but in the Mercy of God, that ordained such Sacrifices for sin, as he was pleased in his mercy
to accept. In the Old Law (as we may read, Leviticus the 16.) the Lord required, that there
should every year once, bee made an Atonement for the Sins of all Israel, both Priests, and
others; for the doing whereof, Aaron alone was to sacrifice for himself and the Priests a young
Bullock; and for the rest of the people, he was to receive from them two young Goates, of
which he was to sacrifice one; but as for the other, which was the Scape Goat, he was to lay his hands on the head thereof, and by a confession of the iniquities of the people, to lay them
all on that head, and then by some opportune man, to cause the Goat to be led into the
wildernesse, and there to escape, and carry away with him the iniquities of the people. As the Sacrifice of the one Goat was a sufficient (because an acceptable) price for the Ransome of all
Israel; so the death of the Messiah, is a sufficient price, for the Sins of all mankind, because
there was no more required. Our Saviour Christs sufferings seem to be here figured, as cleerly,
as in the oblation of Isaac, or in any other type of him in the Old Testament: He was both the
sacrificed Goat, and the Scape Goat; Hee was oppressed, and he was afflicted (Esay 53. 7.);
he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep is dumbe
before the shearer, so opened he not his mouth: Here he is the sacrificed Goat. He hath born our Griefs, (ver. 4.) and carried our sorrows: And again, (ver. 6.) the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all: And so he is the Scape Goat. He was cut off from the land of the living (ver. 8.) for the transgression of my People: There again he is the sacrificed Goat. And again, (ver. 11.) he shall bear their sins: Hee is the Scape Goat. Thus is the Lamb of God equivalent to both those Goates; sacrificed, in that he dyed; and escaping, in his Resurrection; being
raised opportunely by his Father, and removed from the habitation of men in his Ascension.
Christs Kingdome not of this world.
For as much therefore, as he that redeemeth, hath no title to the thing redeemed, before the Redemption, and Ransome paid; and this Ransome was the Death of the Redeemer; it is
manifest, that our Saviour (as man) was not King of those that he Redeemed, before hee
suffered death; that is, during that time hee conversed bodily on the Earth. I say, he was not
then King in present, by vertue of the Pact, which the faithfull make with him in Baptisme:
Neverthelesse, by the renewing of their Pact with God in Baptisme, they were obliged to obey
him for King, (under his Father) whensoever he should be pleased to take the Kingdome upon
him. According whereunto, our Saviour himself expressely saith, ( John 18. 36.) My Kingdome is not of this world. Now seeing the Scripture maketh mention but of two worlds; this that is now, and shall remain to the day of Judgment, (which is therefore also called, the last day;) and that which shall bee after the day of Judgement, when there shall bee a new Heaven, and
a new Earth; the Kingdome of Christ is not to begin till the generall Resurrection. And that is it
which our Saviour saith, ( Mat. 16. 27.) The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. To reward every
man according to his works, is to execute the Office of a King; and this is not to be till he come
in the glory of his Father, with his Angells. When our Saviour saith, ( Mat. 23. 2.) The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seat; All therefore whatsoever they bid you doe, that observe and
doe; hee declareth plainly, that hee ascribeth Kingly Power, for that time, not to himselfe, but to them. And so hee doth also, where he saith, ( Luke 12. 14.) Who made mee a Judge, or
Divider over you? And ( John 12. 47.) I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. And yet our Saviour came into this world that hee might bee a King, and a Judge in the world to
come: For hee was the Messiah, that is, the Christ, that is, the Anointed Priest, and the
Soveraign Prophet of God; that is to say, he was to have all the power that was in Moses the
Prophet, in the High Priests that succeeded Moses, and in the Kings that succeeded the Priests.
And St. John saies expressely (chap. 5. ver. 22.) The Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment to the Son. And this is not repugnant to that other place, I came not to judge the world: for this is spoken of the world present, the other of the world to come; as also where it is said, that at the second coming of Christ, ( Mat. 19. 28.) Yee that have followed me in the Regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his Glory, yee shall also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The End of Christs coming was to renew the Covenant of the Kingdome of God, and to
perswade the Elect to imbrace it, which was the second part of his Office.
