reviewed and prepared thefe Difcourfes for the Prefs, it is like he would have spoken to and cleared up fome Things more fully; and perhaps, on fecond thoughts, have in fome Paffages delivered himself Somewhat otherwife. It is not expected that every one, much less critical and captious Heads, will fubfcribe to every thing which they may here meet with. In fo diffuse and vast, and withal so obfcure a Subject, and fo untrodden a Path, it is no wonder if every one will not tread in just the fame steps with him; for there are fome Things wherein he departs from the Sentiments of fome other learned and judi cious Perfons. His making fome of the old legal Ordinances Types of the inftituted Church, and Ordinances under the New Testament and our Ordinances the Antitypes of theirs, it may be Some may not affent unto, following therein Ames Prol. in Pf. 2. and Mr. Jeans, who (Exam. Exam. p. 241.) cites Chamier tom. 4. 1. 9. c.11. Sect. 13. 15. pag. 515. Tilenus Syntag. Part. ult. Difp. 63. Sect. 12. Ames. Bellarm. Enerv. tom. 3. l. 4. c. 7. to which he might have added thofe Words of his tom. 3. lib.i. cap.4. Thef.13. and lib. 2. cap. 4.Thef. 4. But Others there are who go with this our Author. See Beza on 1 Cor. 10. 6. and on 1 Pet. 3. 21. and Mr. Cotten,Holincfs of Church-Members,cap.2. fect. 12.and 13. Not to mention any of the Schoolmen, or the elder Writers among Chriftians, who are very frequent and very exprefs to this Purpose. Nor can it be denied that there is a common Nature wherein their Inftitutions and ours agree, the one being a Shadow or darker Adumbration; the other a more light fome and lively Image of the fame Things. And it is beyond all Contradiction, that the Holy Ghoft himfelf doth frequently inftruct us in our Duty, with reference to our Inftitutions, from theirs under the Old Testament,with relation to their typical Ordinances. As for his calling our Inftitutions the Antitypes to theirs, tho' there fhould be a Truth in that Obfervation, Theologi Greci Typum & Antitypum promifcuè ufurpant pro iifdem, pro re fignificatâ nunquam. Jodoc.Laren. apud Twiff. Animady. in Corv. Def. Armin, cont. Tilen. pag. 280. yet there is a strict and proper Acceptation of the Word, wherein it may be faid,that Inftitutions are the Antitypes of theirs: vid. Jun. Animadv. in Bell. Contr. 3. lib. 1. cap. 9. not. 25. and in that Senfe the Holy Ghoft our ufeth it, 1 Pet. 3. 21. Nor needs any one Stumble at our Author ufing it in fomewhat a different Signification, for Usage is the Mafi and Rule of Language; Loquendum cum vulgo, fentiendum cu Doctis. But it is not for the fake of fuch Paffages that thefe Difcourfes ai Published: But at the inftant defires of many, and for the fake. that Gospel-light which shines throughout the whole, and whic is therein caft upon fo great a part of Holy Scripture, which was wri ten not for their Use only who had the worldly Sanctuary, and were i obferve thofe carnal Ordinances; but for ours alfo, who live in thef better times of the New Teftament. And tho' every thing be not f clearly and convincingly made out, as fome perhaps will defire; je that the Work is fingularly useful will be manifest of it felf: Nor is an humane Writing without its Defects; and those which come out afte the Author's Deaths,and were not by their own hands finished for th Prefs (which is the Cafe of this) must have Allowance beyond others Befides, that this is a Subject which None,or almost none hath wadee, through before him. How he was indowed for it, and what he had attained in it, is not for fo obfcure and incompetent a Pen as writes this, to fay. If this Work find incouraging Acceptance, other of hi Labours may poffibly be Published hereafter. For befides This, and thofe three other fmall Tracts, viz. his Defence of the Proteftant Religion against the impotent Affaults of a Popish Priest,his Irenicum, or Eflay for Union among the reforming Parties in thefe Nations; and his Two Sermons against the Ceremonies, on 2 King. 18.4. which are already Printed; there are some other Works of his,not unfit to fee the Publick Light. As to you who were fometime his Charge,and used to fit under his Minifiry, this Providence fhould be locked on by you, as that which adds greatly unto your Account. If you be not judicious and establissed Chriftians, if you be not living thriving Souls, you will be most inexcufable. God hath made you as a City on an Hill, not only by the eminency of Place where you fojourn, but also by the luftre of thofe Stars in his Right hand,whom he hath formerly fet among you: Thofe hoary Heads, zealous and lively Dr. Winter, that mighty Man in Prayer grave and judicions Mr. Timothy Taylor; and thofe of fewer days,in whom yet was the Infpiration of the Almighty to give them em Understanding, boly, humble Mr. Murcot, and this Author,the earness and weightiness of whofe Preaching fome of you have a preous Remembrance of must all of them be accounted for unto God one Day, by you that fat under their Miniftry. Dr. Winter thought the oy and Glory of Saints in Heaven receive fome Addition there,as beir Works while they were on Earth do bring forth Fruit here bew, grounding this his Judgment on Jer. 32. 19. and the like Scripures; fee his Epiftle before Mr. Murcot's Sermons. And there re that think, godly Minifters fhall at the Day of Christ have the refenting unto Him, thofe that have been Converted and favingly rought upon by their Miniftry. The Apostle Paul feems to have an Expectation, that he should prefent the Corinthians unto Chrift as a haft Virgin efponfed unto the Lord by him, 2 Cor. 11.2. and he ook'd on the Theffalonians as his Joy and Crown of glorying beore God not only in this World, Theff.3. 