agreement acknowledge it sufficient , as to soundness of judgment in matters of faith , to own the doctrinal part of those commonly called , the articles of the church of england ; which we all subscribe . you then have made no progress in this point . fourthly , as to preaching the gospel , which is a necessary mark of the purity of a church , it is manifest , you come short of us ▪ the great mysteries thereof being neither so diligently , so constantly , so regularly , or so universally taught by your ministers , as in our church , nor so good and obliging rules for doing so : so that men that would hear them taught in this manner , ought to joyn with us ; as i have already shew'd . fifthly , as to the administring the sacraments , which is another necessary mark of the purity of a church : your ministers have been notoriously defective ; they have let many dye without baptism , that had a title to it ; and have been no less negligent in administring the lord's supper , insomuch , that not one of them have done their duty this thirty years , in administring it often , as christ requires . therefore those of you that would partake frequently of this sacrament , must joyn with our church . sixthly , as to holiness of life , you have no advantage over us , being no better than your neighbours ; and if you take away such as are not of us , as a church , but as we are the governing party , and who will always joyn themselves to that which is so , i doubt whether you be so good . there needs no more to convince you of this , than to consider , that mercy , justice and truth are counted by our saviour to be the great things of the law ; and you will not find that the protestants in the north of ireland , of which you are the greatest part , are more noted for these than the protestants in other parts of the kingdom ; which sufficiently shews , that whatever you pretend , your discipline has no great effect ; of which other demonstrations might be given ; it may seem in speculation an advantage , as the auricular confession of the papists , but has hitherto produced as little effect . seventhly , as to the lives and conversations of your ministers , you have no reason to boast , till we see their interest separated from their engagements to sobriety ; and till they have undergone such a scrutiny as the clergy of down and connor did ; that is , till they be try'd by above 300 oaths , as the clergy there were , if we reckon the church-wardens and other witnesses . and as to their tempers , i do not find that they are more mortified , more humble , have a less opinion of themselves , or command their passions better than other people ; and for the proof of this , i appeal not only to those of this diocess , but to the most eminent , most celebrated , and leading men that have been of your party : consult their writings , and you will not find more meekness , humility , or charity in them , nor less passion , bitterness , and gall , than in their adversaries : witness the first and second admonition in queen elizabeth's time , mr. cartwright's writings , mr. rutherford , mr. baxter , mr. alsop , and if you please , mr. boyse's . now , we are told by st. james , chap. 1. 26. if any man among you seem to be religious , and bridle not his tongue , but deceiveth his own heart , that man's religion is vain ; much more if he bridle not his pen. there will be peevish , passionate , and railing writers of all parties ; but men that are truly holy will hardly be provoked to any degree of these vices , and ought never to be trusted as guides , if they are . iv. lastly , as to your worship , you have no perfect rule for it ; for mr. b. has given up your directory as imperfect in several particulars of great moment , and left it to your own discretion to mend it , vind. p. 35. i think i have proved it to be not only imperfect , but in one particular , that it confessedly teaches contrary to scripture , and believe i have shewed , and can shew , that it does the same in several others . this seems to me to be the state of the case between you and us ; and i have as good reason to suppose it thus , as mr. b. has to suppose that the worship and discipline of christ is more fully restored to its primitive purity and simplicity amongst you than us : for which , i think , there is no pretence . v. mr. b. alledges , ( vind. p. 32. ) that the abuses contained in his thirteen demands , rem . p. 170 , are the chief obstacles to a happy union among us , which has been so long the earnest desire of all good men . but this doth no ways appear to be true , since no men labour'd more earnestly to remove some of them than papists , and those of no religion , who are willing to destroy our national constitution , as being a curb and barrier against them ; and when they can once effect that , they know well enough how to hinder the settlement of any other . as appear'd fully by the long parliament , that took down our government , but never establish'd another ; and as to their being the chief obstacle to our union , consider whether we were nearer an union when they were removed ; on the contrary , sects and divisions grew more in four years , than in fourscore before ; witness mr. edwards gangrena , p. 125 , 143. and throughout : and this amongst persons counted religious ; and therefore mr. b. before we take his word , must give us good assurance , that the removal of them will not open a door to all heresies , strange opinions , fearful divisions , looseness of life and manners , as it did then ; and as the weakening of them has done of late . some of those he calls abuses , when truly represented , rather seem to us the barriers against division , than obstacles of union . what is really amiss is not in our constitution , but in some restraints the common-law puts on us ; and it is a question whether it be safer to remove them . the lawyers and the parliament say no , when we have labour'd for it . and none more fierce to press their continuance than those of your party . however , these are no more to be imputed to us , than the great grievance of impropriations ; or your ministers not having the tythes and churches , is to be imputed to them . but , to deal ingenuously , all this is not to the matter ; the great task incumbent on mr. b. is , to shew a precedent in scripture of two parties , such as he describes , where , on pretence of purer discipline , one of them gathered a congregation of christians in the same place , distinct and separate from others , who worshipped god in true faith and holiness . this i did put to him in my admonition , p. 48 , and he has given it no answer , tho' the most material thing in it , and decisive of the question ; and without which you will never justifie your selves by scripture , for absenting your selves from our assemblies for worship , much less your sending out emissaries to draw off others . there was the same reason for forming such parties in the apostle's time as now ; some indeed did it upon mighty pretences to the spirit , and to purity , speaking great swelling words of vanity , and having mens persons in admiration . but st. jude tells us , that those who separated themselves were sensual , having not the spirit . and mr. edwards observes the same of many of your great professors , that first formed the separation . there is nothing more easie or more deceitful than great pretences to purity , and men truly humble and good seldom insist on them , as being deeply sensible of their own imperfections , and ready to believe better of others than themselves : 't were much more to the purpose for us to joyn in the common worship of god , and in joynt and continual prayers together , that god would give us mortified , humble , and pure hearts , than to pretend purity of parties , and to stand by our selves , and with those in isa. chap. 65. 5. cry , come not near me , for i am holier than thou . divisions are a work of the flesh , 1 cor. 3. 3. and the great insuperable obstacle to discipline . i pray god to make you sensible of this , and to send down a spirit of unity , peace , and purity upon us . sect. ii. mr. b's partiality . i. in the second place , let me put you in mind , that mr b. doth not observe that golden rule of doing as he wou'd be done unto ; for he takes the liberty to put the most favourable construction he pleases on his own words , and expects we should admit them : but on ours , he puts the worst he can , and is dissatisfied that we will not own them . of which i will only give you a few instances . ii. first , he affirms , rem . p. 136. that the generality of you , as he is assured , do communicate four or five times a year . this he interpreteth ( vind. p. 17. ) only of the most devout and serious ; which is very different from the generality ; since if one do it , the words may be true in the sense he gives of them ; but i have allowed ( as you see before ) one in four , of your communicants to be thus devout and serious . iii. secondly , he affirmed , 〈◊〉 136. that all of you have the opportunity of communicating 10 , 12 , or 15 times a year , if you will take the advantage of receiving it , as often as it is administred within a few miles of your respective habitations : this he interprets , vind. p. 19. to be estimated from those parts , where the main body of dissenters are to be found — and p. 19. that he is not obliged to prove it concerning every particular one in the remotest parts of the province of ulster . as if the diocess of ardmagh , clogher , rapho , derry , drummore , with a considerable part of the diocess of down and connor , were more in the remote parts of ulster than antrim , carrickfergus , glenarm , and the other places he mentions : but i fully shewed in my admonition that there is no congregation in the diocess of derry , nor , i believe , in any of the other places named , in which the people may communicate ten times a year without riding 40 miles : which is very unreasonable to expect , let them take what advantage they will. nor had i any intention to consine you to one diocess , as mr. b. wou'd insinuate , vind. p. 18. i mean honestly and plainly in what i say , and never designed to help out a cause by equivocations . and as to those places mr. b. has mentioned , they are all in a nook or corner ; as may be seen by the mapp ; and yet by his own confession it requires 24 miles riding to attend them , and sometimes 30 ; which are not a few miles for the generality of country people ; being an unreasonable charge , and impracticable by many , especially by women and servants , who have as good a title to the lord's supper , and are often as serious and devout as the masters of families . this contrivance therefore of sending people from their parish churches , no ways answers , either in point of conveniency or order , to the frequent administration of that sacrament in every parish , nor is equivalent to it , as he suggests p. 32. iv. thirdly , whereas he asserts ( rem . p. 13. ) that it is universally usual in every meeting where an ordained minister is settled , to have the lords supper administred — twice in the larger towns , every year . he now tell us vind. p. 17 , that the twice a year in the larger towns was intended , and is true of belfast , carrickfergus and antrim : as if lisburn , colerain and londonderry were not larger towns then antrim ; and as if strabane , newry , ballymenagh , ballymony , ardmagh , dungannon , downpatrick , and many others were not in an equal rank with it . and yet he has not produced any voucher , that this practice has been constant in these very three towns , or how long . these , and many such , are the favourable interpretations he allows himself . v. but then , as to us he is resolved to put what sence on our words he pleases , and oblige us to stand by it . thus he will needs know my design in publishing my book better than my self , and oblige me to design it for the generality of dissenters in england , as well as in ireland ( vind. p. 6. ) tho' the whole scope of it , the addresses in it , my management of the impression , and the very title i sent with it to the press [ for the use of this diocess ] ( tho' lost there , as the printer must acknowledge , and another substituted in place of it , without my knowledge ) sufficiently declare the contrary . vi. secondly , he will pretend to know the design of our church's using the cross in baptism , better than all her sons from the learned hooker to this day ; as you may see , vind. p. 44. vii . thirdly , our church in her catechism in answer to that question , what is required of persons to be baptised ? determines , that repentance and faith are required . mr. b. ( after mr. baxter ) puts a very absurd sense on these words , and then disputes against them ; alledging that by repentance and faith is meant present faith and repentance , vind p. 35. directly against the catechism , which requires only present faith and repentance in those that are capable of them . but of children who have a right to baptism , and are not capable at present of actual faith , &c. she accepts a rational presumption , that they will believe , when capable , and an engagement made by the parents and congregation , under whose power they are , solemnly declared by their proxies and vouchers , the godfathers and godmothers ; it shews a mighty prejudice against the established church , and a delight to find fault in those that insist on such forced and disowned construction of our words ; if we should deal thus with the holy scripture , it wou'd expose even them . viii . fourthly , whereas i quote your directory ▪ for a certain position , chap. 2. sect. 3. n. 2. meaning thereby , that book which commonly goes under that name among you , and whose words one of your own ministers , mr. craghead , quotes as the express words of the directory , p. 45. mr. b. will oblige me to mean the directory made by the assembly of divines , for publick worship : whereas i meant not that part of the book , but the directions , which are your directory for private worship , as the other for the publick ; and which being bound together with the other , and with the directory for ordination of ministers , and other pieces , do all commonly pass under the name of the directory , and are so quoted by one of your own ministers , as i have already shewed : yet this he imputes to me as a very unpardonable mistake , and repeats it again in his vind. p. 23. i suppose every body sees this is nothing to the matter , whether that position i quoted was in the directory for publick worship , or in the directions for private ; since both are owned and received by you to whom i wrote : therefore for mr. b. to insist on it a second time , plainly shews that his business is with the person , not the cause ; and that he writes for a party , not the truth ; otherwise he would not offer a matter the second time that is nothing to the purpose , and for which there was no ground , besides his being unacquainted with the terms used among you . ix . fifthly , whereas i laid it down as a thing that wou'd be granted me by you , that all ways of worship are displeasing to god , that are not expresly contained in scripture , or warranted by examples of holy men mentioned therein : mr. b. misrepresents my sense ( vind. p. 30. ) as if i had intended by this rule to exclude such things as may be deduced by clear consequence or parity of reason from them . now i desire you to compare this rule with your catechism , and you will find it expressed there in these words , the second commandment forbiddeth the worshiping of god by images , or any other way not appointed in his word . and in your confession of faith ( chap. 21. n. 1. ) thus : the acceptable way of worshiping the true god is instituted by himself , and so limited to his own revealed will , that he may not be worshiped according to the imaginations and devises of men , or the suggestions of satan , under any visible representations , or any other way not prescribed in the holy scripture . this rule is stricter , and needs greater limitations than the words of my book . for , first , here is no allowance for things warranted by scripture , tho' not prescribed , as many things are . secondly , there is no authority given to the examples of holy men in scripture , which are sufficient to warrant a religious practice in gods worship , tho' they do not amount to an appointment or prescription , and are not alwayes obligatory . in short , your catechism and confession of faith , if we take them according to the letter , make all wayes of worship unacceptable and unlawful that are not prescribed and appointed in scripture . whereas my rule allows examples and precedents of holy men to be a sufficient warrant . i supposed ( and i think with reason ) that you understood this rule in your own catechism and confession of faith , with due limitations ; and therefore had no reason to suspect , but you would understand it with the same limitations in my book , it being a manifest partiality to except against it when used by me , and yet allow of it ( tho' expressed with less caution ) in your catechism and confession of faith , which yet ought to be more exact in wording a rule , than is necessary in a private man's writings . of this partiality mr. b. is guilty , and plainly discovers by it , that he has one rule for interpreting the words of his own party , and another for interpreting those of his adversary . but secondly , i desire you to observe , that in my whole book i never used this rule , otherwise than with those limitations that i have now expressed ; nor has mr. b. produced one instance wherein i did otherwise : as for example , i tax you with bringing in the inventions of men into the service of god , in your use of the psalms ; not for singing the meetre psalms , for that i allow lawful ; but for introducing them without necessity , to the exclusion of the prose psalms , for singing of which we have scripture-warrant and example . i taxed you likewise with introducing a human invention into the worship of god , in your expounding scripture ; not that expositions of scripture are unlawful , but to make them necessary every time the scripture is read , is literally such an invention ; and so is likewise your excluding the regular and orderly reading the word of god , as he has appointed for the edification of his church , to make room for your lectures ; of both which , you have been guilty these fifty years last past . i past the same censure on your extemporary prayers ; not that i condemned them in all cases , but because on the account of them , you had turned the lord's prayer , prescribed in god's word , and the use of forms in the ordinary prayers of the assembly ( which is the scripture way of praying on such occasions ) out of your meetings : whereas it is manifestly a teaching for doctrine the commandments of men , to teach , as you do , that praying extemporary is more acceptable to god , or more edifying , than praying by a form ; there not being the least colour in scripture for such a doctrine . i might shew the like in every place of my book , where i used this rule , either in proving the orders of our church , or in disproving yours ; so that mr. b. had no reason to find fault with it . but thirdly , the rule needs not these limitations , it being agreed by all sober interpreters , that whatever can be deduced from scriptures by clear consequence or parity of reason , is sufficiently warranted by them , though not expresly contained in them ; so there was no necessity to explain the rule , though i was willing to avoid the exceptions even of the captious ; and there fore put in the explication you find in my second edition . fourthly ; mr. b. excepts against my using the phrase of ways of worship , and alledges i used it frequently to signifie circumstanti●● modes of it , vind. p. 30. but i answer ▪ that i used the phrase with which you were acquainted , whereas i believe few of you ever heard of circumstantial modes of worship before ; and i used it in the sense you generally do , when you ask for scripture to warrant our using the psalms by way of answering , our using forms of prayer , our singing with instrumental musick , our joyning our voices in some prayers , our receiving the sacrament in a worshiping posture , and the other particulars against which you except in our publick service ▪ and i shewed these ways are not only warranted , but prescribed for the most part in scripture : whereas those ways you have introduced in the place of them , have neither command or precedent in scripture . if these that i have named in our service and yours , be circumstantial modes , they are the chief and greatest exceptions that i ever found any of you make against joyning with us ; and they are the great matter of reformation set forth in your directory , tho' mr. b. seems to make light of them . from the whole , i think it appears , that mr. b. has both perverted and misapplyed my rule ; and yet on this perverted sense of my words , are founded most of his arguments against our publick worship . x. lastly , this method of sixing principles upon me , and then writing a book to confute them , is not new with mr. b. he did it once before at a very unseasonable time , and still persists in taxing me with his own consequences , as if i indeed owned them . thus , vind. p. 25. he charges me with passing a vertual sentence of damnation publickly upon you , by denying you to be a part of the catholick church ; and this he puts in italian letters , as if they were my words ; but there are no such words in any book i have yet written , nor any just ground to fix such a sentence on me ; the whole mystery of this , so far as i know it , is thus . mr. man●y , formerly dean of derry , on his turning papist , published his motives which prevailed with him to do so : to these i wrote an answer , in the year 1687 , by which , i thank god , the protestant cause lost nothing , and it was so well approved , that it was twice reprinted in england : but mr. b. cou'd not digest it , and therefore wrote reflections on it ; and the greatest exception he has against it , is , that i say in it , that i meant by the catholick church , the whole body of men professing the religion of christ , and living under their lawful governours . from which words , mr. b. draws many strange and absurd consequences , alledging that they un-church all dissenters , all foreign churches , and render the relation of all true christians to our blessed lord ( as his members ) as questionable as the title of the pastor under whom they live ; with many other absurd inferences contrary to the literal assertions of my book ; which therefore he would perswade us contradicts it self : but the world knew me too well , to need being troubled with a justification ; and tho' i had prepared one , my friends assured me it was unnecessary to publish it , and i still am of the same opinion . xi . for i must let you know , that i said no more in those words than the generality of