a vindication of the new theory of the earth from the exceptions of mr. keill and others with an historical preface of the occasions of the discoveries therein contain'd, and some corrections and additions. whiston, william, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing w estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a vindication of the new theory of the earth from the exceptions of mr. keill and others with an historical preface of the occasions of the discoveries therein contain'd, and some corrections and additions. whiston, william, - . [ ], p. printed for benj. tooke ..., london : . attributed to whiston by wing and nuc pre- imprints. errata: p. . reproduction of original in the cambridge university library. includes bibliographical references. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng keill, john, - . -- examination of dr. burnet's theory of the earth. creation -- early works to . religion and science. earth -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - tcp staff (michigan) sampled and proofread - tcp staff (michigan) text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a vindication of the new the●ry of the earth from the exceptions of mr. keill and others . with an historical preface of the occasions of the discoveries therein contain'd : and some corrections and additions . london : printed for benj. tooke at the middle-temple-gate in fleetstreet . . preface . it may not perhaps , for some reasons , be improper in it self , or unacceptable to the reader , to have a short history of the occasions and methods of the discovery of the several particulars in the new theory ; and to see by what steps i proceeded in that matter : that at once i may claim to my self what interest or right i really had in the same ; and it may appear how far , and in what manner any other persons or opportunities were concern'd therein : and at the same time the reader may perceive how little affinity there is between a bare hypothesis , the product only of the wit and skill of the inventor , and the several branches of a theory in which the foregoing qualifications were not necessary , and so can or ought to be very little consider'd therein . to wave therefore any more words by way of introduction , i shall come to that account it self , which is the single subject of this preface . the reader is therefore to know , that ever since i saw the university , and began to rellish the new philosophy ; i mean particularly the cartesian , togegether with some other later discoveries of a more solid nature , i withal fell into an exceeding liking of the main part of dr. burnet's theory of the earth ; and thought my self never more pleas'd than in a repeated perusal of so ingenious and remarkable a book . insomuch that upon my being to perform the accustomed exercise in the schools for my first degree , one of my positions was in vindication of the same . this good liking continued with me a great while after ; till my deeper researches into mechanical philosophy , and the discoveries contain'd in mr. newton's wonderful book began to convince me of the indefensibleness of many of the particulars ; and that the whole scheme , as it then lay , could not be justify'd by the principles of sound philosophy ; nor did it , upon better consideration , agree with the accounts in the holy scriptures . yet still several of the particulars , especially the perpetual equinox before the flood ; and the situation of the earth upon a fluid abyss , seem'd very reasonable , and very agreeable to the accounts sacred and profane of those ancient ages of the world. and as i have never yet found reason to alter my opinion about the latter , when duly stated ; so i was in great perplexity how to believe the former ; since i found the way of changing the position of the earth's axis in dr. burnet , by the laws of mechanism plainly impossible ; on which yet ●he before mention'd opinion did in great measure depend . in this doubtfulness of mind , a thought came into my head ( since which i believe 't is now at the least five or six years . ) that from mr. newton's discoveries 't was certain that a comet might pass near the earth ; and that also in case it pass'd near enough and in a certain trajectory , it might alter the position of the earth's axis , as now the sun does , backward and forward every year : ( tho' this be a thing only known to those who have made some progress in mr. newton's book , and not here to be explain'd for every reader . ) i thought it therefore worth my while , after a long time , to try whether , by this means , if a comet , in the most advantagious manner possible came near the earth at the deluge , the earth's axis could be thereby chang'd from a parallelism to that of the ecliptick , to the obliquity of ½ degrees , which it has had ever since that time . this calculation i try'd about november or december . but could by no means perceive that the hundredth part of the present obliquity was by any such method to be accounted for . which occasion'd therefore my laying aside that hypothesis i had so long before been fond of , and desirous to establish ; and permitted my thoughts a greater freedom about the occasions of the deluge , than dr. burnet's notions had allow'd me before . not long after this , considering the nature of comets , and viewing sometimes mr. newton's scheme of the last famous one among us , which my self could easily remember , in and . a thought came into my mind , which in discourse i mention'd to a very learned friend , that 't was possible the tail of a comet might afford water at the deluge , and that the confused mass of air , and irregular steams from the comet 's atmosphere or tail might afford a fair solution of that phaenomenon i had been so desirous of the perpetual equinox to account for before : i mean the unhealthy state of our air and earth at present , and the effect thereof , the shortning of mens lives ever since the deluge . these were my first and crude thoughts of this matter ; which tho' the particulars were but ill adjusted , and uncertain ; yet gave me an eagerness of considering the matter farther , and occasion'd all the subsequent discoveries which are contain'd in the new theory . and truly , upon a little farther consideration , now the hint was once given , i soon found that a great many of the phaenomena of nature , and of the deluge , did of their own accord fall in with my notion ; and that if on its original formation , the inward constitution of the earth were suppos'd a fluid , ( as i had long done , tho' on no good consideration of the nature of that fluid ; ) and if withal the inequality of the earth's surface at first , which dr. burnet positively deny'd , could be mechanically accounted for , i then imagin'd i could go a great way in a new hypothesis of the mosaick creation , and the deluge . at which time , about easter , dr. woodward's essay was made publick ; and read by me with a great deal of eagerness and sollicitude , to see whether the history of the phaenomena of the inward parts of the earth would accord with , or contradict those notions i began to entertain about the points before-mention'd . and as a little before i had observ'd , that 't was highly reasonable to suppose a fluid nearer the center of the earth to be heavier than those upon its surface ; yea than that orb of earth which was above it ; so , as i was reading dr. woodward's essay , that axiom also in hydrostaticks , that bodies according to their different specifick gravities will sink into fluids in a different proportions , and so be extant in different degrees ; came into my thoughts ; upon what occasion i know not : and together , eas'd me , to my no small satisfaction , of the difficulties which before stopp'd my progress in that hypothesis my thoughts were so busy upon . having now got the main strokes of the new theory , so far as concern'd the particular phaenomena of the deluge at least , in my mind : and not finding the observations in dr. woodward's essay wholly disagreeable to the same , i began to write my thoughts , and digest 'em into as regular a method , as the warmth of my temper , still increas'd by the daily addition of new , and to me very surprizing discoveries , would permit . about which time i consider'd , that if the comet pass'd by the earth at the deluge , it must alter the annual motion and period , from the universality of the law of attraction , so fully demonstrated by mr. newton . whereupon i went to try whether , if the earth mov'd in a circle before the flood , the becoming eccentrical at that time would account for , and correspond to those ¼ odd days , which we now have in ours above , an ●ven and regular year , which i was willing to imagin the antediluvians had enjoy'd . but as this calculation fail'd my present hopes , so it discover'd a coincidence vastly more remarkable ; namely , that the ancient solar year , if the earth's orbit was circular , exactly corresponded with the present and ancient lunar , by reason of the accurate equality and agreement of the eccentricity of the earth with the lunar epact . which coincidence i must own did in the highest degree please and satisfy my thoughts ; and gave me some assurance of the truth , as well as probability of my main hypothesis . soon after this i discern'd another most remarkable way of trying the reality of the passing by of the comet ; namely , to see whether the place of the perihelion , at which i perceiv'd the deluge must , on my hypothesis , begin , would accord with the time of the year deliver'd by moses . this , with no small fear of a disappointment , i try'd : and having only i think tycho's tables of its motion then by me ( in mercator's astronomy , ) i consulted it accordingly , and to my still higher satisfaction and assurance found the astronomical tables , and the mosaick history , exactly to agree in the same time of the second month from the autumnal equinox . soon after this i found out another still more sure way of discovering the time , nay the very day of the beginning of the flood from astronomy , and so of trying whether the former coincidences were by chance , or occasion'd by the reality of that passage of the comet to which i ascribed the deluge . now in this case , tho' i saw the necessity of the day of the comets passing by being near the new or full moon , yet i was not then well enough vers'd in astronomical calculations readily to try this matter ; and besides did not know how many years ought to be accounted since the deluge , because of my own unacquaintedness with the point then , and of the variety of chronologers sentiments about it . however , since i look'd upon the most learned , the lord bishop of coventry and lichfield , ( whose most free , ready , and generous assistance in all my studies , i must own with the highest gratitude ) as by common consent , the most accurate chronologer of this age ; and did remember that in a bible which lay in his study i had formerly observ'd the year of the world , set in the beginning of st. matthew : i suppos'd his lordship's opinion to be that from the herbrew verity , the christian aera , began anno mundi . upon which supposition , tho' with great diffidence of mistake on every side , i try'd to find the time of the moon corresponding to the beginning of the deluge ; and found it to be as near the new as my hypothesis requir'd . which exceedingly pleas'd me at the present , but gave me a new sollicitude lest it should overturn all in case i had made any mistake in the chronology , since the deluge ; which then at best only depended on the memory of a number i had occasionally seen before ; tho' since i have received full satisfaction in the point . in great concern therefore i went down to his lordship's lodgings , and with no small fear , enquir'd of the truth of what i had remembred , and of his lordship's opinion touching the number of years according to the hebrew verity , till the christian aera ; and found i was exactly right in the whole , to my no small encouragement , and to my greater assurance of the certain truth of that hypothesis which by so many trials had , beyond expectation , approved it self to me . after all this i discover'd , as i thought , that the ocean was an effect and remains of the waters of the deluge ; and that the passing by of the comet would distinguish the earth into two continents , and interpose an ocean betwixt ' em . but here in my first thoughts i was stopt a little , and fear'd that this last hypothesis would overturn my other ; because the position of the centers of the two continents would determine the time of the year when the comet pass'd by ; and that , as my first thoughts represented to me , in a downright opposition to my other accounts of that matter . but it proved quite otherwise , for as all my former fears had come to nothing , but ended to my utmost satisfaction ; so on a more exact consideration i found this position of the centers of the two continents so exactly agreeable with the time of the beginning of the deluge stated by the other methods , that instead of contradicting , i perceiv'd , with pleasure enough , it highly confirm'd and secur'd the same . and then , as to the bigness of the comet , and the several other coincidences all along , they generally occur'd readily to my thoughts as i went on ; and so need not have any particular notice taken of them in this place . but i think somewhat before i had proceeded so far , i drew up a hasty imperfect draught of my notions , to communicate to some friends , and especially to dr. bentley immediately , and the mr. newton afterwards , whom i accordingly waited on , the first at london , and the other as i ( in attendance on my lord bishop of norwich ) pass'd by cambridge ; which was , i think , about whitsontide , the same year . and having now by the hints and directions i received from these learned persons , especially from the latter ; and by a more accurate review and reconsideration of the whole , much corrected , improved , and enlarged my hypothesis ; and took in several particulars more as they occurr'd to me ; especially that most remarkable one about the lowness of caucasus now , and its greater altitude at the deluge , on which i lay so much stress in my book , i found my self prepar'd to digest the whole into a systeme , and began to make it ready for mr. newton's review , and to think of putting it into the press . only i was still somewhat puzled about dr. woodward's observation of the time of the year in which all the plants buried at the deluge were lodg'd in their several places ; whence he had stated the commencing thereof half a year differently from that which all my ways of determining it assur'd me of . in this difficulty i wrote to the doctor for a resolution of some queries relating to those plants , and received such an answer , part of which is in my book , as gave me sufficient foundation , i thought , to clear the difficulty , and turn'd what was before a shrewd objection against , into a real attestation to that time of the year which my hypothesis assign'd in the case . being thus clear of my difficulties , i went on with my work with considerable application , and no small degree of pleasure and satisfaction ; till i brought it to an intire systeme , and sent it to cambridge for mr. newton's final review and correction . which being over , and communicated to me , i soon brought it into the present form , and only added that preliminary discourse , which partly on another occasion , i had in good measure finish'd before ; and which i found would be but a necessary preparation to some points of great moment in the following theory . this is a true and faithful account , as far as my memory can now recollect the particulars , of the progress of this matter , and of the occasions of the several discoveries contain'd in the new theory . 't is true , when i brought my manuscript to mr. newton the first time , he told me ( what i never heard syllable of before ; and of which i know nothing particularly to this hour : ) that he had heard , that mr. halley ( a person sufficiently , and deservedly eminent in the learned world ) had propos'd reasons at gresham-college why a comet could not cause the deluge . but when i ask'd him farther , whether he knew the nature of that hypothesis mr. halley set up , and oppos'd : he told me he did not , so far as to be able , to give me any manner of satisfaction ; but desir'd me to apply my self to mr. halley if i had a mind to be farther inform'd about it . which to this day i have not done , and so could not possibly make any use of any notions he either propos'd , or refuted in this matter , as i am told some persons have been willing to suggest , and which , if it had been so , i should as freely own as i do all the other hints and advantages i have had from any in this matter . and i am under less temptation than another in this case : for however remarkable i look upon several of the discoveries in the new theory ; yet i think the praise belonging to the discoverer not so great as l●sser points , requiring a deeper skill in the author , may justly deserve . the case seems to me to be this . tho' many wise men , with variety of keys , belonging to other places , should long puzzle themselves in vain in the opening of a door : and one of a worse character , who had the good fortune to find the true one , should with ease let them into the closet ; yet i think he , who upon this should value himself , and expect a great degree of commendation , would thereby only demonstrate that he deserv'd but a very little share of it . the application is easy ; and tho' i perhaps do believe that i have found a key , and have open'd and explain'd some points of consequence , in the new theory : yet as i heartily own and adore the divine providence in all the success of my enquiries , so i , with the before-mention'd thoughts , am under little temptation of envying any one their share in these discoveries . and i can safely say , that i have been more than ordinarily cautious not to mention any thing , which was the product even of my own thoughts , if i found that others had also took notice of it , without making such mention of them as the case did require : and whatever imputations i may otherwise deserve , i have long since resolved to give no occasion that any one should take me for a plagiary . lowestoft , suffolk . sept. . . an answer to mr. keill's remarks on the new theory of the earth . since i perceive the force of my reasoning has had so great an influence on mr. keill , as to obtain his allowance of the passing by of a comet at the beginning of the deluge , which is the main point i contend for ; and which once establish'd , the rest ( as i think i can still demonstrate ) must , when fully understood , be granted also ; 't is a little surprizing that he of all men should in publick appear against me . and truly i am ready to hope i have but few competent judges besides mr. keill , who , yielding me that main point of all , do yet reject my account of the phaenomena of the deluge ; which are , i think , but natural consequents of such a concession . but to let that pass ; this i am pretty secure of , that if mr. keill were not more deeply engag'd against my design by a peculiar fondness he seems to have for the introduction of unaccountable miracles on all occasions , than by any other decretory objections against me ; 't is probable he would rather privately have communicated his difficulties , and by letter desir'd the resolution of them , than have taken this publick method of writing remarks on the new theory , and leading it as it were in triumph after the conquest he had been gaining over the old one . but not to expostulate this procedure with mr. keill any farther ; i must , before i come to particulars , both openly take notice of his civility and fairness to me , in that he has been pleas'd , amidst his somewhat severe reflections on the mistakes of others , to deal with me kindly and candidly even whilst he looks upon me as guilty of not a few errors in my reasoning ; and at the same time faithfully promise him , that i will cautiously avoid those dis-ingenuous and studied evasions which , as he truly observes , are but too often made to pass for answers to the shrewdest objections . neither will i refuse at any time , on due conviction , to own my mistakes ; and as publickly to retract my errors , as i have publickly profess'd them . but to wave any farther preliminaries , and to come to the particular objections . ( . ) 't is alledg'd that my first hypothesis , viz. that a chaos is the atmosphere of a comet , can't be true , because the former is by all agreed to have had darkness on the face of its abyss ; whereas the latter is certainly a transparent fluid ; and so has the light , if not of its own central body from within , yet at least of the sun from without , freely admitted into it . for answer to which i affirm , that as to the central solid , since a comet is not capable of a change to a planet or earth till a long time after its perihelion , or indeed till 't is return'd from the vast and cold regions beyond saturn ; i wonder mr. keill should fear it would be not too warm only , but so vehemently hot as to be light also : iron and other solids will be sufficiently hot a long time after their light or visible fire is gone ; and i don't imagin that comets descending to the sun can be so much hotter and brighter than such a cooling ball of iron as to illuminate the regions about them for many hundred , if not thousand miles together . and then as to the sun , which is allow'd to shine through the atmospheres of comets while they remain such , if mr. keill can prove that the words of moses refer to the past ages , and not to the time of the commencing of the creation , to which principally if not solely all commentators i think refer them ; it will be to mr. keill's purpose : but if not , here is no valid objection against this part of the new theory . for as to the word abyss , which was once dark , and afterward enlightened , i see no reason to restrain it at this time to the dense fluid alone ; ( whither indeed the light could not penetrate after it was once intirely and distinctly collected together below the earth ; ) but by it is , i think , in this place meant all that heterogeneous and hitherto muddy fluid which was beneath the earth's future surface ; or peculiarly below that place where adam was to b●made , and where the spectator in this histori●●l journal of the creation is suppos'd to have 〈◊〉 . and i believe there can be no reason to refuse this interpretation , nor consequently to create hence any difficulty against my hypothesis relating to this matter , what comes to be next consider'd , is this : ( . ) if we proceed mechanically and gradually in the formation of a planet from a comet 's atmosphere , we must allow the whole subsidence to be as leisurely , and to proceed by the same steps , that the violence of its heat decreases ; which will then be compleated not in six days , or single years , but scarcely in as many centuries ; and the opake parts will take so much time in descending and composing the crust of earth , that the sun might always as freely almost penetrate the upper regions of the atmosphere at least , if not farther , as it does the whole atmospheres of comets while they are within our observation . now in answer to this ; which i own to be an argument of good force , and to deserve consideration ; i say , that if we found from the phaenomena of comets in their descent towards the sun , after their long periods to cool and settle in , since their last perihelia ; that they had no atmospheres , but that the masses which formerly compos'd 'em were subsided and become like the surface of planets , then indeed this reasoning were unavoidable : ( tho' even in that case this would only enforce a still larger interpretation of the days of creation than i allow , without any farther harm to the rest of the theory : ) but seeing the contrary is evident from astronomical observations , this cannot affect my hypothesis . it must indeed from hence , i think , follow , that all the same laws , properties , and operations of bodies which we find establish'd here on earth , do not so universally obtain in the atmospheres of comets : which i confess the consideration of their phaenomena has always oblig'd me to believe , and which any one who reads a page or two may easily see i was aware of when i wrote my theory . the introduction of the particular laws , powers , and properties of bodies with us , ( that of universal gravity ever excepted ; ) being in my opinion there explain'd the immediate effect of the spirit of god , who is said to have moved on the face of the waters at the very beginning of the mosaick creation . and so much i hope may suffice to shew the inconsequence of this argument ; and that my answer is no present evasion of an emergent difficulty , but my setled thoughts ever since i wrote the new theory . and the consideration of this matter will afford a like answer to what is with some shew of strength urg'd in the next place , ( . ) if the sand , stones , and gravel of our earth were formerly in the atmosphere of a comet , which is once in every revolution prodigiously scorch'd by the nearness of the sun , they must formerly have been melted , become transparent , and been turn'd into glass ; because such is now the natural effect of a violent degree of heat with us in the like case . i answer : but then , as we have just now observ'd , we can't universally reason from the state and phaenomena of a planet after its formation , to the chaotick condition it was in before . tho' in truth we do not need this answer in the present case : for neither is it certain , that because such gross and compounded bodies on liquefaction become glass , that therefore their first elementary atoms , or primary dust , scatter'd separately in the vastness of the atmosphere , would then have been subject to the same mutation . nor if that were granted , does mr. keill know that either our earth , or the comet that came by at the flood , was one of those which approach so near the sun , as that the effects he mentions must be unavoidable in them , tho' they should be so in others , whose perihelia expose them to the utmost degree of scorching imaginable . but to proceed . ( . ) 't is objected that there is no need of a central hot solid to solve the origin of springs , and such other phaenomena of nature , they being better accounted for by other means ; nor if there were a central hot solid , could its heat be here sensible , because the heat of a very vehement fire can't penetrate a stone wall of a few feet in thickness . now as to the reality of an internal heat , below the influence of the sun , in the bowels of the earth , 't is undeniable matter of fact , and must be accounted for , whatever become of the origin of springs , or the like phaenomena ; and so it may be needful to admit a hot central solid , even tho' such effects as i with dr. woodward am willing to ascribe to an heat , should be deducible from other causes . tho' truly i don't think that account mr. keill refers to here of the origin of fountains so universal , as to stand in no need of subterranean vapours : for which , tho' i believe i can give good reasons ; yet i don't think it at all necessary at present to engage in so long , and somewhat foreign a controversy . but then as to the confinement of heat by a wall of no great thickness , 't is a very different case from our earth : wh●re the heat ever ascending upwards , has first a fluid to heat ; which when hot in one place , will thereby be heated throughout ; and after that , has a crust of earth , somewhat loosely put together , and multitudes of perpendicular fissures quite through it , with other pores and horizontal fissures , to permit the passage of the warm steams to the upper regions . besides all which , the heat is not merely deriv'd anew from the central solid ; but has been , by its means , ever preserv'd since it self was deriv'd from the sun at the ancient perihelia . all which circumstances do so much alter the case , that if mr. keill had been aware of them , i hardly suppose he would have much insisted on this as a mighty difficulty in my book . we are now come to the principal doubt of all , which relates to my interpretation of this fourth day's work , so as to exclude the original creation of the heavenly bodies at that time . wherein mr. keill thinks i have not exactly observ'd my own first postulatum , but receded from the letter of the scripture , without sufficient reasons for so doing . as to which point , i must still own that i am by no means of mr. keill's mind ; and since he only delivers his opinion without producing his particular reasons , or enervating any of those i had so largely given for what i asserted , i see no occasion for a farther vindication at present ; and so shall still leave that matter to the consideration of the free and impartial reader . however , since here occur some particular difficulties , i shall take notice of such of them as have not already been consider'd . ( . ) t is objected , that because comets have no secondary ones moving about them , the moon , our secondary planet , must either have been really created , or at least brought into our neighbourhood on the fourth day ; which being therefore the importance of the word made with relation to one , ought to be taken in the same sense when referr'd to the other of the heavenly bodies : and so my interpretation of this day's work , which is built on other principles , must be a mistake . now , tho' i might ask why the moon might not as well have come into our neighbourhood before , as just upon this day , in case she had not of old been our companion ? yet to put this matter to another issue , i desire mr. keill to prove that no comets have any satellites revolving about them . for my part , i think the observations we have yet made about comets are not nice nor numerous enough to determin this point . nay rather , what the histories of many comets relate about the various shapes and figures they have sometimes appeared under , seems to me hardly accountable , unless we allow lesser comets to have been companions to the greater , and by their various positions and other circumstances to have occasion'd some at least of that variety and strangeness in many of their phaenom●n● , which not a few accounts confirm to us . ( . ) 't is alledg'd , that before the sun became visible , 't is not supposable that on the second day of the creation his heat could raise vapors enow to fi●l the seas , lakes , and rivers in the primitive earth ; on which yet my account of their original is entirely built . now not to examin the computation which mr. keill makes use of about the quantity of water rais'd and falling in a year , which i suppose may be accurate enough : nor to enquire how little the heat of the sun may be diminish'd on the earth by so few vapors collected together , as may yet be sufficient to hide his body from our fight ; i would ask mr. keill , what if the sun in half a year did not draw up vapors enow to make the thousandth part of the present ocean ? what is this to me ? who assert there was no ocean till the deluge , nor no other than small seas and lakes , perhaps not containing much more than a thousandth part of the water that is now upon the earth . and this is so visible in my book , that i prove there was before the flood no ocean , by this very reason , that the sun could not draw up vapors enow in half a years time to compose so vast a collection of waters . which if mr. keill had been pleas'd to observe , he might have spar'd me the pains of answering such an objection . having proceeded thus far in my own vindication , i must now , according to my promise , be so ingenuous as to own that much of mr. keill's reasoning against my third hypothesis of an only annual motion of the earth before the fall , and so of a half year of cold and darkness together , ( without a greater freedom of thought than i expect in most readers ) taken as 't is at present laid down in my book , is strong and forcible , and unless i fly to such evasions as i have resolv'd against , not easily to be avoided . but then i must desire mr. keill to do me so much justice , as to remember that i told the reader i had somewhat farther to say in the case ; which might therefore , by a private enquiry , have been first understood before this whole proposition , of so great importance , had been absolutely rejected . my words are these : this , when rightly consider'd may save me the labour of returning any other answer to the particular difficulty here mention'd ; and of enlarging upon several other things which might be said , to great satisfaction , on the present occasion . that upon this opportunity therefore i may fully clear my hypothesis from this obvious , popular , and not inconsiderable objection , i shall endeavour to set this matter in a new and clear light. and tho' i do not my self see any plain necessity of altering any thing i have said on this head ; yet because i have been long inclinable to think the following hypothesis very probable ( as 't is certainly very agreeable to the phaenomena of nature , and the main principles of my theory ) and very likely to satisfy the difficulties of abundance of readers , i shall more fully explain my thoughts in this case , and thereby shew that all the arguments that are levell'd against this branch of the new theory are unconcluding . notwithstanding therefore i have already , and do still assert that the original orbits of the planets , and particularly of the earth were perfect circles ; meaning by the original orbits , those in which they were to revolve immediately after they were intirely form'd , and were to be universally inhabited : yet i must now add , what i at first had some imperfect thoughts about , that this reduction of the very oblong and eccentrical orbit of our earth whilst it was a comet , into a uniform , concentrical and circular one , which i suppose it had before the deluge , may justly be allow'd to have been gradual , and not done at once : the greatest part at the commencing of the mosaick creation , and the rest at the commencing of the diurnal rotation afterwards . ( as indeed the diurnal rotation could not mechanically begin , i mean by the oblique collision of a comet , but that the annual orbit would thereby be alter'd also . ) which being suppos'd ; and that providence adjusted all circumstances so as should be most to the advantage of paradise ; we shall then have the earth revolving in a moderate ellipsis , without any diurnal rotation about the sun in the space of a year : ( tho' the exact length of that year will not now be determinable : ) a day and a year will be all one : we shall have that diameter of the earth which pass'd through paradise , parallel to the longer axis of that ellipsis it revolv'd in : and withal , we shall have the place of paradise , respecting the same fixt stars with the perthelion of the ellipsis . which being suppos'd , as the circular orbit is much the best for a globe inhabited all round , that providing equally for the convenience of both hemispheres ; so is this elliptick orbit the best for a globe inhabited but in one place , as the earth was in the primitive state ; this providing peculiarly for the happiness of that particular spot where alone the living part of the creation was to reside ; as on consideration will easily appear . thus , for instance , the heat of the day-time would gradually increase before , and decrease after noon : but yet would never be violent ; because almost all the increase of the heat by the sun 's rising above the horizon still higher and higher in the forenoon or spring , would be prevented by his real receding from the earth , and approaching nearer his apegseon during the same time ; & vice versâ , in the afternoon or summer : which would render the state of the air more equable and uniform , and less uneasy or inconvenient than any other method whatsoever . thus also not only the cold of the night , ( which by our then being nearest the sun would be inconsiderable ; ) but the duration and darkness thereof ( two very severe and frightful phaenomena in my former hypothesis would be entirely avoided . for the whole night would then bear no more proportion to the entire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , than in the ellipsis the area p b q bears to the whole area h b g f : suppose the proportion of to , which will amount to no more than two months . out of which night-time , we must deduct the two crepuscula , each of about half a month , which reduces now the darkness of the night to a single month : out of which another half month is to be still deducted for the moon 's being above the horizon , and enlightening the earth : so that at last , if the moon 's crepuscula be at all allow'd for , we shall scarce have a single week of pure darkness in the whole year . which hypothesis does at the first view so fully take off the popular objections made against me ; and affords so easy and natural a solution of the difficulties urg'd by mr. keill ; besides its peculiar fitness to render the primary animals , and particularly our first parents happy , and their state to the utmost degree paradisiacal ; that i shall add no more in confirmation of it , but leave it to mr. keill's and the intelligent readers own consideration . only before i pass on , i cannot but take notice of a great mistake of mr. keill's about the quantity of heat in the primitive earth from my hypothesis , which he reckons some hundred of times as great as in the present state : which i am sure must be a plain error , and all its consequences , which he from thence draws against me , without any foundation . the heat then , for the light half year , being but the same quantity of heat all at once ; which now at times , and with interruptions we are partakers of . which may deserve mr. keill's consideration and correction . we are now come to the principal part of my theory , the account of the deluge of noah : against which , 't is objected by mr. keill , ( . ) that the presence of a comet , tho' it would cause considerable tides in the seas above , yet it could not in the abyss below the earth : because this latter is pent in , and closely shut up within a thick and solid crust of earth , and has therefore no room to raise it self as the waters of the seas have . now in answer to this , i wonder how mr. keill comes to imagin the orb of earth to be so compact and solid a sphere , as to be able to overcome the great impulse , which on the comet 's approach the abyss would make upon it ? in my hypothesis , i am sure , it had only the consistence of adjoining columns sinking down together into the same fluid , and that extreamly broken , divided , and shatter'd at the commencing of the diurnal rotation ; when great numbers of clefts and fissures were every-where made through it , and the orb by consequence dispos'd to a division and separation of parts upon any considerable impulse whatsoever . one might almost as well assert , that a floor of disjoined planks laid cross the thames , without any fastness on either side could sustain the force of the tide , and prevent its ascent ; as that our crust of earth , so cleft and disjoined as it was , should be able to sustain the force of the tide in the abyss , and prevent its ascent , and those effects which would be consequent thereupon . ( . ) 't is objected , that the expanded vapors deriv'd from the comet , would , by passing through the air , and its resistence at their first descent , be all turn'd into water ; and so , tho' this may at once drown the world , yet it will not account for the long rains of forty days , to which the deluge of noah was principally owing . now in answer to this i say , that tho' much the greatest part of the vapors should have been at first turn'd into water , and so continued , yet 't is hard that mr. keill will not allow many of them to escape the same ; enow at least to make a constant rain for forty days together . i am sure 't is to me strange , that so thin a body as our air , lying in so small a compass about the earth , as the height of not very many miles ( for much higher 't is so very thin as to be perfectly inconsiderable ) should have the good luck to stop , arrest , and condense all and every part of so immense and swift a descending column of vapors as we have here to be consider'd . but besides , ( not to question whether mr. keill's method of reducing vapors into rain-water be universal or not : ) let it be granted that these hot vapors were at their first descent forc'd together ; yet till that quantity of heat which caus'd and continued their degree of expansion in the comet 's atmosphere or tail were mightily diminish'd , and they become as cool as vapors turning into water with us , till then i say , whatsoever their first violent motion might on the sudden produce , yet their own proper heat would immediately rarify 'em again , and so elevate 'em to a proportionable height in the air , and capacitate them to produce that continual forty days rain , which appears to have had so great a share in the universal deluge . ( . ) 't is objected , that tho' a persorated cylinder of stone or marble , pressing upon water in an exactly equal cylindrical vessel under it , would thereby force it , or any lighter fluid on its surface through the holes upwards ; yet the pressure of the additional waters upon the crust of earth could not cause the eruption of the dense fluid , or of any waters lying upon it in the bowels of the earth , on several accounts ; particularly because in the first ase the cylinder is specifically heavier than water , but in the second the orb of earth is lighter than the dense fluid under it : which mr. keill supposes does wholly alter the case . now in answer to this i say , if mr. keill desire it , i will put a cylinder of wood , which is lighter than water , instead of one of stone or marble which is heavier ; and i do not doubt of the truth of the experiment in this case , if that will afford him satisfaction . but indeed i perceive by all mr. keill's reasoning here , that he mistakes my notion ; and that 't is but setting him right in this , and all his difficulties will vanish of their own accord . i say then , and i am sure mr. keill can't contradict it , that a lighter solid will as truly press a fluid heavier than it self , till it is sunk so deep as the known law of hydrostaticks requires , as a solid that is specifically heavier : and if by its closeness of texture , and want of room about it , it be hindred from really descending so far , it will continually press the fluid , and force it upwards , or any way where there are any holes and fissures without an equal degree of pressure upon them . and this certainly is the present case . suppose the columns of earth at the beginning were miles in depth in the whole , and taken together but half so dense as the fluid on which they rely'd ; then at the mosaick creation , when the strata of the columns were not yet consolidated , but every where previous to the fluid , the several columns would , as mr. keill well knows , sink miles into the fluid , and the other miles would be extant above it . if now after the consolidation of the strata , when the orb can't sink freely as before , a new addition be made at the top of each column ( whether of lighter or heavier matter 't is all one ) equal in weight to two miles of the same column ; which is just the case of the deluge : in this state 't is evident that the pressure of two intire miles of each column , being so prodigiously great , must squeeze the fluid upward through the fissures ( which were just open'd , and fill'd with water to the height of perhaps or miles , from the neighbouring earth satur'd with the same ) and thereby throw out the incumbent water , and perhaps it self upon the face of the earth . and this the more easily , because the pressure was from the water , which would lie chiefly in the valleys , whilst the fissures were mostly in the mountains , and so above the surface of the cortex ; which otherwise by running into them , would a little stop the upward current , and retard the motion of the ascending waters . which things being , i think , undeniably true , and plainly express'd in my book , i must be a little surpriz'd that one so well vers'd in hydrostaticks as mr. keill , should be so perplex'd in this matter . all mr. keill's demonstrations suppose either that not the water on the earth , but in the fissures did contribute to raising the fluid through them ; which i could not be so childish as to imagine . or that the several columns of earth had free liberty , and could subside as far as occasion should be ; which i have in my book , as well as here , shew'd they could not . or that a pressure from a column specifically heavier than the fluid is necessary to raise it upward ; when 't is evidently all one , though it be lighter . so that upon the whole , i think mr. keill might have spar'd those peremptory words which he uses in this point . from all this it is demonstratively evident , that by no sort of pressure of the incumbent fluid , the abyss could be forced upwards to spread it self on the surface of the earth . which i hope on farther consideration he will think fit to retract . ( . ) 't is objected , that whereas i derive at least half the waters of the deluge from the bowels of the earth , this is impossible ; because there can be no sphere or collection of waters between the earth and the dense fluid , which is the only place besides , in mr. keill's opinion , the fissures themselves , capable of containing the same . in answer whereto i cannot but say 't is strange mr. keill should look for subterraneous waters every where else but where i always plac'd 'em ; in the pores and cavities of all the lower earth . and i imagine mr. keill himself will not deny that or miles together of the inward earth , satur'd and full with water , might afford much more than we have occasion for at the deluge ; and so might easily supply the fissures , in a constant drein for months together , with enough to go more than half way in the laying the surface of the whole earth under water . however , since we know not , nor did i ever directly assign , in what proportion the two several causes of the deluge contributed their shares thereto ; my theory is not concern'd , though no more water was thrown out upon the earth than fill'd the fissures , as high as the earth was satur'd with water at the mosaick creation : which quantity even mr. keill seems not unwilling to allow me . as to the dense fluid it self , and whether the force were great enough any where to cast any quantity thereof out upon the earth , i know not how to determine . though so far i am sure , that vast quantities of it might have been on the earth without any of its appearing now above ground ; which is mr. keill's objection in this case . for unless there was more than satur'd , and perhaps consolidated with , the sediment of the waters ( which now , as mr. keill will grant , composes at least two or three hundred feet thickness of our present earth : ) i am sure we are not , ( on account of their mighty gravity bearing 'em to the bottom of the whole fluid , ) to expect any remains of it in the seas or ocean , no nor in any pits , holes , or valleys upon the present earth . and here mr. keill is so kind as to afford me a breathing time , and to grant so many of my solutions to be right at once ; namely all those relating to dr. woodward's essay , and the sediment of the deluge ; that i cannot but own my real joy on this occasion : that the force of my reasoning should here prove so strong as to satisfy even mr. keill ( who seems so little to acquiesce in many other of my arguments ) in that intire point , of which i must grant my self , from any enquiries of my own , to be the least master , of all other in my book . and truly i must say that i think mr. keill , by confessing that i have convincingly enough prov'd that a comet pass'd by the earth at the deluge ; and that all dr. woodward's phaenomena are rightly accounted for by that easy hypothesis i took concerning them ; by these concessions , i say , i believe mr. keill has done more to establish my book , than all his objections will avail to reject it : and himself is therefore much more my friend and patron than he ever intended to have been by these remarks on my theory . but to leave this digression , and proceed to the. ( . ) and last objection ; which is this , that though i can easily fetch as much water as i have occasion for upon the earth to drown it ; yet i have no way to get handsomly rid of it again ; and consequently my solutions of the phaenomena of the universal deluge come to nothing , and all at last must be resolv'd into miracle . now how it has come to pass that this draining off the waters of the deluge has been so much stuck at , i cannot tell : the thing it self having , i think , no difficulty in it . certainly the pores and interstices of or . miles of dry earth are capable of receiving or miles of water into 'em : and certainly the same fissures which permitted the ascent of the fluids from beneath before , would after the ceasing of that force permit the descent of the waters of the deluge ; and by degrees in length of time draw them off , and so leave the earth as it now appears to us . for what is in the perpendicular fissures will sideways run into , and saturate , by the horizontal fissures and other passages , all the neighbouring earth : which if mr. keill doubts of , let him but make a hole in the earth , and fill it with water , and see whether he do not perceive the neighbouring parts to be moistened , and the hole to be soon empty enough to require a new supply ; notwithstanding there be no subterraneous cavern ready to receive it : which easy experiment may go a great way to convince mr. keill that the removing the waters of the deluge is no such insuperable problem , as he seems to suppose it . thus i have gone through the whole body of the reflections made by mr. keill on my new theory : and hope i have observ'd the rules which at his desire i at first set my self in this reply : and all that i , in my turn , shall claim of him , in case he think sit to make any rejoinder , is this , that he would be careful therein to observe the same rules himself , which he expected from me ; and be as ready to own any satisfaction i may have given him in any points , as to reinforce those objections he may perhaps not yet be satisfied about . and as i shall willingly correct any occasional mistakes whether in other points , or in the mathematicks of my book ( a few of which , tho' of no ill consequence to the theory it self , i am conscious of ) if it ever come to a second edition ; so in order thereto i shall heartily thank mr. keill , or any body else , who shall be so kind as by letter to inform me of any of them . i have now done with mr. keill's remarks on my theory , and before we part , i shall only desire him to answer plainly to a question or two relating to the matter now in debate between us , and shall then take my leave . ( i. ) since mr. keill grants that a comet pass'd by at the deluge , and yet contends that the flood is not to be solv'd therefrom , but is to be believ'd wholly miraculous ; to what purpose did the comet so providentially pass by just at that time if it had no relation to the deluge ? does mr. keill imagine , that the same miraculous power which caus'd the deluge could not also , without the attraction of a comet , make the earth's orbit elliptical ? a strange , unheard of , and most surprizing phaenomenon happens in the world ! a blazing star , which we but seldom discover at a vast distance in the heavens , descends hard by the body of our earth : which without the greatest exactness in the chain of providence does not happen in thousands , nay millions of years : and as soon as ever 't is pass'd by , a wonderful , and incredible deluge of waters overflows the whole earth , and drowns all its inhabitants without any other visible or imaginable occasion in the world : and yet , as it seems , the comet only accidentally pass'd by , and had no hand at all in the deluge ! — credat iudaeus apella . ( . ) how could those effects i have mention'd be avoided upon the passing by of the comet ? we are not now in a cartesian vortex , where fancy and contrivance can introduce or hinder any effect at pleasure : but we are in mechanical and experimental philosophy , which is an inflexible thing , and not at all subject to our inclinations . when the comet therefore was just pass'd by us , i desire to know how the earth could possibly avoid passing through its atmosphere and tail ? if it could not , pray what could prevent the acquiring that column of vapours i , by computation , find would fall on its surface ? and if such a column of vapours was left on the earth , what could hinder their becoming water , and drowning the earth ? i shall not , though i easily might , carry on the chain of queries any longer . but if mr. keill can fairly answer me these few leading questions , i shall then believe him alike able to answer the rest , and so i shall not pursue this particular any farther , but leave it and this whole matter to his and the reader 's leisure and consideration . apr. . . having thus finished what i had to return to mr. keill ; i shall upon this occasion consider such other material difficulties and objections relating to the new theory as have come to my knowledge any way , either in print , or in private letters ; concealing still the names of those who have been so kind as to content themselves with the latter method , tho' at the same time it will appear that in many cases the authors need have been no more ashamed of their arguments , than any of those who have chosen the more publick method , and appear'd from the press against me . and i fear not to appeal to the persons concern'd , for the fairness and justness of my proposal of their objections ; and that the returns i now make are generally for substance the same which my private answers contain'd upon the several occasions . to go on therefore with the numbers . ( . ) the next objection is , that i have omitted many insuperable difficulties which have been urg'd against the forming of our present upper earth from the sediment of the d●luge . in answer whereto ; for ( to say nothing that the non-appearance of any towns , cities , buildings , or other remains of the antediluvian world , is next to a demonstration on my side ; ) i must own that i was so incapable of overcoming those insuperable difficul●i●s , that i knew nothing of them : and i did not in the least think , that what i of my self suppos'd concerning the natural subsiding of that sediment , and without any prior dissolution of the old earth , its composing a new crust upon it , had been once hit upon by any one else before me . now whether there be such insuperable difficulties , as to the main strokes of that hypothesis , i ought not to pretend skill enough in the phaenomena of the inner earth positively to determin . dr. woodward's larger work ought to be publish'd before one can venture to pronounce too dogmatically in that point . as to my self , i see hitherto no reason to change my belief therein , notwithstanding the confidence of this author . whatever difficulties may appear at the first sight , ( arising , it may be , from a misunderstanding of several particulars relating thereto , and of several circumstances therein to be consider'd , ) yet those numerous shells , bones , trees , plants , and other bodies found in so many places in the bowels of our present earth , to say nothing of what was urg'd before , or might be from other arguments , are to me so convincing , that 't is not a few difficulties , nay scarce less than a demonstration will persuade me to the contrary . if the non-observation sometimes of the law of specifick gravity , and the consequent irregular position of the strata , be the main objection in the case , as it seems , by this author , to be , i had observ'd and accounted for the same already in the new theory . and certainly if the irregular disposition of bodies in such a chaotick sediment , with the as irregular tempests and commotions of the waters , and the consequent removal of several masses either setled or setling down from one place to another , by which the order , crassitude , and position of the strata must have been strangely diversified , together with all the other circumstances of the old earth , and of the deluge , be consider'd , 't will not be so strange , that the irregular position of the strata , subsiding all the while according to their several specifick gravities , was disturb'd and interrupted without being oblig'd to reject such an intire hypothesis on account hereof . it will however ( that i say something to what is here observ'd from the learned dr. lister ) deserve to be consider'd , whether some of those subterranean places , where such mighty sholes of shells are heap'd together , be as proper for their production as those cavities in animals where 't is said some have been found , ( to say nothing of knives , nails , and other things sometimes found in the bodies of animals , which nobody imagins to have grown there ; ) at least those trees , methinks , which are found buried so deep in the earth , will give some foundation for that hypothesis i here defend : there having been no instances of such productions , i suppose , in animals ; and this author himself , or rather his namesake , in a good humour being willing to allow them as reliques of the deluge , how much soever at another time he seems dissatisfied in that point . but however that matter shall be determin'd , the main and principal parts of the new theory , and those in which i look upon my self as most nearly concern'd , are not very much interested therein . those who , with this author here , suppose the subterranean shell-bones , and vegetables , to have grown originally there where they are now found , may suppose the waters of the deluge to have been indifferent pure , and that their sediment by consequence was less considerable ; and may then omit so many of the phaenomena and their solutions in the new theory as refer to the other opinion , and the rest will , i hope , afford them still all reasonable satisfaction . nay farther , altho' any , with dr. woodward , should see reason to insist upon the dissolution of the old earth , and the resettlement of the same again at the deluge , they will yet , i am pretty sure , be unable to account for the greatest number , and those the principal phaenomena of that deluge , without that passing by of the comet , which if i mistake not , i have next to demonstrated in the new theory ; and upon which the main reasonings of that book , with relation to the deluge , are founded . and tho' what arguments these may urge , should make it reasonable to add somewhat to , or alter somewhat in the particulars in the new theory relating to the sediments of the flood , yet i think they must be far from affecting the principal parts of that book . in case my calculations and deductions concerning the commencing of the earth's diurnal rotation at the fall , and the passage of the comet at the deluge , with their consequences , hold true , ( and i have met with nothing hitherto to he opposed to 'em , ) i shall go near to leave the other coincident point of the subterranean bodies to such as are more capable judges of those matters , and freely give them leave to believe what they shall have good evidence for in that case ; tho' at the same time i must needs profess , that the arguments for what i have asserted , even on that head , appear to me so cogent , that as hitherto i have not , so i do not hereafter much expect to meet with reasons sufficient to alter my opinion therein . but here , before i proceed , give me leave to vindicate my self from an aspersion thrown on me by the author of this last objection ; viz. the quoting dr. woodward's essay for several observations , which 't is said he was not the primary author of , and depriving thereby the first discoverers of their deserved commendations . now if this be so , and those things which i have cited out of that essay be owing to the pains of others , and not his own , ( tho' i am not satisfied how that matter stands , nor am ready to believe the doctor so great a plagiary as some would make us believe , ) i sincerely profess that i was wholly ignorant of it ; and if any thing of that nature have been done , the author of that essay , not of the new theory , is accountable for it . i neither am , nor pretend to be master of much skill in the history of learning , or the natural history of the earth : and this author very rightly takes notice , that i have not shewn a profound or clear knowledge in those matters ( which yet methinks might have been more easily excus'd in a young ( however thoughtful ) divine , as i am stil'd a little before . ) my own studies and inclinations , to say nothing of some other circumstances , have lain somewhat another way : and i do not know any obligation upon me , invitâ minervâ , to force my self into them . i did therefore , i think , what prudence dictated in the case ; where my own stock fail'd , i had recourse to the more skilful ; particularly to dr. burnet's enquiries as to the ancient traditions and doctrines of the philosophers ; and to dr. woodward's essay , just then made publick , as to the present phaenomena of the earth . both of them , in their several kinds , had methought extraordinarily perform'd their parts , so far as i had occasion to make use of them ; and both of them being extant before any of my own notions were known to others , or almost discover'd by myself , i thought , whatever partiality they could possibly be suspected of , with regard to their own several hypotheses ; yet with regard to mine their attestation could not but be deem'd valid and unprejudic'd , and so not unfit for me in those circumstances to rely upon . when therefore i observ'd that almost all which was matter of ancient tradition , or of fact ; almost all that agreed with scripture , and requir'd nothing immechanical or miraculous in 'em both , did easily fall in with my own notions , and calculations ; in particular , when i observ'd that the waters of the deluge , and their contained bodies , would naturally arrive at that very state without , which dr. woodward thought his phaenomena forc'd him to bring 'em to with his own strange hypothesis of the dissolution of the old earth : and that consequently what evidence he had for his own , would in all probability be stronger on the side of my hypothesis ; i made no farther delay or enquiry , but set down things from those authors ( whom i almost alone had opportunity to consult , and whom accordingly i every-where quote in the margin ) as they now stand in the new theory . this is a true and fair account of the matter , and such as i hope ( whatever it do as to the weakening the opinion of my abilities , which i shall not endeavour to raise beyond the truth ) will free me from any just imputation of design , or disrespect to any : of which i am not in the least conscious to my self , and of which i think i have not given any indications in the new theory . and truly , as to what this author in the last place is pleas'd to repeat again , notwithstanding his discovery of a noble genius in the formation of my system , and his unwillingness to accuse me of any ungenerous dealing concerning my ascribing the observations of other eminent philosophers to one of my own acquaintance , who may do as much for me another time ; i think he is not just and ●air to me . i have never had the honour of any acquaintance with the person he means ; neither have i , in my treating that persons hypothesis , shew'd any such favour or partiality as should induce any one to pass so severe a censure upon me . but i suppose he has receiv'd some wrong information , which has occasion'd this reflection ; which i have so much charity as heartily to forgive him , tho' i am certain i have not deserved it at his hands . ( . ) 't is alledg'd against me , that my mechanical account of the deluge implies it was no divine iudgment for the world's wickedness ; but from the necessity of the motion of the comet and earth , must have happen'd whether men had repented or not ; and so induces a rigid fatality : and withal 't is said , that tho' miracles , i. e. a violent perturbation of natural laws , be not usual ; yet a providential interposition in particular events is , and must be own'd to be so ; or else the foundation of devotion and religion is gone . now as to a rigid fatality . 't is strange my theory should be built on it , when i 'm sure i never imagin'd such a thing , nor in my opinion or practice at all differ from other christians in those things relating thereto . i believe the same as to the success of prayer , the interest of the divine providence , and the deluge's being a proper effect thereof , as any other christian does : and were not this objector so hot , and engag'd in the point , methinks all this is visible in my book . now the original of this man's mistake is the same , as is the original of their mistake in the arguing against the liberty of will , from the certainty of the divine prescience , and of prophecy depending thereon : and when you have rightly consider'd the latter , i imagin you will easily rectify your mistake in the former case . you say the flood would have happen'd whether men had been wicked or not , because the comet was approaching . let me argue in the other case : the flood would as certainly have happen'd however , from the certainty of the divine prescience which foresaw it . if you answer , the divine prescience foresaw the sins as well as the punishment : so say i , it foresaw the sins , and therefore originally dispos'd the comet 's course for the punishment : which if men had amended , would have been foreseen , and so the comet otherwise dispos'd of at first . and certainly the same answers every-where will serve in my case , which can be alledg'd in the other , on which mine wholly depends . and truly i was so fully sati●●●ed in dr. barnet's answer in this case formerly ( and observe mr. warren to have so little to say to it in his geologia , p. . ) that i usually thought those who could not clear this point to their own minds , not capable of philosophick theories . this objector does well distinguish the particular interposition of providence from a miracle , and says our prayers depend on the former . it may be so , for ought that i am sure of to the contrary ; and however , 't is best to suppose it in our devotions , as i always do , and the scripture always does . but seeing the other notion is equally suitable to religion , comes to the very same at last , and will be of vast use in case of the other parts of nature yet to be discover'd , be found reducible to as fixt laws as those we already know , certainly are ; as giving a clear account of the consistency of a setled course of nature , with the constant interposition of providence in the world. i confess i am pretty confident of the truth , as well as fully satisfied of the use of my account of these matters . my own reputation may be blasted among some w●●n persons ( tho' i find few competent judges slick at this point ) by my maintaining this opinion : but i fear religion among the deists will suffer more without it . those who are angry at me , believe the bible , and so will not be hurt , but only displeas'd at my notion . but those who finding nature constant , know not how to bring in , or believe a providence , will be really hurt without such an account as i have given ; and where only my own interest is on one side , and that of religion on the other , i think i can cheerfully submit to some degrees of popular odium , if it should be my hard fortune to incur it , without any reason : which yet the reception i have generally met with , gives me no reason to expect . ( . ) 't is alledg'd , that by turning the days of creation into years , i am too bold , and not very consistent with my own hypothesis ; that neither the sacred stile , where days are so often us'd for years , implies any thing ; because those words of time are in all languages us'd indifferently : nor the profane testimonies , because they seem no more to countenance my hypothesis than dr. burnet's ; and in truth were only unintelligible paradoxes coin'd , as usual , in those ages ; and of which many more might be brought to support other fancies ; or at best were but explications of the perpetual spring , which was a fancy of the poets for the golden ages . but sure this is too loose arguing to be oppos'd to all the positive evidence i have alledg'd in this case . i can demonstrate to none but such as grant all my postulata , the d of which is here set aside ; and if any think 'em precarious , they must look for better satisfaction in other authors . but however , i do not turn days into years ; but deny their distinction before the fall : and in truth the vulgar expositors ought as well to prove that their days then were of the present length ; as i that they were equal to years ; since there is no particular intimation in the words how long they were ; nay , whoever considers , what will i hope e're long be demonstrated , that days are only in two places of the scripture denominated by evening mornings , the one here , and the other in daniel ; and that 't is evident in the latter they signify years , will not be averse from believing the former to denote the same also . besides , i have already deny'd that all words of time are us'd wholly promiscuously in scripture ; and am confident the contrary is not to be prov'd therefrom . but as to the prophane testimonies ; those who can give a rational account of 'em , will never slight ' em . and whatever is here in the general said , i refer my self to the considering reader whether i have not demonstrated those ancient philosophers to agree better to mine than to dr. burnet's hypothesis . but instead of a farther answer here , i shall add another confirmation of the same nature , which since my book was publish'd was discover'd by a friend , and communicated to me : which i must own to be a much more remarkable testimony than any of those i formerly insisted on ; which therefore i shall recommend to the reader 's consideration ; and 't is this ; 't was the assertion of empedocles , that in the primitive constitution of things , the day , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , by reason of the slowness of the sun's course , was equal to ten months . which if we allow either to refer to the time when the civil year ( as the roman before numa pompilius ) had but months ; or to the day time alone , i mean the space of the sun 's being above the horizon , ( which is a common acceptation of the word day , ) accords so exactly with my hypothesis , as it stands at present , that nothing can do more so : and coming so late , so unexpected , and yet so intirely home to our point , is justly , i think , to be look'd on as decretory in the present case . ( . ) 't is said i have not ground enough to suppose a double course of rain at the deluge . this is a matter of small consequence ; for as i with others think the double course much the most agreeable to the sacred history , and have accordingly accounted for it ; so in case it were not so , no great harm would accrue to the rest of my theory : for as , if the comet 's orb was exactly in the plain of the ecliptick , the earth would fall a second time into it , unless its tail was very short ; so if either of those circumstances were otherwise , which we can only determine from the effects , there could be no second course of rain upon my hypothesis . all which is said more with regard to others notions than my own : for i confess i see no manner of reason to recede in this point from what i have said already in the new theory . ( . ) 't is said that by supposing seas without clouds before the flood i contradict the known phaenomena of nature : for when vapors and steams are rais'd , they must necessarily gather into clouds , as they do at present . but sure this is too hasty a conclusion : and if the moon has seas , as is generally allow'd , 't is contrary to the known appearances of that planet : to say nothing of any of the others . and certainly the long spaces at some times , and in some regions , which are without clouds , even in our present state of things , when yet vast quantities of vapors continue in the air , are sufficient answers to this argument . 't is , i think , the wind , and the irregular condensation and descent of the superior and inferior vapors which occasion those thick masses in the air we call clouds , and those showers consequent thereupon , and not any thing belonging to the antediluvian earth . ( . ) 't is objected , with great shew of accuracy , that in days or day , but a very small quantity of vapors times as rare as our air could descend ; within which spaces yet the rains at the deluge must be confin'd : for as vapors now condense and fall about a mile in six hours , when they compose the dew ; so vapours times rarer would be times as long before they would descend ; so that every mile of the comet 's vapor ( at least that of the tail ) must be days , or almost years in condensing into rain ; and so by consequence miles of this vapor must be almost three times years before it be all condens'd and fallen upon the earth . now in answer to this i say , here is a gross mistake , that every mile of the comet 's vapors must have a distinct time of condensing , and descending . as they all fell at once upon the earth at first , so those of the same degree of rareness would generally be condens'd and descend at once upon the earth in rain afterwards . and as the vapors , being of several degrees of rareness , and subject to various chances , would successively descend and cause continual rains ; so i think the spaces of and of days , sufficient to confine the last of 'em respectively . the altitude , and where the air is times as rare as with us , and whence , by consequence , the highest would descend from , is not so many miles as one would imagine , ( as the torricellian tube , by its different height , at the foot and top of mountains assures us ) nor indeed any other than very well agrees with the and days of descent , which are necessary in the present case , as on a fair calculation , will , i believe , easily appear ; tho' 't is so impossible to state all the points relating to this matter very nicely , that i think it hardly worth while to set about it , since the general consideration hereof does so wholly take off the force of the present objection . ( . ) 't is said that because the bodies of comets appear much less in their perihelia than before , 't is probable their tales are smoak , and not vapor ; and that the earth of the comets was by the sun's heat evaporated , and composed the tail. now truly this is to me news , that the central body of a comet grows much less at the perihelion . 't is true , the atmosphere becomes somewhat less at that time ; which is a natural effect of the rarefaction of part of it into the tail. but smoak is an earthly substance , not to be rarifi'd or elevated in any proportion with vapors ; and indeed when i see showers of dust or smoak as common as those of rain , i may be tempted to doubt of this point , but hardly before ; especially if we regard the tail in its descent from the cold regions , which must certainly be vapor , till the violence of the heat in the perihelion doth mix other earthly bodies therewith . tho' if much smoak were among the vapors , i see not what great harm would ensue to my hypothesis thereby . ( . ) 't is said noah and the ark must have been scorch'd or burnt by the heat of the comet and its atmosphere , if they came as near as my hypothesis requires . to omit here the place of noah and the ark , ( in that hemisphere of the earth which escap'd the primary descent of the vapors ; and so let 'em have been never so hot , would be cool'd e're they became rain : ) i pray what harm could a comet , tho' times as hot as the earth ( which yet is too great a heat in the descent to the sun ) at the distance of at least miles , do to it ? for tho' the comet which mr. newton mentions were heated prodigiously , and would not cool in a very long time ; yet this revolving in such an orbit as my figure supposes , sustaining but the th part of the heat , and revolving , if the trajectories were similar , not under times the period of the other , is not liable to the same computations ; or ought to occasion the same difficulties ; which if the other had come by in its room might justly have been alledg'd against me . ( . ) 't is objected , with great shew of strength , that the different attractions of the earth and moon must separate 'em farther than before , and thereby at once alter the species of the orbit of the moon , and its periodical time also ; on the continuance of which last so much depends ; for at the comets approach it would , before it came at either of 'em , draw 'em asunder and accelerate 'em differently , and after it was past 'em , it would do the same ; by reason of the different distances of the one and the other to the comet ; and by reason of the proportional attraction of the one commencing before that of the other . in answer to this difficulty , which deserves a careful consideration , i deny that any such eccentricity , or difference of periodical time in the moon would follow : for as the acceleration of the earth commenc'd before that of the moon , so also did its retardation ; and as while the comet was above or below 'em both , it would separate them ; so while it was between 'em it would draw 'em together . besides , in general i demonstrate the whole thing thus : the earth and the moon had equal velocity , and a right position before : and the velocity and position were equally increas'd , or affected alike by the comet , ( as from the like position of these two bodies in a system revolving about their common center of gravity , and from the equal approach and acceleration of the comet to 'em both is plain . ) and consequently their old position and common revolutions would still remain . so that when the moon 's eccentricity could be no other way caus'd by the comet than i conjectur'd , in which the period of the moon would still be preserv'd , all these fears may be at an end . tho' i heartily thank this objector for putting me upon clearing so substantial a point ; in which the main of the new theory was so deeply concern'd . ( . ) that our earth should have been once a comet seems not probable , because in all past history no other comet has been observ'd to stop and become a planet ; which one would imagine should now and then have happen'd since the mosaick creation . for answer to which i say , that as the earth is inconsiderable in comparison of the universe or the solar system ; so i believe is or years , ( the period i suppose of its duration ) [ much more about years the reach of our astronomical histories ] to the duration of the whole system . so that tho' we have no other example of an earth form'd from a comet , yet this is no great difficulty in the case . i believe worlds are not form'd every age , nor perhaps every thousandth age neither . ( . ) why should not the comet , to which i ascribe the deluge have been seen many days before it approach'd the earth , since 't was in opposition to the sun ? in answer to which i say , that if it were seen , as perhaps it was , and so the memory of the flood 's happening upon it preserv'd ; which one of my solutions will easily permit any one to suppose ; yet because its nearest approach was indiscernible to those who surviv'd , and because withal 't was not then imaginable , that a blazing star could drown the world ; or indeed could approach the earth at all , 't is not to be expected that any ancient history should ascribe the flood to it . ( . ) 't is objected , that whereas i assert that the point b. or place of the comet 's passing by the earth , by reason of the prevalence of the outward attraction over the inward , must have been five , six , or seven degrees after the place of the perihelion ; on the contrary , by the nearness of the inward attraction downward , immediately after the passing by of the comet , so far as to over-balance the longer time of the outward attraction , the point b. ought rather to be as far before the perihelion ; and that , by consequence , one of my greatest coincidences is gone , and my superstructure all precarious and false . in answer to which i must ingenuously own , that this is so far true as to take away the distance between the point b , and the perihelion ; which i before assign'd , upon a general view , and before any trial by computation . nay , i must farther own that the above-mention'd inward attraction , by reason of its nearness , does over-ballance the longer time of the outward ; and so the point b. must be rather on the other side of the perihelion . but then i must say 't is on calculation so small , as is wholly inconsiderable ; and the point b , and the perihelion coincident : which being thus granted , unless we can find the motion of the perihelion to have been slower than mr. flamstead's table , which i alone mention'd before , allows , this , will be a shrew'd difficulty in the present case , and destroy one of the best foundations of the new theory . now in this enquiry i find that mr. newton's computation à priori corrected , allows but ⅓ degrees to the motion of the perihelion since the deluge : that mr. street's tables are very nearly for the same number , viz. / nay , that tycho's tables allow only ½ , so that if we take a mean ½ this will bring the perihelion at the deluge to the very day the th degree of taurus , and the th day of the second month. which last computation of tycho's as it was that i first observ'd , so now i finding it so near the exactest computations of others i acquiesce in one very near it : and am not displeas●d that , by means of this coincidence , the very day of the beginning of the deluge may almost be assign'd already ; and when the perihelion's motion is better fix'd , may perhaps be perfectly so ; to the still greater confirmation of all those coincidences , which of themselves have appear'd so remarkable in the case . appendix . upon this occasion i think 't is proper to own and correct a mistake in the new theory : where the axis of a cone is affirmed to pass through the focus of the ellipsis , generated thereon : which mistake , as i am now satisfy'd it is , tho' it were an illustration only , and of no farther consequence , yet ought to be rectify'd : which therefore i hereby do , as far as i am able ; and hope this free confession will procure as free a pardon from every one who considers that himself is not wholly free from errors and mistakes . it may not perhaps be here , upon this occasion , improper also to improve as well as correct the new theory , and make some few additions to it , and where they ought to be inserted the margin will direct the reader . coroll . since the number of years from the deluge till the fixing the present period of human life in the days of moses , is according to the chronology of the septuagint , at least equal to that from the creation to the deluge , according to the hebrew ; ( from which latter the calculations of this d phaenomenon are made ) and since withal the lives of men at a medium were during that space from the conjoint testimonies of both the hebrew and septuagint about years ; 't is easy on the grounds proceeded on there to prove , that in case the septuagint's chronology be receiv'd , the world must have been much more populous in the days of moses , than it is at present ; and that by consequence mankind has not increas'd but decreas'd in number since those ancient days ; contrary to the most undoubted matter of fact in all the past and present ages of the world. so that 't is evident that not only some pretended vast numbers of years of the egyptian dynasties or chinese reigns , with any other extravagant computations of those kinds , enlarging the time since the deluge , but also the additional years introduced by the septuagint , nay , or the samaritan pentateuch are false , and contrary to the certain account of the increase of mankind in these latter ages of the world. upon the whole therefore no other accounts of the ancient times , whatever some have imagin'd , have rational evidence , and the phaenomena of nature on their sides ; but those which the hebrew verity delivers to us . corollary . it may here deserve our notice that tho' the present period of human life was generally sixt in the days of moses ; yet seeing such things are gradual , and sooner reduc'd to a standard in some families , countries , and situations than others ; it seems not necessary , nay not probable that the period was universally reduc'd to the lowest at the time assigned . so that if in the next period we find some instances of longevity which are hardly to be parallell'd now , it will be no more than may , nay , than ought in reason to be expected in such a case . thus there is no reason to be surpriz'd that moses himself reach'd , his brother aaron , and their sister miriam about years of age. and in like manner the cases of rahab , booz , obed , and iesse , the progenitors of king david ( where four generations reach'd about years ) which otherwise , notwithstanding what the history notes particularly of the great age of one or two of them , if compar'd with later times , would appear very strange , and next to incredible , are become hereby very easy , and very agreeable to the state of things in those ancient ages of the world. [ by way of corollary at the end of the postscript . ] corollary . the main body of the tribes , as well as of those two of iudah and benjamin , returned out of captivity , and resetled themselves in the reign of cyrus and his successors in their own land. this is , i confess , a new conjecture , and contrary to what iosephus really does , and the sacred history is suppos'd to deliver touching this matter . but when 't is better consider'd , i imagine both iosephus will be found to deliver somewhat which will assist us to rectify his assertion , and the sacred books will be found every where to establish what is directly contrary to the common opinion herein . it may be own'd that the catalogues of particular families mention'd by ezra and nehemiah do not concern the tribes ; nay , it may be own'd , that in the first of cyrus those carried into babylon , or the two tribes alone returned home ; ( and the catalogues belong expresly and singly to the first return of all in the first of cyrus , and that out of babylon only . ) but that the ten tribes did not return either presently after , or in the following reigns , particularly in the d of darius , or the th or th of artaxerxes is , i think , improbable in it self , and not agreeable to the scriptures , nor to that assertion of iosephus on which i ground this corollary , and which i now come to explain . the intire number of those who returned out of captivity is not set down in scripture , but is by iosephus ; and 't is thus : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the total summ of those who returned , above the age of twelve years , was , without including the levites or their families . now if we suppose this summ taken out of the old iewish records , and that they , as in the scriptures , included only the males , as 't is reasonable to do , it will appear that so great a number must relate to the whole twelve tribes , not to those of iudah and benjamin alone , as iosephus asserts . for seeing the tribes of iudah and benjamin together , in the former numbering of 'em by david , were of males above twenty years old , or that drew the sword , about , and that after the allowance for their increase at the rate of doubling in years , consider'd with that mighty diminution of 'em by pekah , the king of israel's slaying of 'em in one battle , their number at this their return from babylon could not be much above one million ; as on calculation will appear . this mighty number in iosephus may justly seem much too large for the two tribes , nay to the full large enough for the twelve together : as any one , who from the intire number in david's time , and the proportion of increase till the return out of captivity , compar'd with the mighty diminution of 'em by abiah , the king of iudah's slaying five hundred thousand of 'em in one battel , reduces this matter to calculation , may easily perceive . which observation methinks is of considerable force to prove that the ten tribes are not lost , nor still scatter'd abroad about assyria alone , as is so commonly suppos'd , but return'd with their brethren the iews to their own land ; and were with them subject to all the accidents mention'd by iosephus under the persian and grecian empires , the asmonaean or maccabaean , and herodian races , till their common and utter excision , and ultimate dispersion by the romans under titus vespasian . this observation and corollary might easily be confirmed from other arguments . but that would be to digress too much from my point . he who doubts may see some confirmation in what archbishop usher takes notice of ( tho' without design to prove what i say ) at the year of the world . to which , together with his own observations hereafter , i refer the reader . 't is perhaps worth our enquiry , whether most mens notions of the time for the abating of the waters of the deluge be not very precarious , at least if not wholly mistaken . 't is the general opinion , taken from the mosaick history of the flood , that the waters were wholly subsided , and the earth laid as dry in a manner as 't is at present , by that time noah came out of the ark ; or in the space of about a year , from the beginning of the flood . 't is true , moses says , that on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the waters were abated , and the ark rested on the mountains of ararat : that on the first day of the tenth month the tops of the mountains were seen : that on the first day of the next year the waters were dried up from off the earth . and then lastly , that on the twenty-seventh day of the second month was the earth dried , and noah call'd out of the ark. but all this may be very true , and yet vast quantities of the waters of the deluge might at the same time remain on the face of the earth . and as the present ocean may be still part of the same , so the rest of them might require a hundred or two hundred years before they arriv'd at or near to their present subsidence and condition . and this , i think , is the truth of the case , and is so far from contradicting the sacred history , that it may be establish'd by an observation or two from thence , as well as by the present phaenomena of nature . as to the sacred history of moses , 't is first evident , that the mountainous regions about ararat or caucasus , especially since they were , from my hypothesis , particularly elevated above the rest , might be wholly clear of the waters in a year's time ; and yet the lower plains and valleys in a very different case , and still to a great depth under the water : and 't is as evident , ly , that we have no authentick account of the lower plains , being become dry and habitable , even in regions more elevated than many others , i mean about the middle parts of our continent , till the building of babel , the confusion of languages , and the dispersion of the nations over the earth ; none of which happen'd before the second century from the deluge , in the days of peleg . and then as to the present phaenomena of nature , i think they determin the question before us , and sufficiently demonstrate the longer abode of the waters of the deluge upon the earth than is commonly allow'd . for as many maritime countreys ( which i have already observ'd , and others have noted the same ) do by their remarkably even and smooth surface , shew they have been made so in length of time , by the motion of the sea , which now lays the sands in the same manner : so does the consideration of the nature and position of the strata of the earth in some places now fully confirm the same observation . near my habitation , at present , upon the sea-coast , there is a pretty high and remarkable cliff , at the least twenty foot above the surface of the ocean adjoining : and yet 't is to the very top stratum of all almost as evidently the product of the waters , laying heaps , strata , and beds of sand and chingle ; as that very shore on which we stand , and which is daily made and remov'd by the tides and waves of the present ocean . and as i do not doubt from the always equal height of the ocean every-where , that 't is frequently thus in other places also ; so this is , i think , a plain evidence that the ocean has been at least foot higher than 't is now : and that for a long time together , sufficient i mean to heap up such mighty beds of sand and chingle as the present observation does require . which of it self is at once a demonstration that all the lower regions near the sea have formerly been drown'd , and layn under water : and at the same time does fully confirm that length of time which i assert was taken up in the intire subsidence of the waters of the deluge . in this place i cannot but propose a conjecture i have for some time had in my mind about the peopling of china ; which i think may deserve to be consider'd ; and 't is this. that the chinese are the offspring of noah himself after the flood , and not deriv'd from any of his other posterity shem , ham , or iaphet , as the inhabitants of the rest of the world are . this conjecture depends on the following reasons . ( . ) the account of the posterity of shem , ham , and iaphet , and of their dispersion , gives no hint of any that went so far east as china , as i think is plain from the best expositions of the th of genesis , where that matter is chiefly treated of . ( . ) since the dispersion of the posterity of shem , ham , and iaphet appears to have begun about babylon , a countrey so remote as china could not be so soon reach'd and peopled as the prodigious numbers of its inhabitants at present shew it to have been . the nearest regions must have been first and most fully peopled ; and the remoter not till men were increas'd sufficiently to require new habitations ; and accordingly it has happen'd in the countries of europe , africa , and the western parts of asia ; to which i suppose the dispersion begun at babel is confin'd . but this is a sufficient proof that so very large and prodigiously populous a country as china could not be of so late an original , as it must be in case the chinese are deriv'd from this dispersion . ( . ) the sacred history soon after the flood confines it self within the then known world : ( which , i think , did not include china , no more than america , and which is stil'd the whole earth very often in scripture , ) and at the same time says not a word of the great father of the whole race of mankind , noah : ( excepting the number of years he liv'd . ) now this is , i think , a kind of intimation that noah had no share in the actions related in the sacred history : and so by a fair consequence was probably plac'd in china , a region out of the compass of the then known world. ( . ) 't is otherwise strange , that whereas caucasus , the resting-place of the ark , was so near the middle of our continent , no footsteps should remain of any colonies sent eastward ; but all mankind should take one course , and place themselves in the western regions alone : and this at the same time , that no reason can be given why the western countreys should be more inviting to them than the eastern , since the latter certainly have been as valuable and pleasant to the past and present ages , as the former . ( . ) the chinese language and writing are so intirely different from those with us which the confusion at babel introduc'd , and are at so vast a distance from them , that i think they cannot well be deriv'd from thence , nor from any of those patriarchs whose posterity was there divided into the several parts of the world. all our languages consist of words and syllables made by a few letters : which is wholly different from the way of expressing intire sounds , and of varying the sense by tones or accents among the chinese . all which persuade me , that their original is different from ours : and that as we are the off-spring of shem , ham , and iaphet , whose sons were scattered from babel , so are they of noah who was no way interested in that dispersion , or in those languages which are deriv'd therefrom . ( . ) the learned sciences seem to have been anciently much better known in china than in these parts of the world : their government and constitution much firmer , and more lasting than ours : their most ancient histories more authentick and certain than ours ; ( excepting those of more than humane original . ) all which things make one ready to imagin , that as 't is probable noah might be much wiser and learneder than any of his sons ; so all those settlements , laws , and traditions , which are deriv'd from him , are remarkable effects and testimonies of the same : and therefore that in china ( where these effects and testimonies chiefly appear ) all those prerogatives are owing to noah , their original founder , and to no other . ( . ) there are some reasons to believe that the chinese mean no other by their first monarch fohi , than noah himself : for as the beginning of their history , with the reign of fohi , will , if their old years were lunar , fall , even from the hebrew verity , about the second century of noah's life ; ( as if they were solar , they will fall about the time of his birth : ) so what their history of king fohi mentions about his sacrificing , and his name of sacrificer given him from thence , seems plainly to refer to the sacred history of noah , and of his sacrifice after the flood . from all which i think 't is evident , that we have good grounds to believe the chinese the off-spring of noah , by his children born after the deluge : and that from this difference of original proceeds all that difference in other things , which is so remarkable , if compar'd with the rest of the world , in that ancient numerous , and learned nation . let the testimony out of plutarch be thus inserted . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 't was the doctrine of empedocles , that when mankind sprang originally from the earth , the length of the day , by reason of the slowness of the sun's course , was equal to ten of our present months . finis . errata . pag. . line . read internal heat . . . read the. . . read pervious . . . read waters . . read to the raising . . , . read place , in mr. keill's opinion , besides . . . dele for . . . read shells . . . read this . . . dele of . . , . read into its tail , unless it were very short . . . dele and. . read tails . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e dr. bentley , coroll . , & . post solut. . notes for div a -e remarks , pag. ult . pag. , &c. gen. . . p. , &c. solut. . sect. . pag. , . p. , &c : p. . pag. , . p. , &c , solut. . corol. . p. , &c. p. . fig. . p. , &c. p. , &c. p , &c. remarks , p. . p. , &c. p. . p. , &c. notes for div a -e dr. t. robinson's additional remarks . phaenom . . pag. . n● . ● . phaenom . . dr. nichols d conference with a theist . dr. nichols . dan. . . . n. t. p. . vid. plut. de plac. philosoph . l. . c. . censorin . de die natali . c. . dr. nichols . dr. nichols . dr. nichols , dr. nichols . dr. nichols . mr. b. p. ●● . mr. b. mr. b. solut. . p. . fig. . mr. s. p. . notes for div a -e lem. p. . post. coroll . solut. . coroll . . solut. . ruth . . sam. . . ezra . . neh. . , . antiq. . . c. . vid. p. s. sam. . . chron. . . vid. p. s. chron. . . scholium post corol. solut. . gen. . , . ver . . ver . . v. , &c. gen. . . & , . corol. . post solut. . mr. ray's physico theolog . discourses , p. , . d edit . scholium post sect . hypoth . . gen. . . pag. . all in one, all useful sciences and profitable arts in one book of jehovah aelohim, copied out and commented upon in created beings, comprehended and discovered in the fulness and perfection of scr[i]pture-knowledges / by francis bampfield ... bampfield, francis, or - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) all in one, all useful sciences and profitable arts in one book of jehovah aelohim, copied out and commented upon in created beings, comprehended and discovered in the fulness and perfection of scr[i]pture-knowledges / by francis bampfield ... bampfield, francis, or - . v. s.n.], [london : . partial title in hebrew and greek at head of each t.p. part has separate t.p. with title: septima dies, dies desiderabilis, sabbatum jehovae. the seventh-day-sabbath, the desirable day, the closing completing day of that first created week. place of publication from wing. includes errata. reproduction of original in british library. marginal notes. imperfect: pt. lacking on film. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng religion and science -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΠΑΓΓΝΩΣΊΑ ΠΑΝΤΕΧΝΊΑ ΠΑΝΣΟΦΊΑ all in one. all useful sciences and profitable arts in one book of iehovah aelohim , copied out , and commented upon in created beings , comprehended and discovered in the fulness and perfection of scr●pture-knowledges . the first part by francis bampfield , a lover and admirer of christ , and of his word , and works . colossians . , , . in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge . and this i say , lest any man should beguile you with inticing words . beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit , and after the traditions of men , after the rudiments of the world , and not after christ . printed in the year . the summary contents of the first part of this treatise . the design of this treatise , page to pag. where the emptiness , insufficiency , and vain affectation of humane wisdom , and philosophick science is discovered , to and the shining emanations of the fulness and perfections of scripture-knowledges are held forth , to the lord jesus christ hath hiddenly laid up , all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge , in his word , wherein are many choice mysteries above the reach , and besides the rules of philosophy , to here is shown , how a complete minister of christ should be somewhat of an universal artist , , and how that , there are many truths in the word , necessary to be believed , which are contrary to the principles of philosophy , , , there is in the word of christ a full comprehensiveness , at of all other useful learning , and so particularly of the knowledge of natural things , of which it doth treat and speak purposely and professedly , page to pag. wherein is declared , that there are not only general , but also the particular rules in the scripture , for the musical science , to and for the fabril . art to as two instances out of many , called forth to be a specimen of this truth . with some further directions also , about geograp●y and geographers ; grammarians , , , there is much of spiritual use to be made of the improved knowledge of natural things ; for the discerning and injoying of fellowship with the creator and redeemer , to here is shewn , how some of the most learned philosop●ers have learn'd many arts and sciences of irrational creatures , , and how many errors in philosop●y , have corrupted much of theology , and of christianity , , the holy scriptures in speaking of the works of the creation , and of natural things , do speak of them as they really are , and not as they seemingly only appear ; according to exactness of truth ▪ as the nature and essence of them are ; and not according to the wrong conceits , and ignorant mistakes of vulgar minds , and common opinionists , pag. to p. where also this is cleared , that scripture-words are best expressive of created works , to the vain affectation of humane wisdom , which doth thrust upon the credulity of so many a doctrine of probabilities ( concerning the works of creation and natural things : ) from antichristian and unscriptural philosphy , but is not according to christ , and to his word , is such a deceitful way of false reasoning , as makes a prey of souls , and is carefully to be avoided . philosophical science is but falsely so named , to the vain-affectation of creature knowledge , in the apostate●angels , and of flumane wisd●m in fallen man , has all along been endeavouring to corrupt , and to pervert , both the pure word of aelohim , and his created works ; whereby they are misrepresented to the rational intellect in wrong shapes , to those books which are commonly called genesis , exodus , leviticus , numbers , deuteronomy , or the books of moses , and his writings there , have the approving testimony of those true , faithful prophets that did follow after him , as also of the lord jesus christ himself , and of his apostles . and the history of the creation , and of the works thereof , in the beginning of the bible , is true in the literal sense , and was intended and recorded , so to be understood . and all those philosophical , allegorical and mystical senses , which any do give thereof , that are contrary unto this , are to be avoided and rejected , to an inquiry about the creator of the works of creation , on the several●days of the first week of the world , q. whether was the lord jesus christ jehovah , as his father is jehovah , and as the spirit of his holiness is jehovah ? whether he were appointed by his father , and anointed by his spirit to be one mediator , the only lord and lawgiver ? and whether he were the creator of all things , as the father is creator , and as the holy spirit is creator , they the creators ? and whether is not this included in the first words of the holy scriptures , bereashith , baraa aelohim ? and in that word jehovah , who presently in the very next verse , after the short history of the creation , is said to be the creator and maker , page here is held forth , the use of the name jehovah , , , that the father of christ is jehovah , that the spirit of christ's holiness is jehovah , , that the lord jesus christ is jehovah , that this jehovah is one jehovah , , that christ is the mediator , , , that christ is the one mediator , , that christ is the lord , , that christ is the only lord , that christ is the lawgiver , , , that christ is the only lawgiver , that christ was appointed by his father and anointed by his spirit to these offices , , , that jehovah aelohim was the creator , that the father was the creator , that the holy spirit was the creator , that the lord jesus christ was ▪ creator , , that the father , son and holy spirit , were the creators , these three the creating one , that much of these mysteries concerning christ are included in the first words of the holy scriptures , bereashith , barraa aelohim , and in that word jehovah , mentioned a little after the short history of the creation , as the creator and maker , , , that there is an excellency in scripture-knowledge , which is proved by opening of some passages in the nine first chapters of the proverbs of solomon , relating unto this , to of the one ; ( which when another day was created , was the first ) day of the created world , page q. whether this earth at its first creation were without form , and void ? so that tohu and bohu he truly and rightly praedicated of aeretz ? or whether tohu and bohu be not distinct creatures from the earth , locally distant , or two created places , the one setting out the gulphy , empty space , and the other , the doleful place of hell ? page here is shewn , that this earth was not created a formless , empty , mis●sh●●pen lump , , that tohu and bohu , or the gulphy , empty space , and the doleful place of hell , are distinct creatures from the earth , created places , locally distinct from it , , that the north is the highest part of the created world , that this earth is above the water . and that the middle part of this earth , is not the common centre , to which all heavy bodies do naturally descend , ▪ , q. whether that darkness , which doth distinguish and separate between the night and the day , in a large day , be but the want or privation of light ; and so mere nothing ? and which was first , the darkness or the light ? to the discoveries here are , that darkness has a created being , and doth truly subsist , , that created light is a mere accident , without ; but that it has an essentiated substance , and has a good perfect subsistence of its own , distinct from the sun , , that darkness and light do make a natural large day ; which doth begin at the evening . wherein are divers other useful things opened , about evening , darkness , night and morning , light , day ▪ weeks , months , winter , summer and years , time , minutes and hours , to concerning the created work of the second day . q. whether all those upper waters : ( such as rain , dew , hail , snow , and the like : ) between which and the lower waters ( comprehended under the name of seas , such as springs , fountains , rivers , lakes , and the like : ) the out-spread , or expanded doth separately divide , do come down from above this expanse ? or are they caused in the air , by some influencing operativeness of the heavenly luminaries , upon the moistness and watriness here below , drawing up such vapours from hence as do condeuse in the cold , middle region of the air , and are there turned into those distilling drops , which come down here below ? vvhether the air be the proper place where the upper vvaters are generated ? to here it is evidenced from the word , that the rain , ( and such other upper waters : ) is not generated by the heavenly luminaries : but that it doth come down from above this blew visible expanse , , , concerning the created work of the third day . q. whether the exactest , fullest herbal of herbs , gras● , trees and plants , be not treasured up in the scriptures of truth , opening this great secret of created nature , best setting out the doctrine and use of them , both for feeding , and for healing ? the answer to this , doth open much of the nature , vertues , vses , kinds , places , cherishers , hurters of herbs , with much more of their usefulness for man , both for food and for medicine . it doth stir up physicians and cooks to study the herbal-art more in a scripture-way , in order to the promoting of bodily health , to of the fourth days vvork . q. whether the coelestial phaenomena of the glorious luminaries , can ever be reduced to any certain satisfactory art , or improved into an advanced resta●red science , by vain philosophy ? or must this be attained only by scripture-discovery , in its pursued light and followed directions ? it is here made manifest , that vain philosophy can never teach this ; it is only learn'd in the scriptural-school , , , that the scriptures do condemn judiciary astrology , as it is commonly understood and practised to be groundless , scriptureless , natureless , superstitious , vain and sinful , to that the sun is not the centre of the world , , that the moon is really in its created being a great light , that eclipses of the sun and moon have not the proper true causes of them , assigned by philosophers , , that earth and seas are not in the moon , page of the fifth days vvork . q. whether that part of natural history , which doth concern fowls , fishes , beasts and worms , can ever be completed into a natural art , in the way of ethnick philosophy ? or must we search after it , only in the word of truth ; where only it can be advanced and perfected by a due and diligent comparing of their created beings in their proper natures , here is demonstrated , that this natural art , is not found in t●e way of ethnick philosophy ; and that the word of truth alone can advance and perfect this natural history , to that art rightly discovered , is but nature truly opened , that the mother-tongued-hebrew , should not be sent to daughter-languages , to learn to speak , that there was not a first prae-existent matter , out of which all other creatures were made , , , , that matter and motion are not the essences of things that all and every of the creatures , were immediate distinct works of aelohim's power , to that the creator hath assigned his creatures , to their proper localities , that the world was not from eternity , but had a beginning , , that time , place and number , are not of the nature of different things , particularly as applyed to worship , , that the lord in scripture and nature has determined the circumstances of worship , , that some scripture history is also prophetical and promissory , , that it is worthy of further inquiry , whether vau be conversive of the praeterit into the future , or of the future into the praeterit ? , that jehovah aelohim is still putting forth continued acts of preferring , and of blessing his creatures , , that the first created light is a substance , truly subsisting in it self , and in its created nature , , see also that beasts and worms do belong to the creatien work of the sixth day : and that the gathering in of the lower waters into the seas was a part of the creators work on the second day , , concerning the created work of the sixth day . q. whether anthropology , or the doctrine of created adam , or the knowledge of man , or the science of the humane nature , be sufficiently taught in the schools and lectures of ethnick philosophers ? or is it only contained in , and augmentable and re●staurable by , the word of truth , and the holy spirits teaching of serious inquiries , this art , according to those holy scriptures ? the discovery here is , that anthropology , or the doctrine of created adam , or the knowledge of man , or the science of the humane nature is not sufficiently taught by ethnick philosophy ▪ and the readers or writers of it : but by the scriptures of truth , and the holy spirits instructing in and hy the scriptures , to that man's make is admirable , , that no mere creature made man ; but he had his being distinct from other creatures immediately , by and from aelohim , that man was created with the image and likeness of aelohim upon him , , that the female was created distinct from the male ; and but one female was appointed for one male in marriage ; at the beginning , where is also discovered the sinfulness of polygamy , and of divorce , to that it deserves a further inquiry , whether , where-ever this word , adam , is found in the original , it should not be rendred adam , when translated into other languages ? , also , whether the fruitful propagating of mankind by conjugal generation , be not still a fruit and effect of aelohim's first blessing upon adam and eve ? also , whether faith in the creating mashiach , have not foundation in created nature ? , and whether clean beasts and cattel were not appointed and prepared as food for adam , at the beginning , as well as herbs and fruits ? page , that prayer should ●egin , and praise should end , our meals , that adam , male and female , were the proper peculiar work of the sixth day , that man should be much in self-examination , , that it doth call for further and deeper inquiry yet , what the distinct special essences , operations , offices , products , and specifical differences of the body , soul and spirit in man are ; with much more about this subject-matter , to that the knowledge of our selves , as to our humane nature in our natural , spirial , and eternal estate , is useful and necessary , to that man science is a very spreading and fruitful , and profitable science , to that the medicional art , sought after in ethnick philosophy , is but conjectural , and very deficient , to that the medicinal art cannot be promoted and perfected but only in scripture way ; of which there are divers demonstrative evidence , both as to diseases of the body , of the soul , of the spirit ; and as to the conservation of health , and prolongation of life , to that there is an emphatick note of demonstration prefixed to the sixth day , to point out the immediately-next-succeding day , the seventh , which is the last day of the week , as their weekly sabbath-day , , inquiries for the promoting and improving of experimental christianity are propounded unto the ingeniosi and virtuosi in religion , to the ingenuous reader is earnestly desired to correct the errours in printing , especially those , that do much disturb the sense , and quite alter the meaning . errours in the margin are thus to be corrected . for mat. . . page . line . read mat. . . for habak . . p. . l. . r. habak . . f. tim . . p. . l. . r. tim. . . f. jude . p. . l. . r. jude v. . f. john . . p. . l. . r. john . . f. acts . . p. . l. . r. acts . . f. luke . . p. . l. . r. luke . . f. tim. . , . p. . l. . r. tim. . , . f. joel . . p. . l. . r. joel . . f. psal . . . p. . l. . r. psal . . . f. & . . p. . l. . r. & . . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . f. jerem. . . p. . l. , . r. isai . . , . f. jerem. . , . p. . l. . r. jerem. . , . f. esai . . , . p. . l. . r. esai . . , . f. gen. . , . p. . l. , . r. gen. . f. shusham-eduth . p. . l. . r. shusan-eduth f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. . p. . l. . r. . f. permeiat p. . l. . r. permeat . f. thiore p. . l. . r. altiore . f. , . p. . l. , . r. , , . f. , . p. . l. . r. . f. chron. . . p. . l. . r. chron. . . f. to psal . p. . l. . r. to psal . . f. to quiver p. . l. , . r. to quaver . f. ezra . . p. . l. . r. ezra . , . f. the , psalm p. . l. . r. the psalm . f. zakef coto● p. . l. . r. zakef kato● . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. chron. . . p. . l. . r. chron. . . f. ps . . . p. . l. . r. ps . . . f. job . p. . l. . r. job . . f. acts . . p. . l. . r. acts . , . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. compare p. ▪ l. . r. compared . f. . , . p. . l. . r. . luke . , . f. . p. . l. . r. . f. acts . . p. . l. . r. acts . , . f. ps . . p. . l. . r. ps . . . f. & title & . p. . l. . r. & . title , & v. . f. luke . p. . l. . r. luk. . f. jer. . . p. . l. . r. jer. . . f. jer. . . p. . l. . r. jer. . , . f. ps . , . p. . l. . r. ps . . . f. . kin. . . p. . l. . r. kin. . . f. esa . . . p. . l. . r. esa . . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. isa . , , , . p. . l. . r. isa . . , , . f. ps . . . p. . l. . r. psal . . . f. eccles . . . p. . l. . r. eccles . . . f. . p. . l. . r. . f. jer. . , . p. . l. , . r. jerem. . . f. job . . p. . l. . r. job . . f. king. . . p. . l. . r king. . . exod. . , . chron. . , , , . ezek. . . heb. . . f. gen. . . p. . l. . r. gen. . . f. mat. . , &c. p. . l. . r. mat. . , &c. f. ps . . . p. . l. . r. ps . . . f. ps . . . p. . l. . r. ps . . , . f. pet. . , , . p. . l. , . r. pet. . , , , . f. ps . . p. . l. . r. ps . . . f. esai . . . p. . l. . r. esai . . . f. ps . . p. . l. , . r. psal . . . f. jerem. . . p. . l. . r. jerem. . , . f. mat. . . p. . l. . r. mar. . . f. exod. . & chapters p. . l. , . r. exod , & . chapters . f. dan. . , . p. . l. . r. dan. . , . f. . , , . p. . l. . r. , , , , . f. , . p. . l. . r. , . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. jihejah p. . l. . r. jihejeh . f. . . p ● . l. . r. . . f. ps . . , , . p. . l. . r. ps . . , , , . f. isai . . . p. . l. . esai . . . f. exod. . . . p. . l. , exod. . — f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. & . . p. . l. . r. & . — . ps . . , . john . . . f. john . . . p. . l. . r. john . f. ps . . . p. . l. . r. ps . . . f. hebr. . , , . p. . l. . r. heb. . , , . & . . f. cor. . . p. . l. , . r. cor. . . f. cor. . , . p. . l. . r. cor. . , . f. & . p. . l. . r. & . . f. of the semach p. . l. . . r. of the same ch . f. two p. . l. . r. too . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. job . . p. . l. r. job . . f. isa . . . p . l. . p. isai . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . p. . l. . r. . . f. . . p. . l. , . r. , . f. prov . , . p. . l. . r. prov. . . f. gatively p. . l. . r. gatively . v. . f. ps . . . p. l. . r. ps . . , . f. isai . . . p. . l . r. isai . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. ezek. . . p. . l. . r. ezek. . — f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. ephes . . , . p. l. . r. ephes . . , . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . , , . f. exod , . . p. . l. . r. exod. . , . f. jer. . . p. . l. . r. jerem. . , . f. , , . p. . l. . r. , , . f. deuter. . . p . l. . r. deuter. . . f. . p. . l. . r. . f. judg. . . p. . l. . r. judg. . . f. king. . . p. . l. . r. king. . . f. & . . p. . l. . r. & . . f. mat. . . p. . l. . r. mat. . . f. ezra . . . p. . l. . r. ezra . , f. . , . p. . l. . r. . . f. exod. . & . p. l. . r. exod. . . f. & . , . p. . l. . r. & . . f. isa . . , . p. . l. . r. isa . . . f. isa . . . p. . l. . r. isa . . . f. levit. . p. . l. . r. levit. . . f. ps . . . p. . l. . r. ps . . f. dan. . , . p. . l. . r. dan. . , . f. constant p. . l. . r. constat . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. ab . f. mitsheus p . l. . r. minsheus . f. psoleg . p. . l. . r. proleg . f. mitsheus p. . l. . r. minsheus f. mitsheus p. . l. . r. minsheus . f. martinus p. . l. . r. martinius . f. chron. . p. . l. . r. chron. . f. . , . p. . l. . r. . . f. exod. . , . & . . p. . l. , . r. levit. . , , , , . f. & . p. . l. . r. & . f. jer. . p. . l. . r. jer. . . f. gen. . , . p. . l. . r. gen. . , , . f. revel . . p. . l. . r. revel . . f. . p. l. . r. . f. jerem. . . p. . l. . r. jerem. . . f. job . . p. . l. . r. job . , . f. zachar. . p. . l. . r. zachar. . . f. ps . . . p. . l. . r. ps . . . f. . p. . l. . r. . . f. . . pet. . p. . l. . r. jam. . , . pet. . . f. & . p. . l. . r. & . . f. isai . . pet. p. . l. . r. isai . . . pet. f. & . p. . l. . r. & . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . f. . , p. . l. . r. . , f. jerem. . & p. . l. . r. jerem. . . & f. . . p. l. . r. . . f. & . . p. . l. . r. & . . f. deut. . . p. . l. . r. deut. . f. . p. ● . l . r ▪ . f. . , . p. l. . r. . . f. , , , p. l. . r. , , , f. isai . . . p. . l. . r. isai . . . with . f. song . , . ● . . l. . r. song . . . f. king. . p. . l. . r. king. . f. mar. . p. . l. . r. mar. . f. revel . . & p. l. . r. re●el . . . & f. revel . . p. . l. . r. revel . . . f. isai . . . p. l. . r. isai . . . f. isai . . . p. . l. . r. isai . . . f. josh . . . p. . l. , . r. . . f. dan. . , . p. . l. . r. dan. . , . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. josh . . . p. . l. . r. josh . . , f. , . p. . l. . r. , , f. , , . p. . l. . r. . , , . f. gen. . . p. . l. . r gen. . ▪ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . f. & breath . p. . ● . . r. & breathe . f. soul . p. , ● . r. souls f. . last . p. l. . r. . last . v. f. . p. . l. . r. . f. . , . p. . l. . r. . — . f. , p. . l. . r. , , . f. , . p. . l. . r. , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. camohu regendo . p. . l. , . r. cemohu negedo . f. . p. l. . r. f. gen. . , , p. . l. . r. gen. . , , f. . , p. . l. . r. , , f. deut. . , . p. . l. , . r. deut. . , . f. . . . p. . l. . r. . , . f. . p. . ● . . r. , . f. mar. . . p. . l. . r. mar. , . f. zerang . aelohim , p. . , . r. zerang aelohim , f. mar. . p. . l. . r. mat. . f. — . p. . l. . r. — . f. arctissimane p. . l. . arctissimam . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. rom. . , . p. . l. . r. rom. . , , . f. unusque p. . l. , . r. unusquisque f. , . p. . l. . r. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . , p. . l. , . r. , , , f. . p. . l. . r. . . errours in the printing are thus to be corrected . for al wisdom page . line . read al wisdoms . f. desire p. . l. . r. devise . f. fetters p. . l. . r. fetterers . f. this of the mind p. . l. . r. this disease of the mind . f. insta●cers p. . l. . r. instanrers . f. of indagators p. . l. . r. of narrow indagators . f. and of another p. . l. . r. and out of another . f. of the book p. l ▪ . r. out of the book . f. scripture p. . l. . r. scriptures f. readers of p. . l. . r. readers in . f. in false p. . l. . r. false f. rational p . l. . r. national f. wholy p. . l. . r. holy . f. realilties p. . l. . r. realities f. hear p. . l. . r. here . f. desire p l. . r. descry . f. defect p. . l. . defects . f. a blessing p. . l. . r. of a blessing . f. weakned p. . l , . r. awakened . f. of debate p. . l. . r. or debate . f. inventing generous spirits p. . l. . r. inventing : generous spirits f. frame p. . l. . r. fame . f. ingaging this p. . l. . r. ingaging in this f. or execute p. . l. . r. or excuse . f. affection p. . l. . r. affectation . f. hear their p. . l. . r. hear of their . f. learning , so p. . l. . r. learning , as . f. work-patterns . p. . l. . r. word-patterns , f. almightynes p. . l. . r. almightyes . f. god ) there p. . l. . r. god ) many gods , and many lords , yet to us ( believing christians ) there . f. for peculiar p. . l. . r. for a peculiar . f. mankind p. . l. . r. manhood . f. and their p. . l. . r. and other . f. and barely p. . l. . r. not barely . f. the father p. . l. . r. the fathers f. scriptural predictions p. . l. . r. scriptural praedications . f. corporal p. . l . r. corporeal . f. own father p. . l. . r. own mother . f. ready p. . l. . r. needy . f. christ full● . . l. . r. christ a ful . f. be transcribed p. . l. . r. he transcribe f. the natural body p. l. . r. the body natural . f. thought p. . l. . r. though . f. asserted . l. . r. assented . f. scientificies p. . l. , . scientifickness . f. conceit p. . l. . r. concent . f. received p. . l. . r. revived . f. these p. . l. . r. there . f. alike and alike p. . l. . r. alike and unlike . f. woman p. . l. . r. women . f. was p. . l. . r. has . f. believing p. . l. . r. believers . f. pure p. . l. . r. impure . f. moved p. . l. . r. r. unmoved . f. accentations p. . l. . r. accentuations . f as our p. . l. . r. as to our . f. imployed p. . l. . r. injoyed . f. autority p. . l. . r. antiquity . f. co●ld acquiesce p. . l. . r. could never satisfyingly aequiesce . f. this p. . l. . r. his ▪ f. arts p. . l. . r. acts. f. metaphorical p. . l. . r. metaphysical f. much thereof p. . l. . r. much whereof . f. that hypotheses p. . l. . r. the hypotheses . f. scriptures p. . l. . r. scruples f. found . p. . l. . r. formed f. of many p. . l. . r. of so many f. upon them p. . l. r. by them f. are p. . l. . r. have f. his p. . l. . r. this f. posture p. . l. . r. positure . f. prophets arose p. . l. . r. who arose . f. not p. . l. . r. nor . f. this p. . l. . r. his. f. conversation p. . l. . r. conservation . f. command p. . l. . r. commands . f. jehovah , the p. . l. . r. jehovah . the. f. relation p. . l. . r. revelation . f. to him p. . l. . r. to them . f. speak p. l. . r. speaks . f. of glory p. . l. . r. of his glory . f. before , and p. . l. . r. before him , and. f. had declared p. . l. . r. hath declared . f. was shewn him p. . l. . r. was shewn them . f. chief priviledges p. . l. . r. choise priviledges . f. progress p. . l. . r. progresses . f. there oyly p. . l. . r. these oyly . f. the spirits p. . . r. the spirit . f. before them p. . l. . r. before then . f. not often p . l. . r. not only . f. or this spirit of jehovah p. . l. . r. or this spirit jehovah . f. that doth p. . l. . that do . f. roashith p. . l. . r. reashith . f. al their p. . l. . r. al other . f. find and p. . l. . r. find an . f. of obstruseness p. . l. . r abstruseness . f. tree everlasting p. . l. . r. tree of everlasting f. gain p. . l. . r. again . f. it p. . l. . r. is . f. indigate p. l. . r. indagate . f. that is a p. . l. . r. that is f. which commended p. . l. . r. which is commended . f. in their own p. . l. . r. in her own . f. of the p. . l. . r. of those . f. the doleful p. . l r. the other the doleful . f. confounded p. . l. . r. confounding . f. equal distant p. . l. . r. equally distant . f. effect p. . l. . r. effects f. works or p. . l. . r. works on f. words p . l. . r. word . f. perticularly p. . l. . r. particularly . f. admire p. . l. . r. admit . f. that light and that dark p. . l. . r. half light and half dark . f. there p. . l. . r. their . f. to the p. . l. . r. to be the f. of the p. . l. . r. of f. luna . jupitar p. . l. . r. luna , satarn , jupiter . f. agreeth the p. . l. r. the f. dawn p. . l. . r. down . f. rest p. . l. . r. next f. were to p. . l. . r. were . f. the sun p. . l. . r. the moon , mercury , venus , the sun. f. green bows p. . l. r. green boughs f. splender p. . l. . r. splendor . f. swo● p. . l. . r. sowen . f. used p. . l. . r. use f. constituted , and p. . l. . r. constituted , more regularly gathered , and f. cinah p. . l. . r. cimah . f. bodies p. . l. . r. bodies . f. presenters p. . l. . r. praesenters . f. nabulo p. . l. . r. nebulo . f. here then p. . l. . here they . f. habac. p. . l. . r. habar . f. calendries p. . l. . r. calendaries f. prohibions p. . l. . r. prohibitions . f. a seventh p. . l. . r. the seventh . f. above p. . l. . r. about f. creatures p. l. . r. creations . f. more p. . l. . r. made more . f. equldanse p. . l. . r. equidense . f. are of p. . l. . r. are not f. and to p. . l. . r. and not to . f. to aspire p. . l. a . r. to assure f. do fall p. . l. . r. did fall . f. in the p. l. . r. in their f. who was the p. . l. . r. who was the the — . f. of beautyous p. . l. . r. of a beautyous . f. was a p. . l. . r. was such a. f. one true eve p. . l. . r. one onely eve. f. take false an p. . l. . r. take an . f. these p. . l. . r. those . f. by p. . l. . r. is by . f. same , though p. . l. . r. same man , though f. these breach p. . l. . r. the breaches . f. the p. . lo. . r. that . f. material p. . l. . r. matrimonial . f. his marriage offices p. . l. . r. his peoples marriage offices . f. by the way p. . l. . r. by the law . f. out freely a p. . l. z. r. out . f. as is p. . l. . r. as they call it , which is . f. appointed not p. . l. . r. not appointed , f. need p. . l. . r. used . f. would not have p. . l. . r. would have . f. considerable p. . l. . r. considerate . f. fulfilling p. . l. . r. filling . f. fell●oship p. . l. . r. fellowship . f. a patient p. . l. . r. a parent . f. of p. . l. . r. with f. out p. . l. . r. outward . f. contract p. . l. . r. contract . f. effects p. . l. . r. affects . f. effects p. . l. . r. affects . f. curses p. . l. . r. cures . f. natural natural reasons p. . l. . r. natural reason . f. thereunto p. . l. . r thereupon . f. exempar p. l. , . r. exemplar , f. and the old p. . l. . r. in the old . f. are p. . l. . r. is f. authograph p. ● . l. . r. autograph . f. is p. . l. . r are . f. scripture p. . l. . r. scriptures . f. easier p. . l. . r. easie . f. audibles p. . l. . r. audible . f. with it a secret p. . l. . r. with it in the text and context a secret . f. here p. . l. . r. there f. access p. . l. . r. attests . f. into p. . l. . r. in . f. a sabbath p. . l. . r. a seventh-day-sabbath . f. whether lord p. . l. . r. whether the lord . f. late days p. . l. . r. later days f. al the p. . l . r. al sense the. the design of this treatise . iehovah christ is a wisdom , all wisdom in one , wisdom it self , the wisdom of all wisdom ; his father is the free b giver , he himself the rich purchaser , c his holy spirit the infusing teacher , of all useful wisdom unto his covenant people d . all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge , are hidden in him and in his word , which the wise in heart should e seek and search after , that they may understand and find it , and it may enter into their heart , and be pleasant unto their soul . the scriptures of truth are a perfect library of all saving knowledge , and profitable science , copied out and commented upon in created nature , else the title of this treatise would be too high and great a design for so low and mean an undertaker : but f truth is the victory , christ is g the truth , and as he is , such is his word , the h truth too , and he is going forth conquering , and to conquer , he doth , and he will prosper riding i upon this word of truth , whilst philosophy k , which is the vain affectation of humane wisdom , ( under which description and notion i do declare against it throughout this tractat , this ) is falling , and shall fall low , and utterly fail , and quite vanish before him , and before that word of his ; growing believers will have such spiritual discerning , as no longer to be despoiled , or to be carried away as captives for a prey by it , the seducing artifices of it shall be discovered and avoided ; for they are not according to christ l , the seeming wisdom of its swelling words , is but the excrescent part of a swelling ulcer , though it carry a garnished shew of excellency of speech , it is but humane wisdom , the enticing wisdom of men , the wisdom of the corrupt age , though much admired by the great ones of the times ; what is this , to the wisdom of god , to that wisdom which the holy spirit teacheth ? the restauration of arts , and the advancement of sciences has been the studious research , and the unwearied endeavour of some , both ancient and modern writers , men of name for learning ; but , whilst they dig for it in some grounds of their own , and under notions from within themselves , and so would proceed masters of arts , and commence doctors of sciences , by the natural abilities and acquired endowments of their own intellect and reason , improving of it self only either from it self , or from humane authors , or from new invented experiments ; the most souly m of them after all their laborious productions have not yet attained , nor ever will or can by that method attain the true good end , because they have not as yet prosecuted the right and the proper means of it . philosophers come in their n own name , and the most of students have received them , though they bring but a doctrine of o probabilities , a colour and shadow of conjectural reasoning , such as would perswadingly mislead souls by deceitful disputings , and falacious concludings , and subdolous circumventings , imposing of mistakes upon the ignorant and undiscerning , thrusting of errours upon them by captious arguings , and shiftingly evading the evident force of the most convincing demonstrations , by misapplyed distinctions , which do endlesly ingage contentious wits in a scholastick warring , and vain jangling : the press still keeps fighting by sending forth one book of controverted matter against another , yet are there no trophies of any considerable proficiency and progress all this while , either by victoriousness over error , or by triumphingness of truth ; whereas , there would soon be a more amicable league , a more pacifick confederacy amongst the sound and sober of men of depth of learning , and of inquiringness of spirit , if all their books were either apt significant commentaries upon the holy scriptures , or due right interpretations of created beings according to those scriptures . that light , which the unscriptural , antiscriptural writings of philosophizing men have afforded us , has been to manifest this unto us , what erring , wandring by-ways we would turn aside from , not what even , straight paths we should walk in : much of that knowledge , which such have themselves attained unto , and which they would have others to be wrong led into by following of them , is this , that there is no certainty of knowledge , nor satisfactoriness of understanding throughly compassable by any or all mere humane disquisitions and discoveries , so that many of the most eminent of them are self-condemned , and have pronounced the sentence against their own inventions , and against themselves , for those merely humane excogitates , in the judicatory courts of their own intellect and conscience , and have thereby openly renounced and quitted their former usurped authority , by which they too long , and too much imposed upon the over-credulity of blinded minds . but what , shall such a traditionary receiving of corrupt notions never have an end put unto it ? shall the opinionative conceits , and the conjectural ratiocinations of deceived deceiving men be still handed down from one to another ? such methods of arts , and systems of sciences , and forms of learning , and schemes of knowledges , as are besides and against the word of aelobim , are either not according to truth , and so they teach that falshood which would be unlearn'd , or do not direct to usefulness , and so they cause loss by mis-spent time , which is not so soon redeemed . their science is but p falsly so called , it doth not answer to its name , it doth belie its own usurped title ; by their professourships , such would give themselves out to be some of the most knowing of men , and diligent seekers after the truth , yet they they q miss the mark they pretend to aim at , they rove and err like unskilful shooters , they go aside from sound doctrine , and from a right belief of that which is the truth , though they would r loudly cry , boastingly clamour a profoundness of learning by puzling wordings and painted sayings , where , neither is the matter useful , nor the inquiry worth while , nor the controversie weighty , nor speculation improveable to any spiritual gain , so that , it neither well informs , nor nourishingly feeds the serious student ; it is an ſ artificial desire of mens own brains , having no foundation in the word of god , and tending to profaneness , making a great noise , but leaving an emptiness , after the manner of sophisters . let not the ingenious reader be offended , if i open the significancy of some scripture words and phrases to take him off from giving an idolizing reverence unto such humane fallible authors , as would insinuate a crediting of their cheating arts , and draw on a belief of their deceitful sciences , by t a cogging device and cunning trick in a ready dexterity of wicked wittiness , handling every subject matter they do discourse or treat of , with crafty conveyances , and circumventing windings up and down , in and out , turning every way by over-reaching methods , and hidden wiles to seduce unwary travellers into errour , and to insna●e them into some misapprehension , to divert their minds from u truthing it in love : whoever do pursue them , will find them at the last to be erring in theory , failing in practice , fruitless in experience , after much expence of difficult labour , and of chargeable travel . the wild little fancy of vain foolish man would be setting up a new imaginary world of artals , and of scientificks , which are his own formed ideas , and speculated conceits , and modelled opinionativeness , and then would not only make an idol of self to fall down before its own mis-shapen image , and to fail in love with its own empty shadow , but would also set it up before others , that they may worship it too , which has been for so many ages of the world , the grand design , and the too far prevailing attempt of enthusiastick phantasms , of humane magistralities , of self-weaved ratiocinations , of forced extractions , of indulged sensations , and of unsetling scepticisms , which six have laid some of the most claim to the highest advance of humane learning , though their arts and sciences have been hitherto so far from being really in their nature , or use liberal , that they have been some of the most tyrannous enslavers of mens judgements , and imprisoning fetters of their understanding . how many thousands have by their wandring after such misguiders left and lost their way in the dark , where their souls have been filled with troublesome doubts , and with tormenting fears , exposing them to violent temptations of atheism and unbelief ? and what wonder , that it is thus with the scholar , when some of the learnedest of the masters themselves have resolved upon this , as the conclusion of all their knowledge , that , all things are matter of doubtful questionings , and are intricated with knotty difficulties , and do pass into amazing uncertainties , and resolve into cosmical suspicions ? and this , not only is the deliberate judgement of particular virtuoso's in our day , but has been the publick determination of an whole university , if there be truth in those historical records , that do report them to us ; even with those has it thus been so , who made proficiencie in arts , and progress in sciences , to be the subject of their profession , the matter of their inquiry , and the design of their studiousness . how manifold the inconveniences ? how mischievous the effects of this have been , if the readers spirit would not be exasperated thereby , might be soon inlarged upon ; for the writer would not provoke or inrage mens passions , but would come in words of truth , and of soundness to hold forth a scripture light before such as are of a temperate and sober understanding , and of a serious considering spirit : the hurt that has been done to my own soul , and the scars that are visibly upon me , by my ill-chosen-studies , and misemployed hours heretofore , though in a way of some diligence , do stir up some compassions in me towards others , to indeavour the preventing or curing of the like spreading distemper in their understandings , the infectiousness of which disease in mens intellects , has been hitherto little suspected , and its dangerousness less felt : and therefore , if in faithful plainness , i do oppose paganish or ethnick philosophy ; let it be once more remembred , that where-ever this expression is found , or such other words relating to the same matter in this treatise , i mean thereby , that vainly affected humane wisdom , which was invented by pagans , by heathens , ( or by satan , who taught it unto such ) by such as had not the sound saving knowledge of jehovah aelohim , or of his word ; but did write besides it , and contradictorily to it , and so far as this kind of philosophy is still retained and defended by any christians ; for , this is that which has so anticipated mens minds , with such corrupt principles as are complying with prophane practices , with such mis-shapen notions as are suited to carnal reason , with such wrong opinions as do plead for depraved customs , with such flattering perswasions as are humouring to sensual affections ; it doth so infect and sicken their intellect , so weaken and make it consumptive , that , who can cure it , if the lord christ himself be not actually the one and the only all-skilful physician , and if scripture-learning be not seasonably well applyed , as the one and the only universal remedy of this of the mind ? whilst some do write and others do read so many expositions upon paganish philosophy , and do so little study the scriptures of truth ; the press may bring forth many curiously arted books , but there will be in the intellectual world a famme of progressive literature : the frequent divertisements by such unfruitful studies are so many , and so tedious ( for , they make art to be long , and life to be short ; whereas word-study and scripture-learning would make art short and life long ) that those who do waste their precious time in these worthless labours , do find the prime of their day , and the vigorousness of their age even decaying and dying away , before they know aright what to know , and how to live : some who have had that university honour put upon them to be called masters of arts , yet have afterwards experienced , that they had little else but the name , and have look'd upon those years ( as the corrupted education then was ) to have been the void space of their life , which would have been the choice season of their time , if tutors had put them in a right way of scriptural learning . one of the skilfullest advancers of humane learning , in one of the most laboured and best wrought treatises upon that subject , has in the close of his book given a short prospect of a new world of sciences , or the deficients of them , fifty in number ; and he that shall make use of his directory to attain these , yet would , though he lived to old age , bring in an ignoramus for the verdict when he comes to die : whereas , all those and more , so far as they are necessary and useful , might have a clearer discovery , and a fuller supplement in scripture , and in nature according to scripture , were it throughly searched into for that end . if heathenish philosophy did not strangely bewitch and awe young scholars , with a respect of the authority , and a greatning of the names of its authors , and an esteem of the multitude of its books , which do so fill the shops and libraries , and with the difficulty of making many of its notions and distinctions , and obscure terms reconciled to some degree of intelligent sense , after so much dispending of time and of coyn , its price would fall in the printers market , and its trade go down in the booksellers shop . how little can there be of certitude in that way , where all must resolve into fallibleness of authority , and falaciousness of testimony , or into pretended evidence of forced experiments , which may be variously effected , whilst the intrinsick natures and genuine causalities of created beings , and of their products are altogether hidden from such great adorers of humane wisdom as count themselves , and would be so esteemed by others , to be , if not the only , yet the mostly learned men in the world ; and who would have their dictates to be received as inerring , and their traditions as incontrolable ; whereas their assertions do end in doubtfulnesses , and their stating of questions is not definitively demonstrating , but still the judgement of the pondering reader must suspend it self , and look further for satisfaction . how many essences and verities are there which ethnick philosophy cannot reach ; the clear understanding whereof it can never attain unto of its self , neither are they any other way fully discovered unto us but by the scripture revelation ? what meer● philosopher by all his art and industry can with certitude inform my understanding , what the system of the created world is ? how it was made and set up ? what the positure of the whole creation is ? in what place and order every thing is ? which is the uppermost , and what the lowermost part of it ? what there is above this blew visible expanse , or extended heaven , or firm out-spread ? what kind of existencies the heavenly luminaries are ? what all the constitutive parts of men are , particularly what the spirit of man is , what his soul is , and how these are distinct , and whether separable , so as that yet both may live apart from each other at the same time ? what the proper seats of the intellect faculties in man are w ? where is the wise ? where is the scribe ? where is the inquirer of this age , who without x word-light can lead me into the certain knowledge of the manner of the formation of all and every of beings ? what that was which put them into their first essence ? what the y beginning of the creature which god created is ? and how many years have elapsed since that time , to this present annual revolution ? where and when chronologers must begin , and how to carry on their computation of time ? who amongst the learned of this world can z ascend into heaven , and infallibly assure me what treasuries of creatures there are there ? what the work and priviledges of the elect angels , and of the perfectly sanctified spirits are there ? what the glorious appearances of the ever blessed jehovah aelohim , in father , son and holy spirit are there ? which of them can so descend into the abyss , as to bring me the truest information from thence , where the great gulph is , that is between heaven and hell ? what and where the place of hell is ? where are the several chambers of darkness below , and of light above ? for , although the gulph and hell are a open before the all-seeing jehovah , yet are they far out of sight , and off from the knowledge of men on earth , by any mere humane disquisition or discovery : who of these philosophers can by their own natural ability throughly convince me , of the true doctrine , and of the real nature of invisibles , which yet , now they are revealed , are not incredibles ? can any of them return a satisfactory answer to those questions which the lord propounded unto b job ? do not they themselves judge divers things to be undiscoverable by any mere man , as the essential forms , and the true differences of things , especially that of man ? what are all and every of the proper and real causes , which are so productive of so many wonderful effects in the world ? how defectively imperfect ? how unsetledly conjectural , are their inquiries concerning the celestial bodies , about their spheres , their orbs , their divers poles , their first moveable , their contrary motion of renitencie , their circles , eccentricks and epicycles , interstellare substances , progressions , stations , retrogradations , elevations , declinations , apogees , perigees , diurnal motions , which some do fancy of the whole heavens , and others do dream of the whole earth , with a multitude of such like astronomical suppositions , which they would ground upon some phaenomena , cunningly devising how to defend their own invented hypotheses against objections , and setting up such feigned fabricks as may not be exposed to so many exceptions and contradictions , as the fictitious conceits of others before them are liable unto ? so that , they have been forward to triumph over others , if their own excogitated opinions have not been confutable by the common received principles , whilst themselves do not believe their own suppositions to be the true nature of the things themselves ? how then can they perswade others , that their discoveries are real and profitable ? and that they might hold the world yet further on in ignorance , and in darkness , they daringly affirm the scriptures not to afford light in these matters : whereas , these alone can set mens understandings right about the verity of beings , which cannot by all a mans diligence any other way be solidly known . wise men amongst themselves do now begin to wonder , that they suffered themselves to be so abused by those dictators in sciences ; they complain , that there are secrets in nature , hiddennesses in truths , implications in causes ; that there is much darkness upon their mind , blindness upon their intellect , weakness in their understanding ; that their knowledge is but folly , their powers are impotent , their abilities insufficient , and their researches shallow ; thus they fall into suspicion , and grow into dislike of themselves , concluding an utter impossibility in humane arts ; seeing there are so many unknown subtilties in nature , which do escape their senses , and so many mistakings by senses , which do not come under their cognisance : they acknowledge at last , that to consummate the arts , and to perfect the sciences inquired after , is above their strength , and beyond their hopes , and they professingly declared , that they will affirm nothing ; subtilty is their science , and fallacy is their faculty : how many questions might be asked of the most learned of them , concerning the most plain and familiar things , such as are most obvious and exposed to the outer senses , about seeing , hearing , smelling , tasting , feeling , which would puzzle them , and amaze their understanding ? were all the witty ingenioso's , and generous virtuoso's of the world colledged , and incoporated into one philosophick society ; all their extra-scriptural disquisitions would never reach or hit what they say they aim at , because they use not , improve not the adapted mediums to come at it : it would have been more wisdom in such bold undertakers to be instancers of learning , if they had either laid aside their attempt , or pointed to a directer course , and to a righter way ; for by an ill unadvised managing of the inquiry , the inner rooms of learning are still locked up , and her treasures are not disclosed . if the reader marvel why one of so little philosophical learning , and of so much worldly despisedness , will adventure in such a day to be so open a redarguer of the whole philosophick world ; let him know , that the scripture-cause will conqueringly plead it self , and its advocate has sufficient security , that the glory will be his , who is the author of so full a word : let the writer and his treatise decrease into a nothing , as to this ; and let jehovah and his word increase into an all ; whilst the traditionary learning of these men , which is but the credulous receiving of a false report , and their sensitive learning , which is often the wrong information of equivocating witnesses , and their experimental learning , which is usually the hasty observation of indagators , and of casual inventers ; these shall blush and vanish , be gone , and ashamed to shew their faces , which so long have been set out to sale under the gaudy titles of natural history , restored sciences , and instaured philosophy ; but leaving the buyer sick of his bargain , and crying out , that he has all this while been over-reached and defrauded , imposed upon , and insulted over , by those who themselves at length do judge this to be a case plainly desperate , as not knowing how to extract the real truth of things , or which way so to separate all mistakes , that they may at last be brought to somewhat , which is wholly free from errour ; and so , natural beings may open themselves , and disclose their inside , in their primordial virtues , and concealed excellencies . the whole of the doctrine of the unseen world , is altogether undiscoverable by any lawful means , but only the word revelation ; and therefore it is , that c paul doth condemn that philosophy , as a vain deception , which would obtrude upon its disciples , a belief of those things it hath not seen , making its own excogitates to be oracles , when it s own phantastick opinions are built upon no other foundation , than the feigned placents of humane imagination . it would take away the prize that belongs to the profiting disciples in christ's school , and give it unto those , that run in the by-race of paganish studies : thus arrogating unto its self an usurped power of judging and of defining , who are the most learned and skilful ; it doth thrust it self into a pretended knowledge of such secret hidden things , whereof it is altogether ignorant , as if it were its own proper possession : my task is to direct the spiritual man , unto that perfect word , where he may get deep into the profoundest mysteries of religion , and of reason , of grace and of nature ; where a clear-eyed-faith may satisfie it self with self-evidencing verities . i am no investigator of new fictitious humane knowledges , but would ingage others to be educers of old sound scripture-learning , which has been so long veiled with philosophical darkness , and neglected by sophistical prejudice . shall we any longer walk on in the circular tract of feigned arts , and of corrupted sciences by humane authors , who write one after , and of another according to the-bad copy set before them , saying over and over the same falsified things , putting only a new name to an old stuff , whilst they make little or no progress , because they do not follow on in a straight line of edifying knowledge ? how far are they from having already said , all that can be said , though one of them has grosly flattered himself by applying of that expression to his own writings ? truth and goodness have mutual influence upon , and friendly fellowship with each other ; and how then can humane arts , and philosophical sciences approve themselves good unto the will , till they prove themselves true to the understanding of rational creatures ? let no man d seduce himself ! we are , at least we should be , so far true and kind unto our selves , as not to deceive our selves : what ? shall we deal with our selves as a false thief doth deal with a silly traveller , offering himself readily to be a guide to direct him a better and righter way to his journies end , till he mislead him into some dark and dismal place , that there he may rob and spoil him of his treasure ? such are wrong guides in the way of our study : it any man thinketh , that he is wise in this world , let him become a fool , that he may be wise ; for , the wisdom of this world is foolishness with god ; the lord knoweth the reasonings of the wise , that they are vain ; therefore let no man glory in men . no tutor is like unto that spirit , who is the lord , informing humble disciples of the book of his word , and of his works : useful arts , and profitable sciences have their legitimation in his word , and their naturalization in his works : here the mind of man is at once both inlightned and sanctified , informed and satisfied ; whereas academick scepticisms do make their apprehensions to be but appearances , and their propositions to be but probabilities , till he that is of an inquiring spirit , sees he has fed but upon empty notions , and so is discouraged into a desponding fullenness , and doth yield to over-coming difficulties . whilst our own unsteddy , unskilful hands will be drawing out lines of arts without a scripture-rule , and our circles of sciences without a word compass ; there will be much crookedness and unequal distance therein , and the discovery which we make unto others , will be that of our own weakness and indiscretion . how provoking and daring is this pride in fallen follyful man , which would still keep alive so vain an imagination , as if by humane invention it could equalize infinite wisdom , put forth in scriptures science , and in natures art ? many of the philosophers postulata , which they would have us unquestioningly to suppose , and to take for granted to be evident truths of undoubted certitude , are manifestly false , though they would exempt their principles from contrary arguing , as if all were well agreed here , and this philosophick faith must not be disputed ; and yet these blind guides would have the leading of us by the hand , till we pass into their darkness , and fall into their ditch . what do the most of philosophical disputations rush into , but a mere smokie skirmish of hard words , which do both cloud the understanding , and insnare the judgement ? mens minds are already but too much crookedly set by the corruptions of their own depraved hearts ; but , when they are further wrested by wrying terms of humane arts , they are with much the more difficulty , if ever , set right . thus have men sought sciences in their own brain , and would find out arts in their own imaginations , till they have made a new scheme , and a systematical world of invented knowledges , which they do people in their own and in others fancies : their words of art have hid truths from our plain serious christians , who are of humble inquiringness , that so philosophers might keep up their silver-shrining-trade , by affirming it to be an impediment of sciences , for the scholar to require , or for the teacher to render , a clear proof of things propounded ; from whence it comes , that the powers of the mind are continually shaken with hesitancies , diverted with impertinencies , abused with unprofitingness , and misled into erringness . this has been the mischievous design of the grand enemy of the rational world , to obscure learning , and intricate knowledges thereby to keep off souls from that scripture-light , by which they might discern the secrets of wisdom ; and his negotiating factors would have all the world to buy up his false ware , and to trade with him till they have almost wasted their all , and their stock of learning doth consume , and they be quite bankrupted , as to any soundness of knowledge : how imperiously domineering has this philosophick tyranny proved , which would have us to receive its stamp , and to bear its image , as if it were that alone which must be current , and to admit of its superscription , to conform to its platform , and to shape our letters after this conquerors hand writing , as if all mankind should subject and inslave themselves to its intellectual usurpation , which hath too long , and too far invaded all arts , and possessed all sciences ! if once professing christians were more spiritual discerners , and more obsequious observers of scripture-discoveries in these matters , the plain discourses of experienced believers , and of growing saints , would relishingly favour more of saving sound knowledge , and of wholesome useful truth , than the learnedest treatises of the wisest philosophers , from whose writings we have no good reason to expect any transforming efficacie ; for the converting of straying souls , or for the rectifying of erring minds . arts and sciences , philosophick ones have heretofore mis-called it their honour , to be their mother egypt's daughters , because there they had both rise and growth ; yet even there was the grand seat of gross idolatry ; when pagan astronomers exalted themselves as high above others in their knowledge of heavingly things , they set up in their imaginations and books , many monsters in the heavens , which have been long worshipped as gods. corrupt hearts and corrupt books will soon mingle , and corrupt principles will quickly pass into corrupt practices ; and thus does the candle of many mens lives waste away about empty vanities , or groundless conjectures , or superstitious conceits , or over-curious nicities , or unprofitable subtilties , or intangling perplexities , and they dye away without the insighted perception of the most mysterious secrets , and choice excellencies , and pretious treasures . it is scripture-knowledge that is the sublimest reason , and the best learning ; the shining emanations of holy writ are clearly visible to spiritual eyes in this age of light : this is that , which i would hold forth before others , and commend unto them . were we more one in bringing all our controversies and disputings to this only rule of judging , we should the sooner agree in other things , the scripture-league would hold us closer together in a brotherly confederacy . this design is not an humour of innovating in the common-wealth of learning , but an indeavour to revive the true , good old way of written revelation , and to bring back to that word of certainty , according to which the proficiency in arts , and the progression in sciences is best and only found : sound knowledges will be upon ruining , till there be an apt reduction of them to their primitive pure principles in scripture-verities , where both their complete summary is contained , and their due bounds are set . intellect and reason must be measured by a scripture-line , and senses and experiments must be brought to word-axioms ; these must conquer all opinions , as having the universal monarchy over all the learned territories of the intellectual world : an exact discovery of the true causes of things , with their efficacious production of answerable effects , must be searched after here : no other writing in the world doth carry along with it truths , superiour dominion over the conscience , and its magistral authority over the will ; its illustration to the understanding , and its evidence to the judgement , but only this ; if i pay this reverence unto christ , and unto his word , it is a duty which i owe him , and under him to it as the sum of arts , and the treasury of sciences , the complete bibliotheke of all useful learning : the due respect which i bear it , has enboldned me to make this printed report of it . the principle of essence is in jehovah himself , who is the principal efficient cause of all beings , who put a being into all created natures ; who is the great instructer in useful arts , who doth propound the best and greatest ends of those arts , and doth direct to the truest aptest means , which do lead thereunto : but the principle of science is revealed in the written word , which doth give forth the right knowledge of the doctrinal part of those arts , and which doth make wise the student , and the practicioner , by the help of senses to collect some clear understanding , in particular subject matters of those several arts , by observation and history to gather and place in the mind , what is taken in from those senses , by insighting experiences , to apply to a certain use those many collected observations , by induction inferringly , and improvingly to use , to apply , and to accommodate those many collected experiences to constitute and establish an universal conclusion ; by these steps and degrees may we ascend into sound knowledge , and with more speed , ease and satisfaction , learn the best part of profitable arts and sciences . this doth set out the true real nature of created beings , as they are in the things themselves ; whereas mere humane attemps this way have no certainty of demonstration , nor infallibity of evidence , no further convincingness than as they agree with this : there is answeringness in this to the nature of existences , which are printed in this word , and sealed in the creation : here the laws of words are one with the laws of things ; here the conducture of the word doth lead the way , and the architecture of the creation doth follow after : whatsoever doth contradict the grounds of god-inspired scripture , and the reasons of created nature , must be rejected by us : here scripture revealeth nature , and nature declareth scripture ; the lord's mouth in his word doth not gainsay his hand in his works ; there are such inner secrets in created beings , as are separate from outward senses , and exempt from experimental discovery , and withdrawn from mere humane inquisition , which works of nature are best contemplated in the word of grace , so sweetly doth this insinuate into , and incorporate with those . how is the intellect of man likely to be receptive of useful truths , till it be first purified by scripture-knowledge ? all the impresses of wisdom , of truth , and of goodness , that are in created things , they are but the transcribed characters of the word , and the visible representations of those shining perfections , that are in the all-glorious author of this word , who doth direct their nature , and govern their operations , to bring about his own holy just ends for the good and benefit of particular beings , and of the whole universe . scripture descriptions are most significative of created natures , and best expressive of their real virtues ; let therefore these philosophical imperialists no longer exercise lordship over the faith of christians , however they have thus far usurped dominion over the reason of pagans ; let not our understandings be commanded by their laws of arts , nor ruled by their decrees of sciences , who would have all intellects to bow before them , whilst they sit in the throne , and king it over mens souls . it is the scripture revelation that doth best preserve the due order of christ's supreme soveraignty , and of its own pre-eminent authority , and of our regular subjection under both him and it , by its winning commendations of truths , and of realities , in the demonstrativeness of their evidence , and in the choiceness of their excellencies , operations of nature , and efficiencies of arts co-operating with nature , and drawing forth its working powers , are as so many instances and interpretations of such scripture as do speak of them . wisdom is d justified of her sons , though the common cry of the mis-judging world be against her . knowledges in this word have their universal conprehensiveness , and if mens studies in them were fitted to their particular inclinations , and framed to their constitution-desires , more able instruments better furnished for publick employments , both in state and in church , both for peace and for vvar , would then be found ; the skilfullest scripturians would prove the wisest artists , and the prudentest counsellors . vvere lecturers in all countries encouraged , and appointed in fit places to read in the mother tongue , on such scripture-subjects , it would make popular judgements , and common auditors great proficients in arts , and progressors in sciences ; which spreadingness of knowledge of christians should not make it contemptible : whereas , now the philosophers would keep learning in a few hands amongst scholars in the universities , and readers of colleges , and professors in the schools , who would be monopolizing of original languages , and of scientifick skills , and be driving on of their rich trade of over-reaching sophistry : i judge it to be an affirmation according to truth , and an undertaking according to reality , that a plain believer , of discerning capacity , may be righter taught many useful things , about the history of the creation , in natural beings , in their proper causations , productive workings , and genuine effects in one year , than several years , and yet more times seven in the common way of philosophical studies will or can attain unto : in this scripture path believers may expect the teachings of the holy spirit , and inlightnings from the father of illuminations : much of the written word would then receive more evident and full interpretations , when christ's works are made a paraphrase upon his words : here particular sciences are true , fruitful and complete , not as in philosophical vvritings in false , barren and empty . if little children were commonly taught the original language , and if there were in the mother-tongues of the several nations such an exact scripture lexicon composed , as might shew the true meaning of all the original vvords , roots and branches , and of all the original phrases , relating to the several arts and sciences ; and if the whole of these vvords and phrases were orderly and distinctly with their cited scriptures put into a common place of these special knowledges in various professions ; and if the most accomplished , the best gifted , the most excellingly graced , the most diligently and faithfully industrious , and the most practically and skilfully experienced , for every particular art and science , did make it much of the work of their day , and business of their life , to studie the scriptures for that peculiar end and special purpose , putting not only general rules , but particular directions all methodically together , it would be a complete summary , and an exact directory in that art and science . shall my growing waiting hopes be only of the next generation , that they may listen to this counsel ? who will give , that i may reap some good fruit of my labours in the present age ! if the lord , by his secret inworking with wonderful efficacy , will renew and irradiate mens minds , if he will bend and bow their wills , change and awe their hearts , then self-conceit , pride and prejudice , will quickly vanish away , and a teachable frame will so imbrace and improve this advice , as that the ingenuous and studious will not be so injurious to themselves , or unkind towards christ , as to kick him and his vvord out of their schools ; for it will be made manifest in a little time , that created beings in their natural efficiencies , have such an hidden way of secret operation , as is beyond e the most significant expressions of any philosophical vvorders ; and therefore only the words of god can fully so accommodate them to inlightned understandings , as withal to make them properly declarative of real workings : all true , both definitions and descriptions of things by words , must be rectified by scripture language . vvhatever be the issue , i have , through mercy and grace obtained from the lord , done this part of my generation work , and in this i do rejoyce and give glory to him. vvhere doth the whole scripture , that speaks of this matter , send us to any other way of getting sound knowledge ? this design , that i am now promoting , doth not interdict school education , nor forbid scientifick exercises , but it doth set both teacher and learner in a right way . vvhither can we go to fetch a perfect supplement for deficiencie in arts , but from the vvord ? no where else is there an unerring rectification of the crooked variations of sciences but here . vvere students once well perswaded , that this scripture-method and way of attaining knowledges were f passable and plain , and the walk there experienced to be safe and easie , how could it then be any other than pleasant travelling , which doth so directly lead to so great a profit , where all is best suited , not only to the future eternal happiness of believers , but also to the present wising of the vvorld , gratifying at once both the speculative inquirer , and the mechanick artificer , where both an augmentation of many useful particularities , and a melioration of the whole of gainful learning would be met with ? expected occasions are flying away from me now , as many of them have already taken wing and are gone , and therefore ere a stop be put to my breathing here below , i would by a scripture-hand conduct a little , that the more wise and skilful may come on and lead others further forward : i should gladly have sat down as a teachable disciple , at the feet of some well-grown instructer , and would delightfully do so still , if others better furnished , and more accomplished , and who have more opportunities and advantages , would more throughly inform both themselves and others , in the true state of this scientifical project . here may be at once both the true increase of useful learning , and the real promoting of an holy life . this sound scripture-knowledge is the only cure of arted phantasms , and the proper means of being awakened out of scientifick dreams : here the regenerate intellect of the new creature gets quick acquaintance with the true reasons of things , and his inlightned mind is familiar in its converse with real existencies ; here are set before his view clear aspects from invisible objects , and his inner man can commune with unseen talkers , which do give him ready access into the better country of the other vvorld . the scriptures are composed , not only for contemplative felicity , but also for practical business , being exactly suited to all weightiness of affairs , and to all the powers of an operative life . the orderly working , and the real usefulness of created beings , is to be directed unto her ; all the philosophers in the world , with all their books have no● that profitable learning in them , which the four and thirty first verses of the bible have treasured up in them : here the meditating inquirer may get the knowledge of those distinct works of the creator in their six proper days foregoing , which works are the visible signets , and the lively impressions of the comely excellencies of the glorious maker , till the believing soul cometh and passeth into its rest , and to sweet satisfaction sensibly enjoyeth its holy sabbath , in him on the seventh , which is the last , the closing day of the week ; this being much of my present purport and design , drift and scope in this treatise , from the several days of the first week of the created vvorld , and the established unchangeable laws thereof , to propound some profitable inquiries from each days productions , such as may have a direct tendency to the real advancement of useful learning , and then opening somewhat of my own apprehensions from the collating of other scriptures , concerning the matters queried , such of them as are profitably handled , for several others will be little , if any thing more than barely propounded , and so left to further disquisition . in this undertaking there is no just cause for any to be , either an humorous envyer , or a quarrelsome contender , or a troublesome backbiter , or a treacherous enemy , or a false friend ; let him but love christ , and believe the vvord , and approve the enterprise , and promote the design , and better the plot , i have much of my desire so far ; where any will meliorate it , he shall have my prayers and testimony for him . in this age of such diffused rovings of mind , and of such wandring expatiations of imaginations , my walking soul has then the more quiet resting place , when it gets and keeps within scripture-doors , and there freely converseth with christ . in this word each artist may find out his mystery , and get skill with a little cost by plainly reading the imprinted characters of the useful nature of his lawful profession : here real learning wears the honour of its crown , and true wisdom is beautified with the dignity of its advancement , in the several sciences ; here the king may be skilled in the art of empire , and the magistrate may be wised in the science of government ; here the counseller may know how to advise , and the warriour may be taught how to fight ; here the astronomer may best understand the heavens , and the luminaries there ; here the geometrician may learn how to measure , and the arithmetician how to number , the physician how to cure , the surgeon how to heal , the anatomist how to dissect , the apothecary how to compound , the sea-man how to sail , the architect how to build , the musician how to modulate , the logician how to argue , the geographer how to situate , the chronologer how to compute , the rhetorician how to perswade , the historian how to record , the carpenter how to rule , the joyner how to frame , the advocate how to plead , the minister how to preach , the cosmographer how to systeme , g the husbandman how to manure : these and other artists in other honest trades would find their god instructing and teaching them , concerning the rightest way , and the fittest manner , to manage , and to carry on their several functions , with success through his blessing upon their labours ; all their affairs would then be ordered with more discretion and prudence ; even the hedger , the mason , and the carpenter , would experience scripture-wisdom to have an excellency of rectification in it , to direct them how to do their work aright . what shall i say more ? consider well what those arts and sciences are which are lawful , useful and necessary , and then let inquiry be made , whether their conduct and augment may not be found in the word incomparably beyond what any , or all philosophick books of mere humane wisdom can skill in ? here is the spring and fountain of all true good learning : scripture-knowledge has the clearest light , and gives the most certain information , affording the most pure and satisfying delights : this doth hold the refined intellect , and the discerning mind close unto it , and doth fill it with high holy heavenly pleasures , still feeding a spiritual appetite as it is taken in , and yet exciting it with new desires of injoyiug more , there being yet a further discovery h of abounding knowledge in these later days . here is a separation of truth from errour ; here the true real causes of errour are assigned and manifested : it is not said , that men do therefore err , because they know not the traditions of elders , and the customs of fore-fathers , or because they are not skilled in the doctrines of the rabbies , and in the writings and sayings of the fathers , or because they do not submit to the authorities of magistral guides , and of humane imposers , or because they do not receive unwritten verities , and seek for extra-scriptural supplements , or because they do not subscribe the councils of synods , the articles and canons of churches , or because they do not conform to rational establishments , and comply with the commandments of men , or because they do not read over the books of the ancients , and turn the leaves of modern treatises upon particular subjects , or because they are not of the same judgement with the learned , and of the like practice with the godly men , so reputed of these times , or because they are not well versed in church history , and deeply seen in the monuments of antiquity , or because they have not been bred up to be masters of arts , and doctors of sciences , in philosophical studies , and in university schools ; but , i because they know neither the scriptures which do reveal the truth , nor the power of god which doth exert the truth in created natures , through which his wisdom , and other of his excellencies and perfections are so visible , whose word is ingraven on his works , and whose works are written in his word ; therefore it is , that they do err , greatly err : divers of these may be more largely demonstrated in some after-parts of this treatise . in k these scriptures of truth , arts have an uniformness and harmony , and sciences have a consent and concord : all is here delivered in apt expressions , suited to the nature of things , adapting them to their proper ends , and good purposes : here is a lively representation of verities , and of realities , the right knowledge of which doth carry into the very beingness of created essences , drawing forth their hidden virtues into active operativeness . what through the artificial cunning of sophistical deceivers , and the ignorant simplicity of the credulous vulgar , the best learning is much undervalued , and its fastest friends are almost wholly forgotten : he , that makes man his idol , and is easie of belief when man speaketh , will so long , be neither master of reason , nor an exerciser of faith , neither will he be well settled in judgement , nor quieted in spirit , whilst he thus goes away from experimental truth in god's word , to such doubtful matters in mens writings . the wholy scriptures are a growing treasury of fruitful knowledge , and would still be bringing forth somewhat more ; whereas he , that takes all upon trust from humane authors , and philosophical tractates , will captive his own judgement , and fetter his own understanding , and leave his own soul unfruitful and unprofited , who might have found the scriptures to have disclosed before him , the properties and powers of created beings , in order to some great usefulness in the life of man. in a scripture-way , the serious researcher may safely and surely walk , and unerringly ( if he follow the guidance of the holy spirit , according to this straight rule ) travel into the mysteries of grace , and the secrets of nature ; if we follow any others in another path , they are superficial , not profound , either in their inquiries or discoveries . practical christianity , and experimental religion is the highest science , and the noblest art , and the most honourable profession , which gives light to all inferiour knowledges , and would admit into the royalest society , and draw nearest in resemblance and conformity , to the glorified fellowship in the heavenly college above , where their knowledge is perfected in visional intuitive light . here is the prime truth , the original verity , as to the manifestativeness of it in legible visible ingravings , which would carry progressively into other learning contained therein : all here is reducible to practice and use , to life and conversation ; here existences and realilties are contemplated and proved , not mere ideas and conceits speculated as elsewhere . the ultimate and best end of learning , is to furnish a renewed understanding , and to advance sanctified reason , and to raise discerning grace , for the promoting of the honour of the lord , and the holiness and happiness of souls : this is its last and highest pitch , the perfection of its discovery , which its nature can reach to heat on earth : no way but that which is scriptural can direct aright unto the speediest attainment of sound and well accomplished learning , although those who are the self-conceited gnosticks of the times are under a great temptation of being some of the subtillest opponents of this christian position . come hither therefore thou inquisitor of truth ! thou mayst find it in the word ; thou needest not turn over the many voluminous books , and historical records of men , to desire what the knowledges and the arts are , or who were the first authors and inventers of them : 't is not all their writings that can make thee wise to salvation , as l the scriptures can . how filled with doubtful uncertainties are the ancient records of humane writers , how many corrupt mixtures are there in them , how stuffed with gross flatteries , or with personal reflections , are modern reports ; how corresponding to private interests , how wrested and wryed to passion and to party ? what a superfoetation is there of new treatises yearly coming forth , either to censure the errours , or to fill up the defect of other authors , or to pretend to some rare discovery , or new invention , or to boast of an exacter method ? though still at best , imperfection is their nature , and there is an yet further , and a more onward . it is no imbasing or distaining unto the holy scriptures , to fetch and to derive all useful learning from these sacred fountains ; rather doth this make much the more for their honour and commendation , that there is such a fulness of arts and perfection of sciences in this one book . the bringing and wresting of scripture to mens arts and rules , to wrie and to force it into a compliance with them , and not examining of all arts and rules by the scripture , to measure and to judge of them by this , has introduced much errour , and shut out much truth , to the sullying of religion , the corrupting of reason , the poysoning of the mind , and the polluting of the life . here in this word studies would be carried on in faith , and in obedience , which would greaten the expectation of assistance , and of acceptance of income , and a blessing , in all indagations after the mind of christ : when scriptural illuminations do shiningly cast their beams on a spiritual discerner , they do secretly , but withal strongly , influence and operate , by a transforming efficacy unto a more glorious resemblance of the heavenly image of an holy christ , and of his holy word : this way the understanding of a believer doth pass into more spiritualizedness , and doth more freely converse with its inner teacher , under these intellectual rays . students in scripturalism would get further into the choicer mysteries of experimental christianity , even whilst they here see liberal arts in their proper axioms made usefully mechanical in their elicited operations : if every one be to be credited in his own art , they must then learn this art in the scriptures , and then also should christ be believed in his word , who is the m only wise one , a teacher by office from the fathers donation , and by the holy spirits unction . this gives a great advantage to plain believers ; for , although they know not well how to evade philosophical juglings , or to confute sophistical fallacies , and cunning cheats , of over-reaching argumentation , and insnaring syllogizing , yet through this help , and its secret suggestings , they have so much perception , as to discern things to be otherwise than colours and shews of carnal reasonings do make them seem to be ; so that , when they have not their answers ready , yet they will not suffer their judgements to be misinformed by such impudent bafflings ; and if these vain affecters of humane wisdom be once taken off from their froward way of wrangling disputations , to reason the case familiarly by questions and answers , such as are proper and pertinent to the matter under debate , and by a collating of the whole scripture , that doth speak of such a particular subject inquired about , that sort of men would bewray themselves to be some of the most ignorant and sottish , especially in the choicest science of experienced religion , and in the best art of practical christianity . this way of arguing is the way of the word , which any diligent reader of it , particularly in that part of it by the four evangelists , may often observe ; hence disputing is set out by a word that doth signifie n , mutual inquiring by way of questioning , in a friendly conference to search out the truth by interrogations and responses , examining of things by a disquiring reasoning about , them in a familiar colloquie , and in an amicable manner , where it is managed according to rule ; hereby the understanding is weakned to attend , and the mind is quickned to consider of the arguments in disputation concerning that which is queried about ; hene also in scripture we sometimes do find an o answer at the beginning of a speech of debate , which is as if somewhat were returned of satisfactory resolution to a secret question , that did tacitely go before . it would contribute much towards the increase of learing , if those practical rules , that are in the word , were well understood , observed , and improved , for the right managing of an holy dispute , and of a spiritual reasoning about weighty controversies in a scripture way , so as might tend to edification ; whereas , in the philosophick modes , argumentative exercitations are usually p perverse brawlings , interfering conflictations , whereby disputants do gaul one another , and wear one another out , corrupting the understandings of one another , and depriving each other of the truth ; the right scriptural q dialectick logical art of debating a question , is , to reason from out of the scriptures , to bring forth the word of the lord , comparing of one word with another , and putting of those words together that do speak of the same thing , and then to discern how the whole scripture doth say one and the same throughout about one and the same matter : this were truly r generous , and would breed up a better and more noble race of arguers . let this be admitted , and then put the most souly acute learned unregenerate philosopher , into the same room together with a serious believing discerning humble saint ; and if the question be , how may a believer have access to the father through christ in one spirit ? or , how may we have fellowship with father , son and holy spirit , in a distinct way , as the father , as the son , and as the holy spirit ? or , how should grace be acted ? or what is the proper grace to be acted in a particular case ? or , how doth one grace operate upon another ? or , how should a duty be well filled up ? or , what is the true way of walking with god ? or , by what means and methods should such or such a corruption be mortified ? or , what is the holy skill of repelling and resisting a temptation , and of overcoming of the world ? or , what is a believers orderly applying of christ to be wisdom , righteousness , sanctification and redemption ? or , what kind of frames should a believer be always in ? or , how should religion run into the whole of our life , in our particular , as well as in our general calling ? with many more such like as might be propounded ; and let some well-grown fathers in knowledge , and in grace , over-hear and moderate between these two ſ , judging not according to the appearance , but judging righteous judgement , giving their opinion and sentence according to the scriptures upon a due searching of them ; oh what empty mistaken insignificant unsavoury talk ! t what prophane and vain babling would they conclude the philosophers discourse to be , and himself to be an ignorant unexperienced trifling pratler , whilst the spiritual holy man has a name of honour proclaimed in their inner court of spiritual judicature , they acknowledge him to be a knowing , a discerning , a skilful u , a god-taught one , and they admire the gift , and the graces of the spirit in him : the believer , so far as his attainment and acquaintances are , has clear , smooth , equal representations of truths , and of things , as they are in themselves , directly reflected from the word upon his inlightned understanding , and faithfully , and sincerely taken in by him , as his filling measures are ; whereas , the philosophizing contradicter has divers superstitious conceits , wrong notions , mis-shapen opinions , erroneous apprehensions , and deceitful impostures , about these matters . in scripture there is a perfect analogie between words and truths , and between truths and things , so that , as the scripture is the written revealer of natural beings and powers , so are natural beings and powers the wrought interpreters of scripture . the end of words is rightly to express the sense of the mind , and meaning of the speaker : matters and business , to which our religion is suited and fitted , do require a significance in sayings . though man lost the tree of life w , by an inordinate lusting after the prohibited fruit of the tree of knowledge , of good and of evil ; yet one good means to be x restored to the tree of life again , is by returning to taste the nourishing fruit of the commanded tree of scripture-knowledge , and to grow thereby . scripture-truths carrying their own evidence along with them , do prove themselves as soon as a spiritual discerner receives them , because word sciences are consonant to primitive light in man , and to concreated nature in particular beings : holy scriptures unto renewed natures do make suitable impressions of saving knowledges ; these discoveries unto serious inquiries , and to considering spirits , will in jebovah's time upon a due pondering , more manifest themselves to be solemn and grand matters , and will yet more approve themselves in the pursuit and issue to be efficacious for operation , and fruitful for use , and will best season the minds of young students , whilst their spirits are tender . * truly-logical-art is , that which is really word-art , not a disputative knowledge , or syllogistical form of mens inventing generous spirits , those that are indeed such , will conform their reason to faith , and their faith to spirit-inspired revelation : this word-declaration , and written-discovery is perfect in its self , and perfective in those who grow in it : here the noble excellencies of rational souls may be advanced to somewhat of their highest dignity in their utmost capacities : here are the full originals , and the over-flowing springs of useful knowledge : here the believing trader with his spiritual talents may increase his stock of sanctified learning , somewhat near in its approaching step to one of the royal priviledges of the heavenly glory , which is unmixed clearness , and perfect coo●mmateness of all profitable sciences . philosophical notions are idle stories and when they pass into vain janglings , they are frothy talk , and un●d●●ying chat , they fill the fancy with dreaming speculations , and make the mind y sick and weak ; whereas , the scriptures do afford such a kind of learning , as is z sound and healthful in its own innate constitution , and in its causal efficiencies : here the intentive reader is still held in a continued dependency on a spiritual teacher of those necessary lessons which are never well learn'd a but in christ's school , and where he may get great skill with little cost in a short while : this would make skilful practitioners in ordinary affairs , and in the common matters and actions of life , which philosophers do miscount to be beneath souly rationalists . students in christianity , when throughly seasoned with the in-working-knowledge of holy precepts , and of practical truths , are more awed into an observance of what is taught in scriptures pew ; they are instructed in duties , and informed in manners , whilst they inquire into arts , and pursue sciences . where the savingness of knowledge is suck'd in betimes , all growing discoveries , if they work kindly , are improved towards the firm securing of a never-ending-felicity : faith , and fear , and love , and other graces , as they widen the understanding , and compose the mind , and fix the heart , still to be taking of more , so they also refine the spirit , and reform the life . the eyes of the wisest men in the world can never see themselves truly represented ; so , as that , the direct beams may have a right incidence , but in the glass of god's word , and he is not as yet in a preparedness to take in other learning , who has not hitherto attained to the true knowledge of himself . a growing artfulness in scripture-science will commend it self where it is in any , though the commender of this unto such court not their applause , but seek their profit : though i be forgotten who write this , yet christ and his word will still have a living name in such for all treasures of learning , there being here full instruction for all necessary employments , and complete subsidaries for all practical conversation . let not the judicious ingenuous reader expect from me a system of sciences , or platform of arts , with their proper rules and methods : to handle these throughly in an exact tractate , is too great and long a task for my little parts and short day ; it were an undertaking worthy of some christian king to imploy the learnedest and holiest of mankind about , that either love or promotion could procure , or kindness , or reward ingage , or helps and materials incourage ; though in some few instances i may a little lead others the way , with a scripture light in my hand . i owed a great duty to the intellectual world of precious souls , and i had no other way to make such a publick payment of it : the good of communion must out balance any private concern of my own : he that would consult his own reputation and quiet amongst men in this age , would have concealed his apprehensions in such a day , when many are so self-seeking , and so angrily confident by strengthned preconceptions , and fortified prejudices , and radicated resolves , against any discoveries that might convince and shake them : what is done is subjected to scripture-examination by spiritual discerners . when received opinions have got the peoples applause , and leaders authority , and men's interest in this world , he had need bring some clearness of demonstration , who would have others to leave their former ways , to which they have been so used , that they may come into a scripture-path . it would be next to incredible in a mans self , to perswade belief in others , who are so far gone in prejudice and prepossession , were there not a prophesie and promise , that in the later days b , they , who err in spirit , shall know understanding , and the murmurers shall learn instruction ; for , the deaf shall hear the words of this book ( of the scriptures of truth ) and the eyes of the blind shall see , passing out of the obscurity and darkness , when they will blush to consider how truth had scarce any door to enter in at , what by innate ignorances , and attracted wilfulnesses , and indulgent weaknesses . i arrogate nothing to my self of being a first inventer of arts , but do refer wholly unto that word , which would illustrate and brighten , adorn and amplifie sciences . the lord may therefore have laid me low , and left me despicable in the eyes of the reputed learned , that christ and his word 〈◊〉 be set the higher . careless neglects have given countenance to such 〈◊〉 errours , as now by long prescription would pass into a common unc●●●ollable law of arts and of sciences , like the idle tales , and fabulous stories , and fictitious narrations , which c old wives filled our heads withal , when we were little chrildren , and a traditionary credulity would still keep alive the memory of them till old age , and so would transmit the frame of them to posterity . had i not jehovah and his word on my side , there were little expectation of any considerable success in ingaging this scholastick war , where so many opposers are all up in arms against me , and are so confident of victory : were it not for this , the controversie would stare me in the face with so many frighting difficulties , that my time about this ( that little of it , which i can be master of , to redeem it from the unavoidable intercurrences of other necessary work ) would scam to be mis-spent , and my industry mis-employed , and the powers and strength of my mind wasted ; i had else soon been dis-spirited , whilst the chief scope of so many men's aims , studies and indeavours , is either to defend or execute other mens mistakes , or to justifie and commend their own : however , if hereby the reputation of the scriptures may revive after my death , and if the just esteem , and the good opinion of god's word may be built up , though on the ruines of my credit for the present ; i bless that jehovah , who has used me to trust him with hereafters , wherein one of the greatest trials of our spirit and frame is : and if this only means of improving so fertil a ground of knowledges be dislik'd , and rejected by this generation , the springing race in after-times will rejoyce when they shall reap and gather in , use and injoy the good fruit of these honest labours . wordly advancement , and a flattered name , is the consulted project , and the fore-casted contrivement of a low debased mind , unbecoming that princely spirit in a believer , which has nobler designs , and higher aims . if this tractate be not exact , yet the subject matter is excelling : the scripture-cause of word-learning is such , that he who objecteth against it , doth quarrel with the author of it , who wil have a time to d make such to know whose word shall stand , whether this of him , or that of them ? when it will be manifest in the hearts of such , that this design is not the product of a discontented mind , or of humoursome censoriosness , or of a grave affection , or of a splenetick windiness . vulgar prizers are no just valuers ; for , scripture-truth , though all be sold for it , is never e bought too dear , and though all the world could be had for it , yet would be sold too cheap ; it is well worth thy dealing for , whatever it cost thee . scripture-learning has an operative influence to correct and rectifie , to change and renew , to reform and refine , hearts and lives , to affect the soul with a due sense of its own noble excellencies , and widened capacities , that it may be holy and happy , wise and prudent for ever , to make the conscience feel the weight of present duty , and of future felicity , with the kindliest tyes and strongest obligations . o how excellent are the virtues , how efficacious the powers , that do flow from hence ! the patrons of this book are christ and his word , truth and good , reason and religion , scripture and nature . spreading untruths have gotten a name of antiquity and reputation , and popular opinion has kept up their credit , and still it doth them reverence : but they are all falling before the scriptures of truth ; for , rather than fail , the christian verities , and the rare knowledges contained in them , shall be yet further confirmed by such miracles , as are beyond the powers of nature , and the arts of man. the seeming impossibility of all profitable learning in one book , will in time be removed out of the way , and off from the thoughts by a sound belief of the infinite wisdom of the author of it . the true uniform voice of holy scripture , and of created nature , is with me and for me , though the common votes of the mistaking world cry me down ; although such ill habits have been acquired through the power and energie , and effascination of philosophy , as no ability or skill of man can remove , yet almightiness and all-wisdom can work students off from it . if i publish my own imperfections , and proclaim my own ignorances , and bewray my own follies ; yet let not the reader forget , that i am a pleader for the most righteous cause in the judgement of the best law , the evidence is clear for it , and the sentence of approbation is already pronounced , that the holy scriptures of truth are the best , the perfect platform of all useful scientificks : christ is the head-captain of created hosts , and he will triumphingly conquer , his truth is strong , and it shall prevailingly overcome . scripture-knowledge , especially in the savingness of its science , and in the sanctifyingness of its art , doth speak enough for it self within the breast of every spiritual discerner , as having an incomparable f excellency in it , above and beyond all other skills and wisdoms in the world : i need not urge many arguments to convince those readers of this great useful truth , who have felt the living power of it upon their renewed hearts , for , when it came there , it brought in its own self evidence , and left a sensible demonstration , and wrote a sealed testimonial under its own hand , there . i have ( though this also much in my aim to praise it more unto such , and to press them to make some higher advance in this best learning , as being a nearer approach unto intuitive perfection in visional glory , and that which raiseth the spiritual reason , and the inlightned faith of the saints here below in this intellectual world , into a resemblance of angelical wisdom , yet , i say i have ) somewhat further in my present design , which is to win upon those who are under impetuous temptations , and violent assaults , to be atheists and infidels , both speculative and practical , by a prevailing insinuating of this astertion , if the lord will say so too , that word-science , and scripture-art , is the science of sciences , and the art of arts , every way most and best corresponding to the capacities , suited to the cases , fitted to the necessities , and promoting the felicities , of rational beings ; so that , this discovery has its great usefulness to all , even the most knowing , and the most holy : as for others , who may be far gon in this spiritual distemper of scorning of , and of scoffing at , the asserted sufficiencie and fulness of the scriptures , that which they so much slight , and so storm against , must be the means of their cure , unless they be such , as will neither hear their disease , nor endure a remedy , but are obstinate to all healing prescriptions . i take the causes of atheism amongst many others to be , as an afraidness of the convincingness , and of the condemningness , of the holy precepts and righteous judgements declared in the scriptures , and an unbelief of its glorious rewards , so also this in particular , ignorance of the excellency of scripture-knowledge : and although those , who do fall below religion , will also sink beneath reason too , yet i am not altogether without hope , but that , when jehovah aelohim shall make his word-light to shine forth more in its beautious glory , it will allure the eyes , and draw the heart , inform the judgements , and incline the wills of men of intellect , to see and to acknowledge , to adore and to admire , that only wise god , who has put so much into so little , and has given us a pocket-book of such absolute fulness . the antichristian party by their paper plots would blow up all belief of the sufficiency and perfection of the scriptures ; as hoping , that if they can once prevail , with a people to be of no religion , they will then be of their religion , and the anti-scripturarians have but too many followers in this day , who if they be so bold as to assert this imperfection of the word , in the necessary matters of salvation , no marvel if they deny its conprehensiveness , as to the other knowable things . arise jehovah , plead thou thine own plea , and magnifie thou above all thy name , thy word ! all the kings of the earth shall confess thee jehovah , when they hear the words of thy mouth ; and they shall sing in the ways of jehovah , for great is the glory of jehovah : in thee aelohim thy saints will praise thy word , and a second , and a third time , they will praise thy word , this they know , that thou and thy word for them . thus have i given thee , reader , some accompt of the design of this treatise , which in short is , to hold forth all sciences and profitable arts in one book of jehovah aelohim , and to demonstrate the scripture-way to be the true , the right , the excelling , the only way of perfecting the knowledge of lawful arts and sciences , and of the restauration , and advancement of real learning , so opposed to vain , false and deceitful philosophy , to such affected humane wisdom as would make prey of precious souls , and as being contrary to scripture-verity , to word-theologie , to revealed christianity , and to created nature , and so not after christ . if thou be one of a plain understanding , and if thy knowledge be only of the english complexion , so that thou canst skill only in thy own mother-tongue , let my beseeching of thee be prevalent with thee , not to be offended at it , that so many words of other tongues are used in this treatise , especially in the former part of it : i am not my self fond of it as to be so greatly pleased with it , but where i am some way even necessitated to it , to express my self in some scholastick terms , phrases and language , chiefly when i open them according to the original significancy of scriptural expressions , for