Works

1 TIM. 5. 17.

[unspec I] THERE are two things in these words to be explicated: First, What is meant here by Elders; Secondly, What is this double Honor due unto them. For the first, Who are meant by Elders, there is no question but the Priests or Ministers of the Gospel of Christ were contained under this name: for so the New Testament useth the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Presbyter for the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments in the Gospel; whence cometh the Saxon word Priester, and our now English word Priest. And the Ancient Fathers thought these only to be here meant, and never dreamed of any others. But in our time those who obtrude a new Discipline and Government upon the Church, altogether unknown and unheard of in the ancient, will needs have two sorts of Elders or Presbyters here understood: one of such as preach the Word and Doctrine, whom they call Pastors; another of Lay-men, who were neither Priests nor Deacons, but joined as Assistants to them in the exercise of Ecclesiastical Discipline, in admonitions and censures of manners, and (in a word) in the execution of the whole power of the Keys.

These our Church-men call Lay-Elders, and the Authors of this new device, Presbyterians. These Presbyters or Elders they will have meant in the first words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Elders that rule, or govern, well, whom therefore they call Ruling Elders; the other whom they call Pastors, to be described in the latter words, they who labor in the Word and Doctrine, whom therefore they distinguish by the name of Teaching Elders.

This is their Exposition, and this Exposition the ground and foundation of their new Discipline: but none of the Fathers which have commented upon this Place, neither Chrysostom, Jerome, Ambrose, Theodoret, Primasius, Oecumenius, or Theophylact, (as they had no such, so) ever thought of any such Lay-Elders to be here meant, but Priests only, which administered the Word and Sacraments.

But how (will you say then) is this Place to be understood, which may seem, as they allege, to intimate two sorts of Elders, some that ruled only, others that labored also in the Word and Doctrine? The Divines of our Church, who had cause, when time was, to be better versed in this question than any others, have given divers Expositions of these words; none of which give place to any such new-found Elders as these Fautors of the Presbyterian Discipline, upon the sole Authority of this one place, have set up in divers foreign Churches, and would have brought into ours. I will relate Four of the chief of these Expositions, to which the rest are reducible.

[unspec 1] The First is grounded upon the use of the Participle in the Greek tongue, which is often wont to note the reason or condition of a thing, and accordingly to be resolved by a causal or conditional Conjunction. According whereunto this Text [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , duplici honor digni habeantur (or dignentur, ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,] is to be resolved thus; Elders or Presbyters that rule or govern their Flocks well, let them be accounted worthy of double honor, and that chiefly in respect or because of their labor in the Word and Doctrine. And so this manner of speech will imply two duties, but not two sorts or Orders of Elders; and that though this double Honor be due unto them for both, yet chiefly and more principally for the second, their labor in the Word and Doctrine. And this way goes S. Chrysostom and other Greek Writers.

[unspec 2] A Second Exposition is taken from the force and signification of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies not simply 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to labor, but to labor with much travel and toil; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , vexor, laboribus & molestiis premor, and so properly signifies molestiam & fatigationem ex labor, wearisome and painful labor. Thus the meaning will be, Let Elders that do been praesidere, that is, govern and instruct their Flock well, be counted worthy of double Honor; especially such of them as take more than ordinary pains in the Word and Doctrine. Or thus; Let the Elders that discharge their office well, be, &c. especially by how much the more their painfulness and travel shall exceed in preaching the Word and Doctrine, &c.

Thus we have seen two Expositions of these words, neither of them implying two sorts or Orders of Presbyters, but only distinguishing several offices and duties of the same Order, or implying a differing merit in the discharge of them. But if they will by no means be persuaded but that two sorts of Elders are here intimated, let it be so; two other Expositions will yield them it: but so as will not be for their turn; for their Lay-Elders will be none of them.

The first is this, That the Apostle should speak here of Priests and Deacons, considering [unspec 3] both as Members of the Ecclesiastical Consistory or Senate, which consisted of both Orders, and in that respect might well include them both under the name of Elders; it being a common notion in Scripture to call the Associates of a Court of Judicature by that name: Senatus in Latin hath its name à senibus, i. senioribus, of Eldership, and is as much to say as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . According to this supposal the Apostle's words may have this construction; Let the Elders which rule well, whether Priests or Deacons, be counted worthy of double Honor, but more especially the Priests, who, besides their government, labor also in the Word and Doctrine. Now what can be opposed against such an Exposition, I see not. For it is not improbable but the Apostle should make provision as well for the maintenance of Deacons as of Priests, seeing he omits it not of Widows in the verse going next before this. But unless he includes them under the name of Elders, he makes no provision for them at all. Besides, this is not the only place (some think) where Deacons are comprehended under the name of Elders: For the Council of Jerusalem, Acts 15. 23. where they inscribe their Synodical Epistle thus, The Apostles, and Elders, and Brethren, to the Brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, &c. may seem to comprehend the Deacons under the name of Elders or Presbyters; otherwise they should omit them, which without doubt were part of the Council.

There is another Exposition which allows also of two sorts of Elders to be here implied, [unspec 4] but makes them both Priests; namely, That Presbyters or Priests in the Apostle's time were of two sorts: One of Residentiaries and such as were affixed to certain Churches, and so did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , praesidere Gregi, govern and instruct their Flock; Another of such as had no fixed station, or charge over any certain place, but travelled up and down to preach the Gospel where it was not, or to confirm the Churches where it was already preached; such, namely, as are elsewhere known by the names of Evangelists and Doctors or Prophets: That these were those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that labor'd in the Word and Doctrine, spoken of here by the Apostle: That both these sorts of Presbyters were to be counted worthy of double Honor, as well 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , those that ruled well, as those that travelled up and down to preach the Gospel, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but especially these latter, because their pains were more than the others. This is confirmed from the use of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which in Scripture signifies not only corporal labor, as may appear in many places, but seems to be used by S. Paul even in this very sense we have now given; as 1 Cor. 15. 10. where he says, comparing himself with the other Apostles, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I have travelled up and down more than they all, as is manifest he did.

These are the principal Expositions given by the Writers of our Church, upon this passage of Scripture which is the foundation and only place whereon they build this new Consistory, and are so much in love with it. But this being capable, as you see, of such variety of Exposition, how much too weak and insufficient it is to establish any such new Order of Elders, never heard of in the Church from the times of the Apostles until this last age, any man may judge.

But give me leave to propound a Fifth Exposition, which shall be more liberal to [unspec 5] them than any of those yet given: For it shall yield them all they so eagerly contend for to be implied in this Text, namely, That there are not only two sorts of Elders here implied; but also that the one of them are Lay-Elders, such as have nothing to do with the administration of the Word and Sacraments. What would they have more? Yet they will be never the nearer for this concession. For the Lay-Elders we grant here to be implied, may be no Church-Officers, but the Civil Magistrates, which in Scripture-language we know are called Elders: as when we read of the Elders of Israel, of the Elders of Judah, of the Elders of the Priests, and Elders of the People, of Priests and Elders, and the like. According to such a notion the words may be construed by way of Transit us à thest ad hypothesin, as Rhetoricians call it, to wit, in this manner; Cum omnes Seniores, sive Reipublicae sive Ecclesiae, or, Cum omnes Seniores, etiam Reipublicae (i. Civiles) qui been praesident, duplici honor dignandi sunt, tum maxim Seniores Ecclesiastici, qui laborant in verbo & Doctrina; As all Elders, whether of the Commonwealth, or of the Church, that rule well, are to be accounted worthy of double Honor; so especially the Elders of the Church, that labor in the Word and Doctrine: or thus, Let all Elders that govern well, of what sort soever, be counted worthy of double Honor, especially the Elders of the Church which labor in the Word and Doctrine. Is not this good sen • e? and doth not the Apostle in the beginning of this very Chapter use the name Elder in the larger and more general sense, when he says, Rebuke not an Elder, but exhort him as a Father, and the younger men as Brethren; the Elder women as Mothers, the younger as Sisters? why may he not then do so here? And doth not S. James in his last Chapter v. 14. call the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Elders of the Church, as it were in distinction from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Elders of the Commonwealth?

But it will be objected that this Exposition is too ambitious, because it makes the Apostle to prefer the Elders of the Church before the Elders of the Commonwealth, that is, the Priest before the Civil Magistrate, when he says, that as all Elders, whether of Church or Commonwealth, are to be accounted worthy of double Honor, so especially those Elders which labor in the Word and Doctrine; which are the Presbyters of the Church. But here know that the name of Elder is never given in Scripture to the Supreme Magistrate, but to the Subordinate only; and why the Ministers of the Word and Doctrine should not be accounted as worthy of double Honor as they, or more worthy, I know not; especially if S. Paul here says it. Sure I am, this Objection is not sufficient to refute my Interpretation.

Thus I thought good to acquaint you how many ways this place may be expounded, without importing any such new Elders, (neither Priests nor Deacons ) as they would impose upon us for Church-Officers by the sole authority thereof. For though this Disciplinarian controversy of our Church, stirred up by the admirers of the Genevian platform, were in the heat before our time; yet the Sect is not yet dead, but ready upon every occasion to surprise such as they find unarmed or not fore-warned.

[unspec II] AND thus having informed ourselves who they are which are here termed Elders, come we now to see also, What is that Honor which is due unto them; which was the Second thing I propounded: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let them be accounted (saith the Apostle,) worthy of, or Let them be deign'd, double Honor. That by Honor here is meant honorarium stipendium or a tribute of maintenance, is manifest by the following words which the Apostle brings to enforce it: For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn; and, The laborer is worthy of his hire. Who sees not what these proofs infer? The first of them he alleges also in the same argument, 1 Cor. 9. 9. where he adds, Doth God take care for Oxen? V. 10. Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? (ours namely who preach the Gospel,) For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he which plougheth, should plough in hope; and he that thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope. The case is plain; 'It is an Hebrew notion, To bring honor, that is, To pay tribute, or bring a present: as Apocal. 21. 26. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , They shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it, to wit, the new Jerusalem. And thus much of the word Honor.

But what is meant by double Honor? Some (as among the Fathers S. Ambrose ) will have this double Honor to be Honor of Maintenance, and Honor of Reverence: But because the Apostle's proofs here infer only Maintenance, I take it to be meant in this place only of it. And as for double, there seems to be an allusion to the right of the First-born, to whom at first the office of Priesthood belonged in their Families, and into whose room the Levites were taken, and whom the Presbyters of the Gospel now succeed: As therefore they had a double portion among their Brethren; in like manner should the Presbyters of the Gospel be counted worthy of double Honor.

And if you will admit of that construction of these words which I gave in the Fifth place, namely, to comprehend as well the Elders of the Commonwealth as the Elders of the Church. (That both were to be accounted worthy of double Honor, but especially those of the Church who labor in the Word and Doctrine, ) it will agree yet far better; because both the one and the other succeed in the place of the First-born, to whom belonged both to be Priests and Civil Governors in their Tribes and Families.

Yet howsoever the ancient Christians were wont in their Agapes or Love-Feasts to give their Presbyters a double portion, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with some reference to this Text, as appears by Tertullian: nevertheless, I think double Honor is not here to be so precisely taken, but only to note a liberal and ingenuous maintenance, such as might set them above the vulgar; as the First-born by their double portion were preferred above the rest of their Brethren.

But I have not yet done with the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . For from this that the Apostle here styleth the Priest's maintenance Honor, it followeth, That the Priest's maintenance is not to be esteemed of the nature of Alms, as some would have it; but is a Tribute of Honor, such as is given by an inferior to his Superior. For Alms and Honor

the one respecting those to whom it is given, as miserable; the other, as honorable: I mean, if Alms be taken, as we use the word, for a work of mercy. From the same ground also it follows that the Priest's maintenance is no ordinary mercenary wages, but such as is given by way of Honor, as well as of Reward. For such as is given to ordinary work-men is Reward and Wages only, and not a Testimony or Tribute of Honor: But that which is due to the Priest, as you see, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • Honor, namely, of the same nature with that which is given to Princes and Magistrates by those which are under them. For as the Ministers of the Gospel are in the nature of Presbyters or Elders unto the people over whom they are set; so is their maintenance from them such as is suitable to the condition and Dignity of an Elder; that is to say, not a common Wages, which the Superior often gives to his inferior or servant, but Honorarium or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Honor.

AND thus I have done with the Explication of my Text: The Application whereof shall be according to the present Occasion which this Day requires at our hands. You see by the Discourse we have made, and the Text expounded unto you, That to give maintenance to the Ministers of the Gospel is a duty commanded by God, and therefore a work acceptable unto him; And so consequently and à pari, to endow Seminaries and make provision for the training up of such as are destined to that Office. For so in the Old Testament, not only the Levites who ministered were partakers of the Tithes, but their Children also who were brought up thereto. Now if any people in the world have cause to bless God for Examples of such Piety, we have; whose two Universities, for the goodly structures of Colleges, liberal and rich endowments, have no parallel in the Christian world. It is the confession of a Foreiner, a man of fame and note in his time, Unum ipsorum Collegium superat vel decem nostra, nec credo simile aliquid in toto terrarum orbe aut esse aut fuisse. As therefore they have honored us (for so, you see, the Apostle calleth such Bounty) so are we bound (next after our thankfulness to Almighty God) to honor them. The first and chiefest part whereof is, to use their Bounty according to their pious intendments, and to approve ourselves worthy to partake thereof; than which no greater honor can be done them: But this concerneth us at all times. The next is, to remember them all with their due praise and honor; which is our duty at this time.