protestants said before me . some in the same words , and the rest in effect and meaning , even those of your party not excepted : for i take it for a general principle of protestants , that the preaching of the word of god , and due administration of the sacraments are the true marks of the catholick church ; and that a lawful ministry is necessary to these , insomuch , that your own confession of faith tells us , that neither sacrament may be dispensed by any , but by a minister lawfully ordained , chap. 27. & chap. 28. that the outward element in baptism , is water , wherewith the party is to be baptized , in t●e name , &c. by a minister of the gospel lawfully called thereunto : and the confession of the church of scotland has declared , chap. 23. that sacraments be rightly ministrate we judge two things requisite , the one , that they be ministrate by lawful ministers . — the other , that they be ministrate in such elements , and in such sort as god hath appointed , or else we affirm that they cease to be the right sacraments of christ. you see then from the declaration of your own party , that a lawful ministry is required to the due administration of the sacraments , and without such administration there can be no true church ; and a man that is not duly baptized , is not yet a visible member of the catholick church , though he may belong to it . from these it were easie ( if one would imitate mr. b's way of reasoning ) to draw the same consequences as he doth from my words , indeed worse ; and to argue that these positions make every man's baptism as uncertain , as the ordination of the minister that baptized him ; and that every church is as uncertain of her being a true church , as of the lawful calling of her ministers : and all those questions mr. b. starts concerning the lawful calling of ministers and governors , will come in here as properly as he brings them against me ; but whoever should draw such consequences from these principles , which are common to most reformed churches , would be as unjust to them as mr. b. is to me . for in this , the sincere will and endeavour is accepted , both by god and man , for the deed ; and therefore neither the assembly of divines , nor the church of scotland intended to make void the baptism of those , who out of the sincerity and simplicity of their hearts received it from such as they supposed lawfully called ministers , but were not ; neither did i ever intend to exclude from the catholick church , such as either out of weakness of judgment , submitted themselves to pastors whom they believed lawful ; or out of necessity ( when they could not get others to officiate to them ) submitted to such as they found settled . and this i shewed to be my sense from st. augustint's words , quoted at large in the sixth page of my answer to mr. manby , of which mr. b. never took any notice when he made all his consequences for me , tho' there needed no more to destroy them all . xii . but i must now tell you , that this is no comfort to such , as out of interest or passion , divide the church , and heap up to themselves teachers according to their own lusts ; nor to such as knowingly , or out of wilful negligence joyn themselves to such : these i take to be the hereticks st. paul commands us to reject after the first and second admonition , and they are self-condemned ; for the church can condemn them no otherwise , but by casting them out by excommunication , and they have thus condemned themselves already by their separation ; and i see no reason any one has to be displeased at these principles , except he be conscious , that out of interest or passion he has divided the church , as i am afraid many are , or think it a small matter to make such divisions : or lastly , is indifferent whether his minister is lawfully called or no , as indeed too many are , who are not much concerned how a man came by his ordination , so he preach to their mind . but i suppose the best way to deal with a papist , will be to assert not only the lawfulness , but regularity of our ministry , and i thank god , we have done it effectually ; if mr. b. could have done as much for his party , he needed not have gratified papists ( tho' his party at that time were caress'd by them ) in endeavouring to answer a book , grounded on principles , which they could not reply to , as appeared by the event . but this has always been the method of those that separated from the church ; so tertullian tells us , de prescriptionibus . cum hoc sit negotium illis , non ethnicos convertendi , sed nostros evertendi ; hanc magis gloriam captant , si stantibus ruinam , non si jacentibus elevationem operantur , &c. the sense of which is , that those separatists made it their business to oppose and draw off the members of the church , and set up their petty sects , but did not joyn against the common enemy . xiii . i must put you in mind , that there are some men espouse a party , and resolve to make themselves the champions of it ; and when they want direct proofs against their adversaries , they draw strange and absurd consequences from their opinions : and though they know very well , that those to whom they ascribe them , detest these consequences as much as themselves , yet they set them up , as if they were really held by those to whom they impute them ; and endeavour by strains of rhetorick , and vehement interrogations , to render them odious : this may take with such as are heated with faction , and love books for ill language and violence ; but understanding men know such treatment to be only an artifice to keep up the spirit of a party , and make a shew of reason where direct proofs are wanting : and that it is really a giving up a cause to fly to these arts , and therefore they deserve no consideration . neither should i have troubled the world or my self , to tell you , that i hold none of the absurd consequences mr. b. fixes on me , or that they do not follow from any principle of mine , had not one of your ministers , that ought to have had more integrity and justice , improved this calumny on mr. b's authority so far as to affirm , that i held , and published , that such as you belong not to the catholick church — being without christ , having no hope , and without god in the world : all which he puts in the italian letters , as if they were my words , ( mr. craighead p. 147. ) whereas i never either in words or writings used such barbarous expressions , or past such an unchristian censure on any man , much less on any body of men that professed to believe in christ. but i can heartily forgive him , and wish him no more harm than that he may be sensible he has wronged me in at least an hundred particulars besides this . i do not think it necessary , at present , to take any further notice of his book : this is sufficient to shew how truly he has represented matter of fact , so far as he concurs with mr. b. and as to his reasoning part i am content any one that reads my book should read his ; and judge whether he has either truly represented my sense , or answered my arguments . i am well pleased that you have it in print , since by comparing it with mr. b's , you may plainly see that your advocates are not yet agreed on what principles to defend your cause ; there hardly being greater difference in principles between the answers and my book , than between the two answers themselves . but the greatest advantage that i expect by it , is , that it will be a means to discover to posterity how far the learning and sincerity of your teachers were agreeable to their reputation and profession ; and what sort of men have been followed by those that separate from our church . the appendix . containing an answer to mr. b's objections against the sign of the cross. sect. i. of the proper method to discover the true nature of sacraments as signs . i. mr. b. in his remarks on my discourse to you concerning the inventions of men in the worship of god , has given me many hard words , for not treating of the cross in baptism ( as i have observed in my admonition , where also i have given my reasons for not doing it , since it did not belong to the ordinary part of worship , which i only engaged to handle , p. 55. ) imputing it to want of candour and ingenuity . and tho' i had given him no occasion for it , yet he resolv'd to bring in this dispute about it ; because ( as he alledges ) it most directly concerns this charge of human inventions in the worship of god , rem . p. 463. and that here the dissenters particularly us'd to fix their charge of human inventions against us . this then seem'd to me the most direct and strongest objection you had to prove your charge against us ; and in which mr. b. put most confidence ; so that if this failed , and had no force , the rest must fall in course . and therefore i consider'd it only , and i believe in such a way as is fully satisfactory to all that impartially read what i have said , and what mr. b. has answer'd : and tho' i might well let it rest on that foot , yet there being several things in mr. b's answer that tend to mislead your judgments in greater matters than the sign of the cross , i have thought it requisite to give it a new and distinct consideration . the sign of the cross indeed i allow to be of no great weight in it self ; but if we consider that the condemning the use of it is in effect to condemn the universal church , that has used it from the apostles time , that to make such signs unlawful , when god has not made them so by any command , is to add a doctrine of our own to the gospel , a great superstition , and a breach , on our christian liberty . and lastly , that the false reasonings brought to oppose it are of such ill consequence , that if they are not detected and exposed , there is hardly any thing in a church can be safe from such cavils , but the same sort of arguments will reach to the most approved practices . if these things , i say , be consider'd , this dispute about the cross will not appear of so little moment as some may imagine ; nor will it be safe for the governours of our church to comply with the teachers of such doctrines , lest they betray the purity of the gospel , by allowing the doctrines of men , that would make that unlawful in it self which god has left indifferent . we can very well join in communion with a church that does not use the sign of the cross , as the apostles did with such as kept the jewish ceremonies , and abstained from certain meats : but when any come to impose this on our consciences , as forbidden by god , we must in such cases imitate st. paul , who refus'd to give place by subjection , no , not for an hour , gal. 2. 5. we reckon it a liberty and privilege of the church of god , and of all her members , to signifie the sense and devotion of their minds towards god in such becoming actions and words as universal custom has made significant of our thoughts and passions in such cases ; as i have already proved in my former admonition , p. 68. and shall further prove in this . and for any one to teach this to be unlawful , is to deprive us of a privilege god has vouchsafed to us , to impose on our liberty , and to teach such doctrines as st. paul condemn'd for doctrines of devils , 1 tim. 4. 12. for forbidding to marry , and to abstain from meats , are there reckon'd such doctrines , because they make that unlawful in it self that god has allow'd ; and he has no less allowed us to express the devotions of our minds by significant actions , than he has allow'd us to feed our selves by all kind of wholesome meats . and therefore they that condemn the one as unlawful , are equally superstitious with those that then condemned the other . ii. to proceed then , i desire you to remember that i undertook two things in my admonition : first , to shew that mr. b's arguments against the use of the cross were of no force : and secondly , that it was warranted by holy scripture . i shew'd you , that his great objection against it was , that we make it a new human sacrament , and that then it must be a human invention . but , in order to satisfie you that we ascribed nothing of a sacramental nature to it , i observ'd , that three things were necessary to make up a sacrament : first , an outward visible sign instituted by god , signifying some spiritual grace or benefit which we expect from him . secondly , an obligation on god by some promise of this to grant us that spiritual grace or benefit when we duly use the visible sign . thirdly , a penalty on us when we do not use it . i shew'd you , that we ascribed none of these to the cross in baptism , and consequently , that it hath nothing of a sacrament in it . for it must be consider'd , that the word sacrament is no scripture-word , but the church has taken it up to express some peculiar institutions , rites , or signs which we find appointed by god ; and the true way to know whether we ascribe any thing of a sacramental nature to any sign , is to consider the nature of those signs which we all agree to call sacraments , and to observe diligently and impartially wherein they agree amongst themselves , and differ from all other signs . i examin'd this as carefully as i could , and found that they all agreed in those three things which i have before mentioned ; and that they differ'd from all other signs peculiarly in this one thing , that they obliged god , by his promise upon the due use of these signs , to give us the grace or spiritual benefit signified by them . it is this promise annexed to these sacraments that makes them so valuable and precious to us , above all other signs , and without it they would be meer ceremonies , and might be omitted or supply'd on very ordinary terms : whereas now nothing but necessity can excuse us from the use of them , if we would enjoy the promises of god annexed to them . mr. b. in his vindication doth not deny the three things which i have named to be necessary to a sacrament , nor doth he think himself oblig'd to prove that we ascribe any of them to the cross ; but he alledges , that the account i have given of sacraments , is very lame and defective , omitting several considerable uses of them , which were the chief strength of his arguments against the cross , ( vind. p. 37. ) and ( p. 38. ) he adds , that these sacred rites that are appointed by god , both in our first publick entrance into the covenant , and our publick renewal of it at the lord's table , are design'd for several uses , and principally for the three following . 1. as representing signs for instruction concerning the privileges and duties of the covenant , and our guilt and polution , &c. 2. as obliging signs to confirm and ratifie the covenant entered into , and this both on god's part , p. 39. and from us to god , p. 40. 3. as distinguishing signs or badges of our profession , and the relations we thereby are invested in ; which afterwards he explains by baptism , being a mark and character of those that belong to that one visible body or church , of which christ is the lord and head ; and opposeth it to that one internal baptism , which he calls the certain mark of belonging to one invisible church , p. 43. the meaning of which words is not easily comprehended , since he doth not explain whether he means by a certain mark of belonging to an invisible church , an outward and visible mark , or how internal baptism can be such a mark ; whereas i think the generality of such as have written considerately of these matters , have made the external baptism a sign and a mean of the internal , and of our union not only to the visible , but likewise to the invisible church when duly received ; and only such as have in some measure imbibed the socinian doctrines have explained baptism as a mark of union to the visible church , in exclusion to the invisible . these are the uses for which he tells us sacraments are design'd . and , p. 44. adds , that the cross is set up for several sacramental uses , even the like as baptism and the lord's supper are appointed for ( except that one use of their being obliging signs on god's part to ratifie his promises . ) and from thence infers , ( p. 45. ) that the cross is hereby made as much a sacrament as men can make a sign of their own . iii. this would indeed have been a good inference , if he had prov'd , that the uses he has nam'd ( so far as they differ from the three parts of a sacrament before laid down by me ) do not belong to any other signs warranted in scripture , but only to the sacraments . but he has not in the least attempted it ; and it would be in vain , for i shall shew , beyond exception , that all the uses which he has named of sacraments ( so far as they can be applied to the cross ) are common to many other signs warranted by scripture ; and not at all peculiar to sacraments ; for the cross cannot be made a sacrament ( not a human sacrament it self , which is indeed no sacrament , but a noise of words to amuse common people with , and affright them ) but by being set up for such uses as are so peculiar to the sacraments , that they belong to them only , and not to any other scriptural signs whatsoever . that which has led mr. b. into this mistaken way of reasoning , is , that he consider'd what he conceives the two sacraments agree with another in , and in what they differ from one another ; vind. p. 38. but then quite forgot to consider wherein they differ from all other scriptural signs , which if he had done , he would have found that they do not differ from other signs in any of the uses which he has named , except that of obliging god by his promise to confer some spiritual grace . he that would know what a man is , must not only consider wherein all men agree , but likewise wherein they differ from other creatures . all men agree in life and motion , but if any one would conclude from thence , that whatever has life ( as for example , all beasts have ) is a man , would be looked on as a very ill reasoner ; and yet this is mr. b's method . he found both the sacraments agree in being designed for representing , obliging and distinguishing signs of the duties , privileges , and relations of the new covenant , whence he calls them federal rites , and spends several pages to prove them designed for these uses , and from thence would conclude , that every sign that represents , obliges , and distinguishes , must be a sacrament , from the instance of the sign of the cross ; but with as little reason as it would be concluded in the former case , that whatever had life and motion is a man. iv. before i proceed further to the consideration of these uses , i must caution you , first , that i do not pretend to understand all the designs of god in instituting sacraments ; for they are mysteries , and god has no where told us , that he has discover'd all his purposes in them . if we reflect on the passover , the great sacrament of the old testament , we shall not find that god did explicitly discover the main design of it to the jews , which was to signifie and apply the death of christ to such as celebrated it ; and , who can be sure that there is not a hidden and mystical design in baptism and the lord's supper , of which we are not aware , and of which , at least , we have not a clear and explicit notion ? this consideration ought to make us diligent in the use of them , and modestly cautious in our discourses and explanations of them . secondly , 't is easie to observe , that mr. b. has not expressed the uses of sacraments in the language of scripture , but in that of the late systems of divinity and interested writers ; and seems rather to have regard in them to some late notions and prejudices , particularly of the socinians , than to the ancient doctrine of the church , collected from the word of god. and indeed , if it were not that i hope i may contribute something to clear the notions of sacraments to vulgar capacities , and convince them of the necessity of frequenting them , which i find the socinian notions ( too much encourag'd by some ) have very much shaken , i should think what i have before said alone sufficient to answer mr. b's whole discourse concerning them , and to shew it to be of no force . but whilst men are made to look on sacraments as primarily designed to bind us to our duty to god , and not rather as pledges and conveyances of his grace to us , they are apt to be deterr'd , by having their duty set before them in so strong , and the grace to perform it in so weak a light ; whereas if men look on them principally , as tenders of grace and assistance to perform their duty better and more easily than they did before , and consider this as the proper and peculiar effect of them , as sacraments , and that which distinguishes them from all other signs ( as i have and shall prove it is ) this will encourage them to come to them cheerfully , and bind themselves readily to that duty which they here hope for grace to discharge ; in which hopes god will not deceive them . but mr. b. has so order'd the matter , that he has perverted most of those scriptures that give us this hope and assurance , to a quite different purpose ; so that in the relation i stand towards you , i am obliged to instruct you in the orthodox sence of them , and vindicate them from the socinian glosses he thus puts on them . i proceed therefore , first , to shew you , that the sacraments are primarily signs of god's grace , and not properly of our duty , tho' they imply it . this i think necessary to do , to make you understand the true nature of sacraments ; for otherwise i must let you know it is not necessary to the point in dispute about the sign of the cross ; for whether the sacraments are immediately signs of our duty or no , it is plain ( as i shall shew you in the second place ) that the scripture warrants us to use other signs of our duty besides them . and ( in the third place ) that the cross is such a sign as the scriptures warrant . sect. ii. that the sacraments are primarily signs from god to us of his grace ; and not properly of our duty , either as required by god , or profest by us , tho' they imply it . i. this is plainly the doctrine of our church in her catechism and articles : in the first she teaches , that a sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace given unto us by god , restraining the sign to this grace of god. and in her articles she declares , that sacraments be not only badges or tokens of christians profession , but rather they be certain sure witnesses and effectual signs of grace and god's good-will towards us , by which he doth work invisible in us , art. 25. and again , baptism is not only a sign of profession and mark of difference whereby christian men are discerned from others that be not christened , but it is also a sign of regeneration or new birth , whereby as by an instrument , they that receive baptism rightly are grafted into the church , &c. art. 27. and further , the supper of the lord is not only a sign of the love that christians ought to have amengst themselves one to another , but rather it is a sacrament of our redemption