the conviction , and confutation of philosophical errours , and for the confirmation and commendation of scripture-truths . i have put the scriptures referred unto , mostly in the margin , not without some reasons which have been privatly satisfactory to me ; yet withal i desire the serious considerate lookerover of these lines , to examine the words of christ as he goes along , lest otherwise he rashly censure , and over hastily condemn some passages , which he will mistake to be only my own , when it may be upon a more through examination , they will be found to be scripture-sense , and significancy : and so i put thee over unto g the teachings of the holy spirit according to the word . the lord jesus christ hath hiddenly laid up all the treasures of wisdom , and of knowledge in his word , wherein are many choice mysteries above the reach , and besides the rules of philosophy . the lord jesus christ himself is the * wisdom of the only wise god ; for , whereas , in one place christ saith of himself , behold , i send among you prophets ; another scripture speaking of the same thing , doth thus express it , therefore also the wisdom of god saith , i will send among you prophets : he is in the bosome of the father , the very wisdom of the father , the declarer and interpreter of his fathers will ; all things , even those which are most hidden and secret , are absolutely and perfectly known to him : and whatever is necessary and useful for us , to understand , observe and do , he hath revealed in the scriptures of truth , which are a h perfect word , every way consummate and complete , so far as concerns a word , absolute and intire , so that , it cannot in any particular be justly reprehended and blamed , as defective and insufficient , that the man of god may be i perfect , perfectly furnished unto every good work ; it is equal , even in number , to truths and things , so that , nothing is wanting in it , it doth fully consist of all , and every of the members and parts , which are required to make through work of the work of the ministry , it is well filled up in all numbers and modes k ; all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge , being to be sought for here in christ , and from christ in his word : and therefore the administrator under christ about holy things , was to be an universal artist by his office , well skilled in that great variety of profitable knowledge in the several arts and sciences , such a l man of understanding should he be : he was to be an astronomer , how else could he know , which was the head of the moons , the number of the moons , the new moon , the day of the month , upon which divers of the m festivals , under the old testament-dispensation did depend , which he was to proclaim ? by his function he was to be much in the diligent contemplation of the coelestial luminaries , to raise up his meditations to a spiritual admiration of their wise creator : he must be a geometrician , that he might know , how the portions of the promised land were to be distributed amongst the several tribes , what their several n borders were , of what distance the suburbs were to be , how to take right , just , due measures of the brazen sea , both for circumference and diameter , how to take the height , the breadth , and the length of the tabernacle , and of many things belonging to it , as also of the temple , and how to determine many cases about these , and such like matters , as they came before him : he must be an anatomist , that he might according to art o , orderly dissect into their several natural parts the beasts for sacrifice : he must have the art of an p apothecary , that he might compound the spices to make the holy anointing oyl , and the q composition of the perfume : he was to be an able lawyer , that he might give sentence r according to the word , and might not err in judgement : he must have insight in the medicinal art , and be a skilful physician ; for ſ how else could he judge aright of the disease of leprosie , of the cases , symptoms , cure and method of healing : he must be an t herbalist , that he might chuse proper herbs for wholesome bitterness , which were to be eaten with the paschal lamb u ; solomon was a preacher , and a skilful herbalist too : he was to know , and to use the art of w cookery , for there were many of the sacrifices , that required much skill , in roasting , in boiling , in frying , in baking : he must be an historian about the x genealogies of the several tribes , particularly of the priests and levites , and the prophets did write the lives of the several kings , and those remarkable occurrences of their times and day , which the lord would have to be transmitted to posterity by these y historiographers : he must be an arithmetician , because otherwise without exactness herein , he could not make a right computation z about the sale of lands till the year of jubilee , and concerning the redemption of lands , before that year came about , and by what proportions more or less were a just valuation between the buyer and the seller , according as the years were many or few , for accordingly he must either add to the price , or subtract from it , that there might be an equal division and distribution ; thus also , about setting the due value of estimation , of persons according to their age , sexes and abilities , of beasts , of houses , and of fields , whether of his possession , or of his buying ; the art of arithmetick is found in the book of numbers : he was to be as a clerk of the market for weights and measures and dimensions , and this not only a , as to the shew-bread , the meat offerings , and the drink offerings , and such sacrifices in the matters of worship , but also in their common dealings between man and man , in markets and in shops : he was to be skilled in the military-art , for the charge was given to b aaron the high priest , as well as unto moses the superiour magistrate to number , with careful inspection according to the hosts of the several tribes of israel , to muster the army , and c to give orders for their incamping and marching , according to their ranks and bodies , who were to be in the van , and who in the reer , and so for the disposal of the battel , and the manner of fighting , and the giving of the d exhortation to encourage the soldiers : he was to be a spiritual nightingal for modulation , an expert e musician both for voice and for instruments , a singer , a trumpeter , a corneter , an harper , a violist , a lutenist , an organist , a cymbalist , a psalterist : he was to approve himself an artist in architecture , to see workmanships appointed , to be framed exactly , according to the platform'd ideas , and work-patterns of the tabernacle and temple : were there need , more might be added . how learned an artist in conference , and in arguing , should a minister of christ be by scripture-arguments f to stop the mouths of philosophical gainsayers ? sometimes deceptory affectation of humane wisdom doth bewray it self in opponents , by being carried beyond due limits , when it would be judging of such cases , and things according to the ordinary course of nature , and the power of a finite agent , which are to be determined and resolved by such principles of theologie , and of christianity , as are far above and beyond those : as if the question be , whether this world were from eternity , or whether created in time ? empty and fallacious philosophy will affirm , that this world was not created in time , but that it was from eternity , deceiving and being deceived by this colour , and shew of carnal reason , that out of nothing can nothing be made : thus it doth mis-judge , because the contrary affirmation is besides the common agency , and the usual efficacy of natural causes ; but the holy scriptures do otherwise declare , rightly informing us , that all these things were spoken and made into a being , which had no existence before , by the omnipotency of jehovah , the being of beings , that all-glorious self-being , only by his own powerful word , so g as the things we see were not made of things that do appear ; faith acted aright doth take in this discovery b : by the word of jehovah , or in him who is the word - jehovah , the lord jesus christ , the heavens were made , and by the breath of his mouth , or in the spirit of him , who is the fathers mouth to his people , all the host of them ; i he commanded , and they were created , k aelohim saith , there shall be light , and there was , is , and will be light ; l who was it , that did help the spirit of jehovah or ( the spirit jehovah , or as a man of his counsel gave him knowledge ? silly weak creatures cannot work without some stuff and materials , they must have their tools and other instruments to further what they are about to do , and to form ; but the almighty one doth not need any such foregoing matter , or assisting help : it is not impossible , that , that should be , which before was not , though the m believer only can rightly understand this ; here humane reason must stoop , and carnal imagination must submit to word wisdom , and to scripture-learning , which has this mysterious secret treasured up in it ; the meanest proficient in christ's school has more discerning in this , than the learnedest teachers , and wisest professors in such corrupt philosophy . if the question be , whether three persons can be one in essence , who yet are each of them distinct subsistences in themselves ! and , whether one in being , can be three distinct several persons ? humane wisdom , and the vain affecters of it will return this answer , that a person is a living-understanding-nature subsisting by it self , a prime or singular individual subsistence , which is neither said of any subject , neither is in any subject ; and therefore some of these philosophets have affirmed , that there are multitudes of gods. whereas , the scriptures of truth will inform us concerning this great mystery , that there is but one god ; for , there can be but one only being infinite eternal unchangeable , perfection it self , one only to exist of himself and by himself , who gives existence unto all other things ; these undoubted oracles of holy scriptures will tell us , that jehovah , the adored almightiness of his people , in father , son and holy spirit , is n one jehovah : he says of himself , see now that i am be , and there is no god o with me : who , saith the psalmist , is god , besides jehovah , p as long as it can be said as yet , ever as yet , so long jehovah and he alone , and no other but himself is such . we know that there is no other god but q one ; for , albeit , there be that are called gods both in heaven and upon earth , as there be ( in the vain wrong conceits of men , who do seign such idol gods , and as some creatures in some cases have somewhat of this honorary title ascribed to them , so far as by their office and call , they do or shall represent the true god ) there is but one god , the father , of whom are all things , and we for him ; and one lord jesus christ , by whom are all things , and we by him ; but in all , in every one , this knowledge is not ; it is specially revealed in the word , to and in such believers , and it is one of the greatest mysterious truths of the christian doctrine : there is one lord , one faith , r one god and father of all : he that sets up many gods , doth withal set up many faiths ; for every god would be calling for peculiar faith to be given to him , and every one would be severally believing in his several god. in this most simple essence , and single being , there are three truly subsisting , whereof every one is ſ another from the other : there are that do witness in heaven , and they are three t the father , the word , and the holy spirit , and these three are one . if it be queried , whether one and the same person can be two distinct natures of different kinds ? and whether two such natures can be in one person ? empty cheating philosophy will wrongfully state this question , and mis-resolve it thus , that those things which are of disparate kinds , cannot be predicated of one another , nor united in the same suppositum : whereas true , pure religion in the written word doth give us to know , that two distinct natures , as the deity or godhead , and the humanity or mankind , may be both of them united into one christ : in this wonderful one were both these inseparably knit together , and yet they each one remain distinct from the other , having several natures , properties and operations , both making up one lord jesus christ . u this word was made flesh , this god hath been manifested in the flesh ; to the godhead christ w took the seed of abraham ; for , so was he born according to the flesh , as to his humane nature : in him , that is , in this christ , who is opposed to vain affecters of humane wisdom , and humane traditionists , x dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily ; the one dwelleth in the other , which do shew them to be distinguished , yet joyned by a personal union of both natures in one christ ; there is no need of any additaments here to supply any defect or imperfection , to adjoyn them unto christ , and unto his word-doctrine : the perfect deity with all its glorious attributes of wisdom , power and other excellencies inhabits in this teacher , what need therefore is there to seek other documentals or helps ? can philosophy instruct us , as wisdom it self can inform us ? here the plenitude of deity resides as in a fixed and proper seat , not a portion of the godhead , as the gentile idolaters were falsly perswaded of their false gods , nor only some eximious gifts and graces of the spirit , as in angels , prophets , and their holy ones , but the true and perfect god with his infinite unmatchableness : he himself indwells in this humane nature after a peculiar way and manner , and barely by his universal presence and assistencie , as he is in and with all things and places , to conserve and to sustain them ; neither only by a special efficacie of the spirit , as he is in the saints , sanctifying of believers , and enriching them with distinguishing charisms , with gracious endowments ; but by a new mode of existing , though the nature of him , who thus exists , remain the same , it is by subsistential union personally , so as that the inhabiting or assuming god becomes one with the inhabited , or assumed humane nature ; y this christ , as concerning the flesh came from the father , being also over all , god blessed for ever : z gnimmanu-ael , god-with-us ; this branch of david is a jehovah too . if it be ask'd , whether the raising up of the dead body of a man to life , and to the sameness of subsistency again be an incredible thing ? pagan philosophers have determined this contrary to the truth , by asserting , that from a privation to an habit there is no returning , no regress is to be granted in such a case ; whereas , the holy scriptures do better teach us , that , the resurrection of the dead is a facible thing , b a believeable matter , and that it is unreasonable to judge it incredible ; cannot an almighty god do this ? cannot he restore being , who gave being ? cannot that head , christ , who raised himself from the dead , raise up his members also ? ethnick logick is no fit judge of many scriptural predictions , its rules of ratiocination cannot measure these mysteries , such as , god is man , the word was made flesh , god with his blood redeemed the church ; these and such like high truths and things , which are necessary for us to believe for our eternal salvation , were hid from the wise ones of that age ; for those disparates here do come and agree together affirmatively , god eternal , the creator of all things , and he who existed before all time , was born in time : he who is impassible , did suffer : the immortal one did die : a man sits at the right hand of god : god who is all-fulness is emptied : the omnipotent needeth the help of a nursing-mother : the all-knowledge , all-wise one increased in knowlede , and in wisdom : the every-where-present one was included in his mothers womb : he , that filled heaven and earth had not where to lay his head ; he , that is transcending the most general of all kinds , and of genus's , is made a corporal individual , the lowest of all substances : he , who made others rich , was himself poor : the righteous one did justly bear both the fault and punishment of the unjust : here the lord is made a servant , and the servant is a lord : here the mother is the daughter of her own son , and the son is father of his own father : here is the all-sufficient supplyer is himself ready : here , contrary to the ethnick physical science , what was finite is made capable of what is infinite , and what was infinite is circumscribed within narrow limits : here a virgin conceives without man : here the body is born in one place , and is taken to him who is in many places , in all places at once : here the common arithmetick must seek out new rules ; for , two are one , and one is two , in christ ; three are one , and one is three , in father , son , and holy spirit , being the almighty jehovah . what a loss is pagan philosophy at in all these mysteries , and in a multitude of more that might be added ? men do never come on so far , as to the c capital beginning of all true knowledge , of all sound understanding , of all useful wisdom , of all essential science , till they get the knowledge , and the fear of jehovah aelohim , who has revealed himself in his word , and manifested himself in his works agreeably to scripture-discoveries ; this is a d gift from christ : it is word-understanding , that is the true e good understanding , and our tongues should answer to the f scripture-saying ; otherwise , if we resort to merely humane sophies , we shall at the last , by woful experience , find after all our busie inquiries and incessant studies , and attentive heedfulness , that , there are many weighty particulars in the works both of creation , and of providence , g that are beyond the power of mans industry , and above the reach of mans wisdom , h who is as this wise man ? he was one of the wisest men , even solomon , that did ask the question : it is a question expressive of the truth , there is none that compared to him doth weigh equally in the sanctuary-balance with him : wouldest thou know , who is he ? it is he , and no other but he , that knows the interpretation of a word ; who can so give sorth the true sense of the word , in its original significancy , as thereby to set out the right nature of things in their proper beings . there is in the word of christ full comprehensiveness , as of all other useful learning , so particularly , of the knowledge of natural things , of which it doth treat and speak purposely , and professedly . how great a part of the holy scriptures must be transcribed , who would write out all that is in them , which doth treat of this subject matter ! here is the i history of the creation originally and fully discovered , which is not so made known in any , or in all the books of humane authors , who , though speaking to this particular point , yet are no further sound than as they speak and write according unto this , and wherein they ar sound , they have borrowed and fetched from this ; here they lighted their candle , and from hence they have digged their treasure . it is the special design , and the main purpose of some particular passages in the holy scriptures , expresly and plainly to open the true state of natural things , as , the book of job , in a great part of it , many of the psalms , most of ecclesiastes , besides much of this nature , which is frequently scattered through this book of books . how filled is this with aelohim's essential operations in all created beings ? whose demonstrations are either , from the creator , to the knowledge of the creatures , or from the creatures to the knowledge of the creator . solomon was one of the k wisest of men , the lord gave it to him so to be ; and he spake and wrote much about natural things , concerning the works of the several days , particularly scripture-physicks ; he was excelling in the knowledge of grass , of herbs , of trees , of beasts , of fowls , of fishes , of creeping things , of contemplating of the natural body , of the heavens , of the earth , of the seas , and of the abyss ; out of his writings much might be discovered of the nature of these , in his books of the proverbs , of ecclesiastes , and of his song of songs , incomparably beyond what can be found in all the large libraries of ethnick philosophers , or any other naturalists amongst such of the christians , as have received their appr●hensions about these things , out of those pagan rationalists , who yet are great st●●ngers unto that which is the right reason , and the true nature of these ●●ings ; and so will they also be , who follow them without a scripture-guide . he , that will ask , what lawful necessary useful art and science can be named , of which there is not that to be found in the scriptures of truth , which , if thr●●●●ly understood and collected , and then applyed and improved in fitting in to 〈◊〉 very essence , and operations of created beings , would bring a very considerable addition to sound profitable knowledge ? and whoever would undertake to return somewhat to satisfaction , by way of answer in a multitude of particular instances theoretick and practick , such as grammar , logick , rhetorick , mnemonick , physicks , metaphysicks , mathematicks , arithmetick , geometry , cosmography , opticks , musick , astronomy , geography , geodeticks , staticks , nauticks , architecture , schematicks , ethicks , economicks , politicks , history , poesie , ecclesiasticks , scholasticks , chronologie , chirography , law , theology , christianity , medicine in all the botanick , anatomick , pharmaceutick and chirurgick parts of it , together with all the mechanicks , which are more than i can reckon up , may easily and quickly foresee , even by such an enumeration , as this is , that such an universal comprehensive of all liberal sciences , afterwards distinctly parcelled out into the several knowledges professed and practised , would both take up too much of his time , and over-bulk any one treatise , and is much beyond the skill and the strength of any one mere man : one of our own has lately asserted a deficiency in the scriptures , as to these matters , and doth send us elsewhere , for a supplement , mentioning several arts and sciences , as no where to be found in scripture : i shall single out two of them , which are of his own chusing and naming , and then try them according to the word , whether much of their art be not to be found out in the scripture with a little search , which , when compared with , and experimented by , the natural efficiency of their innate and educed existencies and workings , would bring in an augment to their science , thought it be not my intendment , or undertaking to draw up systems and schemes of the several particular knowledges , but to quicken up the studious and ingenious to promote these scientificks more by putting that together , which the scriptures do afford , relating to each of them , and then to work upon their discovery , by practical improvement , and experimental observation : this learned man declared his judgement to be , that the scripture is no perfect rule for a musician , a carpenter , a physician , a mathematician , an astronomer , a geographer , an arithmetician , a grammarian , a logician , a natural philosopher , &c. to do their work , because , saith he , it is not a particular rule for them in arts and sciences , the things whereof are not to be found in the scripture at all : neither doth he assert the scriptures an imperfect rule , only for these and such like as these , but also for divines , and for worshippers ; as if the scripture did not tell the divine sufficiently , and particularly divers things relating to his office , and the discharge of it ; and as if the worshipper were not to expect there particular laws or rules , for all the circumstances of worship : thus , and to this purpose he . if it be not a perfect particular rule for these two last mentioned , the divine , and the worshipper ; for what artists and scientiaries is it a perfect particular rule ? for , these affirmations do charge the scripture with being an imperfect rule ( as to particular laws and rules ) not only as to natural things , but also as to spiritual ; it should be considered by such , who are of this perswasion , whether they do not hereby lift up church-history , and humane authority , in the matters of faith , to the debasing and denying of scriputre-perfection , and also corrupt modes and forms of worship , such as are of humane invention , institution and imposition , exclusive of other ways of worship , where these are not asserted and consented to , both which the whole scripture doth condemn ? at this present , it being suited to the subject i have in hand , about the advancement of useful arts and sciences , by making a more through disquisition after them in the word of truth , i shall cull out two of these artists , who my self am of neither of their arts , nor do i pretend to have scientificies in them ; which may so far prove and praise this design the more , that one , whose calling and function , whose office and profession is not to be either musician or carpenter , yet in the supply of the holy spirit , by a little short study of the scriptures , in the midst of a multitude of other employments , can discover so much in christ's word about musick and carpentry : wherem i am to shew , that these are found in the scripture , both as to name and thing ; and that there is a rule in the scripture for these things ; and that god hath made the scripture to be a rule for them ; and that , in the scripture there are not only general rules , but also particular rules of those arts and sciences ; which done , i shall propound some inquiries about geography and grammar . some of the other arts that are mentioned , i may have occasion to treat somewhat of upon the particular works of the particular days , of the first week of the created world. as for musick , the skilful therein will bear with me , if i do not in some of my expressions so fully harmonize with their terms of art , as they have learned and received them ; i expect they should approve and forward the design , which would raise their ear-taking , and their heart-affecting-knowledge in this to more sweetness and savouriness , more exactness and spiritualness , more naturalness and scripturalness , as relating to instituted psalms and hymns , and spiritual songs , which are heavenly parts of spiritual worship , more especially with respect to the voice : not at all to countenance the common abuse of this art , when it is suited to carnal , lustful hearts , in amorous wanton ditties , or to other profane corrupt ends whatsoever , which has been in woful , sinful experience , a ruining inchantment to many a precious soul , and a prodigal wasting of that time , which should be redeemed : but , somewhat to revive the scripture-way of hymnifying , now in these times , of the approach of the later-day glory , and to raise spiritual singing to its due purity , whereby that ordinance may be restored and made edifying , which has been for several years , either too coldly , and formally , and carnally performed , or else too much omitted and neglected , what through mistakes in some mens judgements , and through fears in other mens hearts , who have laid aside this duty , in times of persecution , lest their own vocal psalming should bewray their assembling to the listning-enemy . let my design and aim in what i express about this be well remembred , that none may prevert to any ill use , what i am about to write ( for , it is too commonly a corrupt practice by two sorts of extremists , where cautionary bounds are set to any science or art , that , both of them do causelesly take offence , and do occasion their own sin and trouble ; one by a superstitious conceit , thinks the cautionary bounds too large , and so will not go so far as to come unto what is lawful , and a duty ; the other by a profane licenciousness condemns them as too narrow , and so steps too far by passing over into what is unlawful , and a sin ; the one will not allow the grant of the commissioned science , the other will not observe the terms of it : however , i have given due warning , at the readers peril be it , if he transgress ) though i shall withal from out of the scriptures open much of other parts of musick , besides that of the voice under the old testament-dispensations . if the sound of my words do not bring so sweet a modulamen to some critical ears , yet the generous-spirited will soon joyn in with me , in this melodious part , that i am a friend to , an admirer of , i mean the sacred bibliotheke , the scripture-library ; and it has been admitted , as one rule in musical airs , that then is the air the more to be commended , when there is a pleasant passing by a sudden fall , from a discord upon a concord : i have the well-consonanted voice , both of scripture and nature which do cry this up , though the harsh-throated opposers would noise it down . when the judicious reader has put all this together ( to which his own industry and observation might add more collections from the scriptures ) and has consideringly well digested this matter , let him then ponderingly bethink himself , whether a musician , if he will speak according to the truth , can justly say , that the holy scriptures do afford him no particular rules and directions in the musical art ? or , whether the things of this art be not to be found in the scripture at all ? there is a scripture-harmony , wherein the rules of philosophick musicians do fail ; for , in this word , here maxims are made minims , and minims are made maxims ; here the short is long , and the long is made short : here a song is heard , the text whereof is given , but no musical art can fully express its melody , neither can it be represented by musical notes : r so it was , when the saviour of his people from their sins was born of a virgin , and a multitude of the heavenly host , with the angel of the lord did sweetly sing the hymn in harmonious concord , when professing believing christians will be better at leasure to study the scripture more throughly , and when they shall more experience their hearts to be kindly affected therewith , they will find more reason to admire its fulness , and to plead its cause . i have held the eye and the ear of the reader long enough to the musical art of scripture-melody : i am now to pass , if he will go along with me from the musical , metrical measure of words , into the geometrical measure of timber in the fabril-art ; for , the carpenter-rules are also to be found in the word of truth : the holy scriptures do not pass by in silence these manual artificers , but do take cognizance of them ; neither do they make mention of them only in some general terms and expressions , but they also do give many particular directions about their art. to let go some other things relating unto this , such as ſ the metaphorical expressions about it , which yet do open somewhat of the skill of it , the scriptures have several names , by which they are described in the word : sometimes they are simply called t carpenters ; elsewhere they are described to be artificers in wood , to be workers in wood , or about wood or timber : the idolaters did sinfully abuse and pervert this art unto an ill use , and a bad end , who were curious in their sinful way to frame their abominable vanities and lies . nebuchadnezzer carried the carpenters out of the land of judah into babylon to use them there . the lord himself gave skilfulness in this fabril-art unto betzaleel and aholiab about fitting the tabernacle and the ark , which was a great honour put upon these artificers . hiram , king of tyre , sent such to david to build him an house : solomon , a wise king , used their skill , and a remark is sometimes set upon such , as excelled herein : when the first temple was instaured under joas , as also under jasiah , these princes saw the usefulness of such workmen ; who also were imployed by the religious governours , when the temple was set up . joseph , the putative father of christ , was of the trade , and the nazaren's gave this name of carpenter to the lord jesus christ himself , who is supposed to have handled somewhat of the fabril-art in joseph's family , before he exercised his publick ministerial office. as for the u architectonical part of the fabril science , which is the particular instance given by that learned opponent , who has argued , that there are no particular rules given to carpenters in the scriptures , for the exstructing of an house ; let any diligent inquirer into the word about this , but put together the exact measures of the ark in noah's time , of the tabernacle and ark in moses's days , of the first temple in solomon's reign , of the second temple under nehemiah's government , of the prophetical w temple in ezekiels visions , of the new four-squared city in the revelation ( not now to mention many other stately edifices recorded in the scriptures ) and then say , whether there be so little or nothing of particular rules in the word , as a directory for uniform building ? especially , if to all this there were added besides , for the perfecting of this art , all the original words and phrases , relating to this manual science in their proper , apt , full significancy . this discovery alone about those structures , and these words and phrases , though no more were added , if pursued by men of judgement and of skill , of faithfulness and of industry ; would quickly bring in matter enough for a large treatise on this subject , which i have neither call nor leisure to do . here in this book of god you may meet with the carpenters measuring-instruments , and with their working-tools , and x with the fittedness , and usefulness of them : here we read of their measures and dimensions , such as latitude , longitude , profundity , and sublimity ; wherein the scriptures go beyond pagan physicks , and mathematicks , these constituting only three dimensions , length , breadth and height ( such strangers were they to the deep mysteries , both of grace and of nature ) whereas , those do give us an accompt of four , and they have much to say concerning each of them distinctly , severally and apart , as also conjoynedly when put together in a well-proportioned timber-building , which is another hint of large spreadingness in this art , for those to consider who will imploy their thoughts in this study . y the carpenters rule and line , is here taken particular notice of ; by this he is to measure , and to try his work , whether it be right and exact , or not ? whether all the parts do coh●re and answer in a just proportion , and in a due symmetry ? the creating aelohim himself is said , when he created this earth , to extend a rule upon it ; he squared it in its z four corners according to the truest art ; whereby he doth direct such workmen in their timber-structures ; and the word of christ has dignified this instrument by applying of it to it self in being the canon , the rule of faith , of worship , and of life , of the whole of our religion ; the canonical scripture is that , by which all doctrines must be examined , whether they be right , and do answer according to this or not ; the supreme judge has established and promulgated his word , as the law of judging , that it might be the perfect and adequate measure of what is a right , to distinguish it from what is crooked ; the unerring norm of all spiritual judging is this god-inspired doctrine , which the head-governour of his church hath proclaimed unto men , whence they may understand what that sentence is , which he doth pass upon cases , and may conform to it all their judgements and actions in all matters to be believed and practised : wood-carpenters do thus extend their rule straightly to examine rectitudes , to prove what is straight , and what is inflex : and therefore when the lord intended the restauration and restitution of the church , and commonwealth of his people , of the reparation of the city , and of the re-edification of the temple , he sets it out in a vision to his prophet b zechariah : a master-builder passeth along , ready furnished with fit implements , laying out , and measuring the plot of the city , whether there were length and wideness , and room enough to be fully capacious for the receiving and containing of so many inhabitants , as were to repeople it , drawing the ichnographick , delineating and describing the building in the whole platform thereof , that it might be exactly carrid on according to the rules of his art , by the instruments of architecture ; some of those instruments were mensory , used for measuring of the several edifices ; such was the c line , which takes the latitude of a thing , or its compass about according to the figure of it , and is sometimes coloured with red lead , or with chalk or oker , or such like , for the drawing of a right line , whose duct the carpenter doth follow in exequating and complaining of his timber or boards ; hence are those d phrases in the scripture , to mete out the parts with the line in the hand , to extend , or to stretch out the line : thus doth the wright , the workman of trees or wood , upon a piece of timber , where and how far to cut it off , or otherways to work it ; thus also , for the line to go forth , or to be extended , or to be put unto somewhat : this mensory-line the prophet saw in the hand of christ himself , and of his under officers , as that architectonick instrument , by which the parts of the temple-structure were equated . the carpenters e perpendicular is here spoken off , as taken in hand , and used by him for the measuring of altitudes , and of uprightness , and of levels , when he , who is well instructed in building , will put forth his skill , there being great need of using the plummet , or plumb line in this science , when reduced to practice , the weight whereof was either of stone , or of tin , or of lead , by which a carpenter doth prove , and try the rectitude of his structure ; as the timber-work goes forward , or is towards finishing , the architect busily imploys himself with his plummet , plumb-line , or level , to see if every part and the whole do lie square , level , and perpendicular : masons also did the like : f a mensory reed or rod has heretofore been used to the like purpose ; the lord jesus christ himself , thus appears in prophetical scripture , as one who measureth his new house in the later days , with his golden reed : here you may find his g planes great and less , the greater to fetch off the rougher , and the more rugged part of the timber , the lesser and finer to smooth it afterwards , and to polish it with the more exactness ; the word coming from a root , which doth signifie to scrape or to pare away : the skilful also may here find the use of engraving tools , of carving instruments ; the fittedness of hatchets , and of h axes , great and small , for their peculiar purposes , and proper uses ; the carpenter is here directed , of what matter to have these made , of iron , and of what sort of iron , the northern iron or steel , or a mixture of both , this northern sort being the firmest , and strongest , and hardiest , not so easily broken , and they are the best and fittest for use , those regions affording the best sort of that metal , and the artificers about this , being in those parts skilful in iron-works , and in tempering of them ; the use of these is to cut withal , and the manner must be by laying them on with strength , that the timber thereby may be fitted for building , ●hen it is hewed , and fashioned by these instruments : spiritual discerners should in this great providential day see the i ax of christ judiciary proceedings laid at the root of the trees , not only to lop off particular unfruitful branches , but also to cut down whole imbodied societies , if they bring not forth fruit meet for repentance , answerable to amendment of life . the scriptures do take notice of a k two-edged ax , a twy-bill , which is a description drawn from the form of that instrument : it speaks of a carpenters l hammer , which has its sigular usefulness in its kind , to break , to drive in , to fasten , and the like ; some of the potent cruel enemies of the church and people of god are metaphorically set out by such hammers , as would oppress and break them : m it makes mention of the nails , and of the pins , that the hammer doth drive ; it tells you of what matter these are made , some of iron , or brass , others of wood ; it doth declare their use , which is both to fasten things in their place , and to hang vessels and other instruments and things upon : the words of the wise are aptly compared unto these , when well set on by the teachers in assemblies , who are to endeavour to fix their good counsels in the memory of the hearers , and to hold the people close to their office and duty ; a wise , faithful magistrate fitted for the due administration of justice in a kingdom or commonwealth , is compared unto such a well-fixed nail , in its right place , confirmed in his seat of dignity , the peace and other happiness of a nation much depending upon his good government , and the subjects being held and born up in their duty by his authority : the reader may here observe , how the lord doth in his word spiritualize these earthly things and imployments , whereby he would teach them to be holy and heavenly in their particular functions , that they may abide in their callings with god , and may know in experience how to have the christian religion to run into the whole of their day and work , and may see it evidently reconcileable , and reducible to practice for a man to be diligent , industrious and laborious with his hand , whilst all the while he is believing , serious and pondering in his heart , having sweet meditations , and being glad in jehovah , turning his ordinary work into special worship , and having fellowship with the father , and with his son jesus , in the supplies of the holy spirit , even whilst he is conversant about the things of this world in his lawful employment : o for more of such handy-crafts-men ! whatever they do , it shall prosper . as for timber-pins , it instructs the carpenter to make them of strong firm word , not of that which is weak and yielding , as the wood of a vine is ; a discreet carpenter will not take of the wood thereof to make a piece of work with it , he will not take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon , a wooden-nail , or peg of it is not fitted for the use of hanging up houshold-stuff , or working-tools , or any heavy matter upon it ; by which comparison and similitude the lord gives hypocritical israel and judah to know , that of all the people in the world , carnal , earthly , hollow-hearted , professors of religion , are some of the most unprofitable and useless . the carpenter may learn from this word , what kind of timber to chuse and to use , even that , n which is of trees that will not rot , cedars , oaks , ashes , elms , firt-trees , are especially commended amongst others , wise workmen will discern between what is sound , and what is rotten . i expect that skilful carpenters will be in this on my side ; for o the scriptures do much commend those who were very skilful in this mechanick art : such were the sydonians , the tyrians , and some others , who had practical excellency of curious knowledge in this artificious affabrous science . aelohim himself doth set himself out p as an architect : thus is christ the builder of his church , and paul was under christ a wise architect . the q saw is here spoken of , the use of which instrument with capenters is to cut timber and boards asunder : to make men thus to pass under the saw , and to cut them asunder , is one of the most grievous kinds of tormenting punishments , which some inraged conquerors have exercised their subdued captives with : it is an instrument meerly passive , which doth act no further than it is acted , having all its force , and receiving all its efficacy from that agent , or from these agents , that do move it to and fro , up and down , backward and forward , in cutting ; and therefore the saw cannot magnifie it self against the agitator , the mover of it ; it was then a wicked thing in that proud king of assyria to exalt himself , when the lord used him as a saw in his hand for the humbling and subduing , the correcting and chastising , of a sinful hypocritical people ; he ascribed his great victories which he obtained , not unto jehovah as the author of them , but unto himself , to his own wisdom and valour ; he carried on an ambitious plot of his own to inlarge his territories , and to spread his own dominions , but , thought not upon , intended not , that which was the lord's wise , just design , and holy good end : thus you see , how god in his word doth furnish even sawers with profitable matter of holy meditation . how large is the scripture about the right structure of an house , in the whole , and in the several parts of it ! r when , and how to build is taught of aelohim : wise men do not use to build , ſ what before they had destroyed ; t he that would build an house , should compt the cost , the charge , lest he leave imperfect that work which he began , and so expose himself to the mocks of all : carpenters are such artificers , u to whom the scriptures give the appellation of edificators , or builders , or makers of houses , because one of the choice parts of building usually is the timber-work ; which must be laid level upon some solid w basis , that it may stand upright and firm , and moved as upon a sustaining fulture , and an upholding stabiliment ; timber-pillars must be well founded or grounded , set with art on their sockets , that they may be staid up and fastned ; pillars in hebrew have their name from standing firm , immoved , upright , standing under , and sustaining of the house ; the sockets were as feet or grounds to sustain what timber , or boards , or planks were laid upon them , or were put into them , having hollow mortaises for the tenons of the boards to be fastned in , that there might be an equal perfect joyning , a work to be performed with skill and care ; here the x carver of wood is directed to go to jehovah to be fitted with the spirit of aelohim , in wisdom , and in understanding , and in knowledge , and in all workmanship , to devise cunning works , to work in all this kind of timber-workmanship with studious and artificial ingraving , or cutting , or ploughing in wood ; the most ingenious handy-crafts-man in this mechanick art may here try his skill : here the carpenter is wised about y beams and rafters , what timber to make them of , how to lay them , how to fasten them in the walls ; they have one of their names in hebrew from running to meet , because in the manner of their fitting and laying on in an extructed edifice , they should be so exactly fitted , as that , they , and what they are put upon and into , may , as it were , run to meet , and to receive one another by mutual coaptation and contignation ; there is one part of them , which is ligament or band to receive the junctures of the building ; and another of their names they have from their density or thickness : z the commissures , or coupling , or couples , are here spoken of , as the junctures , or consociations in an house , those timber-pieces that do make a conjunction in the edifice : the pavement or a floor of boards is here mentioned , which is the lower expanse or firmament of an house : here you have the timber-side-pieces , which are as the ribs of an house ; you have the cieling , b the roof or the covering ; this is the upper higher part of an edifice : * the doors , ports , gates of an house are often treated of in scripture , and are applyed to many other things , affording matter of profitable meditation : d the thresholds are here spoken of , so are the posts ; what shall i more say concerning the carpentes e compass , and the use of it ; concerning his f platforms , with more that might be added upon this subject-matter , if it were worth mine and the readers while to heap up together all the proper materials relating unto this manual art ? which those , who would be curious therein , and are more at leisure to search deeper and further into this inquiry in a scripture-way , may with study and diligence more furnish themselves withal , in order to the artificial symmetrical joyning of timber-pieces together into an exact frame : so that , a raised heavenly mind would admire to see so much of this fabril-art , so scattered up and down in the word ; for , it doth much commend the excellingness of scripture-knowledge , that in so great a part of it , it doth teach divers things , and several truths at once . o that i could prevail so far with the generous minds , and with the ingenuous spirits of this age , as that , they would first of all ( after the prayer of faith , put up unto the lord for being taught of him ) study the scriptures upon the particular subject-matters , which their inquiries are exercised about in any lawful arts and sciences , and let scripture-knowledge lead them as far as it will go : if it were so , that all were not there , yet do not reject what is there , and then improve it by drawing forth from thence what jehovah hath put of it into nature , seeing we are upon the advancement of useful learning , and somewhat is now to be written about the augment and restauration of the geographick chorographick and topographick science and art , i haue these few queries to propound to the studious in this kind of learning . queries . whether it would not much promote scripture-knowledge , which is the best knowledge , to have such maps drawn of the earth , of countries , of places , of distances , and such like , as do exactly agree with the scriptures , with those particular scriptures that do relate thereunto ? and to have those maps more common amongst the people to give them further insight , and truer information in such passages of the world ? somewhat of this has been done already , but we incourage perfecting work . q. whether all the books of ethnick , philosophick , geography , should not be corrected and reformed by scripture-geography in its description of the earth , of countries , of cities , and of other places , which doth give us , as the most ancient , so also g the only infallible and perfect narration , how the several parts of the earth were inhabited , and properly by the sons of noah and their posterity ? q. whether the true origination of the right names of the several inhabited nations were not derived from the proper names of those of noah's posterity , who were the first possessors and founders of cities in those places , and gave names to those countries ? and whether the hebrew signification of those proper names , both of persons and of places , would not bring more light to the true description of those countries , and of their situation , than as yet any humane geographies have discerned by ? q. whether the original names , by which the several parts and countries of the inhabited earth are called in the scriptures , should not be revived , and restored , and used in the several mother-tongues ? and this , not only in the translation of the holy scriptures into other languages , but also in all other treatises , that shall speak of those countries . q. whether , seeing noah's ark did rest upon the mountains of ararat , in the eastern part of the dry land , where he and his family did settle themselves for a while , and from whence afterwards they and their generations did spread themselves ? whether shem , who removed h eastward , being said to go east east , did not possess and people america , where divers names of places are still retained much according to the scripture-hebrew ? and , if so , whether then , the late globes and maps be drawn according to the original truth , which do place america in such a quarter and coast of the earth , that yet received her first inhabitants from the east-borders of asia ( as they now call it ) and which do leave such a vast ocean of so many leagues between sinear and anjan , between the north-east parts of asia , and the north-west side of america , as they commonly describe them ? and , whether these be not continent , at most but dis-joyned by some great river or narrow channel of the ocean ? as for grammar-learning , relating to the original language in the scriptures , i have at present these considerations to propound unto the ingenious , and ingenuous , the studious , and the learned linguists by way of further inquiry . queries . whether the design of this treatise being the perfecting of the knowledge of all useful arts and sciences , and the restauration , and advancement of learning in a scripture-way , as the true , the right , the excelling , the only way thereof , whether , therefore it were not a necessary and profitable work , to compose a grammar of the original language or languages , wholly according to scripture , and the rules found there , and no longer to make scripture speak according to philosophick grammars , and their rules invented by men , which rules are often contradicted by particular scripture-instances , seeing that these arts and sciences are to be fetched out of the original language , and not from humane authorities , that so , in these later days , we may have a proper remedy against the confusion of tongues ? q. whether in such a scripture-grammar , great wisdom and diligence should not be used , that the orthoepick , and orthographick part of it be so accommodated to the original languages , as that , the scripture-tongues may be more purely spoken , more correctedly written , more speedily learned , more exactly measured , more sweetly sounded , more rightly accented , and more profitably improved ? q. whether the etymological part of such a grammar should not be so fitted to the real origination , and the natural significancy of scripture-words , as that , there may be a well-agreeing analogy of all those words , from the root to the branches throughout , in one and the same common notion of meaning , and with each other all the scriptures through , and with the persons or things which they do represent , that words may be but the notes of true essences , and the interpretations of created natures ? and , that a complete lexicon be framed to this purpose , setting out the significant meaning , and the proper intendment of the original words themselves , to be derived and deduced from created existences , having an innate reason thereof in them ? and , whether all other languages are not hebrew dialects , having cognation with this original tongue ? q. whether the syntactical constructive part in the regimen of original words , when put together in sentences , should not be kept close unto in the very same order of the words and phrases in all translations into mother-tongues , without any the least trajection , or transposition of words , or of points , variation , addition , or supplement , or substraction , leaving the propriety of their meaning and government to the interpreter and expounder of them , the commentator and dilater upon them , the paraphraser and applyer of them , as the holy spirit from the father , in the name of the son shall give him skill and utterance , by a due regard had to the context , and by a faithful collating of other suitable scriptures in an harmonious concent ? q. whether there be any thing in the original text , either from the difference of the stile , or from the significancy of the accents , or from any other grammacal consideration , which doth , either naturally in its self , or by institution of the holy inspirator , give us a more just accompt , and genuine distinction of the several parts of scripture , than that , which at this day is in common use amongst us , by the titles and order of the books , by chapters , and by verses , and what it is ? q. whether all humanely invented enallages , all changes whatsoever of one part of speech into another , of persons , of genders , of numbers , of cases of letters , of words , of names , of vowels , of accents , of syntax , of moods , or of what else that doth belong unto the original languages , as also wrong-fancied-anomalies , should not be altogether laid aside in such a grammar , especially when passing into a translation ? q. whether all humanely pretended paragoges , redundancies , expletives , pleonasms , insignificancies , deficiencies , of any letters , syllables or words , should not be quite rejected by discerning grammarians in such a grammar , as obscurings and wrongings of the original languages ? q. what is the true orginal emphaticalness of the original punctations and accentations ? and how do these or any other part of the original languages direct in the right sound , the just pronunciation of words , and in the orderly distinction of a sentence , into its certain members and clauses by its due pointings ? where the lord has furnished any others in their greater store , with more discoveries of this useful nature , could i live to see this way of scripture-knowledges more countenanced and promoted by them , it would give joy in my heart : however it be , whatever the issue and the success of these intimations be , i exalt his name , who is the all glorious jehovah , i the ael of sciences , that he hath in this so graciously helped me so far to serve my generation according to his will before i fell on sleep . if the reader be under such apprehensions , that this book of mine might well have been spared , because it is my principle to bring all unto christ's one book of scripture ; i expect so much ingenuity from him , as to acknowledge , that there must be some way and medium found out , and held forth for the communicating and commending of the excellency of christ's book , which is a book one and all , were it throughly understood , rightly applyed , and well improved ; and i knew no other means of like spreadingness with this , that is before thee , which i was in any present capacity of making known unto the world , k wise solomon condemns the folly , and the fruitlessness , the vanity , and the vexation of ethnick books , and of philosophick studies , where supernatural directions were not to be had , though men professing the true religion , did much betake themselves thereunto , and did in many particular subjects write out of , and according unto them : what a multitude of books are there that humane authors do make ? though their writings do not give that full satisfaction which the most do wrong look for there : how often do new treatises flutter abroad ? the last usually undertaking , either to confute other mens arguings , or to correct their mistakes , or to reprove their miscarriages , or to instruct them , or to add to them , or further to confirm them , or with some such like design ; and then quickly after out comes another passing his judgement upon that , which went but a little before : and what do men by this but publish the imperfection of all their own writings : and the same sentence will be passed upon this book of mine , though my treatise has this advantage beyond others , that its design and drift is , to plead for , and to praise , that eminent book of god , which is the only perfect book . if the more spiritually discerning among the perusers of this treatise do discover corrupt mixtures , humane frailties , ignorant mistakes , and unadvised errors therein , they are to remember , and to consider , that the author is also a man , of like affections and weaknesses as they , there is no difference , but what rich grace , and free love doth make ; which therefore doth call for their compassionating pities , earnest prayers , and friendly helpings , laying aside all proud insultings , revengful tramplings , and personal reflectings . courteous reader , let the scriptures be more studied , where is a complete declaration of the mind and will of the all wise aelohim , and which can fully satisfie thee in thy weighty inquiries : it is an endless labour , and a wearisome task , both to make and to read other books : the end of the whole word of god , and of all hearing of it , is , that we might fear aelohim , and keep all his commandments ; for this is all adam ; about this book should we lay out the strength of our thoughts , the redeemings of our time , and the bent of our studies ; these holy scriptures are not so large a volumn , but that it may be read over in some few weeks or months , and the oftner it is read over by a spiritual discerner , diligent observer , wise improver , and believing practiser , still the more doth it open of its treasure of knowledge ; here is a library made up of one book , so intire in it self as that it is able to make thee wise unto salvation : o bestow thy pains principally here ! here chiefly imploy thy studies ! be not weary in turning these frequently over ! saving knowledge and true happiness , is no were else fully revealed : to move thee hereunto , remember and consider , that thy actions , all of them , open and secret , good or ill , must stand or fall according to this book , as they are conformable to it or not , and all this as our eternal state , either of bliss , or of misery , thine who readest this , and mine who write this . there is much of spiritual use to be made by believers of the improved knowledge of natural things , for the discerning and injoying of fellowship with the creator and redeemer . it is neither beneath the grave majesty , and royal anthority of the word of the lord , nor besiders its real intent , and designed purport , to converse with believers about created beings , those great works which do so much speak the glorious excellencies of their admired maker . the orderly recording of the works of creation , in the beginning of the book of god , severally and distinctly on each of the foregoing six days of the first week of the created world , and of the sabbath-rest upon the seventh , the last day of the week , unalterably confirmed by an unchangeable law , this doth put holy meditation upon the working , and the resting of the creator and redeemer into a methodical , profitable spiritual way ; it would furnish an experienced saint with proper matter every day for the feeding of his thoughts , to the nourishing of his soul , the satisfaction of his spirit , the strengthing of his heart , and the inlightning of his mind . that humane invention of transferring the weekly sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week , has wholly inverted this established order . the psalmists frame was then usually most raised , and most refined , most humble , and most heavenly , most serious , and most savoury , l when he saw and imployed much of christ in the creatures , which kept him up in the better and more continued preparedness to meet the lord in his sanctuary-goings in other solemn instituted ordinances ; he will make but little of the word of god , who makes nothing of the works of god : one great end of the creators giving a being to creatures , was to supply a man with continued matter of admiring , and of adoring the wonderful former of all this . o how much , and with what kindliness , think ye , was m adam's heart affected with the sight and contemplation of this goodly beautious structure , whilst he stood in uprightness ! with how great delight was his tongue , his glory in trumpeting of that perfection , that shined forth in all , and in every of the works of the creator ! much of adam's wisdom appeared in his giving of apt and fit names to all the beasts of the field , and to all the fowls of the air , according as the natures , and the powers of their created condition were . in authority , many who have gotten a name , as if they had been the first inventers of some profitable knowledges , yet themselves went to school to some lower creatures , to learn skill of them ; which was one of the first abused occasions of the heathens making and setting up of the forms of some bruits , of beasts , of fowls , of fishes , of serpents , of herbs , as their idols , which they worshipped . the great admirers , illustrators and promoters of humane learning have acknowledged the originals of the discoveries of many witty inventions to proceed first from the observations , which learned men have made from those experiments , that meaner beings than themselves have providentially set before them : ( thus do they speak , as to men ; for the true reasons , and the proper causes , and the real originals , of the virtues and powers of created existences , have their first foundation and discovery in the word , and in nature ) these philosophick men give us some particular instances of rational knowledges directed to by natural perception , and instinct in irrational beings , owning these for being some of the prime masters of arts , and doctors of sciences . who instructed the surgeon how to cure wounds , but the wild goat by applying some sanative grasses , and herbs , and flowers , which led him to the use of some things in chirurgery ? hence also have some been taught the cure of impostumes , such as are between the skin and the flesh ; for , when there is a putrified matter which impostumiseth , before it ripen of it self , and come to break , the wild goat oppressed with the noxious pungency of the itching humour , rubs himself against stones and shrubs , until his imposthume break , and the whole filth from the bag do pour out it self , and so the beast easeth himself : whence learn'd the chyrurgeon , the profirable use of the herb dittany , for the extracting of arrows or splinters , or whatsoever it is that gives a wound , and leaveth some poyson behind , if the hurt be not mortal ; but when harts , who , when they were struck with a dart , or were otherways shot with an invenomed arrow , presently resorted to this herb , which has a specifick virtue latent in it , whereby this plant , when eaten by them , both ejects the weapon , and expels the poyson ? the cure of wounds with dragon , briony , and comfrey , some have learn'd from the serpent ; as also the curing of eyes , when evil affected , with fennel ; cats have found valerian to comfort the sight ; and swallows use celendine , as an herb friendly to the sight , with which they heal the eyes of the young . phlebotomy , the cutting of a vein to let out blood , and the stopping of it again , some were informed in by the sea-horse , which is skilful at scarification , and at cutting of a vein ; for , when he feels himself under a great and dangerous distemper , by overmuch eating , he rubs himself against reeds , or somewhat else that is hard , until a vein breaking , he let out a sufficient quantity of his blood , and then he hastneth to stop the aperture , and to heal and close it up by applying of mud and of dirt to the orifice of the wound . the art of building was somewhat taught by the industry and skill of swallows , and of bees : some physicians were instructed in forming of pills from scarabes , that do gather things round on an heap , and then make balls : the art of spinning some have learned from silk-worms , of weaving from spiders , of vomiting from dogs , of clysters from the bird ibis , purging himself by putting up part of his crooked bill into that part , by which the excrement is discharged ; also the hern , who with his bill doth infuse sea-water instead of a clyster , thus practising of it upon himself by his own beak . whence came the knowledge of powder-artillery for the warriour , but by a potlids occasional flying open ? from these and such like have philosophick professors fetched their principles of knowledge ; which doth shew , that the god of nature hath put much into the nature of created beings , which if improved by scripturalized reason in a word-way , would raise arts to a wonderful height . the lord himself in his word doth send his own people to be better informed in their duties and priviledges by other creatures ; so blockish and stupid is fallen man , who , since he acted below religion , is fallen beneath reason : he preached unto them the doctrine of observing seasons of grace , and of improving of opportunities of salvation , from the wisdom of n the stork , and the turtle , the crane , and the swallow , who do exactly keep to the due , fit times of their going and coming : they might learn from the ox , and from the ass , which are some of the dullest and stupidest of bruit creatures , to make other manner of acknowledgements of the lord's kindness to care for them , would they more seriously ponder , and duly consider of this . has man some o discerning in these lower things , and should he not use his religion and reason about higher matters , who has by his noble make p a wisdom beyond so many other creatures , by his concreated endowments ? doth not christ himself check and convince , rebuke and confute , the unbelief and distrust of such , who are over carking , and too sollicitous about food and rayment , by putting them upon considering of his providential care q for fowls and for lillies ? the lord jesus doth delight himself in teaching of his people the r useful knowledge of the works of creation in his written word ; for every creature should lead us to him , and leave us with him ; and by his holy spirit in the scripture , he doth often set out spiritual truths , and things ſ by created beings , and natural powers , teaching by t similitudes , and parables , by which under some apt resemblances by things incurring into the outward senses , and such as were familiarly and well known amongst men , somewhat of an higher nature and meaning was propounded , figured and represented ; christ's teaching was much after this manner u of parables : thus were the hidden mysteries of christ's spiritual kingdom made the more easily intelligible to plain understandings , and the greatest truths became familiar to mean capacities of profiting disciples , who were taught two lessons at once . o how much do the wisdom and the goodness , and other glorious excellencies of jehovah aelohim shine forth in his works ● he garnished the heavens , and replenished the earth , and stored the seas with all manner of variety and good things , fit for the use of man , and then he created man , bringing him into a well-furnished habitation , where man found all ready prepared to his hand , whatsoever was requisite both for necessity and for delight ; that , by all this the lord might draw up the heart of man to himself , and keep it fixed in communion there , whither every creature called it up , whilst adam and eve stood firm in integrity . the christian religion should pass into our particular callings , so that even in these w we should abide with god , when we are employed about common matters and earthly things . how often hath the lord confirmed his covenant of grace to his people , by such x natural existences ? fetching instances , and giving probations of the reality and truth thereof ( for the confutation of atheism , and of infidelity ) from the heavens above , and from the earth beneath , and from all the host of both , from sun , from moon , from stars , from the successive courses of night and day , from winter and from summer , from heat , and from cold , from the height above , and from the deep below , from things present , and from things to come , that which way soever man cast his eye on either of those two books of scripture and of nature , of word and of works in this great school , the disciples of christ might still be learning of somewhat profitable . what was that method , and means , and way , which jehovah aelohim did take for the convincing and humbling of y job , but by an holy reasoning , and friendly expostulating with him about the works of creation ? and it had an answerable , suitable good effect upon him . the true knowledge of natural things is laid down in the perfect word by the all-wise god , as one great foundation of z theology , and of christianity ; and by these visible witnesses will the righteous judge of all leave the condemned world without excuse , at that last great day . errours in philosophical learning are greatly dangerous unto professors of christian religion ; the corruptions in that have caused so many heresies , and continued so many controversies ; so that , if we could search after the foundations and principles , from whence most mistakes about religion have their spring and origin , we may find them laid in humane wisdom , by its vain affecters ; such as , the pretended power of nature , and freedom of will , in fallen man , as to spirituals and eternal ; the asserted dictates and placits of the understanding , as the ultimate undenyable resolvers in all cases , with a great number of such like : some whole societies of corrupt professors are but philosophick sects received and called by another name ; as , those that make the instincts of their own souls , the impulses of their own spirits , and the motions and imaginations of their own hearts , to be their only rule , by which they measure their judgement concerning good and evil ; and the fixed constancy of their belief , or the wavering doubtfulness of their perswasions , to be the measure of duty , or of sin : whence sprang this but from that sort of philosophers , who placed their happiness in silencing of all disputes of the mind , and in smothering of all scruples of conscience , affirming good not to have any inherent chuseable being in it self , and evil not to have any such constant fixed malignity in its own nature ; but all their actions they thought to be condemnable , when they did somewhat , which they had any inward relunctancy against , and aversness from ; and to be commendable when they were clearly resolved ▪ and fully determined in their minds and wills , to do this or that : but no more at present of this . it is scripture-learning only , which through the teachings of the holy spirit can instruct us in the right use , and holy improvement of the knowledge of natural things , so that , the growing believer is holy and spiritual , even in his trading with those talents ; and whilst he is exercised about these , his scripture-wisdom doth commend it self in its own excellency , and in its preferableness above and beyond all meer humane understanding for the many good and choice fruits and effects thereof , being a first pure ( in it self , and in its efficaciousness , or chaste ) then pacifick ( or peaceable ) modest , obsequent ( or well swasible ) full of mercy , and of good fruits , not contentious ( or void of wrangling disception ) and not hypocritical ( or void of simulation ) . whereas , some have made the observation , that these , who are so deeply conversant in the secrets of nature , do generally degenerate into atheists , not acknowledging an aelohim , as the first causer , but ascribing all beings and productions to natural causalities : this , where it is found to be so , is to be understood only of the ethnick philosophy , which doth take those who are students in it off , and doth carry them away , from christ and from his word ; not of that scripture-wisdom , which doth so directly lead disciples to christ , and to his word : for , this saving sound knowledge doth produce a quite contrary effect , even to make them most saints , and most believers , passing them wholly out of self , and off from creatures , to resolve all into , and to refer all unto , the being of beings , the cause of causes , the eternal first essence , the chiefest , choicest good , the truest , best happiness , the main ultimate end , jehovah aelohim blessed for ever . when men of faith , and of experience , do wisely observe the whole frame of this created world , and all the parts thereof to run their course with continued chearfulness , and without wearisome tiredness , to discharge those offices which their creators will hath assigned and enjoyned them unto : this consideration doth stir up in them high and honourable thoughts of the maker and disposer of all these things ; and the serious meditation , that the creation shall be renewed and refined , and restored to its integrity , and perfection of estate , and appear yet once again in its pure cleanness , and in its purged ●xcellency , is a call unto the saints b to shine forth the more in growing measures of glorious holiness . o what a day will that be , when the new heavens , and the new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousness , shall be created , for christ's followers to see , and to enjoy him in ? when the chosen among mankind shall be fully perfect in vision and in knowledge , in grace , and in glory , in holiness , and in happiness . by this discovery i would remove that occasion of stumbling , which some do lay as a stone of offence before them , to stop and to hinder themselves in this further grand inquiry about the proficiency of learning , as if this would degenerate christians into pagans , and believers into naturalists , and send them from christ to creatures , to the debasing of the true , pure religion ; whereas , it would call off men from ignorant paganism , to a knowing christianity , and advance all profitable learning into a spiritualized usefulness , and work up the scholars in christ's school to a more refined heavenly raisedness , both in principle and in practice . the holy scriptures in speaking of the works of creation , and of natural things , do speak of them , as they really are , and not as they seemingly only appear ; according to exactness of truth , as the nature and essence of them are , and not according to the wrong conceits , and ignorant mistakes of vulgar minds , and common opinionists . iehovah aelohim has put the essence , and the real nature of created beings , into the aptest and most expressive c words in their full and proper significancy ; and adam gave the fittest d names to the beasts of the field , and to all the fowls of the air , according to their quality and condition , which was an evident discovery of his great wisdom : and what is a word , but such a note , whereby every thing is distinctly known , both in it self , and also wherein it doth differ from other things ? the holy scriptures do often from the works of creation , and from natural things , e prove what they do affirm unto the outward senses , confirming the faith , and incouraging the hope of saints , in christ , and in his word , and in his covenant of grace in this word , by these senses , and confuting their incredulity and distrust from hence : now , what confirmation of the one , or confutation of the other , could this be , if those means of probation were not real and sensible , and self-evidencing in those brings themselves , which every man that has the right exercise of his reason , and the due use of his senses , must acknowledge to be so as is said ? the faith of the lord's covenant people grows confident concerning revealed truths in what they do not see , by those things which they do see and discern with their senses . many a choice discovery about several of the works of creation , have been revealed to some spiritual discerners in their private studies , under an imprisoned state , by the holy spirit from christ's true word , before they ever made search after them , by the use of their outer senses , into the nature of those created beings , before they had any ocular demonstration of them , or made any visible observations upon them ; which afterwards by comparing of these creatures with those scriptures , they have found in experience exactly to agree ; so as no mere humane author , no pagan philosopher , either has discovered , or can discern . of what nature soever those things are , which god hath revealed in his word unto reasonable creatures , the same are they bound to believe them to be , as he has there made them known unto such : for , they are thereby become a part of the complete object of faith : so that , we are not only to believe the declarations of the doctrines of the christian religion , in those great mysteries of three in one , of god manifested in the flesh , with such like , and also the prophesies to come in after-ages , with a great deal more concerning duties , graces , priviledges , &c. but also , that grand history of matters of fact past and gone , such as the written journal of created beings , in the beginning of the bible , and all the after-discourses of natural things , as they are contained in the scriptures of truth . created nature is the copyed transcript of holy scriptures . what a bold daring attempt then is it for vain man to be such an interpreter of the words of his creator , concerning the great works which he has done , and the beings which he has formed , as not to admit of the plain sense of those scripture-words and expressions , the original letter , and the proper significancy whereof he will not deny or contradict ? for , there is great verity in , and real answerableness between these words and those things . the literal sense of the word of christ , where it speaks positively of the works of creation , of natural things , is not to be gone off from : if an allegorical or mysterial sense be any where , as to this pleaded for , it must be proved , that there is an evident necessity thereof in the same place , either by the words and meaning of themselves , or by the context , or else by comparing of it with other scriptures : where it can be evidenced by such expressions , significations , contexts , or collations , that any passages in , or relating to , the history of the creation are symbolical , signifying some other mystery , yet even there , if that were admitted , first of all must the sense of the letter simply , and the truth of the history in the plain meaning of the narrative-record be firmly established . translators should keep close to the proper meaning of the original words ; otherwise they do expound the sense ( as they apprehend ) in syntax , and are not regular etymologists to explain the significancy , and to maintain the property of every word : scripture-words are to be turned into other languages , not as men suppose they mean in trope , but as they naturally signifie in truth : the usefulness of a literal version in order to the advancement of learning is very well worthy to be treated of in its place . the scriptures are not accomdated to vulgar received errours , or mere imaginary conceits , or vain false appearances , but they speak of things , as the things themselves really are , is not the lord christ f truth it self ? how tremblingly afraid then should sorry man be of making him a lyar , by speaking one thing , and meaning a quite contrary ? g there is no transmutation in him , nor obumbration of turning , no variation nor casting of shadows by his turning ; it is blasphemy to charge him as a h teacher of error . he has given this testimony by his own words to his own works , when he had taken a diligent survey of them , that what he had made , was every part , and the whole of it , when set in its beauteous frame , i good , so as he had expressed it to be . can infinite wisdom and truthfulness mistake in his expressions ? would he , who is so abundant in goodness , and in truth , tell his people otherwise , than the real history is ? christ's words do all along speak of these matters , affirmingly , assertingly ; they speak of his works , not as they seem unto common capacaties , upon mistaken grounds from erroneous principles , but as the verity of their existence is . nomenclature doth shew , how that things and beings are put into the names of those things and beings , and this by institution of original significancy , as the expressions do declare : k the word and the works of god are here held out to be truth : l mens errings do proceed from their not understanding of the scriptures , and of the power of god , not from the taking of christ upon his bare word ; m holy ones in the word do disswade from error ; and can we imagine then , that the word should shew men how to err ? would this have men still to continue in their being deceived , to have them read and think that for true and certain , which is false and misconceived ? christ witnesseth of his words , that there is nothing n wreathed or perverse in them ; they are words of truth , and there is certainty in them , being fitted to resolve questions to the satisfaction of inquiring spirits . the lord 's wording of the history of the creation , is his first revealed idea of all things , manifest to rational creatures . the real natures of created beings do directly answer to scripture-speakings concerning them : the things o seen were things made , and the maker of them would have his own real perfections to be read in them . how unavoidable would the many dangerous ill consequences be , that will necessarily follow upon the contrary opinion ? how would all foundations of credibility , and of veracity be shaken and over-turned ? there is a clear and a constant evidence and demonstration of the senses well exercised , and rightly judging amongst all reasonable creatures , all the inhabited earth over in all the ages of the world , who have brought in one and the same testimony concerning the reality of things , as this word doth express them to be , which is a full proof . it is a theological truth of resolving the probation , by senses into scripture-expressions , and of rectifying all deceits and mistakes of the senses by the word-rule . it was , and is the scripture-way , to prove things by senses , and to call upon senses to bring in their verdict according to scripture . thus were all the proceedings in jehovah's judicial laws in all cases , wherein any matter of fact is to be witnessed , and accordingly any matter of right to be determined , as justice , truth and equity required . p inward and outward senses regulated by the word , are great resolvers of weighty questions ; these senses being every one of them differenced , both in nature and in grace , by their distinct , proper , and singular operation : scripture-words do not set out created beings , as directly opposite to right-judging rational senses . should we resort to humane reasonings , and to carnal imaginations in these inquiries , we could acquiesce here ; for , these in several men at the same time , and sometimes in one and the same man , take him at several times , are varying one from another , and contrary to each other ; and often they are but shews and colours , not the real things themselves ; whereas , the creator will have his creatures to be a sensible testimony to the truth of his word : those , that do tremble at god's word , and who do stand in awe of its authority , do find sensible demonstrations within them , and evident arguments in the things themselves , against such bold assertions , as do call those expressions to be absurdities , which are literal affirmations , and down-right positions , in this word , and that do mis-name it to be servile superstitious fear to oppose the meaning of scripture-phrases . remember , that i write not now about types , shadows and figures , contained in the word , where the signs are sometimes put for the things signified thereby ( though here also there be some outward and visible thing truly represented to our senses ) neither about communication of properties , whereby that is sometimes attributed to a● whole person or subsistence , which agreeth to him but in respect of one of his natures , as when god is said to purchase this church by his blood , which blood properly doth appertain to christ's manhood , and not to his godhead ; but , of created beings , in their real existences , which are the same in nature , that the scriptures do call them in name : scripture and nature are uniformly concordant one with another , and all the whole scripture , as well as all the whole nature , doth well agree with it self , and therefore let it be further considered , whether it were a sound and sober , a solid and savoury answer in him , who being urged with the plain express significant letter of the fourth word or command for the seventh-day-sabbath , doth lay down this for one of his premised propositions , that , though the letter of the text ought alway to be carefully heeded , yet alway to stick to it ; and never compare scripture with scripture , for the better understanding of the sense thereof , may prove a dangerous snare ; ( which he applies in part unto a sticking to the letter of the fourth commandment ) without minding the scope , sense , and meaning of it ; bethinking , that thereby a man shall cast a mist before his eyes , which will exceedingly hinder him from the right understanding of the mind of god therein : if i should do so , saith he of himself , i shall find it so to be : thus he . that word of christ unto one , who inquired by what doing he should inherit eternal life is here now with me , what q is written in the law ? how readest thou ? that answer must we receive in and from this law , which is written in this law , and which we do read so written in it ; for , this is still a right answer : to compare scripture with scripture for the right understanding of that fourth word , has been already done , and will be further performed , when i come to treat professedly on that subject-matter , when it will be made evident from the word , that the whole scripture doth speak in its true , proper , literal significancy for the seventh-day-sabbath , the scope , sense and meaning of the fourth command , being altogether expresly for it . r if the law of the ten words , particularly of the fourth , be not literally expressive of their true , right meaning , i know not what of the scripture is , where every discerner at the first reading and hearing may presently know its meaning , as will be further shewn . here , as it is written , so we read , neither is it to be otherwise understood , nor in any other sense to be taken , than in that which doth first present it self to the intelligent reader or hearer : so far as we are under the commandingness of this law , we are under all whatsoever it speaks this way ; and it speaks of the seventh-day , in express letters and words , as the sabbath , exclusive of all the other six foregoing days of the same week , which it nameth and calleth to be days for working in our particular functions ; every iota and tittle thereof being ratified by christ , and therefore its letter doth bind : it appears to me to be a vain , daring boldness , for a worm-man to assert , that the seventh-day is not the sabbath of jehovah thy god , and thou mayst do work therein , when this great lawgiving king of kings , and lord of lords doth so expresly affirm and command , the seventh-day is the sabbath of jehovah thy god , thou shalt not do any work : when men will use more faithfulness and diligence to be better skilled in the literal significancy of the original language , they will see cause to admire the wisdom of aelohim , who has so self-evidencingly put things into words , especially in these two parts of scripture , the history of the creation , and the law of the ten words : the vain affectation of humane wisdom , which doth thrust upon the credulity of so many a doctrine of probabilities ( concerning the works of creation and natural things ) from anti-christian and unscriptural philosophy , but is not according to christ , and to his word , is such a deceitful way of false reasoning , as makes a prey of souls , and is carefully to be avoided , and is but falsly named science . those , who take the holy spirit to be their leader and conducter , and the holy scriptures to be their rule and their way , may upon due search discover ſ this . the smooth-tongued orators , the deceitful sophisters , the vain philosophers of this world , they , their sayings and writings are not a firm ground for a believing disciple of christ to bottom his faith upon , for as much as they are but slightly superficial , and scarce likely's ; the ground-work of their learning being but humane fiction , and self-conceited imagination , such a doctrine of probabilities , as we are cautioned against . that philosophy and wisdom , which is derived from the invention and tradition of fallible men , and is according to the elements of this world , and not according to christ , is a spurious wisdom not to be owned by the followers of christ : what a many of the questions and disputations in ethnick philosophy is there about elements , which the scripture doth speak expresly at and against ? that wisdom , which is a worldly humanely-invented wisdom is judged by the scriptures of truth , t to be a terrene wisdom suited to the earthly designs of covetous worldlings ; to be animal fitted to the voluptuous arts of sensual souls ; and to be devilish , framed to the proud models of ambitious climbers : this corrupt wisdom is mischievous in the bad fruits , and the evil effects thereof , how prone to quarrelsome litigiousness ? how contradictingly opposing of the truth ? how impudently immodest ? how headstrongly inswasible ? how devoid of good fruit ? how full of emulating disputes , of fallacious brables , of over-reaching controvertings ? observe in experience , and see and say , whether it doth not puff men up , making them u sick about questions , about strifes of words , about verbal distinctions , when every word almost in a debate is wrested and wryed to a multiplicity of meanings , and a variety of senses , about which they would endlesly cavil , and craftily equivocate , from whence have started up so many sects in philosophy , and thereby in theology too , teaching another doctrine ; and they , who teach this , do not come up to the wholesome words of our lord jesus christ , and to the doctrine which is according to right worship ; from such are christ's disciples to withdraw : their unscripturally-curious concertations , and their empty unprofitable disputations do shew a corrupt mind , and do bewray a devoidness of truth . heathenish philosophy would turn men aside from christ , who is the true full essential wisdom , and from his instituted worship , unto carnal reasonings , and a corrupt service . paul's manner of arguing in these cases , was from the true sound knowledge of created beings , and of natural things : w thus he convinced the athenian philosophers , who generally counted word-learning to be but verbal-babling , and a proclaiming of new demons or devils ; and he expresly declareth against x greekish-ethnick-philosophers . the epicurean and stoick philosophers were some of the most violent opposers of , and subtil adversaries against the christian doctrine : and what ? shall rising graduates in christian academies , as they grow new and further proficients in learning , be still sworn unto the words of these pagan magistralists ? what can we expect from mere animal or physical men , but a worldly wisdom and humane learning , that which is y foolishness , whilst themselves are foolish ? the foolishness ( as these men do miscount it ) of god is wiser ; it is their animality , and want of spirituality , that doth put them upon mis-judging of this to be foolishness . the grecanical wise men are much in searching after that wisdom , which doth chiefly consist in speculation or contemplation ; the wisdom of the incredulous jews is more conversant about visible signs , and ocular demonstrations ; for , without such sensible confirmations as these , they will not believe , though multitudes of them in the days of christ , and of his apostles did still continue infidels in the very face of miraculous attests : both these wisdoms are distinguished , and divided from that wisdom which is of god , whose foundations is jesus christ and his word : the disciples of christ , especially those of them , who are in the office of the ministery , are to keep the z depositum of sound scripture-doctrine ; they are actually to be averse from profane clamours about empty vanities , which do affix unto words such a sense , as is wholly alien from their true proper significancy , and which by sophistical school-distinctions do keep wrangling about phrases to pervert their plain right meaning , and do wrest some scriptures they understand not , wrongfully accommodating them to maintain some error , or to defend some vice. there have been such as have boasted much of their profound knowledge this way , who have both themselves erred from the scope concerning the faith , and have misled others also . it is a false assertion to affirm , this or that is true in philosophy , though in scripture it be found otherwise : for , if scripture-truth do contradict it , then , that , which is so contradicted , is not a truth , but an error , ( however , philosophy miscal it true ) introduced by the father of lies . where any philosopher did assert any thing about the creation according to the truth , there they had it , either from the word , or by their outward observation , and experience from senses agreable to the word : some of them either had the knowledge of god's word , and did read the first books of scripture , or at least had some traditionary records of them , and did read them . if that be indeed so , which some , whom i have met with , have affirmed , that those a books , at least some of them , which those believers and converts did burn in that part of the history of the arts of the apostles , were the books of ethnick philosophy , such b as the heathens logick , dialectick , grammar , rhetorick , &c. so that , the like execution were to be done still against the same treatises , that to this day do persist in their treasons against the crown of christ , and the dignity of his word , the libraries and shops in philosophick universities would leave much of their shelves empty , though he who writes this is like to be judged and condemned for an heretick in the commonwealth of learning , and to have his name and reputation killed whilst he himself is alive , and buried before he himself be dead : but these must be let go for the sake , and in the cause of christ , and of his word , who will have a day of resurrection of names , as there will be at the last of bodies . one of the most learned , and most experienced of natural philosophers in the present age , who has been at great cost and pains to make the most watchful observations , after all his curiosity in seeking and searching has consented to the publishing of a treatise , to let the world of vain affecters of humane wisdom , and of philosophick learning to know , that , after all his inquiries , and researches into hidden secrets of mysterious nature , he can come at no certainty ( especially about the heavenly bodies , and what doth belong to them , and generally about what is at a great distance from our eye , or quite out of our sight ) cosmical suspicions are found in the title , and in the pages ; so that , his philosophy , as to the most of the eminent works of the creation , particularly as to the celestial phaenomena , and subterraneous hiddenesses , is , if not come to plain nothing , yet quite passed into doubt , suspicion , and scepticism , so that , his acknowledgements are much the same in this with mine . it would be the wisdom and honour of such generous spirited virtuoso's now at length to come wholly over to the scripture-way , for the proficiency of arts , and for the augment of sciences , where and where only such men of deep understanding can sit down sweetly satisfied . scripture-learning is gone forth conquering , and word-knowledges will ere long be triumphing . all other science is but c falsly so called , both about the works of creation , and the doctrines of faith ; however , the deluded world have given it the name , yet it is devoid of the essence ; it doth start a many thorny and argute questions , and it ingageth in a multitude of frivolous concertations of sophisters , and of philosophasters , such as school-divinity , or scholastick-theology doth abound in , and is almost quite through all over run with dialectick nicities , and metaphorical formalities , to raise dust , and to make a mist , that mens eyes can see but little of their way , as if all knowledge were placed in this , whereas , it neither doth deserve , nor can make good such a name . that is worth the name of wisdom , that is wisdom to d salvation , that is the commendable learning , that is sanctified learning ; and that is the praise-worthy experience , that is holy experience . it is scripture-science , that is the great , the only e deposited treasury of all writings , that is to be kept for the confutation of all opponents , who object against the truth . the rest are but prophane clamors about empty vanities , such as are of a different kind and nature from the analogie of faith ; frivolous concertations of sophists , logical impertinencies , metaphysical puzlings , that do not deserve the name , because they have not the reality of useful knowledge ; where they have any thing of profitable learning , as a few grains of good corn in a great heap of chaff , there they originally received it from the word , and from the lord's people , who held forth their knowledge according to the word before others . thus the chaldeans , from the hebrews , so also the egyptians , the phenicians , the grecians , though they all mingle it with their several errors , superstitions and idolatries . never yet could the disciples of any unscriptural , antiscriptural , of any unchristian , antichristian , philosopher meet with such a complete model of the created world , from any of their masters , as might give them any through satisfaction thereabout , though according to their several sects they have been great admirers of themselves : there are of them , who have pretended to more skill than those , who went before them in the philosophick way , and have undertaken to be correctors of other mens opinions and writings , about a system of the world , and yet they have not believed themselves , that their own hypotheses were true and sound ; as particularly , the vertiginous asserters of the diurnal motion of the earth . one great cause of his e●●ring , who was the famous misleader of others into this gross mistake , was his slighting and rejecting of the scriptures about these matters ; as if it were a subject altogether alien from vvord revelation . the several earnest contenders , both for the old and new philosophy of later years , after all their new vvorlds , which they have set up and trumpeted before , as if all must bow before their systematical calf , and worship their modular moloc ; yet , what have they done after all their studies and endeavours , but proclaim openly in print , that they are both of them out of the right way , the one and the other wandring out of the path of truth , and that they have taken up with such fallacious shews , as are discovered by scripture-light to be apparent falshoods ? and therefore the adaptest , shortest , and every-way best , method will be to lay aside all the rest , and to take up things purely from the vvord of christ . all besides this , are but the fanciful framings , and imaginary vvorlds of self-pleasing dreamers ; though they applaud their own cunning in excepting against the scriptures , as no fit judges in these cases , yet i cannot commend their conscience in such a wrongful dishonourable charge , as they hereby bring in against christ , and against his vvord . there are some parts of the created vvorld , which right reason , and enlightned nature cannot but acknowledge , that they must be : as a place of reward for the good , and of punishment for the bad : and yet because they are not , to those who are on this earth , exposed to their senses , they cannot be understood what and where they are , but only by vvord-revelation . the great mistakes of some , both translators of , and commentators upon , the vvord history of the creation , have been occasioned mostly from hence , that they have followed philosophers and their vvritings more than christ and his scriptures : which is the great error , and the blemishing spot in those expositions upon job , which many otherwise singular annotators have completed and published . for almost throughout that whole book , much thereof doth treat of created beings , as the heavens , the luminaries there , the rain , the dew , the snow , the hail , the wind , the earth , the water , the abyss , the gulph , hell , light , darkness , the four quarters of the world , with many others , and with many particulars about each of these , they do much philosophize , which i now write , not to revile the name , or bespatter the memory of the departed authors ; nor to undervalue the many choice observations , and profitable collatings of scripture every where almost to be found in several of those treatises ; but to warn the reader , that when he comes to such passages about this kind of learning , which i am now upon , he would not suffer himself to be imposed upon , by the authority of those skilful men , in practical religion , and experimental christianity , and scripture knowledge . all authorities , arguments , experiments , resolutions , that we would have to be cogent and convincing , must be soundly scriptural . that which the several philosophers with their several followers have vainly sought for in their several principles , is to be found in truth and purity only in the scriptures . art thou for magistral dictates ? who can so give forth these , as to command a belief of them , but that jehovah aelohim in the messias , who alone is supreme and infallible ? art thou for abstruse speculations ? who was such treasures of knowledge , and of understanding , so fully hidden with him , and so freely imparted by him , as the lord jesus christ , who has all hidden things , and wonderful secrets , and rare mysteries f numbred before him , or ready told , as at his fingers ends , the which , as occasion and opportunity doth serve , he doth utter to his church and people ? art thou for self-exalted ratiocinations ? vvhat are these compared with him , who g is only vvise , vvisdom it self , the vvisdom of god , whose foolishness is wiser than men ; into the obedience of whom all humane reasoning must be captiv'd ? art thou for outward sensations ? are they any where so clear and certain , so sure and satisfying , as in christ's written word ? where every thing is realized and proved , either to spiritual or to bodily senses ; according as the objects are , that are suited either to the one or the other ? for , to confute the infidelity , or to soften the hardness of mens hearts , jehovah aelohim , for the confirmation of his gracious promises has fetched sensible proofs . h from the heavens above , and the luminaries there , from the host of them , from the earth , from the waters , from the abyss , from the successive courses of night and day , from things present and to come . art thou for sceptical inquiries ? whither can thy doubting questioning soul go for satisfactory resolution , i but to christ , and to his word ? so that every one of these severally , and all of them joyntly must at the last come hither , if ever they would be set right . the late new philosophers , though they make this to be their motto , which they superscribe in their coat of arms , k into no ones words ( are they sworn ) whereby they reject all humane magistery , wherein they are so far right : yet if any of them would have it to be also understood with this great exception and exclusion of christ's word , as to an acknowledgement of his infinite wisdom , and to a submission to his infallible authority revealed therein ; so that , such either do deny , the profound principles of all profitable learning to be here , and here only , or else do not search ( neither would have others to search ) for them , to draw out useful arts and sciences from this full treasury ; it is then in such of them , but the proud exalting of carnal self , and of corrupted reason , which the jealous god will pour contempt upon . but , if withal they will study their natural history , and their experimental art , in the scripture-library , acknowledging the fulness , and the perfection of this god-inspired book , for all useful knowledge , as the author of it hath copied it out , and commented upon it in created nature , in the true essences of formed beings , in the proper causalities , and genuine productions according to their primitive make ; if they will measure the laws of nature by the laws of the word , the rules of motion by the rules of the word , the light of experience by the light of the word , that hypotheses of physical principles , and the axioms of mechanical models , by the doctrines and interpretations , the positions and explications of the word , so far as it hath a reference unto them , they might then be men of name , and transmit the profitableness of their science to posterity ; when the light of scripture , and the essence of nature , and the works of art do uniformly frame , and operate together , they do wonders . the reader here is to take notice , that this treatise doth commend the scripture for its containing of arts and sciences , of learning and of knowledges , so far as they are lawful and useful , needful and necessary : and therefore if any objector would be shewing of his wittiness in asking of a great many questions of philosophical nicities , and of unrevealed matters , if i discern them to be impertinent to this subject , and unprofitable in themselves , they are alien from this inquiry , and do not belong to what i am searching after , who am perswading of others to be more in the serious deep study of what is l revealed in the holy scriptures , and to put together all that which is found in the word , relating to any particular science and art , and so to improve that , m not intruding into those things , which they have not seen , vainly puft up by their fleshly mind . could i prevail so far , that a due through collection were made by the judicious and industrious , of what is already in the word , about these wonders in nature , it might then be afterwards further considered , whether we may not well be without the rest of that knowledge , which any over-prying questionist would ask about , wherewith to perplex others , and to puzzle himself ? it is not every n professing of ones self to be wise , that makes him to bring forth real , useful wisdom . it would be folly in us to be wise in our own conceits : that is true wisdom , which is wisdom unto that which is good . what will it be to seem wise , and not to be wise ? the only wise god who guided the holy penmen of scriptures in their writing about natural , as well as spiritual things , and about the arts and knowledges of those things , did teach them to understand what they did write about , and they have left more of this learning behind them in the word , than is yet found out . there is an honourable virtuosus , who has travelled far in natures way , and has made some of the deepest inquiries into experimental , corpuscular , or mechanical philosophy , that in the requisites of a good hypothesis amongst others of them , doth make this to be one of its conditions , that it fairly comport not only with all other truths , but with all other phaenomena of nature , as well as those 't is fram'd to explicate , and that , not only none of the phaenomena of nature , which are already taken notice of do contradict it at the present , but that , no phaenomena that may be hereafter discovered , shall do it for the future . let it therefore from hence be considered , whether seeing , that history of nature , which is but of human indagation and compiling , is so incomplete and uncertain , and many things may be discovered in after-times by industry , or in some other way by providential dispensing , which are not now so much as dreamed of , and which may yet overthrow doctrines speciously enough accommodated to the observations , that have been hitherto made ( as is by himself fore-seen and acknowledged ) whether now , the only prevention and remedy in this case ( which is otherwise so full of just fears , of real doubts , of endless dissatisfaction , and of perplexing difficulties ) be not , to bring all sorts of necessary knowledges to the pan-sophie , the alness of wisdom , in the scriptures of truth , where none of the forementioned scriptures have any ground to set their foot on , in regard that word-revelations about natures secrets , are the unerring products of infinite wisdom , and of universal fore seeingness , which are always uniform and the same , in their well-established order , and stated ordinary course without any variation , by an unchangeable law of the all-knowing truthful creator , and governour , and redeemer . o wise solomon himself was much in the dark , and altogether at a loss , whilst he studied the nature of many things only in the way of pagan philosophy ; he experimented it to be a vain attempt of his foolish imagination to get in that way the perfect knowledge of the essence of creatures , and of causes , and of effects , the created works of the six days in their first origine and continued being : it was far from him , he evidently discovered , when he had made some proof of that kind of study and scrutiny : many creatures were a●●a far distance from him , some above him , as the north-heavens , and their lights , which mere humane astronomies could not sufficiently inform him in ; others were below him , deep , deep , such were the hid treasures of the earth , the abyss , the gulph , and hell ; he went round these subject matters in his thoughts , but could not get through them , into the exact knowledge of them , by all his industry and search ; no private studying , nor open converse could fully inform his understanding , what the proper existence , the true reason , and the solid art , of the mysteries of nature , as well as of grace were , till he was entred a disciple in christ's school , where he was better taught by the spirit of the lord , in those two great books of scripture and of nature . the vain affectation of creature-knowlede in the apostate angels , and of humane wisdom in fallen man , has all along been endeavouring to corrupt and to pervert , both the pure word of aelohim , and his created works , whereby they are misrepresented to the rational-intellect in wrong shapes . we may pass some judgement upon one of the first great sins of apostate angels , by that method of temptation , which the old serpent did use in assaulting eve , and adam by eve , which was a vain affectation of creature knowledge , and of self-invented wisdom . they would find out a new philosophy suited to their own proud concepts of things , p setting up of self , and of creatures , as the great idol , seeking out some other way of science and of worship , than what was formed in them by created principles , and was put into natural existences , and both these discovered in some word . they sought out many inventions to see if they could find a chief good in the creature : they would make and try experiments what might come out of them . the tempter had high conceits of his own abilities , and he would have man to excogitate other reasons and causes of things , than were in created nature , and in word-revelation . hence it is , that this caution is given us , q let no one deceive you with sublime discourse touching the worship of angels . pressing into that he knows not . it is the design of those evil spirits to raise up in the mind of man such high opinions of them , as to extol them to be for knowledge far above the degree of a mere creature , and to raise a mans knowledge much farther than he hath any good warrant for ; and for the prosecuting this hellish design , they would engage man in converse with them , to draw man into a discipleship under them , that man might go to school to these revolted spirits ; as if these could and would teach man higher and better than the lord , or his word and vvorks have done : by these stratagems and illusions to beguile man into a veneration of them for their scientifick excellencies . and thus did these degenerate angels , and impure spirits prevail over mankind at the first . and this is the cause of all the prohibited black arts of judiciary astrology , diabolick magick , hellish vvitchcraft , and such like forbidden sciences , and satanical depths , under the gaudy title of profound mysteries , whereby many do lose the prize , that is ready and prepared at the goal , while they yield themselves to be drawn aside with such sophistick seductions . these hellish imposters under a specious shew of colourable religion , would bring in dangerous and damnable errors and heresies against the pure simplicity of the evangelical doctrine ; and they imployed under them such seducers , as did much corrupt and deceive many of the ignorant and credulous , fetching their doctrines not from scripture revelation , but from humane reason adulterated , holding forth some curious speculations , taught in the philosophick schools , namely the worshiping of angels , as middle intercessors between god and men , arrogating unto themselves , without any just right , a power of judging and assigning the reward of eternal life unto none but such only , as would subscribe unto their new and false doctrines , defining and determining the causes of faith and of religion , at their own will and pleasures , and not according to christ in his word , and all this under a pretext of humility , and of demission of mind , which is the romish usurpation , and anti-christian tyranny at this day . and this is a sort of wisdom , which is therefore called demoniacal , because it has the devil for its author . r by which satan would be reputed the learned master of arts , and the reverend doctor of sciences . and would have men to enter themselves as pupils under his tutorship in his college : and therefore in that forementioned place , to the colossians cited in the margin , paul warn'd them not to suffer any one , not the devil himself to lord it over them , to abuse his power and subtilty upon them , by pretending that he will give a great prize of honour and of reputation to them , if they would deliver themselves over to his will in instructing them ; for thus he fallaciously argues in his philosophy , that men should so walk in humility , as not to go directly unto god , or unto christ , but should first resort unto angels for their instruction ; and should make angels , such glorious creatures , to be as mediators between god and them , for the negotiating of all their affairs , ( which is a piece of platonick anti-theology , and anti-christianism , still maintained and practised in ethnick and papistick philosophy ) satan would have them to climb up , and to thrust themselves into sublime points of hidden wisdom , as if they were profound mysteries of refined speculation , above the vulgar capacity : which yet are but phantastick devices , and groundless imaginatious ; in the disquisition where of he would have them to pride and to please themselves , as if they had learn ● some rare knowledge , some witty invention , some singular art , some extraordinary thing ; which yet was but a fleshly understanding , a carnal wit , a corrupt reasoning , a fly seduction : taking them off from holding the head christ , and from keeping close to his word , to draw them aside to that vain , false and deceitful philosophy , to such affected creature-knowledge and humane wisdom , as would make a prey of their souls . reader , let me take thee by the hand , and lead thee through some parts of the scripture paths , to shew thee in this walk , how philosophy has been corrupting and perverting the word and the works of aelohim : he that shall read the ethnick stories about the origine of the universe , may see , how the aristotelian pride rejected all scriptural revelation of faith , about this worlds beginning , affirming the eternity of the world by his corrupt reasoning , and vain philosophizing . thus also the stoical conceitedness asserted an eternal first matter . the pagan astronomers have fancied and argued , that there are nine spheres in the heavens . the pagan poets made all created productions to be out of a first matter , as a common stock and subject of all generated beings ; out of which every thing was found . this is the ethnick physiology of many others of them . so confused were their notions , so fabulous their narrations . some pagan naturalists do make a primogenious fire to be the first light , out of which they say the celestial lights were composed . others do make the firmament or heaven to be the fluid watery , or aerial part of a formless chaos : some would make the ancient nature of men to be commixt of male and female sex , in one and the same man. and others have made many feigned stories of his golden age. how many corrupt mixtures in ethnick poets about the flood , about gods and goddesses , and their generations , which many young men are so defiled and tainted withal in the common schools of learning , that it is long , if ever , before they get rid of them . the idolatries and superstitions of pagans , which were defended by their philosophizers , what were they but corruptings of the mosaick platform , of which they had received somewhat by tradition ? such a temptation was it even upon the israel of god of old to learn the modes , the forms , the ways , the philosophick-learning of the heathen . ſ what an enemy to the doctrine of salvation by faith in christ was the grecian philosophy ? what a disfigured face has it put upon religion by its mythologizing vanity ? how many of the original words and phrases , by which both persons and things are aptly named and called in the scriptures , hath it altered and abused , by expressing them in a different equivocal manner ? what a mis-shapen monster are its religion and laws , whilst it would so apishly imitate the scripture tradition , as to adulterate it , if it could , into a resemblance of its own ugliness and deformity ? the corinthian sophie and sophistry , received from and by the spirit of this world , would be contradicting the wisdom of god in a mystery . the logicks , that humane wisdom taught , were an enemy to this ; that physical animal man was the physical philosopher , who did not comprehend those things which are of the spirit of god , for , they are foolishness unto him , and he cannot understand them , t because they are spiritually distinguished or judged . thus has the greatest part of the sons and daughters of adam all the inhabited earth over , for many generations been greatly imposed upon ; and still it is so , even unto this day : and what is yet further matter of more lamentation , those , who have the name of the scholastick learned amongst christians , do still pertinaciously adhere unto many of the philosophick errors , and fabulous tenets . he , that heretofore would go into the philosophy schools here in england , and hear the lectures of the most , might sit out a whole hour at a time , and scarce hear one savoury sound word of christ , and of the word of christ . and there is a design set on foot of late , to make the vertues of pagans to be fully equal to , and specifically identical with the graces of christians ; as if to turn christians into pagans , were an adapted means to turn pagans into christians . i have long stood by , and been a secret , silent bewailer of this evil , but the lord hath now drawn forth my spirit to be an open declarer against it , that this way i might be finishing of my testimony . there is such a venerating esteem in some of the judgement of the ancient , and in others , of the learning of the modern philosophy , that its likely i shall be thought not so prudently to have consulted , either my own credit , or my own quiet , in undertaking to be such an universal controler of many men , books , studies , arts and sciences , in such an age , wherein preconceived opinions are heightned into such a settled confidence , and grown into such a gigantick strength : but i have long since committed my all to him , who has taken the care of me , and hath accepted of my acts of commitment ; and there my soul injoyeth its sweet repose . neither am i altogether without expectation , that the adored almighti●s will use this treatise to prevail with some serious spirits , to entertain a greater commerce with the scriptures of truth , than hitherto they have : and that , the right apprehensions of mens minds will yet better transform into the true nature of things . whilst philosophick arts are so over-prized , there will be but little further inquiry ; and whilst scripture knowledges are so undervalued , progressions in useful sciences will not be promoted . if rational intellects may be better rectified , and more informed according to the laws of the written word , and the operation of created beings , i shall rejoyce in the profit of any , whilst i am exercised with contradictings from many with their perverse brawlings , or disputing exercitations , as the scriptures do call such strifes of words . it is not unknown to some what slye artifices satan has used in the several ages to corrupt the word , especially in the more ignorant ages under antichristian darkness , by marginal addings , and various readings , unequal dividing , altered printings , and such other invented devices , whereby to make truths hidden or obscure , and errors passable and plaufible , a too deep digging into which , and an over particular opening of which i judge at present to be no work of mine , though some late reputed criticks in original languages , and in scripture knowledges , have been too prone upon any little occasion to set these before the eyes of such as too often have rather been shaken than settled upon them . the sayings of jehovah are u pure sayings , silver refined in an earthen-melting-furnace , cruse , or oven ; purified seven times . whatever dross or impurity the devil , or any of his instruments have immix'd with them , they shall have a fire to be throughly cleansed , and perfectly cleared from it . all and every saying of aelohim shall be purified ; therefore it is that his servant loves his word . he is a shield to them that trust in him , when those who have either added to , or taken from his words shall be reproved , and be found to have been lying ones : and i do hope there will be a pure every way uncorrupt autograph , or apograph of the scriptures of truth : neither am i without some words of the lord , upon which to bottom faith , expectation and prayer , concerning this matter ; a great and a glorious work , highly and fully worth the most serious and diligent search after , by christian princes , by learned men , and by eminent believers . spiritual discerners should know how to take and to improve this hint ; which i had rather they themselves would industriously pursue , than at present put me upon any further opening of my thoughts with the grounds of those my apprehensions , in such an age of quarrelsome jangling , of endless contentiousness , w and of lips of folly : in the mean time , till there be this glorious appearing of christ , and of his book , according to prophetical revelations , i bless his name , for himself , and for his word , and for any gracious work of his word upon my heart ; having felt a day of his power there , whereby he has made me willing to stand in some holy awe of him , and of his word , and to dispense it in some growing measures as i have received it , in uprightness , as of god , in the presence of god , so speaking it in christ . if any will so sell this word of god , as to fal●●e it by corrupting it any ways , by dealing deceitfully with it , x by playing the hucksters with it , adulterating and sophisticating of it , by mingling of philosophick errors , and humane inventions , and unwritten traditions with it : thus to make the market of their own private gain upon some ignorant deluded soul , by their crafty handling , and covetous dispensing of it by false glosses , and counterfeit garnishes ; giving forth wrong senses , and making undue applications of it , raising false doctrines , and inferring ill uses from thence ; let such consider in the fear of jehovah , how they will answer it at that last great day , when they shall be judged to their eternal estate by that word , which they have so much wrested and wronged . o how great cause have they to inlarge in jehovah's praises , y who , having in their younger years taken in much of the philosophick taint , were afterwards by his spirit and grace cured of its gross mistakes and dangerous errors ! that a moses escaped from out of egyptian astrology , sorcery , and such other superstitious diabolical arts ! that a daniel , hananiah , mishael , and azariah , got so well off from chaldaick books , so full of vain arts , and of idolatrous sciences ! that aelohim gave them knowledge and understanding to discern truth from falshood ; whereby to convince , and to confute ethnick errors , and paganish tenets , and that they , were so , kept from prohibitell magick , and such black arts ! that the new converted christians were preserved and antidored by the principles and laws of their true , pure religion from and against the poysonous disputes of epicureans , stoicks , libertines , gnosticks , and such other philosophers ! that a paul , so 〈◊〉 up in several corrupt 〈◊〉 , was afterwards so savingly inlightned , so sound in scripture learning , so skilful , so useful , so successful a preacher ! o what special matter of great thankfulness was there here ! vain man would be wise above , and besides , and against what is written , although wo be threatried against those , who are wise in then own eyes , the wisdom of such shall perish . there is a knowledge that is vain , which a wise a man should not utter . the worldly wise ones of philosophers do irride the christian religion , and of polititians do hate it . o the blessedness , the happy goings on with a straight foot , of them who are made wise to salvation ! it has been in all ages of the church the device and the attempts of saran , and of his disciples to abuse men by z paralogisms , by such false reasonings , as by a shew and colour of truth do circumvent the unskilful , and unexperienced in the word of righteousness : and their assaults have been mainly made against the churches and people of god , under specious shews of reason , and of religion , to introduce somewhat that is quite contrary to the nature , purity and simplicity , of the christian undefiled doctrine . hence have they endeavoured to thrust in the worshiping of angels and of saints departed , by invocating of them , by dedicating of temples and of altars to them , by making vows to them , with many other uninstituted observations of humanely-invented ceremonies , and divers philosophical trifles , which are no authorized warranty , nor legitimate argumentation from the word of god , nor from sound reason judiciously informed thereby . oh how daring bold is humane curiosity , that will adventure to be wise beyond due bounds of sober knowledge , a when men will presume to be doctors , not understanding what they speak , nor of what they affirm : the schoolmen , with the papists and others who have trod in the steps of those scholastick doctors , have generally greatly erred herein , by obtruding upon others many forgeries and falshoods for articles of christian faith , which were taught themselves only by the dark discoursings of their own blind minds , such as are their scientia media , their free-will , their inherent righteousness , their meritorious works , their creature-idolizings , with such like dogmatical decrees , and received opinions of proud men , which they fetched out of the metaphysicks of philosophers , and out of the ethicks of pagans , from whose corrupt principles , they would deduce the great truths , and the saving mystesteries of the christian religion , bottoming their unsound conclusions upon their own sandy opinions , thus subjecting theology to philosophy , and christianity to sophistry . those books which are commonly called genesis , exodus , leviticus , numbers , deuteronomy , or the book of moses , and of his writings there , have the approving testimony of those true faithful prophets that did follow after him , as also of the lord jesus christ himself , and of his apostles : and the history of the creation , and of the works thereof in the b beginning of the bible , is true in the literal sense , and was intended and recorded so to be understood , and all those philosophical allegorical and mystical senses , which any do give thereof , that are contrary unto this , are to be avoided and rejected . this is the first revealed and written word , the most ancient book , by which all humane treatises , where they err , must be corrected . i exclude not any other part of holy scriptures , but do own all through , as a perfect summary of all useful learning , and do bring them in for the confirmation of truths , only the reader is to remember and consider , that one great part of my present design , is to propound some such particular inquiries concerning the works of creation in the several days of the first week of the world , and to give such a scripture judgement upon some special cases , as may restaur and advance true profitable knowledges and arts. christ in his word hath put his honourable title upon the writings of moses , that he calleth it c the book of moses , the book of the law of moses , the book of the law of jehovah in the hand of moses . the d churches of aelohim , in the several ages thereof have given moses their large testimonial , as under their hands and seals . it is worth the noting here , that that rich tormented fool recorded in that history by e luke , had not in all his life time right apprehensions of the invisible world , by all the helps that the learned philosophers , and natural historians could afford him , and that he thought mankind were by such as those so commonly and generally corrupted , and misled into errors and mistakes about the different places and entertainments in that other world , for separated spirits and departed souls , according as their states , frames and actings , their principles , rules and ends were whilst on earth , that scarce a mere man alive upon the whole earth , particularly where his brethren lived , and with whom they conversed , could or would set their judgements right in this weighty concern , about the locality of heaven and of paradise , of the gulph , and of hell ; for which reason he desired of abraham , that he would send some to his fathers house , one or other , who had been in those places , which men on earth do not so see ; he himself as to himself , having before received an answer , that lazarus could not come from on high , to dip his finger in the water as he would have had him , on in his way , to have cool'd the tongue of that damned wretch , in regard there was such a gulph between then ; so that , there was no ordinary passage from the one to the other . the reply that was made to him was this , they ( thy brethren ) have moses and the prophets , let them hear them , if they hear not moses and the prophets , neither will they be perswaded , though one rose from the dead . there was enough in the writings of these about heaven and paradise , about the waters and abyss , about sheol and the gulph , about hell and that place of torment , to inform them , and do declare unto them the dreadful posture of the lower part of the created world. this moses , the man and servant of jehovah , had , when he was born , the beauty of aelohim shining upon him ; and although he were f learned in all the wisdom of the egyptians , yet has he left upon record only that scripture-wisdom , which he was taught by the holy spirit , being with all fidelity in the church in the wilderness , with the angel ( of the covenant , jehovah christ sent by the father ) who spoke to him in mount sinai , where he received the oracles to give unto the lord's people , whom he commanded a law , which is the inheritance of the church of jacob. to this moses , christ manifested and made known himself , eye to eye , face to face , mouth to mouth , g so proclaiming his name , and making all his goodness to pass before him , as that , by a secondary glory reflected from the lord upon him , the skin of his face 〈◊〉 shine with such an overcoming brightness , as was dazling to the eyes of the israelites , and they were afraid to come nigh him . of all the prophets arose in israel , there was none like unto moses , whom jehovah so knew . this moses was a faithful historian , and those things , which he wrote were not his own ; but h the truth and laws of jehovah , by his handing them out ; even i enemies themselves being judges . christ doth k approve of moses , and of all that he spoke and wrote from him . what moses said was the commandment of aelohim , l what he spake unto moses , the same is spoken unto us . the lord christ has raised up some or other in the several ages , to plead the cause of the literal sense ? of the works of creation , in the histoy thereof , in the beginning of the book of god , and wise men especially in this last age have professed their expectation of the sound knowledge of natural things , and of their real essence and true properties , in this first weeks journal of the created world , by their several attempts to interpret it this way . the literal sense of moses's hebrew ( who was an m hebrew , which hebrew is the tongue and language wherein the he wrote jehovah's laws ) is the n ground of all interpretations ; for this language hath apert significancies and plain properties of speech , which must in the first place be received when opened , that the natural meaning of the scripture may be evidently known . much of sound scripture-knowledge , doth confist in a right explaining of the words and speeches in those five books beforementioned , genesis , &c. by conferring them with themselves in those writings of the prophets and apostles , which are commentaries upon those five books , by a true and sound explication , as the letter is , and giving forth thence the genuine meaning of those words and phrases , which therefore christ o hath confirmed to every jod and chirek . there is originally , a certain , proper , distinct , and only one , signification of the hebrew words , which is true and genuine , and which , under christ , and his father , and spirit , is the best interpreter of the holy scriptures upon the discerning heart of an experienced believer : which would be abundantly confirmed by an accurate collation of other scriptures . the first words therefore of scripture , particularly and especially is this history of the creation , must be held forth in their primitive meaning , where they are first used in their proper , literal sense , which doth give forth light to the right understanding of them in those other scriptures , where the same words and phrases are afterwards , used . so that it is generally the common error and usual defect in most of our hebrew lexicographers , that they give so many differing , and sometimes contradicting significancies of one and the same hebrew word : whereas they should set down the only one proper , distinct meaning of every hebrew root , and carry the juice of that sense into all the branches that do spring from the root , such a meaning of it as may well agree with that word , where-ever it be met with , throughout the whole scriptures . which one direction followed and improved with holy skill , and studious industry by men fitted for such a work , would bring in a great augment to useful learning . the holy scriptures are written , as they are to be read , and must be so acknowledged , especially these matters , historical and narrative of the creation , without doubtfulness or doubleness of meaning . they use such a manner of speaking , as is not otherwise to be understood , not to be taken in any other sense , than in that which at the first reading doth plainly offer it self to a man of spiritual understanding . and of all scriptures i take p this of the history of the creation , and q the law of the ten words more expresly to call for this . in which two are the complete summaries and comprehensive modules of the truths and duties of the christian religion , and of the nature and uses of created beings . i charge not darkness and obscurity , doubtfulness or doubleness upon other scriptures : but these two parts i have now more particularly in my eye , and all the rest of the whole word of god is more or less one way or other a commentary and annotations , an interpretation and explication , of these which have a common and familiar understanding , such as those , who have the due exercise of their right reason , and of spiritual senses , may , as soon as they hear , conceive what it meaneth . the scripture-history of created beings hath its intrinsecal-self truthfulness in it self , and its extrins●●●l-self evidence unto others , which is best manifest by the holy spirits clear shining upon the naked simplicity of the original text in a savingly inlightned-heart . the wisdom of adam was , and the wisdom of adam's sons would be , ( that which made his , would still make their faces to r shine ) to know well the interpretation of a word , the exposition , the phrase of a word , the solution , the declaration , the explication of it . the original text of holy writ in its literal significancy , must , under the holy spirit , who indited it , and under christ and his father , he speaking it from the father , be the judging rule of approving , or condemning of mens explications of it , and paraphrases upon it , and illustrations concerning it , and of their several systems and models of the created world , answerable to those explications , paraphrases and illustrations , as they are found either agreeing with , or disagreeing from that . created beings must be so conceived , expressed and modelled , as to be an exact counterpart , in all things measured exactly to this scripture-history of them . scriptural words and names , by which the several created beings , are rightly called in jehovah's word , are the most perfect and proper definitions of any particular thing in its most specifical difference from any other creature . the only true essence and specifical being , and particular entity of any creature , is the only true specifical and particular difference of that creature , and doth give a perfect definition , and ( when the word is opened ) a proper description of it . though it were the speaking of the same thing , as the same thing identically . thus if it be asked , what is the earth ? the answer were pertinent and full , to say it is ſ aeretz , in its real being , in the same sense that the scripture doth call it so , and for which it hath given it that name . the like may be affirmed of other creatures ; for , every created being had a distinct make , and a different existence . when we would describe a creature by some its properties , as to say , the earth is dry , t jabeshah , this relates to another matter , the best definitions , and the most significant of essences are those peculiar words and proper names , which are given to particular created beings , in the scriptures of truth . till we are more brought off , from philosophical darknings and obscurings of things , into scripture light , and into its way of knowing the true nature of created beings , there will still be captiousness and contentio●sness about such puzling terms of humane inventing , as would hold mens understandings in continued ignorance . every converted being is best convertible into it self , and is rightest known by its own identicalness . where creatures do differ , their names do differ also . it would much forward the sound knowledge of the real truths in those matters , if extra-scriptural philosophical terms were altogether laid aside , and the expressions were such as we find in the word of christ . for , the words of mens coyning are mistaken terms of humane art , and do mislead into error , and will still keep up endless contendings : whereas , the words and names , by which scriptures do call things , do make us to apprehend created beings rightly in our minds , according as the things themselves are in their own nature . this journal , this diary , of the first week of the created world , is a plain narrative , containing a clear history of the matter of fact , which things done are identically declared and described by the most apt significant expressions . it is a most faithful punctual record : so that it is no other , no less than to give aelohim , the adored almighties the lye to his faces , to deny either the plain truth of the fact , or the proper significancies of the expressions . the god of infallible veracity doth not in any part of this narration , intend any thing by any expression , either of falsity concerning things , or of deception to persons . private opinionists can never evade or elude the unerring authority of the exact expressiveness of the original language in this scripture . he that would be satisfied concerning the foundation of credibility about the creation , must resort to the plain and simple sense of this text , according to teh subject-matter thereof , and the context of this , and the collation of other scriptures . they very explication of scriture terms , doth present the truth of created beings in their own naked simplicity , carrying by the aspect and eradiation thereof , a clear evidence of the nature of the things themselves . this history is the scripture naturals , and the christian physicks . even young children that are of quick apprehensions , are capable of taking in of this kind of learning with great delight , so far at least as it is demonstrate to their senses , and as for the rest , their senses may be directed towards the several places of the invisible world. as to point out to them the several works of the creation on the several distinct days : and with the finger to shew them which is the expanse , what are the heavenly luminaries , the fowls of the air , the earth , the waters , the seas , the light , the darkness , the beasts , the fishes , the worms , man , and so of the rest : and what is the positure of the creation ? those hebrews therefore are under a great mistake , and do hinder much of the knowledge of jehovah aelohim in this word and works , in forbidding any to read four parts of scripture till they are thirty years of age , ( the age of the sacerdotal ministry , ) the beginning of genesis is one of those places , where the creation of the world is described . whereas , the eye of young ones would tell them , the creators works are a visible , legible commentary upon his word . the second place is the song of songs ; whereas , this also doth set out spiritual things , by sensible similitudes , and doth describe much of created beings in an affectionate way between the dearest lovers , christ and his churches , christ and the believers , fellow-believers , and sister churches , with each other : and this scripture is therefore adapted to the understanding of young ones , who may the better be taught what to believe , by what they see , and their own eyes , and other senses may instruct their souls , and their understandings and affections may be mutua ! helps and guides to each other . the third place is the beginning of ezekiels prophecy , where the majesty of the lord is described , the beauty of cherubins , and of the living creatures , of the angels , in their subserviency . the fourth is , the later part of ezekiel's book , from the fortieth chapter to the end , where the new city is described . though these two later places also , being visions , may the more evidently , as to the external part of them , be plainly shewn to growing young ones ; who might in fewer months be skilled in geometry , the doctrine of measures , and some other arts , as the truth , reality and usefulness in those knowledges is , than others will attain unto in so many years , by philosophical studies . and what a shame is it to the learned artists of the times , that vvomen and children would quickly be made more profiting graduates than themselves . if any traders in humane vvisdom are angry at this discovery for a while , yet let them observe the workings of convictions by this scripture light upon their minds ; and they will , when more considerate , bring in a testimony for christ , and for his vvord , if they will be so ingenuous as freely to communicate their experiences . for , my hopes do promise to my self , that i shall have most mens consciences with me in this cause , though my fears do threaten , that most mens corruptions will be against me for this cause . having led the reader thus far along in his way , i suppose that now his expectations are raised to meet with somewhat of weighty inquiry about the works of creation on the several days , the clear distinct knowledge whereof may have a direct tendency , and an apparent profitableness for the restauration and instauration of arts , and the advancement and augment of sciences , such of both these as are useful , and so far as they are thus useful , and all in a clean way of pure religion . the first great inquiry at my entrance shall be this : q. whether was the lord jesus christ jehovah , as his father is jehovah , and as the spirit of his holiness is jehovah , they one jehovah ? whether he were appointed by his father , and anointed by his spirit to be one mediator , the only lord and lawgiver ? and whether he were the creator of all things , as the father is creator , and as the holy spirit is creator , they the creators ? and whether is not this included u in the first words of the holy scriptures bereashith baraa aelohim , and in that word jehovah , who presently in the very next verse after , the short history of the creation , is said to be the creator and maker ? the renewing of the wonderful works of creation in the rare secrets thereof , will be found in holy experience to be no derogation to the admirable works of redemption in the great mysteries thereof , when once it shall be made to appear , that he who was the w creator , is the redeemer too , and that one great cause why the redeemer is no more believed and adored is , for that this creator is no more credited and exalted : it is mainly with a design of honour to that christ , whom my soul loves , that i am ingaged in this printing-war against such an host , and so many armies of philosophick giants , and of hellish forces ; in his name and authority with the x sword of his spirit , which is the word of god , shielded by faith , i am called to go forth against them all . i therefore begin with this , because jehovah christ himself is the y captain of created hosts , whose cause is the justest , and whose side will be the strongest . it is he , who doth z banner it above ten thousand : to him i resort as to an almighty a warrier . whoever thou be that wilt give this treatise the reading and considering , do not look upon it as a low mean enterprise , ●s if it were a subject-matter too beneath a minister of christ , in his first printed essay in such an age , of growing light of abounding knowledge , of fruitful experience , of prophetical discoveries , of raised expect●tions of 〈◊〉 christianity , of many scholastick tractates published by the generous minded and learned virtuoso●s of the times : for , this design understood and improved , according to its true worth , and real usefulness , will be found to be a great improvement in the commonwealth , both of learning and of religion , by reviving the glorious creation , by restoring of primitive christianity , by directing 〈◊〉 studies aright into the only way of sound proficiency , to honour of christ , and the reputation of his word , in the both temporal and spiritual , the present and eternal , good of the sons and daughters of adam . b christ hath magnified upon all his name , his word : the portion of his friends shall be to observe his words ; such will he teach goodness of reason , a savoury sense , for they have believed in his commandments . o how sweet are his saying to their palate ! more than honey to their mouth ! their steps shall be firmly directed in his saying , for his servants love it , and him will they hear ; rise up , o aelohim , plead thou thy plea ! that the passage here may be the more cleared , i shall publish somewhat about the lawfulness of mentioning that great and glorious name , c jehovah ; and not only so , but further also , about the profitable use of it ; and further yet , that it is a duty , at fit seasons in its place , actually to give it a vocal expression , especially now in these later days ; though , not only the superstitious jews , but many philosophick christians , do declaim against the use and naming of this word . there are in the hebrew tongue several names , by which the great lord over all doth call himself : d some are names of essence : others are names of e power : some others are names of f preheminence , and lordship , and superiority . another of his g highness : amongst them all this proper name , jehovah , has its excellingness . it doth set him out , as that all glorious he , h who alone ever was , now is , and ever will be . he alone , who i so is that he cannot not-be ; all created existences have their being from him ; and were not only made by him , but have also their continued conversation by him ; so that k their subsistency is in him : in him they are , they live , they are moved . this is the confession of rational nature . all things are l for him , for this end has he given them their being , that they might be to his glory . it is he who puts a being into his words , turning them into works . m all the promises in him are yea and amen , he himself being the interpreter . it is he , the same , who gives n a being to the new creature , and doth uphold it in its existence : of him , and by him , and unto him are all things : to him be glory for ever ! the creator , who in the beginning of the history of the creation is called o aelohim , or the judging-adored-almighties , who spake p particular existences into their essences ; he is named q jehovah joyned with aelohim in the close of that history : he that made the heavens and the earth was jehovah aelohim . q some parts of this word , are often put , either in the beginning , or in the end of proper names . * by naming of jehovah is noted the mode of his essentiality and agenty ; r it is their sin , who do not call upon this name , for it is expresly to be named . it is therefore an error in the vulgar versions of greek , latin and english , when they render this proper name appellatively , which hath no plural number , no demonstrative note prefix'd , is not read in the constructed state , so as to change its last letter , neither doth it admit of any affixes at the end : this particular name of his shall be glorious . this word has been put into the ſ name of a place , and of an altar . so that such a place , and such an altar could not be rightly named without using that form and manner of pronunciation , as its consonants and vowels are . t though proud pharaoh for a while would not know , not acknowledge , this name , jehovah , yet aelohim by his plagues upon pharaoh did at last make his mouth pronounce it . pharaoh said to moses and aaron , concerning them and the israelites , jehovah shall be with you . this is that hebrew word which is made up of all the vowels , also of accents , and i● doth confist only of such vowels and acconts : there are in it a , e , j , o , v , it has h to begin a syllable , and h to and a syllable . it is evident , that the ethnick's jove and jao got its sound from their hearing of this word jehovah , to be pronounced by the hebrews , they retained some of the hebraick origination in the very sound of it . o how incomprehensibly glorious is this inf●●ite unchangeable essence , who was from all eternity , is , and will be , to all eternity , without any mutation ! who really doth declare and exhibit himself to be indeed such a one , as he manifesteth and promiseth himself to be in his word ! u jehovah himself was the author of this name of his ; and it is not attributed to any creature : it has in it all the parts of w duration , past , present , and to come . jehoshuah read all the words of the law , the blessings and the cursings according to all that is written in the book of the law , there was x not a word of all that moses commanded , which joshua read not before all the congregation of israel , with the women , the little ones , and the strangers , that were conversant among them : if all , and not a word unread , then jehovah was read , for this word was there . y it was foretold , that even the priests would be despisers of this name , but withal it is prophesied , that it shall be great from the going forth of the sun , to the going in thereof ; and they , shall in a more especial manner be remembred by him , who wisely think upon his z name : one of solomon's names , of his cognames , brought to his father david by nathan from an oracle , was jedidjah , beloved of jah ; for jehovah doved him , and therefore he sent his prophet nathan so to call his name , because of jehovah , that somewhat of jehovah's name might pass over into solomon's name : for jah is the contracted word of jehovah ; which name jah is annexed to a multitude of names in the holy scriptures ; whereby the ignorance and unbelief of the superstitious heart-veiled jews is justly reproved , who will not acknowledge this syllable , this word , jah to be the contracted of jehovah , lest they should be made withal to confess , that the word , the name jehovah should by found of voice be distinctly and expresly in all its consonants and vowels pronounced with due reverence . how much is there of this word and name that doth 〈◊〉 into scriptures ▪ sometimes it doth set out the glorious excellency of the eternal being ; other times the virtue and favour of this eternal being ; the acknowledgement , celebrating , and praising of this being . the profession and worship of this being of beings , and much more . this name is invocated often in the word , and is sometimes put for the command , will , or authority of this great lord . how many times is this expression used , thus saith jehovah , in the beginning , in the middle , and in the end of a sentence ? the margin of this page cannot contain all the citations of these in every of the places of scripture . a this name and word was to be on the high priest's forehead , that all the people might see it , and read it there , how else could they understand the mystery of it ? and the like is prophesied of elsewhere , with an eye to b this name of his , he will do much for his people in the later days ; b and it is covenanted , that in the purer church then , the knowledge of the glory of this name shall so aboundingly cover the earth , as the waters cover the place of the seas : he doth take notice of it , and is displeased at it , d when this name of his is seoffed at . as jehovah is e the proper name , so also the memorial of him , who is a ●ost lingle , pure , perfect , infinite ; unchangeable self-being , existing and subsisting in , and of , and by himself , who was , who is , and who will be one and the same , and not made another . from whom all and every of creatures in their first making did receive their essence , their existence , and by , and in whom they 〈◊〉 kept in their being , who will really and indeed declare , and shew forth himself 〈◊〉 such a one , the very same true one , as he hath revealed himself to be in his word , putting a real essenc● , an actual existence into all and every of his command , promisings , threatnings : and p●●pheses , of whatsoever it is 〈…〉 spoken , in their time a 〈◊〉 name , which he reserves only to himself , had which is communicated 〈…〉 other . name which in the 〈…〉 of it , is 〈◊〉 , the fittest to work those night apprehensions , and that 〈◊〉 knowledge of him in those who are acquainted with him which such 〈◊〉 word is 〈◊〉 form in them thou thy 〈◊〉 jehovah , f thou art thy name , what 〈◊〉 name hath in g thou 〈◊〉 ●hy name 〈◊〉 his people shall more know in the later days , from the 〈◊〉 of them unto the greate●● of them that , 〈◊〉 this he 〈◊〉 the earth shall be full of the 〈◊〉 acknowledgement of the glory of him , who is this name : how glorious , how fearful is this name ! o how great in might ! how holy ! how wondrous excellent in all the earth ! o how good ! how near ! how extolled ! how much hath he done ! how much doth he , and will he , do for this name of his ! h as this is , so should his praise be . they who knowing it , will trust of him ! the desire of the soul of saints is to it , and to the remembrance of him . they love it , they call upon it , and do confess to him : they praise it , for it is high advanced , this name of his , his alone ! this they fear . in this they will lift up their palms . in this shall they shout , and be glad all the day . this they remembred in the night , and have observed his law , this they see ! good to confess to jehovah , and to sing psalm to thy name , o most high , specially in the day of thy sabbath . thou wilt make known this name of thine to thine adversaries . how long shall the enemy blaspheme thy name , to perpetuity ? remember this , the enemy reproacheth jehovah , and the foolish people blaspheme thy name . thou wilt lift up the light of thy faces upon thy gracious saints , so that the oppressed shall not return ashamed ; the poor afflicted and needy shall praise thy name , and blessed be the name of thy glory for ever ! the reader is here advertised , that he has no just cause to be offended at , the expression of the faces ( in the plural ) of jehovah , or of aelohim ; for so it is in the original , and it doth set out that great mystery of father , son , and holy spirit , and the different manifestations of each of these , according as they are pleased with , or displeased at such as do make their address to them . the lord jesus christ is jehovah , as his father is jehovah , and as the spirit of his holiness is jehovah , they one jehovah . the father of christ is jehovah . thus it is written in the second psalm , where he is more than once expresly so called . the lord jesus is there said to be the christ , the anointed , and the son of this jehovah the father . and thus it is distinctly applyed i by peter in his prayer to the father , by paul in his preaching , and by the author of the epistle to the hebrews , who reciteth that text once and again . it was jehovah k the father who assuringly said unto christ , the lord of david , sit thou at my right hand , till i put thine enemies the footstool of thy feet : for the scriptures do often speak of christ , sitting at the right hand of his father . and l the lord jesus himself doth apply this passage in the one hundred and tenth psalm , of david's calling him lord , unto himself . so doth peter , and so also doth the author of the epistle to the m hebrews . the house of him who is named jehovah in the n sixty ninth psalm , is called by the lord christ himself , his fathers house . as john doth write of him , o those who are called the taught of jehovah in the book of isaiah , are such as christ doth interpret in the writings of john , to be hearers and learners of the father : p that power , which the lord christ had , to bruse the heathen as potters vessels with an iron staff , he acknowledgeth to have received from his father , in the revelation . which words are taken out of the second psalm , where he , who gave christ this power , is jehovah . the spirit of christ's holiness is also jehovah . he , who by david q in the ninty fifth psalm , did exhort the people to hear the voice of their god , and is here said to be jehovah , the great potentate , is by the author of the epistle to the hebrews , called the holy spirit . and r this self same , who in this psalm is said to have been tempted by the israelites in the wilderness , who also brought that people out of egypt , and did lead them in the wilderness , is , as hath been observed , named jehovah there , as he is also in the book of moses . and this was the holy spirit , the spirit of jehovah , as saith isaiah . ſ that people in the seventy eight psalm have it spoken concerning them , that they did bitterly provoke him in the wilderness , and grieve him in the desert , which is jehovah . which same thing being recorded in the book of isaiah , they are said to rebel , and to grieve the holy spirit : t that which jehovah did say and promise in the book of moses , that he would set his tabernacle in the midst of his people , that he would walk in the midst of them , that he would be to them a god , and they should be to him a people , they walking in his statutes , and keeping his commandments and doing them : this is renewed and fulfilled in the new testament , as paul doth declare in his epistles to the corinihians , who speaking of believers and saints , he saith , they are the temple of the holy spirit , of that living god , as god had before said in the old testament , i will dwell in them , and walk round about in them , and i will be their god , and they shall be to me a people . u he , who by zacharias in his song , is said to speak by the mouth of the holy prophets , and is called by him , the lord , the god of israel , and in samuel's second book is named the spirit of jehovah , the god of israel , who spake in the prophet david , the god of israel is expresly named in the second epistle of peter , the holy spirit , who spake the prophesies in and by holy men. this spirit is the lord , as paul writes in one of his epistles , the spirit jehovah , the lord jesus christ also , he is jehovah . the holy spirit doth witness this to us , in what he saith , if their be a due diligent comparing of the old testament with the new , it will thereby evidently appear , that the same , who is christ in the one , is jehovah in the other ; in many places of the scriptures of truth . w what the prophet isaiah spake , prepare the way of jehovah , is applyed by john the baptist , to the way of the lord christ . x what by the same prophet is said to be the glory of jehovah , is said by john in his writings , to be spoken of christ , at which time that word of esaias was then fulfilled that he spake , jehovah who hath believed our hearing , and to whom is the arm of jehovah revealed ? which jehovah , john doth interpret of the lord christ ; and that multitude , in whose hearing this was spoken , did acknowledge that they had heard out of the law , that christ abideth for ever : now the scriptures that do speak of this , which that saying of their doth relate to , do say of jehovah ; y what is spoken by the same prophet of jehovah the true god , that to him every knee shall bow , and all tongues shall swear , which swearing must be in his name , thereby to confess him , when there is a lawful call thereunto ; this doth paul ascribe unto the lord christ . z that which moses did charge against the unbelieving , disobedient , unperswadable israelities in the wilderness , they tempted jehovah , by speaking against jehovah , the same doth paul in his former epistle to the corinthians affirm to be a tempting of christ . paul says , christ was that spiritual rock , who went together with that people in the wilderness , a it was christ who was figured , shadowed and typified by the cloud , the mannah , the rock , it was he , who led them in and out , to and fro , there ; he was that angel of the father's faces , a messenger by office , sent forth to be the saviour and the guider of that people , who is expresly by moses called jehovah . he was jehovah , who went before them , together with them , b the author of the epistle to the hebrews doth testifie that what is spoken of the almighty jehovah in the one hundred and second psalm , that he aforetime had founded the earth , and that the heavens were the work of his hands , this same is applyed unto christ , as done by him , c the same author of that epistle doth apply unto christ , as his voice which should be obeyed , the which in the ninety fifth psalm is the voice of jehovah , the god of his people . d that which in the relation , made known to john , the lord christ doth say is meant of himself , that he is the beginning and the end , the first and the last , the same doth jehovah speak of himself , in the book of the prophet isaiah . e it is one of christ's names in the book of jeremiahe , jehovah our righteousness ; according unto which doth paul speak in his former epistle to the corinthians , that christ is of god made righteousness , unto those who are his ; and in his later epistle to him , he saith that they are made the righteousness of god in christ . this jehovah is one jehovah . so saith moses , hear , o israel , f jehovah our god , jehovah one . the same said christ in his gospel , hear , o israel , the lord our god , the lord is one ; which the scribe , unto whom the lord jesus christ spake that , did acknowledge , master , thou hast well said in truth , that there is one only god , and there is none other but he ; the which is said by christ to be an understanding answer . thus speak jehovah christ the almighty , the rock of his people in the book of moses , g see now , that i , i he , and no god with me : for , who aelohim besides jehovah ? and who a rock except one god ? thus david in the eighteenth psalm , which rock was christ , as paul expounds . the same speaketh the prophet isaiah ; thus saith jehovah , the king of israel , and his redeemer ( which is also a further proof of the jehovahship of christ , this being in the prophets applyed to the redeemer ; the which k redeemer is one of christ's names , both in the old and in the new testament , thus saith ) jehovah of hosts , i am the first , and i am the last , and besides me there is not god. and again in the same prophet , i jehovah , and none more , besides i me no god. to this well agreeth the testimony of paul ; we know , that there is none other god but one . to us there is but one god , the father of whom are all things , and we for him , and one lord jesus christ , by whom are all things , and we by him : which in another place , the same apostle doth again witness , there is one lord , one god. a clear revealing , and a distinct opening of this great mystery , doth k john set before us in his first epistle , there are three that bear record in heaven , the father , the word , and the holy spirit , and these three one are . there is none holy like jehovah , for there is none besides him . and there is no rock like our god , l so hanna confessed in her prayer . thus david , when a word was brought to him from jehovah by nathan the prophet , about the building of an house to jehovah by solomon , m thou art great jehovah god , for there is none like thee : and there is no god than thou alone . and again in that song of his deliverances , who is god besides jehovah , and who is a rock except our god ? agreeingly with this was that passage in n solomon's prayer at the dedication of jehovah's house , jehovah the god , none else . this was o naaman's confession , when he was cleansed of his leprosie , and spake of jehovah israels god , i know there is no other god in all the earth . p thus hizkiah in his prayer to the faces of jehovah , o jehovah , thou thy self , thou alone the god , thou jehovah god alone ! q nehemiah has the like breathing in his prayer , thou that jehovah alone . god is one , saith paul in his epistles to the r galatians . isaiah bringeth in jehovah himself thus speaking , ſ i he , he jehovah , before me was no god formed , neither shall be after me . and again , is there a god besides me ? i know none . and again , thus saith jehovah thy redeemer , i jehovah alone . again , t am not i he the jehovah ? and there is no god more besides me , and a just god and a saviour there is none but i. the like in u hoseah , i jehovah thy god from out of egypt , therefore shouldest thou know no god but me alone , for there is no saviour besides me . w how good is that true word which zeehariah hath foretold , jehovah shall be king over the whole earth ; in that day jehovah shall be one and his name one . who will give us to see , that we know and acknowledge this , and may cause it to return into our heart , that jehovah he god , in the heauens above , and the earth beueath , and none else . o give we to jehovah the glory of his name ! o that our our hearts were united to fear this name ! jehovah hath said that he will exalt him , that doth acknowledge his name . my soul , bless thou jehovah , and all my inward parts this name of his holiness ! the name of jehovah is a tower of strength , the righteous shall run into it and be set in an high place of safety . great is jehovah , and he will do great things for his great name sake . this jehovah christ was appointed by his father and anointed by his spirit to be the one mediator , the only lord and lawgiver . this now cometh next to be considered , he is the mediator , he is x the one mediator , he is the lord , he is the y only lord , he is the lawgiver , he is the z only lawgiver . to all and to every of this he was appointed by his father , and anointed by his spirit : he is the mediator . a mediator , as paul doth describe him in his epistle to the a galatians , is a middle one between others , one that puts himself bet●●een , to come between two parties ; for a mediator is not of one , but he has 〈◊〉 unto two persons or parties , that do by the means or ministery of this middle one , treat about somewhat wherein they are both concerned , either by way of mutual messages to know one anothers minds , or to be kept in union and in love , or to be reconciled , where the parties are at variance , and should be set at one . the two parties here , under present consideration are god● and man , as paul writes in his first epistle to b timothy , where he doth affirm this mediator to be the man christ jesus . the man , who was god man , god manifested in the flesh , as he says in the same epistle : that man , who was c gnimmaun● el● ; god with us , the almighty , or the potentate , or powerful one with us , as speaks the prophet isaiah . he was god , who purchased his church by his own blood , as paul declared to the elders of the church of ephesus . for , such a mediator became us , as had the natures of both those parties in one whole christ , between whom he came in , to mediate , especially since the disobedience of man has set god and man at variance . when paul had once understood and found the benefit , having felt the necessity , and enjoyed the good and blessing of this mediation , and had the word and the ministery of reconciliation committed to him , he took much holy delight in opening of this great mystery in his epistles to the churches , discovering , d how god was in christ reconciling the world unto himself , not imputing their sins unto them . paul and such others as were called into that office , were ambassadors for christ , as if god did beseech sinners by them , and they prayed in christ's name , that such would be reconciled to god : for him who knew no sin , hath he made sin for his people , that they might become the righteousness of god in him . e it pleased god to reconcile through christ all things unto himself , both the things upon the earth , and the things in heaven . this was much the end of christ's coming upon the fathers sending of him , f to preach peace unto us : he is our peace , and his gospel is the gospel of peace . christ was man , that as man had offended , so christ by becoming flesh , by taking the manhood to his godhead , might pacifie god in man , in the nature of man , and that christ might be such a one as did suffer together with us , in our infirmities , and was tempted in all things like unto us , yet without sin : as the author of the epistle to the g hebrews doth declare . and christ was god ; h in him dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily , as paul speaks , that there might be virtue and merit enough in him fully , both to satisfie and please his father ; and that he might be a fit interceder for his people to his father , and that now believers might in christ see and enjoy the father , i christ being the image of the invisible god , the brightness and resplendence of glory , and the ingraven form or impression of his person , or subsistence ; so that he , who seeth the son , seeth the father also ; k this shines in the face of jesus christ , who as mediator , was also known to , acknowledged by , believers under the old testament dispensation , whose jehovahship has been already proved from thence , whereby his godhead is evidenced , and as for his humanity it was revealed to them , that l the seed of the woman should break the head of the serpent , and that , of the fruit of davids body should christ be raised up concerning the flesh , m as peter in his sermon hath expounded that prophesie in the one hundred thirty and second psalm ; and christ did several times appear under the old testament administration , as a man ; whereby he did visibly foreshew that great mystery of his being god manifested in the flesh , in time . thus particularly doth the word speak , that when jacob was left alone , n a man wrestled with him till the morning , whom jacob did call the mighty god , whence jacob named that place , where this wrestling was , peniel ; that is to say , the place where he saw the faces of the almighty one , even of him who is jehovah . for thus the prophet hosea doth speak , that jehovah saith , at bethel god found him , meaning this jacob whom he met , and to whom he appeared , and there he spake with us , he , who has jehovah for his name of remembrance , which also is another proof of christ's being jehovah . it was made known unto them , that christ was both god and man in one . hence in o isaiah christ hath the name of gnimmanu-el , god with us , which 〈◊〉 more eminently and evidently fulfilled , when he was born of the virgin 〈◊〉 as is declared in the book of the generation of jesus christ , that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the lord by that prophet , saying , behold the virgin shall he with child , and shall bring forth a son , and thou shalt call his name emmanuel , which is being interpreted , god with us . and p the prophet zeehariah doth call christ such a man as was withal a fellow-companion with the father . there were several types of this of old : such a one was moses , when he stood between jehosnuah and his people , to shew unto them the word of jehovah . such was aaron and his sons the high priests , who were anointed to this office to appear before the lord for his people , to offer sacrifice for them , to pray unto jehovah for them , and to bless them from jehovah . thus did the people humbly supplicate to the judge of all by a mediator for grace . they , of them , that were believing , appealed unto the father for right , presenting themselves , and referring their cause to his righteous judgement in a way of q interpellation , intreating his favour , and praying against condemnation , in regard , that all his just demands were fully answered in the virtue and merit of his son , in whom his soul was well pleased , who was represented by the r high priest , that did bear the names of the people upon his heart , when he went in into the holy place for a memorial before jehovah continually , and who did bear the iniquity of their holy things , for favourable acceptation of them to the faces of jehovah , which was a significant figure of the mediation of christ , who by the author of the epistle of the hebrews is called , s the high priest of our profession , and the high priest of good things to come , in which respect he is the mediator of a better testament , as he is commended in that epistle : the figures and types which did shadow out his mediatorship under the old testament dispensation , having received under the new their full accomplishment and perfection in him . it was christ's person , and office , and place that t jehovah . the high priest in the prophesie of zechariah did represent , when he stood before jehovah . it was christ whom u malachi doth call the angel , or the deputed commissioned messenger of the covenant , he , in whom all the promises of god , even to believers under the old testament were yea and amen . w what was promised unto abraham , that in him , in his seed , all families of the earth should be blessed ; the same doth paul in his epistle to the galatians apply to christ , as accomplished in him , who was that promised seed . hence christ is called x the surety of this better testament or covenant , he , who by giving the hand , did promise to the father on the behalf of those , whom the father gave unto him , for whom he did undertake , and who did work their peace by making of a covenant between god and them ; for who else could have set his hand to go through with so great a work ? who is he that can promise in his heart to draw near unto me , saith jehovah in the prophet y jeremiah ? none else was throughly fitted , and fully furnished for this , but only jehovah christ . christ is the z one mediator . of this the apostle paul speaketh in express words : there is one mediator between god and men , the man christ jesus . and thus it was in the figure and type of christ's mediatory office , a the true lawful high priest was ever but only one in a course of succession , who went into the holy of holies once a year , not without blood which he offered for himself , and for the misdeeds or ignorances of the people , to make atonement for them , to cleanse them from all their sins before jehovah ; whereby was signified , that christ , that faithful great chief . high priest , being once entred into heaven by his own blood , hath found a ransoming , or obtained an eternal redemption : for such an high priest became us , holy , innocent , undefiled , separate from sinners , and becoming higher than the heavens , to whom it was not needful every day , as to the high priest , to offer up sacrifices , first for his own sins , afterwards ( for the fins ) of the people ▪ for that he did once , when he offered up himself . we have such an high priest , who is set at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens . he that is b malchitzedech , the king of righteousness , is this priest ; the eternity of his priesthood is established for ever by his father by an oath , which priesthood cannot pass over from one to another , either by succession , or by descent , as that of the high priests did of old , but it doth , and will abide everlastingly in himself . this jesus christ , that righteous● one is the c advocate of his people , or their spokesman , who appears on their behalf before the face of god ' , and to make intercession for them . o● the blessedness of those who have this mediator to be a redeemer of them , an interceder for them ! he gave himself for them , a ransom for them , that he might redeem them ! he reconciles them in the body of his flesh through his death , making peace by the blood of his cross ! he , by the everlasting spirit offered himself unblameable unto god! his blood purgeth their conscience from dead works to serve the living god● . for , by one oblation he hath consecrated for ever those that are sanctified ; the chastisement of their peace did lie upon him . he is the price of their redemption , he is their surety ▪ he was faithful in all the house of god , he sits at the right hand of the majesty in the d heavenly highest place , far above all principality , and power , and might , and dominion , and every name that is named , not in this world only , but also in that which is to come , all things being made subject under his feet . who shall condemn them ? christ is able perfectly , even unto the full end to save them ! by him only they come unto god! he always liveth to intercede for them ! he prayes , not for the world , but for those whome the father has given him , and who believe on him , that they all may be one , as the father in christ , and christ in the father , that they also may be one with the father and with the son , that the world might believe that the father sent christ ! how earnest was christ in his prayer to his father , that he would sanctifie these by his truth , that he would keep them in his name from the evil one ; that they might have his joy fulfilled in them ! it is christ's desire , that where he is , there they also may be , that they may behold his glory , which the father hath given him ; and that the love , wherewith the father hath loved christ , may be upon them . christ doth know , that the father heareth him always . how ready are such , as have fellowship with the father , and his son jesus christ , praysingly to say as that multitude of the heavenly host , in their song ; glory to god in the highest heavens , on earth peace , good will towards men ! this christ is the lord . unto e all authoritative power is given in heaven , and in earth . and o how much is there that doth depend on this ! that lordship which is here intended and meant , is , christ's kingly dominion , his royal government , into the office whereof he is called , it being one of his glorious names , f king of kings , and lord of lords . for so it is written in the revelation , that was made known unto john. g no man can say the lord jesus , if not in the holy spirit . it is a gift in the holy spirit even to acknowledge this , believingly to apply it , and obeyingly in all things to be subject to it . thus we read in the h prophet isaiah , a child shall be born unto us , and a son given to us , upon whose shoulder the dominion shall lye , and his name shall be called , wonderful , counseller , the mighty strong god , the father of hidden ages , the prince of peace : of the increase of his dominion , and peace shall be no end , upon the throne , and in his kingdom to stablish it , and to strengthen it with judgment , and with justice , from henceforth for ever : the zeal of jehovah of hosts shall do this . this is applyed to him , who is god-man , and can belong to no other . i ezekiel saw this in that glorious vision , wherein was presented before him a throne of royal majesty , upon which was a likeness , as the form of man , and this was the form of the likeness of the glory of jehovah . this was the representation of him who is jehovah-man , of jesus christ , the ever blessed lord of glory , whose the ruling of the whole world is . all the creatures must stoop of him : he is she head-captain of all the hosts of heaven , and of earth ; for so did the scriptures bring him in . to this doth that revelation answer , which was made known to k john , who saw one like unto the son of man ; he that calleth himself the first and the last , and did appear as an absolute complete governour , wise for counsel , and strong for power . like unto this was that which l daniel saw in the night-visions ; for , behold there came one like the son of man in the clouds of heaven , after that he came to the ancient of days , and they caused him to come near before , and to him was given dominion , and honour , and the kingdom , that all people , nations and to●gues should honour him : his dominion is an everlasting dominion , which shall not perish , or be taken away , and his kingdom shall not be destroyed . this was the shining forth of christ's princely honour , of his kingly administration who was god-man . and by this was manifested the great mystery of the work of redemption , which doth further demonstrate the mediatorship of christ : who came from his father in heaven to men on earth ; and having finished his message here , he ascended from men on earth to his father in heaven , there to present himself before him , on the behalf of those ▪ whom the father gave unto him . this is he of whom the prophet m jeremiah spake , that he , shall reign and prosper , one of the stock of david as man , and yet withal he , who should be called jehovah-zidkenu , jehovah our righteousness . so that , he is jehovah-man . the same of whom n micab foretold , that he should come out of judah for to be a ruler , and whose goings forth are of old from the days of eternity , which in the book of the generation of jesus christ is spoken of this g●immanu el , god with us . o thus the prophet zachariah describes him , at the least in the type , he shall sit and bear sway upon his throne , and he shall be priest upon his throne . p this was the voice of the angel to mary concerning christ , the lord god shall give unto him the throne , he shall be king for ever , and of his kingdom there shall be no end . q this is to be known for certain , that god hath made him for a lord , him hath god by his right hand exalted for a prince and saviour : thus did peter openly confess him before men . this r jehovah christ hath reigned , he is reigning , and will reign . how high is that majesty , with which he is clothed ! he hath girded himself with strength . stable is his throne from then , from the time that he has been , from before any created time , as we now measure it , he from eternity . he , by the authority of his mediatoral office has royal prerogatives , to pass acts of grace , to grant pardons to particular returning sinners , to speak the peace of this into the conscience , to give the joy and comfort of this into the heart . christ had a glory with his father before this world was , and a love from his father before the foundation of this world ; as the lord christ himself doth acknowledge in his holy heavenly prayer to his father , as john has recorded it . he is high above all the people ; let the earth be glad , let the many isles rejoyce . come let us shout joyfully to this jehovah , let us shout triumphantly to the rock of our salvation ! for jehovah a great god , and a great king above all gods : he is the king of righteousness , and the prince of peace . all kings shall bow down unto him , and all nations shall serve him . christ is the ſ only lord , him only must we serve . so doth christ interpret moses , and so did the prophet samuel teach . let us hear the lord jesus himself speaking thus in the book of his generation , t one is your leader even christ , one is your father which is in heaven , one is your master , even christ . paul doth write in the epistle to the same purpose , we have u one lord jesus christ . and again , there is one lord . and in another place , he is the blessed and only mighty lord , the king of kings , and lord of lords . he is the head of the church . his office is so appropriate unto him , as that his priesthood w cannot pass unto any other , but remaineth in himself for ever . there is no other name given us under heaven , whereby we may be saved . thus x calls him , the only lord god , and our lord jesus christ , speaking of that peculiar propriety , that the called ones who are sanctified have in him . he trode the press alone , and there was none of the nations with him . thus did y isaiah hold forth christ's kingly power , and his princely government , in redeeming and saving of his elect , and in subduing and destroying of his enemies , as saith the same prophet in another passage of his book . z the father hath given him the nations for his inheritance , and the ends of the earth for his possession . his dominion shall be from sea to sea ! his scepter is a righteous scepter , he hath loved righteousness , and hated iniquity . he shall judge the people with righteousness , and the poor meek ones with judgement and equity . he is the rulling one by his power from ever . jehovah hath firmly prepared his throne in the heavens , and his kingdom ruleth ouer all . his kingdom is a kingdom of all eternities , and his dominion in every generation and generation . behold the arm of this lord jehovah shall rule : his enemies shall be made his foot-stool ; and in the mean time he shall rule , though in the midst of them . how great and wonderful are thy works , lord , thou almighty god. just and true are thy ways , thou king of saints . who should not fear thee lord , and glorifie thy name ? for , thou art alone holy ! for all nations shall come , and worship before thee , for thy judgements are made manifest : all nations shall can thee blessed . blessed be jehovah god , the god of israel , who dost marvellous things thy self alone ! and blessed be the name of thy glory for ever ! and let all the earth be filled with thy glory ! amen , and amen! this christ is the lawgiver . thus was it spoken by isaias the prophet , a jehovah is our judge , jehovah is our law-giver , or statute-maker . thus was it prophesied by jacob , concerning christ , at the least in type , that the scepter should not depart from judah , and the law-giver from between his feet , until shiloh come , the saviour , the safe-maker , the author of prosperity , of tranquillity , and unto him the obedience or the gathering of peoples . christ was to spring from judah , as an after birth , which , as is implyed , should be of the flesh of a woman , according to which prophesie and promise jehudah is said to be the law-giver , in the sixtieth , and in one hundred and eighth psalms : he it was , who formed decrees , and who made laws . he was at the least figured by that law-giver , who was with the princes and nobles of the people , when with their staves they digged and delved the well at beer ; and of the same did moses speak concerning the tribe of gad , when he declared the blessing and the portion , the provision and the protection , to be from this law-giver , christ himself calleth the law his law , in the seventy eight psalm , wherein he himself speaketh unto his people ; for so the holy spirit doth expound it in the book of christ's generation , when he opened the parable of the sower and of the seed . one of the laws of loving one another , in bearing one anothers burdens , is in express words said to be the law of christ , by paul in his epistle to the galatians . it was jehovah christ , who spake and gave the law of the ten words at mount sinai , when god's chariot the twice ten thousand thousands of angels were there ; b this lord was with them . he it was , the same , who ascended on high , who led captive a captivity , who had taken gifts in adam , among or unto men : for , of this lord jesus christ doth paul teach us to understand this place in his epistle of the ephesians , where speaking of this one lord , he saith , when he ascended into the height , he took captivity captive , and gave gifts unto men . now this , he ascended , what is it , but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth ; he that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens , that he might fill all things : c this was that angel of the lord , who appeared to moses in the wilderness of the mount sinai in a flame of fire , out of the midst of a bramble-bush , which angel of jehovah was jehovah , god , the same who spake the living words at sinai , which he writ by the finger of god , and delivered them unto moses to give unto the people , as stephen doth apply it in that defence , which he made for himself against the council . d the same angel of jehovah's presence spoken of in isaiah , which angel was christ sent to be a mediator between god and man , of whom e moses wrote long before , who was jehovah , who led the israelites by day in a cloudy pillar , and in the night by a fiery pillar , to light them in the way wherein they should walk , who came down upon mount sinai , and spake with them from heaven , and gave them righteous judgements , and laws of truth , good statutes and commandments , and who made known unto them his holy sabbath , and he commanded them precepts and statutes , and a law by the hand of his servant moses , as nehemiah had declared . this also is held forth by the author of the epistle to the f hebrews , who shews , that it was the voice of christ which moved the earth , when he gave the law at sinai , he who came down from heaven , as christ himself speaks of himself , in what john writes of him relating to some passages in the wilderness . he , who is the lord from heaven ; he , who is the hammedabber in daniel , the speaking one : which speaker the hebrews were exhorted to take heed they did not reject . that , which the author of that epistle doth refer unto in the prophet haggai ; about moving not only the earth , but also heaven , is further note-worthy in what goes immediately before , and doth bring it in , yet now be strong thou zerubbabel , saith jehovah , ( thus doth the father incourage to the building again of the temple , ) and be strong thou jehoshuah , son of josadak high priest , and be strong all the people in the land , saith jehovah , and work , for i am with you , saith jehovah of hosts , with my word ( this is one of christ names ) in whom i made a covenant with you , when you came out of egypt , and my spirit that abideth among you ; for thus saith jehovah of hosts , once again a little it shall be , and i shall cause the heavens and the earth , and the sea and dry land to shake . the father made a covenant with that people in christ the angel of the covenant , christ was there when they covenanted with him in the wilderness ; and his holy spirit was there . it was g for his words sake , for his christs sake , that this favour was shewn him , as also other scriptures compared do manifest . moses h wrote of christ , who had testimony from the law ; moses and the law did bear witness of christ , and brought in articles of charge , which accused those jews that did refuse the i messias ; when christ was transfigured , moses appeared together with christ in glory . christ is the only law-giver , k the apostle james doth manifest this fully , saying . there is one law-giver , who is able to save and to destroy , he is the only one. to speak according to the scripture , his law is a kingly law : this is one of the chief blessings , and one of the chief priviledges of his covenant people . this jehovah is their statute-maker , l as saith the prophet isaiah . this jehovah is their king ; he their saviour ; he will deliver and preserve them . he is made unto all those who obey him , the efficient cause of eternal salvation . it is he who prescribes laws , and who constitutes the rule of life . the greatest and the highest of earthly princes is a subject to this king of kings , and lord of lords . m when this supreme governour had proclaimed his ten words or commandments , he gave them unto moses , who was king in joshurun , that he might bring them to the people , and might see the judicial laws duly executed , when any were fount to be transgressors of the ten words . the magistrate is to take care that both the tables of this law be well kept . n the king , who was set over the people of jehovah christ , was the write for himself the copy of this law in a book : and it was to be with him , and he was to read therein all the days of his life , that he might learn to fear jehovah his god , to keep all the words of this law , and these statutes to do them ; that his heart be not lifted above his brethren , and that he turn not aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left , to the end he may prolong his days in his kingdom , he and his sons . this was the charge which jehovah aelohim gave to o joshuah , the commander and leader of his people : the book of this law shall not depart out of thy mouth , but thou shalt meditate therein day and night , that thou mayst observe to do all that is written in it ; for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous , and then shalt thou deal understandingly . have not i commanded it thee ? be strong and couragious . p moses , as holy as he was , as highly favoured as he was , and as wise a governour as he was , yet had nothing left to his prudential determining , but , as he was told and shewn in the mountain , so must he declare , what those laws and judgements were , which to observe : he must keep exactly to the prescribed pattern . and it is recorded to his commendation , that he did so , causing all things to be done as jehovah commanded him . q thus king david received commandments by the spirit , by the hand of jehovah in a written word ; and to this rule must king solomon keep : and so should the superiour powers to all generations . we are not to attend , to advert , or to give our minds to such commandments of men as do turn away truth , or as do turn away from the truth . r thus wrote paul to titus : o what laws , statutes and judgements are so holy , just and good , as those which jehovah christ hath given ! would it not be the wisdom and the understanding of nations to walk according to these ? how daring is the attempt for any man or men to think to change these laws ? why do the heathens tumultuously rage , and the peoples meditate vanity ? the kings of the earth set themselves and the princes do plot together against jehovah , and against his christ , let us break the bands of the father , and of the son , and cast their cords from us ! this is the rebellious language , of such a would cast off all sign of subjection . o who will give , that kings were prudent , that the judges of the earth were nurtured ? to serve this jehovah with fear , and to be glad with trembling ? to kiss the son , lest he be angry , and they perish in the way , when his anger shall burn suddenly , o the happy straight progress of all that hope for safety in him ! to all , and to every of this , that has been forementioned , christ was appointed , by his father , and anointed by his spirit . the father himself hath declared this in the second psalm ; that ſ he has anointed his king upon zion , the mountain of his holiness , doth and will tell the decree , jehovah said to me , thou my son , i this day begat thee . ask of me , i will give the heathens thine inheritance , and the ends of the earth thy firm hereditary possession . thou shalt rule them with a rod of iron , as the vessel of a potter thou shalt scatter them in pieces . of this jesus doth peter understand this psalm , and from hence doth the author of the epistle to the hebrews prove christ's call to his office of priesthood . t this christ was the first anointed with the spirit , and with the oyl of gladness above his fellows , u in the forty and fifth psalm . this name mashiach , or messias , as applyed to this son of god , was well known in israel , as appears by w andrews acknowledging him to be so , to his brother simon , and by the testimony of the woman of samaria , who confessed this name . and hence it is , that those disciples of his who believe on his name , have this honour from him to be called x christans , both in the old and new testament . he charged other men not to touch his christians , his christs , his anointed ones , in the one hundred and fifth psalm , those who were thus consecrated to him , and set apart to high and honourable offices and imployments under him , by the anointing of his spirit , which they had from him that is holy , as writes john in his first epistle : which name was revived and received at antioch , y where the name was renewed in the apostles times , and they were again called christians : for there are the fellows of christ , being taken into consortship and partnership with him in the anointing , whereby they are also made kings and priests , as john speaks in the revelation . there oyly pourings out of the spirits were in a z fulness upon christ , not in lesser measures . jehovah possessed me , saith christ in the book of proverbs , in the beginning of his way , before his works , before them , before the world was , a i anointed , before the beginning , before the first things of the earth , when yet there was no deeps was i brought forth , when there was non fountains heavy with water , when yet mountains were not fastned , before the hills was i brought forth , yet he had not made the earth nor streets , no not the beginning , nor dust of the inhabited world. when he fitted the heavens there was i , when he appointed the circuit upon the faces of the deep , when he fortified the clouds above , when he strengthened the fountains of the deep , when he laid his decree upon the sea , that the waters should not pass the commandment of his mouth , when he appointed the foundation of the earth . thus speaks the father by the prophet isaiah , concerning his son , behold my servant whom i uphold , mine elect my soul delighteth , i have given my spirit upon him , he shall bring forth judgement upon the nations . the lord christ b was warrantably , lawfully called to this office , god the father sealed him thereunto . as christ speaks of himself in what john doth write of him , and elsewhere in his prophet isaiah , the spirit of the lord jehovah is upon me , therefore jehovah hath anointed me to preach . no man taketh this honour to himself but he , that is called of god , as was aaron . so also christ did not take this honour to himself to become an high priest , but he , that spake unto him , thou art my son , this day have i begotten thee , gave it him . as also in another place he saith , thou art a priest for ever , upon my word , o malchi-tzedek . hence it is that christ is called , by the author of the epistle to the hebrews , the apostle and high priest of our profession , and by malachi , the angel of the covenant : so that christ had a testimony from his father , for his being appointed unto this office , not often after he had taken flesh of the virgin mary , when a voice came from heaven , saying , this is my well beloved son , in whom i am well pleased , and when the holy spirit descended as a dove out of heaven , and abode remaining on him , but long before under the old testament dispensation : and before that also , c even before the world was , he the anointed . this lord jesus christ was administrator under both testament dispensations of grace . he chief in office , and all others , that were lawfully called and rightfully sent forth , were such as did minister and serve under and for him . he was the lord god of the holy prophets , as john calls him in the revelation , and as the father sent him , so did this christ send his apostles . it was this christ who so often appeared to moses , as has been shewn . christ was faithful to his father who constituted him in office , and who was heir of his own house . in which house he imployed moses to be his servant , who was also faithful to and under christ . it was the spirit of christ , who did witness in the prophets of old , as peter mentioned in his first epistle . he was the chief one in sion , as isaiah calleth him , who did declare the things that were to come to pass ; and this is the same son of god in whom the father hath spoken to us in the last days . him hath god made lord and christ , and to him was given dominion , glory and a kingdom , that all people , nations and tongues should serve him . the father hath given unto him dignity to execute judgement ; he hath given all judgement to the son. all must obey and stoop at the command of this ever blessed lord of glory , who has proclaimed this of himself , that all authoritative power is given him in heaven , and upon the earth . god hath committed all into his hands . he shall reign , till he hath put all enemies under his feet . this is he that is appointed of god , the judge both of the living , and of the dead . in this was the love of god manifested towards those whom he chose in christ , and gave to christ , that he hath sent his only begotten son into the world , that they should live by him ; so loved he the world , that he thus gave christ , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life . o how much hath he commended his love to such ! he was first in the love , him hath god set up for a prepitiatory-covering , an expiatory reconciliation . thou lord art worthy to receive the glory , and the honour , and the power , for thou hast created all things , and through thy will they are and were created . this jehovah christ was the creator of all things , as the father is creator , and as the holy spirit is creator . they the creators . jehovah was the creator of all things . this d aelohim was he , who gave his creatures their being , as moses hath delivered to us the history thereof . to this do others bear witness in the scriptures . praised be johovah aelohim , that made the heavens and the earth , e said huram . thou jehovah alone , f said nehemiah , thou hast made the heavens , the heaven of heavens , the earth , and all that is therein , the seas , and all that is therein , and thou makest them all alive ; and the host of the heavens worshippeth thee ; jehovah