ACTS 2. 5.

AT the Feast of Pentecost, when that wonder happened of the Holy Ghost's descent upon the Apostles in the likeness of Fiery tongues, there were present at Jerusalem (as the story a little after my Text informs us) men of several Nations, as Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and dwellers in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, (or stranger-Romans) both Jews and Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians. All these, upon the noise of this strange accident, came together unto the place, and were confounded, hearing them every man speaking in his own language wherein he was born.

Many, when they read this story, suppose the people here mentioned, the most of them, to have been Gentiles; and some Expositors cannot be excused from this mistake. For the more clear discerning whereof, and their better information who may perhaps be overtaken with the same error, I have made choice of the words before read for the argument of my present Discourse; which tells us in express terms, That these Parthians, Medes and Elamites, these Mesopotamians, Cappadocians, and the rest after mentioned under those National names, were Israelites or Jews of the dispersion, Jews born in Parthia and Media, Jews of Elam or Persia, Mesopotamian Jews, and so the rest of the Countries there named; all of them of the Circumcision: For so saith my Text beginning to speak of them, There were sojourning, or (if you will) dwelling, at Jerusalem, Jews of every Nation under Heaven, that is, of every Nation where the Jews were dispersed.

This is yet further confirmed by S. Peter's speech unto them; as when having cited the words of the Prophet Joel, verse the 22. he saith unto them, Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, &c. v. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. Men of Israel, and such as had slain their Messias; surely those were no Gentiles.

Likewise when at the hearing of this they were pricked in their hearts, he saith unto them, Repeut, and be Baptized everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins. For the Promise is made unto you and your Children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord shall call. The Promise, saith he, is made unto you and your children; were these then any others than Jews or Israelites, of the seed of Abraham?

Lastly, we find that of these Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and of the rest named with them, there were added unto the Church by this Sermon of S. Peter three thousand souls: But it is certain that Cornelius the Centurion was the first Gentile that was converted unto the Faith: Therefore these first converts were no Gentiles. Perhaps you will say, They were Proselytes of these several Nations, and therefore called Jews. I say, Not so neither; because Proselytes are by name rehearsed among them, when it is said of those Roman advenae, (verse the tenth) that they were Jews and Proselytes; Ergo, the rest were Jews by race, and not by Religion only. But what need I to have heaped together all these proofs, when my Text alone is sufficient to evince it?

I come now therefore to a more particular illustration thereof, according to what I have thus in general premised. And first, for the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which I translate sojourning, rather than dwelling, (for so I understand it, that they were not proper dwellers, but such as came to worship at Jerusalem from those far Countries at the Feasts of the Passover and Pentecost, and so had been continuing there some good time;) 'It is true, that in the usual Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signify a durable mansion: but with the Hellenists, in whose Dialect the Scripture speaketh, they are indifferently used for a stay of a shorter or a longer time, that is, for to sojourn, as well as to dwell; as these two examples out of the Septuagint will make manifest. One in Genes. 27. 44. where Rebecca says to her younger son Jacob, Son, arise, and flee unto Laban my brother to Haran, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is here to tarry but a few days. Another is in 1 Kings 17. 20. where Elijah cries unto the Lord, saying, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? here 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to sojourn only. In a word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 answer to the Hebrew verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies any stay or remaining in a place.

Next for the persons here specified, Jews out of every Nation under Heaven; for the right understanding thereof we are to know, That before this last Dispersion of the Jews by the Romans, after their Temple and City were destroyed by Titus (which at the time of this story was not, nor many years after it,) there had been already two Captivities and great Dispersions of that Nation, besides some smaller scatterings. The first was of the Ten Tribes, by Shalmaneser King of Assyria, who is said to have planted them in Halah and Habor, by the river of Gozan, and in the Cities of the Medes; and these never (I mean any considerable part of them) returned to dwell again in their own Country: of these therefore (at least chiefly) we are to understand those to have been which the story here calls Parthians, Medes and Elamites; Elamites, that is, Persians, of the Province Elymais. For in those Countries which these names comprehend were the Ten Tribes placed by the Assyrian, and there still dwelt and thereabouts in our Savior and his Apostles time, and long after. S. Jerome upon those words Joel 3. 6. The children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, (which he understands of the Captivity by Vespasian and Titus ) tells us thus much; Filii (saith he) Judah & Jerusalem, nequaquam Israel & decem Tribuum, quae usque hodie in Medorum urbibus & montibus habitant; The children of Judah and Jerusalem, not of Israel and the Ten Tribes, which even to this day have their habitation in the Cities and Mountains of the Medes. The second Captivity was by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon, of the Two Tribes, Judah and Benjamin, more than a hundred years after that of the Ten. Now a good part of these at seventy years end returned again, under Cyrus and his Successors, to dwell again in their own Land, re-edified the Temple and City of Jerusalem, and re-erected their Commonwealth, which continued till our Savior's time and a little after. Notwithstanding all those that were Captives in Babylon returned not; no, it may be not much more than the half of them; certain it is, that a great number of them stayed there still, those especially which were rich and well accommodated, having no mind to stir: whence in our Savior's and the Apostles times there were an innumerable company of them in those parts, where they flourished with Academies and Schools, and had Doctors not inferior to those of Jerusalem itself. Yea from them proceeded the Chaldee Paraphrase, and that great Doctor and Patriarch of Rabbies, R. Hillel. Of these therefore we have reason to think were those which are here enumerated by the name of Dwellers in Mesopotamia, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Where note by the way, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 are comprehended in the number of those whom my Text saith were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which confirms my interpretation, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there signifies sojourning, and not dwelling, for that they could not be said to dwell in both places.

These two Dispersions beyond the River Euphrates, how numerous they were in our Savior's and the Apostles times, we may gather from those words of King Agrippa, in Josephus, in that Oration he made unto the Jews before that fatal siege, dissuading them from rebelling against the Romans, their party being too much too weak to maintain themselves against that mighty Empire. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. What associates (saith he) will you have from some Country not inhabited, to aid you against the Romans? For all those that at this day dwell in any part of this world that is inhabited, are Romans. Except some of you hope for help from beyond Euphrates, thinking that your Countrymen in Adiabene will help you. He goes on, But they are more wise than to engage themselves rashly in so dangerous a war: Nor would the Parthians suffer it, if they should be so unwise as to appear in such a quarrel. Mark then, that they were under the dominion of the Parthians. Josephus himself testifieth as much in his Prologue to his De Bello Iudaico; where he informs us, that that History of his he had first penned 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in his own Country language, for the use of those of his Nation in the East: which he thought good also to publish in Greek, for the better information of the Greeks and Romans concerning the true gests of that war. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. For I could not (saith he) but judge it to be very unbecoming, and no way commendable, for me to take all that pains only for the Parthians, Babylonians, and the remotest Arabians, as also those of our Nation inhabiting beyond Euphrates, together with those of Adiabene; that these through my writings should be made acquainted with the true account of both the rise and end, as also the main occurrences and chief events, of that War: and to take no care at all to inform and undeceive the Grecians and such of the Romans as were not in the War; who being abused by the false reports or the flatteries of others, know very little of the true story of these affairs. Observe here the rehearsal of his Nation; Parthians, Babylonians, Arabians, the Mesopotamian Jews or those beyond Euphrates, and those o • Adiabene. Besides he tells us in the same place, That the Jews believed that all those of their Nation, even those who dwelt beyond Euphrates, would have join'd with them in their rebellion against the Romans.

Besides these two Captivities by Salmanassar and Nebuchadnezzar, the first whereof never returned again into their own Land, and the second but in part, there happened a third Captivity and Dispersion in the days of Ptolemaeus Lagi, one of the Greek Kings reigning in Egypt; who surprising the City of Jerusalem, carried many of the People of the Country, of the offspring of those who returned from Babylon, Captives into Egypt, planting them at Alexandria and the places thereabouts; whom many others followed of their own accord, partly allured by the King's favor, who gave them equal privileges with those of Alexandria, and partly by the fertility of the Country: so that this Colony became a very great one. These were called Hellenists, because they spake the Greek tongue, and used the Translation of the Septuagint (which was made in Egypt ) in their Synagogues.

Of these three principal Dispersions came those lesser scatterings in all parts of the Roman Empire and elsewhere. From that of Babylon and Mesopotamia was spread that of Pontus, Gallatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, to which S. Peter, as an Apostle of the Circumcision, writes his two Epistles: which may be gathered, because in his first Epistle he salutes them from Babylon which was their Metropolis. The Church, saith he, at Babylon, el • cted together with you, saluteth you; that is, the Church of the Circumcision there. From those of Alexandria and Egypt were derived those plantations in Libya and Cyrene, and all other Hellenists whatsoever in several parts of the Roman Empire. Add to these, that many of those of Judea itself, that could not live well at home, upon some occasion or other, either alluring them or constraining them, seated themselves abroad among the Gentiles and in their Cities, being together with themselves under the same Dominion of the Roman Empire. Insomuch that King Agrippa, in that fore-mentioned Oration of his before that last siege, dissuading them of Judea from rebelling against the Romans, in regard of the evil they might bring thereby, not upon themselves only, but upon their whole Nation wheresoever living among the Gentiles, sticks not to say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , For there is no people in the whole world, which hath not some part of ours dwelling amongst them. Marvel not therefore that S. Luke says in my Text, Jews of every Nation under Heaven.

All this is confirmed out of the New Testament itself; forasmuch as before the last Captivity by Titus (which was not till almost forty years after our Savior's Ascension) and whilst their Commonwealth in the holy Land was yet standing, we read that almost in every City of the Gentiles, whither the Apostles came to preach the Gospel, they found Jews with their Synagogues in them. To which add that S. James directs his Epistle, To the twelve Tribes scattered abroad, or, as the Greek hath it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • as I have also before noted that S. Peter doth his unto the Dispersion of Asia.

This is that I had to speak for the illustration of this Story and Text; out of which, besides the right understanding of Scripture, whereto it conduceth, you may observe these four things.

First, The wisdom and providence of Almighty God, in so ordering the first publication of the Gospel, that the same thereof, and of that convincing Miracle which gave authority thereunto, might be carried unto all Nations by so many both ear and eye-witnesses of the same, as those Jews were.

Secondly, A probable reason why the Apostles were so ignorant at the first, as they seem to have been, that the Gospel was to be preached unto the Gentiles, notwithstanding our Savior's Commission unto them, Go preach this Gospel unto all Nations. [unspec 2] For it may be, they thought this Command might be satisfied in preaching the Gospel to those of the Circumcision only, which were of every Nation under Heaven.

Thirdly, The Elogium here given to those who made conscience (as we speak) or [unspec 3] Religion, to come unto the House of God to worship; they were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 so saith my Text, There were sojourning in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, &c. For there appears no other respect why they are so called, but because they came so long a journey to worship God in his House or Temple at Jerusalem.

Fourthly, The blessed opportunities and means for Salvation which they meet with [unspec 4] which come thither to worship. For had those Jews staid at home, as the rest of their brethren did, they had not been partakers of such a blessing, nor witnesses of so wonderful a Miracle for confirmation of their faith, as now they were.

I COR. 9. 14.

MY purpose in choosing this Text is not to make the maintenance of the Ministry under the Gospel the direct aim of my Discourse, but only to inquire what is meant by the last words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Which that we may the more readily and certainly find, let us examine and consider a little of the Protasis, whereof the words I have now read are the Apodosis. Know ye not, saith the Apostle, that [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] those that minister about holy things, [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] do eat of the holy thing, or (as we turn it) of the things of the Temple; and [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] they which wait at the Altar [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] are fellow-sharers with the Altar? [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] So hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , those who were employed about holy things, are the Levites, who lived 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of the holy thing, or (if you had rather it should be a Substantive) of the Temple, that is, of that which belonged thereto, namely, of the Tithes which belonged to the Temple, but were no offering of the Altar: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they who did incumbere or assidere altari, wait at the Altar, were the Priests, whose proper office it was to offer sacrifices thereon, and had part of the same for their proper maintenance, as the breast and right shoulder before it was burnt, and after so much as was reserved from burning; so they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the Apostle speaks, they were fellow-sharers with the Altar; the Altar having one part of the Offering, they another.

Thus, you see, the Apostle in both suits the maintenance with the Office. The Office of the Levites was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to be employed about holy things; their maintenance, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the holy thing, or the revenue of the Temple; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they eat of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Office of the Priests, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to wait at the Altar; their maintenance, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to share with the Altar. Now then must not the Apodosis answer the Protasis? what manner of similitude, what analogy will there be else? Ergo, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to preach the Gospel is the Office of the Ministers of the Gospel, so is their maintenance noted by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Those therefore who so interpret these words, as if 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the last place were taken in no other sense than it was in the first, namely, to note the Function or Calling of the Ministers, (as if the sense were no other, but that the Ministers of the Gospel, whose Calling it is to preach the Gospel, should get their living by their Calling of preaching the Gospel) make S. Paul the Author of a lame and inconsequent Similitude, whose Apodosis answers not unto his Protasis. For what a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , what an [ Even so ] or analogy would this be? The Levites lived of the Holy portion or revenue of the Temple as their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or wages; Even so the Ministers of the Gospel must live by their Calling and Function. The Priests were maintained out of the share they had of the Of • erings of the Altar; Even just so the Ministers of the Gospel must live by their Function of Preaching the Gospel. May not any one see that the Apodosis answers not the Protasis? For that speaks of the wages, this of the service for which the wages is due. Well therefore, as in the Protasis the wages was compared with the work, so must it be in the Apodosis too; and consequently 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 must here express the wages, as 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 doth the work.