by christ's death ; insomuch that to such as rightly , worthily , and with faith receive the same : the bread which we break is a partaking of the body of christ , &c. art. 28. in all which places , our church makes the grace of god ( effectually communicated to us in the due use of the sacraments ) to be properly and principally signified by them . to these articles i suppose you do assent , they being approved by the heads of agreement , which mr. b. asserts to be the common principles wherein both the presbyterian and congregational divines are agreed , rem . p. 142. ii. besides this authority of our church , i think most divines that have written to purpose on this subject , distinguish between the things signified by a sacramental sign : the things pre ▪ required in us to the use of it , and the benefits , consequents , and effects of it . thus in the lord's supper the things properly and immediately signified are the body and blood of christ , which are therein communicated to us . the things pre-required in us are , to examin our selves , to have a lively sense of god's mercy in christ ; to have a thankful remembrance of his death , and be in charity with all men . these are the wedding garments to make us acceptable guests at this feast . lastly , the benefit or effect of this sacrament is , the refreshing our souls by the body and blood of christ , as our bodies are by the bread and wine . i might instance the same in the other sacrament of baptism , but an example will make it plainer for both . we will suppose then a king grants a pardon to a rebel under the great seal . now , the great seal , in this case , signifies ( as every body knows ) the king's favour and grace to the person to whom it is granted ; this is the direct proper and immediate signification of it . but it is supposed or pre-required that the person so favoured is willing to accept of the pardon granted by it , and that he is resolved to be a faithful subject for the future . the consequent of this pardon is , that he who has it shall enjoy his liberty , estate and life , as formerly . now , if any should argue from this , that the great seal is a sign of our submission and allegiance , and of the enjoyment of our liberty , property , &c. it would be in effect the same as if they should say , that a red sky at evening in harvest ( which properly signifies a fair day to follow ) is a sign of the obligations which husbandmen lye under to imploy their diligence in the season offer'd , to preserve the fruits of the earth , and of full barns and encrease of wealth ; because these are all antecedents or consequents of the fair day , which such a sky properly and immediately signifies . iii. mr. b. in opposition to this doctrin , takes some pains to prove the sacraments designed to represent our duty to us , and to signifie our obligation to perform it , and applies several places of scripture to this intent . but i desire you to observe , that the thing mr. b. ought to prove , is , that they are signs from us to god : for tho' they represent our duty to us , they may still be signs from god to us , signifying his will requiring us to perform such duties , and not from us to god , signifying our intention and resolution to perform them : for it is necessary carefully to distinguish between god's signifying his will to us by certain signs , which require or represent our duty , and our professing obedience to him in such significant actions as are proper to express it . the former , god doth in many types and signs in the old and new testament , besides the sacraments , which signifie them only by consequence and implication not directly ; and the latter we do in every act of outward devotion such as bowing , kneeling , standing , putting on sackcloth , &c. all which represent our duty , and are professions of our intentions to perform it . tho' therefore mr. b. should prove by scripture that the sacraments represent our duty as required by god , yet it were nothing against me , except he prove it to be proper and peculiar to sacraments to represent our duty as profest by us , to the exclusion of all other signs . however , tho' i need not take notice of the scriptures he produces to this purpose , they not being to the point in hand , yet because they are all perverted from their true and genuine sense i think my self obliged to vindicate them from his false glosses , and shall with them likewise consider his other arguments on this head. the first is , john 3. 5. except a man be born of the water and the holy ghost he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven . this he produces , vind. 38. to prove that washing with water is by its resemblance instructive to us concerning the priviledges and duties of the covenant we enter into . but here is nothing concerning instruction ; but the plain and litteral meaning of the place is , that baptism represents to us the will of god to give us a new birth by water and the holy ghost . the water doth not only instruct us in the necessity of the regenerating and purifying vertue of the holy spirit , as he seems to suggest , but when duly used , it carries that vertue along with it . the second place produced by him , to prove the water in baptism to be an instructing sign concerning our duty and priviledges , is , tit. 3. 5. he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy ghost . this fully proves that it is god's institution , that we shou'd be saved by water and the holy ghost in baptism : if mr. b. thinks that we are only instructed in that priviledge by the water in baptism , as he seems to do , he contradicts the very letter of the holy scripture , which says we are saved by it , and he seems to be influenced in this point with socinian notions . the third place is acts 22. 16. arise , be baptised , and wash away thy sins . this he produces to prove that baptism is designed to instruct us concerning our guilt as well as pollution , and the necessity of our being cleansed from it by the laver of our mediators blood. but sure the place proves quite another thing ; not only that we are instructed by baptism concerning the necessity of being cleansed , but that we are actually cleansed and washed in our mediator's blood by it , and have our sins then , and not before , forgiven us : so the scriptures frequently teach us , and so the church has ever understood it : it is not for any merit of our faith or repentance that our sins are forgiven us , and therefore god may as justly , and has as positively made baptism a condition of our pardon when it may be had , as either of them . christ may apply the vertue of his blood to us on what terms he pleases , and since he has made baptism a condition , the meaness of the thing ought to be no exception , any more than the washing in jordan was a just exception to naaman the syrian . we are therefore as much regenerated by baptism , cleansed , saved and pardoned by it , as naaman was cured of his leprosy by washing in jordan : and can no more be partakers of these benefits without it , when we may have it , then he cou'd without the other . it is therefore of very ill consequence to interpret these places of bare instruction , and i hope mr. b. will not say he meant so to interpret them as to exclude the real force and efficacy . the fourth place is , john 6. 53. 54. who so eats my flesh , and drinks my blood hath eternal life — for my flesh is meat indeed ▪ and my blood is drink indeed . this he produces to prove , that in the lords supper there is not only a commemorative representation of the death of christ , but also an instructive representation of our spiritual communion with him in his body and blood. and of those duties — by which we are said 〈◊〉 eat his flesh and drink his blood , vind. p. 39. but there is no colour for such a gloss . the place speaks of feeding by faith on the flesh and blood of christ ▪ either in or out of the sacrament . 't is certain and confessed by the church of god , that there is a peculiar feeding on the body and blood of christ by worthy receivers in the sacrament of the lord's-supper ; and that there is not only a commemorative and instructive representation of them as mr. b. alledges , but a real and true communion of them ; your confession of faith uses the words really and indeed , chap. 29. and therefore i● is great perverting of those words of st john to interpret them of such commemorative and instructive representation only , and a ready way to bring in the socinian notions of sacraments . the fifth place , vind. p. 39. is , rom. 6. 3 , 4 , 5. so many of us as were baptised into christ , were baptised into his death , therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death : that like as christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father , even so we also shou'd wàlk in newness of life . he alledges ( vind. p. 39. ) that dying unto sin , and walking in newness of life is not signifyed as the benefit conferred by god ( as i suppose ) but rather as the duty required from us . and to the same purpose he quotes coloss 2. 12. buried with him in baptism , wherein also you are risen with him — and you being dead in your sins , and the uncircomcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him , having forgiven you all trespasses . it is manifest from the plain words of these places , that the apostle here shews what god has done for us , and from thence infers what we owe to him : he has mortified sin in us by baptism , he has buried us with christ , he has forgiven us all trespasses , he has quickened us together with him as he raised christ , and given us a new life by his holy spirit ; let any one judge whether these are benefits we receive from god , as i affirm , or rather duties required from us , as mr. b. alledges . every one of these ( as the church of god has ever taught , and as the generality of christians , except pelagians of old , and socinians of late , have professed to believe ) are acts of god's efficacion spirit upon us , and not duties required of us , tho' they infer duties to be perform'd by us . we cannot quicken our selves , or kill sin in us till the spirit of god deliver us from the body of death ▪ and quicken us by a new principle , and then , when he has given us a new life it is ( as the apostle infers ) our duty to walk in the newness of that life this is plainly the apostles reasoning ▪ rom. 6. for after he hath shewed wh●● god has done for us , in giving us h●● grace to mortify our lusts , and to enliven us with christ , he concludes , v. 12 let not therefore sin reign in your morta● body , that you should obey it in the lu●● thereof . the sixth place he produces is , 1 cor 6. 11. but ye are washed , but ye are sanctified , but ye are justified , in the name of the lord jesus . he alledges , th●● that these expressions refer to baptism which is true : but , that it is our duty to wash , to sanctify , to justify our selves rather than receive them as benefits from god , is not to be allowed . these are acts of god's spirit upon us ; in baptism we expect and receive them from him , and when we have received them , it is then our duty to imploy the grace he has bestowed on us , lest we receive it in vain ; and this obligation to improve the talent god has given us in baptism , is a clear consequence from his having so freely given it to us . the seventh place mr. b. urges to prove , that baptism is a sign from us to god , of our obligations to the duties of his covenant , is , 1. pet. 3. 25. baptism doth also now save us ( not the putting away of the filth of the flesh , but the answer of a good conscience towards god. ) i think this is so far from proving what mr. b. produces it for , that it proves the direct contrary . our saviour tells us , that he who believes and is baptised shall be saved ; that is , faith and baptism are the means or conditions of our salvation ; baptism is god's act by his ministers , and faith is ours ( that is , the act of it , tho the gift and grace be his ) but except we perform our part , baptism will do us no service ; nor ought the ministers , who are the dispensers of god's favours , to admit us to it , till we satisfy them some other way of our sincerity , than meerly by our demanding baptism ▪ therefore the apostles requir'd a solemn profession of faith , repentance and obedience from such as were to be baptised , and obliged them to answer such questions as the church has ever put to those that came to baptism , till your directory threw them out . now , this clearly proves , that baptism doth not directly and immediatly signify our duty or obligation to god , since another rite was added to signify , that even a solemn profession of our faith and resolution , that we would forsake the devil and his works , believe in god , and keep his commandments , expressed by solemn answers to several questions . these answers bind and oblige us to our duty to god , before we can be baptised ; and then comes baptism , which is god's act , by which he pardons our sins and adopts us as sons ; or as our church expresses it , grants us a death unto sin , and a new birth unto righteousness . and the not observing this , seems to me the reason of that great omission in your directory , of which i took notice , admonition , p. 56. that no express covenant is ordered to be made in the name of the child baptized , either by the parent or any else . for the authors of the directory having determined , that sacraments are instituted solemnly to engage church-members into the service of god in christ ( confession of faith , chap. 27. ) it will follow on mr. b's principles ( which seem in this point to be the same with theirs ) that it is unlawful to demand another engagement of those that are to be baptized , or , that they shou'd by another rite , that is , by solemnly answering certain questions , dedicate themselves to the service of christ ; because as he argues ( vind. p. 52. ) it is a needless doing that over again by a rite of our own devising , which is sufficiently done by a rite of christ's institution . and therefore the directory only orders the minister , before baptism , to use some words of instruction touching the institution , nature and ends of this sacrament ; but doth not require any profession or engagement from those that are to be baptised , or in their name , or any answer signifying their consent , vow or resolution to believe and serve christ , quite contrary to st. peter , who tells us in effect , that baptism will not save us without this answer of a good conscience . i think this one place is sufficient to shew us , that we are obliged by other means than meer accepting the sign of baptism , and that the thing that directly binds our duty on us , is , our solemn profession of our faith and duty , which we must signify by such signs and means as are proper to signify our sincerity in other cases ; and , that baptism doth not signify those , but supposeth them ; the whole design of that being to entitle us to god's grace and favours , upon supposition that we are qualified for them . mr. b. indeed objects , that baptism is the solemnizing a mutual covenant between the blessed god on the one part , and us on the other ; and therefore it is first a sign from us to god , of our consent to the proper terms of his covenant , before it can be a sign from him to us of our interest in those benefits . if this were so , then there needed no other sign of our consent besides the use of baptism ▪ 〈◊〉 st. peter shews us the contrary , that we are to signify our consent by other means , even by a solemn profession , and taking on us expresly those obligations that are the proposed conditions of the covenant ; and when we have bound our selves by this rite and solemn profession , and declared our consent to those terms , then , and not before , we are admitted to baptism for the remission of sins . 8thly . he further argues from st. mark 1. 4. where baptism is called the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins : that it is , first , a sign of our repentance towards god , before it can be a sign from him of the remission of sins , p. 41. but the meaning is plainly , that john preached remission of sins by baptism on condition men repented : and the question is here , whether baptism signified that the men repented , or that god wou'd forgive the penitent when baptized ; if the last be the meaning , then it is a sign altogether from god to us ; but if the first , then it is indeed a sign from men to god. but that it cannot be so , is clear , because repentance was first to be signified by other signs , such as confession of sins , promise of amendment , &c. before the persons were to be baptised , and therefore baptism did not signify , but suppose repentance . i do own there is a covenant made between us and god in baptism : we promise faith and obedience , and signify them by a solemn profession , and other signs : god gives us his spirit for remission of sins , and a new birth ; and this is signified by baptism , which is the sign and means that conveys them . 9thly . he produces , gal. 5. 3. every man that is circumcised is a debtor to the whole law , vind. p. 42. i answer , that every man that accepts the king's pardon and protection under the great seal , is obliged to be a good subject , and keep the laws ; yet it doth not follow , as i have already shewed , that the king 's great seal is a sign from us to the king , but solely from him to us . 10thly . he argues ( vind p. 41. ) that baptism was called a sacrament because it was reckoned ( like the military oath of the roman soldiers ) as a solemn listing of the person baptized into the service and warfare of christ. to this i answer , first , that the same persons that call baptism and the lords-supper sacraments on this account , do likewise call several other rites sacraments ; and therefore , in their opinion , to bind and oblige our selves to our duty was not peculiar to those signs , which we now only call sacraments . secondly , i own there is such an oath made at baptism , which binds and obliges us to be faithful ; and thereupon we are admitted by baptism into the number and priviledges of christ's soldiers : but baptism signifies god's act admitting us , not ours , any other way than by consequence and supposition : and therefore we may make many such vows beside what we make at baptism , and signify them by such signs as are proper , without any offence ; if we should do it by writing and sealing it were no harm ; which ▪ wou'd both be binding and obliging signs on our parts , yet no sacraments , or sinfull human inventions , any more than the cross. 11thly , he argues , p. 42. that sacrifices were covenanting rites , and quotes , psal. 50. 5. gather my saints together , those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice . to which i answer , there were two things in sacrifices : first , the offering of them to god as a sign of our homage and duty , which we owe him , as we pay tribute to the king ; and this was the offerers act , and fully signified his duty . and then there was god's admitting the offerer to feed on them after they were made his ; and this was god's act and a sign of his favour and reconciliation to the person . therefore sacrifices were signs of our duty to god , as well as of his favour to us ; but the case is otherwise in baptism and the lord's-supper ; the offering that reconciles us to god , was made by christ , not by us ; and we are reconcil'd by vertue of that : and the sacraments do only apply to us the washing or propitiation of christ's blood , and feed us as reconcil'd guests on his body ; and therefore are wholly signs from god to us , and other signs are necessary on our part to signify our duty . and therefore the primitive christians brought meat and drink for a common feast at the lord's supper , to signify the sincerity of their love , and testify it to the world ; and we do yet offer part of our substance , for the relief of god's servants at this sacrament : both which are signs as well as instances of our duty ; and plainly shew , that our duty is not so signified in the sacraments , but other signs are necessary on our part . and if a man who came to demand baptism , shou'd , as a sign and token of his resolution to renounce the devil , the world and flesh , give a large portion of his substance to some charitable use , it were very lawful for him to use this sign , and no affront to baptism , as if it were not sufficient to signify our duty and obligation to god : and such an act would be a very acceptable sacrifice to him . 12thly , he urges , acts 2. 38. then peter said unto them , repent , and be baptised every one of you in the name of christ , for the remission of sins , and ye shall receive the holy ghost , for the promise is unto you and to your children . whence he infers , that they were by baptism first to profess their repentance towards god , and faith in our lord jesus , and then receive the promised benefit , remission of sins , vind. p. 41. but here is not one word of professing repentance by baptism , nor can any such thing be inferred from the words ; but on the contrary , they prove that the sins of the penitents are remitted by baptism , and they intitled to the promise of the holy ghost ; the granting both which are acts of god's favour bestowed on us in baptism . if baptism were designed to profess or signify our repentance directly , there needed no other profession or signs of repentance , according to mr. b. because the sign appointed by god wou'd be sufficient ; but no minister ought to baptize any , till by a solemn profession before , and other signs and tokens , they satisfy him in some measure of the sincerity of their faith and repentance , as i have already shewed . 13thly , he alledges our saviours command to baptize , mat. 28. v. 19. go ye therefore and teach all nations , baptising them , &c. this command he says ( vind. p. 41. ) plainly implies that one great use of baptism , was to be a solemn bond upon them , to the duty of that christan profession they had imbraced , and the baptising them , in the name of the father , &c. has been always supposed to imply a solemn dedication of them by this sacred rite to the faith , worship and service of the blessed trinity . but i answer , that the plain meaning of these words is , that christ gives his apostles power to admit disciples by baptism , into the priviledge of being taught by the father , son and holy ghost , as their master and law-giver . the question is , whether baptism signifies god's admitting us to this priviledge , or our chusing him for our lord and master : that is , whether it signifies god's act or ours . i think it easy to determine this question , since it is manifest , that faith and repentance , which include our submitting our selves to god , are qualifications required to baptism , and the person that demands it must satisfy the ministers of the sacraments , that he is sincere in his submission by such signs and profession of repentance , and of faith , as are proper to signify them , before they ought to admit him . i own baptism is a bond , and dedicates us to god's service ; but it is a bond laid on us by god , who requires faith and repentance of those that are baptised , and sets them apart and consecrates them to his peculiar service , and to the priviledges that attend and are promised to such . 