If then Christ whilest hee was on Earth, had no Kingdome in this world, to what end was his
first coming? It was to restore unto God, by a new Covenant, the Kingdom, which being his by
the Old Covenant, had been cut off by the rebellion of the Israelites in the election of Saul.
Which to doe, he was to preach unto them, that he was the Messiah, that is, the King promised to them by the Prophets; and to offer himselfe in sacrifice for the sinnes of them that should by
faith submit themselves thereto; and in case the nation generally should refuse him, to call to
his obedience such as should beleeve in him amongst the Gentiles. So that there are two parts
of our Saviours Office during his aboad upon the Earth: One to Proclaim himself the Christ; and
another by Teaching, and by working of Miracles, to perswade, and prepare men to live so, as
to be worthy of the Immortality Beleevers were to enjoy, at such time as he should come in
majesty, to take possession of his Fathers Kingdome. And therefore it is, that the time of his
preaching, is often by himself called the Regeneration; which is not properly a Kingdome, and thereby a warrant to deny obedience to the Magistrates that then were, (for hee commanded
to obey those that sate then in Moses chaire, and to pay tribute to Cæsar; but onely an earnest
of the Kingdome of God that was to come, to those to whom God had given the grace to be his
disciples, and to beleeve in him; For which cause the Godly are said to bee already in the
Kingdome of Grace, as naturalized in that heavenly Kingdome.
The preaching of Christ not contrary to the then law of the Jews, nor of Cæsar.
Hitherto therefore there is nothing done, or taught by Christ, that tendeth to the diminution of
the Civill Right of the Jewes, or of Cæsar. For as touching the Common-wealth which then was
amongst the Jews, both they that bare rule amongst them, and they that were governed, did
all expect the Messiah, and Kingdome of God; which they could not have done if their Laws
had forbidden him (when he came) to manifest, and declare himself. Seeing therefore he did
nothing, but by Preaching, and Miracles go about to prove himselfe to be that Messiah, hee did
therein nothing against their laws. The Kingdome hee claimed was to bee in another world: He
taught all men to obey in the mean time them that sate in Moses seat: He allowed them to
give Cæsar his tribute, and refused to take upon himselfe to be a Judg. How then could his
words, or actions bee seditious, or tend to the overthrow of their then Civill Government? But
God having determined his sacrifice, for the reduction of his elect to their former covenanted
obedience, for the means, whereby he would bring the same to effect, made use of their
malice, and ingratitude. Nor was it contrary to the laws of Cæsar. For though Pilate himself (to
gratifie the Jews) delivered him to be crucified; yet before he did so, he pronounced openly,
that he found no fault in him: And put for title of his condemnation, not as the Jews required,
that he pretended to bee King; but simply, That hee was King of the Jews; and
notwithstanding their clamour, refused to alter it; saying, What I have written, I have written.
The third part of his Office was to be King (under his Father) of the Elect.
As for the third part of his Office, which was to be King, I have already shewn that his
Kingdome was not to begin till the Resurrection. But then he shall be King, not onely as God,
in which sense he is King already, and ever shall be, of all the Earth, in vertue of his
omnipotence; but also peculiarly of his own Elect, by vertue of the pact they make with him in
their Baptisme. And therefore it is, that our Saviour saith ( Mat. 19. 28.) that his Apostles should sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, When the Son of man shall
sit in the throne of his glory: whereby he signified that he should reign then in his humane nature; and ( Mat. 16. 27.) The Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his Angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. The same we may read,
Marke 13. 26. and 14. 62. and more expressely for the time, Luke 22. 29, 30. I appoint unto you a Kingdome, as my Father hath appointed to mee, that you may eat and drink at my table
in my Kingdome, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. By which it is manifest, that the Kingdome of Christ appointed to him by his Father, is not to be before the Son of Man
shall come in Glory, and make his Apostles Judges of the twelve tribes of Israel. But a man
may here ask, seeing there is no marriage in the Kingdome of Heaven, whether men shall then
eat, and drink; what eating therefore is meant in this place? This is expounded by our Saviour
( John 6. 27.) where he saith, Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give you. So that by eating at
Christs table, is meant the eating of the Tree of Life; that is to say, the enjoying of
Immortality, in the Kingdome of the Son of Man. By which places, and many more, it is
evident, that our Saviours Kingdome is to bee exercised by him in his humane nature.