But now here is the Quaere; If 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 note not the Function, but the wages and maintenance due to the Evangelic Ministers; in what notion then is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here to be taken, and how to be expounded? Oecumenius would have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in this last place to signify 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the believers of the Gospel 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; and the meaning to be, That those who preach the Gospel should be maintained by those which believe the Gospel. But this would make our Apodosis to answer the Protasis little better than the former: For that speaks of the wages and maintenance of the Levites and Priests, not a word of the maintainers. . Besides, to speak properly, 'tis not true, that the people maintain the Ministers: they are not their Ministers, but God's; and he maintains them out of his own revenue, and not at men's charges. Quis militat suis stipendiis? (saith our Apostle, at his entrance upon this Argument) Who goeth to war at his own charges? Now I ask, Cujus stipendiis militat, qui militat? nonne Imperatoris? At whose charges is it that any one goes to war? is it not at the Sovereign's charges? To which purpose note also by the way, that it is not said here (as we translate it) So hath God ordained, that those which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel: but, So hath God appointed, or given order to those that preach the Gospel, that they should live of the Gospel; that is, Non dicit, Dominum mandâsse aliis ut eos alerent, sed mandâsse ipsis ut ex Evangelio viverent. But to return again to the interpretation of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which others therefore had rather take here for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for that which in the Gospel is consecrate to God: viz. As the Priests and Levites had their maintenance out of that which was offered unto God in the Law; so God had ordained that the Ministers of the Gospel should be maintained of that which is consecrate to him in the Gospel. And this sense is straight and good.

But what need we fly to a Trope, when the natural sense of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 will serve our turn, yea do it much better? For howsoever in the New Testament it most commonly signifies good tidings; yet, in other Greek Writers, the more usual signification in the singular number is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , premium quod datur laetum afferenti nuncium, the gift or reward wont to be given for good tidings. Homer ( Odyss. 14.) brings in Ulysses in a poor traveler's disguise, stipulating with his servant Eumaeus, what his reward should be for the good news he promised to tell him of his Master's life and speedy return: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , let this be my 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Reward, saith he; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , A cloak, a coat, and other good garments. To whom Eumaeus answers,

Neither am I able to give such an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or Reward, neither will Ulysses ever come home again. Plutarch (in his De gloria Atheniensium ) relates, that the Lacedaemonians to one that brought them tidings of the victory at Mantin • a, having been no actor, but a spectator only, sent, for an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , only a dish of meat from one of their common suppers called Phiditia: the words are, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The same Author (within three or four lines after) affirms that Historians, who relate and describe Battels and Victories in such perspicuous styles, deserve an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Reward from those who first read them: And (in his Demetrius ) he tells, that when one Aristodemus brought news to King Antigonus of a notable victory his party had obtained against Ptolemaeus Lagi, but put the King first in great perplexity, by discovering nothing, either by word or countenance, what his tidings were, till he came to the King's presence, then saying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Hail King Antigonus, we have overcome King Ptolemy at Sea: The King answered, Welcome, Aristodemus; but because thou hast kept us so long in suspense and perplexity, thou shalt suffer some punishment for the pain thou hast put us to; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for it shall be the later before thou receive the reward of thy good tidings. Which is a sufficient testimony both of the use of the word, and the custom. Cicero (in one of his Epistles Ad Atticum ) useth the plural number: O suaves Epistolas tuaes, (saith he) uno tempore mihi datas, duas! quibus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quae reddam, nescio; deberi quidem plane fateor: O thy sweet and most acceptable Eetters, received both at the same time! for the which I know not what grateful returns to make, though I am very sensible they deserve the best.

Besides, in the plural number [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] it signifies a sacrifice for good tidings. Hence Plutarch (in his Phocion ) hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • Isocrates (in Areopagitico ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ob tot successus bis quidem sacrificavimus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • Xenophon (in his Hellanica ) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . To conclude; it is apparent by these examples, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies a gift or tribute due for good tidings; whether as an offering to the God's, the Authors; or as a reward to men, the messengers and bringers.

Now the most Blessed and Happy tidings that ever came to the ears of the sons of men, is Salvation by Jesus Christ our Lord; whereof his Priests and Ministers are the daily messengers. Is there not then an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 due for this? And is not this that our Apostle meaneth when he says here, Even so the Lord hath ordained, that they who preach the Gospel, should 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • So that which was required only for acknowledgment of the Divine Dominion under the bondage of the Law, is now turned into the nature of an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the liberty of the Gospel; I mean, that which we offer now unto God for the maintenance of the Evangelical Ministry, and other uses of his service. The sense is most fit and agreeable, and makes the Apostle's expression (if so understood) passing elegant.

But you will say, What probability is there the Apostle should use 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in this notion? For though profane Authors do so, yet the Scripture's meaning, both here and elsewhere, is to be measured by its own Dialect. Have therefore the Hebrew, the Chaldee, the Septuagint any such notion as this? I answer, Yes, all three of them. For in the Hebrew, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the only word for good tidings, signifies also Praemium boni nuncii, a reward for good tidings. Yea, being not above five times found in the Old Testament, Schindler will have it thrice taken in that signification; and twice will be easily yielded him. Likewise in the Chaldee, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signify as well the one as the other, both nuncium and nuncii premium, good tidings and a reward for good tidings. As for the Seventy, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is but thrice found with them, and once so apparently in this signification, as leaves no place for contradiction. It is 2 Sam. 4. 10. where they have, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Cui oportuit me dedisse Evangelia. They are the words of King David, when Rechab and Baanah brought Ishbosheth's head unto him; When one told me, saith he, Behold, Saul is dead, (thinking he had brought good tidings) I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, when I should have given a reward for his tidings. The Hebrew word rendered here Reward for good tidings is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Seventy, as I said before, have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Vulgar, or S. Jerome, mercedem pro nuncio, a reward for the tidings; the Chaldee Paraphrast, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a gift, or reward, for his tidings.

Thus you see, this notion was familiar to all the Languages that S. Paul was brought up in. Why should it then be improbable he should use it when he had occasion? And no marvel it is to be found no oftener; for, unless it be in this Chapter, in the whole New Testament the thing itself ( Reward for good tidings ) is never mentioned, intimated, or alluded to. How then could the word be used? But in this Chapter, methinks, I hear it used a second time, (ver. 23.) I will only propound it to your considerations, and so conclude.

The matter stands thus. S. Paul, though he received no Reward at the hands of the Corinthians for his pains in making known the glad tidings of Salvation unto them, but did it gratis to them-ward; yet he looked for an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from God, stored up in the heavens for all his faithful messengers, and to be received at the great Day: In expectation whereof, he not only thus preached the Gospel to them freely, but endured all things, and made himself a servant to all; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (saith he) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , This I do for the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that I might be partaker thereof with you. What 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 should it be that S. Paul here aimed to be partaker of? Surely, it should seem 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 here notes some Praemium or Reward, even by that which immediately follows, Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all; but one receiveth the Brabeum or Prize? So run that ye may obtain. I leave it to your better meditations, and so conclude.

PSAL. 112. 6.

A Word fitly spoken, saith Solomon, is like Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver; that is, graceful and comely: so is a Text of Scripture fitly chosen, and rightly applied to the occasion. Such an one as I take it, is this I have now read, not chosen by me, but appointed by order to be used at these times of Commemoration. I shall need no other Preface to commend it to your attention: Let us therefore see what is the Sense and meaning thereof.

The Righteous, that is, The Bountiful; shall be in everlasting remembrance; In remembrance with God, In remembrance with men: With God, in the world to come, and in this world; With men, How, and in what manner? These are the several Heads I shall speak of; and first of the First, the Subject, The Righteous, or the Bountiful, man.

For Righteousness in a special sense, in the Hebrew and the rest of the Oriental Tongues of kin to it, signifies Beneficence or Bounty, both the Virtue and the Work; and therefore by the Hellenists or Septuagint is it translated 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the word so frequent in the New Testament for that we call Alms. 'It is a known place, Dan. 4. according both to the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin, Peccata tua Eleemosynis redime, & iniquitates tuas misericordiis pauperum: Where in the Original for Eleemosyna Alms is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Righteousness, as we in our English render it, Break off thy sins by Righteousness, and thine iniquity by showing mercy to the poor. This notion of Righteousness is to be found thrice together in the 12. of Tobit. Ver. 8. Prayer (saith old Tobit there to his Son) is goodwith Fasting, and with Alms, and Righteousness: A little with Righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness: It is better to give Alms, than to lay up gold. 9. For Alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin, Those that exercise Alms and Righteousness, shall be filled with life. Here in the Greek copy 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Alms and Righteousness are exegetically put the one to expound the other, but in the Hebrew there is but one word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for them both, that being the word in that language for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Hence in the Syriac Translation of the New Testament 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is rendered by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iustitia, And so in the Arabic. Hence Mat. 6. 1. for Take heed that you do not your alms before men, (as we read it) the vulgar Latin and some Greek Copies have, Attendite ne justitiam vestram faciatis coram hominibus, Take heed that you do not your righteousness before men; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Namely as the word Charity with us, though in the larger sense it signifies our whole duty both to God and man, is restrained to signify our Liberality to the poor; so is the word Righteousness in the Oriental Languages.

If Righteousness therefore signify Beneficence and Bounty, then is the Righteous according to this notion the Bountiful man, or as we speak the Charitable. And that it is so taken in my Text, both the general scope of the Psalm, and the connection with the words before and after, is proof sufficient. For before goes this, A good man showeth favor and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with judgment: Surely he shall not be moved forever. (Then come the words of my Text) The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. After it follows this, He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness remaineth forever: which S. Paul alledgeth 2 Cor. 9. 9. to promote their collection for the poor Saints at Jerusalem.

For illustration of this and our further information, it will not be amiss, I hope, to commend to your observation some other places of Scripture where the word Righteous is thus taken: as namely Psal. 37. 21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. Again, Vers. 25, 26. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth, and his seed is blessed. Here the Righteous is the merciful and bountiful; to whom namely this blessing, That his seed shall not want, is proper and peculiar. The same use is, Prov. 10. 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but Righteousness delivereth from death. The same is repeated again Chap. 11. 4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath; but Righteousness delivereth from death. Where Righteousness to be taken for Alms is apparent out of Tobit 12. 9. where it is so applied and rendered, namely, Alms doth deliver from death. I could add also another place, Prov. 21. 26. but these shall be sufficient.

Hence appears their error who conceive of the nature of Alms as of an arbitrary thing, which they may do if they will, or not do, without sin; as that which carries no obligation with it, but is left freely to every man's discretion. And this makes some contend so much to have the Priest's maintenance granted to be Eleemosynary, that so they might be at liberty to give something or nothing as they listed. But if that were so, yet if Alms be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Righteousness in the Hebrew tongue, and the language which our Savior spake; if our Savior called them Righteousness, when he mentioned them; who dare affirm then that Righteousness implies no obligation, or that a man may leave it undone without sin?

THUS much of the Subject, The Righteous: Now I come to the Predicate, shall be in everlasting remembrance. In remembrance, I said, with God and men: With God, in the life to come, and this life. Let us see for the first, The world to come.

It is certain that at the day of Judgment we shall receive our doom according to our works of Charity and Mercy; and that of all the works that a Christian man hath done, these alone have that peculiar privilege to be then brought in express remembrance before God: Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World. For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came unto me, &c. Forasmuch as ye have done thus unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me, Matt. 25. 34, &c. What doth my Text say? The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance: God remembers our good deeds, when he rewards them, (as he doth our prayers, when he hears them.) If to remember then be to reward, an everlasting reward is an everlasting remembrance. 'It is remarkable, that this privilege which the works of Bounty and Mercy shall have at the day of Judgment was not unknown to the Jews themselves: for so we read in the Chaldee Paraphrast upon Ecclesiastes 9. 7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , It shall come to pass at the day of Judgment, that the Lord of the world shall say thus openly to every righteous man then before him, Go and eat with gladness thy bread which is laid up for thee, as a reward for the bread which thou gavest to the poor and needy when they were an hungered; and drink with gladness of heart the wine which is kept for thee in the garden of Eden (or Paradise) as a reward for the wine thou gavest the poor and needy when they were athirst: for behold thy good works have found acceptance before the Lord.

The reason of this Prelation of the works of Mercy at that great day is, because all we can expect at the hands of our Heavenly Father is merely of his Mercy and Bounty: we can hope for nothing but mercy, without mercy we are undone; according to that of Nehemiah in his last Chap. Remember me, O Lord, concerning this, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy. Now in those that are to be partakers of Mercy, the Divine wisdom requires this congruity, that they be such as have been ready to show mercy unto others; judging them altogether unworthy of mercy at his hands, who have afforded no mercy to their brethren: For so the Scripture tells us, that they shall have judgment without mercy, that have shewn no mercy. The tenor of our Petition for forgiveness of sins, in the Lord's Prayer, runs with this condition, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And who can read without trembling the Parable of the unmerciful servant in the Gospel, to whom his Lord revoked the Debt he meant to have forgiven him, because he shown no mercy to his fellowservant, who owed him a far lesser Debt? Shouldst thou not, saith he, Vers. 23. have shown compassion to thy fellow-servant, as I shown compassion unto thee? This rule of congruity, I say, is the reason why at the day of our great account we shall be judged according to our works of mercy and bounty. To do as we would be done to, hath place not only between man and man, but between God and men.