14thly , he produces , 1. tim. 2. 19. nevertheless the foundation ( or covenant ) of god stands sure , having this seal , ( on god's part ) the lord knows them that are his , and ( this seal on our part , as he alledges ) let him that names the name of christ depart from iniquity . from whence he infers , as the covenant is mutual , so the external rite is intended to ratify our restipulation as well as gods promise . but i answer , this place proves , that the covenant of god requires , on our part , a duty , to depart from iniquity , as well as it includes a promise that god knows who are his ( that is , will own , protect and reward them ) but that the sacraments are our seals to this covenant , cannot be inferred from thence : the covenant it self is a meer favour and grace vouchsafed us by god , and we must take it in nature of a grant from him , on what conditions and under what seal he pleases ; and accordingly he has put the sacraments ( the seals thereof ) into the hands of his ministers , who are his officers ( or as we may call them , his chancellors ) to dispence his pardon and favours to those that are qualified for them . our business is therefore , to qualify our selves , and then apply to his officers , that are duly appointed by him for the seals of our pardon ; and we are to satisfy them by proper signs of our sincerity , before they ought to seal this pardon to us . the sacraments therefore are god's seals , not ours , dispensed by his lawful appointed officers , not by our deputies or ministers , which do indeed imply and suppose a duty from us , but are not immediately appointed to signify that duty , or that we resolve or ingage to perform it , but that god will accept of us if we do , and to do which accordingly , they lay the strictest obligations on us , by way of consequence . lastly , he urges my own words against me . that i allow in my discourse , p. 4. that in the sacraments we not only express our dependance on god for his grace , but likewise oblige and bind our selves to serve him . now ( saith he ) how this can be true without making the sacramental rite a sign from us to god , of that obligation to his service , i cannot comprehend . in answer to this , when i say , that we express our dependance on god for his grace in the sacraments , and oblige our selves to serve him , i mean that our coming to the sacraments is an effect of our faith and dependance on god , and a declaration to the world that we resolve to serve him , as he has required those to do who expect he shou'd fulfil the promises that he has made to worthy receivers : but that therefore the sacraments are properly or purposely or principally instituted to signify these acts of ours , doth no ways follow ; or that it is proper to sacraments as such to do so : and there needs no more to convince any reasonable man of this , but to remember that we do express this dependance on god , and obligation to serve him by every act of worship , as well as by the sacraments ; and therefore this use can be no ways peculiar to them : and for any to confound the things pre-required on our part to our use of the sacraments , or the effects and benefits of them , with what is directly and properly signified by the signs , is very unreasonable , and a sign that the person , who doth so , either doth not understand their nature , or has a mind to keep up a dispute . mr. b. may alledge this is new , but it is plainly the doctrine of our church , as i have shewed , and is founded on reason and scripture . suppose from the instance i have before given , any shou'd argue that the great seal is a sign from us of submitting to the king , and of obedience to him ; and that therefore to shew our obedience or gratitude to the king by any other sign , were treason and a taking on us to counterfeit the kings seal ; wou'd not such a man be looked on as a very unreasonable disputant ? and yet this i take to be exactly the case between mr. b. and me : we both agree ( i suppose ) that sacraments are signs of some inward and spiritual grace , which only god can give us ; and that he has promised these to us in the due use of the sacraments . but then it is pre-supposed and required , that we use them duly , and be qualified as god requireth ; from whence mr. b. infers , that the sacraments signify those qualifications and dispositions in us that they pre-suppose and require : and therefore to signify them by any other signs , is to make a new human sacrament , which is in effect to counterfeit the broad seal of heaven . but i say , that to do this is no more to make a human sacrament , than to signify by such other signs as are usual and proper to express such dispositions of mind in other cases , my acceptance of the kings pardon , and my resolution to acknowledge his mercy to me in granting it , is to make a new pardon for my self , or to counterfeit the king's seal . from whence you may see how we express our dependance on god for his grace , and oblige our selves to serve him in the sacraments , without making the sacramental rite properly or primarily a sign from us to god , much less principally or peculiarly ; which is the only thing wou'd do mr. b's cause any service in this case . for if other signs signify these , as well as the sacraments , it is plain they do not belong to the sacraments , as such ; and i have already shewed , that the sacraments were not designed properly or principally for this end ; nor are they sufficient for it , since god has thought fit to appoint other signs for this purpose , and warranted us to use such words and actions beside them as by general custom are proper . and i can see no more harm in using other signs , besides the sacramental , to express our duty and acknowledgments to god when we celebrate them , than in using other words than christ appointed in the institution . the argument is full as strong against the use of the one as of the other ; for if the sacramental signs be sufficient to this purpose , the words are likewise sufficient . and then to add new words of our own to the same purpose for which god appointed the words of institution , is as much to accuse his institution of imperfection , as to add new signs . yet i suppose it is no harm to add such words as may make receivers understand the nature and uses of these mysteries ; or express their faith and sense of god's favour , and the gratitude they have for it . and then , i suppose , there is as little harm in expressing the same by such signs as common custom has made significant thereof as by words ; both being warranted by god in scripture . and whereas mr. b. alledges ( vind. p. 46. ) that it belongs to god alone to appoint the religious rites , whereby we bind our selves to his service as to the supreme magistrate to appoint the ceremonies used in our taking the oath of allegiance : i answer , that it belongs much more to the supreme magistrate to prescribe the words of the oath , than the ceremonies : and it is much more penal to add or take away from the words of the oath , or to change them , than to add to the ceremonies prescribed in taking it ; for that is often no fault at all , and therefore to add to the words of institution any of our own , will be more penal than to add to the ceremonies . this whole objection therefore about a human sacrament , is a meer amusement of words : for if a human sacrament signify any thing that is criminal , it must signify our pretending a divine institution for a rite of our own contriveing , and assigning a divine effect to it : this is indeed to counterfeit god's seal , and a great sin. but to signify our duty to god by a rite that properly expresses it , is no more to be called a human sacrament than writing a profession of loyalty to the king , or entering into a recognizance for our good behaviour , and sealing it with our own seal , is a counterfeiting of his. and whereas mr. b. alledges , vind. p. 43. that to make a sign a seal on our part , is to make it a part of religious worship and a sinful human invention . i answer , that we ought to distinguish between the proper acts or parts of divine worship , and the manner or means of expressing those acts : only god can appoint a proper act or part of worship , but the manner or means of expressing it , is often left to us , and is to be determined by our present circumstances . thus appearing in god's presence with reverence , humility and submission is an act of worship directly required by the holy scriptures , but to express this humility and submission by uncovering our heads , is not particularly there required : but inasmuch as universal custom amongst us ( for it is otherwise in other places of the world ) has made this an expression of this disposition of our minds , when we appear before our superiors , therefore we use it in our appearance before god , without making it a proper part of worship or a human sacrament . and so on the same account , god requires that women shou'd appear before him with modesty , and a due sense of their inferiority to men , as i shewed in my discourse , chap. 4. sect . 2. p. 2. and inasmuch as universal custom had , in the apostles time , made a veil a mark of womens subjection to men , and it was immodest for them to appear unveiled in publick places , therefore the apostle , 1 cor. 11. requires , that they be veiled in the christian assemblies ; which yet did not make this veiling themselves a part of divine worship , nor a sacrament ; and therefore , amongst us , where this custom doth not obtain , the veiling of women in the church is laid aside : and by parity of reason , confessing christ crucified , and glorying in his suffering on the cross , is a part of worship , which universal custom of all churches and ages has taught us to express by making the sign of the cross : but expressing this act of worship by this means , and in this manner , doth no more make it a part of divine worship , or a human sacrament , or a sealing the covenant on our part , than expressing our reverence and submission , by uncovering the head ( or feet where that is customary ) makes those parts of divine worship , or veiling women , to signifie their modesty and subjection , makes it a human sacrament . i might add many other like instances from scripture , but shall content my self with one , which we find , 2 kin. 19. v. 14. where hezekiah receives a letter full of blasphemies against god ; upon the receit of this letter he went up into the house of god , and spread it before the lord. and with this significant action offers up his prayer to god. it is the custom for persons that have received a threatning letter , that reflecteth on their lord or friend , to carry it to him who is concerned , and lay it before him , as an effectual means to stir him up to justifie himself , and to protect those that depend on him ; and doing so is a sign of fidelity and dependance in the person that thus makes the application : therefore hezekiah spread the letter before the lord , thereby expressing his faith , trust , and resignation to god , which are proper acts of worship , and particularly required at our hands , but to do this by spreading a letter , is no where particularly commanded , yet it was accepted by god. hezekiah's doing it , was no introduction of any invention of men into god's worship ; nor was it a human sacrament ; yet it was used to the same purpose that we use the sign of the cross , which signifies no more than our faith , trust and dependance on a crucified saviour , and a resignation to his service ; which is all that is meant in the 30th canon of the church of england , by our dedication to god. hezekiah therefore did as much dedicate himself to god's service by spreading the letter before god , as we do by making the sign of the cross : and the one is as well warranted as the other , and is as far from being a sacrament . sect. iii. that the scriptures warrant us to use other signs that are not sacraments , for the several uses ascribed to sacraments by mr. b. so far as the sign of the cross is concerned in those uses . i. before i proceed to the direct proof of this , i must observe , that the words wherein mr. b. expresses the uses and ends of sacraments , are not clear or certain , but admit of several senses ; in some of which they express indeed the proper uses of sacraments ; but in others , only those uses that belong to other signs , as well as to sacraments : and therefore it will be necessary to consider apart each of these uses laid down by him , which he reduces to three general heads , namely , representing , obliging , and distinguishing , and to explain to you the several senses of which they are capable . after this , i shall prove , that the sign of the cross is not a representing , obliging , or distinguishing sign , in any of those senses which express the proper uses of sacraments , and that in those senses in which the cross is a representing , obliging , or distinguishing sign the scriptures warrant other signs , that are not sacraments , for the same uses . signs then , i say , may be called representing , obliging , and distinguishing upon several accounts , and in several senses , particularly in these following . first , a sign may be called a representing sign , because it signifies to us god's conferring on us , and conveying to us , certain graces , favours , or privileges , represented to us in and by the sign . so the king's charter to a corporation , signifies the king's pleasure , that they should enjoy certain privileges and immunities . mr. b. owns this sense of representing signs , when he says , that sacraments are representing signs for instruction in the privileges of the new covenant . that is , ( as i suppose the words are intended to mean ) that sacraments represent to us , or instruct us , that it is the will and pleasure of god that we should enjoy those privileges . 2dly , a sign may be called representing , because it signifies god's pleasure and command concerning some duties set forth and represented by the sign , which god would have us perform . thus the king's charter doth not only signifie the privileges and immunities granted to a city , but likewise the offices and duties the king requires from such as enjoy those privileges . and this sense of representing signs is owned by mr. b. in ( what i suppose he means by ) sacraments being instructive in the duties of the new covenant ; which duties imply our natural guilt , pollution , and weakness , and the necessity of being cleansed from them . 3dly , a sign may be called representing , because it signifies our desire , purpose , and resolution to accept the grace , favour , and privileges god has promised us , and to perform the duties he has imposed upon us , together with our gratitude and sense of his favours . thus a city honoured with a charter may declare its acceptance and sense of its prince's favours , by putting that charter in a rich case , carrying it in procession when they receive it ; likewise by addresses , bonefires , ringing of bells , illuminations , and such other actions as usually represent the grateful affections and resolutions of our minds : and it is to be observed , that tho' these signs representing the duty and gratitude of the persons thus favoured , be not required in the charter , nay , tho' oaths or other declarations of their acceptance be particularly specified in it , yet no prince ever takes ill at their subjects hands these voluntary signs , representing the duty , gratitude , and acceptance of his favours . i do not find mr. b. takes notice of this sense of representing signs , but it is a sense very obvious , and must be allowed of by all . 4thly , signs may be called obliging , because they oblige god by his promise to give us , when we duly use them , the grace , benefit or privileges signified by them ; and such signs as represent god's will to confer grace on us in the first sense of representing signs , are obliging signs in this sense ; that is , they oblige god to give the grace represented in them : so that obliging and representing signs in this sence are in effect the same , and run into one another ; and in this sence sacraments , as is owned both by mr. b. and me , are peculiarly representing and obliging signs . 5thly , a sign may be called obliging , because it declares god's will to us , by signifying , that he requires certain duties and returns from us ; which declaration of god's will by words or signs , obliges us to perform those duties . and signs that represent in the second sense the duties required by god , are obliging from god to us in this sense ; for whatever sign instructs us by representing any thing to us as our duty , doth likewise oblige us to perform it ; so that obliging signs , in this sense , are the same with representing , and need not be distinguished . 6thly , a sign may be called obliging , because it declares our intention , resolution , and promise to perform what is required of us in our covenant with god ; and signs that represent , in the third sense , our acceptance of god's grace , and resolution to perform our duty , are also thus obliging , and are properly signs from us to god ; the same are likewise ratifying and dedicating on our part ; which is owned by mr. b. p. 45. where he tells us , that to oblige and bind our selves to serve god , is the same thing as to dedicate our selves to his service : and indeed , a sign can be no otherwise ratifying and dedicating on our part , than as it signifies and declares our resolution and promise to perform the duties we owe to god. 7thly , a sign may be called distinguishing , because it signifies and conveys to us some privilege and benefit which effectually distinguisheth us from the rest of the world , and obliges others to own us as so privileged . thus the king's patent to a nobleman distinguisheth him , and obliges others to take notice of him . and thus the regenerating principle of grace , conveyed to us in baptism , makes an effectual distinction of christians from other men ; and the privileges convey'd to us thereby , oblige all other christians to own us as fellow-members and heirs of the same hope with themselves . hence signs representing graces conferred by god ( in the first sense ) or obliging on god's part ( in the fourth sense ) are likewise peculiarly distinguishing badges and signs of our christianity in this last sense . 8thly , lastly , a sign may be called distinguishing , because we thereby testifie , profess , and declare to the world , that we claim and own the privileges and chararacters that god has bestow'd on us : and thus every christian duty we perform , every profession we make of our faith , either by words or actions , are distinguishing badges and signs of our christianity , peculiarly such signs as represent our duty , or gratitude in the third sense , or obliges us to perform it , in the fifth sense are thus likewise distinguishing . from all which it is manifest , first , that mr. b. has expressed the uses and ends of sacraments in a very confused and uncertain manner ; to represent , oblige , and distinguish being in effect the same , and running into one another ; and yet each of them containing very different uses under them that ought carefully to be distinguish'd ; so that he has made a distinction where there was no necessity for it , and omitted to distinguish where it was necessary . secondly , you must observe , that representing signs in the first and second sense ( that is , as they represent either benefits conferred on us by god , or duties imposed on us by him ) obliging signs in the fourth and fifth sense ( that is , as they signifie god's obliging himself by his promise , or us by his command ) and lastly , distinguishing signs in the seventh sense ( as they signifie privileges bestow'd on us by god ) are all of them signs from god to us , not from us to god. thirdly , only representing signs in the third sense , obliging in the sixth , and distinguishing in the eighth , ( that is , as they represent our resolutions , promises , and professions , and as they bind and distinguish us by them ) are signs from us to god ; and it will appear on examination , that the sign of the cross is only concerned in these last uses , and that the scriptures warrant other signs , that are not sacraments , for them . sect. iv. of representing signs . as to the first sence of representing signs , that is , as they signifie to us god's conferring on us and conveying to us certain graces or priviledges represented to us in and by them . i desire you to take notice that this is the first thing that i shewed in my admonition , ( p. 56 ) to be necessary to a sacrament ; that is , an outward and visible sign , instituted by god , of some inward and spiritual grace or benefit which we expect from him . i shewed you likewise ( p. 178. ) that the cross is not used by us to signify any grace or benefit communicated to us from god : and this is the universal sense of all that have undertaken the defence of it in our church ; but mr. b. from some conjectures of his own , undertakes to prove , that we mean by it , that which we profess and declare not to mean. thus , vind. p. 44. he thinks there is just ground to conclude the contrary from the words of the thirtieth canon of england , which acknowledges , that the holy ghost by the mouth of the apostles did honour the name of the cross so far , that under it he comprehended not only christ crucified , but the force , effect and merit of his death and passion , with all comforts , fruits , and promises we receive or expect thereby . from whence he concludes , that with us the cross must be an external sign to signify the same things which the holy ghost had honoured the name of the cross to signify . but i answer , that none of the expounders of our canons , or defenders of the sign of the cross have thus interpreted this canon ; nay , on the contrary , they have given it a quite different sense , as he himself owns in this very place , where he quotes the author of the case relating to the cross in baptism , explaining the canon in another sense . now for mr. b. to put a sense on the words of our canon , and make an inference from them which none of us own , but protest against , is to set up an adversary purposely that he may confute him ; and such proceedings are looked on by all impartial men as the effects of prejudice and engagement to a party . nay , not only the divines of our church protest against his inference from this canon , but the very canon it self makes a quite contrary inference , concluding from the scriptures signifying by the name of the cross , christ and his benefits ; that