god of hosts , who like thee , mighty jah ! thine the heavens , thine also the earth , the world and the plenty thereof : thou hast founded them . and again , confess ye to jehovah , to him that made the heavens with prudencie , to him that spread out the earth above the waters . thus saith g jehovah himself , who taught his people by his prophet jeremiah , what to say , the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth , and from under this heaven . who but jehovah god hath made the earth by his power ? who but he hath prepared the world by his wisdom ? and hath stretched the heavens out by his understanding ? thus h zachariah brings in jehovah speaking , he who spreadeth forth the heavens , and foundeth the earth , and formeth the spirit of man in the inmost of him . i thus in the gospel of jesus christ , god is said to create the creature . thus did k paul reason with the men at lystra , the living god hath made the heaven , and the earth , and the sea , and all that which is in the same . the like did he at athens , god who made the world , and all that therein is , he is lord of heaven and earth . and elsewhere , of god and by him , and to him are all things , to him glory for ever , amen . the father was the creator of all things . so l isaiah brings him in , speaking , thus saith god jehovah , he that created the heavens , and spread them abroad , he that stretched forth the earth , and that which issueth out of it ; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it , and spirit to them that walk upon it , i the lord have called thee in righteousness , speaking of his son christ . this did peter acknowledge in his prayer , m lord , thou art the god , who hast made the heaven , and the earth , and the sea , and all things which are in the same , who by the mo●th of thy servant david hast said , why do the heathen rage , and the people have thought vain things ? the kings of the earth are risen up , and the rulers are gathered together against the lord , and against his christ , for in truth they were gathered together against thy holy child jesus . this doth paul witness to in his former epistle to the corinthians , we have but one god , n the father , of whom are all things , and we for him . the holy spirit also is creator . how many are thy works , o jehovah ! so sings the psalmist , all of them hast thou done in wisdom , the earth is full of thy riches . thou wilt send forth o thy spirit , they shall be created . and thou wilt renew the faces of the earth . and in another psalm , by the word of jehovah , the heavens were made , and all the host of heaven by the spirit of his mouth . the spirit of aelohim was the maker and cherisher of them . thus doth job set it out , he through his spirit adorned the heavens . and elibu elsewhere applys it in his own case , the spirit of god hath made me , and the breath of the almighty hath quickened me . the lord jesus christ , he also was creator of all things : it was in and by this head captain , that the heavens and the earth were accomplished , and all their host . p this did hezekiah acknowledge , when he prayed to him that sat between the cherubins , thou thy self , thou alone art the god , of all the kingdoms of the earth , thou hast made heaven and earth . he that is the first , and he also who is the last : which the lord christ doth apply unto himself in the revelation . he speaks of himself in the q prophet isaia , mine hand hath founded the earth , and my right hand hath measured the heavens with the palm . and again . the heaven is my throne , and the earth is the footstool of my feet , mine hand hath made all these things . it is the voice of the redeemer in the same prophet , i jehovah do all things , spreading out the heaven , i alone , and who stretching out the earth by it self . r god by his son made the angels . thou lord in the beginning hast founded the earth and the heavens are the works of thy hand . to this christ the son , in the epistle to the hebrews is that passage in the one hundred and second psalm rightly applyed , ſ it was by the word of god that the world was prepared . in the beginning was the word , and the word was with god , and the word was god : all things were made by the same : and without the same , no not one thing was made that was made : the world was made by him . thus doth john bring in his testimony for him . whereunto that t of paul doth well agree , god created all things by jesus christ , and elsewhere he saith , we have one lord jesus christ , by whom are all things , and we by him . that to the colossians is full to this purpose , where the apostle having described the redeemer , the lord jesus christ , by his inward relation to his father , he being the image of the invisible god ; he then sets him out by his outward relation to the creature ; he is the first born of every creature , begotten before all creation , or before any thing was created . this he doth convincingly prove , and clearly illustrate by evident demonstration ; the reason is strong , which he draws from christ's being the efficient cause of the creatures being , the continued preserver of them , and his glory being the great end of their being . for in him , by or through him , were all things created , which are in heaven , and which are upon earth , which are visible , and which are invisible , whether they be thrones , or dominions , or governments , or powers , all things were created by him and to him , and he is before all things , and all things do consist together by him : he is u the aleph and the thou , the alpha and omega , the beginning and the end , who was , and who is , and who is to come . before abraham was made , i am , said christ of himself . it was his prayer , glorifie me , o father , with the glory which i had before the world was , with thee . it was this christ who created the first seven days , and established their order to continue in their successive courses to the worlds end . it was he , who when he had perfected his work , that he had made in the six foregoing days of the first created week , rested in the seventh day . it was he , who blessed the seventh day . it was he who sanctified the seventh-day , because in it he had rested from all his work : thus it was from the beginning , unchangeably so to remain , and go on to the end . this he expresly revives in his after proclaiming of this law of the sabbath , that it might be remembred , six days jehovah made the heaven and the earth , the sea , and all that is in them , and rested the seventh day , and hallowed it . thus injoyning both by his own example and command , the perpetual observation of that particular seventh-day , in order of time in its successive course in every weekly revolution , as the appointed day for holy rest . that day , and that only , and no other day of the week . thou lord art worthy to receive the glory , and the honour , and the power : for thou hast created all things , and through thy will they are and were created . o that those who dwell on the earth , and every nation , and kindred , and language , and people would fear him and give glory to him , for the hour of his judgement is coming ! and that they would worship him , that made the heaven and the earth , and the sea , and the fountains of waters . the father , son , and holy spirit , they are the creators . they the w aelohim , who spake creatures into their existence and being , of which adored almighties an account is given in that historicall narration which doth contain a diary or journal of the first seven days . the father aelohim . it is spoken of him in the forty fifth psalm , x aelohim the aelohim of christ , anointed his son by his spirit , which son also is aelohim , expresly so called in the same psalm , thy throne , y o aelohim , ever and perpetual , the scepter of thy kingdom is righteonsness . the author of the epistle to the hebrews sheweth , that this was spoken unto the son of god by his father . z and the holy spirit is called the spirit of aelohim , and the spirit jehovah , by isaiab . in the second book of samuel , this spirit of jehovah , or this spirit of jehovah , as paul elsewhere , is also called , the aelohim of israel . it is aelohim , who dwells in his people as in a temple . so saith moses , which paul applyeth to the holy spirit : these three are the creating one : a thus solomon the preacher chargeth young men to remember their creators in the days of their youth . where aeloh my makers , those who making me , that giveth the psalms in the night : so would elibu have had job to say . the same hath eliphaz in the same book . should a man be more righteous than aelohim ? should a man be purer than his makers ? hence is tzijon incouraged in the later days not to fear ; for saith jehovah by his prophet isaiah , to her , thy makers is thy husbands . thus doth the psalmist call for an hallelu-jab , or praise ye jab , sing ye to jehovah a new song , his praise in the church of gracious saints , let israel rejoyce in his makers , in those who making him ; let the sons of tzijon be glad in their king ! the whole creation should joyn in this song of praise , for this reason which is common to the whole world of them , b for he commanded , and they were created . i now propound it to serious examination , according to the word , whether much of this glorious mystery be not included in the c first words of the holy scriptures ? bereashith baraa aelohim ; and in that word jehovah , mentioned a little after the short history of the creation , as the creator and maker ? which is to be left to further disquisition . for i am inciting and encouraging of religious students , and of christian disciples , to deeper researches into the best learning . this word has in it the signification of an d head , so that , this is not barely in the beginning , but it doth set out that first capital beginning of all things in and by christ , the constituted head of all . inquire whether it should therefore be rendred , in the head-captain , or in the head-captainship , or in-by the captain , or the chieftain , or head-commander , or in him who is the head-captain , or in the appointed head or captain ? e the preposition is properly in. and when it doth point out the immediate principal cause , it is in by . let the diligent inquirer about this collate some other scriptures , that doth relate unto this matter . f it was in-by christ , that the father made these hidden ages . for this is spoken of the son of god , whose godhead is strongly proved by the author of the epistle to the hebrews , in the beginning of it , by divers ●itations out of the old testament , brought into the new , g it was in by wisdom , that jehovah did found the earth , and prepared the heavens , and made all his great works . h all things were created by jesus christ ; which is a great honour put upon our lord . the father created all things ; if you ask , by whom ? i it was by jesus christ . all things were made k by him . christ was the head-captain of all the host of the heavens and of the earth , l and he is the chief head of his body the church ! both these are affirmed of christ with an eye to this , m in and by : in by him , who is the image of the invisible god , the first-born of every creature , were all things created , which are in heaven , and which are upon earth , which are visible , and which are invisible , whether they be thrones or dominions , governments or powers ? all things were created by him , and to him ; and he is before all things , and all things consist together by him ; and he is the head of the body . there is one lord jesus christ , n by whom are all things . he is expresly called o reashith , the appointed head of jehovah's ways before his works from then : speaking evidently of the creation . as the words themselves in that place of the proverbs do plainly declare . he was anointed to this principate , and is again and again called roash , the head . roashith is the p name of one of the types of christ ; the first fruits are so called in the old testament : and so is he in the new , q the first-fruits of them who sleeping . it is not without great reasons and weighty considerations , that , this first written word should set out christ as the head. captain or constituted head , or appointed captain ; for , all skillful lexicographers agree , that the original-propriety and root significancy of this word hath that of an r head in it , in its true first meaning , to which the scriptures do agree : and divers scriptures do speak of troops , of bands , of hosts of companies , of souldiers , under an head-captain : to this honour and office was christ assigned and appointed by his father ; which also this word doth remarkably set out . if it be a composition of roash an head , or captain , or head-captain , and shith , to put or to place in martial order , or in battle-array : for , thus we may find the word used ; the lord christ doth put his hosts or armies into rank and file in their order with art and care . proper names are often compounded in the hebrew , wherein that tongue doth delight , though it doth not so easily admit of composition in appellatives . the ſ context favoureth the interpretation , with other scriptures collated : for in this history of the creation we may read of the hosts of this captain general , or head-captain , how quickly can he arm his creatures against any that presumptuously dare to rebel against him , and his holy wills and laws ? all the creatures are this t host . the angels , the stars , particularly are some of christian v hosts . the scriptures do acknowledge him to be the w head-captain and leader , though he be x chiefly and in a more peculiar and especial manner , this , with respect to his own covenant-people . this y prince of jehovah's hosts was he , who was the valiant warriour with his under-officer joshu● , in that great martial expedition against the enemies of his church and people . this is the z prince of princes , who can easily break the strongest opposers . the head is the a anointed part . and thus was christ b anointed to this high and honourable office of being head-captain , or king , and commander in chief . how often in scripture is christ called jehovah of hosts ? the c head is crowned . so was d christ's head , as the victorious triumphing conquerour over all his enemies . e the 〈◊〉 useth a word which doth somewhat open this mystery ▪ it being used in military affairs , for the contracting or putting to gether of scattered soildiers into one troop , under one head-captain : as in arithmetic , many several numbers are gathered or put together into and under one he●d-sum . and as in rhetorick , all the particulars of a discourse or oration are repeated and gathered under one general head . if itb , at the end of rea●●b , be the chaldet and syriack , 〈…〉 being turned into the hebrew thou , frotht , jesh , he is , then the word signifies in him who is the head-captain . let the ingenious and studious 〈◊〉 further into this mystery . how great a promoter of learning as well as of religion , this would be , all found believers of christian doctrine will soon admit . for there is no knowledge comparable to this of the saving f knowledge of jesus christ and of him crucified . though paul abounded in other sorts of learning , yet it was a case determinedly judged aright by him , that all their knowledge was as no knowledge at all , without this , and in competition with this , this being the ground-work of all . i shall to this end cull some useful passages out of the nine first chapters of the proverbs of solomon relating to this matter . in which one book ; so small a part of the scriptures , there is more of sound learning in profitable arts and sciences than in all the pagan philosophical books that are extant . o how much then is there in the whole scriptures ! here you may find a directory and rules for theology , for physicks , logicks , rhetoricks , medicine , politicks , ethicks , oeconomicks , what not , that is useful learning ? how many several significant words are there whereby to set out the excellency and preheminence of scripture-knowledge , and of the science of useful arts in a scripture-way ! such as g sapience , or savoury wisdom , science , understanding , intellect , erudition , knowledge , prudence , skill , subtilness , and the like , with many choice commendations of it , both in words and phrases ! as that , this doth deliver authoritative sayings , that , it teacheth rectitudes , gives apt counsels , speaks essences according as the truth of things is , with much more ! here the wise will find and h addition of doctrine , the more he doth learn , still the more he may ; thus making continued proficiency : i here are the best principles of sciences : this doth best deliver the beginnings and progress of arts : the true holy fear , and the right worship of the adored almighties , is the head , the crown-top , the captain-ship of knowledge , the summity of wisdom . this is the chief science , and it hath the principality of arts. the first in time , the honourablest in dignity : and this is the leading● sentence ▪ axiom or apophthegm , that carries the inquirer into profitable learning of any kind . this puts a gracious ornament , a golden chain , upon and about other knowledges . christ is k wisdoms , all wisdoms in one , the pluraln●ss of the number is an indication of his comprehensiveness , and full-treasuredness of all true good wisdom : he is the chief wisdom , the wisdom of wisdoms , the wisdom of god. he is made of god l wisdom to believers . this is one of the prime of all good that he is made to such . all treasures of wisdom and of knowledge are in him , and in his word . he is the authour of all sound wisdom : and , that is a man's wisdom m to learn christ's words , to learn the truth n as it is in jesus , to have the mind of christ , and to have such conceptions and apprehensions of truths , and of things as are in the mind of christ . we should make our ear o to attend to these eloquent speeches , these pleasant oracles of wisdom . these must be hid as a treasure in our inmost recesses . our p hearts shall be enclined to this intelligibleness of understanding . we should cry giving our q voice to it , to call in this heavenly instructer to teach us it : and we should call it to us to be familiarly conversant with it . we should with diligent intenseness r seek it as silver , and enquiringly search after it as for hid treasures . the knowledge of the fear of jehovah , and the finding of this knowledge , is the great s promise . this wisdom is a gift from him , knowledge and understanding comes from his mouth , from christ and his word . his blessing must be upon man's endeavour . it ●s he that lays up to right ones t essence , essential knowledge , sound and true real knowledge of things , substantial understanding . philosophical notions are but a shew and shaddow . all the humane invented unscriptural arts and sciences are but colours and appearances . this word-knowledge doth influence upon u practice . who was ever thoroughly converted and made holy by ethnick philosophizings ? in the scriptures are rightnesses or straitnesses conform to the rule of the law of christ , and it hath a w preserving efficacy upon the heart that receives it . how pleasantly x delightful is this knowledge and wisdom , when once it enters into the heart otherwise if 〈◊〉 be only without ; in the book , it has not such a pleasingly holy operation , and sweet sanctifying effect . that is the praise worthy knowledge that gives one to find y grace and good understanding in the eyes of jehovah and of adam , such as adam was in his primitive uprightness , and first integrity of concreated knowledge . if we know jehovah in all our ways , he z will direct our paths . as for others , who a lean to their own understanding , and who are wise in their own eyes , their confidence is vain . b adam had happy goings on with a straight foot , whilst he found and held and acted this wisdom , and drew forth this intelligence . and the wisest among the sons of adam should still be making out after this precious treasure , and then fetch from thence to make it their own and other mens . how good is its e traffick and income ! how good is the fruit that is to be gathered from this d tree of saving knowledge ! will and desire what thou wilt : this doth by far excel ; any thing of art , every thing of science , else has no coequation with this . this was the wise choice that e solomon made , for which he , who is wisdom it self , hath commended him . there is f no occasion of complaint here , as in vain philosophy , that art is long , and life is short : for , the more skilful thou dost grow in this holy art , the more will it be a lengthening to thy days , and if thou do not waste time , it will tell thee thou dost not want time . here the walk is g all-pleasantnesses , and the way is prosperous peace . no such hardship and difficulty as in intricate involved philosophy , in the study of which confounding vanity , and stupifying of obstruseness , some have thrown their books against the wall , because they could not overcome its notions in their intellect . in scripture-wisdom , h here the tree everlasting lives , and this tree of saving knowledges do grow together , and growing believers can nourishingly feed on both their fruits together . those who apprehend it , and hold it up , and reach it out to others , are made happy by it . this is a participation of i the wisdom of god. this wisdom is seen in jehovah's founding of the earth , and this understanding is manifested in his establishing of the heavens ; this knowledge k looked forth in the broken abysses , in the dividing of the waters , and in the skies , distilling dew : yet vain mens affected wisdom can make nothing of their studies about these , nor ever will - whilst they slight the scripture discovery concerning these , and other works of the creation ; but the eyes of believers should not go off from the word and works of god. those who are thus well-minded shall have jah to communicate his l secrets , and his counsels to them , here is m good doctrine : good in its self , good to those who do receive it , from which receiving it hath its name . our heart should be n upholders , bearers up of these oracles of christ . we should o possessingly acquire this wisdom and understanding , not forgetting , not declining from the words of his mouth . this wisdom is the leading-head-commander of knowledge ; this we are to begin with . it is not , as vain philosophy is , a withered fruitless speculation , but a p sapid savoury knowledge . it is the best inheritance . o come to it as such , all ye who are true friends of real useful learning . it puts a q glory upon the possessor of it , and doth highly exalt him , enobling the embracers of it . these sayings we must r take in , not the dictates or placits of men , or of devils . in this ſ way of wisdom should young ones be instructed , they should tread in these sound paths of rightness , going over the scriptures again and gain . how many young students read over divers philosophical tractates before they read over the holy scriptures once , at least with an eye togather the best arts and sciences thence ? other books of knowledges are no further useful than as they , some way or other , more or less do comment aright on the scriptures , or on created beings agreeably to the scriptures . in humane philosophical writings , the student is often brought to perplexing straights , and to offensive stumblings ; not so here in this word and way of wisdom . here we should have t and hold real profitable notions of truths and of things , it is our lives ; whereas vain speculations of carnal reason should be let go , lest they prove deadly to the pertin●cious maintainer of them . the further on that a believer doth walk in this scripture-path , the more growing is his u light to discern , and to difference things by , whilst philosophical wanderers , that go out of the word-way , do and will , whilst there , walk in darkness ; but let our eyes be upon this book of books . keep we its revealed knowledge in the midst of our heart ▪ it will be liveliness and healing to us . w to this should we be attentive , and upon this be intent . it has acute wittinesses , and subtile cogitations , so shall our lips conserve science : for all kind of holy sagaciousness and discretion is in this scripture-wisdom and intelligency . from these words should not we recede , and they should be our doctors and teachers , that instruct us in this . this word is a x law and a light , whereas philosophies are darknesses . this word should we bind over our heart always , and tie it , annect it over our throats , that as soon as speeches are uttered by us , out may come some scripture y eloquies of mysterious art and holy science , waking and walking we should converse with it , and it with us , it will keep us when we are asleep , and it will lead along in proficiency , when we are in our particular callings ; it would z inlighten our mind , and direct our way , at the very door of it , when we first step into it . we should see understanding shine forth upon us , and into us . these words of christ should be a kept by us , and hid with us as the black , the little man of our eyes . we should bind them over our fingers ( to work by them , and to wise us in and about our work ) as well as write them on the table of our heart , to live under the law of them , and to love them , and meditate upon them . we should say to wisdom my sister thou , and call understanding a kinswoman , so near and so dear , so intimate and familiar , ought it to be to us , and with us , and our eyes should see by this ; all sensible experimental knowledges should be brought to this . this word it greatly useful for an active , as well as for a contemplative life . here is work for fingers , as well as thinkingness for hearts . a believer doth wed this wisdom . this kind of understanding , and of knowledge should be well known unto us , as a wife , a sister , a friend , a very amicous b relation , and of free converse , our conjoyned counseller , of the same blood with us , and of close affinity to us . all the sons of adam may c learn here , magistrate , minister , and people , leaders and led . what is spoken here are eximious matters and d rectitudes , that which is truth , all just , no depraved or oblique thing , all e preparedly right to the intellect , to those who finding knowledge . whereas humane philosophies are obscure and crooked , dark and wrie , false and difficult . in word-knowledge there is that true riches which is f beyond gold and silver . wisdom is above margarites . all a mans wouldlings , his wishings have no equation in her . whereas the philosophical arts of elementary learning are beggarly rudiments . so are the first principles of cosmical men , of vain affecters of worldly humane wisdom , poor and weak vanities . in christ's word is the invention of science , and of subtil arts. he that would deeply consult about g essences , should come hither , which humane philosophies can never so indigate . with this unstanding there is strength , whereas humane wisdom doth weaken the powers of a man's spirit , and soul , and body . this word would instruct kings how to reign , and counsellors how to decree justice : how to statute it out to subjects and inferiours . in this princes have and should exercise their principate , all the nobles and judges of the earth , according to christ and his word ; o how much should we love this , and morning it to find it out ! it will carry us to walk in the path of justice . you , that for some years have been early at your philosophical studies , be now at length wise , and come betimes to the scripture lecture , that christ by his holy spirit from his father , in his word would declare unto you . if ever you would be wise , do not mispend your time , and coyn , and strength in houses of folly ; there are of you , who know too much where they are : but repair to wisdoms school , late and early , night and day be at these study-doors . such shall draw forth from jehovah what his will is . this right way of sound wisdom was delivered and revealed h from the foundation of the world , at the first creation , as the certain , the unerring rule of the mind and will of god. christ in his word and works do make known himself to be the rare i artificer , all-skilful-worker , and all profitable science and useful arts must be learn'd from him , as their great exemplar , and teaching author . the k manliest virtuoso's are here spoken to and called upon , hither should they hasten to learn , as well as the ignorant plebeians , and the easily perswaded inspients . here are noble sciences , and liberal arts , for the most free princely spirits . christ in his word no sooner opens his lips , but some right truth and real thing quickly is spoken forth . there is nothing distorted or perverted here . it is all obvious , directly before us , not intricate or infolded . here a young timothy may get wisdom , and in a little time grow up to great understanding . l here is the house of wisdom and of prudence . this is the doctress and dictatress . this cureth the teachable student of m pride , elation , arrogancy , of which philosophers are still sick . here is the perfect n possession of science and of sapience . here knowledge is sound and saving , virtuous and substantial . christ o delighteth to teach the sons of adams this , and should not we be made willing to learn ? where word-knowledge is taught , at that p door should we enter , that we may q elicite hidden mysteries . this christ who is wisdoms , doth set himself out as a master and teacher of useful arts and sciences to adam and his sons quickly after the r creation , inviting them as disciples ( into his school . his college is completely built , and he begins his instructings of them with satisfaction and intercession in this discharge of his mediatory office , by ſ offering of sacrifice , and by praying ; and when he has instilled his useful precepts , he then entertaineth his learning-ones with spiritual repast : o who will give , that there were more incorporated societies here , subject to , and ruled by , the statutes of christ's house ! that our hopeful youths may no longer be sworn to philosophical laws , words and statutes ! here christ utters his oracles from that exalted pew or pulpits , the highest heavens . how honourable would our cities be , were there holy convocations , and spiritual runnings and meetings to christ's preaching and interpretings here ! he calls with significant voice in express words , come , o come away , come hither ! and no longer waste your time by a fruitless attendance on philosophical lectures . come in and submit to christ's discipline : his teaching of you will prosper the better for his chastising of you . here is a knowledge that is a wising and nourishing to a sanctified soul , whilst vain philosophies are but fatuities and emptinesses . scoffers here , will not be proficients ; the attempt will be successless , and the labour lost to instruct such ; no art nor industry of man can inform them , till christ change and convert , and new make them ; for they despise that word-wisdom , which commended to them , and set before them , and napkin up or imprison those few notions of it , which they have taken in . whereas , give occasion to a wise man , and his wisdom will be increased ; as soon as it is presented he takes it in . the fear of jehovah is the way to it . this is the knowledge of holy , both angels , and men , and things , which would be every way so much for our own advantage . after all this discovery , will young students be still beguiled and corrupted , by the t foolish woman , ( who is so contrary to christ and his word , and to the wisdom which is in him , and in it ) which knows nothing aright , carnalizing every thing , all its opinion of things , being streperous by keeping up its disputing noise , and wrangling clamours ●tumultuous , fallacious and drawing aside from the truth into error ? it doth not understand any thing savingly , nor discern it spiritually : it has not soundness of apprehension , though it self-flatteringly imagineth that it has the knowledge of many things , and is well skill'd in many arts and invents . u what doth it know aright ? can you name it , or tell what it is ? yet would this foolish woman be in the throne and pew too , ( imitating and emulating of wisdoms before spoken of , and strive to out do and go beyond . ) she will come with pompous ostentation , her bell and bedel , and with external apparat , to insinuate her self into mens minds by deceptive oblectaments , and sensual allurements : it would sit in the doctors chair , and exercise regal authority : thus affecting to be like unto wisdom , it becomes more ridiculous by its apishness . sometimes she will use w some of the same words that wisdom doth but in another sense wrying them in their own dialect , as if christ's wised ones were foolish ones in her accompt , and she could teach them better , she delights in fallacious artifices , till she mislead her blind followers into the gulphy-empty-space , and the doleful sighful place , and would leave them there hopeless and helpless , like the hellish teacher of the black-arts , unless the lord do in time , before they tumble in thither , step forth to their recovery out of these snares , by turning them from the error of their way to the truth . he who has willingness , skill and opportunity , to carry this meditation through this book of proverbs , may gather up and put together a great deal more of this profitable matter . i must hasten now to some further inquiries , for the progressive advance of useful learning . of the one ( which when another day was created , was the first ) day of the created world , and of some of its works . q. whether this earth at its first creation were without form and void ? so that x thou and bohu be truly and rightly predicated of aeretz ? or whether tohu and bohu be not dictinct creatures from the earth , locally distant , or two created places , the one setting out the gulphy-empty-space , the doleful place of hell ? the clearing up of this , that the gulph and hell are certain distinct places of a created nature , doth contribute much for the discovery of the positure of the world , which is the higher , and which the lower part of the universe in its system orderly disposed , as also for the conviction of infidelity , and the confutation of atheism ; it being a great and gross error in the scoffing anti-scripturists , who daringly affirm , that the gulph and hell have no certain existence in the nature of beings , nor definiteness of locality in the creation of places , but that they are mere bug bears to terrifie fools , and scare-crows to fright children withal , my work therefore here will be to examine , whether the earth at its first creation were formless and vord , so that tohu and bohu , as commonly interpreted be truly and rightly predicated of aeretz or not ? whether tohu and bohu be or be not distinct creatures from the earth locally distinct , or two created places , the one setting out the gulphy-empty-space , the other the doleful place of hell ? then to assert , and prove from scripture and nature , that there are really such places , and in what parts of the created world those places are , whereby the positures of the creation will be manifested , in what order they are placed one above or below another , which is one of the secrets of nature , hidden from vain philosophers , but revealed in holy scriptures . towards the bringing in of somewhat of a very useful discovery , that this earth was not created deformed , not an empty , un●●apen , or mis-shapen lump , confused or without fashion , not such an amazing and shameful thing , as one , who has a name amongst the learnedest of criticks , and who doth undertake to correct others in their rendring of these words , doth amiss call it , not such a formless chaos , as it is heatheneshly standered to be , let it be well considered , whether they do not great wrong to this work of aetohim , who do express the significancy of these words to be that , which is contrary to fight order , to good-digestion , to method●● framing , and to com●y modesty , as somewhat to be ashamed of , and then do 〈◊〉 this to the earth ? seeing that this earth , as also the empty gulph , and the doleful place have a great fitness , and a comly order , and a beautious decency , in the creators ordination , for the ends of y his own glory , for the advancing of rich distinguishing grace towards the elect , and for the sinners confusion ; and , amongst many other transgressors z idolaters and corrupt worshippers living and dying such ; especially if in ages of such growing light , as doth convincingly discover the forbiddenness of all humane inventions , institutions , and impositions in the matters of worship , exclusive of what is of christ's prescribing and appointing in his word ; these are some of those sinners who by name are declared to be in the road way upon the brink to be tumbled down the gulphy-confounded-space . there is not any the least mark of reproach cast or put upon any other of aelohim's works , and therefore not upon the first created earth . for , all and every of his works a have all that kind of perfection which doth belong to that created work ; it being made in that excellency of state for b goodness which every creature was framed in according as the nature of that creature was capable , fit and able to receive for its assigned usefulness in its place . so that it was , for so far , intire , consummate , absolute , in all numbers and modes , and was no way to be reprehended , faulted , or blamed , having the creator's own letters testimonial for its due commendation and praise under his hand and seal . all was pure , unblemished , no defect in it , as such , therefore did righteous adam c rejoyce in meditating on these works , on the seventh-day sabbath . by a collation of other scriptures it will appear , that , this verb d was , may properly and distinctly belong to tohu , and to bohu ( as also to vechoshe● . ) as for the significancy of the words in the original let all the scriptures be considered that do make mention of them , whether , tohu be not the empty ( gulphy , astonishing , desolate , ) space , and bohu the doleful place , ( the serious meditating whereon makes to sigh and to groan ; ) these words are substantives and not adjectives or participles , and do properly stand by themselves . so that to praedicate these abstracts of the earth , as if it were amazingness , shamefulness , deformedness , formlesness , emptyness ( or shapelesness ) and voidness , ( wastness or vanity ) seemeth to reproach creating aelohim , who did all in wonderful wisdom , and having approved of every work of his , he rejoyced therein . as for the structure of speech , e the verb belongs in common to tohu , to bohu , ( and to vechosh●● ) appertaining to all the members of this speech ; being put to one , it is to be accommodated to all , as if it were expresly added to every one , aeretz was created , tohu was , bohu was , each of them was in being truly subsisting ; though the verb be but once written , yet being once spoken it hath f a conveniency with the , other members by a common right . there is great evidence and natural comeliness that is in this kind of scripture-speaking . it cannot be rightfully affirmed of this earth in the abstract ; as many do , that the earth was emptiness , or an empty thing , at its first creation . for this appears to be expresly denyed by jehovah aelohim in g another scripture , because , thus he said , when he shews himself forth as the creator of those heavens , and the former of this earth , that having made the earth , he firmly prepared or established her , and that he did create her not - tohu or not-emptiness , he created her to be dwelt in , or sat●in , or to be inhabited , or to sabbatize in . thus doth he expresly deny what men do affirm . tohu only is the gulphy empty uninhabited place of the created world. it being only the h gulphy passage to hell ; several parts of the creation being distinctly spoken unto in that prophecy by isaiah , as the text and context will evidence . all other spaces and places are filled up and inhabited , but only this tohu which is empty . in the higher heavens there are the glorious inhabitants of that better countrey . there are the upper waters , and many other treasures : in the expanse are sun , moon , and stars , those bright shining luminaries . in the air are fowls , on the earth are men and women . beasts , cattle , worms , in the waters are fishes , in hell are devils and damned ; only tohu is void , so that there is a vi●●um in nature , contrary to paganish philosophy i as tohu doth properly note , that , which is contrary to such a line as is drawn to distinguish , to put in order , in building upon some foundation , which tohu doth want . so bohu is that , which is contrary to a foundation and building or extruction , contrary to a perpendicular , by which the building is directed . there is no foundation or extruction in hell , for it is bottomless , at least so far , as that , the damned know no bottom of it . tohu not being praedicated of aeretz , neither is bohu , which is a word that followeth after tohu , which tohu has bohu always joyned with it , as in nature of created places , so also in k scriptures . this tohu and bohu therefore also are not matter and form . the jews and christians have learned this wrong conceipt in the schools of paganish philosophers , and then afterwards they affayed , whether they could defend it by their wrying● : or this scripture , to work it into their errour , as for the scituation and place of these , they are the lowest parts of the created world. jehovah ae●ohim hath l stretched forth the north over tohu , this gulphy-astoni●hing-empty● space , which is that part in the positure of the creation that is directly diametrically opposite unto the north-point : so that the north part is the uppermost part . there are some heavens m higher then other heavens , and some parts of the heavens are higher then some other parts of the same heavens . the n most high , or the highest , or the eminently exalted high one over and above all , is one of christ's names . he , as to his glorified humane nature , sits in his glorious o high throne : and would you know where this is ? no books of ethnick philosophers can inform you without light from the word , for , it is only of scripture-revelation : it is at the sides of the p north , whither a proud prince that was brought down to hell ( most opposite to the north , ) said in his former self-exaltation , that , he would ascend , to pluck christ if he could , out of his chair of majesty , that , he might get in to give laws and orders to the world. it is at the q north , where christ doth work . from r hence doth exaltation come , not either from the east , or west , or south , but from christ sitting over the sides of the north. s there is the city of this great king. how quickly may a believers spirit resort thither and freely converse with christ in his humane glorified nature ? who , as he is also jehovah , t hath a way of gracious presence here with the spirit of a believer . how many useful ways , might this be improved in experimental christianity ! i have given the hint , which should quicken up others to pass further into this re●search ; more may be collected out of the scriptures about the exaltation of the north , and if need were , to use such arguments unto men , their mouths who oppose this might soon be stopp'd by the express concessions and affirmations of humane authours . as the earth is founded u upon the waters , as upon her bases , and is above the waters ; so also is hell w under the waters , in a lower place : it is opposed to the highest heavens , as the lowest place . here are the shadowed profundities below the sea , the lower abyss and vorago . all the controversies about sheol , about the local descent into the craving place , concerning which so many treatises have so hotly contended , must by this word-discovery receive a clear full determination ; for , in no one scripture which i am as yet thorowly convinced by , must sheol necessarily , or doth x sheol properly , signifie the grave , but some lower place than that . divers sheets of paper might be filled with this subject from what is gatherable out of the word , which also is another very profitable discovery if pursued with diligence and received with meekness , and would overturn the whole of ethnick philosophy about the system of the world and the positure of the creation . the middle of this earth is not that common center of the universal world , towards which all heavy bodies would naturally descend there to sit down and enjoy their rest : the stone , or brass , or lead , at the end of the line in the perpendicular would move downward under all the earth , beneath the waters , if it met with no obstacle . according to geometricians own principles , if right lines do stand upon right lines , making the angles on either side equal , then either of those angles is a right angle , and the right lines that stand erected are perpendicular lines to those upon which they stand . such perpendicular lines can never meet in one and the same center and point , or interfect one another , for there is no enclining of the lines any more to one side then another , there is no reclining or obtuseness in any of the angles ; aequidistant perpendiculars prolonged and moved never so far on both parts , will never meet either on the one side or on the other . all right angles are equal to one another . such perpendiculars are always equal distant the one from the other . could such perpendicular lines meet at a point , if they were prolonged , they will necessarily intersect , and the angles on both sides would not be equal . these perpendicular lines are rectangled parallels ; they are equal perpendiculars constituted between the same parallels ; they are equi●ngled , were there parallelogram-lines drawn : all the quadrilateral ( figures would have opposite parallels ; from one and the same point can be drawn but one perpendicular line to divide a terminated right-lined diameter ( equally dividing the circle ) into two equal parts , if that perpendicular line be drawn from the circumference to the center : and from one and the same point and center there can be but one perpendicular line drawn to that part of the circumference , where a right line doth touch the circle , and where that perpendicular doth cut that right line into two equal right angles at the point of touching : all other lines drawn from the same point , have not correspondent , proportional , parallel , equidistant parts , neither will they make right equal angles in that point where they do touch or inters●ct that right line . the opposite sides are not parallel , neither can they pass into a right-angled-equilateral quadrilateral figure , into such a square which hath the four sides equal , and the angles right-lined . of all the right lines drawn from one and the same point on a right line , that line which is perpendicular is the least , constituted on one and the same base , so that there is but one perpendicular from or to this one and the same point , standing erect upon a right line . according to statick law there can be no angular point of two several lines concurring in it , without an unequal divergence or divaricating of the two lines from it proportionably , as it is nearer or further distant from the point . improve we this to overturn humane philosophy . let there be an erect wall square of a right-angled equilateral , quadrilateral figure ; and let plumb-lines be let fall from the two sides of it , they will naturally move downward to , and if way were made into the earth perpendicularly , and these perpendiculars would be equidistant , and would be always , if prolonged , equidistant and never meet at a center and point , which is quite contrary to the tenet of such philosophers , seeing there cannot be a motion of two heavy bodies from the circumference in two parallel lines towards one center and point : for still the nearer they come to this supposed center , the nearer they must be to one another , which affirmation is quite contrary to sense , reason and scripture , as may be seen with the eye in the forementioned parallel motion of the two plumb-lines , thus the seamen have their perpendiculars which do move right down , and do make perpendicular lines equidistant from each other , every where in the waters that are y under this one earth , if it be well examined by the same natural motion of plumb lines equidistantly downwards , it will be found , that all plants do naturally grow out of the earth perpendicularly , and so the earth doth nourish them ; and thus all grounds do bear only according to the plain or level thereof , and not according to any convex or concave superficies . a garden , though the ground be rising and indented , yet may be paled round with as few equilateral pales , as if it were plain and level , because all the pales do stand perpendicularly , one of the most quick-sighted into , and of the most experienced about natural history has declared , that as for the moving of dense bodies to a point or place , ( which was the opinion of the ancients ) it is a meer vanity . i have not found , though i have searched withcare and industry in this inquiry any one word or phrase in the old and new testament , which doth properly signifie a common center of this visible world ; whereas , there is express mention made of a z perpendicular , of a plumb-line : that one place of the sea , into which the waters were gathered at the first creation , is a distinct different place from this pretended center in the middle of the earth , which the vain affecters of humane wisdom , would have the congenial parts of the chaos immediately to apply themselves unto , gathering round in about it , as if this frame consisted by an equilibration of parts to the center of gravity . there is not such an elementary and subcortical earth , as is below any the lowest fundus of the waters , as if this were the foundation , and basis of the world , and the centrical orb of it ; for the deep waters , the gulphy space , sheol , and the doleful place are below the earth ; they are subterraneous , as being under the whole body of the earth , and not only under the upper superficies of the earth , and therefore these are called the out places . o , who will give , that the atheist and the infidel would lay this more to heart ! the holy scriptures do set out these lower places with terrour to fright the sons and daughter of adam from those by-paths of sin , that would lead thither . there are the a profundities of sheol ; the evil angels were thrust down there ; there is the black dark passage into the deep corrupting pit , to the sides whereof sinners are cast down . this is the hid horrible place , the going down there is in sorrow , into a place tormentful ; a certain b definit place remotest from heaven ; a place of greatest sorrow , and of deepest misery , into which the damned do descend ; c some are saved from out of sheol , others are cast down and left there . how doleful a place is hell ! wo , wo , no , oh , is the language there , under the weight of unpardoned guilt , under the sense of tormenting wrath : d those , that will not turn from sin unto christ here , shall be turned into hell there . a place of terrible confused e darkness , of outer darkness , a foul and hideous prison , the gehenna of fire is there . should i paraphrase upon the several scores of scriptures that do express this , how many pages would it take up ? this is the place of deadly shadow , of weeping , of gnashing of teeth , of chaining , of gnawing worms , of burning wrath , the wicked are thrust down , and driven in there , what ? will those who forget god never believe this , till they feel it ? o how rich is that grace , how free is that love , which doth deliver a chosen number from this wrath to come ! which doth take them up into the f heavenly places , the better country , the holy place , the holy of holies , the eternal tabernacles , whither christ is ascended to prepare mansions for his disciples , that he and they may be together , ever together . there is the place of the manifested residence of aelohim's glory . q. whether g that darkness which doth distinguish and separate between the night and the day in a large day , be but the want or privation of light , and so mere nothing ? and which was first , the darkness or the light ? and what is the scripture-doctrine , according to created nature and order , concerning days , weeks , months , winter , summer , and years ? the affecters of humane wisdom do thus wrongfully determine , as if it were only the absence of light , or the shadow of the earth coming between us and the sun ; when the opacous or thick body of the earth doth interpose between us and the sun , darkness followeth . whereas the scriptures of truth will inform us , that h darkness is a creature , darkness was , it hath been , i that is , it truly hath subsisted , it doth and will subsist . for so is the nature of that word ; to be , is to exist , to have essence . k a creating word was used with respect to darkness . the creaton made light , spake it out of darkness : it is called to the night , l which is a real name , and is a real thing . it sets out m real things : it has n a place , a local seat : the darkness was over the faces of the troublesome deep ; for this proposition doth note a term or place of motion or rest , in the most opposite place to ●ight . o light is in heaven , as in its proper place , in which god doth dwell ; whereas p these darknesses are in the lowest places , in the abyss , in that nethermost pit in the gulphs . darkness was three days before there was a sun in the expanse , to go in , go down , or set , the sun being created on the fourth day , and therefore it was not caused by the suns absence . q darkness was one of egypts plagues , which had not been so much , had it only been a want and no infliction , it was darkness felt , which was a sensible thing . the air was thick of it ; the hand had sense of it . it was palpable : darkness of r obscurity , much obscure , black and thick . s it sets out a spiritual plague , which is a real judgement . t it is a thing sent and made . it is a thing sometimes turned into its contrary . it has an efficient cause . jehovah aelohim gave it a being : he puts it , he makes it : he puts a term or bound unto it . he brings it into the air as often as he will. it has its properties , as sudden arising , or diffusion , or spreading abroad , it has obscurity ; it doth produce real effect . it is divided into several kinds , thick , black . it is that , which is unfit for communion with its opposite light. it is a thing destroyable . it is one of the miseries in hell. the creator did divide between the darkness and the light , as the expanse did divide between the waters and waters . the heavenly lights were made thus to divide between the light and the darkness . the original words which do set out darkness , do manifest its being a created thing . how glorious a creature is the light , which is opposed to darkness ! u light was one of the first ornaments of the created world , with which aelohim decked them as with a garment . the creator dwelleth in light , and there the light dwelleth , though mortal man be little acquainted with the way of it . jehovah formed it . it is called his light. it is he who prepares it . o how admired and adored will christ be , when he shall be visibly seen to be the light of the heavenly city ● the created light is not a mere accident , or quality without substance , as ethnick philosophy has wronged it . it is an essentiated substance ; it has a distinct good perfect subsistence : it has a place of its own ; it has motion from one place to another , and this motion is in time. it comes and it goes at its seasons . it has not only a local motion , but also its rays and beams , and species do produce real effects . the sun is not the cause of this light ; for , this light was created three days before the sun. they were distinct and different creatures . the light did actually exist , or had a reality of being without and separate from the sun , which sun did not then actually exist , and therefore the light must necessarily differ really from the sun. otherwise the same created being , the sun , should actually both exist , and not exist , or be and not be at one and the same time : which includes a contradiction , and implys an impossibility . there is such a thing in created nature , as pure darkness , and pure light. the one essentiated as well as the other , and they were , and are divided locally as well as differenced naturally ; these being distinct , divided separate creatures . w there is an wo threatned against those who put the one to the other . darkness and light do naturally in their successive courses succeed each other . there is a real as well as a verbal distinction between them , and the x darkness goes before the light. they were not created , confused and permix'd . they orderly differ in the nature of the things themselves , which had each of them their proper names , time , bounds , places , and courses , and their several uses in the creation . the evening , the darkness and the night were called upon to go together to make up night , as the morning , the light and the day were to make up day . but the night was y an●●●ed out before the light. for , so is the computation of all and every of the six foregoing days of the first week of the creation expresly by an established law , and 〈…〉 order , which shall never be altered or changed , whilst this world doth last . thus the darkness and the light do make a proper day-natural . the time when the evening doth begin , it that time when the darkness doth first begin . after the sun was created , z it is set out by that time , when the sun goeth in . from evening unto morning is a the whole night part , as opposed to the day , as from morning to evening is the whole day part as opposed to the night . the b evening doth belong unto the night , then was the c time for the evening worship . it has its season of triumphing going forth . the day doth end d immediately before the evening . from evening to evening is e the length of the natural large day . there is a natural f created . seasonabless , an opportunity in this time : aelohim doth ride upon these g evenings , and comes to meet his people serving of him . h until the evening , is until the beginning of another day ; for the day natural did end , when the next evening did begin , which evening was the beginning of another distinct large day , evening and morning i are well fitted times for meditation , for prayer , for praise , and for singing . the creating aelohim did lay the foundation of the evening , and of morning worship on every day of the week . he taketh special express notice of these two seasons , therefore there is a special being granted unto these parts of time ; k and it shall exist the evening , and it shall exist the morning ; so runs the creating word . l aelohim looked on these seasons with joy and with delight , with approbation and with commendation , and so should we . the evening has a true being , a real existence , a natural subsistence , it is a created essence . the evening doth not begin at the end of the ninth hour of the day , or three hours before the going in of the sun : for , there was no part of a former day before this one evening of the created world , when the evening and the morning made up the one m day . this day here is so distinguished according to number , one , and not according to order first , as yet ; because hitherto there was no other day . one is the beginning of number definitly , aechad one , is that proper name , which the creating aelohim gave unto this day , and it is peculiar to this day , and belongeth only to this day , in the measuring of the days of a week : it is a wrong done to its name , when it is taken from it , and given to any other day of the week . every one of their names should be used , that they may be called aright , and so may expresly answer to their names when they are called . how can those n who miscal the one day of the week , the seventh-day in the fourth word or command answer this , seeing from the beginning it was not so ? the day on which this world began to be created , was properly one day , no number can in time and nature go before an unity , which therefore of necessity must be before any other ordinal number : there was not at that time any other day that had actual existence . those days of this one created week , which did follow in the same week , were ordinal , and successive , and numerable , so that , there must be one day , which was the beginning of days . o it is injurious unto many scriptures , when they translate one numeral , the first ordinal , thereby to thrust and to force in if they could , the one day of the week , into the room of the seventh-day , as if the one day were now the weekly-sabbath-day in the place of the seventh , which mistake hath scripture reason and nature against it , as may be shewn in its proper place , in an inquiry upon the seventh-day . there was one day which was the beginning of days , and therefore this world was in time , not from eternity ; for , to speak with propriety of language , eternity has no precedent duration . and this and other distinct days in this week of the creation , are properly a distinct enumeration of distinct days , setting out their daily natural measures . and therefore the express mentioning of them severally doth shew , that all things were not created in an instant at once , or in one day only , all of them together . the evening and the morning of every day were a distinct day , and were distinct parts of every day . the one day was before the second , and the third day was after the second , the fourth followed the third , and the fifth was after the fourth , the sixth succeeded the fifth , and the seventh which is the last day of the week , was the holy close of that week . there is but one seventh-day in the week . no other day in this , or in any following week , is properly the seventh-day of the week , in the weekly revolution . these days have a priority , and a posterioty in time in their successive parts : and so were the creatures distinct works , or distinct days . they had a separate creation on separate days , that we might with the more staidness and distinctness of spirit , consider of , and meditate upon them in their created order . if all had been in one and the same moment of time , then how could it be affirmed of adam , that he was p first formed , then eve , which yet is expresly affirmed in the words ? the created number , and order , and names of days must therefore be well observed , q upon which there are so many weighty truths and great things that do depend . an evening-morning , a night-day is a large natural day , according to the law of the first creation , in which the evening and the morning were constituted one day . r the evening being the foregoing part of the day , to which the after-morning doth belong , both together making up a complete day . so is the true account through the whole scriptures , where this is spoken of . the evening of the day , s in the three first days of the created world , began at the first coming of the darkness ; afterwards , when the sun was created on the fourth day , it was further pointed out by the t going in of the sun. the morning of the day in the three first days of the created world began when the darkness went off , and u the light came on , which afterwards was fully compleated w when the sun did go forth . what has man to do thus daringly to change the lord's time and laws , and to pervert his well his wisely-established decrees and appointments , which are some of his x statutes and ordinances , which he will have to remain unalterable , and by the unchangeable constancy whereof he has confirmed the covenant of grace ? there is the time of a day in a day . there y is a word of a day in his day . z the night-part of a natural large day , so far as concerns the present matter in hand , is measured from the coming to the going of darkness ; from the going in of the sun , unto the going forth of the sun. there are parts of the night , a a third part of it : there is a beginning of the night : there is the mid of the night : the lord forsaw how bold rebellious man would be in prescribing times of his own inventing and distributing unto himself to impose them upon others also , and therefore he doth often in the scriptures set the just limits and the due bounds to set times and seasons ; that man might receive a determination from the word . b there were certain watches of the night , those watches did point out a certain space of night-time , into which the night was distributed . there was a watch of the night which is called , the c first watch of it . there is a d second watch of the night . the e third watch of the night ; and the f fourth watch of the night : and all and each of these are distinguished by several names in the word , g the evening , the midnight , cock-crowing , and morning : so that , three hours were the measure of every one of the quadrants or fourth parts . h we sometimes read of all night , and all nights ; in other places , of the i halfings or dimidiatings , or half-cuttings off of the night , of the past night : and of that self same night , of a night of observations . there is a morning light before the sun doth go forth , so as visibly to be seen by our eye . the day part of a natural large day , as to the present case , is measured from the k coming to the going away of the light , or from the going forth of the sun unto the going in of the sun. this day is divided into l twelve hours , so also is the night , into twelve equal parts ; so that at midnight , the sixth hour of the night is ended , and seventh hour of the night doth immediately after begin : and at noon , or at mid-day , the sixth hour of the day is fully ended , and the beginning of the next minute after this is the beginning of the seventh hour of the day , as opposed to the night : and according to this division were dials , and other measures of nights and days drawn and made , that were according to the word . so that all the winter the hours of the night were larger than those of the day , and all the summer the hours of the day were longer than the hours of the night ; and when it was equinoctial , then the hours of the night and day were equal ; but at all other times of the year different . m there is express mention made in the scriptures of some of these hours , by which we are to judge and measure the rest of the other hours . as the third hour , the sixth hour , the seventh hour , the ninth hour , the tenth hour , and the eleventh hour . it is also perticularly there spoken of , the n third hour of the night . at these seasons of evening and of morning were the appointed times for o daily worship , which daily worship was called the tamid , or the continual . whatever other instituted worship was occasionally performed , this must never be neglected ; this daily worship was to be carried on . p every evening and also every q morning . i have been the longer upon this discovery , that , serious sensible believers who do admire the holy scriptures of truth to be the one and the only rule of judging and of determing of cases of conscience , might as they ought , bring all times and seasons to scripture measures , to christ's institutions ; which he r himself as also his apostles kept unto under the new testament dispensation of grace : that , this as well as all things else may be brought with more exactness according to this straight rule under this latter-day-glory , when there will be a more thorow reforming and refining , to purge out whatsoever is corrupt and of humane invention and imposition , and to bring in whatsoever is pure , that is as yet defective in the churches , which is of christ's instituting and ordaining ; for s this daily continual worship , evening and morning , is prophesyed of to be renewed and restored in the latter age , with a renewed promise of acceptance . the day is aelohim's , t the night also is his : and let the things of god be given unto god. let the day-natural no longer be mis-reckoned from midnight to midnight , or from sun-rising to sun-rising , nor from mid day or noon tomid-day or noon , neither of which has any sound sooting either in holy scripture , or in created nature : and yet how long and how far have these mis-countings prevailed , not only amongst ethnick philosophers , but also amongst professing christians , and do so still unto this day ? there is a u measure of our days , and jehovah is he who must make us for to know , what it is . there are divers phrases in scripture note-worthy here . as w one day ; and days one ; a long one of days ; a day of constituted , or of instituted , time ; a day-morrow , or after ; to fill up the number of ones days ; six days of the working , days of this earth , yet the day great ; the day to be hot , the day to descend greatly ; until the inclining or declining of the day ; until the firm preparing of the day ; to fill up a seventh of days ; to number days ; the strength of the day ; an evening of a day ; the seasonable time of a day in a day ; the looking forth of this day ; days turning away , or turning the faces , or declining towards their end : the blowing or breathing forth of that day at break or dawning of it ; a day of the east , the days of harvest : the spirit ( or wind , or breathing ) of the day ; the remitting of a day to or towards the evening : the days of heavens : the days of years : days over or upon an year : also yesterday : a day in a day : from day unto night . from the light until , or unto , the halfing , or dimidiating of the day , or the middle division of it into parts . these , with several other such like , would have their use for the determining of divers practical cases . that x wo should awaken conscience , which is threatned against those , who putting darkness to light and light to darkness ( as those do , who make one half of a day from midnight to noon , half dark and half light at aequinox , and the other half of the day , from noon to the next midnight that light and that dark ) y contrary to the established order in the law of the creation . this is the daily measure of time : for z we read of time in the scriptures , opportune time . the opportune time of the gift of the evening , the opportune time of the going in of the sun , called the opportune time of the evening , a from the morning and unto the opportune time of the set season for instituted worship ( observe this . ) the sun knoweth his going in : the constituted time of the days : the constituted or instituted times of jehovah : a day of convention . this daily time is made up of hours , as hours are of minutes , b a minute or minute-time , or moment , we meet with in the word , one minute , a moment in a day one : a moment , a minute quickly gone , into a moment : like as a moment : like unto , much even as a moment : as a little of moment a moment little , or a finall minute ; moments , minutes of time : an indivisible point of time ; a minute or moment , is a very short space of time , a moment one : every moment . that word which signifies a moment is derived from a root , which is , to cut off on to break asunder , because , it is one of the least particles and minute parts of time , broken off , as it were , the most minute-fragment of time . these minutes and moments do fill up an hour , such a number of them . and this kind of knowledge an ingenious enquirer doth know now to make some good improvement of is divers cases , relating unto these parts of time. o how sweet and satisfactory would it be to understand even these little minute things in a scripture-way ? c for , here we may meet with an hour , an hour one : that same hour . the chaldee word for an hour comes from an hebrew root , which doth signifie he looked , he beheld : because , men in their actions do intend the hour as it passeth away : the teller , or nuntiatrix of time. d an ascending horologue , which doth point out the degrees by which the sun before noon hath ascended , and after noon doth descend . the ascensions of that sun : the goings up , the goings in of it . the measures of daily time might in this scripture-way much heighten there understandings . o , who will give , that we may be redeemers of time ! the doctrine of weeks , is proved from primitive pure created nature in e seven days , as the creator made them . there were seven distinct days severally created , in order of time , and no more , which being ended , another week begins . an whole full complete week , doth consist of seven days ; not of six or fewer days , not of eight or more days , because aelohim made all in these several distinct days . he made no less , and he added no more . f hence those scripture phrases of , three weeks of days , or three sevens of days ; a feast of weeks , or of sevens of days ; a feast of weeks , or of sevens ; of those weeks or sevens : in your weeks or sevens . a week , or a sevenny : a seven-night , a seven-morn ; or septiman ; two sevennies or weeks : weeks or sevennies : a week one : the cut off half of the week : to fill up a week this , to number a seven of sevennies : weeks seven , and weeks sixty and two : weeks seventy : to compleat or fill up three weeks of days : for jehovah to keep to us weeks of statutes of harvest , according to the hebrew , they are weeks of ordinances , relating to the feast of seven weeks or seven sabbaths . a sevenny of years , and a seven sevenny of years . the beginning day of the week is called g one day , because till a second day came , there was only that one day , and the last day of the week is called h the seventh day , because there is no further day in that week : there is a great remark and a special honour put upon this number of seven in the scriptures , as the number of perfection , a complete number . the seventh day pointing out the weekly sabbath : the seventh moon was a peculiar dignified moon ; the seventh year was a specially separated sabbatical year : the seven-times seventh year , was a singularly honoured year for jubilee : moons or months took in these days and weeks . i hence we read of a moon or month of days ; two days , or a month or days . the moony-innovation of days : one to the month , or one day ; a month that fifth : the son of a moon or of a month ; from the sufficiency or fulness of the innovated moon in his moon : behold an innovated moon , the morrow : the number of our moons or months is with jehovah aelohim : three innovated moons or months : he or it , shall touch that moon , or month , that seventh . when will he pass over , this innovated moon ? this an ascension of an innovated moon , or his moon or month to the moons of the year : the night-part of the day is a part of the innovated moon . there are twelve moons or months , these do make up a complete full year . the k first moon , the head of moons : ( there is a moon in the year , which has more of a full head for divers evenings together , then other moons of the same year . ) a moon l one . the number of the moons . jehovah aelohim made the moon to instituted times : three moons or months . moons of the east : the third day to the moon : there is an end of moons , two-ten , where they are cut off : the statutes of the moon are never to be removed : the day of the renewed moon , is called , one of the moon ; till another day come , there is only that one day of that moon . the certain appointed time of a moon or month , of these days weeks and moons are years made up , m whence are these scripture phrases , the days of the year : a perfect year filled up with all its days : the heavenly luminaries have been , are , and will be , to appointed seasons for religious conventions , to days and years : the revolution of the year : the revolution of the days : the return or conversion of the year : the opportune time of the return of the year . n an year hath its name from iteration and renewed mutation , and is the renovation or iteration of yearly time . o from the head-beginning of this year even unto the afterward , or end of the year : the after-part , the later-part of it , the last of it , ( as the opposition shews , ) year year , year in year , a son of an year : a son of an hundred year : an year of sabbatism : an year , that fiftyeth year ( including the former year of jubilee into the number . ) an year that seventh : an year , a seventh : an year of two or a second : a daughter of her year : two years , from the cutting off of two years of days : six years : years many : a middle of years : the after-part or end of years : years antient or easterly , or former , years . to complete or to perfect years , years of an age , and of an age or generation : years of numbers , years of hidden ages : the remainder , the rest , of years . three years : year after year : an year that after , or another following after : years after ones : the last of those years : an year one , once or one in an year : until an year one , that which begins the rest , or of one : a thousand years : a thousand years two steps or two turns , or two or twice over : years to come or to go in : a word of an year in a year ; to add days upon days of the king : his years like as a generation and generation : to be made to touch years ; a month in an year : to compute those years : a day to an year , a day to an year : four days in an year : two years of days : days over an year : to go out this year : to fill up or complete an year perfect : a number of years : a little , or paucity , of the years : a little to remain , or to be a relique , or left in years : to compute over the month of those years which remaining : years in pleasantnesses , or in sweets or jucundities . to perfect this year , this same : jehovah sometimes doth crown an year his good ; for the cut-off end of years : the cutting off of those times of years : like as the mouth of his years ; to abbreviate years : an head of this year : a multitude of years : seven sabbaths of years : an year of sabbatism : an year of two or the second . one year is made up of winter and of summer in it 's two equally divided parts . this also we may meet withal in the word . p the winter , it takes in that part of the year in which is plowing and sowing at the autumnal aequinox . it is opposed to the summer : in the days of my springing youth . for , things do begin to spring and to grow in the winter season . to dwell , or sit , or inhabit an house of that winter , to smite the house of the winter over or upon the house of the summer : to be in the harvest , and in the winter : a slothful one will not plough from the winter : the harvest and the winter aelohim will form : summer and winter , and day and night shall not rest ; or they will not sabbatize . the passing over of winter . q an entire full year is made up of winter and of summer , as of its two comprehensive parts . r here we may find a lively description of the ending and passing away of the winter , and of the beginning and coming on of the summer ; s there are droughts of summer : there is the first-born , or early , or soon , or rathe-ripe in-before-summer , or in-not-yet-summer ; the passing over of the harvest ; the perfecting or finishing of it , or the full end of summer : an house of the summer , as well as an house of the winter , t an hundred of summer , or of summer-fruits : there is a falling of the joyful shout , or the rebounding eccho , upon the summer and harvest of the people of god ; there is a summering of the flying fowl , and of all beast of this earth upon a people : so also a wintering upon them . to gather in summer ; to eat the summer or summer fruits : the collections or gatherings of summer ; to be in the summer and the winter ; to prepare the summer food , or bread , or eatable : the summer was formed , and shall be formed by aelohim : a basket of summer , or of summer-fruit , it is come to the end ( a pleasant allusion referring to that end of the year ) the waster doth sometimes fall on our summer : snow in summer is not in season . the fig-trees do bud forth their leaves , a little before summer ( which doth prove , that the summer doth include also , that which commonly is called the spring , and doth then begin : ) a wise son will carry together in summer : there are summer flowers , when the harvest is gathered in , and when the reapings are before the ingatherings . one design of this is to demonstrate from the word , that a week in its successive returns , has a natural existence , a created being , which doth unchangeably establish the six foregoing days of every week to be working days , and the seventh , the last , the closing day of every week to be the weekly sabbath-day , or day of rest . as also , to discover , that those who would undertake the emendation of times , should order all chronology according to scripture account . this doctrine of days and of weeks , doth somewhat confirm the seventh-day-sabbath , as the seventh , to be of natural obligation . even the adversaries themselves are so far convinced hereby ; that they confess divers of them , that all the world are under a divine obligation to spend one day every week in the exercise of religion ; that the hebdomadal revolution of time is generally admitted , that it is catholick , that all nations in all ages have from time immemorial made the revolution of seven days , to the first stated period of time ; that the measure of time by a night and a day is directed unto sense by the diurnal course of the sun ; that lunar months of solar years are of an unavoidable observation unto all rational creatures : whence therefore all men have reckoned time by days , months and years , is obvious unto all , but whence the hebdomadal revolution , or weekly period of time should make its entrance , and obtain a catholick admittance , no man can give an account , but with respect to some impressions on the minds of men , from the constitution and law of our natures , with the tradition of a sabbatical rest instituted from the foundation of the world. a week is spoken of as a known account of days in time. thus they acknowledge : as also , that those of the philosophers , who resolved their observations into things natural or physical , do esteem the septenary number sacred : a septenary revolution of days : unto which they found a respect in all their notions and speculations about the pleiades and triones in heaven , lunar changes , sounds of instruments , variations in the age of man , critical days in bodily distempers , and transactions of affairs private and publick . i so far make use of this as to shew , that if such authors would but improve their own convictions and concessions , they might be spirited and sublimated into an asserting of something of honour , inseparable from the natural being of the seventh-day . the order of which day is not to be disturbed . another of them acknowledgeth , that there have been some difference and variation in the account of years and months with people , yet never was the week counted to be more or less than seven days with any people . in all ages , among all nations , the seventh-day has been venerable and sacred . i might put more of such testimonies together , were there need . but it is the authority of holy scripture , and of created nature that sways with me . it is observable in prophetical scripture by u daniel , that the weeks are there said to be cut off , as the words do properly signifie . the verb of the singular number , being put to a word of the plural number , doth evidently shew , that every one of the weeks , from the first to the last shall be precisely and absolutely complete : it was a precise cutting off , the first week of the created world was the fittest time for the giving forth of the law of the seventh-day-sabbath , because the ground of the institution of this weekly sabbath , was aelohims manifesting by his words and works , that in that same week he perfected both the working days , and the resting day , he rested upon the self same seventh-day , when the memory of his great and glorious works was so new and fresh . so agreeable is this to created nature in the exercise of right reason , especially when enlightned by scripture-revelation , within the compass of one and the ● same week , reckoning still forward according to created order , it is impossible to find out any proper seventh-day , but only the last day of the week . this boundary of the week being unremoveable , and commanded to be kept holy. and this doctrine of the weeks is every where preserved in the several w languages , which have words for a week . because it is that discovery which is of use , and is not every where to be met withal by a common reader , and it having some tendency towards the clearing up of some subject matters in this treatise , and towards the perfection of a reformation , which is also much of my design , let not the ingenuous reader think it too long a diversion , if i here detect somewhat of the idolatry and superstition , which is still to this day continued in this nation , and in other countries , by publick and private retaining and using of the heathenish names of days , as sanday , monday , &c. as also of months , such as january , february , &c. so that , he that shall speak in the present age , according to scripture , though in his own and their mother tongue , yet is scarcely understood by the most , and what is shameful and lamentable , by multitudes of a professing ministery and people . whereas , hath not jehovah aelohim strictly charged his people , that x in all that , which he hath said unto them , they shall be wary , and the name of other gods they shall not mention ; it shall not be heard out of their mouth ? o take we heed unto our selves , that we do not transgress in this matter ! hath he not foretold , that he will take away the names of baalim out of the mouths of his servants ? that he will cut off the names of the idols out of the land ? did not god's israel of old , when and whilst their hearts were right with him , practice accordingly , changing of the old idolatrous places , and putting new names upon them ? did not zealous joshuah take order about his ? our lord jesus christ , after whom his disciples must walk , would not take up the names of after-idol gods upon his lips . examine we now somewhat of the original and occasion of the pagan names of days and of months . as for days , the beginning day of the week , they call sunday . y the germans , when they were pagans , verstegan saith , consecrated the first day of the week to the sun , as prince of planets , whose image they placed on a pillar in the temple , fashioned like a man half naked , his face , as it were , bright red with gleams of fire ; and holding with his arms , bowing archwise , a burning wheel before his breast ; the wheel being to signifie the course which he runneth round about the world , and the fiery gleams and brightness , the light and heat wherewith he warmeth and comforteth the things that live and grow . the sun was the chief god of the persians . that adoration , and religious worship , z which some gave to the sun , is forbidden in the scripture ; condemned in the egyptians , in other nations , and in the jews themselves , the lords people , who herein imitated the heathen , worshipping with their faces turned towards the east . the heathens worshipped the planets as gods , and some will tell us , how the seven planets do give denomination to the seven days of the week , and what planet reigneth every hour in every day ; unto each of the seven planets they dedicated a day , and called it by the name of that planet , which had the first hour of that day , the appellation from the planets seems much ancienter than that invention from the hours , which i shall after a few lines write of , so that these names of the days of the week were not by the pagans first imposed from the planetary hours , but rather the superstition of this appellation of the days was derived into the hours . the names of the seven planets , are these , sol , venus , mercury , luna , jupiter , mars● which seven planets these men would have to govern twenty four hours in a natural day ; the first planet hath the first hour , the second hath the second , and so unto the seventh . again , the first planet hath the eighth hour , the second the ninth , so unto the fourteenth ; afterwards the first planet hath the fifteenth hour , the second the sixteenth , and so forth to one and twentieth ; then yet again the first planet hath the two and twentieth hour , the second the twenty third , the third planet the twenty fourth hour ; and so the whole natural day of twenty four hours is finished and ended ; the fourth planet that followeth shall have the first hour of the following day , and so that day shall take his name of that planet : as for example , suppose this day were their sunday : sol venus . mercury . luna . saturn . jupiter . mars s. v. m. l. sat. . . . . . . . . . . . . j. m. s. v. m. l. s. j. m. s. v. m. . . . . . . . . . . . . luna therefore followeth , whence they call the second day of the week , monday , munday , or rather moon-day , as if it were moons day ; from this ancient ethnick custom of ascribing all the days of the week to some idol god , or planet . a when the most ancient germans were pagans , they appropriated the next day unto sunday , to the special adoration of the moon , who was the next idol according to the course of the days of the week , before mentioned . hence in teutonick , high dutch , or the german tongue , it is called der montag , from mon , the moon , and tag , a day ; and in belgick , or low dutch , maendach , often maendagh , from dagh , a day , and maene , the moon : in french , lundy , lundi , jour lunaire : in italian , lunedi : in spanish , el lunes : in latin , dies lunae ; and in english monday . the third day is the day of mars , as it is named in divers languages , as in latin , in spanish , in italian , in french , in british or welch , and in greek ; they make this planet mars , to be the god of battel and of strife , contention , debate , controversie , whence the high dutch and german tongue now calls it , dinstag , and the belgick or low dutch , dijnsdagh , diissen dagh , drings dagh , from dring , contention or strife , and dagh , a day , because they dedicate this day of the week to contention and strife . in english it is commonly called tuesday , of tuisco , who , as they affirm was chief leader and ruler of the german nation , from the tower of babel , who in honour of him , after his death , called this day , tuistag , that is tuisco , his day . and likewise after his name they do in their own tongue call themselves , tuytcsh , and their contry of germany , tuyteshland ; as also the netherlands , using herein the d for the t , do make it , duytesh and duytesh-landt : hence in latin , they are called tuiscones , and teutones , and their tongue , lingua teutonica , and all of tuisco or tuisto , as tacitus calleth him : in english , it is commonly named tuesday , having retained the meaning of the german denomination . the fourth day , they call the day of mercury , in latin , in british or welch , in greek , and in other languages , in english they name it wedensday , or wensday : in belgick or low dutch , woensdagh , or wodensdagh , or godes-dagh ; for so they called mercuries day , as if it were gods day , wodans or godans day , or as verstegan willeth , that woden was among the ancient germans and saxous , a most valiant and victorious prince and captain , and his idol or image was after her death honoured , praised and sacrificed unto , that by his aid and furtherance , they might also obtain victory over his enemies , which when they had obtained , they sacrificed such prisoners , as in that battel they had taken : and from his name this word , woden , in their tongue signifieth , fierce , furious : as in english , when one is in a rage , we sometims say he is wood , or he taketh on as if he were wood ; so of this name woden , whom after his death they honoured as a god , came this name wednesday instead of wodensday . the fifth day , they name the day of jupiter , or of jove , in latin , in british or welch , in greek and some other languages , which day they consecrated to their god jupiter or jove , as that planet which they supposed had dominion over this day . b in english , it is commonly , bur corruptly called thursday , of thor , a name of an idol , which the ancient germans did worship , and day , a day by them dedicated to this idol . in belgick or low dutch , donder-dagh , the day of the thunderer , from donder , thunder , and dagh , a day , to which agreeth the teutonick high dutch , or german tongue doth agree , donners tag , that is , the day of the thunderer ; for the latins do call jove the thundring one . this idol thor , wore on his head a crown of gold , and round about were set or fixed twelve bright burnished golden stars ; for , they were perswaded , that being displeased , he did cause lightning and thunder . the sixth day of the week they called the day of venus , in french , italian and spanish , from the latin : in english , friday , so in the saxon tongue , the high and the low dutch , from friga , an idol of the germans . this idol represented both sexes , as well men as woman , and as an hermaphrodite , but more of the female : she was reputed the giver of peace , and of plenty , as also the causer and maker of love and amity , out of which it appeareth , that friga was the goddess , which the romans and other called venus . the seventh day , is named by the ethnicks , the day of saturn , so in latin , because they supposed , that the planet saturn did chalenge to himself the dominion of this day : so in english , saterday , or saturday , as if saturns day , in low dutch , sater dagh , from seater , an idol of the germans , lean of visage , having long hair , and a long beard , and was bare headed and bare-footed : in his left hand he had a wheel , and in his right he carried a pail of water , wherein were flowers and fruits . in low dutch , this seventh-day is called , rust-dagh ; from rust , rest , and dag , a day , the day of rest . in english , french , italian , spanish , portuguez , latin , greek and hebrew , it has its right name , sabbath , the day of holy rest : and it would be one good means of reviving , and of restoring the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , if it had its true name still given it . and it is observable , that c in one place of scripture , where the lord hath expresly forbidden the mentioning of the names of other gods , there immediately before he doth direct and lead us to the proper name of this day , the seventh-day , and a day of rest , a sabbath day : and so should the other foregoing six days of the week be called by their own scripture names . when a reformation is throughed according to the word , amongst other idolatries and superstitions , those of ethnick names of days , and of months amongst others must and shall dawn . this heathenish anti-christian defilement , has also brought in polluted names amongst the months . the romans appointed the beginning of the year to be the calends of january , d because on the first day of this month , their consuls were first created , when that government was set up amongst them ; and from thence , from that time , it was a solemn day for the new-years gifts , &c. then also they did sacrifice for luck or for fortunes sake ( as they paganishly do phrase it ) what they were to do the whole year : and they were wont to send some sweets , as dry figs , and the like , as a good omen to one another : this month is called from janus , in welch , high dutch , french , porteguez , spanish , italian , latin , so also in english , january ; prince janus , they say had two faces , which saw things past and to come , or because superstitious antiquity did consecrate to him the beginnings of things . february , the rest month is named in english , in french , in italian , in spanish , in portuguez , in latin ; either from frebruum , februa , which were sacrifices or ceremonies for purging of souls , for in this month they sacrificed to spirits , or to departed souls , and they did celebrate the anniversaries or yearly rites in remembrance of the dead , which sacrifices and ceremonies were done to infernal gods for them , which be dead , such as the dirges amongst the papists ; the soul masses , or masses for the dead : or from purged juno , whose holy day , as they called them , had solemn sacrifices and plays dedicated to pan their god , who kept , as they thoght , the wolves from devouring the sheep ; on which day also women were purged by the priests of pan , who on the seventh day of their sacrifices ran up and down the city naked , and strook the hands and bellies of women that were with child with a goats skin , hereby to signifie both fruitfulness and easie delivery , or of februus , the god of purging by sacrifice , to whom numa dedicated this month ; or e this februus was pluto the god of hell and of riches , to whom they sacrificed in this month ; which month the romans consecrated to the infernal gods . the month of march is so called , in british or welsh , in high and low dutch , in french , spanish , portugueze , italian , latin , and english , from mars , to whom this month was dedicated , it being believed , that , he was the father of romulus , the author of the roman nation . the planet mars was held to be the god of battel . the month april , has its name in british or welsh , in high and low dutch , in french , spanish , portugueze , italian , latin and english , from f a greek word which doth set out venus the goddess of love , as sprung from the foam and froth of the sea : this month was dedicated to her . the month of may borroweth it's denomination , in low dutch , in high dutch , in welsh , in italian , in spanish , in portugueze , in french , in latin , in english , from maia , the mother of mercury , in this month they sacrificed to maia and to mercury , those did so who were merchants . the month of june is so called , in french , portugueze , italian , spanish , latin , and english , from juno , an heathenish goddess , the daughter of saturn and ops , the sister and wife of jupiter , or of junius brutus the author of romes liberty , and made consul in this month . the month of julia hath its name in french , in italian , in portugueze , in spanish , in latin , in english , from julius caesar , because he was born in that month . the month of august has its denomination , in british , in french , in spanish , in portugueze , in italian , in latin , in english , from augustus caesar , and for his honour . the rest of the months are reckoned by their number from march inclusively , september the seventh month from march , october the eighth month , november the ninth month , december the tenth month. having thus given the reader some account of the ethnick names of days , and of months ; how can i but bewail that carnal complyance which the most of christians are guilty of with heathenish corruptions , in this as in many things ! why is there such a backwardness , especially in those who call themselves of the reformed religion , to bring names and things to scripture language and expressions ? o how much would it make , both for the peace and purity of churches , and people of christ , to bring all in this as well as in other cases and matters , to that word-will of our god , by which we must be all judged in that last great day ! the true proper names of the g days of the week according to scripture are one ( or the first when another day of the same week is in being ) the second , the third , the fourth , the fifth , the sixth , the seventh . the several h moons or months in the year , according to scripture are thus named : i the head-moon , or one , or first moon . k the second . l the third . m the fourth . n the fifth . o the sixth . p the seventh . q the eighth . r the ninth . ſ the tenth . t the eleventh . u the twelfth . some of those months have also some other names in some scriptures , but these are they which are of constant use , o who will give , that the time were to come , when christ and his saints shall be there together , where there will be a pure river of the water of life , clear as crystal , proceeding out of the throne of god , and of the lamb ; in the midst of the street whereof , and of either side of which river , the tree of life will be , which will have twelve manner of fruits , and yield her fruit w every month , the leaves of which tree will be for the healing of the nations ! pass we now unto an enquiry concerning the created work of x the second day . q. whether all those upper waters ( such as rain , dew , hail , snow , and the like , ) between which and the lower waters ( comprehended under the name of seas , such as springs , fountains , rivers , lakes , and the like , ) the firm out-spread or expanded doth separatingly divide , do come down from above this expanse , or are they caused in the air by some influencing operativeness of the heavenly luminaries upon the moistness and wateriness here below , drawing up such vapours from hence as do condense in the cold middle region of the air , and are there turned into those distilling drops which come down here below ? whether the air be the proper place where the upper waters are generated ? humane sophists will resolve this question , thus : rain is the moisture of the earth and of the seas , of watery places , drawn up by the heat of the sun into the middle region of the air , which being thus condensed into clouds , is afterwards at the will of god dissolved and dropt down again in showers for his glory in making the earth fruitful , for good to the good , for the instruction of all men , and for relief to other creatures . as to that part which is the generating cause , natural philosophers do call the sun the father of the rain , and a late christian philosopher doth own it , as not improperly so called in his exposition on joh. the water of the sea , and the moisture of the earth , say they , being attenuated by the heat of the beams of the sun , do become vapours , which being so rarefied and resolved into an aiery substance are by the same heat of the sun drawn up into a cold middle loft of the air , where being again thickned into water they melt down into rain . thus they describe the manner of the formation and generation of rain . and it is a common heathenish expression amongst many who name the name of christ , we shall have rain when the moon changeth , or when the wind turneth . thus do these therefore greatly err y because , they know not the scriptures , nor the power of god. a. there is no ground in scripture , nor in nature , to affirm three regions of the air , lower , middle and higher , as vain philosophers do in their physicks : as if then , immediately above that , were the region of fire , next under the orb of the moon . such a partition of the air into three several regions i find not , either in the original text , or in created beings : as also neither is there such an enumeration in the word or works of christ , as ten coelestial spheres or heavens , the sun , mars , jupiter , saturn , the starry heaven , the christalin heaven , the first mover . it is an humane figment this . the scriptures do inform us of z a third , which is the highest heaven , and in this discovery must we acquiesce . jehovah aelohim has builded a his stories , and hath planted his lofts in the waters . but those waters are such as are above all these visible heavens , above this blew expanse over our heads , which our eyes do sometimes behold : and the place of these upper waters is b over the north part of the heavens . this visible expanded is c diacritical or distinctive between the upper and lower waters . this extent or well compacted firm out-spread was made much for this end dividingly to separate between these two waters , so as that they might not be joyned together in one . it was , and is an intermediate orderly disposed distinction between them , between somewhat that was above , and somewhat that was below , which therefore also is not the very highest and utmost boundary of the created world , as divers of the ethnick sophists asserted , who would have it their super-aether , or coelum daemoniacum , where they did place the chiefest of their idols which were the planets and stars thereof , because they seemed to them to be the highest and greatest , and most glorious of all visible created beings ; whereas it is but a middle partition . from d above this doth the rain come ; the higher heaven doth give it down , it doth descend from hence . a call must be given to the heaven above to give down rain , to aelohim there ; he sometimes makes the higher heaven as iron and brass : he shu●s the heaven when he doth hold back the rain : it is he that doth open or shut the cataracts of heaven : there are aelohim's upper chambers . there are the inner retiring rooms : his lofts are planchered in those upper waters : there are the waters bound . there is aelohim's tabernacle extended . these waters are some of his treasures , which he openeth when he gives down rain . there are the treasures of snow and of hail ; man on earth cannot reach them with his eye . there is a gate of the heavens ; there are bottles of heaven ; above this expanded is the throne of aelohim . hence is the water distilled ; it is from the ordination and command of aelohim , that , this is . so that all the watry clouds and bottles do come down first from above the azure expanse . so that , rain is water distilled from the waters above the extended . what i have here written about rain , e is also applicable to snow , hail , dew , and such like , under the general comprehensive name of waters . it is jehovah aelohim who is f the causer of the rain : none can cause it but himself ; not the vanities of the heathens , none of the ethnic idols , not sun , or moon , or stars , neither can the heavens of themselves give showers . who , but he can cause it ? it is an immediate gift from him . why has not g egypt rain ordinarily , if there were such natural causes of it , as men pretend ? rain comes down from the heaven , h but , it doth not return thither ; it is spoken of the higher , not of the lower heaven . if the sun did draw it up again , then it would return thither again which jehovah himself doth expresly deny : it so cometh , as the word cometh originally out of his mouth i who speaks from out of heaven . it is the rain k of heaven ; the heavens drop it down , when it doth water the earth , l it is a visit from jehovah aelohim : and how sweet would that meditation be , were it spiritually improved ! did we so receive it as a token of his special love , when it is sent in mercy to us , and not in a way of judgement ! the new creature might be much aedified by the old creation . rain-water is not river-water , neither is it sea-water ; it has differing properties , different causalities , and different effects . it comes not originally from these here below , but from the river of god above . it comes m from his throne ; and what a raised contemplation is that to an experienced believer , that has free converse with christ in the spirit ! it comes in his errand , with a message from him ; it is he that n sends it . jehovah christ will come down o as rain , that is , from out of heaven . p the chambers of these waters are above , whence showers cannot be given down , q till the lord open the heavens . r the flood-gates of heaven are opened when rain comes down , though sometimes these are opened more , as they were in noah's days : and as they are when they are longer and greater s showrings in a vindictive or chastising way . although ordinarily it do distil in drops ( which is a wise careful good providence to quench the thirst of every herb and grass ) yet some seamen who do take long voyages , do speak , that there are seasons , when they meet with spouts of water which do much endanger great ships . t the small and the great rain , are both of them jehovah's strength : he puts forth his almighty power in this creature : his own arm is here made bare . this is one of those marvellous things he doth , which we cannot so fully comprehend : if any carping reader be secretly framing an exception or objection against this discovery from one or two mis-understood scriptures in our english translation ; he should consider , that there is a sweet harmony , and good agreement in the whole scripture ; thou must so interpret one scripture , as that , it may not clash with the rest : what doth seem obscure in one or two places , must receive light from the many others which are clear : upon a deep research into this matter , i find a pleasant concord . and therefore this question has been propounded not to minister occasion to any quarelsome objector , or angry contender , or wrangling opposer , ( for , men of such spirits , and frames are not promoters of useful sciences , nor advancers of profitable learning ) : but to put such as are of humble inquiring spirits upon further searchings after the mind of christ about these sort of knowledges . u the rain hath no created natural father . aelohim and he alone is the father of it . these water-courses are w from above , from on high . the waters are poured from the same place , x that the holy spirit is , that is , from the throne above : for thus , these waters do set out the gifts and graces of that good spirit . when a gracious heart is exercised aright about this object of the upper waters , it may be raised to the heavenliest frame , and may mind the best things . when the word doth assert the locality of the upper waters to be y above the heavens , by those heavens and waters are not meant the air and the clouds ; for there is air above these clouds . did we more and better consider the place whence the rain doth come and the efficient cause of it , who it is that doth make it and send it , we should find the matter profitable , for our serious thoughts to be working upon : the coming down of rain from above this visible expanse to us would be a call , an help and means to fetch us up thither , z whence this did descend hither and fall down towards us . so that , it is not by the position of luminaries , that this rain is drawn up : they are the lord 's hidden a treasuries which have this blessing issuing forth from them when they are sent in a gracious covenant way , then are they a blessing . those treasuries are above this expanse in some inner place and hidden repository ; such as cannot be come at by men , neither does their eye here , reach and see them there : whereas all is open between us and the expanse , and the eye can reach as far as the extended firmament . b it is the almighty , who shakes out a rain of liberalities ; he sheds and sprinkles it abroad , as with the waving of the hand : he divideth the spouts for it : he doth appoint it its bounds , that it shall not cover the earth ; he hath these waters in his hand , they obey him . he , that is delighted with this kind of study , may quickly be directed how to fill up a large tractat upon this subject-matter of the upper waters out of the scriptures , concerning rain ; the rainbow , dew , hail , snow , and what else that is watry , which cometh down from above : and how much is there of hidden secrets in these created beings , in their natural essences , causalities , and productions , which are practically useful . one distinct work of the c third day , with its peculiar blessing was that of herbs . the inquiry , therefore here shall be this , q. whether the exact est fullest herbal , of herbs , grass , trees and plants , be not treasured up in the scriptures of truth , opening this great secret of created nature , best setting out the doctrine and use of them , both for feeding and for healing ? answ . it is . from the herbal fruitfulness of this earth d may be drawn many a sweet argument of jehovahs praise . aelohim is the prime efficient cause , producing of herbs . e they were not until he spake them into a being , he made them by his word , by his own immediate power without second and ordinary causes . the sun , moon , and stars were not created till the next day after , and therefore no influence of the heavenly luminaries could be the parent of their first production . f to assert created authors of herbs , is an heathenish fable . the green herbs had their virtues in perfection at their first creation , and were not g astrologically distributed according to that pretended dominion , which some do over credulously fancy , that the heavenly luminaries do exercise over them , whereby much of the ethnick idolatry and superstition has slily crept in , and is still infinuating of it self into the minds of many . after the first creation-herbs , the lord did put a virtue into h second and ordinary causes under him to forward those choice virtues which he put into herbs , which herbs do still retain : this earth from the blessing of god is said to bring forth herb accommodate to them , by whom it is dressed . the i sun by its light and heat doth communicate some vital warmth , in the virtue whereof the seed of herbs is cherished and prepared for generation , till the herb be thence brought forth . the moon also has its usefulness this way , by its cooling moistening to protrude , thrust forth , or eject them . the waters , rainy and dewy have also some refreshing , nourishing efficacy this way . these fellow creatures are pleasant and healthful unto herbs ; k so that sometimes the dew is put for the herb , which with the dew from heaven is moistened and cherished , and made to vegetate and grow . the want whereof doth leave the earth to be barren . but l the earth , when thus well watered , is friendly to the herb by its native heat , cherishing the seed , until the herb be born and brought forth , and when it is brought forth , the earth by its moisture doth nourish and nurse , chear and conserve it . m the labour of man by culture and and dressing has also a special serviceableness for this end . n the place in which the herbs do come forth and grow is the superfice of this earth , and of the field ; and hence it is , that an herb is called an herb of the earth , the herb of the field , of the fieids , the herb of the mountains . were all the scriptures in the margin , with divers others that might help to bring in an answer to this inquiry , well studied in the large significancy of the original words and phrases , relating to the knowledge of herbs ; o how much light would it bring in for the advance and augment of the alimental and medicinal arts ! herbs are the fruit and the revenue of the earth . it is called our revenue or fruit , speaking of those who are in covenant with jehovah aelohim . but how little of this is as yet injoyed in a scripture way , because this wonderful secret in created nature is so little digged after in the word-mine , which alone doth fully discover it ? whilst it makes for the gainful purpose of some to hold vulgar capacities in ignorance , that themselves might be admired and resorted to ; whereas were we well skilled in that scriptural herbal , which the lord christ hath given us , the poorest only for a little pains in gathering by a discrete choice and meet application , might have that wholesome food and that recovering medicine , which the richer sort with all their large fees , and discharged long bills are never likely to attain unto . those scriptures would teach us much of the natural virtue and efficacy of herbs ; o some whereof are of a marshy kind , such as do grow in miry wet and softned places . the herbage doth spring up and sprout that is near the waters ; a well moystened soy● doth make it green and flourishing . he that hath made all other things for himself , had also glorious ends in his eye , in his third days work : for the lord did create and bring forth the herb for his own honour , and p for the service , use and good of man. it is serviceable to man for many purposes , q for the oven or furnace to heat it , wherein to make corn ready . r it is helpful for mens eye-sight by the greenness of it , which is refreshing and strengthening to the eye , and cheering to his spirit by its virid freshness . how useful is the green grass to other creatures , whereby they also are serviceable to man ! ſ when it is dryed it becomes hay , this also is food to beasts and cattel . t herbs were given unto men to feed upon , the green herbs which was bestowed for this end , both before and after the fall of adam . man had the herbs of paradise before , and the herbs of the field . u thus it was also after the flood . nebuchadnezzar was sent a grasing for a remedy ; and it might not be altogether unworthy of a learned physicians inquiry , whether if there were a discrete choice of specifick-herbs for the cure of that distemper it would not prove one of the most proper medicinal foods for such as are overgrown with bestial melancholy , or deprived of humane rationality , as to the use and exercise of it for the present ? the wise-kitchen-herbalist is one of the most successful doctors and practisers of physick . w it is a sore judgement when the lord for sins doth send either such hail as spoileth the herb , or the locusts , palmer worm , or other hurtful creatures to consume the herb. or when the herb doth wither , or doth fail , ( this is a sign of the barrenness of such an earth . ) as in a time of great drought it useth to do . thus also when the earth doth not bring forth tender herb , when the mildew ( which hath the name in hebrew of paleness ) is a plague upon the corn , and other tender plants and herbs through too much moistness , ( as blasting is with driness . ) whereby the natural greenness is gone before it be ripe , and the colour is faded , when that which was given to be food for man , beast and cattel , is corrupted . x it is a great benefit from jehovah , when there are herbs in the mountains , when the pasture fields , and the habitacles of the desert are stored with herbs , this is a singular favour of god towards his people ; it is a blessing when there is a budding grass in the fields , pleasant pastures and leas , where green and tender herbs do spring : when this earth doth bring forth herb commodious for the tiller of the field : and so when god doth give the herb. y the leaves of some trees are for healing , or for stamping or beating , as we use to stamp or beat leaves or herbs small to use them in medicinal drinks or plaisters . z herbs are also given unto the bruit beasts for aliment and food , for physick and medicine , before the fall , and also useet the fall. the herb is the aliment of the elephant , and of beasts , and of cattel , of the ass , of the ox , of the heifer , or cow. green bows of trees have their use also for this . and hereby these living creatures do become the more serviceable to man. a herbs have a concreated virtue , to flourish much , and to be green : hence greenness is attributed to them b ( which greenness , for the cause of sin , doth sometimes fail ) hence to flourish , c as the herb of the field ; to be tender , as the tender herb ; to germinate as the herb. the tender herb has a d splender after rain ; it has a comely floridness , and a lovely decor . e the herb quickly withereth and soon dryeth , especially the herb that is struck or smitten with the scorching of the sun ; then its flower falls , and its beauty perisheth . the moorish fenny herb , the reed or sea-grass , groweth not without water , and is soon withered in dry places . god takes f care of the herb , though to day it be , and to morrow it be cast into the oven . there are different divided sorts of herbs ; g both in respect of the efficient cause : for some are swon and come from culture , and others are unsown , voluntary and growing without the use of such art , naturally spinging up without any skill of man laid out about them : the sown herbs are expressed by such as are seeding of seed , the other is the fruit-tree yielding fruit , whose seed is in it , both are budding grass : and also in respect of their native place : for there are herbs of the field , herbs of the mountains , herbs of the moors or fens : also in respect of growth and of age : h some herbs are younger and tenderer ; others are more grown and ripe : i the distilling shower doth make them fruitful : also in respect of their quality ; for k some herbs are bitter , ( with which the paschal lamb was to be eaten . ) others are satish herbs . there are pot-herbs ; all kinds of such . l some whereof are of the fields , gathered for food , others are of the gardens . gardens do afford fruit for food . m the kings themselves did use garden herbs and orchard fruits . the gardeners work is to till and to dress gardens for such herbs : n tythe of them was to be paid , as proper healthful food for labourers in the work of the lord . o there is both food and medicine in them too . some of them are proper for those who are weak . p daniel chose this kind of dyet , and preferred it before lushious dainties of the royal table , and it put him into the more healthful state . some are greater than others , q as that of the mustard seed is one of the least . r what is weak is compared to the green herb , which doth quickly perish . ſ the place of grass is the earth , the mountains ; not dry but moist places . it greatly flourisheth for a time ; the spring is usually the season of its greatest flourishing , when it more buds forth in its beauteous verduxe , though t withal it quickly fails . u there is green grass , and there is grass that is withered , and they have both of them their several usefulness for several purposes . w the lord has ways of smiting of the grass , in which case much of its virtue is lost . it was aelohim who created x the planets . he alone gives them power to encrease . he adorned the garden of eden with them . such a garden is one of the pleasantest places for earthly delights , for a studious searcher into these secrets of nature here below . y it was solomon's wisdom that he excelled in this science . he treated of plants from the cedar to the hysop , or rosemary rather : and most mens concluding upon the loss of that book , doth feed a gross mistake , as if now this art were not to be searched after in the word of truth : whereas , there is more of this in solomon's writings came to our hands , than passeth under through exact observation ; but in taking in the rest of the scriptures concerning this , there might be found an admirable fulness on this subject matter . z the budding plant doth put forth its boughs . the most pleasant of plants do not profit a without the blessing of elohim . b olive-plants are always green , and they are of a growing nature . c the lord jesus himself is compared to a tender plant and so is his church and people . d it is healthful as well as delightful dwelling to be among plants and hedges . e there are some plants that are green plants of the valley : f there are some plants which are called delights of aelohim : an high , honour put upon this low creature . g there is a plant to renown or celebrity . h some plants are not planted of christ's heavenly father , which with the plantation it self shall be rooted up . i there is a time , a fit season of planting , and there is a time of plucking up what is planted , k plants do prosper much near the rivers of waters . every one of these little hints have useful directions given unto those who would make a complete knowledge of the herbal science . l it is aelohim who doth plant them , even when they are set by the art of man , or without the industry of man , and it is he who doth bless them . though earthly-mindedness must be watched against , m yet earthly plants m●st be carefully look'd after . n it is aelohim who did plant the ear , and it is he who planted the heavens . o he is the great planter . there are many scriptures that do speak of this wonderful secret in nature , even when they have a further meaning in them , to set out other things by these plain similitudes from such common creatures ; it being one great part of the mystery of christs wisdom in his word to instruct people in divers profitable knowledges at once . p some are planted in a pleasant place . those , that are planted by the waters do prosper most some other plants are in a dry thirsty ground . q there are some whom god doth plant and establish , and there are others whom he will pluck up by the roots . r there is a co-planting a growing up of two into one tree . here comes the art of ingrafting , and of inoculating . ſ it is planting that doth lay the first foundation . t there is a faith that can plant in the sea. u aelohim maketh the hay to germinate , he causeth the mountains to bring it forth . it doth grow near the waters , near fountains or torrents , on the mountains . some on house tops . the very place of their springing doth give some light to science of herbs . here is growing matter of further discovery to be made by those who are discerning inquirer into natures virtues and operations , and faithful observers of experiences , productions and successes . w it would be a great undertaking , and a glorious performance to perfect this work. x the use of hay is to be aliment to bruit animals , to horses , to oxen , which feed sometimes on the herb , sometimes on straw , and for want of these they perish . the herdsmen should be wised in this , what is proper food , when , where , and in what measures . how little skill is there herein ! y hay is a small light thing : it is that which doth quickly wither , and is soon cut down . z there is a season for its mowing : there is a second growth after the first cutting down . there is a time for the gathering of herbs , and a way of drying them for use . i was entring upon the doctrine of trees , and of their fruit as described in the word : but , it is so large , that a distinct treatise might profitably be published to the world from the scripture about it . i point out the word-way for others to travel further on in , whose profession doth lead them more on in this path . only let me add somewhat more about herbs . the scriptures do mention a , a time of gathering herbs , especially the herbs of the mountains , when the herb is revealed , and the grass-plant appeareth , they are fittest food for man , ( those of them that were appointed for food . ) when they first spring forth , and are well and full sprung up , to be fit for that end . and it should be inquired , whether then also they are not in their prime for medicinal use , when the herbs thrust forth in their verdure , strength , fulness and choiceness of juyce . i pretend not to any deep insight into this part of the medicinal art , but do put upon the inquisition , whether that part of the spring time , when sheep use to be shorn , ( which is mentioned in the b verse immediately following , that which you have in the margin-above . ) then when men use to sell off their goats , when bread is put into goats milk , and is eaten ; the young kids of the goats being weaned , when there are blastings by lightnings , or by c east wind , whether this be a good time to gather herbs . the green herb has its name from a root that signifies to spit : it is a kind of spittle of the earth , its radical moisture shewing it self upon it . d it comprehends all green , moist herbs , for food , smell or medicine . e a word comes from the same boot , which doth signifie mildew or paleness , a disease of corn and of men. this may be improved by a skilful physician . f many herbs are not eaten , but whilst they are green and moist , then are they proper and good for food . when herbs wax pal● , wan and withered , much of their virtue is lost , as to some purposes , their greenness and moistness being gone . g there is a word in chaldet , from the same 〈◊〉 which doth-signifie paleness , arising from sudden fear or terror , as doth make the face pale and livid , the blood going off from that part , and leaving a yellow colour behind . thus herbs are sometimes yellow , either through overmuch moisture , and so losing their verdure do degenerate into paleness , and cannot so ripen , or when they are struck with over drought or with rust . from the same root there is b a word in arabick , and it is used by some hebrew rabbins , which doth signifie the yellow jaundies , and the dropsie , when the gall doth diffuse it self into the body . of what use and vertue such pale yellowed parched herbs may be for the curing of these distempers , i leave physicians further to enquire . i these green herbs are good food every day , though they be thinning-leaner dyet , especially in a journey when this is more proper . k there is another word in that verse which is victual for the way , a viaticum , the food of wayfairing-men , of travellers : this , with love , that holy affection , would much sweeten such a meal , and is one cure of distempered affections and of some bodily diseases , which over-much eating of fat beeves doth cause . some leafs are for l healthfulness and curing , for bruises and fores . proper leafs and herbs stamped and beaten are of specifick vertue in physick drinks and chyrurgical plaisters . i could speak somewhat of my own experience in this , but let the learned search it further out by studying the scriptures . m here may we find many particular herbs mentioned , with their special use . the paschal lamb was to be eaten with n bitter herbs , such as wild lettice , cichory , and the like : here may you read of o the bramble or bryer : here we may be instructed how to correct the p wild gourd by meal : brushes or shrubs among the rest , q lavender spike is judged by a skilful herbalist to be here spoken of r . the natural abstersiveness , and the efficacious cleansingness of that fullers herb , which taketh away spots in cloth , borith , struthion , sopewort is here mentioned ; s the white thorn is here set out , would the reader inquire , t after coriander , nard , gith , or pepperwort , after cummin , after principal wheat , after the appointed barley , after the rye in their place , after fitches ? the scriptures will direct , as also if thou search after wheat , and beans , and lentiles , and millet : here may the nature of the u rush , or bul-rush , and of the flagg be known , and such like water-plants . here may be learnt , what kind of bitterness w gall and worm-wood are of : how much might a studious discerning researcher find here of x thistles , thorns , great brambles , black-berry bushes , framboys , clotburs , y mallows and nettles ? prayer and industry might make very useful discoveries of this kind ; here may somewhat be gathered about z heath-brooms , and bastard tamarisk : here we may read of the a cane , or calamus , or sweet reed , of cassia or castus , of the spikenards or nards , in its several sorts and kinds , the lavender , or baser kind of nard , and of the ears and leaves of nards ; of yellow coloured saffron ; b of cucumbers , leeks , onions , garlick ; c here the mint , the rue , the anife , the cummin , are particularly specified ( and more comprehensively all manner of herbs ) d the rose and the lilly are here spoken of , with other flowers , flowers of sweet odours : e it mentioneth the darnel or cockle and tares by land , f the weeds in the sea , the manna from heaven . how can the judicious reader now but discern a large field , and a choice garden of scripture-herbal , of which i have given him this little transient view ? especially if i should add to this what there is in the word about grass , and the several sorts of it , and about trees , such as rosemary , juniper , willow , the lentisk , or mastick tree , the fig-tree and its fruit , the mulberry-tree , the palm-tree and its dates , the ebb●-tree , the turpentine-tree , with what flows from it , the olive-tree and its oyl , the vine , and its clusters , grapes and wine , the tamarisk , with its leaves and fruit , the rozen-tree with its gums , the mustard-tree with its seed , the ivy-tree with its leaves and berries , the sycomore-tree , the citron-tree , the orange-tree , the lemon-tree , the myrtle-tree with its berries , the pine-tree , the box-tree , the nut-tree in its several sorts , the apple-trees with their several kinds , the pomegranate-tree with its fruit , the cypress-tree , or camplise , with their clusters and fruits , that tree whose bark , is aromatical cinamon , with all such trees of sweet spices , the trees of frankincense , the aloe-tree ( as well as the aloe-herb , ) the almond-tree with its almonds , the oak , the elm , and other great trees , the cedar , the plane-tree : and what shall i more say ? my expectations are growing and cherished , that , those , who by their medicinal profession , are more concerned herein . and are someways more conversant about the lives of men , in their prescriptions both for physick and food , will in time have their spirits better reconciled to scripture arts and sciences , to make this book of books more their study , and the foundation of their practice . it is marvellous kindness which the almighty creator hath manifested in the variety of colours , sweetness of odour , greatness of efficacy , that is found in plants . the most learned doctors and most experienced practitioners in the medicinal art , may go to school unto meaner creatures to be better skilled in the usefulness of herbs and plants . * thus there is a figuring likeness in many herbs and plants to the inner and outer parts of man : their alwise former hath put this resembling character upon several of them for the good of man , this is a great arcan of nature . this herbal-art and plant-science is not unbecoming a minister and messenger of christ to be well versed in : and if physicians , chyrurgeons , apothecaries , anatomists , would thus exercise their gifts , they might expect both assistance and acceptance , from and with the lord , when what they do in order to the health of their patients , they do all in obedience and in faith , in a scripture-method and way , his blessing would be more upon their labours , g when he sends his word and heals the sick . natural causes producing natural effects are h natural preachers . grass and herbs are green growing flourishing witnesses for the creator , preserver , and redeemer , against the atheistical unbelieving unthankful world , declaring his bounty and goodness , his wisdom and love , his mercy and pity , which shines forth in the chearful looks of herbs and grass , after that he hath given sweet showers of rain ; i even the desolate wilderness and the wast grounds will then bud and blossom and bring forth fruit . tongueless creatures yet have a way of teaching and speaking many profitable instructions and useful lessons ; k natural herbs are shadows of spiritual truths , and things ; the leaves of herbs , of plants , and grass , in the book of nature have many precious doctrines and uses contained in them , and expressed by them to those that can read and understand their language in their impressed green letters of their created being . if you ask the question , what a sincere believer is ? l go to the tree planted by the rivers of waters , that bringeth forth his fruit in his season , and that will give thee an answer . wantest thou a resolution in this case , what is an hypocrite ? m go to the rush and flagg , and that will inform thee . n god's words and his works in the first creation went together , he spake and did his mind at once . o wise solomon , an able preacher as well as a skilful herbalist , is thought to apply his three thousand parables , proverbs or similitudes , unto those trees or plants about which he did discourse , drawing some theological doctrine and use from every plant , whose created nature his renewing grace did improve . the health of man's body and mind would be much promoted by the improvement of scripture-religion , of experimental christianity , were this more lived over in a way of natural as well as spiritual causality . sin which is the contrary is denounced against p there , as the cause of diseases , sicknesses , disobedience is threatned with death : q whereas the promise of life is made to the believing and obedient . the tree of lifes was a sign of this . scripture-religion doth teach a moderate , tempera●● use of the good creatures of god , which tends much to health : and it doth take off from gratifying of an inordinate appetite , which would prevent many distempers . it doth teach r a sanctified used of good creatures : it sets the partaker of them right in his principles , rules and ends , which puts a comfortableness into the use of creatures . this would cheer the spirits , and help digestion : ſ it would engage the power and the truth of jehovah , to put forth his strengthening , healing , blessing in meals . this would wise and direct a believer in the choice , that he should make in the kinds of meats , in the quanty and proportions of meats , in the qualities of meats , in the daily numbers and seasons of meals , to the time and use of fasting ; all these suited to his particular constitution . this would make him observe in experience , what food is hurtful , and what is healthful for him . t this doth put an healthful soundness in saving faith , in wholesome doctrine , in a renewed mind . u the pardon of sin is set out by its having an healing virtue in it upon the pardoned . the lord jesus christ hath born the w diseases of his people , and x there is a spiritual skill in laying of these upon him , so as to draw healing virtue from his humane glorified body , when quickned by the spirit , by a touch of faith. ungoverned passions are y distempers and diseases , which the holy spirit and graces from him acted aright , either doth prevent or remedy . z how many are those precious promises , in which the lord hath ingaged himself unto his dutiful children , that walk orderly in his family , and are always found doing of that which is well-pleasing unto him , all which are to be pleaded with him by a spirit of faith , with the prayer of faith , in the word of faith , as the case doth call for , and as the matter doth require ? as otherwise , sicknesses and diseases are threatned against the unperswadable ? a how often in the scriptures doth the cure of diseases follow upon the remission of sins , with which it is joyned ? many examples it doth afford us of this . converting grace doth dispossess satan , who through the sufferance of god hath inflicted , doth and still can inflict diseases : hence infirmity or sickness has somewhat of his b name , as a spirit of infirmity ; intemperance , gluttony and drunkenness , do cause multitudes of distempers , which would not be , did grace exercised keep within due bounds of moderate sobriety . c the spirit , soul and body in man have a mutual influence upon each other , and it is often well or ill with the one , as it is well or ill with the other . d physicians many times cannot heal , because jehovah is not sought unto . patients , now and then do suffer much from them , and do waste their substance to little or no good effect ; so that they are physisicians of no value . e a wise comforter is called a physician in the word of god , there is an healing virtue going along with his savoury , seasonable , suitable counsel : a deliverer has the same name ; when jehovah doth save , his hands are said to heal ; his saved ones do know and injoy the meaning of this ; f healed ones are counselled in order to the continuance , and further enjoyment of their health , to avoid sin for time to come . a thankful frame is preservative of health , when all the glory of a cure is given unto jehovah ; and when the end of a cure is attained by a return with thankfulness and diligence to the function of our office , in our place , and in our calling ; an eye of faith towards christ g has been found to be actually healing : h thus also sweet sensible satisfying communion with god is of a nourishing virtue , and of an healing efficacy . i spiritual senses have spiritual objects suited , and heart senses have heart objects fitted , and outward senses , have outward objects prepared . the new creature hence has its way of inward reviving and restoring . the spirit and soul sees , hears , smells , tasteth , and the sensitive part has its congruous refreshments , and all these have a tendency to health . this was job's food and physick . and o how sweet were these to the psalmists pallat . k this word of god has a purging , curing efficacy , so also has the grace of god. l how healing are his comfortings to an wounded spirit , and to a broken heart . m the ministery of good angels is sometimes used both in inflicting of diseases , and of death , as also in curing of distempers . n it is a great sin in case of sickness to consult dunghil-idols , and not the god of israel for cure and for health . o national sins do give names to natural diseases , as the botch of egypt . p there is a talio sometimes in some diseases , carrying along with them the resemblance of the provoking deserving cause of them ; the whole body sinning may be struck all over , or some one particular member may be more smitten and pained , when it is more in trespass . q some diseases are ineurable by any medicinal art until there be repenting and returning . no disease is so deadly , but that aelohim can cure it , if he will prove his skill , and put forth his power . r healing would be a gift in the churches of christ , were churches more rightly constituted , more regularly gathered , and more orderly walking . the perturbations and passions of the heart are morbifickcauses , hurtful to the body as well as to the soul by operating causality . when joy doth exceed , the heart forgets its limits , and leaps beyond its bounds , and so loosneth it self , that the spirits too frolickly fly out , whereupon weakning , fainting , swooning and sickning do ensue . whereas joy moderated doth revive the heart , chear the spirit , quicken the body , and comfort the whole man. over-sadness and undisciplin'd fear doth oppress the heart , and streighten the spirit , and imprison the soul , and weaken the whole man ; so cooling natural heat , and so freezing the radical moisture , that the limbs will tremble , and the heart palpitate , the appetite doth flat , the digestion is disturbed , the the distribution impeded , kindly motion is hindred , distant members are chilled , and the whole man is distempered : the flesh is dryed , the strength is broken ; the senses are weakned , the mind is darkned , the imagination is clouded and frighted , the blood is congealed , and the spirits are stupified ; it has many sickning affects upon the whole man. saving and sanctifying graces , and holy heavenly frames , have a specifick remedy against distempered passions . ſ i often find the sick psalmist thus fetching in a timely cure . a large treatise might profitably be published upon this subject . it would be an honour put upon the learned in the medicinal knowledge , if their profession and practice might no longer be only a conjectural art , a probable doctrine of vain philosophy , but now at length an ascertaining science of scripture verity . for a further advance and augment of useful science , let it be inquired , from the t fourth days work. q. whether the celestial phaenomena of the glorious luminaries , can ever be reduced to any certain satisfactory art , or improved into an advanced restaured science , by vain philosophy ? or must this be attained only by scripture-discovery in its pursued light , and followed directions . a. vain philosophy can never teach it , it is only learn'd in the scripture school . precious time will be prodigally wasted in fruitless disquisitions , whilst vain affecters of humane wisdom are our teachers , who would dogmatize over us , and impose their peremptory assertions upon the easie credulity of their hood-winck'd disciples , who have no wings to fore high enough for a confutation of their new worlds in the moon , and in other luminaries by a close ocular demonstration to the contrary . and thus they are hardened into a confidence of their art , because they conclude none can convince them from the received astronomical suppositions , that it is otherwise than they affirm , and as they would fairly to the eye represent it in their artificial systems and fancied schemes , which are but witty devices of humane inventions , not the real natures of created being . should i ask for such a scripture-proof , as might directly answer to the truth of these coelestial bodies in their proper nature , of their hypotheses , whereby they would salve their cunningly framed , schematical figures and appearances ; it may be i must take a jear for my information , and a jest for my satisfaction . the extrinsick faces of those heavenly bodies a vulgar eye may behold ; but what their created substance is , what their orderly motion , what their peculiar scituation , what their operative influx , what their periodical revolutions , and much more of this nature , in the true causes , and real effects of them , the most skilful of ethnick astronomers , are but mere conjecturers about them , and can never give us any certainty of knowledge in these matters ; so that the reputation of their skill is only maintained and upheld by the ignorance and unsearchingness of common understandings of vulgar judgements , who have neither leisure nor studiousness enough to discern the deceitful fictitiousness of such philosophical fabricks , which have no evincing evidence in them . that knowledge which these self flatterers do boast they have attained , comes in mostly by the sense of seeing , which how fallible must it be , if the distance were so great between them , and those coelestial lights , as they boldly assert ? it appears by u job's reasoning about those matters , that he had great knowledge of natural things , and could speak much about the system of the universe , and the positure of the world : but when jehovah came to argue with him about those heavenly creatures , he now humbly acknowledgeth that w he was without the knowledge of them , by any mere humane disquisition , which could never throughly find them out in their proper existences , and operations , no other way could the exact knowledge of this be gotten but by the lord , the spirit and the word : he rehearsed that which he did not understand , wonders above him which he knew not ; above him , not only in place by great distance , but also beyond hls natural powers of rationall intellect to understand clearly , or to comprehend fully ; he is now made willing to be instructed by jehovah and his word . how quickly doth his philosophical astronomy vanish , which he himself readily exploded , when x the lord ask'd him some few questions , canst thou bind the pleasantnesses of cinah , or loosen the strings of cesit ? canst thou bring forth mazzaroth in his time , and lead gnaish over her sons ? dost thou know the ordinances of heaven ? or canst thou appoint his government upon the earth ? he points out and nameth some of the coelestial luminaries , and starry lights to job , and quickly silenceth him ; who now lays his hand upon his mouth , and will not answer ; such uncertainty and mistaking was there in his optick art , where so vast a space intervened between his own eye , and those heavenly objects ; whose matter , motion and influx , he was so much now at a loss about , though jehovah aelohim hath made use of this confutation of job , to instruct , and to wise us in those mysterious secrets of created nature , in the coelestial bodies ptolemy and copernicus had quite different schemes , and accordingly they frame quite different theories and suppositions , and yet both of them have undertaken from the ordinary view and open face of the heavenly bodies to satisfie their scholars concerning the same phaenomena and the same calculations upon quite different astronomical principles : and the disciples of both these may find out enough whereby to confute the errours , and to demonstrate the falsness of their several hypotheses , but can never convince others or perswade themselves upon any solid grounds , that they are in the right . let the seigned schemes and imaginary positures of vain philosophers therefore be laid aside , which are but their own fancied placits , finely framed to their pleasing models , and let us for the raising and advancing of this useful science search after true subsistencies of concreated nature in scripture verity . y which of these philosophers can fatisfactorily inform us , what kind of bodies the coelestial luminaries are , whether they be created angels or not , voluntary movers , fice agents or not ? let the vertuous and generous and ingenious , inquire . as also , whether the angels were created , on the fourth day ? which of them can tell me , whether the primitive light do differ from the shining of those luminaries or not ? but instead of propounding more such questions to them , i shall treat of some great particulars about these heavenly bodies : according to the scriptures ; contrary to vain , deceitful , foolish philosophy . the substance of the coelestial luminaries or lightners were not made on the first day of the created world , as if the first scattered light were gathered together into these lightsome bodies on the fourth day : but the sun , moon , and stars are different creatures of several formation on a distinct day , as z the history doth expresly mention in the letter of it . these luminaries are in their created nature separating dividers between the light and the darkness , and so are distinct beings from the light as well as from the darkness : neither are they of an elementarily-aethereal classis , but have a separate distinct existence from the heavens , from the expanded . they are not like studs fixed in solid spheres , externally moved by intelligences or angels . a they are not deities , as the heathenish worshippers by their gross idolatry would make them . they are not fluid orbs circularly perpetually moving , but b they sometimes come out and at other times they go in , according to their creator's appointment for designed ends . they do not move round about an earthly center , nor about an axis of the world. i have shewn before , that the middle of this earth is not the common center of this visible world. they are not of magnetical verticity , which must be only polar ; and if this were , would reduce them to their polar rest , which then also would contradict a pretended perpetual motion . they are not carried about by the imaginary rapture of a first mover , as if they had a second moveable of renitency , contrary to the rapture of the supposed first moveable . magicians , judiciary astrologers , and genethliacks , who do undertake by inspection of stars to foretell future things , the fate of men , imposing a necessity upon mens wills , and declaring events , and telling fortunes , as they ethnickly call it , have no firm footing in holy scripture or created nature . it is a great wrong done unto these creatures and unto their creator , when such conjecturers pretend to prophesie by the stars , and especially by comets , the fates and fortunes ( in their paganish language , ) of men : even their very imaginations , affections , and inclinations , and which is yet more , the counsels and intentions of the lord himself with respect to particular persons and contingencies : as if by their influences these luminaries did so govern the bodily humours as by them to govern the mind and spirits of rational voluntary creatures : their prognostications of future contingent things at so great a distance , are generally false and always groundless . c we are expresly forewarned against this heathen artifice . such planetarians or contemplators of the planets , were not to be tolerated amongst the people of aelohim : yet were the israelites themselves given to this , contrary to his interdict , herein imitating the ethnicks , who had their planetarians , and did hearken to them , seeking to them , believing of them , trusting to them , and obeying of them , as their great pretended infallible oracle . such were the canaanites . how unsound is their doctrine of genethliacal positures of the heavens and the coelestial luminaries to precise points and to minute differences of place and of time ? as also of the distributions of the houses and horoscopes ? how scriptureless , and natureless are these ? as if mens fatalities were influenced thus by the hour of their nativity or birth , or else of their conception ? and as if the hour of what shall befal men were determined by the hour when the question was asked of them ? where doth the word warrant any such science of nativities , elections , and questions , and fatal necessities ? where doth it speak of such predictions , by any natural causality or created efficiency from the locations of planets and stars , their conjunctions , oppositions , and other constellations , and commixtures of rays ? where doth it counsel us to take a benevolent scituation or aspect of stars in a seal or signet-ring ( of metals or gem capable of such impressions ) to arrest the felicity of that hour which otherwise for that punctuality of time would swiftly pass away , and soon fix it , notwithstanding its volatilousness ? whence have these men their power to call time back again that was flown away ? to revive an hour that was dead and gone ? where doth the word teach us how to set these astrological figures ? o what superstition and imposture is there here ? d doth it not belong to jehovah aelohim only , to know and reveal these future things ? was it not one of the presages of the jews captivity , e when they were replenished with the south-saying-art like the philistines ? in nabonassar's reign above two thousand four hundred years ago , or soon after , they write , that they divided the heavens into twelve spaces , called signs , unto which the judiciary astrologers did ascribe certain vertues or powers over the several parts of man's body , and over the several countries and nations of the world , especially by reason of the qualities they supposed to be in the fixed stars , which then did take up those spaces . their rules are still observed , though the stars are removed into the succeeding spaces . the fixed stars they say do pass through an whole sign , in two thousand one hundred and eighteen years : from the creation then in about five thousand six hundred years they have changed their places and spaces , twice and one half at least , which therefore must quite alter their rules . astrologers do scarce look beyond the zodiack for their aspects : whereas the stars , which they miscal fixed , may have as operative configurations with the planets , as the planets one with another . astrologers do differ much about the dividing of these houses : those stars , which , according to ptolemy ( who wrote as they reckon , above one thousand five hundred years ago , ) are in one house , and are said to signifie thus , after regiomontanus ( who is now most followed ) are in another house for the same time and place , and so do signifie otherwise . as for the geuethliacal part , what sound reason can there be assigned why the influences of the stars should make more impression upon the child in the moment of his nativity , than they did at any time before in the womb ? at the first conception matter is fluid , and apter to receive impression , then when the child is shaped and the temper more confirmed . there was an old astrologer who framed a table to discover to a minute of time when the conception first began : but what man can certainly know that ? there have been thousands of people of both sexes of all ages born in sundry places , and under sundry configurations of the stars who have perished and dyed in the same hour and moment , by the same common calamity , as shipwrack , war , pestilence , earth-quake , fall of buildings . some who seem most successful in setting of figures for the discovery of things that are lost , or for prognosticating of life or death , are such as scarce know any planet but the sun and the moon . the practitioners in this black-art do usually call for men's faith to be given up to them , which is a devilish artifice , and a secret acknowledging of and compacting with satan , calling and taking off such as seek unto them from christ , and from his word . astrologers in scripture are called f consociators , conjoyners of the heavens ; either such as are in association and fellowship with evil spirits in these contemplations , and speculations of the stars , or else making of constellations a pretended combination of stars , undertaking to discern and judge of future events , to be prophets of the stars , fore-seeing after contingencies , fore-telling by the moons and kalends , monthly prognosticators , almanack-presenters ; i have compared some of them , who in the same year and month do differ in the time of their full and new moons , neither can they themselves satisfactorily answer , whether the same planet have one effect when in one house of a figure , and another specifick effect when in another house ? and so of the fixed stars and signs in the zodiack : whether in the same house or figure , the sun by himself hath one effect , the moon another , saturn another ? and so of the fixed stars and signs of the zodiack , whether the same point of heaven , if it be the place of the sun , in any genesis retain a solar force and influence in respect of that nature as long as he liveth ? so saturn's place a saturnine vertue , &c. whether the same point of heaven which to one native is the place of the sun , to another may be the place of saturn , jupiter , mars , venus , mercury , or the moon ? whether no planet have the same effect in divers signs of the zodiack , at least not both elementally and influentially ? whether the hour of the nativity do not oftentimes , through many natural occurrencies eithes accelerate or defer ? and how then , if so , can that govern the fate and fortune as they call it of the whole life ? and how the hour of the question should be co-fatal with the thing it self which is sought ? what demonstrative evidences can any man give me from the word and works of god , to resolve and to quiet the mind of a believer about these inquiries ? and many more that might be propounded ? how can these men with all their humane wisdom by their un-scriptural art inform me where the proper seat of knowledge and of understanding is in man , whether in the head or in the heart ? they generally affirm it to be in the head , and they constitute mercury to be the influential governour , having determining dominion over the head and brain , and so over knowledge and understanding . whereas , if it can be proved , to be in the heart , as by scores of scriptures , i can argue it so to be , what then do become of all their mistaken apprehensions and misplaced judgements in this particular case ? o that jehovah christ would once remove south-saying and witch-craft out of the land ! how much is it to be lamented , that g the god of nature who is soveraign lord over all , and who doth in those heavens , and in this earth whatsoever pleaseth him , is thus dishonoured ! when christ was born , such an infant was born whose geniture or generation is unutterable , on whom the influences of the stars have no power or force ; who himself doth govern by his power the vertue and efficacy of all the heavenly luminaries . then such a star appeared , as was destitute of all elementary influences out of and off from all the pretended supposed sphenes . because , this judiciary astrology has such a malign bewitching influence , on many in the present day , and its artists and professors , and practicers have taken up this plea for it , that the name of astrologers and of astrology is not found any where in the holy scriptures , and that , therefore its science and art is not condemned by them : let me further examine , whether the thing at least set out by that name , be not found condemned there ; ( although it be no such commendation for them , in that , they say , their name is not found in scripture . ) gnonenim and megnonenim , say they , do not signifie planetaries . whereas if the root be , gnun , which both in the scriptures and with the rabbins doth denote , opportunity , or stated time , then megnonen is such a one , as doth profess himself by art to foreknow , and to be able to foretel to those who do consult him , what those constituted seasons and definite times are , of good or of evil , of joyful or of sorrowfull ; of prosperous , or of calamitous , event in every affair and business that is undertaken , in ordering a man's life , in taking of a journey , in contracting of a marriage , in sending of an embassy , in waging of a war , and in the rest of so many and such various cases , both publick and private ( which are wont to befal miserable mortals : ) now seeing the astrologer doth boast ( for , to this purpose they openly hang up their tables at doors in london , and privately put their printed papers into the hands of some as they walk in the streats ) that he can foreknow all these things by the motion and positure of all the coelestial bodies , especially of the planets , from which he doth also contend , that they are chiefly effected ; how can any ingenious lover of truth deny with fairness and justness , but that megnonen doth aptly set out an astrologer , and a planetary ; seeing he doth so h observe hours , days , months , years , and times , fit and opportune for the doing of business ? the i israelites were not to tolerate such ; hence it was , that the idolatrous worshipping of the planets came in . if the root be gnajin , an eye , then megnonen is such a jugling cozener as deceiveth and deludeth , inchanteth and bewitcheth the eyes of others with his eye : if it spring from gnanan , a cloud , then , he is such a one as is a soothsayer , as doth divine , foretel , and guess conjecturally from the clouds : the astrologers eyes are intent to these ; the augurer and the astrologer , are very near of kin , for the conjecturer foretelleth future events by the contemplation of the heaven and of the clouds , and by their colour and motion , nabulo he properly is , and so let him pass k under scripture-condemnation . jidegnoni say these men , is a divine , a gnostick , a wife knowing man. it is properly in the scripture-sense and meaning , a diviner , a wizard , a sooth sayer , or prognostick , or fore-teller of future things : these amongst us are called wizards , cunning men , such as pretend to be wise , where they have no word for their warrant : this prognostick art is l one kind of divination which is expresly prohibited . the usual companion of this wizard , is ob , in hebrew , that is such a one as doth prophecy and foretel things to come , by a devilish spirit that is in him , promising divination by colloquies with ghosts , with walking spirits of the dead , with the spirits and souls of hell , and from stars , and from planets . m this is the necromantick and astromantick , magick art , one part whereof doth consult with evil spirits below , the other with those in the air. as this prognosticator hath a devilish spirit going before him , so in some scriptures , he hath teraphim following close n after him , which were certain images , according to whose inspection , the gentiles did either do their work , or leave it undone . some astrologers are wont to make these kind of figures and images under certain constellations , thinking that those figures and images are capable of heavenly influxes . o laban had such teraphim , who was a chaldean by birth , kindred and nation , and the chaldeans were some of the most given to astrological vanities ; they accommodate their images to constellations , to foretel future events , and to cure diseases . p daimon , in greek , that mantick-spirit , or divining foretelling spirit , doth agree with this hebrew word : q this also is forbidden . they further contend that , r casedim , doth not denote astrologers . the chaldeans had a sect that did spend their time and labour in astrological predictions of future contingencies thorow the whole of man , and to this they referred all their study and consideration of the astronomical science ; and these were they , who are reported to have been the inventers of judicial astrology , or rather satan himself ; for , there are who give this to be the true meaning of casedim , from , caph , as like , as , and shed the devil , so that , they are as devils , pretending to skill in starry influence , in constellation , influx , knowing future things in their art by the contemplation of the geniture , genethliack divinators , shewing from the hour and day of a man's nativity , what shall befal him in his after life . they deny also those periphrastical names in s isaiah to signifie astrologers . babylon there spoken of , was the most ancient metropolis of judiciary astrologers : and who , or what are they but so many kinds of astrologers , who are set out by , chobere , hashemajim , and hachozin baccocabim , and modignim echodashim , observers of the heavens , gazers on the stars , prognosticators to the moons , making men believe , that by looking on the stars , they can foretel good or evil things to come to persons , families , cities , and kingdoms ? this and t other scriptures by several names declaring against the several parts of this black-art , that none might escape . the seventy two greek interpreters do render chober hashshamajim , an astrologer , and so kimchi shews the arabick idiom doth hold forth , one who assumes a kind of art unto himself of deciding , discerning and judging from the contemplation of the heavens and of the stars , what shall befal every man , and what is this but judiciary astrology , professing divination by stars , here then asked counsel , &c. and doth not the astrologer vauntingly brag , and proudly boast , as if he were 〈◊〉 heavenly arbiter , and judge given of nature , unto whom the many and various distinct cases of this lower world , are deferred or referred , that by his apotelesmatical science and sentence ( or by his declaration of the signification of stars , and of the power of planets at one's nativity , or by the calculation of mens nativity ) these cases might be decided , by every man's decretory and critical star , and by the constitution , and conformation of the heaven ? chober is properly , one who associating like things together , such as are of the same kind and condition , as star to star , planet to planet , such is the present case . u these kind of conjoyners , or as we commonly call them , conjurers , are condemned in the word ; they are in association and consederacy with devils , by their incantations , conjuring many animals or living creatures , as serpents , toads , poysonous reptils , or other creatures to be together at once , making them tame and familiar that they hurt not , or else binding , or tying bands about the body to heal or hurt by sorcery . here the astrologers do wrangle and say , that it is not chober , but hober , with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : if this were admitted , yet all our lexicographers do generaly render it , an astrologer or sooth-sayer , or cutter or divider of the heavens , from habar , he parted , he cut , in arabick , because he doth decide and define by the indication of the heaven , or because he doth divide the heaven into several parts when he doth divine or foretel things . these augures did at the first use a crooked staff in pointing and designating the quarters of the heaven in their divination , and they gave names to these several spaces in the firmament , the first was called the fore part toward the east , the hinder part was toward the west , the right part toward the south , the left part toward the north , and so according to these spaces did they use divination : afterwards they divided the heavens into houses , placing the coelestial luminaries in twelve parted habitations . aben ezra doth interpret hober , an astrologer , one pretending skill in the coelestial signs , by which to judge of future events and contingencies , from habar he observed , he contemplated , one who diligently beholdeth the face of the heaven , and considerately views it round about , such a practitioner in the astrological science , as doth labour and endeavour to fetch and draw future things out of the motions of the stars . this word in w isaiah , according to the points is read hoberei , and according to the letters , habbaru , those who have looked round about the heavens on every side . schindler doth render it astrologers , prognosticators , such as do foretel future things by the stars . in chaldee , habac , is , he was obscured , he was clothed with black garments , it is a dark science and a black-art . x a very learned critick , doth call such a one , an inchanter or charmer of the heavens : as an inchanter or charmer by some fictitous , or counterfeited words , doth imagine that he , can change the natures of terrestial things , thinking that thereby he can put new vertues into them , for the bringing forth of some stupendious effects , apprehending that by certain characters and images excogitated by himself and formed into this or that shape or figure , some wonderful energy , some notable power will follow thereupon ; thus also the astrologer , from a vain tradition of curious men and by new-devised , invented and sained rules , such as have no proper causality , at all that way , he being deceived with the errour of an opinion thinks and supposeth , that the heavenly bodies are endued with new and unusual properties , and not so congruous to their own nature ; he attributes to the coelestial images , chiefly to the twelve signs of the zodiack orb ( all which are the sigments of men's own brain ) a wonderful efficacy for the distinct producing and prenunciating or foretelling of particular events so that , both the augures and the astrologers are conversant and employed about the heavens , those in the acrial heaven , these in the aethereal heaven : and as those by fowls , so these by stars , abase those creatures to bring about their own predictions : also both of them do divide the heavens into certain parts or segments , by the aid and help whereof they foresee future things , hither tends , refers , and belongs , that singular artifice of astrologers , of making or setting in order a coelestial figure , of setting or erecting a scheme , which figure they would have to contain the state of heaven and the planets at that certain time , an horoscope , the consideration of the time of one's nativity , or birth under this or that planet . thus by these segments of the heavens , which they divide , some into four quarters , others into twelve houses , some others into sixteen parts , they curlously seek and confidently say they find , hidden significations of future things . this prophet isai●h , exegetically or by way of exposition , doth add , inspectors , or contemplaters of the stars , star gazers pretending hereby to a fore-knowing of future contingencies , to a feeling of them before they come : they have one word of that name , by which a true prophet is called , chozeh , in scripture , yet not absolutely as he , but there is added for distinction sake , cocabim , they are contemplators of stars , who though they pretend as a true prophet to foresee future particular contingencies , yet they differ in the means used and had , for a true prophet is god-inspired , knowing future things only by divine revelation , whereas these astrologers do it by their black art , and by the aid of creatures , by which art the heavenly bodies are feigned to be indued with certain rare properties , such as these men do counterfeit , who have not therefore their knowledge of god , they may be called star-prophets . another epithet , or addition to an astrologers name in this true prophet isaiah , is such a one as is making known his predictions to the month , or to all and every of the calends , for y so doth chodesh here , and in other scriptures properly signifie . this is the ancient praxis of astrologers , by which they are wont to divulge and publish their elaborate presentions of future things , digested into certain spaces of times , chiefly monthly : they think they have attained to a prognostick skill in the power of the stars to prenunciate futurities , such as the scarceness and dearness , or plenty and cheapness of corn , wars and peace , the death of princes , and of other great men , universal health , or epidemical diseases , and such like various cases , both private and publick , that doth befal the life of man with great uncertainty of contingency , as to us : from these monthly pronosticators do proceed so many popular ephemerides , calendaries , and almanacks , in which they undertake to be interpreters of the heavens , and of the luminaries there ; and most of the buyers of these books of imposture , do look upon the foretelling part , as the most desireable part of their almanack : some attempts have been made by some to correct , and to rectifie these abuses about computations of times , and predictions of futurities , to bring all to scriptural accounts and prophesies , upon which so many other truths and duties do depend , but the honour of perfecting of this , as well as of other such good work is like to be reserved for another generation , the more grown in the present age being generally either cold and careless about it , or averse from it , or opposing of it . all our hebrew lexicographers do generally agree in condemning both the art and the praxis of astrology , which would impose upon men a star-word of humane invention without a written word of divine inspiration . o how much is it to be lamented , that as of old , even in israel , so now even in england , those sooth-sayers and wizards , these diviners of future things are so consulted with , z even by the lord 's professing people ; which is directly contrary to aelobim's express interdict and prohibition ! these kind of men were not to be tolerated in a truly religious commonwealth , but by jehovah's law were to be put to death , and to be exterminated : it is charged upon manasseb , a king , as his sin , that he tolerated and used such . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a prognosticator , according to the hebrew idiotism , having the force of a compound : these were they , whom a the heathenish pagans so much resorted unto , as if they had consulted with an infallible oracler . there is a sort of divining conjecturers , who would be foretelling of omens , or the good or bad luck or fortune , as they heathenishly phrase it , by foretokens of things to come from serpents : b such a one is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they did abjure a serpent , and use him in their sooth-sayings ; they were observers of conjectures , and so they passed a foretelling judgement ; which is condemned by the lord in his word . reader , art thou willing that i should pursue and apprehend more of these ? there is one of them called , c kosem , who also exercised himself to know future things , foretelling them ; which word when it is taken in all ill sense , is also much condemned ; for such did exercise their divelish art by jugling , legerdemain , crafty sleight , and wily delusions , and abominable witchcrafts : these diviners by clean knifes , by consulting of idols , by inspection of the liver , and of the bowels , inwards and intrals of sacrifices would prenunciate future things : sometimes they did use a staff or rod in their divinations , otherwhile they would peep and mutter , with much d more ; but none shall escape a scriptural arrest . gazerin , in chaldee , were some of this sort , which word schindler doth render astrologers ; these also undertake to foretel future things by inspection of the intrals of those sacrifices which they did diffect ; it was one of the curious arts of the chaldeans . e choberei shamajin , somewhat spoken of before , were planet-housers , or star-housers , or constellators , consociators of the heavens ; such as had fellowship and compact with the devil in their wicked art , mutterers , inchanters by mussitation ; some of them sometimes would utter their verses to inchant serpents , that they might not bite nor hurt . f melachasim also were one sort of such mutterers with a submiss voice , with a low hollow sound , which is usual with inchanters and exorcists , conjurers , secretly sibilating , or hissing like serpents or snakes , with their conceived words . g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are clandestine conjurings . h lehatim , are submiss , low , admurmurings or hissings , waggings of the fingers , and quick gesticulations , or gesturings , or movings of the hand , like the shining vibrations of a brandished sword , holding and deceiving of the eye with jugling delusions , and crafty sleights . i chartummim were one sort of these , such cozeners and juglers , as did deceive and delude the sight with legerdemain , dazeling and misting , blinding , and binding the eyes of by standers with their inchantings , bewitchings , and sorceries , and magick devices , that their deceits might not be discerned and discovered : the word seemeth to be compounded of cheret , an instrument to write in tables , and atam , he shut up or stopped , because these juglers , were wont to draw circles and many characters with such a pen or pencil , whereby to demonstrate , or to make men mad with their witchcrafts , circumventing of others with circulating figures and discourses . doresh ael . hammatim , is another kind of them , k a necromancer , a consulter of the dead : this sort of magick art the scripture also doth condemn . these necromancers are wont to sit by sepulchres , by graves in places of burial to call and to fetch out departed souls , and to consult with them , and they use to spend nights in desert places : the sacrifices of the dead , were the sacrifices of those idols , which were images or pictures of dead men , which yet they asked counsel of , as if they had been gods . l jiddegnonim , somewhat spoken of before , if it be a compound word of jad , an hand , and jadang , to know ; or of jad an hand , and gnanah to answer ; then it sets out , that sort of fortune-tellers , as they call them , who pretend to an art of palmestry , and of physiognomy ; as if fates were inscribed on the hands , and they could know by the lines there , what should befal man , and give answers to secret questions about future contingencies by chiromantick divination ; as if a ship be at sea , whether it be safe or no ? if one be absent , whether dead or a live ? if alive , when he shall return ? whether life shall be long or short , happy or unhappy ? in what part of the world , country or city , is best to live in ? whether one shall be rich or poor ? if rich , when and by what means attain it ? a journey , if good to go or no , and when it may be the time to set forth in ? if good to buy houses , lands or leases ? when and in what place most profitable ? reports concerning husbands , wives , children , friends , ships at sea , or other things , if true or false ? whether a woman be with child or no ? if with child , whether a male or female ? whether a man shall fall into the danger he fears or no ? or how he may escape it ? what kind of person one shall marry , and when they shall see them ? if marry the person desired , and the time when ? whether the portion be small or great ? or may be attainable ? if good to remove , and which way ? money owing , if recoverable , and when ? suits at at law , who shall overcome , and in what time ? a voyage to sea , if good or no ? if one may profit by his trade or no ? if one may attain the dignity , office or preferment he desires , and when ? a friend whether real or no ? whether one sick may live or die ? what their disease is , and when recover ? oh what bold daring attempts are these , thus to intrude into the hidden secrets of the soveraign lord ? magnonem , and megnonenim , were m planetaries , such as by the contemplation of the planets professed , that they could know and foretel future things . the israelites were not to tolerate such : from hence came in the idolatrous worshipping of the planets . n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a jugler , a deluder of the eye-sight . cosheph , by a transposition of the letters is , auspex , auspicium , a sooth-sayer , sooth-saying ; and hence by conversion of the radical letters is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fascino , fascinum ; to transform or disfigure figure by enchantment , to bewitch . these do exercise jugling , and by magick arts they do mischievous acts , changing somewhat natural to the beholding of the eye , that it may appear somewhat else than it is . cocceius on this word doth confidently affirm , that without doubt by these were noted the prophets of devils amongst the heathen , boasting of society and instinct , or such as under the name of natural science did exercise diabolical arts , exorcists , witches , devilish artizers . they are expresly condemned . o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one , who doth prophesie and tell things to come by a devilish spirit that is in him , swelling with it like a bottle , when he uttereth his oracles , one that has an evil spirit speaking inwardly from his belly . hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a serpent , the devil speaking in the serpent , so it was in his tempting of eve ; this is a kind of divination , or a sort of magick art , when a man had an evil spirit in him , giving forth answers , whom some did worship as their god , when the devil out of a swollen big belly gave forth answers to those who asked him concerning some past , present or future things : these magicians or witches being possessed by an evil , unclean spirit , spake his oracles with an hollow voice , as out of a bottle , sometimes in statues , othertimes in caverns , dens , or hollow places of the earth , and in the swollen bellies of men , or in the joynts , or armholes , or armpits , making the devil to come up out of the sepulchres of the dead , or some underground place . this is condemned in scripture , the hebrew , pethen , is python , asp , a kind of a very venemous serpent , which cannot be perswaded by inchantment . those p monthly prognosticators , spoken somewhat of and against before , do very much impose upon the credulity of the ignorant and superstitious : such are the foretelling almanakers . q the word almanack in low dutch , is said , as it were , al-maen-acks , that is a consideration or observation of all the moons of an whole year ; or according to the opinion nf some others , is said to signifie in the arabick , chaldean , and hebrew tongues , r a number or numeration . joseph scaliger affirmeth , that the arabians called a calendar so , adding their article , al ; for some are perswaded , that it is not a mere arabian word , but only received into custom with the arabians , calendries ; though ſ nicholas fuller doth apprehend it to be more ancient from the egyptians , who were famous for astrology : the roman senators and nobles were so bewitched by these astrological devices , that they would scarce do a common action , without scrupulously consulting their ephemeris , about the signs , planets and stars ; and the christian emperours ran into the same guilt , who would not attempt any change without first asking counsel of the stars , in their publick and private affairs , resorting to the luminary tables of astrologers . the judiciary astrology , or divination by stars hath so far extended its prognosticating black art , as that it undertakes to determine , not only probably , but also certainly , every man's lot , portion , fortune ( as they paganishly speak ) issues , events and ends ; whereas , there are no true necessary causes of these to be found in the stars ; so that , implicitely at least the practitioners therein do oblige themselves to the devil , and daringly fight against plain prohibions in scripture . how can they answer that expostulation of jehovah with t job ? knowest thou the ordinances of heaven ? canst thou dispose the dominion thereof in the earth ? these artists do not know the certain moment of a man's nativity at so great a distance of years , when they were not present at it : the arising of the signs has a latitude , and a small difference in time they themselves do acknowledge doth make a great difference , and some astronomers do affirm , that the same aspect of stars hath scarce returned from the beginning of this world : astrologers are yet at an uncertainty among themselves , how the houses are to be divided , how far their influencing forces do reach , and what signs they should use : how great a variety is there amongst them about the diffance of planets between themselves ? with much more , that might be added ; though gaffarellus hath feigned an hebrew alphabet in the coelestial figures , and that the putting of letters together , gives a certain meaning : thus the devil abuseth them , to whom as to a doctor and interpreter , judiciary astrologers do apply themselves . this consulting with such diviners is very pernicious , both in respect of its original , which is wicked , as also of the event , which doth often torment and vex men before the time ; for , if evil be foretold shall befal a man , the fears of it do sadden the spirit , and make him miserable before the evil actually come ; and if it be some good that is promised , the frustrating , vain , disappointing , expectation thereof , doth so bind up their deceived imagination , that it leaves them in a sluggish distemper , and they do not make out after better things ; and however , what is so foretold , doth sometimes come to pass ; yet it should be remembred , that often times they miss : divers by the perspicacity of their nature , and by long experience may conjecture many things , which they would have their disciples to ascribe to stars , planets and signs : and the force of imagination is such , that those who ask counsel of astrologers , do sometimes fall into the evil they fear , and sometimes attain the good they pursue : sometimes the lord in just judgement doth suffer satan to inflict such evils , as he foretold should come to pass : sometimes it is merely providential as to god , and wholly conjectural as to men : thus some young men feigned themselves to be mathematicians , and they conjectured and foretold what was true and came to pass ● and if they sometimes so fall out to be , as is divined , such consultings therefore are the more to be avoided ; for , where there is neither institution in scripture , nor causality in nature , there is the greater suspicion of some latent diabolical fraud . the pythoniss in the u acts was a true witness in that particular , yet was she possessed with a spirit of divination : society and compacts with devils , both explicit and implicit , are very formidable , and altogether to be abhorred : consulting with such evil spirits , is full of dangerous curiosity , of tormenting solicitude , and of deadly slavery ▪ w to consult the devils oracles in doubtful cases , is apostacy from , and denying of , the true god ; and to resort for divining unto one that hath a familiar , is a seeking to , and a worshipping of the devil : so is sorcery and necromancy , x where the devil is sought unto in the form of some dead man ; the devil appeared in the likeness of samuel ; it was not the true samuel , but mere illusion of satan ; for god had refused to answer saul by prophets , such as samuel was : saul is said to have died for his y transgression , principally in that he sought and asked counsel of a familiar spirit . sooth-saying by the flying and noise of birds is also condemned ; usually the care of persons in this case is to avoid the seeing or the hearing of such kind of ominous signs , which would signifie nothing as to good or evil in themselves in this matter , were it not for the consent of the observer : they have no force , efficacy , or operativeness at all this way , were it not for the superstitious conceits of the mind , when it is diligently bended , and intentively turned to them , whereby divers things do befal divers men , according to the diversity of their thoughts and imaginations . of the like nature is divination by z looking into the entrails of beasts ; so did the king of babel , who consulted with idols , and looked into the liver ; so is star-gazing , charms , mumbling of words , for such an end , casting of figures for this purpose , and the like . there should not be any found among us , a that useth witchcraft , or is a regarder of times , or a marker of the flying of fowls , or a sorcerer , or a charmer , or that consulteth with spirits , or a sooth-sayer , or that asketh counsel of the dead . to a seeking unto these , the holy spirit doth oppose b a prophet , as the only lawful minister of god , to know his will by : to ascribe such a special foreknowledge or foretellingness indicated by the positure of stars , which might rule over the consciences and wills of voluntary agents is contrary to that soveraign authority , which the lord doth exercise over the wills of men , bowing and bending , moving and directing them , which way he pleaseth ; and therefore such a power is not to be arrogated by any mere creatures . angels themselves , whether good or bad , have not such an innate light in them , as of themselves to know future particular contingents before hand ; neither can the intellect of man so foreknow : astrologers therefore , not having their pretended prescience , and prognosticating skill , either by divine revelation , or by natural causalities , they have it by diabolical suggestion . that knowledge of determinate future things , which any really have by divine revelation , is prophesie , and not divination . such prying curiosity as has neither scripture or nature to bottom upon , is experienced and bewrayed to be the common disease of the vain itching mind of fallen unquiet man ; from hence has sprung this troublesome question about judiciary astrologers , who would bind men to fatal stars , as if the body of man were composed and fashioned according to the twelve signs of heaven , as if the moon had dominion in man's body , under the twelve zodiacal constellations , placing aries in the head and face , taurus in the neck and throat , gemini in the arms and shoulders , and from thence running through the other signs , into the other parts of the body , even to the very soles of the feet , which they ascribe to pisces . did the authority of christ , and of his word , take more sensible hold of mens hearts , they would tremble more , and not dare to adventure upon those prohibited evils , which the lord hath so dreadfully threatned with such c sore judgements , that the soul , which turneth it self unto diviners and prognosticators shall be cut off from the midst of his people . man or woman , when there is in them a familiar spirit , or that is a wizard , they shall be surely put to death , they shall stone them with stones , their bloods shall be upon them , their death shall be upon their own head , their own sin is the just cause of it : and the d statute law of england doth make many of those practices to be felony , which yet are commonly used in this nation . in the day , when the lord will honour himself by reviving of his judicial laws , and by raising up of such as josiah was , a none-such for reformation in this kind , e to put those laws in due execution , when these evils are espied out , one such example , in such an age of speculative and practical atheism and infidelity , may be a more forcible argument with some , than ten scriptural reasons now are . the certain knowledge of future particular contingents , is that f by which the true god is differenced , & distinguished from idols . the lord doth nippingly touch and sharply check the vanity of this art , and the cheatingness of its arrists , and the ignorance and credulity of those , who do yield themselves to be deluded thereby : he doth sttaitly charge , and sorely threaten , such confident boasters of their astrological skill . in the apostles time , when the doctrine of the gospel did more obtain and prevail , these black arts , were condemned , and the books that treated of them were burnt : those kind of evil practitioners are described by a g syriack word , and so is the word in chaldee and samaritan too , which doth designate and denote , not only such magicians as are plainly and evidently given to diabolical arts , but also to such arts of inchantment , of jugling , deceiving by slight conveyance , deluding the eye-sight with legerdemain , such curious illusory arts , which though to the ignorant and vulgar may seem to be otherwise , yet really are wicked artifices , such are the feigned devices of planetaries , and casters of nativities : and the constitutions of some of the christian emperours have ordered , that such books of such astrologers should be burned . a large volume might be quickly written on this subject matter : but if the word of the lord be not submitted unto , who am i , that i should think to silence these adversaries by the force of my reasoning with them ? i therefore leave it with the lord to plead his own cause , in his own way , in his own time . if i have instanced in some evil arts , which the reader may apprehend do not so properly belong to judiciary astrology , let him consider , that this black art doth spread it self wide and far , and besides , when i was upon this , i was willing to bring in my testimony against all that evil which sought for some protection from judiciary astrology , and had some ways a relation to it . i now proceed to the scripture discovery ; the darkness , evening and night were divided more generally before , as to time , place , and nature , from the light , morning and day , in their created beings , and successive courses , and now they were further specially distinguished and pointed out by the heavenly luminaries . time was not first measured by the sun , for , there was time before the luminaries were created , which were to stated pre●●ite certain seasons , and those heavenly lights do now point out all instituted times which have foundation in scripture and in nature : particularly the evening and morning of every day , and the seventh-day sabbath , every week , * for ●d●m , for mankind generally , and was so appointed in this one week at the first , and is still to be kept and observed by vertue of that first command . the sun and the planets , and the stars are not the centers and foundations of all the vortices and motions of matter and corpuscles about them . for the center is supposed to be the lowest , whereas these luminaries are above and do shine over this earth : * the heavens are high above the earth . the sun and the * moon are the two great luminaries , so called in respect of the lesser lights , which are not so great , either in visible appearance , ( and whether in real quantity or not , doth deserve a more thorow disquisition ? ) or in diffused light , or in influential operation and efficacious vertue . and so are of more * glorious excellency than the rest . the moon is a great light , really , positively , so , the standing still of the sun and moon * in joshua's time was a great wonder . if the sun had naturally as the common center , stood still , and the moon and the earth had moved , how had it been proper and true to say sun and moon stood still ? or if it had been spoken popularly and falsly , as some boldly and untruly affirm , must it not then have been said only , sun stand thou still ? what absurdities would these philosophers conceive the scriptures or the god of truth in the scriptures , to speak both properly and improperly , really and popularly , truly and falsly at the same time and in the same words ? h the sun is a strong one running his race , he goes in , in the evening , and he goes forth in the morning . the sun doth not make or constitute the day , i but he hath dominion over the day , having his being and use assigned on the fourth day , and therefore also was not created on the first day , when the primeve light was made . the moon has an innate light of her own , k having both the name and the nature of a luminary , and was so created at the first . a lesser luminary doth not deny but affirm the lesser to be createdly , existingly , actually , really , a luminary , or lightner , or lighter , as well as the greater , though not altogether as great , synony mously and univocally such ; she is a luminar not a specular , having seasons of walking in her own l glorious brightness which our eyes do see . even when eclipsed she is visible to us in her whole disk , which astronomers do suppose not to be illustrated by the sun. have any of these philosophers satisfactorily proved as yet , that the eclipse of the moon is indeed caused by the supposed shadow of the earth , cast upon some part of the moon , and stepping between the sun and the moon ? for , besides that , such a shadow at such a great distance , according to their common placits and traditioned suppositions , could not darken so great a part of the moon , yea the whole of the moon , were the moon of so great a bigness as they also affirm ; darkness and shadow they say are no real things , but only absence of light , and how can that obscure a lightsome body , if darkness have no positivity or existence of it's own ? all the darkness in the night cannot hinder a rush-candle from shining . further , if such a shadow were the cause , then why is not the whole opposite hemisphere illuminated by the direct rays of the sun in the night at such times , when the moon doth not so shine ? the moon hath not all her light from the sun according as that part of the moon in its increases and decreases which is nearest the sun is illustrated according to it 's more or less opposite position . this they assign to be the cause , but if it were so , then that diameter of the moon , which doth cut the enlightned part of the moon into two equal parts must also in a right line pass into the diameter of the sun. which is not so : as any discerning eye may observingly conclude by ocular demonstration . if the moon as they suppose , do move about fifty miles in a minute , how then can some eclipses of the moon last so long as they do , if it were caused only by the shadow of the earth ? and how small a proportion is that part of the hemisphere which the body of the moon doth take up when it is eclipsed at its first arising , if you compare it with the compass , that it goes from her going forth to her going in ? the eclipse also of the sun , they assert may be total to some in some parts of the earth by the moon 's being in conjunction and stepping in between the sun and the earth : but how can this be , if as they say , the sun be one hundred sixty and six times bigge● than the earth , and the moon be forty and six times less then the earth . astronomers therefore must enquire after some other cause of eclipses , let it be searched after , m whether satan who by his fall having lost his luminariness , and being become darkness , and the prince of darkness , be not at least one cause ? it is further a philosophical errour , to affirm the moon to be an earth . n for , the earth was made , and perfected before that the heavenly luminaries had any created being . these had their existence three days after that . neither is there dry fruit-bearing land in the moon , o for the earth and not the moon doth by the creator's ordination bring forth grass , herbs , and● trees . neither are there seas in the moon , p for the seas were created and put into their proper places here below before the moon had a being . neither is the moon q opacous , nor the earth luminous . the histories of the creation are evident confutations of these and many other human inventions . r the moon doth not make or constitute night , but hath dominion over it : s she is a faithful witness in heaven . the stars are t burning shining bodies , having their own inherent burning flame , as well as the sun , and emanant without his collustration . if stars were of such a magnitude as ethnick philosophers do assert , how could u that star in christ's time point out to the wise men , that particular house in bethlehem , when christ was new born ? and w how could the stars of heaven fall down upon the earth , like as the figg-tree casteth her green figgs , when she is shaken of a mighty wind ? * it is too great boldness in earthly man to assign the magnitude , altitude , distance , of the heavenly luminaries : can a dusty worm measure the heavens above , or number the host of heaven ? art thou able to mete out the heavens with a span : no meer man can exactly tell the number of the stars . though astronomers have been over confident this way , as if they could give a particular punctual account of all and of every one of them . one of them reckons one thousand two hundred forty and one , visible to us . another of late , has added one hundred thirty six stars more , which make up one thousand three hundred seventy and seven . a third has observed some few more . johovah aelohim adonai has the peculiar honour of x numbring and of naming the stars , which to man is impossible . abraham was esteemed no mean astronomer , y yet he could not number them . there is not one day of the week for the sun , a second for the moon , a third for mercury , a fourth for mars , a fifth for jupiter , a sixth for venus , a seventh for saturn , as the ethnick philosophers do un-scripturally , anti-scripturally name them and assign them their several days in the week . for sun , moon , and stars were all created on the fourth day of the one week of the created world. there was not a several distinct planet made on each several day of the week . neither is the fourth day of the week unlucky or unfortunate , as they call it ; it is not a curse , z as if infants were more taken with the squincy on that day than on any other day of the week , whence the superstitious custom of fasting upon that day . and now , o my soul , what was adam , and what is the son of adam , that jehovah aelohim has created such a spangled a tent for man to have it so spread over his head ! if the out side pavement that leads the way to the new city , and to the holy of holies be so shining , o then , how glorious is christ's father's house , within , and the many mansions there ! if the purer churches in the latter-day glory , will be b fair as the moon , and clear as the sun , how beauteous then will the church of the first-born be in heaven ! if pastors shall shine as c stars , and the new created people luster forth as the firmament , if what is yet more , all and every of the righteous shall shine forth as d the sun in the kingdom of christ's father , o what a perfect day will it be , when all these suns shall shine together ? and what is yet more than all this , when the lamb shall be e the light of the new city , and all those other lights almost dis-appear at the presence of the out-shining over-coming brightness of the lord jesus christ himself there ! o , blessed be jehovah , who giveth unto any f in this light to see , to walk in , and to enjoy , any of this light whilst they are here ! o , for that day , when g the day-star may more arise in the hearts of saints , as the fore-runner of the arising of h the sun of righteousness with healing in his wings ! the i fifth days work doth afford us this inquiry . q. whether that part of natural history , which doth concern fowls , fishes , beasts , and worms , can ever be completed into a natural art in the way of ethnick philosophy ? or must we search after it only in the word of truth , where alone it can be advanced and perfected by a due and diligent comparing of their created beings in their proper natures . answ . this natural history , and natural art above these living creatures can never attain to any considerable growing augment , much less to a through full discovery , in the way of ethnick philosophy ; the restoring and finishing of this is no where else to be found but only in the holy scriptures , by a due and diligent comparing of their created beings , in their proper natures . an art when it is discovered aright is but nature opened . this art must be natural , made up of existencies and of realities according to the truth of things , in the being of these creatures . that which is proper art , is not a supplementary addition of somewhat to nature , which was not nature before by the law of the first creation ; for , that were to make a created man to be a creating artificer of what was never made before , which we all explode . but it is a revealing , and a drawing forth of that secret which did lye hid in nature . the art of man may call out the wonderful productions of many great effects , but still these are wrought in the orderly course by natural causalities , and by created efficiencies . the rarest artist can but co-operate with natures powers , which doth their own work , only man puts them together , or severs them asunder , according as he would have some products by motions to be . however yet , the mysteries and wonders of art must first be sought where they may be found , in the mysteries and wonders of scripture , declaring those mysteries and wonders to be in nature . practice of arts is a disclosing of secrets of nature in creation of causes . art doth sometimes give a provocation to nature , whereby she doth bewray her self ere she is aware , and doth expose her self to view in the light in some of her agen●ies which kept close in the dark before ; and therefore nature and art in scripture language do set this out . k that word which doth signifie art , exercising it self industriously about any thing or substance , comes from a word which doth import a delegated officer , one imployed in such a function , as is put upon him by creating aelohim ; and that function must always be sought for in the word , as revealed there : and another word which doth denote one excelling in art , nourishing of it , and being nourished by it , doth spring from a word which doth include faith and truth . and where can those firmly bottom but upon the word of truth , and the word of faith ? and the same word which doth signifie essence , existence , created being ( by which i understand nature in this discourse ) doth also import virtue , law , doctrine . they are the only true vertuosi in learning , who receive doctrine about all entities from aelohim's law in his word . this doth teach substantial knowledge , and doth give essential science , and doth skill in the art of realities . there are several writers who have undertaken to give us an accouut of these creatures , in their elaborate histories of them ; one of the largest and learnedest upon animals has this great errour running through much of his book , that though he refers much of this discovery to the scripture , yet he would have original hebrew , which is the mother tongue , to go to school , and to learn to speak of daughter-languages , such as the samaritan , the syriack , and the other oriental tongues : as if the proper significancy of her words could not be rightly understood , but by their sense , and etymologies , and phrasiologies , whereby he carries the reader off from the word of god ( which yet he doth undertake to translate , interpret and apply ) unto the authorities and histories of philosophizing men , and the opinions and customs of nations ; that from these , and not so much from that , we might fetch our knowledge of these creatures . a cognation of other languages to , and a collating of them with the original hebrew , hath its great use , and may be put to a more growing and profitable improvement ; only special heed must be taken , that they be all drawn to side with the hebrew , but not to put the hebrew violently by force to be of their party against its own natural meaning . in whatsoever author you meet this disconsonancy to the scriptures , that would bring an alien sense to the scriptures , and doth not receive a genuine meaning from the