Nor is this I speak of manifest by the Form of our last Sentence only, but by other Scriptures beside: what else means that of our Savior, Luke 16. 9. Make unto yourselves friends of the unrighteous Mammon, (that is, of these slippery and deceitful riches, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Scripture's Dialect is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting Tabernacles? Or what means that of S. Paul 1 Tim. 6. 17, 18. Charge them that be rich in this world,—that they trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God,—That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life? Laying up a good foundation, &c. in the Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Here it is observable, that works of Beneficence are said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or the Foundation of the reward we shall receive in the life to come. If any but S. Paul had said so, we should have gone near to have excepted against it for an error. Works the Foundation of eternal life? No, that shall not need: but the Foundation of that blessed Sentence we shall receive at the last day for them; and that is evident by the form thereof, which we have alleged. Whatsoever is meant, a great privilege sure is hereby implied, that these works have above others. Where give me leave to tell you what a late sacred Critick hath observed concerning the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in this place of Timothy; namely, That the signification thereof there is not Vulgar, but Hellenistical, agreeable to the use of the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whereto it answers; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies, as it doth, Radix vel fundamentum, the root or foundation. But besides this in the Rabbinical Dialect it is used for Tabulae contractûs, a Bill of contract, a Bond or Obligation whereby such as lend are secured to receive their loan again. That therefore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which answers 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the first sense, doth answer the same likewise in the second; and accordingly the Apostle's meaning to be, That those who exercise these works of Beneficence, do provide themselves as it were of a Bill or Bond, upon which they may at that day sue and plead for the award of eternal life, Vi pacti, but not Vi meriti.

In the same sense he takes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his: And, Let everyone that nameth (or calleth upon) the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. The mentioning of a Seal here, implies a Bill of contract; for Bills of contract had their Seals appendant to them; each side whereof had his Motto, the one suiting with the one party contrahent, the other with the other. That to this S. Paul alludes; God's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith he, standeth sure, (that is, God's Bill of contract, or his Chirographum, ) having a Seal according to the manner: the one side whereof carrieth this Motto, The Lord 〈◊〉 oweth them that are his; the other this, Let everyone that calleth upon the name of Christ, depart from iniquity.

YOU have heard how God remembereth the Righteous, or Charitable man, in the world to come. He remembereth him also in this: For that which the Apostle saith of Godliness, that it hath the promise of this life, as well as of that to come, is most properly and • eculiarly true of this Righteousness of Bounty and Mercy: other Righteous ••••• . • eed must not look for its reward till hereafter, but this is wont to be rewa ••• .

〈◊〉 Spiritual blessings we have the example of Cornelius, who for his Alms-deeds found 〈◊〉 our with God, to have S. Peter sent unto him to instruct him in the saving knowle • of C ••• st: Thy Prayers and thine Alms-deeds, said the Angel, are come up in remem • r • nce before God, Now therefore send to Joppa, and inquire for one Simon, Peter, &c.

For Temporal blessings hear what David says Psal. 37, 25, 26. (quoted before) I was young, saith he, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; therefore his seed is blessed. This blessing is the merciful and charitable man's peculiar, that his children shall not want, who was liberal and open-handed to supply the want of others. But think not that God remembers the charitable man with a Temporal blessing in his posterity only; for he remembers him also in his own person. Thus the same David, Psal. 41. 1. Blessed is he that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. 2. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. 3. The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, &c. And doth not his Son King Solomon say the same? Prov. 19. 17. He that hath pity upon the poor, lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given, he will pay him again. But this perhaps some will think may be applied to the reward in the life to come: If it be, it would much illustrate that of S. Paul's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I now speak of, But Prov. 28. 27. is a place not capable of this exception; He that giveth to the poor, shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes, shall have many a curse.

THUS we have seen how the Righteous man is in remembrance with God: Now let us see how the same is and ought to be in remembrance with men. And it may be inferred from the former: For why should not we remember those whom God doth? The practice in the Church of God hath been accordingly.

The Jews, when they make mention of any of their deceased Worthies, are wont to do it with this Encomium, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let his memory be blessed: Otherwise with this, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Be his memory blessed to eternity. And of their Rabbies in general, when they mention them, they say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Our Rabbies, whose memory be blessed. Which encomiastical Scheme is taken from that of Solomon, Prov. 10. 7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 • The memory of the righteous is blessed: which therefore they sometimes use unaltered to the purpose aforesaid; sometimes with addition, as, Let the memory of the just be blessed to eternity; sometimes, Let the memory of the just and holy be with blessing. These formulae are frequent in their writings. Nor hath this commemorative Scheme been taken up by them (as some perhaps may suppose) since the coming of our Savior, in the time of their dispersion; but was used long before, as may appear Ecclus. 45. 1. where Moses is thus remembered, Moses beloved of God and men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , whose memorial is blessed. And in the next Chapter like mention is made of the Judges of Israel; namely, The Judges everyone by name, whose heart went not a whoring, nor departed from the Lord. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Let their memory be in benediction. So of Judas Maccabaeus, 1 Mac. 3. 7. He grieved many Kings, and made Jacob glad with his acts; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , His memorial is, or Let his memorial be, blessed forever.

But what is the meaning of this Formula? what is it for the memory of the righteous to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or with blessing? The Septuagint's Translation of that Prov. 10. 7. (whence, as I told you, this Form of honorable remembrance is taken) will soon resolve us: for they, instead of the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The memory of the just is with blessing, have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , The memory of the just is with praises. To make mention therefore of the righteous by way of benediction, is to praise them. For the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to bless, in Scripture hath a treble notion: First, to speak well of; secondly, to speak well for; thirdly, to do well unto. To speak well of, is to praise. So we are said to bless God, when we praise and glorify him: Benedic, anima mea, Domino; Bless the Lord, O my Soul; that is, praise him. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; that is, praised. Bless the Lord, all ye Nations; that is, praise him: and so everywhere in the Psalms. The second notion, To speak well for, is to pray for. So the Priest is said to bless the people, when he prays for them: The Lord bless you, and save you; The Lord make his holy countenance to shine upon you, and be merciful unto you. So other blessings of the like kind are prayers for those over whom they are pronounced. The third notion of blessing is To do good unto, to bestow some gift or good upon. Thus God is said to have blessed man, when he said unto him, Increase and multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it; that is, He endowed him with these gifts. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the world be blessed; that is, receive some great benefit. So God is said to have blessed the Patriarchs, when he made them to thrive, and gave them wealth and riches; according to that of Solomon, Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it; namely, such as is wont to accompany riches gotten without God's blessing. Hence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Blessing, in Scripture signifies a gift or present, bounty or beneficence: The Present of cattle which Jacob provided for his brother Esau, when he went to meet him, is all that Story through called his Blessing: The Presents which David sent of his prey to the Elders of Judah, 1 Sam. 30. 26. are there called Blessings. And in the New Testament, 2 Cor. 9. the collection at Corinth for the poor Saints at Jerusalem is thrice called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , their blessing, which we translate Bounty. I thought good to be a little diligent in this explication, that we might be the better able to discern what kind of remembrance of righteous men deceased is commended unto us in that Scripture, The memory of the righteous is with blessing: whence not the Jew only, as you have heard, but the Christian also seem to have derived their practice in that particular, which I am now to show.

For the Christian in this point hath been no whit short of the Jew, but exceeded him rather, not in the later only, but in those better and Primitive times: witness those anniversary remembrances of the Martyrs and Saints deceased; the appointing of Festival days for their memorial; the custom to assemble at their Sepulchers, to make Panegyric orations in their honor; and above all, that ancient and so long-continued custom without known beginning, to commemorate at the Holy Table, when the Encharist was celebrated, the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Martyrs, and Confessors: All which tended to this, That the memory of the righteous might be with blessing. In the extent of which Blessing the Christian went beyond the Jew: For of that threefold notion of Blessing I now speak of, first, to speak well of or to praise; secondly, to speak well for or to pray for; thirdly, to do well unto; the Jews • eem not anciently (but only of late) to have used any but the first in their Commemorations, namely, that of praise: But the Christian added the second of prayer and good wishes for the Saints departed, namely, for their public acquital and consummation at the day of Resurrection: which, had it continued in the first and original meaning, could not be disliked; but having proved in time the Mother of many Superstitions and Errors, and kindled the fire of Purgatory, it was thought fit by the Authors of our Reformation to be disused, and the blessing of the Dead to be confined to that of praise only, namely, of praising and commending them, by recounting their worthy deeds; and then secondly, of praising God for them. And this is the duty we are now assembled to perform to our blessed Founders and Benefactors.

S. MATTHEW 10. 41.

OUR Blessed Savior giving his Apostles their mission to preach the Gospel, unfurnished with outward things, and forewarning them what harsh and unkind usage they and their successors were like to find amongst men; for the better encouragement of such as should entertain and minister unto them, he pronounceth, That whosoever received them, received him; and he that received him, received him that sent him, Whereby it appeareth how honorable an office it was to afford them entertainment, and such as the noblest need not be ashamed of. But because the hope of reward is the most forcible spur to all undertakings, he addeth that too in the words of my Text, He that receiveth, saith he, a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's reward; that is, He that receiveth a Prophet, not for any respect, but quatenus talis, because he is a Prophet, shall have a Prophet's reward.

Which words contain in them evidently these two Propositions.

First, That there is some special and eminent degree of Reward due unto a Prophet above other men.

Secondly, That he that shall entertain a Prophet, and do any good office unto him under that name, that is, for his office sake, shall be partaker of that Reward. Of these Two I intend to treat, beginning with the First, the more general.

That there shall be differing degrees of Reward in the life to come, is evident by sundry places of Scripture. As first, from that so often iterated passage, wherein God is said to reward every man according to his works: Which not to be understood only of the differing quality of our works, good and evil, which God rewards accordingly, the one with everlasting bliss, the other with eternal fire, (as some here except,) but also of the differing works of just men compared together, is manifest by that 1 Cor. 3. 8. where the Apostle comparing his own and Apollos work together, saying, He had planted, and Apollos watered, adds, that both should receive their reward, according to their work; that is, as their work differed, so should their reward do.

In the second place the same is represented by that Parable, Luke 19. of the Ten servants who received of their Lord, being to go into a far Country, ten pounds to trade with till his return. At what time he that had increased his pound to ten pounds, was made ruler over ten Cities; he that had gained but five pounds, over five Cities; and so the rest, according as they had improved the stock given them.

A third place is that 1 Cor. • 5. 41, 42. There is one glory of the Sun, and another of the Moon, and another glory of the Stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the Resurrection of the dead. Here is the full stop, and not the words to be referred to that which follows, to wit, that the body is sown in corruption, but is raised again in incorruption, as some would have them. For the Apostle speaks here of the difference of things heavenly and glorious, ( One star, saith he, differs from another star in glory; ) and not of the difference between glorious and inglorious, corruptible and incorruptible: For this belongs to his other similitude; There are celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

A fourth place is that 2 Cor. 9. 6. where the Apostle speaking of the reward of beneficence, avoucheth, that he which soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly; and he that soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully.

Fifthly, That speech of our Savior to the twelve, Matt. 19. 27. imports as much; Behold, we (saith Peter) have forsaken all, and followed thee: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; what shall we have therefore? V. 28. Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Regeneration or Resurrection, when the Son of man shall sit upon the throne of his Glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel. S. Luke relates it upon another occasion; whereby it appears our Savior uttered it more than once, Ye (saith he to the Twelve) are they which have continued with me in my temptations; therefore I appoint you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom, and sit on Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, Luke 22. 28, &c. Whatsoever is meant by the Reward intimated in this expression, for the quality thereof, 'tis plain there is some peculiar and more eminent degree of glory here promised the Apostles, which shall not be common to others with them. First, Because it is the reward of their proper and peculiar service unto Christ, as the Text shows. Secondly, Because these twelve Thrones in regard of their number can befit no more but these twelve. Thirdly, Supposing the twelve Tribes of Israel here mentioned to be likewise in a condition of bliss and happiness, it must needs be that those who sit upon twelve Thrones to judge, that is, to govern them, must be in a higher degree of dignity than those over whom they shall be set. Whatsoever therefore the meaning of the Reward be, thus much may be gathered from the description thereof, That there shall be differing degrees of glory in the Kingdom of Christ to come.

To conclude; it hath been the ancient and constant Tradition of the Church, testified by the unanimous consent of all the Fathers, and was never questioned by any, until that Peter Martyr in this last age first began to doubt thereof, and others since more boldly adventured to contradict it.