the primitive christians used the sign of it , not to signify these benefits as communicated to us by god , but to testify thereby that they were not ashamed of it , but owned him for their god and saviour , who suffered the death of the cross for them , and signed their children with it , when christened , to dedicate them by that badge to his service whose benefits bestowed on them in baptism , the name of the cross did represent . the use then of the cross according to the canon is not , as mr. b. wou'd infer , to signify an act of god towards us , to confer any benefit on us , or require any duty of us , but to signify and represent our own act , whereby we resolve , promise and bind our selves not to be ashamed of a crucified saviour , or his benefits purchased by his cross , and signified to us under that name in scripture ; and not only our church but all other christians from the apostles time , have for this reason looked on making the sign of the cross , as a very fit instance and declaration of their glorying in christ's sufferings , and readiness to follow him in them ; which is an effectual dedication of our selves to his service , tho' we do not think it a fit external sign to signify god's communicating to us the graces or benefits of the new covenant , because that being an act of god , ought only to be represented and conveyed to us by signs particularly instituted by him , whereas our glorying in his sufferings , and dedicating our selves to follow him in them , being acts of ours , may lawfully be signified by such signs as universal custom has made proper ; as will appear more at large in this discourse ; what i have said being sufficient to shew , that the cross is no representing sign in this sense . ii. 2dly , as to the second sort of representing signs , which signify and discover to us god's pleasure and command concerning some duties set forth and represented by them , which duties god wou'd have us perform . let me observe , that the cross is no more a representing sign with us in this sense than the former , since we do not use it to signify or declare god's will to us , that we shou'd perform any duty , but only our own resolution , and purpose to perform those duties , that god himself has signified under the name of the cross in scripture , and that we shall not be ashamed to confess him , that was crucified on it : this is manifest from the very words of our office , in which the sign of the cross is used only as a token that hereafter the baptised person shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of christ crucified , and manfully to fight under his banner against sin , the world and the devil , and to continue christ's faithful soldier and servant unto his lives end , this is the only use our church makes of the sign of the cross ; and you see plainly that it is here made only a token of our owning a crucified saviour , and an instance that we are not ashamed of his cross and sufferings : and indeed it is as plain an instance of our not being thus ashamed , and of our resolution to follow him , in taking up our cross and engaging in his warfare and service , as giving an alms is an instance of charity . but here is nothing of god's declaring or signifying his will to us by this sign , that we shou'd perform these duties , or any intimation that we use it to this purpose . and yet if we did use it , it wou'd not give it any thing of a sacramental nature , much less make it a human sacrament , for it is no peculiar , much less principal use of sacraments to represent gods pleasure to us , that we shou'd perform certain duties , since we find many signs used in scripture to this purpose that are no sacraments . i shall content my self with two instances , amongst many , the first is that of the sabbath day , ezek. 20. 12. moreover i gave them my sabbaths to be a sign between me and them , that they might know me , that i am the lord that sanctifies them . here the sabbath day is described as a covenanting sign between god and his people , representing to them , and instructing them from god in their duty to know the lord that sanctified them . we have another example , exod. 19. 10. go unto the people , and sanctify them to day , and to morrow , and let them wash their cloaths . this washing their cloaths was certainly a rite or sign representing to them from the lord , the inward purity required of them , and instructing them that it was god's will that they should approach him with holiness , and yet i suppose neither this nor the former were properly sacraments ; and indeed mr. b. owns , p. 39. that all barely instructive signs are not sacramental or federal ones . i add , that from these instances it appears , that all instructive signs , tho' federal or covenanting are not sacramental , and therefore mr. b. had no reason to tax me as he doth in the same place , for omitting this use in my account of sacraments , since my design was only to mention those uses that are peculiar to sacraments ; and it is manifest by his own confession , that this is not so peculiar to them . iii. 3dly , the same must be said concerning signs that represent and signify our desire , purpose and resolution , to accept the grace , favour and priviledges god has promised us , and to perform the duties he has imposed on us , together with our gratitude and sense of his favours . to represent in this sense is not peculiar to sacraments , much less a principal use of them , nor has mr. b. produced one place of scripture to prove this to be such a peculiar use. on the contrary , we have many example , in scripture , where other signs are recommended to us for this purpose : thus we find the reubenites and gadites and half tribe of manasses building an altar , josh. 22. 10. without any particular command from god , as sufficiently appears from the whole affair . the design of this altar was not for sacrifices ; but v. 22. that it might be ( say they ) a witness between us and you , and our generations after us , that we may do the service of the lord before him , with our burnt-offerings , and with our sacrifices , and with our peace-offerings , that your children may not say to our children in time to come , ye have no part in the lord. here we have an altar set up as a sign , testimony and memorial , representing and testifying that these people did desire , resolve and purpose to serve god according to his commands , and that they claimed a share and interest in his favours and service : yet this declarative sign of their stedfast intentions to serve god and perform the duties he required of them , was not sacramental ; tho' it was not for burnt-offerings , yet it was the pattern of the altar of the lord , v. 28. and represented their claim to that altar , together with their resolution to perform their duty at it ; and surely this is more like a sacrament than using the sign of the cross to testify , that we claim an interest in it , and are not ashamed of it : for the cross was the altar on which our sacrifice was offered , and we may as lawfully make the pattern of it to testify and claim our right in the sacrifice that was offered on it , as the reubenites made the pattern of the altar of the lord to testify and claim their right to the sacrifices offered on it . every impartial considerer will see that the case is exactly parallel as to this point . i might instance in many other such signs in the old testament if it were necessary ; but i shall add one or two out of the new. first , it was a duty required of all men to acknowledge and recognize our saviour as the messias and king of israel . if we look into the 21st chapter of st. matthew , we may observe that the multitude did acknowledge him as such , and expressed their acceptance of him , their resolution to submit to him , and thankfulness for his favours , by such signs as were usual on such occasions . it was the custom to receive great kings and princes with solemn acclamations , to strew the way when they entered into any place with branches and garments : therefore the multitude did thus own our saviour to be the messias and king of israel , and their desire to submit to him . and that not only by acclamations and joyning their voices in their praises and thanksgivings , but likewise ( in the eighth verse ) they spread their garments in the way , and others cut down branches from the trees , and strewed them in the way ; which tho' not required by our saviour , that we can find , were accepted , as well as their hosanna's ; yet these representing signs , tho' direct acknowledgments and declarations of their accepting our saviour as their king , and of their submitting to him , had nothing of sacraments in them : and therefore the sign of the cross , tho' it represent to the world that we own a crucified christ , and that we resolve not to be ashamed of him , has nothing in it of a sacramental nature , any more than the branches and garments strewed in his way . a second instance in the new testament shall be the kiss of charity . i shew'd you in my admonition , p. 74. that 't is a special duty to lay aside all hatred , and to be in charity with one another when we come to the lord's supper ; and that this duty was signified by a holy kiss , whereby the communicants represented their desire , purpose and resolution to perform this duty : this is home to the point , and exactly parallel to the cross in baptism ; and if the one be a sacrament , the other is likewise . the same may be said of the feast of charity . mr. b. answered three things to this , vind. p. 52. first , that he doth not see that this was a religious rite at all : but this is directly contrary to scripture ; the word religious is never applied to rites or places in it , but that which we call religious is there called holy , and the scripture gives this title to the kiss , here mentioned in three places , calling it a holy kiss , to distinguish it as well from the civil as prophane , rom. 16. 16. 1 cor. 19. 20. 2. cor. 13. 12. and in the fourth place where it is used , 1 pet. 5. 14. it is called a kiss of charity . i suppose the difference between civil and religious signs consists in this ; that one sort of these signifies civil matters , and the other religious : now this sign was used in the christian assemblies to signify , declare and testify the grace of charity , which is the sum and perfection of our religion , there are not clearer proofs that baptism is a religious sign , than these ; and you may judge with your selves what it is that hinders mr. b. from seeing it . but 2dly , he objects ( vind. p. 52. ) that this was a real expression of their mutual charity ; this i own to be true , and do believe that every sign made significant by general custom , when used as it should be , is a real expression and instance of the thing it signifies ; so making the sign of the cross is a real expression and instance of our glorying in christ , as much as kissing one another is of our mutual charity ; the same thing that made the one so , made likewise the other , that is , universal custom . 3dly , he objects , that it is reasonable to suppose that it had a temporary institution . i own , it is not only reasonable to suppose this , but certain that it had , since it is four times commanded in scripture ; but this is so far from preventing the holy kiss from being a sacrament , that it shou'd the rather be one because it had this institution . this i look on as a demonstration , that a sign that meerly represents our desire , resolution and purpose , to perform a certain duty , tho' commanded in scripture , hath nothing of a sacramental nature in it ; and therefore the cross is not a sacrament , nor has it any thing of a sacramental use by representing our duty to confess christ crucified . let me further observe , that the church of god has laid aside this teaching and representing sign , tho' instutited in scripture , and practised for many years ; and therefore must be supposed to have authority to institute others of the like nature in the celebration of the sacraments , since the same authority is necessary to abrogate as to institute any religious action or representing sign . and this is no more , in effect , than i find owned by some of the most eminent men of your party ; so mr. bowles , in his pastor evangelicus , lib. 3. cap. 1. potest ecclesia sive signa sive media statuere , &c. the church has power to appoint both signs and means , by which men may testifie their pious affections before others , whilst they celebrate divine worship . provided these signs be such as the instinct of nature doth suggest , or be taken from what is customary in life , according to the difference of nations , and have nothing of scandal in them , for these signs are only declarative , which , so far as i know are granted to be lawful by all . amongst these he reckons rending the garments , covering the head with ashes , powring out waters , 1 sam. 7. 5. for a token of repentance , writing and sealing the covenant when renewed , the feasts of charity , the holy kiss and veiling women ; and he might as well have reckon'd the sign of the cross , as a token of our not being ashamed of christ crucified , for this is a declarative sign of our pious affections , as well as any of the other ; it is warranted by general custom , as well as they are , and it is only declarative , for we ascribe no virtue or efficacy to it , but declare against its having any such virtue in express terms , in the thirtieth canon , which enjoins it . and whereas mr. b. alledges , that we use it to bind and dedicate our selves to god's service , and as a distinguishing badge of our christian profession , p. 48. i doubt not but it will appear in the next sections , that every one of those declarative signs mentioned by mr. bowles , do bind and dedicate to god's service those that use them , as much as the sign of the cross , and are purposely designed to distinguish the pious and devout worshipers of god , as well as to express their devout affections before men ; and that therefore mr. b's insisting on the crosses being a dedicating sign , or a distinguishing badge , to prove it a sacrament , is no more than a playing with words , and amusing the reader , by endeavouring to fix that doctrine on us under equivocal terms which we utterly deny . and the only question here will be , whether we or mr. b. know our doctrine best ; if our church , if our divines may be believed , the cross is only a declarative sign of our pious affections , not to be ashamed of christ crucified , &c. but if you believe mr. b. it is something more that makes it a sacrament . but this belongs more properly to the next section of obliging signs ; and i shall proceed to consider those . sect. v. concerning obliging signs . i. but fourthly , a sign may be called obliging , because it obliges god by his promise to give us the spiritual grace or benefit signified by it , when we duly use it : this was the second thing i observed necessary to make up a sacrament . i told you in my admonition , p. 65. that this is the very thing that constitutes a sign to be a sacrament , and distinguishes it from all other signs ; and this being wanting , tho' a sign had all other things like a sacrament , yet it would no more be a sacrament , than an image that in every thing resembled a man , but wanted a soul , would be a man. mr. b. owns , that this is necessary to a sacrament , and doth not pretend , that we ascribe this use to the sign of the cross ; and therefore i may dismiss this point as agreed . however , i think it necessary here to observe , that when god has given a man power to confer any favour or benefit on another , tho' he has not appointed any sign by which that person is to confer it , yet the scripture warrants him to use such signs as are proper in the conveying it . thus our saviour , mark 3. 15. gave his disciples power to heal sickness , but did not , that appears , order them to use any sign in the performance of it ; yet mark 6. 13. we find they used oyl , a symbol of joy and health . they anointed with oyl many that were sick , and healed them . they used also the signs of sending handkerchiefs and aprons to the same purpose : so likewise our saviour gave his disciples power to bestow the holy ghost , but ordered no sign ; yet we find the apostles used the common sign of blessing : so act. 8. 17. then laid they their hands on them , and they received the holy ghost . lastly , our saviour gave his apostles power to ordain governours in the church , but appointed no sign for it ; yet they used the common sign employ'd in these cases , acts 13. 3. when they had fasted and prayed , they laid their hands on them , and sent them away . there are several other such signs in scripture , which are not sacraments ; because , tho' a spiritual benefit or gift be conferred with the use of them , yet it is not by vertue of any promise annex'd to the use of the signs themselves , as it is in baptism and the lord's supper , but by vertue of the general command to those authoriz'd persons to confer those benefits or graces , in the conferring of which , these signs are no means or conditions , nor have they any other part besides that of being solemnities of the action , and signifying the persons intention to exercise the power that god has given him , at the time when he uses them ; and this is carefully to be observed , otherwise we shall easily be mistaken in the nature of sacraments , and imagine things to be so that really are not . ii. fifthly , a sign may be called obliging , because it is a declaration from god of his will , that he requires certain duties and returns from us , which are signified and represented to us in the sign , which declaration obliges us to perform those duties , and make those returns . i have shewed already in the second particular , that only god can appoint these signs , and that such declarative signs of god's will , where they have no promise annexed of some spiritual grace or benefit , are not sacraments , tho' they are obligations on us from god. i must add , that the sign of the cross is not used by our church to any such purpose ; as appears sufficiently from what i have said before on the second particular use of signs as representative . iii. sixthly , a sign may be called obliging , because it declares our intention , resolution , and promise to perform the duties god requires of us in our covenant with him ; a sign that is thus obliging , is likewise a ratifying and dedicating sign on our part , and is owned to be the same by mr. b's vind. p. 45. for we cannot be said to ratifie our covenant with god , or dedicate our selves to him by a sign , for any other reason , but because it declares and signifies our resolution and promise to perform our covenant with him . we do own , that the sign of the cross is an obliging , ratifying , and dedicating sign in this sense ; that is , it declares and signifies our resolution and promise to perform all the duties god requires of us in our covenant , not to be ashamed of christ crucified , but manfully to sight under his banner against sin , the devil , and the world. the great stress of mr. b's argument to prove the cross an human sacrament , seems to consist in this ; as appears from what he says p. 45. where the whole force of his argument against the cross depends on our making it a rite , whereby we oblige and bind our selves to serve god : but , in order to clear the matter , i will shew , that an obliging , ratifying , dedicating sign in this sense , has nothing of a sacramental nature in it ; but that we may make use of such signs to this purpose as common universal custom has made proper . this i will shew , first , from scripture ; and , secondly , from your own practice , and then shall make appear , that the use of the sign of the cross is altogether of this sort . iv. 1. for the proof of this from scripture , i appeal to the jewish church after the captivity . the jews had been guilty of many breaches of god's covenant made with their fathers ; and there was great necessity to renew it on their part , and accordingly we find they applied themselves to do it , with fasting , with sackcloaths and earth upon them . neh. 9. 1. and after a solemn humiliation and confession they renew their covenant with god , and declare their resolution and promise to keep it , by such methods as were usual to oblige men in other cases ; that is , first by an oath , neh. chap. 10. 29. they entred into a curse and into an oath to walk in god's law , which was given by moses . 2. they bind , engage , and oblige themselves by certain usual signs ; never , that we can find prescribed by god , that is , by writing and sealing the covenant , neh. 9. 3 , 8. we make a sure covenant , and write it , and our princes , levites , and priests seal unto it . now , to make a covenant with god , the same that circumcision entered them into , even to walk in god's law which was given by moses , was certainly to oblige , engage and dedicate themselves to god's service . mr. b. himself alledges , vind. p. 42. that circumcision was an external bond on those that received it , to observe that law ; yet notwithstanding this bond of circumcision and their renewing the same obligation in the passover , these jews added new bonds to their covenant , and made use of new signs to engage and oblige themselves to keep it , and to ratifie and confirm it on their part . it cannot be deny'd but signing and sealing are outward signs , and their use is to ratifie and confirm that to which the name and seal is put , and to oblige the persons to perform what they promise in it ; if therefore these be peculiar and principal uses of sacraments , it clearly follows that these jews , by using these signs , made two sacraments ( for ought appears , out of their own head ) : but if god commanded them , then here are two signs , obliging , confirming , and ratifying the covenant they entred into , of divine institution , and then they must be divine sacraments , which no body ever yet pretended that i have heard of . the truth then is , that to renew our covenant with god , to declare our resolution , purpose and promise to obey god's laws , and keep his covenant , either by such words or signs as universal custom has made expressive of such a promise , &c. are alike lawful , and the one has no more of a sacramental nature in it than the other . v. i shall add one instance more out of the new testament , and that is , laying on of hands , a sign used in blessing , from the patriarchs to this day : fathers used it in blessing their children , priests in blessing not only the people , but likewise in blessing persons and offerings dedicated to god , but more particularly it is used in that solemn blessing to which our church directs us in our catechism , under the title of being confirmed by the bishop . for the understanding of which you must observe ▪ 1. that the apostles , who had commission to teach and baptize , did , upon their converts declaring their conviction of our saviour's being the messias or christ , immediately baptize them , tho' they were not particularly instructed in all the parts and duties of the religion they embraced ; as appears sufficiently from the second of the acts , where in one day 3000 were converted , and the same day baptized : as appears v. 41. then they that gladly received his words were baptized ; and the same day there were added to them about 3000 souls . it is not to be supposed thot all these could be fully instructed in all the necessary articles of their faith , but it was sufficient that in general they believed in christ , and were willing to learn his doctrine as opportunity offer'd : the same appears in baptizing the jaylor and his family , acts 16. and on several other occasions . this is one ground of baptizing the children of the faithful with us , because it is supposed that god , according to his promise , will in baptism give a principle of faith to such : which , together with the influence of their parents on them , and of the society whereof they are members , will dispose them to learn the principles of their religion as soon as they are capable ; so that there is a radical faith , and presumed willingness , tho' not an actual . 