Christs authority in the Kingdome of God subordinate to that of his Father.
Again, he is to be King then, no otherwise than as subordinate, or Vicegerent of God the
Father, as Moses was in the wildernesse; and as the High Priests were before the reign of Saul:
and as the Kings were after it. For it is one of the Prophecies concerning Christ, that he should
be like (in Office) to Moses: I will raise them up a Prophet (saith the Lord, Deut. 18. 18.) from amongst their Brethren like unto thee, and will put my words into his mouth, and this
similitude with Moses, is also apparent in the actions of our Saviour himself, whilest he was
conversant on Earth. For as Moses chose twelve Princes of the tribes, to govern under him; so
did our Saviour choose twelve Apostles, who shall sit on twelve thrones, and judge the twelve
tribes of Israel: And as Moses authorized Seventy Elders, to receive the Spirit of God, and to
Prophecy to the people, that is, (as I have said before,) to speak unto them in the name of
God; so our Saviour also ordained seventy Disciples, to preach his Kingdome, and Salvation to
all Nations. And as when a complaint was made to Moses, against those of the Seventy that
prophecyed in the camp of Israel, he justified them in it, as being subservient therein to his
government; so also our Saviour, when St. John complained to him of a certain man that cast
out Devills in his name, justified him therein, saying, ( Luke 9. 50.) Forbid him not, for hee that is not against us, is on our part.
Again, our Saviour resembled Moses in the institution of Sacraments, both of Admission into the Kingdome of God, and of Commemoration of his deliverance of his Elect from their
miserable condition. As the Children of Israel had for Sacrament of their Reception into the
Kingdome of God, before the time of Moses, the rite of Circumcision, which rite having been
omitted in the Wildernesse, was again restored as soon as they came into the land of Promise;
so also the Jews, before the coming of our Saviour, had a rite of Baptizing, that is, of washing with water all those that being Gentiles, embraced the God of Israel. This rite St. John the
Baptist used in the reception of all them that gave their names to the Christ, whom hee
preached to bee already come into the world; and our Saviour instituted the same for a
Sacrament to be taken by all that beleeved in him. From what cause the rite of Baptisme first
proceeded, is not expressed formally in the Scripture; but it may be probably thought to be an
imitation of the law of Moses, concerning Leprousie; wherein the Leprous man was commanded
to be kept out of the campe of Israel for a certain time; after which time being judged by the
Priest to be clean, hee was admitted into the campe after a solemne Washing. And this may
therefore bee a type of the Washing in Baptisme; wherein such men as are cleansed of the
Leprousie of Sin by Faith, are received into the Church with the solemnity of Baptisme. There is
another conjecture drawn from the Ceremonies of the Gentiles, in a certain case that rarely
happens; and that is, when a man that was thought dead, chanced to recover, other men
made scruple to converse with him, as they would doe to converse with a Ghost, unlesse hee
were received again into the number of men, by Washing, as Children new born were washed
from the uncleannesse of their nativity, which was a kind of new birth. This ceremony of the
Greeks, in the time that Judæa was under the Dominion of Alexander, and the Greeks his
successors, may probably enough have crept into the Religion of the Jews. But seeing it is not
likely our Saviour would countenance a Heathen rite, it is most likely it proceeded from the
Legall Ceremony of Washing after Leprosie. And for the other Sacrament, of eating the
Paschall Lambe, it is manifestly imitated in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; in which the Breaking of the Bread, and the pouring out of the Wine, do keep in memory our deliverance
from the Misery of Sin, by Christs Passion, as the eating of the Paschall Lambe, kept in
memory the deliverance of the Jewes out of the Bondage of Egypt. Seeing therefore the
authority of Moses was but subordinate, and hee but a Lieutenant to God; it followeth, that
Christ, whose authority, as man, was to bee like that of Moses, was no more but subordinate
to the authority of his Father. The same is more expressely signified, by that that hee teacheth
us to pray, Our Father, Let thy Kingdome come; and, For thine is the Kingdome, the Power, and the Glory; and by that it is said, that Hee shall come in the Glory of his Father; and by that which St. Paul saith, (1 Cor. 15. 24.) then cometh the end, when hee shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God, even the Father; and by many other most expresse places.