Their main Reasons or Objections are these two. First, That the Reward to come depends not upon the virtue or dignity of our works, but only upon the merit and satisfaction of Christ: But his merits and satisfaction are uniform and the same to all: Ergo, the Reward also which is to be given by virtue thereof shall be so. This Objection proceeds from that scrupulosity which many of ours have to admit of any relation or connection between our Works and the Reward to come; whence also is that, that they should not be done intuitu mercedis, with an eye or respect to the Reward. Which is an Assertion repugnant to the tenor of the Scripture, where the Holy Ghost is wont to ground his Exhortations upon the hope and promise of Reward. Now what an unreasonable conceit is it to think that where wages is promised for the encouragement of the laborer, the laborer should be bound to work without having any eye or respect to his wages? But to the Objection I answer thus; That it is true, the Merits and satisfaction of Christ are the Foundation of our Reward, namely, that alone which makes our works capable thereof, without which they were not: nevertheless it is true also that our Works are the Subject of Reward; and the same Merit of Christ makes differing works capable of a different Reward.

Their other Objection hath a little more likelihood, and seems therefore somewhat more difficult to answer. It is taken from the Parable, Matt. 20. where the Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a Vineyard, the Master whereof went out in the morning to hire laborers, and agreed with them for a penny a day: Three hours after, or at the third hour, he went out and hired more; and so again at the sixth and ninth hours; yea at the eleventh, but an hour before Sun went down, he did likewise. And when they came all to receive their wages, he gave the last hired as much as he had agreed for with the first, to wit, everyone a penny, neither more not less. Whence it seems to follow, that the reward to come, signified by this penny, shall not be proportioned according to the difference of works, but be one and the same to all.

I answer; First, The Parable proves no more but this, That the sooner or later coming of men into the Vineyard of the Church, (for all were not to be called at one time, nor in one age) shall not make their reward greater or lesser: not that the reward shall not be different according to the diversity of our works. Secondly, I add, That this Parable hath respect to the Churches of the Jews and Gentiles not called, nor to be called, at the same time. For the Jews were hired into the Vineyard betimes in the morning, the Gentiles not till the day was far spent; yet shall they by the goodness of their heavenly Master receive the same reward of eternal life which was promised to the Jew, with whom the Covenant was first made, and who bare the heat of the day, whilst the other stood idle. Besides, in the new Vineyard of the Gospel the turn is changed; for into it (because the Jews would not) the Gentiles have first been hired, though at several hours; the Jew being not to come in until the eleventh hour; yet when Christ comes to give us wages, shall receive his penny, that is, eternal life, as well as we.

This to be the genuine scope of the Parable, may be gathered by that which is presently subjoined by our Savior as it were to be the Key thereof: So the last (saith he) shall be first, and the first last; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for many are called, but few are chosen: which I understand thus; The last, that is, the Gentiles who came in last, shall be the first partakers of Christ's Kingdom: The Jews, who were first in Covenant, and had wrought so long before us in God's Vineyard, shall be last in the Covenant of Christ, and not converted till the fullness of the Gentiles be come in: For though many of them were invited at the first coming of Christ, yet few or none obeyed, and to the Nation became not of his peculium, but stands yet rejected; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . To the like purpose is the same speech used by our Savior, Luk. 13. 29, 30. They shall come, saith he, from the East, and from the West, and from the North, and from the South, and shall sit down in the Kingdom of God. And behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. What means this? Out of S. Matthew 8. 11, 12. where the same passage is related, we shall hear it expounded; for there the words run thus, Many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in the Kingdom of heaven: But the children of the Kingdom (that is, the whole generation of Israel, who received not the Gospel at the Preaching of Christ and his Apostles, and all the generations since, who have continued in unbelief) shall be cast out into outer darkness.

And here by the way, because the Parable useth the notion of a Day to signify a time of many Ages, it will not be altogether unseasonable to note, that the Metaphor may appear the easier, how that the Scripture often elsewhere calls the whole time of man's pilgrimage in this world by the name of a Day. As, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. And Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , every day, whilst it is called to Day. Where we see Day to include every day. And I believe we are thus to understand Day in the Lord's Prayer, in that Petition, Give us this day our daily Bread; that is, the whole time we live in this world. For instead of S. Matthew's This Day, spoken after the Hebrew notion, S. Luke hath in the same Petition, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, every day. Therefore S. Matthew's This day must comprehend S. Luke's Every day, if the sense of the Petition in both of them be the same, as I believe it is. Nay more than this; The world to come, even Seculum aeternitatis, or Eternity itself, is likewise termed a Day by S. Peter, 2 Ep. 3. 18. our Lord, saith he, and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be glory both now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and to the Day of Eternity. A long Day indeed. But this obiter.

Thus having cleared my Proposition in thest, or in general [ That there shall be differing degrees of glory in the Reward to come; ] it remains that I make it good in the hypothesis concerning a Prophet; namely, That to them who instruct others in the ways and will of God, which is the Office of a Prophet, there belongs a preeminence of Reward above and besides that which is common to all Saints. This preeminence of glory the School-men term Aur • ola, that is, an Additament of felicity to that essential glory in the Vision of God, which they term Aurea. This Aureola or Coronet to be added to the Crown of glory, they ascribe to three sorts of persons; to Virgins, to Martyrs, and to Doctors of Prophets. The two first are out of my scope: The third, of Prophets, let us see how it is proved out of Scripture.

First therefore, it is apparent from my Text, He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's reward: Ergo, there is some special or peculiar Reward belonging to a Prophet, and that to an eminent one; otherwise our Savior's speech will have no enforcement in it, as he that considers thereof may easily see.

The second is, Dan. 12. 3. where the Angel prophesying of the Resurrection to be at the end of Time, and saying, That many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt; he adds, And those that be wise (that is, have learned the true wisdom, which consists in the fear of God) shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament: but those that turn many unto righteousness, (that is, the Teachers and Instructers,) as the Stars forever and ever. Here the difference between those that teach and are taught is as much as between the light of the Stars and the brightness of the Firmament. Some will have the whole sentence to speak of the eminency of glory laid up for Prophets, translating 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the first place not docti or intelligentes, but Doctors: The Teachers shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament; and they that turn many unto righteousness, as the Stars forever and ever. But I have followed that interpretation which our Translators thought most likely.

Thir • dly, To this eminency of glory the Angel seems also to have respect in the end of the Chapter, when he says, But go thy way, Daniel, till the end be; for thou shalt rest, and stand up in thy lot at the end of days: in sort tua in thy lot, that is, in sort Prophetarum in the lot of Prophets. And this perhaps may be that too which our Savior intends, Matt. 5. 19. Qui secerit & docuerit, magnus vocabitur (i. erit) in regno coelorum, Whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called (that is, shall be) great in the kingdom of heaven.

The reason of all this is, Because those who teach and convert others to righteousness, have an interest and a kind of title to all the good works which they shall do: How then can their Reward but be great and eminent, when not only their own works, but the works of their converts and disciples, shall be brought into their account? A matter, if we consider it, of no small encouragement and comfort unto us, whom God hath placed in this condition to be Teachers and Instructers of others, if so be we bury not our Talent in a Napkin, but employ it for the advantage of our Lord and Master. For it is not the Habit or Faculty, but the Work, which shall reap the Reward we speak of. Happy are we therefore, if we neglect not this opportunity of bliss which God hath given us.

AND thus having done with the First Proposition I undertook, I come unto the Second; which is, That he that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall be partaker of a Prophet's reward. He that receives, that is, doth any good office, or deserves well of a Prophet. For this to be the meaning, may appear by that which follows; He that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward: where righteous is to be taken by way of eminency, for one of eminent sanctity, such as among the Jews had therefore the surname of Just or Righteous; as Simeon the Just, James the Just, and other the like. Then in the next words the expression is varied; Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, shall not lose his reward: whence I say we may gather what good office the word receiving (before used) intimated to us, namely, to relieve, maintain, support, and the like. He therefore that thus receives a Prophet, shall be partaker, saith our Savior, of a Prophet's reward; that is, have an eminent reward, or of the quality of a Prophet's though himself be none.

The reason is, Because he that supports and enables a Prophet for his duty, hath an interest in his work, and consequently in the reward that belongs unto it. This appears by the contrary, because he that maintains and abetts those who commit an evil act, makes himself guilty of their sin, and so of the punishment due to the same, An example whereof we have in that of the Benjamites in the Book of Judges; who by abetting the men of Gibeah, who committed that foul abomination with the Levite's Wife, made themselves guilty of their sin, and brought that hideous judgment, which at first was deserved only by a few sons of Belial, upon the Heads of the whole Tribe: It is a known story. Now it is par ratio for a man to entitle himself to another's good works, as to his ill.

BUT there is a modification in the Text, whereupon this Reward we speak of depends, otherwise not to be looked for: And that is, This good office must be done in nomine Prophetae, in the name of a Prophet, not for any other respect, than as he is, and because he is, a Prophet: He that receiveth a Prophet in nomine Prophetae, shall receive a Prophet's reward. Not he that receives him only for some personal or by-respect, because he is his kinsman, friend, or friend's ally; or (which is the ground of the most respect the Prophet gets among the most now-a-days,) because he is one of their one side and faction: but setting all such respects aside, eo nomine quia Propheta, with mere respect to their office and calling, or because they are (as Valens and Valentinian in their Rescript apud Theodoretum calls them) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Stewards of the great King of all the earth. I may tell you that this is no ordinary thing now-a-days. We may perhaps find some that can be content to make much of the Prophet for some personal qualities of his, or perhaps because he hath abilities above ordinary, or because it may be he is like to further the way they wish good luck to, or that they may gain repute among some sort of men, or for other respects of like nature: But are there many which regard them in the name of a Prophet? How then comes it to pass that their courtesies are so appropriate to the Persons of some, that they show no respect or esteem to the Calling in others?

Whence comes that Unchristian, or indeed Atheistical, language, Abase Priest, A paltry Priest? It would never have grieved me if any other had served me thus; but to be served thus by a base Priest, who can endure it? Tell me in good earnest, is this to honor a Priest or a Prophet in the name of a Prophet? or not rather point-blank unto it, to reproach and dishonor him under that reverend Name, that is, to despise and reproach the Calling itself? For can a man honor that condition, the name whereof he thinks to be a reproach? Is any man wont to say, A base Lord, a base Knight, A base Gentleman, A base Christian? No: And why? because he accounts them all Terms and Titles of Honor. Judge then by this, what account they make of God's Ambre, who turn the very Title of their Calling into a name of reproach; and what reward by proportion they are like to merit at Christ's hands: Not a Prophet's, I am sure; and whether a Christian's or not, themselves may judge. 'It is often, and too often, true indeed, that for our Persons we are unworthy of any better respect; but even then it best appears whether a man hath respect to the Calling eo nomine, when there is nothing in the Person to move him to it.

But there is another sort of men, who honor not a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, yet behind; namely, such as rob and spoil them of their livelihood and daily bread; and not only themselves give nothing to enable and encourage them the better to perform their Ministry, but take from them several ways that which the Piety and Bounty of their Ancestors hath allotted them: yea to many, if not to the most, no gain or theft is more sweet than that which is gotten out of the Priest's portion. But whether it will prove so at that day when the just God shall reward every man according to his works, may be greatly feared. I told you a little before that the reason why he that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall be partaker of a Prophet's reward, is, because he that supports and enables a Prophet to do his duty, hath thereby an interest in his work, and consequently in the reward due to the same. If this be so, what can they look for, who by subtracting their daily bread from them, hinder and disenable them from the free and cheerful performance of their duty, by distracting them with the cares of providing for their bodily life? Do they not derive upon themselves the guilt of whatsoever impediment comes hereby to the propagation of the Kingdom of Christ? Shall not the loss of every Soul that perisheth for want of due provision to maintain an able Minister, be cast to their account at the last day? I will speak nothing now of the burden which Sacrilege itself, as being a robbing of God, carries with it, (See Prov. 20. 25. It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry; ) nor of those dreadful execrations which the Donors of such things were wont antiquo ritu to lay upon the heads of all such as should divert them to profane uses, wherewith these men willingly and willfully involve themselves. I will, I say, not speak of these; for the present occasion calls upon me, and tells me that I came not hither to curse, but to bless. I therefore change my note, and say, Blessed be God our heavenly Father, who notwithstanding the malignity of many, hath not left us destitute, but in every Age hath raised up some to show kindness unto the Prophets, and to provide entertainment for them. Witness the goodly Buildings and liberal Endowments in our two Seminaries for the entertainment and education of Prophets and Prophets Sons: more particularly the Bounty of those Worthies the fruits of whose Piety and Devotion we ourselves here assembled by the Divine goodness enjoy; Whose blessed names therefore, as their deserts challenge at our hands, let us remember with all due honor and thankfulness.

After the mention of the Names of the College-Benefactors, this follows in the Authors own Manuscript.

These are the Names of our pious Founders and Benefactors: let their Memory be blessed forever. And when Christ our Lord shall come in his Glory to render everyone according to his works, and their Bones flourish again out of their graves; let all the benefit and enlargement, which shall redound to the Church of God by this their Bounty, be cast in their account; and we with them, and they with us hear that comfortable voice, Come ye blessed, inherit the Kingdom prepared from the foundation of the World.