2. at the beginning of christianity the converts were many , and the teachers few ; and it would have too much confined them , if they had been obliged to teach every convert in the ordinary methods of learning ; and therefore god gave the apostles an extraordinary power to confer the holy ghost not only led those that received it into all truth , but likewise enabled them to teach others ; which appears from several places of scripture , particularly from acts 8. & 19. 6. when paul had laid his hands on them , the holy ghost came up in them , and they spake with tongues and prophesied . 3. when the number of teachers were sufficiently multiplyed , this extraordinary manner of teaching converts , and enabling them to teach others was not necessary ; not but the holy ghost is still the true teacher of his church , insomuch , as without his influence , no man can attain such a degree of knowledge as to save his own soul , or instruct others ; all true knowledge then is still from him , but it is not without our own industry , or study , or the assistance of those that christ has commissioned to teach us in an ordinary way . 4. such as were baptized immediately after their conversion before full instruction , or in their infancy , when particularly and explicitly instructed , were brought before the church , and there made a solemn recognition of their faith , and declared their resolution to adhere to it ; whereupon the bishop , or chief governour of the church laid his hands on them , blessed them , prayed for their continuance in grace and knowledge , and admitted them as competently instructed members ; by this they were taught and assured , that the grace and knowledge they had , was from the holy spirit ; and that the encrease and continuance of it must be expected from him . 5. this laying on of hands is reckoned a principle of our religion , heb. 6. 2. and joyned with baptism . that this is the true meaning of the place , will appear , not only from the practice of the church of god , that has continued the use of this sign from the apostles time to this day , but likewise from the best interpreters of all sorts and ages ; amongst the ancients , st. chrysostome , st. augustine , and theophylact , thus interpret it ; amongst the romanists , the ordinary gloss , lyra , and many others ; amongst the reformers , calvin , beza , and di●dati ; and the assemblies notes , which i hope will weigh somewhat with you ; amongst the socinians crellius ; so that , one would think that all parties were agreed in it . mr. b. indeed gives me very hard words for reckoning this a principle of christianity , tho' i have the express letter of scripture for doing so ; and in his remark , p. 88. interprets baptisms , and laying on of hands of the jewish washings and sacrifices , directly contrary to the apostles profession , who in the first verse declares , that he intends to leave these principles here named , and to pass on to perfection ; whereas he is so far from leaving , those jewish washings and sacrifices , that he passes on to them , and spends a good part of his discourse on them , as may be seen in the 9. and 10. chapters ; and indeed , the applying jewish types to the passages in the new testament which they prefigured , was a doctrine not for beginners , but as in chap. 5. 14. for those that by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil : when the lords supper was thought too great a mistery to teach such beginners , and therefore is not mentioned amongst these elements , no wonder if the types of the law which were much more obscure were thought improper . but to proceed , we have here laying on of hands reckoned a principle of christianity , and judged by all parties a proper sign to be used , when persons baptised in their infancy , or before full instruction , come to ratify and confirm with their own mouths their baptismal covenant , and to promise a faithful observance of it to the end ; in which sense it is plainly an obliging sign on our part , as much as a seal is to a bond ; and hence it has been called a seal from the very apostles time , as may be seen in clemens alex. that lived near them , and many others of the ancients , yet it is no sacrament ; neither hath it any more of a sacramental nature in it , than laying on hands in ordination . besides this ratification and obligation on our part , it is used by our church to certify those that ratifie and renew their covenant , of gods favour and gracious goodness to them , yet this doth not make it a sacrament , since the ministers of god by vertue of the keys , have power to certifie all such as in earnest consent to gods covenant at all times , of gods favour and gracious acceptance of them , and may especially on such solemn occasions as this of their publick recognition of their baptismal covenant , or on their publick reconciliation after penance , certifie them of it by proper signs , ( suppose by a kiss as well ) as by words , and such signs signifie only their intention at that time , to exert the general power god has given them , as i shewed before in anointing the sick , laying on hands for the extraordinary gifts of the holy ghost , and for ordination ; which have nothing of a sacramental nature in them , because no promise obliging god is annexed to them . vi. having thus shewed from scripture , that we may make use of such signs to oblige our selves to ratifie and confirm our covenant with god , as general custom has made proper ; i come in the second place , to shew the same from your own practice . and this i shall make appear from two instances ; the first , is that of the solemn league and covenant , the precedent which your party took for this , was the jews renewing their covenant with god , neh. 10. and the general assembly of scotland in their acknowledgement of publick sins , call it the oath and covenant which they made with god , and the covenant and cause of god ; and indeed it obliged them to all the duties we owe to god and man ; which is as large as our baptismal covenant . into this covenant with god they entred , not only by words but signs also , and bound themselves to the performance of it ; first by subscribing it which is one sign , as in the act of the general assembly ; act 6. 1648. secondly by standing up at it ; thirdly by lifting up their hands ; so the house of commons took it , sep. 22. 1641. and by swearing thereunto , did worship the great name of god , and testify so much outwardly by lifting up their hands , and subscribed their names to it . lastly , the parliament ordered , feb. 2. 1641. that the whole kingdom should take it standing , their right hand bare , and lift up ; all these were plainly federal rites , and did declare and signifie the intention , purpose , and vow of the takers to perform this covenant with god , and consequently were obliging , ratifying , and confirming signs on their part , and i doubt not but many thought they did therein dedicate themselves anew to gods service ; for as i have already shewed , a sign , that signifies our vow and promise to serve god is a dedicating sign ; if therefore the sign of the cross be a sacrament , because it is a token that we shall not be ashamed to confess christ crucified , and that we resolve to serve him to our lives end , then all these were plainly sacraments , for they were tokens of the same thing in the estimation of those that used them . i shall add one instance more , and that is , giving persons names in baptism ; this as i observed in my admonition , p. 7 , 2 , signifies our giving up our names to christ and engaging to be his servants ; and therefore these names are a lasting badge and token to us through our whole lives , of our dedication to christs service , and an obligation on us to behave our selves accordingly . to this mr. b. replies two things ; first , vind. p. 53. that all this is suggested by my own fancy , without any ground , for you know of no other use of this practice in baptism , than that the persons baptized may be notifyed to the congregation . to this i answer ; first , that it doth not come home to the point , since it doth not determine whether it be lawful to use this sign of giving a name to the purposes i have mentioned ; if it be lawful so to use it , no matter whether you use it so or no ; for it is still an unanswerable argument that an obliging sign as such has nothing of a sacrament in it . 2. it is plain the scriptures direct us to this use of giving names , as well as the general custom of the world ; for we plainly find names given to signifie that those who receive them , were either admitted as servants , sons , or priviledged persons ; and in all these cases their names were obligatory badges . to this purpose a name was constantly given by the jewish church at circumcision , and by the christian at baptism ; and that name in the primitive church was entred in the diptycks or church roll ; they were called by it to receive the holy communion , and when cut off from the church , their names were blotted out of these sacred tables or rolls ; and therefore their names given them in baptism , were effectual obligations and badges of their profession . 3. i do not find any authentick declaration of your party against this use of names , nor any authority mr. b. has to declare your sense in the matter : your directory orders a name to be given at baptism , which shews the authors thought it material , and not meerly a civil thing ; for the design of the directory is to order the worship of god , and there was no reason for them to appoint a civil ceremony in so material a part of gods worship as baptism is ; mr. b. says , that it is , that the person may be notifyed to the congregation ; that is , that they may distinguish him to be the person that was baptised : now that which distinguishes and makes it known through his whole life , that he is a member of christ , is surely a badge of his profession , and obliges him to do nothing unworthy of it . you call the name you receive at baptism your christian name ▪ and as your surnames shew your family , so your christian names shew your profession . i may add to this , that some of your party have been very nice in giving names , and have called their children by such names as they thought wou'd most likely put them in mind of their duty to god , and oblige them to perform it ; thus some called their children , grace , charity , prudence , faithfull , praise god : to what purpose , but to be a badge , token , memorial , and obligation to them to practise these graces ? lastly , the notes of the assembly on gen. 17. 5. observe on god's giving abraham a name , that some take the giving of a new name to note a sacramental renovation in the new sence of circumcision , which now was first added to the covenant , and thence hath it been the practice of such as profess religion , to give names to their children at their circumcision ; upon which they pass no censure . and mr. ainsworth ( for whom i suppose you likewise have a value ) has this observation on it : abraham is the first man in the world whose name is changed of god : and it signified a change of estate , and a renewing with increase of grace from god ; therefore this is after mentioned , as one of his favours ; neh. 9. 7. so jacob's name is made new , gen. 32. 28. and all true christians , esay 62. 2. rev. 2. 17. so that what i said concerning giving of a name to your children , and particularly god's giving one to abraham , is not suggested by my own fancy , as mr. b. alledgeth : i wish he would adhere to the literal sence of scripture , and the best commentators , as i am assured i endeavour to do . but secondly he objects , that if this were true , then this is a scriptural warrant for giving names to children at baptism , as a token of their admission into gods family , vind. p. 53. and then it is a ceremony of gods own appointment . to which i answer , that this is a full proof that a sign appointed by god to signifie our admission into his family , of giving up our names to him , and engaging to be his servants , is no sacrament ; and then it follows , that it is so far from being a principal use of a sacrament to be a binding sign only , that on the contrary it is no proper or peculiar use of it at all ; but common to other signs ; and then our using the sign of the cross for an obliging sign on our parts is not to ascribe any thing of a sacramental nature to it . from the whole , i suppose it fully appears both from scripture and your own practice , that we may use some other signs besides the sacraments to oblige , ratify , and confirm our covenant with god , and bind our selves to his service , and that our doing so doth not make those signs humane sacraments . and i desire you to remember that the whole design of our using the sign of the cross is , onely to declare and testify to the world , that we look on our selves as persons thus bound , obliged and dedicated to gods service , and that we are resolved not to decline that service , or be ashamed of it , for any danger or infamy that may attend it ; tho' it should expose us , as it did our saviour , to the painful and shameful death of the cross. to bind , oblige and dedicate our selves to gods service are properly acts of our minds : all that outward signs can do , is to declare and express these inward acts ; and surely there cannot be any outward action that more properly or naturally doth declare our resolution and purpose to dedicate our selves to the service of a crucifyed saviour than making the sign of the cross : if then it be lawful , as i have proved both from scripture and your own practice , to express and declare these acts of our minds by other signs than the sacraments , our using the sign of the cross to this purpose can never make it a new sacrament , or unlawful . sect. vi. concerning distinguishing signs . i. i shall now proceed to the third sort of signs which mr. b. mentions , which he calls distinguishing . i have shew'd you , that these may be of two sorts , and come under the seventh and eighth considerations of signs , as i have laid them down , sect. 3. of this appendix . the seventh is , that a sign may be called distinguishing , because it signifies and conveys to us some privilege or benefit which effectually distinguisheth us from the rest of the world , and obliges others to own us as so privileged . thus the king's patent to a noble-man distinguisheth him , and obliges others to take notice of him . and thus the regenerating principle of grace , convey'd to us in baptism , makes an effectual distinction of christians from other men ; and the privileges convey'd to us thereby oblige all other christians to own us as fellow-members and heirs of the same hope with themselves : and thus the lords supper doth likewise distinguish us , by communicating to us the body and blood of our saviour , by which our union with christ is preserved and encreased , and the graces and privileges received in baptism are renew'd , strengthen'd and confirmed to us . i grant therefore , that the sacraments are distinguishing signs in this sense , and this use of them is plainly contained under the first thing that i shewed to be necessary to make them up , that is , an outward and visible sign instituted by god , signifying some spiritual grace or benefit which we expect from him. such an inward and spiritual grace or benefit granted to us in the sacraments doth indeed distinguish us from all others , and entitle us to the privileges of children ; and the sacraments are conveyances and badges of that grace or privilege , as much as the king's patent is of nobility , or laying on his sword is of knighthood . to make a distinguishing sign in this sense were indeed to make a sacrament ; and we readily own , that god only can appoint signs to make one man thus differ from another , or bestow such badges on them : but our church has fully declared , that the sign of the cross is not any such badge : and therefore mr. b. is very unjust to us , when he affirms ( vind. p. 45. ) that being cross'd , we as truly ( according to the establish'd church ) wear the livery of christ as by being baptiz'd : a calumny without ground or pretence . in baptism our church , according to the scriptures , teaches us , that we put on christ ; that is , lay aside our sins and lusts , and become partakers of the divine nature , 1 pet. 14. whereby we are privileged as sons of god ; this is the true badge and distinction of christians ; but our church never said any such thing of the cross , and therefore to say that we as truly wear the livery of christ by being cross'd , as by baptism ; or that the cross is as effectually made the common symbol or tessera of our discipleship , as baptism ; are most grievous calumnies . i beseech god to pardon those that endeavour to keep up a party against us by such accusations , and to turn their hearts . ii. but then , eighthly , a sign may be called distinguishing , because we thereby declare , testifie and profess to the world that we claim and own the privileges and characters that god has been pleased to bestow on us as christians . and thus indeed the sign of the cross is a badge and token of our christianity . but then , this is no proper or peculiar , much less principal use of the sacraments ; our keeping the lords day , our appearing in a christian assembly , our kneeling , uncovering our head , our fasting on publick occasions , our standing at our confession of faith , are all of them badges , and tokens in this sense of our being christians , as well as the sign of the cross ; and are all of them warranted by the scripture . the same may be said , as i have already shew'd , of our christian names , and of many other signs used among us , and precedented in scripture . particularly , that of your giving tickets to those that are to communicate , concerning which i shewed you , ( admon . p. 7. ) that it was an outward and visible sign : and secondly , that it signified your right and claim to the lord's supper and communion of saints ; which is a spiritual grace or privilege . thirdly , that it was a badge and token , whereby privileged members were distinguished : and fourthly , a sort of necessary term of communion . to this mr. b. replies , ( vind. p. 53. ) 1. that a ticket with you is a sign of nothing more , than that the person that brought it was allowed to communicate at that time . to which i answer , that to be allowed to communicate at any time is a great grace and privilege ; and therefore this ticket is plainly a badge of a man's aptitude , privilege , and title to the membership of christ ; and a declaration from the minister who gave it to him , that he thinks him entitl'd to it at that time ; and to declare who is fit and unfit , who shall be admitted or not admitted , is a spiritual act , and belongs to the power of the keys : and this is a clear proof that we may signifie our sense of spiritual things , even in particular duties , by signs as well as words when they are proper . secondly , he objects , that this is no badge ; because many may be members that have no tickets at present , because they do not at present receive ; but even to distinguish persons at present fit to receive from others that are not , is to make it a badge in a very weighty matter . thirdly , he argues , that a mans having a ticket would not secure his admission , if he were not known to be a member of that , or some other congregation . this indeed shews , that it is no infallible mark ; a man may steal this badge , or come dishonestly by it , and when that is discovered , he shall be secluded ; but in the mean time it is a badge that gains a man admittance without any question , if it be not discover'd to be counterfeit : it is therefore a livery of christ's privileged members at that time ; tho' if it be known , that any has stolen this livery , he shall not be owned or admitted to christ's table by it . it cannot therefore be denied , but it is a sort of external wedding garment fourthly , he argues , that it is no necessary term of communion , since no man that is a noted member of that or any other congregation , shall be refused , tho' he have no ticket ; but many are not noted members , and it is a necessary term of communion to them . but suppose a man refused and condemned it as an human invention , and human sacrament , and all those that used it as idolaters , and superstitious , and would set up another communion if you did not lay it aside , would you disuse it to gratifie such a man ? this is really the case between you and us ; i leave you to judge what you would think of such an unreasonable person . but , fifthly , mr. b. alledges ( vind. p. 45 ) in such multitudes as receive , this or some such expedient is necessary to distinguish communicants from meer spectators ; to which i answer , that then some other badges and distinguishing signs may be necessary besides the sacraments , and therefore it is no use peculiar or proper to them to be badges or signs of our profession , and the relations we thereby are invested in , as he contends ; for sure to be admitted as communicants , is a relation wherein we are invested by our profession ; yet you see we may invent a sign to distinguish this relation and those that have a title to it . but i must put you in mind , that there is no necessity for this badge , except what is criminal , and of your own making : if every minister would administer the holy sacrament frequently in his own congregation , ( as he ought to do ) there needed none of these multitudes or crowdings that are at your sacraments , to which people come thirty or forty miles , as the papists go on pilgrimages at certain times to their jubilees or celebrated saints , and which are the occasion ( as it generally happens in such crowds ) of looseness and intemperance , and a great hinderance to devotion , by crowding such families as live near the place where the celebration is , whereby both the guests and families are hinder'd from that quiet and retirement , which seem very necessary to true devotion at such times . lastly , he objects , that this can be no badge , or like to the cross , except this perilous ticket had a cross on it , or the persons that brought it were ordered to wear it on their breasts or foreheads , as a sign whereby they publickly profess their remembrance of and renewed dedication of themselves to the service of a crucified saviour , as the adult members of his church ; vind. p. 54. i cannot believe mr. b. means here , that the adult members of our church are order'd to wear crosses on their breasts or forehead , to profess their remembrance of , and renewed dedication to the service of christ , there being no such order or practice amongst us . but , when all is done , i see no great difference between bringing a ticket in my hand to profess , that i intend , and have a title , to participate of the body and blood of a crucified saviour : which is your use of a ticket : and carrying a cross on my forehead ( if there were any such custom or order ) to profess and shew , that i am not ashamed of him , and intend to persevere in his service . nor do i see that a king , who carries it in his banner when he fights for the preservation of his religion and subjects against infidels , makes it a sacrament , more than you do your ticket ; which is another name for a badge . to conclude this point , it is very observable in what manner mr. b. treats it , and me in effect , for producing it . 