One and the same God is the Person represented by Moses, and by Christ.
Our Saviour therefore, both in Teaching, and Reigning, representeth (as Moses did) the Person
of God; which God from that time forward, but not before, is called the Father; and being still
one and the same substance, is one Person as represented by Moses, and another Person as
represented by his Sonne the Christ. For Person being a relative to a Representer, it is consequent to plurality of Representers, that there bee a plurality of Persons, though of one
and the same Substance.
CHAP. XLII.
Of POWER ECCLESIASTICALL.
FOR the understanding of POWER ECCLESIASTICALL, what, and in whom it is, we are to
distinguish the time from the Ascension of our Saviour, into two parts; one before the
Conversion of Kings, and men endued with Soveraign Civill Power; the other after their
Conversion. For it was long after the Ascension, before any King, or Civill Soveraign embraced,
and publiquely allowed the teaching of Christian Religion.
Of the Holy Spirit that fel on the Apostles.
And for the time between, it is manifest, that the Power Ecclesiasticall, was in the Apostles; and after them in such as were by them ordained to Preach the Gospell, and to convert men to
Christianity, and to direct them that were converted in the way of Salvation; and after these
the Power was delivered again to others by these ordained, and this was done by Imposition of
hands upon such as were ordained; by which was signified the giving of the Holy Spirit, or
Spirit of God, to those whom they ordained Ministers of God, to advance his Kingdome. So that
Imposition of hands, was nothing else but the Seal of their Commission to Preach Christ, and
teach his Doctrine; and the giving of the Holy Ghost by that ceremony of Imposition of hands,
was an imitation of that which Moses did. For Moses used the same ceremony to his Minister
Joshua, as wee read Deuteronomy 34. ver. 9. And Joshua the Son of Nun was full of the Spirit of Wisdome; for Moses had laid his hands upon him. Our Saviour therefore between his
Resurrection, and Ascension, gave his Spirit to the Apostles; first, by Breathing on them, and
saying, (John 20. 22.) Receive yee the Holy Spirit; and after his Ascension ( Acts 2. 2, 3.) by sending down upon them, a mighty wind, and Cloven tongues of fire; and not by Imposition of
hands; as neither did God lay his hands on Moses: and his Apostles afterward, transmitted the
same Spirit by Imposition of hands, as Moses did to Joshua. So that it is manifest hereby, in
whom the Power Ecclesiasticall continually remained, in those first times, where there was not
any Christian Common-wealth; namely, in them that received the same from the Apostles, by
successive laying on of hands.
Of the Trinity.
Here wee have the Person of God born now the third time. For as Moses, and the High Priests,
were Gods Representative in the Old Testament; and our Saviour himselfe as Man, during his
abode on earth: So the Holy Ghost, that is to say, the Apostles, and their successors, in the
Office of Preaching, and Teaching, that had received the Holy Spirit, have Represented him
ever since. But a Person, (as I have shewn before, chapt. 13.) is he that is Represented, as
often as hee is Represented; and therefore God, who has been Represented (that is,
Personated) thrice, may properly enough be said to be three Persons; though neither the word
Person, nor Trinity be ascribed to him in the Bible. St. John indeed (1 Epist. 5. 7.) saith, There be three that bear witnesse in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these
Three are One: But this disagreeth not, but accordeth fitly with three Persons in the proper signification of Persons; which is, that which is Represented by another. For so God the Father,
as Represented by Moses, is one Person; and as Represented by his Sonne, another Person;
and as Represented by the Apostles, and by the Doctors that taught by authority from them
derived, is a third Person; and yet every Person here, is the Person of one and the same God.
But a man may here ask, what it was whereof these three bare witnesse. St. John therefore
tells us (verse II.) that they bear witnesse, that God hath given us eternall life in his Son.