S. LUKE 2. 13, 14

AT the Creation of the world, when God laid the foundations of the Earth, and stretched out his line thereon, the Stars of the morning (as God himself describes it, Job 38. 7.) sang together, and all the Sons of God (that is, the holy Angels) shouted for joy. This in my Text is so like it, that a man would think some new Creation were in hand; nor were it much wide of truth to affirm it: for if ever there were a day wherein the Almighty Power, the incomparable Wisdom, the wonderful Goodness of God again the second time appeared, as it did at the World's Creation; it was this day whereof S. Luke our Evangelist now treateth; when the Son of God took upon him our Flesh, and was born of a Virgin, to repair the breach between God and man, and make all things new. The news of which Restauration was no sooner heard and made known to the Shepherds by an Angel sent from heaven, but suddenly the heavenly Host descended from their celestial mansions, and sung this Carol of joy, Glory be to God on high, and welcome Peace on earth, Good-will towards men. A Song renowned both for the singularity of the first example, (for until this time, unless it were once in a Prophetical Vision, we shall not find a Song of Angels heard by men in all the Scripture) and from the custom of the Church, who afterward took it up in her Liturgy, and hath continued the singing thereof ever since the days of the Apostles unto these of ours. Yet perhaps it is not so commonly understood as usually said or chaunted; and therefore will be worth our labor to inquire into the meaning thereof, and hear such Instructions as may be learned therefrom. Which that we may the better do, I will consider, First, the Singers or Chaunters, The heavenly Host: Secondly, the Carol or Hymn itself, Glorid in excelsis Deo, Glory be to God on high, &c.

For the First; The Heavenly Host here spoken of is an Army of holy Angels: For the Host of heaven in the language of Scripture is twofold, Visible or Invisible. The Visible Host are the Stars, which stand in their array like an Army. Deut. 4. 19. Lest thou lift up thine eyes (saith the Lord there) unto heaven; and when thou seest the Sun, Moon, and Stars, even all the Host of heaven, shouldst be driven to worship and serve them. The Invisible Host are the Angels, the heavenly Guard; according to that of Micaiah, 1 King. 22, 19. I saw the Lord sitting upon his Throne, and all the Host of Heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left. So. Psal. 103. 20, 21. Bless the Lord ye his Angels, that excel in strength, that do his Commandments. Bless the Lord, all ye his Hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure: Where the latter words do but vary that which is expressed in the former. From this it is that the Lord Jehovah, the true and only God, is so often styled the Lord or God of Sabaoth or of Hosts, that is, King both of Stars and Angels: according to that Nehem. 9. 6. Thou art God alone;— and the Host of Heaven worshippeth thee. By which Title he is distinguished from the God's of the Nations, who were some of the Host, to wit, of the Stars, or Angels, but none of them The Lord of Hosts himself. For the same reason, and with the same meaning and sense, in the Books written after the Captivity, he is styled Deus coeli, the God of Heaven, as in Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel; in which Books, together with the last of Chronicles, the title of Deus Sabaoth The Lord of Hosts is not to be found, but the title of Deus Coeli The God of Heaven only, which, as may seem, was taken up for some reason instead of the other.

But to return to what we have in hand: It was the Angelical Host, as ye hear, who sang this Song of joy and praise unto the most High God. And wherefore? For any restitution or addition of Happiness to themselves? No; but for Peace on Earth, and Good-will towards men. He that was now born, took not upon him the Nature of Angels, but of men: He came not into the world to save Angels, but for the salvation of men: Nor was the state of Angels to receive advancement in glory by his coming, but the state of men; and that too in such a sort as might seem to impeach the dignity, and dim the luster of those excellent creatures; when an inferior Nature, the nature of Man, was now to be advanced unto a throne of Divine majesty, and to become Head and King not only of men, but of the Heavenly Host itself. O ye blessed Angels! what did these tidings concern you, That ruined mankind should be restored again and taken into favor; whereas those of your own Host, which fell likewise, remained still in that gulf of perdition whereinto their sin had plunged them, without hope of mercy or like promise of Deliverance? What did it add to your eminent Dignity, the most excellent of the creatures of God, that the Nature of man should be advanced above yours? that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth?

[unspec 1] The Observation therefore which this Act of the Angels first presents unto us is, The ingenuous goodness and sweet disposition of those immaculate and blessed Spirits, in whose bosoms Envy, the Image of the Devil and deadly poison of Charity, hath no place at all: For if any inclination to this cankered passion had been in these Heavenly creatures, never such an occasion was offered (nor greater could be) to stir it up as now. But Heaven admits of no such passion, nor could such a torment consist with the blissful condition of those who dwell therein. It is the smoke of that bottomless pit, a native of Hell, the character and cognizance of those Apostate Angels, which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, and are reserved for chains of everlasting darkness. These indeed grieve no less at the Happin • ss of men than the Angels joy: witness the name of their Prince Satan, which signifies the Fiend or malicious one, who out of Envy overthrew mankind in the beginning; out of Envy he and all his fellow-fiends are so restless and indefatigable to seduce him still.

The Use of this Observation will not be far to seek, if we remember the admonition our Savior hath given us in the Prayer left unto his Church, which is, To make the Angels the pattern of our imitation in doing the will of our heavenly Father; for so he teacheth us to pray, Let thy will be done in earth as it is done in heaven; that is, Grant us O Lord, to do thy will here, as thy holy Angels do it there. And as we should imitate them in all things else, so in this affection towards the happiness and prosperity of others. And good reason, I think, if we mean at all to approve ourselves unto God our Father, why we should endeavor rather to be like unto them than unto Devils. But in nothing can we be more like them than in this, to rejoice for the good, and not repine at the happiness, of our Brethren: Hoc enim Angelicum est, This is the Character of the Angelical nature, and consequently of those who one day shall have fellowship with them. To be contrarily affected Diabolicum est, is the badge and brand of Devils and Fiends; and those who wear their Livery, reason good they should keep them company. Let everyone therefore examine his own heart concerning this point, that he may learn upon what terms he stands with God, and what he may promise himself of the Blessedness to come. Do the gifts of God, doth his favor or blessing vouchsafed to thy brother, when thou • eest or hearest of them, torment and crucify thy soul? dost thou make their happiness thy misery? is thine eye evil to thy Brother because God's is good: If this be so, without doubt thy heart is not right before God; nor doth his Spirit, but the spirit of Devils and Fiends, reign therein. But if the contrary appear in any reasonable measure, with a desire to increase it; (for we must not look to attain the perfection of Angels in this life, but in some measure and degree only) if thou canst rejoice at another's good, though it concerns not thyself; the Spirit of God rests upon thee: For emulations and envyings (saith the Apostle Gal. 5. 19. &c.) are the fruits of the flesh; but the fruits of the Spirit are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , kindness and goodness: So he calls the opposite virtues to those former vices.

But as any good that betides our brother ought to affect us with some degree of joy, and not with grief and envy; so chiefly and most of all his Spiritual good, and that which concerns his Salvation, ought so to do. This was that the holy Angels praised God for in my Text, on the behalf of men, That unto them a Savior was born, who should save them from their sins, and reconcile them unto God. Which sweet disposition of those good and blessed spirits our Savior himself further witnesseth, when he saith, ( Luke 15. 7, 10.) There is joy in heaven (namely, among the holy Angels) for one sinner that repenteth. But is there any man, will you say, such a son of Belial as he will not do this, will not imitate the holy Angels in this? Judge ye: There is an evil disease which commonly attends upon Sects and Differences in opinion, That as men are curiously inquisitive into the lives and actions of the adverse party; so are they willing to find them faulty, and rejoice at their falls and slips, hear and relate them with delight; namely, because they suppose it makes much for their own side, that the contrary should by such means be scandalized, and the Patrons and followers thereof disreputed. But should that be the matter of our grief whereat the Angels joy, or that the matter of our joy whereat the Angels grieve? How is this to do our Father's will on earth as the Angels do in heaven? Nay, if this be not to put on the robes of darkness, and to shake hands with hellish Fiends, I know not what is. O my Soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly mine honor be not thou united. And thus much of our first Observation

There is another Lesson yet more to be learned from this Act of the Angels; [unspec 2] namely, That if they glorify God for our Happiness, and the Favor of God towards us in Christ; much more should we glorify and magnify his Goodness our selves, to whom solely this Birth and the benefit of this Birth redounds. If they sing, Glory be to God on high, for his Favor toward men; we, to whom such Favor is shewn, must not hold our peace: for shall they for us, and not we for ourselves? No, the Choir of Heaven did but set us in, we are to bear a part; and it should be a chief part, since the best part is ours. As therefore the Church in her public Service hath ever since kept it up; so must everyone of us in particular never let it go down or die in our hands.

THUS much of the Choir; Now come we to the Amhem or Song itself: whose contents are two; First, The Doxology or Praise, Glory be to God on high; Secondly, A Gratulation rendering the reason thereof, Because of Peace on earth, Good-will towards men. For the conjunction 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not to be taken here for a copulative, but, as Vau is frequently in the Hebrew, for a conjunction causal, or for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Glory to God in the highest; for that there is Peace on earth, and Good-will towards men. Or, if we retain the copulative sense, yet we must understand the words following as spoken by way of Gratulation; Glory be to God on high, and welcome Peace on earth, Good-will towards men. Or both causally and gratulatorily thus, Glory be to God in the highest; for (ô factum been!) there is Peace on earth, and Good-will towards men.

To begin with the First, The Doxology or Praise; Glory be to God in the Highest: that is, Let the Angels glorify him, who dwell on high: for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is to be referred to Glory, and not to God; the sense being, Glorified be God by those on high; and not, God, who dwells on high, be glorified. This may appear by the like expression in Psalm 148. 1, 2. whence this Glorification seems to be borrowed: Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens, praise him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the highest; Praise ye him all his Angels, praise ye him all his Hosts. And therefore Junius for Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens, hath Laudate eum coelites, Praise him ye that dwell in Heaven: The Chaldee, for Praise him in excelsis, hath Praise him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ye high Angels. In like manner here, Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory to God in the highest, are the words of the Angelical Choir, inciting themselves and all the Host of Heaven to give glory and praise unto God for these wonderful tidings. Now therefore let us see What this Glory is, and How it is given to God.

To tell you every signification of the word Glory in Scripture, might perhaps distract the hearer, but would inform him little. Nor will it be to purpose to reckon up every signification it hath, when it is spoken of God: I will therefore name only the two principal ones. And first, Glory, when it is referred to God, often signifies the Divine Presence or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as in this Chapter a little before my Text, when it is said, The GLORY of the Lord shone round about the Shepherds, and they were sore afraid. But this is not the signification in my Text, but another which I shall now tell you. For Glory besides signifies in Scripture the high and glorious Supereminency or Majesty of God, which consisteth in his threefold Supremacy of Power, of Wisdom, and of Goodness. And as words of Eminency and Dignity with us (as Majesty, Highness, Honor, Worship ) are used for the Persons themselves to whom such Dignity belongeth, (as when we say, his Majesty, his Highness, his Honor, his Worship: ) so in the Scripture, and among the Hebrews, His Glory, or the Glory of the Lord, is used to note the Divine Essence or Deity itself. As in 2 Pet. 1. 17. There came a voice (saith S. Peter) from the excellent GLORY, (that is, from God the Father,) This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Rom. 1. 23. the Gentiles are said to have changed the GLORY of the incorruptible God into the likeness of things corruptible: As it is said (in Psal. 106. 20.) of the Israelites in the Wilderness, that they changed their GLORY into the similitude of an Ox that eateth grass. S. John, chap. 1. 14. of his Gospel says of the Son, We beheld his GLORY, the glory as of the only-begotten Son of God. According to which sense he is called Heb. 1. 3. The Brightness of his Father's glory, and the express Image of his person; where the latter words are an exposition of the former, Image expounding Brightness, and Person or Substance expounding Glory.

If Glory therefore signify the Divine Majesty or Greatness, to Glorify or give Glory unto God is nothing else but to acknowledge and confess this Majesty or Greatness of His; namely, his Supereminent Power, his Wisdom, and Goodness: for in the peerless supereminency of these Three, (under which all his other Attributes are comprehended) his Glorious Majesty consisteth. Take this withal; That all the religious service and worship we give unto God, (whether we praise him, pray, or give thanks unto him) is nothing else but the acknowledging of this Glory, either in deed or word; namely, by confessing it, or doing some act whereby we acknowledge it. To come to particulars: By our Faith we confess his Wisdom and Truth; by our Thanksgiving, his Goodness and Mercy; when we Pray, we acknowledge his Power and Dominion; and therefore the form of prayer our Savior taught us, concludes, For thine is the Kingdom, Power, and Glory. In Praise we confess all these or any of them, according to that in the Hymn of the Church, Te Deum laudamus, Te Dominum confitemur; We praise thee, O God, we acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All which is evident by those forms of Glorification set down in the Apocalypse, which are nothing else but express and particular acknowledgements of the Greatness or Majesty of God, and his peerless prerogatives. When the four Wights are said to have given Glory, Honor and Thanks to him that sat upon the Throne; what was their Ditty but this? Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive Glory and Honor and Power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. When the Lamb opened the Book with seven Seals, the Wights, the Elders, and every creature in Heaven, in earth, and under the earth, sung, Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power, and Riches, and Wisdom, and Strength, and Honor, and Blessing. And again; Blessing, Honor, Glory, and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever. In which we may observe the whole Glorification to consist in the acknowledgement of these Three sovereign prerogatives of the Divine Majesty, his Power, his Wisdom, his Goodness: The two first, Power and Wisdom are express; and Riches and Strength belong to Power: the third is contained in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Blessing or Thanksgiving, which is nothing else but the Confession of the Divine Goodness.