't is , i confess ( says he ) a very dangerous ceremony , in which he has found out abundance of very strange and mysterious significations . — if all these wonderful spiritual significations assigned to this poor ticket , &c. p. 53 , & 54. if indeed this perilous ticket had had a cross upon it , &c. by these and several other scoffing expressions he endeavours to expose the mention of this thing , and my argument from it for the use of the cross , as matters too slight and inconsiderable to be offer'd , or to have any words made about them ; and yet doth not consider how momentous he thinks it , to make so many words about the sign of the cross , which in it self , and in our use and application of it , is not of greater moment , or so like a sacrament as your ticket ; this seems to me a very great instance of the power of partiality and prejudice ; for the wonderful spiritual significations ( as mr. b. is pleased to call them ) assigned by me to your ticket , are in effect no more than upon examination he owns to belong to it , and pleads to be necessary for the decent and orderly celebration of the lord's supper ; and therefore are more justly assigned to it by me than those which he assigns to our use of the cross. and there is this difference , that we disown those significations which he would affix to the cross , whereas he cannot deny those that i assign to your use of a ticket ; as i have already shew'd . and this gives me occasion to put you in mind of a book printed 1607 ▪ written by one parker , with great seriousness , and a great shew of learning , with several thousand quotations ; and in it he charges the cross with the breach of all the commandments , and has chapters under these several titles ; the murther of the cross , the adultery of the cross , the wrong of the cross , the slander of the cross , the concupiscence of the cross. i think every one of them is as well founded as mr. b's charge of its being a human sacrament ; and i doubt not , but when faction is a little cooled , and men allow themselves to think , it will appear full as unreasonable as mr. parker's charges do to all impartial men. and were men so disposed , they might make as great a stir about this ticket , and pretend as just cause for a schism from you , on account of it , as you do from us , on account of the sign of the cross ; for a very little thing has always served factious men for an opportunity of disturbing the peace of the church . upon the whole , i think it fully appears , that both scripture and your own practice warrant us to use other signs , which are not sacraments , for the uses ascribed to sacraments by mr. b. so far as the sign of the cross is concern'd in those uses : and i hope , that what i have said concerning representing , obliging , and distinguishing signs , may help to give you a clear notion of the true uses of sacraments , which mr. b. has rather obscured than explained , by expressing them in such words as are no way proper or clear , but of a very uncertain and ambiguous signification . sect. vii . concerning the crosses being warranted by scripture . i. having thus justified the use of the cross from mr. b's charge of being a humane sacrament , i shall now consider what he hath said against its being warranted by scripture . i shew'd in my admonition , that 1st , we are obliged to express the inward reverence and sense of our minds concerning god , by some outward means . 2dly , that the scriptures command us to express those inward thoughts and sense of our minds , by actions as well as words , where it may properly be done . 3dly , that the scriptures teach us to express our thoughts and sense concerning religious matters in such words and actions , as on other serious occasions serve to express the like sense and disposition of our minds . 4thly , that glorying in the sufferings of christ , and professing our selves ready to follow him , even to the most ignominious death on the cross , is a duty incumbent on us by scripture . 5thly , that it is very proper at baptism to make this profession . 6thly , that we are not only warranted to do it by words , but likewise by actions . 7thly , that making the sign of the cross is an action which universal custom in all ages and churches since the apostle's time has apply'd to this purpose . these i proved by scripture and reason , and he that would confute me , must prove it unlawful to express the particular duties we undertake in the sacraments , by actions that are by general custom expressive of these duties . ii. to all these mr. b. makes several replies . i shall first consider his replies , and then proceed further to confirm my own proofs . first then , he argues , this doth not reach the main uses of the cross , which i was concerned to defend ; that is , its being a dedicating and distinguishing badge ; for this , says he , pretends to prove no more , than that it is an instructive sign , to signifie or express this particular duty of glorying in the sufferings of christ , vind. p. 40. i have observed , that when mr. b. is to answer an argument of force , he often puts it off with an unscriptural hard word or a jest. thus , when i shewed the reasonableness of directing all our praises expresly to the father , son , and holy ghost , whom we equally are oblig'd to glorifie , he turns it off with a jest , rem . p. 22. calling it a wonderful knack of turning the psalms of david into christian hymns . and yet it doth so effectually answer that end , that no iew or socinian will joyn in them when so used . so when i urged a plain and literal proof of scripture , to shew that the people may joyn their voices in the publick prayers of the church , as plain as any is for their joyning in singing psalms , acts 4. 24. they lift up their voice with one accord , and said , &c. this he tells us , rem . p. 50. proves no more than a consent of their minds , contrary to the letter of scripture , which assures us , that they lift up their voices and said , as well as consented in their minds . yet he offers only a scoff for his contradicting scripture , alledging , rem . p. 51. that it brings in a confused noise in a christian assembly , too like a dover-court , where 't is said all speak and none hear . the like might be shew'd of his use of difficult unscriptural expressions . thus when i prov'd beyond contradiction , that only bowing the body , or such-like gestures , are called worship in scripture , he puts it off , by telling us , that these devout postures are more properly an adjunct of worship , than a part of it ; and that they are not a distinct duty from prayer and praises , &c. rem . p. 100. directly contrary to scripture that enjoyns them severally . thus , to prove the cross unlawful in baptism , he tells us , rem . p. 6. that it is a stated appendage ▪ of a part of divine worship , and all such rites are unlawful : which are very fit words to amuse ignorant people , but of no use to determine the controversie . and i take this before us to be of the same nature ; for it is not easie to understand what ▪ is meant by an instructive sign . signs as well as words are designed to express the thoughts , the intentions , the dispositions and passions of our minds ; and when we kneel , for example , at our prayers , it doth not only instruct and teach us , that it is our duty to submit to god , but it declares , that we actually do it , and our resolution to continue in it , and is a motive and means to humble our own minds , and invite others to do the like ; and so it is an obliging , distinguishing , and moving sign , as well as an instructive . the like may be said of our standing at the profession of our faith , which doth not only instruct us in our duty , that we are to believe those articles , but likewise declares , that we do actually consent to them , and oblige our selves to continue in them , and wou'd have all others to do the like ; and so is not only an instructing sign , but likewise a distinguishing , professing , dedicating and moving sign : for it answers plainly all these purposes , and yet is commended by mr. baxter in his infant-baptism , chap. 6. obj. 1. the like may be said of the cross ; it doth not only instruct us , that it is our duty to confess christ crucified , and to become his servants , but it signifies , that we actually do so , and consequently signifies our obliging our selves to it ; and distinguisheth those that do it : all which my arguments plainly reach . iii. but secondly , mr. b. objects , vind. p. 50. that he cannot grant , that the scriptures warrant our expressing the sense of our minds in all religious things or matters by significant actions ; because the particular duties we owe to god are almost numberless ; neither do the scriptures warrant us to contrive distinct significant actions , to express each distinct part of our inward worship . to this i answer , 1st , that i expresly declared ( admon . p. 68. ) that we are not to invent new words or actions , to signifie our submission and thankfulness to god , but are to use such as the general custom of our country has made significant in the like cases : and therefore , if any distinct parts of our duty to god have no particular actions to express them made significant by general custom , we need not to invent new ones , but content our selves with words , or the application of such general significant actions as may infer the particular duty we are about to express . 2dly , the general heads of our duty are few , and most of them have such grave and solemn actions appropriated to them , as not only instruct us in the nature of them , but likewise move and influence our minds to perform them with seriousness , engage us to that performance , and distinguish the serious from the negligent and irreverent . and that it is lawful , not only to use such to express inward worship in general , but likewise the particular duties of it , i have sufficiently proved in my admonition p. 68. 69 , 70. tho' mr. b. alledges the contrary without answering my arguments ; and i shall now further enforce them . 1st . expressing our submission and subjection to god is a particular duty , and this is expressed by kneeling , which by universal custom signifies it ; for we kneel only to our superiors , and to those to whom we owe submission : kneeling doth not signifie reverence , or humility in general , but that particular reverence and humility that is accompanied with subjection . 2dly , to profess our faith and acknowledgments to god , is a particular duty , therefore at our confession of faith and praises we stand ; for standing at the reading and declaring any thing does peculiarly signifie an assent to it ; and therefore it was prescribed at your taking your covenant . 3dly , subscribing and sealing a thing , is by universal custom a sign of ratifying and confirming what is so sealed , and of our binding our selves by it ; therefore as i have already shewed , the iews after the captivity writ and sealed their covenant with god. 4thly , deep sorrow and contrition for sin is a particular duty , and this we find in scripture signified by rending the garments and beating the body . 5thly , acknowledgment of our own vileness , corruption , and unworthiness , is a particular duty ; and this we find in scripture signified , neh. 9. 1. with fasting , with sackcloth , and earth upon them ; these did not express inward worship in general , nor were they meer bodily gestures , as mr. b. alledges , but were signs of particular duties . 6thly , rejoycing in the great deliverances and mercies vouchsafed us by god , is a particular religious duty ; and this we find signified by singing , feasting , dancing , sending portions to friends , and white-garments ; which do not signifie meerly inward worship in general , nor are they bodily gestures only ; but affecting , moving , and distinguishing signs . 7thly , condescention to serve one another in the meanest offices of charity , is a particular duty ; and this our saviour signified to us by washing his disciples feet ; which was not only an instance of our saviours humility , as mr. b. alledges , but a sign to teach and move his disciples to do the like . 8thly , to lay aside all hatred and malice , and to be in perfect charity with one another , when we come to the holy sacrament , is a particular duty : and this is signified by a holy kiss in scripture , as i have already shewed ; the same is true of the feast of charity , tho mr. b. excepts against it as well as against the kiss of charity , alledging that it is no religious rite at all , but rather a real expression of their mutual charity ; vind. p. 5. 2. but i answer , that its being performed publickly in the congregation and in the midst of divine offices sufficiently shews that it was religious ; and its being a real expression of charity is so far from hindering it from being a sign , that it proves it to be one ; there is no surer sign of charity than real expressions and instances of it ; effects are the surest signs of causes ; if we should appoint such a feast now to be celebrated in church with the sacrament , none wou'd doubt its being a religious rite , and perhaps some wou'd call it an imposition . 9thly , to be buryed to sin is a particular priviledge of baptism , and infers , a duty , which was signified by dipping under water ; to this mr. b. answers , first , that it is not certain the apostles words , rom. 6. 4. refer to the dipping under water ; but to this i reply , it is certain , that generally the primitive christians used this way , tho' in particular cases they dispensed with it ; as we do with the use of the cross : secondly , it is certain the best interpreters do thus understand this place , with which concur your assemblys notes , who tell us that in this phrase the apostles seems to allude to the ancient manner of baptism , which was to dip the parties baptized , and as it were to bury them under the water for a while , and then to draw them out and lift them up , to represent the burial of the old-man and our resurrection to newness of life ; nor is there any other just reason of the phrase to be given , and therefore mr. b's doubt concerning the certainty of it without any reason ( for he gives none for his doubting ) is in all probability to be attributed to his prejudice : for if this be true , it intirely ruins his notion of humane sacraments ; since here is a representing , obliging , and distinguishing sign added to baptism : which is all the exception he has against the cross. but secondly , he alledges that i ought to prove , that the christians of that age had arbitrarily and without warrant from christ or his apostles set it up ; but i think it sufficient for me to shew that it was set up , and that it is a rite distinct from baptism ; both which are apparent ; it is incumbent on mr. b. to shew where christ or his apostles instituted it . 't is manifest , that it is not in the first institution by our saviour , for that requires only washing with water , which may be performed either by dipping or pouring on water ; this then is a rite superadded to baptism of a representing and obliging nature , and so interpreted by st. paul himself : therefore all such rites are not sacraments , or unlawful : it is manifest st. paul approved the rite , but there is no evidence of its divine institution ; and therefore the church has made no scruple to lay it aside , and that without any absolute necessity ; for the warming water for baptism used in some places to this day , might prevent the inconveniency of a cold country ; which is all mr. b. alledges for disusing it ; vind. p. 52. but cou'd not excuse us , if this were part of the institution . 10thly , to change our condition in baptism , from the power of sin to holiness , from sons of wrath to sons of god , is a special privilege ; and to live accordingly , a duty . now , this was signified by the change of cloaths , when persons were baptised ; and to this , as i shewed in my admonition , the apostle alludes , gal. 3. 27. for as many of you as have been baptized into christ , have put on christ ; to this mr. b. answers as to the former , that it is not certain , the apostle alludes to this custom ; but here again , i have the best interpreters thus expounding it ; i have the practice of the church of god using this rite from the apostles time , i have the necessity of the thing to prove it was done in their time , for dipping in water cou'd not be without putting off , or change of cloaths , and there is no other reason given of the phrase ; and therefore mr. b's doubt without reason , is of no moment in such a case ; he may justly be suspected to doubt out of prejudice that must lose his cause , if the thing prove true that he doubts of . but 2dly , he argues , that if the apostles expression refers to these two rites as used to these purposes , it will be more reasonable to conclude that they are part of the ordinance of baptism , and consequently to be still retained and used by us , vind. p. 52. i think it much more reasonable to suppose that mr. b. is mistaken in his account of sacraments , than to suppose either of these rites were part of the ordinance of baptism , or that we are obliged to retain or use them ; we have the ordinance delivered to us twice in scripture , and neither of these rites are mentioned in it , and therefore they are no part of it ; they were certainly used in baptism in the apostles time , and to those purposes i have mentioned ; and the consequence is , that mr. b's . charge is groundless that wou'd make such rites humane sacraments and unlawful ; and approaches near to the doctrine that makes that unlawful which god has not made so , 1 tim. 4. 1 , 2 , 3. 11thly , to reject a person from the means of grace is a religious act , and belongs to the power of the keys ; now the scriptures warrant us to do this , by shaking off the dust of our feet , which doth not signify our duty in general , but in particular , our detestation and abhorrence of the obstinacy of the persons , against whom we use it , or rather indeed , gods rejecting them ; and it no more makes confirmation a sacrament , because in it we assure the persons confirmed of gods favour by laying on of hands , than it made shaking off the dust from the feet a sacrament , because it was used to assure the persons against whom it was done of gods rejecting them from his grace , and the like may be said of the sign of the cross. 12thly , to receive a penitent member into the society of a church is a particular and religious duty ; now this the church of scotland orders to be done not only by words , but signs also ; so in the first book of discipline in the order for publick offenders , the minister ought to exhort the kirk to receive that penitent brother in their favours — and in sign of their consent , the elders and chief men in the kirk shall take the penitent by the hand , and one or two in the name of the rest shall kiss and embrace him with reverence and gravity , as a member of christ jesus : from which it appears , that this church ( for which i suppose you have a value ) thinks that it is lawful to express our thoughts about religious things by signs as well as words ; and i do not see but taking by the hand , kissing and embracing a man in token that he is admitted as a reconciled member of jesus christ , is every whit as much a sacrament as signing him with the sign of the cross , in token that he shall not be ashamed to confess christ crucified . 13thly , to confess and acknowledge our scandalous sins to god and his church , is a particular religious duty and a part of worship ; now the church of scotland in the form of excommunication in knoxes liturgy , orders a murtherer to confess his crime thus , he shall stand three several sundays in a place before the church-door , bare footed and bare headed , cloathed in base and abjected apparel , having the same weapon which he used in the murther , or the like , bloody in his hand , and in conceived words shall say , &c. undoubtedly , they that ordered this , made no question , but we might express the sense of our minds in religious matters , by signs as well as words . these were not to express inward worship in general , nor are they meer bodily gestures , but symbolick signs and badges of repentance . mr. b. may think himself unconcerned in these two last instances , but i believe you will not . iv. his third objection against my proof of scriptures warranting the use of the sign of the cross , is , that the same argument will serve as well to justifie many other rites which the romish church has added to baptism , and the other parts of god's worship ; vind. p. 48. now , to this i answer , 1st , that it was incumbent on mr. b. in this point ( as i told you in my admonition ) to prove by scripture , that it is unlawful to signifie or express the particular duties we undertake in the sacraments , by actions that are by general custom expressive of those duties , and to answer the scriptures i produced ; but he has not produced one single instance from scripture , where such signs or expressions of a particular duty are condemned , meerly because they thus signified or expressed it : which i take to be a plain consession that he wants direct proofs , and till he produce some such scripture-proof , he cannot acquit himself of teaching that to be unlawful which god has not made so , the sin of those that forbad meats and marriage , 1 tim. 4. 