9. but also hereafter in he Presence of our Lord Jefus Christ at his coming, Thef. 2. 19, 20. If the affectionate Remembrance of your former Teachers,which still lives in your Hearts, and ought foto do, fhall ftir you up to make a fruitful Improvement of fuch Monuments of their Labours as are yet with you, whatever Advantage fhall accrue to them who are now above a thankless World and cloudy Sky, certainly you will be gainers nfpeakably. Thofe Exhortations of the Apostle do speak unto you. Remember thofe that have had the Rule over you, and have Spoken to you theWord of God, whofe Faith follow, confidering the end of their Converfation; Jefus Chrift is the fame yesterday, to day and forever: He will be the fame to you that he hath been to them. You have not yet refifted unto Blood; but how foon you may be called forth unto it, is with him in whofe Hand are all our Times. The Churches of the Hebrews in Judæa had flood, when the Apostle fo wrote to them, much about the fame time that you have been in the Fellowship and Order of the Gospel. And as they then might and did fee a Day of National Calamity approaching, Heb. 10. 25. So may you difcern black and threatning Prognoflicks. Wherefore forfake not the affembling of your felves together as the manner of fome is,but Exhort and Incourage one another to it,and that fo much the more as you fee the Day ap proaching 1 proaching, lift up the Hands that hang down, let the feeble Knees be ftrengthened,and make ftreight Paths for your Feet,lef that which is lame be turned out of the Way, but let it rather b healed. Follow Peace with all Men,and Holinefs, without which no Man fhall fee the Lord; looking diligently,left any Man fail of the Grace of God, left any root of bitterness fpringing up trou ble you,and thereby many be defiled, &c. For ye are not come unto the Mount that might be touched, Te are not under the old dark legal Difpenfation,which was full of Terrour; but ye are come to Mount Sion, and to the City of the living God: ye are under a far more glorions Gospel-Difpenfation and have in these Discourses the Gospel and Spiritual Glory of that old Difpenfation fbining out upon you; the Veil being taken off from it by the Miniftry of this Servant of Christ for your fakes. For what your Minifters are, they are for you. Epaphras was a faithful Minister of Christ for the Church at Colofs. This Author was inlightned by Christ for you. The Influences that the Minifters are the Subjects of,are for their People. If their Confo- lation abound thrô Chrift, it is that they may be able to Comfort others by the Comfort wherewith they themselves are Comfort- ed of God, 2 Cor. 1.4, 6. If they be enabled to walk Exemplarily in Gospel-fimplicity, holiness, juftness and unblamableness through variety of fingular and fore Tryals it is for your fakes, 1 Theff. 1.5. with chap.2. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10. their Ligh and Gifts are yours and for you, I Cor. 3. 22. Thefe Sermons in the Preaching of them were in a peculiar manner for you: So are they now in this making of them yet more Publick. So are thofe that now lobour among you in the Word and Doctrine your Servants for Chrift's fake. The Bleffing of Heaven go along with both this Book and their Labours. NATHANAEL MATHER. in Leaden-hall-street, over against St.Mary-Axe. THE HE Righteousness of God, by Faith upon all, without Difference who believe, In Two Sermons on Rom. 3. 12. Preached at the Merchants Lecture at Pinner's-hall, Quarto. A Discussion of the Lawfulness of a Paftor's acting as an Officer in other Churches, befides that to which he is especially called to take the Over-fight of. In Twelves. Twenty three felect Serinons, preached at the Merchants Lecture, at Pinner's-ball, and in Lime-freet; wherein feveral Cafes of Confcience, and other weighty Matters are propounded and handled, In Octavo. All Three by the Judicious and Learned Mr. Nath. Mather. A practical Difcourfe of God's Sovereignty, with other material Points deriving thence, viz. of the Righteoufnefs. Of God. Of Election. Of Redemption. Of effectual Calling, and of Perfeverance. By Elisha Cole, In Octavo, the Fifth Edition. The Throne of Grace difcourfed of, in Thirteen Sermons from Heb. 4.16. By the Reverend Mr. Robert Traile, In Octavo. A Learned and Accurate Difcourfe of the Guilt of Sin, Pardon of that Guilt, and Prayer for that Pardon: Written fome Years fince, by the Reverend Mr. 7 bo Gilbert, lately deceafed at Oxford, In Octavo. The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, Minifters and Ordinances, as has been profeffed by thofe of that Perfwafion, afferted and proved from Scripture, In Octavo, An Ellay to the Interpretation of the Angel Gabriel's Prophcy, de livered by the Propher Daniel, Chap. 9. Verf 24. In Octavo. Chrift's Afcenfion to fill all Things; In a Sermon at Horfly-down, In Octavo. All Three by the Reverend Mr. Ifaac Chancy. Scripture Proof for finging Scripture Pfalms, Hymns and fpiritual Songs, By E. H. In Octavo. A Defence of the glorious Gospel of the blefled God, attempted against the New Law: With an Anfwer to Thirteen Arguments of Mr. Barret for it, By the late Reverend Mr. John Ryther of Nottingbam, In Otavo. The Sinner's Juftification, or the Lord our Rightcoufnefs: Delivered in feveral Sermons, By Obediah Grem, D. D. late Minister of the Golpel at Coventry. The Second Edition, In Twelves. The Marrow of modern Divinity, touching the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace, with their Ufe and End; clearly defcribing the Way to Eternal Life by Jefus Chrift. By E. H. The Ninth Edition. In Twelves. The Conqueft and Triumph of Grace, in an Account of the Converlion of the Indians. By Matthew Mayhem. In Twelves. |