Hence it is that the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin commonly render the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signify to praise and glorify, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , confiteor. Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus; quoniam in seculum misericordia ejus. Confess unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy is forever. Psal. 106. 1. 107. 1. 136. 1. Confitebor tibi, Domine, in toto cord meo, quoniam audisti verba oris mei. I will confess unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; for thou hast heard the words of my mouth. So the Vulgar Latin in Psal. 137. Confitemini Domino, & invocate nomen ejus. Confess unto the Lord and call upon his name, Psal. 105. 1. and the like. And in the 148. Psal. 13. Confessio ejus super coelum & terram; that is, His glory is above the heaven and the earth. The Holy Ghost in the New Testament useth the same language. Matth. 11. 25. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes; where we have, I thank thee, O Father, Beza and Erasmus read, • loriam tibi tribuo, I give glory unto thee; which I think is the better. So Luke 2. 38. it is said of Anna, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , she confessed to the Lord, or she gave praise and thanks unto the Lord. So Heb. 13. 15. By him therefore (that is, by Christ) let us offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God continually, that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the fruit of our lips confessing to his Name. By all which it is evident, That to Praise and give Glory unto God, whether by Praise at large, or Prayer and Thanksgiving in special, is nothing else (as I have said) but to confess and acknowledge his peerless Majesty over all and in all; which the Scripture calls his Glory. And if ever there were a Work of God wherein all these peerless Prerogatives of Power, Wisdom and Goodness, all together appeared in the highest degree, it was undoubtedly in this wonderful Work of the Incarnation of the Son of God for man's redemption: well therefore might the heavenly Host sing, Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory be to God on High; The Power, the Wisdom and Goodness of the Glorious God be acknowledged by the holy Angels and all the Host of heaven forever and ever. This is the meaning of the Doxology.

COME we now to the Gratulation, which contains the cause thereof; Glory be to God on high; for (ô factum been! O happy news!) there is peace on earth, good-will towards men. One and the same thing two ways expressed: for it is an Apposition, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the latter words declaring the meaning of the former; Peace on earth, that is, Good will towards men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to wit, in imitation of the Hebrew construction, where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Verbs which signify 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Noun signifying 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , are construed with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek, and accordingly both the Septuagint and New Testament express the same. But the Vulgar Interpreter reads here, Pax in terris hominibus bonae voluntatis, Peace on earth to men of good-will: as if the Greek were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as now all our Copies constantly read, and I believe ever did. Yet Beza seems here to favor the Vulgar Latin, expounding Homines bonae voluntatis Men of good-will, of those whom God wills well to, to wit, of the Elect, to whom this Peace by Christ belongeth; and from the conveniency of this sense, inclines to believe that the Greek anciently read so; quoting to this end Irenaeus, Origen, and Chrysostom (as he saith) in divers places. But he trusted too much the Latin Translation of Chrysostom; for the Greek Chrysostom hath no such matter; but both in those places Beza points to, and in divers others, reads constantly 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as our Copies do. And so I make no question Irenaeus and Origen did too in the Greek Originals, if we had them to look into. But the Latin Translators thought not fit to alter the words of the Hymn so ordinarily sung in the Liturgy, and so expressed it in Latin as the Latin Church used. And for the meaning, I believe the Vulgar Latin aimed at no other sense than what the Greek implies; namely, That this Peace was no earthly Peace, but the Peace of God's good-will to man, referring the Genitive Case voluntatis, not to hominibus, but to Pax. Pax in terris: what Pax? Pax bonae voluntatis hominibus. That which makes me think so is, because Origen, or his Translator, in the place Beza quotes for this reading, expressly expounds it so. And so there will not be a pin to choose: save that the Greek expresseth this sense by way of Apposition, more naturally; the Latin by way of Rection, somewhat harshly; and yet perhaps the Translator thought, less ambiguously.

Well then, This Peace on earth is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , God's good-will or favor to men: and God's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; Good-will to men is the Peace on earth the Angels gratulate; namely, the Reconciliation of God to men in Christ. For by reason of sin, Heaven and Earth, God and Man were till now at enmity: but by Christ this enmity is taken away; and man, by the forgiveness of his sin, restored unto peace and favor with God. And as by this Nativity God and Man became one Person; so by this conjunction Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men, become one Fellowship, one City and Kingdom of God: the Kingdom of Satan, that Prince of the powers of the Air, who by reason of sin had captivated and brought under his service the whole Earth, and thereby held the same at open war and enmity with Heaven, being now by degrees to be destroyed and rooted out. And this is that admirable Mystery of our Redemption by Christ, which the Angelical Host here gratulates by the name of Peace on earth, and Good-will towards men.

And that we may not doubt but we have hit the meaning, That this Peace on earth is God's Good-will to men, and therefore expounded by it; besides that in the Old Testament Peace is often taken for God's favor and mercy to men; (as in that of Isaiah 54. 10. The moun • ains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the Covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee: ) so if we examine the use thereof in the New Testament, 〈◊〉 shall find it in special applied to this our Reconciliation to God in Christ by re ••• sion of sin. S. Peter to Cornelius, Acts 10. 36. describes the Gospel thus, The word which God sent to the children to Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ. And S. Paul, Col. 1. 19, 20. It pleased God the Father, that in Christ all fullness should dwell: And (having made peace through the blood of his Cross) by him to reconcile all things unto himself. What can be plainer than this? The same, as I take it, he means Eph. 2. 17. when he tells us, that Christ came to preach peace both to those that were afar off, and to them that were nigh; that is, both to Jew and Gentile. But what peace? namely, that through him we both might have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Hence the Gospel is called The Gospel of peace; and God so often in the New Testament, The God of peace, that is, of reconcilement and favor: and the Evangelical salutation is, Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

The meaning of this Angelical Gratulation being thus cleared, let us see now what may be learned and observed therefrom. Where my first Observation shall be this: S. Peter tells Cornelius, that to Christ give all the Prophets witness, that through his Name, whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins. Our Savior after his Resurrection, expounding the Scriptures to his Apostles, says the same, Luke 24. 46, 47. Thus it is written, (saith he) and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; And that remission of sins should be preached in his Name among the Nations. But where is this Publication of remission of sins by Christ written? for in those formal words we shall hardly find it. Let us take here the Angels Key, and we shall: for they tell us, that Peace on earth is this Good-will towards men. Now do not the Prophets speak of some Peace on earth which Messiah should bring with him when he comes? Yes surely. Well then, let us look for this Publication of remission 〈◊◊〉 under that name, and we shall find it. Isaiah 9. 6. Unto us a Child is born, unto as a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The Father of eternity, The Prince of peace, (that is, of peace not between men and men, but between God and men) and of the increase of his government and peace shall be no end. Isaiah 52. 7. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Which place S. Paul, Rom. 10. 15, interprets of the publication of the Gospel of Christ, Isaiah 53. 5. The chastisement of our peace was upon him; that is, he suffered for the remission of our sins. Isaiah 57. 19. quoted by S. Paul to the Ephesians, chap. 2. 17. Peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord, and I will heal him. Ezek. 34. 24, 25. I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David (King Messiah) a Prince among them.—And I will make a Covenant of peace with them. So Chap. 37. 26. Hag. 2. 9. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts. Zech. 9. 9, 10. Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee,—and he shall speak peace unto the Heathen, and his Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea, and from the River unto the end of the earth.

Thus much of the Use to be made of the Angels expression in this heavenly Carol: Now I shall propound to your consideration another, and that taken from the argument itself; namely, That if Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, be so graciously disposed to us-ward, as to be reconciled unto us, by forgiving us our trespasses; then ought we semblably to be reconciled to our brethren, and forgive them their trespasses, when they have wronged or offended us. Leo Serm. 6. de Nativit. Natalis Domini natalis est pacis, &c. The Birth-day of our Lord is the Birth-day of peace; and therefore let all the faithful offer up unto God their Father the united affections of peaceable-spirited children. The Illation is good; we have the authority of the Apostle S. John to back it, 1 John. 4. 10, 11. God (saith he) so loved us, that he sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. What follows? Beloved, (saith he) If God so loved us, we ought to love one another. So say I, If God be so gracious to forgive and be reconciled to us; we ought, as it were, to echo this his loving-kindness, and to forgive and be reconciled one to another.

This Congruity or semblableness of our Actions and Affections one towards another with God's Favor and Mercy towards us, is the Rule and Reason not only of this, but of many other duties he requires at our hands. Thus the Jews were every seventh year to manumise their servants, as an act of Congruity and Thankfulness to God, who had delivered them, when they were servants, out of the land of Egypt and house of bondage. They were bidden to use a stranger kindly, because themselves had been strangers, and God, when they were oppressed, had been compassionate and kind towards them, and redeemed them from their thralldom. Likewise we read in the Gospel, Luke 6. 36. Ee ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful: and Matth. 5. 7. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. In a word, God hath revealed he will show mercy to none but such as appear before him with this Congruity. James 2. 13. He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shown no mercy. And therefore the tenor of our Sentence at the last Judgment runs, Come ye Blessed, and be partakers of mercy, because ye have shown it: But, Go ye Cursed without all mercy into Hell-fire, because ye have shown no mercy.

Thus we see how God requires this Congruity in general: And as for the particular of reconcilement and forgiving our brother, it is written in capital letters, and urged in such sort as it might not unfitly be termed The Livery of Christianity. Insomuch that if we consider it duly, it cannot but breed astonishment, that the evidence and necessity should be so apparent, and the practice, among those who look for the benefit of Christ and call upon his Name, so little regarded; whenas I dare boldly pronounce, there is no remission of sins to be looked for at the hands of God without it.

An invincible argument whereof is, That our Savior himself, in the Prayer he hath [unspec 1] taught his Church, hath put in a bar against asking it but upon this condition, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. If we ask not with this disposition, there is no promise that any such prayer shall be heard: nay our Savior tells us in plain terms, it shall not: If (saith he) you forgive not men their trespasses, no more will your heavenly, Father forgive you your trespasses. How then can any man whose heart is fraught with malice, and meditates revenge against his brother, hear this and not tremble? Is it not a fearful thing for a man to carry in his own bosom, not only an evidence that his sins are unpardoned, but a bat too, that he cannot ask the forgiveness of them? Let no man deceive himself: Though our consciences should bear us witness of many good works we have done; reconciliatione tamen contemptâ, nullum possumus promereri solatium, yet if we neglect to be reconciled to our brethren, we are not in a capacity to receive any comfort and mercy from God. So Chrysost. As the fifth Commandment is called by the Apostle the first Commandment with promise, so is this Petition for forgiveness of sins the only Petition with condition: and such a condition too as our Savior dwells upon and enforces, when he had delivered this Form of Prayer to his Disciples: For he passes by all the rest of the Petitions, and singles out this alone to comment upon, as that wherein the chiefest moment lay, and without which all our prayer would be ineffectual and to no purpose.

A further confirmation of which we have in that parable of Servus nequam, the [unspec 2] wicked Servant, Matth. 18. whom his Lord being moved with compassion, when he besought him, forgave a debt of ten thousand Talents: But he finding one of his fellow-servants which ought him an hundred pence, though he fell at his feet and besought him, yet would not hear him, but cast him into prison. Then his Lord was wroth, and said, O thou wicked servant! shouldst thou not have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity upon thee? And he delivered him unto the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him. The Application is terrible: So likewise, saith our Savior, shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not everyone his brother their trespasses. We are this Servus nequam, if when our heavenly Father forgives us thousands of Talents, we stand with our brethren for an hundred pence. For there is no proportion between the offenses wherewith we offend God, and the offenses wherewith our brother offends us. And therefore we have no excuse, hath our brother wronged us never so often, never so much, never so heinously: For whatsoever it be, or how unworthy or undeserved soever; our sin, our ingratitude to Almighty God is and hath been infinitely greater, even as ten thousand Talents to an hundred pence.

[unspec 3] To these two Testimonies add a third, and that also, as the former, out of our Blessed Savior's own mouth: Matth. 5. 23, 24. If thou bring (saith he) thy Gift to the Altar, and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the Altar, and go thy way: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the word whereby the Septuagint constantly render that which the Law calls Corban; and the Gospel concurs with them, Mark 7. 11. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Now Corban in the Law is in special used for those Offerings which were made for atonement of Sin, as the Burnt-offering, Sin-offering, Trespass-offering, and Peace-offering, called Offerings by Fire or Sacrifices. So that this Precept of our Savior's here is the same in effect with the former. When thou comest to offer an offering unto God for an atonement of thy sin, go thy way first, and be reconciled unto thy brother, for without this thy sin shall not be forgiven thee. I shall not need tell you, that now in the Gospel Christ is the Sacrifice, is the Gift, which a Christian by faith offers unto God for the propitiation of his sin; and that this Sacrifice is commemorated, sealed and communicated unto us in the blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper: whereby it will easily appear, how this Precept of our Savior's, uttered after the style of the Legal worship, is appliable to the Evangelical.