scriptures , look upon it as one great cause of error ; these appositions and additaments from men are detractions and substractions from the word . let the learned , in all their studious artificial expatiations , and liberal scientifick walks in these fields of nature , gather and bring in as much of choice created excellencies as they can , whereby to contribute to the augment , of this art , and the perfecting of this science ; only let this be learn'd by reading in scriptures book , and in natures school . for the rectifying of some common philosophical mistakes , let us by an inquiring spirit , make a deeper research into the scriptures about this question . l the creeping living creatures were not formed out of the waters , as their pre-existent matter ; for they were , and are distinct creatures from the waters , of a different make and kind . this doth but set out the manner of after productions in the watery places . they have been some of the generally received mistakes , that ●here was a common pre-existent matter of the whole creation : that matter and motion are the essences of things : that the four elements are the original causes of things , which have a mixtion of elements in them : that beaten axiom of ethnick philosophy , that of nothing it is impossible any thing should come , as if therefore there were a necessity of fore-existent matter to work upon , because the ordinary course of nature is now so , doth discover in the assertors thereof their ignorance of the scriptures . for although out of absolute nothing , nothing can be extracted , converted , or made to be , yet that doth not necessarily infer that therefore there must be a first matter , and a potency thereof to be the common principle of all material things ; for almighty power can create that unto a being , which had no being before . that ethnick rationalist who maintained and defended this corrupt tenet , did reject all matters of faith , not only humane , but divine also , and examined all things only by his own reason , whose writings therefore can afford no true , good commentary upon m scripture , which doth not at all speak of any such pre-existent matter . the scriptures of truth do not assert any such prime confused chaos , out of which afterwards all created beings should come forth distinct , neither can any man's reason evince this to him who doth stand in awe under the authority of god's word ; was it not altogether as easie to omnipotency , and more glorious to all wisdom , at the first to create the several kinds of all created beings , distinct and perfect , than to frame and to form them afterward of matter made before hand ? is it not against the dictates of natural reason and light , that such a pretended first matter should subsist separate by it self , and there rest a while under some common and general form , yet so as withal to have in it such a multitude of specifical forms of natural beings , and after-created essences , of all future bodies , not distinct , but in a confused lump , and mingled heap , all jumbled together one with another ? god is not the author of confusion : and how can a rational intellect understand that any one common form could make specifically distinct forms out of such a fancied first matter of corporal things ? the internal forms of created beings is that primitive force and original nature , which aelohim did speak into , and fasten in the several kinds of created beings on the several days of the first weak , according to the particular essence and specifick being , and different condition of every thing , whereby they are some ways disposed and fitted , strengthned and enabled , to put forth their proper vertues , and their special operations , by the exercise of which natural powers , they were orderly to move towards the right end in subserviency under and conformity , to the will of their maker , which was their goodness and their perfection . the creatures could not cause themselves to be from not-being ; neither was natural generation the first original of these creatures , but creation , or creating causality , or primitive and proper creation : neither were their created potentialities latent in a first chaos , produced into their actualities on the six days , but all and every of the creatures were immediate distinct works of aelohim's power . he created in every one of the six days . any created original or primary womb , out of which other creatures were extracted ; or the material stuff whereof all things were framed , which one ethnick philosopher calleth the first matter , as the potential principle of all : another names it hyle , a darkness somewhat invisible and without form : a third intitles it , a fearful shadow ; a fourth makes it a symbolical unity ; a fifth doth stile it a deformed chaos , or universal troubled mass , without form or shape : these and such like fancied images of humane invention have no firm footing in scripture . all and every of the works of the foregoing six days of the week are proper creatures , each of them were new creatures of distinct essence or entities : there were no former phaenomena , or appearance of them . had there been any such one universal body of matter , or corps of the world , and an universal created spirit , as the soul of the world ; then all had been perfected in one day , both the whole body , and the whole spirit of the universal world of creatures ; and all this had been one individuum , physically , really , naturally . not only was the first creation in one day by the supernatural power of aelohim , as if the after productions were by the power of instituted nature , or application of art : but also , all the created beings on the second , third , fourth , fifth and sixth days ; which were then essences , when they were existences , and not essences in potentiality on the one day , and existences in actuality on the other days , as if only productions out of a former essence . ( if the reader do observe any phrases or lines in this treatise , word for word in other authors , let him know , that these collections were made some years go , when the author made use of some books , as he could then be suffered to come at them ; which books he had not then by him , when he first framed this treatise ; neither doth he readily know whither to go for the finding out of those citations or transcribings , now that he hath most of these books by him . sometimes he useth their own words , where he apprehendeth the writers mind and expressions to be according to the word , and in several places he confutes their mistakes by the original text. let the grand design be promoted of advancing of useful knowledges , and personal reflexions be laid aside . ) the creatures were of several kinds , and being heterogeneous one from another ; they must consequently all of them be also heterogeneous from the pretended pure primary matter : for this matter being supposed by the asserters of it to be one homogeneous substance in it self , can never produce so many heterogeneous substances . if the very matter of creatures were one and the same substantial principle in all creatures , and not different , how could it produce contrary entities , and activities , and exercise contrary operations ? n the word of truth doth expresly confirm , that the things which we see were not made of such things as do appear : and we have need and use of special faith to believe , and to improve this aright : o as that the heavens and the earth , were not this first general confused matter , out of which after creatures were made , the expanse was not made of the more refined part of this ; the herbs , plants and trees were not made out of the earthy matter ; the luminaries were not made of the former light ; fishes , fowls , beasts , worms , were not made of the waters or earth ; the first adams male and female were not made of former earth : these p were after generations and productions in the ordinary way , yet of the same kind , and it is a new prooem beginning a new narration . q aelohim did not need as men do , stuff or matter to work upon , not tools or other instruments , neither used he the aid or help of any assistant . it is by faith that we come to have right apprehensions of this ; it is not wrought and attained by the strength of our natural reason , but it doth shine in upon the mind from that credibility which is in , and from that credence , which is given to the word of god , and from the holy spirits perswading of the heart that this word is the truth : thus were all manner of creatures fully and perfectly finished without any want , defect , or imperfection in them , so far as concerned that state and condition the creator made them in : the author or efficient was jehovah aelohim ; the means of creating them was by the word of his power , whereby he manifested his mind and will : though all these were created and made , yet not out of any thing that did or could appear ; there was no pre-existent matter whereof they were made . the essences and formalities of all vegetative and sensitive natures , are not only matter and motion : aelohim gave primitive natures , and different beings to his several creatures . universal nature is both an empty name , and an atheistical conceit . if only matter were created in the first instance of time , as is pretended and pleaded , how could this matter diversifie it self in the beginning into heaven and earth ? for local motion , being from one place to another , which are several distant terms , must necessarily be in several instants of time ; if several local motions were the formalities , or formal beginnings of all spirits and spiritual qualities , then they should not be before , nor after , nor any longer than that local motion doth continue . for the formality of any thing is the very specifick being thereof , and nothing can be without the specifical being of its self , otherwise it should not be what it is , or be what it is not . it was r the spirit of aelohim , and not the first matter , that moved more especially upon the waters . created beings may and actually do exist without any actual local motion ; and therefore they must necessarily , really be different from it . the beginning of all things was not water ; as one ethnick philosopher mis judged : neither was infinite air the first cause or original of every existence , as another affirmed : neither was this pretended catholick air , god , as a third esteemed : neither did all things take their beginning from fire and light , as a fourth would have it , nor as another says , that there is one universal fire in and over all things in this world : neither is the beginning of all things the substance of the fire by the air converted into water , as was the opinion of one : neither are there such radical principles of all things , whereof two are agents , and two patients , as he asserts the elements , which was the imagination of another . creating aelohim was before any created beings ; ſ he alone was the creator : all things were made essentially , solely , immediately by him , there was no help of secondary causes . they had their original and being from him ; and they have still their dependence upon him : and therefore is t aelohim in this short , yet complete history of the creation expresly named above thirty times in the seven days of this one week . no mere creature has power of creating . it is u the sole prerogative of jehovah aetohim . if created beings , and their substantial spirits , and all their spiritual activities and operations were only various motions of the matter , or only matter moving variously , then local motion , one way or other , or any way whatsoever should be not only an instrumental causality or effect of these bodies , and their qualities ; but also the very essence and formality , as hath been said , or formal cause of them . whereas , all created beings are formal every one of them , such as they were severally created in their different kinds , and as they are naturally distinguished from other creatures in themselves in their own proper being . the creatures may , and several of them do exist , and they are such as they are created , without any actual motion , being more for rest . w as the blew expanse , and the earth ; t●hu and bohu x were not matter and form. the jews and the christians have learn'd this wrong conceit in the schools of ethnick philosophers , and then afterwards laboured to defend it by this place of scripture . i have on the work of the one day shewn the meaning of those words and things . the four elements , as some name them , called the simple bodies ; were not fetch'd , one contrary out of another , as out of former matter , as neither light out of darkness , nor the firmament out of emptiness , nor dry earth out of waters . neither were the compound bodies out of the same elements , nor for the most part of all , four unequally mingled together . not every one principally out of the same element , which they garnish or inhabit : as not herbs and trees out of the earth : not the sun , moon and stars , wholly or specially out of the expanse : not fishes out of the waters , not birds out of the air , not beasts out of the earth ; all and every of the created beings are of distinct natures , and of several kinds . we must put a difference between the first creation , and the after propagation . those four great bodies , aether , air , earth and water , are still locally and essentially separate one from another , and do exist pure : they each of them have their proper bodies of matter , their peculiar subsistences , pure and unmix'd in the beginning of the creation . the several creatures were created an whole and entire several substance and quality , matter and form , as they call them , all and every of them on the several days of their being created ; at least this is very well worthy of a more through inquiry and deeper disquisition than hitherto hath been made : i return now to the particular created beings on the fifth day . * fishes do breath in and out , though ethnick philosophy do contradict . for , fishes are some of the reptils , which have a living soul , a vital spirit , breathing to and fro . the swimming of fishes is one kind of creeping and sliding . so an eel swims in the water , as a snake doth creep on the land. and though other fishes in swimming do shoot forth more directly , and do not altogether make such crooked in and out lines , yet they only slide in a streighter manner , having bodies of a direct and oblong figure fitted for that purpose , being born up , and partly carried by an equidans fulciment of transpassable waters , through which they move by a breathing vital potenty . y the flying fowl was not made of the pre-existent matter of waters , as some learned christians , some whom they call the fathers , and others did misapprehend , but were a distinct creature both from waters and reptils , from fishes , from what else doth live in the waters . this is a new production in a certain and different place . the precedent z hebrew accent did absolve the former paragraph , from which this is distinguished both grammatically in sense and distinction ; and also physically in being and in place . a the one word is as proper to birds , as b the other is to reptils . they were neither of the same make with fishes , neither were fishes created of water , nor fowls of earth ; but immediately of the adored almighties , severally put into their proper natural places ; the fishes into swimming in the sea , the fowls into the air over the earth , flying there . some flying fowls do more delight in watery places ; others of them are more for earth , as the place of their choice ; some others are terraqueous , being well pleased both with earth and water , as a place either of them proper , and fit enough for them : so that , this doth but set out their places , not the first matter of their being , and how it would be in their after production , distinguished into land-fowls , sea-fowls , and sea land-fowls , amphibious ones , such as do live and generate in both . the creator doth assign his creatures their proper localities and places of abode , as before he had put the luminaries in the heavens and expanse ; so here the fishes to the waters , the fowls to the air , and so afterwards other creatures to the earth . the appointed places of habitation , of motion , and of working , are proper and natural , and the bodies of created beings have a suitable conformity fitting them for their several abode . the creator first finished the theatre or habitacle of the world , and then creates the inhabitants thereof , and puts them into their several dwellings and mansions . time and place were some of the first things created : they are therefore to be accounted great things , being the foundation of many after-institutions . c the creature had a beginning when it was created , time then began . this world was not from all eternity ; for it had a beginning in time. one part of the created world was after another part of it , by temporary succession of nights , and of days in a most direct line by established order , and immutable law. the first beginning of time , was not the moment or measure of the first heavenly motion . they are mistakes , the supposal of the first moveable heaven , or compassing sphere that doth wheel about all the other pretended spheres ; and that this first mover was first created ; which have no foundation in scripture , but are the feigned inventions of men high in their own eyes , and fond of their own conceits . the first moment of the first created evening , was the beginning of time , as to the created world , when the darkness was first made to begin . time is not the measure of duration , according to a pretended motion of the heavenly luminous bodies , for three several days were past before the creation of these . time , place and number , are of the nature of indifferent things that may be , or may not be , but are necessarily things in their several circumstances . these were concreated , and did actually exist with other created beings in the beginning , and without which no created entity whatsoever can actually exist . there was in the one day of the world successive duration , every creature that was made on that day was durable temporary , made and existed in time : there was consistent extension , one part beyond another , there where another part was not . all the created beings of that day exist in some places . they were where they were made , and no where else at that same time , and several creatures were in several places , then and afterwards : there was then discrete numbring ; for every created being , whatsoever it be , must always be numerable . the several distinct days also , in which the creatures were made , are distinct in numeration . thus for family or church-worship , once every day is not enough , but twice a day is necessary , aelohim having instituted the evening and morning seasons , and not lest this to our liberty or appointment . there is an aptitude in nature for these ; fitting the time to the work. thus for more publick church-assemblies , once in a month , or quarter , or year , is not enough , it must be weekly on the seventh-day-sabbath ; for so is the doctrine of weeks in the first creation . those who are ingaged in the controversie about non-conformity unto d national plantations or establishments in the matters of publick worship , such as is of humane invention , institution and imposition , especially when exclusive of all other worship that is according to the word-warrant , and scripture-institution , have greatly wronged and hurt their own cause , by their concessions and assertions , that the civil magistrate has the power in the nation to appoint humanely-invented modes of worship , what forms to use . the number in worship , how often it shall be , what holy days as they call them , and how many of them in an year ; the time of worship , when his will and pleasure is ; and the place of worship , where he will assign . as if these were adiaphorous matters , left wholly to our governours prudential consideration and determination , which all subjects must comply with , and conform to , that there may be , as they say , order , unity and peace in the church , by a national uniformity in these things : for , under a colour of this , all the christian religion almost is degenerated into indifferents , and those who are most and best christians , most spiritual and heavenly in worship , according to the laws and institutions of christ's house , and who have their conversation most adorning and becoming the gospel , are most hated and opposed ; this being the ground of persecution in all ages , but more towards the latter days , as the servants of , and witnesses for christ , do bring in and finish their testimony against all e antichristian , and anti-scriptural usurpations , not in any tumultuous way of rebellious insurrection , but by a patient suffering , and quiet bearing . all things whatsoever in the matters of worship are determined by the lord , and mens prudence doth consist in this , not in prescribing to their fellow creatures , time , place and number , but in finding out , and in observing , what of every one of these the soveraign only lawgiver hath decided and stated . those who have a delegated authority , under christ over others , should use and exercise their power to inforce christ's laws and orders , and to make constitutions of their own against or beside the word . every action of rational creatures , especially in the matters of worship , take it in all its circumstances , is , when done , f either well or ill done , it is either sin or duty ; these two do decide all . o who will give ▪ that superiours would revive the law of the ten words , as the one and only rule of faith , worship and life , as to all duties to be performed , and as to all sins to be forborn ! upon which law the rest of the scriptures is the one and the only lawgivers own commentary , judging of all cases according to this , whereby either to approve , acquit , and justifie what is an holy conformity to it , or to reprove and condemn whatsoever is a transgression of it ! and that the judicial laws , which are perfectly exact , holy , just and good , might be the rule of procedure in all courts of justice , for the distributing of due rewards to the obedient , and for the executing of just sentences upon offenders ! g natural decency , and scripture order , have determined , do and will determine , all cases of worship , for time , place and number . to open somewhat more yet about the works of the fifth day , contrary to vain deceitful philosophy . the tunies , the dragons , or whales , were not made of fore-being waters , but were h created into their own existences without previous matter , out of which to make and form them . there was not force nor power in the waters to bring these creatures forth , which also doth prove , that the rest of the like kind had their existence , and being by the immediate creating word of aelohim : unto all i the creeping living creatures ought this word , k created to be referred : which word is absolutely used in this place , and is not so restrained to the particular matter of some one of these kinds only . the end of applying it here being , to set out aelohim's mighty power in creating l some of the greatest and wonderfullest living creatures , with his bare word . that fruitfulness m which fishes , fowls , beasts , creeping things ( which are heterogeneous in their kinds , severally differing one from another ) in propagating of their kinds , in that way in which aelohim has appointed , as also to any other creatures , whose kinds are preserved and multiplyed by generation and increase , by propagation and f●tification , fecundity and abundance , it is a blessing , his blessing to his creatures . it should be well and distinctly observed , that the blessing here particularly promised to these creatures , be ye fruitful , &c. is a word drawn from the fruit of trees , mentioned before in the third days work , in this history of the creation , which doth evidence , that the fruitfulness of trees , is aelohim's blessing upon the trees . it is his benediction that doth give unto his creatures a physical or natural power of procreating to it self its like , which yet it cannot exert , or put forth , or cause to attain its end , without his power , and blessing , and faithfulness , to whom and to which those especially who are christians , and believers should ascribe and give all the honour and glory , not to mere nature or natural causality , as some of those have done , who would be counted high rationalists in ethnick philosophy . it is further n observable here , that a prophesie of what shall be hereafter , doth sometimes speak in the past time , to denote the certainty of fulfilling . as these waters where the crawling tredders with lift-up-creeping feet are placed , are said to have movingly brought forth in great abundance to their shaped conditions of distinguished kinds ; aelohim's decree and purpose in his own mind and will , and his promise and blessing in his word , resolved and covenanted , that so it should be . scripture history hath this besides many other prerogatives over humane stories , that the record and narrative may be before , as well as after the matter of fact : from whence i would commend it to the consideration of the learned in the hebrew , and of the skilful in the scriptures , whether o that copulative particle , which doth signifie , and should not every where , in the word of jehovah aelohim , be rendred with its adjoyned future , futurely , and with its appointed praeterit , preteritly , in the translation , leaving the interpreter , opener , and applyer of the word , to give forth to others what he judgeth to be the true proper genuine meaning of those words in themselves , and in construction with other words in the text and context , and other collated scriptures ? there are many exceeding great and precious promises quite lost to our vulgar readers and hearers , who as yet do not understand the force and significancy of the hebrew language . look we a little into this history of the creation : p when the adored almighties did create the light , it runs thus : he will actually say ( by declared foretelling , and express appointing ) it shall be truly subsisting the light ; aelohim's saying is doing , his word is a work , his speaking is his acting : it doth denote his efficacious decree concerning his creatures , and the execution of that decree expressed by speaking of suitable words . thus the appellation of the q names put upon the creatures by their creator , do note this decree and constitution , that so they should be called by men . thus also his benediction of his creatures is a real procreation , multiplication of them in their proper kinds . it makes it also further conspicuous , that r his word of power , and of promise , is that which doth still conserve his creatures , as it did create them . this is one great reason why , ſ the word , is one of christ's names , because the manifestation of his fathers decreeing and speaking about creation and redemption is made out significantly , and held forth expresly by christ . when david saith in t one place , for thy words sake , another recordeth his speech , for thy servants sake , which doth evidently prove that david's meaning was , for thy christ's sake ; for christ is u both the word , and the servant of aelohim . now this scripture doth , as many others , run in a way of prophesying ; foretelling , that there should be light in its after-seasons . the whole scripture is therefore called the whole w prophesie of scripture . jehovah sets himself out , as he who x forming the lights . it denotes a continuedness of the act in the successive courses of the light , and this is a way of his fulfilling of that first promise of his ; and believers should enjoy it as a covenant mercy ; when ever our eyes do behold the light , we may see there are more substances , and fewer accidents ( as they name them ) than ethnick philosophers do own : what was the first created light according to their own descriptions ? was it not an entity of nature ? did it not truly subsist ? doth not the y scripture affirm this ? did it not subsist in it self ? vvhat substance did this light naturally flow from , or originally subsist in ? did it spring from heaven , or from earth , or from vvaters ? or from the gulphy space , or doleful place ? the expanse was not created till the seventh-day : as for the air , neither was that extended , expanded , or made so diaphanous , or created on the one day : and as for the heavenly luminaries they had not a being till the fourth day : if you imagine it to be inherent in the highest heavens , and transmitted thence ; why then is not the light always sent forth , to make it continual day ? what substance was the light adventitious to , in its first being created ? was not the specificial essence thereof in it self ? what other substance did the light affect or perfect ? was not the light an actual entity , specifically differing from all other created beings , in the time and nature of it ? this light is a stated , solid , substantial entity , always actual since its first creation , without continual sensible variations : the light has corporeal quantity of extension , and corporeal motion in coming and in going . what was that pretended lucid body , in which this light is supposed to be inherent , to which to adhere , and in which as in a subject to be ? it is an essential and substantial creature , in its own nature and being , which aelohim gave unto it . the light was not gathered into the sun , not placed in the body of the sun , not affixed unto the sun , not sent into , and inserted in it after its being diffused and shed abroad , not bound to any certain body . the light doth cast no shadow , because it doth surround bodies , whereas the sun doth cast shadows , because its shining is in direct beams . it is a real thing , and not only a notion : all and every of the created beings are truly subsisting entities . this created light was not christ : though in another sense christ is called light. for somewhat was created before the light , as the heavens , the earth , the waters , the empty space , the doleful place and darkness ; whereas christ is the z beginning of the works of aelohim , he was before all created beings . for a close of this fifth days vvork , i apprehend the creating of the beasts and vvorms to appertain to the fifth day for several weighty reasons agreeing with the vvord . all those creature are here put together . such as have a sensitive soul and life : so nobly formed a creatures as man , who was to have the royal a dominion over these sensitive creatures , and was endued with a religious rational soul and life , he had the honour of a distinct day , the sixth day , for his creation , apart from other creatures . the cause why it is said twice , that aelohim will foreseeingly look on because good , what he created on the fifth day , may be this : there doth appear some need of such a subdivision , because there were two such divers kinds of creatures made on that day : some in the place of the waters , the other in the place of the red earth , the goodness of both , and of each of which , doth the more clearly shine forth , and is the better understood by this spiritual narration of doubling the testimony . there is a special blessing given to religious , rational adam , distinct from bruit animals . observe well also this further reason , here is a distinct creature from tame animals , and wild beasts particularly mentioned , the creeping one , b the reptil ; a word which was mentioned before in the c participle concerning the fishes , and therefore this kind of creature must be created on the same day of the week , on which the fishes its fellow-creepers , were ; and so also the other mentioned here , as the tame animal , and the wild beast : thus also i judge , that the gathering together of the lower waters from other places , with expecting desire into the seas , as its appointed place , did belong to the creation-work of the second day : because to every one of the six days of this one week of the creation this is expresly ascribed , that aelohim will foreseeingly look on , because good ; whereas , if this be carried on to the third day , then the second day will be left without this approving testimony from its creator . further they are much a part of the same subject-matter , spoken of in the second days work , which was , that these waters below might have a distinct place , from those waters above by an out-spread partition between them . they were both of them waters . this work about the severing of the waters was begun upon the second day , and there finished on the second day . for , as a wise good worker , aelohim reserves the approbation till he had perfected that work , and put it in its proper place , so discharged , as it were , his hands of it , as to what concerned the creation of it , though as to its continued preservation , it be still in his manutenancy . how large and complete an history of the fishes , of fowls , of beasts , and of vvorms , might there be composed and compiled for the perfecting of this art , and the polishing of the science of sensitive souliness , if all those vvords and phrases were orderly put together , that do treat of this subject matter in the scriptures of truth ! the d sixth day , towards the true advance of useful learning , doth give us the hint of this profitable inquiry . q. whether anthropology , or the doctrine of created adam , or knowledge of man , or the science of the humane nature , be sufficiently taught in the schools and lectures of ethnick philosophers ? or , is it only contained in , and augmentable , and restaurable by , the word of truth , and the holy spirits teaching of serious inquirers this art according to these holy scriptures ? answ . it is not by ethnick philosophy , and the readers or vvriters of it , but by the scriptures of truth , and the holy spirits instructing in and by these . man ! what is this man , that the creator has so crowned him with so signal an honour ! man , how noble is his make ! man is the articulate trumpeter of the creators praises , the lingual glory of the vvorld , sounding forth the shining excellencies of jehovah aelohim in his glorious self , in his good vvord , and in his great vvorks ! how useful a knowledge is this , the true knowledge of our selves ! vvhat profit would it be to me , and to the reader , though we understood all other mysteries , and all other knowledges , if thou and i were ignorant of our selves ! how royal prerogatives hath the lord dignified man withal ! unto how high a pitch hath he raised the ultim summities of the humane nature in all its created perfections of spirit , of soul , and of body ! how full of admirable vvonders is this ! how rare its accomplishments ! how vertuous its powers , both in the inner and outer man ! how mysterious are the communications of the several parts in man to each other ! how secret their operations upon each other ! how fearfully , how marvellously was this man made ! e aelohim did attribute the special making of man immediately , and expresly to himself , to set out the dignity and excellency of man , and to assert the truth , reality and certainty , of the history of adam , against those who dreamingly fancy other origins of the vvorld . man was not from eternity , but was made in time. man was not compounded at his first creation of the four pre-existent elements of vvater , earth , air and fire , as some affirm , nor of salt , sulphur and mercury , as others assert ; but is a distinct creature of a quite different kind , from other of his fellow creatures , particularly from beasts : so that , we may not with some credulous admirers of bruits to the disparagement of our selves , and the reproach of all humane nature , adopt bruits into the family of mankind , and as one doth express it , claim kindred of apes , baboons , marmosets , drils , bestial fauns and satyrs , as if they were but one degree removed from our selves . aelohim did not consult with other creatures about the make of man ; neither were angels co-workers with him in this . that , he created adam a man , and not a beast , was merely the grace and beneficence of the creator : it was not the vvork of nature , nor the influencing operation of the stars . man's industry and art contributed nothing towards the creating of the vvorld ; for , man had his being one of the last of all the creatures . how exactly was this man made at the first ? f according to the primitive pattern , exemplar , type and model , coming very near unto it ! in adam man may acknowledge , that self same archetype , unto whose effigies , or shape , or figure , or likeness , or fashion , he was made . this doth more denote the quality of resemblance , which did follow upon the former portraicture , resemblance , formed shape , or expressed representation . how glorious , how comly , how uniform , was that appearance of majesty , which did shine forth in adams inner and outer man , wherein he differs from the lower creatures , and is made like unto his maker , g resembling aelohim , as he manifested himself to be seen in those visions which are recorded in the scriptures : very much like unto the lord jesus christ himself , chiefly in holiness and in righteousnes ! man is called the image of aelohim , because he is like to aelohim : and he is like aelohim , because he was efformed in creation to aelohim's likeness , as to his nature , rectitude and state ; the image of aelohim doth carry with it the very likeness to him . h there are two words , which as to their grammatical distinction do spring from two distinct roots : otherwise they well agree , to set out man 's excellent resemblance of his maker , as the etymology of both the words doth shew . i image is sometimes referred to grace , no less than likeness : as likeness is also to nature . to reconcile all differences about this , i judge , that these two words do set out the exact proportionable resemblance of created adam unto creating aelohim in christ , both in the inward make , and outward shape , in the whole man , as christ did often appear of old in the old testament , as a man to aspire and confirm his peoples faith , that in the appointed time he would take to his godhead the nature of man by a wonderful incarnation , born of a virgin , and be god manifest in the flesh . it is one of the most alike images that is , coming the nearest of any to the prototype . so that here is no pleonasm or tautology , but a comprehensive significancy , and a full sense , expressed in two words . man in his spirit , soul and body , in his whole suppositum , the intire man is every way like his maker , so far as man's created capacities were . for there is somewhat in jehovah aelohim , which is incommunicable to mere man , as particularly infiniteness , and self existency , unchangeableness of holy nature : which last , i desire may pass under further disquisition , whether unchangeableness of holy nature be not one part of holiness comprehended in the perfect law of the ten words , which adam in his uprightness , and the blessed angels in their purity , being but mere creatures , were not capable of ? if so , then whether this would not discover the need and use , that even the elect angels themselves have of christ ( though they do not so need him , as now fallen , sinning , sinful man doth need him ) ? in regard , that although they have an unchangeableness of state , yet not of nature : for , some of their fellows do fall by transgression : and the standing , and the safety of those of them , who remain in the primitive integrity and happiness , is not their perfection in grace , but their relation unto christ their head. and the same will hold true also with respect to the glorified saints in heaven , elect men and women ; their continued felicity will not be solely in themselves , even when they pass into an unsinning state , a state of complete purity and bliss ; but , as they are living members of the mystical body of christ . there is somewhat peculiar in this image , wherein man is like unto his creating mediator , so as other creatures are not . though man were created in the image , according to the likeness of aelohim in christ , yet is not mere man to be adored , or to be worshipped ; aelohim himself alone hath k adorability properly belonging to him . the woman as well as the man did share in this holy happy image and likeness . the name , l creature , is more especially given to adam , as one of the most excelling of creatures , because of this resemblance : m the notificative particle is sometimes put before a proper name . as here in this part of the history of the creation , and elsewhere , contrary to the common grammar rule composed by men : grammar should be fitted to scripture , and not scripture suited to grammar . the different sexes , male and female , man and woman were created at the first in the humane nature by aelohim . n that after history of the womans being taken from the side of man , and given unto him in marriage by christ , should also be further inquired into , whether it were not distinct and different , both in nature and in time , from the first creation of the man , and of the woman ? the woman was of distinct creation by aelohim as well as the man ; and when the o man was created , for this is not by anticipation ; both of them were made , not out of any pre-existent matter , though in christ jesus p there be not male and female : but they are esteemed both one in him , in the matters of justification , sanctification , acceptation and redemption , the one sharing in these benefits as well as the other . the man and the woman were created several distinct persons . we have read , that he who made them from the beginning made them , ( that is , the first married couple ) adam ( who was q the adam , the common head , and representative of all mankind , which proper name to make him more known , has r a demonstrative notificative particle before it , i say he made them adam ) and eve , one male and one female . ſ every adam or aish , is to have his proper wife , and every aishah is to have her proper husband : in all the new testament through , wise in the singular number is mentioned about fourscore and four times , and always referred to one husband in the singular number . a fair occasion being here ministred unto me , i shall plead the cause of holy marriage , which is the lawful conjunction of man and woman into one flesh , against the practisers and defenders of polygamy , and of divorces : digamy is the having of two wives , or of two husbands , at one and the same time , polygamy is the having of more wives , or of more husbands than one at once : that , both these are unlawful , i shall prove from the scripture , out of the book of moses , out of the book of the prophets , out of christ's recorded sayings , and out of the writings of the apostles . the scripture record has t very early given us an account of the first institution of holy marriage , which doth by divers weighty arguments closely condemn polygamy : for jehovah aelohim did bring and joyn together but one adam and one eve into , and in this honourable estate of marriage ; so the lord christ himself doth interpret u this , he who made them from the beginning , made them ( one ) male and ( one ) female : what was of old said , they , that is , this adam , and this eve , shall be in one flesh , has an explication added unto it by christ , they two shall be into one flesh ; they are no more two but one flesh ; that expression in genesis , they both , or they two , were naked , christ doth refer to the foregoing sentence , and they two into one flesh ; and that it might have the greater emphasis , or express signification of his earnest intention , whereby a tacit significancy is couched , and more is signified than one bare word seems to hold forth , he hath added an w article , those two , and then doth infer , therefore they are no more two but one flesh : that then which doth follow , what god hath joyned together , do refer to this , the what , is those two , one man and one woman ; but more of that in its place . one great end in aelohim's instituting of this matrimonial ordinance was , that man might have x such an united help , as might be a subsidiary aid ready at hand , like as before him ; a singular help of the singular number , such an help as might coalesce into one with him , such a one as might be always upon all necessary useful-occasions before him , present , ready at hand , a compeer , a second self , even and like , every way fitted to all good conjugal purposes ; for the procreation of seed , of issue , of off-spring , one is from one , from those who are loving partners and companions in one flesh : for the education of children man needeth such an help , and who is so fit as the one wife ( who is the mother ) one with the husband ( who is the father ) in conjugal union , which hath going along with it many powerful arguments of love ; and for the lessning of sorrows , and for the doubling of joys , and for the communication of counsels : no conjunction of mankind in nature primigenious can so adaptedly and successfully promote this , as that which is matrimonial between two , for here is the closest and nearest union and conjunction , the sweetest and dearest communion and fellowship : this eve was such an help y as was like adam himself , and before him ; the hebrew sometimes have such compositions , where the conjunction is understood ; for z the relative of the third person put in the last place , is referrable to both the words in the composition , belonging to the one and to the other also : eve was such an united help as was exactly conformed to adam's nature , one who by her constant love , care , and diligence , by her familiarity , by her bed and board● conversation , might be always serviceable , such a well suited auxiliary , as that a adam's heart might sweetly acquiesce and safely confide in such an equal yoke-fellow , one that would do him good and not evil all the days of her life ; a yoke is but for two , and those equal ones , especially when they two are in one : if eve do prove a draw back , an hinderer , a tempter , she breaks the primitive law , of matrimonial order ; adam should have bewared of forbidden fruit , when presented to him by the hand of beauteous eve. by this matrimonial conjunction , the woman was a companion , and assistant , as was not to be divided from the man , they were as one flesh b glewed together , infixedly cleaving , it doth denote a glutinous juncture ; between two , and two only , must this be , of the same nature and kind , of the same heart and mind , the same will and affections , differing only in sex ; not two eves to one adam , nor two adams to one eve , only one woman was adjoyned to one man , and only one man glewed to one wife , c in one flesh , by an , in , of adhesion and of accession : the whole speech here is of two , and of two only , not of more , adam was to adhere to his wife , not his wives ; neither in propriety of word and of phrase , can two women be fitly and lawfully adjoyned in the same matrimonial yoke at the same time , to one and the same man : how can one man and more wives than one , be one flesh ? for , the flesh of one woman , is not the flesh of another woman at the same time , how then can the man be divided between several wives ? this straitest union cannot be between more than two , the husband cannot give and exhibit himself equally , alike , intirely to all , if at once he have more wives than one ; before the matrimonial covenant , and declared espousals , the man and the woman were two , and not one , but now that they are lawfully husband and wife , they are in the sense and interpretation of scripture-law counted and called one's own flesh ; d thus hath aelohim himself conjoyned them in marriage , one true eve , and no more women to one adam . e a wife in the singular number , not wives in the plural , is a special favour of and from jehovah , it is the nearest conjunction : f man and wife may not depart one from another , by marriage the woman doth become his wife , his , and no other man's , and he is her husband , hers and no other womans : all other women whatsoever are in this respect called g strangers to him , and so should they all be treated withal , by him as strangers , no other but only his own and only wife , must have his conjugal familiarity and fellowship , h such restraints are implyed in the old testament , expressed in the new by the discretively exclusive particle , only . one man must adhere to one wife , being conjoyned with her , without taking any more compeers into his marriage bed : how raving and unmortified would mens lusts be , if they were left to make the largest * provision for their flesh by multiplying of wives ? such an indulging of wanton sensuality would degenerate rational animals into bruit beasts . voluptuous arts have sought to gain some reputation and countenance in this defiling defiled age , and they have obtained too far , so that mens lusts are grown unruly in licentious courses , modesty and shamefacedness are become a jeer ; that , which sin hath made shameful , many now do glory in , a moderate temperance , a seemly sobriety , a chast use of the marriage-bed is now scoffed at , men will satisfie the cravings of their itching flesh ; and though god in his word do require them i to possess their vessel in holiness and honour , yet they will take false an unbounded , loose , and uncurbed liberty . this primitive law in created nature , was k afterwards revived by the lord in the hand of moses in the book of the law of jehovah ; where he doth expresly prohibit this , with which he doth close the interdicted unlawful marriages ; of which when he had given an enumeration of particulars in several instances , he shuts them up with this , and a woman , or wife , unto her sister , thou shalt not take , to vex , to uncover her nakedness upon her , in her life . the conjunction copulative , and doth prove , that this is a part of this one entire law of unlawful incestuous forbidden marriages . a woman , or wife , or a woman-wife , for , of such doth this scripture here speak , such a one , a man is prohibited to take , who is already the husband of another woman , and this other is still alive ; such a woman unto this sister he may not take in marriage , not any other woman whatsoever , who in a large sense is some ways a sister , but especially if in a more strict narrow natural proper sense , she be a sister by con●anguinity or by affinity : that , this is much of the genuine meaning of this place , forbidding the taking and the having of more wives , than one at once , the reason here annexed and expressed , which is assigned as that which doth inforce and confirm the prohibition , doth shew ; seeing , evidently from the nature of it in it self in its causaulity of production , it will be found in experience to be l a vexing ; a vexing to the wives , when one thinks , that she has too little , and the other too much of the husband ; a vexing to them , if the one be fruitful and the other barren , the fruitful woman will be prone to despise the barren ; the barren is under temptation to envy the fruitful , if they be both fruitful , a vexing will follow about their children ; one of their wives will imagine , that the children of the other wife are better cared and provided for than hers are ; the stewarding of family-affairs will pass into vexing , when one of them will be more mistress than the other , a vexing unto the children and servants , when they are under cross commands , and when they are more desirous to please and to serve one mother or mistress than the other , which also will be vexing unto the two wives : a vexing to the husband , when he sees such disorders in his family , a vexing to him , when he discerneth , that his kindness to one of his wives doth beget jealousie in the other wife , a vexing to him when they both urge him to gratifie them in that , which he cannot : a vexing to him because of the troubles , discontents , and differences that hereby are occasioned to his relations , and to the several relations of both his wives : a vexing also to those relations of his and of theirs , upon the account of contrary interests , who on each side will be leaning more in their judgement and affections to their own nearer kindred and alliance : who can express the whole of the vexing , that followeth hereupon ? and still , the more wives be taken , the more vexing will follow thereupon . the first wife will be provoked to jealousie , judging that she is deprived of that which is her peculiar right and proper due , and that , her husband 's superinducing of a second wife is treachery and falseness against the first . the law of jehovah ▪ aelohim must be our rule in this as in all other cases : if the contrary practice of some holy men in scripture be objected , their example is no further in any thing to be followed by us , than as they themselves walked by the rule of the word . these hebrew interpreters , and commentators , who were called karoei , scripturarians , such as kept close to the scriptures , as opposed to the talmudists , or traditionaries , such as set up men , and the inventions and canons of men in the room of the lord and of his word rule , they have so given forth this to be the sense and meaning of this forbidding , that the taking of a woman , or wife , unto m a sister , is the taking of any other woman to wife , the husband 's former woman-wife being still alive ; which interpretation by several other scriptures warranted , where the name and word , sister , is any other woman ( as the name and word , brother , is any other man ) and to interprer it otherwise , would offer violent force to the particular special reason which is here expressed , as one great cause of this prohibition : for , it would no less afflict , grieve , and vex the first wife , if her husband did marry any other woman , as if he married his former wives natural sister , and took her to him to be a second wife : if polygamy , or the having of more wives than one at once , were lawful and there were no injury done thereby , to the first wife , by which , vexing might be caused and contention kindled , then the propinquity , the nearness of the relation of two wives to one another , and to one and the same husband , should rather beget , encrease and confirm love , than beget jealousie and enmity : for all such hatred and vexing would be causless , were this taking of a second wife whilst the former living , lawful : this being provoked to jealousie , and being put into a vexation , doth fall out not only between n natural sisters , as leah and rachel , but also between those , o who are not near of kin , as hannah and peninnah : as for two natural sisters , for them to be married unto one and the same man , more especially both of the sisters living at once , this was forbidden before in those laws of prohibited marriage in that place of p leviticus : the marriage of the natural brother's wife is expresly forbidden ; by an analogical rule therefore a woman may not marry her natural sisters husband ; so that two sisters were already forbidden to be married unto one man , and therefore q in this place , it must be a new case which has this new prohibition . in these prohibitions of such incestuous marriages as were , and are , and will be ever unlawful to contract , there is no difference between the masculine and feminine sex ; because r in the first special prohibition marriage of the daughter with the father is expresly forbidden , as much as of the son with the mother , whereby the lord doth declare , that , though in the following prohibitions mention be made what males ought not contract with what females , yet by necessary consequence of that first prohibition , and by the same analogy and proportion , the prohibition is also given to the female ; as it is forbidden to the man to marry the sister of his father or mother , ſ by the same reason it is forbidden to the female to marry the brother of her father or mother , because it is in the same equal degree : which is also further here confirmed , because the sister of the father is equally prohibited as the sister of the mother : thus t the daughter of his son is equally prohibited as the father , as the daughter of his daughter ; there is no difference in this as to the sex : as the sister is prohibited to the brother : n by the same rule and reason , the brother is prohibited to the sister , of the whole or the half blood , and whether born in lawful wedlock , or otherwise : for , there is equal propinquity ; and therefore , w as the sister of the father is prohibited , so the brother of the father is understood to be forbidden . x upon the same ground , it is unlawful for one woman to be married unto two men at once , seeing it is unlawful for one man to be married unto two wives at once : and i would know by what new name , these two wives can call themselves in this new relation : for all marriages do bring on new names of new relations : if they do call one another sisters , then it is either only more large as all women whatever in that sense are sisters : thus they were before their marriage to one man , and what new relation is there contracted by this marriage ? if they call one another sisters , in a restrained proper sense it is either by consanguinity or by affinity : by consanguinity it cannot be , for they are not of the same blood either by the fathers or by mothers side , neither is it by affinity : for neither of them can call the husband brother rightly ; and yet , if it were so y it were unlawful for a man to marry a sister by affinity : two sisters may not marry the same , though successively , one of the sisters being dead , much less may they marry one and the same man , whilst both the sisters are alive . doth the scripture give any such new special name of new special relation unto such ? whereas unto all lawful marriages it doth . in this place of leviticus , when the lord had shewn what was not an holy marriage , nor a lawful conjunction , because , and when it was within the degree of consanguinity , or affinity , prohibited to contract , for otherwise those who did so , were guilty of incest : he then closeth these forbodes with one special instance , where there was not such a relation of either consanguinity or affinity , and that was , when a man having a former wife living , becomes a digamist in marrying of a second wife , or a polygamist in marrying of more wives , which unlawful marriages are more expresly prohibited to magistrates , and to ministers : plurality of wives would render a magistrate effeminate , a king would be less apt for the government z of publick affairs , it would much un-man him , a it would encline him to luxury , sensuality and idolatry ; solomon , as wise as he was , was a sad instance of this bruitish folly : when he multiplyed wives they turned away his heart from jehovah after other gods , and his heart was not perfect with the lord his god. did not solomon king of israel sin by these things , yet among many nations was there no king like him , who was beloved of his god , and god made him king over all israel : nevertheless , even him did out-landish women cause to sin , though his mother had better instructed him , give not thy strength unto women , nor thy ways unto that which destroyeth kings . so bad an example would have a malign influence upon the people , to run them into the same irregular practice , the subjects would hereby be oppressed by being over charged to maintain so many wives and children united to and sprouting from the royal stock . adam was the first , and greatest king , yet had he but one wise at one time , so noah after adam , though heir of the world , yet had he but one wife ; in both which instances much more could have been colourably pleaded for the propagation of mankind had the practice been lawful . and as for a minister , a bishop , an overseer , a presbyter or elder , and deacon , how much it would unfit him for the wise , faithful , discharge of his function and office , how much it would blot his doctrine , how much blemish his life , how much disorder his family , how much corrupt the people , with many other evil consequences and poysnous effects , he who hears them but named may soon discern them , whether or no he be forbidden to have any other after that wife is dead , let them further consider in scripture , whose case is more concerned herein , and who would advance this sort of word learning . a diaconess was to be a widow , not under threescore years of age , who has been the wife of one man. these laws of prohibited marriages in levitiens , and the rules about them , were not only for the israelites under that dispensation of grace , but were always , now are , and ever will be , universal and perpetual to all people : b they are confirmed by the law of nature ; tran●gressions of them are in the very nature and being of them defiling : these breach of these laws and rules are reckoned among the c abominations of the heathenish pagans ; d for these abominations , the land of canaan did vomit out her inhabitants ; and all other whosoever that are guilty of such abominations , their souls are under a threatned judgement to be cut off from among thei● people ; e adam had a promife , and all his posterity in him , to live in these laws and judgements , if he and they kept and did them : the prophets in their doctrine do reckon these laws to belong to the ten words ; john the baptist reproved herod from these laws ; to have the brothers wife was unlawful , one of the prohibited degrees ; so also paul condemned the having of a step●mother , as that which was scarce so much as named among the gentiles . natural right and reason , its law and light , doth dictate the equity of these laws , which the imperial laws , the civil laws , and the rescripts of counsellors at law , have established in their common-wealths , they being principles of truth in the minds and hearts of those who are sound , the very f gentiles abstained with abhorrence from such abominations and defilements . were it requisite , i could heap up many such authorities out of their historical records , among the pagans , germans , athenians , romans , aegyptians , and christians in their councils . by these laws of jehovah must we judge and walk : not by any contrary examples to those laws ; we must inquire for our pattern and rule , not what either this or that saint hath done , but what the lord hath revealed and enjoyned in this word , and hath either commanded or forbidden ; g christ calls us to the first institution in paradise , not to what the patriarchs did , who by being conversant with the pagans were in divers matters corrupted with their errours and vices , whereby they also corrupted this holy ordinance of lawful marriage in particular by their illegal copulations in several instances : besides what there might be further in that of extraordinary , either typical or other h dispensation under the administration of grace , neither doth christ refer the determination of this case to the toleration granted in moses's time , because of the hardness of the heart of the israelites . malachi being one of the last prophets under the old testament administration , let it now be considered , what testimony i he doth bring in towards the true stating of this case , as to the matter of right ? he doth put together several arguments , all which do witness against polygamy , or divorce . jehovah aelohim in the first institution of holy marriage did make one , he brought and joyned together but one adam and one eve into and in this honourable state of conjugal conjunction , when yet all other spirits were his also , when there was an abundance of the spirit in him ; the prophet doth refer to the primitive creation of man and woman , and to the original ordaining of lawful matrimony between two , one man and one woman , when yet there was no want of spirit in the creator , which he could have breathed into many , but he afformed but one eve into a wife for adam : hence comes the excelling seed , a seed of aelohim ; other seed , is not issue , generation , or off-spring worthy of so glorious a maker , when it is begotten , and brought forth of promiscuous , and of wandring lust by nefarious copulation ; so that by instinct of nature , such so born of polygamy , or of divorce , have a mark of contempt put upon them ; the lord seeks an holy seed , a seed of aelohim , a seed of acceptation with him , a seed whom he will bless , which in those other ways would not , neither could be so expected ; for this cause therefore made he one , not ten , or twenty , or an hundred or a thousand , for one man at once ; no more but one adam , and one eve were to be matrimonized into one flesh : thus was the primitive law of lawful coupling ; had jehovah's will been such , he could have brought more women to one adam ; yet one eve must be the mother of all living , of all mankind descending from her loyns ; he could have inspired more women , power was not wanting , but his holy righteous will and pleasure was not to have many wives joyned at one and the same time to one and the same man. further , jehovah is a witness of the matrimonial promise made in his presence , with invocation of his name : lawful matrimony rightfully contracted , is k the covenant of aelohim ; he is surety on both sides , undertaker for both , recording the contract , and l testifying against the violation of it , ranking ploygamists amongst the adulterers ; he is ready to bring in evidence against , and to execute judgements upon marriage-breakers , covenant-violaters of the conjugal promise ; such are treacherous and unfaithful , who do divorce and put away one and take another , or who take one to another , and do multiply wives ; jehovah's name was interposed in the first marriage , the very companionship and confederateship of the first wife doth confirm this truth . the weightiness of the forementioned reason , the holiness of the intent , the greatness of the end , why but one woman for one man , doth inforce this , even that , m he might seek a seed of aelohim , such a seed would he find , an holy posterity born in lawful wedlock , in chaste conjunction , according to his ordination and institution ; all other seed is illegitimate seed , perverting of the order and ordinance of holy marriage , and therefore n he doth brand such seed with disgrace . observe further , what a solemn strict charge the lord here doth give unto his people , bidding them to o take good heed unto their spirit in this matter once and a second time , to look well to it , as they would answer it at that last day of judgement : it is as much as your souls and your salvation is worth , now that you are brought under the conviction of your guilt ; though the word be in the passive voice , be thou kept , yet the force and use of it : hath somewhat in it reciprocal and reflex . it will be a vanity here in any p to pretend a law for divorce , for the putting away of a lawful wife ; for aelohim doth hate such putting away , the very word and phrase of it relating to the present matter is odious to him ; and the words of that permission by moses , which are a consequent disgrace following upon a foregoing transgression , do imply and intimate it , and christ doth plead against it : it is violence and injuriousness done to the wife , and to the marriage-covenant , and unto jehovah's law ; do not think to cloak and to cover it with such palliation , by moses's sufferance of it in your hard hearted forefathers , it is an heinous crime ; the place doth speak of the matter of fact what was done , not of the matter of right what ought to be done ; for pollution is said to follow upon it . jehovah doth q threaten , not to accept of the persons or services of such polygamists and divorcers . the bond of mattimony is perpetual and indissolvable till death , sancited and established by the infallible authority of the unchangeable jehovah . the wife is the one half part of the man , and he cannot lawfully have any more half parts at one and the same time ; it is against both scripture and nature . the prophet malachi doth prosecute his argumentation from the nearness of christ's coming in the flesh in that day ; though aelohim have hitherto r tolerated your evil manners , yet now ſ the nearer you are come to the new testament glorious ministration of grace it behoves you to conform the more to the commands of the lord jesus christ : and so it doth under the present providence much concern the people of this age to abstain from the like provocations , now that christ is about to appear the second time , without sin unto salvation : otherwise t the lord will avenge himself on those who do abuse his long-suffering : god doth not therefore approve , though he did a while forbear the execution of vengeance upon every polygamist and divorcer , their murmuring , contradicting words did even tire and weary jehovah . let the reader now collate and compare the u new testament , and observe the well concordant harmony , and agreeing oneness of this with the old . those right words of christ are very forcible , whosoever putteth away his wife , except it be for fornication ( in which case it was to be w death ) and marrieth another ( the former being alive ) committeth adultery , and he who marrieth her so put way , committeth adultery ; so that , it seems evident , that for a man to marry another , the former being alive , is adultery ; and how could putting away of one be pretended , if marrying of many were warranted ? the conjunction of a man with his wife , is the highest and chiefest conjunction ; it is above and beyond , and doth exceed and excel the conjunction of parents and of children with each other , which yet has a very close tie by the bond of nature , yet must this yield to the former ; so that conjugal conjunction is by much the nearer and greater ; and this is the reason of the highest x and closest conjunction , that it be individuous , such as may not be divided , or cut in pieces whilst both remain alive ; it is a being glewed together into one : it is not said simply , the man and the woman shall cleave , or be glewed , but in composition and conjunction , they shall cleave unto , or adheringly be glewed together unto each other , which is one great end of their marriage , union and conjunction , and their conjugal communion and fellowship ; which words seeing they do not go before , but do follow that which christ had said , from the beginning of the creation , god made them male and female , for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother , and shall cleave to his wife , it must therefore of necessity obtain that force which the reason of the sequel doth express and require ; that therefore which went before , that god made but one woman to be a wife , at one and the same time to one man , the consequent reason doth require , that the conjunction of two only , of one man , and of one woman be understood ; for thus is it brought in illatively , or by way of causal , rational inference . it is against nature to abscind , or to cut off one part from another , where the two parts make one ; for this is the nature of two parts , that from the union of them both together , the health and safety of the whole doth depend ; it is not a promiscuous conjunction of many , but of two only between themselves ; so that christ's reasoning is strongly and clearly convincing , inferring the perpetual unlawfulness of putting away from the nearness of union between the two married persons , only one man and one woman together . christ did not make or prescribe any new law in this case , but he doth revive those material causes which the jews had wrested and wryed , perverted , crookned quite off , from , and contrary to the primeve rule , and he doth reduce , and he doth call back those marriage cases to the first institution , from the beginning of the creation , saith he , it was not so , as you have corrupted it ; and from that first ordination , he skilfully proveth and sheweth , that holy marriage is the lawful conjunction of but two only , one man and one woman ; between two such he appointed the conjugal union ; he did not say the man shall glewedly cleave to his wives , in the plural , but to his wife in the singular number , that particular eve whom he himself had built , and formed , and brought , and joyned to the man adam ; that which to them was thus only said , and they shall be in one flesh , is by way of additional explication declared in the new testament by christ , to have this meaning , and they two shall be unto one flesh ; christ doth refer that expression in genesis , they two or both of them , were naked unto the foregoing sentence , and they two shall be unto one flesh , and for the greater emphasis sake , he doth add the y article , they two , or these same two , and doth repeat it , therefore they are no more two but one flesh ; that therefore which doth follow upon this , z what god hath joyned , the word what doth touch or concern these two , one man and one woman . if the jews do object , that the practice was anciently otherwise among the fathers , which moses himself did afterwards tolerate : christ doth answer to this , from the beginning of the creation it was not so ; contrary examples of men ought not to prescribe to the primitive institution by the adored almighties : however the god of patience did bear with some things for a time , which were dissentaneous from the first institution , yet now christ hath restored them to their primitive order ; however somewhat was indulged to the peoples perverse froward manners a while , yet christ doth bring men back to the first declared , determined leading commanding will of god , unto that which first , and in it self , in its own nature was pleasing and acceptable to him , and unto this all his marriage-offices and cases must be referred , that an end may be put unto all strifes of disputation about them : it is emphatical , and very significant , which christ doth here say , from the beginning , that is to say , then at the first creation , when jehovah aelohim did accommodate his institutes , these matrimonial appointments , not to the depraved judgements , and corrupt affections of lustful men , but according to the very true nature of what is just , equal and right , then god made this conjugal union and conjunction , to be only between two , one man and one woman ; which is also judged to be the meaning of those words , and a he said , referring them to the creator of adam and of eve , and to the instituter of marriage , the lawgiver himself saying so , not adam ; for although adam may seem to fix and to establish the law , because what he did was by the afflation , inspiring , and instinct of the spirit of god , yet god himself was he to whom the authority and right did belong , and he was the author of this institution and law , and the speaker of these words ; it was jehovah's law by the ministery of adam . there were but two yoke-fellows conjoyned at the first , not more eves to one adam , nor more adams to one eve ; and the same reason still holds for all their posterity , the whole race of mankind : god b yoked one man and one woman together ; they are but two that can fitly and well yoke together ; they are to draw heavenward together , that they may be heirs together of the grace of life , and their prayers may not be hindered ; thus it was appointed by christ , the head-captain of all the hosts of his creation , he conjugated one man and one woman by inviolable ordination , by the way of creation : c for this cause , or for the sake of this , here is the force of christ's argument , therefore these two have the reason of parts ; to put them or divorce them asunder one from another is very wicked , an heinous crime , and besides nature , for this is the reason , the consideration , the cause , the state , the order , the frame , the nature of two parts , that the whole doth depend upon their mutual union : he at the first created male and female , and gave but one eve to one adam , therefore from the beginning he appointed monogamy between two married ones , by an union undissolveable , but by death or adultery , and therefore also prohibited digamy and polygamy ; there is express mention made of two only , and of no more in this marriage-conjunction : one man , and two or more wives cannot be one flesh , for the flesh of one is not the flesh of another , and the flesh of man is divided between two or more wives , neither can this closest union be between more than two ; the man cannot give himself alike unto more than unto one in this case , those two who before the matrimonial covenant were naturally two , are now in the sense of god's law morally one , conjugally one : no man therefore may separate them , or unjoyn , or unyoke , or disunite them : d man is without an article , neither the husband , nor the wife ; neither their civil judge , nor pleading counseller , not moses himself , not aaron , by right : in case of death the man is free ; and in case of adultery , the guilty person , when known and convicted , and legally sentenced for this crime , ought to be put to death : antichristian infusions , and popish mixtures have much corrupted the laws in this case , in the english government , for if the woman become an adulteress , and be proved so to be , all and the only , and the utmost remedy , the wronged husband can come at , is to sue out freely a divorce in the spiritual court , as is suited to a corrupt heart , a divorce from bed and from board , allowing a lustful liberty to marry another : whereas e this word of our lord is express , that , whosoever shall put away his wife , except for fornication ( in which case her life ought to go for it by the holy just good law of christ ) and shall marry another ( the former still alive through the sinful indulgence of humane laws ) committeth adultery : and who so marrieth her which is put away ( her former husband still living ) doth commit adultery : it is adultery both in the one and in the other , if whilst they are both alive , they take another , the man another woman , or the woman another man : to which other scriptures do accord , f the woman which hath an husband , is bound by the law to her husband , so long as he liveth : but if the husband be dead , she is loosed from the law of her husband . so then , if while her husband liveth , she be marryed to another man , she shall be called an adulteress ( that is her proper right name in this case ) but if her husband be dead , she is free from that law , so that she is no adulteress , though she be married to another man , she may marry to whom she will , only in the lord . the matrimonial bond brought her under the husband , to which living husband she is bound by the law , and she is not made empty of this obligation , not set loose and free from this conjugal tye , till his death ; for , if before his death , during his life time , she yoke her self to another , g there is a divine oracle , a direct answer given forth from the lord himself , which should be so received as from him , and accordingly should civil and ecclesiastical judges pronounce a sentence , when such a one upon sufficient witness is accused to them , and found guilty by them ; but whatever men do judge of it , that oracle or answer , which christ doth return from the propitiatory covering or mercy seat ( for christ's judicial laws and sentences , and judgements according to those laws have mercy in their design towards his covenant people ) it is this , her true right name is , she is an adulteress , and should be proceeded against as such : the same is applicable unto the husband , if he on his part do marry another woman , whilst his former wife is still alive ; for , the husband is bound by the law of marriage as long as his wife liveth , but if his wife be dead , he is at liberty to be married to whom he will , only in the lord . they are christ's own sayings , h whosoever ( there is no man excepted , neither king , nor minister , nor people ) shall foresakingly put away his wife , thereby seeking to unloose , or to dissolve the marriage knot , the matrimonial bond , and marry another , committeth adultery against her , he doth adulterate , or act adulterously in and upon her , to whom he is new married , and against her whom he first married , whom he hath forsaken : and if a woman ( let her be what she will , queen , or any meaner woman subject ) shall put away her husband , hereby indeavouring to give her self a loose from the conjugal tie , and be married to another , she committeth adultery : the same guilt on the mans part , as on the womans , and on the womans part , as on the mans ; and they cause one another to commit adultery by this unjust divorce ; and he that doth marry such a divorced woman is thereby an adulterer ; and she who doth marry such a divorced man , is thereby an adulteress : so that , if polygamists and divorcers will stand to this scripture-judgement , it is unlawful for the man to marry another woman , his former wife being alive ; and also for the woman to marry another man , her former husband being alive ; as also for either of them to divorce the other , an i article were altogether required to be put to man , if any certain individual were noted ; man for the humane kind , let him be what man soever he will , moses , or any man , not any one of all mankind , has rightful authority to dissolve , that matrimonial bond between husband and wife , of which bond god himself is the author , even the head captain of creation , when at the beginning he conjoyned but one male and one female ; the man is to continue as inseparably with his wife , k as with another part of the same flesh , of his own flesh ; god united two into one , this must not be altered , it ought still to continue , as it was established at the first ; it is utterly unlawful to do otherwise ; the prime law at the creation must obtain , the marriage union may not be violated , husband and wife are to cherish and sustain , to assist and comfort one another , as if they were members of one and the same flesh and body ; no man that is in his right wits and sober sences ever hated his own flesh , but nourisheth it : he will not rend and tear his own flesh from himself . l let paul's judgement upon the case be now weighed in the scripture-balance : he was written unto about it , and he doth expresly declare concerning married ones , that every man is to have his own proper wife , and every woman her own proper husband ; and how could this be , if polygamy were allowable and warrantable ? for if every man must have her , that is properly his own , and no other mans , and as exclusive of all other women , who are not so properly his own ; and if every woman must have him , who is properly her own , and no other woman , as shutting out all other men , who are not so properly her own ; then marriage must be between one man and one woman , and between two such only . if one man had ten , or twenty , an hundred or a thousand wives ( for , where will you set the bounds of restraint , if once you allow more than one at once ? ) there could not be an equal distribution ; neither would there be enough to suffice for every man , who cannot contain to have one , and so the remedy by marriage would not reach to all men , which yet doth belong to all , as the disease of of proneness to fornication is general to all : and the like inconvenience and mischief would unavoidably follow , if one woman might have ten , twenty , an hundred , or a thousand husbands : whereas , the lord in the way of his providence doth bring forth , and breed up near about an equal number of men and of women , of males and of females in all nations , of the inhabited earth . where there is but one wife allowed by the lord to one man , yet m even in that case there are seasons , when he would have the man forbear to know his wise by seed of copulation , as when her monthly sickness is upon her , or when the wife is known to be with child , thereby to evidence , and to manifest purity of mind , and chastity of body , and mortification of inordinate lusts : or when for a time they consentingly so agree for higher and holier ends , that they may be the better at leisure for fasting and prayer . how can this be , where so many wives call upon the husband at once , and so all the year long ? wandring lusts in their unbounded desire are belluine and bruitish , impetuous and unsatisfied ; how could burning be cured , and how could this afford a sufficient help against temptation to uncleanness . n it is only one wife at once , that is the proper , the legitimate wife , no other woman at that time is so ; and it is only one man at once , that is the proper , the legitimate husband , no other man at that time is so : the man hath not the authority or right of his own body , but the wife ; and how can this interest and propriety be preserved , where many women do at one and the same time challenge such a pretended right ? for , but one can have it at once : o when the man doth give his body to another wife , or to more wives , the first , who is the only lawful wife , has that benevolence , which is a due debt owing only to her , given and derived to another , or to more ; and so p she is wronged , and suffereth loss ; she is injuriously defrauded of her right , which her husband doth detain , or take way from her , and doth dispose of it to one or more besides , who have no lawful claim to it . when men are so much believers , and so far christians , as to tremble at the word of jehovah aelohim , and to feel their hearts to stand in awe of it , and to find their judgements and wills throughly to submit to his authority who gave it , they will then acknowledge a forceabless in these scripture-argumentations , against those two heinous crimes , and scandalous sins of polygamy , and of divorce : where god hath coupled an husband and a wife , they must so remain joyned , till the same god do dis●joyn them by death . that doctrine which our lord jesus christ did preach , is expresly q against divorces ; however , a contrary practice had much and long obtained , which did put the disciples upon asking of christ of the same matter , it was so great and so weighty a cause . whatever moses said , by way of permission about giving a writing of divorcement , and so to put away a wife , yet this , was no original saying or precept from our lord ; christ spake otherwise : ( as in another instance in this nation , about r usury , the same laws of men , that do tolerate the vice of usury , suffering a certain sum of gain yearly for the loan of a hundred pound , yet doth withal condemn it as a thing unlawful . ſ the woman is of the man , and must still be subject unto him as her head ; what man can dispense rightfully with the subordination , and subjection of the body to the head , and under it , or sever the head from the body , to make them depart from one another , till death do part them ? when therefore , reader , thou meerest any where with any laws in the scriptures , that do relate to divorces and puttings away of a wife , look upon them , t as permissions by moses , not as precepts from jehovah ; understand me , not from jehovah , as they are divorces , but only a law by consequenr upon a supposition : if they were resolved to put away a wife , then this or that was to follow upon it ; if the case of the blind-minded , and hard-hearted husbands were such , that they would be and were divorced from their wives , when such a fould matter came to pass , then the lord appointed , that if another man had married the divorced woman , or if that later man were dead , that then she was not to return to her former husband ; because she had defiled her self by and with another man ; the first great cause whereof was from her first husband , who thrust her out upon this temptation : the first divorce was unjust , and the second marriage was unlawful , the first husband being still alive , and sin was thereby brought upon the land , which was punishable for this guilt ; for , not only were the guilty persons themselves , the man and the women , liable and obnoxious to judgement for this crime , but all the inhabitants also , who knew it and suffered it , if they did not in their places appear against it . this shameful consequent was on purpose to deter them from the other sinful antecedent : and therefore that expression in deuteronomy , before cited in the margin , should not be rendred imperatively , let him write her a bill of divorcement , and give it in her hand , and send her out of his house ; as if jehovah aelohim gave his direction and command , that this man was in duty , or by any lawful rightful allowance , to deal thus with her in this case : but it expresseth , u what the man had done , and would do , the three first verses of that twenty fourth chapter , do declare the hard hearted mans purpose and practice ; it is the fourth verse that doth open the mind of our lord , that if the man was resolvedly set upon such a sinful course , that then it was not lawful for him to take her again , which doth plainly shew jehovah's utter dislike of that illegal divorcement , they were irregular miscarriages , the lord gave no countenance to such licentious practices . we do not read of any express law and direct command of aelohim , for the jealously-suspitious , unhumane husband so to deal with his wife . aelohim , in this case , w doth hate that word , put her away ; the man cannot lawfully break that covenant , which the lord was called in to witness that he made with the woman , when he took her first in marriage , nothing can justly loose the matrimonial bond but death , or a case of adultery , which was a x capital crime , and to be punished with death by the judges . one such example of justice in this island were more likely to terrifie the inhabitants thereof , and to prevent any further guilt in principle , or in practice about this foul sin , than ten other arguments in such an age of monstrous bodily uncleannesses ; of speculative unbelief , and of practical atheism . whatever success upon the hearts of readers , this paper testimony has or shall have , is with him , in whose hands the hearts of men are : in this i rejoyce , that the lord hath not left me to be ashamed of christ , nor of his words in this y adulterous and sinful generation . they are the scripture-rules and precepts of our lord christ , which we must walk by , and whom we must obey , z if we would have him to be the author of eternal salvation , a and who will judge whoremongers and adulterers , all whosoever they be , who are profane corrupters of holy marriage . whether thorowout the scriptures , where ever adam is found in the original it should not be so rendred in the translation into other languages leaving it to the expounder , in the help and supplies of the holy spirit , to shew , when it is meant properly of the the - adam , and when collectively of more ? this i judge greatly useful , to be far inquired into , and seriously to be considered of . it is scarce imaginable till proof be made of this , what variety of choice discoveries would shine forth from hence . that all the old testament thorow we can find adam but twenty times , or about that small number , in our english translation ; whereas , it is expressed in the original many scores of times , let the vulgar reader think and consider , whether much of this useful learning about man's nature and state have not been hereby hidden from him ; and let the judicious and experienced in the hebrew words and phrases say , whether many controversies in religion about adam and his fall , and his conveying of guilt and corruption to his posterity , with much more of profitable practical doctrines and duties , graces and privileges , would not be evidently demonstrated hereby ? adam was not created at the first androg ynous , with two distinct several faces , and with a double body , afterwards to be divided and pulled asunder one from another to become two : aelohim created b them , in the plural , male and female , severed ones , sundred personages . c the male and the female - adam were both d blessed together , and therefore at that time they had both of them a created distinct being . aelohim's benediction which he gave to adam , the male and the female , is more large and ample in expressions and in things , than those words of blessing , which before he uttered to other creatures , they had propagation as other living creatures made on the fifth day , though not so numerous as the most of them ; and further they were endowed and enriched with many a good perfect gift , of spirit , soul , and body , beyond them . we must learn and know , mind and consider , that the creation in the whole and in every part thereof ; together with all the honour and glory of that power and wisdom , and other glorious excellencies which did so manifest themselves therin , is wholly and only to be ascribed , and attributed to aelohim , whose name is e so often , as hath been observed , used in this history . adam was bound actually to believe in aelohim , and in his word , as soon as he was created : for he had f a word and a promise from christ in this history of the creation . adam was to believe aelohim's sanctifying of appointed meats created for his food , to be received of them who being believing ones , and acknowledging ones of the truth : ( to mention no more particulars now ) so that faith in the creating messias has a foundation in created nature : adam had a power in created nature , to believe in christ , and his holiness , and his righteousness were a perfection suitable and con-natural to him . thus the sum of the decalogue was imprinted in adam's heart : faith in jehovan aelohim is the substance of the first word , or command , which was enjoyned to all the world of mankind in adam , and so faith in father , son , and holy spirit ; it was always a truth from the very first creating and forming of man , and was actually a law and command upon man and mankind , that , without faith it is impossible to please god , whom to please as well as to believe in was a plain duty ( accordingly abraham believed in god , who accounted it to him for righteousness ; and all the children of abraham must be of the same faith and practice ) for he that cometh to god , must believe , that he is , and that , he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him . the eleventh chapter of the epistle to the hebrews , in several instances doth relate , that the saints and people of god under the old testament-administration , did actually rely upon christ by faith , for which faith they are there commended . this original concreated holiness and righteousness in adam , being such a law of nature , as whereof the ten words are a perfect transcript and an exact summary , it were a matter well worth a further re-search and a deeper inquiry , whether the doctrinal-part as well as the duty-part of true pure religion be not to be found in the decalogue . g thorah , is one of the names of this law , often used in the old testament ; the native signification of which word is , doctrine ; it is a doctrinal law cast before the disciples of the lord , teaching and instructing us concerning his will towards us , and about our office towards him and our neighbour , in what we are to believe , as to the credends , and to do , as to the agends , of religion , informing us in the truth of the premises as well as directing us in the practice of the conclusions . faith and obedience in their large comprehensive notation do take in the whole of religion , they are h all adam , as to this : for adam was under a law , under this law. the articles of our belief , are within the bounds of the laws of the decalogue : he , that would be regular in his obedience , must also be found in the faith. these are the essential constitutive parts of an entire perfect holiness and righteousness . the lord jesus christ confirmed the truth of his doctrine from the authority of his own law , and in asserting the doctrine of the resurrection ( which is one great particular instance ) he fetcheth the force of his argument from the first word , saying , i am the god of abraham , and the god of isaac , and the god of jacob : god is not the god of the dead , but of the living . to assent unto revealed truth is as necessary a part of our duty as to perform commanded service : and if it be narrowly looked into and duly pondered , it will be manifest that all the acts of our obedience do as naturally result from some act of faith , as all the acts of faith do naturally resolve into some act of obedience : as a general subjection of our whole man to the will of this soveraign lord doth bottom upon a general belief of his truthfulness ; so also are particular acts of this subjection ( where they are distinct and clear , ) built upon some particular belief of that truthfulness , as this veracity and goodness of word revelations do include and teach , direct and hold forth ; the more we recover and are restored to those endowments which were concreated principles in adam , the more shall we discern and acknowledge the exactest obedience to be the highest equity , and the best dutifulness to be the rightest reason . whether adam's faith whilst he continued and stood in his uprightness had or could have any eye to a messiah , for the rendring of his obediential acts acceptable to aelohim is one of those deep things , which it may be even the most learned among believers , are not yet gone to the bottom of . however this be , the discovery here doth evidence the vanity , insufficiency and unprofitableness of ethnick philosophy , which doth run so many of its empty notions into unpractical theories : whereas , word-revelations in the most mysterious of its credibles is influential upon obedience and doth pass into active doingness ; which the philosophick schemes of ethnick systems , have been are , and will be , defective in . there is another i hebrew word , describing the law of jehovah , taken from a root which doth signifie , he took , or he did receive , and its proper meaning is doctrine , perception , reception , discipline , or a law received , which the disciples of the messiah sitting at his feet do receive from him , teaching them thier duty in his own words . let this be further improved by the diligent and discerning . the fruitful propagating of mankind by k conjugal generation is still a fruit and effect of this first blessing from aelohim upon adam : holy marriage , ( being the lawful conjunction of one man and of one woman into one flesh , that there may be a seed of aelohim . ) was l instituted by christ himself . this world was created much m for the good and for the use of man , the lower earth and seas whereof are more subjected to him , especially for the good of the chosen and believing . that royal dominion by large free grant from aelohim , which adam had by gracious donation , was n over the whole earth , jehovah hath given this earth unto adam and unto adam's sons . adam as an invited called guest , found suitable provision prepared for him . amongst the rest he had o herbs , seeding seed , and fruit-trees , which did direct him , and it doth still direct us in our choice of this kind of food . for p there was a third sort of somewhat different kind created on the third day , a sort of green buddings ( not so growing by sowing their seed or by planting ) which is more properly the food of other animals . this should be well considered , that man may well understand his grant , and may discern what is fit food for him of the creatures made on the third day , as well as those made on the fifth day : for , even q living creatures mentioned before , whether , they were appointed not also to be meat for man ( many of them , so they were need in a scriptural orderly way , their lives and bloods being first regularly taken from them , and so prepared for meet aliment ) as well as herbs and fruit , so that , both these are to be taken into this grant of food , some animals being naturally in their created essence clean wholsom food , as others are naturally in their created being unclean , unwholsom food , though otherwise useful for the good of man , yet not proper nutriment for him ? this also doth call for further search after it in the scriptures . as aelohim would 〈◊〉 have mankind propagated so also he would have individuals of that kind to be conserved ; for which end he appointed unto adam suitable sustenance , and well-agreeing nourishment : which singular providence and special goodness of his , is thankfully to be acknowledged , and duly to be considered ; seeing that they are not these creatures only that man liveth by ; r but , by every word proceeding out of aelohim's mouth : his word of power giving forth a command to such creatures to be nourishing unto the religious rational creature , and his word of promise speaking this covenant blessing over the hearts of the believing ones . and s therefore before our meals we should seek him in the word and prayer , to bless and sanctifie his good creatures to our use . and t after our meals we should close with thanksgiving unto this god of bounty , to the father who has freely given us their use , to the son who has dearly purchased this , and to the holy spirit who sealingly applyeth this . when aelohim took a view of u all that which he had made on this sixth day , made adornedly really to exist as preparedly perfected , he beheld it as good , greatly , abundantly , vehemently , validly good . the universal particle , all , seems here to be put for the number , not of multitude of kinds , so as to comprehend all , and every of the several sorts of creatures , but of unity , relating to that one special eminent kind of creature , adam : all which , in the singular number , as appears by the adjective of the singular number , good : this being in the singular number not plural number . there was much said and done on this sixth day , yet all this universal is restrained to adam that excelling one of creatures . who of us knows the all of that which was created in , and con-created with adam ? there is a great deficiency amongst us in this science about man : so little do we understand of our selves : neither are we likely to grow any thing considerably in this knowledge of our selves as to our make , either our first created-make , or a new created-make , as long as there is a reforting to vain philosophy and its ethnick schoolmasters to be taught the knowledge thereof . although the doctrine of adam , of man , as man , have but one peice and part of the created works of aelohim for its subject-matter , man being the product of the sixth day only , and so , as to days , but one part and work of six , a small portion of whole created nature : yet this man science , this anthropological art , or the knowledge of a man's self , is one of the great designs of all other useful knowledge , they do much aim at this , and they have a tendency towards the promoting of this , and without this , how can other sciences receive an advance by man ! how is he in an hopeful way of improving of other sort of learning , who has not as yet attained to any considerable growth in the knowledge of himself ? the more we know of our selves the more shall we know of jehovah aelohim , and of his word and works : and then will these have reflexive influence upon that , for the more that we know of these , the more shall we know of our selves . and therefore let not the reader misjudge this to be a subject too low for a minister of christ to treat of : w for , we are commanded and required to examine our own selves , to prove our own selves , that , we may know our own selves , whether jesus christ be in us , unless we be unexperienced , unapproved ones . man has such created faculties and abilities , whereby he can turn inwardly upon himself ; he can reflect upon himself . the last of the hebrew conjugations is self-reflexive , which should have been more and better observed by translators in their rendring of the original significancy into other languages . man can x commune with himself , as he walks with himself , so he can talk also with himself , he can treat with himself , and entertain himself . you may find man in some scriptures bespeaking himself , evpostulating and reasoning the case with himself , conferring with his constitutive parts particularly and distinctly , y often with his own soul , and about his own heart , both in colloquies with himself , and in his speech to god. which is one ground and reason both in scripture and in nature of the warrantableness of using the plural number , of you , and ye , when we speak to a singular person , or individual subsistence , only to one , there being more constitutive intelligent parts in man , than only one , as his spirit and his soul particularly , and therefore are not so justly reproveable , if we do not always thou it , and thee it , to a single man : for , sometimes others do speak distinctly to some particular constitutive part of us , as to the z soul in special . reader , if thou be serious and considerable , dost thou not see cause , why thy face should be all in a blush , and thy spirit be covered with shame , who hast lived so long with thy self , who hast gone up and down , and hast sat and lodged , so often with thy self and yet all this while hast so little acquaintance with thy self ? for the promoting of a soul-humbling , and of self-emptying in thee , ( which is a singular art. ) o know thy self aright , study thy self much , observe thy self narrowly , try thy self diligently , examine thy self impartially , judge thy self righteously ; report the whole state of thy self to thy self , truly and faithfully , make thy appeal to an heart-searching god , sincerely according to what thou dost ●ind , brought in by way of evidence , and of sentence upon the whole of the matter , whether it be for or against thy self . there is great reason and need why thou shouldest know thy self , examine and prove thy self in order unto the discovering and evidencing of this , whether jesus christ be in thee or not ? for , without this , either christ is in thee or not ? if he be not in thee , and yet thou think thy spiritual state safe , then thou wilt deceive thy self , and put a fallacy upon thy self ; thou wilt be in danger of living and dying under soul-undoing mistakes ; thou wilt then some ways be the further off from getting christ to be in thee ; thou wilt be most to seek of a christ , when thou shalt have most use and need of him : thou art like to be little owned and imployed by christ : and thy disappointment will be the more overwhelming at the last , when it may be too late to remedy it : and it will be too late , if thou pass from hence into the other world in a christless condition : and for the present whilst thou art such as not to have christ in thee , then reigning sin is in thee , then ruling , domineering satan is in thee ; then thou art not as yet in christ , then as yet thou art without spiritual●saving-good , exposed to all kind of evil , dreadful wrath is over thee : and then whilst severed from him thou canst not do any one thing spiritually , acceptable . if christ be in thee , yet without this self-knowing , self-examining , self-proving , thou wilt not have so clear an evidence of this , thou wilt not have so sweet a comfort , and so sound an enjoyment of it : thou wilt not make so growing an improvement of it , in duties , under crosses , by priviledges ; thou art not so likely in a dying day to discern , whither thou wilt be going ; whether to be with christ , or to be driven from christ : whereas with this self●knowledge ; if hitherto thou have not christ savingly in thee , ( yet thou wilt be in the hopefuller way to make out after him , and to get him into thee : and if he be found in thee , thou wilt then the more to thy fulfilling satisfaction injoy both him in thee , and thy self in him . then will christ more manifest himself to be by thee , with thee , and for thee : all suitable good will be thine , a full christ , and a full covenant of grace , will be thy portion : the hope of glory will then be in thee : christ and thou shall be ever together . o the happy progresses of that believer between whom and christ , there is actual , mutual in-being , in-dwelling , in-abiding ! this adam ▪ art , or man science , is very spreading and fruitful , very useful and profitable , and it is to be considered , either as man is made a sociable creature , and so fitted for congregated fellwoship , or as man was created , a several individunm , and so is of a distinct segregating ; and accordingly the various knowledges of adam , of man , do widen , and distribute , and distinguish themselves : into so many sorts is this partition of sciences , that a long life might to advantages dwell upon them , and make such collections from out of the word about them , which if oderly disposed , and freely communicated , would be one rich treasure in the common-wealth of learning . if adam or man be considered as in society , related unto other men in a way of humane fellowship , so here might pass under disquisition and examination divers arts and sciences : for , if we look upon adam , as he that was in times after his first creation , an husband , a patient , a master , a converser , a negotiator , a king , a prophet , a priest , a church-officer and member ; so here might be brought in the marriage-art , to know how to discharge the duties , and injoy the priviledges of a conjugal relation ; the paternal art , what the carriage of parents , and of children should be towards each other ; the magistral art , what the offices of masters and of servants are towards one another ; the whole oeconomick art ▪ the conversation art , to have practical understanding , and prudential skill in treating , and in conversing with others ; the art of trading in the world with and amongst men , so as to negotiate all our affairs with humane discretion : the art of government , or the science of empire ; to discern how to rule over inferiours according to the word : the art of teaching , or the prophets science , to be able in office , for the instructing of others : the administrators art , to be well versed in the carrying on of all the parts of instituted worship , after a spiritual manner , so as to find acceptation of the lord : the art of right constituting of a church , according to the scripture-pattern , in all the holy laws , and comly orders thereof : of having all necessary church officers gifted , graced , called , according to the word-rule , of wise , faithful discharging of all church-relation , of all the duties of gospel-fellowship , of orderly admission of church-members , of regular exercise of church discipline . and now , if we further consider adam or man , as to his own singular individual person , how many advantageous arts and sciences might here pass under further inquiry ? the whole adam and intire compositum of man , as to spirituals , doth in its comprehension call for much skill in several mysterious sciences ; as of the excelling prerogative of man's primitive created holy , happy , healthful state : of man's miserable condition under his fallen sinful state : of man's restaured felicity , in the new created converted state : of man's unexpressible summity of happiness in his glorified estate : and as for adam , for man , in his naturals ; the body of man takes in , the art of cookery for nourishment ; the art of medicine for curing ; the art of chirurgery for healing ; the art of anatomy for dissection ; the art cosmetick , for clothing , for comliness , for cleanness , for due-bounded decoration : the art of activity for all bodily , lawful exercises : the art of patient suffering : and if i would crumble this into a multitude of particulars , respecting the inward and out parts of the body , how many under arts do these contain , ear-art , eye●art , tongue●art , heart-art ; besides many that i could mention about the humours , the blood , the proper offices and functions of every part , with a multitude of more : get we into the soul , or into the spirit of adam , or of man : very profitable disquisitions might here be made ; what the specifick natures and differences of these are : what their several offices , functions , facuities , motions , and such like : what the several objects of them are : and how that these would take in many arts and sciences : the intellect of man doth lead to the art of scripture-logick : his will and affections to the art of scripture ethicks : his invention and judgement , when it steps into elocution , to the art of scripture●rhetorick : what shall i more say ? if the particular arts and sciences do so muitiply , and there be so much in the holy scriptures about every one of these , as i could , had i time and a call thereunto , evidently demonstrate to any spiritual discerner and judicious inquirer ; is it not then clear , that he who has a purse , and a mind proportionable to so great an undertaking , might imploy scores of the most learned men in the world , about much of the most useful work in the world ? and now i could pity the great princely , noble , wealthy ones of this world , who have so much , and yet do so little ; who are intrusted with many talents , and yet do trade so little with them , for the promoting of so choice good in the common-wealth of learning . how many thousands and millions of pounds are there sinfully wasted and vainly expended about sensual arts and voluptuary sciences to the corrupting and undoings of hundreds of souls ! one whereof is of more true , solid-worth than an whole world : which , if it were laid out , and improved for the advancement of scripture-learning , would pass both comfortably upon account at the last judgement-day , and in the mean time forward and spread some of the rarest excellencies and choicest fellcities that rational creatures ; and humine intellects are capable of on this side of the heavenly glory : but though i should even break my loyns with sighing , and blind my eyes with writing , yet when once will it be otherwise , till the lord himself do open the eyes , and irradiate the minds , and change the hearts , and incline the wills , and ingage the spirits , of some of the great ones of the earth to appear more in so righteous a cause ? at the present , because it is a prosecuting of that subject matter which i am upon , let me present somewhat to the view of men conversant in the art and practice of medicine with respect to man ; which may , if the lord will bless it to that end , ingage them to be more in the studious research into the scriptures for the promoting and advancing of the medicinal-science , which ethnick philosophy can never perfect . in the general , let it be pondered upon , whether those who have a name to be great advancers of learning , particularly of this part of learning , the medicinal art , ●have ever laid this science upon a sound bottom , who affirm , that medicine not grounded upon philosophy is a weak thing : and that the knowledge of medicine has this wanting , a true and active natural philosophy , upon which the medicine should be built ? that there is a defectiveness in this art , as commonly studied , professed and practised , is confessed by the discerning and ingenious : so that some further maturation and perfecting of it , is much desired : but that ever either old ethnick philosophy in principles , or new experimental philosophy in practice , by christians can attain this compleating augment , without fetching of it out of the scriptures of truth , that i deny . for these being philosophizings , or vain affected humane reasonings , according to outward senses , ( which are very fallible , in two great cases especially , when either objects are at too great a distance , or when objects are very secret and hidden , at least in their inward springs , and causes , and combinations , shewing themselves outwardly only by some darker symptoms and deceitful signs ) these , i say , cannot give so right a judgement in many cases . there are divers diseases of the soul , and of the spirit in man , which do also influence to the diseasing of the body , which mere natural philosophy cannot discover or remedy , without the word : and there are several diseases of the body , which for the new kinds , the unseen causes , the complex●combinations of them , the undiscerned seat and root of them in some of the inward bodily parts ( with more that might be added ) are neither knowable nor curable by mere humane wisdom . it is only a scriptural-thread , that can lead into the cause and cure of these , by a quick and piercing judgement given by the holy spirit . b are there not some diseases which the most learned philosophers , in the medicinal art , do count and call incurable , which yet may find a remedy in the word ? here is an al-heal , where the patient has faith in christ , and in his word . let this also be considered , whether those philosophizers can or will ever restaur , and consummate the medicinal art who make the body of man to be the subject of medicine ? whereas , there is a multiplicity of maladies in the soul of man , and deep wounds in the spirit of man , both which by natural causality do distemper the body ; and how can ethnick philosophers , or other vain affecters of humane wisdom , reach these , or understand the right methods of apt remedies , when without the word they neither know what the soul of man is , nor what his spirit is , nor what the specifick difference is between the soul and the spirit in man , nor by what medium of contract , the spirit and soul in man do operate upon each other , and both upon the body , nor which way , by what applications to come at them ; or what specifick remedies are adapted to them ? give me liberty to be a little more particular and distinct yet , with respect to the body , the soul , and the spirit , which are the c three essential constitutive parts of man. how can the medicinal art in the old or new philosophical way be so satisfactory to any deep , piercing , serious inquirer , whilst in that way it is a mere conjectural deceiveable art ? how many of their recipes are there , which when taken inwardly they understand not how they work upon the inward parts , by what kind of causality and efficiency ? how it doth take hold of one part , and not of another ; how it doth seize upon this humour and not upon that ; how any of the inwards parts do co-operate with the medicine ; what the faculties and functions of the several inward parts are , to promote the efficacy of the recipe ? how many various commixt , concurring , unobserved accident , as they call them , may quite change and alter the operation and the effects of the ingredients ? with much more that might be instanced in . how great variety is there in a little space of time in ●he humours and temperament of one and the same body , occastoned o● a sudden by some distempered passions or ungoverned affections , or mis-s●apen apprehensions , or transporting phrensies , or deep imaginations , which the most skilful and observing physitian can neither prevent nor remedy ! and although som of the more wise and faithful of them do in their methods and rules about this art treat of the effects of the inner man , of the unexpected changes suddenly befalling the mind , as having an alterative affectiveness upon the outer man , either to speed on , or to hold back the cure . yet how can their counsel and prescriptions be proper and pertinent here for the governing of the passions and for the ordering of the affections of their patients , without resorting to scripture directions in particular scriptures to enforce obedience , to call forth faith , and to encourage prayers ? which the common exhortations from meer philosophical ethnicks cannot so do . how many inward cases of spiritual maladies are there , which none of the common medicinal prescriptions can remove and remedy ? this kind of patients the practicers of physick do , either send to the minister for spiritual cordials , and healing counsels , or else sometimes they dismis● them to the bedlam , when it is outragious phrensie , or wol●ish melancholy , or diabolical possession : and for a veil of their ignorance , and a cover of their shame , they conclude many diseases to be obstinate against all remedies : whereas if the scriptures were searched into about this , much more would there be discovered of a directory ; and if all else should fail , the lord would often effect cures even to wonderment , were faith acted aright upon a suitable word . there was a sick maid given over by a learned practitioner in the medicinal art , as gasping and dying , and when a pastor being present , had drawn the physician aside into the next room , the physician told him that she had two or three mortal diseases so far gone upon her , that either of them would be her death . and yet when the minister had cleared the chamber of other by-standers , himself and some few others in church fellowship with him , acted according to that prescription and promise in d james , and the lord immediately raised her up : and a short time after she was seen walking in the streets healthful and well : all the praise belongs to jehovah aelohim . there is a scriptural art of cure , when the shops of apothecaries do afford no help . there are many latent operations of nature , which meer ethnick philosophy cannot find out ; e and there are divers unseen inflicters of diseases , ( sometimes by good angels , other times by evil spirits , ) which must receive a word cure , if ever they be rightly cured . the holy scriptures do expresly mention several particular diseases , as running sores , flowing issues , boyls , feavers , consumptions , inflammations , extreme burnings , botch , emerods , scab , itch , leprosie , the falling of the thigh or womb , and divers others ; and they speak of diseases in particular members of the body , as in the feet , in the legs , in the knees , in the bowels , in the kidneys or reins , in the loins , in the sinews , in the bones , in the liver , in the gall : from the sole of the foot unto the head no soundness , wounds , bruises , putrefying sores : and when the judicious and industrious of the medicinal art will make scripture collections about this , they might find out many particular rules there , which do direct unto proper specifick remedies . if i should cull out this one particular inward part of man's body , the heart , how many diseases and distempers is it subject unto , the which no philosophick art can cure , such as the passion or the palpitation of the heart , the wounding of the heart , the breaking of the heart , the piercing of it , the faintings , the desolatings , the wastings and minishings , the throbbings and beatings about of the heart , so that it is even forsaking of a person , leaping awry and leaving its place and going out ; the languidness of the heart , the frettingness of the heart , the troubles , the terrours , the tremblings , the despondings of the heart ; its dissolvings and flowings away as water , its sinking and falling : it s being moved as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind : its melting as wax , and softning through fear , its making a noise like pipes , its dyingness or perishing , its astonishment or stupor , its smiting or striking of him or of her in whom it is : its madness , its sorrowful overwhelmings , its leavenings , and imbitterings , and swellings : its groanings with a rumbling roaring noise , its excessive heats as an oven , and as a burning fire within it : it s being covered over with grief : it s being blasted as withered grass : it s wandering : it s staggering , its fluttering too and fro : its pains in its walls , its being beset , straitned , and besieged : its unquietness as the raging restless sea : its boiling and working as waters , that become thick and miry when they are much stirred and troubled ; its heaviness ; it s stooping as under an oppressing burden : its astonishments and amazements , its being struck as with an hammer : it s being changed like as the heart of a beast ; its overgrownness , and oppressedness with fat ; its anguish ; its despair ; its out-cryes , its plagues , its stonyness . f let me give one particular instance of an heart-malady , which is one of the most lamentable cases in all the book of the lamentations : it is such a complex distemper of heart , as has these dreadful things in it : grief and sorrow ; such grief and sorrow as doth cover the heart all over ; a cincture and compre●●ion of heart with deadly trouble and pain : such a covering grief and sorrow of heart , as is totally overwhelming and quite discouraging : it makes them even quite to give over all hope . it is such an overwhelming grief ; and discouraging sorrow of heart as has obduration and obstinacy going along with it : it further sets out the hearts giving over of it self to its own overwhelming grief and discouraging sorrow , with terrible fear of god's giving over of such to the obduration and obstinacy of their heart , and of their being shut up under all this , when such an heart like a buckler or shield doth keep off any blow or stroke from the lord's word or hand , shutting it self up as within a fence , so that no counsels or comforts from men can come at it . whither can the diseased send to any so skilful in the medicinal art as to open the nature , causes , and remedies of this one disease of the heart ? what shall i more say , if i can fill up so many lines with such a long induction and large enumeration of particular heart maladies , which are so common in experience , and which no counsels and prescriptions , but what are scriptural , wisely applyed , and duly received , and well improved and followed , can either prevent or remedy : is is not high time for such as are serious in the art medicinal and are tender of the health and lives of their patients , and would lift up their faces before a righteous judge at the last , when they must stand or fall for their eternal estate according as they have walked by the rule of the word or not , i say , is it not high time for them to study their art and to practice it , in a word-way ? the heart sick ones might be referred to apt , pertinent , proper , scriptures speaking directly to a multitude of such cases . shall i open a little of the maladies of the soul in man ? the scriptures can inform us of the discouragement of the soul : the grief of the soul ; its bitterness ; its outcryes ; through wounding ; it s pouring out ; its anguish , its sore vexings ; it s drawing nigh to the gulphy empty space ; its afflictedness ; its weariness ; it s being torn ; its consumptiveness ; it s being spoiled ; its need of healing ; it s being cast down ; it s making a tumultuous stir , within a man , its sinking ; it s being bowed down ; it s having of overwhelming waters to come into it ; it s refusing to be comforted ; it s being filled with troubles : its being cast off ; its breaking ; it s cleaving to the dust ; its melting for heaviness : its faintings ; its imprisonments ; it s being bereft of good , its being removed far off from peace ; its exceeding sorrowfulness , its troubledness and drying away , its bowing down , its being destroyed , its being pierced thorow , its being utterly cut off , its being dispossest or turned out of possession , its being devoured , its being perverted , with such like evil effects of the soul , this breathing part in man. and what can philosophick recipes do in these cases ? whither can we go for a proper cure but to christ in the scriptures of truth ? shall we consider the spirit of man a little , that candle or lamp of jehovah in man searching all the inner chambers of the belly ? oh how many are its distempers ! in the word we may read of the trouble or shortnedness of the spirit : the hardning of the spirit , its sadness , its being drunk up by poison , its unsteadfastness , its hastiness : its having a breach in it 〈◊〉 or its brokenness : its haughtiness , its unrulyness , its sleepy distemper , its grievedness , its failing , or fainting , its deep sighingness , its pressures , its being bound , its weaknesses , its restless disquieting raging , its jealousies , its anguish , its overwhelmedness , its perversness , its pride , its erringness , its vexing , and more such : whither now , to what apothecaries shop , to what philosophical doctor , will you send for a cure of these ? you must come to the word , and to him in and through the word , one of whose names is , g the healing●one of his people . in his word there are not only spiritual directions given about these inner distempers of heart , of soul , and of spirit , holy prescriptions and heavenly counsels , but also divers apt remedies are pointed to from the con-created vertues which the lord hath put into several of his creatures , when those who are reputed to be very learned in this art , are so far honoured and used by the lord , as to be made humble enough to be willing to be better taught , and believers enough to judge god to be wiser then man , and word-wisdom , and truth to excel philosophick follies and falsities : the medicinal art will then advance and flourish . there are many original words and phrases , which do in a more general way direct unto health and to the recovery of it out of sicknesss besides a distinct particular enumeration of several diseases with their causes and curses , and several proper useful directions about the choice of meats and of drinks , relating to the regiment of health . that distinction and division of animals , of fowls , of beasts , of fishes , into clean and unclean , although it had a further h typical shadowy figuring meaning under the old testament administration of grace , leading them into an holy seperation from unclean peoples , from communion with such they were many ways to abstain ; yet withal a skilful artist in the history of animals may find out natural natural reasons and causes for such a discrimination : when spiritual reason doth wisely exercise it self about this discovery by scripture , nature , and experience , it may discern clean animals to have a proper nutritive vertue , more wholesome and continuing and increasing of health●ness , whereas , the unclean do more breed diseases , at least they are not so healthful , whereby the all-wise physician , the faithful creator hath instructed his rational creatures , and graciously at once provided both for the health of mens bodies , and for the salvation of their souls : for meats do dispositively operate upon the mind , who may not see that hath any thing of a piercing eye , that some animals are more ravenous and rapacious , others are more luxurious and wanton , or more cruel and bloody , or more gluttonous , or more fearful , or more filthy , or more muddy , or more cholerick and adust , or more excessively moist , with much more that might be added ? and do not these malignly influence upon those who make them their usual food ? how few are there of mankind , who do study their own complexions , constitutions , temperaments , or what that is which is suitable food for them ? insomuch , as that the most are even going into the other world before they know how to make one good meal ? but every thing is counted good with some that will fill their belly , and any thing with others that will gratifie their distempered ungoverned appetite : whereas , he who hath not due regard to his dyet , for kind , measure and season , will in time overturn his strength , overthrow his health , and disease himself ; and then the sick do feel the i need of a physician or surgeon ; in which cases the scriptures are not silent , but would make them medicinal artists , and teach them practical skill . i have not abilities and accomplishments for it , neither is it my profession to undertake to set before the reader an exact treatise of the medicinal art , though i question not but that it may be found out in the holy scriptures , and in created works according to those scriptures . let the principle be admitted and pursued ; and then much more would be discovered . as for the conservation of health , the learned in the medicinal art should search the scriptures about the use of some , and about the forbearing of other creatures , for food , about the kinds of bodily exercises , about the choice of aromaticks , of spices , of olys , of wines , and many more , about the regiment of passions and of affections , with more directions that might be given ; such as the actings of suitable graces , the enjoying of proper comforts , the improving of holy fellowship with jehovah , in father , son , and holy spirit , and more might be added , if advice from so mean a one be received in the colledge of physitians . there is a further part of the medicinal art , which doth respect the prolongation of days and the lengthning along of life , of which there is much in the scriptures , both by way of direction and of promise . he , that will industriously seek out where and how often in the word that expression of k length of days , or prolongation of days , or long of days , and such like phrases , that do set out this , is used , and will wisely observe , to whom and in what way this is covenanted , may find much to this purpose and end : then how should we be under christ , beholden unto such wise and faithful physicians , as would direct their patients for a cure to word prescriptions , where we might pursue and follow their counsels in obedience and saith , expecting aelohim's blessing thereunto ▪ and therefore for the augment and advancement of this kind of learning , let it be yet farther inquired , by men skilful in the original , and acquainted with the giver of his word , how that knowledge may be perfected by a scripture-discovery , which doth respect the body of man ? for , hereby many other useful arts would receive a great increase , as the art of medicine for the prolong●ng of the days of man , and for continuing on of his life , in the conserving of his health , and in the preventing or curing of diseases ; the art of chirurgery , the art of the apothecary and compounder , the art of opticks and perspectives , the art of sounds , the art of gust , the art of odors , the art of tangibles ; to mention no more : which a discerning eye may look somewhat deep into at the very naming of them . let a more narrow research also be made into the soul of man ; its essence and nature ; its substance and operations ; its offices and products : how great its specifick difference from the soul of beasts . let the spirit of man be more studied in the word of truth : what its proper existence is ; what its specifick difference ; what its faculties ; what the objects of those faculties , l wherein differenced from the soul , whether separable from the soul for some time , yet so as the body still lives , what its work is ; what are the peculiat seats in man , for all the faculties of the soul and spirit . how many those faculties are , what their original , what their connaturalness ; what all the inward parts of man are ; what their league of amity and friendly commerce is , one with another , and all together with the whole compositum ? and a multitude of other rare parts of this great knowledge . i wait , if the lord give me to live to see , this glorious design to be received , promoted , and improved by others : if so , i expect , that he will give men an heart willing to contribute , what this way may be judged useful by such abler undertakers , who would severally labour in a distinct handling of some particular art and science . o how rare is the skill , how choice the priviledge , so to improve this part of experimental christianity , as even here to pass more into growing beginnings of that blessed state of the heavenly glory , by a more holy and healthful transforming likeness to the humane nature of christ , in spirit , in soul , and in body ! in every one of these to feel a suitable conformity in holiness unto christ , as our great exempar ! m it is a great thing to believe aright , that the humane nature of christ is then , and not till then actually profiting when quickened by the spirit , making christ's words to be spirit and life . n how great an honour h●th he put upon man , and how highly hath he advanced the nature of man , who has laid hold on the seed of abraham , and taken that to his godhead ! he is one in nature ( as to his humanity ) with believers ; he has had experience of all the cases of believers ( sin only excepted ) : there is that in him , that is suited to all the parts of believers , in his spirit , in his soul , in his body , in his nature , in his life , for their regeneration , wisdom , righteousness , sanctification , redemption , acceptation , strength , joy , comfort , and every other good : and his humane nature is a fitted instrument of conveyance of this spiritual suitable good to believers , when so quickned by the spirit . there was a proper , a peculiar testimony given by the creator to the work of the sixth day : a special owning and commendation of that excelling master-piece , adam : therefore o there is a significant word added to good , here , whereby is set out the singular good of this part of the creation : if this particular approbation were given to all the works of the creation , in common to all the six days put together , then the formation of man will want its distinguishing honour , and its signal remark : this special note of singular observation here doth affirm , and confirm it , as spoken of that which is well known , and evidently manifest : as in all the creatures , both singly and apart , collected and put together , there was an excellency of perfection in them , according to the capacity of their natures , and for the usefulness of their ends ; so more particularly and especially in man. p there is an emphatick note of demonstration prefix'd to this sixth day , pointing out the work of that sixth day to be somewhat more remarkable , and that the adored almighties had perfected all his works , which he propounded and purposed to create in the foregoing six days of this one week of the created world : it doth shew a thing known , and signally illustrious and commendable , and that , that day only was the sixth day in the weekly revolution , and no other day of the week : and that the weekly sabbath must be reckoned , in order of created time , the immediately next succeeding day , after that sixth , which weekly sabbath day was when created , the seventh , the last day of the week , that and no other day of the same week ; q which note of demonstration is remarkable in other scriptures , to point out the certian weekly sabbath-day in all the following weeks of the world , in the successive courses of weeks , even the seventh , which is the last ; for there is but only one seventh day in one week , progressively going on in the due order , and according to the established law of the creation . all the creatures were not made at once , and in a moment ; but there were distinct several days of their being created , which order should not be confounded , but well observed ; as one good help to profitable meditation on aelohim's works . particularly the sixth day must not be forgoten , as the day of man's creation ; and as preparatory to his r remembring , and sanctifying of the seventh day , as the weekly sabbath-day . there was a separate creation of things on several days , that man might , with more stayedness of spirit , and prosperingness of soul , consider of them distinctly . and now jehovah aelohim declares , ſ that , this ▪ shall be the absolute perfecting , in the whole and in every part of them , of those heavens , and of this . earth , and of all the congregated military host of them , in their order , place and function . thus do all the creatures , both in the heavens and in the earth , stand as an army in order , or an host in battle t array ; ready to serve their makers , their creators , who is their commander in chief , he is the lord of hosts , and the empire over them is his : they go forth or come in at the word of their head-captain , jehovah christ , as he will arm and commission them , for his friends , or against his enemies . in the order of my pursuit after the refining and raising of useful arts , and profitable knowledges , i am now led to that day , the seventh , which is the last day in the first created week , which first week is , the just standing measure of all after weeks , in their successive courses , by the established law of the creation ; on which seventh day aelohim the creator himself did sabbatize : on this day he rested to contemplate his own works : for , having now framed and disposed the glorious fabrick , and the goodly structure of the whole universe , and having put it into its beautious oeconomy , and regular government , he closeth the whole of his work with a day blessed above all the other foregoing days of the week . the great design of this treatise , being the advancement and augment of useful arts , and of profitable sciences in a scripture-way , i shall propound some serious inquiries to ingenious , studious believers , to ingenuous , diligent saints : especially to such faithful , humble ones , as have through mercy and grace attained to larger growing measures of holy skill in the original languages , and of excelling eminence in inner religion , about the improvement of experimental christianity . inquiries concerning jehovah aelohim , in father , son , and holy spirt . q. what is the true proper significancy of this great and glorious name jehovah ? and whether ought it not to be used ? and what is there in those prophesies and promises that do speak of the freer acknowledgement of this name in the later days ? and how may a discerning believer improve this name , as for many other holy uses and ends , so particularly to make his presence more real and sensible , for continuedness to the believer ? q. what is the true import of all the other names of god in the scriptures , particularly of aelohim ? and how may those be particularly improved . q. what are some of the most clear testimonies , and convincing proofs of the doctrine of father , son and holy spirit , and the old testament , which is so fully and frequently taught in the new ? q. what are the visional appearances and manifestations of jehovah aelohim , in father , son and holy spirit , in heaven ? and how may these be improved by a believer ? q. whether may the father , the son , and the holy spirit be distinctly prayed unto ? and if so , how should a believer suitably make his application to each of them distinctly ; and to all of them joyntly ? q. what are the several offices of the father , as father ; of the son , as son ; of the holy spirit , as holy spirit , with relation to the covenant-people of jehovah aelohim ? and whether is a believers union and communion to and with the father , and the holy spirit , as well as to and with the son ? and how is this ? and which way may it be better improved ? q. vvhat is the holy spirits indwelling in a believer ? and what are the believers dwelling in god ? and how are these more improveable ? concerning the lord jesus christ jehovah-man , the mediator . q. when was it that christ did first pass into his mediatoral office ? and after what manner was it ? and of what good use is it to find out and improve this ? q. how may a believer so injoy christ's jehovah-presence here on earth , as withal at the same time to injoy his man-presence above in heaven ? q. whether may a believer actually resort in his spirit unto christ's humane glorified nature , in any certain definite , circumscribed local place , in the highest heavens ? q. how is the humane glorified nature of christ a fitted instrument , when quickned by the power and life of the eternal spirit , for the actual conveyance of all suitable good to believers , according as their cases and capacities are ? and how may believers apply what is in christ's spirit , soul and body , to their own spirit , soul and body for proper supplies ? q. how may a believer so walk with god in christ here , as if christ were visibly corporally present on earth with the believer ? and how may a believer clear up , and improve a mutual in-being , in-living , in-dwelling , and in-abiding between christ and him ? q. how is a believers life hid with christ in god ? and how may the believer injoy and improve this , for his natural , spiritual and eternal life ? q. what are all christ's names , as mediator in the old testament , as well as in the new ? and how may this be improved ? q. how was christ the first born of every creature , or of the whole creation , and the beginning of the creation of god ? q. what is there improveable by a believer in the order and connexion of those four things , when christ is of god made to a believer , wisdom and righteousness , and sanctification , and redemption ? q. whether this be not one great truth of the present age , that jesus christ is the one and the only lord and lawgiver over and to the spirits , souls and bodies of his people ? q. whether are not these amongst others some of christ's royal prerogatives , by his mediatoral authority , to grant and to pass acts of grace , to seal and to deliver particular pardons , to speak peace , and to give comfort ? and how may this be practically improved . concerning the word of god , the word of christ. q. vvhere is the true authograph , or the divine own first writings of the original scriptures ? and where is the exact apographs , or transcribed copies of this ? and what scriptures are there that do foretel and promise the restoring of this wholly uncorrupted ? and whether were not this a noble work well becoming the greatest , holiest prince , to search out this , that he may write him out a complete copy of its law ? q. in what language was the new testament originally spoken and written ? q. how may the original scripture-language be made the universal character , all the inhabited earth over ? q. whether would not an exact literal version of the holy scripture , word for word , as they are in their order , into the several mother-tongues , without any the least adding to , or substracting from it , open much of many useful truths , and necessary duties , and of experimental christianity , as well as many other ways be very profitable for the promoting of peace and purity in the churches of christ ? q. whether is it not a duty for the people , especially such of them as have more opportunities and advantages for this , to be able to read and to understand the word in its original-tongue ? and whether it would not be of singular use to have the young capable children in all places to be taught this ? q. how may such an hebrew lexicon be so composed , for words and for phrases , as to make scripture knowledge to be much more easier and familiar to out common people ? in which they may find out all sorts of little bibles well fitted to all particular cases ? where they may quickly see over , what the whole scripture doth speak to any subject matter , carrying truth through all the word ? q. in what order of time , in exact chronology , are the several books of scripture , and the several passages in every such book ; and how may such geographical tables of all the places of the inhabited earth , mentioned in the scriptures , be so suited , as that time , and place , and inhabitants , may be made obvious to every plain understanding ? q. what is the new testament , spiritual signified part of all and every of the shadowy figures , ceremonial signs , and typical patterns , through the old testament ? q. what is the urim and thummim ? and whether is there any prophesie or promise of either restoring of that , or of setting up any thing else in the room of that ? how may we have such an oracle revived , as to have a certain , visible , audibles ; sensible , answer from the lord , in weighty cases ? q. whether it be not one evidence of the fulness and perfection of the word of truth , that even there where its speeches seem to be somewhat broken and abrupt , it carries with it a secret supplement in experience , directed to all practical cases concerned therein , which nothing else of man's word can fill up ? and whether would it not be very profitable and acceptable to put together some of the more eminent remarkable scriptures for the better evidencing of the truth and usefulness of this discovery ? q. how may a believer get and keep life , and power in the word continued upon his heart . q. what scripture grounds are here , upon which to bottom faith and prayer , that if there were a spirit of believing , the lord would still give miraculous access from heaven , whereby to give sensible demonstrations of the truth and goodness of his word ? and how may the doctrine and practice of miracles be revived ? q. what is the method whereby to evidence the oneness and sameness , the well agreeing consentingness , and uniform harmoniousness of the christian religion throughout the whole scripture , for truth , for laws , and for priviledges ; for doctrines , for duties , and for graces ? q. how may the plainest scripture-truths be raised to a greater height of spiritual advancement ? q. whether now that scripture-knowledge is so abounding , any one be so competently well gifted for , and called to the ministerial office , who doth not understand the scriptures in their original language ? and how may hopeful growing young men be so bred up in the scripture arts and sciences as thereby to be fitted for the ministerial office ? and what scripture grounds are there to expect a more able , faithful , successful ministery , than is yet at this day ? q. vvhether it be not one great truth of this age , that the holy scriptures are the one and the only rule to judge by in all cases ? and whether there be any other boundary to be set to mens pretended liberty of conscience . q. vvhat is there of the doctrine-part , as well as of the duty-part , contained in the law of the ten vvords ? q. in what method and order may the holy scriptures be best read to most spiritual profit ? concerning present providences , and works of jehovah aelohim . q. what may the reasons and ends be , why the lord in the present day , doth seem so much to with hold his spirit , and the gifts and graces of that spirit , now that the longings and petitionings of his churches and people are so much heightned , and drawn out with expectations , of his larger pourings out of his spirit and blessing upon his new covenant people ? q. what is more especially that work which the lord hath been , and is still carrying on upon the wheels of his providence in this age ? q. what is there of prophetical scripture fulfilled in the present day , which doth make way for the further accomplishment of what propheties are yet behind ? and what are those after prophesies ? and in what order of time are all these prophesies ? q. whether though there have been some partial fulfillings of the revelation , in all ages of the church since john's time , yet will not the whole of that book of the revelation be gone over in the latter days , visibly and sensibly fulfilled , what john had in vision , and by voice ? and whether are there any beginnings of this in our day and time ? at least whether christ's calls and counsels from his father by his spirit in that word of the three first chapters of that book , be not more especially and particularly to those gathered separate churches , who have someways withdrawn from the corruptions of the romish way , more thorowly to reform and to refine , and to be at perfecting work ; as that which must lead the way to the bringing about of all the rest , which doth follow after ? q. what and how doth the lord christ in the way of his present providential acting , reveal of the pattern and platform of his new spiritual house of the latter day-glory , and of the laws and orders of that house ? and , how is he now with his golden measuring reed and rod and line in his hand , to try whether particular churches , and disciples of his , do square well and exactly to his word-rule ? and how would he have such societies to be rightly constituted , gathered , admitted , disciplin'd , and orderly walking in all things , that such churches may be able to evidence to all the world , that they are the true , owned , and approved churches of christ ? q. how is christ at work under this providence , to bring every institution and ordinance of his unto its scripture purity and perfection , that they may be felt and enjoyed more in the lively efficacy and saving power of them ? q. how is christ at work in this day , to frame his churches and people to be more of one heart and mind , and lip and way , in the truths and things of god , and to set them righter in the way of sisterly association , of such purer churches ? and how may a believer see full home to this , thorow so much as is quite contrary unto it , namely , the heresies , errours , schisms , divisions , apostasies , scandals , of the present age ? q. whether is not christ manifestly at refining perfecting work under this providence ? in regard that he doth ingage some of his servants in the same work , according to the word , as their generation work , to be purging out whatsoever is corrupt , and to be bringing in whatsoever is pure , that is yet defective , in principles or practice , among the churches , more particularly , to be perfecting those six principles spoken of in the two first verses of the sixth chapter of the epistle to the hebrews ? and whether this work have not been too much hindred by some of note , and of name , in their expressing and interpreting of perfecting , perfect , perfection , by sincere and sincerity , whereas sincerity is but one work of one of the ten words ? q. how would christ under this providence , have nations , cities , parishes , villages , families , and persons , to be modelled as to the rule of governing ? concerning duties and priviledges . q. how may a believer now , have every duty and priviledge to grow up into the spirituality and heavenliness of the duties and priviledges of the latter-day glory ? q. how may a believer improve some special passage or other in that prayer of christ recorded in the seventeenth chapter of john , in order to the attaining and promoting of the ends of every duty ? q. how should a duty be well filled up ? q. how should bills or papers of cases be wisely and edifyingly managed that are brought into our congregations ? and what is there in the old testament of bringing suitable sacrifices to the priest , according to particular cases , which may give light to this matter ? that it may be spiritually managed , under this new dispensation of grace ? q. whether may and must a believer , pray , rejoyce , and give thanks , not only in all cases , in all places , amongst all persons , but also at all times , and not only this , in state and in frame , but in acting also ? and if so , how is this attainable , practicable , and improveable ? so to meditate upon jehovah's word all the day ? how is this , with such like expressions concerning other duties , reconcilable with the finite spirit of man , who seems unto many to be able to do but one work at one time ? or , has man a capacity of doing several things at once ? and if so , how may this be proved , and improved ? whilst the spirit may enquire , the soul may desire , the body may act and work , at the same instant ? q. how is the truth in jesus ? and how should a believer so learn the truth as it is in jesus ? q. what are the gradual differences in the matters of duties and of priviledges , between the several ages of saints ? some being little children , and others young men , some others old fathers , in christ and in grace ? q. what is the proper season of every duty ? and how may we discern and improve it ? q. whether , is not scripture prophecying in a publick congregation , still a duty ? and if so , by whom ? and what are the laws and rules by which it is to be carried on in preaching , in praying , in singing , and in other holy services . q. how may tzijons blessings and priviledges , joys and comforts , peace and purity , be antedated by a believer , so as actually to injoy them before they are fulfilled ? q. how may a believer improve mystical membership ; with respect . to christ as the head ? to blessed angels ? to the spirits of just men perfectly sanctified ? to sound believers , and excelling saints , that now are , and that shall hereafter be , as the fellow-members ? concerning other practical experimental christanity ? q. how may a believer know distinctly , when it is , that it is his spirit , or his soul , or his body , which doth long after jeho●ah aelohim ? and of what use would this knowledge be ? and how may a believer speak distinctly , and severally to his spirit , to his soul , to his body ? and which way is this improveable ? q. how may convictions be kept alive , and improved ? q. how may christ in his life , suffering , death , resurrection and ascension , and in all his offices , as also his word , in the whole of it , and in all its parts , commanding , prohibiting , prophesying , promising , threatning , and the rest of it ; how may these he used and improved , for the more through mortification of corruptions , in all their secret , deceitful , ●lie motions ? for the more triumphing , overcoming of temptations in all their methods , and devices , and assaults ? q. how may a believer carry pure religion and practical christianity through the whole of the conversation in the particular , as well as the general calling ? and how may all the acts of our particular functions be performed as acts of worship , in obedience to a command , in faith on a promise , so as to expect and to have assistance , acceptance , and a blessing ? q. what is a night-religion ? and how may that be improved , in the void spaces of the night ? and even in dreams ? q. what is the right method of governing the thoughts , of ruling the tongue , and of ordering the actions ? q. how may a believer make inward spiriritual meals , upon outward and common meats and drinks ? q. how should christian-visits be improved ? q. how should journeys and travels in the way be improved ? q. how should time be redeemed ? q. how may the christian religion be made easie , familiar , delightful and spiritually natural ? q. how are slanderous reproaches , persecutions , banishments , confiscations and other crosses , to be born , and improved , that when we suffer for christ , it may be a suffering with christ , and as christ suffered ? and how may we in all other things so walk as christ walked , and so be in this world , as he was in this world ? q. how may we both give full time to our worldly imployments , and necessary business , and yet spiritualize it too ? q. how may we get cut of deep-plunging distresses of spirit ? q. how are we to treat our selves , and to converse with our selves , night and day ? and whether a translating of hebrew verbs of the self reflexive conjugation , would not promote these self re●lecting meditations and acts ? q. what are the rules and laws of writing , especially in matter of controversie ? q. what may be the cause or causes of so much darkness and deadness , doubting and distress , and of the holy spirits with-holding and withdrawing , in professors of religion , generally in this day , that when they are discovered , they may be removed ? q. how may we know , when we have audience and acceptance in the court of heaven ? and when a receit of mercy is in answer to prayer ? q. what is the art of holy silence , in its proper seasons ? and how may it be improved ? q. how may man's working out his own salvation , and god's in working of it , be reconciled and improved ? q. how may spiritual objects be made as evident to spiritual senses , as outward objects are to outward senses ? and how should these spiritual senses be exercised ? and how should spiritual truths and things be made real , and future ones present ? q. what is the inner part of experimental christianity ? and how may a believer be led into it , and abide there ? q. whether is there not something in the cases of an experienced believer , which doth more or less directly answer to all the cases all the world over ? and if so , how may this be improved ? q. how may a believer rightly distinguish , and wisely difference between the motions of the holy spirit , the impulse of his own spirit , and the suggestions of the evil spirit ? q. what is the right method of mutual espousing and covenanting , between christ and the believer ? q. what is the holy art , and the skill of believers through submission to , and contentful acquiescence in , the soveraign will of our lord , when the believer is much oppressed by a body of death , and by indwelling sin , and is held somewhat short , under greatly inlarged desires , and very importunate endeavours after abounding measures of excelling graces , and after eminent serviceableness and after the glorious liberty of the sons of god ? q. whether that wisdom , righteousness and sanctification , which the lord jesus christ is made of god unto believers , be not specially specifick , and of a distinct kind , from that which was concreated with and in the first adam , and from what is but the common work of the spirit of grace now ? and how may this be improved ? concerning saving-grace , and the sound evidences thereof . q. how may it be yet further cleared and proved , that saving and sanctifying grace in believing christians , doth specifically differ from the common vertues of the civilized heathen ? and how is this to be improved ? q. what is the spiritual science of putting of saving graces upon contributing of mutual help to each other ? and how doth this call for all diligence , to be brought over unto it ? and what is the distinct office , and the proper work , of every such grace in a believer ? what is the manner of their influence upon each other ? what their order , goverment and discipline ? q. how should graces wisely and suitably act towards christ ? and towards the word of christ ? q. whether is it not enough for the clear sound evidencing of an holy state , of saving and of sanctifying grace , that we love nothing in preference , in predominancy before christ , or in equality with christ , unless also we love not any creature at all inordinately , though inferiourly , as to any the least competition with christ ? so that there must be a loving of the lord with our whole mind , our whole soul , our whole heart , our whole strength , and so too , that he may not only have all our love , our loves , but we must also hate whatsoever else it be , that would take off or hinder our through discipleship to christ ? q. whether to chuse god alone for our god above all ; and to chuse christ for our only lord and saviour , which are very great , and largely comprehensive truths , duties and acts , have all other evidences of grace , resolved only into them , seeing that they both are properly but a part of one , even the first of the ten words ? q. whether is there any other general comprehensive sound , satisfying evidence of grace , but only an universal holy growing conformity in knowledge and obedience in all things , for more continuedness , to an whole christ , and to the whole vvord of christ ? q. vvhen is grace in its exaltation and triumph ? and how should a believer get it up to this high pitch , and there keep it , use it , and advance it ? q. how may and ought a believer still , to grow up into grace here , as the glorified saints are above ; who are perfected into grace ? and will there be every grace in heaven someways acted and exercised ? and what is that obedience ; which will be to every one of the ten words in heaven ? concerning heaven and its glory . q. how may a believer on earth , converse in his spirit in heaven with the glorious inhabitants there , as if he were actually there ? q. how may a believer be in a continued readiness , and preparedness for death , and for judgement , and for the coming of christ ? and how is he , as to his spirit and soul , to be directed in his passage into the other world , after that these do depart from out of the body ? q. how hath a believer eternal life now in this life , actually in possession ? and how may he , and ought he to improve this ? q. how may a believer through grace and mercy , so work up his spirit , soul and body here , into that transformation unto more of an holy healthful likeness of the spirit and soul of glorified ones , and as the body will be at the last resurrection , and as the spirit , soul and body of christ is ? q. how may the purer churches of christ on earth , walk in that order here , as the glorious church in heaven doth ? q. how may a sabbath be so kept on earth , as the sabbatism is in heaven . concerning such scripture-principles , which if admitted and improved , might have a direct tendency towards the healing and uniting of the broken and divided churches and people of god. q. vvhether lord jesus christ be not one and the same , and the only head of peace and of purity ? q. whether the holy scriptures of truth be not one and the same , and the only rule of peace and of purity ? q. whether the christian religion for sum and for substance , be not one and the same , both under the old and new testament administrations of grace , the difference only in the manner of dispensing , being duly observed ? q. whether should not the whole scripture be brought as profitable , for doctrine , for convincing reproof , for correction , for instruction ? q. whether the law of the ten words be not a standing unalterable rule of faith , worship and life , commanding all good , forbidding all evil , under the several dispensations of grace ? q. whether the analogy of faith , under the new testament must not have somewhat proportionably answering to it out of the old ? and must not all and every of the types , under the old , pass into the anti-types in the new ? q. whether perfecting work be to be asserted , promoted and practised , especially as to those six principles , heb. . , ? and particularly , as to the perfecting of baptism in grown believers ? q. whether the purer churches of the later days should conform to the prophetical pattern shewn to ezekiel , and to christs directory , in his epistles sent to the seven churches of asia , revealed to john , as that which will make way for the fulfilling of other prophesies and promises ? q. whether christ always had , now have , and still will have a church and people somewhere or other in this world on earth ? q. whether there be not different ages , degrees , forms , sizes , in the same state of saving knowledge , sanctifying grace , and holy experience ? and whether therefore those , who are in this holy state , must not be received , though they be not as yet come up to the height of others ? q. whether it be enough , barely to be a true church ? or should we not work up to be such a church , as prophetical scriptures relating to the purer times of the late days do call for ? q. whether church-cases ( as to officers , and such like ) in a time of necessity , when better provision could not be made nor had , should still be pleaded for , and born with , when there is no such necessity ? q. what are these evils and corruptions , more especially to be watched against , mortified and disciplined , which are the make●bates amongst churches ? and what are those holy frames and duties , which would make much for the peace of churches ? q. how may we so look upon all the late , and the present church-divisions in the glass of scripture , as to discern spiritually how through the lord's wise gracious over-ruling , they shall issue into the churches growing purity and peace ? q. whether the epistles to the churches in the new testament , do not contain in them peculiar matter , wherein they are more especially concerned as churches , and not only as particular professing believers and saints ? q. what is severally meant by the word , law , and what doth relate thereunto , in the several passages of paul's epistles , where that subject matter is treated of ? q. whether there be not some passages in paul's epistles , wherein he takes upon him the person of an objector ? and if so , what are those particular passages ? and when and where is it in the context of those places , that he speaks as an answerer and asserter ? q. whether an exact literal version of the holy scriptures , from their original language into the several mother-tongues , word for word without any additions or substractions of men , would not through the lord's blessing of it , carry an healing uniting vertue , and efficacy along with it ? q. whom and what should churches , church-officers , and church members , bear with , and whom , and what should they not bear with , according to the rules , laws , orders and discipline of christ's new spiritual house ? q. in what a large sense is christ the head of every man ? and in what a special the head of the church ? q. whether are not spaces of duration to be warily and wisely distinguished and divided ? and how so ? as what jehovah's foreknowledge and prede●erminations were in and with himself , relating to his creatures ? when the fathers transactions were with his son concerning his sons great undertakings in the mediatoral office ? when and where , and in what order these great mysteries were revealed in the word to angels and men ? how all this is brought forth in time , impressed on hearts , and manifested by other works of aleohim ? q. whether if the same action be done , though upon different principles , yet should not the peace of a church or churches be so far preserved ? or whether in order to church peace , is it not necessary to indeavour a nearer agreement in principles by those who coalesce in associated church-societies ? and whether should not principles be regulated by scriptures , and not scriptures interpreted by principles ? q. vvhether should there not be some peaceable meetings by agreement of messengers , from the several divided churches to debate how far they can walk together in a brotherly association , and help one another by their mutual advice and counsel in particular cases , without usurping of jurisdiction one over another ? q. vvhether should not the churches of christ more especially keep close unto scripture names of persons , and of things ? q. vvhether should not that due order of superiority , and of subjection , which the lord hath established in his word , be more and better observed ? q. vvhether should not the proper place of the several links in the golden chain of love to god , to our selves , and to our neighbour , be duly and diligently eyed for the stating and determining of practical cases . finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a prov. . . & . , &c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cor. . , . luk. . . & . . b prov. . . jam. . . john . . c esai . . , . & . . . cor. . , . john . . isai . . . eph. . , . d coloss . . . e prov. , , , , , . f isai . . . compared with matth. . . g john . ● . h john . . i psal . . . revel . . . k coloss . . . l cor. . , , , , , , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . m cor . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n john . . o coloss . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . q tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ſ pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . t ephes . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . u ephes . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . w cor. . . x heb. . . y mar. . . z rom. . , . a prov. . , . b joh . , , , chapters . c coloss . . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . d cor. . , , , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . d mat. . , e job . . f prov. . . . g esai . . — : eccles . . , , . h dan. . . es●● . . . habak . ● . . jer. ● . . heb. . . i mat. . . mar. . — . dan. . . l tim. . . m jude . john . . n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mar. . , , & . , , , , , , , . & . , . luke . . acts . . & , . & . . cor. . . o mat. . . &c. & . . mar. . , &c. luke . . & . . acts . , &c. & . , &c. p ● tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . q acts . , . & . , . & . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ſ john . , . cor. . . & . — . cor. . , . acts . . john . . acts . — , . t tim , . . cor. . . u john . . esai . . . cor. . . w gen. . — , . & . , , — ● — , , . x prov. . — . * pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . y tim. , , , . z tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a phil. . , , . mat. . — — . b esai . . — . c tim. . . & . . tim. . . tit. . . pet. . . d jerem. . . e prov. . . matt. . , , — . f cor. . , ● . . . philip. . . g cor. . . esai . . . notes for div a -e * compare matt. . . with luke . . jude . h psal . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i tim. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . k coloss . . . l ezra . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m levit. . — — — . numb : . — . joel . . & . . lament . . . levit. . , . psal . . . n josh . , , , , , , , , , chapters . o levit. . — . tim. . . p exod. . — . chron. . . q exod. . — . r deut. . — . ezek. . . ſ levit. & . chapters . coloss . . . t numb . . . exod. . . u eccles . . . & . , , . king. . . w chron. . , . chron. . — . x chron. , , , . ezra . . . & . , . nehem. . — . chron. . . y chron. . . chron. . . & . . & , . & . . & . . & . . & . , . z levit. . — . & . — . a chron. . . b numb . . . c numb . & . chapters . d deut . , , , &c. e chron. . throughout . f tit. . . , . acts . . & . . & . , , , &c. g heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b psal . . . i psal . . . k gen. . . l isal . . — . m heb. ● . . n deaut . . . o deut. . . isai . . . p psal . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jer. . . isai . . . q cor. . , , , . r ephes . . , . ſ john . ● — ● — , . & . — . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . t r john . . mat. . , . & . . u john . . tim. . . w heb. . . compare with this the first chapter , where christ's being god is fully proved , and clearly demonstrated , rom. . , . x coloss . . ● , ● . y rom. . . z esai . . . & . . mat. . . a jer. . , . b acts . , . cor. . c job . . psal . . . prov. . . & . . d dan. . . job . prov. . . & . . john . . e psal . . . f psal . . . g eccles. . , . h eccles. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretationem verbi . notes for div a -e i gen. . throughout , & . , . . k king. . — . & . — , compared prov. . . r luk. . — . ſ zechar. . , . esai . , . t king. . . & . , . chron. . . & . . ezra . . . ●er . . . & . mat. . . mar. . . chron. . . exod. . . & . . chron. . . ●sai . . . job . . . zechar. . . esai . . . & . . & . . king. . , . jer. . & . . exod. ● . , . & . , . sam. . . chron. . . & . . chron . . king. . . chron. . . king. ● chron. . . ezra . . . ne● . . . u cor. . . w 〈…〉 willing , if he understand the auther , may read ! villampan●lus , about the measurements of this temple , and of the uniformness , and exactness of it ▪ in the whole , and in all the parts of it , where much of the manual mysterie of the fabril-art is opened and dis●overed , and made practical . x job . . & . . . ephes . . . y gal. . . phil. . . cor. . . esai . . , . job . . z rev. . . & . . deut. . . neh. . . a isai . . . b zechar. . . & . , , . c jer. ● . . ezek. . . d ●sai . . , . & . . ezek. . . jer. . . psal . . . king. . . job . . lament . . . zechar. . . isai . . . e zechar. . . esai . . . amos . , . king. . . ●sai . . . f ezek . , , , . & . . & . . & . . rev. . . & . , . g esai . . . king. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instrumenta , quibus faber decorticat superficiem ligni , asciae , dolabrae , a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hiphil , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rasit , abrasit , incidit , decorticavit . h king. . . ( jerem. . . ) deut. . . & . . king , . esai . . . judg. . . king. . , . psal . . . sam. . . chron. . . i mat. . . luke . . k judg. . . l prov. . . & . . judg. . . ● . . . psal . . . jerem. . . isai . . . jerem. . . isai . . . jerem. . . & . . & . . m chron. . . isai . . , , , chron. . . psal . . . john . . revel . . . eccles . . . zechar. . . esai . . ezra . . . exod. . . numb . . judg. . , . & . . esai . . . ezek. . , . n isai . . , , . & . . & . . o king. . . chron. . . ezra . . . sam. . . king. . , . chron. . . p amos. . , . heb. . , . cor. . , . q esai . . . king. . . & . . chron. . . sam. . . r prov. . . mat . ● . luke , , . eccles . . . ſ gal. . . t luke . , . . u king. . . king. . . & . . . chron. . . w king. . , . , . king. . , . chron. . . jer. . , . psal . ● . . job . . song . . . exod. . , , , , , &c. tim. . . x exod. . , , , , . & . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fabre-factio , seu exaratio , lignorum , ars mechanica in elaborando lignum ( sicut & in alia materia ) a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aravit , exaravit . y king. . , . . king. , habak . . . ● king. . . & . nehem. . . & . , . psal . . . song . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 occurrit , and another word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ezek. . . z chron. . . a king. . , . hag. . . b gen. . ● jerem. . . mat. . . luke . . * gen. . . mar. . . & . . d ezek. . . e esai . , . job . . . f king. . . notes for div a -e g gen. . and . chapters , collated with other scriptures relating to this subject matter . h gen. . . notes for div a -e i sam . . k eceles . . ●● . notes for div a -e l psal . . psal . . psal . ● . psal . . psal . . psal . ● . m ge● . ● . . . n jer. . . job ● . ● . 〈◊〉 . ● . . o luke . — . p job . . q mat. . — . r prov. . — . ſ john . . t hos . . . u psal . . . mat. . — . & . . & . ● , &c. & . . mar. . , , , . & . . & . , . & & . . luke . . & . . & . , , . & . , . & . . & . . & . , &c. & . , . & . , &c. & . , . & . . psal . . . sam. . , , &c. w cor. . , . x compare gen. . — . with isai . . , . & jer. . — . & . — . psal . . — . gen. . . psal . . . isai . . . y job , , , , chapters , and the beginning of the chapt. z rom. . , . & . , , . jer. . ● — . exod. . , . heb. . , . act. . , &c. & . , , . a jam. . , , . b pet. . , , . notes for div a -e c gen. . throughout , & ch. . , , . d gen. . , . e gen. . . & . — . & . . jer. . — . & . — . esai . . f john . . john . . rom. . . g jam. . . h dan. . . see the marginal rendering in the english translation . i gen. . k john . . psal . . . psal . . . l mat. . . mar. . , . m chron. . . cor. . . 〈◊〉 galat. . . jam. . . pet. . . & . . rom. . ● , , , . tim. . . john . . n prov. s. — . & . , , . o heb. . . rom. . , , . rev. . . & . . p heb. . . cor. . , . job . . john . , . . luke ▪ . john . , . lev. . . q luke . , — . r deut. . . & . . exod. . . deut. . . & . — josh . — . prov. . — . rom. . . ( cor. . . ) mat. . , , . notes for div a -e ſ colos . . , , . cor. . . cor. . , . . cor . . . esai . . . jam. . — . acts . , &c. rom. . . tim. , ● , , , . t jam. . — . cor. . . u tim. . , , . w act. . . &c. x cor. . . y cor. . . . & . , . & . . z tim. . . tim. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a acts. . , . b higgaioun , in chaldee doth so signifie , and amongst the rabbines . c tim. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . d tim. . , . e tim. . , . f dan. . . ma● . . . john. . . g tim. . . prov. . throughout luke . . cor. . — . cor. . . h gen. . . psal . . . jer. . , , . isai . . . and in other places . i song . , . john . . k nullius in verba . l deut. . . m coloss . . . n rom. . . & . . & . . & . . cor. . . o eccles. . , , . job . — . psal . . — . prov. . , . notes for div a -e p tim. . . gen. . — . eccles . . . q coloss . . , , . r rev. . . jam. . . ſ deut. . . & . . psal . . . jo● . . . t . cor. . — . & . — . u psal . . . & . . & . . prov. . , . sam. . . psal . . . w prov. . , . tim. . , . x cor. . . y act. . . dan. . , . & . , , , , , , , . & . , . & . , , . obad. . act. . , &c. act. . . job . . isai . . . jer. . , . & . . cor. . , , . & . , . gen. . . sam. . . isai . . . jerem. . , . cor. . . job . . exod. . . isai . . . & . , . jer. . . & . . & . . ezek. . , . isai . . . jerem. . . & . . cor. . , , . . & . . . z coloss . l. , ● , , . a rom. . . tim. . . notes for div a -e b gen. . throughout , & ch . . vers . , , . c mat. . . king. . . luke . . chron. . . d neh. . , , . dan. . . . mal. . . luke . , . act. . . rev. . . psal . . . e luke . — . f act. . — . exod. . & chapters . heb. . — . numb . ● . , . & heb. . — . john. . . deut. . . & . . g exod . & . chapters . h chron. . . i john . , . k luke . , , . mar. . , . mat. . . l mar. . . mat. . . compared . mat. . . & mar. . . compared . m chron. . , , . & . . & . . n mat. . — . o mat. . . p gen. . throughout & ch . . , , . q exod. . — . deut. . — . nehem. . — . prov. . . r eccles . . . peshar . dan. , , , . & . . ſ gen. . . t gen. . , . notes for div a -e u gen. . . & . . w pet. . . isai . . , . & . , , , . & . , , , , . & . , , , , , , , , , . & . — . rev. . , . x eph. . , . y josh . . , , . z song . . . a exod. . . b psal . . . c deut. . . d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal . . . & . . exod. . . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h revel . . . exod. . . i mal. . . k psal . . . john. . . act. . . l prov. . . m cor. . . exod. . , &c. n psal . , . ephes . . . rom. . . o genes . . . p genes . . . q jahu , in fi●e : as ●irmejahu , jeremiah . in principio verò j●●u . * chron. . . r psal . , . & . . ſ gen. . . exod. . . judges . . t exod. . ● . & , ● . u exod. . . w jod shevated doth p●int out the future , cholem , the present , and he quiescent in cametz , the past . havah , hovah , and jihejah . x compare deut. . , , , , , , , , , . with josh . . , , . . y mal. . , , & . , . & . . z sam. . , . a exod. . , , 〈◊〉 & ● , . zech. . , . b isal . . , , , , , . psal . . . b isai . . ● hab. . . jer. . . d isai . . , . & . . e isai . . . hos . . . f psal . . . g deut. . . zach. . . & . . h psal . . . i psal . . , , , , . act. . — . act. . . heb. . . & . . k psal . . , , . l matth. . — . act. . , . m heb. . . n psal . . , . john . , . o isai . . . john . , . p psal . . , , . rev. . . & . . q psal . . , , , , . heb. . , , , , . r numb . . , , . psal . , , , , . heb. . , , . isai . . , , , , . neh. . . ſ psal . . , , . isai . . — . t levit. . , , . cor. . . cor. . . & . . u luke . , , . sam. . . . pet. . . cor. . , . w isa . . . mat. . . mar. . ● . luk. . . john . ● . x isai . . , , , , , . john . , , , . isai . . john . . psal . . . y isai . . . deut. . . phil. . , . z numb . . , , . exod. . . cor. . , . a exod. . , . numb . . . deut. . . psal . . . cor. . , . neh. . . exod. . . . isai . . . b psa . . . heb. . . c psal . . , , , , , . heb. . . , , , . d isai . . . & . . & . . rev. . , . & . . & . . e jer. . . & . . cor. . . cor. . , . f deut. . . mark . , , . g deut. . . psal . . . cor. . . k gen. . , . iob. . ▪ psal . . . isa . , . & . . & . , . & . . & . . cor. . . eph. . . heb. . , . rev. . . & . , . deut. . . & . . & . . i isai . . , . & . , ● , . cor. , , , , . eph. . , . k . john. . . l sam. . . m sam. . . & . . n king. . . o king. . . p isai . . , . q neh. . , . r gal. . . ſ isai . . , . & . . t isai . . , , . u hos . . . w zach. . . x tim. . . heb. . . & . . & . . y jude , vers . . z jam. . . isai . . . a gal. . , . b tim. . . & . . c isai . . . & . . mat. . . act. . . d cor. . , , , . e coloss . . , , . f ephes . . , , , , . g heb. . , , . & . , , . h coloss . . . i coloss . . . heb. . . k cor. . , . l gen. . . m psal . . . act. . . n gen. . , , 〈◊〉 . hos . . , , . o isai . . . & . . & . , . mat. . . p zehar . . . q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 king. . . psal . . . r exod. . , , . s heb. . . & . . & . . & . , , & . . & . . & . . t zechar. . — . u mal. . . w gen. . . & . . & . . act. . . gal. . , . x heb. . . y jer. . . z tim. . . a lev. . throughout , heb. . , , , & . — . & . , , . & . . b heb. . . & , . & . , , . , , , , . c joh. . , . heb. . . & . . dan. . . d ephes . . , . e mat. . . f rev. . . & . . psal . . ● . g cor. . ● . h esai . . , . i ezek. . , , , , . k rev. . — . l dan. . — . m jet . . , . n mica . . . mat. . , , . o zach. . , . p luke . — . q act. . . & . . r psal . . & . . & . . & . , . mat. . . & . , . john , ſ deut. . . & . . mat. . . sam. . . t mat. . , , . u cor. . . eph. . . tim. . . ephes . . — . & . . coloss . . . & . . w heb. . . x jude . y isai . . . & . . z psal . . , , & . . & . , . & . . & . . & . . & . . isai . . . psal . . , . b psal . . , , , . ephes. . , , . c exod. . — acts . — . d isai . . . exod. . , . & . . neh. . , , . e john . . f heb. . . . joh. . . & . . dan. . . hag. . — . g compare sam. . . with chron. . . dan. . . h john. . . rom. . , . i mat. , , . mar. . , . luk. . , , , . k jam. . . & v. . hos . . . l isai . . . heb. . . m deut. . . & . , , , . n deut. . . — . o jos . . , , , . p exod. . . act. . . heb. . . exod. . , , , , , , , , . heb. . , . q chron. . , , . ch. . . r tit. . . ſ psal . . , , , . t act. . — . heb. . . u psal . . . w john. , , . & . . x psal . . . act. . . tim. , . joh. . , . psal . . . rev. . . y act. . . z psal . . , . john. . . a prov. . , , , , , , , . b isai . . john . . isai . . . heb. . , , . mal. . . mat. . . psal . . . john. . , . c prov. . , . d gen. . . & . . e chron. . . f neh. . . g jer. . , , . h zach. . . i mar. . ● . k act. . . & . . l isai . . , . m act. . — . n cor. . . o psal . . , . & . . gen. . . job . . & . . p isal . . , . q isai . . , . & . , , , & . . . rev. . , , . r heb. . , , . psal . . . ſ john . , , , . psal . . . t eph. . . cor. . . coloss . . — . u rev. . . & . . isai . . . & . . john . . & . . gen. . , , . exod. . — . rev. . , . w gen. . . x psal . . . y psal . . , . heb. . , . z gen. . . i●●i . . , , . sam. . , . cor. . , . lev. . , . exod. . . & . , . cor. . , . cor. ● . . a eccles . . . job . . . & . . isai . . . psal . . , . b psal . . . c gen. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word the arabian jews are said to retain in their translations . gen. . . d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an head. hutterus in bis hebrew on john . . doth retain the s●me word . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f heb. . . ● , in hutt●●● , hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek . per quem , in the latin. per in italian . por in spanish . by in english . g prov. . . psal . . . h colos . . . so , in greek , latin , english , italian , spanish , french , in , in hebrew and syriack . i eph. . . so , in greek , latin , english , italian , spanish , french , in , in hebrew and syriack . k john . . so , in greek . latin , english , italian . spanish , french , in , in hebrew and syriack . so ver . . of the samech , heb. . . l gen. . . & . . col. . . eph. . , , . m col. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two in one ver . n cor. . . so the greek . latin , english , italian , spanish , french , in , in hebrew and syriack . o prov. . , . . p nehem. . . ex. . . deut. . . & . , . levit. . . & . . jer. . . q cor. . , . the arabian jews do retain beveashith . r eph. . , & . . ſ compare gen. . . with ch . . . ps . . , . & . , . & . . & , , , , ● isa . . , . & . , . & . , . & . . & . . & . . mal. . , , , , , ; , , . & . ▪ . t dan. . . luk. . . job . . . ▪ isa . . 〈◊〉 job ▪ . psal . . . 〈◊〉 ▪ ▪ prov. 〈◊〉 joel . . iob . . amos . . v psal . , . & . rev. ● . , ● . w dan. . . mat. 〈…〉 x 〈…〉 y 〈…〉 . , , . with , chap. . . z dan. . . 〈…〉 . a sam. . . . kings . . ● , . b 〈…〉 c 〈…〉 d 〈…〉 e 〈…〉 〈…〉 f cor. . — . john . . phil. . — . g prov. . , , . and in many other places . h prov. . , . i prov. . , . . & chap. . , , . k prov. . , l cor. . . m prov. . , . n eph. . . o prov. . , . p vers . . q vers . . r vers . . s vers . . . t vers . . u ver . . . w ver . . &c. x ver . . y prov. . . z prov. . . a vers . , . b vers . . e vers . . d vers . . e king . . — . . chron. . , . f prov. . g vers . . h vers . . i vers . . k prov. . . . l vers . . m prov. . . lakach . n vers . . o vers . , . p prov. . . & . . q prov. . , . r vers . . ſ vers . , . t vers . . u vers . , , , , . w prov. ● . , , , ● . x prov. . , , , . y pet. . . z psal . . . & . , . a prov. . , , , . b mat. . , . c prov. . , , , , . d vers . , , . e vers . , . f vers . , , . g vers . , , , , , , ● , , . h vers . . am●● i so amun is taken , jer. . . & . . neh. . . song . . . k prov. . , , , , , . l prov. . . m vers . . n vers . . o vers . . . p vers . . q vers . . r compare prov. . — . with ch . — . ſ prov. . , ● . t prov. . — . u mah. interrogatively . w compare prov. . vers . . & . notes for div a -e x gen. . . a. y 〈…〉 z sam. . . isa . . . & . . & . . a deut. . . b gen. . . c psal . . , . compared with the title . ps . . . d gen. . . hajitha . e hajitha . this is one property of hebrew speech , that often a word , which is before expressed , is in the latter branches omitted for brevity and for other reasons . f the skilful in the language know this to be common in the original words & phrases . g isa . . . h luke . . i compare isa . . . with jer. . . hence the antient hebrews call tohu line● nihil signans , & bohu , perpendiculum rude ad quod non p●test 〈…〉 . k gen. . . isa . . . jer. . . l job . . m eph. . , , . heb. . . n gnesjoun . psal . . , , , . luke . . o jer. . . job . . . p isa . — . especially , , . verses . q ●ob . , . ezek . . , . , r ps . , . s ps . . , . t tim. . . u ps . . , . exo. . . ps . . . job . , . ps . . . w job . . , . luke . , . tachtij●h ps . . . ezek. . . . rev. . , . & . . & . . & . , . ps . ● . . & . , . hence that phrase of going down into the watet , and into the sea. acts . . psal . . . esai . . . x some scriptures i know are commonly brought a● if it did set out the grave , but after much seeking to god and searching into his word about this deep secret , i judg that the translaters have not rightly rendred sheol the grave , nor the commentators done well in so interpreting of it . however i leave it to the further consideration of the enquiring in elligent reader . y psal . . . & ● ▪ . pet. . . psal . . , . & . . . z isai . . . zach. . . king. . . isai . . . lam. . . zach. . . amos . , . zach. . . the words are , anac . mishkoloth , mishkeleth , bedil . consider job● ● . . which speaks of a ruling line that was stretched over this earth , that inclined downward : a measuring thred or rule , a straight perpendicular plumb-line , to which maso●●s and c●●penters have an eye ; a square-rule . a prov. . . pet. . . isai . . , . & . . job . . , prov. . . job . . psal . . . gen. . . & . . luk. . , , . sam. . . psal , . , . & . . & . , . ezek. . , . b ezek. . . psal . . . lam. . . psal . , . c sam. . . psal ▪ . . ● . . & . . hos . , . cor. . . mat. . . psal . . . & . . psal . . . d psal . . . it is twice express'd in the hebrew . e pet. . . mat. . . pet. . . jude . mat. . , , . & . . mar. . . , . mat , . . & . . & . . & . . prov. . . john . ● , ● , . f ephes . . , . & . . & . . heb. . . heb. . , . cor. . . psal . . . ephes . . , . how full are the scriptures in praises and commendations of this high , happy , holy place ! g gen. . , , . a. h gen. . , . isai . . i hajitha . k cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l gen. . . m ephes . . . isai . . . n gen. . . gna● . o tim. . . john . . , . p psal . . ● . psal . . . & . , , q exod. . , . r psal . . . s revel . . . isai . . , . t psal . . . isal . . . psal . . . isai . . , . job . . isai . . . amos . . & . . mat. . . job . , . john . . john . . isai . . . exod. . . job . , . deut. . . & . . sam. . . exod. . , . prov. . . cor. . . job . . mat. . . & . . & . . job . , . psal . . , , . eccles . . . & . . lam. . . gen. . , , . chashachim ; nesheph 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . u gen. . , , , , . psal . . . tim. . . job . , , . isai . . . cor. . . gen. . . job . , . & . , . psal . . . rev. . , . w isai . . . cor. . . x gen. . — . cor. . . y gen. . , , , , , . & . . jer. , . & . . . z mar. . . king. . . pampared with chron. . . a exod. . . & . . judg. . . sam. . . b psal . . . deut. . . c deut. . , . king. . . dan. . . psal . . . d ezek. . . e levit. , . ●●d . . . f isal . . . gen. . . g psal . . . h mar. . . deut. . , . lev. . , , , , , , , . & . . & . , , , , , , , , , , , , , & . . & . , . numb . . , , . , , . i . chron. . . k gen. . , , , , , . l psal . . , , . . m gen. . . n exod. . . . deut. . — . mat. . . o mat. . . mar. . . luk. . . john . , . act. . . cor. . . p tim. . . q d●● . , . guerebboker , cor. . , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , king. . . luk. . . r act. , . 〈◊〉 exod. . , . with numb . . . & & deu● . . s gen. . , , . t gen. , — . deut. . . mar. . . prov. . . u gen. , , , . w gen. . — . psal . . . mat. , . exod . . , . & . . act. . . job . . deu. . . x jer. , , & . , . y exod. . . lev. . . kin. . . z judg. . , . psal . . , . . a rev. . . gen. . . act. . . mat. . . mar. . . luk. . , . psal . . . act. . . & . exod. . , . & . . job . . b psal . . . & . . lev. . . psal . . . mat. . . luk. . psal . . . & . . c job . . . lam. . . d judg. . . job . . e exod. . . sam. . . luk. . . f mat. . . mar. . . g mar. . . mat. . . luke . , mat. . . exod. . . sam. . . h psal . . . judg. . . sam. . . isai . . . & . . i exod. . . & . ● . judg. . . king. . . gen. . . & . . & . . exod. . . k gen. . , . sam. . . jo● . last vers . deut. . . josh . . , , , mat. . . isai . . , . psal . . . gen. . . & . , , , . psal . . ● . sam. . . dan. . . l john. . . m mag. , 〈◊〉 mar. . . act. . . mat. . . & . . mar. . . luk. . . act. . , . john . , . mat. . . & . , , mar. . , . lake . . act. . . & . , . john . . mat. . , . luke . . n mar. . . o dan. . , . . & , ● . & . . neh. . . ezek. . . numb . . . exod. . , , , &c. numb . . , , . king . . chron. . . chron. . . & . . ezra . . , . numb . ● . . p chron. . . ezra . , psal . . , . kings . , . exod. . . q kings . . ezek . , , . psal . . . & . . & . . & . . & . & . , . jer. . . & . , . & . . & . & . . & . . & . , . r mat. . . mark . . luk. . & . . luke . . john . . acts . , . & . . compare , psal . , , , , , , . & . , . heb. . . ( for , this is spoken of christ ) ps . . , , . ( which is also applyed to him , mar. . , , , . compared with what goes before , luke . , . ) s ezek. . , . , . & . , , . & . . t psal . . . u psal . . . middath jamai . w gen. . . gen. . , . & . . deut. . . iob . . psal . . . prov. . . gen. . . hos . . . ps . . . prov. . . gen. . . exo. . . ezek. . . exod. . & . & . . gen. . . & . , . gen. . 〈◊〉 judg. . , . prov. . . exod. . . psal . . . gen. . . prov. . . chron. . . jer. . . ps . . . song . . isa . . . gen. . . sam. . . gen. . . judg. . . ps . . . gen. . . isa . . . exo. . . ezra . . isa . . , . nehem. . . x isa . . . . y gen. . . job . . z eccles . . , , , , , , , , , . & . . dan. . . josh . . . gen. . . & . . zach. . a sam. . . psal . . . sam. . . lev. . . lam. . . b ps . . . exod. . . isa . . . ps . . . & . . jer. . , . isa . . . lam. . . job . . & . . jer. . . job . . ps , . . numb . . . lam. . . ezra . . isa . . . & . . job . . `sa . . ezek. . . & . . cor. . . luke . . job . . . & . . ps . . . prov. . . isa . . . & . . & . . john . . gal. . . thes . . . numb . . . psal . . . & . . & . . jer. , . exod. . . rev. . , , . ezra . . cor. . ● . regang . c dan. . . & . . . & . . & . . shagnah . d kings . , . isa . . . dan. . . e gen. . , , , , , . & . , , . f dan. . . ezek . . . exo. . deut. . , , . chr. . . numb . . . lev. . , . dan. . . gen. . , . levit. . . dan. . , , . gen. . , . deut . . dan. . , , . & . . . jer. . . lev. . , &c. g gen. . . h gen. . , . i gen. . . deu. . . num. . , . & . . & . . & . . lev. . . ezek. . , . amos . . numb . . . sam. . , , . ps . . . gen. . . zach. . . lev. . . isa . . . am . . . job . . gen. . . ezra . . amos . . num. . . exod . . job . . rev. . esth . . . chr. . — . k inquire , whether at the autumnal aequinou ? exod. . . & . . & . . l zach. . . job . . & . . psal . . . exod. . . job . . ezra . . dan. . . jer. . , . gen. . , . exod. . , . lev. . . deut. . . ezek. . . ezra . . exod. . . m gen. . . job . . ps . . . eccles . . lev. . gen. . exod. . . sam. . . chr. . . sam. . . n shanah . o deut. . . & . . & . . sam. . . & . . lev. . . isa . . . lev. . , . lev. . . gen. . . & . . exo. . . eccles . . . habak . . . ezek. . . malac. . . ps . . . gen. . . deut. . . job . . ps . . . isa . . . sam. . . gen. . . & . . ezek. . . exo. . . dan. . . ps . . . eccles . . . gen. . , . kings . . isa . . . kings . . ps . . . isa . . . eccles . . . lev. . . num. . . ezek. . . judg. . . jer. . . isa . . . exod. . . lev. . , , . job . . . lev. . & . . job . . gen. . . lev. . . ps . . . gen. . . & . . dan. . . lev. . . prov. . . eze. . . lev. . . . lev. . . lev. . . kin. . . kin. . . & . . p gen. . . pro. . . ps . . . zach. . . job . . isa . . . jer. . . amos . . zach. . . prov. . . ps . . . gen. . . song . . . q ps . . . is . . . zach. . . r song . . &c. s ps . . . isa . ● . . jer. . . amos . . t sam. . . isa . . . & . . prov. . , . sam. . . jer. . , . & . . micah . . zach. . . prov. . . & . . psal . . . amos . , . jer. . . prov. . . mat. . . ma●● . . luke . , . prov. . . dan. . . u dan. . . . w in hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shebuang . i. e. hebdomada quòd septem diebus constant , à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. septem ; in english , a sevennight is called a week . in belgick , or low dutch , it is weeke . in teutonick or high dutch , or the german tongue , it is woch , ab weke . in the saxon tongue , it is ucan . in spanish and portuguez it is semanc : in french , it is semaine , ou sepmaine . in iraliam , it is settimana . in latin , it is septimana , ae , à septem & mane , hebdomada , seu hebdomas , from the greek in which it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , septem quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . in british or welch , it is wythnos . x exod. . , . hos . . . zach. . . numb . . . josh . . . psal . . . y see mirsheus guide into t●agues , and the word day , & scaliger de emend . temp . p. , . of his psoleg . z deut. . . & . . jer. . . job . , . ezek. . . ki● . . , . jer. . . & . , , , . a see mirsheus guide into tongues , & vresteg . pag. . & . b see mirshe● on the words day , & verstegan in his restit . of decayed inteligence in antiquities , cap. ● c exod. . , . d vide martinii lex philolog . on the word calendae . e see martinus lex . in●ebraarius ●ebraarius . f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spum●● & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , venus , ex qua spuma maris orta creditnr ve●us . g gen. . , . , , , . & , , . h chron. . — . i exod. . . chron. . . gen. . . esther ● . . ezek. . . exod. . . lev. . , . k chron. . . gen. . . l chron. . . ezek. . . m chron. . . ezek. . . n chron. . . ezek. . . zach. . . . jer. . . o chron. . . ezek. . . p chron. . . gen. . . ze●h . . . exod. . , . & . . q chron. . . zech. . . r chron. . , hag. . , . ſ chron. . . ezek. . . & . ● . jer. . . t chron. . . u chron. . . esther . . & . . jer. . w rev. . . , ezek. . . notes for div a -e x gen. . — . y mat. . . mar . . . z cor. . . a amos . . ps . . . b jer. . . pro. . . c gen. . , . d james . . ps . . . acts . . deut. . . hos . . . lev. . . deut. . . kings . . chr. . . & . . luke . . rev. . . gen. . . & . . isa . mal. . . kin. . , . ps . . , . amos . . job . , . & . . job . . & . . sam. . . ps . . . job . . , . deut. . . job . . gen. . . job . . & . , . & . . and in many other places which i have elsewhere put together . e job ● . . psal . . . & . , , . ps . . . job . , . & . , . rev. . . gen. . , . judg. . . isa . . . f amo● . , . jer. . . job . . jer. . . g deut. . , , , . zach. . , . h isa . . , , . i heb. . , . k ps . . , . l ps . . , . m joel . , . ezek. . — . n mat. . . o ps . . . hos . . . p ps . . . q jer. . . r gen. . . & . s ezek. . . zech. . . t job . , , , , , , , , , . u job . . jer. . . deut. . . psal . . . amos . . w job . . tagnalah . x isa . . . jam. . . pet. . . acts . , , . y ps . . ● . gen. . . ps . . . ezek. . . deu. . . & . , . acts , . gen. . . lev. . . kings . . chr , . . & . . isa . . . luke . . jam. . . rev. . . z deut. . . ps . . isa . . ezek. . . mat . , . gen. . exod. . . sam. . . isa . . , . a deut. . . job . . b ps . . . job . . & . , , . job . . . notes for div a -e c gen. . , , . d psal . . , , . e gen. . , . f as those who make saturnum in latio , triptolemum in greciae , cererem in attica , isidem in sicilia , autorem se●et●s . g according to astrostrolgers : plantae sunt saturnin● . quercus , platanus , &c. joviales , laurus , crocus , &c. martiales , piper , zinzibe ; solares , olivae , cerasi , rosmarini , palmae ; mercuriales , petroselinum , avellanae : lunares , cucurbitae , cucumeres . h deut. . . psal . . . & . . zach. . job . , . heb. . . mat. . . luk. . . i sam. . . deut. . , , , , ● . & . . zach. . . lev. . . deut. . , , . job . , . psal , , , . isai . ● . . & . . & . . ezek. . , . mic. . . heb. . . jan. . , . job . . gen. . , . k mic. . . hag. . . king. . . sam. . . isai . . . prov. . . psal . . , . job . . . l deut. . ● . gen. . , . sam. . . psal . . . hag. . . heb. . . m gen. . . n gen. . . exod. . , : job . psal . . . deut . . jer. . . gen. . . exod. . , . king . . esai . . . jer. . . mat. . . luke . . psal . . . hag. . . prov. . . isai . . . lev. . . & . , . deut. . . & . . judg. . . chron. . . psal . . . & . . & . . & . . prov. . . jer. , . ezek. , . hag. , . zach. . . deut. . . prov. . . luk. . , , . o job . . isai . . p psal . . . q mat. . . r luk. . . mat. . . mar. . . & . . john . , . pet. . . rev. . . & . . ſ cor. . . prov. . . t gen. . , . & . . u gen. . . dan. . , . & . . w exod. . , . & . , , . psal . . . jer. . . isai . . . hag. . ● . deut. . . & . jer. . . amos . . hag. . . chron. ● . 〈◊〉 . rev. . . x prov. . ● . joel . . psal . . . heb. , . deut. . . zach. . . y ezek. . . rev. , . z gen. . . & . . job . ● . job ● . psal . . . dan. . , , . & . ● . numb . . ● . jer. . . isai . . . a mat. . . luk. . . b isai . . . c psal , . job . , psal . . d sam. . . jam. . ● . e king. . . isai . . . psal . . . & . , . jain . , . job . , , . f mat. . . luk. . . g cen. . , . . h deut . . i job . , . isai . . . . k exod. . . numb . . . job . . . l king. . . luk. . . gen. . , . & , . jer. . . . amos . . m eccles . . . king. . . & . . & jer. . . & . . king. . . esther . . & . , . joh. . . neh. . . n luk. . . mat. . . o prov. . . rom. . . p dan. . , , , , . q mat. . . mar. . . r king. . . isai . . . psal . . . ſ rev. . . joh. . , . isai . , . t isal . , , . song . , ● . psal . . & . . & . . prov. . . isal . . per. . . job , , . . u mar. . . mat. . . rev. . . isai . . . & . w rev. . . & . . x gen. . , , 〈◊〉 ● . cor. . , gen. , ● . y ● king. . . z yob . . a isai . , , . b psal . . . & . c isal . . . & , ● . & . ● . d chron. . ● . e song . ● . f isai . . . g ezek. ● . 〈◊〉 . h mat. , ● ● i eccles●● . ● . lev. . . isa● . . . k psal . , . ezek . , . & . . rev. . . jer. . . ezek. . , , , . & . , &c. l numb . . . psal . . . m isai . . . luk. . . n psal . . ● . isai . isai . . . o exod. . . sam . . chron. . . psal . . . & . , , . isai . . . & . . & . . jer. . . jer. . . & . . & . . & . . & . . & . . ezek. . , . & . . amos . . jer. . & . . p ezek. . , . hos . . ezek. . . . q psal . . , , . luk. . , . jer. . . mat. . . r rom. . . ſ jer. . . cor. . , , . t luk. . . u psal . . . & . w isai . . . kin. . . psal . . . king. . . isai . . . psal . . . x king. . . psal . . . dan. . , , . & . . job . . isai . . . & , . job . . , isai . . . y cor. . . psal . . . isal . ● . , psal . . , . & . . z amos . . a prov. . . b prov. . , . c gen. . . hos . . . d jarok ; from jarak . e jarakon king. . . deut. . . f gen. . . jarak is joyned to gneseb . prov. . . g jirkon . jer. . , , amos . . b jarken . i prov. . . k oruchoth . l ezek. . . rev. . . m job . . kings . . job ● . . prov. . . deut. . . lam. . . rev. . . jer. . n exod. . . numb . . . o ps . . . judg. . . . p kings . , , . q esa . . . & . . r jer. . . mal. ● . . job . . esa . . . s mic. . . t esa . . . ezek . . . u job . , . esai . . . & . , . w deut. . . jer. . . & . . lam. . , , . prov. . , rev. . . x gen. . . hos . . esa . . , . & . . & . . y job . , . prov. . . hos . . , . zeph. . . z jer. . . & . . a exod. . , . jer. . . esa . . . ezek. . . song . , . & . . john . , , . b numb . . . esa . . . c mat. . . luke . . d song . , . esa . . . e song . . & . . mat. . , , , , , . f jonah . ● . * some natural historiaus do treat much of this ; hoc in confesso est , sagirtas quibus confixi sunt , dictamno cervos extrahere ; hirundines vex●tis pullorum oculis chelidonia mederi , lapide tamen an herba dubitant . testudinem cunila vires contra serpentem restaurare : mustelam adversus mures rut● muniri , ut & contra serpentes . origanum ciconiae , apris hedera , marathrum anguium oculis medetur ; succo lactucae sylvestris nauseam vernam draco restinguit : elephas post devoratum chameleonem ex ●lcastro sibi medicinam parat ; venenis herba cinera cervos resistit ; palumbus , graculus , merula , perdices , lauri folio se purgant ; columbae , turtures ●elxine ; anates & anseres siderite , grues junco palustri : maculas faciei illae potissimum herbae ●bsterg●nt , quae maculis & ips●e sunt resperse , ut arum . persicaria , & ranunculus ; squamas vero dejiciunt morsus diaboli , alias succisa , scabio●a , & chamaeleon , utpote squamosae ; vulnera sanant omnia perforatae , ut hypericon , & cruciata ; quae consolidant , ut viscus , consolidae omnes & aquifolium : quartanae febri suc●●rrunt quadrati , tertiane vero trilateri caules ; ealeulos frangunt lapidea femina , lithosperma & la●hryma jobea ; to●sillas & haemorrhoidas tuberculosae capitulis papillosis , ut arum minus & sch●ophularia mulcent . g ps . . . h deut. . , . i job . . k job . . l ps . . . m job . , , , , , , , . n gen. . o eccles . . . king. . — . & . — . p gen. . . exo. . . rom. . . q rom. . . rev. . . gen. . , . & . ● deut. . 〈◊〉 . r tim. . , , , . ſ exod. . . t tit. . . & . . tim. . . tim. . . cor. . . u psal . . . compare isai . . . mar. . . w isai . , , . mat. . . x mat. . . , mar. . — . y thess . . z deut. . . isai . . . & . . exod. . . deut. . . lev. . . deut. . , , , , , . king. . . chron. . . psal . . . exod. . . psal . . . a double promise . a isai . . , &c. mat. . , . mar. . . luke . . jam. . . psal . . , , . gen. . . & . , . exod. . . & . . sam. . , , . & . , . numb . . . king. . ● & . . chron . . & . . & . , , . heb. . . luke . , , . b luk. . , &c. c lev. . . d chron. . . mar . . luk. . . job . . e job . jer. . luk. . . job . . f john . . king. . , & . . isai . . — . mat. . , . luk. . , . & . . & . . & . . & . . acts . , , . dan. . . g numb ▪ . , . h psal . . , . & . . & . . i psal . . , . & . pet. . , . song . . . acts. . . job . . heb. . . k john . , . act. . . l psal . . . psal . . . m sam. . . john . — . n king. . , , , . o deut. . , , , , , , . p deut. . . chron. . . jude . q deut. . , . chron. . . mar. . . luk. . . kin. . , . chron. . . isai . . , &c. phil. . . john . , &c. r cor. . . jam. . , , . mar. . ● . mar. . . act. . , . ſ psal . . psal . . psal . . notes for div a -e t gen. . — ●● : u ch. . ch . . ch . . w job . , . & . , , . x job . , , . y psal . . , . & . — . heb. . . coloss . . . cor. . . cor. . . job . . thess . . , . rev. . & . . & . . & . . rev. . . dan. . . mat. . , ● . rev. . . z gen. . , , , , , , , , . a colos . . . b psal . . — . mal. . . isa . . . c jer. . . isa . , . deut. . , , , . mic. . . jet . . . d isa . . . e isa . . . f isa . . . g numb . . ● . h gal. . . i deut. . , . . mic. . . jer. . . kin. . . k kings . . deut. . lev. . . isa . ● . 〈◊〉 ●er . . . l ●ev . . , . & . . m sam. . . n kings . , . o gen. . , , . p tim. . . q deu. . , . r dan. . , . & . . & . , . s isa . . . t deu. . — . lev. . . & . , . king. . . chr. . . esai . . , . & . . u deut. . . ps . . . isa . . . w isa . . . x fuller in hi● miscell . p. . y isai . . . king , . . z sam. . , &c. chron. . . isal . . . zech. . . lev. . . & . . deut. . , , . sam. . , . king. . . & . . chron. . . a deut. . , . sam. . . isal . . . & . , . gen. . . ezek. . , . dan. . . & . , . & . . & . . b deut. . , . king. . . & . . chron. . . lev. . . c sam. . . josh . . . ezek. . , , , , . deut. . — . sam. . , , &c. jer. . . zech. . . lev. . . & . , . esal . ● . . & . . hos . . . and in ether places . d dan. . . & . . & . , . e psal . . . jer. . . esai . . . deut. . , . numb . . . & . . king. . . esai . . — . exod. . & . chapters . f psal . . . g exod. . . & . , . h exod. . . i dan. . . & . . gen. . , . exod. . , , . & . . & , , . sim . - . dan. . , . & . . & , . acts . , . & . , . k deut. . ● , . esai . . . & . . psal . . . numb . . . sam. . , . l lev. . , . & . . sam. . . deut. . . king. . . & . . isai . , . & . . m deut. . , , . mic. . . jer. . . king. . . n jer. . . mal. . . exod. . . deut. . . — . isal . . , numb . . . isai . . , . . dan. . . nahum . . . king. . ● . lev. . . exod. . . king. . . mic. . . isai . . . . king. . . o king. . . sam. . , , . acts . . chron. . . deut. . . lev. . . & . . esal . . . & . . chron. . . king. . . psal . . . p isai . . . q see minsheus , guide into tongues on almanack . r vide schindl . in suo pentag . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nempe cum puncto supra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ſ miscel . sac . lib. . cap. . vide etiam mat. mar. tinii lexicon philologium , in almanacum . t job . . u acts . ● . w king. . . sam. . . lev. . esai . , , . acts . — . esai . . . x sam. , , &c. y chron. . , . z ezek. . . a deut. . , . lev. . . b deut. . — . isai . . , . & . , . & . , . jer. . . . . c lev. . , . & ▪ . d see daltons justice of peace , chap. . the fifth edition . e king. . ●● . mic. . . f isai . . , , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 veri 〈◊〉 dognoscendi ab idolis . isai . . , . & . , . dan. . . . g act. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts . . see schindlers pentaglot , on charash . and hottingers e●ymol . orient . on the same word , and dr. castels heptaglot . * mar , . . * isa . ▪ . * gen. . . ps . . . * cor. . . * josh . . , , . h ps . . , , . mal. . . i gen. . . psal . . . k gen. . . . ps . . , . l job . , ezek . . , . corinth . . . isa . . , . in almost all longuages and tongues the moon has its names from lucidness splendor and light . in hebrew lebanah , from its whiteness and fairness . so in arabick . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greek luna in 〈◊〉 quasi lucina . urania is often used for the moon from aour light . mark . . it is one of the 〈◊〉 gen. . , . m rev. . , &c. & ch . . , , . if philosophers assigned the true causes of eclipses how can sun and moon be eclipsed at once . n gen. . , , , . o gen. . . p gen. . , , , , , , , , . q gen. . , , . , , . r gen. . . ps . . . s ps . . . t ps . . . u mat. . , , , . w rev. . . & . . * esa . , . jer. . . & . . x ps . . . y gen. . . z m●●rah . a isa . . . b song . . c dan. . . rev. . , . & . . & . . d mat. . . e rev. . . f psal . . . ● john . . g ● pet. . . rev. ● . . h mal. . ● . notes for div a -e i gen. . — . k melaacah . aaman . toushijah . l gen. . . m gen. . . psal . . . rom. . . heb. . . n heb. . . o gen. . throughout . p gen. . , , , , 〈◊〉 . q isai . . . cor. . , . r gen. . . psal . . . job . . ſ act. . . gen. . , . heb. . . rom. . . cor. . , . t gen. . throughout , and ch. . , , . u nehem. . . isai . . . eccles . . . rom. . . pet. . . jer. . , , . w gen. . , , , . x gen. . . * gen. . . nephesh , in hebrew hath its significancy of soul , from breathing , and it is applyed not only to mankind , but to all creatures that do live & breath , there is a power and force in thīs breathing soul which makes the creature to live , rev. . . creatures in the sea , there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which having breathing soul . y gen. . , . z atha●h . a gnuph . b sheret● . c mar. . . pet. ▪ . heb. . . out of psal . . . mar. . . mar. . . d matth. . , . mar. . — . tit. . . e revel . . last . f eccles . . last ● cor. . . g cor. . last . h genes . . . i shoretzim . k baraa . l jo● . — . & . throughout jo● . . last & ch . . vers . , . m gen. . , . n gen. . ● . o vau. p gen. . jeh● . va●●●i . q gen. ▪ , , . r psal . . . & , . heb. . . joh. . . ſ joh. . , , , , . . t sam. . . compared with chron. . u rev. . . & matth. . — . out of isai . . ● , &c. w pet. . , . x isai . . . y gen. . . z rev. . . prov. . , . coloss . . , . a gen. . . — ● . b remes , gen. ▪ , . c gen. . . haromeseth . notes for div a -e d gen. . ▪ . e gen. . . f gen. . . . g phil . ● — . heb. . , . col. . . pet. . . ephes . . . col. . . h tzelem , & demouth , gen. . , . i gen. . , . & . . & . . corin. . . ephes . . . col. . . jam. . , rom. , , . k deut. . . & . . matth. . . luk. . . comparod . l gen. . . mar. , . col. . . m ha. gen. . . & . . n gen. . , . o tim. . . p gal. . . q rom. . — . cor. . . r ha. gen. . . & . . vehaadam , the same who was married and united to chavvah . ſ cor. . . see hutterus's hebrew on that place . t gen. . , , , , , , . u matth. . , , . w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , illi duo , so the interp●on gen. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . hieron . uterque so gen. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hieron . amborum . x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y camohu rege●do . z ● . a prov. . , . cor. . . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c beishto , in uxore ejus . the hebrew grammarians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhaesionis , five accessionis . there should be cohabitation ▪ an housing together ; though they do depart from their parents yet they may not thus depart from each other . gen. . , , . & . , . ps . . , . mark . . cor. . , , . pet. . . d gen. . , , . e prov. . . & . . f gen. . . cor. . , . g prov. . , , . h deu. . . hi● shalt thou serve . mat. . . luk. . . him only . so mark . . but for the priests mat. . . but for the priests , only rom. . . justified by faith. gal. . . by faith exclusively as to other pretended ways . the singular number is sometimes restrained unto one only . * rom. . , i thes . . . k lev. . . l gen . . . sam. . , , , . gen. . , , . & . . deut. . , , . m gen. . . exod. . ezek. . , . & . . & . , , . joel . . exo. . . & . , . esai . . . & . . the words brother and sister , are in several scriptures any other man , or any other woman . the name of sister is sometimes applyed to things which in propriety of speech come not near such a natural title or consanguineous denomination , so ●ings of a beast in the hebrew phrase are said to touch , ● woman to her sister . n gen. . . , . o sam. . . p levit. . . q levit. . . r levit. . . ſ levit. . , , . t lev. . , . n lev. . . w lev. . , . x lev. . . y lev. . . z deut. . . . tim. . . . tit. . . tim. . . a kings . . prov. . , . nehem . . . b lev. . , , , , . c lev. . , . d lev. . , , . e lev. . . adam . ezek. . . luke . . gal. . . rom. . . ezek. . ● . amos . . mark . . lev. . . cor. . . lev. . , . f lev . — . deut. ▪ . g mat. — - . h called therefore chesed . lev. . , which properly doth signifie grace or mercy , which they render an haino●s crime , a very oppr●bious wicked thing . i ma● . . — - . k prov. . . l mal. . . compared with ch . . — . m zerang . aelohim , est metonymia materiae , & genitivus efficientis . n deut. . . o mal. . . ( deut. , . 〈◊〉 . . . dent. . . & . . josh . . . ) in the conjugation , niphal . p deut. . — . mar. . , . & . — . & mar. . , . q mal. . . compared with v. , , , . r act. . . ſ mal. . , , , . t mal. . . u mat. . — . mar. . — . w gen. . . & . . jer. . , . lev. . . deut. . , , , , . ezek . . & . . x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , significat . arcti●●mane coniunctionem , and 〈◊〉 hebrza , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a mat. . b mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . inde con●uges dicti , & conjugium , elegans metaphora desumpta à jumentis & iugo , cor. . . phil. . . c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . mat. . . d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mat. . . e mat. . . f rom. . , . cor. . . g rom. . , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . h mar. . , . mat. . . i mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . k mat. . , . ephes . . , . mar. , , , . l ● cor. . , , , , . m lev. . — , , . & . & . . ezek. . . & . . & . . n cor. . . unusque habeat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , propriam & legitimam , non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . o cor. . . p cor. . . q mat. . , . & . — . mar. . , , , . r hen. . ſ cor. . , . & . . . t mat. . . deu● . . , , , . u deut. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 w mal. , , . x lev. . . deut. . . job , , . john . , , , , . y mar. . . z heb. . . a heb. . . b gen. . , . eccles . . . c gen. . , . d gen. . . & . . e above times in gen. . & . , , . f gen. . — . & . , . . tim. . , , . g ps . . . & . . and in a multitude of other places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sam. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the law of that adam , eccl. . h eccles . . . john . . , . gen. . . gal. . — . heb. . . rom. . — . & ch . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prov. . . deut. . . ( eccles . . ) deut. . . , . k gen. . . heb. . . lev. ● . . cor. . , . &c. l gen. . , , , , , . m gen. . . & . , . ps . . . heb. . , . tim. . . cor. . , . rom. . . . hos . . , . job . . . n ps . . . & . — - . o gen. . , , . ps . . . . gen. . . . p deshe . gen. . , . q gen. . , . tim. . , , . gen. . . . r deut. . . mat. . . luke . . . s tim. . , , . luke . . . cor. . , . john . . . mat. . . mark . . luke . . acts . . isai . . . act● . , . rom. . . t tim. . . cor. . , . joel . . john . , . mat. . , , mark . . rom. . . eph. . . col. . . psal . . . thes . . . isa . . . mat. . . mark . , . luke . . deut. . . sam . . u gen. . . w cor. . . gal. . , . lam. . . cor. . . x ps . . . y ps . . . . & . . & . . isa . . . ps . . , , . job . , . & . . ps . . . & . . . luke . . acts . . ps . . , , . z ps●● . . . & . . a jo● . . , . ezek. . . b jer. . . & ● . , , , . mar. . — . & . . & . . jam. . , , . deut. . , . chron. . . job . . . mic. . . hos . . ▪ mat. . . jer. . . c thess . . . luk . , , . d jam. . . , . e acts ● . . sam. . . mat. . . mark . . luke . , . mark . . mark ▪ . — . f lam. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g exod. . . deut. ▪ , , , , . ps ▪ . . & . . h lev. . . . acts . , , , . & . , . &c. i mat. . . k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l thess . . . m john . , , , . phil. . , . n heb. . , , . & . , , . gal. . . cor. . . cor. . . o gen. . . me●od . p gen. . . 〈◊〉 . q exod. . , , , . r exod. . ● 〈◊〉 . ſ gen. . , , . t isai . . . psal . . . isai . . . gen. . . deut. . . job . . psal . . , . psal . . . sabbatikh ʻhmepa ʻhmepa ʻimepa, septima dies, dies desiderabilis, sabbatum jehovae the seventh-day-sabbath the desirable day, the closing completing day of that first created week, which was, is, and will be, the just measure of all succeeding weeks in their successive courses, both for working in the six foregoing days, and for rest in the seventh, which is the last day, by an unchangeable law of well-established order, both in the revealed word and in created nature. the second part / by francis bampfield. bampfield, francis, or - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) sabbatikh ʻhmepa ʻhmepa ʻimepa, septima dies, dies desiderabilis, sabbatum jehovae the seventh-day-sabbath the desirable day, the closing completing day of that first created week, which was, is, and will be, the just measure of all succeeding weeks in their successive courses, both for working in the six foregoing days, and for rest in the seventh, which is the last day, by an unchangeable law of well-established order, both in the revealed word and in created nature. the second part / by francis bampfield. bampfield, francis, or - . [ ], p. s.n.], [london : . first part of title transliterated from greek. "the summary contents of the second part of this treatise": p. [ ]-[ ] "errours in the margin are thus to be corrected in the second part": p. [ ] "errours in the printing are thus to be corrected in the second part" p. [ ] wing b in the second part of wing b , which may be found at reel : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of 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should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng religion and science -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ΣΑΒΒΑΤΙΚΗ ΗΜΕΡΑ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , septima dies , dies desiderabilis , sabbatum jehovae . the seventh-day-sabbath the desirable-day , the closing completing day of that first created week , which was , is , and will be , the just measure of all succeeding weeks in their successive courses , both for working in the six foregoing days , and for rest in the seventh , which is the last day , by an unchangeable law of well-established order , both in the revealed word and in created nature . the second part by francis bampfield . printed in the year . the summary contents of the second part of this treatise . atransition from the first to the second part , page , , of the seventh-day p. , q. whether the seventh-day , which is the last day in every week , in the weekly revolutions , and orderly returns thereof , have been from the beginning , and so continued to be all the old testament-administration of grace thorow , and be so under the new testament dispensation of grace , all along to this age of the church , and will be so to the end of the world , the weekly sabbath day ? the answer at large given to this inquiry , is in the affirmative ; that it is so ; from to vnder this answer are divers particular useful truths and duties opened ; as that the seventh-day was created for to be the weekly sabbath , the last day of the week , being that seventh , and no other day of the week so . thus it was in the primitive creation , , , , which matter is resolved into a scripture determination , , , , that all the reasons which jehovah aelohim doth give for the due observation of a weekly sabbath , do belong to to the seventh , which is the last day in every week , and to no other day of the week , as such , , , , that aelohim rested from his works of the foregoing six days of the week , on the seventh day , as the weekly sabbath-day . which seventh day sabbath righteousness in christ , is that righteousness which a believer is to apply himself to cover his sabbath-unrighteousness , , that aelohim blessed the seventh , which is the last day in the week that and that only , and no other day of the week , as the weekly sabbath day , that aelohim sanctified the seventh , which is the last day in the week , that and that only , and no other day of the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , , that all the scriptures thorow , where the holy spirit doth speak of a weekly sabbath-day , there the name and thing of a weekly sabbath , is given only to the seventh , which is the last day in the week , in the weekly revolutions , and successive courses of it , and to no other day of the week , as a weekly sabbath-day , page , that no command is given for the observation of any other day in the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , but only of the seventh , which is the last day in the week , in the weekly returns of it , to where is , also further discovered , that pretended unwritten institutions , for a first-day weekly sabbath , are a false , deceitful , wrong , cooked rule , which we may neither measure nor walk by , , that christ as mediator , had it not in commission from his father , to change the weekly sabbath-day , from the seventh to the first , , , that there is no promise made to the observing of any other day in the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , but only of the seventh-day , which is the last day in the week , in the weekly returns of it , , that there is no threatning , all the scriptures thorow , either denounced against , or executed upon , any that shall not observe any other day in the week , as a weekly sabbath-day , but only against and upon such as will not observe the seventh-day , which is the last day in every week , to that aelohim bath put this weekly seventh-day sabbath into created nature , by a standing unchangeable law , , , , here is declared what is meant by nature in scripture , , where also , seeing it is called for by some as an argument to men , is disoovered , that this particular seventh-day , which we now count to be the last day of the week , is the seventh-day , by the judgement and tradition of such historical records , as many are so fond of ; although we do bottom our judgment and practice upon scripture revelation , and created nature , , , , objections against this seventh-day sabbath , are answered , from : to here is proved , that it was not a seventh part of weekly time , or a seventh day , but the seventh-day , the last day in every week , this , and this only is the weekly sabbath-day , having a special honour put upon it by aelohim himself by notes of demonstration , by particles , by pronouns , by praepositions , all significant in their places , to point out the seventh-day , to be the only certain , known , determinate , fixed , particular , unchangeable day of the weekly sabbath : where the emphatickness of the hebrew , ha , is asserted , to it is further evidenced , that what is in the english transsation , in seven places of the new testament , the first day of the week , is in every one of them in the greek , one of the sabbaths , in propriety of speech , and so its colourable pretence for a first day weekly sabbath , is convincingly reprehended , as scriptureless ; from to that five of these seven places mentioned in the four evangelists , relate to the paschal sabbaths , and not to the weekly sabbath , to that believers in the times of christ , and of his apostles , before the new testament was written , could find nothing in all their scriptures of the old testament for a pretended first day sabbath , , that in one place , where it is , the first of the sabbath , this speaks nothing to any change of the weekly sabbath , from the seventh to the first day , but has a quite another meaning , both in the significancy , and in the intendment of that phrase , , . , that the weekly sabbath under the new testament , is not barely , or no more than an half-holy-day , between sun rising and sun set , but that it is an whole seventh-day from evening to evening , that christ's redemption work , as well as his creation work , has established the seventh-day , to be still the weekly sabbath day , , that acts . . is no firm ground to bottom the pretended first day sabbath upon , , , neither is cor. . . , that the eleven disciples did not meet on christs resurrection day , as a newweekly sabbath day , in memory of that rising , that the weekly sabbath , under the new dispensation , is not left so much in the dark and deep , as some pretend ; but is clearly the seventh-day in the plain precept , as of old , , that the true stating of the matter of right in this question , about the weekly sabbath , doth not depend upon ecclesiastical history , page to p. that mens cause of erring , of their great erring about this controversie ( as in many other weighty cases : ) is , because they know not the scriptures , nor the power of god , put forth in a word-way , that the cause of mens erring , is not therefore , because they do not know and acknowledge , and own , either the magistral dictates of humane rabbies , or the ancient records of vncanonical church-histories , and traditions of men , , , or the councils of the sanhedrim , and the sayings of the ancient fathers , , or unwritten verities , to be as scripture supplements , to be received by the people from their leaders , upon trust without tryal , or the judgement , opinion and practice of of those who are reputed the learned and the godly in the present age , or the natio-al establishments in the matters of doctrine and of worship , in their humanely invented , and imposed confessions of faith and stinted leiturgies , , or man-invented-arts and sciences of philosophical knowledges , and of university humane learning , , or the innate , or acquired powers of mens own rational intellect and will , or natural experiments , and fleshy sensations , , or the unscriptural impulses of speculative enthusiasts , or the doubtful questioning of unsettled scepticks , , that our faith is not to be resolved into the authority of fallible men , but into the infallible veracity of the truthful aelohim , to that the old testament types and figures did contain new testament institutions , as to particular churches , seals of the covenant , presbyters , deacons , diaconesses , , , that revel . . . doth not prove any change of the weekly sabbath , from the seventh to the first day of the week , to neither doth psalm . - . , , neither doth act . , , &c. nor ezek. , , , . nor heb. . , , to here the plain meaning and scope of this passage in the epislle to the hebrews , is given . , here is further shewn , that the day expressed in the ninety fifth psalm , and referred unto by the author of the epistle to the hebrews , is not to be understood of the first day of the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , , , that the rest spoken of in this , is not meant of the weekly sabbath rest , , , to where is opened the significancy of the word , sabbatism in the graek , 〈◊〉 towed from hebrew origination , as many other greek words are , to that the , he , mentioned in one passage of this part of this epistle , is meant of the believer , , , that the parallel between workers , works and rest , doth not hold in some things ; and where in it doth hold , is discovered , , , , here is shewn , what are the works which believers do rest from , when they enter into this sabbatism , , the force of the conjunction , for , is shewn , , as also , what the import of the change of of the number , from the plural to the singular , is , and how this rest , is both god's rest , and the believers rest too , , here is further manifested , that it is a mistake , to go about to found a pretended first day sabbath upon the new creation , as if it precisely began on the day of christ's resurrection , to it is premised , that it is a choice priviledge , and a special liberty , which believers do injoy under the new testament administration of grace , , where also , some objections that do wrest galat. . , . and colos . . , , . are answered , , , and that the lord jesus christ was administrator under the old , as well as new testament dispensation of grace , , the particulars are here instanced in , what the old things are which pass away , and what the things are which do become new , , to the renewing of the covenant in the latter days , is spoken to , . that there was a covenant of grace under the old testament administration , is asserted and evidenced from the scriptures , page to pag. and that the whole of the christian religion , for doctrines , graces , duties , priviledges , and such like parts of that religion , is one and the same , under both the old and new testament , to and in what sense the seventh-day sabbath is some ways a sign of this , to the new worship was typically signified in the figuring pattern of the old. this is also demonstrated , to and that the law of faith was a law under the old testament dispensation , to and that it is an errour to affirm , that the decalogue has less in it than the law of nature : at also , that therefore , it was never intended for a mere or perfect transcript of the law of nature , vnder this is discovered , that to this decalogue it doth belong , to believe that the soul is , and to love our selves with a just and necessary love , , and to take greatest care to save our souls above our bodies , and to tame and mortifie all our fleshly lusts , in order to our salvation , , and to deny all bodily pleasure , profits , honour , liberty and life , for the securing of our salvation , the old law of the ten words is proved in the word of truth , to be still the same both to jew and gentile . it was the rule of obedience to them under the old testament , as unto god in christ ; and is still so a rule unto us , under the new . difference of horizons , and of climates makes no change of the law of the seventh-day sabbath , to the ingenuous reader is earnestly desired to correct the errours in printing , especially those that do much disturb the sense , and quite alter the meaning . errours in the margin are thus to be corrected in the second part. for g gen. page . line . read g gen. . . f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. cor. . , . p. . l. , . r. cor. . , . f. . p. , l. . r. . . f. acts , . p. . l. . r. acts . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. cor. . . p. . l. . r. col. . . f. gen. . p. . l. . r. gen. . . f. heb. , . p. . l. . r. heb. . , . f. aclum p. . l. . r. atrium . f. . . p. l . r. . . 〈◊〉 . f. , . p. . l. . r. . f. , , p. . l. . r. , , f. gnatrereth p. . l. . r. gnetzereth . f. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. pag. . to pag. . of this treatise p. . l. , , . r. pag. . to page . of the first part of this treatise f. , , . p. . l. . r. , , . f. 〈◊〉 john . . p. . l. . r. john . , f. phil. . p. . l. . r. philem. v. . f. & . . p. . l. . r. & . . f. . p. . l. . r. , . f. john . . a as p. . l. . r. john . . acts f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. part p. . l. . r. v. f. exod. . . p. . l. . r. exod. . . f. luk. . , , p. . l. . r. luke . . f. pared with p. . l. . r. with . f. numb . . . p. . l. . r. numb . . , . f. jerem. . - . p. . l. . . r. jerem. . - . f. nus p. . l. . r. vus . f gen. . , . p. . l. . r. gen. . , , . f. - . p. . l. , r. . - . f. cor. . p. . l. . r. cor. . . f. mar. . . p. . l. . r. mar. . . f. — mat. p. . l. . r. — . mat. f. heb. . . p. . l. . r. heb. . . & . . f. . . p. . l. . r. , , f. psal . . . p. . l. . r. psal . . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. heb. . . p. . l. . r. heb. . , . f. . p. . l. . r. f. compared p. . l. . r. . compared . f. . p. . l. . r. , . f. heb. . p. . l. r. v. . f. chron. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . - . p. . l. . r. . - . f. pag. , , , , . p. . l. , . r. pag. , , , of the first part. f. . chron. p. . l. . r. . with chron. f. . . p . l. . r. . f. . . p. . l. . r. , . f. king. . . psal . . . & . king . . p. . l. . r. king. . . blot out psal . . . & . king . . f. , , p. . l. . r. , , f. lament . . p. . l. . r. lament . . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. , , ch . . p. . l. . r. , & chs . f. . . . & . . p. . l. . r. . , . & . . f. page to page . p. . l. , . r. page to pag. , of the first part f. acts . p. . l. . r. acts . . f & . . p. . l. . r. & . . f. - . p. . l. . r. . . f. cor. . , p. . l. . r. . cor. . , f. , . p. . l. . r. . , . f. . - . p. . l. . r. . - . f. . verse p. . l. . r. verse . f. - . p. . l. . r. - . f. z pet. . p. . l. . r. z pet. . f. deut. . p. . l. r. deut. . . f. ps . . . & . & . . p. . l. , . r. ps . . . & . . f. john . . & p. . l. . r. john . , . & f. john . . p. . l. . r. john . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . , . f. & . , p. . l. . r. & . . f. . . & . psal . p. . l. . r. . . & psal . f. dicto p. . l. . r. in dicto . f. - . p. . l. . r. - . f. exod . , p. . l. . r. exod. . , , . f. - . p. . l. . r. - . f. rom. , . p. . l. . r. rom. . , . f. . . p. . l. . r. . , . f. p. . l. . after these words , the new dispensation , add this , baptism is a sign , which was also a sign in the type before : so also is the lordie supper , a sign , cor. . , , . pet. . . rom. . - . acts . . & elsewhere . mat. . - . cor. . - . f. deut. . . p. . l. . r. deut. . , . f. & . , . p. . l. . r. & . , . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. & . . p. . l. . r. . , . f. sam p. . l. . r. sam. f. &c. . p. . l. . r. & . f. john p. . l. . r. a john. f. chron. . p. . l. . r. chron. . . f. compare psal . p. . l. . r. compare psal . . f. — . p. . l. . r. — f. john p. . l. . r. john . . rom. . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. p. . l . over against the sixth line , and the asterisk , put these words , as aemon , aomen , amen , betach , chasuth , machaseh , and the like . f. gen. . , , . p. . l. 〈◊〉 . r. gen. . , . f. luke . . luke p. . l. . r. luk. f. . . p. . l. . r. . . deut. . . f. . & p. . l. . r. . mar. . . & . f. u john p. . l. . r. u. john. f. & . . & . p. . l. . r. & . . & . . & . f. . . john . p. . l. . r. john . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . p. . l. . r. . , . f. numb . . , . p. . l. . r , numb . , , . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. , , p. . l. . r. , f. , . p. . l. . r. - . f. john . , . p. . l. . r. john , . f. rom. . , , p. . l. . r. rom. . , f. dan. . . p. . l. . r. dan. . . f. gen. . . p. . l. . r. gen. . . f. , . p. . l. . r. , , . f. chron. . . p. . l. . r. chron. . . f. . . p. . l. . r. , . f. mat. . p. . l. . r. mat. . f. with mat. p. . l. . r. with mar. f. ps . . p. . l. . r. isal . . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . f. . & p. . l. . r. , , , , . f. . & p. l. . r. . , . f. , , . p. . l. . r. , , . f. . . p. . l. . r. . . errours in the printing are thus to be corrected in the second part. for put it page . line . read i put it . f. that might p. . l. . r. that i might . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. l. . r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 f. jehova p. . l. . r. jehovah . f. elsewhere p. . l. . r. elsewhere . f. will p. . l. . r. will. f. face p. . l. . r. faces . f. jehova p. . l. . r. jehovah . f. should p. . l. . r. what should . f. into the other p. l. r. in the other . f but fix p l. . r. but six f. joyned preposition p. . l. , . r. preposition joyned . f. of the week p. . l. r. of the first week . p. 〈◊〉 mount p. . l. . r. at mount. f more first p. . l. . r. more finite . f. pronoun p. . l. , . 〈◊〉 . pronouns . f. for this p . l. . r. for his f. that day . that seventh p. . l. . r. that day , that seventh , f. prvaricating p. . l . r. prrevaricating . f. mind . the p. . l. . r. mind , the. f. jehovas p. . l. . r. jehovahs . f. parts p. . l. . r. ports . f. beasts p. . l. . r. beast . f it . if p. . l. . r. it , if. f. sixth . it p. . l. . r. sixth , it. f. promissary p. . l. . r. promissory . f. breath and long p. l. . r. breathe and longe . f. service they were to do . to p. . l. , . r. service , they were to do to. f. for one of the sabbaths . in p. . l. r. for , one of the sabbaths , in . f. whether p. . l. . r. whither . f. a way p. . l. . r. away . f. after observe p. . l. . r. after , observe . f. of self evidencing p. . l. . r. so self evidencing . f. and the p. ● . l. . r. the. f. christs p. . l. . r. christ . f. invaluable p. . l. . r. infallible . f. mans p. . l. . r. mens . f. paul a pharisee p. . l. . r. saul a pharisee : f. victuoso man p. . l. . r. virtuoso-man . f. god p. . l. . r. good . f. the end ; of p. . l. . 〈◊〉 . the end of . f. writers p. . l. . r. witness . f. other wise p. . l. . r. otherways . f. spiritual p. . l. . r. spirituals . f. eustathius p. . l. . r. eustachius . f. to whom p. . l. . r. too when . f. this . p. . l. . r. this . f. convention p. . ● . r. conventions . f. to suffer p. . l. . r. suffer . f. the matter p. . l. . r. this matter . f. threating p. . l. . r. threatning . f. doth p. . l. . r. do f. much p. . l. . r. must . f. must be on p. . l. . r. must on . f. sspan●gle p. . l. . r. not single . f. for him p. . l. . r. from him. f. f. so die p. . l. . r. so did die . f. unto p. . l. . r. into . f. demen p. l. . r. demon . f. as went before . and so p. . l. r . as , went before , and so. f. clear p. . l. . r near . f. thereof p. . l. . r. therefore . f. history p. . l. ● . r. his time . f. tenses p. . l. . r. tense . f. deoote p. . l. . denote . f. of weekly p. . l. . r. of the weekly . f. appears p. . l. . r. as appears . f. do p. . l. . r. doth . f. fifty ninth p. . l. . r. ninety fifth . f. hold forth p. . l. . r. held forth . f. week , and p. . l. . r. week , particularly , not betweent he seventh day of the week , and. f. openly p. . l. . r. only . f. injoyed p. . l. . r. injoy . f. the land of canaan p. . l. , . strike out the later of them . f. expression p. . l. . r. exposition . f far they p. . l. . r. far as they . f. all-suffering p. . l. . r. all ▪ sufficient . f. christ . l. . r. christs . f. thirty p. . l. . r. three and thirty . f. of p. . l. . r. to f. of it , the p. . l. . r. of it , jehovah aelohims rest , yet , this not prove that , the. f. there p. . . they . f. pursued p. . l. . r. purchased . f. substance p. . l. . r. subsistence . f. but p. . l. . r. put. f. the erroneous p. . l. . r. the old erroneous . f. the formality p. . l. . r. the old formality . f. mans conversion p. . l. . r. mans conversation . f. far ruling p. . l. . r. far from ruling . f. enemy the turk be p. . l. . r. enemy be . f. according as to p. . l , . r. according to . f. proclaimed mount p. . l. . r. proclaimed at mount. f. it peters p. . l. . r. in peters . f. excellent p. . l. . r. existent . the turkish oppressing p. . l. . r. the assyrian babylonish oppressing . f. returning jews are called the kings of the east p. . l. . r. israelitites shall return from the east . f. lamention p. l. . r. lamentation . f. for greater p. . l. . r. far greater . f. point any p. . l. . r. point at any . f. adoption , redemption p. . l. . r. adoption , the redemption . f. down to this p. . l. . r. down this . f. are com . p. . l. . r. are sweet com . f. synonyms p. . l. . r. synonymas . f. this love p. . l. . r. his love . f. another ; 〈◊〉 p. . l. . r. another word ; a f. blessedness of p. . l. . r. blessednesses . f. feared him ; p. . l. . r. fearing him ; f. transgranssings p. . l. . r. transgressings . f. be larger p. . l. . r. be a larger . f. consession p. . l. . r. confession . f. innermost of the p. . l. . r. innermost of his . f. the righteous , by faith he shall live ? p. . l. . . r. the righteous by his faith , he shall live ? f. blessedness , p. . l. . r. blessednesses , f. sanctifie p. . l. . r. sanctifying you . f. expressed p. . l. . r. expected . f. was hope p. . l. . r. was his hope . f. of so much p. . l. . r. of much . f. of created p. . . r. in created . f. as have p. . l. . r. as has . f giving institution p. . l. . r. giving instruction . f. by the p. . l. . r. by this . f. thing p. . l. . r. things f. it p. l. . r. it s f. accomplish p. . l. . r. accomplished . f. doth make p. . l. . r. doth not make . f. life p. . l. . r. light . f. observation in p. l. . r. observation of . f. degrees , p. . l. . r. decrees , f. wildernesses p. . l. . r. wilderness . f. where p. . l. . r. where-ever it is in every consideration , and in every subject where . f. the law p. . l. . r. a law . f. all holy p. . l. . r. an holy. f. testament of glory p. . l. . testament-glory . f. to rail it p. . l. . r. to nail it . f. under old p. . l. . r. under the old . f. do speak of p. . l. . r. doth speak of . f. by faith in grace p. . l. . strike out that . f. to fame p. . l. . r. to fame . f. order lines p. . l. . r. orderlyness . f. not the law p. . l. . r. the law . f. do these p. . l. . do not these . f also it is p. . l. . r. was it . f. this of p. . l. . r. this duty of . f. to the the p. . l. . r. to the. f. strenthen for p. . l. . r. strengthen them for . f. bringing p. . l. . r. hindering . f. christ's p. . l. . r. christ . f. this of p. . l. . r. this law of . f. and twentieth p. . l. . r. and two and twentieth . f. or p. . l. . r. and. f. the thirty p. . l. . r. the end of the thirty . f. truth p. . l. . r. truths f. words written p. . l. . r. words were written . f. & . . p. . l. . r. & . . f. mat. . p. . l. . r. mat. . . f. obliged p. . l. . r judged . f. second ; he p. . l. . r. second word ; he . f. words p. . l. . r. word . f. according to p. . l. . r. against . f. continud p. . l. . r. continued . f. there p. . l. . r. their . f. and dangerous p. . l. . r. and how dangerous . f. must an p. . l. . r. must be an f. heat p. . l. . r. heart , f. postery p. . l. . r. posterity . f. judgement p. . l. . r. judgements , f. novelties p. . l. . r. notices . f. observed p. . l. . r. obliterated . f. second p. . l. . r. sound . f. men , a p. . l. . r. men , besides children , but a great mixture also a. f. of mount sinai also doth shew , p. . l. , . r. of , mount sinai also , doth shew , f. their p. . l. . r. there . f. when p. . l. . r. whom . f. and other the kingdom p. . l. . r. and over the kingdoms , f. not jerusalem p. . l. . r. not only jerusalem . f. to that p. . l. . r. so that . f. word p. . l. . r. words . f. and to preach p. . l. . r. when he came to preach . f. creature p. . l. . r. creatures , f. preaching and uniting to p. . l. . r. preaching and prophetying to . f. prophets of p. . l . r. prophets under . f. under the apostles of p. . l. . of the apostles under . f. the principle p. . l. . r. the principal , f. expressions , p. . l. . r. impressions , f. thus in , to p. . l. . r. thus , into - . f. not for p. . l. . r. not only for . f. their scriptural p. . l. . r. this scriptural . f. calenders p. . l. . r. contradicters . f. jehovah's time p. . l. . r. jehoshuah's time . f. moah p. . l. . r. noah . f. because israels p. . l. . r. because of israels . f. acknowledge p. . l. . r. acknowledgeth . f. permen p. . l. . r. penman . f. charge p. . l. . r. change . f. the proof p. . l. . r. for the proof . f. proomise p. . l. . r. promise . f. it s . p. . l. . r. it f. threatning p. . l. . r. threatnings . f. circumstance p. . l. . r. circumstances . f. but are p. . . r. but what are . a transition from the first to the second part . in this inquiringly-spirited age , wherein there are such high pretendings , and costly attempts , and industrious diligences used to me●●orate philosophy by experimental disquisitions ; putting other kinds of learning upon some natural advance , that . arts may be more artful , and sciences may be more scientifick ; there is the louder call given forth to the ingenious professors of the christian religion to be upon a spiritual improve of those excelling knowledges of this art of arts , and science of sciences , which has treasured up in it the most , both mysterious secrets , deep skills , and useful discoveries : are other talents traded withal , and shall this be napkin'd up ? give me a man , who has attained to an eminent degree , and is still continuedly reaching after , and pressing towards , larger measures of practical skilfulness how to live over believed truths , how to improve scripture-convictions , how to fill up christian duties , how to act sanctifying graces , how to mortifie corruptions , how to overcome temptations , how to exercise spiritual senses , how to bear crosses , how to enjoy priviledges , how to carry on , and to order all the affairs of his particular lawful calling in a scripture-way for kind , for principles , for rule , and for ends , how to grow up into the later-day-glory , how to walk with god , how to have distinct fellowship with the father , as the father ; with his son jesus christ , the mediator , as such ; with the holy spirit , as the holy spirit ; in their several offices and relations : how to pass into such a mystical membership as may be an heaven upon earth , how to manifest and evidence an universal-growing holy-conformity , both in knowledg and in obedience to an whole christ , and to the whole word of christ ; in short , how to be really a thorow disciple of the lord jesus , daily perfecting his christianity ; bring me such a one , and he shall be the wise man with me , whilst the vain affecters of humane wisdom may not expect to be advanced to such a degree in this religious school of christian learning . in the first part of my endeavours to promote scripture-knowledges , i went over the journal or diary of the first created week so far as to the end of the sixth day , culling out some few particular choice instances of aelohims works in each of those six foregoing days of that week , reducing them to their true , proper , pure , primitive , created nature , or being , according to scripture-revelation , as an exemplary specimen or proving tryal for the due advancement of word-learning by the most approved and best-fitted means , thereby to discover and to correct several errours in paganish philosophy , to reprove and to reform the lazy negligence and superficial knowledg of some , to quicken and excite the industry of others , and to facilitate and direct their studying , that , they may no longer deter themselves from deeper researches into the incomparably best science by any appearing difficulties . having thus my self had a spiritual view of the created world through a scripture-glass : put it into the hands of the discerning reader for him a while , to delight his eye with the clear prospect of so beauteous an object , that might a while withdraw , and feast my thoughts with sweet meditations upon jehovah , and upon his word , and his works . see , and admire , o my soul , what a glorious structure the wonder-working creator hath set before thine eyes of sense , of reason and of faith ! if thou ascend into the higher heaven a , there above the lower visible world maist thou take a pleasant view of jehovah , christ in his human glorified nature , the king of kings , and lord of lords , sitting on the glorious throne of his exalted majesty , at the right hand of his father , negotiating all the weighty affairs of such , more especially , whom the father hath given unto him ! there he continually presenteth himself and the all-sufficiency and full satisfactoriness of his sacrifice and oblation , and the purchases of his passion , and the merits of his death ! there he appears in a court both of justice and mercy , as an advocate before the face of god making intercession for thee , that , all procured benefits may be made effectual for thee ! in that highest world , there mayst thou see , thousand times thousands ministring before the lord , and ten thousand times ten thousands of glorious angels standing before him , these with the spirits of just men perfectly sanctified , worshipping before the throne of god : and of the lamb , where his servants serve him , and see his face ! o my soul , be thou in the spirit with those , doing their work and enjoying their priviledg , by improving a mystical membership ! lo , there the new four-squared city , christ's father's house , which he is gone before to prepare , that he and his good disciples may be together there ! enter in there and take possession of thy mansion ! behold , above this lower firmament are the treasures of rain and of dew , of snow and of hail , of all the upper waters ! when thou hast been there , where thou hopest to be for ever , come down a while , and let thine eye glance it self upon the visible objects of this middle world ! seest thou the yonder azure expanse ! o what a goodly canopy hath the lord spread over thy head ! observest thou what glittering spangles the starry studs are , what shining balls the sun and moon are ! how glorious is their beauty , how golden are their beams , how operative their influences ? all that vast space of heavens which my eye can compass , the sun , the moon and the stars these are thine , a part of thy portion : how useful a creature is that light , by which other visibles are discovered and discerned ? here mayst thou see the cloudy bottles and the flying fowls , here is the air in which thou dost breath ; step one stair lower now and walk the earth a while . if thou well observest it in its seasons , in its springing verdure , how lovely doth it appear in it 's garnished ornaments and green attire ! green ! a colour both pleasing and strengthening to the eye ; whereas , if it shewed its beauty only in white , it would dazle thy fight into a blindness : o what admirable variety is there here ! the grass i tread on , how many are its kinds , of how great benefit is this : the herbs were made for my use , and they have often served at my table , and have been both for food and for medicine : how often have the flowers perfumed the air for me , and brought me in their sweetness , in their way of natural perception taking some kind of delight , that , their maker has put any thing into them that might be pleasurable to me ! how many are the sorts of fruit-bearing-trees , and how often have their fruits dropt themselves to me , and yielded themselves to my gathering , and several of them have travelled scores , hundreds , and some of them thousands of miles , to visit me , and to let me know from christ that much of the end of their being was to find out my hand and to fill my mouth ! how many springs have been flowing , and rivers running , and wells filling , to afford me water ! how often have i eaten of the kidneys of wheat , of the finest of the flower ! how often have the well-fed both of the flock and of the herd parted with their lives , to make meats and feasts for me ? what shall i say , how many thousands of hands have wrought hard for me , who never saw my face , nor knew my name ? the ploughman , the sower , the reaper , the in-gatherer , the thresher , the winnower , the seller , the miller , the kneader , the baker ; the carder , the spinner , the weaver , the dyer , the clothier , the taylor , with multitudes of more , and all these , under my lord jesus christ , my servants , employed by him for a supplying good to me ! shall i now dig deep and get into the bowels of this earth ? o what a hidden kingdom of subterraneous minerals is here ! here are the roots of those trees , which have afforded their beams of timber for my habitation ! here are the quarries of stone , which have yielded materials to raise up walls for me to dwell safely within ! here the colliers dig hard to send in winter fewel to me ! here the searchers after the mines , do find out the tin and the lead , the iron and the steel , the brass and the copper , the silver and the gold , which so often have brought me in some of their necessary supplies . if i go down to the sea , the great and wide sea , in a ship , there i may see the works of jehovah , and his wonders in the deeps , in the great waters which are b under the earth . how large and how deep a subject is there here to swim and to fail in ? there are things creeping innumerable both small and great , there the whales , the sea-dragons do play in the troublesom deep , at the bottom whereof is the mire of depth , where is no standing . and now , my soul , thy meditations have led thee to the lowest world , to hell beneath ; a place out of which the creator will fetch the glory of his justice ; a place full of terrible confused darkness , a place of torment . here i see c the two-leafed-doors , unfolding and opening of themselves before my thoughts , through which passage , when the damned are entred , these doors do close themselves over such d , and they are left to sink and to fall down into the gulphy , empty , space , a dark , dreadful deep , where are no walls to hang by , nor any stay to rest on , where the black passengers bound hand and foot are thrown down ; being amazingly surprized with overwhelming horrour , full of fears they sink lower and lower e , till the bottomless pit of hell do open its mouth upon them , gaping wide to swallow them down into a foul and hideous prison , a doleful place where are yelling complaints , and howling noises , woful out-cries and frightful shrieks . thus have i taken a short view of the manifold marvellous works of jehovah aelohim , as made in admirable wisdom ! how ample and large , how clear and splendid , how illustrious and magnificent is his name in all the earth , who hath given his glorious majesty above the heavens ! who , or what am i , that , he hath given me such an excellent formation , as to behold and admire , to acknowledg and confess his incomparable perfections in his gracious words , and in his glorious works ? that , he made me a tongued trumpeter to proclaim and to commend his power and skill in so wonderful a creation ? and that he has not taken me hence , before i left behind me some written , printed , testimony of his royal excellencies . i was now passing into a sabbath-enjoyment , as the last and best day of the week , to take my sweet repose in him , who formed all these things , and who had brought forth such a world somewhat for me , vile unworthy sinful me . but that which was and is , through the grace of god , an holy rest to me , has been , and is like further to be , through the corruptions of men , a troublesom controversie from them . must i now be made a man of contention , who have so much desired and endeavoured to be a man of peace ! my lord is going forth in his comely honour , riding upon the word of his truth , and he will prosper : his truth is victorious ; for this must i be valiant and earnestly contend in his strength : for this end was he born , and for this cause came he into the world , that he should bear witness unto the truth ; every one that is of the truth , heareth his voice : happy is he , who has a good report of the truth it self . in the order of my pursuit after the refining and raising of useful arts and profitable knowledges , i am now led to that day , the seventh , which is the last day in the week , wherein aelohim the creator himself did sabbatize ; on this day he rested to contemplate his own works : for , having now framed and disposed the glorious fabrick and the goodly structure of the whole universe ; and having put it into its beauteous ceconomy and regular polity , he closeth the week with a day , blessed above all the other foregoing days of the week . the righteous cause of which sanctified day i am now to plead , against the many contenders against it . having thus in a former treatise , attended , followed and walked with aelohim in some of his great works on the several distinct six foregoing days of this created world ; i am now brought to sabbatize , and rest with , and in , him , on his weekly-seventh-day-sabbath . there are divers profitable disquisitions that might be made with respect to the seventh , which is the last , day of every week ; for the advancement of this holy art , and for the improvement of this spiritual science , which would be a great promoting to this useful learning : as , q. whether every day of the week be of equal length ? particularly , whether the seventh-day , which is the last day in every week , be not longer in time , and have more minutes in it , than the first day of the week ? if the seventh-day be found longer in time , it has a concreated excellency , in nature , unchangeable , dignoscible to sense . q. whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be from shabath , or from jachab ? if from shabath , there are many truths and duties which that word would clear up , and also demonstrate the observation of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath before the promulgation of the law of the ten words at mount sinai . q. whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do point out the daily and weekly seasons of created , instituted time , for daily-evening-and-morning-worship , and for weekly-sabbath-worship ? q. whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not in divers scriptures set out the seventh , the last , day of the week ? and this , in some places , before aelohims proclaiming of the ten words , at horeb ? q. whether , the lord jesus christ , having risen again the third day according to the scriptures , that third day , be the full complete third day from the time of his burial ? and what that particular large day of the week was ? and what the certain hour of that particular large day was , in which he did actually arise ? and what scripture-evidence there is of this , which is queried , not at all in the least to question the truth of his resurrection , which we firmly believe , but rather to strengthen our faith therein , and to promote scripture-knowledg of the doctrine of christs resurrection , upon which the whole of the christian religion doth so much depend , and for some other good ends ? for the present there are some weighty reasons , why i do not interpose my own apprehensions about these quaeries , but leave them to those , who are of studious inquiring spirits , who by a deeper search into the word of truth in the supplies of the holy spirit , may make those discoveries that will at once , both convince , and shame the ignorant-mistaking-world : whilst , for the better satisfaction of serious seekers after christs mind about the weekly-sabbath , i shall in a word-way , through the whole scripture , where this case is spoken to and of , treat of this one enquiry , returning a plain , and , as i judge , a full answer thereunto . q. whether , the seventh day , which is the last day in , and of , the week , in the weekly revolutions and orderly returns thereof , has been from the beginning , and so continued to be all the old-testament-administration of grace through , and be so under the new testament dispensation of grace all along to this age of the church , and will be so to the end of this world , the weekly-sabbath-day ? a. the seventh-day , which is the last day in , and of , the week , in the weekly revolutions and orderly returns thereof , has been from the beginning , and so continued to be all the old-testament-administration of grace through , and is so under the new-testament-dispensation of grace , all along to this age of the church , and will be so to the end of this world , the weekly-sabbath-day . the whole scripture is profitable for this doctrine , and for this duty . this closing part of the history of the creation is express for it . when jehovah aelohim had finished all his works , relating unto the six foregoing days of this one week : f the lord christ now on the seventh-day actually perfected , and will continue actually perfect in the whole , and in every part of it , his delegated-work , which he had made ( adornedly-really to exist preparedly perfected , ) and he did then sabbatize , ( and his will was , is , and will be , that from thence his people shall sabbatize , ) ( ceasing , resting , from other motion and work of the fore-mentioned creating kind ) in a day , that seventh from all his work , the which he had made , and he did and will bless ( in word and in deed , in a continued way in the weekly revolutions of it , as long as weeks shall last in this world ) that day , that seventh , and he did and will sanctifie ( by severing it from a common use , and destinating it to an holy use , accomodating it to instituted ordinances of solemn worship , ) the same , because in it he hath sabbatized , and will sabbatize , from all his work , the which he had created ( pure without spot or blemish of corruptness or uncomeliness ) for to make . this seventh is a number completely perfecting the week : for , when such a number of days hath filled up the week , then we begin again , with one , second , third , fourth , fifth and sixth , till it comes to another seventh : and there the week in the continued revolutions thereof doth , still receive a perfective end . the greek interpreters g here ( as in a many of other scriptures else where ) are corrupters of the hebrew text , who do translate , in the sixth day , for the seventh , and their pretended reason is frivolous , lest the heathen should think , ( mistaking the phrase ) that aelohim did work upon the seventh-day-sabbath . whereas he had finished the whole , and every part of his creating work upon the several six foregoing days of this one week of the created world : only he did that on the seventh-day , which was proper sabbath-work : as the h making of the seventh-day , the resting from other functions upon it to institute and observe sabbath-duties , employments and priviledges , the blessing of it , the sanctifying of it , together with his preserving of the creatures which he had made on the six foregoing days , and with his and his fathers providential working to the upholding of them in their being . those who do call the first day the seventh day , and the seventh day the sixth day , making the first day to be both the first and the seventh day , and so do alter the names of the number of all the rest , do invert the order of nature in the first creation : for , although in consistent quantity ( such as extension of parts one beyond another , ) there is not one , second , third , fourth , and so on , or not one first , and another last , put into the nature of that created being ; because , these are not really in the confistent nature thereof ; it being consistent altogether , and so the first part may be the last part , or the last part the first part , according to mens common notion , and reckoning and appointing of it to be so , the lord not having instituted herein any such order of numbring , where we are to begin , and how to go on , and where to end : yet , in quantity successive , as in duration , and in time , this is of a different consideration , both in the nature of the thing and in aelohims institution : for this is really such in existence , truly subsisting , whether we imagine it or not ; neither is it left in our power to our disposal , to put them into any other order than the creating messaiah hath , so far as doth respect his established times and his instituted seasons : there is one day , a second day , a third day , a fourth day , a fifth day , a sixth day , and a seventh day , in the several successive natures and durations of every one of them : here is part after part by temporary succession in a most direct line , and in its proper partitions and terminating points , by an unchangeable law , and well-setled-order , of the standing creation . the work of the six foregoing days aelohim did rest from ( leaving man an example to follow him herein ) on the seventh-day-sabbath . the seventh-day is to be remitted unto workers , who laboured in their several lawful functions on every day of the week before ; and i therefore aelohim blessed this seventh-day ; because , he himself rested on it , and sanctified it , unto adam ; the sabbath was made k for adam , for all mankind in him . he hath made , he doth , he will , make it a blessed day in its weekly returns unto the due diligent observers thereof , in obedience to his command , in obsequiousness to his will , in conformity to his example , in faith on his truth , power and promise : for , this day hath he severed unto his own service along . that expression l , for-tomake , or to-do , doth not so appear to belong unto , he had created , as to relate unto , he will sabbatize , or ceasingly rest . the preceding hebrew accent , doth somewhat teach this , which doth often distinguish ; so that , it signifies that adam and his posterity ought to do this ; to observe the seventh-day-sabbath , as holy and consecrated to jehovah aelohim , it is their bounden duty to do the same : the like phrase we find m elsewhere in the hebrew , to make or to do the day of sabbath , or the sabbath : which is to observe , to keep , or to celebrate it . the expression is full , noting , that , that instituted-seventh-day-sabbath-work may not be left undone for that time , or put off to any other season , either before or after . having thus somewhat explained and applyed the expressions concerning the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath in its primitive creation and unchanged institution ; i am now to make a little way for the giving the reader a more particular distinct full account , according to the scriptures of truth , why i do judge that the seventh-day , which is the last day , in every week , in the weekly returns of it , is alone that particular peculiar day in every week , which is the weekly sabbath-day , to be kept holy unto jehovah aelohim , in obedience to his command , as such , that is to say , as the alone weekly sabbath-day . if any man hereafter will engage by writing or printing in this controversie against me , whereby to endeavour to build up , if he could ; his first day , on the ruines of the seventh-day-sabbath ; let him take notice and remember , that i mention my judgment on this ( as in other cases ) subject-matter to be according to the scriptures of truth , and that i expect both he and i should submit our judgment and practise unto the autoritative , decisive judgment of the spirit of christ in the word of truth : those that do resolve such cases of conscience about duty or sin into other authorities , do judge , but according to appearance : that judgment which is n righteous judgment is such as is according to the scriptures : words of rightness , o how powerful are they ! as for other arguing it hath not that efficacy of convincing : pauls way of reasoning was out of the scriptures , and his method of proving was from the scriptures ; and apollos took the same course to convince the erroneous : they are the scriptures that we are to search , which those of berea did daily , even when a paul was the speaker to them , which did evidence them to be a good kind of christians and believers . o these holy scriptures are the scriptures of truth . the word of christ is the word of truth : it is the truth . if any bring a doctrine or a reproof , or a correction , or an instruction , they should have whatsoever things were written aforetime to be written for these ; the whole scripture must be shewn to be profitable for these , it was given for such an end , that , the man of god may be perfect , throughly furnished unto all good works . we may not add unto the word which jehovah doth command us , neither are we to diminish ought from it , that , we may keep his commandments , who is the god of his people , which he doth command us . these holy scriptures are they which are p able to make us wise to salvation : though eminent apostles , or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto us than we have received , we should carry our selves towards him , as towards one excommunicate : if any ; let him be what he will , though he have never so great a name for learning and for religion , do teach otherwise , and come not up to wholesom words , the words of our lord jesus christ , ( these are nourishing healthy food , other words not agreeing with these , are empty q chass ) and to the doctrine which is according to right worship , we should withdraw our selves from such . it has been great encouragement and sweet satisfaction unto me for divers years , that i have christ and his word , his will and his law for me in this holy contest : his ten words or commandments , how perfect and complete , how standing and unchangeable a rule of life are they in all and every of the matters of duty to be performed , and of sin to be avoided ! r it was jehovah christ himself who by his spirit from his father wrote upon the two tables , the words of the covenant , the ten words or precepts . this scripture more especially ( i undervalue not any of the rest , though this have its signal remark ) cannot be broken : this is a perfect law : these words jehovah spake , and he added no more . christ would not have us so much as think , that he came to destroy ( to dissolve ) the law ; he came not to dissolve but to fulfill . he confirms it by an high asseveration , that , till heaven and earth do pass , one jod or chirek ( one either consonant or vowel , or any thing else originally belonging thereunto ) shall in no wise pass from the law , till all be fulfilled . whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments ( and such do the most of men compt the weekly sabbath , though misjudgingly ) and will teach men so , he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven ; but whosoever shall do and teach men the same , shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven . this law is established : this law or testimony is sure , or faithful , or firm , or constant ; it endures for ever , it is standing-abiding , continuing firm yet , and perpetually . this is the s rule of the new creature ; by this must we walk : this is to be bound up and sealed among christs disciples : to the law and to the testimony must we refer all our controversies in religion for determination and resolution . if any speak not according to this word , it is because no morning-light is as yet in them . here is the full comprehensive of what is our duty to do : where ( or for what ) no law is , there is no transgression ( or neither a transgression ) sin is not imputed , where is no law ; for , sin is a transgression of the law : then a soul is guilty , when it sinneth against any of the commandments of jehova , in what ought not to be done , and shall do against any of them . this law of the ten words was put into the ark , and this alone , and nothing else but this put there ; in which it was so closed , as that it was not to be taken out or changed , having a crown of gold , by jehovah's own appointment , put round about it . this particular law of the weekly-seventh day-sabbath has a special mark of t remembrance fixt unto it at the very entrance into it . this must not be forgotten to be kept holy , and the works of our particular functions are expresly prohibited to be done on it . this seventh-day must be sanctified , as the weekly sabbath of jehovah our god ; because , all and every of those weighty reasons , which jehovah aelohim , the law-maker , the law-giver himself hath assigned , and rendred , ( and no reasons can be so demonstrative and convincing as those which he doth give who is only wise , ) from whence to inforce and perswade obedience to his command in observing of a weekly-sabbath-day holy to him , do properly belong and are applicable to the seventh , which is the last , day in every week in order of time in the weekly returns of it : as the weekly sabbath-day , and to no other day of the week , as such neither to the first , second , third , fourth , fifth or sixth day u . six daies ( in the week ) we are to labour , and the seventh day ( in the same week ) is the sabbath : the seventh-day , the seventh-day , has its peculiar note of honour put upon it w . there can be but one seventh day in one week in the weekly order and succession of the seven days , though each of the other foregoing six days in the week are one of seven ; or one of the seven daily parts of weekly time : every one of the other days of the week have another name , as one , the second , the third , the fourth , the fifth , the sixth . only the last day of the week is called the seventh day , and the sabbath day ; weeks will be to the worlds end , concluded within the compass of seven days . one of aelohims reasons is , because , he x rested upon the seventh day , upon that , and that only , which is the last day in the week , and upon no other day in the week , as a weekly sabbath-day . this history of the creation doth go this day over y three times , on , or in , the seventh-day , the seventh-day , the seventh-day , aelohim rested ; and again a second time he rested : afterwards in moses time , a little z before christ's proclaiming of the law of the ten words at mount sinai , the seventh-day , and the rest or sabbath on it , are several times mentioned , the seventh-day , the seventh-day , the seventh-day ; and a fourth time the seventh-day : the rest of the holy sabbath ( or a resting of holy rest , for sabbath signifies a rest . ) a sabbath , the sabbath , the sabbath , the people rested on it . a at the promulgation of this law , this same reason is resumed again ; for in six days jehovah made the heavens and the earth , the sea , and all that in them is , and rested the seventh-day , and therefore his people ought to rest on the same day , as the holy-sabbath-day . the scriptures do carry this further along after the promulgation of it . b six days shall men work , but on the seventh-day , the seventh-day , a sabbath , a sabbath of rest , a sabbath-day , the sabbath , the sabbath , jehovab rested on this day , and refreshed himself . six days thou shalt work , but on the seventh-day thou shalt rest , thou shalt rest . six days shall work be done , but on the seventh-day , there shall be to you an holy-day , a sabbath of rest to jehovah , the seventh-day is the sabbath of rest , the sabbath ; the seventh day is the sabbath to jehovah . thus also in the c after-prophets , in jeremiah's days , bear no burden on the sabbath-day , the sabbath-day , the sabbath-day , the sabbath-day ; sanctifie the sabbath-day to do no work therein . the sabbath-day , the sabbath-day : thus in nehemiah's time , that zealous reformer would not suffer ware or any victuals to be brought to be sold on the sabbath-day , on the sabbath-day , on the holy-day , the sabbath-day , the sabbath , the sabbath-day , the sabbath , the sabbath , the sabbath . no burden shall be brought in on the sabbath-day , the sabbath , the sabbath-day d . the new testament also doth take special notice of this : the seventh-day has the name of sabbath or of rest , given it there , above three●●ore times they rested ( christs followers were silent from the works of their particular functions ) the seventh-day . the seventh-day god did rest , the seventh-day from all his works . none of all this is said of any other day of the week . particularly not of the first ; and therein the lord jesus christ is the great exemplary pattern for his disciples to imitate and to follow , he rested on that seventh-day ; and therefore his people must also rest on the same seventh-day . e thus he himself doth argue . he was f the first-seventh-day-sabbath-observer , and under all the several administrations of grace , he called upon his people to do the same . in the days of his flesh here on earth after he was born of the virgin mary g , he through the weeks of his life yielded obedience unto this command , by keeping the seventh-day , as the weekly sabbath-day , and no other day in the weekly return , as such : and this was , and is a part of that perfect righteousness , which every sound h believer doth apply to himself , as his plea of justification in the sight of god for his sin of sabbath-breaking , and every such believer is i to conform in sanctification to christ in all the acts of christs obedience to this law of the ten words : he , as his custom was , went into the synagogue on the sabbath-day , and stood up for to read . he taught the people , such as would give him the hearing , on the sabbath-days . and whither shall we go to get our selves cloathed with sabbath righteousness , but unto him , putting on this lord jesus , and making this jehovah to be our righteousness ? how can there be such an apt , proper , distinct , suitable , sabbath-righteousness from christ , applyed to the soul , but by those who make out after that weekly seventh-day-sabbath-righteousness , which was in its perfection in christ ? those that observe any other day of the week , as the weekly sabbath , cannot so directly go to christ for such a days righteousness , not particularly for the first-days righteousness , as to a sabbath ; which first day christ all his life through never observed , as the weekly sabbath . he has left us an example ( a pattern , a copy , such as writing masters do leave to their scholars ) that , we should follow his steps . he that saith he abideth in christ ought himself also to walk even as he walked : because , as he is , so are we in this world , ( if we keep to his rule and example , for the scripture speaks of things as they ought to be , taking it for granted that they be so , and they are so , so far forth as believers do act regularly like themselves , as doth become them . ) according to this pattern we have k paul practising after christs ascension into heaven , on every sabbath-day ; it was his custom and usage , his constant practice l , the same expression , that sets out christs continued weekly observing of the seventh-day-sabbath that it was usual to him , is affirmed also of that eminent servant of his ; that , it was also usual to this paul , o that the same might be truly testified of more in our day , of leaders and of their people , that , christ might hold such forth before others and say : here are they that keep the commandments of god , and the faith of jesus : the holy seed of christ and of his church are such , as keep these commands of god , and have the testimony of jesus christ . o the happy progresses , o the blessed goings on with a strait foot , of such as do his commandments ! a second reason of his affixing to this holy law of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , who is wisdom essential , wisedoms , all wisdoms in one , is this : for that , aelohim blessed the seventh , which is the last day in the week , that and that only , and no other day of the week , as the weekly-sabbath-day . thus it was from the beginning , and thus it is , and will be to hidden ages of hidden ages . the blessing is its peculiar portion , and what is man that he will take away this heritage of blessing from the seventh-day to endeavour to settle it on any other day on the first day particularly , where the lord himself never so gave and secured it ? m the seventh-day , the seventh-day , aelohim blessed , the seventh-day , he hath blessed it , he doth bless it , and he will bless it , and it shall be blessed . o blessed day , which jehovah himself hath blessed ; so blessed ! this blessing was afterwards renewed , revived , solemnly , openly declared n at mount sinai , and affix'd to the seventh-day : six days thou shalt labour , but the seventh-day is the sabbath : in it thou shalt not do any work : for six days jehovah made heaven and earth , the sea , and all that in them is , and rested the seventh-day : wherefore jehovah blessed that day , that sabbath , the blessing is gone forth for this seventh-day-sabbath irreversibly from the mouth of jehovah mashiach himself : it has his applaud and approve for its due estimation and deserved renown , its noble majestickness and royal imperialness . how many are the prerogatives and priviledges which he hath conferred upon it ! christ is the seventh-daies-benedictor and benefactor . this is the day which he hath dedicated to the instituted worship and service of jehovah aelohim ; a day greatly to be desired and delighted in by his children , friends and servants , as a day of holy rest , and of heavenly joy ; a day of sweet converse between him and his saints : a day that calleth upon them for a singingshouting-triumphing-rejoycing-frame ! and therefore there is a peculiar o psalm fitted for this purpose , to this end : thus is the crown of special benediction put upon the head of the seventh-day , and no other foregoing day of the week is to share with it in this princely honour . p isaiah , that evangelical prophecier and preacher , has from jehovah pronounced those blessed even to admiration , ( o the happy progresses , o the happy goings on of such ! ) that do keep this sabbath , and not prophane it ! they shall enjoy many a covenant-favour ! o how choice spiritual blessings are there that do visit the hearts of holy observers of this seventh-day-sabbath ! under the new-testament administration , o what a blessed day did christ make it to be unto some , whose sick bodies he healed , whose sinful souls he pardoned , whose sadned spirits he comforted ; unto whom his gracious words were converting and restoring , teaching and enlightning , quickning and strengthning , whom he met in sabbath ordinances , and gave them the blessing of this separated day ! and how many a soul had cause to bless the lord for ever , who so prospered pauls labours on the q seventh-day-sabbath , for blessing , for good to them ! christ taught daily in the temple , and paul was often in the synagogues on the foregoing daies of the week , and much good was done thereby , but the whole scripture doth take peculiar notice of this , that , the seventh-day as the weekly sabbath-day , carried away the sabbath-blessings , which no other day in the week did , though the lord do bless his people every day , yet not with sabbath-blessings , but only on the seventh-day . aelohim gave a special blessing , an appropriated blessing , to this day above all the other daies . so true and good is that saying of christ still , that r this sabbath was made for adam , for man , for a blessing to him , every way for his cheifest and choicest good ▪ . it was christs counsel to his dsiciples , s that , when troublous times would be some years after his ascending into the highest heavens , they would be much in prayer , that , upon the enemies invading their land , their flight might not be on the sabbath , lest they should be hindered from , or disturbed in the blessings of that seventh-day , which alone has the name of the weekly sabbath . thus is the whole scripture profitable for the clearing and confirming of these two reasons of christs assigning , as i am now also further to manifest , that , it is so for his third reason which is this , because aelohim sanctified the seventh , which is the last day in every week , that and that only , and no other day of the week , as the weekly sabbath-day . thus at the t first creation and institution ; the seventh day , the seventh-day , the seventh-day , aelohim sanctified it , because , that , in it he had rested from all his work , which he created , for to make or to do . he hath sanctified this same seventh-day , he doth and he will sanctifie it , setting it apart as the only weekly sabbath-day , for spiritual services and for other holy ends , he segregated it from all prophane common employments and usages , and dedicated it to his own peculiar worship . it was not to be reckoned nor counted amongst vulgar daies , but was to be had and held u as solemn and sacred , holy and honourable , desirable and delightful . he hath put a difference between this seventh day and other daies , by way of excellency , in a dignifying manner , by appropriating and ●evering of it in the special holiness thereof , from ordinary foregoing week-daies , that are but of a common rank , that it may be singularly filled up as becometh the sanctity or holiness of it . by this derived or relative sanctity , it is the peculiar appropriate day of jehovah ●lohim . he has separated ordinances for his separated people on this separated day ! o how holy is jehovahs seventh-day-sabbath on which he would have his worshippers to be so holy ! all here , in this history of the creation is actual and real , anticipations here , have no such place as those pretend who would have this sanctification of the seventh day , as a weekly sabbath , to be only in aelohims decree and destination , as if it took not place actually till the proclaiming of the law at mount-sinai which was above two thousand years after ; for , this scripture , as others also collated with it , do evidently shew that it was thus set apart , from the beginning of the world from adams time and so downwards . this history doth treat of existences , of beings in their created nature : as aelohim rested on that day actually , and it was made for w adam and for his posterity for that purpose and end , that he and they might sanctifie it , and that it might be a blessed day to him and to them . the creator and maker of daies did put apart the seventh-day from all and from every of other daies for peculiar uses and ends. the proof is convincing enough to the ingenious and unprejudiced , that the sanctification of the seventh-day-sabbath , was before the promulgation of it at sinai : moses speaks of it , as of a thing known , using the same reasons and grounds of equity , and much in the same words , which aelohim himself used in the proclaiming , and referring to the first institution of x labouring on the six fore going daies and sabbatizing on the seventh , where the seventh day is mentioned four times , and sabbath , sabbatism , rest , rested , about six times , declaring , that , in times past , of old , jehovah had given the sabbath for this end , that in it there should be a ceasing from ordinary labour , and accordingly the people rested on the seventh-day-sabbath ; at mount-sinai the promulgator of this law himself delivers his mind to be still the same in much plainness of speech , y six daies thou shalt labour , but the seventh day is the sabbath , in it thou shalt not do any work , for , six daies jehovah made the heavens and the earth , the sea , and all that in them is , and rested the seventh day , wherefore jehovah hallowed the sabbath day , he sacrated it , consecrated it , sanctified it , restored it to its holy use , he spiritually distinguished it from the other foregoing six daies of the week : setting it apart for his more solemn worship and instituted service : and thus you may carry this sanctification of it through the rest of the scriptures that do treat on this subject ; for , the people of god all along were sabbath-keepers , and aelohim-worshippers : they remembred this as that word of memoir and of remark , bringing in this law upon their hearts as of special observance . z the sanctification of the sabbath doth set out sometimes , the whole worship of god ; for , where this is duly observed it doth promote all other religion ; and it is put prophetically by isaiah for the spiritual worship under the new testament dispensation ; it was instituted to the end , that , solemn service might be performed to the lord therein : a therefore did his people hold publick conventions on the seventh day-sabbath , when they assembled to read , to interpret , and to hear , the word of jehovah aelohim : and these were stated ordinances on every such day : then they put up their publick requests , and made prayers to the lord ; they then pleasantly sang songs to him , they had spiritual conferences , holy arguings , heavenly meditations , merciful actings : it being a day of spiritual delight , of heavenly joy , and of high praising : then they offered up instituted sacrifices unto him , to the honour of his name : which sacrifices now under this administration are spiritual , glorious , heavenly , accepttable to god by jesus christ . thus , and in such like holy services is it to be b sanctified by us . the seventh-day-sabbath is therefore said to be c holy unto the lord's people , as it is holy in its institution , and holy unto aelohim . and now , is it not great and good reason , that these reasons of aelohims own giving should have a convincing-cogency , and winning perswasiveness upon our hearts to yield obedience unto this holy law of his , which is every way so designed and fitted for our own good ? i pass on to some other spiritual proofs of this : after long and serious search into the whole scripture about this matter , i find , that all the scriptures through , where the holy spirit doth speak of a weekly sabbath day , there the name and thing of a weekly sabbath is given only to the seventh , which is the last day of the week , in the weekly revolutions and returns , and successive courses of it , and to no other day of the week as a weekly-sabbath-day : that , there is no command given for the observation of any other day in the week as the weekly-sabbath-day but only of the seventh day : that , there is no promise made to the observing of any other day in the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , but only of the seventh day ; and that there is no threatning either denounced against or executed upon any , that have not observed any other day in the week , as the weekly-sabbath-day , but only against and upon such as observed not the seventh-day as such . if it be thus , then how nameless , how commandless , how promiseless , how threatless , is the first day of the week , as to this matter of the weekly-sabbath-day ? examine and search we the scriptures in this case . all the scriptures through , where the holy spirit speaks of a weekly-sabbath day , the name and thing thereof , that is , of such a weekly-sabbath-day , is given only to the seventh , which is the last day in the week , in the weekly returns of it , and to no other day of the week as a weekly-sabbath-day . d on the seventh-day , the seventh-day , the seventh-day , aelohim sabbatized , he sabbatized . e the seventh-day , the seventh-day , the seventh-day , the seventh-day , the rest of the holy sabbath , a sabbath , the sabbath , the sabbath , the people rested on it . f the seventh day is the sabbath ; in it thou shalt not do any work . the g seventh day is the sabbath , in it thou shalt not do any work . in the seventh is the h sabbath of rest . the seventh day a sabbath of rest . the seventh day i the sabbath of rest : scores of times in the scripture of the old testament , the seventh day is called the sabbath . several times also in the new testament , about threescore times . the lord christ himself speaking prophetically cals it k the sabbath-day . divers times in the historie of the l acts of the apostles after christs ascension to his father . every sabbath paul reasoned in the synagogue as his manner was . m no other day in the week is called the sabbath-day . this some of the most learned amongst the adversaries of the seventh day , having been convinced of , and finding their labours fruitless in searching after the name sabbath to be given to the first day of the week , which is no where done , they rather oppose the name sabbath , as not fit to be used now under the new-testament-administration of grace , as applyed to the weekly seperated day for holy rest and worship ; they reject it themselves , that , others too might the more abhor it , by giving it an ill name , miscalling it , the jewish-sabbath : so that these enemies themselves being judges , they confess , that all churches do call the seventh day alone , by the old name , sabbath . it was n the seventh , this seventh day ; ( it is double-articled , ) on which god rested from all his works . consider further , there is not all the scriptures through , any command given for the observation of any other day in the week asthe weekly-sabbath-day , but only the seventh which is the last day in the week , in the weekly return of it . at the first creation of this seventh day it was instituted for adam to do it , and observe it , as the weekly sabbath day , thus before the law was proclaimed , how long refuse ye to keep my commandements and my laws ? jehovah hath given you the sabbath : let no man go out of his place o on the seventh day , ( for to gather manna , or to do any other servile work . ) so the people rested on the seventh day . thus at the time of promulgation . p remember , or to remember , the sabbath day , to keep it holy : six daies shalt thou labour , and do all thy work , but , the seventh day is the sabbath of jehovah thy god. in it thou shalt not do any work : it expresseth both a precept what to do , and a prohibition what not to do . q keep the sabbath , to sanctifie it , as jehovah thy god hath commanded thee : six daies shalt thou labour , and do all thy work , but the seventh day is the sabbath of jehovah thy god : in it thou shalt not do any work . so express is this word of the law-giver himself . after the proclaiming of this law , r six daies thou shalt do thy work , and on the seventh day thou shalt rest . verily my sabbaths ye shall keep , said jehovah , ye shall keep the sabbath , six daies shall work be done , but , in the seventh is the sabbath of rest . s six daies thou shalt work , but on the seventh day thou shalt rest : in eating-time , or plough-time , and in harvest , thou shalt rest , during the seventh-day-sabbath . if any time had more colouraable plea for working than other , the ploughing-time and the harvest-time were the seasons ; the one to prepare the ground and to cast in the seed ; the other to reap and gather in the fruit and increase . tillage was necessary for harvest , harvest was necessary for sustenance , yet the holy rest of the sabbath must not be broken for these . the prohibition reached in the very letter of it , against these times . again , t these are the words which jehovah hath commanded , that ye should do them , six daies shall work be done , but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day , a sabbath of rest to jehovah . if any handy-work were to be spoken for , as an exception to this general rule , tabernacle-work was the work : u yet this law of the seventh-day-sabbath must not be transgressed for the carrying on of such work for the preparing , finishing , and erecting , of the tabernacle , though it were the appointed place under that dispensation of grace for the publick instituted worship and service of god. w ye shall keep my sabbath , again , ye shall keep my sabbath , and a third time , in leviticus , ye shall keep my sabbaths . the like we have in the books of the prophets , x carry not forth any burden out of your houses on the sabbath day , nor do any work , but , ye shall hallow the sabbath day , according as i commanded your fathers , said jehovah by jeremiah to the people of god in his time , much the same we have in y ezekiel , bringing in the lord thus bespeaking his people , i jehovah your god ; walk in my statutes , observe my judgments , and do them , and hallow my sabbaths . the same prophetically in another place , thus saith adonai jehovah , the gate of the inner court that looketh towards the east shall be shut , the six working daies , but , on the sabbath it shall be opened : but , the gate shall not be shut until the evening . the prince shall offer the burnt offering on the sabbath-day . thus after the return from the babylonish captivity , z zealous nehemiah reproves the transgressors of this law and command of the seventh day-sabbath , what evil thing is this that ye do , and profane the sabbath-day ? i commanded and charged , ( saith he : this he did in pursuance of jehovahs express command and charge ; ) that , no burden be brought in on the sabbath day , i said unto the levites , that , they should cleanse themselves , and come and keep the gates , to sanctifie the sabbath-day . the same is mentioned in a the new-testament , the holy women had rested on the sabbath-day according to the commandement . b they , who were no friends to christ , could yet acknowledge this in the principle for the matter of right , though they misjudged in a matter of fact , in point of practise and in a particular case , there are six daies in which men ought to work , and not on the sabbath . in obedience to this law and command of christ it was that c paul preached , and the people heard the word of god on this sabbath-day , some years after christ was ascended up into glory . whither can the observers of the first day ( as the weekly sabbath-day ) go to find out commands in the whole scripture for their day ? one of the adversaries of the seventh-day-sabbath , who appeared in writing against a letter of another to him , upon his own desire , which conteined some reasons and scriptures for the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath , he , in delivering his judgment concerning the first day , upon this question , whether there be any express word for the institution of the first day of the week to be observed as the lords-day , the day for his weekly sabbath ? has these passages ; we might say , that , it might be instituted , though it be not recorded , ( he meaneth in the scriptures . ) when and where ; and again , t is acknowledged , saith he , we have no express word , in so many letters and words or syllables , for the institution of the first day of seven . and a third time , what if it should be said , that he , ( that is , that jesus christ the mediator , ) did according to his power actually change the day , though when , and how , it be not recorded ? and a fourth time , why might he not institute this , ( he intends the first , ) day , although it be not expressed , when or where , and though it be not recorded ? observe here , thou who readest this with a desire to have the mind of christ in this matter : suppose in the serious tenderness of thy heart thou shouldest enquire of this answerer , whether there be any institution of the first day of the week , to be observed as the weekly sabbath-day under the new-testament , in the room of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath ; and he should say , there may be an institution of the first day of the week as the weekly-sabbath-day , though it be not recorded , suppose thou shouldest further ask , when , for the time , might this institution be , if it were at all ? and he should reply , there might be an institution , though it be not recorded when for the time . put case , thou demand of him further , where , for the place might this supposed institution be ? and he should tell thee there might be an institution though it be not recorded , where for the place . upon this , thou further propoundest this to him , how is this pretended institution for the occasion or manner , that , i might be somewhat directed in my practise , if it were manifested to be my duty to observe the first day , as the weekly sabbath-day ? to which he should return thee these words : there might be an institution , though it be not recorded how for the occasion or manner . can such answers as these give thee any convincing demonstration or satisfying evidence ? what ? after all thy trading in sabbath-religion wilt thou at last be sent thou knowest not whether , to pretended unwritten verities for thy religion ? art thou under any obligations of conscience in these matters , to beleive further than what is d written ? can thy spiritual appetite e savour in such cases , what is not written ? as for any other framed , fancyed , forged , grounds of instituting the first day as the weekly sabbath-day , from pretended practise of the apostles for this end , in this , or any other author i meet with , or from what other reasons conjecturally , unscripturally suggested , it will be spoken unto in its place : only here is one part of the fore-mentioned passage , which i would write somewhat about , lest the force of the answerers arguing should be thought to be passed by unobserved , which is that expression , ( according to his power ) whereby the answerer intends , that , jesus christ as mediator had power to change the weekly sabbath from the seventh which is the last day to the first day of the week . what power the lord jesus christ as mediator has received , i thankfully acknowledge , and through mercy and grace purchased by him for me , and freely , richly given from the father to me , in the supplies of the holy spirit , i have been for several years an applyer of , a liver upon , and somewhat an improver of , though i find great cause to be deeply humbled , for that , i have put it to no better use . as for the power of christ , considering him as mediator , we have it from his own mouth f in his life time ; that , the father had given all judgment unto the son : that the father hath given unto christ power to do judgment , because , he is the son of man , that , the father hath given all things into his hand . and a little before his death , that , g the father gave him power of all flesh : and after his resurrection , that h unto him all authoritative power was given in heaven and on earth . this is my faith and my food : yet withal it must be considered , that christ , as mediator , was one put into office by his father , and sent by him in a delegated function , having his proper work assigned him : and thus , his power was limited . let us search whether the whole scripture be profitable for this ? in the law of moses , i there is a prophesie , that , jehovah the aelohim of his people would raise up unto them a prophet , ( meaning the lord jesus christ , as is manifest by a collation of those other scriptures which do so interpret this , ) from the midst of them , of their brethren like unto moses , unto him they were to hearken , and i , said jehovah the father , will give my words into his mouth , and he shall speak unto the people , all that i shall command him : and it shall come to pass , that , the man who will not hearken to my words , which he shall speak in my name , i will require it of him . remark here : it was the father who raised up christ to this office of being a prophet , they were the fathers words which were given into christs mouth : and christ was to speak unto the people all that which the father should command him : they must be the fathers words , and it must be in the fathers name , that christ was to speak . to this clause in the commission must christ keep close : and accordingly so he did . in the book of the after-prophets you may read jehovah the father thus speaking concerning his son christ , k behold , my servant whom i uphold , mine elect , my soul delighteth , i have given my spirit upon him ; he shall bring forth judgment to the nations : christ as mediator , was his fathers servant , he took upon him the form of a servant , and the servant must keep close to the will and word and command of him whose servant he is , especially in this case , where all and every of the words , and wills and commands of the father are holy , just and good . and it is fore told of christ , that , he would when he had a bodie prepared for , and taken to him , thus bespeak his father , l i take pleasure , o my aelohim , to do thy well-pleasing , thy will : ( as christ else where , in the history of this ) not as i will , but as thou : not what i will but what thou will : not my will but , thine be done : lo i come to do thy will ; i utter thy truth , and thy salvation , i do not conceal thy bountifulness and thy faithfulness in the great congregation : christ did not in the least go beyond or beside his fathers will and word . the new testament is full of this . m the sitting at christs right ( hand ) and at his left , was not in christs power to give ; but , ( or except , or if not ) to those for whom it is prepared of my father , so christ told the sons of zebedee and their mother . it was his to give , but only to such as were specified in the fathers grant to him . n thus he elsewhere affirms of himself , what the son hath seen and heard , that he testifieth , ( no more , no less , no other than that , ) he whom god hath sent , ( that is , christ whom the father hath sent , ) speaketh the words of god : my meat is , that , i do the will of him that sent me , and finish his work : the son can do nothing of him self , except he see the father do it ; whatsoever he doth , also doth the son likewise . i can of my self do nothing . i seek not my will but the will of the father that sent me . the father gave me works to finish : the father himself hath sent me : iam come in my fathers name : o i came down from heaven , not to do mine own will , but the will of him that sent me : p my doctrine is not mine , but his that sent me , if any man will do his will , he shall know of the doctrine , whether it be of god , or whether i speak of my self ; he that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory , but he that seeketh his glory that sent him , the same is true , and no unrighteousness is in him : i am not come of my self , but , he that sent me is true . q i do nothing of my self , but , as my father hath taught me , i speak these things , i do alwaies those things which he hath appointed . i speak that which i have seen with my father , i came not of my self but he sent me : r i have not spoken of my self , but , the father which sent me , he gave me a commandment , what i should say , and what i should speak , and i know , that , his commandment is life everlasting : whatsoever i speak therefore even as the father said unto me , so i speak s the words that i spake unto you , i speak not of my self ; the word which you hear is not mine , but the fathers which sent me . t i have kept my fathers commandements ; all things that i have heard of my father i have made known unto you . thus also the lord jesus christ acknowledgeth in his prayer to his father ; u father thou hast given thy son power over all flesh , that , he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him : i have finished the work which thou gavest me to do , i have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world : thine they were and thou gavest them me , and they have kept thy word . i have given unto them the words which thou gavest me , and they have received them and have known surely that i came out from thee , and they have believed , that , thou didst send me , i have given them thy word and the world hath hated them . an exact punctual just accompt of this great undertaking and transacting will christ give and deliver up to his father in the latter day . the discerning reader may see , how express christ is in this matter ; he exerciseth his power according to his fathers will and word . and the father , as also the son from the father ; hath not revealed any such thing in the word of truth , as the change of the weekly sabbath from the last to the first day of the week : there is no appearance of any such institution or command . christ came not to make a change in any one of the laws of the ten words . where did the father put any such words into christs mouth ? and where did christ ever speak any such words ? as christ was to speak what words the father put into his mouth , so also the holy spirit of truth ; whom the father sent in christs name , w he was not to speak of himself , but whatsoever he shall hear , saith christ to his disciples , that shall ye speak . how much less should any meer man or men speak a word about a pretended change of the sabbath , which is a saying of their own , and not a word from the father , son , and holy spirit : in this or in any other case ? it was the lords charge and promise to moses ; x i will be with thy mouth , and with aarons mouth , and will teach you what ye shall do , speak thou y all that i say unto thee : and moses has a scripture-testimonial , that z he was faithful in all gods house . it is mentioned to his praise above forty times , that moses did as jehovah commanded him . the same was in a jeremiahs commission , which he confesseth , jehovah said unto me , i have put my words in thy mouth ; and this jehovah affirms of jeremiah , my words in thy mouth . thus saith jehovah , was the usual message ; that the faithful prophets brought to the people ; and it is expresly mentioned about one thousand and five hundred times in the scriptures , besides other such like words , as , thus saith jehovah aelohim of israel : and thus saith jehovah of hosts . often . now , who can say , with any truth in his saying , thus saith jehovah . the first day ( of the week ) is the sabbath , ( weekly in the room of the seventh , the last day of the week ) . i am now to speak of the promise . there is no promise made to the observing of any other day in the week as the weekly-sabbath-day , but only of the seventh-day , which is the last day in the week , in the weekly returns of it . here all that might be resumed , which is written about aelohims blessing of the seventh day ; and that only , as the weekly sabbath-day . to which also might be added all those promises which more at large are made over to those , that keep and obey all and every of the commands of jehovah aelohim : whereof this of observing of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath , is one : but i would keep close to this subject matter . the seventh-day-sabbath is b a gift from jehovah aelohim , to be a sign between him and between his people , c to the end , they may know , that he is jehovah sanctifying them : and that , he is jehovah their god. how free is that love , how rich that grace which is put in to this covenant ! and this is annexed to the seventh day , as the sabbath of rest , holiness to jehovah . what kind of sign this is , may be spoken unto in another place , moses in his repeating of this law of the weekly d seventh-day-sabbath doth four several-times put this covenant of grace by express terms into this command , whereby hearts should be the more drawn into orderly obedience thereunto : that , the same jehovah aelohim who proclaimed the holy law together with the other nine , was their aelohim , theirs in a peculiar especial distinguishing manner who conformed in all things to his revealed will , and stood compleat and perfect in his whole will , and therefore should they be engaged and be encouraged , to do the sabbath day , to hallow it , as he had commanded them . e ye shall keep my sabbaths , i jehovah , if ye walk in my statutes , and keep my commandments and do them , then saith jehovah , i will give you this and that blessing in temporals , and further i will set my tabernacle amongst you , and my soul shall not abhor you , and i will walk among you , and will be your god and ye shall be my people . sabbath-worship on the sabbath-day , in this sabbath , ( for the instituted day of the weekly sabbath must be observed , to be accepted , ) shall be a savour of rest to me , said jehovah . thus also in the prophets : f that evangelical prophet isaiah , sweetly thus ; blessed is the man , or o the blessedness , or happy progresses ( or blessed goings on with a streight foot , for such will make a good progress in other religion , who are found walking on prosperously in this sabbath-way ) of that aenosh , and the son of man , of adam that keepeth the sabbath , so that he doth not pollute it , or not prophane it ! for thus saith jehovah to them , that keep these my sabbaths : ( not those that are of mens inventing and imposing : contrary to these seventh-day-sabbaths which are of his instituting , and which he doth own as his peculiar ) and have chosen in what i delight , or have pleasingly willed , and who taking hold of my convenant i will give unto them in my house , and within my walls an everlasting name , that shall not be cut off , i will bring them to the mount of my holiness , and i will make them joyfull in my house of prayer ; their sacrifices and their offerings shall be accepted upon mine altar . and in another place jehovah hath prophecyed and promised , that he will raise up such as shall be restorers of paths to sabbatize in , saying , g if thou turn away from the sabbath thy feet to do thy pleasure on mine holy day , and thou call the sabbath a delight the holy of jehovah honorable , and thou hast honoured , shalt honour him , not doing thy own waies , nor finding thy own pleasure , nor speaking ( thy own , ) words , then shalt thou delight thy self in jehovah , and i will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth , and i will feed thee with the inheritance of jacob thy father ; h from the time of the sabbath in his sabbath , all flesh shall come for to bow down to my face , saith jehovah . the prophet i jeremiah doth also bring good and comfortable words from jehovah to right observers of the seventh-day-sabbath . thus saith jehovah , bear no burden on the sabbath-day . hallow ye the sabbath day , as i commanded your fathers : it shall come to pass , if hearkening ye shall hearken unto me , to bring in no burden through the gates of the city on the sabbath-day , and shall hallow the sabbath day to do no work therein , then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of david , riding in chariots and on horses , they and their princes , the men of judah , and the inhabitants of jerusalem : and this city shall remain for ever , and they shall come from the cities of judah , and from the places about jerusalem , and from the land of benjamin , and from the plain , and from the mountains , and from the south , bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices , and meat offerings and incense ; and bringing sacrifices of praise unto the house of jehovah . they are sweet precious words those by the k prophet ezekiel . i , saith the lord , gave them my starutes and shewed them my judgements , which if a man do , he shall even live in them : moreover i gave them my sabbaths , but they despised my judgements , which if a man do he shall even live in them : this is twice expressed as a gracious encouraging promise ; and a third time it is covenanted there , i jehovah your aelohim , hallow my sabbaths , that ye may know that i jehovah your aelohim ; and i will accept you with your savour of rest . there is one l psalm , that has several choice promises in it , and the title of it is , a psalm or hymn for the sabbath-day , which is to be carried through that psalm . those who keep the seventh-day-sabbath shall experience jehovahs loving kindness in the morning , and his faithfulness in the nights , they shall be made glad through his work , they shall triumph in the works of his hands : they shall have their horn , ( their power , their strength , their defence , their glory , their honour , their dignity , their exaltation , their firmness , their long-continued happiness ) like that of an unicorn : they shall be poured over with green oyl ( with new revivings and pleasant refreshings : ) their eyes shall see on their spying enemies , and their ears shall hear concerning the evil-doers which rise up against them . such righteous ones as are due observers of this seventh-day-sabbath , shall grow like to a palm-tree : they shall grow like a cedar-tree in lebanon , to them that are thus planted in the house of jehovah , those they shall make to grow in the courts of their god. they shall bear fruit yet in the gray age : they shall be fat and green : if all and every of these were opened and applyed at large , o how much of rich treasure is there in them ! the chaldee upon the title of this psalm doth thus paraphrase , an hymn , which the first man adam said for the sabbath day . and the seventy two greek interpreters have a double article here , a psalm of a song unto that day of the sabbath : the same sabbath-day that was the seventh day of the week from the creation ; which was to be sanctified , as many other ways , so particularly by singing of psalms . this psalm has divers prophetical passages in it relating to new-testament-promises , especially in the latter-day-glory of this dispensation of grace . it is judged by the hebrews to be penned by adam , when he beheld the glorious works of the creator , and commending it prophetically to after-ages . m the new-testament gives us to know from the mouth of our lord christ himself , the commander and observer , the blesser , and the sanctifier , of this seventh-day-sabbath , that , it was made for adam , and in him for all mankind , for their happiness , for their good , if they would be diligent observers of it : and that , to be forced to flee from sabbath-work and enjoyments , was to be driven from special priviledges , which sore judgement those who are sabbath-observers should endeavour by prayer to keep off , lest otherwise it did so befal them . let it also be duly pondered upon in this one weighty consideration more , that there is no threatning either denounced against or executed upon any that shall not observe any other day in the week as a weekly-sabbath-day , but only against and upon such as will not observe the seventh day ; which is the last day in every week . in the book of moses n before the proclaiming of the law of the ten words at mount - sinai the israelites were to gather manna on the six foregoing daies of the week , and on the sixth day ( that sixth , the day immediately before the seventh , that , there could be no mistake of the day ) the bread of two daies , one part whereof being kept for food on the seventh day sabbath , did neither melt nor stink , neither was any worm therein : yet notwithstanding this wonderful appearance of jehovah for the sustenance and food of his people , who but a little before had murmured and complained for want of bread , there were of the people who went out on the seventh day for to gather manna , and they found none . upon this , jehovah steps in with his prohibition and threatning , and said unto moses , how long refuse ye to keep my commandements and my laws ! see for that jehova hath given you the sabbath , ( this sabbath , this noted day , ) therefore he giveth you on that sixth day the bread of two daies , abide ye every man in his place , let no man , ( not a man of you , if you dare to transgress , it will be to your hurt : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a particle of dehorting and of deprecating ) go out of his place on this seventh day : and that , this seventh-day sabbath might have the more confirming sanction , jehovah aelohim continues this miraculous way of seeding of his people for about fourty years , and takes order for the preserving of a pot of this manna , to be laid up to the faces of jehovah to be kept for their generations , o for the better establishing of the doctrine of weeks , and of the certainty and duty of observing the seventh-day-sabbath ; which admirable appearing if we reckon it seven times over for every week , six times for the fall of manna , on the six foregoing daies of each week , and a seventh time for the preserving of that part of the double portion on the seventh day which was gathered on the sixth day ; the number amounts to above fourteen thousand times . at the promulgation of the law ; p there was a threatning in the prohibition , six daies thou shalt labour but the seventh day is the sabbath : in it thou shalt not do any work. so in moses's repeating of this law , the seventh day is the sabbath of jehovah thy aelohim ; in it thou shalt not do any work ( if thou wilt boldly transgress , it will be at thine own peril . ) after the solemn reviving and publishing of this law , every one that defi●eth the sabbath q shall surely be put to death ; for , whosoever doth any work therein , that soul shall be cutt off from amongst his people . six daies shall work be done , but , in the seventh the sabbath of rest , ( or a sabbath of sabbatism , holiness to jehovah ; who doing a work in the day of that sabbath , to die he shall die , whosoever doth work on the seventh-day-sabbath r shall be put to death . s thus saith jehovah if ye will not hearken unto me , and will not do all these my commandments , particularly , if ye will not keep my sabbaths , i also will do this unto you : and then followeth threatning upon threatning , curse upon curse . thus f when jehovah had by a judicial law declared against wilful transgressors , a soul that would sin with an high hand whereby such an one did reproach jehovah , for which that soul was to be cut off from among his people , because he had despised the word of jehovah , and had broken his commandment , that soul was utterly to be cut off ; his iniquity was to be upon him : and notwithstanding this denunciation , one of the children of israel would be gathering of wood upon the sabbath-day : when those that found him thus transgressing this law and contemning this threatning , had brought him unto moses and aaron and unto all the congregation , and they had put him in ward , because , it was not declared ( as to the particular kind of death , for , the judicial law was declared u before , as was but now mentioned ! ) should be done to him : hereupon jehovah said to moses , that man shall surely be put to death : all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. and all the congregation brought him without the camp , and stoned him with stones and he died ; as jehovah commanded moses . in the book of the prophets there is also a denouncing of judgments against profaners of the seventh-day-sabbath , hear what jehovah spake by the mouth of his servant w jeremiah , thus said jehovah unto me , go and stand in the gate of the children of the people , whereby the kings of judah come in , and by the which they go out , and in all the gates of jerusalem ; and say unto them , hear ye the word of jehovah , ye kings of judah , and all judah , and all the inhabitants of jerusalem , that enter in by these gates : thus saith jehovah , take heed to your selves , and bear no burden on the sabbath-day , nor bring in by the gates of jerusalem , neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath-day , neither do ye any work , but hallow the sabbath-day , as i commanded your fathers , but they obeyed not , neither inclined their ear ; but made their neck stiff , that , they might not hear nor receive instruction : and if you will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day , and not to bear a burden , even entring in at the gates of jerusalem on the sabbath-day , then will i kindle a fire in the gates thereof , and it shall devour the palaces of jerusalem , and it shall not be quenched . let x ezekiel now speak from the lord , i , saith jehovah , caused my people to go forth out of the land of egypt , and brought them into the wilderness and i gave them my statutes and shewed them my judgments which if a man do he shall even live in them . moreover also , i gave them my sabbaths , to be a sign between me and them , that , they might know , that , i jehovah who sanctifie them : but the house of israel rebelled against me in the wilderness ; they walked not in my statutes , and they despised my judgments ; which if a man do he shall even live in them : ( this promise mentioned twice here , implyeth the contrary death , even death upon death , death unto death , threatned against not-doers , ( particularly against not-doers , not-hallowers of the seventh-day-sabbath ; ) and my sabbaths they greatly polluted . then ( observe , the lord catched at this season of their provoking of him ) i said , i would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness to consume them . yet also i lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness , that i would not bring them into the land which i had given them flowing with milk and hony ; which are the glory of all lands . because , they despised my judgments and walked not in my statutes , but , polluted my sabbaths : but , i said unto their children in the wilderness , hallow my sabbaths : notwithstanding the children rebelled against me , they polluted my sabbaths : then i said ( observe he takes notice a second time of this time of the provocation was given him by them this way ) i would pour out my fury upon them to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness . the like we have in y another place of the same prophet , her priests ( speaking of jerusalem ) have violated my law , and have profaned my holy things : they have put no difference between the holy and profane , neither have they shewed between the unclean and the clean , and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths , ( even administrators about holy things do some times hide their eyes from jehovahs sabbaths , ) and i am profaned among them . therefore have i poured out my indignation upon them ; i have consumed them with the fire of my wrath : their own way have i recompenced upon their heads , saith adonai jehovah . such a passage we also find in the prophecie by z amos , hear this , o ye , who saying , when will the sabbath be gone , ( they thought the seventh day the longest day in the week , ) that we may set forth wheat , making the ephah small and the shekel great , and perverting the balances of deceit : jehovah hath sworn by the excellency of jacob surely , i will never forget any of their works : shall not the land tremble for this , and every one mourn that dwelleth therein ? i will turn your feasts into mourning , and all your songs into lamentation : i will send a famine of hearing the words of jehovah . thus , after that the people of god had returned from babylonish captivity in a nehemiahs time , when the sabbath was profaned , he , as a magistrate reproves and threatens those in judah , whom he saw treading winepresses on the sabbath and bringing in sheaves , and lading asses , as also wine , grapes and figs , and all burdens which they brought into jerusalem on the sabbath day : and i testified in the day wherein they sold victuals ; there dwelt men of tyre also therein , which brought fish and all manner of ware and sold on the sabbath unto the children of judah and in jerusalem : then i , saith he , contended with the nobles of judah and said unto them , what evil thing is this that ye do , and profane the sabbath-day ? did not your fathers thus , and did not our god bring all this evil upon us and upon this city ? yet ye bring more wrath upon israel by profaning the sabbath . upon this he commands , that , there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day : and when the merchants and the sellers of all kind of ware lodged within jerusalem once or twice , then he testified against them and said unto them , why lodge ye before the wall ? if ye do again , i will lay hands on you . from that time forth came they not on the sabbath : and he commanded the levites ; that , they should cleanse themselves , and that , they should come to keep the gates to sanctifie the sabbath-day . b for an improvement of this kind of learning let the studious search the scriptures , whether both the first and the second temple were not burnt , and the people captived in the one , and fleeing into the other , both these on the seventh-day-sabbath ? and whether the first great ejection and unchurching of the jews were not also on the seventh-day-sabbath , and the gospel more carried over to the gentiles ? having thus carried this doctrine and duty concerning the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath through the whole scripture with that arguing convincingness which is clear and evident to plain unprejudiced judgments and understandings , though so full a testimony should suffice , yet that i may the better make way for the answering of somewhat that may look a little like objection , i shall add this to the rest for a further confirmation , that aelohim hath put this weekly-seventh-day-sabbath , into created nature . c the human nature in the first adam was made and framed to the perfection of holiness and of righteousness in the ten words ; which ten words i take to be the only certain , vniversal , perfect summary , and comprehensive of that which is the law of nature in mankind : a full exact copie , draught and transcript , of the law of creation in the heart of adam , the proclaimed and now written word , the same for sum and for substance which had a living concreated impression on that heart and mind of his : as the true unchangeable original-law ; being not only the declared will but also agreeing with the holy nature , or essence , and being , of the creator himself , an holy , just and good law , no waies differing from the law which was given to and put into the humane nature in the uprightness and integrity the , purity and perfection of that humane nature : this law particularly of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , and the due observation thereof , was a part of this law of nature , as it lay evidently in that established order of aelohims creating the foregoing six daies of that one week ( the rule and pattern of all after-weeks ) being the working days , and the seventh , the last day of that week . being the weekly-sabbath-day : such being the method which aelohim used in the production of his creatures on the several six daies , and the disposal of his and of mans rest , on the seventh day . thus standeth the relation in the weekly succession of daies , which aelohim made to be in the true nature of these created existences , really whilst the world stands to be instructive unto all mankind of what is his natural will , and mans natural duty . there was in this primitive ordination a full evidence and a convincing demonstration of aelohims pleasure herein , by his appointing a sufficiencie of light about this matter , both in the created nature of daies , and of works and rest respectively in those daies , to give adam to see and know , what he ought to do , what daies to work in , and what day to rest on , and also innate in adam himself for his instruction , thereby discerningly to understand and faithfully to improve this for the designed end , true use , and proper purposes . some notions of this law , as well as of the others of the ten words , are still retained and kept in man , even though now fallen and in his corrupt state ? and renewing grace doth restore in part to the first created holiness and righteousness . aelohim created adam in his own image : in the image of aelohim created he him : and we are to put on the new man which according to god is created in righteousness and holiness of truth , which is renewed unto knowledge according to the image of him that created him . and the whole of this is still in being , carefully , faithfully , unalterably preserved , not only by revelation in the scriptures of truth , but also by primitive creation and providential continuation in the true nature and in the real existence of the things themselves . all and every of the daies and weeks , that have been , are , and will be , since the first created week in their ordinary revolutions and d successive courses , are as the daies and week of that one created week were . at the first creation was this law given to adam in respect of his humane nature and in him given to all the world of humane creatures . even adversaries themselves in their writings against the seventh-day-sabbath have confessed , that , the law given to adam from the beginning is unalterable , and therefore remains still in full force , so that , all men to the worlds end are bound to yield obedience thereunto : and that the rest of the seventh-day-sabbath , was entred into from the foundation of the world ; christ himself the creator rested the seventh day from all his works ; and that , aelohims resting , on that seventh-day-sabbath doth necessarily imply mans resting on that day as well as gods resting , god's entring into that rest being the ground of man's rest at the same time ; which they prove from heb. . , . the created nature of it as the seventh day , and the cogent reason of it as the weekly sabbath-day , not being peculiar to the israelites , but common to the gentiles , the command is not proper to one of these only , excluding the other , but doth belong unto both ; the lord 's resting on it , which gave such occasion to his blessing and sanctifying of it , has an universal preceptive respect to adam and to his whole posterity ; it is a common instruction and a general command unto all men in all ages , to labour in their particular callings , functions , and employments on those six fore-going days of the week wherein jehovah aelohim made the heavens and the earth , and to cease and rest from such labour on the seventh-day , because in it he sabbatized or rested from all his work : this law was made and it came with authority in the beginning of the created world , and it shall continue and last to the end of the world : adam , the father of nations and of generations , was put under the obligation of it , and so are all his off-spring from first to last throughout all nations in all generations . every man has e a teaching light and law of nature , which he doth carry about with , and in , him , and is born and bred together with him . there are still some reliques and remainders , as dark letters in an old monument , of those holy , just , good , and spiritual laws of the ten words ; still to preserve and keep alive the memory of man's first created honour and dignity , his rectitude and uprightness , as also for some other ends , though those seeds are corrupted now , natural right reason will teach men , that , seeing all men in all nations do measure their time by weeks , and their weeks by seven days , they should ( besides what part they separate of their time as due unto god every day , ) set apart one whole day of every week unto their maker , who has allowed them so liberal a portion of time , wherein to provide for themselves and for their families : there being no other proportion of time that can so well provide both for the worship and service of god every day , as , evening and morning of every day ; and every week , as the whole seventh which is the last day : and also for the necessities of all families , as that which remaineth of the several six fore-going days of the week : and that is so well fitted to all functions and callings and employments . there is that in every man , who has the due exercise of his right reason that will directly answer unto this , especially when compared with these created beings , and more especially yet , when having the advantage of scripture-revelation . the light and law of nature when cleared up , will tell men , that all mens labour and motion , being in order to f rest , and rest being the perfection and end of labour : into which labour and work and motion do pass ; that , therefore the seventh which is the last day in every week is the most fit and proper whole day for a weekly religious rest unto the creator , for his worship , service , and honour ; the natural reasonableness of this command for observing the seventh-day-sabbath doth suggest , that , man and beast should have his resting-day every week . g the ass ( that poor beast so much used to burdens and drudgery on other days ) must rest , and the stranger be refreshed , on the weekly seventh-day-sabbath . h that word in the original , which doth set our conventions for worship , to those who do understand it , and who will make a diligent observation and due improvement of it , would inform them , that , they may with their own eyes discern something of this in the motion of those heavenly lights , which would instruct men , that , set times of their creator's appointing for solemn assembling , and for his instituted service are directed to and pointed at by those great luminaries which the all-wise aelohim hath set up in the heavens ; as , for many other good purposes , so also particularly for this great and holy end . this naturalness of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath should make all the judgments and wills of grown reasonable creatures to bend and to bow before it ; and should for ever stop the mouth of all gain-sayers , never more to speak , or write , or print a word against that which is so legible in its own created existence . pure primitive nature in scripture is put sometimes for the essence of a being , or for the essential properties of it : thus i , the goddy-nature is his essence , his unchangeable being , a lively resemblance unto which communicable properties in him ( such as his wisdom , goodness , truth , holiness , and such like ) are impartable to rational creatures , especially to new creatures ; for , otherwise , as for his very essentiality , this is incommunicable to any meer creature . k hence , as to creatures , nature is put , for the person or thing it self , indeed , or in-truth , really so , l for the essence and being of a creature , for that which is m concreated , born with , a creature , n connatural with it : for , that which is proper genuine and o innate ; for the natural p law particularly : aelohim will not change what he did create to be pure and good , naturally , essentially so ; it is the seventh-days proper nature to be the weekly-sabbath . this seventh-day and the weekly-sabbath were concreated ; it was so made and ordained , according to pure primitive creation : when the first pure created state of what aelohim made was defaced by sin , much of his doing in the world is q to bring back to that original purity and goodness . therefore the work of redemption is set out by creation ; and for the same reason it is called a renewed creation ; so is his work of preservation of , and of providence over , his creatures . so will his work of regeneration and of conversion still be : thus also his constituting of his church : thus also his work of instauration and of renovation of the heavens and of the earth . this work of first creation by the creating messiah , is the rule and standard , the pattern and exemplar , to which all must be brought . it is , as to the final cause thereof , for the glory of aelohim ; the glory of christ , the good of the elect and of the believing . the work of creation in that one week of the erected world was a glorious work , every way r perfect , particularly of s man , as man. that sabbath which was thus from the beginning must still stand . the first created seventh-day-sabbath is throughout the scripture most natural , according to the scripture . this alone , and no other day is the sabbath in pure created nature . this seventh in order , has the natural name of sabbath , which the first , second , third , fourth , fifth and sixth have not . the creation has a natural order : the several works thereof having been so created in such due order in six distinct days , doth carry that along with it in the very nature and order of their creation , which would convince a natural conscience , exercising right reason , especially when the true information and clear discovery thereof is brought unto him by scripture-revelation , that , the creators wisdom doth shine forth in that order , and that this self-evidencing light should be received , entertained , and improved with ready submission to its obliging law which doth bind such a natural conscience to believe , observe and obey it . the first created time as to the weekly sabbath was perfected and appointed in its proper , prime , pure , and natural , created state : and therefore the created order of the seven days of that one week must still keep their natural names : and so , the last day of the week and no other , is alone , the seventh-day and the sabbath-day : which day then , cannot be altered unto a working-day : aelohim's law must still be obeyed and his example followed whilst time has duration . to carry the sabbatizing rest from the seventh to the first day , and the labouring-service from the first to the seventh-day , is contrary to the purest created nature . there is not a translating either of the work , or of the rest from one day of the week to another . aelohim would not have either of these to be separated from his , from their , appointed seasons ; it must abide to the end what was thus from the beginning . what the holy law of pure nature doth confirm , doth remain unmoved through all the dispensations of grace , both of the old and new-testament-administration : this doth not destroy that which is pure and perfect in its natural created being . scripture and nature are in harmonious concord in this matter . this seventh day is peculiarly sequestred by aelohim for a sabbath , and has this preeminence beyond all the rest ; the vote and suffrage of primitive nature , doth determine and conclude it to be so . and what is man , that , he attempts t to change this time and law , by a devising of his own heart , and to level this honorable day with the rest , seeing it was the institution of aelohim in the very forming of created beings ? the holy ends whereof , were concreated uses , natural and permanent for this portion of time ; which seventh day may not therefore be employed about the common ends , uses , and works of the six foregoing days of the week : which six days in their order and names have their several distinct existence , as sense doth plainly demonstrate , by the continued successive courses of night and day in their seasons . at the first framing of nature , the very time it self of the seventh day was on that same day created and made an holy rest , and was by law and sanction so declared , the time it self of the seventh-day-sabbath , as such , was , and is , and will be , that distinct part of time which was the object of aelohim's blessing and sanctifying of it , as the natural weekly sabbath , to be a day of holy rest , having foundation in its own natural existence . this is manifestly evidenceable to every rational man's revived nature ; and it is perfectly demonstrable by scripture-revelation , to every considering believer , who gives himself impartially to understand the substance and the end of aelohim's creating of such a separated determinate portion of time. this is the true doctrine and the genuin meaning of the weekly-sabbath : man and this seventh-day-sabbath being created in one and the same week , will be coeval whilst weeks do last , they will live and stand together . the fittedness of this day was a creating-act : the reason of which day is of natural self-manifestation and obligation , in which we are confirmed by word-revelation . this is the prime make of it , having its first rise with created nature , and so is perpetual , and unchangeably fixed , an individual-sabbath-day , untransferrable to any other day of the week : sabbath-day and seventh-day are connatural and reciprocal . sabbath-worship and service must be done on the u day thereof . all days of the week are not of equal accompt with god ; neither have they the same honour . christ himself hath put the crown upon the head of the seventh-day ; and so let it enjoy its sole and lasting royal dignity ; it having a concreated excellingness which will be , and abide with it , through the duration of the world. a primitive constitution that must stand firm . w it is a distinct day and has a distinct word for it . thus let the scriptural compleat journal , and its perfect diary of that one created week , in seven distinct days remain in its unmoveable order . and now , if this argument drawn from pure primitive created nature be convincing and demonstrative , let that great ratiocinator call to mind his expressions , i can consent , saith he , that all they take the seventh-day for the sabbath , who can prove it to be by meer natural evidence : and in another place he thus writes , this is the very hinge of all our controversie , for , if this be once proved , we shall easily consess that it ( he speaks of the seventh-day-sabbath , ) is not abrogated : for , christ came not to abrogate any law of nature . and further he writes , that the great laws of nature , containing man's duty to god , resulting from and manifested in our nature , as related to god , and in the nature of things or the works of god , was still made the chief part of the redeemer's law. so that this law of nature , whose sum is the love of god and of his image , is ever the primitive unchangeable law. no title of this shall ever cease , if nature cease not . the seventh-day thus speaks for it self and has its creator and his word cogently pleading for it . no other day of the week , either in name or in nature , is the seventh-day : the order of the days is sensible from the first to the seventh . he , that can tell the days , and knows their number , understandeth , that , there must six go before in the same week , ere he can come to the seventh : a day , which cannot be lost by all mankind : will any apprehend that , all and every of reasonable creatures have out slept just one whole day or more , whereby this accompt is disturbed ? what colour is there for such an apprehension , and if , for disputes sake , such a groundless supposition were admitted , yet the day if thorowly searched after would recover its ancient right . x exact astronomers have observed , that , natural days are not all of equal length , whatever the vulgar of philosophers have supposed to the contrary . let those improve their skill to advance this great secret in created nature with a particular eye unto the seventh-day-sabbath ; which alone should put a deciding end unto this controversie . yet in regard this thwart-over-generation of vain affecters of humane wisdom doth expect some further accompt of this matter by way of argument unto men , ( although i bottom my judgment and practise upon scripture-revelation and created nature : ) let me present the reader with somewhat of expostulation , and of reasoning the case , with such as do importunately call for it . was not the seventh-day y kept unlost and unchanged for about four thousand years till christs time ? did not christ in the days of his flesh keep the right seventh-day as the weekly sabbath-day ? is there any likelyhood , that , this last day of the week would be suffered either in all that time , or since christ's time to this week , to be altered , who has taken such care for its preservation , both in creation and in providence ; and who has in his word put so many proper marks of note and honour upon it ? is it not affirmed by james , some years after christ's ascension , that z moses from the antient times hath in every city them that preach him , being read in the synagogues every sabbath-day ? is publick custom , universal , of all mankind in all ages , of any force with these contradicting opposers ? if so , then observe , do not most of those who name the name of christ , and multitudes of pagans with them , observe the first day of the week , as their weekly holy-day , which according to ethnick idolatry and superstition they miscal sunday ? can he that proves which is the first day of the week , but be able to tell which is the seventh ? if they keep the first right , then have we the true seventh . have not the indians their sabbath on the fourth day of the week ? if theirs be still on the fourth day , then how can the seventh day in order be lost with them ? do not the mahum●dans keep the sixth day of the week as their weekly festival ? if their day be the sixth , the next immediately following day must be the seventh . have not the jews all along and some christians kept close to the seventh , which is the last day in every week , as the weekly-sabbath-day ? and how could all these so mis-reckon the seventh for any other day of the week ? how many testimonies out of authors could i cite for these , if i would cram the margin to cloy the examiner of it ? do not publick tables witness this ? if these be searched in the courts of record , and in register-books , will it not be found they distinguish and difference the sabbath-day as the seventh-day , from that which they name sunday , the first day of the week ? have not the councils by their decrees still differenced these days , as such a kind of proof for the matter of fact ? do not laws , statutes , acts , and ordinances of parliament keep alive the memory of these distinct days ? do they not give a the name of sabbath-day to the seventh , the last day of the week ? their freeing of a particular day of the week from all executions , from troubling any with any summons , from compelling any man to bring forth his surety , from apparitors or serjeants speaking , from advocates pleading , from cryers crying ! doth not this also speak it ? have not some of their acts the name of sunday in the title of the * act ? do not many law-processes require persons to appear on the sabbath-day ? are not some statutes penal upon common laborers and travellers on sunday ? are there not injunctions by some on rogation week ( as superstition calls it , ) to forbid the solemnization of marriage , from the first day of the said week until trinity-sunday ? if any common-prayer book-man make this objection against me , he may take notice , that , the year when the lord graciously led me into the observation of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , that , it was the seventh-day in order of time from the twenty fifth of march ( according to vulgar accompt ) which i observed , and that twenty fifth day they suppose in their calendar prefixt to the church-bibles and common-prayer-book , to be the very day when the year of the world began . let them look to their proof , but , according to that , i observe the seventh day from the creation . so b easter-week ( thus do men heathenishly mis-name days , and weeks , and months , and years ) is by all such understood to be that week , whereof easter-day , the sunday , is the first , and so they reckon afterwards , the first sunday after easter-week , the second sunday , and so on . so whitsundayweek , begins that week with whitsunday . and afterwards trinity-sunday , the first , second , and so forth , sunday after trinity : thus they observe the times for the keeping of their sessions . do not dead monuments and tomb-stones keep alive the memory of the days of the week , when they have often engraved upon them that particular day of the week when such or such a one dyed , or was buried , or had his epitaph and monument erected ? do not engravings at some fountains , and springs speak this , where the owners have recorded some known day of the week upon the head-stones ? so also some boundary stones or mark-stones . may we not often meet with this in dictionaries and lexicographers , allowed by publick authority , which do give other names to other day , of the week , but , the seventh which is the last day they call the sabbath-day , c the day of rest ? do not historians keep this truth company with their judgment ? for a thousand years and upward , say some , when we meet with sabbath in any writer , of what name soever , it must be understood of no other day than this seventh-day : so those whom they call the antient fathers , generally style this last day of the week , sabbath . are not synods , councils , and canons , of one and the same mind in this ? do not the records of this english nation fully agree in this ? many particular instances of the seventh-days being called the sabbath being to be found , as those who are versed in those histories do inform , in the king's exchequer , in the common-pleas , in the king's-bench , chancery , chequer-chamber , and those of the house of lords , which is one of the highest courts of record in this kingdom ; all retaining the name of the day of sabbath for the seventh-day , this being the common phrase in the courts of westminster : and the latin processes do run in this style ; which is known to all observing lawyers , sheriffs , atturneys , clerks and solicitors . are not tenures of lands and of estates witnesses of this , which are held conditionally upon paying or doing such a sum or such a thing upon such or such a day of the week , whereby the number and order of days cannot be lost ? do not conveyances , copies , leases , deeds , concurr in this ; which do specify some particular known day ? do not commissions to judges and to other officers meet with this sense by their dates ? do not charters to corporations express some special day of grants ? are not fairs and markets held upon certain days of the week , agreeing with the present accompt , as the reckoning now is ? search the records of marriages , nativities , deaths , burials , in ecclesiastical register-books , and is not the memory of days preserved there ? do not compacts , covenants , agreements , between party and party , wills and testaments , speak the certain knowledg of days ? do not day-labourers keep to this accompt ? do not ephemeries , diaries , hemerologies , calendars , almanacks , astronomies , assent and consent to this same ? what further evidence is now needful in this case of a matter of fact for the satisfying of them who will keep a weekly-sabbath-day holy unto jehovah , as an act of faith with an eye to his promise , as an act of fear with an eye to his threatning ? d sandys in his travels , being a narrow inquirer into the state of other nations and kingdoms , doth relate this concerning the matters of religion in the eastern parts , that , there is a christian empire of the aethiopians that did still in his time celebrate saturday , as well as the sunday ( as he useth the old ethnick phrases ) ; and purchas writes of the abyssines , as subject to peter and paul , and especially to christ , that , they observed the saturday sabbath : the melchites or syrians are said to celebrate divine service as solemnly on the sabbath day as on the dominical day ( as they call the first day ) : some christian churches have forbid fasting on both these days : many more historical records of this may an ingenious , industrious reader of such books collect , that would further inform himself about this . sufficient to me is scripture authority , warranted in created nature . having now gone thorow my great task and undertaking in asserting and proving , thorow the whole scriptures by aelohim's own assigned reasons , by other scripture arguments , and by created nature and established order , the seventh-day , which is the last day of the week to be the weekly sabbath-day , should not every mouth be stopped from gain-saying of it ? yet the plainests , clearest truths have been opposed , and so is this : some rise up against it , and object , that , no special honour is put by the lord and by his word upon the seventh day , more than upon any other day , of the week , and that , it is but a seventh , not the seventh ; and that , that part of time , that is and will be accepted with god is declared and determined to be the seventh part of it , or one day in seven : and that , one day in seven hath and must have a natural priority unto the seventh-day , because , say such , the seventh day is one of the seven ; whereas such should have more deliberately considered , that one day of seven was not before the seventh day in order of time : it could not be truly affirmed of any one day , that it was one of seven before the seventh day was created . for , when the one day was so named , there was but that one day ; so but two on the second day ; but three on the third day , but four on the fourth , but five on the fifth , but six on the sixth day , till the seventh had its natural existence , and it s created being ; and untill then no one of the fore-going days of the week could be called one in seven : for , till then there were not seven : and the seventh day is the last number of days , and the only seventh in the days of the week . so that , here is a stop made , and we go no further forward , as to the natural created order and accompt of a week , and therefore that exception and objection , which some do bring in against this from ten lambs , any of which may be the tenth according as they may run out , is nothing pertinent and applicable to the present matter ; for , the days of every week do not run voluntarily at their pleasure which can be before or behind as they will , to go backward or forward when they list , but , they keep their created order in this successive continued weekly course by a well-established natural , unalterable law : although in the exception and objection , this should be noted , that , when the ten lambs were run out ; they had each distinct names , and the last was the only tenth , and no other but the last . that particular day of the week is the weekly sabbath-day , which alone ( as to this of the weekly-sabbath ) has proper marks of note and of honour put upon it , as jehovah's own peculiar day , which he has culled out from all the rest of the days of the week for his created ends and instituted purposes : there is not any one insignificant word or letter in the whole book of god ; all that he has spoken and given to his people is of good use . the lord jesus christ has confirmed his law of the ten words to a letter , a consonant , a vowel , a particle , a point . these things amongst others i have commended to their serious observation , who do understand the original , or will take so much pains as to learn the notes of demonstration and their significancy , which may , the lord blessing it ; be gotten with a little industry : one is , to observe well the f first place in the scriptures where the doctrine and law of the seventh-day-sabbath is taught . here is g a note of demonstration , importing . the , this , or that and it is three times joyned to the word seventh ; which particular day of the week , the last day , aelohim , rested on , blessed , and sanctifyed , as the weekly-sabbath-day : the seventh , and a second time the seventh ; and a third time , the seventh ; and three times h there is a letter , an inseparable joyned preposition , signifying , in : which would carry the discerning obedient observer of the weekly-sabbath-day into the possession and enjoyment , the duties and priviledges , of that set seventh-day : ( besides another i particle there , which doth here put a great force upon the signification , as , that day , that seventh : ) the note of demonstration in this place doth point out a certain , known , determinate , fixed , particular , unchangeable , day in every week in that first created week , and in the after successive returns of that last day in every week , as the weekly sabbath-day : because this is the first place in the holy scriptures where this note of demonstration is put to this word , seventh : and this was an eminent remarkable thing pointed at , this seventh day as the day of weekly rest , : and all and every of the foregoing daies of the week of this created world have a distinct observable put upon them , and therefore so has this also : especially k the seventh day being the most remarkable day in divers respects , that was in all the week . here was a thing certain to be known , and to be taken special notice of , that was thus demonstrated and notificated . the subject matter compared with that which doth go before , doth eminently point out as it were with a finger , the seventh day to be the remarkable day of the whole week , a day to be sabbatized and rested in , distinct and separated from all and every of the other foregoing daies in the same week . all these scripture-reasons are strong and might be enlarged upon . this note of demonstration doth come l from a word , which doth signifie , lo , behold : so that , it doth set out the gesture , posture , and carriage of one who doth plainly and particularly point out a day to be specially observed by the beholders and hearers . it doth significantly note a certain day , and doth restrain and confine it to that , and to that only . it doth plainly import an emphatical certitude . whence the greeks have taken their significant m article ; this being the n initial letter of a demonstrative article : and this the hebrew grammarians do generally acknowledge , that , it doth denote an emphasis , and is used to a certain and known thing , so distinctly and expresly is the excellency of this seventh day indigitated , as its being the only day of the whole week for the weekly sabbath day , to prevent any the least doubt or question about the matter . for which end also , there is this emphatic-article o prefixed before the sixth day in order of time , which doth in that place demonstrate , that , as the work of that sixth day was somewhat more remarkable , and that , aelohim has perfected all the works which he propounded and purposed to create in the foregoing six daies of this one week of the created world , shewing a thing known and signally illustrious and commendable : so also , that , that day only was the sixth day in the weekly revolution , and no other day , and that the weekly sabbath must be reckoned in order of created time the immediately next succeeding after that sixth ; which was the seventh day , the last day in the week . thus also in another place before the promulgation of this law of mount - sinai , p these emphatic articles are remarkable , where it is once before the sixth day , to fix that to a certainty , which is the immediate preceding day , once before the sabbath day , and four times before the seventh day ; that , there might be not the least colour or pretence for any mistake , in that forementioned place in the history of the creation . there is a q particle , which is not only a note of the accusative case , but it doth also signifie the very self-same-substance of a thing : which , together with this r notificative , doth point out the seventh day sabbath to be the most glorious renowned day of the hebdomadal revolution ; or weekly return of dayes , not only grammatically in the signification of these prefixes , but also physically in the nature of the thing it self , as the seventh day , the last day in the week . that s particle is significant of a person or thing which cometh from a word that doth denote a coming with speed : it denoteth this created day passive , upon which the creator acted , signifying the substance of the seventh day made , being a note of an article , and also of demonstration . this seventh-day , besides its being thus notedly expressed is also set out by t a primitive noun ; signifying him or it , and also by an u affix contracted , of another word , which doth obtain the nature and significancy of a pronoun ; ( for , affixes are demonstrative pronouns ) signifying in him : or in it : the proper significancy of a pronoun is , to set out a certain and a finite substance , it signifyes somewhat more certain and more first , than a noun or a proper name : as , if thou say , this is my father , he is my brother , pointing but both the one and the other with the finger , to some by-stander , it is better known , than if thou shouldst say , john is my father , thomas is my brother , because there may be , and are , more johns and more thomas ' s. w i , thou , and he , do more set out an individuality , than the name of caesar . for , neither when i say , i , canst thou understand another , or communicate it with another : whereas when i say , caesar , my understanding also may transmit it to another ; as from augustus caesar to tiberius caesar : hence the hebrews call the pronoun x by a word , which doth signifie cognames , because , they are another kind of cogname of the principal name or nown . nouns do properly signifie things , and cognames are accessions to names , from some vertue or vice , or event , or such like , in the things . in the present case , the seventh-day-sabbath is an hereditary cogname , received all down along in scripture , from the first week of the created world , and is inherent in its own excellency of created nature : as a noun doth enuntiate what a person or a thing is y all the affixes are demonstrative . to question the emphaticalness of this notificative , besides that it is contrary to the judgment of the z exactest of hebrew lexicographers and grammarians , is also chiefly opposite to the true , genuine , proper signification and usage of the letter in the scriptures : whoever doth assert , that , it doth not at all limit , specifie or determine , doth speak too hastily and unadvisedly : it is emphatically discretive , that by which one thing is differenced and distinguished from another , even where some a other hebrew letters , consonants , do exclude this emphatick note , yet there the excluding letter doth receive the point of the excluded . for b twelve times it is prefixed before those letters , which doth manifestly shew that this letter will have some signifying place in the word : it being a prefix of use and of some notable meaning where it is , and will some way or other maintain its title and have a compensation . c it s primary signification is to hold forth what is joyned to it , and to make its significate the more known . a late learned writer should therefore a little look over what he hath written about this and somewhat further consider , and not conclude , that , the discerning inquirer in this age of growing light , will be so imposed upon by any mans bare say of magisterial dictate , without any probation at all , to assert , that , this prefix to sabbath in the fourth word is redundant ; and doth tend nothing to the determination of a certain day , but , only denotes one of seven : which doth now lead me to another cogent reason , for the demonstrativeness and notificativeness of this prefix , because , the law of the seventh-day-sabbath in the ten words being much in the same words and expressions with the forementioned place in the history of the creation , has not only d a special note of remembrance set before it , remember thou , or rather , to remember , and it doth set out one main great end of mans being created , even to remember the seventh-day-sabbath : man is bound for ever , ( for it is infinitive , indefinit ) to keep this in mind for himself , and to mention and to speak of it to others . it is the duty of created man to look well to this , that , the seventh-day-sabbath be not forgotten by him , but duly remembred in order to the glorifying of jehovah : this special mark is put upon this day to distinguish it from all and every of the other daies of the week , to note the importance of it , and to signify the antiquity of it : it being as old , of as antient constitution as the very first week of this created world , which aelahim did expresly command to be observed , as a distinct , separate sanctifyed day ; it being the last day in the week : and therefore his people have need to remember it , that , when the time did come about in its weekly returns , it might not be forgotten and neglected , as neither its natural equity . there being the same reasons now as ever ; which the lawgiver himself has repeated and revived in the fourth word or command ; which doth set out the weight of this precept and the necessity of mans obedience unto it . the three former commandements or words of the first table , are much in order unto this , e to remember the seventh-day-sabbath : for , if this be not kept holy , those foregoing three will be broken ; as scripture and experience doth prove . let several other expressions in this f fourth word be yet further considered with seriousness : for , besides many other peculiar honours which the adored almighties the great , law giver hath put upon this law of the ten words , in some respects beyond any other part of the whole scripture , take we notice of what doth follow more specially and particularly as to the fourth word , about the law of the weekly sabbath this fourth command hath double accents , and particularly that word seventh , which do call upon the understanding reader for this special noting of some singular matter in this law about the seventh-day-sabbath . there are four of these forementioned notes of demonstration put before that particular day of the week , two of them before the word sabbath ; and two other of them before the word seventh , that all may mark it , which is the day ; and what a kind of day it should be observed to be : this demonstrating note being prefixt , when the speech is of a thing certain and known : and therefore it is called by some skilfull hebricians , a prefix of knowledge ; of g the knowledge of that particular thing : besides two other particles , h which do put a great significancy upon that day ; that particular day : and moreover there is i one letter put before the word day , ( in a day that seventh , ) which doth lead and direct the observer of the weekly sabbath into that particular day , the last day of every week , keeping him within the limited bounds thereof to mind and to doe what the one and the only lord over the conscience , and lawgiver to the soul , hath appointed him to . if any where in the scriptures of truth , this note of demonstration have a more remarkable significancy , it is in this law of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath ; both at the first creation and institution of it , and as it is one of those ten words which alone , of all the word of god was more signally written by the k finger of the law-giver himself . which ten words are so few , and yet with all so full and comprehensive , particularly this of the fourth word . l that particle being a sign , which alwaies by hastning , is referred to the following word , with which it is construed , doth in this place signifie a particular certain day ; noting an excelling thing known to all to whom the speech is directed , this ( aeth ) is twice prefixed to the seventh-day-sabbath , that jom , the day , is four times mentioned . that author whom i answer in this doth so far acknowledge the emphitie prefix , that he saith , it may possibly denote an excellency in the thing it self : but his may , and may possibly , are diminutive uncertain termes , doing injury to this scripture , which by those prefixes joyned with the other special remarks , doth and must certainly not only denote an excellency in the thing it self , the weekly sabbath , but also tends expresly to the determination of the certain day thereof , the seventh which is the last in order of every week : a case so clear to an impartial judgment ; that one who has written both against seventh-day and first-day-sabbath , yet confesseth ( and he passeth for a potent ratiocinator ) that , the day of gods rest was that particular sabbath which jehovah gave at mount sinai : it is not a sabbath , but the sabbath , even that which god sanctified , and it is as antient as the first week of the creation , the sabbath must be the same with the seventh : thus he . there might be a large enumeration of many particular words in hebrew , which are of common universal use , such as no institute , custom , or consent of men has imposed upon things , but , created nature it self by a secret instinct and impulse has assigned to and imprinted on real beings , thus , as to the present case this hebrew letter , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heh , doth take its name from that gesture which generally all mankind do express when they do demonstrate a person or thing , hea , hin , hinnea in hebrew ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greek , en , ecoe , in latin : as , when , we see a man that has hou , in hebrew that is , substance , wealth , riches , we crie with some admiration . ha , ho or hah , there goes such a rich man , and we are ready to point him out with a finger , for that doth please such men when they are so noted by others . the demonstrative letter is consignificative , and is not idle in the beginning of those words , but doth super-add a certain signification to them . what colour of reason can there be to exclude the notificativeness here : this being a word or command so express , so weighty , so significant , with such an awakening word set at the beginning of it , and there being such need , that , jehovahs instituted time for his weekly-sabbath-worship be determinately fixed and certainly known ? how great care should men in reputation for learning and for godliness take , whose words with many do go for oracles ; and whose mistakes too often do grosly impose upon ignorant understandings of the vulgar , and upon the lazy minds of semi-scholars who are loath to be at the pains to satisfie themselves by a diligent search , but , take up things over credulously , upon trust without tryal ? as this learned man is an opposer of those prefixes in the hebrew , so also of the prepositive articles in the greek , as if these also were sometimes redundant , thereby insinuating , that , it is so in this case : whereas there is much of significancy in those , which are emphatical , and deictical , noting some certain thing in a limited sense not indefinitely . that the prepositive articles in the greek are not insignificantly redundant , but demonstratively emphatical , is an assertion capable of clear proof : as also , that , they are so in this particular case ; relating to the seventh-day-sabbath , as i have already discovered : and i am now to give it forth to the reader in some other cases . for , this objector doth not afford us any light by which wee might discern when they are not , or when ( according to his judgment and affirmation , ) they are redundant . m when messengers were sent to john , to enquire , whether he were that prophet ? they did not mean such a true prophet only as isaias , jeremiah , ezechiel , daniel , and such like prophets , as they ; were , but , in the most special restrained sense , whether he were that particular eminent prophet who was antiently promised to the church and people of god , whom the beleivers among the jews expected , with so great desire , should come , even the messiah foretold of in n moses writings , that certain individual christ : for which cause , the article is there prefixed , lest that speech should have been taken by john in an indefinit sense , of every , if a true prophet : and otherwise johns answer had not been according to truth ; when he denied it , saying , o not ; as if he had said , i am not that prophet , no , i would not have you to give way to one thought of this , as if i were that same prophet so spoken of by other prophets : no , though i am honoured with being p a prophet . he doth not say , that he was not any prophet at all ; but that he was not that signally-eminent prophet ; who also in q other scriptures has the same article prefixed to prophet , that prophet , and sometimes another pronoun demonstrative added , that same prophet , or that prophet he , noting one certain excelling individuum . and as for the denoting and pointing out of a particular person so also of a particular thing : as the field of the potter , which the cheif priest and elders after counsel given and taken thereabout , which they bought for the burial of guests , doth note a certain determinate field , r even that particularly and no other , which by a prophetical spirit zachariah had foretold of : and this doth the article there , plainly point out . s the same you may find in other scriptures , compared ; as that way , is that particular way of discipleship to christ . so t this is , the same particular priest , christ , who was a priest confirmed in his office by oath . i shall referr the discerning reader for u further instances to the scriptures cited in the margin , where he may find , that , the use of this prepositive article ; is significantly noting some one or somewhat certain by an emphatical pointing out . i could give a multitude of more instances in the greek new testament , acknowledged so in the judgment of the most accurate discerning greek lexicographers and grammarians . but , i keep close to the matter in hand . the first place in the scripture which treats of the seventh day sabbath in the history of the creation is referred to by the author of the epistle to the w hebrews ( which place i shall afterwards have occasion to clear from a wrong interpretation put upon it by this same learned man : ) where there are two articles prefixed , that day . that seventh , designing a signated and definit and individual day , which was and could be no other than that seventh which was the last day in the first created week , and will ever remain so to be unchangeably , whilst weeks do continue . x the like is observed in other scriptures , where the article is doubled to point out that eminent seventh-day-weekly-sabbath . o , who will give , that all mens hearts , particularly , that , learned mens hearts did more stand in awe of every word of jehovah christ , who is so tender of every consonant , and of every vowel therein ; especially in the ten words of his own hand writing , where he will not suffer any one y iod or chirek to be injuriously altered or left out , not the least letter or any point or part belonging to it ! they that do otherwise , do so far z diminish from the word . o how great has christs care herein been , that no man might take any other day of the week for the weekly sabbath-day in the hebdomadal revolution , but only the seventh , which is the last in created order of succeeding time ! so choice an excellency hath the creating-redeeming-mediator put into the essence of this seventh-day-sabbath ! as for the particular instances in scripture , which this learned man doth give , where he judgeth this note and prefix of demonstration to be redundant without assigning any the least reason why he so deemeth , i have examined every one of them and find them to be notificative : of which i shall give the reader some short account . his first instance is in one of the a psalms , where those wicked ones spoken of are evidently pointed out to be the same prvaricating-wickedly-revoltingones that are expresly set out in a b former verse of the same psalm . so that , the note is anaphorical , designing such persons , of whom mention was made before , being opposed unto those who must withdraw from them , if they would make happy progresses , or blessed goings on with a strait foot ; which is the sweet significancy of the c first word in that psalm : those wicked ones are fingered out to be such , whose counsels are very bad , whose way is so greatly erring , and whose seat is so full of scorn , such an accursed race of profane ones , as of all sorts of sinners shall be left unfruitful and fading , chased away and condemned . and least the learned man should think i am alone in this matter , besides the self evidence of it upon the very place , i refer him in the margin d to a skilful hebrician , that asserts the emphaticalness of that prefix in this place . his next instance is in e ecclesiastes ; where , unto a seriously considering , and a deeply-pondering-mind . the notificativeprefixes do manifestly set out the opposition and difference that is between an eminently wise man , and one notoriously foolish , with respect to that particular-subject-matter there in hand . there is one , of such a raised sort of wise men , in such an elevated degree , as his movings are more in the light he is such a one as has his eyes in his head , as sees his way plain before him , one circumspect and heedfull in his goings , one wary and watchful in his steps ; one that has and keeps his eyes open , and walks in the light of holy scripture , and of spiritual illumination , holding on with an even strait foot , foreseeing and forecasting as he passeth along : to which other scriptures do f agree , setting out a wise walker by one that hath his eyes open to choose and mind his way , that , he may not mistake and wander , or stumble and fall . there are also two pronoun affixes which do further demonstrate this . and the opposition doth set out a foolish one , of all fools one of the veriest fools , an inconstant fool , who walks in darkness either not using his eyes , but winking , and shutting his eyes , when light is before him , or taking a time to walk in when it is dark , so that he cannot find out the right way . a rash inconsiderate fool , that knows not whither he goes , nor at what he stumbles . besides the proverbial antithesis here , doth declare and commend the excellingness and preference of the wise man above and beyond the fool. g the hebrews and chaldees do set out an especial part of wisdom in circumspection , when the eyes in the head are deligently used : as folly doth notably manifest it self in heedless walking . the last instance is in h leviticus , where there is the notificative prefix put before adam ; which as the english reader may find , the dutch annotations in english do express , that man which doth the same shall live by them . it doth signally set out a singular excelling adam or man. if i other scriptures be collated , that do speak of the same thing , they have all and every one of them the emphatick article : k the pronoun relative also doth directly with a strait foot lead to that same man. thus also the greek has l the prepositive article in two several places of the new testament ; where this scripture is cited out of the old testament . let therefore those marks of honour by notes of demonstration , which the lord hath put upon it , still be worn as an hereditary crown set and established upon the head of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath . that day of the sabbath , that day of this sabbath . as it is expressed in another m scripture . it should further be considered here , in a way of con●utation of those , who would leave the appointing of sabbath-times to the church , or state , besides what has been already mentioned , that , the weekly sabbath-day , must be a particular , known , determinate , fixed , standing day , for all men to take notice of , unchangeable in the weekly returns of it , distinct from all other daies of the same week : n how else should there be a coming together for jehova's solemn instituted worship ? it must be such a stated constant day , as that the governours of families might carefully and watchfully see to it , that , both they and their children and servants ; and the stranger within their parts might remember to observe it : that , the freed beasts might take some natural perception of it , in whose custody soever he were kept , whoever were the owner and possessor of it . none but jehovah aelohim hath authority to determine and to appoint this weekly sabbath-day . christ the creator and redeemer is lord of the sabbath , and he has fixed it on the seventh the last day of the week . o the work of a commanded day must be done in the day thereof , on which jehovah hath appointed it . if men would expect from him acceptance of their work ; the word or thing ( we should have a word for every thing , ) of a day must be done in his day . how express are the scriptures in this , with respect to the seventh-day-sabbath ! p in the sabbath-day ( the seventh day-sabbath in the weekly returns thereof , ) there was to be the ascension ( or ascending sacrifice ) of the sabbath in his sabbath : sabbath worship must be done on the proper day and time of it , on the seventh day , the last day of every week , and not a day before in the same week , nor a day after , in another week . ( they , q that will change a day from what jehovah hath appointed , do devise a day of their own heart . jehovahs time and law should not be changed ) sabbath-worship must be r from the time of the sabbath in his sabbath . one of the great opposers of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath doth yet grant ; that rest in the first notion of it doth include a respect to an antecedent work or labour : and that , it is so every where declared : and that , it is vain to imagine the world was made in six daies , and those closed with a day of rest , without an especiall respect unto the obedience of rational creatures . hereby then man in general was taught obedience and working , before he entered into rest : for , being created in the image of god , he was to conform himself to god. as god wrought before he rested , so was he to work before his rest ▪ thus he . how then can the first day of the week be now the resting day of that week , where the rest is made to go before the work and labour ? this being contrary to greated nature ? and it being a part of mans natural created image of aelohim to conform unto him in working before resting in the same week . meditation on the works as well as on the word of christ , and on christ himself , is a necessary useful duty . and how can this be performed in its right proper place , where the sabbath is carried from the seventh to any other day of the week , ( as for instance , ) to the first day ? for , this computation would put the seventh day back to the sixth day , the sixth to the fifth day , the fifth to the fourth day , the fourth to the third day , the third to the second day , the second to the first day , and it would set the first day forward to the seventh ; quite inverting the order of the creation , and so would engage a man on the first day which was and is a working day ; to meditate on a sabbath-days priviledge , and on the creators resting , and mans resting , which was upon another day , the seventh which is the last day of the week ; and on the seventh day , which by this wrong account is misreckoned the sixth . it would put a man upon meditating on the work of the sixth day , whereas , it was created and appointed the resting-day . thus every day would be set out of its due place : and hence it is , that , such multitudes of namers of the name of christ do so little understand , what the particular created works of every day in the week are ; and so seldom meditate upon the peculiar works of their proper day . whereas , when the seventh day closeth the week with a sabbath day , a day of rest which is most natural , then s meditation passeth naturally into created order ; as to working , and as to resting . to speak in propriety of speech , there is but one only day in a week , that is the seventh day in the same week in orderly reckoning according to created beings , which is and must be , and can be no other than the last day of the week . t every day has its own peculiar proper name : and apt and ●it names are to be kept close unto , especially when given by jehovah aelohim himself ; setting out the true nature and property of things . u this being one testimony of his sovereign lordship to call persons and things by their own proper names . how else can there be a peculiar , distinct , certain , knowledge of them ? w hence , the name , is sometimes taken for the person or thing : thus the name of god is put x for god himself : and thus the name of christ is put y for the lord jesus christ himself : and , what is observable , z the law of christ , is by christ himself expounded to be his name . thus also , with reference to a day , the name of the number is sometimes inclusive of the day too . it were of very profitable use , if the daies of the week were every one called by their own proper names . a is it not high time to throw away those idolatrous names of daies , ( as sunday , &c. ) of which jebovah has prophesied , that he will cut them off ? having thus far attended the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath in its strait-footed walk in a plain path , through the whole scripture , there thwarts the reader now , a straying company that would perswade him to get into another way along with them , the way of the first day , as the weekly-sabbath , as if this were now the new-testament-dispensation . and for this , they would have him to consider these b scriptures , in the margin , as translated out of the greek into english . before i return an express direct answer to the several particular scriptures themselves , i advise the reader , to ask these transferrers of the weekly-sabbath-day , from the seventh to the first day of the week , when they judg it was , that , the first day of the week began to be the weekly sabbath-day ? most will say that it began on the particular day of christ's resurrection , by christ himself : some few will assert , that , it was a little after that resurrection , by the apostles of christ : but all of them will acknowledge , that , it was before any part of the new-testament was written . it being so then , let the reader improve this last concession , and further demand of these men , if one of the apostles , as peter by name , for supposition , had preached up this doctrine , that , the weekly sabbath-day under the new-testament-administration of grace , was translated and changed from the seventh , which is the last day of week , to the first day of the week ; and that , one of the hearers had asked peter upon what scripture do you bottom this doctrine ? how are , whatsoever words of god were heretofore written , profitable , and written for such a doctrine ? what answer do these men imagine , that peter could have returned ? the new testament was not then written , and all the scriptures which they then had , were the writings of the old testament : those of moses and of the prophets : this hearer searcheth these and can meet with no such thing , in the preceptive , or prophetical , or promissary , part of that word , neither could any other refer him to clear-convincing-proofs of this . how then could this man be well satisfied , that , this was true doctrine , when he could not find it in his bible ; but the quite contrary all the old testament through , another day , the seventh in order of created time all along commanded and commended ! and if this hearer should further have asked peter , if i should work upon the seventh-day contrary to the precept in the law , what scriptures would bear me out in so doing , when i appear before the righteous judg , who has in so many words forbid this , and so often , in all the scriptures that i have , which speak of this thing ? and if i do not observe the first day as the weekly-sabbath-day , but do work on that day having aelohim's command and example for it , what scriptures have you by which to reprove me ? after this arguing , what could peter have replyed to this , from old-testament-scripture ? i leave the reader further to improve this in his study and meditation . for , the christianized believers did search the scriptures , whether those things which the apostles of christ taught them , were so or not , even in the case c of paul himself ; who was one of the most eminent , and most used of them all . i shall now in the supplies of the spirit of holiness , according to the word of truth , discover the deceitful colours of these mens wrestings of some scriptures , and then shew the reader the convincing reprehension of those colours : which colours how fair soever to outward appearance for a while , yet are a false disguise , a paint that will melt away before the fire of the word . the fallacies are soon detected and confuted before a discerning and judicious , an unprejudiced and impartial reader . there are d some scriptures in our english bibles of the new-testament , say these objectors , which do speak of the first day of the week as the day of christ's resurrection , when he rested from his work of redemption , which is now appointed and determined as the weekly-sabbath-day unto the church , in memory of christ's resurrection . e one of the sabbaths , doth frequently occur , and is the same with the * first day of the week , one being often put for first , the numeral for the cardinal . the generality of the antients both greek and latin agree , whose testimony about the sense of aword is the best dictionary and evidence we can expect : and this same phrase used of the day of christ's resurrection by the evangelists proveth it . thus they say . the resurrection of our lord jesus christ from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures , i thankfully acknowledg , together with the many exceeding great and precious priviledges and benefits thereof : and through mercy and grace i do firmly believe and particularly apply . f this true doctrine is one main part of that solid foundation , on which we are to bottom our hope : and o how gladly could i here lay aside this controversie , and be taken up with sweet delight and with rapturing joy into an heavenly meditation on an arisen saviour ! here could i leave this unkind world and wrangling-generation , and get up above , that , i might rise with christ , to be where he is , to behold his glory ! o how willingly could i here breath and long , desire and pant , that , this arisen redeemer , whom my soul loves , would be with my spirit , that my spirit might be more with him ! o that i might more experimentally , sensibly , satisfyingly , know and acknowledge that power , that vertue , of his resurrection ! that i might more and better evidence my being planted into it by walking in newness of life ! here could i bid this fallacious sophistry of quarrellers with christ's weekly seventh-day-sabbath to stay behind , whilst i find my heart with much complacencie safely lodged in a full christ , and in his sull word ! o the savourie-nourishing-meditations that this subject-matter would afford ! here the admiring soul may pass into a spiritual-rest by silent-thinkings , secret adorings , marvelling-loves , exalting-praises , and filling-enjoyments — , but , the reader expects an answer . in all the places of the new testament , relating to the matter in hand , where the last english translation doth render it , the first day of the week , the words do properly signify one of the sabbaths , except only in g one place , where it is the first day of the sabbath : the meaning whereof may be afterwards opened : all the other places you may find cited in the h margin , and the words in the greek rightly done into english in every one of these , are , one of the sabbaths , not the first day of the week , nor the first of sabbaths , nor the alone day ( or only day , or sabbaths : not at all concluding the first day of the week to be now the weekly sabbath-day in the room of the seventh , which the words do not mean , either in their proper significancie , or intended sense , as they stand in syntax or coherence and collated with other scriptures : for , they wholly refer to another matter , and to other sabbaths than the flatterers of the first day do lay a wrong claim to . as for that i word in the feminin gender , which they do translate , first , but signifieth one , i have examined the exactest * concordances of the greek new-testament , and i find it seventy and nine times used there , or about that number ; and upon a searche into all and every of the places , the translation of k one of the learnedest who doth correct the vulgar latin interpretation , is l one. i could mention more translators , if there were need , only for the information of such readers , as do understand only english , the dutch annotators and translators in five of those seven places forementioned in the margin , do acknowledge that the greek word doth signifie one : only in two of the seven which yet do relate to the same greek words they render it first , without expresly mentioning the true proper significancy of the greek word , which is one ; which was in five other places done by them : whereby the discerning reader may observe what their judgment was in those other two places , and no where else , that i have yet found , of all the rest of the seventy and nine times do they translate it first , but only in one place more . i have taken care in going over every one of the particular places , and i do not knowingly or willingly misreport any one quotation . m the masculin and neuter gender of the same word ( whereof the sorementioned is the feminin ) in their several cases are used in the new testament two hundred and seventy ( or seventy one ) times ; as the forementioned n concordances do set them down : in every one of which , those words are rendred by o one of the most skilful-literal-translators , p one. in one place , he leaves out one clause in the original , wherein one of those words is , and so he translates it not at all , but leaves the vulgar latin interpretation in the margin , where it is taken in , and rendred q one. and in another place he puts in r one word for another , and renders , some one , or a certain one , for one. in all those two hundred and seventy , ( or seventy one ) places , the dutch annotators and translators do not in any one of all those scriptures give this word in either masculin or neuter gender the significancy of first , but always of one. no man that understands the greek significancy of this word , can but confess , if he will speak out the truth , that , the s greek word is properly , primitively , one , from a t verb , which doth denote to be , for , a being is unity . as for the other word translated u sabbath , sabbaths . upon search , i discover , that , it is used sixty and eight times in the new testament ; in every one of which places , that skilful-literal-translator spoken of before , doth render it w sabbath , sabbaths in the singular or plural , according as the number is . the dutch annotators and translators do render it , sabbath , sabbaths , in every one of the places , according to the greek ; though in nine places they render it week , also ; eight of which do relate to the matter under debate ; yet in every one of them acknowledging the greek significancy , in its propriety of speech , to be sabbath or sabbaths . all lexicons and x languages that do derive it from the hebrew , do give this to be the true genuine primitive proper significancy of the word ; which the very sound of the word doth prove to every ear that hears it . let then the words be in the translation , as they truly really signify , one of the sabbaths : which if it were done and received as it ought to be , what a scriptureless thing would the first day of the week be discovered even by plain understandings to be ? no translation of scripture is any further the word of god , than it doth exactly agree with the original . those who do translate these words , the first day of the week , do borrow a phrase , which is meerly talmudical , and not scriptural , and it is invented by men , not grounded upon the word of god. as the words themselves , in their own sense are not at all , either against the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , or for the first day of the week , as the weekly sabbath now , which is the common pretence , and the mistaken plea : so neither is the meaning of them in any of those places , as they are construed in syntax , standing in the coherence of the text , or as compared with other scriptures . those places which are cited out of the y four evangelists , ( the other will be spoken to in their order , ) do in all and in every one of them relate to the passover-sabbaths , on one of which christ arose from the dead . the word of truth doth here expresly call and name them sabbaths , and therefore we must own it , that , they were such , to wit , sabbaths , days of holy rest : the authority of the scriptures should suffice , upon which this appellation doth strongly bottom : z all the evangelists are express for the passover , at which time these a seven festival days were ; and other scriptures in the old testament do agree hereto : for under that former dispensation there were other days in the year , as the days of the passover , of pentecost , of booths , of the fcast of expiation ; which are called b sabbaths , in express words , shadowie ; figuring , typical sabbaths they were . the weekly seventh-day-sabbath is a natural weekly-standing-sabbath , of a different nature from the other . consider further , that , the first and the last days of that paschal-festival , are expresly called and named holy convocations , or convocations of holiness : so they were to be unto the israelites : they were not to do c any function of servilene●s in them . the same command as to this that is given for the observation of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath in the fourth word : which doth shew , that , they were to be kept as sabbaths . the same thing for the publick worship and service they were to do . d to a day every one of those seven days of this passover-feast , besides the ascension , the burnt-offering which was the dayly-sacrifice , a burnt-offering of continuation , which was offered up every day without any intermitting : the same thing also which was injoyned e on the seventh-day-sabbath . there were also all the offerings and oblations of the f new moon , and somewhat more ; for , it exceeded the sacrifices of the feast by one bull and a ram. every one of these seven days were holy assemblics , feasts to jehovah , and when performed aright , they were g the savour of his rest : the last day of this paschal festival is called in hebrew a day of h restraint , because , though so many days together had been sabbatized on before ; yet the people of god should not be weary of their priviledg , but be willingly restrained one day longer from their servile work , and be retained together in the publick holy assembly . thus deriving its significancy from a root that signities to restrain , or to retain . i every one of those seven days was a solemnity , or solemn feast , a distinct day in a day by themselves , in which jehovah was praised with great joy. each day was a solemn assembling . this shews plainly , that those passover-days were to be kept holy to aelohim as so many sabbath-days . there is one opposer of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , who to establish his first day in the room of the seventh , doth urge , levit. . . where the eight day is called a sabbath , which he affirmeth from john . . to be the last day , the great day of that feast of tabernacles , from whence he would infer a first day sabbath . whereas , there were but seven days in that feast , deuter. . , . besides , that feast of tabernacles or of booths , was not a weekly feast , and so cannot have a weekly antitype directly answering to it : the weekly sabbath was spoken of before , and settled upon the seventh day , levit. . . a learned adversary of the seventh-day-sabbath doth acknowledge , that , about the time of the writing of the books of the new testament , both the jews themselves , and all the heathen , which took notice of all these feasts and solemn assemblies did call them sabbaths , and not only so , but by god himself , from their analogie , which i shall have further occasion after a few leaves , to make some use of . in luk. . - . compared with mat. . - . we may read of sabbaths in the plural number ( as in many other places ) of the first sabbath , a second sabbath , another sabbath ; which if they be applyed to the sabbaths of either of the typical feasts , then it is an evident proof , that , the days of those feasts had the name of sabbaths in the scripture if they refer the expressions to the weekly sabbaths , then it doth afford a testimony for the weekly seventh-day-sabbath . upon one of these sabbaths our lord jesus christ did arise from the dead . and now let the considering-reader bethink himself , whether this do give any the least intimation of any change of the weekly-sabbath , from the seventh to the first day of the week ? where nothing either in the words themselves , or in the coherence or context , or design of those scriptures , or expressed or implyed or intended sense of them , doth meddle at all with any change of the weekly-sabbath ? where there is no , either blessing or sanctifying , either name or thing ; either institution or separation , either command or promise relating to the first day of the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , under the new-testament-administration . yet notwithstanding all this so clear and express , which is either not understood , or not pondered , men rise up against it , to the troubling of us , and to disturb us if they could in our seventh-day-sabbath , of weekly rest : for say they , the hebrew word for k one , hath sometimes the sense of first ; and the new testament doth hebraize in this particular : that , if the sense were one of the sabbaths , then the word should be in the l neuter gender , not in the feminin , to agree with its substantive , which is of the neuter gender : and that , it is expresly said m in one place , the first of the week , which word is never used for one , but first or chief . thus it is objected . my reply unto these is as followeth ; as for the hebrew word which doth properly signify one , what satisfying reason can there be given why any other tralatitious sense should be assigned to it in these particular places which have so plain and familiar , so obvious and pertinent , a sense in their propriety of meaning , where these objectors would have it bear such a sense , as that of first ? i shall examine the places usually alledged after a few lines more : or if it could be evidenced , that , in some one place it be convenient to translate it first , what cogencie of inference can there be drawm from thence , that therefore it must be so in the greek word , in the scriptures fore-quoted ? what necessity doth there appear of this ? where the circumstances of the text do so well and fitly admit of such a rendring , interpretation , and construction , of the original words , as is according to their true certain and proper signification , which has been already demonstrated ? what satisfactory-spiritual-convincing-reason is there , to fasten such an interpretation upon them in the translation , as gives them a sense improper and a meaning unusual ; to which no necessity doth urge and drive either the translator or the annotator ? words are to be understood according to the propriety of them , unless we be otherways unavoidably forced by some evident absurdity ? of which there is no colourable appearing shew here . how can convincing demonstrations and infallible conclusions be drawn from scripture-expressions , if a contrary liberty be assumed and granted ? why should we yield our selves to flee to a pretended double hebraism , of one for first , and of sabbaths for week ; where the plainness and expressness of the letter , and the propriety and significancy of the words , is so consistent with , and adapted to , the context and the analogy and harmony of other scriptures upon that subject-matter ? i would know yet further of these men , whether the evening of the sabbaths mentioned mat. . . did belong to that which they call the first day of the week , or not ? if they judg not , then they go quite contrary to all the scriptural-accompt , which doth begin the day at evening . if they acknowledg it to belong to that day , then i further enquire , how , when that evening and the day-part which belonged to it , when these were over and gone , how it could be said of the evening next following of this day , john . . that , it was the evening on the same first-day of the week , as they mis-interpret it ? for one and the same day cannot have two such evenings , at such a distance . as for o the hebrew word , p one of the most punctual and exact in the hebrew-tongue , in his lexicon , both , as to the root of it in the verb in all the conjugations thereof , in which it is used , and in the nouns derived from thence , doth render its significancy to be , he was one , and one ; and particularly q on that place which is most alledged by the objectors , it is by him translated one. he has a passage in his epistle to the reader before that lexicon , worth the noting ; a certain , proper , and alonely or only-one , signification , is attributed to all , to every of the words . another learned r hebrician in that place cited by our gain-sayers , doth render it , one ; he is the corrector of s another's translation of the hebrew bible : but here in these places it needed not , because , it is the true meaning of the word ; and so properly rendered there by both of them . t one , in greek , signifies only one ; a numeral cardinal doth signify a number absolutely , from which , as from a fountain , other numbers do flow forth ; and they are called cardinals , that is principals , because , from these the other do depend , hanging on them , as doors do upon their cardins or hinges , as one , two , three , four , and soon . in that u first instance that we have in the scriptures of the hebrew word , for one , one day , there was then no other day in being , or in order , which might note any other number . it shews what that was , and is , which made and doth make up that one compleat full day , to wit , w evening and morning , darkness and light , night and day . numerals cardinals do answer to a question made , by asking , how many ? to which the answer then must , if rightly , be made , one , only one . there being then in the nature of day-existences but only that one day , a large compleat full-day . in the hebrew it is expresly in number , one day . there is an holy harmony , and a consenting oneness , between the old testament and the new , all sweetly and joyntly concurring in the same heavenly doctrine . as for what they further object , that , if it were one of the sabbaths , then the greek word for one should be of the neuter ( not of the feminin ) gender , to agree with its substantive : consider , x one , is a numeral cardinal ( properly not ordinal ) noun adjective , and therefore it doth signify a thing in the concrete . in reason or signification it must have another word joyned with it , which sometimes one scripture doth add , when another scripture speaking of the same thing , doth not express the particular substantive that belonged to it , to put us upon a diligent search and a due collating of scriptures . compare those two scriptures in the y margin for this : which do relate to the passover-festival : what in one of the places is the first of the unleavened . is in the other the first day of those unleavened . thus in the places under debate , z a greek word which doth signify , day , is to be understood , because , these are parallel places with another place , where this is particularly expressed , with respect to this self-same-thing ; and so is not my excogitated fancy , but , the plain interpretation of the holy spirit himself , who dictated and inspired this word of truth . a the place should be examined , where it is in a day that one of those sabbaths ; here the word one has the word day going before it , and must again have that word day brought and added to it to stand by it : where , one , being an adjective partitive , and being here taken partitively , doth rejoyce in a word of the genitive case . the word for day also in b other scriptures , relating to other matters , is also expresly added to this adjective one , and is so be rendred one day , one of those days . there needs no more about this , for , the objectors themselves do acknowledg that day is here understood , though not expressed in these places . which now puts me upon examining of c that place where it is the first of the sabbath . first here being an adjective of the feminin gender , and governing sabbath a substantive , which is of the neuter gender , must necessarily be supplyed by some other word , as all that know any thing of grammar-significancy and syntax do acknowledg . now , what that word must be , we are to enquire . that word which i judg must supply it here , must be some such word as doth signify d an hour , or point or moment , or minute , or such like , as doth point out some of the first part of the earliness of the morning of that sabbath when christ stood before mary , and appeared and manifested himself unto her to have been arisen before ; this being one of those particular sabbaths , which are mentioned in a e former verse of the same chapter in the plural number : and these sabbaths were but a little before demonstrated to be the sabbaths of the paschal-festival : and therefore proves nothing as to a supposed pretended change of the weekly-sabbath-day from the seventh to the first day of the week . further , if we compare f two scriptures : it is expresly said of another day , referring to the same passover-feast , which this day under debate doth , that , it was the first day of that feast unleaveneds , when they of that dispensation were to meet to cat unleavened bread throughout the seven days of that passover-festival : consider then , can this latter day , which came after , be the first day , when there is another going before , relating to the same matter , the same feast , which is called or named the first-day ? there is somewhat much like this in g another scripture , on the day of christ's crucifixion , when he dyed , on that day jesus was led by caiaphas to the praetorium , or judgment-house , and it was early-morning , or morning-season , or rather morning-early , ( hour or watch , ) for , some word here must be understood . thus with respect to the matter in hand , t is the earliness of the morning of that sabbath , as i said , which is there pointed out , as you may observe in the history by h every one of the evangelists that do mention it . so that , it is rationally , scripturally , inferred , that , first must be supplyed with hour , or some such word . we read i elswhere , of a third , sixth , ninth , and eleventh hour of the day , and of k twelve hours of the day : and these do make up an whole day , as distinguished from the night-part . and therefore , there is a first hour of the day : the beginning of numbring the day part of a large day , is from the going forth of the light and of the sun : the first hour whereof is the first twelfth part , so numbred of the day-part . on the first hour of that sabbath , of that day , one of the paschal-sabbaths , christ appearing to be standing before mary , christ having been arisen from the dead , sometime before that . for , l there passed some time between christ's actual arising , and this appearing . mary had been at the sepulchre before this , while it was yet dark , and christ was arisen then , she found not her lord there , whereupon she ran and gave an accompt to peter , and came about again , remaining a while at the sepulchre , having some conference with the angels and with christ himself a while before she knew him. mary came m very much in the morning : so that , christ's standing before mary , points out , not his first minute of arising , but his time of appearing to her . sabbath here being in the singular number one particular distinct n sabbath-day of those paschal-sabbaths forespoken of , and therefore cannot be a proper supply to first , for , then it must run thus , the first day of the sabbath : whereas this sabbath was it self a day . here in the way how groundless and scriptureless is the conjecture of that advocate for the first day-sabbath , who from hence , to wit , christ's time of arising , as he judgeth it , would date the beginning of the first days pretended holy rest , to be the morning of the first day of the week , and to last but from morning till the evening , making the night-part to be no part of the weekly-sabbath , and as having no place in the spiritual rest of the gospel to be expressed on this day , ( the first day , he speaks of ) nor to be any thing distinguished from the night of other days of the week ! so writes a learned man. thus we have a kind of half holy-day set up by a man in the room of an whole seventh-days-weekly-sabbath , created and instituted by jehovah aelohim . but , what part of time shall we reckon that night-time to ? it must belong either to working-day , or sabbath-day ? if to sabbath-day-time , then it is a part of the time of a sabbath-day : if to working-day-time , then we have more time than six working-days in one week , which is contrary to scripture-revelation , and to created nature . for , the evening is as natural to the created days as the morning . the creator himself did some of his works in the night . as o particularly , he created darkness in the beginning of the evening of the one day , in the first week of the created world , and the night-part of every one of the large days : and it is the commendation of a virtuosa-woman , that , p she and her houshold do work some part of the night ; whereas we are expresly forbid to do any work of our particular functions on the seventh-day-sabbath : all that kind of work is supposed to be done on the six foregoing days of the week : and i have before shewed , q that , the night-part , as well as the day-part belongs to the weekly sabbath-day . and how doth this assertion of that learned man agree with another affirmation of his , so often repeated in that book of his , that , that part of time , that is and will be accepted with god , is declared and determined in the fourth commandment to be the seventh part of it , or one day in seven ! if so , then how can this learned man and his followers in this , well groundedly expect acceptance with god ; when the seventh-part of time is not observed , as the weekly-sabbath ; but one half of that seventh part is cut off by him : quite contrary unto what god has declared and determined in the fourth commandment ! this incoherence and inconsistence doth bewray the darkness and doubtfulness that is upon the minds and hearts of the most learned opposers of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath . what will become of jehovah's laws and prescriptions , if men take such an unwarranted liberty , at one blow to cut off the half of the weekly-sabbath , contrary to the lord's appointments , and contrary too , unto their own concessions and assertions , especially also , when on this piece of a pretended sabbath they give such a loose to carnal hearts , as to leave any to be a rule unto themselves for their words , works , and actions upon this half part of a day of rest ? as if all others were men of a legal spirit , and were judaizing sabbatizers , that will be exact according to the scripture-rules of the good old way in these matters : who sees not what an unscriptural liberty even good men will be too prone to allow themselves , if once they apprehend , that , this is referred unto themselves to judg determinately of ? r where doth the whole scripture leave any man or men to be rules unto themselves ? must we not in all these cases be directed , determined , and judged by the word ? here again , my heart would be at work in sweet thoughts , and in raised affections towards a dear redeemer , who has done and suffered so much for his unworthy creature , that , my heart and head and hand may cease a while from giving answering solutions to fallacious arguings . o how full , how sutable , a good is here ! thou who readest this , canst thou truly say , this redeemer is my redeemer ; this mediator hath loved me , and hath given himself for me ? redemption is wrought out and finished by christ for me ! he will perfect it in me as well as for me ! all the just demands of the father are fully satisfied by the son of his love ! in the vertue of his satisfaction and intercession i will go to the father and expect audience and assistance , acceptance and a blessing o how well will it go with them and with their cause , who have christ for their advocate ? how sure is that covenant of grace , which hath christ for the surety ! the reader now may expect , that , i say something to that part of the objection which doth suppose the work of redemption to have been finished on the day of christ's resurrection . so that , he being then gloriously manifested to have rested from it , the objectors think , that christ might have good cause to honour the first day of the week above any other day , as the weekly-sabbath-day . here is mens thinking and reasoning , but the serious inquirer doth look for christ's instituting and commanding , which he can never find in the word , as to the first-days being the weekly sabbath-day . redemption in the whole and in all and every of the parts of it , and in all and every of the fruits and effects of it , i beleivingly confess , praise , and apply , according to those growing measures of scripture light , and of saving graces , which the lord hath graciously given me therein about this . both those great works of jehovah-christ , creation-work and redemption-work , are highly to be valued ; and one of them should not be set against the other , let them both be brought in , s creation-work , and redemption work too , as proper matter for meditation , conference and praise , whereby the seventh-day-sabbath may be , celebrated and sanctifyed in the weekly returns of it . the observation● of the seventh-day-sabbath is inforced by the lawgiver himself to be kept holy to jehovah by an argument drawn t from salvation-work , from redemption work . the lord jesus christ , who is redeemer , was creator too ; as i have clearly proved from self-evidencing-scriptures . it was he that rested from his works of creation , blessing , sanctifying , and keeping the seventh-day-sabbath ; in the first week of the world. jehovah christ as mediator did himself at mount sinai , proclaim this law of the ten words , whereof this of the seventh-day-sabbath is one . it is he who is our one and our only u lewgiver . it is he whose w voice then shook the earth at that mount. it is he x who was from his father an angel by delegated office , sent for this , as for many other purposes , to be with moses in the wilderness . it is he y who wrote this law of the ten words in the two tables . it is he * who brought his people israel out of egypt , and gave them this law of the seventh-day-sabbath . it is he who z came down upon that mount attended gloriously with ten thousands of his holy angels , and promulgated this law. that sixty eighth psalm doth evidently to a spiritual discerner commend christ a in his glorious excellencies , as to his wonderful person , as to his wise government , and gratious administration , particularly to the israelites in their journey out of aegypt ; in giving them to inherit the promised land , in confounding of their foes ; all which favours and blessings to his covenant people , are set out to be the fruit of christs mediating for them with his father . he their saviour and their god , and the god of their past-present-and after-salvarions , who would make of their posterity a glorious new christian church in the latter daies . as for redemption-work , it doth confirm the law of the ten words in the type : and the antitype must answer to the type the israel of god were to do the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath , and to keep it holy to jehovah their b saviour and redeemer , and so are believers under the new-testament-dispensation , the saviour himself , this redeemer , having so c observed it all his life through in the daies of his flesh here on earth , when born of the virgin mary . the d ark which was one of the principal of all the holy things of god , and for which the tabernacle mainly was set up ; e which did sanctifie the place where it did rest , f this ark had nothing in it but the two tables of the covenant : and this ark was g a type of christ , who had this law in his heart : and did in his own person confirm it to every letter and part of it by his doctrine and practice , when more familiarly conversant here amongst men . it was christ as mediator who appeared as man unto abraham , moses , zechariah , and others , under that former administration : h these works of redemption were in the i types then , and as for the actual perfecting and accomplishing of these in the person of the mediator himself , k when he took to his godhead the seed of abraham , and was made of the seed of david according to the flesh ; and was made of a woman , these works may be said to take their beginning ( as to this of perfecting and accomplishing them in the antitype ) upon christs l first thus manifesting of himself in the flesh : and they were further carried on by him in his m life , so declared by his father and attested by his spirit n . his life was a continued fulfilling of redeeming-types : and as for his death upon the o cross , there just before his giving up the spirit , and commending it into the hands of his father , he himself said , it is finished , or accomplished , or perfected , ( namely , for so much , and for fo far , ) he having but p a little before , on the same day of his death , in his prayer to his father , declared , that , he had finished the work which the father gave him to do ! this work of reconciliation and redemption : thus accomplishing it , and perfecting the types by steps and degrees . some remainders whereof are further fulfilled at his 〈◊〉 resurrection : which also it self was a great work : yet was not this all : for , these works of reconciliation and of redemption , had yet a further filling up and a more through perfecting , when forty daies from his rising again , he ascended up into heaven : r where he appeared as the great high-priest of his peoples holy profession , as the antitype , with blood and with incense in that holy of holies , having his satisfaction and intercession further in his glorious person actually accepted by his father , which was typified of old by the high-priests entering into the holy of holies , once every year upon the atonement day , or day of expiation , of which the author of the epistle to the hebrews gives an account , of its being perfected and fulfilled in christ . to this ascension of his into the highest heavens , and his sitting there at the right hand of his father , where he appears for his people , s and intercedes on their behalf , in a way suted to his glorious majesty , in so raised an exaltation : to this doth belong his putting down of the levitical priesthood , which was a shadow and type and figure of the heavenly priesthood of christ , and must now upon christs ascending and session , give way and place to the truth , to the true antitype , t the high priest being got into heaven : for , whilst christ was upon earth , the levitical priesthood continued , at least as to some parts of their office. when the reader puts all this together , and sees how the redemption-work was for so many years together before christs resurrection perfecting and accomplishing , and finds christ u travelling upon the day of his rising with two disciples to emmaus , which was from jerusalem about sixty furlongs , which in common computation is w about seven miles and a half , at least seven miles , too long a journey for the weekly sabbath day , especially when it was a going off from a greater assembling at jerusalem , the publick appointed place of worship ; and this about a private business to a little village , an example not to be followed , upon a pretended new instituted weekly-sabbath-day : and withal the reader observes , that , some part of redeeming-work was actually compleated by christ in a way of fulfilling of a redeeming-type , which work was not done by him before , either in his birth or life , in his death or resurrection , it will be time for him ponderingly to think on his waies , and to turn his feet unto jehovahs testimonies ; to make hast and not to slacken to entertain his commandments , particularly this of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath ! to set this right precept before him , and no longer to put away this institution of aelohim from him : which is so full and plain and clear , through the whole scripture ; and no further to wander on , misled by mens darkning-conjectures , who would still keep up a day of their own setting up , up the first day of the week , which as to this of a weekly sabbath-day , is a creationless and scriptureless ; restingless , blessingless , and sanctifyingless , nameless , thingless , commandless , promiseless , and threatless-day ; none of those being for it , but all for the seventh day . the adversary being driven out of this hold , seeks refuge for his first day sabbath in some other scriptures , cited in the x margin , ( which yet will not allow him countenance and warrant . ) for , say they , the good apostles met on the first day , the day of christs resurrection , which they then observed as the weekly-sabbath-day , in memory of his resurrection , and of his compleating the works of redemption on that day ; christ taught the two disciples on that day of his rising , on the same day he appeared to the disciples , and instructed them , and did eat with them , thus assembled , and blessed them ! the next first day of the week he chose to appear to them again : and those apostles christ did commission as his principal church ministers to teach the churches all his doctrine , and to deliver them all his commands and orders , and so to settle and guide the first churches : which apostles did actually separate and appoint the first day of the week for holy worship especially in church-assemblies ; they themselves frequently meeting upon that day , for that end ; and enjoyning the churches of their plantation so to do , who obeyed them in this : the first day is mentioned as the day of the disciples assembling to break bread ( which though they did it oft : on other daies , yet no day else was peculiarly appointed for it . ) disciples and believers at christian-assemblies were not to come empty on the first day of the week , but were on that day to deposite what they brought in to the treasury of the church . and this has been the practice of all the christian churches in the world , since the apostles daies : for which there is the evidence of church-history in this matter of fact , into which humane authority this must be resolved : for this evidence of this churches vniversal constant usage is a full and sufficient proof of the matter of fact : that , the first day was set apart by the apostles for holy worship , especially in the publick church assemblies . they that will deny the validity of this historical evidence do by consequence betray the christian faith , or give away or deny the necessary means of proving the truth of it , and of many great particulars of religion ; for , without this historical evidence we cannot make good the authority of any one single verse or text of scripture , which we shall alledg , because , we are not certain of that particular text , ( or words ) whether it have been altered or added , or corrupted by the fraud of the hereticks , or the partiality of some christians ; or the oversight of scribes , &c. thus these objecters . y the spirit of these objecters is now to be tryed , whether it be according to christ , and the word of christ , or not ? which shall be done by a strict examination of the two comprehensive particulars , more especially , whether the scriptures alledged be truly translated , and rightly interpreted , and meetly applyed , as to the present case in hand , either for matter of fact , or for matter of right ? and whether human church histories be of such authority with reference to the certainty and verity of scripture and of the christian faith , and religion conteined therein ? as for those expressions in our last english translation , of the first day of the week , in the places cited , i have shewn before , that , the words in the propriety of speech according to the truth of grammar-etymology in their proper significancy and regimen of syntax , are , one of the sabbaths , the notation of which phrase in its plain meaning exactly agreeing with the real nature of the thing punctually set out by it , it has been discovered and proved , that , z as to those places in the evangelists , it was one of the paschal sabbaths , which doth speak nothing as to any substituting of the first day of the week in the room of the seventh day as the weekly sabbath now , which is the pretence of our opposers : as neither do the other scriptures cited where that expression is used , once in the a acts of the apostles , and another time in the first epistle to the corinthians ; for one of the sabbaths . in that place of the acts , was one of those seven sabbaths between passover and pentecost , as will be evident to an unprejudiced diligent comparer of the b scriptures cited in the margin ; which is quite another thing from what the adversaries do urge it for : and as for the evidence of this , there is express mention made both of the feast of unleavened bread , which was the passover-feast , in the verse immediately going before the place cited ; and also of pentecost in nine verses after relating to that season in the same year ; within the compass of which two feasts inclusively , were seven sabbaths , upon one of which that meeting was of paul with the disciples : which doth hold forth a clear truth , contrary to what it is alledged for . as for what paul did more after that sabbath day was over , at the going in of the sun , when another day came on , which was meerly occasional , he being in a preparedness to depart on the next day after the sabbath : such as c his continuing of his speech till midnight , his raising up eutychus , his eating of brèad , his talking with them a long while , even till break of day , then departing : so long preaching and conference all the night long is not to be enforced as a necessary sabbath-duty , the scriptures no where so enjoyning it , and if this objector would assert it , so far at least as till the midnight , ( according to his account of an whole day in england from midnight to midnight , which i have shewn in this treatise to be no right reckoning , but contrary to the word of truth : ) let him and the other learned man whom i answered but a little before , who shuts out the night-part from being any part of the weekly-sabbath-day , let them i say , if they can find no better work for their time , contend about that matter . this night-part belonging to the after day-part , as making up the whole next day after the sabbath , was not observed by paul as the weekly-sabbath : for you may d there read how some of the disciples went before to ship , and sayled to assos , there intending to take in paul : for , so had he appointed , minding himself to go afoot : and when he met with them at assos they took him in , and came to mytilene : this was no weekly-sabbath-work , no necessity nor mercy enforcing or warranting them thereunto . as for the breaking of bread , whether that expressed in the seventh , or the other in the eleventh verse , if it were admitted to be used in the administration and participation of the lord's supper , yet this objector himself doth affirm , that it was often done by apostles and disciples on other daies of the week than on that which he so earnestly contends for : and whereas he doth assert that no day else but only the first day of the week was peculiarly appointed for breaking of bread in that ordinance : whither shall we go for a warrant and proof of this ? we find no such appointment by our lord in the scriptures ; and the objector cannot but acknowledg , that our lord jesus christ did institute and administer it at the first appointing and dispensing of that new-testament ordinance of the supper , on another day of the week , than the first day : for , the objector affirms elsewhere , that the passover day in that year was the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath : and e paul doth expresly say that it was the same night in which he was betrayed ; then it was , that , he took the bread and the cup in this lordly supper : and this did paul receive from the lord , and so did deliver it unto that corinthian-church of saints , as that word-rule by which they were to reform their abuses which had crept in amongst them , as to that ordinance particularly , and according unto which they were exactly to measure all their administrations . if this objector do urge humane authorities without scripture-evidence , we shall shew the vanity and weakness , the incogency and unconvincingness of that empty plea after a while . reader exercise thy discerning here ? is there any thing in this place that speaks at all of any change of the weekly-sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week ? do either the significancy of the words or the intendment of the place , or the force of the context , or any necessary unavoidable consequence , present any such thing to an impartial unprejudiced understanding , which doth report a matter of fact done upon another day , not medling with any state of this question about this matter of right . has the first day of the week either the name of the weekly sabbath or the substance and essence of it ? is there any one word of command found here requiring beleiving christians to observe the first day as the weekly sabbath ? is there any promise made over to the weekly observers of it as such ? is there any threatning denounced here against the not-observers of it , as such ? is there any mention made of christs being the author of it , as such ? is there any one expression of its being instituted by christ , as such ? is there any one word or phrase against the the seventh daies being now any longer the weekly-sabbath-day ? can this objector satisfie and establish thee upon any firm ground , such as is scriptural , by any contrary arguing , wherein nothing of all this can befound ? the plain historical narration doth inform us that paul abode at troas , seven daies , in the sixth verse : and whether he came to troas on the first day of the week , search may be made : troas standing near the sea of hellespont in asia the less , whether paul came from philippi , that was scituated in greece , which was on the other side of hellespont , or of the euxine sea ; which sea did lie between europe and asia the less : f macedonia , whence paul came , was a province in graecia ; there at troas paul stayed seven daies inclusively , in the fifth and six verses of this twentyeth chapter , spending a seventh-day-sabbath amongst them , and then went away from them the next week , in the seventh and eleventh verses , after the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath . the objector therefore mistaking the day to be the first day of the week , whereas , it was the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , all that which he doth wrongly build upon that mistake , falleth to the ground , together with that mistake , this answer , drawn up from the true proper translating of the words , one of the sabbaths , i mainly stick to , as plain , convincing , and self evidencing , though i have elsewhere drawn up much more about it : we are not hurried away with noise and multitude : but that which swayes with us , and keeps our hearts in an awesul fear , and trembling-joy , and believing establishment , with sweet satisfaction , nourishing delight , and great complacency , is the word of the adored almighties , clearly opened , well-agreeingly-collated , soundly understood , and rightly applyed : christ and his word have their authority with us , beyond any man or men whatsoever , or any or all of their sayings to the contrary . his words do always best express things , according to the true nature of them in their own familiar sense , which the holy spirit doth give of them in their respective places . the same genuin significancy has this phrase in that passage to the g corinthians , where also it is , in true propriety of speech , not the first day of the week , but one of the sabbaths , meaning according to the proper significancy of the words , phrase , and thing , either one of the sabbaths between passover and pentecost inclusively , as in the former place ; h of which two feasts he makes express mention in the same epistle , and of one of them , in the same chapter ; or else one of the sabbaths , of one or other of those three great festivals spoken of i else where : the feast of unleaveneds , the feast of sevennies . and the feast of booths , or leaf-hutts , especially at the time of ingathering the yearly fruits and increase of the earth , at which time they were able by such a revolution of a year to pass a judgment upon jehovahs blessing of them , ( which cannot be so well estimated on every weekly return , ) for , then , all the males that appeared before the faces of jehovah were not to appear empty , but every man according to the gift of his hand , or according to the blessing of jehovah his god ( which is much the same with the expression in this epistle , ) which he had given him , and this reply has consent and agreement with other scriptures , and with the nature of the duty of charitable relieving and is evident upon the same place . it is the confession and acknowledgment of an adversary , as was noted a few leafs before , that , about the time of the writing of the books of the new-testament , both the jews themselves , and all the heathen that took notice of them , called all their feasts and solemn assemblies , their sabbaths : because , they did no servile work in them , they had the general nature of the weekly sabbath in a cessation from labour . it is known and confessed , saith he , that at that time ( when paul wrote to the church at colosse , which they suppose to be about twenty and nine years after christs ascension into heaven : ) all iudaical observation of daies , or the daies which they religiously observed , whether feasts or fasts , weekly , monthly , or annual , were by themselves and all other called their sabbaths . they were so called by god himself from their analogy . thus he . and this first epistle to the corinthians is reckoned by some to be sent unto that church about two and twenty years after christs ascension . so that to translate the words , one of the sabbaths is the most proper significant rendring , the most pertinent to the drift and scope , and the most harmonious in consent with the whole scripture that treats of this matter : the believing corinthians were to lay a way by themselves somewhat of their income , proportionable to the lord 's prospering of them in a way or journey of their particular trades , functions , and callings : thus , gathering some treasure , that , they might have in a readiness , that which might afford a k necessary supply of the poor saints at jerusalem , that , the collection might be in a preparedness against that time when paul was to call for it , and to carry and distribute it to that end. let the reader here observe , that corinth ▪ ( to the church in which city paul did write this epistle , out of one passage of which , the adversary would raise an objection , ) was that city l where paul had been a publick preacher , according to all or every sabbath : so that paul did keep the seventh-day-sabbath there in that particular place constantlyin this city of achaia , a city scituate near the sea , where he taught the word of god , one whole year and six months , and that by a special call and encouragement from the lord jesus christ : so far was he from setting up the first day in the room of the seventh day , as to the weekly-sabbath , that even there he was a diligent observer of m every seventh-day-sabbath : for , so the holy spirit himself calls that day , the sabbath . here is therefore no firm bottom in this place objected to ground a transferring of the weekly sabbath from one day to another , which is nothing at all the design of this place ( as neither is it of any other place through the word of truth . ) the words in their true proper significancy are according to one of the sabbaths : the article being omitted here , it doth signifie distributely , according to one or other , or each of those sabbaths : so that , the day here specified doth relate to some one or other of those sabbath-festivals fore-mentioned . there were n harvest-seasons , when the fruits of the earth came in , and they could judge somewhat of their increase , in corn and gain , that word which is translated a collection , is such a collect or collation , as is concluded by reasoning , an inferring from reckoning and casting up an account : every one as it went well with him , in his voyage , journey and trade , at such seasons of the year when the profits came in ; whether at and from the sea , or the land : ( and so o the word signifies in propriety of speech , according as the lord hath given a good voyage , or a prosperous way , or journey ) accordingly should they honour aelohim with their substance and increase , by setting apart a due proportion out of their estates to relieve needy ones . the charitable supplying of the poor with necessaries ( especially if poor saints , which was the case here ) is a natural religious duty under all the dispensations of grace , old and new ; a law of mercy and of love still in force , and ever will be whilst there are such objects of pity . some few such i do know , who do practise suitably , treasuring somewhat every year , and at some quarterly incomes , and sometimes by shorter returns , out of their revenue and increase , out of which to take , as cases do call for it , ( being in a preparedness through grace to part with the rest , if necessity were such : ) so that upon all such occasions they readily go and fetch out of that store which was laid up for such a purpose , in a way of thankful acknowledgment of gods blessing of them in their outward estate p paul intended to come to corinth about that season of the year , when ship-ladings at sea , or harvest-gatherings at land , had been brought in , and therefore it is , that , he thus exhorts them . laws about q mercy and charity are scattered up and down in many scriptures , and it were easie to gather several of them together , if need were : which laws ever had for the substance of them , a natural equity binding all mankind ; but more especially those who were church-members in fellowship . i refer to some few in the margin . pauls advice here , was a prosecution of a further direction , to pursue love which he had so largely described and commended a little before . nothing appears in all this , of any appointing or instituting of a new weekly-sabbath-day in the room of the old , the seventh-day , which was so from the beginning . there is r another word further in the objected place , which doth respect the treasury of alms , near the temple , into which some sort of tithes , gifts , gold , silver , and such like , were brought for the relief of the levite , stranger , widow , poor : of this treasury s , the reader may consult the several scriptures in the margin . having opened the expression of one of the sabbaths , and shewn that it refers in all the places to another matter and purpose than that for which it is brought , there is somewhat yet further to be spoken to , about christs appearing to his disciples on the day of his resurrection : which was observed , say the objectors , by them , as the new weekly-sabbath-day , in memory of his resurrection , as is pretended , &c. that , the disciples did not meet on that day , as now the weekly-sabbath-day , in memory of christs resurrection , is evident ; because , they did not the most of them at that time t believe , that he was arisen : for which their misbelief their lord and master doth check and rebuke them ; he having so often inculcated this thing upon them about his suffering , his death and his resurrection . how often had he told them , that he was to rise again from the dead on the third day ? that word u third is mentioned twelve times in the new testament , plainly pointing out the particular day of christs resurrection : and in several of those places it is recorded , that , they with their own ears heard christ affirming of it again and again , over and over , upon several occasions : in every one of the places , the w article is added and prefixed , and to one of them the article is doubled . all which put together do shew the emphatical significancy and force , the demonstrativeness of it , noting a certain determinate day to be known of all that would seriously consider it . x the same word for significancy in another part of speech , is used four times in the new testament : three times by christ himself , to point out the certain determinate day of his resurrection to be the third day : vvhich also in one of those four times is expresly acknowledged by his adversaries themselves who laboured to obscure the glory thereof y . in one of the places , both the distinct parts of an whole natural large day are punctually set down with respect to every one of the several three days : three days and three nights , used for the whole time of the darkness and light in one succeeding course , and exemplified as to the matter of fact , in the case of a particular person , of jonah , ( the history of whom is one of the books of the scriptures of truth ) who was herein a type of christ . as to his being raised on the third day . it is a day distinct from two complete fore-going days : z in one of the places , that , christ might make sure of clearing this matter to their understandings , and fixing it the deeper in their memories , so as it might not leak through their vessel of remembrance , and also of having the three days , and the three nights included , he expresseth it by a a preposition , signifying after , after three : for , so is the meaning of it , when it governs an accusative case ; and this praeposition is confessed in one of the places by his open enemies : and if those thought on it , and called it to mind , the more excuseless were the disciples , who did not for a while so credit it : whereby it is manifest , that ; they could not actually design this , as the end of observing such a day , which themselves did not yet believe so to be , though it were declared to them by some to whom he had appeared . so that , this part of the objection is scriptureless and reasonless ; and as for christs appearing to the eleven in the b places cited : it is also c clear by the scripture-accompt , that , that day , on which christ had conference with cleopas and another disciple , in their way from jerusalem to emmaus , was over-past and gone before , that appearing of his to the eleven : for , the day was upon closing when they went into that village , where christ spent some time with them : and those two disciples had d sixty furlongs to travel afterwards , back again from emmaus to jerusalem : and they were at that meeting where christ appeared to the eleven : the sun was gone in before that time . so that if this pretended historical hint be mistaken by those objectors ; so then is the * next also , which they alledg of a second appearing , as to the particular day of it , the place it self doth expresly confute their assertion : for that appearing was after eight days : after observe , which could not therefore be that very day which they name : not the first day by their own computation : besides , what cogency is there in this kind of arguing from christ's appearing to the disciples ? for he e appeared often to them in the forty days between his resurrection and ascension ; and once when they were fishing , which is no weekly-sabbath-days-work and employment , at which time also christ did eat somewhat of what fish they had taken . upon a due long serious consideration of the whole of this matter : there appears nothing to me , not the least shew or colour of any sound scriptural reasoning in all these allegations , which men in reputation have been by a traditionary religion in this , so fond of . what a great way about do they go , quite out of any scripture-path to fetch in something that might look like an argument with those who take up such matters of humane invention upon trust from their misguiders , who in this teach them to err in a dark-walk , where they see not how nor whither they go ; and then tell them , that the mind of christ in this , is a great deep , and not so easie for plain understandings presently to fathom : whereas we who are brought under the new testament-administration of grace are put into a state of clearer light than those were in , who were under the former dispensation . doctrines , duties , graces , priviledges , do shine forth in more glory before us f , as the apostle doth argue in the second of his epistles to the church at corinth , the design of which passage is to shew the new-testament-glory to be excelling : they of old had a veil on their ministration , by figures , types and shadows , whereas we now do , at least we may , and should , behold things with unveiled face : as for the laws of the ten words , particularly this of the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath , they are clear as the light : and therefore the holy scriptures of truth do give them that g name of light , of self-evidencing and clear-shining are they , containing commandments so right , in all things , so enlightening the eyes of mens understanding , though otherwise they be but simple , silly , and weak ; the very opening , entrance or door of which word doth give light to make the silly ones to be understanding ones , especially when the commandment comes in the demonstration of the spirit , and with power , and former pre-conceptions and prejudices are laid aside : a law so guiding the obeyers of it , to walk in such paths of rightness ; a law so true , so holy , so just , so good , so spiritual , so perfect , such a law of liberty , setting a renewed , enlarged heart so free to run in its way : a law so comprehensive , a law so h formed in right humane nature , being at the first concreated with it : a law so convincingly opening it self , and its true mind , and its proper meaning , and so fully expounded throughout the whole scripture , which is a large exposition upon it , insomuch as that all the rest of the word , so far as concerns duties to be performed , and sins to be avoided , is but as it were jehovah aelohims commentary upon , and interpretation of , it . so that here , those of an inquiring spirit are led safely out of the maze of those perplexing difficulties , which the objectors reasoning about the necessariness of human histories to make up a full evidence of the scriptures in the matter of the first day , would hurry them into , and such diligent re-searchers are brought into a plain way , i and the good old way , or the way of hidden ages , or of eternity . the words of this law do carry a plain evidence in them : as , all the rest , so particularly , the fourth word or command , concerning the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath : it has in it self a common and familiar understanding , the sense and meaning whereof doth appear at the very first sight : it is but hear or read , and every man , that is endued with reason , and will exercise it without any prepossession or imposings , will forthwith conceive aright of it , that , the weekly-sabbath-day is the seventh-day ; that the seventh-day is the weekly-sabbath-day . this objector doth assert it , that it is agreed on , that the passover that year when christ was cruci●yed fell on the sabbath-day . it must here be his meaning , the seventh , which is the last day of the week , which he takes to be the first day of that feast of unleavened bread ; on which the paschal lamb , according to institution , was to be eaten , which was not the first day of the week , but the seventh . upon this supposition , i would thus questioningly argue ; either christ that year kept the very day of passover , according to institution , or not ; if christ kept the true passover-day ( as i do not at all doubt but that he did ; for k he was to fulfill all righteous observances , and accordingly he did : it being the work which his father gave him to do , and which he finished : the antitype directly answering in every thing with great exactness to the type : and the history in the written word which doth report this matter of fact in christ , doth expresly call that day , on which he did with his disciples eat the paschal lamb , the passover-day l , as the scriptures in the margin will undeniably prove , and he dying the same day , which was the passover-day ; ) if this be granted by this opposer , to be the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , what then becomes of all the rest of his arguing and pleading for the first day , which according unto this supposition was not that particular day of the week , on which christ arose from the dead ? for , according to this that first day was the next immediate day after his death , and could in no sense be called the third day on which he rose again : if he say , that the true passover-day , which not christ , but the jews kept , was the day next after the death of christ , we call for an answer to the forecited scriptures in the margin , and expect a word-proof for what he asserts : although , if that could be cleared , yet has it no rightness or forcibleness of arguing in it to demonstrate what it is brought for , as to a first-day-sabbath : but if those scriptures do , in so many express words , give the day of christs being apprehended and condemned and crucified and killed the first day of unleavened bread , and the passover-day , whilst we have the scripture thus speaking , we have no cause to be moved at what humane authorities and church-histories do record to the contrary . and this has now brought me to an examination of the validity or invalidity of church-histories and of humane authorities in these matters . though several of the ecclesiastical historians have been examined by me upon this subject matter ; and i have some collections by me about it , enough to shew how little credit is to be given unto those kind of authorities , which are so fallible , and sometimes so self-contradicting , and so altogether unsatisfying , when the matter of right comes to be inquired after , and determined , any further than they do speak the mind of christ in his word ( for , either in these cases of conscience they write and speak according to the word , or not ? if they do , let these scriptures be particularly pointed to , with which they accord . if not , they are not to be received or followed . ) yet , in regard , that , my design is to bring all to the scriptures of truth , referring this and all else under aelohim to their judgment , i shall therefore now debate the principle with this objector . m so much of matters of fact , as do relate to matters of right , and as are necessary for us to believe in order unto salvation , is recorded in the word of truth : whereunto the whole scripture is profitable ; which is enough for us , if no more were written by me , concerning this particular question in hand : for , that scripture referred to , is proper and pertinent to this purpose , about christ and his resurrection , and his appearing to his disciples , and his blessing of them , and conference with them , as is plain , in the foregoing part of the same chapter ; and other scriptures collated and compared with this , do evidently speak it . but , we have yet much more to say about this . to assert the perfection of the scriptures , is one of the great truths of the present age : the forces of earth and of hell are now joyning together and putting forth their strength to assault and to attempt the overthrow of this useful doctrine : as it was in the daies of christs flesh , when he was familiarly conversant here on earth , the roman power the grecian wisdom the jewish traditions , ethnick philosophers , and diabolical possessions , all the humane and devilish force and art and invention was called together to war against christ and against his word . so in the latter daies ; the worldly might , old and new philosophy , institutions and impositions , histories and traditions , inventions and authorities of men , unwritten ( pretended necessary ) verities , generall councils , sayings of those whom they call fathers , articles of faith composed by men , confessions and practise of protestant reformed churches , the judgment and practice of learned and godly men , these and such like extra-scriptural places , are the swaying authority with many whereby antichristianism and antiscripturalism in a many of particulars are still held up and maintained against the lord and against his word , n who in this providential day is pouring contempt upon all flesh , upon men and upon their sayings , bringing a blast upon them ( so far as they are contrary to sound doctrine , and do oppose the mind of christs revealed in the written word : ) and is putting a crown on christ , and an honour upon his word . the testimony of men may be , and often is , in fact , erring and fallible , uncertain and lying , self-contradicting and unsatisfying . into which therefore the christian doctrine faith and religion is not to be resolved ; either in whole or in part : for , the word of jehovah is like himself , who is the author of it , of invaluable veracity ; and of unchangeable truthfulness . o he truth it self , and his word the truth , he a god that is true , and that cannot lye , and his word ( that which is truly , purely such ) the word of truth . his law is the truth . the asserters of the seventh day to be the weekly sabbath ( for which we have the whole scripture ) are charged with errour , because we will not be resolved by humane authorities to own the first day in the room of it : whereas , if men do err , greatly err , it is p therefore , because they know not the scriptures ; nor the power of god put forth in a word-way . to assign somewhat else for a cause of this , which is not a cause , is a by-way of paralogizing-deception , of sophistical-arguing , and of fallacious disputing : the lord jesus christ q doth not in his word ( and where else as from him shall we look for it ? ) assign this as a cause of mans erring , that , they do not know the magistral dictates of humane rabbies : it is the proud arrogance of the antichristian usurper , to impose his own placits upon the churches , as if he were imperial dictator to mens souls , and vniversal monarch over their consciences : neither is their erring from hence , that , they know not the antient records of uncanonicall church histories , which do sometimes write contrary to themselves and to one another , as those do understand who have been faithfull diligent comparers and collectors of such passages , and this both in matters of fact and in matters of right , and this objector himself doth confess he judgeth , that some of the writings of these antients are spurious and corrupt . and how few are there of those , to whom the gospel is preached , and upon whose hearts that word of grace and of truth doth take most saving holds ( to which word the lord himself doth bear witness ) are versed and read in this kind of ecclesiastical history ? and which way shall they be ascertained , that , it has been all of it read over by others , by their guides and teachers particularly , or that the report is faithfully brought to them , or if that were , whether they ought to be swayed by it ? were church-histories unerringly inspired ? who is so bold , as downright to assert this ? or if any were so daring , how can he prove it ? who of our plain converted people had humane histories in his thoughts when he was thorowly regenerated and gratiously visited from christ , and from the father of christ by the spirit of christ in the word of christ ? what a kind of faith is that , which doth ultimate it self into humane church histories ? he , that would have judged of the state and case of jehovah's church and people in the daies of r ezra by making search in the book of those ecclesiastical records , and have judged according to what was historifyed there , would have brought in an hard charge of rebellion and of sedition against them , and have been ready to have irritated the powers that were over them against them , as their adversaries did : neither do men therefore err , because they know not the tradition of the elders , which has long obtained by common custom , and by little controlled usage , so as to plead prescription . s unscriptural customes and tradition is a part of that redemption , which our lord has , wrought out for his people : and it is a choice mercy to be throughly delivered from them : for , in the event and effect , they would un lord christ , and the word of christ , of his and of its due autority : for which he condemned those scribes and pharisees of his daies , who would have obtruded these upon him , and upon his disciples ; but he confutes them by his word , and referreth all to this . he , who is of a diligent observing inquiring spirit , and is versed in this kind of the historical part of human learning in ecclesiastical centuriators , may meet with enough to take him off from doting on such fallible authorities , which are not a sure ground of judging in matters either of doctrine or of fact. in the matter of doctrine , how common is it for one to affirm what another of them doth contradict , as about the millennium , or the thousand years reign , with many more instances that might be given , as about free grace and about free will , about bishops and presbyters , about the vision of god whether the souls of departed saints be blessed with it till the judgment of the great day , or not ? with such like . which of those now shall carry away the state of the question ? in some cases , the major party often went the wrong way as in the rites and ceremonies of baptism and of prayer , and in many feasts and fasts , and divers such humane inventions , by which they added their own corrupt mixtures to christs pure institutions . as for the churches in the first centuries after the apostles , how shall we be ascertained , that , they were the most pure and perfect churches , seeing some of those that were of apostolical plantation did so apostatize , make such a sudden defection from the gospel-purity , and were so much corrupted in the apostles own times , as those particularly t of coriuth , and galatia , and some of the seven churches of asia ? and how is it possible for to come at a sure undoubtedness of knowing what was the universal judgment and practise by uniform consent of those churches in the first hundreds of years after the new-testament canon or rule was written ! were there no learned and godly men , such as were counted fathers in the churches , from whom we receive no writings at all ? may not some of their writings have been lost ? are there not false copies of the writings of some of them ? are they not supposititious and counterfeit and corrupt ? do they not vary widely in their interpretations of one and the same scripture ? how can these uncertainties be a firm ground and sure evidence of the authenticall meaning of the word of god ? how unconcluding and unsatisfying also is their testimony ; in the matters of fact , when one of equal antientness , and authority doth gainsay another , or when some greater authorities as some of them were esteemed , would step in & over rule , and when they charge one another with misreports and mistakes , how sandy a foundation is there here for any spiritual discerner to build upon ; take one or two instances , some in the history of christs life do expresly record , that , he was near fifty years old when he was put to death , whereas others of them in their chronologies do with equal confidence write , that he was then but about thirty and three years of age . so also about the particular language wherein the new testament was first spoken and written . u nor is the original of erring from hence , that , men know not the counsels of the sanhedrin , or the sayings of the antient fathers . the scriptures do mention such decrees of councils , and such applauded sayings of the antients , and those by such who counted themselves the only and the whole church of god , as were quite contrary to christs mind in his word , such as perverted and wronged his word . such as made it a sufficient cause of unsynagoguing , of excommunicating , for any man to confess , that , jesus was the christ : which yet was one of the plainest and greatest truths and duties ; such as passed into a law , and accordingly were commands given forth , that , the apostles should not upon pain of imprisonment , or of worse than that , speak at all or teach in the name of jesus : shall we be determined by such humane councils as these ? by such councils as sometimes clash one with another ? ( so it was a long while between the councils of the eastern and western churches . ) by such councils as sometimes reverse their own decrees and then make quite contrary canons ? it is w the scripture-canon to which we must resort . this is the strait established unerring rule , which we must measure our all by ; and in all things walk by , and that , our hearts may be the more awed by the authority of this , it behoves us x to eye christ in his present providential goings , with the golden measuring-reed or line in his hand , to trie and examine churches , and particular disciples , their states , frames and actings , their principles , rules , and ends , their constitutions , ordinances , and growth , whether they be according to him and his word , or not ? y neither is this a spring of errour , that , we do not know nor own unwritten verities , as scripture-supplements to be received by the people from their leaders upon trust without tryal . if a doctrine be brought to us we must see whether what is written in the word of the lord be for it , or not ; and accordingly either receive or reject it : what is written is that which doth call for our faith. we must z not favour about that which hath been written : so should the place in the margin be read . paul would not say or speak one thing besides or without the word by moses and the prophets , what was authorized and warranted by their writings . beleivers are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets , jesus christ himself being the chief corner stone of it . how shall we know , that , that which is unwritten is beleivable verity , healthfull doctrine , wholesome sound truth ? how shall our hearts get to be out of doubt , that it is so ? a nor doth errour arise from hence , that , men do not know nor approve of the judgment , opinion , and practise , of those who are reputed the learned and the godly in the present age , held forth in their commentaries , treatises , and actings ? sound sincere beleivers do often experience , that , jehovah through his commandments doth make them wiser than their enemies , they have more understanding than all their teachers , because they love his law , and make his testimonies their meditation : the lord christ has declared against those ( be they otherwise of never so great a name ; and in never so much reputation amongst men ) who dissolve one of the least of his commands , in the law of his ten words , and do teach men so : and how much is it to be lamented , that any of the teachers of others , have their hands so deep in this trespass , as to preach or to print any thing against this glorious perfect law , and the great honourable things thereof ! god is making the wisdom of the wise to perish , & bringing to nought the understanding of the intelligent , when it doth oppose christ and his word and law , whilst precepts of men are taught the people , by their civil and church-guides , and are made the rule of fearing and of serving jehovah , he will proceed to deal wonderfully with such a people and marvellously : for , the wisdom of their wise men shall perish , and the understanding of their men of understanding shall hide it self , though they hide their counsels never so deep . where is the wise , where is the scribe ? where is the inquirer of this age ? hath not god made foolish the wisdom of this world , which doth measure and judge of the truths and things of god by unscriptural rules ? how do such arguers say then , we are wise , and the law of jehovah is with us ? lo , certainly , in vain worketh the false pen of the scribes : there will be a time , when such wise men will be ashamed , affrighted and taken : behold they have rejected the word of jehovah , wisdom-what to them ? they steal away the word from aelohim's people ; which word would be wheat , wholsome nourishing bread , and food to them , and bring unscriptural empty chaff in the room ; but these are not ready scribes in the law , as ezra was . even a paul himself is no further to be hearkened unto and followed , than he speaks according to the word , and is a follower of christ . b neither doth errour arise from hence , that , men do not know or conform to national establishments in the matters of doctrine , and of worship , in their humanely-invented and imposed confessions of faith and stinted liturgies . it has been one of the main occasions of most of the persecutions that have been carryed on by adversaries against the church and people of god in all ages , the inventing , instituting , and imposing , of unscriptural modes and forms of worship exclusive of all other which are regular , according to the word , and then framing , it into a law with inflicted penalties upon all non-conformists : and what strong rationalists do some take themselves to be in pleading and arguing for this , and producing many humane authorities in church-histories for this ? and there want not flatterers at court , who perswade governours , that , the main of their authority and power doth consist in determining of such matters of indifferency ( as they miscall them ) that the appointing of times and seasons and daies for publick worship , is left wholly in the hand and power of the magistrate : and that , the way of maintaining peace and preserving religion in the land is to enforce uniformity in the service and worship of god , according to such national statutes , by seeing mulcts to be inflicted on all recusants and dissenters : whereas christ tells us , that , it is vain worship , such humane-traditionary-worship , teaching doctrines the commandments of men : and that , every such plantation in the matters of corrupt both doctrine and worship , which is not of his fathers planting , shall be rooted up : the lord reproves the people , when they keep idolatrous superstitious statutes . too much advantage has been given by the non-conformists in their writings and conferences against the formalists and ceremonialists , in that , they have not in downright express terms , condemned all humanely-invented-instituted-imposed forms and ceremonies in the matters of worship , as sinful and unlawful , especially when they enjoyn them as exclusive of other worship where these are not conformed unto , and when they impose them as necessary terms of church communion : whereas they are expresly in the very letter and meaning of the second commandment forbidden : for , we are not to make unto our selves all form , any form , every such form , which men of their own head , and out of the device of their own brain do thus make unto themselves and so to others also , is under a plain prohibition by this holy righteous , just and good law of the lord . how many have been brought into courts , and condemned , sentenced and fined and imprisoned , as routers , rioters , ill-behaviour'd , schismatical , seditious , turbulent , ones , for conforming to christs laws , and for not conforming to the customes and laws of the land , but doing contrary to mans decrees , because , they worship god according to his institutions , but not according to mens ordinances ! whereas we are expresly charged not to give our selves to such commandments of men , as turn away the truth from us , or would turn us away from the truth : and yet they urge a mis-translated scripture , as if we must submit to every ordinance of man : whereas it is , to every humane creature . there is an honour due to all men as men , to some more than to others ; to the king as superior , as having authority over and above others , and to others in their inferiour places . it is d because or for the word , that , persecution ariseth : for the receiving of this word , and a conforming unto it by the disciples of christ , that , they are hated of the world. if national establishments were the rule and measure of truth ; and errour were to be judged of by a contrariety to that , then the same thing would be , one while truth , and another while errour , when national establishments do upon turns of times and changes of laws make contradictory decrees . so it was in the reigns of the kings of judah : one sets up idolatry , another pulls it down : one commands right worship according to institution : another brings in corrupt mixtures : such interchangeable vicissitudes there were in the daies of abaz , hezekiah , manasseh , and josiah . they are to be avoided , who ever they be , that do cause divisions and offences contrary to received-scripture-doctrine . then do men err when they go astray from jehovah's commandments , from his precepts , from his statutes : they are humane lies , that cause men to erre , and to despise the law of aelohim . errour proceeds from not knowing and not observing all his commandments : then do a people err in their hearts , when they have not known his waies . unscriptural establishments in the matters of worship are the work of errours . further yet , e neither do men err therefore because they do not know man-invented-arts and sciences , of philosophical knowledges , and of university-humane-learning . nicodemus was a master of arts , and a doctor of sciences , and yet he greatly erred in the necessary doctrine of regeneration . paul greatly erred from the great truths of the christian religion whilst he sat at the feet of gamaliel , a pharisee , a doctor of the law , held in esteem by all the people , one of the chief in the privy council of the jews . this grave tutor of paul perfectly instructed his attentive , diligent , pupil in that kind of pharisaical learning and way of worship , and he was a sharpwitted disciple : but when the lord christ revealed himself to and in paul ; now he saw how much he had erred from saving truth , and paul a convert differed much in his apprehensions from paul a pharisee : all other knowledge now in comparison with right scripture-knowledge , with the eminent excellency of the knowledg of jesus christ and of him crucifyed , and of the way of justification and of salvation by faith in him , and in his blood ; and in his righteousness , he judgeth as nothing , as dung , as loss , as dogs meat : and he saw the gross mistakes of the learned-university-men at athens , endeavouring to convince them of their infidel-errours , antichristian mistakes , and philosophical-falsehoods . now he commends to others those full treasuries ( of useful arts and sciences ) of all wisdom and knowledge , that were in christ and in his word , and warns them of the danger of that vain affectation of human wisdom , which would seduce and carry them away for a prey ; though the philosophick world were very fond of this , and cryed it up much ; and had given it a great name of honour , yet it was that which was but a falsly-called-science ; and which would turn them away from the faith. nor yet do men therefore greatly err because they know not the innate or acquired powers of mens own rational intellect and will. how many millions have been seduced by the aristotelian way of self ratiocination , which not only misled some in his time , but has also misguided such multitudes of men of choice wits and of pregnant parts for so many ages since . f let pauls judgment according to the word be hearkened to in this case , the animal-man , the souly-man , the victuoso-man , that hath no other light than what is now corruptedly natural , no higher reason than what is meerly humane , no better wisdom than what is attained in schools of philosophy : this man comprehends not the things of the spirit of god , for they are foolishness unto him , and he cannot understand them , because they are spiritually judged . the true critical-distinguishing-differencing-discerning of these is from a spiritual principle , in a regenerate new heart ; in one that has the mind of christ in his word . self idolizing has brought in idolatrous worship ; when men think themselves to be wiser than god ; and they will be making to themselves and for others , new and after-kinds and forms of worship , and of service according to their own understanding , shaped with their art , and dressed with their skill : wrong conceiving , that , aelohim was and would be altogether like themselves . they confide in their own forming , though it be but a teacher of lying , a brutish folly , an instruction of vanities . it is the powerfulness of god to throw down this worldly wisdom and humane eloquence , and reputationed-reasonings and high imaginations , and will-worshippings , that do so lift themselves up against the knowledge of god ; and to lead captive every thought to the obedience of christ . we should cease from hearkening to such institutions of learning as would cause us to err from the true words of scripture-knowledge . errour also doth not arise from hence , that men do not know g natural experiments , and fleshly sensations . the epicurean religion is a doctrine of falshoods , and of errours . solomon in his book called ecclesiastes doth treat of this subject-matter at large about natural history , and experimental philosophy ; openly acknowledging to the church his errour and folly , his sin and madness , in not improving of that wisdom ( which aelohim gave him in answer to his choice and request ; ) in a word-way , but giving himself over to the studie of philosophy , to try , whether , he could find out some exacter knowledge in this kind of learning , and whether it were not a necessary adapted meanes , for the attaining of the chiefest god , as the great end of rational creatures ; and therefore towards the close he adviseth his son to take heed of philosophick sophies , no end of making many books of such humane learning , and much studious reading of them would but weary him , and waste his time ; and therefore it would be true wisdom in him to keep close to word-revelations , and to seek saving enlightning there ; for , this was all adam , whilst adam reteined his integrity , till he sought many humanely invented arts and sciences , besides that which aelohim had put into created nature , and revealed word : the sum and the argument , the subject and the matter , the drift and the design , the scope and the end ; of this book , is to set out the vanity and unsuccesfulness of philosophick learning and opinions about the cheifest good of man , discovering and confuting their mistakes . by an induction of particulars in the way of their own logical method : detecting the fallaciousness of their arguing , and the carnality of their principles , and the corruptness of their tenets , shewing , that mans happiness is found in the saving knowledge , sound faith , holy fear , and perfecting obedience , of , and to , jehovah aelohim and his will revealed in his word , and not in the mishapen-monstrous-fancyed felicities of ethnick philosophers : nor in a skilfulness in their arts and sciences , whether more speculative , metaphysical ones , to gratify the unmortified voluptuousness of a wanton intellect : or more practical ones , suited to an animal appetite , a sensitive itch , and a sensual life , immersed in fleshly disquisitions , and in carnal delight . solomon had been long conversant in paganish knowledges , and doth now manifest the vainness of its vanity , introducing the several sects , pleading and disputing for their way and party : and then answering their arguments , and bewraying the captious deceitfulness of them . so that it would much improve usefull learning , to point out exactly and particularly through this book , when it is that an ethnick philosopher doth logically syllogize , and rhetorically perswade : ( for what is the logicians major , is the rhetoricians proposition , what is the philosophers minor is the orators assumption , and what is the sophisters conclusion is the perswaders complexion or inference : ) and when it is that , a theological christian preacher doth spiritually confute and convincingly disswade , self evidencingly prove , and demonstratively argue . i therefore propound this disquisition to the studious and ingenious , as a further augment of profitable learning . when men do ask counsel of unscriptural philosophy , it is a spirit of whoredome that causeth them to err . sensuality bringeth forth errour : inordinate love after creature-knowledges and enjoyments , seduceth them from the faith , wizardly-philosophy was balaams errour , and too many are still wandering in that by-way of his : that is the best religion with the most that is accommodated to their peace and plenty , which will cloath their backs and fill their bellies , which will take them off from self-denyal and from cross-bearing ; and although divers are not so drencht in sottishness and sensualities , but are sober scholars and chast students , yet the unscriptural way they take in their researches into natural histories and experimental philosophy , will never so attain its useful end for the true advance of profitable learning , till more studied in the book of scriptures , and suiting all experiments unto this word-knowledge . h neither yet do men therefore err , because they know not the unscriptural impulses of speculative enthusiasts . here the platonists did err by conceiving of strange ideas of things , and then nursing up their monstrous bratts . it is one choice part of experimental christianity , and which needs much of spiritual discerning , to know what manner of spirit we are of . even a james and a john , two of christs eminent disciples , were rebuked by christ for that , they did not discriminate wisely in this matter . their revengeful spirit at that time would have commanded fire from heaven to consume the unkind samaritans : they must have it come down at their word , and for this they pretend and plead the example and spirit of elias , as if their case and spirit had been of the same kind , when it was hellish fire of their own kindling , and of the devils blowing up , which they should rather have endeavoured to quench and to put out . we must not beleive every spirit , but ought to try the spirits whether they are of god : the spirit of others , and our own spirit , that , we may know the spirit of truth according to christ and his word , and may difference it from the spirit of errour , which is against christ and his word . there was a time when persecuting - saul verily thought with himself that he ought to do many contrary things to the name of jesus of nazareth , which when he was preaching paul , he discerned were his great errour and his gross sin ; and he openly condemns himself for , and doth write his confession and retractation . the spirit who is the truth , and the word which is the truth , do go together . i once more , men do not therefore er● because they know not the doubtful questionings of unsettled sceptick's and of cosmical suspecters . the doctrine of probabilities : ( so the word signifies in that place to the colossians cited in the margin : ) is a misleading doctrine : it would beguil men by doubtful disputations and by deceitful conclusions with such cunning perswasions as do carry a fair shew ; such as logicians and rhetoricians , philosophers and orators , do usually bring , under the shadowie colour of probable reasons and likely arguments , to make nothing of all things and any thing of every thing , by their sophistical quidlibets , and fallacious quodlibets : but sound , serious , well discerning , right judging beleivers should not suffer themselves thus to be imposed upon and deluded . a thorow , wholesome scripture-knowledge is one approved remedy against heart-doubtings , either to prevent them or to cure them : this would bring in sound truth upon and leave them with a renewed heart ; with a no-doubt there of them . god cannot lye at any time , though men do so too often . he is true : whilst men are so overcome of doubtings and waverings , ( not in the way , which is sometimes the case of sound beleivers , but about the way ) how can they go on with such conviction and comfort , with such sweetness and satisfaction ? let not the reader misjudge this a diversion and that too long a one also : for , besides that , it contains a direct answer to the objection , which did call for it , so doth it fully promote the grand designe of this treatise . all unscriptural , antiscriptural waies , methods , arguings , and endeavourings to turn any from the errour of their way to the truth , is no adapted means for the attaining of this end . and therefore in the demonstrating proofs that i have brought for the confirming and establishing of the seventh day , the last day of the week , to be still the weekly sabbath , they are such as are carried through the whole scripture and have their foundation in pure primitive created nature : i do not send and refer them to humane authorities , and histories , and traditions , as this objector doth . the scripture-way is the only convincing converting way : other mediums by self-excogitated and man-invented artifices are like to leave erring men but the more profound atheists , the more learned infidels , and the more subtil hereticks . though arguments , as to men , may be drawn from their own concessions , assertions , histories , and other authorities of mens sayings , writings , and printings , which was somewhat of the way that paul sometimes took with ethnicks and philosophers , whereby to stop their mouths , and to convince them from thence ; as christ also will one day by the same medium condemn many from their own acknowledged principles not improved , yet this will not convincingly convert a plain sound believer having spiritual discerning in the truths and things of the spirit of god , and being well acquainted with the scriptures , is far better secured against dangerous damnable errours than the most learned of vain affecters of humane wisdom . the only summary of all sound truth , for the confuting and condemning of all errour , is to be searched after in the scriptures of truth , where the restauration , proficiency and advancement , of all useful learning is . when can a serious inquiring spirit come to any firm settlement and sound satisfaction , if he were to refer all to the extrascriptural judgment and histories , of churches ? heresies and schisms , profanenesses and disorders , quickly crept in , into particular churches that were of apostolical plantation : as pauls epistles to them do evidently declare . and since that , one particular church doth sometimes contradict another particular church in their confessions of faith ; and the contention is so hot and so high , as that , they withdraw from one another , and will not have mutual communion with each other . as for the universal church how shall a particular beleiver be well groundedly ascertained , what is the concurrent judgement of the universal church ? how fruitless and vain have their attempts hitherto been who have endeavoured by conference , and writing , and cost , and labour and pains , and travel , to be church-reconciliators , church-peace-makers ? they dyed away , and never lived to see their designe accomplished . still there are differences and divisions kept up amongst the churches , one great cause whereof has been , that , the attempters and promoters of church-union and peace have been setting up some confession of faith , and articles of religion , of humane composure , which they would have all to joyn in and subscribe to : which course will never be able to accomplish that designe . the whole scripture of truth is the one and the only rule of this . suppose yet further , that , i knew , that , the concurrent judgment of all the churches of christ all the inhabited earth over were of one mind and of one way in some things , yet neither could this alone , or mainly ; secure me from fears of erring . for , k the whole church has erred , and may actually err . under the old testament the lord himself appointed a special sacrifice for atonement and reconciliation in this particular case , when the whole congregation or church of israel did err through ignorance in omitting some commanded duty , or in committing some forbidden sin : and that , they actually did thus ignorantly err , for some hundreds of years together , we have it recorded in the word . l thus under the new testament in christs time , the church of the jews which at that season , was the only church of god , generally , those of them that were in judea , and the scattered of the tribes in other parts did greatly err about christs reign on earth , whom they concluded would be as a temporal prince to come with outward pomp and power , for the raising of israel to high promotion in the world , and to restore again the kingdom to israel . and this corrupt leaven still sowred and swelled their spirits , even after that some of them became disciples of christ , who still were stiff to this wrong tenet : and the good apostles themselves did long mistake about preaching the gospel to the gentiles , as if this had scarce been their duty though it were expresly put into their commission from the mouth of christ : till peter was righter informed by a vision from heaven . m the written word of christ has an authority above and beyond the authority and testimony of the most eminent apostles or angels of heaven . if a paul had brought his own word contrary to christs word , what were pauls saying ? it must be rejected , and in that the hearers were to carry themselves towards paul as if he had been an excommunicate . if a prophet bring a word contradictory to the word of the lord , he should not be hearkened unto . if an angel from heaven speak otherwise than the god of angels and would teach disobedience against the word of jehovah , fellowship should not be kept up with him . n it is one erroneous part of antichristianism , to set up the testimony of men , or the authority of the church , in the seat of christ and of his written word . the the antichrist is the anomous one , the lawless one , the antinomian : and anomy , or lawlesness or antinomianism is the great comprehensive sin of the latter daies : and they are lawless ones that are the erring seducing ones . men as to their church state , have their foundation and bottom , their existence and life under a god in christ from the written word of christ , whereas these scriptures of truth have not their groundwork and being from any meer man or men , church or churches . o a church is made up of believers , as the prefaces of the epistles to the churches do shew ; and believers must have a word to sound and to live upon . all true doctrines are to be fetched hence and to be grounded and proved here . the conventions of pagans , and the synagogues of sutan are not owned as churches of christ ; because , they are not according to christ and the word of christ . men , though passing into never-so-noted-a-church-way , yet may actually be in process of time , so obstinate in heresies , so idolatrous in worship , and so scandalous in profaneness , as to cease to be a true-scripture-church , and must be separated from . the christian church at rome in pauls time has another manner of character given of it in his epistle to them , than the satanical synagogue at rome has by john in the revelation , who saw in a vision the foul apostasie thereof . p separation in such cases is holy and a duty . the holy scriptures of truth do not give a sovereign authority to the testimony of men ; they did not send us to q humane witness , to church history , to unwritten tradition , to fetch credibility to it . it is r the glorious excellency of this word of christ to be the one and the only rule of judging in all cases , both here now , and at the last judgment day : which no testimony of men is honoured withal . s the whole scripture is god-inspired , whose testimony is the greatest and the most credible , so are not the after-humane-testimonies , traditions , histories , and authorities . the books of genesis , exodus , leviticus , numbers , deuteronomy , as commonly now , called are more antient than all other written printed bookes : the true pure word of god is of greatest authority ; mens writings are a postscript . the grace of sound and of saving faith must have almighty power , infallible truthfulness , unchangeable faithfulness , and infinite wisdom , to bottom and to build firmly upon . a believers assent and consent to the infallible authority of the written word , hath been , is , and may be , brought forth without mens-testimony , history , tradition , and authority . many have been made to believe this before they came to any such human helps , and who neither knew , read , or considered , such church histories and traditions ? which therefore could not be the cause immediate , adequate , and efficient thereof . t where the word it self doth work effectually and savingly in a believing heart , there it is embraceingly recieved ; not the word of man , but as it is in truth the word of god. saving faith cannot bottom upon mens testimonies , which humane writers will still be needing further arguments and testimonies to confirm it . the testimony of man can never of it self perswade and enable savingly to credit the infallible authority of the written word , u till the holy spirit do infuse sound saving faith , and call and draw it forth into act : though the other pretended cause of humane testimonies and authorities be put into act , yet this effect of sound believing doth not follow . many remain infidels under the highest esteem and strongest perswasions of church-histories , and of mens testimonies : and some tempted saints yet cannot be cured of their unbelieving fears , and of their distrustful doubts by any humane tradition , history , or authority , till the spirit and word of christ from the father do come with demonstration and with power . saving faith is supernatural , which mens testimony from extrascriptural arguments is not , they do each differ in their whole kind , and one cannot be in another . w the best read historians , and other wise learned men of the world , are not the soonest brought to assent and consent to the authority of the word by the force of any or of all humane arguments . if this faith which is greater in its self and in its spiritual effects could be inwrought by mens testimony , then other particular objects of faith or truths or things to be beleived , which are less . ( such as are the several doctrines about spiritual , eternals , invisibles ; ) but not these , and therefore neither that also . even as to matters of fact , past , besides knowing of them by inspiration , voice , or visions , and by natural causes , arguing from them to the effects , by humane report , which is called history or tradition , they may be known some other waies , when they are needful to be known . matters of fact past have been and still may be known by lots , which where the case and cause do call for it , is a way of natural appeal to the allknowing god. thus was x achans matter of past fact known : and thus also was y jonathans past fact discovered : and thus also in the z tryal of jealousie , past facts of works of darkness in adulterous acts , were brought to light by an oath of execration taken by the suspected party , and a solemn address thereupon made to the heart-searching , all-knowing , aelohim : and this also i would propound to the ingenious and studious for the advance and augment of this best of sciences , scripture-knowledges , whether by lots and oathes of execration , natural appeals , solemn-addresses , and by miracles other waies , the truthfulness of scripture-revelation would not yet under the present dispensation of grace ( for , i revive not any of the old testament figures , types , and shadows , about any of these then used ) be thus still confirmed , were a spirit of faith mingled with a word of faith , put into the prayer of faith ? as for humane report , the experience that we have had of our own day and time doth inform us , how partial men are in these histories , where private interest and particular partyship do incline them to write over favourably of themselves and of their own facts , and how hatred of , and prejudice against others , who are of contrary principles and practises , do put them upon hard misconstruings , and wrong misreportings of the actions of their adversaries , so that , it is a rare ingenuity in an historian to give a true narrative of the matter of fact in the several circumstances of it under the opposition of an enemy : especially if some ages have passed away since the matter of fact , there is the less certainty and credibility : and more especially yet , if there have been such ages coming between , which were ages of thick darkness , of prevailing ignorance , and of gross imposture , and when in such cases as wherein antichrist has imposed much upon the churches by his humane additions , supplements and traditions , thereby to obscure , or to corrupt , or to thrust out , to take from , or to add to , what is christ's mind in his word ; which is the present case . and he who reads the story of eustathius , the popes legat , a in roger hoveden , by what counterfeit artifices , and false pretences , and forged visions , feigned voices , and lying wonders , he introduced the observation of the first day of the week here into england , no longer ago than in the reign of king john , may unless he very much dote on such humane fallible testimonies , see cause enough to give little credit to such church-histories , as would so report the matter of fact , as thereby to determine the matter of right , which those who go this way generally do , whilst they place the first day in the week , in the room of the seventh day , as the weekly sabbath-day , under the new testament ministration . so that i am the less fond , or rather not at all fond , of humane histories in these matters relating to sin or duty from cited church authorities in matters of fact , having my esteem heightned from scripture records , and word-commands : chiefly in such cases , where the whole scripture doth contain such reasons of the lord 's own assigning , founded in the very nature of created existences ; such names and things , such precepts and prohibitions , such promises and threatnings , such suitable examples , and such like as these , which do uniformly throughout speak a quite contrary thing , and go a quite different way from those sayings , which church-registers do wrong tell me , and from that by-path , into which humane histories would mislead me ; as they would in this case ; when they would take me off from the due observation of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , to drag me along to keep the first day , as a separated day for holy worship . i am bound to believe scripture history , as a true report from the infallible veracity of a truthful aelohim , it is necessary b this faith to my salvation : but i am not under such an obligation , neither is it so necessary for me to believe humane history , so many hundreds of years ago , especially such circumstances , as have been mentioned before , in such matters of fact as are but pretended to be transacted in scripture times , chiefly to whom they are so argued against the whole of other scripture . how can this objector prove to me , that those ecclesiastical histories , whose certainty and credibility of reporting this he so much cryeth up , were directed and dictated thereunto by the spirit of truth in this matter ? and if not , how can my faith be swayed by their authorities ? c jehovah aelohim himself appointed scripture histories to be written by the prophets and priests ; these historiographers were ocular witnesses in much of that , which they wrote and registred , and in this , as also in the rest , they were god inspired : so were those evangelists and apostles also , who wrote the new testament history . d as for tradition we receive what is scriptural ; believers are delivered from patro-traditional conversation , such as is unscriptural , we receive the commandments which christ hath delivered , but we reject humane traditions , which are not according to christ and his word . if the case were so , that all the men , and speakers , and writers , and printers , and books , and what other humane authorities did tell me what i know evidently is expresly otherwise in christ , and in the word of christ , it were of no validity with me . e the prophets , and the lord jesus christ , the sender of his prophets , did refer the jews not to the traditions of rabbines ( especially when they were such traditions as would have unlorded him and his word , of his , and of its due authority ) but to the law , to the scriptures . f scripture traditions , which are allowed of in the word of christ , we approve of , about sound doctrine , and faith of the truth , and holy conversation , and about observing of a naturally comly decent order in church-assemblies : but g we reject what is of mens own , and in their own name . it is an observand in scripture , that the scriptures do refer to scriptures : often may we meet with such expressions , it is written , and as it is written , and for it is written , and according to that which is written . this is under the lord , the judging rule , and the lawful determiner in all cases . by this were truths confirmed ; and by this were errours confuted . h even whilst the apostles were alive , there were false supposititious writings thrust upon some ; as if they had been the apostles own true writing : and therefore the apostles subscribed their epistles with their own hands : they used some peculiar subscription ; such a subsigning as was well known to the churches . how much more was the world like to be imposed upon , when they were dead and gone , by the writings of men , who would be fathering of their own unscriptural brats of false tenets upon the apostles , there being many antichrists gone forth even in i john's time ? paul , whilst living , to confute the falshood , yet was strongly charged with saying and asserting of that , which he utterly denies , though others would k affirm it to be so : he was evil-spoken of , and wrongfully accused , as if he had expresly taught a damnable doctrine , which he wholly disowneth . and if they were so bold in his days , how can we be so over confident of a matter of fact , reported by a mere humane traditionary knowledge above sixteen hundred years ago , without any god-inspired scripture revelation , or natural demonstration ? how can any man to his own , or others satisfaction , affirm that by humane history , he certainly knows that , all the christian churches have constantly set apart , and observed the first day for holy worship , when he cannot certainly know , that he hath read all humane histories that have recorded that particular matter of fact ? or that no humane history hath recorded a quite different , both principle , judgement and practice in some particular church or churches , and when the matter of fact , for any evidence he hath to the contrary , may have been quite otherwise , in some church or churches , which yet is not recorded in any humane history ? this objector doth not confirm his reasoning thus , only with respect to the first day , but doth carry it much further on , by his asserting , that the first institution of church officers , and orders , as well as that of the lord's day , ( by which he means the first day ) was not by scripture : the proof , saith he , is undeniable , because the old testament did not contain the institution , e. g. of particular churches , sacraments , presbyters , deacons , diaconesses , and the lord's day , &c. and the new testament was none of it written till an. . at soonest ; and it was not all written till an. . now it is certain , that the church was not all these years without the orders now in question , nor without a day to meet on for publick worship ; even as baptism and the lord's supper were instituted by christ himself , long before the writing of any part of the new testament , and the church was in long possession of them , upon the bare word and declaration of the apostles . so he writes . that the church was not all these years without a day to meet on for publick worship , we readily subscribe , for they knew the seventh day sabbath was the weekly day to meet on for that end ; of which the churches had had long possession , for near four thousand years ; and of which they had still the tenure ; and for the continuance of which title and practice they had the whole writen word of god : whereunto the practice of christ , and of his apostles did fully agree : but as for his other exemplified instances , we desire both him and the reader , a little to consider : if these were received and practised by the church , upon the bare verbal declaration of the apostles , and not by scripture , what then meant the types of these ? did these signifie nothing ? was there nothing of these understood by moses , aaron , the priests and levites ? did not moses l by the word and prayer , sanctifie the baptismal types of the red sea and the cloud ? and the supper-types of the paschal lamb , the heavenly manna , and springing rock ? though there was a veil upon these and such other figures and shadows , in the reading of the old testament , yet believers had some knowledge of their meaning , and some insight into their mystery : and there were teachers by office , who were to interpret the signifyingness of these things , and to open the spiritual part of the pattern . had not these things a spiritual relation unto christ , and to an after administration of grace ? was not this the end , the drift , the design , the purport , the scope , of these institutions to refer unto christ ? they were a pedagogue , a leader of those children to the christian school for their institution and discipline , m there áre divers scriptures in the old testament , which did discover unto discerning believers of that dispensation , that those types , figures and shadows , were to be done away under an after administration of grace , to receive their perfection and accomplishment in the messiah , who was to be born of a virgin , and in his days . several prophesies also under that former ministration , do speak punctually to this matter ; though we who have the new testament-fulfilling of them , and commentary upon them , have a more clear unveiled manifestation of them . the christian religion for sum , and for substance , being one and the same under both dispensations , particularly as to the institutions mentioned : for there is n one baptism ; in this sense , the baptismal types of old , and the baptismal o antitypes now , are thus one and the same , excepting the different manner of administration . so that , suppose baptism was instituted by christ himself , before the writing of any part of the new testament , yet was not this upon the bare verbal declaration of the apostles ; especially not as to that part of the church , which was in christ's time : for john's baptizing of others , particularly of christ , and christ's baptizing by his apostles , and christ's doctrine which he several times taught about baptism , and john's foretelling of this . ( as john himself also was prophesied of , of old , particularly by p isaiah , and by malachi ) by these , and such like passages , was this known to such , at least knowable by them : and somewhat of this had a confirmation and testimony from heaven . q as for particular churches , and the calling and gathering of them , there were such under the old testament times : in adam's days , in epoch's days , in noab's days . though at the first , they called upon the name of jehovah , in a way of family worship ; yet afterwards in greater church-assemblies : and a difference was put between the true and pure worshipers , and those that were corrupt . so it was before the flood , and thus also it was after the flood . melchisedec was a priest in the church of aelohim : abraham had a church in his family , and was king , priest and prophet there . so was isaac , and jacob. job and eliphaz were of congregated societies , and had their church-meetings , in their days , though living in other regions , in countries distant from abraham . r in moses's time , the israelites were put into a church way , and had such institutions , and laws , and ordinances for church-assemblies and societies , as were afterwards observed , not only by the israelites as a national church , but by particular churches of the israelites ; when after moses's death they were settled in the promised land , in the days of joshua , judges and the kings : for the priests and levites were not only for all the tribes joyntly , but also for several tribes distinctly : and further , for the several cities and towns , and other populous places , in every particular tribe , where they had distinct assembles ; injoying all ordinances , institutions , priviledges ( excepting what was specially limited to some particular place of jehovah's chusing and appointing for some solemn sacrifices and festivals : ) and they exercised church-discipline in those particular churches . s neither was syria , and mesopotamia in moses days without their congregated societies , church convention , and worshiping assemblies : balaam having a gift of prophesie , was an hireling that served congregations . t there are particular congregations , both described and prophesied of , in what was written afore of old ? a wise observer , and a spiritual discerner , and a diligent comparer , may easily find and plainly see , how christ's institutions and directions for management of church affairs , and for the exercise of the duties u of church fellowship and discipline have evident reference to his institutions under the old dispensation : though clearer and more spiritual , and glorious , and heavenly now : and it will be found in experience , as it is evident in scripture , that several church proceedings will not be either so well understood , or so regularly practised , but by a collating of old with new testament directions about those matters , particularly for church-discipline : as in the case of leprosie especially . as for church-officers , overseers , presbyters or elders , teaching and ruling ones , pastors and teachers , diacons or ministers , under the old testament it were no very difficult task to write a large treatise upon that particular subject , especially by one that is acquainted with the original hebrew , and the several words and phrases under that dispensation , that do speak to this case . the churches of aelohim had in all ages such as were gifted , graced , called by office to preach the word , and to administer signs and seals . before moses's time the ordinary w ministers were the first born of families , into whose place afterwards , the priests and the levites succeeded . x enoch was a prophet , noah was a preacher , abraham was a prophet . the priests and the levites were the pastors and the teachers : y and paul under the new testament doth set out the ministerial office now , by such expressions as were borrowed from the ministerial office under the old. publick officers in the work of the ministery now , are such as perform the holy office of the new testament priesthood . ministerial workmen , if they would not be ashamed , should rightly divide the word of truth : the cutting of the burnt-offering into its pieces , did figure the work of the ministery in the new testament church . it might not be a confused or disordered mangling , it must be done into the natural pieces . z the prophesies concerning the ministery of the new testament are set out by the ministery of the old. a the levites did serve the priests about tabernacle and temple worship , but were not to come near the sanctuary nor the altar . the elders laid their hands upon the levites in setting them apart for the ministery and service : how aptly is this applicable in a new testament church ? b if you consider deacons under this dispensation , as having this to be a part of their office , to provide for , and to distribute to the poor . thus also were some of the levites imployed , in such ordinary ministeries of distrubution of the church-treasure , overseeing the holy things , and the work of jehovah too . c neither was the old testament without its diaconesses , its ministring women ; whose ministery and service was used by the church . these are the particular instances of this objector , to every one of which i have brought some testimonies out of the old testament . as for rules about church-offices , under the new dispensation , a discerning eye may see , now the new testament is written , that christ and his apostles did in their teaching much refer their hearers unto the d analogy of faith under the old testament . the stile of the new doth not carry along with it a form of enacting such new laws , and new rules , of which there was not any thing at all under the old administration : but we find christ e confirming the old laws of the ten words , f accomplishing the old types , and fulfilling the foregoing prophesies concerning himself : interpreting the meaning of the types , and setting up the anti-types in the room of them : and where he doth bring in laws , it is occasionally , either to open their meaning , or to prove somewhat thereby , or from thence to exhort , correct , instruct some way or other to apply it to the present case : declaring himself to be one and the same law-giver that was of old : whereby he doth demonstrate , that the old testament is still to be a rule under the new. ( the difference between them being only in the divers form , and manner of dispensing , as will be more shewn hereafter . ) the regulation now is to be made according to that proportion which the new administration doth call for , and the old rules must be new applyed ; which as to the matter now here under question have a clearer revelation , and a more spiritual dispensing . so that the new testament word is much the old testament scripture gone over again , in more clearness , fulness , perfection , spirituality , glory and heavenliness . the old and the new testament-will of god , are not contrary wills , but one and the same will , diversified only in some particulars of the manner of administring : the new will is the old will revived , and cleared , and confirmed , and so put into a more heavenly form . there is a well measured equality between the old and the new , a well agreeing sameness of word , and there should be a true proportioned collation of both testaments each with other . all and every of christ's institutions had ever a word of his to warrant them : even in the times of the apostles , a word written about such institutions in the old testament in type , prophesie , or some such like way : and a word spoken by christ before the new testament was written , referring to the foregoing patterns of them in the old , which word afterwards also was put into the new testament scripture : whereas we know no word from christ , either in the old testament or new , for the first day being a weekly day , separated and appointed for a day of holy worship in the room of the seventh day sabbath . thus far this author himself doth acknowledge , that the first day was not instituted by scripture , all the old testament through ; which did not contain its institution ; so that the believers of that age in christ's time , had no written word at for any such observance of the first day , any where all their bible through . let this concession be improved by the wise and discerning , the serious and the considering reader . however therefore the matter of fact may have been afterwards reported in humane histories , we expect , that the matter of right be proved from god-inspired scriptures . whatever this author do say , that this being the common usage of so observing the first day in the apostles times , by them and by the churches of their plantation , and that therefore there was no such need of putting this pretended matter of fact into scripture history ; it appears hereby , how broken this reed of his assertion is , which he would have all the christian world to lean upon . after several years serious , diligent search , i cannot find any such common usage , no not so much as one particular instance , that either any one of the apostles themselves , or any one of the churches of their planting did ever so much as once so observe the first day , as the weekly sabbath-day : although if that could be proved , it doth not yet determine this case upon our hearts , who do expect scripture institutions , commands , prophecies , promises , and such like appointments , as have harmonious consent of the whole scripture besides , that speaks of that matter , if there had been any such great change of the weekly sabbath-day , as is pretended . if the force of this authors arguing do lye there , how evident is it , that there was great need of writing such a matter of fact , that had so weighty a case of so great consequence in it ! g it is the common practice of all the wise part of mankind , to take along with them sufficient credible witnesses of it , such whose testimony will upon occasion stand firm in law , when they first take actual possession of some great estate , of a rich inheritance settled upon them , and upon theirs that shall come after them ; and to set it down in writing , and to keep the records of it well attested , especially when another doth claim a former title for some hundreds of years : ( as this of the seventh-day sabbath did , for some thousands of years ; ) for some ages beyond the memory of man ; and when they could not but foresee , that their title would be so much called in question , and controverted : and especially too , where the matter of fact is pretended , as it is by this author , so much to prove the matter of right : all matters of fact that do pass into historical writing , are fittest to be written in the same age wherein they were done , as being then better known in their circumstances by sensible demonstrations , which cannot be so well discerned in after ages . how fond are traditionists of unscriptural , humane antiquities and universalities ? whereas errors have been ancient , even as long , full home to the times of the apostles : h even then did the mystery of iniquity begin to work ; there were even then many antichrists and malignant assemblies : and when the antichrist shall be revealed , there would be a great apostasie and defection from the truth . the revelation hath foretold , that all the world would go a whoring after the beast , and would worship the beast and the dragon that gave him power ; yet are these some of their notes of a visible church , antiquity and universality : which that they might be the sooner imposed upon , the hoodwinck'd credulous world , have another vain pretence going along with them , altogether as unscriptural and vain , as they ; that is , that the church cannot err . and they falsly call their particular romish synagogue , the catholick church . i expectingly believe , and hopingly wait for a coming day , when our plain , tender , sincere , upright-hearted people will be undeceived , and no longer to suffer themselves to be deluded and imposed upon by such confident assertions as this objector doth bring them : as if that , which beyond all doubt must assure them , that de facto , the first day was by the apostles separated for holy worship , especially in publick church assemblies , is the full and unquestionable expository evidence of the practice of all the churches in the world , since the very days of the apostles . for so has this learned author affirmed . reader , bethink thy self , what thy faith must resolve it self into , if it will follow this misguiding ? how can such believers as never traded in this kind of humane learning ever come to undoubted assurance about the matter ? how can they be fully ascertained of this who were never versed , nor are ever like to be , neither are under any such obligation by any scripture precept to be throughly versed , and understandingly read , in all and every of the writings , of all and every of the ecclesiastical histories , that do write about this ? or , if it were possible and facible , that they could compass this ( of which i can see no end ; who yet have more helps and advantages this way than the most ) how can they unquessionably be confirmed in this perswasion , that there never was any one church of christ that did escape the humane church-record and history ? and if so , who can tell them , but that , that particular church might be of a different judgement and practice ? what doth this kind of arguing in this author mean ? what ? would it have our people , to resolve their satisfaction and assurance ( concerning the pretended first day sabbath ) into that report which their humane fallible guides do make unto them of this , without their tryal of it ? i the word of christ doth call upon them to try the spirits , whether they be of god , and to prove all things that are thus brought them by teachers , by the scripture-canon and touch stone , as the one and the only infallible rule . what a kind of faith is that , which is a trusting of fallible men without tryal ? a depending upon humane authorities without scripture evidence ? the god-inspired authority of christ , and of his word , is fully attested within the holy scriptures own bounds , and needs not step out to humane histories , authorities and traditions : however this author would buz into the ear such amazing expressions as this , that it is impossible it should be otherwise than as such humane historie doth record of the practice of all the churches since the times of the apostles , and that this testimony is infallible . humane history , and that part of it which they call ecclesiastical history , however it be a pleasant study , and an employ someways in its place profitable , yet of all kinds of scientifick learning , is one of the weakest common places of arguing , and the least convincing for demonstration , because it doth resolve its probations into the fallible testimonies of lying men , and so doth not , cannot give any firm full satisfaction to an inquiring spirit , and studious mind , who will still be doubtful and afraid , how he doth bottom his faith , in so weighty a case as is now before him , upon such an unsure and unsafe ground , as he can build no firmness of belief and certainty of knowledge upon , even the uncertain witness of deceivable men , what their eyes , and ears , and tongues , and pens have reported to us , who are so many hundred years come into the world after they were dead and gone ; that way of disputing therefore , which this mighty man of humane reason has walked in to find out some place if he could , where to make his first day sabbath cause to stand , is such a by-path as doth mislead his reader into bogs , where he cannot settle and stay with any good confidence , and sound comfort , such arguments may take with over credulous minds , and with passive intellects , who , through idleness and guile of spirit in a matter which would ingage them in so much of self-denyal , and of cross bearing , had rather use another man's writings and reasonings , than be at the pains of studying of the scriptures , and of exercising their own understanding . what has at large been written in trying this objectors spirit upon the former scriptures in an answer also to the next mentioned by him in the revelation ; which he calleth another historical hint of the new testament . how can a change of the weekly sabbath-day from one day to another , from the seventh to the first , be soundly proved from k this other scripture ? where he , that is of a serious spirit , and doth diligently inquire after word-satisfaction about this matter , cannot find either sabbath or first day ; either in terms plainly expressed , or clearly implyed , or necessarily inferred ; in this place , or in the context , or in the design of the holy spirit here , or by comparing of it with other places of scripture ? those that would lay the foundation of so great a change , should see their scripture grounds to be more evident , convincing , and firm . what one word is there in this scripture , that doth warrant any new instition from christ , for the observing of the first day , as the weekly sabbath-day ? what one word is there here of command so to observe the first day ? what one word of promise made to the observers of the first day as such ? what one word of threatning against any that do not so observe the first day , as the weekly sabbath day ? and if there be not any one word here , for the first day , either as to institution or command , or promise , or threating , how can any observer keep it aright , either in faith or obedience , in hope or fear ? the direct plain meaning of this scripture is , if i mis-judge not , that this day doth evidently relate to that providential day of the lord christ's appearing in the fulfilling of this prophesie , who appeared to john l as lord pleading the cause of his kingly lordly office , which has been too long , and too far invaded by the kings and lords of the earth , who have not inforced christ's laws , nor made them to be the rule of government , but usurped an unscriptural authority over mens consciences and souls . how lordly a day therefore will it be when christ will recover and exercise his power and his right ! those great things which this ever-blessed lord of glory would do in the latter ages , were represented m to john from christ by an angel in a way of prophetical revelation . this manifestation by vision , and by voice was after such a manner , as if the thing had been acted and performed before and to john's senses . by comparing of n this passage , with some other passages in the same book of revelation relating to the same matter : he , that doth diligently mark , and wisely observe , and rightly understand , may see , that this lordly day , is the great providential day of that god , that almighty one ( a o name several times given to christ in this book ) there are several parts of this great comprehensive large vision : and there are several seasons of their fulfillings ; and accordingly several days in this great day : p ezekiel doth mention one part of this prophesie that will last seven years . the lord jesus christ will come , and come , in several judgements , on several hours , days , weeks , months and years . it is one of his names to be such a one q as is coming : and he is called the coming king : and his kingdom is a coming kingdom , and the age of this , is said to be a coming age , and the world to come , a coming world. in every age of the church of christ , there were fulfillings of this in part . those in r john's time had somewhat of this lordly day , who therefore were to behold christ's coming : this was partly historical before john's death ; when christ came in his admirable way of wonderful providence to destroy jerusalem , according as was foretold in s other scriptures : and partly prophetical to be accomplished in the several ages after john's time . john saw this day in a vision , and speaks of it with t a double confirmation ; john was u made to be in the spirit on that lordly day . an expression , of which he had experience , as is mentioned in other places of this book . the article added , that lordly day , doth determine but indefinitely . there is no such certain particular day of the week pointed out so to our understanding , on what day of the week it will begin , or on what day of the week it will end . this is not the design , at least , not as to the pretended change of the weekly sabbath-day . it was w that lordly day of christ's coming , when he would convert and recover the chosen remnant of those of israel , and of judah , and destroy the rebellious , and the unbelieving among them . if men will be limiting of this day to any one determinate , definite particular day of the week , what one day has such a plea as the seventh-day sabbath ? seeing , for the dreadfully executed judgement part of it , as the first temple was destroyed , being burnt with fire on the x tenth day of the fifth moon , which day , according to jeremiah's prophesie is granted even by many adversaries to be the seventh-day sabbath , he told the jews before it came to pass , that their temple would be burnt with fire , if they profaned the sabbath of jehovah : answerable unto which is that passage y in another prophet , who on the same day of the same moon reproved sabbath-breaking , when the elders came to inquire what the mind of the lord was : and as the second temple was under the like threatning from the mouth of z the lord christ himself ; putting them upon earnest importunate prayer , lest otherwise that terrible destruction brake in upon them on the sabbath , the seventh-day sabbath . those who are sond of a ecclesiastical histories , may find it recorded in them , that the second temple was actually destroyed according to this prophetical threatning of our lord , on the seventh-day sabbath . the change of jehovah's ordinance , ( of which , mens changing of his seventh day sabbath , is one ) is soretold in b isaiah with respect to the later ages of the world , to be one great provoking cause of his sending of judgements upon the rebellious and unfaithful world , when keepers of his seventh-day sabbath shall have his holy arm revealed for their salvation . some of the first great rejections of the unbelieving jews , in a way of church censure , after christ's ascending on high , were occasionally and deservedly by their prophane blaspheming miscarriage c on the seventh day sabbath , of which some account hath been given before . so that if a particular day of the week , in the weekly returns of it , were here designedly pointed at : d what day can plead and claim a fairer title and right unto it , than the seventh-day , which is the sabbath of or to jehovah ( or to the lord ) ? jehovah is the chief , choice name of the eternal , ever blessed , self-being , the being of beings , as that name doth signifie : and that e word which in the greek doth answer to this hebrew name , jehovah , some do draw from a word that doth signifie , i am ; which they constantly render lord . so that f jehovah in the old testament , is often rendred by this word in the new , which we do translate lord . that which in the old , is , hear o israel , jehovah our aelohim , jehovah one ; is in the new , hear , o israel , the lord , that god of ours , is one lord . thus also the hebrew text doth sometimes but adonai , ( supporting ) lord ; for jehovah : thus , that whith in g one psalm , is , i will confess thee among the peoples , o jehovah ; is in another psalm , i will confess thee among the peoples , o lord . further , christ jesus saith of himself , that he is h lord of the sabbath , of that seventh-day sabbath , which he created , commanded and observed ; being a keeper of his fathers commandments , whereof this of the seventh-day sabbath was one . those that do relie on the judgement and authorities of men , about the meaning of this expression , may consider , that i ecclesiastical historians do relate , that john , and his followers the eastern asiatick churches , did keep the passover on the seventh-day , not pressing the observation of the first day , for the celebration of the passover , as the western churches did : further , as in low-dutch , the seventh day is named rust-dagh , that is the day of sabbath , or of rest ; so in teutonick or high dutch , or the german tongue ( which is an ancient nation and language ) the last day , the seventh day of the week , is called samstag , as if schemtag , that is the lord's day , or the day of the lord . it is further yet observable , as to this , that the visions of ezekiel and those of john , well agreeing in many particulars , ( which a diligent comparer may easily observe ) k ezekiel's visions , were on the fifth day of the fourth moon , which some affirm to have been the seventh day sabbath , jehovah's day . but upon the whole , it is the first answer that i more stick unto , namely that , the lordly day is that great providential day , when he will more visibly appear as king and lord . whereas , some do object , that this word in l greek , lordly , is applyed but to one thing more in the new testament , which is the supper , called the lordly supper , or lord's supper , or the supper of the lord : what can there rationally , necessarily , convincingly be inferred from thence , as to any establishing of the first day of the week in the room of the seventh , as the weekly sabbath , in this place of the revelation ? the lordly supper , or lordy supper , is expresly mentioned . whereas , here is no express mention of the first day , as a sabbath day , not either of the words , first or sabbath , nor their sense and meaning in the text or context , nor any where else in all this book , or in the whole scripture . the lordly supper is so called , in that it was instituted by our lord : it is to his honour , a lordly feast , one great design and end of it , being to exalt christ in his lordship ; and to shew forth the death of this lord , till he came in his lordly appearance in the later day . this ordinance was received of the lord by paul : it was the lord who instituted it : it sets out the lord's death : the cup is called the cup of the lord : the lord's body , we read of also there . which supper is not fixed to the first day of the week . the first institution , administration , and participation of it , was on m another day of the week , on the passion day , on the passover day ; which is called a sabbath . for a further discovery , that a day in some scriptures is used for a larger space of time than from one going in of the sun on one day , to the next going in of the sun on the next day ; consider , that in the scriptures , day doth sometimes set out the time of christ's reign and glorious power : n the day of judging of his grand adversaries : john saw this in the vision , as if the time had been then present . will not that be a lordly day , when christ will glorifie and magnifie his office of king and of lord , in the utter destruction of enemies , and in the eminent salvation of friends ? it is called the day of christ , the day and kingdom of god , the presence of coming of christ . do not these expressions significantly declare some glorious shining season of christ's lordly appearing ? it is named the day of jehovah , about six and twenty times ; and in some of those places , the day of the vengeance , and of the anger of jehovah ; and the day of jehovah's battel : the great , and terrible , and dreadful day of jehovah , o the same expressions which are used in this book of the revelation : and the day of the lord is mentioned p five times , expresly in the new testament ; in which also , it is set out by divers words , that doth intend the same thing , q as his day , that is , the day of this lord christ , who will then be revealed in his lordly power and glory : that day , pointing out that age when these things should be : the day , that day : the days in the plural number ; as being more than one , and of longer continuance : that great conspicuous day of the lord : the day of the lord jesus : the times and the seasons which do relate to this day of the lord : the day approaching ; the last hour . it is observed ; that in all languages , this word , r day , doth sometimes signifie judgement here on earth : hence a days man or umpire , to judge between party and party : mans day , and the judgement of men : the day , that is , the judgement or trial shall declare . hence day is sometimes put for the time of destruction . s day doth sometimes denote a long continued duration ; as the day of the age , or the day of eternity . other times day points out t the time of grace , and of salvation . and now upon this occasion having shewn , that day doth not always in all scriptures point out any one particular day of the week distinctly from , and in opposition to , the rest of the days of the week , i have here some fair opportunity to write a little about u one other scripture , which some do urge to put a colour upon their first day , as if it did point out the first day of the week , as the eminent , transcendent , determinate , definite day of christ's compleating the work of redemption on his resurrection day ; which , say they , was then , and from thenceforth to be observed as the weekly sabbath day in the room of the seventh : thus they . as to what doth concern christ's resurrection , as also how and when he compleated the work of redemption , i have written already : and i am now to consider this scripture , which is mentioned by all and every of the w four evangelists ; in which historical-fulfilling it is evident , that much and the main of this prophetical passage was fulfilled according to the letter before christ's resurrection , and upon another day of the week , than that first day of the week , for which it is so brought and pressed ( although if it could be proved to be otherwise , yet doth it no way determine this case about a pretended change of the weekly sabbath , from one day of the week to another , from the seventh to the first . ) the chief men of the jews , who were counted the builders , did more notoriously refuse christ the head corner stone , when being put to their choice , they actually , openly , declaredly preferred a barabbas , who was a seditious murderer , before an innocent , holy jesus , and this on a day of solemn judicature ; when the judge pilate sat upon christ , either for life or for death : which also was by a joynt consent of chief priests , and rulers , and people , who cry out all at once , x away with this man , and release unto us barabbas : this was before that christ was crucified . also after his death before his resurrection , the chief priests and the pharisees do call him y a deceiver ; and this before pilate : which was another refusing and rejecting of christ : thus according as was prophesied in that psalm , that the builders would refuse that stone , which was to become for head to the corner : so accordingly did they act , as at many other times , z so at these two seasons , one in christ's life time , the other after his death ; and both before his rising . the chief priests did count themselves , and were counted by others to be builders , yet thus notoriously did they refuse christ . the word in the psalm , according to the hebrew , in its propriety of signification , is , they have reprobated , rejected , despised , refused , scorned , or turned away from : and that expression in a a place of the new testament , doth signifie , ye have earnestly desired and refused : and that when judge pilat had absolved him in his own declared judgement , yet did they crave earnestly , that a man murderer , and a seditious one might be freed , and that christ , whom yet they could not justly charge with any crime , or the least sin , might be crucified . then and thus was christ reprobated of these men . was it not an eminent day of monstrous rejecting , when the question being put to them , whether of the two they would have to be released , they preferred a seditious murderer ? b though there were other times of their refusing and rejecting of christ before this , and that , on the seventh day sabbath : but it was more notorious on the passion day . it was also prophesied in that psalm , that the people would pray , o jehovah save now , or prosper now , blessed be he that cometh in the name of jehovah : this was fullfilled before the day of christ's crucifixion , when he rode into jerusalem , and the people went forth to meet him , crying , hosanna , hoshignana , in the hebrew , or c hosanna , as it is put into the greek . these things are plain , familiar and clear , evident of themselves upon the bare reading of them , and are not any forced interpretations of my own . what a far way about do objectors go , and carry their followers along with them , to bring them at last to that which is no proof at all of that , for which they have brought them thither ? as for the day spoken of , which jehovah made for his people to rejoyce in , it is the large day of grace under the new testament dispensation of grace ; which doth take in many a natural day : and d as for spiritual rejoycing , it is every days work , though more especially upon the seventh-day sabbath : so that in short , there being not in the scriptures urged by objectors , either first day , or sabbath-day , either in the letter of the words , or in any necessary consequence , naturally flowing from thence , or any design that looks any thing like a change of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , translating it to any other day ; how any satisfaction can such a change be inferred and inforced from hence ? to return therefore a while , unto that place in the revelation , although there must be some particular distinct determinate day of the week , when john first saw the beginning of this vision ; for all that doth come to pass in time , must necessarily be on one day or other of the week ; yet this lordly day here spoken of , had not this design at all in it , to set up the first day in the room of the seventh . the skilful in the greek tongue do know , that an adjective joyned to a substantive , doth usually mean the genitive case of that substantive ; as the lordly day , is the day of lordship , or day of the lord . so we find this expressed in e other languages : in hebrew it is , in the day of our lord , in syriack , a day of the lord : so in spanish , in a day of the lord . in greek , the participles have sometimes the force of the nouns : so in english , the lord's day , or the day of the lord : as in the other instance , where the word is used , the lord's supper , or the supper of the lord . f for which supper we have evident express , both institution , appointing of it , and command , injoyning us to do it ; promise making over and sealing the benefit of christ's death , to such as partake of it worthily , after a due sitting manner ; and threatning , denouncing judgements against the profaners of this ordinance : none of all which ; either institution , command , promise or threatning , have we yet after all our search , found , for the first day to be the day of the weekly sabbath , in the place of the seventh : so that , here is no foundation , for belief and practice to build upon . g where any one place of scripture is so interpreted , as not to have the harmonious oneness , and the well agreeing consent of the whole scripture , where they do treat of that matter or subject , there that is the interpretation of mens own private spirit ; and not the interpretation of the spirit of aelohim : and therefore the cause of the first day , as the weekly sabbath , not having the whole scripture profitable for the proving of it , cannot stand in the judgement , notwithstanding one misinterpreted scripture , is yet further alledged to defend it ; if the urger of it could be any art plead it . one historical hint more , this objector doth suppose may be , with respect to the day of pentecost , which he thinks was that year , on the first day of the week , when the pourings out of the holy spirit were on the apostles , and so thinks it to be the day separated by the apostles for holy worship , especially in publick church assemblies : and yet he says , he was loth to name the day of the sending down of the holy ghost ( h holy spirit , it should have been said ) was given as a proof , because that some do controvert it ; but it seemeth to him a very considerable thing . i must therefore return somewhat in answer unto this . it is much of the artifice in the present age , as in some other cases , so concerning the matter under debate , to darken and obscure some particular places of scripture , either by corrupt translations , or by false interpretations , upon which to ground their wrong inferences , and conjectural consequences ; and then to perswade the plain people how deep these things do lie : and how much they should lean upon the wisdom and advice of their church guides who much study humane histories for them , to lead them , through what ? through those dark mazes , into which these guides have misled them . whereas , the scriptures about the weekly sabbath , are full of i clear light , and of satisfying self-evidence , to those who are made throughly willing to do the acceptable will of jehovah aelohim . what conviction can there be brought in upon the understanding concerning any change of the weekly sabbath-day , from the seventh to the first day of the week , where is not either expressed or implyed any thing at all of any such change ; and where the reader cannot find the first day spoken of , or hinted to , to any such purpose ? the passover is acknowledged by this author , on this year of christ's death to be a seventh-day sabbath : if so , k then including that day in the number of fifty , and seven sabbaths reckoned and added to that day , pentecost , or the fiftieth day , was a seventh-day sabbath also ; ( for , so was the computation , seven times seven , being forty and nine ) the passover going before , and being put to the seven sevennies , the last of those seven sabbath-days was the fiftieth day , and a seventh day sabbath . as in the computing the jubilee year , there were seven times seven years , which addeth together , do make up the number of forty nine years ; which by reckoning of the former jubilee year into the number , doth make up a fiftieth year ; the last of those seven sevennies of years being the jubilee year : for this honour did johovah put upon the number of seven in the scriptures , with respect to divers of his institutions ; the last day which was the seventh , being solemnly dignified , as in the weekly sabbath , which is the last day in the week . and this , in the way , answereth that which some others do alledge for their first day ; from such scriptures , which do speak of an eighth day , and an eighth-days sabbath , as a typical proof . as for that expression , relating to the feast of booths or tabernacles , that lasted seven days ; now that on the l eighth day should be an holy convocation , a solemn assembly , a day of restraint , a sabbath : upon such a supposition that the first day of that feast was the weekly seventh-day sabbath , or at least when it so fell out to be and was so , then this eighth day , the day after this feast must be a seventh day sabbath also . but whatever it were , as to that ; the scripture proofs for the observing of the seventh-day , the last day of the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , are clear and full : for objectors against this to pretend possibilities and probabilities of aelohim's declaring and signifying of his mind about changing the day of the sabbath , is a darkning of counsel in words without knowledge , and a going off from scripture-light , to unscriptural darkness : for the seventh-day sabbath we have evident express commands and promises , to awe us , and to incourage us in the observation thereof , that what we do may be done in obedience and in faith ; so for that other m place , where it is foretold , that upon the eighth day , and so forward , the priests shall make their burnt-offerings upon the altar : if the first of those seven days of sanctifying the altar were a seventh-day sabbath , the eighth day was a seventh-day sabbath too : although i take the plain meaning of the so forward there , to set out the daily offerings upon the altar , the continual on every day : for the seventh-day-sabbath-worship is distinctly spoken of in an n after part of that prophesie . there are several sorts of o times mentioned by this prophet , passover-time , new moon-time , booth-time , besides these festival times for moons and years , there is weekly seventh-day sabbath-time , which is one evident establishment of the last day of the week , for the continued weekly sabbath-day , in the weekly returns of it , under the new testament dispensation : for , p the seventh-day sabbath , was in the same week after the six working days , which were to go before in the same week , and for the continuing of the day from evening to evening : ( and this seventh-day sabbath not being a type , figure and shadow , as the ceremonies of the old dispensation were , but a natural , standing , confirmed , commanded , weekly sabbath-day , from the first week of the created world : ) and there is also daily time set forth for evening and for the morning-worship : and to this , doth q that place forementioned refer , as the sacrifices do expresly declare . the altar was seven days in purging , which doth denote the through purity of spiritual worship in the later days : the number of seven in scripture , being a number of perfection , fulness and sufficiency : this being done and finished , they must be on the eighth , and so still onwards , on the ninth , tenth day and forward , continually as days come on , offer daily spiritual sacrifices thereon . thus have i shewn , as to the former objector , that his pretended historical hints , both severally , and apart by themselves , do make nothing at all for his purpose about his first day . they prove not any such usage for the matter of fact , as to the separation of the first day , in the room of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , much less do they prove the matter of right , which is the great thing here inquired after . and now if all of them be put together , and joyntly inforced , they speak as little for this as each of them severally , that is to say , not at all in favour of the first day , as a separated day for holy worship : but do either speak of festival sabbaths of passover , or the like , or of the seventh-day sabbaths ; or of a lordly providential day , which doth ●inot ngle out the first day of the week , in the weekly revolution , as the weekly sabbath-day , how fain soever this author would have it so to be . i know no signal note put upon the first day of the week , as the day of rest , or solemn worship , in the new testament : the places have been examined , and do set out and signifie another day . and were there an exact literal version , according to the true proper significancy of the words , i do not remember any one place all the new testament through , where there is so much , as that particular expression , of the first day of the week , much less as applyed unto a day of rest , or solemn worship , or weekly sabbath . having thus far cleared the way of such stumbling blocks , which some have cast before us in our seventh-day sabbath journey , there is another stone thrown before me , which i am to remove , and that is , an argument for the first day , brought in as a proof of the cessation of the seventh-day sabbath , by a misinterpreted , misapplyed place in the epistle to the r hebrews : which i am now to examine more at large . that a clear and a full answer unto this objection , may be the more freely and readily received , i shall first give in some lines the plain meaning and scope of this scripture ; and then further discover , that the day expressed in the s psalm , and referred unto in the epistle to the t hebrews , is not to be understood of the first day of the week , in the weekly returns of it , so as to shut out all and every of the other days of the week : and particularly as to this of rest , excluding the seventh day from being the weekly sabbath for christians to observe , under the new testament administration of grace ; that the rest spoken of in that u psalm , and transferred from thence into this w epistle , is not meant either by the psalmist , or by the author of this epistle to the hebrews of the weekly sabbath-rest , as to the first day of the week in opposition to the seventh : under which the significancy of the word , sabbatism will be be searched after . then , that the , x he mentioned in one passage in this epistle , is meant of the believer : after that , i shall shew wherein y the parallel doth not hold , and wherein it doth : what the z works are which believers are said to rest from : what the force of the a conjunction is in this place : what the change of the number , b from the plural to the singular , may import . as for the meaning and scope of this scripture in this epistle . the considerate reader is desired ( after his serious seeking of the lord , by the prayer of faith , to be taught of him , and to be led into the truth ) diligently to observe , how the aim and design of this epistle c in this part of it , is to confirm and establish the professing hebrews in the d faith and doctrine of the lord jesus christ ; which would be the better done , if they hearkened unto what christ had said in a both historical and prophetical e psalm to this purpose ; and to caution and charge them f against an evil heart of unbelief , that would fall off from the living god , and harden them through the seducingness of that sin ; that he might the more speedily and thorowly awaken and quicken them up to attend unto , and to follow his spiritual and wholsome counsel , which was so seasonable , in such a time , when they were so persecuted for their discipleship to christ : he sheweth what dangerous evils were near , and what great mischiefs would follow ; if they did give way to their unbelief , distrust and carnal fear , they would then backslide from their heavenly calling , and from their holy profession : and if they did live and did in such a state , of unbelief and of unperswadedness , of unrepentingness and of disobedience , they would be shut out of that spiritual , heavenly , eternal g rest of god in christ . and that his manner of arguing might be the more convincing and prevailing , he brings a strong evident proof of it out of h one of the psalms ; it being that scripture , which the author of this epistle doth comment upon , and expound here : where the holy spirit , by the prophet david ( who penned i that psalm for him ) having exhorted the israel of god , to laud jehovah , k the messiah , the rock of his people's salvation ; and to obey his voice , whilst the day of his grace , and of their life did last : earnestly dehorting those of his time and age from that unbelief which would have an hardening effect upon their heart , and exclude them out of aelohim's heavenly rest : as the like prevailing unbelief , and hardness , and disobedience , and unperswadableness had shut out many of their fore fathers out of that l canaan-rest , which was a type of the heavenly rest , the figure of a m better rest , in a better country . for the preventing of which exclusion , that his speech might come with the more weight upon their spirits , david doth bring in aelohim himself ; exhorting the people , that they would not follow the bad example of their fore-fathers , who were not of a teachable mind , nor of a practical understanding , nor of an inclinable will , nor of an obedient carriage ; and so die away in their wilderness-state . this dreadful example he o makes use of to awe the christian hebrews in his day , unto an abiding st●dfast in the christian religion ; lest otherwise , they also did fall after the same example of unbelief and of disobedience ; and so loytered behind and came not safe-full-home to the heavenly rest . that the forcibleness of his right arguing words might not be abated by any who would be replying , that there were other rests besides the heavenly rest , which also were spoken of in the word of god ; as if it may be the psalmist spake of one or other of those rests , and not of that spiritual , eternal , heavenly rest ; therefore he reckons up several kinds of rests : there was the rest of the seventh-day sabbath : this the prophet david did not particularly mean in that psalm , because this rest of the seventh-day sabbath was p from the foundation of the world , the last day of the first created week . which therefore , being from the beginning thus honoured , both by aelohim's word , and in its own created nature , must remain the weekly sabbath-day to the end of the world : and this rest , as to the outward part at least , of keeping the seventh day as the only weekly sabbath-day , they in david's time had already actually entred upon in the weekly returns of it . further , there was the rest of and in cana●n , which is called , q the rest of jehovah , and expresly , the rest , where after their travels and journcyings , their warrings and conquests jehovah christ gave r rest unto his people : ( jerusalem in canaan has more particularly and specially the s name of the rest ) he doth declare , that neither was this the r●ll , which david threatned the unbelieving , and disobedient in his time to be shut out of : for david and they had been , and then actually were , in canaan , that promised land of outward rest : jehovah christ by his servant t joshua had led their fore-fathers into that rest long before , some hundreds of years ago , before david's day . david therefore speaketh u of another day after those things in a prophetical manner , and of another rest , than either of the two forementioned , the seventh-day sabbath rest , or the canaan rest : neither could it be meant of any other rest , by any enumeration of any other particular , but only of the spiritual , eternal heavenly rest of and with a god in christ ; if any thought , that that passage in the psalm might be understood of any other rest , but this heavenly one , the author of this epistle would readily have demonstrated the mistake . the rest that david spake of , out of which jehovah christ from his father , by his spirit , in his word threatned confirmingly by an oath , to shut the unbelieving , and unrepenting , the disobedient and the unperswadable , they living and dying such , was such a rest , as those who were in a state of unbelief , were not actually possessed of : a rest in a promise , a rest yet further to come , offered and tendered unto them , set plainly and openly in a wor. revelation before them , if they did not by their own affected ignorance , and wilful transgression exclude themselves out of it . w a rest , into which sound believers had entred , did and should enter , and so cease from their own works . seeing therefore , that there yet further remaineth such a rest , so glorious a sabbatism , for the people of god , he presseth the professing hebrews to study and endeavour how to enter into x this promised rest , by yielding the due obedience of faith in and unto christ . having thus opened and applyed the scriptures , that we might look the deeper , and see the clearer into the sense and scope of it , i am next to shew , that the day ( to day , or this day ) expressed in the psalm , and referred unto in the epistle is not to be understood of the first day of the week , in the weekly returns of it ; so as to shut out all and every of the other days of the week , and particularly as to this of rest , excluding the seventh day from being the weekly sabbath for christians to observe under the new testament administration of grace . of this , i give these reasons , grounded upon scripture , because that day , which is spoken of in that y psalm , and made use of in this epistle , is such a day as doth take in z every day in the week ; as the author himself doth interpret , in the same epistle , speaking of the same day , in this very ease and instance now under debate ; where he puts the christian hebrews upon the faithful discharge of that gospel-fellowship-duty of mutually exhorting one another daily , or according to every day , as the duty of every day was , when they had occasion and opportunity , so to do , whilst it is called to day , this day , and the next , and still the next after that , every day ; whilst grace is offered , and whilst your time doth last ; whilst christ's voice from his father doth speak unto you ; and whilst the spirit of christ , in the word and ministry thereof , doth call upon you . that hodiernal day , of which the holy spirit doth make mention in this exhortation , has its duration full home to this our day , and it appertaineth no less unto us , than it did unto in david's time . for the illative conjunction therefore , in the beginning of the seventh verse of the third chapter doth properly belong , to take heed , in the beginning of the twelfth verse ; as went before , and so must be here understood : therefore , as the holy spirit exhorted your fathers to obedience , under pain of exclusion from the rest of god , so see ye well unto it , that you yield obedience , lest otherwise , you also be shut out of the same holy , heavenly rest . the seventh-day is in this place mentioned with a double mark of honour put upon it , a that day , that seventh : the law concerning the seventh-day rest , or sabbath , b was given to adam from the beginning , and put into created being , in the first week of the created world , and is therefore unchangeable , still standing in its due force , and in its full authority : whereas , c in all this passage of this epistle , there is no mention made of the first day , either in express words , or by any necessary consequence : so that i may use the force of christ's reason , and the strength of his argument here , ( which he did in d another case , bearing yet a very clear like date from the founding of the world ) from the beginning , the first day of the week was not the sabbath : whereas the seventh day was made , instituted , and appointed for the day of weekly rest , the same week of the creation , when the foundations of the world were laid , and when the glorious creator did set up his great works . the day thereof prefixed by david , must in this case be some other kind of day , even e the determinate day of grace , and of life , and of christ's speaking voice during this day , and of the f present time . that expression in the * psalm , to day , or this day , was spoken and written by david to the priests and people in history , if it refer to that special occasion of the g transferring of the ark , when david called upon them to come unto that place of solemn convention for publick worship , to the h faces of aelohim ; the ark being a sign of this ; he threatens those of that day and age to be shut out of god's rest of eternal life , as their forefathers were shut out of canaan , in case that they did harden their hearts through unbelief , i as those had done before them : which therefore cannot be understood of the first day oi the week , as a new sabbath-day ( take it as in part historical , though it be further prophetical also ) which the objectors would set up in the room of the seventh day sabbath : for , then according to this arguing , the people in david's time , were bound to alter the weekly sabbath-day from the seventh to the first day of the week . it is evident by divers particular passages , as well as by the whole drift of that k psalm , that is was somewhat fitted for david's day and time , and for the people of his age , although withal there is a spirit of prophesie in it ; for , those hebrews , in the days of the author of that epistle to them , and we in the present generation are concerned in that scripture ; as others also will be in the ages after us : l whatsoever is written in the holy scriptures , is written unto all of us , calling us unto faith in , and obedience to , the lord jesus christ : m what god spake unto moses in his time , was spoken by god unto them in christ's time , when he conversed for some years visibly , openly here on earth in the flesh : and it is still spoken unto us : and in n this place to the hebrews , that day did reach to the time of this epistle , and continueth to this day , and will preach to after times . that expression in o that psalm , to day , or this day , is that p day wherein the voice of christ by his spirit from his father in his word , and the ministery thereof , may and ought to be harkned unto , believed and obeyed , that is , as long as this call of grace doth continue , and the time of ones life doth last , the whole season of grace is this day . it is a day taken largely : for so a day is sometimes taken , q for the whole time of conversation here on earth : r for time consisting of days , months and years : for the s time of life : the day of the israelites was a long day . a day of about forty years , with some of them in the wilderness ; wherein they tempted and provoked god , as is declared in t that psalm , and elsewhere : the gospel , the glad-tidings of salvation by faith in the messiah was preached , and the doctrine of redemption work , revealed to the israelites in moses's time ; ( and long before that , in abraham's time , and further back also ; ) and in david's time afterwards : though unbelievers did not savingly profit by u it . to day , or this day , is every present day , whatever day of the week that day be , as it passeth along in order : w several scriptures do lead to this sense ; and for every present day , of the time of the new testament ministration of grace . there needs no further evidence of this , than the diligent comparing of the x scriptures in hand : that limited determinate day , is that time which the sovereign lord over all , hath set unto his speaking to particular persons , and to their life-time of hearing : and it doth much refer unto that y term of years , which he did set and fix in moses his time , to the unbelieving , murmuring , rebellious israelites , and is referred unto in z another psalm . if to day were meant of the first day , as the weekly resting day , a then the israelites had not been the same example ; not so proper , so resembling an example of admonition , for the prosessing hebrews to take warning by ; lest running into their sin , they fell into their judgments : for the israelites sin and judgments , for the which they were shut out of that rest which the psalmist doth speak of , was not their not entring into the observation and rest of the first day ; which was none , either of their duty or privilege : they had no law for the keeping of any other day , b but only the seventh ; and of what there is no law , there is c no transgression ; for sin is the transgression of the law , but their sin was hardening of their heart through unbelief , and unperswadeableness , and disobedience , contrary to christ's mind and will , in his word , and by his messengers . these in david's time had no ground to expect to enjoy the rest of a pretended new day of weekly sabbath , under the new testament dispensation . it is therefore from day to day , in a continued succession of days . christ's command to hearken to his voice is an actual command given forth by him to his people every day ; which would more set this out , if it were rendred d participially in the present tenses , as it is in several scriptures : it doth deoote the continuedness of the command , as the successiveness of the day . as the day is mistaken by the objector , so also is the rest . the rest spoken of in e this epistle , brought thither out of f that psalm , is not meant either there or here , of the weekly-sabbath-rest : as to the first day of the week , in opposition to the seventh , let the following arguments be exactly weighed in the scripture ballance . one is because the people in david's time , were not bound to make out after the first-day-rest , not being under any obligation to keep the first day of the week as their weekly day of rest or sabbath : the law of the seventh-day sabbath was upon them , as was shewed but a few lines before . further , the rest mentioned in both these places , in that psalm , and in this epistle , was such a rest as the people ( to whom david and the author of this epistle did write this ) had not as yet then entred into ; they were not possessed of it whilst they remained in a state of unbelief , neither ever would g if they passed into the other world in that state of unbelief , impenitence , disobedience , and unperswadableness . what rest can then be named for the people of david's time , ( as is proved in the fore cited place of this epistle , in the margin ) to enter into , but only that spiritual , eternal rest of , with , and in jehovah , the messiah ? as for the rest of the weekly-sabbath , h that was from the foundation of the world , when god rested from all his works on the seventh day ; and accordingly blessed and sanctified that particular day , as the day of the weekly sabbath . the syriack and the aethiopick languages do express the seventh day by the word sabbath , in the fourth verse of this fourth chapter . and this rest , at least as to the outward part of it , was entred upon by the israelites in david's time , and i by their forefathers long before . the rest mentioned in the forecited places of this epistle is such a rest as he and others had a probability , as well as possibility , ( though with difficulty and studiousness ) to enter yet into , unless by their own unbelief and hardening of their heart they did k fall short of it . let vs fear : vs ; he includes himself ; whereas if the first-day-rest , pretended from hence to be the christians weekly-sabbath , had been the rest here meant , what difficulty or studiousness was there as to their entring upon this , so far at least , as to the external duty and privilege ? and especially , as to the particular case of the author of this epistle , and of other of the believing among those hebrews in his day , who are supposed by these objecters , to have already entred upon the first-day-rest that is pretended ; which author so earnestly exhorted the hebrews to enter upon the same rest ? for we are to observe , that he joyneth himself with the hebrews to quicken up himself as well as them unto an holy fear , lest l he and they otherwise fell short of the promised rest through want of due diligence , and through careless negligence , though he himself reckon himself among the m believers : he inforceth his exhortation by this argument amongst others , in the fourteenth verse of the third chapter , drawn from a very profitable effect of it , even from the consortship , and society , and fellowship , that such will have with christ in that heavenly inheritance ; if they retain firm even unto the end , that beginning of confidence or subsistence ; ( n by which , faith is described in this epistle . ) as for any partakership of christ , in a way of conformity to him , with respect to the observation of weekly sabbath-day , it could have no relation to the first day of the week , which day christ observed not as a sabbath , but through the whole of his life kept the seventh day , as the weekly sabbath-day . the great design of this epistle , ( the same thing which doth run all the scripture through , where occasion is given and taken , to speak of this matter ) is to prove , that a state of unbelief , lived , layn , and dyed in , will shut the guilty of it , out of the sweet satisfying injoyment of the true , spiritual , eternal , heavenly rest : for , to this particular purpose is it , that he fetcheth his proof out of that psalm , confirming what he had said by the testimony of david , shewing that the psaimist by that rest , could mean nothing else , and nothing less , but the spiritual , eternal , heavenly rest : there being no other rest left , out of which the unbelieving were threatned to be shut in that psalm , called so great a salvation , in the third verse of the second chapter of this epistle : the rest of the weekly sabbath had been entred upon already ; and as for the canaan rest , that was some ages before david's time , o entred upon and into , by the surviving israelites , under the leading of joshuah , or jesus ; or , if you will , of jeshuang , or jesus by joshuah . whereas , the rest promised here , in the first verse of the fourth chapter , was such a rest , as joshuah did not bring the israelites into , in the eighth verse , though he led them into canaan , the type of it ; as the causal conjunction doth evidently prove , which is an answer to a tacit objection , if any did say , that joshua had placed the fathers in that rest . as for that canaan rest , it was actually possest by david , and the israelites of his day : this land of canaan is called the land of immanuel , isai . . . that is of christ , because it was a sign of the heavenly inheritance obtained by christ , heb. . , . the rest therefore , that david speaks of , must be a rest yet to come : ( the other rests particularly mentioned having been already then entred into ; ) a rest , which they should fear , they might be shut out from , a rest , not past , but yet to come . this epistle speaks of believers entring into this promised rest , p after their working season is at an end ; appears by comparing some q verses in this place together : at least , as to the full possession of that rest : if it should be pleaded by the objectors , from r one of the verses compared with other scriptures , that sound believers do actually injoy some beginning of it here : this we are perswaded of , and experienced believers are supposed in s scripture , to have already somewhat of it , as well as to hope for more of it here ; and to believe , and expect their full everlasting possession of it in the heavenly glory , at the last , when they have here finished that work which the lord sent them into the world to do : and this is their every days happiness , more or less , as they more or less act as believers . o how often may the spirit of a believer be in the heavenly rest in one day ! he may get thither into this rest , in one holy thought : and how many of such thoughts may his thoughts be , who thus doth act faith , hope and love aright , upon this object ! a sound believer should check himself under his divertisements from this felicity , return , o my soul , to thy-my-rests : my rests are thy rests ; thy rests are my rests : be friendly to me and to thy self : sit down and silently rest in jehovah aelohim ! there is an abundant entrance subministred to thee , to me , so to do ! this epistle , in t one passage of this cited place do prove , that jesus or joshuah ( for joshuah , or jehoshuang , in the syriack language , and also by the greeks , denoteth a saviour ) had not then given them that rest , spoken of in that u psalm referred to : because then the psalmist would not afterward have spoken of another day : and therefore that rest which joshuah or jesus , or jesus by joshuah set them in , was not this rest it self , but a type of this heavenly rest to believers , for , many entred into canaan , who never entred into heaven . joshua had not given them that rest which is here spoken of ; so that this cannot be understood of the rest of the first day of the week , as the weekly sabbath-day , seeing the objectors do affirm , though groundlesly , and but pretendedly , that the captain jesus ( of whom joshuah was someways a type : ) gave his disciples this first day rest . heaven is in w other scriptures set out by the name of god's rest : this was typified by the ark , and by the temple , and by canaan ; and is plain enough spoken of in this passage to the hebrews . god's rest is in the highest heavens , there is the dwelling place of his rest : there doth christ sit in glory at the right hand of his father in full , perfect , happy rest , where sound believers also shall rest , in , and with him. for x a little after this passage we are told christ's rest is , in the heavens , in the highest heavens , the holy of holies : so y elsewhere in the same epistle : we , saith he , have a great high priest who is gone thorow into the heavens , jesus the son of god : and therefore let us hold fast our christian profession : for , christ is not entred into the sanctuary that is made with hands , which is an antitype of the true , that is of the heavenly sanctuary , which was figured by the other , but into heaven it self , now to appear before the face of god for us , with full satisfaction made to the justice of his father , by the sacrifice of himself offered up to his father , and with prevailing intercession for those whom the father gave unto him . so that , as z his rest is divers times mentioned in this epistle ; so also is a heaven often expresly mentioned , besides other words that do set it out : and there is likewise b the phrase of thus entring in , several times spoken of : all these in the same epistle ; c which was of old under the former ministration , typified by the high priests entring into the holiest once every year : for , the high priest also was in this a type of christ ; who is called the apostle , and the high priest of their profession , who are partakers of the heavenly calling . so that , all these expressions thus put together , which we do meet withal in the same epistle do best reconcile this sense , to the whole of the epistle besides , and to other scriptures which do treat of the same subject-matter , that , the entring in , the ingress into this rest , is the entring into the heavenly rest above . d some beginnings of which heavenly rest believers do enter into here , in that holy heavenly fellowship which they have with jehohah aelohim in father , son , and holy spirit , and with the living members of christ's mystical body ; jesus the fore-runner being already entred into the innermost of the veil for them , the believers hope has a way of entring in there after him . we have ordinances now dispensed , with more clearness , spirituality , and heavenliness , then believers under the former administration had , ( though they also enjoyed the same for sum , and for substance , yet under types , shadows , and figures : ) and therefore they are called e heavenly things , which the pattern of old did more darkly resemble . these are not forced sences , and interpretations of my own , but such as are natural and familiar , plain and obvious , and in the express language and literal words of the same epistle . before i quite dismiss this about the rest , i am to write somewhat about the significancy of the word f sabbatism . the greek noun is derived from a verb , which doth signific , i sabbatize , or i rest . the seventy two greek interpreters do use the verb in g one scripture , where it doth set out the rest of the land every seventh year : they use it also in h another place , where it is applyed to the seventh-day-sabbath , that being the weekly sabbatizing-day , or resting-day . the greek noun in the proper significancy of the word , is an actual or active resting or cessation from work , or labour , or from motion about such work , and labour as is rested from , a requietion , or requiescence from this ; this being used in the greek of the new testament but once , the means to come to a right apprehension of the true signification and the proper meaning of it in this place , will be to examine , what the original of this greek word is , in that language from whence it is borrowed in the old testament hebrew ; and what that word in the hebrew original doth contain and express in it ; how that word is used in the scriptures , from whence this greek noun hath its origination , as also , what there is in the context of this place in this part of the epistle to the hebrews , about this matter enquired after ? what there is in that psalm , referred to here in this epistle , that may bring some light to this matter ? and what there is in the word of christ about this phrase of sabbath-keeping or keeping a sabbath , as the objector doth render it . it is not here unworthy of our noting , that , the greek tongue in a multitude of words has its origination from the hebrew language : its alphabet and letters hath its derivation from hence . what is its alpha , beta , gamma , delta , but aleph , beth , gimel , daleth ? the power and force , the vertue and value in the sound for the manner of pronunciation is much the same : and i many particular words do in their very sound declare , though in some things the greek tongue is defective , at least as now it is in use : particularly in that it wants a jod consonant , as also in that it has not an h in the middle or in the end of a word : which is the reason why we so seldom meet with the word of words , jehovah , or jah , or ehieh , in the greek of the new testament , though the citations brought out of the old into the new , have often the word jehovah , and jah expressed . the original of this greek word sabbatismos , or sabbatism , is from the hebrew word shabbaton , as the greek sabbaton is from the hebrew shabath : the sound and the sense going together do enough speak this to every intelligent man's ear : thus in chaldee , syriack , and arabick , shebath is a sabbatism . shabbathon , or shabbaton , which is the original of that greek word sabbatismos , or sabbatism , doth sometimes set out the k seventh-day-sabbath , or rest ; which seventh day is expressed by this word , as one of its names and appellations by which it is called . l sometimes the first day of the seventh moon is expressed by this word : m at another time , the seventh year has that denomination : and n the day of explation also , on the tenth day of the seventh moon is so stiled : the reason whereof is , that these days and years were observed as sabbaths , when there was an actual rest , a cessation from work and labour . the context in this place of this epistle doth evidence that what is expressed by sabbatism o in one verse , is in other verses relating to the same matter , called hy p another word , which is a resting , reposing , a cessation , a rest from labour , a ceasing from work : which two words much denoting one and the same thing here , rest , resting , sabbatism , or sabbatizing-rest , are both of them in this place distinguished and severed q from the weekly seventh-day sabbath , to be observed here now ; whereas the other promised is yet remaining to be enjoyed . this discourse being grounded upon the ninty fifth psalm , it is observable , that the word used there , in the last verse , is menuchah , rest , quietness , a quiet rest , an acquiescing from nuach , he rested , he was quiet , he was at rest , he acquiesced . a place of quiet , and of quiet rest , in that place of the psalm , is set out by that word r relating to a former passage in moses time : the land of canaan was a place of quiet rest , when peaceably possessed by the israelites ; and it was a typical figure of the promised rest and sabbatism mentioned in this place of this epistle : s which word is applyed to several other things besides the weekly sabbath : t as it is the word used , to set out the shadowy rest in the land of canaan : u it is applyed to a man , a man of rest : w it is attributed to an house , an house of rest : x it is ascribed to waters ; waters of rest , of rests : and to divers things distinct and different from the weekly sabbath-day , or resting day , as such . as for the phrase of keeping sabbath , the scriptures do usually add some other word unto sabbath , whereby to denote that expressiveness ; y such as , to remember a sabbath-day ; to this end of sanctifying it : to sanctifie a sabbath , to keep sabbaths , to do the sabbath , and such like . and some such phrases are applyed unto somewhat else , besides the weekly seventh-day sabbath : as z to sabbatize a sabbath ; which was on the seventh year : thus to enjoy , or to accept , or to will sabbaths , meaning the seventh years . the next particular , which i expressed , that i would discover is , that , a the , he , mentioned in one passage of this part of this epistle , is meant of the believer . the grounds why i so apprehend are as follow : because the tenth verse of this fourth chapter doth resume that which was spoken of in the third verse : in both which there is express mention made of the same rest , and of the same persons , in some of the same expressions , where believing ones are said to enter into that rest : the , he , is every such he , as is believing , and all such . the ninth verse is an inference from the sixth verse , and it hath respect unto that : by a corollary he forceth the remainingness of a rest to the people of god. which rest is defined in the tenth verse by believers cessation from his works : and this definition is illustrated by a collation of the example of god , who then rested when he ceased from his works . seeing therefore , it remaineth some to enter into that rest , there remaineth therefore a sabbatism to the people of god. it must evidently follow , that , seeing the unperswadeable ones , to whom this was first evangelized ; ( or to whom the gospel was first preached , ) did not enter into the typical rest of canaan , therefore there is a rest yet still behind , which the believing people of god have a promise of entring into , in the first verse : which is typilied by that prophetical word in the fifty ninth psalm : of which more in the next reason . the sabbatism , or rest spoken of , in the ninth and tenth verses of this fourth chapter , is that which being typified doth answer directly unto the type thereof : this type in the eleventh verse of the nineth fifth psalm , was the land of canaan ; which is called b a rest , out of which those of the israelites who were twenty years old and upward were shut , such as were c unbelieving , murmuring , and unperswadeable , who revolted from jehovah aelohim , and in their heart returned back again into egypt . their evil heart of unbelief made them depart from the living god : those of them who were believing as caleb , and joshuah , d caleb has a remark of he , put upon him , as the he , eminently , that had another spirit with him , and that did fulfill after jehovah christ : and e joshuah was another such he. these and such as these , did enter into that typifying rest ; where , after they had driven out their enemies , they enjoyed a peaceable rest and a quiet safety . this typical rest in the land of canaan , did not figure out a first day weekly sabbath rest ; into which day , as into a resting day weekly , none of the israelites , either unbelieving or believing did enter upon , as an hebdomadal . sabbath : but it did typifie that rest , in the better , the f heavenly countrey ; as is expressed in this same epistle ; into which none do enter but the believing : so that the , he , who entring into the rest of god , in the tenth verse , is any one of the believing people of god , for whom the promised sabbatism was said to be remaining , in the words immediately foregoing , in the ninth verse ; which also the reason brought to prove the soundness of the inference doth shew : the illative particle , therefore , and the comparative , like as , in the seventh verse of the third chapter , relating to the twelfth verse of the same chapter , doth shew the exhortation to be inforced upon the believer , therefore as the holy spirit exhorteth you to believe and obey the voice of christ , so look to it , that you do believe and obey his voice ; the reason is strong , from an example of old , because your fathers who contemned the voice of christ , and did not contemper the word with faith , were frustrated of the heavenly rest : the reason of which consequence , is , seeing there is the like reason of you and of them : for , both to you and them it was evangelized ; in the second verse of the fourth chapter . the whole drift of the discourse from the seventh verse of the third chapter , to the eleventh verse of the fourth chapter , doth respect a professing people , that would pass for the people of god , and be accounted travellers towards the promised heavenly rest , which none but the believing perswadeable obedient true spiritual israel of god would enter into . the sabbatism or rest spoken of , in the first , third , ninth , tenth , and eleventh , verses of this fourth chapter , is a rest that remaineth ; in the sixth and ninth verses of the same chapter : a rest that was before them , towards which they were travelling , and short of which they should fear , lest they came by their loytering behind ; in the first verse ; a rest that in the time of the authour of this epistle , when he wrote this , was as to himself and the believing people of god then alive , before them , and they were left behind it , as yet short of it : into which they were not as then so fully entred : but they were under a promise or expectation thereof : and the same may be said of his believing people , who are now alive in the present day , whilst it is called , to day : there is a promised rest , which they should have in their eye , which they are not as yet , so thorowly passed into ; of which that place in the psalm was a typical prediction . the rest here , is a rest yet in the promise , yet to come and hoped for , attainable , enterable and enjoyable , if g unperswadeableness hinder not . the eleventh verse doth again introduce and enforce the principal exhortation by way of rational inferehee , and by a doubled argument : therefore let us study to enter into that rest , that , not any one sall by the same example of disobedience : if we believe and obey christ's voice we shall then enter into it , but if not , we shall be shut out from it ; as those were who died away in their unperswadeableness . the whole context , both in this place , and in the psalm , doth evidently demonstrate , that , the rest here treated of , and foretold by david , is such a rest , as out of which the unbelieving , unperswadeable , and disobedient , living and dying such , would be shut ; and into which , the believing , perswadeable , and obedient , such a people of god should enter ; and none but such : which therefore cannot be ineant of a pretended first day of weekly rest . for , if that had been the rest , the believing had already actually entred , into , not only the outward , but also the inward rest : and even the unbelieving had actually entred into the outward part of that rest ; had they so far observed it as the weekly sabbath : whereas the israelites in type in moses's time , had not entred so much as into the outward part of the type of it : that is to say , not those of them who were above twenty years of age , when the spies returned from searching the land ; all , except joshuah and caleb , died short of canaan , that were above that number of years , whether believers or unbelievers . all the promises , and the threatnings , the exhortations , and the cautions , and such like , that are made use of , in all h this discourse , do plainly relate to a prosessing people ; according as they believe , or believe not , and so do enter , or not enter , into this rest . as for what doth concern the parallel , wherein it doth not hold , and wherein it doth hold , i shall open now my thoughts . the parallel here , is not between god the father , as creator , and his son christ as redeemer : ( though there are some others that would have it so : ) for the lord jesus himself , the christ , the mediator , was the creator : ( not excluding the father , nor the holy spirit : ) as i have proved i before in this treatise : and have here again put some of the scriptures into the k margin , which the reader may examine , if he have need . the authour of this epistle doth industriously prove and promote this great truth , of christ's jehovah ship , or god-ship , by his creator-ship as well as by other arguments from scripture . that god who is spoken of in the tenth verse of this fourth chapter of this epistle to the hebrews , is the same christ , by whom the father made the worlds , the ages : he was the lord in the beginning , who laid the foundation of the earth and the works of whose hands the heavens were : as is declared in the second and tenth verses of the first chapter ; the same god who built all things , in the fourth verse of the third chapter : which doth make way for the following discourse , concerning his rest , and entring , or not entring into it , as christian professors did believe and obey , or not ; as this objector himself doth elsewhere confess , upon the tenth verse of the third chapter : that , christ is so brought in as god , and expresly called god , to make way for this following discourse about works and rest ; the same god , whose voice from his father , by his spirit in his word , the israelites of old , and the hebrews in this authour's time were called upon to hearken unto , in the seventh , and fifteenth verses of that third chapter . the same living god , from whom , they should take heed , lest by an evil heart of unbelief in them , they did depart in the twelfth verse : which the authour doth expresly interpret of christ in the fourteenth verse , the same god , who was tempted , provoked , grieved , disbelieved , by the israelites in the wilderness , in the eighth , ninth , tenth , sixteenth , and seventeenth verses of this third chapter : which also is confirmed l elsewhere , in the word ; the same god who did rest the seventh-day from all his works , which were finished from the foundation of the world ; in the third and fourth verses of the fourth chapter : the same god who has a people more pecularly belonging unto him , in the ninth verse : the same god whose word is quick and powerful , or living and active ; and sharper than any two edged sword , piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul , and of spirit , and of the joynts , or nerves , and marrow , and is a critical discerner , or a critick of the imaginations and thoughts of the heart ; in the twelfth verse : hold forth also in m other scriptures . the same god , who is the great high priest of his people ; passed into the heavens ; ( as into the full rest ; ) jesus the son of god ; in the fourteenth verse . neither is the parallel between the works of the father , and the works of the son ; as if they were such different works , of a different nature , and of different time : which was not the matter under debate , in the third and fourth chapters of this epistle ( as men have divided them ; ) the which what was mentioned before doth also discover ; n for , what things soever the father doth , these also doth the son likewise . nor is the parallel between one day of the week , and another day of the week , and the first day of the week , in the weehly revolution . for the , to day , mentioned in the psalm , and the seventh verse , doth not point out the particular first day of the week ; as distinct from the others days of the same week : as if the exhortation did peculiarly , properly and openly , belong unto that ; but it takes in the whole of our day and time , wherein the sound of christ's voice comes unto us ; speaking by his spirit in his word from his father every day of the week ; as appears from the thirteenth verse of the third chapter . so that those expressions in the seventh and eighth verses of the fourth chapter , which do speak of a certain day , and of another day , do set out a large providential day , a long time after the israelites entring into canaan , the land of rest : the rest spoken of in the psalm , could not refer to this ; or the weekly sabbath from the worlds creation ; for these were before ; whereas the psalmist doth speak of a rest that was future , and yet to come ; as to those who were then alive : as likewise it was to the author of this epistle , and to the believers in his day and time : it was remaining even then : a rest , a sabbatism ; which was not then by him , and those to whom he wrote , fully entred into , possessed , and injoyed : though believers , so far as they had their citizenship , their burgeship , in heaven and in the spirit did converse with the glorious inhabitants of the new city , of that heavenly jerusalem , o did pass into somewhat of it , and had some views and foretasts , some beginnings and first fruits of it . so that the parallel here , is between rest and rest : for as jehovab aelobim the creator , having finished his works of the six foregoing days in the first week of the created world , did rest on the seventh-day sabbath ; and look , as the israclites did rest in the land of canaan after their labour and travel , when they had peaceable , quiet possession of that land : so shall believers also , when they have done their p generation-work , and have finished the q work of their day and time , in doing and in suffering the whole will of our lord , have and injoyed a rest , a sabbatism , which will be fully compleated in that better heavenly country . and so also is the parallel , between entring , or not entring into the typical rest in the land of canaan : and entring , or not entring into that rest which was typified thereby : which was not a first-day rest , as is pretended ; but the heavenly , eternal rest . this parallel is held forth in the eleventh , eighteenth and nineteenth verses of the third chapter , and in the first , third , sixth , tenth and eleventh verses of the fourth chapter . and the parallel further holds , between believers and unbelievers , in the passage towards , or entrance , or not entrance into the land of canaan , the land of canaan , the land of typical rest , according as they were perswadable and obedient , or not : and believers , or unbelievers , since the time of that psalm ( which i therefore mention because it is the foundation of the discourse in this place to the hebrews , and particularly at the time , when the author of this epistle did write , wherein all ages since , and those after us are also concerned : ) for , even these also , according as they are found perswadable and obedient , or not , so shall they , either enter into , or come short of , this typified promised rest . as it was in the prophet david's time ; the offer of grace , as to the promised rest was made to the israelites ( for this same gospel was published unto them under that ministration of grace , as unto us now , under the present dispensation of grace , in the second and third verses of the fourth chapter : the doctrine of salvation by faith in the messiah , being the doctrine in david's time , and in moses days , and long enough before him : ) and those of them , who were believing , obedient , and perswadable ; in the sixth , and seventh , and eleventh verses of that psalm . so that there was in part a fulfilling of this in david's time , both as to the threatning part upon the unbelieving , impenitent and disobedint , dying away such ; and as to the promising part , as to the believing , repenting , and obeying ones , who died r in the faith : and therefore , it cannot be understood of the first day of the week , in opposition to the weekly seventh-day sabbath , as is pretended : there being nothing at all of any such observation of the first day in david's time : and the same gospel was published unto those in the time of the author of this epistle , in the second verse , of the fourth chapter ; even as unto the israelites before : and it had a further fulfilling than in that authors time , in the third verse of the fourth chapter : and it still has and will have , as the exhortations do prevail ; in the first , sixth , seventh , twelfth , thirteenth , fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the third chapter ; and the first , third , eleventh , fourteenth and sixteenth verses of the fourth chapter . the works that believers are said to rest from , in the tenth verse of the fourth chapter , are according to scripture-phrase , and meaning s elsewhere , their labours . believers shall rest from their labours ; from the labours of their particular functions and callings , wherein they were exercised in their life time here : and as for their labour in the lord , whilst they were here , in which time they did abound in the work of their lord ; as also for their labour of love in all their suffering , as well as doing for christ , believers will have satisfaction and complacency , sweetness and delight , in such works as these are : though above , in the heavenly rest , they will be wholly for ever free from sufferings ; as also from all corrupt mixtures and defectivenesses , which were their sorrow , grief and trouble here , which they much laboured under : where the tempter shall no more assault them . there is a rest promised to believers , evidently and expresly , in the first , third , and eleventh verses of this fourth chapter : ( not now to mention other verses in this passage of this epistle : ) which the objector doth causlesly and groundlesly controvert . and rest is a cessation from such labour and work , as into which that labour and rest doth pass ; which rest in the better heavenly country , is so far from being unsuitable to the purpose of the author of this epistle , that it is the main drift and scope of his arguing in the third and sourth chapters , to exhort the christianized , professing hebrews to take great heed , lest they were shut out of it ; by their unbelief , unperswadableness , and disobedience , t as the unbelieving , unperswadable and disobedient of old , amongst the israelities , did not enter into the land of canaan , which was a type of this rest : the parallel of the , as , the believers resting from his works , as god christ , god man , rested from his works , holds here exactly enough in the sense of this objector himself : for he affirms , that in the tenth verse of the fourth chapter of this epistle ; and in his expression upon it , that the works which christ did rest from , were all that he did and suffered from his incarnation to his resurrection , as the mediator of the covenant ; with all the fruits , effects and consequents of what he so did and suffered ; as belong to these works . and so shall believers rest when they shall pass into glory , from what they did and suffered for christ here . as christ shall suffer no more , and dye no more ; so believers shall suffer no more , dye no more ; when once raised as christ is risen : as christ so ceased from working , as yet to continue the work of his grace in the preservation of the new creature , and orderly increase , and propagation of it by the spirit , so shall believers so cease from this working here , as yet to continue in the full supplies of the holy spirit for ever , in the acting of grace , perfected in glory , in the freest , largest exercising , and putting forth thereof , according to the capacities and powers of the new creature , when thus growing up , to it s well proportioned measure of a perfect man : keeping the new creature by a power received from christ , in its due order , and putting it forth to the glory of jehovah aelohim . as christ so rested from his works , as to take refreshment in his works , to have satisfaction and complacency in them , as those which did set forth his praise , and did satisfie his glorious design : thus believers so far are delighted with what they have done and suffered for christ , as the father is delighted and pleased in what his holy spirit through christ has in wrought in them , and inabled them to work for the setting forth of his praise , and for the promoting of his glorious design in the world , whilst they were in it : and so far they were conformed here to christ in their doing and suffering here for christ , who will be their eternal righteousness , even in glory , though they own nothing in any , or in all their own works as meritorious of reward , or satisfactory to divine justice , these being the works of christ , the mediator by his alone all-suffering sacrifice . so that here is a fair apt resemblance , as to works , and as to rest . they do answer each other , so far as believers have a capacity in a way of similitude : and this kind of doing , and of suffering , doth last as long as a believers life doth last , even upon the seventh-day sabbath , in their weekly returns , according to the duties of those days ( as christ's doing and suffering , did last as long as his life did last , even upon the seventh-day sabbath . ) there is a sabbath-service , which a believer is to do for christ , in obedience to his command : and men of persecuting spirits , will be laying on of crosses upon the believer , for his thus keeping the seventh-day sabbath holy to jehovah ; though a believer will rejoyce in such sufferings for christ . only here the reader may take notice , that this objector doth lay the foundation of his sabbatizing , on the morning of the first day of the week , when he supposeth , that christ by his then first rising from the dead , did lay and perfect the foundation of the new creation : i desire that this may be considered ; how can a serious inquiring spirit be satisfied from the objectors arguing concerning a weekly-day of rest , or sabbath , from sun-rising to sun-set of that first day , by an argument drawn from christs ceasing from his works of redemption on that morning , as he affirms ; when withal , he doth acknowledge , that christ works did continue from his inearnation to his resurrection , without any interruption , never ceasing from it all the first days of his life ? can a weekly half-day of resting from work be demonstratively inforced upon a rational intellect from three and thirty years continued working without any cessation from that working ? ( for , that is the shortest time assigned to christ's abode here on earth : though some do reckon more years than three and thirty . ) the creation of the world was finished in six days , which did lay the foundation of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , both in word and nature , to continue every week : as a law , rule and pattern for man's working the six foregoing days , and for his resting on the seventh , which is the last day of the week : whereas now , this objector would urge upon our consciences a weekly observing of half a day , as a weekly day of rest or sabbath , from a continued work , thirty years out-right , if not more . v the conjunction , for , in the tenth verse of the fourth chapter comes next to be searthed into . this word doth set out a further reason of the conclusion , which the author of this epistle had drawn from that psalm : and the parallels which i mentioned before , which was in the sixth and ninth verses of the fourth chapter , that there was yet remaining a sabbatism for the people of god : for as god did work , and then rested from his labors , so must believers work here ; which when they have finished , they also shall rest from their labors . for , is a word which hath such a syllogistical sense , by which often w the reason of a thing is rendred by a causal rationality : as also in other languages there are such x conjunctions rational . sometimes it sets out such a probation , as is by way of special declaration of that which before was spoken of , in a more general position ; other times it is a rational transition of another member , of two , or of more things propounded : sometimes it is a rational repeating of a sentence , begun a little before ; and it doth absolve and complete it , though by another manner of speech ; to mention no more : still it is a rational : all which do well agree here . the believing israelites had their work and labour , and then their rest ensued thereupon , when they entred into the typical land of promised rest , and quietly enjoyed it when they had subdued their enemies : and so shall believers , after their working-labouring-season is over here , enter into that promised rest , of which the other was a type . so did believers y who died in the faith , under the old testament-dispensation of grace : so do believers now , who so live , and so die : and so will believers in the ages after us . as for the import of the change of the number from the plural to the singular , which the objector would fetch about to his own purpose thus : the apostle , saith he , here changeth the manner of his expression from the plural absolutely , we who believe ; or virtually in the name of a multitude , the people of god ; into that which is absolutely singular , z he that is entred : a single person is here expressed ; one , on whose account the things mentioned are asserted . and of this change of phrase there can no reason be given , but only to signifie the introduction of a singular person . thus he . to this i reply that other reasons may be clearly assigned from the context for that change of phrase , and yet the same kind of persons be expresly meant , with respect unto whom the things mentioned are asserted ; as i have already shewn to be the meaning of this place : a and other scriptures compared , do well agree in the like use of such a phrase , where the same persons or things spoken of are sometimes expressed in the plural number , and sometimes in the singular . take some few instances : that which in the fourth chapter of this epistle , and fourth verse is , and he rested this god in that day , that seventh , ( so significantly by a double article is that seventh-day-sabbath pointed out , as i have observed , to be that particular day , the last day of the week from the creation , to be the weekly sabbath day : it is not one day in seven , not a seventh part of time ; but that seventh : ) from all those works of him , or of his. see here ; it is works , in the plural . b this in another place , to which it doth manifestly refer , is thus expressed ; and he did perfect ( or finish ) aelohim , ( a word also plural in the hebrew , whereas god in the greek is singular ; ) in a day . this seventh his work ( work in the singular number ) and he did sabbatize in a day , that seventh , from all his work , ( work again in the singular number , though with a collective particle ) which he had made . c jebusites plurally in one place , is jebusite singularly in another place : enemies plurally in one scripture , is enemy singularly in another scripture . if the reader have a will to be further satisfied by more particulars about this , let him examine and compare what places i have referred him unto in the margin ; where the two last cited scriptures do shew , that israel , a word singular , may have with it a word singular or plural . where thou is all , and every one of such there spoken to ; as to one man , because every man particularly was concerned in what all of them did there . we have more instances in this epistle , and that particularly in this passage of it , which doth relate to the matter in hand : what in the eighth verse of the third chapter is hearts in the plural number , is in the eighth verse of the ninety fifth psalm , out of which it is taken , heart in the singular number : so what in the ninth verse of the third chapter of this epistle , is works , in the plural number , is work , in the singular number , in the ninth verse of that psalm . elsewhere , d the singular number doth in the same verse follow presently upon the plural number ; jehovah the aelohim of his people , repayeth them that hate him unto his faces , to destroy him : he will not delay to him that hateth him ; unto his faces , he will repay him . him , that is , every one of such who hating him . e the singular number where it has a comprehensive significancy , doth in divers scriptures take in more , plurally . as soul , singularly , which doth comprehend more souls plurally . thus tree singularly doth take in trees plurally . so doth leaf in the singular number , comprehend leafs , in the plural number . where all the rest are of the same kind and nature , one is mentioned , when more are included : it doth take in every such one . and thus it is in this tenth verse of the fourth chapter , which is now under examination : he , who entring into rest , is such an one as is a believer in the third verse ; he , whoever he be ; that believingly-perswadedly-obediently , hearkeneth unto christ's voice : all and every of such as are the people of god in the special sense , spoken of immediately before , in the ninth verse , there is yet remaining , or left-put-off for a time , a sabbatism , f to the people of god. the word in the greek is singular , yet of plural signification ; as it is also in our english tongue : and then follows the g article , he in the singular number whoever he be of that number of the people of god in the special sense . the same there is in h another scripture , the people ( the same word singular in the greek , and in the english , yet of plural signification : ) who sitting in darkness ( who sitting , is singular number , yet also of plural comprehensiveness ) and the he , in this place to the i hebrews doth emphatically note , and point out those excelling ones , that excelling one , and every such excelling one , as are of such another singular spirit , as joshuah and calob were , who entred into the type of rest ; and after death , into the typified , spiritual , eternal , heavenly rest , having finished after jehovah christ , in their life time . all and every such as are believing ones , and of this people of god , who alone , they , and all they , every one of them ; they only , and none else but they , shall enter into this promised rest . k as for others , such as are unbelieving , disobedient , and unperswadable , they living and dying away such , will come short of that rest . l he that doth desire more scriptures about this , may consult those in the margin ; where what is spoken plurally is applyed singularly ; and what is expressed singularly doth refer to all and to every such one , plurally . thus , he that believeth on christ in one scripture , is whosoever believeth on him in another scripture : this universal , whosoever , doth expound the indefinite , he : that is , every one , every such one ; he of such , whosoever he be . as also , he , in some scriptures is interpreted and expounded by whosoever in other scriptures . as for what this objector doth say , that the rest , which this person is said to enter into , is called his rest absolutely : whereas , the rest which believers are said to enter into , is either called god's rest , or rest absolutely , but not their rest , or our rest . if this be admitted , that the rest here , be the rest of him who is the author of it , the , he , who is entring into it , is not meant of the believer : for the same rest , which is the authors rest , is also the rest of the believer , of every believer . this sabbatism is m to the people of god , it belongs to them ; there are the subjects , or the persons to whom this rest is n promised . jehovah christ hath pursued this rest for such , and promised this rest to such ; and when they enter into it , it is theirs in more actual fulness : they possess it , they injoy it as their own . as the land of canaan , which was the type of this rest , was jehovah aelohims , to promise it , and to give it to his israel ; yet withal , it was the israelites , called therefore o the region of the fathers of the israelites , and the p land of the hebrews : the place which q abraham was to receive for an inheritance : the r inheritance of the jews . if there were need to to heap together many scriptures about this , how often is it set out by the land of promise , or the promised land ; or the promises ; or the land , which aelohim sware to give to abraham , to isaae , to jacob ; which aelohim gave to his people for a possession ; and such like . s and this canaan was also called , the inheritance of aelohim : this is called the place of rest : jerusalem was more especially the rest , there . more expresly yet , it is said concerning the typical land , that canaan , and the rest there , was a type of this promised rest ; in this place to the hebrews , brought out of the ninty fifth psalm , that this land should enjoy her sabbaths ; and that , this land should t rest , and enjoy her sabbaths : whereas , it did not so rest in their sabbaths , ( your sabbaths , they were theirs : ) when the sinning israelites dwelt upon it . so also they are called u her sabbaths or rests : the sabbaths of that land , when it was every seven years to have rested from tillage , and such labour and work : and again , w your sabbaths , your , ye shall rest your sabbaths ; speaking of the typical expiation-day-sabbath , it was their rest . thus of jerusalem ; of the inhabitants thereof , the jews who had dwelt there : it is said of them under their babylonish captivity , that x the adversaries did mock at her sabbaths : her : the like is elsewhere : i , saith jehovah , will make to cease her sabbath ; her : y so that the scriptures do affirm , that the rest or sabbath was that land's own rest ; and it was the israelites own rest , given of jehovah . z and it is called jehova's rest too ; this is my rest , whatever this objector doth suggest to the contrary . and as for the beginnings of this rest here , believers have and enjoyed it as theirs . thus the a psalmist bespeaks his soul , my soul return unto thy. my rest . it was his soul's , and so his own rest ; and thus in the new testament , comers to christ do find rest to their souls : it is their souls rest : a rest given to them of christ , who is gone before to his father's house , to prepare mansions for his thorow disciples , there , in their resting-place , which he has taken actual possession of in their name ; that he and they may be together in holy , happy rest . in the mean while he has given and left his peace with them , that their hearts might rest in him ; and when their time is come , they shall b rest from their labours with him in glory . and now let the reader , with me , make out after this remaining sabbatism , that this promised rest may be ours , that we may not so much as seem to come short of it . then and there will be a sabbatizing , a ceasing as from much other labour and work , so from these strifes and disputations : the perfectly sanctified spirit of just men will come fully home to its rest ; sitting down in glory ; enjoying christ , and rest in him. o the blessedness of such ! o happy we ! and o happy our progresses , our goings on with a streight foot towards this ! if we be such believing , obeying , perswadable ones as shall enter into this rest ! if the reader be one who hath met with this objector's arguing against the seventh day sabbath , it may be he would willingly have somewhat returned in answer yet further , unto some grounds , on which that learned adversary doth lay the pretended change of the weekly-sabbath-day , from the seventh to the first day : i shall therefore transcribe what is written about this . god , saith he , had of old determined the renovation of all , by a new creation , a new law of that creation , a new covenant , and a new sabbatical rest , unto his own glory by jesus christ . the renovation of all things by jesus christ is prophesied of , and foretold , as a new creation of all ; even of the heavens , and of the earth , and all things contained in them ; isai . . , . and . . pet. . . hence the state of things to be introduced thereby , was under the old testament called , the world to come ; heb. . . in the prophety of the new temple or church-state in those days , there is especial direction given for the service of the sabbath-day , ezek. . . this renovation of all things is said accordingly to be accomplished in christ ; cor. . , . old things are passed away ; behold , all things are become new : the old law , old covenant , old worship , old sabbath ; all that was peculiar unto the covenant of works , as such , in the first institution of it and its renewed declaration on mount sinai ; all are gone , and antiquated . the moral law , materially the same , is now the rule of our obedience ; not merely and absolutely unto god , as the creator , the first cause and last end of all ; but as unto god in christ , bringing of us into a new relation unto himself , there is now a new covenant , part of the new creation : jerem. . . heb. . . no man can assert the same day of rest , precisely the seventh-day , to abide as of old ; but he must likewise assert , the same law , the same covenant , the same rest of god , the same way of entring into it ; which yet , as all acknowledge , are changed . on this we lay the observation of the lord's day under the new testament , or a new work of creation , isai . . . & . , . pet . . rev. . . rom. . , . cor. . . gal. . . or a work of new creation is undertaken and compleated . this new creation is accompanied with a new law , and a new covenant or the law of faith , and the covenant of grace , rom. . . & . , . . jer. . , , . heb. . - . vnto this law and covenant , a day of holy rest unto the lord , doth belong , which cannot be the same day with the former , no more than it is the same law , or the same covenant which were originally given unto us , heb. . . rev. . . this day was limited and determined to the first day of the week , by our lord jesus christ . thus this objector . in my reply to this , after two premises , i am to shew that this new heaven , and this new earth spoken of in prophetical scripture ; this renovation by a new creation ; is not so finished and