2dly , to condemn a thing for imagined consequences , without direct proof , is a very uncertain and ( which is worse ) a very dangerous method : for it lays a snare in the way of the weak : a man that knows that the church of god has used the sign of the cross since the apostle's time universally ; that the church of england and ireland approve of it , together with the protestant churches of sweden , denmark , and the lutheran churches of germany , and sees what can be said for it , will not easily be perswaded that it is unlawful ; and when he hears protestants affirm , that the many rites which the romish church has added , may as well be justified , and that the first reformers seem to be unreasonable in rejecting them ( as mr. b. alledges , vind. p. 49. ) he will be apt to conclude , that there is no great harm in them ; and i doubt not but the imprudent drawing such consequences has actually reconcil'd many to popery , and some to atheism ; and therefore a man that loves his religion will be very sparing of drawing them ; for he will consider , if he have direct or scripture proof for a thing , they are needless ; and if he have no direct or scripture proof for his tenent , he has reason to suspect the truth of it : for , i suppose , every ill thing is forbidden in scripture , and may be condemned from thence : as for the drawing consequences , they may serve to render a tenent odious , but rarely serve to satisfie a reasonable man without direct proof . 3dly , the advocates of the church of rome are deeply concerned to defend their own worship , and have produced all the arguments they could against us ; and yet i think , i may say , have failed in them all ; and i do not believe mr. b. will pretend to manage them better than they have done ; tho' this be not the first time he has lent them his assistance , with what design i will not judge : but this consideration alone were sufficient to excuse me from answering this argument . yet , lest it should really have that influence on weak minds , that such arguments sometimes have in the mouths of pretended friends or professed enemies , to make them have a better opinion of the roman rites than they deserve , i will endeavour to give you a true account of this matter , that you may see what rites we condemn in the romish church . i think this due to the justification of our reformers , reflected on by mr. b. as unreasonable . 1st then , we condemn such rites and ceremonies as signifie any peculiar presence or power of god to be in any place or thing where he has not promised it ; because it is not in the power of man to dispose of god's influence or presence , or to tye them to any action , thing or place without his own act : upon this account the heathen images , temples and altars were all unlawful ; and so are those of the papists , if we take them as they pass in the estimation of the vulgar . 2dly , we condemn all representations of any glorious being , in order to worship it , as being against the second commandment expresly . 3dly , we reject all such signs as pretend to carry any supernatural efficacy or vertue with them ; because all such efficacy and vertue must proceed from god , and we ought not to presume that he will communicate them to signs or rites , except we have his promise for it ; and on this account we judge the popish holy water , oyl , spittle , crossing , &c. to be superstitious . 4thly , such rites as by their number or quality engage the thoughts , and divert them from attention on god's service , such are the many crossings ( two hundred , if i remember right , in one office ) bowings , kneelings , kissings , and frequent motions from one place to another in the mass. 5thly , such signs as are not easily understood , dark and dumb ceremonies , as our church calls them ; whose design and signification are not easily comprehended by the people : such are the many vestments of the popish priests , the furniture of their altars , the lights , oyl , and salt in their baptism , &c. 6thly , such as neither present universal custom or nature have made proper and significant of the things they are designed to express ; or if formerly they have been significant , are now antiquated , having lost their signification by time , as words do , ( the custom that made them significant being changed ) as it has happen'd to putting off the shooes at our coming into the house of god , covering the head , the kiss and feasts of charity , the dipping in baptism , and changing the cloathing , the continuance of which we count burthensome and superfluous . 7thly , such as are not proper to influence mens minds , and engage them to perform the office they are about with more seriousness and attention ; or , as our church expresses it , that are not apt to stir up the dull minds of men by some notable signification : such are many gestures of the priests in the mass , and many other ceremonies of the roman church . 8thly , such as pretend to propitiate or reconcile us unto god , because that can only be done by means of his own appointment ; on this account we reject agnus dei , the pilgrimages , processions , whippings , and fasts of the papists , that are performed with opinion of merit . 9thly , such as have been abused and perverted to superstitious uses , and cannot be separated from them ; on this account chiefly we have laid aside the common use of crossing : not but we believe it was piously and prudently used by the primitive christians , as an instance , expression , and badge of their profession amongst heathens and infidels ; but it was so abused , and the opinion of efficacy and vertue in it to drive away devils , and to produce other spiritual effects , so rooted in the minds of men concerning it , that there was no probability of taking away the abuse of it whilst the thing remained : and besides , the common use of it doth now no more amongst us signifie our common christianity , but is become the peculiar badge of a papist , and so has lost its primitive signification . to conclude , we condemn only those rites of the roman church against which we have these exceptions , or the like , ( as where they want gravity or decency ) and we are able to justifie our exceptions by reason and scripture ; but we never condemn'd any rite of that church , as mr. b. doth the sign of the cross in baptism , either first , because it represented to us our duty , and instructed us in it . or , 2dly , because it signified our purpose , resolution , or vows to serve god , that is our obligation or dedication to his service . or , 3dly , because it distinguished christians from heathens , worshippers from spectators , or the devout worshippers from the negligent . on the contrary , we think these to be proper ▪ and allowed scripture uses of outward signs in gods worship ; and it were a just exception against any of them , if they did not serve to some of these purposes . mr. b. may call such signs foolish inventions , &c. as he seems to do , vind , p. 51. and charge the church of god for using them ; but we ought to be modest in such censures , and remember the danger of calling our brother fool , as we are taught by our saviour , matt. 5. 22. we never used such objections against popery , from our first controvertists to this day ; and this alone may convince you that mr. b's . principles are not the common principles of protestants . and it is a great disservice to our cause ( which we have maintained , thanks be to god , with success , without the assistance of mr. b. his party or principles ) to tell the world that we used such arguments as these . vi. lastly , he objects that the multiplicity of these rites ( or in the bp's language significant actions ) had almost eaten out the vitals of religion , vind. p. 51. but i answer , 1st , that we do not plead for the multiplicity of them , but for such as are decent , proper and edifying , and which universal custom has made significant , not such as mens fancies can invent ; to admit some of the first sort in religion , doth no more open a door to our fancies , than admitting such words as general custom has made significant to express our desires , gives us liberty to invent new ones never heard of before , or to introduce the artisices of mens wisdom into our divine discourse ; which have done as much mischief as significant actions , and are expressly forbidden . 2dly , the significant actions our church uses are far from a multiplicity , they are indeed fewer than we find used in the new testament , and if we have err'd on either hand , which i hope we have not , it is not in the multiplicity , but rather in the fewness of them . 3dly , they are with us so far from eating out the bowels of religion , that on the contrary , the little care men have of using such , has destroyed the sense of religion in a great many , and induced them to make no distinction between good and evil , sacred and profane , in many cases . 4thly , the multiplicity of words which are signs to the ear , are as apt to eat out the bowels of religion , as the multiplicity of significant actions , and our saviour gives us an express caution against them , matt. 6. 7. the like we have eccles 5. 2. so that the whole dispute seems to me , to be between the eye and the ear , which shall be gratified ; and excess in either , have had too much the same effect . too many visible signs are apt to eat out the heart of religion , and make it degenerate into shew ; and too many words which are audible signs , are apt to have the like effect , and make religion degenerate into talk ; of both which , the church of god has had equal experience , and are both equally to be avoided . conclusion . thus i have examin'd all that mr. b. has objected against our worship , from the instance of the sign of the cross ; and prov'd it to be no human invention , but warranted by scripture , according to the rules laid down in my first discourse to you , for the determining what are human inventions in the worship of god. mr. b. indeed wou'd perswade you , that by those rules he has retorted upon me my own arguments against your worship ; and alledges ( vind. p. 55. ) 't is strange , that ( except that of crossing ) i have not so much as endeavoured to vindicate any one practice of the establish't church , from my own arguments retorted on me . but i answer , first , that to retort arguments is generally , only a shift of disputants when the arguments pinch them , and they want fair and direct answers , and seldom are either justly or convincingly apply'd : and therefore weigh little with such as seek only truth , and not the service of a party . and indeed mr. b's . were of such a nature that i durst well trust them with indifferent readers , the meaning of them being only this ; if the dissenters worship be mixed with human inventions , that of the establish't church is guilty of the same fault , which is a method to blacken both , but to defend neither ; and may help to open your eyes , and let you see that the arguments formerly brought by your advocates against our worship , are equally conclusive against your own in this point ; and therefore you are as much obliged to answer them as we are . and i desire you to observe that mr. b. has no way answered them on your part , but by flying to his rule of humane prudence , which i do not find you do generally approve , and therefore , even according to your own opinion , he has not cleared you from the charge of humane invention which i brought against your worship . but 2dly , i have shew'd you plainly ( in the 2d chap. sect. 2. n. 9. of this 2d . admonition ) that he has perverted the sense of that rule i laid down concerning things contain'd in and warranted by the word of god ; and on that perverted sense , he has founded all those retorted arguments which he alledges , i did not answer . but having explain'd that rule in my 2d edition , so as he can find no exception to it , it was a sufficient answer to all his arguments . 3dly , i knew that the sense of my words , before i so explain'd them , cou'd not but be manifest to every indifferent , and understanding reader ; and therefore , while with reason and justice , i disown'd the sense he wou'd put upon my words in that rule , i thought , and still think , that i needed not trouble you any farther with answering particularly the arguments which he has retorted on that perverted sense . mens thoughts are generally coherent , tho' their words do not always seem to be so ; hence it happens sometimes that they may be wrested , and in these disputes a man who endeavours to make a shew of reasoning for his party , catches at some ambiguous or doubtful expression of his adversary , and by putting an ill sense on it , which he knows will not be owned , he fills a book in shewing that the arguments make against him who produceth them ; and this is what mr. b. calls retortion , and is another artifice of those that write for a party to amuse the world , and which i take mr. b. to have practised very much in all that he has yet written ; but whilst a man takes this course , there is nothing written with such accuracy , but he may make it contradict it self ; ev'n the holy scriptures not excepted . i therefore thought it sufficient for me to answer your great and principal objection , which is this of our using the sign of the cross ; since this is the most direct and strongest proof you pretend to bring of humane invention in our worship . in it mr. b. tells us , that all dissenters agree , that it doth directly concern the charge of humane inventions ; and that here dissenters used to fix their charge : to examine all your other arguments , in which you do not agree as in this , were both endless and needless ; for if this , where you used to fix your charge , fail you , 't is plain you are on an ill foundation . i have insisted on that objection , which is your strength against our worship , and am sure , from what i have said , you have good reason , 1st , to suspect mr. b's surmises concerning me in other things , who supposes that i did not mention the cross , because i cou'd not defend it . 2dly , to doubt the firmness of this ground , where , mr. b. says , you all fix your charge . and now i must earnestly admonish and warn you to look into your own hearts , and put it home to your consciences , whether these pretences will bear you up at the last and great day , when you shall be call'd to account for your neglect of the publick worship of god , while you might have had opportunity of frequenting ours : and if , upon enquiry , you find faction or carnalness to be at the bottom , and idolatry or humane sacraments to be only pretences ( as i think they can be no more than pretences , to those that impartially read these papers ) you may conclude they will sink at that day from being pleas before the great searcher of hearts . you and i must come to this tryal , and ▪ 't will then appear , whether i that have used my utmost endeavours to bring you to the publick worship of god , or mr. b. who scoffs at my concern , and zeal for that worship , and for your attendance at it , have approved our selves most to our great master . mr. b. as i observed before , owns it lawful for you to come to our ordinary lords day service when you have none else to go to ; and he had acted both an ingenuous and christian part , had he endeavour'd as diligently and zealously to perswade you to do this , as he has been eager to put this stumbling-block of the cross in your way against our worship , ( at least from thence to confirm and encrease your prejudice against it ) but as he has managed it , he has given ground to suspect , that his zeal is answerable to his endeavours , which are apparently much greater for his party , than our common christianity . i entreat you therefore seriously to consider of these things , as of what you must one day give an account . and to believe , that i have not made all these words about the sign of the cross for its own sake , but rather to remove , if possible , that principle out of your minds , by which you are obliged to look on all such signs as unlawful ; for this principle duly pursued , must prove a stumbling-block , and occasion of perpetual divisions to the end of the world , in all societies of men where it is embraced . i have endeavoured to shew you , that it is a principle unwarranted by scripture ; it is the spring and seed-plot , at least the precence of our present divisions ; and is sufficient , if allowed , to justifie a separation from any church , that either is , or has been in the world , since there is not one party of men , that pretend to be a church , but have signs , that are as much representing , obliging , and distinguishing , as we desire to make the sign of the cross. even the quakers keeping on their hats , as a matter of conscience , and using thou and thee in conversation , are to them as much instructive , obliging and distinguishing signs as the cross is to us ; nor can it secure you to refrain from such signs as others use , for even that abstinence is also an instructive , obliging and distinguishing sign , especially to such as make it a matter of conscience ; and so it is impossible to avoid using such badges . if therefore people shou'd quarrel against all signs on the same score as mr. b. does against the sign of the cross , they may quarrel on to the end of the world , and there can never be any setled union : and unless such principles be removed from the minds of well-meaning people , 't will be impossible to unite them in any establish'd church or order , or to hinder divisions from springing up , if they were so united , since evil-minded men would never want as plausible matter to amuse and dissettle them , as the sign of the cross is pretended to be . and i was the more willing to take some pains in this affair , because i have some hope that what i have said may help to perswade you to put a greater value on sacraments , and to understand their nature , efficacy and necessity when they may be had , better than , i am afraid , many of you do . i have no more to add , but to assure you , that what i write is with a design to do you good , and to satisfie my own mind in the conscientious discharge of my duty and office as a pastor amongst you ; i have endeavoured to do this both by words and writing , and all other means in my power ; i shall by god's help persevere in them , and leave the success to him. i beseech him , of his great mercy , to take away all obstinacy , partiality , error , and prejudice from all men , especially from those under my care ; and to endow us all with a spirit of meekness , charity , patience and humility , that we may love one another , and unite in the praises and worship of our common lord and saviour , the lord jesus christ. this is , and ever shall be , the prayer of londonderry , march 13. 1695. your loving pastour , will. derry . books printed for and sold by r. clavel , at the peacock in st. paul's church-yard . the church history clear'd from the roman forgeries and corruptions found in the councils and baronius : in four parts . from the beginning of christianity to the end of the fifth general council , 553. by tho. comber d. d. dean of durham . aristophanis comaediae duae plutus & nubes , cum scholis graecis antiquis . quibus adjiciuntur noctae quaedam simul cum gemino indice . in usum studiosa juventutis . a daily office for the sick ; compil'd out of the holy scriptures and the liturgy of our church ; with occasional prayers , meditations & directions . the catechisms of the church , with proofs from the new testament , and some additional questions and answers , divided into twelve sections , by z. i ▪ d. d. author of the book lately publish'd , entituled , a daily office for the sick , with directions , &c. a church catechism , with a brief and easie explanation thereof , for the help of the meanest capacities and weakest memories , in order to the establishing them in the religion of the church of england . by t. c. dean of durham . the pantheon , representing the fabulous histories of the heathen gods , and most illustrious heroes ; in a short , plain , and familiar method , by way of dialogue , for the use of schools . written by fra. pomey , of the society of jesus , author of the french and latin dictionary , for the use of the dauphin . q. horatii flacci opera ; interpretatione & notis illustravit ludovicus desprez cardinalitius socius ac rhetor emeritus , jussu christianissimi regis , in usum serenissimi delphini , ac serenissimorum principum burgundiae , andium , biturigum . huic editioni accessere vita horatii , cum dacerii notis ejusdem chronolegia horatiana , & praefatio de satira romana . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a47442-e1030 * mr. craighead proves the kneeling at the sacrament a breach of the second commandment , because the signs have coadoration with christ , partaking of the same worship ; p. 113. and , the second commandment stands in our way , discharging religious worship designedly before any creature ; p. 143. * dr. smith , in his present state of the greek church , owns , that he admir'd whence it came that so few of the eastern christians were proselited to mahometism , considering their circumstances , and concludes , p. 14. praesens satis edoctus tandem dedici , &c. at last being on the place , i learnt that the solemn observation of festivals and fasts , by god's assistance , prevented the whole east from falling entirely from the christian faith ; chiefly , if not only by means of these the christian religion triumphs over so many most cruel contrivances ▪ being secured and fenced by this as by a holy charm against the poyson of mahometism ; for by the return of these feasts , which are celebrated with great crowds , with an holy emulation , the history of the birth , death , and resurrection of christ , and the rest of the mysteries that make up the sum of our religion , are brought to their memory , &c. and he observes , that the history of the apostles and martyrs , with the courage and patience represented in the days of their commemoration is that which arms them with courage to endure all the cruelties and persecutions of the turks . sir paul ricaut speaking of the constancy of the greeks in the christian religion , has these words , p. 15. if any art or policy can be said to have place over the affections of the people , none seems more efficacious than the strict observation of their fasts and feasts of their church , by which the people are taught , as in a visible catechism , the history of christianity , more ( i dare say ) than by their ill-composed sermons , or repetition of the scriptures in the vulgar tongue ; for being severely imposed , and observed with much solemnity , they affect the vulgar with an air of something divine . see larger catechism , q ▪ what is required , and what is forbidden in the 2d commandment