Hence in the ancient Church, when they assembled to celebrate this Sacrament, the Deacon was wont to proclaim, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Ne quis contra aliquem, Let no man have ought against his brother: And then, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Salute one another with an holy kiss: which accordingly they did, first the Bishop and Clergy, then the Laity, the men apart by themselves, and the women by themselves: and this was a profession of friendship and reconciliation, and therefore called Osculum pacis, the kiss of peace. In after-times the Priest gave this Kiss of peace unto the Deacon, and he to the chief of the Congregation, and so it was given from one to another. Instead of which at length was brought in that foolish ceremony, still used among the Romanists, for the Priest to send a little gilded or painted Table, with a Crucifix or some Saint's picture thereon, to be kissed of everyone in the Church before they receive the Holy Bread; which they call the kissing of the Pax. So oftentimes profitable and useful Ceremonies degenerate into toys and superstitions. Our Church, though she useth no ceremony, retains the substance, when the Priest in his Exhortation to the Communicants saith, If any of you be in malice or envy, or any other grievous crime, bewail your sins, and come not to this holy Table: and by the Rubric the Priest, if he knows any such, is to turn them back, unless they will be reconciled.

[unspec 4] Lastly, The necessity of this duty is testified by that pious and generally-received Custom amongst Christians, to exhort those that are dying to forgive all the world, that so themselves may find mercy and forgiveness at the hands of God. Is it needful at the hour of death, and not as needful in the time of our health? Is there no forgiveness to be expected at the hands of God without it, when we are dying; and is there while we are living? No certainly; All times are alike here; and there is no time wherein God will forgive us, unless we forgive our brother. What then remains, but that we do every day as we would do if we were to die the next? It is a blessed disposition to have a becalmed heart to those who have wronged us, and not to let the Sun go down upon our wrath; to be able to come before God with confidence, and say, Lord, forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us.

S. MARK 1. 14, 15.

THESE words are a Narration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ his first beginning to preach the Gospel; which they describe 1. By the Time when, 2. By the Place where, 3. By the Sum of what he preached. 1. The Time when; After that John was put in prison. 2. The Place where; Galilee: Jesus came into Galilee, preaching, &c. 3. Lastly, The Sum of what he preached; The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; Repent ye, and believe the Gospel. In which Sermon there are also some parts to be considered, which we shall more conveniently distinguish when we come to handle it.

Mean while let us begin with the Three parts or circumstances already named, in order. And first with the First, The Time when; After that John was put in prison.

Our Savior began not his solemn preaching till his Messenger John the Baptist, [unspec 1] who was sent to prepare his way, was cast into prison. This circumstance is elsewhere precisely noted in the Scripture, so that we cannot doubt but there is some matter of moment therein. For S. Matthew tells us, as S. Mark doth, Now when Jesus had heard, saith he, that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee: and then it follows, From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. So S. Peter Acts 10. when he came to preach the Gospel of Christ to Cornelius, was careful to mention this circumstance of Time, as well as the other of Place. The word, saith he, (V. 36, 37.) which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ, (he is Lord of all) That word (I say) you know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the Baptism which John preached. Loe here the Place, Galilee; and the Time, After that John Baptist had done; as in my Text.

All which argues this circumstance of Time to be one of the marks of the true Messiah; as namely, That this Jesus was that Lord whom they looked for, who was to send a messenger before him, the voice of a crier in the wilderness, to usher his preaching and prepare the way of his Gospel, as was prophesied by Isaiah and Malachi, and the Jews at that time expected. Which was the reason of that scruple of the Disciples in the Gospel, when they saw our Savior, and Elias, whom they supposed should be his Forerunner, appear in glory both together at his Transfiguration: Why then (say they) do the Scribes say, that Elias must come first? Our Savior tells them, that John Baptist was that Elias the Forerunner of Messiah, according to those words of his Father Zacharias, And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; namely, (as the Angel told him) in the power and spirit of Elias. For this reason, as our Savior was not conceived, nor born, till six months after John; so he began not his prophecy till John had done: that so the Scripture might be fulfilled, and John be his forerunner and messenger both in the one and the other. And lastly, to conclude the illustration of this circumstance, John was not only a Forerunner of our Savior in his Nativity and Prophecy, but also in his Passion and Suffering: For so our Savior himself expressly saith Matth. 17. 12. Elias is come, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed: even so also shall the Son of man suffer of them.

Now for the Observation or, if you will, the Consideration I will make upon this circumstance, it shall be this: If that Messiah according to Prophecy were to have an Harbinger to prepare the way for his coming; and the Holy Ghost in the New Testament thought this circumstance so needful to prove the verity thereof, as so curiously to note it in the history of his Nativity, Preaching, and Suffering; It would be considered, seeing the coming of Christ is twofold, First and Second, whether the same Prophecy imply not that there should be an Harbinger as well of his Second coming as of his First; as well an Elias to prepare the way for his coming in glory to judge the world, as there was at his First coming in humility to preach the Gospel and suffer for the world: An Elias, I mean, to be the Harbinger of Christ to the nation of the Jews before his Second coming, as John the Baptist was at his First. For to the Jews alone is this Elias promised, and not to the Gentiles; and John the Baptist (we know) the Elias of his First coming, preached to them alone. It is well known that all the Fathers (unless S. Jerome somewhat staggered) were of this opinion: and why we should so wholly reject it as we are wont to do, I can see no sufficient reason. For if the Fathers erred concerning the person and other circumstances of this Elias, yet it follows not but the substance of their opinion might be true. As we know also they erred concerning the person, quality and reign of Antichrist; and yet for the substance the thing was true. Our Savior rejected not the Tradition of the Scribes concerning the coming of Elias, when the Apostles objected it, though it were mingled with some falsehood; but corrected it only: for they looked for Elias the Thisbite; but our Savior admits it only of Elias in Spirit, not of Elias in Person; so yielding it true for the substance, though erring in circumstance. So should we do in the like case. For he that throws away what he finds, because it is foul and dirty, may perchance sometimes cast away a Jewel or a piece of gold or silver: So he that wholly rejects an ancient Tenet because it hath some Error annexed to it, may unawares cast away a Truth; as this seems to be of an Elias to be the Harbinger of Christ's Second coming: and that for these Reasons.

[unspec 1] First, Though the Prophecy of Isaiah, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, alleged by all the four Evangelists, and by John himself, seems appliable only to the First coming of Christ; yet the other out of Malachi (expressly quoted by S. Mark, and by our Savior Matth. 11. 14. though elsewhere alluded unto) seems by Malachi himself to be applied not only to the First coming of Christ, but also to his Second coming to Judgment. For in his last chapter, speaking of the coming of that day which shall burn like an oven, wherein all the proud, yea and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble; and it shall burn them up, leaving neither root nor branch, &c. he addeth, Behold, [saith the Lord] I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord; And he shall turn [or restore] the heart of the Fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their Fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. If we will not admit the Day here described to be the Day of Judgment, I know scarce any description of that Day in the Old Testament but we may elude. For the phrase of turning (or, as I had rather translate it, restoring, as the LXX. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) the heart of the Fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their Fathers; the meaning is, That this Elias should bring the refractory and unbelieving posterity of the Jewish nation to have the same heart and mind their holy Fathers and Progenitors had, who feared God and believed his promises, that so their Fathers might as it were rejoice in them, and own them for their children; that is, he should convert them to the faith of that Christ whom their Fathers hoped in and looked for: lest continuing obstinate in their unbelief till the great day of Christ's Second coming, they might perish among the rest of the enemies of his Kingdom. Therefore the son of Sirach in his praise of Elias the Thisbite paraphraseth this place after this manner, Who hast ordained (saith he) an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or type (for so it may be turned) for the times to come, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment before it break forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the Father unto the Son, and to restore the tribes of Israel, Ecclus. 48. 10. Which explication also the Angel warrenteth Luke 1. 17. in his message to Zacharias concerning his son, He shall go, saith he, before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the Fathers to the Children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just (this is instead of reducing the hearts of the children to their Fathers) to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

For the better understanding of this first Reason we must know, That the old Prophets for the most part spake of the coming of Christ indefinitely and in general, without that distinction of First and Second coming, which we have more clearly learned in the Gospel. For this reason those Prophets (except Daniel, who distinguisheth those comings, and the Gospel out of him) speak of the things which should be at the coming of Christ indefinitely and all together; which we, who are now more fully informed by the revelation of his Gospel of this distinction of a Twofold coming, must apply each of them to its proper time: Those things which befit the state of his First coming, unto it; and such things as befit the state of his Second coming, unto his Second: and that which befits both alike, (as this of an Harbinger or Messenger ) may be applied to both.

My Second Reason for the proof hereof is from our Savior's own words in the [unspec 2] Gospel Matth. 17. 10, 11. where his disciples immediately upon his Transfiguration asking him, saying, Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come? Our Savior answers, Elias truly shall first come, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and shall restore all things. These words our Savior spake when John the Baptist was now beheaded, and yet speaks as of a thing future, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Elias shall come, and shall restore all things. How can this be spoken of John the Baptist, unless he be to come again? Besides, I cannot see how this Restoring of all things can be verified of the ministry of John the Baptist at the First coming of Christ, which continued but a very short time, and did no such thing as these words seem to imply; for the Restoring of all things belongs not to the First, but to the Second coming of Christ, if we will believe S. Peter in his first Sermon in the Temple after Christ's ascension, Acts 3. 19, &c. where he thus speaks unto the Jews, Repent (saith he) and be converted for the blotting out of your sins, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, And that be may send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you; Whom the heavens must receive until the times of the Restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began. The word is the same, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . If the time or Restoring all things be not till the Second coming of Christ, how could John the Baptist restore all things at his First? If the Master come not to restore all things till then; surely his Harbinger, who is to prepare his way for restoring all things, is not be looked for till then.

These are the Reasons which have induced me to think, that the opinion which the Church hath held as far as I know from her Infancy, of an Elias which should be the Harbinger of Christ's Second coming, hath some matter of truth in it. But that this Elias should be Elias the Thisbite who was taken up into Heaven, I confess I believe not, no more than that he should be slain by Antichrist, as some fable. For that which the Prophet saith, Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet, proves no more that it should be Elijah in person, than that which is said of Messiah [ And David my servant shall rule over them ] proves Christ should be David in person. It is much more like, if it be one that comes again, it should be John the Baptist himself, who was the Harbinger of the First coming: That as Christ himself the Master hath two comings, so should his Harbinger have; And as it shall be the same Christ which comes the second time that came the first, so should his Harbinger be the same. And to this both the words of the Angel to Zacharias the father of the Baptist, and the words of our Savior in the place before quoted, would not be unpliable. The Second coming of Christ is the time of the Resurrection, and in that respect it would not be unsuitable for the Harbinger thereof to be one risen from the dead. But as for Elias the Thisbite's coming, I find no ground at all, but the contrary. Howsoever, though I compare probabilities, I will not determine anything; lest some perhaps should say, that while I reject old fables, I coin new ones. I rather conclude, with that Jewish Proverb, Cùm Elias venerit, solvet nodos, When that Elias comes, he shall dislolve hard questions.

AND thus much of the circumstance of Time when our Savior first began his solemn [unspec II] prophecy or preaching of the Gospel, namely not till his Harbinger John had done and finished his preparation. Now I come to the Second circumstance, namely of the Place, which was Galilee: Jesus came into Galilee, &c. A circumstance curiously noted by all the Evangelists, That our Savior published his Gospel in Galilee. S. Peter also in his Sermon to Cornelius stamps it with this character, The word which began from Galilee. No name of Place in the story of our Savior's conversation on earth more frequent, more beaten upon, than this of Galilee; nor scarce any mark more evidently demonstrates him to be the true Messiah, than this of Galilee. Yet (which is to be admired) no character so much neglected, or so little understood, as this of Galilee: as if we had conspired with the unbelieving Jews, and said, Can there any good come out of Galilee? But if you please to lend me your attention, I will do my best to let you see how great a Mystery, how principal an Evidence of our Faith lies in this one so unregarded circumstance. In which Discourse I will chalk out my way in this manner.

First, I will describe What, and Where this Country of Galilee was.

Secondly, I will show that our Savior's proper and chiefest abode, his preaching and his works, were in Galilee.

Thirdly, (which is the Crown of all) That the true Messiah according to prophecy was to appear and have his chief conversation in Galilee.

[unspec 1] For the First, The Land of Canaan or Palestine was in our Savior's time divided into Three principal Provinces. On the South, Judea, which contained the Lot of the two Tribes, Judah and Benjamin. In the midst was Samaria, where the Tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh anciently dwelt; but now was inhabited by the offspring of those Nations which the King of Assyria placed in their rooms when he carried them captive. On the North was Galilee, the remotest from Jerusalem; the chiefest and fertilest part whereof towards Jordan was the land of Zebulun and Naphtali. The rest had been the habitation of the two small Tribes, Asher and Issachar. Galilee was divided into two parts, the Higher and the Lower. The Higher was for the most part thereof the Land of Naphtali, wherein (there where it bordered upon Zebulun ) stood the rich and beautiful Capernaum, the Metropolis or chiefest City of all Galilee, situate upon the bank of Jordan upon the lake of Gennesaret or Tiberias, called the Sea of Galilee: over against which (on the other side the water) stood Chorazin, which our Savior pronounced a Woe unto. This Galilee was called Galilee of the Gentiles: either because part of it was long and even till Solomon's time inhabited still by Gentiles; or because Solomon gave twenty cities of the same to Hiram King of Tyre, which perhaps were the same which the Gentiles till then inhabited; or lastly, because it was the outmost part of the land, and so next unto the Gentiles. The Lower Galilee contained the Tribe of Zebulun (and also Issachar ) wherein were the cities Nazareth and