compleated , but that it is yet to come , in the largest fulfilling and accomplishing of it . that , there was a covenant of grace under the old testament administration ; that , the new worship was typically signified in the figuring pattern of old : that the law of faith was a law under the old testament dispensation : that , the old law of the ten words , is still the same : it was the rule of obedience to them under the old testament , as unto god in christ , and is still so a rule unto us under the new : and then let me be discharged from this scholastick war. let this be one premise ( which is several times in short expressions , here and there in this treatise : ) that , it is a choice priviledge and a special liberty , which believers do enjoy under the new testament administration of grace : c christ profiteth them nothing by his coming in the flesh , ( born of the virgin mary to accomplish and to perfect the types of old , which did so set out his thus coming ) who keep themselves still under the former dispensation of types , shadows , and figures : we thankfully acknowledge to the honour of our lord that gracious administration especially now towards the latter-day glory of it , that we are brought under , which if compared with the former , under the old testament , as to the different manner of dispensing ; ( for otherwise , we are to discover in it's place , that , the christian religion is one and the same for doctrines , duties , gifts , graces , priviledges , under both ) has excelling advantages ; such as these for the measures , and for the degrees of them ; it has more d lively efficaciousness , more quick sensible fellowship : e it has more clear convincing light , and more abounding spreading knowledge : and blessed be jehovah , who is in this providential day , clearing up and reviving some too long neglected truths and duties ! amongst some others , this about the weekly seventh day sabbath . f it has more manifested grace : g it has a more spiritual way of worship : it has a more h excelling holiness , refined purity , and shining glory ; having through the spirit , who is the lord , more power to transform into this , those who with unveiled face do look into this glass : i it has more enlarged liberty of heart , in the way and service of the lord : k it has more of self evidencingly revealed mysteries : l it has more royal privileges , set out therefore by a kingdom of god , and of heaven : and the things of it are called heavenly things . this is meant of a church state here on earth : for , above , in the heavenly glory , there are no unfruitful ones , no tares , no scandals , no doers of iniquity , no bad fish , no foolish ones ? this new testament church state has the name of a kingdom of heaven , as it doth much resemble that glorious kingdom which is above in heaven , in its way of government : in its order of subjection , in its sights of faith , in its enjoyments of communion , in its service of delight , and in its conformity of holiness : here these are in growingness of measure ; there they are in fulness of perfection . this new church state has much brought down from heaven to it ; such , as are gracious visits from jehovah-aelohim , in father , son , and holy spirit , angelical ministry , like-affectionedness of the perfectly sanctified spirits of just men , and heavenly messengers with the everlasting gospel . this new church state is drawn up to be much in the spirit in heaven above , by joynt unions ; by mutual fellowships : and it doth believe and expect a new heaven , and a new earth , and a new city , where they shall be all ( the saints and believers both of old and new testament : ) together with one another , and with the elect angels , and with their lord to hidden age , ever as yet . thus it grows up into a spiritual kingdom . how large and delightful a field is here for heavenly meditation ! the manner of administring is not now , by obscure types , and by darkish shadows , as of old , but without a veil , and open faced : yet christ is the substance of both the old and the new testament ; the same promises and rewards of life everlasting were in this christ , and purchased by him : and there was one way and the same mean of receiving of this under both : which was faith in the messiah : the difference that is between the old and the new doth discover it self in the form of dispensation ; which had a diversity for the manner of it , in the old from the new : but this made no real specifick difference or change in the essentials of the christian religion . under the old , believers had an eye towards a messiah , who was then to come in the flesh to be born of a virgin ; and so they eyed the pattern , and propheties , and promises , looking for the coming christ : what were all the figures and types , the rites , and shadows , but confirmers of their faith in , and encouragers of their hope of , christ's coming ? in the new , we have it revealed , that christ is now actually already come , to accomplish those types , and to perfect salvation by his personal sacrifice . the reader may therefore be well satisfied in this , that , our pleading of the cause of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , as it hath no tendency in it self , so no design in me ; to cast any back , or to hold any under the old testament administration , as to the types , shadows , and figures , of it ; much less to draw off , or to thrust back any from coming into , and enjoying of new testament priviledges . i shall not say that it was the objectors intended aim , but it is evidently consequential from his manner of discourse ; that , his lines about this , would secretly insinuate into the reader of them , as if the assertors and observers of the weekly seventh day sabbath did apostatize into judaic ceremonies : i have here another opportunity to wipe off a slanderous charge which some have brought in against us ; as if we stood guilty according to those two scriptures in the m margin , of catching at the shadow , and letting go the body . let it be granted , that the elements , rudiments , or first beginnings , mentioned in that place of the epistle to the n galatians , are the mosaical rites , ceremonial laws , and shadows of a christ , who under that dispensation was then to come , to be born of a virgin ; but is now already come , so born : this then doth shew , that , the apostle condemneth their superstitions observing , or their keeping besides right and equity , ( as that o word which they tranflate , ye observe , doth signifie when taken in an ill sense : ) especially when it was with an opinion of acceptance and justification in the sight of god thereby , such , either un-scriptural days , as were never instituted by jehovah . christ ; or scriptural days in an un-scriptural manner . this were a foul matter of sinful fact , sharply to be reprehended : as when either the right object , a god in christ , is not worshipped ; or when for the matter of observing , it is not new testament worship : or when for the form of observing of times and of worship , there was not an orderly address unto jehovah aelohim : to the father , through the son , in the holy spirit , in a word way ; not in a spiritual manner ; not from inward principles of new nature , of faith , of love , and of obedience : or when the ends of observing of days and times were not right ends : when the gospel designs of humbling , emptying , and abasing of man , and of exalting and glorifying of a god in christ , were not promoted thereby : when there was a carnal compliance either with old judaizers , or with superstitious pagans , who had added divers of their own ethnick corrupt mixtures of idolatrous worship , which they gave to sun , moon , and stars ; by the course and motion whereof , days , times , moons , and years were measured . gentile philosophers having parcelled out the power of the only true god , into the particular vertues of elements and creatures ; as the lights in the heavens , fire , water , and earth ; ascribing some portion of deity to every one of these : and so assigning a part of the worship of god , unto them , too : appointing times and seasons for their superstitious service . these practices are blame worthy . this were to go back either to the old testament dispensation , or to return to their former heathenish rites , which is three times rebuked and reproved , what ? again ? again ? backward ? but what is all this to the standing law of the seventh day sabbath , kept in an holy spiritual manner , in obedience to jehovah's command , according to his word institution ? this is a matter of a distinct nature from the other ; being a law of another kind . so , that to lay aside all instituted natural seasons of worship , such as daily evening and morning worship , and weekly sabbath worship , as some would infer from this place , is in the issue to open a back-door for the main of religion , to be turned out at ; and to enforce it as others do from hence and from p one scripture more , which they also wrest to the like wrong ill purpose , as if it mattered not what day of the week were kept ; or whether any day , or no day at all : so both were done to the lord : and we were now under no such particular law. this were to open a gap to all superstition and prophaneness : or to urge it , as if we were now under no obligation of one special day in a week : but must keep every day of the week as sabbath , as some others . which is quite contrary to the whole scripture , and to the word and nature of a sabbath-day : which is a cessation from the ordinary labour , a resting from the common work , of our particular functions ( which to do on every day of the week , were a sin , expresly against the letter of the law of the fourth word , which doth command us to work six days : ) to spend the day in the instituted work of jehovah aelohim ; this , under a pretence of being always in a sabbath , is to mislead them , to be never in a sabbath : or , as other some , to plead from hence , that , they may keep both first day , and seventh-day too , as sabbaths every week , this also is directly against the precept ; for , we must work the six foregoing days of the week , and rest on the seventh . we do declare against all and every of these mistakes and miscarriages both in principle and in practice : in whomsoever they are found . paul is supposed by these objectors , to speak against the observing of that which comes under the expression of weak and poor rudiments , elements , or first beginnings : whereas the ten words are not such . these are q a kingly law , obedience to these , is the liberty of children , whereas subjection to the other in comparison of this was sometimes r the bondage of servants . the ten words are a kingly law of liberty . if it be objected , that , the typical , figuring , shadowy part annexed of old to the seventh-day sabbath , to be then observed , such as the two he-lambs , and such like , was a part of these weak and poor rudiments ; we acknowledge that these have received their perfection and accomplishment in christ now come , born of a virgin. so that , in this s part , which was typically superadded , we are not now so to observe the weekly seventh-day sabbath ; by such types and figures : but after that glorious , spiritual , heavenly manner as becometh those who are under this new testament dispensation : and thus to keep it , is no bondage to a renewed heart : the more excelling in knowledge , in grace , and in experience , that any is , the more free will they be to this ; when once they are led aright into it . let that therefore which t paul saith in the twelfth verse , be considered here : be ye as i am , for i have been as ye are : as if he had said , i was once superstitious , whilst a pharisee , fond of un-scriptural traditionary seasons , days , and observances , or an observer of scriptural times and institutions in an un-scriptural un-spiritual manner as ye ; but now i bring all to a word-rule , and so should you . if the reader do diligently observe it , in his going over of this epistle , he may find , the law of the ten words established , as a rule of life , in the whole of it , and by enumeration and induction in several particular commands of it : though withal he set out the different manner of dispensing of grace under the old and new testament . this improved and applyed might also be an answer to that part of the objection , which is formed from wresting that other place to the u colossians . the great drift , scope , and design , of the apostle in this second chapter , is w to set up and establish jesus christ as head , lord , law-giver , and the great exemplar . contrary unto which amongst others were these great opposers , the maintainers and defenders of corrupt philosophy , whereby x some did endeavour to make a prey of souls , through affectation of humane wisdom , and vain deception according to the tradition of men , according to the elements of the world , and not according to christ . y another sort of adversaries , were the advocates for humane inventions , the pleaders for the institutions and impositions of men besides and against the scriptures of truth in the matters of faith and of manners , of doctrine , worship , discipline , government and conversation , they were will-worshippers : some others there were who were hot contenders for the keeping up of such ceremonies , as were once shadows and types of a christ , who was then to come to be born in the flesh of a virgin. these typical institutions were perfected in christ , when he thus came : these shadows now passed into the body and substance of them . believers were now complete in their head christ , in the tenth verse ; and had the true grace of what was under types and shadows before , in the eleventh and twelfth verses . that chirograph by rites which before they had as it were written , exhibited , signed , sealed and delivered , was now blotted out or cancelled ; which before was their act and deed : in the fourteenth and fifteenth verses . as for what they object , that two he-lambs of the first year perfect , were an annexed part of the worship on the seventh day sabbath ; and two tenth parts of fine flower for a meat-offering , mingled with oyl , and the drink offering thereof ; the burnt-offering of the sabbath in his sabbath : as if therefore the sabbath too were to be laid aside with these : if there were any force in this arguing , then we should lay aside all religion and worship : for , what was there under that former dispensation , which some way or other had not some figures and shadows annexed to it ? there was blood of a bull sprinkled on the altar , christ : and the book of the covenant it self : and what ? shall we therefore lay aside christ and his book ? the particular commands of the ten words had some types and figures annexed to them : doctrines , duties , graces , and priviledges , relating to the first and second words , were set out by the ark , the altars , the burnt offerings , the incense , the fire on the altar , and such like : as any spiritual discerner may discover , by comparing the epistle to the hebrews with the pattern in the mount. z the third word or command , in several duties of it , had annexed ceremonials , as particularly about an oath , about a vow . thus also about the sixth word or command ; a as in a case of murther : about the seventh command : b as in a case of jealousie : about the eight word or command , as in a case of c restitution : and generally when a soul did sin in omitting of some duty , or in committing of a trespass , when it was ignorantly , or in some other cases , d there were peculiar offerings that were appointed . so that , if this carnal reasoning did hold , it would lay aside all and every of the other ten words . this epistle to the colossians doth establish the law of the ten words in the several particulars of it ; e and the first word , by forbidding the worshipping of angels : f the second , by condemning of will-worship . the third by taxing of balsphemy , g especially when against the holy name of god , the fourth word , by shewing the accomplishment h of the ceremonials annexed to sabbaths , if it were admitted , that the seventh-day sabbath were here included : i the fifth word by pressing to a discharge of relation-duties : k the sixth , by declaring against anger , wrath , and malice : l the seventh , by threatning of fornicators , and unclean persons with the wrath of god : m the eight by for bidding of wrong , and commending of justness and equality in dealing : n the ninth by prohibiting of lying and evil speaking : the tenth by charging of inordinate lusting to be idolatry : which is also a breach of the first command . thus is the decalogue confirmed in this epistle . the next premise is , that the lord jesus christ was administrator under the old , as well as new testament dispensation of grace . i take it to be one great occasion of many misapprehensions , not only in the common sort of professing christians , but even in many who have gotten a name for learning and for godliness ; that they eye christ as christ and redeemer only under the new testament , and god as creator only , under the old : whereas christ o says of himself , that he was anointed from the beginning before the earth was as yet made ; and the father speaks of this his son , under the old testament , that he had anointed him ; aelohim anointed him by pouring out of the oyl of his spirit upon him , with an effusion of a fulness of gifts , and of graces , and of joys , mentioning it expresly as a matter of fact done , mashiach , or christ , or anointed , is one of the mediators names ; often used in the old testament : this is attributed to his substance : the father had ordained him to his mediatoral office of priest , king and prophet even then . it was christ , who was tempted by the unbelieving israelites of old : it was by christ , that all things were created : christ was the same under all dispensations of grace : the fathers purpose and election concerning his people was in christ : the whole word , is the word of christ : believers were reproached for christ , in moses's time : it was the spirit of christ , who was in the prophets ; and the jews and samaritans acknowledged the messias , before they knew who was the very person , and this christ acted as mediator under the old , as well as under the new testament : though his being born of a virgin , and so taking the humane nature to his godhead , were a great part of the new testament dispensation ; when in the days of his flesh here on earth he familiarly conversed with men : for he had a way of appearing as man to several believers upon several occasions under the old testament , as a forerunning discovery of this latter . it was the messiah or christ , who made himself known , by open manifestation visibly , audibly , to abraham , to isaac , to jacob , to moses , and to several of the prophets , and to some others . it was he who proclaimed the law of the ten words at mount sinai ; and who afterwards upon the same mount , gave the typical pattern for that dispensation privately to moses ; it was he who was with the israelitish church in the wilderness ; he was the mediator between god and man , even then ; he was the reconciler , even in those ages . this and more to this purpose , i have already proved from the scripture in this book ; and therefore if the reader would be further informed and inlightned in it , i refer him to the pages cited in the p margin . q this is he , to whom all , ( observe all ; it was the received and delivered doctrine of them all ) the prophets do give witness , that through the name of the lord jesus christ , whosoever believeth in him , shall receive remission of sins . a great , full word , this : but a remark and observand , a special one upon it . it is acknowledged by this learned man , that it was the son , who from the foundation of the world , immediately in his own person transacted the affairs of god with men ; yet he opposeth the seventh day sabbath ; whereas , it was a law of christ's giving to mankind from the beginning . come we now unto the proofs of the several particulars forementioned ; whereof this is one , that this new heaven , and this new earth , spoken of in prophetical scripture , this renovation by a new creation , is not finished and completed , but that it is yet to come in the large fufilling and accomplishing of it . there will be . new heavens , and a new earth : this we believe ; because the scriptures have foretold it : and we rejoyce in hope of their appearing : for they are not as yet come . these glorious creatures are antedated by such objectors , by many hundreds of years . for , although there were some beginnings of a new creation in the days of christ's flesh here on earth , and after christ's ascension , in the apostle's time ; in regenerations and conversions , as there were also in the old ; for , even there we may read of the r creating of a clean heart , and of the renewing of a right constant spirit : christ's name was s filiated even under that dispensation , and there were sons and daughters new createdly born unto him , even then ; and believers were instated in the messiah then . as for that place in the t second epistle to the corinthians , if any man be in christ , he is a new creature ; old things pass away , beheld all things become new ; it doth speak a wonderful change in the new creature : the old carnal state ; the old corrupt principles ; the old crooked rules ; the old selfish ends ; the old bad frames ; the old uutoward actings ; the erroneous mistakes ; the formality in worship ; the old unscriptural traditions ; the old sins ; the old man's conversion ; and such like : these do pass away : and all things , contrary to these , are become new : a whole new man. the apostle speaks of what is peculiar to the new creature in christ , as such : for , as for the old ceremonious rites , and their passing away , even those that were not new creatures , but were carnal professors of christianity , yet had these things passing away , and they were put under a new administation : the new dispensation of grace had ordinances now in a more spiritual heavenly way and manner . the passing away of old things here , is of old things so far as they stand in opposition to the new creature ; and u unto that new life in and to christ , which now the converted person should live : that , as christ so loved his people , as to dye and rise again for them , so should those in christ thus evidence their love to christ , by living no longer to themselves , but unto him ; crucifying the old man ; mortifying the sins and lusts of that old man , and vivifying or quickning the new man : which was true in the types and figures before christ was come , born of the virgin mary ; and which is still true , now after that christ is come and ascended up into glory . but all this doth make nothing , as to the passing away of the law of the ten words ; in all of them , or in w any one the least of them . this is a distinct fort of laws , from the typical , figuring , shadowy , institutions . the law of the ten words , as it always has been , so is it now , and still will be , x the rule of the new creature in christ jesus : for , what in one place , is called the new creatures rule , in another , speaking to the same case , is the keeping of the commandments of god. in christ jesus , neither circumcision availeth any thing , nor uncircumcision ; but a new creature : and as many as walk according to this rule , peace be on them and mercy , and on the israel of god. the israel of old had no saving benefit barely by the outward sign of circumcision : whereas god's israel then , who had the sign and the thing signified too , they had the mercy and peace , who were new creatures , united to the messiah y by faith working by love : who had their hearts circumcised to love jehovah their god , who had sin subdued and lust mortified : and the uncircumcision under the new dispensation was not of any good avail without the new birth , without conjunction to , and communion with it : and if the regenerate , the new born , the new created would evidence and approve themselves to be such ; and to be in christ , they must obey him and keep his commandments : but what is all this to any change of the weekly sabbath , from the seventh to the first day of the week ? to pass from one sort of laws into another sort of laws , from the law of figuring types , to the law of the ten words ; and to infer the passing away of any one of the laws of the ten words , from the passing of types into the antitypes , and of signifying figures into their signified things ; is a transition from one kind to another ; a way of sophistical arguing , of fallacious disputing , captiously to over-reach the ignorant too credudulous vulgar , and to defraud them of their right to the truth . as for that part of the objection , which doth speak of new heavens , and of new earth , pretended to be completed and finished on the day of christ's resurrection , from whence to conclude the passing away of the seventh-day sabbath , to make room for a first-day-weekly sabbath , it is so scriptureless , so natureless , so reasonless , an inference , that it should have been more preconsidered by this arguer , whether it do conclude and prove any thing but this , that the adversaries would fain have something or other that might carry a little colour , and some shew with it , if they know what ; for , let it be pondered , upon search and examination , that all those places of scripture , which do speak of the new heavens , and the new earth , do relate to a further time for their full accomplishment than precisely to the day of christ's resurrection . that prophesie in z isaiah , hath an eye to the more large and spreading conversions of the two , and ten tribes , in the latter days yet to come . how was this then fulfilled on christ's resurrection-day ? who of them was then converted ? what eminent new creatorship was there then brought forth , which might put any such signal remark upon the first day of the week , as from thence to become the new weekly sabbath ? when the most of the disciples themselves did scarce believe him to be raised , till after that day was over : and two disciples , with whom he had walked some miles that day , had little belief of his resurrection ; and little knowledge of him , till he disappeared from them ? how few in comparison , were brought in unto christ , and made new creatures , in all christ's life time , at his death and resurrection , and forty days after that , till after his ascension , and after the pourings out of the holy spirit ? that forementioned prophesie doth foretel , that nations shall be brought under the a jews dominions , when those new heavens , and new earth shall appear . this was not at the time of christ's resurrection-day ; nor ever since : and they were then , and have been since , for sixteen hundred years or more , so far ruling over the nations , that they have been a scattered , despised broken people , without so much as any b political kingly government amongst themselves : it foretels , that those of judah , and of israel should be gathered out of all quarters , c east , west , north and south : this also is behind yet unfulfilled : that euphrates would be dry : was this on christ's resurrection day ? or has it been since ? is not this also yet to come , upon their return to their own land in the latter days ? will not d their grand enemy the turk be then overthrown , who has so long wrongfully possessed their inheritance ? which when it is , will be so great a work for the inhabited earth to take notice of , where the ear-report shall come , or the eye-witnessing be , that it will obscure the memory of former acts. another prophesie by e isaiah , doth fortel , that at that time of the new heavens , and the new earth , the ten tribes of israel , as well as the other two , of judah , and of benjamin , shall according as to an express promise , f return home to their own country and land : for g sharon was in gilead , which belonged to manasseh : the valley of achor was a parcel of the tract of jericho , in the tribe of h judah . there will then be a new face of things in their glorious and blessed renovation ; when there will be divers things accomplished , which are not as yet fulfilled : as may be seen in the next scripture i cited in the margin : which is a part of this same prophesie . for , observe here , k the jews shall then be restored , when this will be performed : their foes will be terrified l upon the report of the jews repair home , which is not fully verified : m the nations will do homage to the jews upon their conversion : whereas hitherto they have been dispersed among , and subdued by the nations ; are objects either of scorn or pitty to all mankind where ever they are ; n a great overthrow will be given to their open enemies ; which is yet to come . o the converted jews will turn to jehovah christ ; and will constantly and continuedly serve him according to gospel institution ; particularly by observing the seventh-day sabbath , in his sabbath : which expression is used p elsewhere ; referring to the seventh-day sabbath . when these things shall come to pass , the lord will make crooked things to be streightness before his people ; when that law of his , to which the isles do expect shall be magnified , and made honourable , as the giver of it , also will be . so great and so glorious things being to come , so long after isaiah's prophesyings : such as whereof all the world could not have foretold ; these are confirmed and verified by the testimony of the father , in his son , by his spirit in his word . as for what is prophesied of by q ezekiel concerning the new temple , or church state , where especial direction is given for the service of the sabbath-day ; this doth confirm and establish the seventh-day sabbath to continue under new testament times . for it speaks of such a day of sabbath , in the same week , as has six working days going r before it : which is s expresly according to the same law proclaimed mount sinai , as one of the ten words . that , which is alledged t out of peter , was a prophesie long after christ's resurrection and ascension , u a little before peter's death ; and not long before the destruction of the temple , and of the jews ; which had a quite contrary face and nature from the glorious renovation foretold . those new heavens and new earth that were prophesied , were at that time of peter's writing the epistle , in the promise , unfulfilled : such as were yet w expected , and look'd out after : and the whole discourse doth manifest , that it was not then accomplished . x that day of the lord ( the same lordly day spoken of in the revelvtion , the great providential day of his lordly appearance ) was not then come , it y peter's time : the heavens were not then passed away with a noise , they were not then perished in flames by fire ; the elements were not then burnt and loosed , or dissolved and melted ; the earth , and the works that were therein , were not then burnt up . the heavens which are now ( saith he , speaking of those that were in his day and time ) and the earth are by the same word laid up as a treasure ; and are kept unto fire against the day of judgment , and of the destruction of ungodly men , or of corrupt worshippers . these things , saith he , shall perish ; they had not then perished : the day of the lord shall come , it was not then come ; but they were to look for , and to hasten unto the coming of it : we , according to his promise , expect new heavens and a new earth , wherein dwelleth righteousness : we look for these things , they were as yet but in the promise : they were under the expectation of believers : they looked for them , but they did not then see and enjoy them actually , in their real coming ; for they were not as yet come . thus also that prophety by john , in the z revelation ; when he had a visional sight of a new heaven and a new earth , upon the passing away of the first heaven and the first earth ; and when he saw the holy city , and the new jerusalem ; and when a great voice out of heaven had told him , that god would wipe off all tears from the eyes of his covenant-people ; and that death should be no more , neither mourning nor crying , nor any more trouble ; for the former things should pass away . he that sat upon the throne said , behold , i make all things new : write , for these things are true and faithful . is it not evident here , that this prophetie was many years after the day of christ's resurrection ? and must not the fulfilling be after the prophetie ? is there not enough in this very place to confute the objector's arguing ; is the first heaven and the first earth yet passed away ? when ever was this fulfilled ? is the new heaven and the new earth yet come ? is the holy city , the new jerusalem , as yet come down from god a out of heaven ? are there not tears found in the eyes of the lord's people , to be wiped away ? is there not death still ? are these former things yet passed away ? is not the lord he , who then foretold , that he would make all things new ? john saw in a vision , and heard in a voice , they would be so made ; but they were not actually so excellent on earth in john's day and time. for there will be this new face of things in the churches of christ on earth : this new , holy city , jerusalem , is not said to go up to god , into heaven ; b but it doth come down from god out of heaven . c god will renew his covenant with his people , and he will tabernacle with them . d god will put away humane ordinances , inventions , impositions , and traditions , to set up his own institutions , all the laws and orders of his new house , in their purity and power . e the nations shall receive light from this new church ; so shiningly enlightned , so clearly taught of him . f church-discipline shall be revived , set up , and exercised : distempers , diseases , and ulcers , of spirit , of soul , and body , shall be healed , and cured , and removed , g by the medicinal leaves of the tree of life . all which do belong to a church-state here on earth . if other passages in this book of the revelation be collated , it will appear , that many things foretold to go before this , are not yet fulfilled : h for there must be another manner of conversion of the tribes yet : of all the tribes ; which do include the ten of israel , as well as the two of judah and benjamin ; the twelve thousands of the several tribes . i the new church was to be erected , after that the see of the beast was overthrown . k the returning jews are called the kings of the east . there will be a laying dry the l waters of euphrates ; as those of the red sea were of old , for jehova's redeemed ones to pass thorow . m the turkish oppressing tyrant will yet further destroy many of the jews ; which grand enemy shall at length be quite destroyed , utterly ruined , and his power shall be broken to pieces . n the very place of this conflicting battel is particularly mentioned , where his overthrow shall be : o and there will yet be a glorious christian church of returning , believing jews erected ; p from whom other nations shall receive a shining light , giving them honour , doing them homage ; and bringing in their glory to them ; whom the king of saints so much will delight in , as to dignifie them with the glory of his presence ; q compleating and perpetuating their purity and peace , their holiness and happiness : so that these are works , which were never yet so finished , and which yet remain behind to be done . that prophesie in r jeremiah doth speak much the same thing : for there is foretold the destruction of the s enemies of the jews , which will be in the last days , the usual expression setting out the accomplishment of this glorious mystery , as other scriptures do declare : t then will jehovah renew a covenant with all the families of israel ; all , with the ten , as well as with the other two tribes . here also is , u the place expressed , from what part of the inhabited earth their return should first be , even from the north. the call would be to the generality of that people to come unto christ , and so great a multitude would be converted to him , as were not to be numbred by man. jehovah himself would be their conductor and leader in the way of their return : the lord 's providential appearance would be so wonderful in this , that w the nations afar off , and remote in distance from them , would upon report hereof brought unto them , much praise aelohim for his grace and favour towards his people . the lamention was foretold then , would be great x when innocents were slain at christ's birth ; but for greater in the latter days , after that ; when the israelites would repent and turn unto christ : then should they return home to their own land , to dwell in their cities : their enemies would be overthrown by a z woman ; these converts should peaceably inhabite their a country ; and become very happy in being made , a pure glorious church : b the new or renewed covenant would be firmly ratified , and surely established with them : c jerusalem would once again be rebuilt . have these gladtyyings , yet had their through fulfilling ? are they not works yet to be performed ? that other scripture in the epistle to the d hebrews , has the same import and design , as to the covenant , and the renewing of it . here is no determinate day of christ's resurrection mentioned ; when this promise was to have its exact precise fulfilling : and if we would point any particular time more than other , according to this kind of arguing , it was rather the fruit of christ's e ascension , if it relate to those times so near christ , when this high priest entred into the holy of holies : for this chapter doth more particularly set out the high priesthood of christ , entred into heaven with blood , and with incense , satisfying and interceding there ; fitting at the right hand of his father ; raigning ; having all power ; sending messengers to teach his people ; and so is more consummately a glorious priest , king and prophet together ; actually bestowing upon believers all those purchased , covenanted blessings , for which he intercedes on their behalf ; as pardon , peace , grace , mercy , reconciliation , assistance , acceptance , and such like : which he did for believers before , but in another way of dispensing : for , whilst he remained on earth , even after his resurrection , till he ascended into heaven , the levitical priesthood did continue . so that , the honour is more in some respect put upon christ's ascension , if we will date these new things about that time , when christ went up into the highest heavens : for , then more especially , was the f new and living way new made , by christ's entring into the holy of holies , into the highest heaven . as to what doth relate to the new testament ministration , as such more spiritually dispensed , we have several times acknowledged , that without making any change in the sum and substance of the christian religion , in the law of the ten words . the author of the epistle to the hebrews , doth set out the excellency of the new testament , above and beyond the old , as to the clearness and gloriousness of dispensing the same truths and things of god , which were of old under a darker administration . g this new covenant spoken of , has had in all ages , since the writing of that epistle , some particular fulfillings , when the regenerating spirit doth write the holy law of the ten words , on the two tables of the mind and heart of any person and people , especially if they be of the converted hebrews , who are more eminently concerned in this promise , the most of which is yet behind unaccomplished , and waits for the larger conversions of that people , in days yet to come : for that is a prophetical scripture , yet taken out of that place in jeremiah , which has been spoken unto already , and which is again mentioned h towards the closing up of the new testament canon , as reserved for one of the choicest blessings of the last days . the newest things then , will be the last things , called therefore the i newest times : k for the fulfilling of this , the whole creation doth groan and wait , especially those who have the first fruits of the spirit ; they groan in themselves , expecting the adoption , redemption of their body : the rest of the creation long to be delivered from the wrong that is done to them by fallen devils , and by sinful men : they labour under their subordination to vanity , their oppresling servitude , their travelling pain , their use and service being so quite perverted from what it was at their primitive make : and they shall be freed , when the new created-state shall come : for which , holy longers do expect and hope , when tzijon shall put on her royal ornaments , when the new heavens , and the new earth shall appear clothed with their new glorious dress : when the elect have been all gathered in unto christ ; when the saints shall be possessed of the full and whole of their heavenly inheritance , to which they are adopted ; of their glorious liberty , to which they are appointed ; from remaining indwelling sin , to a complete holiness ; from persecutions , temptations , sorrows and other troubles , to an uninterrupted peace , and happy sabbatism ; from their strange country , where they meet with such unkind usage , to their purchased home , and prepared palace in their new city ; when their body shall be more perfectly redeemed , that it may be transformed into a likeness unto christ's glorious body , together with their spirit and soul ; all together , fully to injoy this god in father , son and holy spirit , for ever to glorifie him in consort with the blessed inhabitants of that heavenly country ; where they may have all their waitings for fulfilled ; all their prayers answered ; all their longings satisfied ; all their capacities filled up with a suitable good : then shall groanings pass into shoutings ; and sighings into singings ; o for that day ! o who will give this ! o how could hearts sick of love for more of christ in clearness of vision , and in fulness of injoying , even leap out of the body ; and forthwith give a spring into glory ! o how good is it to be here / but i must come down to this mount , and do further work yet , for my lord and master . i am now to evidence from the scriptures of truth , that there was a covenant of grace under the old testament administration . this doctrine of grace is that , which must lay the foundation for an after assertion of mine about a law of faith , under the old testament ; for l grace and faith are companions : rich grace , abounding mercy , free love , from the father , in and through his son christ , revealed to and in his people , doth by his spirit in his word , inwork the grace of faith in them , and calls forth acts of faith from them ; that christ may be made to them , wisdom , righteousness , sanctification and redemption ; that no flesh might glory in his presence ; but that those who glory , mighty glory in the lord : and saving justifying faith doth bottom upon the power and truth of god ; manifesting his unchangeable free grace to believers ; giving them this grace of faith , whereby they apply christ and his righteousness unto themselves , for their justification in the fight of god , making them to acknowledge , that m they are justified , accepted and saved , not of works , neither of themselves , but by grace , through and for christ . in order to the augmentation of this holy science , i would propound these questions to further disquisition . q. whether , where ever in the old testament , he that appeared as a man , or as an angel , and withal is called jehovah , be not always christ , manifesting himself under that dispensation of grace ? q. whether , if all the hebrew words , which in the old testament do set out grace , mercy , sweet savour , acceptance , free favour , covenanting , atonement , reconciliation , propitiation , pardon and such like ; withal synonyms and phrases relating thercunto . if all these were put together , it would not bring great light to this doctrine of a covenant of grace ? q. whether there be clear scripture-evidences , that ever there were any covenant made between god and man , of salvation by works only , without free grace in a mediator , on god's part ; and without faith in a messiah on man's part ? so that man's justification and eternal life was solely and merely upon this one only condition of mans perfect , perpetual , absolute , personal obedience to the whole law of god , to all and every of his commands . before i pass more thorowly into the proof of a covenant of grace under the old dispensation , it may be of some use to open that expression of a new , or a renewed covenant , n in the prophesie of jeremiah , and in the epistle to the hebrews . o the hebrew word for new is several times rendred renewed by the english translators themselves ; as the reader may see in the scriptures cited in the margin : the hebrew often signifying , not new for the kind , but another of the same thing for kind : the same word , which is in jeremiah , a covenant renewed ; as new days , and new mercies , are renewed days , and renewed mercies p thus a new commandment of love , is a renewed commandment of the good old duty of love , q thus also in the greek language , in that forementioned instance ; it was an old command renewed and revived : so it is also in the r verb. hence the renewing of our mind , and the renewnig of the holy spirit . that it has this sense in the eighth chapter of the epistle to the hebrews , will yet more clearly appear ; when i shall discover , that all and every of the particulars expressed in that covenant , are such as have been , as were in their nature , real existence , and actual being , under the old testament dispensation . in this , as in other great undertakings in this treatise , my calls are more vocal than others from the lord ; to commit my soul by well doing , unto this faithful creator , and loving redeemer , jehovah christ . considering the much opposition i have met with heretofore , about this and other such enquiries ; and may yet further be exercised with . but he who made all things is also the head of the body ; of his body the church ; that in all he might hold the chief . for so it pleased the father ; who in , and through , and by his son , has in all ages of the world , manifested and dispensed much of the freeness of this love , and of the riches of his grace ; which that s it might be made firm unto his people , he hath put into a promise , made sure with his oath . that covenant which aelobim in christ made with his people , was a covenant of grace ; one and the same both in the old and new testament , differing only in the manner of dispensing : as also is the whole of the christian religion t one and the same in both , for doctrines and duties , for graces and privileges , and such like parts of this religion , which doth vary only in the several ways of administration . by a covenant of grace , i mean the lord' 's free promising of life , of wisdome , of righteousness , of sanctification , of redemption , of all good things to his people , believing in christ ; who are thus specally favoured by him . the instances which i shall particularize in , will be those after adam's fall. such a gracious covenant the lord made with his people , who were under the old testament-dispensation . u how much of grace was there put into that one comprehensive promise , the seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head . i shall gather a little out of that full store of this which is to be found , and put it together . w noah was one that found grace in the eyes of jehovah ; a just man , perfect in his generations ; he walked with aelohim . it is one of jehovah's names , that he is gracious : and it is the special privilege of his people , that he has a peculiar favour for them . x this grace doth paul , in what he wrote to the church of rome , oppose unto works , and unto debt : it was the free meroy of god , in christ ; noah did not deserve it . and it was y by faith that noah pleased god , and served him with acceptance . with this noah did aelohim establish his covenant , that noah should enter into the ark ; he , and his sons , and his wife , and his sons wives with him ; where they should be saved from the common drawning : noah in faith , and in abedience , prepares the ark to the saving of his houshold ; through the which be condemned the world , and was heir of the righteousness which is by faith ; as is mentioned in the epistle to the hebrews . z peter calleth him , a preacher of righteousness . that this was typical , and had some further spiritual meaning in it , the same peter doth declare , by shewing , that baptism under the new testament was an anti-type to this , an answerable figure , saving of believers by the resurrection of jesus christ . this doctrine of the free covenant of mercy , of righteousness , and of salvatiou by faith in christ , did noah commend to his hearers ; and it was sealed up towards the faithful , in that wonderful deliverance in the ark , which did shadow forth salvation through faith in christ , and that believers , of the posterity of noah , should be heirs by faith of the righteousness of christ ; which was in this type made a special free covenant with them ; whilst the unbelieving and unperswadable , the impenitent and disobedient , living and dying such , would perish and be destroyed . a after the flood , noah thus saved , builds an altar to jehovah , which was a figure of christ ; by whom we are to offer the sacrifice of praise , always unto god ; as is interpreted in the epistle to the hebrews : it is christ , the spiritual altar , who doth sanctifie the offering , and the gift . on this altar which noah did build , noah offered up burnt offerings of every clean beast , and of every clean fowl. the lord christ was hereby typified , who performed his office of mediation , as in all the other parts of it , so in the discharge of his priestly function , offering up of himself a propitiatory sacrifice to god his father more especially , for those whom the father gave unto him : this he did by the everlasting spirit without spot : this was signified hereby , expiation , and the doing away of sin , by the slain sacrifices of christ himself : jehovah smelled a smell of rest , in what noah did ; graciously accepting of the sacrifice thus offered : and again makes a covenant with noah , of rich mercy in christ : by and through whom believers should be freed from the curse . for another confirmation of this gracious promise , the lord makes it sure unto believers by a sign . he gives them a b visible token at some seasons , for the encouragement of his peoples faith , that when they saw him giving his bow in the cloud , they might believe , that he would remember his covenant , that they might rest on him , and on his faithfulness , in the true performance of the word of his grace . c this covenant made with noah , that there should not be any more a flood , to destroy the earth , doth the prophet isaiah apply to the covenant of grace , made with believers in christ , confirmed by oath . for , as he swore , that the waters of noah should no more go over the earth , so he hath sworn , that he will be no more angry with his covenant-people , nor rebuke them ; and the rainbow , which is a visible sign of his special favour , is both in ezekiels vision , and in the visions of john , in the d revelation , used as a sign of grace from god to his people in christ : it was a gracious testimony of christ's glorious majesty . this covenant of grace was afterward e renewed to abraham ; and that , several times ; wherein jehovah did promise to bless him , and to bless all the families of the earth in him , in the promised seed , in christ . abraham is called , the father of all believers . the lord christ appeared unto abraham about eight times , unto isaac about three times , and unto jacob about seven times , for the more establishing incouragement of faith in his promises ; so many we have upon written record . this free gracious covenant and promise , doth paul in his epistles , to the romans , and to the galatians , affirm , improve , and apply . it was sealed by circumcision to abraham : and that which was sealed was the righteousness of faith ; and his faith was therein confirmed by jehovah's oath , as the scriptures in divers places have recorded : it was full of mercy and favour , and jehovah forgets it not : but , as he hath remembred , so he doth and will remember for his people , this his holy covenant . f the covenant of the law proclaimed afterwards at mount sinai ; could not disanul this covenant with abraham ; which was confirmed afore of god in respect of christ : as paul argues with many convincing arguments : especially two , if this be well considered , that g there was a covenant of grace in that covenant at mount sinai ; which jehovah , the aelohim of his people , did then and there strike with his people at horeb. the typical signs and shadowing figures , delivered more privately there unto moses ; together with the many annexed gracious promises , relating thereunto , with respect to priest , sacrifices , altar , and such like , do cast a clearer shining light upon this , before the eyes of every spiritual discerner , that will diligently compare the new testament commentary , particularly the epistle to the hebrews , upon that part of moses's book , where the veil , that was upon the face , is taken off . and , if further , this may also be demonstrated concerning the law of the ten words , which was proclaimed with more open solemnity , and glorious majesty , that this also has in it the same covenant of grace , the kingly law will then the more commend it self to the hearts of all the disciples of christ . this law has in the scriptures , the name and the thing of a covenant of grace . it is called a covenant , such an one as has gràce in it ; for , if we consider it , as having the supperadded law of types and of figures , annexed to it ; so h this covenant was not dedicated without blood. the patterns of heavenly things were purified by the blood of sacrifices , whereby christ was held forth as confirming the promises to believers by his own blood. the prophet haggai makes mention of i this covenant , made with them in christ . and paul in declaring the priviledges and advantages of that people , doth reckon up these , that they were the adopted people of god , the k ark of the covenant , in which the ten words was put , were amongst them , was their glory ; all full of grace ; there were the covenants ; the two tables of them ; the law-giving , and the instituted-worship , was theirs ; and so were the promises too , which went along together with those other favours . l so that , to be estranged from the citizenship of israel , was to be strangers to the covenants of promise . m the words there spoken are called , the words of the covenant : the two tables on which the words were written by the finger of aelohim himself , have the name of the n tables of the covenant , of the testimony , of the tables of the testimony : the o ark into which the law of the ten words , and this only was put , is honoured with the title of the ark of the covenant , the ark of the testimony , covered over with mercy , and crowned round about with gold and grace : the tabernacle in which this ark was treasured up and kept , is said to be p the tabernacle of the testimony . o how full of grace is all this ! consider well who was the law-giver ; jehovah aelohim , from the father , in the holy spirit , by the lord christ , spake with lively voice , q faces in faces , and this unto all the people . it was this christ who was administrator and dispenser at mount sinai : he was the proclaimer of his own kingly law there , as hath been already proved by the scriptures . it was he , whom the father gave r for a covenant of the people . he who is s the mediator of the covenant : he who was the t angel of the covenant : u he who was the confirmer of the covenant : he who ever was , is , and will be , the foundation , the ground-work , the substance , the comprehensive of the whole covenant of grace . he in whom all the promises of god , as many as there be , are yea and amen ; truth and firmness it self , faithful and unchangeable as he himself is . this law it self had much of a gospel design in it ; in the preparation that was made for the giving and receiving of it ; there were precious promises made to that people , who were then about to be taken into covenant with jehovah aelohim : a god in christ ingaged that , if hearkning they would hearken to his voice , and keep his covenant , w they should be a peculiar treasure unto him above all peoples : he would take them for his own proper goods . the same thing is mentioned in the new testament ; christ purchased to himself a peculiar people . so paul kept close to this expression ; and that of peter is much the same , in his first epistle ; though expressed by another ; a people for peculiar possession ; these are they whom christ buys and redeems to himself , for his own special use and service , they are singularly dear unto him . so is that prophesie and promise in malachi . how rich , how free is this grace ; that jehovah chose his people x for his portion ; as moses thankfully confesseth in the words of one of his last songs : they were that part which he had marvellously separated unto himself ; his heritage , as by li●● allotted to him , whom none other can challenge as their propriety . y this people he chose above all peoples that are upon the faces of the earth : not for their multitude above all peoples did jehovah set his love upon them , and chuse them , for they were the fewest of all peoples ; but because jehovah loved them , and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto their fathers did jehovah bring them out with a strong hand , and redeemed them . the election was of his grace , not of any worthiness in them . this jewel was dear unto him , and he promised a further honour that he would put upon them ; they should be unto him a kingdom of priests , and an holy nation . is not this the self-same thing which is mentioned , as the covenant-privilege of god's chosen ones under the new testament-dispensation of grace ? for z to this phrase doth peter keep , and so also does john in the revelation ; who doth give glory unto the lord christ , that he hath made his people such now unto god his father . how full are the treasures of this grace ! o , what an honour did jehovah put upon that people , whom he so brought unto himself ! how signal a favour was this to his israel ! if we look into the ten words themselves , a do they not begin with a gracious covenant ? i jehovah , thy god. this he made over to his people in a special manner , there being no higher , no greater good than himself ; none so high , none so great as he : he is all good in one ; whatever good there is , it is in and from him . they are the blessed ones , who have this jehovah for their god. b o , the blessedness of such ! thus sweetly sung the psalmist . this is the choice part of their happiness , who enjoy this privilege by his gracious covenant , and peculiar favour . under every dispensation of grace , c this is mentioned as the summ of all good ; for this is all the salvation , and all the desire of believers . to be for or to a god unto that people , d is the substance of that covenant of grace , which god hath made with his people in christ : so it has been to this day ; and so it is revealed , that it will be renewed and revived in the purest and best days . when he gives himself to any , he gives an inheritance of all things to such . as e this doth bring in the first great word or command , so also is it expresly put into the second , into the third , and into the fourth ; into every word of command of the first table : in the second table also , we may find it in the fifth word . and those that will diligently observe , and duly apply it in their reading of the holy scriptures , may discern it to be a rich portion , going along with every one of the ten words in particular , as well as made over to all of them in general ; especially with respect to the fourth word . it is remarkable in moses's repeating of this law , that in his going over of the law for the seventh-day-sabbath , this covenant of grace , i am jehovah , thy god , is f four times expresly mentioned : besides the type of spiritual redemption by christ ; which is also about thirty nine years after christ's first proclaiming of this law at mount sinai ; superadded , and expresly put into this fourth word , as a forcible reason to engage obedience to this holy precept : the figure of which salvation by christ , and of his delivering of his people from their spiritual bondage and misery under sin and satan , is a choice part of the covenant of grace . this is that which doth lead in the ten words : by this manifested grace doth he invite his people to faith and obedience . his israel of old had redeeming mercy put into the beginning of this holy , just and good law ; who were redeemed , not only from outward slavery , but also from the idolatry of egypt , g as the prophet ezekiel hath declared ; and from the false gods there , so hath samuel discovered in his second book . and they had a promise of other mercy in the h second word , which jehovah would do unto those , who loving him , and keeping his commandments : they should receive mercies , benefits , loving kindnesses , bounties from him . it is further note-worthy , that most of the ten words , even eight of them , as they are in the two tables , are exprest in that manner , that they are precepts and promises too , such is the significancy of that future-tense in which they run ; and the other two , that is to say , the fourth and fifth , i are put into the same promising , as well as commanding way , in the same book of moses in another place : and the particular duties and graces , required in those ten words are somewhere or other covenanted by jehovah aelohim , to be given to his people in other scriptures ; as to love him ; to fear him ; to delight in him ; and such like ; he will inwork in them what he doth require of them . o what abundance of riches of grace is here ! if you meditate upon what did accompany the ten words , and what was annexed to them , what were all the shadows and figures , and types , but a significant commentary upon the covenant of grace ? what was the true spiritual meaning of all these superadded patterns , but to set out christ , and all those special benefits , which believers have and do injoy in him , of which the followers of christ , under that dispensation of grace , had a free participation ; as the disciples of christ have now ? k they fed on christ , in their manna from heaven ; and they drank of christ in their water from the rock . by the grace of the lord jesus christ , they did believe to be saved the same way , as believers do now : peter put no difference between them and us , but only in the manner of dispensing . what shall i say more , of all the signs and seals , l under that administration , of the free favour of jehovah aelohim towards his covenant people ? what was all this , but a gospel-teaching , an applying of the covenant ? take but off the veil from them , and they appear much with a face of shining grace . was not the virtue and efficacy of christ's death under that dispensation of grace ? he was the lamb sl●in from the foundation of the world ; so he is said to be , in the m revelation . christ's satisfaction and intercession was available for his covenant people in moses's time . the book it self wherein moses did write all the words of jehovah , is called , n the book of the covenant . this book on the altar , was sprinkled with blood to be sanctified thereby ; which blood is also called , the blood of the covenant . the people also were sprinkled with the blood of the covenant , in the sprinkling of the twelve pillars , which did represent them , that is , the twelve tribes . this covenant or testament at horeb , as the author of the epistle to the hebrews , hath observed and declared , was not dedicate without blood . these were patterns , anti-types ( and the types must answer the one to the other : ) of the heavenly things , and they were purified by the blood of those sacrifices , signifying , that the lord christ , by his death should sanctifie his people unto himself , by the blood of the new testament ; in a clearer manner of dispensing , and fuller measure of accomplishing , though otherways , one and the same covenant of grace . moses called upon the people to behold this , which scripture is explained in what is written to the hebrews ; this is the blood of the covenant , or of the testament , which god hath commanded unto you . o thus was the covenant of grace under the old testament confirmed by the blood of beasts , exactly answering unto the same covenant of grace , under the new testament ; which was confirmed by the blood of christ . p there was free remission of sins : acceptation of the person , and of the service , for in the through christ , then as there is now . all the prophets do give witness unto christ ; that , through his name , whosoever believeth in him , shall receive remission of sins . this doth further appear in moses's repeating over in the latter part of his book , the same covenant which jehovah aelohim made with his people at sinai ; wherein he doth at large discover , how much rich grace , and free love , a god in christ had manifested towards that people in covenant with him : the book commonly called deuteronomy is a second declaration of the same covenant of grace , repeated , renewed with their children ; renewed with israel ; the same made before ; only with some clearer revelation of christ , and of blessings by him , and of inlarged , explained promises . it was the same covenant of grace , which was also solemnly renewed with , and by the people of god , at their return from the captivity of babylon , as may be seen in the records of ezra , and of nehemiah . the same covenant of grace , also which the lord makes with his people in christ now . and q the same which he will revive and renew with the new formed created people in the latter days . who shall not so break covenant as those israelites in the wilderness of old did , but shall be more stedfast and faithful to god , who will be so graciously in covenant with them . those promises in jeremiah , repeated in the epistle to the hebrews are if not peculiarly , yet at least chiefly , made to the house of israel ; the ten tribes , as well as judah , have their part in them , ephraim setting out the israelites of the ten tribes : they shall come from the north , and be generally called , an innumerable multitude ; they shall dwell in their cities in their own country ; their city of jerusalem shall be re-edified ; their estate shall be flourishing and happy to perpetual continuance ; with such other things , as were never yet throughly fulfilled . which cannot be meant of their coming out of the captivity at babel : the promises relating to the new testament dispensation . and all this shall be in the r last days , by which words this great mystery is usually expressed . this will yet further , be evidently demonstrated , in that , this prophetie and promise was renewed and revived several years after christs ascension into heaven , as is clear by the mention of it in that epistle to the hebrews , and in several places of the revelation . for the contrary to all this was some few years in the same generation or age after christ's death ; the jew 's were unchurched ; the city and the temple were destroyed , according to christ's foretelling , in what is written in that s book of his generation . all and every of the particulars expressed in the renewed covenant , were before , under that dispensation in moses's time : they are also now made good unto this present dispensation , according to the manner and measure of administration , as the all-wise god saw and sees fit , which will be more clearly manifested , and more fully accomplished in the last times . and with this prophetie both the old and new testament are closed . let all and every of the particulars pass under a scripture-examination . will christ give his laws in the mind of his people , and write them in their hearts ? t so he did under the old testament-dispensation : the same thing was fulfilled towards and in a covenant-people then . thus in moses's writings , jehovah aelohim speaks to his people these words ( the ten words written in the two tables of stone ) which i commanding thee this day , shall be in thy heart . these are the fleshly tables wherein they shall be written . thus the psalmist in his time , in his describing the just man , saith , the law of his god is in his heart , it shall not stagger his steps . the prophet isaiah thus sets out the people of god ; they are a people , in whose heart is this law. it was solomon's advice in his u proverbs ; my son , forget not my law , but let thine heart keep my commandments : write them upon the table of thine heart . and again , a second time , in another place ; my son , keep my sayings , and lay up my commandment with thee : keep my commandments , and live ; write them upon the table of thine heart . hath the lord promised that he will be for or to a god to his people ? this was performed under the old testament . i have already shewed , that it is expresly put into the ten words several times . in moses's time jehova's people had w avouched , or had made to say , him to be unto them for a god : they owned and acknowledged him to be thus in covenant with them , for the confirming of their faith , and for the increase of their obedience . i will remember unto them ( said jehovah aelohim , speaking of his covenanting israel , walking obediently : ) the covenant of ancestors ; them whom i brought forth out of the land of egypt , before the eyes of the heathen , to be unto them a god : i jehovah . thus did he often in that book of moses , make over himself to his people in christ ; such delight did he take in taking occasion to tell them , that he was and would be a god unto them . was not here covenanting grace , and redeeming love ? it was the faine that was made before , with jacob , isaac , and abraham , as sometimes the order of words is : in other places is mentioned , from abraham downwards , to isaac and jacob : but in one place of moses's book it is mentioned , renewed and confirmed , going upward ; from the people near a deliverance in egypt , to jacob , to isaac , to abraham , the father of the faithful : thus leading them to that former , and more ancient promise , and gospel-covenant of grace in christ , believers could say in the psalmist's time , that j. ●●lohim was their portion for ever . hath the lord graciously promised , that a chosen people shall be his people ? so they were of old , in moses's days if ye shall walk in my stntutes , ( thus spake he to them ) and keep my commandments , and do them ; then i will walk among you , and will be to you a god , and you shall be to me a people . jehovah hath avouched ( or hath caused to say , or to promise , by giving his , and by taking thy word ) thee to be unto him for a people of peculiar treasure , as be hath spoken unto thee , and to keep all his commandments : for jehovah ' s x portion is his people , jacob the line of his inheritance ; ho hath divided and separated them unto himself , as his allotted part , and peculiar possession , hath he promised covenant teaching and knowledge ? this also was a covenant privilege of old. y he taught them his name jehovah ; and made himself known to them by that name , in putting a being into his promises made to their fathers , for their deliverance ; and proclaimed this name to moses . his people sate down at his feet , receiving of his words . thus were christ's disciples even then taught by him , as their master . thou , saith he to his people then , hast been made see to know , that z jehovah he aelohim , none else besides him : and thou shalt know , and cause to return into thy heart , that jehovah , he aelohim ; in the heavens above , and on the earth beneath , none else . this doth particularly relate to their being instructed to acknowledge christ's jehovahship . a in david's time , the secret of jehovah was to them who feared him ; and his covenant to make them for to know : he revealed in the inner man of believers the hidden mysteries of wisdom . will he be merciful to the unrighteousness of his covenant-people , no more remembring their sins , and their iniquities ? the same free mercy and grace was manifested under the former dispensation . b christ hath put it into the second word or command : and proclaimed it as his name , when moses went up into mount sinai ; as jehovah had commanded him , taking in his hand the two tables of stone : jehovah , jehovah god , pitiful and gracious , long suffering , and much in mercy and truth ; keeping mercy for thousands , forgiving iniquity , and trespass , and sin . doth not the blessedness of man consist in this ? whereupon moses makes haste , and bows himself , and pleadeth this in prayer ; pardon thou , o lord , our iniquity , and our sin . c was not this the meaning of the sin offerings , and of the trespass offerings , with the annexed promises of pardon , and of acceptation ? d did not the covering merch seat , which was altogether as broad as the ark ( wherein were the two tables ) preach this ? did it not set out the merciful covering and propitiation of sins ? was not this a precious figure of jesus christ ? by and through whom , received by and through faith in him , his peoples transgranssings of the law of the ten words , are freely , fully forgiven , and wholly covered ? how full are the books of moses ; of the psalms , and of the prophets , of this comforting doctrine ? so that all these promises in the covenant of grace , have been , are and will be the same under both the dispensations . all the difference is , that in the last days , there will be a more clear discovery of this gracious covenant : a more glorious way of dispensing ; a more through inabling to the keeping of it . for to this especially , have the expressions of difference an eye and respect , between the old and renewed covenant . spoken of in e jeremiah , and in the epistle to the hebrews compared . there will be larger pouring out of the holy spirit and blessing , from the father in the name of the son ; in those latter purer times , that are near at hand : so that this covenant shall not be broken , as it has been under former dispensations of grace ; but be better kept with more exactness and faithfulness , with more intireness and continuedness in the fulness and perfection of it . halelujah : i will confess jehovah with all the heart : gracious he. he will remember his covenant for ever , toward his people . the secret of jehovah to them , who fearing him , and his covenant , to make them for to know . all the paths of jehovah mercy and truth , to them that keep his covenant and testimonies ; and that remember his precepts for to do them . have respect unto the covenant ! for ever thou wilt keep for thy saints , thy excelling ones , thy mercy and thy covenant faithful to them . the whole of the christian religion for doctrines , graces , duties , priviledges , and such like parts of that religion , is one and the same under both the old and new testament . is not the word called the f word of christ ? is not christ named the speaking-one , both by daniel , and by the author of the epistle to the hebrews ? doth not christ call himself , g the word ? and the word of god ? is not he the sum , and the subject matter of the whole scriptures ? is not he the author of them ? hath he not said of himself , he is h the one doctor or teacher of his disciples ? is he not i the great prophet ? is he not the lord god of the holy prophets ? did he not at mount sinai , speak by his own voice from heaven ? was it not his forewithessing spirit , who from him spake in the prophets of old , declaring the sufferings that should befal christ ; and the glory that was to follow , as saith peter in his first ; epistle ? k was not that passage in the ninety and fifth psalm , to day if you will hear his voice , applyed to the voice of christ , in what was written to the hebrews . l has not christ himself declared , that those who searched the scriptures might find them testifying of him ? and what other scriptures had they at that time , but those of the old testament ? when he himself , in the days of his flesh did exercise his publick ministery , preaching the glad tydings of justice in the great church . assembly ; did he not teach in m that sermon of his at the mount , the same true christian doctrine , which was delivered of old to his faithful messengers from him , the which to bring to his people ? and did he not vindicate the verity and purity of it , from those corrupt wrong interpretations that false teachers had given of it ? did not christ who lay in the bosom of his father , n declare and reveal the whole of the will of his father , under that former dispensation of grace , so far as concerned that dispensation ? and is it not one and the same will still ? the difference in the manner of dispensing only , well observed ? were not they then taught all things , and all truths whatsoever , that were necessary to salvation ? were not they fully and perfectly directed the true , right way to eternal life ? were not they strictly charged from christ by his servant moses , not to add to the words that he gave them in commandment , nor to take from them ? and must not that word then , be a complete directory , and comprehensive sum of all doctrinals , as well as of other matters ? o who will give , that this word of christ may ind wel in us copiously , abundantly , in all wisdom ! o let it not stand as a stranger without doors ! but let us receive it in , and find a place for it in our inmost parts ! that it may be as well known , and familiar to us , as the most dear delightful companions , and the most near beloved relations , with whom we dwell and converse . let us be well acquainted with the whole of it , and diligently compare it in the several parts of it . be we much and mighty in the scriptures of both the prophets , and also of the apostles , receiving the whole as a doctrine revealed from heaven by christ ! o that this were more found in our hearts and minds ! in our memory and conscience ! in our wills and affections ! that all the good fruits thereof may abound , and be more visible in the whole of our life ! there we may learn all saving wisdom : there is the perfect knowledge to be had of all things , to be both believed and done , that eternal life may be obtained . there are universal principles of this law of the ten words , which do pertain to faith and manners ; and these practical dictates which every one of these laws doth include is a fundamental truth and doctrine necessary to be believed ; as , that we must have jehovah aelohim for our god , and him alone : that we must worship him according to his institutions in his word , and not in any other way of humane inventing , and imposing , that we ought to have an holy reverent use of his name : that the seventh day is his sabbath , in which we may not do the servile works of our particular calling ; that the father and mother are to be honoured ; and so of the rest . whoever doth believe the contrary to these , is guilty of erring in decalogical fundamentals . have i not already demonstrated and proved by the whole scriptures those great doctrines concerning the jehovahship , the christship , the mediatorship , the lordship , the lawgivership , the creatorship of the lord jesus christ ? would the reader have more doctrines thus manifested ? the doctrine of regeneration was preached of old . the first creation of man was an exact patten , and a lively samplar of this , o when man was made in the image , according to the likeness of his makers , he having a concreated resemblance unto his creators , in knowledge , in righteousness , in holiness , in dominion , in glory ; this was defaced by the fall of man , and is again restored to sons and daughters of god in spiritual recreation , which is a new man , renewed unto acknowledgement , according to the image of him who created him in righteousness and holiness of truth . as paul doth speak . p david acknowledgeth in the book of psalms , that a new heart is creation-work : so glorious and excelling a piece , as that it is the making of a new world of men , and of women . a work that none but the almighty-creating power can do : and therefore all the honour and glory of it , must be given to him alone . this is the humble confession called for , q know ye , that jehovah he god , he made us , and not we ; his people and sheep of his pasture . this is variously expressed in the old testament ; in very significant words . r moses sets it out by the circumcision of the heart . so doth jeremiah . david by creation and renovation . s isaiah , by jahovah's creating a people for his glory ; for his forming of them ; or framing them anew ( by the spirit of regeneration : ) t ezekiel , by a resurrection , a life from the dead ; he calleth it , a new heart , a new spirit ; an heart of flesh ; jehova's giving of his spirit in the innermost of the covenant-people . the prophets often by conversion , or turning from sin to jehovah aelohim . what spiritual discerner doth not here see the same doctrine which christ preached to nicodemus , u when he discovered to him the necessity of being born again from above ; otherwise there could be no seeing , no entring into the kingdom of god : affirming once , and again , and the third time , that this must be ? which , when this great doctor understood not what this spiritual regeneration was , what that was which was born of the spirit ; the lord christ reproves him for , and convinceth him of his ignorance : art thou a teacher in israel , and knowest thou not these things ? whereby he evidently shews , that this was no such new unheard of doctrine before ; but the same that was taught in moses's book , and by the prophets . wouldst thou be led to some other great truth ? consider that doctrine about justification . hath not w habakkuk declared , that , the righteous , by faith he shall live ? and is not this three , if not four several times mentioned in the new testament ? hath not * paul confirmed the same ; shewing that the righteousness without the law , only by faith in jesus christ , unto all , and upon all that believe ; hath testimony from the law and the prophets ? doth not x jeremiah call christ by this name , jehovah-tzidkenu , our righteousness ? did not noah preach the same true , sound doctrine ? was not that which was said of y abraham , that he believed , and it was imputed to him for righteousness ? was not this written , not for his sake alone , that it was imputed to him ; but for our sakes also , to whom it shall be imputed , even to them that believe in him who raised up jesus our lord from the dead ; who was delivered over for our sins , and was raised up for our justification ? were not believers of old well instructed in the doctrine of free remission of sins ? o how kindly was david's heart affected herewith , when he tasted the sweetness , and enjoyed the good , of this truth ! z o the blessedness , the happy goings on of him whose trespass is forgiven , whose sin is covered ! o how blessed the man , to whom jehovah imputeth no iniquity ; and in whose spirit no deceit ! thou , o jehovah , forgivest the iniquity of my sin . to this agreeth that of isaiah ; who brings in jehovah himself thus speaking ; a i , i for my self , blot out thy transgressions , and remember not thy sin . and the same prophet doth record it of hezekiah , that he thankfully acknowledged this ; thou , o jehovah , hast cast behind thy back all my sins : and that was the same which isaiah had experienced in his own case . thus speaks the prophet b micah , in an holy triumphing manner ; who is a mighty god like unto thee ; forgiving iniquity , and passing by the transgression of the remnant of his inberitance ! thou wilt cast all their sins into the bottom of the sea ! and long before him , this was revealed to c moses , when jehovah proclaimed this to be part of his name ; he , who forgiving iniquity , and trespass , and sin . how often was this truth preached over in the sacrifices for sin offerings , and in their typical washings and purifications , and such like ; which held forth this , in the spiritual meaning of them ? and d christ appointed some , who in their function by office , were to teach jacob his judgments , and israel his law ; to shew them what those truths and things were , that were so shadowed out by those figures . thus also , was not the sanctification or holiness of a covenant-people the declared will of jehovah aelohim ? e is not the command express in moses's book , ye shall sanctifie your selves and be holy for i jehovah your god ? and ye shall keep my statutes , and do them ; i jehovah who sanctifie . ye shall set to it to be holy , and ye shall be holy , for i holy . has he not put that honour upon them , by calling them saints ? f his saints ? an holy people in covenant with him ? how many ways did he preach this doctrine to them ? g the priests must be holy ; the levites holy ; the prophets holy ; the people holy ; the convocation holy ; the sabbath holy ; the place of worship holy ; the city jerusalem is named holy ; the house holy ; the mount holy ; the land holy ; the garments holy ; the tabernacle holy ; the temple holy ; the scriptures holy ; the law holy ; the covenant holy. did not their whole burnt-offerings call upon them to be sanctified throughout ? their whole intire spirit , and soul , and body , to be kept unblamable ? did not the precepts , to abstain from prohibited pollutions , and to use prescribed cleansings , in case of contracted uncleanness , speak the same truth ? was not the law of the ten words , a comprehensive perfect doctrine of all holiness and righteousness ? and are not the sermons of the faithful prophets , full of dehortations from sin , and of exhortations to holiness ? if thou wouldest be instructed in the doctrine of the resurrection : i did not the lord christ himself prove , and teach this , out of the saying of jehovah aelohim unto moses , in the bush , i am the god of abraham , and the god of isaac , and the god of jacob ? god is not the god of the dead , but the god of living . from whence he doth infer , that though abraham , isaac and jacob were dead as to their body , yet they were still alive in their spirit and soul : which bodies were parts of them , and therefore their bodies should in time rise again . for , hereby it was evident , that there is another life after this is ended , which those departed saints , that were dead as to this life , had their shares and parts in . so that , god not only was heretofore , but still now is , and will be their god , after their death . the bodies of abraham , of isaac , and of jacob shall rise , and therefore the bodies of the dead shall rise , they shall live again , whereas now they are dead ; and therefore they shall arise . for , he is their god now they are dead ; and therefore they shall live again ; though now they be dead . for god is not the god of the dead , who are so dead , that they shall never live again . so that , he declaring himself to be their god , ever since they were dead , it must unanswerably follow as convincingly concluding , that their bodies shall live again . with what a clear judgement and holy confidence doth job speak the same truth ? k i know , said he , that my redeemer living , and that the latter one shall rise upon the dust . therefore after i shall awake , and that the worms have digged through this , yet in my fiesh i shall see god : whom i shall behold to me , and mine eyes have seen , and not a stranger : my reins are consumed within my bosom . was not christ's resurrection plaintly taught in the l sixteenth psalm ? where christ himself doth thus express his sure hope of rising again from death the third day ? my flesh shall dwell in considence , for thou wilt not leave my soul to sheol ; thou wilt not give thy gracious saint to see corruption ? doth not peter so interpret this ? and did not paul so explain and apply this ? and if the head be raised , must not the members of that body , to which the head is so nearly related , in union and in fellowship be raised also ? hath not david left behind him a lively testimony of his firm belief of this , in his day and time ? when he set out the different apprehensions , that he had concerning his expressed happiness in another better h●● and world , from what the unbelieving men of this world had ? they , those mortal men of this transitory world , they counted their good things to be their part and portion here in this life . m i , saith he , ( as if he all past into this ; this was his belief ; this was hope ; this his portion ; this his happiness ; i ) in justice shall view thy faces , shall be satisfied , when i shall awake with thy image . there would be a day when he should awake out of the dust of the earth ; from the sleep of death , when he should see and know plainly and perfectly , and bear the image of the heavenly . the psalmist speaks of a morning , when those that sleep in the dust of the earth , shall awake and rise . he believed , that aelohim would redeem his soul from the hands of sheol ; because he would receive him . a glorious testimony of his belief of a resurrection . n daniel in his prophetick spirit , speaks of a time , when many of them that sleep in the dusty earth shall awake : some unto everlasting life ; and some unto reproach , and shame everlasting . which doth also point to a day of judgement , following of this resurrection . though daniel in this place doth not seem to speak of the last general resurrection , yet hereby insinuating the doctrine thereof . according as enoch also , the seventh from adam , is recorded by o jude to have prophetyed ; behold , the lord hath come with his holy ten thousands , to do judgement against all , and convincingly to reprove all those corrupt worshippers of them , concerning all those their works of corrupt worship , which they have impiously done , and of all their hards , which they have spoken against the lord , who sinners worshiping corruptly . the wicked shall not stand up in judgement ; as is declared in the first p psalm . sinners will then fall and be condemned . this q daniel saw in that glorious vision , wherein the judge of all shewed himself sitting upon his throne ; having thousand times thousands ministring unto him ; and ten thousand times ten thousands standing before him : where judgement set it self ; and the books were opened . thus did r solomon close the book of his experiences of his folly , in seeking a happiness in creature injoyments , which were all vanities , having minded others of the day of their death : a serious meditation of which might prove , either a prevention , or a remedying of this evil malady . the dust shall return to the earth as it was , and the spirit shall return unto god who gave it . he leaves behind him , with those who came after him , these acceptable words of truth ; the end of the word of all hath been heard , these same aelohim , or adored almighties in father , son and holy spirit , fear thou ; and those commandments of his , keep thou ; because , this , all that - adam ; or for this all adam , or the whole of that first adam , or all of man , or the whole man ; here is all , the main of all our religion , when we have spoken , and written , and printed never so much about religion , this is our grand spiritual , and eternal concern , thine and mine , and every other mans : because aelohim will make to come into judgement , every work , all work , with all that is hidden , be it kept never so secret from other men here ; if good , and if evil , or whether good , and whether evil . wouldst thou who readest this , have the graces of the holy spirit , in wrought by him in the hearts of his covenant people , to pass under the same scripture-examination ? did not the believers , under the old testament dispensation , l obtain by lot , like precious faith with those under the new administration ? t hath not the author of the epistle to the hebrews , given us a large catalogue of such as were full of lively fruitful-working-faith ? doth he not give us an historical account of the faith of abel , of enoch , of noah , of abraham , of sarah , of isaac , of jacob , of joseph , of moses , of gideon , of barak , of sampson , of jephthah , of david , of samuel , and of the prophets ? and of the wonderful fruits and effects of this grace in them ? how eminent was abraham , more especially , and particularly this way ? who has this honourable title put upon him , that he is called , the u father of the faithful ? w did not james in his epistle exhort the christian brethren to take for an example , of suffering of evil , and of long suffering , the prophets , who have spoken in the name of the lord ? behold , said he , we count them blessed that endure . ye have heard of the patience of job ; and ye have seen the end of the lord , that the lord is of so much bowels , and compassionate . how lively was x abraham's hope , who against hope believed in hope ? y what a man of hope was david ? who that savours of , and that frames to his renewed spirit , can considerately read davids psalms , and not see this grace often put forth into act by him ? how constant an expectant was he unto jehovah aelohim , in variety of difficult and trying cases ? and how often doth he call earnestly upon others , to be much in this ? the good whereof he had so often proved , to his great satisfaction , and to his raised joy ? how full of love was his heart towards christ , and towards the law of christ ? so that , when he could not express the whole of what he thus felt stirring within him , he gives a vent to his heart , by his exclamations , o how i love ! and by his longings after more . o what an holy fear had he of this glorious god : and o how much did david's heart stand in awe of his word ! shall i speak of duties ? was not this david the man , z to whom god himself gave testimony , and said , i have found david of jesse , a man after mine heart , who shall will-do all my wills ? how full of prayings , praisings , singings , and of such like religious services , is that one book of psalms ? wouldst thou hear somewhat of their priviledges ? doth not james bear witness , that a abraham was called a friend of god ? b did not enoch walk with god ? had he not testimony , that he pleased god ? c did not noah find grace in the eyes of jehovah ? did not he also walk with god ? were not the believing ones of the d israelites sons and daughters to jehovah their aelohim ? were not they made partakers of the same e adoption and love , by faith in christ ? what a f fulness of assurance of faith had abraham ? how filled with joy and peace in believing was g david , whilst he walked in the ways of jehovah ! o what gladness was there often given into his heart ! how often was the light of the faces of jehovah lifted up over him ? in this light did the gracious saints of old walk on , who were marvellously separated unto jehovah aelohim : in his name were they glad all the day , and in his justice were they exalted ; for he was the glory of their strength : they were satisfied with his favourable acceptation , and were full with his blessings . h the sons of israel were a people near him ; halelujah . i jehovah's portion was his people even then : jacob was the line of his inheritance ; they his portion , and he theirs , k hear some of their holy breathings : to me how precious are thy thoughts , o god! how mightily increased are the summs of them ! would i tell them , they will be more than the sand ! i awake , and still i with thee . l how precious thy mercy , o aelohim ! and the sons of adam hope for safety in the shadow of thy wings . they shall be plenteously moistened with the fatness of thy house ; and the stream of thy pleasures thou wilt give them to drink ; because with thee the well of life . in thy light we see light . extend thy mercy to them that know thee , and thy justice to the right of heart . how much thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them who fearing thee ! were not these things m forewritten for the use of believers now ? n when jacob found jehovah christ in bethel , did he not there speak with praying believers in after ages ? when aelohim turned the sea into dry ; when his people passed thorow the river on foot , did not the saints in after generations there rejoyce in him ? the faithful then and the faithful now are fellow-servants , and fellow-brethren , and joynt-heirs of the same promised glory . o they confessed that they were guests and strangers upon earth ; they were desirous of , and sought a better ; the heavenly countrey : therefore god is not ashamed of them , to be called their god. happy they who are in abraham's bosom ; who are taken into intimate society , conjunction , love , and glorious fellowship with him . how full of heavenly joys is that blessed state of christ's spiritual kingdom ; which is a being with abraham , isaac and jacob , and all the prophets ! should not those who are fellow-members with them of the same body , under that one head , the lord jesus christ , rejoyce together ? o how delightful is it to be with them in the spirit ! the church of believers of old was then more in her p infancy , she is now grown up ; they now have all their veils of figures and types taken off , and they see and enjoy christ face to face : they are brought into the light of the divine majesty which is in christ , cloathed in our flesh . christ is now no longer hidden to and from them under shadows ; these former coverings are now removed , and the clear light is not kept away : they are now able to look into the bottom of moses's ministry : they now so behold the glory of the lord , as to be possessed of the heavenly things themselves ; having a clear view of christ , who is the image of the invisible god , the brightness or resplendence of his glory , and the engraven form of his person . there they receive their reward , which god doth graciously give unto his servants the prophets , and to his saints , and to all that fear his name . having thus at large manifested it to be according to the word , that there was a covenant of grace under the old testament-administration ; and that the privileges of the lord's covenant-people , even then , were the same for kind , with believers now , though differently dispensed . i shall here further discover , that the seventh-day-sabbath it self was some ways a sign of this ; thus improving this expression and meditation to a right useful purpose , which some adversaries do wrongfully pervert to an ill end . thus they object : the seventh day-sabbath was a sign of their sanctification , to whom it was given ; and q therefore of a ceremonial nature , and not given to all men . these to whom the sabbath was given , to them it was a sign of their present sanctification ; but it was no sign of the present sanctification of all people over the whole world : and therefore , it was never given to all the people of the whole world , but only unto god's people israel : and therefore of no natural consideration , therefore ceremonial . thus it is objected , this objection is like to have the more satisfactory answer , if there be a due clear distinguishing of the several things which are contained in it ; and a proper application of each particular , unto the present matter in hand ; that so the understanding reader and the spiritual discerner may see that way plain before him , which may directly lead him into the mind and will of christ , and he may the better learn the truth as it is in jesus . i purpose therefore to distinguish of signs , of sanctification , of the law of the ten words , of peoples , of ceremonials , of giving this law of the ten words . signs are either natural signs , such as have a force of signifying from the created nature of that thing which is the sign . thus the heavenly luminaries are signs of divers things particularly , with respect r to the seventh-day-sabbath . there is the same word in the original . a diligent observer with the eye , of the motions of those luminaries , may see that set times and fit seasons for solemn assembling , and for instituted worship are directed to , and pointed at by these shining lights to measure out daily-evening and morning , and weekly-seventh-day-sabbath opportunities , for our direction in working and in resting ; or the conserving of the orderly course and state of this world , in the required matters of appointed services , due from man , to his creators and makers throughout all the ages , all the days of this earth : which is also put into a s promise . and the covenant of grace is confirmed by these natural signs . if these be signs of created nature , of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , after the six foregoing working days , in the same week ; and this seventh day-sabbath have foundation in created nature ; and both these be by the ordination and appointment by the all wise creator ; then ( this being so established by an unchangeable law of pure primitive creation ; ) the weekly seventh-day sabbath t must continue as long as those luminaries do continue to be such a sign . which seventh-day-sabbath is also a sign of aelohim's creating the world , of heaven and of earth , and of all things therein , in the six foreging days ; and of his resting on the seventh , which is the last day of the week . this being expresly rendred by himself as the reason , why it is called a sign . or signs are instituted : which do signifie somewhat by vertue of some special appointment , by the only supreme soveraign lord and lawgiver , jehovah christ . u thus the typical sacrifices , and such ceremonial figures , as were after wards annexed for a time , to the weekly seventh day-sabbath , were signs and shadows , types and figures . these were significative of a christ , who was then under that dispensation to come , to be born of a virgin : so they were perfected and accomplished in and by christ ; when god was thus manifested in the flesh ; when christ was then born of the virgin mary : but the weekly seventh day-sabbath had its created being before this ; and distinct from this , and so continued after this did pass into its antitype . this weekly seventh-day-sabbath doth stand firm established for ever , w in the word , and in nature . if the objector , or any other do further affirm , that the weekly seventh-day-sabbath , is still a significant sign by institution ; and that this significativeness is a part of it . if they mean , that it is thus a shadow of that spiritual eternal rest ; that sabbatism , x which doth yet remain for the people of god in the heavens ; let them look well to their scripture-proofs for this ; but i shall not contend with them about it ; it rather making for the cause i undertake . for the type must continue till the antitype come . let these men therefore keep the seventh-day-sabbath till they get to heaven ; if ever they come there : and then and there they will know more clearly and fully . if any further typical significativeness be pretended and urged , when i understand what it is , it is like to pass under examination and consideration with me . observe here , that y the typical signs superadded unto the law of the ten words , did establish that law in the natural unchangeable holiness and righteousness of it : only by institution they did put some further thing into it , during that former dispensation of grace . or they are notifying-testifying-certifying-signs . by these , somewhat is made known and witnessed unto them , unto whom these are given from the lord for some particular use and end . z thus the weekly seventh-day-sabbath is a sign . consider here , the law of the seventh-day-sabbath , as proclaimed and given by jehovah christ , put into a covenant of grace , ( as have been proved : ) thus , a it was , is and will be a sign : for there is no particular verb of definite time expressed in one of the places , in the original , to determine when , and how long , so as if then and there it were to be cut off , and so cease to be a sign : for it takes in all the parts of time , all the spaces of duration ; it has been a sign ; it is now a sign , and it will be a sign . and in the b other place , the latter verse doth take in the past time : which they render ●uturely : in the former verse it is infinitive and indefinite . thus the seventh-day-sabbath is a sign between jehovah and his covenant-people , that they are a separate sanctified people ; a special token of his distinguishing kindness unto such as are inwardly in covenant with him : and some ways a priviledge , even to those who are as yet but outwardly in covenant with him ; as it brings them under the instituted ordinances of that day . the seventh-day-sabbath in a documental sign , giving institution in this pledge of christ's love , who having been the creator , is the redeemer too , and will be sanctification to his covenant-people , who are in a special manner his new created , peculiarly redeemed , and separatedly sanctified ones . as this seventh-day-sabbath has its nature , institution , use and end , put into scripture-revelation , so it is a peculiar sign to those , unto whom this word-discovery is made ; especially , when to their inner man ; and will be such to the worlds end , to all and every of those who are so choicely favoured . it is a witnessing evidencing sign to know this , where spiritual-worshippers are right sabbath-keepers . were there a more universal-holy-through growing-conformity , in knowledge and in obedience , to this and to every other just , holy , and good law of jehovah aelohim , experience would prove to spiritual senses , what faith is to believe from word-revelation , that the weekly seventh day-sabbath would be such a sign as would ( the holy spirit of the lord , witnessing together with a renewed spirit in the saints ; ) point out unto them , and declare in them , that such are some of jehovah's peculiar people in special covenant with them , ( like as c the holy fruits of the regenerating spirit , are such a notifying-testifying , certifying sign of translation from death to life ; this is a sign which doth still continue . o who will give , that there were more of this evidencing sign , ( as to the natural seed of such of israel of old , as were spiritualized and new born ; so to the d spiritual seed of israel now : ) that there is a mutual convenanting and communion between jehovah aelohim , and such a people of his , that they might know him to be theirs , and themselves to be his ! this is a sign that is still put into a promise ; and will even now , and in after days be made good to right spiritual observers of jehovah's weekly seventh-day-sabbath ! a sign to know ( here is one great end and special use of this sign , which is also a lasting-standing continued one ) that jehovah doth sanctifie such , and is their god. whoever he be that can well evidence an universal obedience and conformity to an whole christ , and his whole word , particularly as to his due sanctifying of the weekly seventh-day-sabbath of jehovah his god ( which would much influence and operate upon all other religion : ) would have aelohim's covenanted-love more manifested to him , by the incouraging sign ; it would be a token to him for this , and for much other good . e it is promised , and it would be injoyed , actually injoyed for the present , even now ; and this spiritual rest with christ in god here , would by improving of mystical-membership , in relation to the glorified ones above , be some beginning of that eternal sabbatism in heaven . thus a natural duty is sometimes made a sign of a spiritual priviledge . against this , it hath been further objected , that circumcision is called f a sign of the covenant between jehovah aelohim , and his covenant people , in their generations ; for an everlasting covenant , to be a god unto them . and so is , g the seventh-day-sabbath , called a sign between jehovah and his people , throughout their generations , which they were to observe throughout their generations , for an everlasting covenant between him and the sons of israel ; it a sign for ever . and therefore they were to cease together . for answer to this in the general : here is a fallacy of composition and division ; by taking some things severally and apart , which are to be taken conjoynedly : and by taking other things conjoynedly , which are to be taken apart . some things here , would be well divided and severed , which are ill joyned ; and other things would be well joyned , which are ill divided . here the divided sense must be separated from the compounded ; and the compounded sense from the divided . there is another fallacy in the comparing of these two , circumcision , and the weekly seventh-day-sabbath . because it is not of the same thing in the same manner , according to the same part , to the same person and thing , in the same time . and there is a translation from one kind to another . though in some thing these two , do more generally agree ; yet in other things they do specially differ : which doth discover both a deceit and a defect , a confusedness and a captiousness in the objector . this will further open it self by a more particular distinct considering of what doth follow . all signs are not mutable or changeable signs , to end with the old testament dispensation . h sun , moon and sta● ▪ have been , are , and will be , to the end of this world , natural and instituted signs . these luminaries are witnesses of god's faithfulness in his covenant , to generation of generations . thus also are day and night such a sign . the rain-bow , whenever it doth appear , is to be a sign to the worlds end ; a sign or token of god's covenant with mankind ; that he will no more drown this whole earth with water . jehovah's weekly seventh-day-sabbath , has been already manifested , to be both a natural , instituted , and notifying sign . such an immutable unchangeable sign , as that , jehovah aelohim will in no generation , not even under this new testament administration put an end to his sanctifying of his people . whereas circumcision was a typical , mutable , changeable sign ; i which passed into it more spiritual and heavenly antitype , when the old testament dispensation was brought to its accomplish perfected end. all signs are not laid aside under the new dispensation . the signs mentioned before , even the luminaries day and night , the rain bow : so also the seventh-day sabbath were signs under the old , and do still continue to be signs under the new testament admi●●●●ration . such a sign circumcision is not , as to that of the foreskin of the flesh ; for this doth cease . so that circumcision was another kind of law , than the natural law of the seventh-day sabbath . the type and figure of fleshy circumcision was temporary and changeable . this sign which was the seal of the covenant of grace , did belong to other sorts of laws ; to the ceremonial law , as it was typical , figuring and shadowing ; and so doth widely differ in the whole kind from the natural law of the ten words ( whereof this of the weekly seventh-day sabbath is one . ) which is l a standing unchangeable rule of life , uniform , and always one and the same . they were written once and a second time in tables of stone , by jehovah christ , which doth shew amongst somewhat else , their renewed durableness . it was the writing of aelohim ; and the record of them is to remain for ever . so that , a due difference must be put , between this weekly seventh-day sabbath , as it is such a standing established rule of life , in created nature , one of the ten words ; and between some typical institutions , and superadded rites , and figuring shadows , afterwards annexed to this sabbath . * there is a plain evident difference between these two sorts of laws . let moses be heard concerning this in what he said to the israelites ; jehovah declared unto you his covenant , which he commanded you to do , the ten words ( observe these are distinctly expressed , and severed from the figuring laws ) and he wrote them upon two tables of stone ; and jehovah commanded me at that time , to teach you statutes and iudgements , that ye may do them in the land whither ye are going over to possess it . may we not discern here that moses doth put a clear difference between the laws of the ten words , which were publickly , openly spoken and given by the lord christ in his own royal person from his father to all the people , and were written with the finger of his own spirit , between these , and those other shadowy ordinances , which were privately spoken to moses , only and by him , and by his ministery brought to the people and written by him ? these figuring statutes admitted of a change , and yet the law of the seventh day sabbath doth remain unchangeable ; a perpetual law. and if any think , that there is yet further any thing significative annexed to this day by jehovah's institution , of christ's second coming , and of the heavenly sabbatism , then let that so far , when any will clear it up from scripture , stand firm and unmoved till that time . if the naturalness and self evidence of the law of the ten words were to receive a change , because of superadded institutions , fitted to that dispensation ; particularly as to signs ; then the naturalness and self evidene of every one of them , by this kind of arguing , were to receive a change . was there not a law for fringes , by the institution of jehovah aelohim himself , throughout the generations of the israelites ; for this end m that they might see and remember all his commandments ? this outward rite was a memorative sign , or a religious sign , to help their memories , and to further their sanctification . to lead them unto a continual remembrance and practice of all the law of the ten words . thus also their n phylacteries were for a sign upon their hand , and for a memorial between their eyes , that jehovah's law might be in their mouth . this was a typical memorial , or monument . which is the proper meaning of the original word . by this outward sign jehovah aelohim would have them to apply all their serious study , and all their careful practice , unto the keeping of all and every of the laws of the ten words . all the outward rites of the o ceremonial laws were signs , typical figures , and significant shadows , instituted of god , as seals and pledges to assure believers of christ , and of those good things which his faithful , obedient , perswadable ones , have in and by him . a due difference therefore should be put between signs and figures , signs and shadows : for although in the general , and in common , there be somewhat of a sign in figures and shadows , yet every sign is not a figure and shadow , but has somewhat particularly specially distinct : a figure doth set out and foreshew some truth , duty , grace or priviledge , which is afterwards more clearly to be revealed , though even then to be known , believed , done , acted and injoyed : a shadow doth give some dark resemblance , and it is a betokener of a body which is to come in the place thereof , and is in the appointed season to be exhibited : whereas a sign , as it doth in some instances point out somewhat , which is yet afterward to be looked for ; so in other cases it doth assure believers of somewhat that is already gone and performed : and in somewhat else it may stand and be joyned together with that which is signified thereby , and be of special usefulness at one and the same present time . the ark wherein was nothing but only the ten words in two tables ; and the propitiatory covering which was over the ark were types , figures and shadows of christ : so that if ceremonial annexes should make void the law of the seventh-day sabbath , that way of arguing would lay aside and make void all the other laws of these ten words . sanctification , is either that which was natural , and concreated at the first , and is now restored to and inwrought in some , a spiritual transforming-sanctification , whereby p the lord doth regenerate and renew his people ; by the power and grace of his holy spirit . the seventh-day sabbath duely observed , and well filled up ( having a suitable growing knowledge of , and obedience to , the rest of the revealed will of god , summarily comprehended in the ten words ) would be a notifyingtestifying-certifying sign of this sanctification : as has been shewn . q or it is a ritual , ceremonial sanctification ; whereby ( under the former dispensation : ) in the use of some outward rites and ceremonies , some persons and things , which had some ways contracted some uncleanness , were sanctified or purified , which were typical and significative of in ward spiritual transforming sanctification , and of real , inwrought holiness and purity : of this sort of signs were their blood sprinklings , their water-washings , and such like . ( baptism r is such a sign under the new dispensation . ) thus the weekly seventh-day sabbath , if it be taken under this consideration , as it had under the old testament administration , divers ceremonial laws added unto it , both for preparation before , and for cleansing in and after , in some cases ; in this respect , that which was superadded to it , was a sign of sanctification to the israelitish church , beyond any other people , unless others came in and embraced the same true religion ; and then there was one law for the israelite , and for the stranger : s when the forreigner or sojourner did leave the worship of idols , and other heathenish practices , of the infidel world. thus , t that people were injoyned some out ward ceremonial sanctifyings , for the reviving of the law of the ten words . but these figures and shadows made no real change upon the fourth word ; the law of the seventh day sabbath ; as neither did they upon any other of the ten words . or sanctification , is the separating of somewhat from a common use , and destinating and setting of it apart , for some special , singular , holy use . u thus in several scriptures some persons were sanctified ; as the administrators about holy things ; the israelitish people ; which is also applied to the chosen vessels . sanctification in this sense , was applyed to the tabernacle , temple , altar , instruments , meats , and to other things . w it is also applyed to the seventh-day sabbath : which aelohim did sanctifie for holy uses ( and to no other day of the whole week , as such ; ) at the first creation , according to the nature of its essence , in the order of its being , before those after superadded ceremonies and shadows . so that , in this sense , x right reason would inform all reasonable men and women in the world , that the seventh , the last day in every week has a concreated adaptness to be a day of holy rest , for the worship of their maker ; and that they themselves should be an holy people , separated to the service of the holy god : y though his church and people are thus sanctified and severed from other people , by jehovah in a peculiar , especial manner , his elect yet more especially . as for the law of the ten words , z if we look upon it in its superadded ceremonies , and some such other intermixed annexes ; so it had somewhat peculiarly belonging to the israelitish church , and people in moses's time : and to those of other nations , who were pros●lited to that ceremonial typical way under that administration : whereas we under the new testament , have another manner of dispensation of the same grace in a more spiritual , heavenly , glorious way . although this typical figuring part made no real change even of old upon the law of the ten words . if this be considered , as it is , an absolute and perfect rule of life , comprehending all duties whatsoever ; and being that image and samplar , unto which all mankind , at the beginning , in their representative head , were created in wisdom , in holiness , and in righteousness , which was afterwards promulgated and proclaimed by jehovah christ , with a covenant of grace intermingled ; so it is that law of nature , which inlightned intellect or right reason doth teach ; some notions whereof are still retained , even now in man's fallen corrupted estate . there are some seeds of those eternal truths , and things ; some common principles of good and of evil ; both for the knowledge of god , and of his service , and for those duties , which we owe unto our selves , and unto our neighbours . this is born and bred with reasonable man : every one doth carry it about with him ; every one coming into this world , is inlightned therewithal : which remnants of this law , do serve for many good uses and purposes in civil converse amongst men , and for some other ends . in this sense the law of the ten words , particularly that of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , is given to the whole world. all mankind had it , in their common representative , the first adam , clearly , fully , perfectly ; and have still some relicks of it left within them , by the law of nature , in the light of reason , demonstrated by concreated principles ; the foundations and grounds of which , are knowable by humane intellect . in this sense the law of the ten words ; particularly that of the weekly seventh day sabbath , is given to the whole world ; all mankind had it in their common representative , and have still some indwelling notions of it left within them . this law , in some parts of the natural duties of it , may yet by the institution of jehovah aelohim be a sign of some mystical thing signified ; which doth make any real change in the natural duty it self , this standing still in its due force , as before ; but it may have something further significant in it by the lord 's special appointment . as the state , duty and priviledge of a marriage in the fifth and seventh words ; instituted in paradise , b doth figure the great mystery of that mystical union , which is between christ and his church . people come next to be considered . c people are sometimes in some scriptures , more especially taken for the israelites , and the jews . these are sometimes in the plural number called peoples . this people had some peculiar priviledges beyond other peoples ; particularly , as to the kingly manner of proclaiming and revealing the law of the ten words , more in their sight and hearing at mount horeb ; and as to some things afterwards annexed to it ; which was the pattern in the mount. thus jehovah's holy sabbath was made known unto the israelites after another manner , than to d other nations . whilst they walked by this rule of life , they were a e wise and prudent people : but when they transgressed greatly , they were a rebellious people . the israelitish people so constituted as it then was , are called , f the people of god : the people of the god of abraham . these had some distinguishing favours in that day . people , in some other scriptures , are some times taken , for all nations besides israel , and besides those other lands , who were brought over to the true religion . thus the uncircumcised nations , strangers from the covenant of god , indels , profane and ungodly , they also are called g people ; and the people of the earth ; and the abominable people : though these whilst such , did not share in choice special church-priviledges , yet some ways they had the law of the ten words ( and amongst others , the law of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , particularly : ) as this law of the decalogue is the natural concreated law. there are divers h records in humane authors , for those to search after , who are curious in such disquisitions , which do evidence , that the seventh-day sabbath was generally observed by the pagans , as the weekly holy day . the remaining relicks of their natural life and right reason , dictating the equity of this law ; which also might be traditioned down to them : the pagan idolaters , so far conforming to the laws and practice of the church of god. they acknowledged the seventh-day as more holy , and owned its rest from labour : and the ethnick doctors in this way of teaching , would philosophize only on the seventh-day sabbath . then did they frequent their temples : and then some of them sung their hymns to their idol god. these precepts of the decalogue , were the law of our creation ; they are the natural dictates of the humane essence , in its rational exercise , ingraft notions , concreated characters , wrought into the essential composition of our natural being ; the sanction whereof has more or less a living impression in the humane existence . the very order of the days in the first created week , did teach the observation in the weekly seventh-day sabbath ; and made it a part of the law of nature . aelobim's method in the creatures production , which did so dispose of his works , and of his rest , hath confirmed this order in laying its foundation in created beings . and i this is a very forcible way of right arguing , used by the lord himself in his word , in divers cases . the six forgoing days of the week for work ; and the seventh , the last day of the week for rest . these were from the beginning of the creation designed ; they were thus originally appointed by the creator himself , and so laid as a standing law upon the rational creatures . the natural equity whereof , man's representative in adam readily submitted , and subjected and conformed to ; there being both ground and evidence enough in the things themselves , thus made ; and light and reason enough in the humane intellect of rational beings , to discern and to improve this to the very same ends . both these had primitive concreated self-evidence ; however sin now have darkned and defaced things . the indication of these duties were at the first , true , real , sufficient : some worn letters of which original ingraving , are yet still remaining to be read : these laws resulting from the humane nature ; and from that relation which created man , doth stand in , to his creating maker : the obligation which doth arise from hence , must continue as long as the humane nature doth continue . for it is essential to our formation and constitution as we are reasonable men and women ; and so is unchangeably binding . and he that would make any one law of pure primitive nature alterable , doth thereby , though it may be not designedly , yet eventually , heave at the overturning of all the laws of nature : this primigenial holiness and righteousness in created man , bearing exact conformity to the holy righteous nature of creating aelobim . and k christ's coming was not to dissolve any one law of the decalogue , or any thing of the obligation to any law therein , but to maintain these laws , and their obliging . all mankind , brought under convincing demonstrations , from distinguishing taste of the difference of good and of evil , should acknowledge all and every of those holy , just , and good laws to have a clear congruity to their natures . who of all mankind , that has the due exercise of rational abilities , but must acknowledge that we ought , to love the lord our god , with all our heart , and with all our soul , and with all our mind ; and to love our neighbour as our selves ? on which two commandments hang all the laws and the prophets . for which we have the authority l of the lord jesus christ himself . he being the law-giver and law-interpreter too . m further yet , people in some scriptures , are the elect and believers : whether of jews or of gentiles : who are also absolutely called , people . the nations which shall be converted to the faith of the gospel , renouncing antichrist , and his corrupt principles and practices , are some of this people . these , both under the old and new testament administration , had this law of the ten words written , not only in the scripture revelation , but also on the two tables of the mind and heart , by the holy spirit . n thus is the law of the ten words , specially and distinguishingly given to new creatures ; and thus it will be renewed in the purer churches in the later days . in this sense , the rule and direction for renewed holiness , and for the works and duties of grace , and of sanctification , is called , the new law , or commandment , the same with the old , only o renewed . next of ceremonials . these are sometimes called p the law of degrees , placed in external rites , and by some such other expressions : these rites were used about outward fleshie things ; such as meats , drinks , washings , and the like . these , so far as they were typical , figuring , and representative , of a christ who was then to come , to be born of a virgin , and to shed his blood ; were perfected and accomplished in christ , when he was so born , and had so suffered , was risen and had ascended . and they did peculiarly belong to the people under the former dispensation . of this nature were some ceremonies , annexed to the weekly-seventh-day sabbath . by these holy rites , the church and people of god under that administration , were q differenced and discerned , as a people holy to god , distinct from other prophane nations . an old testament ceremonie is set out in scripture by flesh , a carnal ordinance , an hand-writing of death , an element of the world , weak and egene , an exemplar of heavenly things , unstable ; an intolerable yoak . a shadow ; and such like ; which are not properly applicable to the seventh-day-sabbath , as such : if any say , it is an exemplar of the sabbatism in heaven , and so a ceremonious type : let then the type stand , as i have said , till we can come at the antitype . ceremonies sometimes , do set out r the inward spiritual things , graces , duties , priviledges , which they did signify and teach . a ceremonie has been , and is , a sign of somewhat that is natural ; and so they have been annexed to natural spiritual duties . as s evening and morning worshipping of god , had divers ceremonial observances . t so the weekly-seventh-day-sabbath . thus for parents to give up themselves their sons and daughters to god , is a natural dutie . yet this duty has v baptism even now , under the new testament-ministration annexed to it . those things which are still of a concreated spiritual nature , w were , are , and will be a duty . the epistle to the hebrews is a gospel-exposition hereupon . though multitudes of these ceremonies were superadded to the law of the ten words , as an evangelical explanation and interpretation of them , yet this doth not alter the true real nature of any of these ten words , which are always a standing unalterable rule of holy righteous living . as for the giving of this law of the ten words : if this law be considered x as promulgated and proclaimed at mount sinai by jehovah aelohim ; thus there was somewhat in it which was a peculiar gift to the israelitish church , and those who were proselyted to it , beyond any other people . as for the time when he brought them out of egyptian bondage , y so for the place , the desert ; jehovah gave them this , in their wildernesses condition . at mount horeb , or mount sinai , in an enemies land , that of the amorites and of the moabites . thus also , z for the persons : they were those of that age , who were then alive at that place who understood the hebrew , to whom he gave this law. so for the subservient administrator , by whose hand jehovah christ gave this law to them : who was moses , there was moses's a ministery used in it . hence it is called the law of moses ; moses wrote this law in a book . b also for the manner of proclaiming : with trumpet , thunder , fire , audible immediate voice of aebolim himself ; and such like . and thus too , for the solemn imbodying of an whole nation into a church-state . these and some such other like , were the peculiar circumstances of that promulgation in that day . yet is the law still the same now ; the lord jesus christ doth speak unto us , even now , in this law of the ten words . what god did speak unto moses , d he spake unto others in the days of christs flesh , when born of the virgin mary : which was hundreds of years after . and e these ten words were written unto us . if this law be considered as the law of nature , so it was given to all mankind , in representative adam : as i have declared . if it be looked on as inwritten in the mind and heart of the regenerate by the holy spirit ; thus it is peculiarly given to new creatures . as also i have manifested . thus i have laboured to clear and to distinguish , that which the objector did tumble into a confused heap , and then from thence he drew wrong inferences : he should better have bethought himself , that , when he would speak of the nature and essence of a thing , ( as particularly of a sign or ceremony ) and doth so define it , that according to his own philosophical way , all definitions of any thing should be universal , or universally agreeing to the thing defined , where-ever it is found ; it must be universally affirmed of that thing , where-ever it hath a being . whereas it is discovered , that there is a sign of sanctification , which yet is not so in his sense , there are some natural signs of this ; of sanctified seasons separate for holy services . the heavenly luminaries were , are , and will be such signs . there is a notifying testifying-certifying sign of sanctification . both these , the weekly seventh-day sabbath , has been , is and will be . it doth bespeak holiness in the nature and being , in the name and thing of it , to the due observers of it ; and therefore doth widely differ from that which is meerly ceremonial . and both these signs , are signs to all g mankind . o how special a gift was this law of the k seventh day sabbath ! a choice favour ! one of the precious mercies , as to the law ! to have all holy rest even here , in and with the lord . for unto this doth it call ! to lodge in the bosom and heart of the messiah , o how delightful ; o how good ; o how pleasant . i now return unto a further passage in a former ( another from this last ) objector . the next particular to be demonstrated , is , that the new worship was typically signified in the figuring pattern of old . so that , neither doth this make any change at all upon the weekly sabbath , to make it pass from one day of the week unto another , from the seventh to the first . for as for that typical figuring worship , which was a part of the pattern under that administration , in types , shadows , figures and rites , which was performed on the seventh-day sabbath , that way of worship by sacrifices of lambs , by meat and drink offerings , incense , and such like ; i as to this part , these were perfected and accomplished in and by christ , when born of the virgin mary ; when living , dying , rising , ascending : but the seventh-day sabbath stands firm , as one of the ten words ; which are another sort of laws , that do abide for ever . k this epistle to the hebrews doth expresly affirm , that the spiritual , heavenly things of this new testament of glory , were in the pattern under the old. the parts of worship now , were then only in a more shadowy , figuring manner ; and therefore you may find the same things , as well as words , transferred out of the old , into the new testament . only spiritualized in the new . l as priest , propitiatory , altar , sacrifices , offerings , incense , and many such like . had this ingager on the side , for the cause of the first day , given instances in any particulars of vvorship , in the place where he speaks of new vvorship , it might have been discovered , that the same was in the pattern of old , to which types then , the antitypes now , do directly , exactly answer . if a skilful experienced believer would write an exact commentary upon the first , second , third , fourth , fifth , and sixteenth chapters of levitious ( not now to mention much more in that book , and in exodus , numbers and deuteronomy : ) and take off the veil from them , and give forth the true , intended , spiritual , significant meaning of them , by a collating of other suitable scriptures , particularly in the new testament ; every spiritual discerner may quickly see , there was gospel-worship , even then , only differently for the manner , dispensed . the ceremonies of old were m types , and figures , and shadows , instituted of jehovah aelohim , for these ends amongst others , to be signifying seals of the assurance of christ's coming in the fulness of time , to accomplish them ; and of those good things which believers had then , have now , and shall have , in after time , in and by him ; n whether they were administrators of holy things , or particular saints , or the saints generally , all of them . these were of old signs and seals of regeneration , of justification , of sanctification , of acceptaon , of salvation , and of eternal life , o they were shadows of good things to come , which shadows did continue p until the time of correction , at the coming of christ in the flesh , born of the virgin mary , which christ was q the body of these things themselves , the express form , the summary substance of them . they were now to pass into the spiritual things signified ; as those typical figuring , signifying , sealing ordinances , and institutions of the new testament dispensation of grace , baptism and the supper of the lord , do really to believing partakers of them represent glorious things , and will do so , r till christ come to make all things new . the forementioned time of correction did then eminently begin , when christ s first openly shewed himself to be the same messiah , the same god manifested in the flesh ( for he was born a saviour : ) of whom all the prophets had foretold : and it had still a further progress , as he passed further on in his life , fulfilling all righteous observances ; as afterwards by his death and resurrection ; the thorough perfection of which time of correction , was when he ascended up into the heavens : the holy of holies there . so that , if we speak of god thus manifested in the flesh ; thus was redemption work in the antitype carried on , the complete finishing thereof , was upon christ's going up to his father from earth to heaven . t for then , and not till then , was the thorough completed consummation of the old testament administration ; and then , and not till then , was the full perfect u initiation of the new testament dispensation , as the author of this epistle to the hebrews doth expresly declare it . if men will lay any more stress and weight , in their arguing about this , to any particular time and day , then the very form and the true existence , and real essence , and the consummating consecration of that priesthood of christ , ( which did set an end to , and did put down the aaronical and levitical priesthood , before which , the whole of the antitypical work of redemption , so far as it did relate to the priestly office of christ the mediator between god and man , was not perfectly filled up : ) this doth stand and consist in those things , which do belong unto the w ascension of our lord jesus christ into glory : for , whilst christ was on earth , there were other priests , which offered gifts according to the law of the pattern , who did serve unto the pattern and shadow of heavenly things , of heaven it self ; and so long christ had not the former typical priesthood , so unchangeably , unpassingly to any other , passing into him as the antitype ; so long as he remained on earth he was not such an high priest , as the author of this epistle doth plainly word it ; into which heaven christ did therefore ascend , to make x a full end of all those old testament types and figures , becoming now the glorious mediator of the new testament , which is established or legitimated in better promises : the holy spirit , hereby signifying this , that the way of this heavenly sanctuary , the holy of holies was not yet made manifest to be perfectly accomplished , till christ ascended there ; whereby there is evident proof made , that the aaronical levitical priesthood , being a type , figure , pattern , and shadow of this coelestial , super-coelestial priesthood of christ , did stil stand till then , and was not to give way and place , as a type and figure , unto the antype and truth , until this great high priest christ went into heaven . the birth , the life , the passion , the death , the resurrection , the ascension of christ , have y every one of them , somewhat peculiar in them , as to the redeeming-work , and must all of them be put together for the thorough completing of so good and so gracious , so great and so glorious a work. but those who would make the resurrection-day of christ , to speak that about a pretended change of the weekly sabbath , from the seventh day to the first , should consider , that the perfect consummation of this work in the antitype , was at christ's ascending up into glory . then did he captive captives unto himself , ( which was done z when he thus went up on high : ) which was a part of redeeming work. a the effusion of his holy spirit , was one fruit of christ's ascension thither : b into heaven he went , in the name of his people for their good , to take possession for them . now hereby was the heavenly holy of holies c opened : here did this high priest d intercede for those whom the father gave unto him . the priests entring into the holiest was e a type of this ; yet in some things there was a difference . the typical high priest of old was to enter in there , once every year . but f christ entred into anti-typical heaven once for all . g the high priest of old entred into the type with the blood of bulls and of goats : christ entred into heaven with his own blood . h the high priest appeared of old before the ark for the people a little while , and then came away quickly agen : but christ for i ever doth appear before god his father , having hereby obtained eternal redemption for those who are his . what shall i more say about this ? to expound the whole of the old testament pattern , as to the matters of worship , and in all the other parts of that administration , and then to apply it in the new , how exactly one doth correspond to the other , were task enough for a long life . that , the shadowy ceremonies , and figuring types of the old testament ; as such , that is to say , as shadowy ceremonies and figuring types , are done away , and leave no obligation of duty upon believers under this new testament , ministration to observe and perform the outward part of them , i would thus demonstrate by arguments drawn from k those propheties in the old testament , which do foretel this : the lord jesus christ upon his coming in the flesh born of a virgin , was to cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease , and thus he bespeaks his father , sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not : mine ears hast thou digged open ; burnt-offering and sin-offering thou askedst not : then said i , lo i come , in the roll of the book it is written of me . my god , i delight to do thy acceptable will ; and thy law is within my bowels : christ's ear was digged open , it was pierced and became listning to his father's call , and obedient to his father's voice ; his ears were bored by the father , whose servant for ever christ was : the father fitted a body to this beloved son of his , preparing and ordaining it to be an ordinary and expiatory sacrifice for the sins of the world , it l being impossible , that ceremonial sacrifices should purge away sins , which therefore were now refused as unprofitable , and they received their perfection and accomplishment in christ . i argue further from those scripture names , which are given unto those rites and ceremonies , whereby their nature is aptly expressed and significantly described : sometimee they are set out by m types , as they were under the old , to which the anti-types do directly answer in the new ; so that the old types do give place , and the new anti-types do stand in their room : those types being representing signs , as of some spiritual thing signified then , so also of some future thing come to pass now ; which being come to pass , as it had a correspondency to the former , so also did it do away the external part of that which had before adumbrated it . they are in other places called n shadows , which are obscure representations of somewhat else that was the express form ; they were a picturing delineation , and a well drawn image , of heavenly things , of future good things . they were o exemplars , as so many images , representing of christ and of his benefits : they were p a parable , or collation , an artificial prefiguring narration of somewhat else signified thereby ; a form of ritual worship , which served for that time under that administration , putting somewhat that was visible before the eyes , which yet had a more inward mysterious meaning in it . they were q fleshy , and flesh , those external ceremonies and outward works , were exercised about outward , earthy , crass , infirm , and fading things ; hence the laws and commands about them are said to be fleshy precepts , injoyning the offering up the flesh of bulls , rams and goats , they were fleshy rites , and one of their signs , that of circumcision was a mark in the flesh . the reader should not here mistake me , as if i were in this against all the outward part of worship now under the new testament , whilst i declare the abolishing of those external sacrifices , and outward rites which were typical and figuring of old . a just respect of outward reverence , is due unto jehovah aelohim , where he doth manifest his gracious presence : here is a duty of veneration to be expressed by outward gesture . although the inward worship be principally in several respects intended and required , yet the outward and bodily part is not excluded but enjoyned also , such as elevation of the eye and palms of the hands , bowing , kneeling , and the like , where meet circumstances of time and place , and other parts of the case are fitted for it : the lord made r the body of man to be worshipped and glorified by , as well as the spirit and soul , and believers have a promise , and so are under expectation , of having their bodies glorified as well as their spirits and souls , in the world and life to come : and if they look for a glorifying reward , they should perform a worshiping work : though the inward worship be the life of the outward worship , yet the outward must be expressive of the inward , the one is not complete without the other . where there is only the outward worship without the inward , there the worship doth not so commend it self to god , not being well testified before him , who searcheth the heart , s and who being a spirit , will be worshipped in spirit , and if there be only inward worship , without the outward worship , there the worship is not well witnessed t before men and angels . the outward bodily part of idolatrous worship by gesture and posture , as a testification of homage , is for that cause a sin , u because that is given to an idol , which is an honour due peculiarly unto jehovah aelohim himself ; it belongs properly unto the great creator , and should not be sacrilegiously stollen from him to be bestowed upon a creature : where there is a daring , scorning , and a presumptuous neglecting of the outward part of solemn worship , w there the guilt of hainous sinning is chargeable upon such , and of provoking asfront to the heavenly majesty : a decent comly dress and deportment in the acts of outward worship and service doth well become the saints . further yet , those ceremonial rites of old , are called the x elements of the world weak and egene , such as by which the israel of god were instituted in their minority who were children and disciples , under the mosaick paedogogy ; which , although under that old ministration , they were profitable exercises leading believers unto the promised messiah ; yet after the manifestation of christ in the flesh , their external use ceased , and their observation would be noxious : those paedagogical rudiments , with which the lord taught his church , under the former dispensation , when it was in its infancy , are now vanished , being shadowy rites , which had annexed to them an open professed declaration of their faith concerning the messias , who was then to come in the flesh , to be born of a virgin , and to expiate the sins of mankind ; and therefore are not to be observed now by the new testament churches , grown to their ripe age ; for , so is the force of paul's arguing set against those , who would have brought in the mosaick rites into the new testament church , and have mingled them with the evangelical doctrine . i draw another argument from those various phrases in the new testament , which do express the doing away of those ceremonial rites , such as to y loose , or to disbind , which doth denote its abrogation , and that it doth not now bind believers to its observation ; christ having taken away the bond of it : z to destroy or to abolish , to cause to loyter behind , or to render improfitable ; so has christ dealt with those mosaick ceremonies : a to be changed , to be carried from one place or thing to another , to be transported , conveyed , turned ; so it is with ritual institutes , they are passed into somewhat more spiritual , heavenly and glorious : to be b abrogated , to be abolished , to be razed out , to be put out or away ; so that , there is a disanulling of these ceremonial rites : c to take away ; so has christ removed out of the way that handwriting in ritual injunctions : d to rail it , to affix it , to the cross , the forementioned handwriting of figuring ceremonies , under that former dispensation ; christ did this , fastning it to his cross : e to blot it out , to obliterate , to wipe off the oyntment , to wipe out ; thus the chirograph spoken of but just before , was bl●●ted out by christ , christ cancelled the bond , tare it in pieces , cut it into small parcels , with those nails , as it were , with which he was nailed to the cross : christ having paid the debt , and fully discharged all the demands of his fathers justice , it was equal , that the bonds subscribed should no longer stand in force . to pass away : f the priesthood of christ is an eternal priesthood , which doth not pass from one unto another , either by descent or by succession , as the levitical priesthood did ; christ's priesthood was so personal , as for ever to abide in himself ; whereas , in the levitical priesthood , the priests dyed one after another , and the priesthood it self was changed , being translated unto another tribe from levi to judah , from which tribe of judah our lord spr●ng ; so that the levitical priesthood having now passed into christ , that priesthood ceaseth , and the ceremonial rites belonging to it : g to cease , and to be taken out of the way , if those shadowy sacrifices , which of old they offered year by year continually , could have made the comers thereunto perfect , would they not then have ceased to be offered ? ( for so it should be rendred interrogatively ; ) undoubtedly they would have so ceased ; this therefore being now perfected by the offering up of the body of jesus christ once , the sacrifices must necessarily cease : h to be dead : the ceremonial statutes obliged for a certain time , as in the ordinance of marriage , which doth bind till death ; but death doth unloose that matrimonial bond ; so here , believers under this new administration are freed from those ritual observations ; and therefore , when all this is put together , let those who would still be serving the old tabernacle , remember , that thereby they deprive themselves of having any i right to eat of the spiritual altar , and that , so long , and so far christ's coming in the flesh , doth profit them nothing , and they betray that liberty which christ hath purchased , and intangle themselves by thrusting their necks still under that yoke of bondage , which christ has broken : if these mosaick rites should still continue in the later-day-glory , then their glory in those later days as to the outward administration of grace , will be less than our glory now is ; whereas , k we have a better ministration now , more spiritual , more heavenly , more glorious , than the former dispensation of grace , under the old testament was , and the later-day-glory will be yet more excelling , l what there is of perpetual equity in those figuring types , and shadowy signs , and how far in christ , who is the truth of them , they have an everlasting continuance , in which regard they are called everlasting ordinances , and ordinances from generation to generation , this is a matter , though of very useful , yet of far distinct inquiry , from what has been now under my disquisition : for it sets out the inward spiritual part , the things signified by those external signs , such truths , duties , graces and priviledges , as are some way or other contained in one or other of the laws of the ten words ; and are one of the strong arguments for their cessation now upon the change of the dispensation , the external fleshy , obscure , earthy veiled part , being now passed into the inward , spiritual , glorious , heavenly unveiled part . i hasten now to evidence in the word of truth , that , the law of faith , was a law under the old testament dispensation . here to avoid mistakes and cavils , ( for , we are for standing upon plain firm ground , having the whole scripture in plain express words for the weekly seventh day sabbath : ) i notice the reader , that to believe actually in the messiah , as mediator between god and man , and actually to believe in this messiah , as he that was in the fulness of time to come in the flesh , born of a virgin , was a law under the old administration . and to believe actually in that particular person , this christ , when come in the flesh , as so born of the virgin mary , is a law of the new testament ; yet so , as that this quateneity , as so born of the virgin mary , is one part of the new testament ministration , properly as such ; and so in that respect doth belong to another matter . and thus in some places faith doth set out the new dispensation of grace . the short and plain is this ; faith in the messiah , or in christ , was a law under the old testament-dispensation ; or it was then a commanded duty to believe in christ ; which was to be done in obedience to a law of jehovah aelohim . for the advancement of this sort of profitable learning , i propound these following inquiries ; which if well cleared up from scripture , might bring in some considerable augment to this holy science . q. whether there be not convincing evidence in the word of truth , that fallen adam and eve did actually repent , and believe in the messiah for justification , acceptation and salvation . q. what names are there in the old testament given to christ , which do set him out , as mediator , as saviour , as the justifier of his people , and as being their righteousness . q. what types , and figures , and shadows were there of this doctrine of faith in the messiah , under old testament dispensation ? q. whether , if all the hebrew expressions were put together , that in the old testament are expressive * descriptions of faith , trust , hope , expectation in the new , with all the synonyma's and phrases referring to this subject matter , it would not discover much of lively faith in the saints , under that former dispensation ? that , faith was a law under the old testament dispensation , i thus demonstrate , both in the general significancy of the word , grounded on the almightness , and faithfulness of jehovah aelohim , and also in the special acceptaon it ; for closing with , applying of , relying on , jehovah the messiah , and his righteousness , for justification in the sight of god. in its general significancy , it has a firm foundation , a rockie bottom , even m the power and truth of the omnipotent unchangeable jehovah , a god of ability to perform , and of veracity to fulfil , what he has spoken and promised . every word and truth of god revealed , is the general , and common object of faith. a lively working belief of this ; though seemingly but in the general , yet has great influence upon the special actings of justifying faith ; for the scriptures do give us instances of too much , and too often questioning the power and fidelity of aelohim , in his word and promises , in some particular trying cases , as long hiding of his faces , great withdrawing , delay of fulfilling of propheties and promises , not answering of prayer , carrying himself as one angry at the very prayers of his people ; much conflicting with , and yet frequent foyling by some particular bewailed , confessed corruption , under violent temptations , the lord 's seeming forsaking of his churches and people , his shining upon , and prospering of the enemies of the lord , and of his people , his seeming to act contrary in his works , from what he covenanteth in his word ; with more of this kind . but , i suppose , that it is the notion of faith in its special acceptation , that is intended by this pretended new law of faith in this objection : that this faith in christ is now in more clearness , spiritualness , evidence , growingness , heavenlyness , for the manner and degrees of it , we thankfully and admiringly , acknowledge to the praise of god , of rich grace , and of free love , who has brought us under this new and more glorious administration . but , there was the same grace of faith in truth , and in reality , for its nature and essence , in the savingness and justifyingness of it , for the kind and specifickness of it , under the old : this we also affirm , was it not this saving and justifying faith which the author of the epistle n to the hebrews do speak of , when he said , the just by faith shall live ? those who are justified , counted just by faith in christ , applying him and his righteousness , shall live that life of grace , and of comfort , of support and stay , of waiting , and of dependance here , which shall pass into an eternal life of glory , of full vision , injoyment , and happiness . and was not this testimony brought out of the o old testament , which is used once and again , and a third time in the new ? and in every one of the places in the new , it is applyed with respect to justification by faith in christ . so in the epistle to the romans ; the righteousness of god ( of christ who was god as well as man , for the complete satisfactory righteousness of such an one did we stand in need of : ) is revealed in the same gospel of christ from faith to faith ; as it is written , but the just by faith shall live : that righteousness by which a believer doth stand justified before the judgement seat of god , and can be no other righteousness , but only the righteousness of christ , this is a free gift from the father , and is through the inworking of the holy spirit , by faith imputed to believers . the like sense it has in that passage of the epistle to the p galatians ; that no man by the law is justified before god is mentioned ; for the just by faith shall live ; referring again to that place in habakkuk , whereby to prove justification by faith in christ only , as the context doth evidently declare : and thus in the formentioned passage to the hebrews , having in the last verse but one of the tenth chapter , cited that scripture in the old testament , the author proceeds in the first verse of the eleventh chapter to describe the true spiritual nature of saving justifying faith ; and he gives particular instances and examples of the saints of old , who acted this faith. was it not q by this faith , in the promised seed of the woman , in christ , that abels person and sacrifice was acceptable to god , and by which he obtained witness , that he was righteous , and so justified in the sight of god ? was it not by this faith that enoch r pleased god who gave him this testimony , and was therefore honoured with the priviledge of walking with god here , and then of gods taking him away to himself ? was it not s by this faith , that noah prepared the ark , as a type of christ , by which he became an heir of the righteousness , which is according to faith ? of which righteousness , of justification by faith in the messiah , noab was preacher to others ? was it not t by this faith ; that abraham was justified ? did not he believe god ? jebovah the messiah , who appeared to him ? and was it not accounted to him for righteousness ? and is not this brought in by paul in his u epistles to the romans , and to the galatians , to prove the doctrine of justification by faith in christ , by his righteousness imputed to the believer ? did not abraham receive the sign of circumcision , as a seal of this righteousness of faith , which was thus imputed to him ? is not abraham propounded as an example to after-believers in this ? being called the father of all that believe , in the foot steps of whose faith after-believers are to walk ? for what was so counted to him for righteousness , was written , not for his sake alone , that it was imputed to him , but for the sake of paul , and of others in paul's time ; and so still for our sakes , in the present day , to whom it shall be imputed , namely to them that do believe in him ; w what moses doth speak of the duties of the law , paul doth interpret of the faith of the gospel . it would fill up much paper to inlarge in all the other instances of the old testament-believers , recorded in the new , particularly in that eleventh chapter to the hebrews . there is x one faith ; one and the same doctrine of faith , to be believed ; and one and the same grace of faith , by which men do believe , for justification and salvation , both under the old and new testament . it was the open confession of y peter's faith in one of the first councils or synods , held in the new testament , when the apostles and elders were assembled together to debate some weighty question of the christian religion ; we believe , saith he , by the grace of the lord jesus christ , to be saved in such manner as they also ; as the believing fore-fathers under the old testament were , merely through free grace , by faith in grace , by faith in christ , in his righteousness . they by faith in christ , who was then to come to be in due time born of the virgin , which was held forth in types of old to this end ; we in christ , as the perfect anti-type thus already come . z the analogy of faith in both testaments should be attended unto by a diligent discerning reader of the word , a due proportional collating of them , between and to each other , would discover the uniformness and well-agreingness of the will of our lord in them both , by a particular right application and limitation of their analogy , the orderly regulation whereof must be made according to that measure and number of proportion , which the different manner of dispensing doth call for , and no further is it to be admitted , as to any substantial and essential part of the christian religion ; there is a likeness of word , a sameness of sense , a oneness of intendment on them both , unto which analogy he must keep close , who would give forth a true explication of sound doctrine . that faith , which is required and promised in the covenant of grace , is for the substance of it , one and the same grace , which is commanded in the law of the ten words ; and let it be further researched into by the ingenuous for the augment of this spiritual science ; whether the faith of adam in his innocence ( i do not put here into this inquiry , as to the special use , and the proper object of it ) were not for the substance of the grace one and the same with the new covenant grace of faith ? was not adam in all things to give confident credence to all as to every truth which aelohim his creator had revealed or should further reveal , was he not bound to believe in the promised messiah by the law of creation and of nature , as soon as ever jehovah should reveal this to him ? the whole scripture is profitable for this doctrine , of the oneness and sameness of old and new testament faith , and i am perswaded after some years research into the word of truth , about this matter , and long experience suited thereunto , that one great occasion at least , if not cause , of the apostasies and backslidings of some , of the loose ungospel-like , and ill-principled-conversation of others , and of the practical atheism and infidelity of some others , and of the doubts and fears , and unprofitable walking of other some , has been men's unscriptural unwarrantable setting up of so many different religions in the old and new testament , and the urging of some one , or a few misunderstood , misinterpreted scriptures , wrested and wryed to some particular purpose , contrary to the drift , and intent , and scope , of the whole scripture besides , which doth write about that case : whereas the whole scripture is uniform and harmonious , speaking with one mouth , one and the same thing . the only difference between the old and the new , being in the mode of administration , as has been opened once and again . let me here further add , ( seeing this objector doth call this a new law of faith , as a part of the the new creation ; brought in and perfected particularly , and only upon the first day of the week , and upon no other day , as he pretends : ) that , this , grace of faith was put into a law under the old testament dispensation ; for , besides that , if there had been no law for this faith , under that dispensation , a it had been no sin , no transgression not to have believed with that faith ; for sin is the transgression of some law ; and i have shewn , it was christ manifesting himself to moses in egypt and in the wilderness , whom the israelites did so often tempt , grieve , provoke , and not b not believe . but further , faith in that jehovah aelohim , who proclaimed the ten words at mount sinai , was a plain duty , injoyned in the first word or command ; and that promulgator , i have proved to be the messiah or christ . so that it was a duty actually to believe him , to believe in him . faith in the lawgiver is c one of the ways and commandments of this jehovah . i had here given a dismiss unto this ( that i might hasten to the last particular : ) but that i called to mind , how another adversary of , and objector against , the seventh-day sabbath had affirmed , that the decalogue had less in it than the law of nature , and that therefore it was never intended for a mere or perfect transcript of the law of nature . ( although , if he had improved his own concession , he might have seen how he tacitely gave an answer to his own objection ; for he says , that the chief heads of natutes law are contained in the decalogue : ) he gives instances in divers particulars ; some of the chief of them , in which he seems much to glory , i shall examine : in which he judgeth the decalogue is defective , such as the belief of the soul , to love our selves with a just and necessary love , to fame and mortifie all our fleshly lusts , in order to our salvation , to deny all bodily pleasure , profit , honour , liberty and life , for the securing of our salvation . let the considerate reader now spiritually , according to the word of truth , discern in these matters . if the scripture-rules of interpreting these ten words , laws or commands be observed , allowed and applyed , it will be manifest , that they are a comprehensive , as for other things , so for the particulars specified ; so far as doth concern the discharge of duty , and the avoiding of sin. these general laws do take in more particulars , than is commonly observed , for the particulars are expressed by some word or other , in the general law , which by collating of other scriptures in the original words and phrases doth evidently demonstrate this ; which is well worth the noting and improving for the advancement of this decalogue-science . the definition of every one of the ten words , is so fully and comprehensively fitted , as they take in all the laws of natural holiness and righteousness : so that , we may say with the d psalmist , in all perfection i have seen an end , but thy commandment , o jehovah , is very large ! o how i love thy law ! to believe that the soul is what scripture and nature do say that it is , is comprehended in the decalogue . the maker and giver of this law is the best interpreter of it . e when the lawyer asked christ , which was the great commandment in the law ? the lord jesus answered him , thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thy heart , and with all thy soul , and with all thine understanding , and with all thy strength : this is the first and the great commandment : and the second is like unto it , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self . on these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets . observe here , is not the soul particularly taken notice of in the expression ? and that too , as a distinct , essential , constitutive part of man , from the spirit and body ? and is not this a word to be believed ? is it not plain here , that the scripture doctrine of the soul , is to be believed ? and this as comprehended within the due bounds of the decalogue ? that christ doth here speak of the law of the ten words is evident , by collating of f other scriptures , which do historically relate the same thing , where the preface , g hear , o israel , doth shew , that it is meant of this law of the ten words , seeing there is a particular enumeration of several of the ten words in express terms . which ten words do summarily contain the whole doctrine of holiness , and of righteousness , whatsoever the law and the prophets do speak of : and how much is there in these concerning the doctrine of the soul ? this exposition of the law-maker himself , is a sufficient warranting of this interpretation ; for , he doth make the sum of the first table , ( to which the four first words do belong : ) to be the loving of jehovah our aelohim , with all our heart , and with all our soul , and with all our might . and the sum of the second table ; ( which takes in the six last words : ) to be ; thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self . and h the expressions which christ doth use , are remarkable ; the whole heart ; the whole soul , the whole strength ; the whole mind ; which words do take in the whole power , and powers of the inner and outer man. i the whole strength doth more properly set out the might of the body , in the external members , limbs and parts of it . the whole heart doth express all the inwards of the bodily fleshy part of man : the whole mind doth call for the vigour and activity , the light and life of the spirit of man : the spirit of a man is naturally luminous , and has light enough in it to demonstrate his being , to be distinct from the respiring faculty in man. so that the whole in his all , and in every part of him is concerned and engaged in this love. and all these words thus put together , do discover and declare , that this law of the ten words doth extend to spirit , soul and body ; both the external and internal parts of the body : which three do constitute and make up a complete man. and the lord can make this good use of this part of the answer , to put the readers upon further inquiries into the word of truth , after the true nature and proper difference of their spirits , souls and bodies , and what the distinct duties of each are , and wherein they must all joyntly agree in obeying this precept of love. k the fourth word doth declare jehovah aelohim to be the maker of the heavens and of the earth , and of all things that are therein ; and the soul of man is one of these things which he created and l made . it is of the law of nature agreeably to the word to believe , that souls are , and that there is a maker of them . and that it is a duty , both to get more of the knowledge of our souls , and with our souls , to love and honour the creator of them . to love our selves with a just and necessary love , as such , is of the law of nature ; m he that doth it not is a self murderer , he doth kill somewhat or other of himself , which is against the express letter of the sixth word . those that by sinning against , and hating of the lord christ , are oppressors , wrongers , abusers of their own souls , and love death ; they do that by which they bring death and destruction upon themselves ; and so do not discharge that duty which under , and for him they owe unto themselves . to love our neighbour as our selues is n of the law of nature in the decalogue , which is the sense that the law-giver himself doth give of his own law. o this objector himself doth acknowledge all the duties of self-love to be deeply written in man's nature ; but in this he doth mistake , in that he saith , that all the duties of self love , as such are passed by ( as supposed ) in moses's decalogue . ( in the way , men should use more tenderness in their expressions about these holy laws of christ ; upon which he himself doth put so much honour . this adversary doth sometimes call it a jewish law , and here moses's decalogue , when he had before and after , written so much diminitively about these ten words ; whereas the scriptures do name them with more honour , p the words of the covenant , the ten words , the ten words which jehovah spake , which he gave unto moses . moses called them , the ten words of jehovah's covenant , which jehovah wrote upon two tables of stone : with many more of such glorious names and titles . but to my matter in hand : ) if these duties of self love are supposed , where are they supposed , if not in this present comprehensive law ? which doth include all duties ? q christ's rules of interpreting do expresly take in self-love , making this commanded duty of self-love , to be the measure of our love to our neighbour ; the one must be regulated by the other according to the word . r in his own commentary upon his own law , he doth affirm , all the law and the prophets , to make a regular love to our selves , to be s the measure of our love to others . this law of self-love is not then so passed by , but that in express terms , if we will take christ for an interpreter , it is a duty required in the law of the ten words . both old and new testament do speak one and the same thing in this matter ; and men will never be thorowly true , right lovers of themselves , till their hearts and lives in a way of growing conformity , both in knowledge and in obedience , be more and better reconciled to this law of the ten words . pure , primitive , created , natural , word self-love is eminent in an universal obedience , unto all the holy , righteous , just laws of jehrvah aelohim : they are good laws , good to the observer of them . the lord doth use this argument , whereby to prevail with true , right self-lovers , keep all my commandments t for thy good , thy ; the benefit and the advantage will be thy own . thy obedience thereby , will be profitable u to thy self . every one of the ten words being directed to men , in the second person , doth stir up their natural , regular self-love ; thou shalt , or thou shalt not . it is thy own great concern ; w for , there is a lawful regular self-love , x as there is a sinful carnal self-love . this also doth take in somewhat of another instance of this objector , about taking greatest care to save our souls above our bodies . for the chain , and the order lines of love is held forth in the decalogue . y the honour and the glory of jehovah aelohim , being commanded , and commended , in the first table ; and then the salvation and good of our selves ; and next to this , the salvation and good of others : as has been already opened . further , to tame and mortifie all our fleshly lusts in order to our salvation : is not this also precepted in the decalogue ? where any duty is there commanded , do not also the means pointed thereunto pass under precept ? thus , where any sin is forbidden , are not there also the causes and occasions of such a sin forbidden ? and are not there also the means instituted for the avoyding such a sin injoyned ? are not lusts and corruptions , the whole old man of them , the original indwelling sin , which is the root and the corrupt fountain , whence all other sins and corruptions do spring and flow , are not these forbidden in the law of the ten words ? doth not paul evidently argue this in the seventh chapter of his epistle to the romans ? z if we do not through the spirit mortifie the deeds of the body : is not this one way of self-murder , forbidden in the sixth word , or law ? and where a sin is forbidden , is not the contrary duty there commanded ? are we not by virtue of this , and of other of these laws , to forbear those acts of gluttony , drunkenness , adultery , and such like , as they tend to our own damnation ? where the express charges for mortification are given to us , do they not evidently refer to the particular laws of the ten words ? a mortifie your members which are upon the earth , fornication , uncleanness ( against the seventh word : ) passion ( against the sixth word : ( evil concupiseence , ( against the seventh word , in its limited restrained sense , against the whole of this law , in a large sense . ) covetousness ( against the tenth vvord . ) which is idolatry ( against the first word ) . we must put off all these , anger , wrath , malice ( against the sixth word . ) blasphemy ( against the third word , when belched out against jehovah , against the ninth vvord , when spoken evilly against our neighbour . ) filthy communication out of our mouths , ( against the seventh vvord : ) lie not one to another ( against the ninth vvord ) husbands be not bitter against your vvives ; fathers , give not ill words to your children ; servants do not wrong ; ( against the fifth vvord . ) do not not the law and the prophets , under the old administration call for b the ploughing up of the sallow ground , for circumcising themselves to jehovah for taking away the foreskin of their hearts , with other such like expressions ? and do these set out the mortification of the lusts ? vvhat was much of the typical whole burnt-offering , c but the mortifying and killing of sin ? so that as this is a duty under the new , so also it is a duty under the old : and if so , it must be by virtue of one or other of the ten vvords ; for on these do all the law and the prophets , the whole old testament , hang as to matters of commands or prohibitions , though it take in other matters too . to deny all bodily pleasure , profit , honour , liberty and life , for the securing of our salvation , regular self-love , as it is a law of nature , doth dictate , and is a great part of that which the lord jesus christ , d in that cutting of the ten vvords into two comprehensives of them , doth call the second commandment : for love to the honour of jehovah aelohim , is the first and chief commandment , and must be mainly put forth in this case , though it were to the parting with our any thing , our all . are there not eminent examples of this under the old testament ; which have an honourable record in the new ? did not e noah go far in this of self denyal , when he opposed all that corrupt age ? vvhen he condemned the whole vvorld of sinful mankind , as he could reach them ? and was not this to the saving , not only of his house , but of his soul ? f vvas not abraham eminent in this , when he left his own country and his fathers house , and at a call from the lord went out , not knowing whither he went , to sojourn in a strange country , where he was in great danger ? and when at a word from the lord , he was ready to offer up his isaac , his only begotton , beloved son , of whom it was said , in isaac shall the seed be called to thee ? g did not moses excel here in ? when by faith , being grown big , he refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughter ? ( was not this a denying all bodily honour ? ) when he by faith chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of god , than to have the temporary injoyment or delight of sin ? ( vvas not this to deny all bodily pleasure ? ) when he by faith , esteemed the reproach of , or for christ ( observe , there was a christ then , and moses rejoyced in his being persecuted for christ's sake , because great was his reward in heaven , which is an answer to another instance of this objector : ) greater riches than the treasures in egypt ? ( vvas not this to deny all profit ? ) when he by faith forsook egypt , not fearing the wrath of the king , for he was constant , as seeing him who is invisible ? ( vvas not this to deny all bodily liberty and life ? ) and were not these for the securing of his salvation ? is it not expresly spoken of him , that moses had respect unto the recompence of reward ? did not he believe , that there was an heaven ? where the glorified saints will be perfectly blessed , in the knowledge , love and fruition of god ? ( vvhich doth also return a confutation to another instance of the objector . ) vvas not moses under some vvord-law for all this ? must not this faith have some word from jehovah to bottom upon ? o how honourable are these things of this glorious law. this puts me on towards the closing of my great undertaking , which is to shew , that the old law of the ten words is still the same , both to jew and gentile . it was the rule of obedience to them under the old testament , as unto god in christ , and is still so a rule unto us under the new. in my entrance upon this , i must express my a●horrence of that bold daringness , in some , who charge the lord jesus christ himself , with being in his life-time a coun●enancer of some breaches of the seventh-day sabbath . thus flying in the face , not only of this holy law , but also of the supreme lawgiver . they give two instances : one in the twelfth of matthew , and the beginning of that chapter ; the other in the fifth chapter of john , the ninth , tenth , and so on to the sixteenth verse . as to the the former , concerning christ's disciples plucking the ears of corn , and eating , on the seventh-day , and christ's pleading their cause , consider well their case , in all the circumstances of it . they did what was lawful on the seventh day , it being a needful refreshing of their outer man , thereby to strengthen for sabbath-worship and service , where other provision was wanting , a work of mercy , as christ shewed it to be ; an action tending towards the sanctification of the sabbath , and not bringing any duty thereof . it was according to what the law of jehovah did allow , in the two last verses of the twenty third chapter of deuteronomy , which had foundation in right nature , and in just equity amongst all mankind , who did allow this in a case of present necessity . and this christ's doth further exemplifie in a like case of david . concerning the later : where christ healed the man diseased , and bid him , to take up his bed and walk : and this on the sabbath-day . the diseased man was there on his bed , in the way of his cure ; a cure was lawful on the sabbath-day , a doing good on such a day , a work of necessity , and of mercy ; and so lawful . this was a work that the diseased man could not foresee , or prevent before the sabbath came ; nor being healed , was he to delay it till the sabbath was over ; left he had lost that of his goods , which his duty was so to preserve ; ( the creator on the seventh-day sabbath preserved his creatutes , which he had made on the six foregoing days of the same week ) it was a publick testimony of the truth of the cure , and of the power of the healer , who as god-man spake the cure ; it was an act of faith and of obedience , in him who was whole , and did not hinder any sabbath-worship : for you may find him in the temple , in the fourteenth verse . having already proved , that the lord jesus christ was admininistrator under the old testament : and that he was the promulgator of the law of the ten words at mount sinai , who was to be believed and obeyed in that day , as well as now ; and that , the end of the law also , the great design , drift , purport , and meaning of it was , christ for righteousness to every one that believeth : that which is now upon my hand to defend and maintain is , that it is still a rule of obedience now unto the new testament ; for the confutation of h anomy or antinomianism . this law of the ten words was confirmed by the express doctrine of our lord jesus christ , when he took to his god-head the humane nature , born of the virgin mary , and dwelt here on earth , and conversed with men for some years , i particularly in his sermon at the mount. so that , k as he was the proclaimer of them at mount sinai : thus also was he here again at the mount , the preacher and confirmer of them , in the faithful discharge of his kingly prophetick office. he would not have any disciple of his so much as to give way unto any l one thought , that he came to dissolve any of the least commands of this law of the ten words ; the least consonant , or vowel , or point , whatsoever it was that was originally this of christ's own giving and writing from his father , by his spirit in his word : nothing , not the least part of it , was in any wise to pass from it . who-ever he were that did loose or dissolve one of these least commandments , more especial too , if he did further teach men so ; such an one was not in a fi●●edness for the new testament church-state , which is set out by the kingdom of heaven : he was neither to be admitted into this state , where it was known ; or if he unawares crept in , yet being discovered , he was not to continue in that state , m without the exercise of church discipline . and that christ doth speak of this law of the ten words is manifest ; for he doth give particular instances of particular commands in the decalogue : of the sixth word or command , in the one and twentieth verses of that n fifth chapter : of the second or fourth words or commands ( though set out after the manner of the old testament dispensation , which at that time was not so fully perfected and accomplished , as i have shewed else where : ) in the twenty third and twenty fourth verses of that fifth chapter ; where the manner of worship , and o the times and seasons of worship are spoken to and of : of the seventh word , in the twenty seventh verse , and onwards to the end of the thirty second verse : of the third word in the thirty third verse , and so forward to the thirty seventh verse : of the first word in the p nineteenth verse , and further , even to the end of the sixth chapter . if thou be a discerning unprejudiced reader , it is but open thy bible , and read those q three chapters , and thou wilt conclude with me , that this sermon is christ's reviving of , and commentary upon the law of the ten words ; making this to be r the doctrinal foundation , upon which wise believers are to bottom and to build . the same truth and duties which are here taught and commanded by christ , are the same which the prophets of old did commend to the people , and which s moses also did deliver ; as may be seen in the citations in the margin , t it was by this law of the decalogue , that christ doth prove the truth of his doctrines , and the equity of his commands . it is christ's obedience unto the law of the ten words , wherein he propoundeth and setteth himself as a u pattern and example for believers to imitate , and to follow him . this law of the ten words is affirmed in the new testament , to be in its own nature , w an holy , just , good , spiritual law ; a perfect law , commanding all good , and forbidding all evil . all and every sin is a transgression of one or other of the ten words , which are still the believer's light to guide his steps aright in those straight ways wherein he is to walk . the apostles in the history of their acts , and in the epistles which they sent to the christian churches , are full of this doctrine ; which doth constantly attend their preaching of that great truth of justification by faith in christ particularly , even as to the laws of the x second table . y the prophesies of the scripture that do foretell of an holy righteous people in the purer churches of the later days , have respect unto this law , which is sealed in christ's disciples , which is transcribed in their z new heart : it is engraven on the hearts and minds of christ's new covenant people by the lord , the spirit . anti-christ , a that lawless one , will set himself most to persecute those disciples of christ , who do stick closest to christ , in walking according to the rule of b this law. both the old testament , and also the new doth c close with a reviving and inforcing of this law ; and that under a terrible threatning of excommunication against scandalous transgressors of it , and a dreadful curse denounced against such as shall add to , or take from it ; d whereunto other scriprures do well agree . for the accomplishing of what e john had in a vision , believers do now wait , even that the temple of god may be open in heaven ; in which temple may be seen the ark of his testament or covenant ; f in which ark there was nothing put but the two tables , on which the ten words written with the finger of aelohim . this law shall yet once again come forth g out of mount sion . this law is one of the h great honourable things of aelohim . all the lord's appearings in his way of justice against sin for holiness , is his vindication of this law. and all his free rewardings of his obedient people in his way of righteous performing of covenant mercy , is his approbation of this law ; for upon this bottom do all his judicial laws stand . these later days do call for advocates , to plead the cause of this holy , righteous law ; antichrist now doth more appear to be i the anomous one . the antichristian party have mangled the ten words ; for thus they publish them in their psalters and catechisms : . i am the lord god ; thou shalt have no other god but me . . thou shalt not take the name of god in vain . . remember to sanctifie the holy days . . honour thy father and mother . . thou shalt not kill . . thou shalt not commit adultery . . thou shalt not steal . . thou shalt not bear false witness . . thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife . . thou shalt not desire thy neighbours goods . here they wholly leave out the second commandment : they thrust the weekly seventh-day sabbath of jehovah , out of the fourth word , and substitute their own unscriptural holy-days ; they turn the last word into two . they teach religious reverence to be done to creatures , as to angels , to souls departed , to the cross , &c. they hold it lawful to be present at idolatrous service , keeping a man's conscience to himself , they teach invocation of saints ; they allow blasphemous oaths ; they teach will-worship , idolatry , superstitions , and their fabulous feigned traditions , and such vows as are unwarrantable and unlawful , they lay aside the weekly seventh-day sabbath , and set up days of mens inventing , instituting and imposing : dedicating them , and the worship and service on them , much to creatures ; they hold , that the magistrate hath nothing to do in the matters of religion ; they exempt their clergy from the jurisdiction of the civil magistrate ; they absolve inferiors from their subjection to superiors . they justifie murthering of princes , and of others , that promote not their cause ; they tolerate stewes ; they allow uncleanness to some persons , as venial , and scarce a sin : they assert officious and sporting lyes to be lawful and justifiable , if good may be attained by it ; they dispense with the whole decalogue , by usurpation ; if the pope command what christ doth forbid , or if he forbid what christ doth command , yet they require their people to obey them , contrary to christ's law. k the sins of the later days are expressed by the name of anomies ; which is often declared against in the new testament , as well as in the old. violence to the law , and partiality in the law , is one great article , that will be brought in by way of charge against corrupt teachers , in the later days . this is the great comprehensive sin which the lord doth so much hate . l one word for law , is used ( if i have not misreckoned : ) abvoe one hundred and ninety times in the new testament ; and m another word for a commandment , about seventy times : and those who are nefarious , n not consentaneous to laws , out laws , and lawless ones , are the gross erring ones , in principle , in practice , or in both . o how zealous was the lord christ for this law of his ! how careful to have o the whole of it , all and every part of it , to be safely kept ! he put it all into two comprehensive precepts , and there hung it up , to stay it , that none of it might fall to the ground , or be lost . all religion conspireth into these two . this is that way of righteousness , wherein believers ought to be found walking . anomy , antinomian●sm , lawlessness , or a disowning and rejecting of the law of the ten words , this is a description of sin , as opposed to holiness and righteousness , john . rom. . . cor. . . anomy is that foul comprehensive evil , which christ doth hate , heb. . . to be reckoned amongst the anomous ones , is to be reckoned amongst the vilest , and most notorlous of sinners , mar. . . luk. . . they were anomous hands , which did crucifie christ , act. . . anomous works are grieving and vexing to the righteous soul of a righteous man , pet. . . anomy is that great evil , which christ came to redeem his people from , tit. . . anomy is that sin , which all christ's justified ones have freely forgiven unto them , rom. . . heb. . . and . . anomy doth lay aside that rule , by which we must judge of good and of evil , of sin and of duty , rom. . . and . . it is one of antichrists names , that he is the anomous one , thess . . . anomy is the hainous crime of the later days , mat. . . thess . . , . anomous ones will be cast out of fellowship and communion , in the purer churches of the later-day-glory , mat. . . such as live and die working of this anomy , will at the last be shut out of the new city , and the heavenly glory , mat. . and . , . p we must take one and all , one and every one of the ten words . they are conjoyned into one body of the law ; and must be so likewise in our obedience : it is , as it were , one copulative , if you dissolve and break one , you dissolve and break all , and thereby violate his authority , who requires obedience to all , and to every one of them . all the ten commandments is but one commandment . a law kingly ; a law of liberty ; a law by which we must be obliged ; a law by the works of which men must manifest their faith to be of the right saving living-kind , and by which faith is made perfect . the same aelohim who spake one of the laws of these ten words , spake all and every one of them ; in a singular emiment manner at the mount sinai ; he spake at other seasons ; but this law was spoken with more solemnity of proclaiming . this is that law , which q the apostate angels , were and are trangressors of : satan is the evil one ; he sets himself up as a god to be worshiped , which is against the first and second ; he is a blaspheming spirit , against the third word : he keeps not the seventh-day sabbath , and tempts men to profane it ; against the fourth words . he has broken the law of his relation , and tempts all , both superiors and inferiors , to break the established order , according to the fifth word . christ calls him a murderer against the sixth word . an unclean spirit ; against the seventh word . he is a thief , a robber , a stealer : robbs men of their holiness and happiness ; steals away the word out of their hearts ; against the eighth word . he is a lyar , against the ninth word . a covetous craver of what is not his own . and he sollicits men to covet what is their neighbours , against the tenth word . for , this decalogue is the rule of holiness , and of righteousness , given to r angelical natures , who were summoned to appear at the solemn promulgation , and proclaiming of this law. even the holy spirits are doers of jehovah's commandments , and they hearken unto the voice of his word . and what is more yet , this law will be the perfect , establish'd , continud law , and rule of holiness , and of righteousness of the glorified ones for ever in heaven . how great therefore is there ignorance , and how gross their mistake , and dangerous their errour , who daringly assert , that this law was temporay given only to one national people , of israel and some few more ; as if others were not under the obligation of it , at least in part , if not in whole . s whereas , it is a kingly law , to which all mankind ought to be subject and conforming , all being concern'd in this law , all being to be judged by this law ; all sin and duty being to be measured by this law. there must an universal regard had to all and to every one of the commands in the decalogue , both by prince , minister and people : there is a note of universality , requiring obedience to all these commands , and a word of singularity , forbidding the breach and violation of any one of them . though christ have redeemed his people from the curse of this law , yet not from the rule of it : the redemption from the curse of it , doth still establish the rule of it . and as to this particular law , of the weekly seventh-day sabbath , there was a mixed multitude of others with the israelites , at the very time of proclaiming it : and the stranger , yea the very cattel , are expresly comprehended within the bounds , and in the very letter of this word , and natural reason for the observation thereof . and if men will still be so adventurous in this age of clear light , and of shining discovery , as to go on to do the labour and work of their particular functions and imployments on the seventh-day , there is no word of god that doth dispense with this , neither can any word of man bear them out in it , against a direct prohibition . the ten words , or the law of the decalogue , being that perfect image and exact sampler , according to which all mankind in the loyns of adam , were at the first created in all wisdom , holiness and righteousness , as their finite capacities could take in , and it being still the rule and direction for the renewing and restoring of wisdom , holiness and righteousness in any of the sons and daughters of men , it is therefore in a proper sense , the law of nature ; and it being so , it hath some foundation in the humane nature , and so doth respect all mankind , jew and gentile , male and female , no sex nor age , no language nor people excepted ; which law when proclaimed at mount sinai t universally concerned all the men and women , that then were , since have been , now are , and that shall be in the after generations ; h the head and representative of us all ; was under the direction and obligation of this law , and so are all the posterity of adam : sin was in the world from adam , even unto moses , and death was reigning in the world from adam , even unto moses , and the law was existing in the world from adam , even unto moses , when it was a new promulgated ; for , where the law is not in being , sin is not reckoned : thus was the first adam , the representing type of all mankind , who had this complete law concreated with the humane nature . this decalogical holiness and righteousness , though not the very natural essence , and real substance of the humane nature , nor necessarily flowing from the very principles of that humane nature , yet was a concreated perfection in him , and a connatural suitableness to him ; it was implanted in adam's heat , which law and obedience thereunto was the greatest part of his resembling the image and likeness of his creators and makers , it being after the same pattern , a law commanding all good , and forbidding all evil , a law of hidden ages , without limitation of any time , place or person , serving all times , all places , all persons , being an absolute full directory both before and since the fall ; whether this law were given outwardly by the creator to adam , by word and voice , is not now the matter of inquiry : let it suffice , that it was given to adam , which all his postery should conform unto : it was continued in the church all along , as a rule of life ; so it was to w noah , one of the fathers of the gentile nations , who was a just man , perfect in his generations , walking with aelohim , and finding grace in the eyes of jehovah ; he was a preacher of righteousness , a very holy , righteous man , and an obedient believer : the anomous , or lawless times of the later days are compared to noah's days in that corrupt age . thus also to abraham , x who was the father of many gentile-nations , of a multitude of them : this abraham had an express full testimony from the lord himself , that he was such a one as obeyed the voice of jehovah , and kept his charge , his commandments , and laws , which three words are the same that are afterwards used , by which to express the ten commandments , the judgement , and the statutes , which god gave by moses : aelohim knew abraham , how that , he would command his sons , and his house after him , and they should keep the way of jehovah , to do justice and judgement . thus also y to moses , and to those of his time , before the promulgation of this law of the ten words at mount sinai : jehovah aelohim by moses rebuked those who contrary to their lord's commandment , went out to seek food on the seventh-day sabbath , and he expresseth himself thus in his convincing reproof , how long will ye refuse to keep my commandments and laws ? ( the same words again ) implying that , that rebellious , disobedient people did continue on to be transgressors of this holy law of the ten words , particularly to be breakers of that law of the seventh-day sabbath , so that , these laws were well known to the church and people of god , by a long continued handing of them down by posterity from age to age , though practical anomy , or lawlessness had too much crept in and corrupted them of that generation , who neglected and broke them , especially whilst bond-slaves in egypt . afterwards when this law was proclaimed and commanded at mount horeb , where was z a great mixture , a miscellaneous multitude of israelites and gentiles , who were present at that mount ; and the stranger is expresly named in the very letter of the fourth word or command ; so that , he also was under the obligation to yield obedience unto the law of the seventh day sabbath . the mind of man having by sin covered over with thick darkness , ignorance , errour , and long di●use , evil inclinations to vice , having much depraved and blinded the understanding , the lord in words of his own a mouth proclaimed this law , that it might be a manifest testimony to mankind , that natural notions and novelties of the law , concerning the difference between good and evil , duty and sin , were divinely ingrafted into the nature of mankind , and were consentaneous unto this eternal rule of holiness and of righteousness , which is in aelohim : he instaurs and restores the intire knowledge of his will in his law , by this solemn promulgation , that those old letters of it , which were much worn and defaced in the decayed monuments of corrupt hearts , might be more deeply ingraven , and more plainly read again , that what men had observed , he by his own speaking voice , and writing finger might rightly explain ; thus interposing his own royal authority , to beget an inward testimony in their own consciences , for the justness and equity of his holy , righteous law ; that all mankind might be convinced of their sin and misery , and might thereby be awakened to make out after a remedy , otherwise they would be left altogether without excuse : upon the second of the trumpets at mount sinai , all mankind was bound to make diligent inquiry after that , which the lord , b who is the king of nations there spake , so that , they are all under his law , and are all bound thereunto , being all concerned to take notice of the promulgation thereof by royal proclamation , though more especially given forth at that place of sinai . it is not unworthy of serious consideration , what a tonourous loud voice that was , which not only all the israelites did hear , c who yet were about six hundred thousand men , a multitude that took up a great space of ground , when aelohim spake all the words of the decalogue ? this voice was also accompanied with a sound of trumpets , d so exceeding loud , as that the lord could make all mankind then alive to hear it : such a sound shall go forth in the last day : besides all this , what tempests were there at that solemnity , what smoke , what fire , yea , what thunderings , and what an earth-quake ? such as might shake all the inhabitants of the earth at once , and make them take notice of it : for , not only did mount sinai or horeb quake greatly , but e that expression of mount sinai also doth shew , that other parts of the earth were shaken too : the earth was then shaken , as the earth shall be shaken at christ's coming in the later days , when all nations shall be shaken or moved , or made to tremble , all and every one of them , so shaken as the heavens then will , all of them at once . all the earth is bid to rejoyce at jehovah's reigning , which is described f by his solemn giving of the law , which the church is to rejoyce at ; and this is applyed unto christ ; all the inhabited world was then enlightned , all the earth saw and trembled : he then and their declared himself to be lord of the whole earth in giving forth this kingly law. thus this glorious law-giver himself descended from heaven with a shout , his charriot being twice ten thousand thousands of angels , the lord being with them at sinai in the sanctuary ; g and when he ascended to on high , he led captive a captivity , he had taken gifts unto adam ( observe , so is the original word , or in adam , which paul doth explain to be men , all adam's posterity , particularly from that time ) and also the rebellious to dwell with that god. h this law universally concerneth all , for in christ all are one ; and whoever they were of the heathen nations that came into the church of god in that day , and were obedient unto all the laws of jehovah , they had a part with israel in all the holy things of god ; the strangers themselves were under a promise of having an allotted inheritance in the holy land , together with the tribes of israel . there were the same privileges to the obedient ; to the stranger , as to the home-born : the same judgments executed upon transgressors of the law of the ten words , were he the one or the other . all nations under heaven heard report of israel , and of the lord 's appearing for them , and giving them his holy law. let the reader further observe , how it was afterwards , when solomon built the temple , at his dedicating of it , he put i the stranger into his prayer , as well as the israelite : and this wise , just judge ( especially whilst his heart was right with the lord ) judged according to this law of the ten words , and the judicials annexed thereunto : k solomon had his dominion from sea to sea , and from the river unto the ends of the land ; they that dwelt in dry places kneeled before him , and his enemies licked the dust : the kings of tharshish , and of the isles rendred an oblation ; the kings of sheba and seba offered a present ; and all kings bowed down to him , all nations served him ; he reigned over all kingdoms , who were someways under his subjection , l being herein a type of christ ; so that , solomon was a kind of universal monarch upon earth , ruling and governing by jehovah's laws . consider , what the office and work of the prophets was after solomon's time , even to preach commentaries and sermons upon this law of the ten words , directing transgressors unto the messiah to procure pardon and reconciliation : and these prophets , especially some of them , had not only the israel of god put into their embasse and commission , but also