Again, if it should bee asked, wherein that testimony appeareth, the Answer is easie; for he
hath testified the same by the miracles he wrought, first by Moses; secondly, by his Son
himself; and lastly by his Apostles that had received the Holy Spirit; all which in their times
Represented the Person of God; and either prophecyed, or preached Jesus Christ. And as for
the Apostles, it was the character of the Apostleship, in the twelve first and great Apostles, to
bear Witnesse of his Resurrection; as appeareth expressely ( Acts 1. ver. 21, 22.) where St.
Peter, when a new Apostle was to be chosen in the place of Judas Iscariot, useth these words,
Of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out
amongst us, beginning at the Baptisme of John, unto that same day that hee was taken up
from us, must one bee ordained to be a Witnesse with us of his Resurrection: which words
interpret the bearing of Witnesse, mentioned by St. John. There is in the same place
mentioned another Trinity of Witnesses in Earth. For (ver. 8.) he saith, there are three that
bear Witnesse in Earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Bloud; and these three agree in one: that is to say, the graces of Gods Spirit, and the two Sacraments, Baptisme, and the Lords
Supper, which all agree in one Testimony, to assure the consciences of beleevers, of eternall
life; of which Testimony he saith (verse 10.) He that beleeveth on the Son of man hath the
Witnesse in himself. In this Trinity on Earth, the Unity is not of the thing; for the Spirit, the Water, and the Bloud, are not the same substance, though they give the same testimony: But
in the Trinity of Heaven, the Persons are the persons of one and the same God, though
Represented in three different times and occasions. To conclude, the doctrine of the Trinity, as
far as can be gathered directly from the Scripture, is in substance this; that God who is alwaies
One and the same, was the Person Represented by Moses; the Person Represented by his Son
Incarnate; and the Person Represented by the Apostles. As Represented by the Apostles, the
Holy Spirit by which they spake, is God; As Represented by his Son (that was God and Man),
the Son is that God; As represented by Moses, and the High Priests, the Father, that is to say,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is that God: From whence we may gather the reason why
those names Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the signification of the Godhead, are never used in the Old Testament: For they are Persons, that is, they have their names from Representing;
which could not be, till divers men had Represented Gods Person in ruling, or in directing
under him.
Thus wee see how the Power Ecclesiasticall was left by our Saviour to the Apostles; and how
they were (to the end they might the better exercise that Power,) endued with the Holy Spirit,
which is therefore called sometime in the New Testament Paracletus which signifieth an
Assister, or one called to for helpe, though it bee commonly translated a Comforter. Let us now consider the Power it selfe, what it was, and over whom.
The Power Ecclesiasticall is but the power to tonch.
Cardinall Bellarmine in his third generall Controversie, hath handled a great many questions
concerning the Ecclesiasticall Power of the Pope of Rome; and begins with this, Whether it
ought to be Monarchicall, Aristocraticall, or Democraticall. All which sorts of Power, are
Soveraign, and Coercive. If now it should appear, that there is no Coercive Power left them by
our Saviour; but onely a Power to proclaim the Kingdom of Christ, and to perswade men to
submit themselves thereunto; and by precepts and good counsell, to teach them that have
submitted, what they are to do, that they may be received into the Kingdom of God when it
comes; and that the Apostles, and other Ministers of the Gospel, are our Schoolemasters, and
not our Commanders, and their Precepts not Laws, but wholesome Counsells; then were all
that dispute in vain.
An argument thereof, the Power of Christ himself:
I have shewn already (in the last Chapter,) that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this world:
therefore neither can his Ministers (unless they be Kings,) require obedience in his name. For if
the Supreme King, have not his Regall Power in this world; by what authority can obedience be
required to his Officers? As my Father sent me, (so saith our Saviour) I send you. But our
Saviour was sent to perswade the Jews to return to, and to invite the Gentiles, to receive the
Kingdome of his Father, and not to reign in Majesty, no not, as his Fathers Lieutenant, till the
day of Judgment.
From the name of Regeneration:
The time between the Ascension, and the generall Resurrection, is called, not a Reigning, but a
Regeneration; that is, a Preparation of men for the second and glorious coming of Christ, at
the day of Judgment; as appeareth by the words o