the gentile nations and kingdoms , and people , m let jeremiah be one eminent instance of this , when the lord did set over the nations , and other the kingdom ; according unto that word , which he brought or sent to them from jehovah , and according as they yielded obedience , or not unto this law of jehovah , so they were either built and planted , or plucked up and broken down , spoiled and destroyed : n all those nations , unto whom jehovah sent jeremiah with a word of prophety were many , not jerusalem and judah , the kings thereof , the princes thereof , but also pharaoh king of egypt , and his servants , and his princes , and all his people , and all the mingled people , and all the kings of the land of vz , and all the kings of the land of the philistines , and ashkelon , and azzah , and ekron , and the remnant of ashdod , edom and moab , and the children of ammon , and all the kings of tyrus , and all the kings of zidon , and the kings of the isles , which beyond the sea ; dedan and tema , and buz , and all that in the utmost corners , and all the kings of arabia , and all the kings of the mingled people , that dwell in the desert ; and all the kings of zimri , and all the kings of elam , and all the kings of medes , and all the kings of the north , far and near , one with another , and all the kingdoms of the world , which upon the face of the earth , and the king of sheshach . the lord had a controversie with the nations , and he pleaded with all flesh , with all men , by this man's ministery , the cracking sound , and the terrible noise whereof went east , west , north and south , to the ends of the earth ; and that strife in judgement , which the lord had against them , was because they transgressed this holy , righteous , just law of his ; and were not the gentiles also then under the obligation and direction of this law ? now that , i am upon somewhat of the historical part of this narration , let me here add some passages both before and after the time , wherein jeremiah did live . let us go back as far as o noah , who found grace in the eyes of jehovah , who was a just man perfect in his generations , and who walked with god , jehovah himself giving of him this testimony , he was one who was intire in his obedience to all the laws of god in his life and conversation , and he was heir of the justice or righteousness , which is by faith , and was a preacher of the same doctrine of justification in the sight of god by faith in the messiah . this noah was p the father of those nations and peoples ; who after the floud did multiply and spread , and inhabit the earth : and by this means the laws of jehovah were made known throughout the world , and thus also was the church scattered and dispersed in several places ; more especially in the days of his son shem , there were visible church-societies , and publick church-meetings , called , the tents of shem. in and about abraham's time , who was also q father of many nations , in his family , the church of god shined forth in its glorious lustre , and comly beauty ; he was one of whom the lord himself hath witnessed , that he obeyed the voice of jehovah , and kept his charge , his statutes and his laws ; jehovah knew him , that he would command his sons , and his house after him , and they should keep the way of jehovah , to do justice and judgement : such care would he take to make known unto others the commands of jehovah : and about abraham's time , job and his friends were not strangers to the laws of the lord , though dwelling a great way off in the land of vz , off from abraham , they also had their congregations for true pure worship , r job declaring against idolatry , and observing instituted times for solemn worship ; and he answered for himself against the false accusations charged upon him by eliphaz , that his foot had held the right path of jehovah ; his way did job keep , and not turn away ; and the laws of his lips he did not cast off ; job did lay up the words of his mouth more than his daily bread ; whereby it doth appear , that those parts were not strangers to jehovah's laws , those more particularly , which in some respects are more the laws of his lips , and the words of his mouth . further , full home to moses's time , and in his days , we have foot-steps of the laws of the true religion , even amongst those who were none of israels off spring : s balaam of syria in mesopotamia had a gift of prophety , and knew the law of jehovah , and being a publick teacher , did spread the knowledge of it about in assemblies , examine we the captives of the lord's people , besides some other smaller scatterings : there was one captivity of the ten t tribes by salmanassar , king of assyria , who planted those israelites in hala and habor , by the river of gozan , and in the cities of the medes ; whither this great conqueror , and mighty monarch did transplant them , making them to dwell in places far remote from their own land , where they communicated the knowledge of the laws of jehovah . here was a great dispersion of that nation ; we find not that any considerable part of these ever returned to dwell again in their own country ; being placed here by the assyrian , in parthia , media and persia , there or thereabouts they still dwelt in the days of christ , and in the time of the apostles : * another captivity was of the two other tribes , judah and benjamin by nebuchadnezzer , king of babylon , more than one hundred years after the former : israel was first in the apostasie , and yet judah would not take warning : at the seventy years end , many of these two tribes returned to jerusalem , and dwelt in their own land again , building again the temple , being encouraged thereto by cyrus , re-erecting their city , and restoring their common-wealth : this also lasted till christ's time , and some years after : yet many of the jews staid behind in babylon ; great numbers had well accommodated dwellings , and were loath to leave their habitations , though in a stranger land , where historians tell us they had their academies , schools and doctors ; these two were numerous dispersions beyond the river euphrates : a third captivity by a grecian king of divers after the return from babylon , whose off-spring were carried captives into egypt , where that king reigned , whom he planted in alexandria , and the places thereabouts , who had their synagogues there . let us take the account from scripture record : a few days , a week , or thereabouts after christ's ascension , there were met together of them at the pentecosts feast , when men of several nations , parthians , and medes , and elamites , and dwellers in mesopotamia , and in judaea , and cappadocia , in poutus and asia phrygia , and pamphylia in egypt , and the parts of lybia about cyrene , and stranger-romans , both jews and proselytes , cretes and arabians , devout men out of u every nation under heaven ( observe every nation under heaven ) to that these dispersions were more or less in all nations ( besides the last captivity w by titus almost forty years after christ's ascension ) insomuch as that , in almost every city of the gentiles , whither the apostles travelled and came to preach christ , and the glad tydings of salvation by him , there were jews who had their synagogues : x james doth direct his epistle to the twelve tribes scattered abroad ; y and peter doth inscribe his unto those of the dispersion in pontus , galatia , cappadocia , asia and bithynia ; he salutes them from babylon which was their metropolis ; from all which put together , it is evident , that jehovah's laws were published throughout the inhabited world , made known in every nation , to the gentiles , as well as to the jews ; all mankind being concerned therein , as to their eternal estate : so that , if as adversaries have confessed , it were the gentiles duty to observe the law of the ten words , as soon as these were made known unto them , which have so much of self-evidence in them , commending themselves to every man's conscience at first view , we take then their own concession , and would improve what they grant for their own conviction , that seeing ( besides what was made manifest to gentile nations of these laws , before moses's time ) there were many present at the very time of promulgation of the decalogue of mount sinai , and who knows how many more might hear the sound of christ's voice at that time ? and there was one and the same law to israelite and to gentile , and seeing in the after-dispersions of the israelites and jews , unto the several nations , into all nations , these laws were published abroad among the gentiles , that therefore the gentiles also , who had , or at least might have had the knowledge of these laws , were under the obligatory power of them . come we now to the new testament : this doth not run in the stile , nor carry the form of enacting new laws , which were never before ; but ( as to the matter in hand ) it doth confirm and established the old law of the ten word . z this was the constant doctrine of christ , when he spake to this subject . this decalogical doctrine and rule of life , was not at all disanulled , or any way dissolved by this lawgiver , but he made it to stand firmly in his place , and to preach the good old gospel of reconciliation through his name , he being that very messiah , who was foretold of should come in the flesh , born of a virgin , and to declare the sound old doctrine of faith , for the comfort of such converted souls , as turned from sin to a saviour , and so obtained justification and salvation by faith in christ , a which was the same in all ages of the church , under the several dispensations of grace , unto all and upon all that believe , which truth hath testimony from the law and from the prophets : this law of the ten words , the apostles by commission from the lord jesus christ , commend and command to all rational creature , as a rule of life , in their preaching and uniting to the gentile nations , not as by way of new constituting , and re-enacting of laws , as if they had been no laws to them before , but reviving and re-inforcing of these b old laws upon their conscience ; and this they often bring in , especially paul , sometimes to prove a doctrine , othertimes convincingly to reprove for a sin , or reformingly to correct some error or vice , or chastizingly to instruct some duty of holiness and righteousness , according as the particular occasions for these were ; taking it for granted , that they were a directory for the c gentiles , as well as for the jews . the apostles , when they preached to jew or gentile , before the new testament was written , were it a doctrine or a duty , or what else , which they pressed upon the hearers , still they proved what they taught out of the d scriptures of the old testament , as that which did and doth bind ( i speak of the law of the ten words ) both jew and gentile ; this was a part of that word-foundation , on which all the jewish and gentile churches were built . examine we some passages in the epistles to this end . there were gentiles in the church at rome , and paul in his writing to them , doth evidently declare , that they were under the obligation of those commandments , which were delivered from god by moses giving e particular instances , in several of the laws of the ten words , as the marginal references will inform . and commending of this law in , the general at large . there were gentiles in the church at corinth , and paul in his first epistle to them , doth convince them both of sin and duty , f from what was written in the law of moses . there were gentiles in the church of galatia , yet paul doth convince them of their guilt and cursedness , whilst they were , in their sinful state , from those things , g which were written in the book of the law , and sheweth them the necessity of faith , as to justification , which he proveth out of the writings of an old testament prophet ; and as for love , he declares unto them , that all the law is fulfilled in one word , thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self , which was the same doctrine with that of moses , and of christ . there were gentiles in the church at ephesus , yet was that church h built upon the foundation of the prophets of the old testament ( whose writings were much of them a commentary upon the law of the ten words ) as well as under the apostles of the new ; he urgeth upon them obedience to the decalogical law , and particularly doth single one out of the ten , about honouring of the father and the mother , which was the first commandment of the second table with promise . an industrious reader , and a diligent observer , may quickly carry this through the new testament , and spare me the further labour by his own unprejudiced ingenuity . the gentiles as well as the jews , are in their natural corrupt state , in sin , and under the curse , i which sin is a transgression of this law : the light of nature in the gentiles , especially when rightly and throughly informed by the word of god , approves of every one of the laws of the ten words . there is but k one only lawgiver , who has mere and direct empire over the consciences of all mankind , even jehovah aelohim , who is able to save and to destroy , according as men obey him or not : and there is one only perfect rule of life , to which all thoughts , words and actions should be conformed , and by which we shall be judged at that last great day , even the word of god , the ten words summarily ; this is the chief , the principle , the supreme directory : whatsoever is written in the heart of the pagans , so far as it is right , is concordant unto this law. the will of the lord , concerning what is or is not to be done , which way soever he has revealed it to all , or to any of mankind , is still the same with this holy , righteous law , when ever he has signified to man , what his requirements from man in these matters are : unto his will must the will of all mankind be conformed ; all mankind is always bound to will that , which god would have them to will ; all mankind , who have the use and the exercise of right reason , cannot but acknowledge , that the two great comprehensive summaries of the ten words do bind them all , which are , to love the lord our god with all our heart , and with all our soul , and with all our mind ; and to love our neighbour as our selves ; all are reduced to this bipartite universal law. though the lord variously reveal his will and his word for the manner , yet his will and his word is one and the same for the matter . that law of the ten words , which was written on tables of stone , is the same in the true nature of it , with that which is written in the hearts of men ; all the ten words are the prime dictates of right pure nature , as soon as they are offered to a man's mind and cogitations , they presently command his assent and consent , and require his faith and obedience ; they carry along with them a clear self-evidence , leaving no place for doubtingness , where the proper signification of the words is sufficiently perceived , they are self-credible , and shine forth in their own light and authority , so consentaneous to innate light , is the whole matter of them ; external revelations thereof , do exactly agree to its internal expressions , this law has been publickly read and preached in that ministery of the word , which the church did injoy in all ages , a perpetual means , and a blessed instrument which god hath used , for information in what is the duty of man , for conviction what is sin in man , and for exhortation to all holiness , as an absolute law , and an universal rule . there never was , never will be , a repeal of this law , which is so lively an expression and draught of the holy righteous nature of aelohim himself . a perpetual duty has a perpetual binding ; these laws are necessary everlastingly , and so will the obligation be : though the preface of this law be objected by some to be occasional and personal , the law it self is perpetual , and binding to all : many of the posterity of israel were never literally themselves bond-slaves in egypt , yet this law bound them ; some special new peculiar reason may be brought to inforce a general duty : the mystical intendment of that preface , doth belong even to us gentiles ; l for we were delivered in their deliverance , we believers , as members of the mystical body of christ , so we share in their mercies , and we also are brought m out of spiritual egypt ; and even in the letter it is thus far true , as mitzraim may signifie , distressers or distresses : o , who will give , that the set time were fully come , n when both jew and gentile shall keep seventh-day-sabbath together ; even all nations in jehovah's house , which shall be called an house of prayer . how can right reason judge that the sons and daughters of men are exempted and freed from acknowledging of jehovah to be lord of the creature which he hath made , by giving unto him a due stated proportion of time , which is a part of divine worship so natural ; and which hath been assented to , and used by mankind since the beginning of the world : and that there might be no mistake about the separate , appropriate time for his weekly worship , he himself hath plainly , expresly prescribed the seventh day for the weekly sabbath in his word , and stamped it upon created nature ; that all mankind , in the use of lawful appointed means might come to the true knowledge of it , and might agnize him in the due observation of it ; keeping this instituted time with a discriminative regard , using it with a select and distinct respect from the other foregoing days of the same week , for the solemn celebration of the worship of god. the sabbath was made o for adam ; for man , as man ; therefore for all men , all men being in adam . the seventh-day-sabbath had its being given it , and its end assigned it even for the good of mankind : it was made , born , and brought forth for this purpose ; it was for this that it did exist and come abroad into the created world : p and was made , that man might do it as an holy sabbath day . hutterus , in his hebrew , on that place in q mark , has it thus in , to pass over to this adam ; not for the very being of man , as a day of rest is some ways necessary every week after the six foregoing days of labour , but also for man's well being , it being necessary for holy worship and services , for priviledge and communion ; made also for ease , rest and benefit of r other creatures in their kind , in reference to man. it is s the seventh-day , that passeth under the command , in the orderly , weekly , revolutions and successions of time : where-ever all the inhabited earth over , there is a seventh-day weekly , there that people are under the authority of this precept , whatever the variation be , as to the several beginnings and endings of the days in the several climates ; and this is natural in every country where ever nights , and days , and weeks are measures of daily and of weekly time , even from the beginning : where-ever the darkness began , there began the evening ; and where-ever the light began , there began the day part of the natural day , which was more especially pointed out after the creating of the sun , moon and stars on the fourth day , before the seventh-day sabbath . as for those objectors , who quarrel at their scriptural , natural command , by their supposition , that under the seventieth , and so onward to the nintieth degree , the day continues in one place about two months together , in another about four months , and in another about six months out right ; these calenders upon their own supposition should inquire , whether ever the lord did appoint such places for t habitation unto mankind ? what genealogies , concerning persons and pedegrees , are there to be found in those places , if there be no exact computation of time ? god having afore appointed the times ? what geography is there in such climates , as to habitations , or measurings out of the limits of several nations ? he having appointed the bounds of habitations . that scripture in the acts , forecited in the margin , makes mention of all the face of the earth ; u the face-part is habitable , by divine appointment , that which faceth the sun in its going and coming . there is non-inhabited un-inhabitable earth spoken off , by the prophet jeremiah , who , a little after that , doth make mention particularly of the seventh-day sabbath : it should therefore be examined by these contenders , whether all mankind should not dwell there , where sabbaths may unquestionably be kept without any such strifes of disputations , and where the means of saving knowledge , and of sanctifying grace are injoyable ? as for the people of half-year-night , and of half-year-day , or of any people near either the north or south pole , where some say is continual day-light for many years together : where do the holy scriptures make mention of any such people , whom the lord would have so to measure their time ? they are scripture-days , which we must stick to , and reckon by . a day is not properly merely time , but a well proportioned measure of time : nights and days , weeks , and months , and years , have their constant motions , their successive courses , their unchangeable periods , and renewed returns . in every nation and country , where-ever men do inhabite , they must begin the seventh day at that time , when that seventh-day doth naturally begin in that place ; and some of the objectors do acknowledge that , even in those climates between seventy and ninety degrees , there is an equivalent space of time , measured by hours , days , weeks , months and years , by which they overthrow most of the force of their own argument . god commanded no impossibility in nature , in requiring a determinate day in every week to be kept , as a weekly sabbath by man , by all mankind , though some daringly would infer the quite contrary . we must take the seventh-day as the creator hath made , and continued it to us : the law of the seventh-day sabbath , is not bottomed upon ethnick philosophy , which has corrupted the principles of astronomy , and of geometry , of theology , and of christianity , but upon holy scriptures , and created nature . the seventh-day sabbath , instituted and commanded in paradise , and renewed , and re-inforced at mount horeb , ( neither of which places were in the lesser judaea , or canaan , and therefore , this law of the fourth word was not a local precept , of force no where but in that lesser judaea and canaan , as some affirm ; this seventh day sabbath ) is such a kind of day , as may be known , kept and observed by men : where-ever they should inhabit : that day in every week , which followeth the six foregoing known days of labour , is none of ours ; it is the day of jehovah ; he hath plainly pointed it out to us in this law ; none need to say , the knowledge hereof is hidden from us , who shall ascend for us into heaven , and bring the knowledge thereof to us , that we may know it , and observe it ? it is clearly demonstrated to us by aelohim himself : we may not make the sabbath-day the sixth day , for then we should shew our selves unthankful in not receiving the lord 's own bountiful allowance unto us of six days for labour in our particular functions : neither are we to make it the eight day , for then we incroach on the lord's right , and are not contented with his liberal grant of six days for our own employments . it might be asked of these objectors , whether god have any covenant people near the north pole and south pole ? if so , whether they have not the scriptures ? if they have , how then can they so mingle faith with w several scriptures , if such a people have not day and night in their successive daily seasons ? was not the whole scripture fitted for all mankind , for all nations , x for every rational creature in those nations , to whomsoever the glad tydings of salvation should come ? and did not the lord hereby confirm the lasting establishedness of the covenant of grace ? is there one bible for temporate zones , and another book for poles , and for the inhabitants thereabouts ? day and night were made y for the earth or land : the heavenly luminaries have a preaching voice to all languages and people night and day : to be z under the sun is a phrase , which signifieth to be in this inferiour world : those that do live in this inhabited earth , are set out by being beholders of the sun , all who have eyes and will use them to that end ; the sun is made for light by day ; and the sun riseth upon the evil and the good . there was a first , second , third , fourth , fifth , sixth , and seventh day in every week here in england , from the beginning , ever since it was dry land , and will be so to the worlds end , if it still continue dry earth : and therefore , let us make use of such arguments as do concern our selves ; there has been always a day from one going in of the sun , to the next going in of the sun here in this island , ever since it was an island : the created sun was just in those very places of the firmament , at those seasons of the year , as to its setting or rising , as it is now at the same seasons of the year , by unvariable constancy in his ordinary course ; and our continued certain measure of days by divine ordination in the revealed word , and in created nature , must be a by the orderly , regular motion of the sun , moon and stars , this being one great end of their creation , and these being made before man was created ; so that as soon as man had a being , he might measure his time this way ; though it was made known unto him by the lord , on what day of the week he was created , and which was the seventh-day sabbath , when jehovah made a promise unto abraham , that should be fulfilled some hundreds of years after , it is said , that in the b self-same day , the prophety was fulfilled ; so that , there is a certain rule of measuring of time. oh how much is it to be lamented , that although the seventh day sabbath be so evidently and plainly asserted through the whole scripture , yet multitudes who have and do own the scriptures , will not as yet receive this holy law of christ , whilst there is any thing that doth but look like somewhat of an objection against it , they take up with every humane conjecture , though besides and against the word ; many there are who will rather boldly attempt to throw down all weekly sabbaths , than humbly submit , and obedientially conform to jehovah's determinate weekly time of the seventh-day , though scripture and nature have joyntly established it . c when the lord threatned , and accordingly executed it , to drive his israel , in case of such provoking disobedience , into strange nations , unto the utmost parts of the heaven , yet there they were under the law and obligation of the ten words . in judaea it self , or canaan the lesser , the breadth from east to west was generally fifty miles , to which , if the kingdom of sihon and og be added on the other side jordan ( parcels of canaan the larger , and possessed by ruben , gad , and half manasses ) the bredth reckoned to be eighty miles , which doth make some variation of minutes , according to this objection , and by the same reason made it impossible for them to keep , as to the same minute parts of time , with respect to the weekly sabbath ; but , as for the larger canaan , which the israelitish , and judaick kings subdued under their dominion , this had a d much larger extent , as has been in part shewed already ; their foot did tread , and their coast was from the wilderness and lebanon , from the river , the river euphrates , and unto the hindmost sea : the wilderness of paran was the southern part of canaan ; lebanon was a mountain at the northen bound : euphrates the great river was the eastern border of their territories , e the hindmost sea , or after sea , called by the greek and chaldee the western sea , was the main or great sea toward the going in of the sun , this was to the west their western bound . this was prophetied in moses's and jehovah's time , and afterwards fulfilled in f solomon's days ; where the nations subdued were to fear and to worship , where the sun and moon went forth and went in , in their successive courses ; the chaldee doth interpret : with the rising of the sun , and in the light of the moon , that is , at morning and at evening , g as the twelve tribes are said so instantly to serve god : h those countries , which were far south , where the inhabitants dwelt by the main sea , as ethiopia and arabia , dwelt in by the posterity of sheba and seba , the nephew , and son of cush , the son of cham , the son of moab ; the queen of sheba , or of the south , submitted to solomon : i he had dominion from the salt sea , the lake of sodom to the main sea , the limits of judaea ; from the river euphrates , which was eastward ; from the river to the land of the philistins , and to the border of egypt : the ethiopian deserts or dry places were subjected to him , they bowed down their faces to the ground before him , as is the manner in the eastern countries : k here christ was preached , and his name was filiated , that is , christians were there , for as a son continueth his father name , so was christ's name there continued in those that believe on him ; which name of christians and of children , was long after revived under the new testament ; and how were they christians , if they did not profess and practice obedience to christ's law of his ten words ? men of all nations , even in solomon's time counted and spake of blessedness in christ , in being brought under his holy and righteons laws , and in their subjection to him and to them : l all the earth was filled with christ's glory , and the nations blessed the name of his glory . did not solomon expect , that these submitting nations should receive laws from the messiah ? and was it a reason of any weight or force then to object against the seventh-day sabbath , because of the different horizons and climates ? from evening to evening is the first great natural measure of a long day according to primitive created order . a late author has brought in some objections against this , which do call for some answer . the artificial day , or day-light , saith he , was anciently before israels going out of egypt , counted the beginning or former part of the natural day , and the night the later part of the said natural day ; in that when the parts of the natural day are mentioned in scripture , before israels coming out of egypt , m the morning was set before the night ; and because , at what time soever , or hour of the day-light , the scripture speaks of the following night , it speaks not of the night , as belonging to the day following ; n but as belonging to the day before going ; and because our sunday-sabbath , saith he , or lord's day , is the very same day of the week , which was anciently observed by the jews and gentiles , for the solemn day of their solemn weekly worship , beginning at the light part or morning of the day ; because israels coming out of egypt , and after that by the gentiles ; but moses put back the account to begin the sabbath-day o at the evening before , whereupon they so began their week-days also , whereby their sabbath-day was measured out unto them , to be their seventh-day , otherwise their seventh-day would not have been proportionable to their six days of labour ; and so christ reassumed and brought forth all that day-light , and put it to the next day , with which together with the night following , he made a new distinct day by rising early in the p morning of that new made day ; and because , the days of the first week of the created world were q creational , extraordinary universal daies , when it was day , it was day over the universal world ; when it was night , it was night every where over the whole universe , both in regard of the beginning , and ending of the day and the night . thus he : whereas he doth affirm , that when the parts of the natural day are montioned in scripture before israels coming out of egypt , the morning was set before the night , let the history of the creation in the beginning of the bible be read , and there it may be found expresly in the very letter , that r the evening is put before the morning in every one of the six foregoing days of the week , the evening and the morning were one day , the evening and the morning were the second day , the evening and the morning were the third day , the evening and the morning were the fourth day , the evening and morning were the fifth-day , the evening and the morning were the sixth day ; they were then so , they have continued to be so , they now are so , and they , ever will be so to the worlds end , as long as such evenings and mornings do last , this author endeavoureth to darken the clearness of this evidence , by a bold asserting , that moses in writing the book of genesis after israels coming out of egypt , when their day , their natural day being to begin at even , did therefore also so set it down in his history of the creation ; for , saith he , if moses should have said , the morning , gen. . the morning and the evening was the first , second , third , fourth , fifth , sixth , seventh day , putting the morning before the evening , he might have seemed thereby to have disliked the said change appointed by god as aforesaid , of making the evening , the beginning of each day , after their coming out of egypt : thus he reasoneth , and yet acknowledge , that moses was inspired by the appearance of god to him : but this arguing doth carry no probation along with it ; they are not right words , and so have no forcibleness with them ; would the penmen of this holy writ , which was dictated to him by the holy spirit , speak and write quite contrary to the created nature of darkness and of light , lest he should seem to dislike a pretended charge ? especially this author saying ( though without proof ) that such a change was appointed by god ? was there any just cause and good reason for such a man of god , to dislike any of god's appointments ? of all the prophets , that arose in israel , s was there any like unto moses , whom jehovah aelohim knew face to face ? the things which moses wrote , were they his own ? no ; t but the law of the lord by his hand ? u did not the after-prophets bear witness to this moses ? had not moses letters : testimonial from the lord jesus christ himself , and w of all that he spake and wrote ? that which moses said , x was it not the commandment of god ? hath not christ willed y to hear this moses , which if any do not , neither will they be perswaded , though one rise from the dead ? what god spake unto moses , z doth not god spake the same unto us , a that which moses did say , is it not as much as moses wrote unto us ? b was not moses faithful in all christs house , what ? would the infallible holy spirit dictate according to the disliking fears of man , and not according to the true nature of created beings ? whereas , he further saith , that , at what time soever , or hour of the day-light , the scripture speaks of the following night , it speaks not of the night as belonging to the day following , but , as belonging to the day before going ; i answer , that , in those scriptures , c which he doth cite , where the word aemesh is used , some of the best lexicographers and translators do render it d past time , and the past night . as for the lords appearing to isaac , the same night , or that self same night , there is nothing either expressed or implyed in this , that doth say , e it was the night belonging to the immediate preceding day light ; neither any such thing in the forementioned scriptures in the margin ; but , that self same night doth point out that eminent remarrable night of jehovans appearing to isaac to encourage him against his fears , promising unto him his presence , blessing of him , and confirming his faith in the multiplication of his seed , f the place in numbers has a quite contrary proof to what this author doth bring it in for : for , this morrow , did make up the self-same-day with the foregoing night , as may be discerned , if that scriptures cited g in the margin be compared with it , that self-same-day , that same which followed after in time did belong to that night , that very night , that same ; for otherwise the israelites did not come out of aegypt in one day , but in part of one day , and in part of another day ; the same passover day which began at even , was the day of their going out ; and this author confesseth , that , the natural day began at even , when the israelites were come out of aegypt . the night was made the former part of such a day ; h this was prophesied of four hundred years or more before the full accomplishment thereof . that place , which he doth urge out of i samuel , doth shew , that saul had an intention to have david to be slain in the morning , if he did not make an escape in the night ; but , that , it should therefore hold forth the morning of another natural day , to which the foregoing night did not belong , is this authors meer saying , without any evidence in this place . those expressions k in matthew and in james , to morrow , doth signifie the time coming : but , how can this convince us , that , this , to morrow , doth demonstrate the natural day to begin in the morning ? for , we have the same expression in the significancy of it in hebrew , above threescore times in the old testament , after the israelites coming out of aegypt , relating , some to religious , others to civil affairs ; in which time this author doth acknowledge that the night was made the former part of the natural day ? l amongst which these in the margin are some ; so that , even then as to civil affairs the israelites did not commonly account the artificial day of day light to be the former part of the natural day ; which though sometimes asserted by this author , is yet elsewhere in the same treatise contradicted by him , when he confesseth the week days had the same measure even then with the seventh day sabbath which began at even , so that , how to reconcile such contrary sayings to one matter i discern not , much less to reconcile them both to the scriptures of truth , when men do forget in one part of a book what they write in some other part of it , inconsistent with a former passage . his other scriptures out of m exodus , leviticus , and numbers , do , not witness what he doth bring them into the court for , seeing , although the day-part be set in order of place in those citations before the night-part , yet this doth not there testifie , that , therefore the day-part must in order of nature and of time , be before the night-part in the natural-day , n for divers other scriptures do place the night before the day , and that , after israel came out of aegypt , when he himself owneth the natural-day , to begin at even . the same we may also find o in the new testament both before and after christs resurrection , after which this author would have the morning of the natural-day to be in time before the evening of it . he , that would be informed in the p true right order must resort to the first established law in primitive created nature , and in scripture determinations , when this case is professedly treated of : and therefore q both in the hebrew and in the greek , when both the parts of a natural day are joyned together in one word , the evening and the night are put before the morning and the day , so that , there is no putting back by moses , nor bringing forward by christ , the account of nights and of days , but they have all along continued as they were at the first made by the unchangeable laws of the creation : for , hereby doth the lord prove the unchangeableness of his covenant of grace . the first creational days and week were the just measure of every after week , and of the days thereof in the ordinary course , succession , and revolution ; and particularly the fourth , fifth , sixth , and seventh days of that first created week were measured out by the heavenly luminaries , and the three foregoing days of that week were of the same nature . as to evening , darkness and night going before the after morning , light , and day : all and every of the seven days of that week , as days , were such as the after-days , and were the measure of after-days in their stated order ; it was night and day in the several parts of the earth , as it is now : the well setled frame of the standing statute of created nature is not to be inverted . could not , did not , the creating aelohim carry the foregoing created evening , darkness and night , and the following , morning light and day in the same moments of time to cause the same beginnings , continuings and endings of nights and of days , wheresoever and whensoever it is night and day , any where , in any part of the earth then as it is now ? darkness and light were severed , then both in nature and in time : this author doth acknowledge a revolution of them on the first created day : and that , the night was before the day in one hemisphere . from this part of the earth is the scripture account , in the opposite part it is sea ; by his own arguing , it could not be night every where at the same time , for light was in the other hemisphere , and so the first day did not every where begin at the same time ; for , it could not be day where it was evening and dark , nor night where it was morning and light ; thus , has he intangled himself in his own net of humane reasoning , which he so spread to have catched seventh-day-sabbath observers . if when sun , moon , and stars were created and put into their moving walks , on the fourth day , they made an universal day that so all seven might in a just proportion of length and number answer to one another , as he affirmeth , then at the same time it was night in some parts at full noon when the sun shone in its strength and the light was clearest and fullest ; and then also it was day in some parts at the mid of night when it was darkest ( as the two parts of a natural day are distinguished ) and yet both these he asserts to be an universal day , contrary to scripture and nature , he saith , a little after , that , sun setting was in some places on the fourth day before sun-rising , and therefore it may be inferred according to this concession , that , it was night in some places when it was day in other places ; in other places it was sun-rising before it was sun-setting ; he , who would make it otherwise in respect of the wide earth , must take this authors bare words for it without any proof : our weeks and the days thereof here in england are as the first week and the days thereof were at the first creation of this part of the earth , unless he can evidence , that it was since that brought hither from some other part of the earth , and if he could do that , yet it would make nothing for the proving of his main general assertion , whilst the main of the present inhabited earth doth stand firmly in the same place where it was at the first before it was inhabited . there is one part of his objection , which doth expect to have somewhat replyed to it , wherein he thus argueth and reasoneth ; our sunday sabbath , saith he , is the very same day of the week , which was anciently observed by jews and gentiles for the solemn day of their solemn weekly worship , beginning at the light part or morning of the day , before israels coming out of aegypt , and after that by the gentiles , and since christs time by gentil pagans and by gentil-christians , thus far he , the proof whereof , he referreth us to some humane authorities , having quite contrary humane histories , which do relate a different practice , some whereof i am upon this occasion even necessitated to point unto ; for , it is scriptural authority and law , and created nature and order , which we resort unto for the proof of our position , and therefore the reader is here desired to bear a little herewith , seeing i am even driven into it , so many several treatises having been sent and brought unto me , which some are under a temptation to misjudge to be unanswerable , unless somewhat be said and written to stop the mouths of such gain-sayers . the pagan sun worshippers kept sunday ( as this and other days of the week have their heathenish names still kept up besides the word and contrary to it ) the jews kept saturday ; for the heathen charged the jews , that , they worshipped saturn for their god ; so doth one r historian record , because , they kept the seventh day , which the pagans had consecrated to saturn s : another called the rest , or quietness , or leasure time of the sabbaths saturnin chairs , or chairs of saturn : and therefore the christians sunday sabbath is not the same day of the week observed by the jews t the pagans did draw the ionic or asiatic jews into their civil courts on the seventh day , which the jews complained of to him that was the superior power in civil government . a learned u lexicographer makes sunday the first and saturday the seventh day of the week among pagans . w the warring pagans both before christs being born of a virgin and also since , did purposely assault the jews in fight on the seventh-day : the pagans did scoff at the jews sabbath , of which we have an account given in scriptures and humane histories do also speak and write the x same : when the christians complyed with the corrupt practice of the pagans , the pagans charged the christians , that they were worshippers y of the sun , because they kept and observed the first day of the week their sunday . the christians do generally call the first-day of the week the sunday and their sabbath-day , as this objector doth , whereas saturday has the name of sabbath in all their law books in the english ancient records . this objector doth confess , that , their sunday-sabbath could not be the jews saturday-sabbath ; so that if there were no change of the day of the week from the seventh , the last , to the first in moses's time , which this author calleth the seventh day , all his building is upon the sand , and doth totter and fall . another great z antiquary doth reckon the seven days of the week according to their course and order , sunday the first and so onwards , saturnday the seventh , as most christians now do ; the most ancient germans being pagans , as having appropriated their first day of the week to the particular adoration of the sun , whereof that day doth yet in our english tongue retain the name of sunday , the next day , was monday , appropriated to the moon , as the second great luminary , the third day was tuesday from tuisco the reputed god among the ancient german pagans , the conductor of the teutonic people at the confusion of babel . this objector doth confess , that , adam knew from the standard of gods working the six foregoing days , and resting the seventh , what was a day , a week , and the boundary thereof , that , in the state of iunocency the seventh day was sacred , and that , this seventh day sabbath was sanctified by god , and celebrated by our first parents in paradise ; and that never was the week counted to be more or less than seven days with any people : therefore , i infer from hence , that , adam kept the weekly seventh-day in order of time from the creation , as the weekly sabbath-day in imitation of the creators rest ; and adam lived nine hundred and thirty years ; which observation he left upon record for after-ages , a the holy spirit calleth the seventh day the sabbath day after christs ascension into heaven ; many of the authorities from humane histories , which this objector doth quote , do militate for the lords seventh day against the sunday sabbath of this author . b an ancient historian of our own witnesseth , that the rest on the seventh day was wont always to be celebrated : who is there , saith another , that doth not honor that sacred day returning each septenary of seven days ? neither is there any city of the greeks , saith a third , or of the barbarians , nor any nation , to whom the custom of the seventh day , in which we rest , hath not come ; the first fathers , saith a fourth , being taught of god , kept the seventh day holy to god ; a fifth speaking of the seventh day , affirmeth it to have been venerable and sacred in all ages among all nations , i might add , a sixth , seventh , eighth , and many more , one calleth the dominical day c the eight from the creation ; another doth give it the name of the first after the sabbath , a third doth describe it by the beginning of days , which a fourth doth call the first day of the week ; a fifth doth style it in a sermon of his , the first day of the week : a sixth nameth it , the eighth day , which is also it self the first , a perfect week . in the second century , christians , on the first day of the week worshipping towards the east while they prayed , fell into a suspicion of worshipping the sun. another affirms , that , god rested when he had finished the former creation , and therefore the men of that generation observed the sabbath on the seventh day : by , that generation , he speaketh of the whole time from the beginning of the world full home to christ ; which is a testimony , that , the seventh day was not changed in moses's time from what it was before moses ; one of the authors cited in the margin doth acknowledge , that , the pagan gentils observed the seventh day , every where this custom prevailed to observe the same seventh day , which the jews used to keep holy , so common was it grown : * pleaders for the dominical day do lay the foundation of their observing of it upon christs resurrection , which they assert to be on the first day of the week ; on this day , saith one of them speaking of the dominical day , the world received its beginning ; the first day of the week , because of christs resurrection , saith another , is the birth-day of the whole humane nature ; why did the heathen , the pagans scoff at the jews for observing the seventh day as sabbath , if they both kept one and the same day before moses , and a different day after moses and after christ , which d the pagans called the seventh day ? why do they name the seventh day which was kept festival in palestine , if another day were the seventh ? and why do they call the jews seventh days by the name of sabbaths , if they did not judge them so to be ? and why do they give unto the jews the name of sabbatarians ? several of the pagans do deride all sabbaths ; one of them says , that , the sabbaths of the jews were dedicated to sloth or idleness . another calleth the observation of the sabbath an evil solemnity and foolishness , and says , that , to observe the sabbath was ridiculous , because , that , in so doing they lose the seventh part of their life , e one of the first day-men writeth , that , the gentiles and all the heathen did not keep the seventh day which the patriarchs did according to institution , they did altogether hate the only true holy day , and would not observe it themselves , but , they erected other days to an holy and religious use ; the romans , he saith further anciently instituted every ninth day , and the graecians every eighth day , and neither of them the seventh : the romans dedicated their ninth day to jupiter , the graecians consecrated the eighth unto neptune ; but , neither of them consecrated the seventh unto the lord ; and these two were the chief of the heathen philosophers ; we , saith he , speaking of christians , that are for the first-day , keep not the same day which was from the beginning . so that the reader may by this discern , how much men will be at a loss , who resolve this case into humane authorities and histories , which are many of them so quite cross and contrary to scripture-truth , and which do so contradict one another : satisfaction and settlement , such as is sound and demonstrative , can never come in that way . f another advocate for the first-day doth declare , that , cyprian , tertullian and hilary do call the dominical-day the eighth from the creation ; the enemies derided the christian-sabbath , saith ruffinus : athanasius saith , that , he observed the sabbath day , not as it was in the first age , in the beginning of the world ; philo the apostles contemporary , asserteth the seventh day-sabbath's observation to be according to the law of nature ; constituted by god at the creation of nature : athanasius acknowledgeth that the seventh-day-sabbath was observed from the creation till christ . the seventh day of every week in order from the creation was sacred , not only to the hebrews but gentiles ; thus the author , cited in the margin ; with much more , if it were needful which might be added , to discover the invalidity of the objectors arguing , who doth bring many humane authorities against himself and his own assertion , and against whose way of arguing many contradicting humane authorities are and may further be brought ; so widely will men wander , whilst they go astray from the word-way of the lord's precepts . g one of the learnedest in this century doth affirm , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( the express letter of it , as it is written and read in its obvious meaning ) of the fourth commandment pointeth at the sabbath , as it was in the first institution , the seventh day from the creation . the very gentiles both civil and barbarous , both ancient , and of later days , as it were by an universal kind of tradition , retained the distinction of the seven days of the vveek , notwithstanding that great variety of differences , which is betwixt them in the ordering of their years and months : every where they attributed some holiness to the seventh-day ; they were not ignorant , that the vvorks of the creation were finished on the seventh . but whither have these objectors diverted me ? i now return . o what a many peculiar honours hath the lord put upon this law in his word . h the ark in which was nothing else put , but only these ten words , had many dignities conferred upon it . it was made of durable wood , not so subject to putrefaction ; this wood was overlaid within and without , with pure gold ; it had a crown of gold round about : the pot of manna was before it , by which jehovah aelohim confirmed the seventh-day sabbath : out of this ark jehovah spake by oracle : this was an assurance of aelohims gracious presence amongst his people , and that he did dwell there : there must they worship before him , with a proomise of acceptance . the propitiatory covered it : there , between the cherubims , the lord himself sat . i could fill up much more paper upon this one argument . the lawgiver himself was the writer of this law. i the law is one of christ's names . k the name of aelohim was given to the ark of the covenant : it being an illustrious symbol of his presence . all the prefiguring , prophetical scriptures in the old testament , relating to this law , have a new testament significancy and sense . what a multitude of scriptures might here be heaped together , in commendation of this law ? it has an invincible firmness ! there precepts are true and certain ! the church is governed by this law as its rule ! christ himself submits his doctrine , to be examined by it ! there is perspicuity in this law ! it is perfect in its nature and doctrine ! l when the spirit of the lord doth bring it on with living efficacy , and with saving power , o how wonderful are its effects ! it begets faith , its regenerates , it nourisheth , it makes to be growing , it inlightens , it gives heavenly saving wisdom , it restores and strengthens the soul , it exciteth a lively firm consolation , it joyeth and refresheth the heart , it kindle●h a love to god in the heart , it furnisheth with armour aginst temptations and assaults , it doth guard against captious sophistry and treachery ; it leadeth to life , and to eternal salvation : nothing may be added to it , or taken from it . moses leads to christ , and christ sends to moses . they appeared together at the mount of transfiguration . the characteristical notes , and the distinguishing marks , that do difference an evangelical reformed christian church and disciple , from an antichristian synagogue , and a worshipper of the beast , are the keeping of the commandments of god , and the having the testimony of jesus christ . much peace to them that love jehovah's law , and to them no stumbling block . this will be the everlasting rule of the holiness and righteousness of glorified ones in heaven . if some one will do , he shall know of this doctrine , whether it be of god , or not . o the happy straight goings on of that man , who fearing jehovah , who delighting greatly in his commandments ! m christ is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him , and the father gives his spirit unto such . how freely and delightfully could i here inlarge in the commendation of this excellent perfect law ; n how good , how holy , how just , is this law for the matter , intrinsecally , externally good and holy , and just , consonant to the eternal justice , and holiness , and goodness , which is in the lord himself , whose authority is stamped upon this , and as such is given forth from him unto us to be a rule . how can this be abrogated or changed , which is so full and comprehensive of that righteousness and holiness , which is the perfect image of the pure unchangeable jehovah aelohim ? were we more throughly conformed to it in our natures and actions , we should be tied to it , and to the commander of it , with an everlasting love , o love beyond expression : how can the obligation of its mandatory power be other than eternal and immutable ! o how good is it in its kindly effects , inlightning , converting , restoring , quickning , comforting , and many other ways operating upon the heart , when the holy spirit doth put life and power into mens hearts for these productions ! this way of obedience to the ten words , is the way of lasting , of hidden age , and of everlastingness , that way , which alone of all ways will continue and hold out to the utmost duration , when all the ways of anomous of lawless ones shall perish . christ's disciples should evidence and manifest their love to him , by their friendliness to his law : the doctrines and the precepts of this rule , the promises and the threatning of it , do some way or other lead to christ , and have him for their scope , and this under the old as well as new administration ! were not the believing israelites to look unto the covenanted messiah , and to act faith upon him ? were they not by all the types and figures , and shadows of him , to make application of him to themselves , and of themselves to him , and and to confirm their expectation of his coming ? was not this that which made all their prayers and other services acceptable , their spiritual relation which they had unto him ? how could mercy be done unto thousands , as the letter of this law doth include , if we exclude this messiah , or christ out of his own laws , as if he were not intended there : the administration of this law was evangelical in its great design , and main intention . can a believer but highly prize christ , and esteem him precious , when he doth so look into the p glass of this law , as to view and loath the spots on the face of his nature and life , the least of which this law doth discover , and will not hide any of his deformities , nor cover his wrinckles , nor paint his ugliness ? in this case , how great are the benefits by christ to the believer , who is made of god to the believer wisdom , and righteousness , and sanctification , and redemption ? the more that a beliver doth honour christ , the more will he be carried out in a spirit of love to delight in the commands of christ : when adam was most holy , he was most obedient , and when he was most obedient , he was most acted by a principle of love : thus the holy blessed q angels do all in obedience and love to christ ; for they also are under this law , and at command : even the lord jesus christ r himself kept these commandments of his father , and did abide in his love ; his ready , chearful , obedience to his father , must have an eye to a commanding law. the law of the ten words , though it include a perfect holiness in its requirements yet doth it not exclude an advocating mediator in its intendments . o how will mens faces be covered with shame at the last , when they shall be judged by that law , which now they so much contend against ? when the lord had given forth the law of the ten words ; it is said , s not hath he added : he added no more commands of this nature : this was t almost forty years after the promulgation of the decalogue at mount sinai . he hath not added , he doth not add , he will not add , will still be a true saying , relating to this , no more commands of this kind and sort ; for they are but ten words , a perfect law , u to which nothing is to be added , and from which nothing is to be substracted . in this book of deuteronomy , moses repeated the ten words or commandments , and presseth to the observation of this law , confirming the whole of it , with promises to the believing and obedient , and with threatnings against the unperswadeable and transgressing . and christ himself a little before his death foretold of the continuance of the seventh-day sabbath , calling it by the w name of sabbath ; well towards forty years after his death ; though for the advancement of sabbath-learning , i propound to the vertuoso , and the ingenuoso of the times to consider , q. whether that expression , mat. . . pray ye that your flight be not in the sabbath , do not relate to all and every of those great periods of time , the destruction of jerusalem , the down-fall of antichrist , and the tribulation of that time , which shall make way for the later-day-glory ? this seventh-day sabbath will last as long as this world lasteth , to the utmost end of it . thus reader , have i through mercy and grace , somewhat traded , according to my talent received , for the honour of my lord , and of his works , words , and law ; and for the promoting of scripture-sciences and arts. it is with him what entertainment he will give it in thy heart , and what blessing he will there put upon it . o the x excellency of this word knowledge ! the wise of heart will y receive commands . they will treasure up knowledge , to draw it out in season . wisdom is found in their lips . to the mouth of their vnderstanding shall they be praised . z the well-advised will hearken unto counsel , and those that fear the command shall prosper : whereas the proud will be always wrangling and contending ; contemners of the word will quickly be corrupted . the law , the doctrine , the institution of a wise man is a clear vein and fountain of lifes ; and a good understanding will give grace . a a scorner seeks wisdom , and finds it not ; but knowledge is easie unto him that understands it . it is facile , it is obvious , it freely presents it self , it is soon learnt , it is easily gettable , quickly attained . a fool has not the lips of knowledge ; go we from him , his foolishness is deceitful sophistry , deceptory fraud : but the wisdom of the acute is to understand his way of practical business . philosophical folly has too long been made an hereditary possession , one generation to another ; in●pt opinions have been pertinaciously reteined : but the wittily-ingenious , who take up with naked truth in naked souls ; they crown themselves with knowledge , and they put a crown upon knowledge ; wisdom is their rich and royal ornament . b the tongue of the wise maketh knowledge good , grateful , commendate , renders it amiable ; adapting of it , and opportunely using it , to time , place , person and case . speech , when according to the laws of the heavenly apothecary-art , saluti●erously compounded of proper scripture ingredients , is healthfulness ; curing the unsoundness , the grief of mind : there is healing medicine in such a tongue . the lips of the wise do sow science ; they winnow it first , sever it from chaffy philosophy , and then sow it pure . that is the true good knowledge , which the wisdom of god doth teach in the word . c the best intelligence is that which is grounded upon the word : to this should we attend and bend our mind , referring all our study hither ; especially the teachers of others ; they , of all men , should d be in these written words : they are then in their proper studies and places ; it should be their being and life . this makes men wise in heart , it doth prudentiate and intellectuate them . the suavity , the sweetness of the lips will add doctrine , by a commodious aptness of savoury expressions , and by a pleasing elegancy of winning eloquence ; we should be lords , masters , possessors of this . the heart of savoury wise ones will make their mouth to understand ; it will suggest to the tongue , what , how , when , where , and to whom to speak . a more inner understanding of a truth or thing , doth much help the faculty of speech about that truth and thing : new noble conceipts will still be under-begotten . it expedites the lips , when the rule of all is this word . e savoury knowledge may be seen and read in the faces of such prudent ones : it puts a placidness , modesty , right-composedness , upon their countenance , which is an index of their wisdom . such are cool of spirit , moderate , placid , sedate ; not hot , and hasty , and rash , to pour out words . f those who have all their desire and delectation in this , to find out ( in a way of searching ) all solid science , and useful wisdom , they withdraw themselves from philosophick and over-worldly diversions , to immix themselves in those holy studies that do bring in durable essence . their understanding has depth of living waters , and their vein is flowing over with it . g to be without the knowledge of the soul , or for the soul to be without knowledge ; not good this . how can such an one govern his actions , and order his affairs with judgment and discretion ? that is wisdom which will be found and acknowledged to be wisdom at the last , in thy last or utmost end . cease we therefore from erring and straying out of the way of those written words of wisdom . o prize we this ! h for the lips of wisdom are gold , and a multitude of gems , and a precious vessel . vain affectation of humane wisdom is drossy , strawy , broken and earthy . he i that wanders out of the way of understanding , from this prescript word of the lord , will in the end remain in the cougregation of the incurably-dead . k to keep the words of the wise in the belly is sweetly delectable , they will be aptly put together in the lips . study wisdom , that thou maist trust in aelohim ; he makes known wisdom to thee , to this , for this end : they are his written words that do teach it . in the scripture are those excellent counsels , that do tend to true and to sound knowledge . the counsels and knowledges that are found here , are the justness or rectitude of truth , or certainty of the words of truth , every way true : it is the truth that is here learnt ; to make to return words of truth to those who send thee words truth , when others do send their questions , and propound their cases to thee , for resolution and satisfaction . l we should make our heart and our ears to enter into discipline , into the words of knowledge . the seat of wisdom is in the heart ; when that doth rejoyce , to see and to hear others to be wise , the whole man rejoyceth : the reins of a teacher do rejoyce , when the lips of a scholar do speak rightnesses . when the prescript word , and not our own or others carnal corrupt reason , is followed , we shall make a blessed progress in holy sciences . here is truth which we should acquire into our possession , the right knowledge of naturals and spirituals , not parting with it upon any terms : that is wisdom , instruction and understanding , which is scripture-truth . m he , who is thus wise , is manly in strength : a man of knowledge has fortifying prowess ; it doth increase his inner and outer vigor . these word-wisdoms are unreached heights , sublime for and to an evil-fool ; lofty excellencies , which he cannot come at whilst such : but , to know these , is to the inlightned soul , as honey , or the distillings of the honey-comb ; sweet and nourishing , ( what natural causality honey may have this way , for the sharpning , quickning , clearing of ingeny , let others inquire : ) if thou have found it , it shall be a last reward . n it would be the glory of kings to search out a word , in all their warlick and civil , as well as religious transactions ; to inquire after those treasured senses of scripture , which would direct them in this . it would teach all to word their words over its circumstance or modes , aptly , opportunely , as if it moved aright upon wheels . no answers but are o scriptural , concordant thereunto , are sapid counsel , or savoury advice , judicious reason , returned to inquirers . p those who in this way do seek jehovah , shall understand all , whatsoever it be that doth belong to their office and duty . a prince , a leader , in state or church , or field of all men , should not want understanding in scripture sciences , in word acts . he should be well skilled in all sorts of useful learning ; otherwise their imprudent misgovernment will put them upon oppressing and misguiding their people . q o love we this wisdom , and this way of vvisdom ! r the primitive understanding of adam , which he had concreated with him , is not now to us ; we are corruptly bruitish , as to the answering of difficult questions ; it is only to be had from christ in the word , who is able and willing , he the god-man . for the knowledge of holy ones , angelical heavenly ones , is not so with us now , not so born and bred with us of our own , but is a gift from him who is all vvisdom . reades , let thine eyes therefore , be now up to him , that thou mayst be one of the s god-taught ones ; that thy knowledge may , even whilst thou art here on earth , more grow up to answer the knowledge of those glorified in heaven . t thy knowledge should be perfecting , as theirs perfected ! o for that blessed day , when all the imperfections in a believers knowledge shall be wholly done away ! vvhen it shall be more presentially visible in the innate light , both of the knower , and of the things known ; vvhen the saints shall see face to face , and know even also as they are known ! finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a revel . . . and . . psal . . . esa . . , , . acts . , . job . , , . and . , . esai . . . and . , . b exod. . . deut. . . psal . . , . job . . pet. . . gen. . , , . c job . , , . and . , . d job . . luke . . psal . . . job . , , . psal . . . and . . ezek. , - . e mat. . . job . . psal . . . and . . job . , , , . job . . luke . - . prov. . . mat. . . esai . - . f gen. . , . exod. . , . hebs . . , . g gen. . . h mar. . . the sabbath was made . exod . . . hebrew . , . john . . i exod. . . k mar. . . see hutterus hebrew . l gen. . . here is , him , this , it ; the same , or some such like relative to be understood ( as prov. . . eccl. . . ) m exod. . . deut. . . . so , to do the passover , deut. . . mat. . . heb. . . to do the feast of booths . deut. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n john . , . cor. . . and . , . cor. . . . acts . . and . . john . . acts . . job . . o rom. . . tim. . . dan. . . john . . tim. . . rom. . . tim. . , . deut. . , . prov. . , . revel . . , . deut. . . joh. . , . gal. . , . tim. . , . mar. . . - . p tim. . , . mat. . . mar. . , . gal. . , . tim. . , , . q jerem. . , , . r exod. . . and . . deut. . . & . . psal . . , , . john . , . jam. . . deut. . . psal . . throughout . joh. . , , , . mat. . , , . rom . . . luke , , , . psal . . . and . . per. . , , . s compare gal . . . with cor. . . phil. . . isai . . . . deut. . , , . prov. . , . prov. . - . jam. . , , . luke . . ezek. . , . jer. . . . lev. . . mar. . . rom. . . & . . john . . ezek. . , . lev. . , , , . rom. . . & . . king . . deut. . . exod. . , , , , , . t exod. . - . deut. . . - . u exod. . - . deut. . - . gen. . , . ezek. . . luke . . w gen. . , , , , . , . & chap. . , . ezek. . . x gen. . , . exod. . . y gen. . , . z exod. . - . . a exod. . i. b exod. . - . & . . ( and . . ) & . . lev. . . deut. . . c jer. . . - . neh. . . & . - ● . d luke . . hebr. . . e exod. . - . f gen. . , , . g luk. . , . mat. . , , &c. mar. . , &c. luk. . , &c. & . , . john . , &c. mar. . . & . , , &c. luk. . , &c. h rom. . , , , . phil. . . rom. . ● . gal , . rev. . . isai . . , , . cor. . , . rom. . , gal. . . jer. . . i pet. . , , . eph. . , . john . . . john . . john . - . & . . john . , , , , . mat. . - . john . . & . , . & . . cor. . . heb. . . mat. . - . rom. . - . mal. . , , , . and rev. . . & . . & . , , , , , . k act. . , &c , act. . , , . & . - . and . . l compare luke . . with act . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as it was , so to christ , so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ▪ m gen. . , . n exod. . , ● , . o psal . . title compared with the rest of the psalm ▪ . p isai . . - reade and consider , how many special blessings are here made over . q acts. . acts. . acts. . r mar. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s mat. . . t genes . . . . u isai . . . w mar. . . heb. . , . x exod. . . . y exod. . , , , . z isai . . - . & . . a lev. . . . king. . . mar. . . & . . luk. . , , . & . . & . . act. . , , . & . . & . . act. . , . & . . act. . , . psal . . title compared with the rest . numb . . , . . chron. . . , chron. . . & . . & . . nehem. . . ezek. . . & . , , . pet. . . b deut. . . c exod. . , . neh. . . exod. . . isai . . . neh. . , , . & . . exod. . . d gen. . , . e exod. . - . f exod. . , . g deut. . . h exod. . . & . . i levit. . . k mat. . . l act. , , . & . . & . . & . . & . . m luk. . . n heb. . . o gen. . . . exod. . . . . p exod . , , . q deut . , , . r exod. - . & . , , . s exod. . ● . t exod. . , . u compare exod- . . . with the fore-going part of the chapter . w levit. . . . & . . x jerem. . . y ezec. . . . & . . & , , . z nehem. . , , . nehemiah , being lord deputy , would not suffer any to keep shambles , or a fair on the seventh-day-sabbath , norto do harvest work in harvest-time on that day . a luke . . b luke . . c act. . - & . . & . . . & . . d john . . . e cor. . . f john . , . & . . g john . . h mat. . . i deut. . , , . acts . . & . . compared . k isai . . . compared with mat. ● . & phil. . , . . l psal . . , , . compared with mar. . . & mar. . . & luke . . & heb. . . m mat. . . n john . . . & . . & . , , , , . o john . . p john . , , , . q john , , , . r john . , . s john . . . t john . . . u john . , , , , . cor. . . w john . . x exod. . . y exod . z heb. . . a jerem. . . & . . b exod. . . ezek. . . c exod. . , , , , . ezek. . . . d deut. . - . e levit. . . &c. also . numb . . . , . f isai . . . - . g isai . . . . . h isai . . . i ierem. . , , , . . k ezek. . . , , , , , . l psal . . title , compared with the rest . m mar. . . mat. . . n exod. . . - . o comparae josh . . p exod . , . deut . , . q exod. . , . r exod. . . s levit. . , , , . &c. t numb . . . - . u exod. . , . & . w jerem. . , , , , , . x ezek. . . - . y ezek. , . . z amos. . - . a nehem. . - . b . king . mat. . . act. . . - . c gen. . , . eccles . . . ephes . . . colos . . . rom. . , , , . & . . d gen. . . jerem. . , . & . , . e cor. . . rome● . . f heb. . . revel . . . g exod. . . h mognadim , & contracted . mognadei , compare gen. . . and psal . . . & levit. . , . and numb . . . , , & psa . . , , . i pet. . , . k galat. . . l jam. . . m rom. . . n rom. . . o rom. , , . rom. . . p rom. . . cor. . . q psal . . . cor. . . eph. . . & . . gal. . . isa . . . & . . ps . . , . ezek. . . . isai . . . & . . jer. . . psa . . . eph. . . isa . . . psa . . . & . . isa . . . & . . , , . and . , , . & . . & . . & . . eph. . . isai . . . & . . per. . . rev. . , . prov. . . rom. . . cor. . . heb. . . rev. . . cor. . . tim. . . cor. . . hos . . , , . r deut. . . s gen. . and . , . psa . , . heb. , . t dan. . . kin. . , . u numb . . , . w gen. . , . exod. . , . lev. . . king. . . ezek. . . x see the author of cosmical suspicions , pag. , . y h●b . . , . z act. . , . a commentator of note , with many of the learned doth cite diverse passages out of ecclesiastical history , whereby to prove that the seventh-day-sabbath , as well as the first day of the week was observed as festival . christian●●um mos velus , saith he , qui diu●issime mansit in oriente , convenire , non minus sabbati quam dominicis dielus : observe , diu●issime , clemens constitutionum , . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , paria habet , . & . asterius amascae episcopus in homilia de repudio , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . gregorius nyssenus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . balsamo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ideo constantinus christianos non minus in sabbatum , quam in diem dominicum vadari vetuit , tesle eusclio . hinc etiam ortum illud , ut sicut diebus dominicis tanquam ●etitiae diebus non jejunabatur , sient docet gangrensis synodus , canone . ita nec sabbatis , excepto uno ante pascha . sic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpretatur z●naras ad canonem apostolicum . ignatius ad philippenses : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , sabbatum nunquam nist in pascha j●junandum , ait tertullianus de jejuniis , qui & adversus marcionem , . privilegium donatum sabbato a primordio mundi , dicit , veniam jejunii . q●are 〈◊〉 justinus , & tertullianus patres illos ante● mosen negent sabbatizasse , id intelligendum , non de conventitus , sed de rigido per totum diem otio . thus he , and more upon this place . who so is both at leisure and willing to read more about this , may see his explication of the decalogue at the end of his annotations on the books of the gospel , pag. , . a that act april . ( vulgarly so called ) ● . for the better observation of the lords-day ( as they wrong name the first day ) was given out on the day of the sabbath , meaning the seventh-day . * an. . car. . cap. . & an. . cap. . an. , & . fav . . cap. . p. . b act . . is mis-translated , it should be passover , for easter . there is this passage in a querie of king charles the first concerning easter , propounded to the parliaments commissioners at holmby , april . . i conceive , saith he , the celebration of this feast ( of easter ) was instituted by the same authority , which changed the jewish sabbath into the lords day , or sunday : for , it will not be found in scripture , where saturday is discharged to be kept , or turned into the sunday : wherefore it must be the churches authority that changed the one and instituted the other : therefore my opinion is , that , those who will not keep this feast , may as well return to the observation of saturday , and refuse the weekly sunday . when any body can shew me , that herein i am in an error , i shall not be a shamed to confess , and amend it , till when you know my mind , c. r. hesychius calls the first day of the week another sabbath-day . so in the council of friuli , the first day is called sabbatum primum , as the seventh day is sabbatum ultimum , concil . foro juliense . cap. . so ambrose in psal . . so scaliger of the aethiopian christians , they call both of them , the seventh day and the first day , by the name of sabbaths . thus doctor vsher in his letter to dr. twiss published by dr. bernard , page , . c rust-dagh in belgic , or low-dutch . d in his travels , fol. . and purchas's pilgrims , d . part , fol. , . c. matt. . ; , . to a jo● . and chirek . f gen. : 〈◊〉 , g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . he , or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , behold . h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k gen. . , , , , , . and . , . l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gen. . . ezek. . . m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see avenarius ' s hebrew grammar , p. . junius , bythner mayr , and others . buxtorf in his thesaur . gram . lib. . cap. . marc. marin . brixianus in his arca noae , f. . o gen. . . p exod. . , , , , q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see m. anton. reuch-lin's edition of rabbi mardochai nathan's heads of hebrew concordances , column . r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 avenarius in his hebr. gram . pag. . w see for this 〈◊〉 paraipomena orthographia . &c. pag. , . thus priscian , varro , & sealiger . x cinnujim . see buxtorfs the saur . gram lib. . cap. . y so avenorins in his ebraic grammar pag. . z junius in his hebr. gram. pag. callsit the emphatick or discretive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . see also pag. . . and opirius's arium linguae sanctae , printed in . p. . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b gen. . . deut. . . . sam. . . psal . . . eccles . . . ezek. . . & . . dan . . nehem. . : & . . . chron. . . & . . c see glassina philol. sacr. lib. . p. . d exod. . . e exod. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the infinitive mood . f exod. . . . & deuter. . . . g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bythners gram. , reg . . p. , . he cognitionis . h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k exod. . - . & . , . deuter . . & . . l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , contracted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m john . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n deuter. . , , . o john . . p luke . . q joh. , . & . . mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acts . . r mat. . . zachar. . . s acts. . . t heb. . . u mat. . . . & . . & . . luk. . . & . . john . . acts . . cor. . ephes . . . a multitude more may be added . w heb. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x luke . , & . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y mat. . . here is somewhat of every jod . & chirek to be fulfilled . z deuter. . a psal . . . b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . . c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d see avenari●●'s hebrew grammer pag. . where he interprets this place , shewing that , the nominative-case doth sometimes call to it the demonstrative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to set out the emphaticalness , as ps . . hareshagnim , impii illi , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so bythner on ps . . . , doth twice express it , hareshagnim , isti improbi . and again , hareshagnim , ●lli improbi . and a third time under the rule of his lingua ●ruditorum , hareshagnim , illi impii . consult also for this , the harmony of oriental tongues by johan . ernest-gerhard i●nen● . pag. . he emphaticum desumptum est ex . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , responde●que articulo velpronomini demonstrativo , ut , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hi impii . e eccles . , . f compare deuter. . . with exod. . . g see mercer upon this place . eccles . . . h levit. . . i ezek. . . k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l rom. . . galat. . m luk. . , n levit. . , . numb . . , . king. . . mar. . . & . . luk . , . & . . & . . acts. . , , . & . , . & . . & . . exod. . , . & . . mat. . . gen. . , . exod. . - . o king. . . chron. . , . levit. . , . p numb . . . q . king. . , . dan. . . isai . . . r isai . . . s compare psal . . throughout with psal . . title with the rest of that psalm . & gen. . throughout , with ch . , , . t gen. . , . , , , ● ▪ & . , . u psal . . . esai . . . & . . & . , , john . . w acts . . eph. , . phil. , num. . . acts - . rev. . . & . . & . . x gen . . deuter. . . . king. . . & . . nehem . . psal . . . & , . prov. . . acts. . . john . , . and in many other places . y john. . . & . . acts . . & . , . . cor. . , . . thes . . . rev. . . john . . ephes . . . z compare isai . . . with mat. . . a exod. . , . zachar. . . hos . . . psal . . . numb . . . josh . . . b mat. . . mark. . . lu. , . joh. . , . act. . . . cor. . . rev. . . heb. . , . c act. . , , . and . . and . ● . d mat. . . mar. . . lu. . . john . , . e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . f . cor. . 〈◊〉 , , , &c. g mar. . . h mat. . . mar. . . lu. . . joh. . , . act. . . . cor. . . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . k arias monianus . l vna , vnius , &c. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . n of schmid . o arias montanus . p vnus , vnum . q vnum . r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . w sabbatum , sabbati , sabbatorum , &c. x in english sabbath , in latin , sabbatum , in other languages is the like . y mar . . mat. . . luke . . john . , . z mat. . . mark. . . luke . . john . . and . and . , . & . . a lev. . - . exod. . - . and elswhere . b levit. . . , , . ezekiel . . &c. as in di 〈◊〉 other c lev. . , . d numb . . , - . e verses , . f vers . - . g verses , . compare chron. . thorowour , and . - . chron. . . chron. . . h deut. , . gnetrere●● . exod. . . chron. . , , . i the like there was at the feast of booths . compare for this , lev. . - . and nehem. . . & deut. . , , . thus for the paschal-feast , all the seven days of this feast , are called the passover , deut. . - . and so the feast of the fassover taken , john . . for all the seven days of that feast , all and every of them being festival-svlemnities . k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . m mar. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p avenarius . q gen. . . r arias montanus . gen. . . s pagnin . t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 u gen. . . w dan. . . see the marginal rendring . cor. 〈◊〉 . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 y mat. . compared with mar. . . z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a joh . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b rev. . . luke . . mat. . . & . . revel . . . luk. 〈◊〉 . . c mar. . . d as , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , used in other scriptures . e mar. . . f mat. . . with mark. . . and . , . compared . g joh. . . h matth. . . mar. . . lu. . . joh. . . i mat. . , ▪ , . k joh. . . & mat. . . l joh. . ▪ . m mar. . . n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to sabbath , in john . . o gen. . . p prov. . , . q pag. . to pag. . of this treatise . r isai . . . . & . , , . eccles. . . isai . . ● . compare gal. . . . with cor. . . s gen. . , . exod. . . , , , , . t exod. . , , , , , . deuter. . , , , . isai . . , , , , , , , . u isai . . . jam. . . w heb. . , . , . x acts. . - . y exod. . . . & . . deut. . . & . . & . . * . cor. . , , isai . . exod. . , . & . , , . z ps . . , , , . compared with ephes . . , , . a ps . . , , , , , , , , , , , . & so on to the end . b deut. . - c luk. , ● d exod. . . & . , , , . e chron. . . f exod. . , . , . king. . . g numb . . . psal . . . . , compared with ephes . . . h zach. . - . & ch . . throughout . & . , - . & elswhere . i heb. . . rev. . john. . . . k heb. . . rom. . . galat. . . l luk. . , , , , , . mat. . & , , ch . m mat. . . john. . . n psal . . , - heb. . . - . o gal. . , . compared with deut. . . p john. . . 〈◊〉 compare john . . with mat. . . john . . r levit. . throughout . heb. . . & , , , & , ch . as far as the . ve . of that ch . s rom. . . heb. , & . . t heb. . , . u luk. . . - . w see sandys in his relation of a journey &c. pag . emausm stands , saith he , seven miles off and west of jerusalem . x john . . . luke . - . acts . . . cor. . . y . john . . &c. z mat. . . mar. . . luk. . . john. . , . a acts . . . corin. . . b acts . , , . compared with levit. . , - . c acts . - . d acts. , . e . cor. . . - . f acts . . & . , . g . cor. . h i. cor , . , & . , . i deuter . , . k cor. . , . rom. . , . cor. . . gal. . . l acts . . . m acts . . n lev . . , . luk. . . exod. . , , . o cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p cor. . , , , . cor. . and . ch . q deut. . , &c. and . , . prov. . , , . and . . isai . . , , , , . cor. . . mar. . . phil. . , . gal. . . acts . , , , . cor. . . & . . hebr. . . rom. . . phil. . act . . cor. . , . & ch . . & ch . . . r cor. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s num. . . josh . . . kin. . . & . . & . , . kin. . , , , . & . . & . . & . . & . . chr. . , , . & . . & . . chro. . . & . . & . . & . . & . . & . . & . . & . , . & . . ezr. . , . neh. , , . & . . & . & . , , . jo●l . . mol. . . mat. . , . jud. . luke . . . joh. . . acts . , , . & . , . & , , . cor. . . kin. . . josh . . . mar. . , . mat. . , . numb . . . mat. . and . . t mar. . - . u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mat. . . & . . & . . & . . mar. . . & . . luk. . . & . . & . , . acts . . cor. . . w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mat. . . & . . mar. . . john . . y mat. . . the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth directly answer to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jonah was in the bowels of the fish , three days and three nights , jon. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , est declarativum seu determinativum modi hoc modo similiter , ad hunc modum . i●à habèt hic an●e se particulam correlatae significationis , which here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore here is , eodem modo . z mar. . . a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , immediately at , and in , the end of the third day , and passing into the moment of the next day . b mar. . , joh. . . c compare luk. . . with mar. . , , . joh. . . . d emaus is miles off , and west of jerusalem ; so doth sandy . write in the relation of his journey , pag. . bunting in his itinerary doth measure it about . miles from jerusalem . pag : . * john . . e aas . . john. . . . luke . , . f cor. . . . g proy . . . psal , . . psal . . . . psal . . . prov . . & . , , , . the whole of the . psal . rom. . . jam. . . & . , , , . h eph. . . col. . . rom. . , . eccl. . . mat. . - . i jer. . . psal . . last ver . k mat. . . john . . l mat. . , , , . mar. . , , , . luke . , , , , , . in matthew it is four several times called the passover , and the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prefixed as many times , and on one of those four times it is so named by our lord jesus christ himself , who put this word into the mouth of his disciples , bidding them to use it unto a stranger-host , who cannot rationally be thought to understand it in any other sense , than in the common acceptation of that word . in mark it is four several times named the passover , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , with the article prefixed in every one of those places . in luke it is six times denominated the passover , having the article five times prefixed with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added in one place , and with a description of it in another verse , by that feas . of unle●●eneds , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which was named , or called , or said , or worded a passover . further yet , that this passover might appear to be that solemn feast of the former dispensation , john . . & . . it is called the feast , which name is given to it under the old testament-administration , mat. . . lev. . , chron. . . & . . . & . . ezr. . . luke . . the feast of unleaveneds , answerable to the expressions of the old dispensation of grace , luke . . ex. . . & . . lev , . . chron. . . & . , . & . . ezra . . the unleaveneds with the article prefixed , mat. . . mar. . , . luke . . the feast of days , because it lasted seven days : in matthew we read of the first of unleaveneds ; in mark of the first day of unleaveneds ; in luke of the day of unleaveneds , which expressions do point out the first of those seven days of that paschal-feast , evidently of that particular typical festival . exod. . . & . . chron. . , & . . ezec. . , . ezra . . . mat. . . mar. . . luk. . . the days of unleaveneds , mar. . . luk. . . ( acts . . & . . ) the feast of the jews . john . . & . . this passover is either taken for the lamb , which was slain and eaten at this paschal-feast ; hence these phrases , to prepare the passover , mat. . , . mar. . , , . luke , , , , . to kill , or to sacrifice the passover , whereunto the expressions in the old testament do fully agree , mar. . . luk. . . exod. . . chron. . , . and . , , . to eat the passover , mat. . . mar. . . . luke . , , , , . john . . or for the whole celebration and observation of the paschal rites ; hence we read of , to do the passover , as it is also phrased in the old testament , mat. . . deut. . . hebr. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in hebrew : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , in greek . m john . two last ver . n isai . . , , , . o john. . . & . . rom. . , . tit. . . . tim. . . ps . . . p mat. . . mar. . , . q mic. . . mat. . , , , . . thes . . , , , , &c. gal. . - . . pet. . . cor. . last . part . isai . . , , . & . . . & . . jerem. . , . r ezra . . , . s . pet. . , . galat. . , . mar. . , , , . t . cor. . galat. . . revel . . & . , chs . u john . . acts. . . & . , . mat. , - . . w isal . . . galat. . , . & . cor. . . philip. . . x ezek. . - . & . , . revel . . , , . & . , . ezek. . , , , , . zachar. . . heb. . . & . . y rom. . . . cor. . . john . , . acts. . . . tim. . . ephes . . . z corin. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a ps . . , . acts . . thes . . . . cor. . . , , , , , . mat. . . isai . . , , , , , . jerem. . , . . cor. . . gal. . , . jer. . . . isai . . , , . b mat. . . . mic. . . acts . , . . & , . & . . tit. . . . pet. . . rom. . . ps . . , . amos . . numb . . - . . chron. . . ps . . . & . . jerem. . . & . . exod. . . non faciestibi omnem formam . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so coco●ius doth render it in his hebrew lexicon and commentary . c see , , & . edw. . ch . . d mat. . . john. . , ● . e john. . . colos . . , , , . tim. . , . acts , . , , , &c. & . , , &c. & . . . cor. . . phil. . . . ●o . f . cor. . , , . exod. . . hos . . . . cor. . , . col. . . . prov. . . g eccles . throughout . hos . . . isai . . . . tim. . . jude . jerem. . . , , , , &c. h luke . , . , . john. . , , , , , . acts . . isai . . last 〈◊〉 . i mar. . . luk. . . . corin. . . ti● . i , . rom. . . & . . . tim. . . jam. . , . . pet. . . colos . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k levit. . . . chron. . . & . . . ne●em . . . l john. . , luke . . acts . . acts . & , ch● . compared with . mat. . . & mar. . . m galat. 〈◊〉 . , , . . kin. . - . n . thes . . . - . . tim. . , , . mat. . . anomy . pet. . . o mat. . . - . ephes . . . . corin. . . p rev. . . act. . . . chron. . , . cor. . - . q joh. . . , , , . & . , , , , , . r isai . . . john . . s . tim. . . . pet. . latter end . t thes . . . u rom. . . gal. . . acts. . . & . , &c. & . , . . corin. . . . . thes . . , . w . cor. . - . x josh . . . - . y . sam. . - . z numb . . - . a se● roger de hoveden in th . very entrance of the age or century , an . . . matth. paris his old impression , fol. , . & the last edition , fol. . & . b joh. . , . c chron . . chron. . . & . . & . . & . . & . . & . . & . , . luk. . . john . , , . john . , . d acts . . cor. . . john . , . luk. . . acts . . cor. . . pet. . , . ezek. . , . acts . , . pet. . . col. . , , , , . mat. . , . . mar. . , , , , , . gal. . . isai . . . deut. . & . , . ezek. . . e isal . . john . . josh . . , . matt. . . & . , . mar. . . . f thess . . , . & . . cor. . , &c. & . . g john . . & . . & . . h cor. . ● . col. . . thes . . . compared 〈◊〉 with thess . , . i john . . k rom. . . l exod. . - . numb . . , , . cor. . . , , , , . m psal . ● . , , . psal . . . . . isai . & . , , . mic. . . n ephes . . . cor. , , , , , . gen. . compared with col. . . o pet. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p isai . . ●● . mal. . , . q gen. . , , ● , , . gen. , . gen. . , , . gen. . . r exod. . , , . chapters , & onward , acts . . s numb . . . josh . . . numb . . . t psal . . psal . . psal . . psal . . u mat. . ● . w exod . . & . . numb . . . . & . . x jude . . pet. . gen. . deut. . , , . mal. . . y rom. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , & 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sim . . ● . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to which more might be added ; lev. . , . z isai . . , . & . . mal. . . ezek. . throughout . a numb . . , . & . - . chron. . , &c. numb . . , , . b acts . - . chron. . . chron. . , . & . . c exod. . , . numb . . . mic. . . exod. , & . . rom. . , , , . tim. . , . d rom. - . e mat. . , , . f john . . mat. . ● . 〈◊〉 g jer. - . gen. . later end . h thess . . , . john . . & . . tim. . , , . rev. . , . i john - . thess 〈◊〉 . , . isai . . k rev. . . l rev. . . & . . m rev. . . n rev. . . compared with rev. . . & . , . & . . & . , , , . & . . o rev. . . & . . & . . & . . & . , . & . , . & . . p ezek. , . . & . . & . , . compared with rev. . . q rev. . , . & . . & . . . , . luk. . . mar. . . heb. . . & . . r rev. . . . s mat. , , , . & . - . and elsewhere . t rev. . . u rev. . . & . . & . . & . . w rev. . . compared with zach. . . x jor. . , . & . . lam. . . y ezek. . , , , , . z mat. . - . & luk. . - . a 〈…〉 septembris 〈◊〉 in sa●●atu● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ▪ idit . ●ide u●er . ann●● . part . 〈◊〉 . ●ag . ● ● . & baron ●nnal . p. ● . ipso die sab●ati ( ut autor ●st dio in 〈◊〉 . ) b isai . . , . & ● . , , &c. c act. ● - . & . , , . d fxod . . . deut . . exod. . lev . . e 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 am . f compare deut. . . with mar. . . g psal . . , . & . . . compared . h mat. . mar. . . luk. . . gen. . , . exod. - . luk. . , . john . . i see magdeburg histor . . ceat. . book . k ezek. . . l 〈◊〉 , cor. ● . . , ● , , , . . . m mat. . - . lev. . - . n thess . . . pet. . . . cor. . . pet. . . heb. . ● zach. . . isai . . . & . , . & . . jer. . . lam. . . ezek. . . & . . joel . . & . , , . & . . amos . . . obad. . tzephan . . , , . . & . . . mal. . . o rev. . . & . . p cor. . . cor. . . 〈◊〉 thess . . . pet. . . rev. . . q luk. . , , , . mat . , , . luk. . . acts . , , compared with joel . . cor. . . & 〈◊〉 . . thess . . , . heb. . . compared with . joel . . . john . . r job . . cor. . . & 〈◊〉 . . psal . . . & . . ezek. . , ● . job . . jer. ● . . luk. . . s pet. . . t cor. . . isal . . . u psal . . , , , , . compared with acts . , , . w mat. . . mar. . . luk . . & . . john . compare , mat. . , . mar. . , , . luk. . . & . - . & . . x luk. . ● - . mat. ● . , . y mat. . , . z acts . , , . a acts . , . b ma● . . - . mar. . , &c. luk. . - . john . - . luk. . - . c john . , . mat. . - , &c. mar. . , , . luk. . - . d thess . . . psal . . . isai . . . psal . title & v. - . isai . . . e see hutterus's edition of the 〈◊〉 new testament in twelve languages . f cor. . - . g pet. . , . tim. . , . rom. . . h for a ghost is taken to be the departed spirit of a man ( about which the ethnick philosophers had divers idolatrous , superstitious , observations , customs , practises and usages ) p●rly applyed to the holy spirit . i prov. . , . deut. . , . k lev. . - . l lev. . , , . numb . . . m ezek. . ● , , . compare levit. ch . . throughout ch . . - . especially v. . numb . . - . n ezek. . , &c. o ezek. . - . & . - . p ezek. . . q ezek. . . compare with this , ch . . , , . r heb. . , , . s psal . . - . t heb. . , . . & . . . u psal . . . w heb. . , . & . , , , , , . . x heb. . . y heb. . . z heb. . . a heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b heb. . , . c heb. . & onwards to the th . vers . of the th . chap. d heb. . , , , ● . e psal . . . f heb. . , . g heb. . h psal . . . i heb. . . & . . compared with psal . ● . k the th . psalm has passages in it , which do speak of christ , as appears by comparing , cor. . . & heb. . . & . , &c. l numb . . , , , , , . m heb. . . n heb. . . o heb. . - ● . & . , , , . p heb. . , . cut of gen. . , . q psal ● . . 〈…〉 . . . & . , , . r deut. . . 〈◊〉 king. . 〈◊〉 . s chron. . . psal . , . t heb . . u heb. . , . psal . . w heb. . , , , , . x heb. . . ● . y psal . . . heb. . , . & . , . z heb. . . a heb. . , . b gen. 〈◊〉 . , , . c heb. . - . & . ●- . d mat. . , . e heb. . . psal . . . f deut. . . isal . . . hos . . . * psal . . . g 〈◊〉 sam. . 〈◊〉 . h psal . . . & . . i compare psal . . - , with , numb . . , , , , . & heb. . , . k psal . . l rom. . . m compare mat. . . with mat. . ● . n heb. . . o psal . . . p heb. . , , . & . , . cor. . . q john . . r luk. . . cor. . . s johon . . pet. . . t psal . . - . numb . . , , . exod. . - . u pet. . . gal. . , . heb. . . w mat. . . compared with luk . . heb. . . isal . . . with rom. . . cor. . , . x psal . . . with heb. . , , . heb. , . y numb . , , , , . z psal . . , , . a heb. . , , , , , . & . , , . b gen. . , . exod. . - . c rom . . & . . & . john . . compared . d deut . , . & . . & . . & & . . & . , . & . , , , . & . . & . . & . & . , , , & . , , , . & . , , , . e heb. . , . & . , , , , , . f psal . . . g heb. . , . h gen. . , . heb. . , . i exod. . - . & . - . k heb. . - . l heb . , . m heb. . n heb. . 〈◊〉 . o heb. . . act. . . p heb. . . q vers . , , , . & . with vers . . r vers . . mat. . , . and iohn . . and john . , . s psal . . . heb. . , , . & . . pet. . . t heb. . . u psal . . w 〈◊〉 chron. . . ps . . , , . heb . , . & . , , , , , . rev. . . x heb. . . y heb. . z heb. . . . & . , , , , , , , . a heb. . . & . . & . . & . , , . b heb. . . . & , , . c heb. . , . & . ( compared with levit. . , , . ) heb. . . & . , . & . , , . & . , , . & . , , , , , . & . . & . , . & . , . heb. . . & . . & . ● . d heb. . . & . a. & . , . & , , , . e heb. . . & . . & . . & . . f heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . g lev. . . h exod. . . i as erebos darkness , from the hebrew , gnereb . sophol from sophim : arrabon from gnarbon . momos from mum. helios from ael . kadmos from kadmon : malchos from molec ; ode from odeth : scenoun from shacan . nosow : from nosh . lethein from lut. and lat. meshane from mechaneh tauros from tormanie more might be added . k exod. . . l levit. . . m levit. , . n lev. . , . o heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . p heb. . , . & . , , , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . q heb. . . r numb . . & chron. . . s menuchah , ps . . . t deut. . . u chron. . . w chron . . x psal . . . y exod . . & . , . deut. , . z lev. . , , . & . . a heb. . . b deut. . , . chron. . . c numb . . , , , . heb. . . . d numb . . . deut. . . joshua . , , . numb . . . e numb . . . & . . f heb. . . . g heb. . , , , . h heb. . - . & . - . i pag. . , , , . k john . , , , . & . , . cor. . . ephes . . . col. . , . l cor. . , . numb . . . exod. . & isai . . . compared . m col. . . the word is the word of c●rill . compire rev. 〈◊〉 . . & . . n john . , . o heb. . , , . & . , . philip. . . p acts . , . q rev. . . r heb. . ▪ . s rev. . . t heb. . , , . & . , . & 〈◊〉 . , , , , . v 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . w so mar. . . cor. . . thess . . . cor. . . gal. . . x in hebrew , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so in latin , quare , quamobrem , quapropter , ergo , ideo , igitur , idcirco , quo cirea , itaque . y heb. . 〈◊〉 . z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gal. . , b gen. . . c compare . chron. . , . with king. . . & mat. . . with psal . . . & chron. . with king. . . & chron. . . with king . . & chron. . . with sam. . . & sam. . . chron. . . & king. . . with chron. . . see also psal . . . deut. . , , , , . d deut. . . e gen. . . & . , . exod. . . & . . gen. . , . ( & . . him who dwelling or setting doth take in every such one . ) f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . g o , taking in the relative &c. h mat. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i heb. . , . k heb. . , . & . . l jer. . . & . , . & . . ezek. . , & . , . & . . & . . . hos . . . zach. . . & . . & . . cor. . . heb. . . revel . . . . compare isai . . . with rom . . & . . compare also john . . mar. . . pet. . . john . , . john . . & . . acts . . m heb. . . n verse . o gen. . p gen. . . q heb. . , . r lament . . . s exod. . . lev. . , deut. . . & . . king. . . psal . . . & . king. . . psal . . . & . . & . . isai . . . . . & . . jer. . . & . . & . . & . . deut. . , . ( chron. . king. . . ) t lev. . , , . u lev. . : chron. . . w lev. . . x lam. . hos . . . y lev. . , . deut. . . & . , . & . . josh . . . & . . & . . & . . & . . z psal . . , . a psal . . . jer. . . mat. . , . b rev. . . c gal. . , , , . d cor. . , . john . . ezck . . . e cor. . , , . dan. . . isa . . hab. . . jer. . . isa . . john . . heb. . . f ephes . . . john . , . g cor. . , , . phil. . . john . , . h cor. . , , , , ; . isa . , , , . mat. . . i cor. . . k ephes . . - . cor. . . l mat. . . mark . . pet. . . john . , . mat. . , , . & . , . & . , . & . , , , , , , , . & . . & . . & . . heb. . . & . . m gal. . , . col. . , , . n gal. . . o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p rom. . , . q james . , , , , . r gal. . . rom. . . s see the marginal note on col. . . in the english bible . t gal. . . u col. . , , . w see verses , . , , , , , , , . x ver . . . y ver . . , , . z numb . , , . lev. . , . numb . . - . a deut. . - . b numb . . . c lev. . - . d lev. . . ch . . e col. . . f ver . - . g ch . . . h ch . . , . i ch . . - . & . . k ch . . . l ch . . . m ch . . . & . . n ch . . . . o prov. . . . . . & . . sam. . . . chron. . . esal . . acts . . john . . & . . & ch . . john . . cor. . . ephes . . . heb. . . ephes . . ● , . & . . col. . . heb. . ● . pet. . . john . . & . . p pag . pag. . q acts . . r psal . . . s psal . . . & . . t cor. . . u cor. . , . w mat. . , , . x gal. . , . & . . compared with cor. . y heb. . throughout . rom. . , , . z isai . . . . a isai . . , . b hos . . , . c isai . . , . d isai . . . e isai . . , f isai . . . g chron. . . act. . josh . . . chron. . . isai . . . song . . . h josh . . , . & . . hos . . . i isai . . . k isai . . . l isai . . . m isai . . , , . ( compare rev. . . & . . & . . ) n isai . . , , . o isai . . . ( & ch . . - . & . , , . ) p numb . . . q ezek. . . r ezek. . . s exod. . , , , . t pet. . . u pet. . . w pet. . , . x pet. . . ( compared with rev. . . & . 〈◊〉 . ) y pet. . . - . z rev. . , , , , . a rev. . , . & . . b rev. . . c rev. . . d rev. . . e rev. . - . f rev. . . g rev. . . h rev. . . & . - . i rev. . ● , &c. k rev. . . ( compare psal . . . & isai . . ) l rev. . . ( isai . . . ) m rev. . - . n rev. . - . joel . . o rev. . . & : & & chapters . p rev. . , , . q rev. . , 〈◊〉 . r jer. ● . , , , , , , . . s jer. . , . t jer. . . u jer. . , . w jer. . , . x jer. ● . - . ( compare zach. , , , , . ) z jer. . . a jer. . - . y jer. . . b jer. . . - . c jer. , , . d heb. . . - . e heb. . , . f heb. . , , . g heb. . , , , . ( compare cor. . , , , . h rev. , . i tempora novislima . this is comparatio voce rantum , ubi vox con . enit , significatlo dissentit : ut novus new , novislimus last , see danesius's lat. gram . pag. . k rom. . — ● . l rom. ● . m ephes . , , 〈◊〉 . n jer. . , . heb. . . o chadash . sam. . . psal . . iam . . ●brou . . psal . . job . . psal . . . isal . . . lev. . . p john . . john . , . john . q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to renew ; in the composition with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to renow . cor. . . col. . . rom. . . t it . . s rom. . . heb. . - . . t ephes . . , , , . u gen. . . w gen. . , . x rom. . , . & . , . y heb. . , . z pet. . 〈◊〉 . & pet. 〈◊〉 . , , . a gen. . , . heb. . . b gen. . s. - l c isai . . , . d rev. . . & . . e gen. . , , . & , . & . throughox● . & . . & . acts - . rom. - . gal. . . - . luk. . , . heb. . - . f gal. . , . g exod. & . chapters . h heb. . , , , , . exod. . , , . i hagg. . . k rom. . . l ephes . . . m exod . . n exod. . . deut. . , , , . o exod. . , . & . , 〈◊〉 . & . . & . . & . - . p exod. . . numb . . . . & . . q deut. . , . and so on to the verse . r isai . . - . s gal. . , . t mal. . . u cor. . . dan. . - . rom. . . gal. . - . rom. . . acts . . w exod. , , . pet. . . tit. . . mal. . . x deut. . . y deut. . , , , . rom. . 〈◊〉 , 〈◊〉 . z pet. . , . rev. . , . a exod. . , , , &c. deut. . , , &c. b psal . ● . . c sam. . . d cor. . . rev. . , . heb. . . jer. . . deut. . , , , . e exod. . , , , , . f deut. . , — . g ezek. . , . sam. . . h exod. , , i lev. . & . . ephes . , , . mat. . . k cor. - . act. . . & . . rom. . . l the sacrifices , the oblations , and much more , that might be spoken of . m rev. . . n exod. . , , , , . heb. . , , , , , , , , . & . , . mat. . . mar. . . luk. . . o heb. . - . p acts . . q jer . - . heb. . - . r jer. . . compared with the whole of the ● chapter . s mat. . - ● t psal . ● ▪ isai . . . deut. . , , , , . & . . compared with the ch . cor. . . u prov. . , . & & . , , . w deut . - lev. . , . exod. . , , ● . & . . psal . . . lev. . , . x deut. . y exod. . , , , . & . , . deut. . , , . z deut. . , , , , , . a psal . . . & . & . . b exod. . . & ● , , , . psal . ● ● . c lev. . , , , , , chapters . d exod. . - . compared with rom. . . & john . . & , . e jer. . - . heb. . - . f col. . . da●● . . . heb. . , . g john , . rev. . . h mat. . , , . i acts . , . rev. . . pet. . , . k psal . . . heb. . , . l john . . m mat. , , chapters . n john . , . deut. . , . psal . . . ephes . . . psal . . . john . - . col. . . o gen. . , , . ephes . . . col. . . p psal . . . q psal . . . r deut. . , , , . jer. . . s isai . . , , . & . . . t ezek. . - . & . , . u john . - . w habak . . . john . . rom. . . gal. . . hab. . . * rom. . - . x jer. . . 〈◊〉 pet. . . heb. . . y gen. . . rom. . throughout gal. . . z psal . . , , . a isai . . . & . . & . , , . b mi● . . , , . c exod. . , . d deut. . , . e lev. . , , . f deut. . , . & . , lev. . , , . rev. . . g exod. . . lev. . , . chron. . . & . . ezra . . . deut. . . isai . . . dan. . . deut. . . & . . & . . & . . exod. . . pet. . . exod. . . lev. . , , , . , . , , . numb . . , , . & . . &c. exod. . . nehem. . . exod. . . isai . . . mat. . . psal . . . ezra . . . acts . , . b chron. . . chron. . . pet. . . psal . . . isai . . . & . . zach. . . sam. . : exods. . , &c. & . . . & . , ezek . . exod. . . & . . chron. , . psal . . . tim. . . rom. . . pet. . . luk. . dan. . . , . rom. . , . i mat. . , ● . exod. . . k job . , , . l psal . . , , , . act. . - . & . - . cor. . , &c. m psal . . , . & ● , . n dan. . . o jude . p psal . . . q dan. . , . r eccles . , , to ● , . 〈◊〉 pet. . . t heb. . throughout . & . , . u rom. . , , . w jam. . , . x rom. . . y psal . . , 〈◊〉 . & ● . . z acts ▪ a jam. . . b gen. . , . c gen. . , . heb. . , . d deut. . . e rom. . . f rom. . , , . g psal . . , , . & . . , . h psal . . . i deut. . . jer. . . k psal . . , . l psal . . , , , . & . . m rom. . . n hos . . . . psal . . . o heb. . . , luk. . . & . . p gal. . , , , , , . q exod. . , . e●●k . . . r compare gen. . . & psal . . . with lev. . , . & numb . . . , . mognadim & mognadei . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est tempus statutum , aut condictum , conventus solemnis , caetus , solemnitas , congregatio : from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condixit , indixit , constituit , locum scilicet vel tempus ubi vel quando aliquid fieri debeat . in niphal . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , convenire , congregari , dicto scil . & statuto loco , vel tempore . s gen. . . jer. . , . & . - . t gen. . . & . , , . exod. . , . u numb . . , . heb. . . & . . w gen. . , , . exod. . - . & deut. . - ● . x heb. . , . col. . , . isal . . ▪ . & . , , . y gal. . . z exod. . , , , . ezek. . , . a exod. . ● ▪ b ezek. . , . c john . . gal. . , . d psal . . ▪ . e psal . . throughout . isal . . - . mar. . f gen. . , , ● , . g exod. . , h gen. . . & . . mat. . , . jer. . , . & . - . psal . , . & , . gen. . . i gal. . , , . col. . , . rom. , . & . . l psal . , , 〈◊〉 . psal . ● . throughout . mat. . , , . rom. . . luk. . , , . jam. . - . exod. . , . & . , , . psal . . . compared with the rest of that psalm ; and with the psal . psal . . , . * deut. . . m numb . . - . n exod. . , . deut. . . & . . mat. . . o psal . . . heb. . . & . . , . p thess . . . thess . . . jude . cor. . . & . . thess . . , . rom. . . john . , . act. . . heb. . . & . . . q numb . . . chron. . , , . acts . , . heb. . . r rom. . - . tit. . . john . . s exod. . , , , . deut. . , . t exod. . , . compared with the chapter . u exod. . . lev. . , . & . , . gal. . . jer. . . luk. . . exod. . . lev. . . & . . & . . tim. . . w gen. . , . exod. . , . x act. . - . & . , , - . rom. . . . y ezek. . , , & . . exod. . & . ch . eph. . . john . , . heb. . . rom. . . z exod. . , , chapters . rom. . , . & . , . a gen. . , - . b ephes . . - . c psal . . . prov. . . isal . . . luk. . . act. . . & . . & . . heb. . . & . , , . & . . pet. . . jude . deut. . , judg. . . ezek. . . acts . . d neh. . , . psal . . , . e deut. . . isal . . . rom. . . f exod. . . & . , . deut. 〈◊〉 . & . . & . . & . . sam. . . & . . king. . . psal . . . luk. . , . psal . . . psal . . , . rom. . , . psal . . , . g gen. . . exod. . . deut. . . psal . . . isal . . jer. . . joel . . chron. . . ezra . . . & . . h in a treatise called , the court of the gentiles , by t. g. 〈◊〉 . , . i psal . . throughout . tim. . , . mar. . , , . 〈◊〉 . . - . gen. . , . k mat. . . rom. . , , . l mat. . - . m mat. . . acts . . heb. . . & . . & . . rev. . . n cor. . . jer. . - . heb. . - . & . , . o john . , . p ephes. . . hebr. . . & . , . q esther . . . ephes . . . r gal , . . . colos . hebr. . . & , . s numb . . - . t numb . . , . v mat. . . acts . , . w rom. . . pet. . , hebr. , , , , chapters . x exod. . , , deuter. . . & . . , &c. jerem. . , . & . . y ezek. . , , deut. . , . & . , &c. &c. . . malac. . lev. . . & . . nehem. . , deut. . , . numb . . . z deuter. . - . & . , , . b exod. . , . & . . hebr. . - john . . exo. . . & . . joh. . . act . . neh. . . dan. . . . joh. . . act. . . & . . cor. . . chron. . & in many other places . d compare mar. . . with mat. . . e rom. . . c exod. . , . &c. deuter . , , , f compare mat. . . with mar. . . g compare psal . throughout with rom. . . and deut. . - . with rom. . . - ● . b neh . , . i col. . , . see the margin in the last english bibles . in part . gal. . , . k heb. . . & . . l heb. . - . rom. . . pet. . . rom. . . rev. . , , . and in many other places . m heb. . . col. . - . n rom. . , . pet. . , . rev. . . heb. . , . o heb. . . p heb. . . q col. . . r cor. , , . s luk. . . t heb. . , , . u heb. . , . w heb. . , . & . , . tim , . . x heb. . , , . & . , , . . & . , . . vers . . to the full end . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . y luk. . ● . rom , . , , . z ephes . . psal . . . a act. . . & . , &c. b heb. , . & . , . john . , . & . . c heb. . , . d heb. . . & . . & . . john e heb. . , , . & , . f heb. . , , . g heb . , , , , . h heb. . . i heb. . . k ps . . , , . compared with heb. . - . ps . . - . dan. . . l heb. . - . m acts . . heb. . . compared with heb. . . & pet. . . see the greek words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . n heb. . . & . . o heb. . . & . . p hebrews . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . q gal. . . & . . heb. . . & . . gal. . . r cor. . , . s john . , . t cor. . - . u exod. . , . king. . . hos . . . ezek. . . psal . . . w psal . . . & . . psal . . . x gal . , . col. . . y ephes . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . z ephes . . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . a heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . b heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . c col. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . d col. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . e col. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . f heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . g heb. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , vers . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he takes away the first , that he may establish the later : he takes it out of the way , he abolisheth it , he lays hold on it , so as to stay it . h rom. . - . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . i heb. . , , . gal. . - . k cor. . - . hag. . , , . l cor. . , . heb. . - . john . , . exod. . , . pet. . m gen. . . , . rom. . . heb. . . pet. . . thess . . . rom. , . heb. . , . n heb. . . & ● . throughout : & . , . o habak . . . rom. . . gal. . . heb. . . p gal. . , , , , , . q heb. . . mat. . . gen. . . & . . & john . . r heb. . . s heb. . , . pet. . . t heb. . - . gen. . , , . u rom. . throughout ; and gal. . - . w deut. . - . rom. . - . x ephes . . . y acts . . z rom. . , , , . a rom. . , & . . john . . b psal . . , . heb. . , , . & . , . c act. . . . chron. . . d psal . , ● , . e mat. . — ●● . f mar. . . - . luk. , . - . g deut. . , &c. rom. . , , . h mar. . . luk. . . luk. . . i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . k exod. . . l isai . . . gen. . . and in other places . m prov. . . n lev. . . mat. . . rom. . , . o pag. . of his treatise . p exod. . . deut. . . & . . q mat. . . 〈◊〉 luk. . . r mat. . . s lev. . ● . t deut. . , . u job . . w ephes . . ● , . x tim. . . y mat. . , . , , . lev. . , . z rom. . . prov. . ● . a col. . , , , , , , , ● . & . . b deut. . . jer. . , . c rom. . . d mat. . - . mar. . - . luk. . - . e heb. . . pet. . , . f heb. . , , , , . g heb . - . h mat. . . i mat. th , th and th chapters . k exod. th and th chapters , & isai . . . heb. . , , , . & act. . , , . psal . . , , . , . l mat. . , , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , loose , or dis●bind , which that man , whatsoever be be , d●●b , that eicher abrogateth this law , any one of its commands , much more if the ●bole of it ; or that doth not observe it , much more if he affirm 〈◊〉 : unlawful to be observed . m cor. . , 〈◊〉 . n mat. . o compare mat. . , , chapters , particularly , mat. . . with mar. , . and inquire , whether it were not on the weekly seventh-day sabbath , when christ preached this sermon at the mount , wherein he confirmed the whole of this law of the ten words . p mat. . q mat. . , . chapters . r mat. . - . luk. . , , . s exod. . . deut. . . exod. . . deut. . . exod. . . lev. . . deut. . . exod. . . lev. . . deut. . ● . lev. . . t mat. . . & . . luk. . . u john . - . & . . ephes . . , . pet. . . w rom. . , , , , . & . . jam. . & . , , , , . john . rom. . . & . . x rom. . , , . gal. . . and in a multitude of other places . y isai . . , , , , . & . , , . jer. . - . heb. . - . isai . . , . z ezek . , . isai . . cor. . , . rom. . . & . , tit. . - . a thess . . . b rev. . . & . . c mal. . , , . & rev. . , , . d deut. . , . & ● . . prov. . , . josh . . . e rev. . . f king. . . exod. . . & . , , . g isai . . . h hos . . . isai . . , , . i thess . . , . k mat. . . & . . & . . rom. . . & . . cor. . . thess . . . tit. . . heb. . . tzephan . . . malac. . . heb. . . & . . john . . mar. . . luk. . . acts . . thess . . . tim. . . a pet. . . & . . l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . o mat. . , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : & . , , . mat. . . pet , , . p jam. . - , . deut. . . & . . & . . & . . q pet. . . . . john . . john . . john . . john . . mar. . . mat. . , . r psal . . , . & . . zech. . , . pet. . . rev. . . & . . mat. . . deut. . , . psal . . . s jam. . , , , , . rom. . - . & . . & . . john . . john . . rom. . , , . exod. . . & . . & . . lev. . , 〈◊〉 . gal. . , . t eccles . . , . h rom. . , , . w gen. . , . & ch . . pet. . . fzek. . . . heb. . . x gen. . , , . rom. . , . gal. . , . gen. . , & . . y exod. . , , . z exod. . . numb . . . deut. . . exod. . . a exod. ● , &c. job . & . psal . . , . & . , , . deut. . . - . b jer. . . c exod. . . d exod. . , . & . . heb. . , , , , , . deut. . . psal . . ▪ . rom. . . deut. . - . rom. , , . thess . . . e psal . . , , . & . , , . heb. . , , , . , . hag. . . deut. . , , , . f psal , . - . ( heb. . . rev. . . ) psal . . . & judges . . mount 〈◊〉 and hills in the plural number then flowed and melted . g psal . . , . ephes . . . h exod ● . . lev. . ● . numb . . , , gal . act. . , . ezek . , . deut. . . & . , , . i king ● ▪ , . k psal . . - . king. ● . l mat. . , . acts . . col. . , . rev. . . psal . . , , , , , . m jer. . . n jer. . - . o gen. . , . & . . heb. . . & pet. . . p gen . throughout & ch. . - . & . . q gen. . . rom. . . gen. ● . . & . , . r joh . , , . & . . & , . & . , , , . s numb . . . t king . - . & , . chron. . . * chron. last chapter , compared with the books of ezra and of nehemiah . u acts . - . w luk. . . the jews shall be carryed captive ouer all nations . x jam. . . y pet. . . & . . z mat. . , , &c. . , , . & . - . and elsewhere . a rom. . , . acts . ● . heb. . . rev. . . gal. . . hab. . . john , . where is the same expression with the words in the second commadment . exod. . . b john . , , john . , . c rom. . . , . d acts . , . rom. . ephes . . , , , . e rom. . , , . & . , , , . & . . f cor. . , . & . . g gal. . , , . deut. . . hab. . . gal. . . lev. . . mat ● . ● . h ephes . . , . & . , , . i john . . rom. . . & . . k jam. . . & . - . l psal . . . hos . . , . we. vs . m rev. . . n isal . . — 〈◊〉 . o mar. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum accusative ▪ significat propter & ut plurimum , sinem notat . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p gen. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q mar. . . bagnabur ha adam . e exod. . . s gen. . , . exod. . - . t acts . . u luk. . . amos . . esai . . . & . . & . . psal . . . & . , . isal . . . nahum . . . psal . . . isal . . . dan ▪ . . jer. . , - . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 w gen. . . jer. . . . & . , . x mar. . . y gen. . . psal . . , , , . z eccles . . , , . & . , , , , , . & . & . , , , . & . . & . , . & . , . & . , , , , . & . . & . . psal . . . eccles . . . acts . . jer. . . mat. . . a gen. . . - . b exod. . , . c deut. . , , , , , , . , . neh. . , . jer. . . & . . & . , , . & . , . & . . & . . & . . & . . & acts . . d deut. . . josh . . . deut. . . gen. . . e josh . . . f chron. . . psal . . , . & . , , . g act. . . h gen. . . king. . . - . mat. . . i psal . . , . king. . . k psal . . . see the margin in some english bibles , acts . . heb. . . l psal . . . m gen. . , , . n gen. . . & . . & . . numb . . . sam. . . mat. . jam. . , . exod. . , . lev. . . numb . . . o lev. . . p mat. . . q gen. . r gen. . , , , , . s deut. . . t chron. . . u psal . . . dan. . . mal. . . w luk. . . , . x mar. . , . mat. . , . z mar. . . & mat. . . compared . a compare mat. . . with mat. . . b heb. . 〈◊〉 , . c gen. . . & , . d cocceius . aria● montanus , and others which i consulted . e gen. . . f numb . . . g exod. . , . deut. . . h gen. . . act. . . exod. . . i sam. . . k mat. . . jam. . , . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ( so gen. . . ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . l exod. . . & . . & . , , . levit. . , , . num. , . josh . . , . & . . exod. . . & . . num. . . & . , , , . josh . . . & . . king. . . & , . & . . prov. . . & . . jer. . , . zephan . . . psal . . . & . . m exod. . , . levit. . . numb . . . n sam. . . king. . . esther . . o mar. . . & . . luk. . . acts. . . thess . . . thess . . . p gen. . , , , , , . q dan. . gnereb-boker , s●e the margin in the english bibles . a natural day is an evening-morning . cor. . . it is nuchtheme●on , a night-day . see act. . , . compare also gen. . . , , , , . exod. . . levi● . . . psal . . . dan. . esther . . jer. . . & . , r cor. tacitus . s faustus manicheus . augustin , l. . de consens . evang. c. . & 〈◊〉 . . contra faust . cap. . & . t joseph . antiq. l. . c . & . u minshe●● . w joseph de bello judaic . l. . c. . & antiq. l. . c. , , . & l. . c. ult . so in the history of the macabees . mac. . , v. , . x lam. . . aug. 〈◊〉 . . de civ . dei , cap. . y in tertullians time . z verstegan , in his antiquities , from p. , pag , . & p. . p. ● , . , , , . a act. . , , . & ● . . & . . & . . b beda , in his ●lexameron . philo. judaeus , de vita mosis , l. . joseph . contra ap. l. . mercer . in gen. . . aug. s●e●chius on gen. . clem. strom. l. . euseb . de praeparat . evang 〈◊〉 . . c. . ri●et on gen. . and in his disser● . de orig. ●eb . c tertul. de idol . c. . an. . cypr. ep. . an. . basil m. de sp. sanct. c. . d. yong , p. . chryside elecmosyn . hilar. proleg . in psal . tertul. apol . advers . gen. c. . athanas . de sab. & circum . dr. young , on the dominical day , p. , , , &c. he calls the dominical day , the eighth day from the creation , which is also the first . p. . & p. . chrys . august . l. . de ci● . d. cap . * leo. ●p . . c. . d ov●d . l. . de art. amand . & l. . de remed . amor . plutarch . de superstitione . tacitus agatharchid . e dr. bound . p. , , , , . f dr. young , in his dominical-day ; as it is translated into english ( although i have his treatise in lo●in ) to which edition i refer in the pages , both here and a little before cited . pag. , , , , , . ( philo de mundi opificio & de vita mosis ) see dr. young. p. , , , . g dr. usher in his letter to dr. tuiss . published by dr. bernard . pag. , , , , , , , , , , . in these pages are more such humane authorities , if we bad a mind and will to multiply them . h king. . . exod. . & . , . numb . . . king. . . psal . . . i isai . . . mat. . . k exo. . , , . & . , , , . king. . . psal . . . luke . . l rom. . , . psal . . throughout ; and often elsewhere . m heb. . . act● . . n rom. . ●● . o psal . , , , ● , , , , . psal . . . p jam. , , . q psal . . , . r john ● . , . s deut. . . t deut. . . exod. . . u deut. . . & . . prov. . . mat. 〈◊〉 . , . w mat. . . x phil. . . y prov. . , , , mat. . . & . . prov. . . z prov. . , , , , . a prov. . , , , , , , . b prov. . , , . , . c prov. . , , , , . d tim. . . e prov. . , , . f prov. . 〈◊〉 , , . g prov. . , , . h prov. . . i prov. . . k prov. . , , , . l prov. . ● , ● , 〈◊〉 , ● , . m prov. . , , , , . n prov. . , . o prov. . . p prov. . , , . q prov. . . r prov. . , , , , . s john . . out of isai . . . and jer. 〈◊〉 . . t cor. . 〈◊〉 . observations touching the principles of natural motions, and especially touching rarefaction & condensation together with a reply to certain remarks touching the gravitation of fluids / by the author of difficiles nugae. hale, matthew, sir, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing h estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. 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ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng religion and science. motion. gravitation. hydrodynamics. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion observations touching the principles of natural motions ; and especially touching rarefaction & condensation : together with a reply to certain remarks touching the gravitation of fluids . by the author of difficiles nvgae . london , printed by w. godbid , for w. shrowsbury , at the bible in duke-lane , . the right hon. ble algernon capell , earl of essex , viscount maldon , and baron capell of hadham : . to the reader . reader , about two or three years since , i was content that two small books , or rather pamphlets , that i had collected , partly in my youth , and partly at the recreations of leisure hours , should be published in print ; the one entituled , an essay touching the gravitation of fluids ; the other , difficiles nugae , or , observations touching the torricellian experiment . in the publishing of them , i did not set them off with any ostentation ; but let them go with uninviting titles , and not so much as bestowed upon them my name : for i thought that they were but trifles , and such as were below the perusal of the learned men of the age , and at best , a divertisement of some leisure-hours , to young students in matters of this nature . but beyond my expectation , these nugae ( for so i must still call them ) had the unexpected honour to be perused and examined by two especially of the most learned masters in philosophy and mathematicks , that this latter age hath yielded ; and not only so , but they have given them the honour to make observations , animadversions and remarks upon them . those which came out first were short and obiter , upon occasion of another discourse , which gave opportunity of a short defence . those that came out since , were more large . the nameless author of the essay and nugae , doth return to them his thankful acknowledgment of thoir favour , in taking notice of such trifles , and using them and the unknown author with that civility that they have expressed in their remarks . the truth is . the controversie falls to be of that nature , that among the three contenders , every one opposeth somewhat that the other two grant ; and asserts somewhat that the other two deny : for instance , i contend against the solving of the phaenomena in the torricellian experiment , by the weight or elasticity of the air , or by a common spirit of nature ; but that it is done mechanically by tension . my first opponent supposeth it not done by tension , nor the common spirit of nature , but by the weight and elasticity of the air. the third contends that it is neither done by the elasticity or weight of the air , nor by tension ; but by the spirit of nature . thus every one agrees and disagrees with the other ; and every opponent in one kind , is in another kind the advocate of the party he opposeth . and this will both assist and justifie me , in writing in the farther explication and application of what i have asserted ; which i shall do with plainness and freeness : but without arrogance to my self , as if i had wholly confuted my opponents ; or detraction from my opponents , or their assertions , by censuring them as absurd or contradictory . for in those cases , the judgment is the readers , not the opponents . in philosophical enquiries and conclusions , we may observe two kinds of methods used by some men . some begin at their senses , examine particular matters of facts , how they are , or fall out , search into experiments and visible trials , and those appearances of nature that are obvious to our senses , and from these they deduce their conclusions and theorems . and certainly he that attentively reads aristotle , especially in his history of animals , of their parts , going and generation , in his meteorologicks , in his books de anima ; yea , in his very physicks , will find , that as he was the greatest master of experience and observation of this kind , so it was the great method of his deductions and conclusions . and therefore they that when they would seem to cry up experimental philosophy , think they do but right in decrying aristotle , either have not considered him , or surely are too injurious to him . again , there are some that lay the first foundations of their philosophy in notions , and speculations , and preconceived systemes of their own framing ; and then conforming the solution of the phaenomena in nature , to those notions . and these most commonly do by nature and natural appearances , as that tyrant did by his prisoners that were too long or too short for his iron bed ; stretched the latter , and cut the former to its dimension ; so these handle the phaenomena in nature ; torture and torment them into a consonancy to their notions ; or at best , substitute new precarious notions to piece out their hypotheses , and to render sensible appearances to hold analogy with that notional systeme of things that they have framed : and i must needs say , that i think the general mode and fashion of the reassumed philosophy of lucretius , epicurus and democritus , the restitution and reformation of it by des cartes and gassendus , hath too much of this latter method in it , and is a very uncertain and preposterous way of forming conclusions . i have therefore chosen the former of these methods , and as near as i can , framed my conclusions from the evidence of sense and particular experiences and experiments . and although it is not impossible for me to be mistaken in some of my experiments , and the inferences made thereupon ; yet i think i have not much mistaken herein ; only one experiment , which i call a double trial , pag. . of the difficiles nugae , is somewhat obscurely delivered by me , and not so much to my purpose ; of which i take notice in my reply to the th remark upon that book . i have in the beginning of this book spent ten chapters touching the principles of motion , essential forms , rarefaction and condensation ; which have a general influence into much of what is said concerning those matters , which often occur in the remarks ; and thereby i at once give my sense concerning those difficult points , and save my self the labour of often repetitions or answers touching things therein delivered . the subject of the controversie , i confess , is of no great importance , neither is the fortune of greece ( as the proverb is ) concerned whether of the controverters suppositions be the truest ; or whether , it may be , some other may be discovered truer than any of the former . all that i shall say touching our discourses of this nature , is this , that though they are not very profitable expences of time in the writers or readers ; yet they may be innocent diversions to both , and may be of some use in the indagation of natural causes and effects . some favours i must desire of the reader . . that he will be contented to bear with such vulgar expressions which serve my turn to give account of my thoughts in a matter of this nature ; such as are , architecture , cones , capes , masonry , and twenty such vulgar expressions , which , it may be , learned men may think too mean , and repeat them with some disdain . . that though i do many times use expressions that are not polished according to grammatical or scholastick niceties or modes , that i may be excused herein , and that the reader will look to the scope and drift ; and mark at what i aim ; and not cavil at bare terms and expressions , so long as the thing they design be laid open : this is an unhappiness that too often befals men that are inquisitive after truth ; that their readers or opponents miss the scope of the writer , and fall upon criticismes about words and forms of expressions . words are but signs of conceptions and thoughts ; and as i have elsewhere said , they perform their office well enough , when they render our thoughts intelligible . . that he will be content to suspend his censure upon clauses or sentences apart , till he hath perused all : it is not possible , especially in discourses of this nature , to speak or write all at once . some things that are but shortly or obscurely delivered , or perchance omitted in one sentence , page , or paragraph , may be supplied or explained in another . the contents . chap. . concerning motion , and its original . pag. chap. . a farther disquisition touching the immediate cause of motion . pag. chap. . concerning some other more universal or common causes assigned to motions , viz. anima mundi , spiritus naturae , & principia hylarchica . pag. chap. . touching rarefaction and condensation , and their kinds . pag. chap. . concerning the phaenomena of rarefaction and condensation apparent to sense . pag. chap. . concerning the various solutions of condensation and rarefaction ; and first , of that which is by supposed interspersed vacuities . pag. chap. . concerning the second solution of rarefaction and condensation , and its insufficiency . pag. chap. . further considerations concerning the deficiency of the second solution in relation to rarefaction and condensation , and the supplements that have been devised to enforce or supply it . pag. chap. . touching the third supposition of the method of rarefaction and condensation according to the ancient philosophy , which seems to be the truest . pag. chap. . a further consideration of rarefaction and condensation , and of the supposition of the penetrability or impenetrability of bodies , material substances , quantity , extension , &c. pag. errata . pag. . l. . dele appearing . p. . l. . r. it it makes spaces . p. . l. . abstracted , r. obstructed . p. . l. . r. and with great ease , if the supposition be true . p. . l. . more , r. mere . p. . l. . tube , r. cube . p. . l. . dele actual . p. . l. . cancelled , r. cantelled . p. . l. . r. passion or quality of . p. . l. . r. in condensation . p. . l. . r. preponderation . p. . l. . ballance , r. bottom . p. . l. . some , r. sense . p. . l. . r. preponderated . p. . l. . r. foreign . observations touching the principles of natural motions ; and especially touching rarefaction and condensation . chap. i. concerning motion , and its original . as an introduction to what follows , i shall briefly set down some observations touching motion of created material beings ; for i shall not in this place meddle with those more noble beings of angelical or spiritual natures , nor the humane soul , which is a subject of another and higher nature , and not to be measured by those ordinary rules or reasons that concern bodies , matter , and material natures . we may generally find in all material beings the thing called motion ; in some of one kind , in some of another ; some more simple , some more complexed and various ; some more conspicuous to sense , as local motion ; some less conspicuous , as generation and alteration ; some things are moved by others , some things seem to have the principle or original of motion in themselves , which communicates motion to the subject wherein that principle resides , and also to other things by contact of their corporeity or virtue . and therefore aristotle somewhere as i remember , calls motion or endeavours of it , to be quasi vita quaedam quae omnibus inest , quae natura constant . the primitive principle or cause of all motion is the first mover , the great and glorious lord of nature , from whom , as being so , all motion is derived into created beings . . by way of causality ; those created beings that seem to have the immediate principle of motions in themselves , have that principle from his fiat and institution . and , . by way of concurrence and concomitance . there is a perpetual flux from that fountain of being that preserves and sustains those principles of motion which he at first lodged in created beings , according to their several ranks , kinds and natures , and instituted durations ; and if this concourse should withdraw it self but one moment , all the motion of created beings would cease and expire . matter it self simply considered as such , though it be susceptive of motion ( as we daily see ) is not the immediate principle of motion in those subjects that seem to be self-moving , or primitive movents of other things , according to that law of nature instituted by the soveraign lord thereof . and this seems apparent , among other reasons , by these that follow . . because matter in it self , and simply considered , seems to be meerly passive , and receptive of active impressions from something else : it is true , one portion of matter once set in motion , will by contact put another portion of matter into motion . but we are not now upon the search of intermediate instrumentals of motion , but upon the search of the principles of such motions which seem primitively and immediately to be elicited in any physical subject . . because matter simply considered , seems to be one kind of uniform entity , but diversified by its forms , qualities and modifications , as weight , colour , hardness , softness , &c. the matter of a piece of gold , and of a piece of wood , abstractively considered , seems to be the materia prima of the ancients , and of the same nature ; and consequently , if matter simply considered were the immediate active principle of motion , the motions of all things would be as simple and uniform as the matter it self . but we see by daily experience that there are motions of several subjects , which have the immediate principle of their motion in and from themselves , or somewhat within them that obtains vicem moventis , and are various , differing , differently exerted , and differently terminated from the motions of other bodies . therefore if there be any things in nature , that have their principle of motion in themselves , we must find out if we can , somewhat besides matter , that is the immediate root or spring of it . it is true , the great master in natural philosophy , aristotle , tells us , that whatsoever is moved , is moved by another , which would make one suppose that he thought there were no immediate self-moving principle in those beings we call automata , but only the first mover ; and truly with respect to the soveraign cause of all things , that every thing is moved by him that is unmoveable , as i have before shewed , cannot be questioned . but that there are created beings , that by the powerful and soveraign institution of almighty god , have an immediate principle of motion in and from themselves , is beyond dispute . a brute beast possibly may be put immediately into motion by his appetite , and that appetite excited by the presence of an object ; and here the object hath ( as i may call it ) a moral principle of motion exciting the appetite , moving the brute to a nearer approach to the object . but then in the gressus brutalis , it is somewhat within him that gives the local motion it self , namely , the brutalis anima . and the same is evident in the motions of augmentation and conformation of vegetables , the motions of ascent and calefaction in fire , the motions of attraction and aversation in magnetical bodies , and the very motion of descent in heavy bodies ; and infinite more instances of physical bodies , which have an intrinsick principle of exciting and communicating motion to the subjects of their inexistence , and to other things : now touching this internal immediate principle of motion , is this enquiry upon which i am . chap. ii. a farther disquisition touching the immediate cause of motion . in the former chapter i have supposed these two things . . that there are some things that have an active self-moving principle lodged within them . . that matter simply considered , is not that immediate self-moving principle : it remaines therefore to be enquired what that principle is . the ancient bi-partition of created beings was into substance and accident . but this seems to me to be too narrow ( i am still speaking of created material existences ) and i shall not be ashamed to own helmont for my instructer herein , because he speaks with great evidence of reason . there seems therefore to be a third kind of existence or entity participating in some respect of the nature of both , and yet differing in other respects from both ; for indeed it is an entity among created beings belonging to matter , far more noble than either of the two former , and is that which giveth life , vigor , activity , and motion , immediately next under the lord of nature , to every self-moving being . and this entity i call vis , or virtus activa , superadded to matter , and giving immediately those motions to it , that are specifically appropriate to that vis , or virtus activa , and without which , matter would be stupid , dull , unactive , and alwayes at rest in it self , unless accidentally moved ab extrinseco . and although those vires or virtutes activae , the immediate principles of motion in such things as are automata , are various , and infinitely diversified , yet i shall instance but in few ; which nevertheless will be sufficient to render my self intelligible in what i say . and those are principally of two sorts ; the first of those ( the noblest below the humane soul ) are those vires , or virtutes essentiales , that are the principal constituents of vital or substantial forms . the second are those which are usually called active qualities , which seem to be of a lower nature and allay than the former . under the first of these ranks , there are different classes , not only gradually , but essentially more or less perfect than others , viz. first , the vis sentiens & animalis of animals . . the vis vegetans & vitalis of vegetables , and possibly of many minerals . . the vis combustiva & calefactiva of fire . . the vis attractiva , directiva & communicativa of magnetical bodies . these virtutes or vires essentiales even of the noblest sort ( i mean below the humane nature ) have this preheminence above the matter or substance whereunto they are united , that they are the immediate , vital , movent principle , that gives a kind of life or motion to the subject wherein they exist , which would otherwise be destitute of life or motion from it self . whether these vires or virtutes essentiales are in themselves defectible or not , may be questioned : some have thought that they have certain termini temporales of their existence , and operations in themselves simply and abstractively considered , and in process of time languish and finally expire and cease , as the energy of the spring of a watch in its evolution , grows languid , and at last utterly ceaseth from any farther evolution or motion . others have thought , and with great evidence of reason , that there is no decay or natural termination of the vis or energia essentialis it self , but only by the decay or defectibility , or dissolution of the material hypostasis to which it is united , or of the organs which it useth in its operations ; which being compounded bodies , are subject to decay and dissolution . and therefore the philosopher tells us , that if an old man had a young mans eye , he would see as well as in his youth ; for the decay is not in the visive faculty , or vis or virtus essentialis sentiens ; but in the organ , or subject , or substratum of its operation or inexistence . but in some respects it is inferiour to matter , and seems to participate of the nature of accidents ; as for instance , it necessarily according to the common laws of nature , requires a material hypostasis or subject in which it may inexist , and to which it may be united : thus the vis sentiens & animalis is immediately united to the animal spirits , or the most refined parts of the animal nature . the vis vegetans vitalis of vegetables is immediately united to the vital spirits and succus vitalis of vegetables . as to fire , whether the vis ignea have a proper hypostasis of its own to which it is united ( as the vis sentiens hath ) or whether it hath no other substratum but the body in which it is , as the cole or iron , or as the common body of the air it self , through which it is universally diffused , may , i confess , be questionable ; yet certainly it hath some hypostasis , to which it is united , and primitively inexists , and without which , it seems it cannot be . . whereas no portion of matter is lost in nature , or annihilable but by omnipotence , those vires essentiales are in their individuals extinguished and lost , and no where in nature upon the destruction , dissipation or dissolution of the necessary hypostasis or subject of their inexistence : when the animal spirits are wholly dissipated or dissolved , the vis sentiens of that animal is lost , and no where : when water is thrown upon the cole of fire , the vis ignea that was in it , is extinct and nullibi , and ( as it seems ) doth not facessere in elementum commune ignis , at least if it have not a special hypostasis of its own to which it is united ; and when the magnet is burnt in the fire , the vis magnetica in it is extinct . and the same is to be said of that other more ignoble principle of motion hereafter mentioned , viz. active qualities . and this , as i think , gives us a true notion of the souls of brutes , the forms of vegetables , of fire , and other substantial forms below the humane soul. if any should ask me what i take the soul of a brute animal to be , i should say , it consisted of two essential parts ; the one , this active vis , or virtus sentiens animalis , the root and fountain of all its motions , of sensation , perception , phantasie , appetition , and local motion . and the other is the immediate hypostasis or substratum in which this vis vitalis sentiens ▪ primitively inexists , and to which it is primitively united , and by which it communicates it self to the whole compositum ; and these are some select crasis or portion of the animal spirits : for the animal nature being a more curious piece than inferiour subsistences , and fuller of variety , therefore there is a more elaborate and curious method of the union of its essentials than in others : and next to animals , there is a more curious method of union and colligation of the virtus vitalis of vegetables to the more pure and subtil vital spirits , or latex vitalis of vegetables . but the vis ignea and the vis magnetica seem to be immediately united to the whole fiery or magnetical mass : but yet still the activity of both is owing not to the bare hypostasis or substratum wherein it is lodged , but to that incorporeal force , virtue or energy which acts in it , upon it and by it . and upon this accompt aristotle is to be understood , when in . de anima , he stiles the souls of brutes to be incorporeal , and yet in other places calls them substantial , viz. they are immaterial and incorporeal with relation to the vis or virtus essentialis activa , which is the regnant and noblest part of them ; but they are substantial , and not only so , but material in relation to the prima hypostasis or primum substratum , the animal spirits , whereunto this vis activa is united , or rather some nodus or concrement of a refined substance , which is as it were the root or focus of these spirits , that like so many branches , are derived from it , through the nerves , and by them communicated to the whole compositum . and although i do here industriously omit the examination of the nature of the humane or reasonable soul ; yet i cannot omit this special observation of the discrimination of the humane soul from the souls of brutes , viz. that although the appropriate faculties of the sentient or animal soul be admitted indefectible in themselves , yet their prima hypostasis , or immediate subject of their inexistence is corruptible , and subject to dissipation ; but the appropriate powers or faculties of the reasonable soul , namely , intellect and will , are not only indefectible powers , but also the prima hypostasis or primum substratum of their inexistence is by the divine ordination an indefectible substratum ; namely a pure , immaterial and incorruptible substance , and the union thereunto indissoluble ; whereby it comes to pass that the humane soul is immortal , and preserved both in its essence , existence , personality and in duration after the dissolution of the body . . it s virtus or vis is indefectible . . the prima hypostasis incorruptible . . the union of both indissoluble by natural power . and thus far concerning the first sort of active principles in self-moving automata . . the second sort of motive principles are active qualities , as they are commonly called ; which , though possibly some of them may be the same with the former , essentiating active forms , yet some may be such as are of a second and more inferiour allay , as proceeding from the primitive forms themselves . i shall instance in two only . . in that of heat . . in that of gravity . as to the former , it is evident that heat ( not only that which is so to the touch , but is such virtually , as in vegetables and minerals ) hath a power of exciting motion both in the subject of its inexistence , and in other subjects , as appears in the fermentation of liquors and other things which are put into motion by that virtual heat that resides in its particles , though not hot to the touch . whether cold be of any positive nature , and so have a positive activity of its own , or whether it be an absence only of heat , either totally , as in summè frigidis , if any such be ; or partially , according to the degrees of heat abated or removed , i shall not here dispute ; for i only propound some instances , to render what i write intelligible . . as to gravity , or that principle in heavy bodies that inclines them ab intrinseco , to descend , this seems to be a quality of most tangible bodies that we converse with , if not of all ; for some contend that there is no such thing in nature as simple levity ( at least in any thing but fire ) but only some bodies are minus gravia than others , and urged to ascend by the pressure or circumpulsion of other bodies more heavy ; this is not my business at this time to examine . this gravity i take to be a quality intrinsick to heavy bodies at least , in our inferiour system of the world . gravitation , which is a kind of second act , may not altogether improperly be applied to motions of different terminations , because it seems to be only nisus or conatus ad motum , which may have different terminations ; viz. upward , or downward , or laterally , and arise from different causes ; but gravity it self , as it imports a disposition , propension or inclination in heavy bodies to descend , is not unfitly stiled a quality , and an intrinsick quality . for we may observe in the motions of natural bodies , some are from an extrinsecal cause or accidental ; sometimes arising from the pressure of other bodies , sometimes from the position of the bodies themselves ; as water will be driven up perpendicularly by a forcer ; as in water-engines ; it will move collaterally or per declive , by reason of its own fluid nature , or by its position upon a declining plain . but when all obstacles of that nature are removed , a heavy body , as such , will move by a right line to the center , from that inherent quality of gravity , which is intrinsick to it , and puts it into motion ; so that i am unjustly blamed for saying gravity is a quality inclining bodies to descend to the center , and yet at the same time saying , that it is not improper to say that things may gravitate upward or laterally , as well as downward ; for when heavy bodies have another termination than downward , it is by reason of some other intervention of some external cause , or from some other property in bodies , accompanying their gravity , as fluidity in water or air , which gives them a nisus ad motum ( which is gravitation ) of a differing termination from that of bodies purely considered as heavy . but when the motion proceeds simply and solely from that active quality of gravity , its nisus ad motum , which is its gravitation , is simply in linea recta ad centrum , which i often call a central motion or direction : this any fair remarker might have easily seen , without charging the second chapter of the essay with a contradiction , where indeed there is none . and therefore in this place i cannot chuse but take notice of two extreams in the modern philosophy : some are so wholly intent upon vital and plastick principles , that they contend even almost against all mechanical motions of bodies , which i shall have occasion hereafter to meet with . again , others are so greatly taken up with the thoughts of matter and mechanical motions , that they wholly exterminate any intrinsick principles of motion , and resolve them wholly into matter and its modifications , and mechanism and mechanical motions ; and therefore , . they suppose that there are no such things as i call active forms ( at least excepting the humane soul , though some venture hard at that also ) but that all active forms and their originals are only various modifications of matter , as size , figure , position , texture , &c. this i think is impossible to be true ; for though the modifications of matter may give variety of accidental or external forms , naturally arising from the texture of matter , as figure , colour , &c. and those various modifications may in relation not only to the powers of the sentient faculty , but to other bodies , make various impressions , as we see is done in some tangible effects ; as by smoothness , roughness , hardness , softness , sharpness , bluntness , and the like : whereby sometimes other bodies are affected ; yet they can never arrive to those greater activities which we see in physical bodies , as sense , life , primitive motions of several kinds , nor can be productive of the principles thereof ; for the modifications of matter can never raise it to such an activity , as of it self it is not capable of , but requires the union of some nobler active entity to quicken and actuate it . . they suppose that all the most noble motions , as well of sense as life in animals and vegetables , are nothing else but mechanism , and not from any intrinsick active principle , which we usually call the sentient and vegetable soul ; nay , some by a vain petulancy have gone so far as to resolve the noble faculties and motions of the rational soul , as intellection , ratiocination and memory , into a bare mechanism , and modification , and motion of particles of matter , such extravagancies as these need no other confutation but our very senses , in the observation of the curious properties , instincts , operations and motions of the animal and vegetable souls and faculties , and the unevident and unintelligible explications that these men offer for the support of their suppositions ; which is not my business here at large to examine . now touching the production of these active self-moving principles , which i call vires , or virtutes activae . . as to their primitive institution and production , there cannot possibly , as i think , be assigned any other than that constitution , institution and communication which they received from the great creator of all things , and that law which he annexed and gave them in their first formation . . but as to the subsequent and physical production of these active principles , in the common and ordinary track of nature , they are various , according to the methods setled by the same divine law ; such as are generation , the irradiation of the heavens and heavenly bodies , especially the sun , the various mixtures of simple and compounded bodies , and therewith of their essential forms and active qualities , whereby there arise many times such forms and qualities as are sometimes called equivocal , anomalous , or of various modifications . but the origination of forms and active qualities , is a large theme , and not intended to be prosecuted farther by me in this place . chap. iii. concerning some other more universal or common causes assigned of motions , viz. anima mundi , spiritus naturae , & principia hylarchica . to solve or give an account of divers motions in nature , there have been those , that not content with the particular inherent active principles in particular subjects , as is mentioned in the former chapters , have supposed certain more catholick , and indeed nobler existences , that manage the various phaenomena in the universe . plato and his school and after him , the arabian philosophers , especially avicen , supposed an intelligent nature subordinate to almighty god , to preside and manage the universe ; which they call anima mundi , as they assign one common intelligent nature , and depute it to the excitation , action and regiment of the humane soul in his intellective operation , which they call intellectus agens . others that have assigned several systemes of the world , each having a special province , which they stile vortices , or systemata , assign a certain common intelligent nature to be , as it were , the common soul of every particular vortex , and thus our vortex , whose center they suppose to be the sun , and the terms of extent to reach the remotest limits of saturn , and his orb hath its anima vorticis for the regiment of the phaenomena and motions within that vortex . others again have substituted another principle , not altogether unlike the first ; but differing in name , and some qualifications . this they call principium hylarchicum , and sometimes spiritus naturae , which though they make not an intelligent being , yet they make it plastick , vital , incorporeal , and possibly sentient ; but howsoever accommodated to the regiment of matter in the best and most orderly and convenient way ; and this i take it , they suppose a subordinate regent principle , somewhat resembling the archeus of helmont , which is supposed a middle principle , intervening between the souls of animals and their body , and an immediate active instrument in its motions and operations . if by this principium hylarchicum , these men would understand the soveraign creator and lord of the world ( as many of the ancients understood the anima mundi ) who is intimately present with all his works , and by a continual influx supports them in their being and motions , according to the most wise laws and institutions that he hath established for them and fixed in them : or if by the spiritus naturae they understand those active essential virtues communicated to every created being by the glorious god , and that statuminated law , and order , and method , and oeconomy which he hath given them , and according to which those active principles which he hath planted in them , do exert and operate ; this will be readily agreed to them as most rational , and in a great measure evident , not only to our reason , but to our very sense and experience , and the dispute about words , would cease , and be at rest . but the substitution of such a vicarious , immaterial , common principle , to regulate , order , excite and govern matter , and its motions subordinate to almighty god , a common spirit , and different from the particular active principles variously implanted in physical bodies , though it be a pleasant supposition , yet it is difficult , if not impossible to evince to any tolerable satisfaction . only i must needs say , that as suppositions of this nature , that are founded upon notions , are for the most part unaccessible by those common media whereby things are to be proved to humane understanding ; so upon the same account they are difficult to be confuted : if any man should tell me that the moon were a globe of water , as he could never prove it , so i could never disprove it , unless i had such media of access to that body , that could to my sense and experience confute it ; and therefore in such cases the proof must be cast upon the assertor yet there seem to be some things that render this supposition not very credible . . that it seems an unnecessary multiplication of beings , whose offices are well enough supplied without them ; namely , by the energy of the glorious god , and those special active principles that he hath lodged in almost all created natures , and those institutions and laws that he hath alligated and annexed to the particular works of his creation , and the systemes and syntaxes of the world. . but principally upon a strict examination , it will appear that most of these phaenomena in nature and motion , are performed by the active principles , residing in particular subjects , or by the usual and necessary mechanism of bodies , without our calling to their immediate performance this supposed spirit of nature . . again , it is very difficult to form to our selves a notion of this spirits nature , that may have any probable certainty : let us take but these few difficulties . . is it a distinct , self-subsisting spirit , separated from matter ? or is it a kind of common soul or form residing in the universe , as the soul of a brute resides in his body , and united to it by a wonderful union ? if it be the former , it is a kind of angelick nature , not united to matter , but acting separately upon it , subsisting without it , and is in all probability an intelligence . if the latter , it were fit to know whether it were an immaterial form , as the humane soul ; and then perchance we should give it too great a preference : or is it a material form , as that of brutes ? and then it will be worth knowing whether it hath the like perfection of sense , or be of a lower allay , and only vital , like those of vegetables . or is it a kind of connatural sense , suted to all material beings , together with a sentient perception and appetite , proportionate to the nature of every material or substantial created being , as campanella and our learned countriman hath lately asserted . whatever it be , we are perfectly in the dark to form any conception of it with any tolerable evidence or satisfaction . again . are there other particular or specifical forms in the severall classes of material existences , as animals , vegetables , minerals , &c. that exert the several operations that seem specifical to their natures , but individuated in the several individual existences , or is this common spirit of nature that which exerts all these operations which are therefore only diversified by the diversification of the compositions of those bodies in which and through which they are exerted , as the common bellows in the organ ; and the breath thereof gives the various sounds in the organ-pipe , according to their figures , stops or amplitudes ? if we suppose the former , we seem to multiply entities without necessity ; if the latter , we destroy all that we are building , and make all the animals , and vegetables , and material beings in the universe ( if this spirit be universal ) or in this lower world ( if singly belonging to this systeme ) to be nothing else but pure mechanical pieces , without any sentient or vital principle of their own , but only are the dead tools and instruments of this spirit of nature ; such difficulties as these would be cleared , to give us some idea or probable fixed notion of this spirit of nature , or hylarchical principle . but now if we should suppose the interposition of this common spirit of nature in some phaenomena or motions of particular bodies , yet it seems necessary for us to suppose these two things in the exertions thereof . . that it doth not immediately interpose , unless upon great emergencies , and to deliver the things of nature from some important inconvenience , which without so effectual an interposition would befall them ; as to preserve the continuity of the parts of the universe , or avoid vacuity , and the like , and not upon those little occasions which are of no consideration and importance , whether they be relieved or supplied or not ; such as are the emergency of a rundle of light wood from the bottom of the water , or the sustaining of a weight , or attraction by the embolus of a syringe or air-pump , or the keeping up of the valve or operculum in the lower end of a tube immersed in water . these and the like instances are of so small concernment to the good of the universe , or to the nature of physical bodies , that they were scarce worthy the access of the noble spirit of nature ; nodi vix tali vindice digni . . that if this spirit of nature doth at any time interpose , yet it rarely , if at all , acts by violent or convulsive motions , but pacately , and as much as may be , in consonance to the regular disposition of bodies ; and therefore it is , that even in animals , where their motion is exerted by a clear , internal , vital , sentient principle , it doth for the most part act regularly , and in the best mechanism imaginable , their bodies , nerves , bones , muscles are ordered by a rare and excellent mechanism for the exerting of those motions , and the motions themselves performed by those organs , by the explosion and retraction of the spirits in their several vessels , with admirable order and artifice , as will appear to any that will bestow the pains to read galen , de usu partium , and aristotle , de gressu animalium ; and therefore we have much more reason to think that this supposed noble spirit , the spirit of nature , acts not at random , or convulsively , or irregularly , but according to the best rules and mechanical methods applicable to such motions as it doth occasionally exert . so that if we should never so much allow of the spirit of nature , and its interpositions , yet still the necessary instruments , modes and methods of its motion according to mechanical rules , must still be sought after . for it would be a pitiful refuge for a man pretending to philosophy , to give this general solution to all phaenomena of nature , that this is so , because the spirit of nature thus orders it ; without giving some probable account of the particular means or method by which the spirit of nature effects it , and likewise of the end , use and design of the spirit of nature in what it thus effects . chap. iv. touching rarefaction and condensation , and their kinds . because much hath been said by others touching rarity and density of physical bodies , which i call affections , passions or qualities of physical bodies ; and it may be conducible to the solution of many physical phaenomena ; and to the clearing of my apprehensions concerning it , and to the answering of most of the objections of any weight , made against the suppositions which i have stated , in the two pamphlets above mentioned , i will endeavour to give that account concerning this matter that seems reasonable to me ; though i must confess it is possibly one of the abstrusest subjects in natural philosophy , wherein i shall observe as near as i can , this method . . to consider the several consistence of bodies . . to shew the various kinds of rarefaction and condensation of those bodies . . to what kinds of bodies , and to what kinds of rarefaction and condensation this argument in hand is applicable ; that so we may come closer to the business in question , and speak ad idem . as to the first and second , sir francis bacon in his historia densi & rari , hath in a great measure fitted them to my hand ; whose method i shall herein follow . . of bodies , some seem to be properly called tangible , some pneumatica ; which though they are not spirits , nor void of matter , no , nor yet totally imperceptible to the touch , yet are more subtil , and less obvious by any gross contact , to that sense , and therefore may be called spiritalia . of the former sort , some are more fixt , and of a more setled consistence , as gold , iron , stone , wood , &c. others are fluid , either from the texture of their nature ; as water , oyl , mercury ; or by art or accident , as gold , silver , lead , &c. in fusion or dissolution . of the latter sort , viz. pneumatica , there are several kinds , and of various degrees of exaltation , as aether , air , flame , spirits of animals or vegetables , smoke , vapors , &c. although tangible bodies may be capable of rarefaction and condensation , at least in some of the acceptations thereof hereafter described , yet i shall not much meddle with them , unless it be such as be fluid , because not to my present purpose ; and because what is hereafter said touching the rarefaction or condensation of some fluids , and of those pneumatica , will in some measure explicate somewhat concerning the condensation or rarefaction of other tangible bodies . . touching rarefaction and condensation , thus much first in general is to be said , rarefaction is when the same body , or at least portion of material substance , takes up a greater external dimension , or a larger appearing trine dimension , viz. of breadth , length and depth than it had before . and on the contrary , condensation is when the same body or portion of material substance takes up a less external dimension than it had before ; this may suffice as the common phaenomenon of rarefaction and condensation , as it stands objected to our sense ; though when we come to particulars , this general sensible description of either will not serve alwayes the subject , nor sufficiently explicate it . some appearances in bodies look like rarefaction , which indeed are not such , but only in appearance ; such as are augmentation of bodies by an unperceptible accession of new matter , as in augmentation ; sometimes by assimilation of contiguous matter into its own consistence , sometimes by the apertures or distraction of the parts of a body , and intrusion or intermission , or attraction of other matter of a different nature , quality , or texture , or of the same nature , quality or texture with it self ; these are not truly those kinds of rarefactions whereof our enquiry is instituted ; for though the moles or bulk seem to be extended and enlarged , yet the true bulk of the same matter is the same as before , though it may be under a different configuration or position . again , on the contrary , some appearances in bodies , look like condensation ; but in truth are not such ; as when part of a body is emitted either by perspiration or dissolution of some of its more subtil parts , whereby that which remaineth , taketh up less circuit or bulk , or where some of its parts are first subtilized , and then dismissed , and some other instances of like kind may be given ; but these are not true and real condensations ; for the entire matter remaines not in the body condensed , as was before , but is diminished : these therefore are not the rarefactions and condensations whereof the enquiry proceeds ; for the same body in both instances hold the same true space it had before , though the extream appearing limits seem to be altered . . the question therefore in hand is , touching that kind of rarefaction , where the same body or portion of material substance , without accession of more or other bodily matter , yet takes up a larger space than it did before . . and where it doth not only take up a larger exterior compass , circuit or superficies ; but where it also fills those intrinsick spaces which are within the circuit of that extent , as fully as it did before . for if for the purpose , a portion of air of a cubique figure six inches square , do swell to a cubique dimension of seven inches square , yet if in that very dilatation there be as great a disjunction or divulsion of the parts of the air within the cubique space of six inches , as amounts to that external accession of one inch , whereby it becomes a cube of seven inches square , here is no true rarefaction , nor is the space enlarged , but only the figure of the same body , and of its extention altered . if an artificer take a little cylinder of silver of two inches long , and half an inch round , and guild it , he will by his art draw out this little bar into yards or more of fine silver thred , though the length be encreased , yet the breadth is diminished , and the silver thred takes up no more true extent of its trine dimension than it had before ; nay , which is remarkable , the extent of the superficies of the silver is not enlarged , though the figure be altered ; which appears by this , that every part of the superficies of the silver thred will continue guilt as it was in the superficies of the ingot . and upon the same account it is on the other side , when a body or portion of material substance is said truly to be condensed . . it must be the same portion of matter that was before , without any diminution of its parts , or of any matter in it that contributed to its former moles . . the same matter without any diminution , must really take up less room or space than it did before ; for if it only take up a less superficies or external extent , yet withal it makes up spaces or porosities within the compass of that external extent , which before was not filled by it self , but either was simply empty of any body , or only filled with such a body as now recedes , and gives way to the body supposed to be condensed , to take it up , then here is only a change of the space it had before , and of its configuration ▪ not a less space really taken up as commensurate to that body that is supposed to be condensed . so that the question between the ancient and modern philosophy , is not so much de modo , how condensation or rarefaction is made , as concerning the thing it self , whether really and truly there be any such thing or affection in bodies as rarefaction and condensation ; the latter philosophy in truth denying the thing , when they give it such an explication as really and in truth consists not with it ; as we shall see hereafter . this being therefore the state of the notion of rarefaction and condensation , in its true explication , we are to consider , what bodies , or motions in bodies are such as are applicable to the argument in hand . the special instances that i shall use are these . . the rarefaction or condensation of bodies by transmutation ; thus water by rarefaction is sometimes changed into air , which hath thereby a greater extension than it had before by about times ; and air by condensation is changed into water , and thereby loseth by contraction a like proportion of space than it had before . thus aristotle in . phys . cap. . and the great verulam , in historia densi & rari , pag. . . the rarefaction that is caused by external violence , as in the air-pump , in the cacabus evacuatorius , and the magdeburg engin , this is a rarefaction by tension , whereby the air is dilated , not only in its external bulk , but in all the parts of it , and in its internal , as well as external parts and dimensions . and thus mersennus and others tell us , air may be dilated to near times its former and natural extent . . the condensation that is made by compression : some there are that think water is thus contractible and condensible by compression : the same verulam , ubi supra , pag. . tells us , that taking a leaden hollow globe , and fill it with water , and then strongly stop the orifice which took in the water , and compress the globe in a strong presser , whereby it may be reduced to an eighth part of its former dimension , the water will sustain that contraction ; but if it be pressed farther , the water will discharge it self through the globe ad modum parvi imbris . it is not impossible but it might do so from its first compression , though the streams , by reason of their exility , were imperceptible to the eye , as the emanation of effluvia through the pores of the bodies of animals , electrical effluxes , or the odors of herbs ; for water , though fluid , seems very impatient of condensation by compression ; yet it is not impossible , if under a very strong pressure ; but to the very eye it appears capable of dilatation by tension in its discharge of it self by bubbles , upon a strong tension . but howsoever it is with water , it is apparent that air is capable of condensation and contraction by compression ; this appears visibly in the compression of the air by wind-guns , and the careful injection of water by a well ordered syringe in an empty aeolipile , so that air by these means may be contracted into a seventh , nay possibly a seventieth part of its natural space or dimension . . the rarefaction and consequential dilatation of bodies by heat or fire : thus water it self is rarefied and extended into vapours by heat . the lord verulam , ubi supra , pag. . gives us a notable instance , by taking a vial-glass holding an ounce , filling it half full of spirit of wine , then taking an empty bladder that held about pints , and tying it about the neck of the vial strictly , the spirit of wine heated upon the coals , the aura spiritus vini filled the bladder , and yet only six penny weight of the spirit of wine spent , which did not amount to the th . part of a pint , yet filled the bladder of pints with its rarified air. and although this instance be in the spirit of wine , which is fuller of subtil matter than the like quantity of water , yet it will hold its proportion with the fumes or vapours of water . and of the like kind is the rarefaction by ignition in the gunpowder , where a grain of gunpowder fired , will expand above a thousand times its former dimension and more . but that which is most obvious to sense , and most apposite to my purpose , and therefore will be the subject of most of my ensuing applications , is , the rarefaction of air by heat , whereby it may gain an expansion of above times its natural size and dimension , as is easily found by the strong heating of a strong brass concave globe , which if the included air have no vent , will break it , and if it have a vent , and after it is strongly heated , cast into a vessel of water , it will soon discover the proportion of its dilatation by the contraction that it receives from the cold water , and by the quantity of water it sucks in upon that contraction . . the condensation and consequential contraction that the air receives by the constipation of it by cold , especially after a strong dilatation ; but although there be no such preceding dilatation or expansion of the air by heat , yet it is visible in weather-glasses , and other engines of that nature , that the air is contracted in its dimension , by the ambient cold , from what it usually hath at other times . chap. v. concerning the phaenomena of rarefaction and condensation apparent to sense . to pursue all the phaenomena of condensation and rarefaction in its full latitude , were too long a business , and not so much conducible to my purpose : i shall therefore take up those phaenomena that are apparently evident to sense in the rarefaction and condensation of air ; for the due discussion of that single subject will give an estimate and explication of other rarefactions and condensations . . it is evident to our very senses , that a smaller portion of air , suppose a cubique foot in a vessel , being ratified by heat , will take up a far greater space than it did before such application , and the like will be when it is done by tension , as in the air-pump , and the magdeburg-engin ; for when a great part of the air is driven out by heat , in the one instance , and drawn out by traction , in the other ; yet it is evident to sense , that the receiver or other vessel remains full of a very rare and extended air ; for sensibly no other substance supplies it . . it is evident to sense , that this distension of the air is not only in the extima superficies , but in all the very internal parts of it ; for it is apparent to our sense , that it hath a visible effect as well upon the birds , water , or other body , placed in the middle of the cavity of the receiver , as in those that are conterminous to the sides of it , as appears in those many instances given by mr. b. especially in , , &c. experiments . and unless the whole body were extended every where and every way , it were impossible that a little portion of air included in a bladder , should encrease its bulk by heat , to ten times its extension , as it will do , and is apparent to our sight by the ample distention of the bladder . . it is apparent to our sense , that if the air be rarified by heat in any close vessel , as the heat , which is the cause of its rarefaction , decays , so the air endeavours its contraction , to gain its primitive size , which it then attains , when the heat is perfectly gone out , if it be not impeded by the closeness of the vessel . this is visible in weather-glasses of inches long ; whereby , when for the purpose , the water riseth to ten inches , and leaves twelve inches of air in the head of the glass , the warm hand laid upon the head of the glass , will depress the water , by expanding the included air two or three inches ; but the hand being removed , the air will contract it self to its former staple , and so the water will rise to ten , as before . . it is evident to sense , that the air contracting it self , doth by that which is called by some , motus nexus , lay hold of the inward sides of a close vessel containing and strictly imprisoning it ; and if they be otherwise severable , yet the strong contraction of the filaments of the air holds them together , as appears abundantly by the instance of the magdeburg hemispheres , mentioned at large in the th . chapter of the observations upon the toricellian experiment , and other instances of the like nature , given in that book . . it is evident to sense , that in that strong cohesion of the filaments of the air to the sides of the vessel , when by the decay of heat , it contracts it self with a motus or conatus of restitution , and with it the ambient vessel by a motus nexus , yet if a small degree of heat be moved to the vessel , that contraction is relaxed , and the vessels fall asunder ; and the like is done by the smallest admission of the free or solute air , though through a pin-hole ; for by the heat the included air is again dilated , left lax , as before it grew cold , and by the admission of foreign air , the included air is relieved gradually to that expansion as is natural to it , and as it had before its rarefaction or condensation . . it is evident to sense , that upon the smallest pin-hole made in the vessel where the air is , that thus contracts and endeavours its restitution , either upon tension , or upon growing cold after rarefaction , the air thus tensed or contracting it self , will greedily suck in the foreign air , yea , or water , for its relief against that tension that it is under . . in condensation of air , especially by compression , it is apparent , that the air takes up , or may take up a far less room than is natural to it , as appears in wind-guns or aeolipiles . . it is also apparent to sense , that the compressed air in those instances , endeavours with great strength and force its relaxation from this compression , in so much as if it can get liberty , it will cast out a bullet with great force in wind-guns , and in aeolipiles well made , and well charged with water , by a syringe it will throw up the water above twenty foot high . these phaenomena are as evident to our sense of sight and touch , as any thing we see or feel ; and though there is difference among the learned in the solution or manner of explication of these phaenomena , yet the effects themselves are plain and sensible , and do give a sensible demonstration that surely there is some alteration of the state of this body of the air , or of its texture or fabrick under these various appearances , which are usually called rarefaction and condensation . but whether they are really such , or how made or ordered , will be the subject of farther enquiry . chap. vi. concerning the various solutions of condensation and rarefaction , and first , of that which is by supposed interspersed vacuities . rarity and density of bodies , although it terminate in a greater or lesser dimension or extent , which properly respects quantity , yet they seem in themselves to be but various passions , affections or qualities of bodies arising from their different textures , either more crass or more subtil : and rarefaction or condensation of bodies seems to be those several motions towards these qualities of rarity or density , caused for the most part by some external or adventitious agent , which changeth and altereth the texture of any body whereby it assumes those qualities of rarity or density different from its own natural constitution , and sutable to the variety of the texture they do for the time undergo . there have been various solutions or explications of these apparent phaenomena of condensation and rarefaction , which i shall in the next place consider ; holding my self to that of the air , either by compression , in case of condensation , or by expansion by heat , or by tension by force , in case of rarefaction ; because this instance of rarefaction and condensation of the air , is most obvious to sense , and doth in a great measure explain the rarefaction or condensation or other bodies capable of those affections . these methods of solutions of explications of rarefaction or condensation that have been taken up by several parties , are principally three . . of those that suppose the same to be performed by reason of interspersed vacuities , porosities , or spaces , empty of all body interposed between aery particles , which in cases of rarefaction , are made wider by a kind of divulsion or greater apertures of the particles of air , or other bodies rarified , whereby the interstitia of the aerie particles are greater , and those empty interspersed vacuities made larger ; and in case of condensation , the aerie particles are crouded closer together , and those empty spaces or interstitia made less by reception of those particles of air into those vacuities , in a closer posture or conjunction than they were before such compression , constipation or condensation ; and this i call the epicurean solution . . of those that admit no vacuities at all in the universe , but that all places or spaces are full of some body or other , but that in the rarefaction of the air , whether by heat ( which i call simple rarefection or expansion ) or by a forcible distraction or divulsion of the particles of such rarefied or expanded body by force , which i call tension , those particles of the extended or rarefied body , are removed to a greater distance one from another , and as they are so removed , other more subtil , corporeal particles do interpose gradually , and fill up those interstitia ; and in case of condensation , the more subtil parts with which all bodies are furnished , but especially the air , are driven out by compression , and take up a temporary residence at least in the conterminous air. and this i call the cartesian solution ; though this , as shall be shewn , have some variation in the manner of its explication . but though these methods differ in the application to the matter in hand , yet they both much agree in this , that the first material principles of bodies are certain minute corpuscles or atoms ; which , though they are really bodies , and therefore mathematically divisible , yet they are so minute , that physically and actually they are indivisible ; and therefore in themselves hard and unfrangible into lesser portions . this i shall examine hereafter in the seventh and eighth chapters . . the third solution is that of the ancient philosophers , and some other of the modern , which suppose that rarity and density are really natural affections or qualities of physical bodies , and that rarefaction is a real expansion of the very entire moles of the body truly rarefied ; and condensation is a real contraction of the whole dimension of the body condensed , namely , where it is truly and formally a true rarefaction or condensation , as the question is above stated in the beginning of the fourth chapter ? and this i call the aristotelian solution ; and seems to me the truest , in the manner hereafter dedescribed . first therefore , touching the first of these solutions , by interspersed vacuities : this , though it doth in truth take away the true notion of rarefaction and condensation , as it is before stated ; for still the same body holds but the same quantity of space , though in different position or ubication of its parts , yet i must needs say , were the supposition of interspersed vacuities true , would in a great measure ( though not altogether ) salve many of the phaenomena of rarefaction and condensation . but there are these two grand objections , that i think render this solution impossible to be true . . it seems to me utterly untrue , that there are any such interspersed vacuities , wholly destitute of body , either in the air or any other body , and herein the cartesians and i agree . and that which renders this supposition untrue , is that excellent demonstration improved by sir k. digby , in his history of bodies . if there were such interspersed vacuities , it must necessarily follow that those bodies of an equal superficies , that are more rare , must have more or greater interspersions of such vacuities , than such as are more dense ; or which is all one , the same moles of body that is more dense , must needs have more of matter or body in it than that which is more rare ; or which seems to be equally consequential , that where the body is more weighty , the same external moles of the more weighty body must needs have more of body , and less of interspersed vacuities than that which is more light , where the external moles of either is equal . and therefore a cubique foot of gold must have more of body , and less of interspersed vacuities than the like cubique foot of silver , and that than the like cubique foot of water ; and that than the like cubique foot of air. the lord verulam , in his historia densi & rari , pag. & , by an exact computation , gives us the estimate of the disproportion of weight of the same extrinsick moles of several bodies ; whereby he finds that a portion of pure gold reduced into a cubical figure or moles , weighed d weight , and the like moles of of mercury d weight and grains ; the like moles of silver weighed d weight and grains ; and the like moles of water weighed d weight and grains ; and upon a like trial , pag. . found , that the heavier any solid body is , and more united its parts are , the lighter was the same body reduced into dust ( though closely compressed together ) in comparison to the weight of the same body before its pulverization . his experiment goes not so far as the disproportion between the weight or denseness of air or water , but mersennus and some others that have been curious in this computation , tell us , that the same extrinsick moles of water is about times lighter than the like moles of mercury , and the same moles of air is at least times , others say , times lighter than the like moles of water . the consequence whereof is , that if we should suppose a cubick inch or foot of mercury to be entirely full without interspersed vacuities or other matter in it ( which yet upon the account given , wants much ) it must follow that in one cubique inch or foot , or other moles of air , for one particle of body , there must be parts of empty space , each of these spaces equal to the space that the real body of the air takes up ; such is the disproportion of the weight between the like quantity or moles of air to that of like moles of mercury , viz. as to . the consequence whereof would be , that yet the cubique foot , or inch , or other measure or a vessel containing nothing but air , might receive a quantity of mercury that bears proportion , as to , and a quantity of water as bears the proportion of to , without extruding any part of the included air , or overfilling or breaking the vessel wherein it is included . and if we should suppose that in the common air we breath in , there should be but parts of vacuities , for one part of true substantial air ( as there must be upon this supposition ) all respiration would presently be obstructed , and indeed all that motion which we see , especially in meteors . but as this is prodigiously incredible , so it is apparently untrue : for take a tube full of air , and stop it at one end , immerse the open end into water , and press it down as low as may be , yet not one half of the tube will be filled with water ; nay take an aeolipile of brass with a syringe to drive in the water , it will with great difficulty receive into it ¾ parts of water ; and thereby the air contracted into a quarter of its former room , and with great pains and force it may be , into a much less room ; but never any pretended it could be compressed into the th part of its former room ; and yet thus it may be , and with great ease , because here are empty spaces which may receive the water with as much ease as if the bottle or vessel were not empty only of water or air , but perfectly empty of any other body , abating only / of the room to receive the air. . the second difficulty in this supposition seems to be this , that it doth not answer the phaenomena , especially in condensation of air by pressure , as in wind-guns and aeolipiles , which visibly with a great force endeavours its restitution , as appears in the explosion of the air in wind-guns , and ejection of water pressed into aeolipiles ; for the air upon this supposition , hath a free room far more than sufficient for its reception , and therefore hath no need of any such violence in its motion of restitution , it having empty cavities , whereas it hath need but of / part thereof for its reception , and more vacuity can contribute nothing either to resist compression , or to cause a sensible force of restitution , because nothing can have no activity or motion . . again , if air or water be strongly rarefied by heat , we see it takes up a larger extention than before it had , and that with such an energy and force , that it will break a strong vessel inclosing it ; which it could never do , were there any considerable interspersions of vacuities ; because the body of the air would with much more ease break into those vacua interstitia , which have no resistance against it , than it would or could force its room upon the ambient vessel that containes it , and resists its dilatation with all the strength it hath . and this very reason doth as effectually conclude against the second solution of rarefaction by the admission of materia subtilis into the supposed interstitia , if duly considered . chap. vii . concerning the second solution of rarefaction and condensation , and its insufficiency . i come in the next place to consider the second solution above offered , which supposeth these things . . that there is no empty space or interspersed vacuity in the air or any part of the universe ; with which i agree . . that the principles of compounded bodies are certain minute atomical corpuscles , physically indivisible , and yet for all this , these very minute bodies are some grosser , like little globuli , ground to as small a magnitude as is naturally possible , and yet the ramenta or filings of these globuli are smaller than the former , and make that constituent or principle which they call materia subtilis , which interposeth between other grosser atoms or corpuscles , and filleth up the interstitia between them ; this supposition i deny , and shall shew my reasons against it . . that in rarefaction or tension of the air , or other bodies capable of rarefaction , there is only a separation or disjunction of the parts thereof to a greater distance one from another , which doth not at all encrease its extension , but only varies the position or vicinity of its parts ; and hereupon to fill the interstitia between the parts thus divulsed , there is immitted into those interstitia subtil matter , or those subtil filings of the globuli that fill those spaces which are therefore borrowed from the subtil matter of the other parts of circumjacent air ; or finally from the aether , which seems to be the subtilest matter in nature . . that in condensation of the air , &c. by compression that subtilissima materia that resided before within the body of that portion of air , is by compression squeezed out , and driven into the conterminous air , whereby that which we call the condensed portion of air and its parts come closer together , and take up less room or space than it seemed to have before ; namely , in the external bulk or superficies , though in truth and reality the air it self thus seemingly condensed , and its particles , take up really as much room or space as before , though the figure , and position , and ubication of that space that it takes up now , is only altered by its secession into the spaces wherein the subtilissima materia now flown away , did formerly reside . this solution of rarefaction and condensation , i think is neither true , nor doth it in any measure answer the phaenomena in rarefaction or condensation . first therefore , i think the very supposition it self of these solute atoms is but imaginary and the creature of the brain , and therefore i think may deserve the title of idolum epicureum , or cartesianum , never intended by the latter as any real truth , but only as a supposition , engin or medium to explicate the phaenomena of nature , though now unwarily enough taken up by many virtuosi as a truth . . it robs all bodies of any real or possible continuity without a miracle , or the substitution of some cementing matter , differing from atoms or solute bodies , to hold the parts of the universe together ; for how can really separate bodies , such as the very least of atoms are supposed to be , have any continuity , or so much as mutual cohesion barely by contiguity ? for as to the atomi hamatae , they savour too rankly of fiction and invention , and the polar magnetism and difference of sexes of atoms seems as vain . . we see in many bodies not only a continuity , but a strong texture , whereby they will not readily be broken , that yet at first arise from a thin watry substance or concrement , as the nerves of animals , the wood of trees , the barks of trees and plants ; as withy , flax , nettles , nay the very spiders web , hath besides its continuity , a certain tenaciousness ; so hath water it self , as appears by the traction of the water in the longer leg of a siphon ; this tenaciousness , glutinousness , and strong cohesion of parts of bodies one to another , could never be by the apposition of solute particles one to another , though never so small , but from a kind of intrinsick contexture of the bodies themselves . . upon this supposition , it were necessary that all bodies should be equally hard , and equally weighty , and equally dense . those atoms , even those that are the most minute , that are the constituents of the materia subtilissima , are yet supposed to be bodies , and essentially divisible , though not divided , nor indeed divisible physically by any force , and therefore hard and unfrangible ; and therefore , if we should take a vessel of a foot square filled with air , this moles , though we call it of air , is yet really made up of those hard particles , and then how is it possible it should be soft to the touch any more than brass or steel ? for the softness of dust of gold or other solid bodies , is not from the dust it self , but from the numerous interspersed particles of air. again this cubique vessel full of air is entirely full of body , or not ; if it be not , then this supposition must necessarily admit interspersed vacuities ; the thing that the whole supposition of the cartesians deny : but if it be full of body in every imaginable space thereof , why should not this cubique moles of air thus constipated with a plenitude of body , be as weighty as the like cube of water , yea , or gold ; for as to solidity , the atomical bodies themselves in both , are of the same consistence , and all spaces are supposed full both in the cubique foot of air and water , for excess of weight , is but the effect of excess of matter or bodily substance . . again , it is most certain that the smallest atoms or particles of matter , even the ramenta that are supposed the constituents of the materia subtilissima , are yet bodies , and consequently have their trina dimensio , and variety of configurations ; some spherical , some cubical , some triangular ; be these never so little , yet it is impossible they can exactly touch one another in all parts of their superficies ; a spherical body cannot be in all its superficies contiguous to another spherical or cubical body ; and consequently there must be some real , though small intervals between these minute particles , and then the cartesians , to make good their supposition , must have yet another matter more subtil than that which they yet call subtilissima , to fill those chinks : et quis custodiet ipsos custodes ? and it is not enough to say these fissures between the minutest particles , are inconsiderable : for if they be at all , it spoiles the supposition ; but besides that , certainly he that holds this supposition , must yet admit that in the cubique foot of air , the interstitia must needs be greater than in water or mercury of the like moles ; for certainly otherwise the weight of mercury , water and air , would be all one ; and so they fall in with the vacuists . therefore upon the whole matter , it seems more agreeable both to nature , sense and reason , that in the first production of bodies homogeneal , whether by creation by almighty god , or by generation , according to his instituted law of nature , the consistency of things , and their several textures , to be the immediate effect of their first production , and that they consist of parts in union , and not separated till actual separation , and that these parts are of the like consistence and texture with the whole in bodies homogeneal , as in air and in water , and not of parts or principles quite of another consistence and frame from the whole ; all the parts of the air to be air ; but yet some air or airs at some times more subtil than others ; and so for water : and therefore all this apparatus of atoms , and globuli , and minute particles , are not of things that ever really existed , but only the creatures and fictions of the brain . but if we should admit of any one common material principle of physical bodies , it is most consonant both to the doctrine of the scriptures , and to some of the ancient philosophers , that it should be water . . thus it is declared in that admirable narrative of the creation , the first distinct body we find mentioned , is the water . . this was the opinion of the learned thales , milesius , and others of the ancients , ex aqua omnia . . the accommodation of water to the production of other bodies by the transmutation of its texture , speaks much for it to be the common principle of material bodies . . it is productive of consistences rarer and more subtil than it self , as vapours , fumes ; yea and of the very air it self , by the means of activity of heat . . it is productive of things more crass and solid than it self , as leaves , fruit , wood , shells , stones , which we see arise from certain concretions singly of water . . it is productive of consistences that have greater tenaciousness and connexion than it self ; as we see in the production of the nerves , tunicles , tendons , muscles of animals , which are at first but certain waterish concrements , digested by the animal heat into those ligaments , and in the tough and strong barks and filaments of vegetables , in their trunks , rinds , &c. which are at first but a kind of limpid juice or water sucked up into the bodies of vegetables ; and that even where it hath no other visible nutriment but simple water . . in the dissolution of bodies , either artificially or naturally , they seem most readily to reassume a waterish consistence : water therefore seems more accommodate to be the common material principle , much rather than these imaginable atoms , though i take not upon me positively to determine it . chap. viii . further considerations concerning the deficiency of this second solution in relation to rarefaction and condensation , and the supplements that have been devised to enforce or supply it . in the last chapter i have considered the improbability of the supposition in general . i shall now set down those reasons and evidences which render the whole supposition utterly inapplicable to the phaenomena of rarefaction and condensation . . as to rarefaction , the intromission of these foreign particles of matter , to supply the supposed separation of the particles of the air , or other body rarefied , it is not possibly consistent with that motion which rarefied bodies have in the time of their rarefaction , which is most apparently expulsive of any foreign matter , and not receptive of it . take a corn of gunpowder , and give it fire , it turns in a moment to a body of flame above times larger than it self ; it drives away the conterminous air from it ; and if it be a good quantity of powder , it will break the windows . walls and contignations next to it , and this done in a moment , and in the moment of its expansion : is it imaginable to any man that thinks twice , that in that moment of its expansion , when it drives all before it and from it , this subtilissima materia , which is so subtil and delicate , should have admission , and admission in that moment , to make good an expansion of such an extent , nature and quality ? again , when air in a vessel , is brought near the fire , and warmed by this heat , the air is expanded , and a great part of it driven out of the vessel ; and if the vessel be close , it will break , from the dilatation within ; so that in all this rarefaction , the air , and all the particles of it , and within it , have a pressure outward , not any motion of receptiveness of any thing from without , and therefore must necessarily drive away those gentle particles of materia subtilissima , and can never admit them in the act of rarefaction done by heat . . it is a very hard supposal that the subtil matter should pass through the most impervious bodies , as glass , brass , yea gold it self , for the supplying of the interstitia of tense or rarefied bodies , as it must according to this supposition . but , . it is not only difficult to believe it , but the contrary thereof is most apparently evident to the very sense , especially in the magdeburg hemispheres , described , cap. . nugarum : if you take the two brass hemispheres there described , and by heat rarefie the air in them , then clap them together in the manner there described , when the included heat is spent , they will cohere so strong together , that l. weight will not sever them , but let them receive a moderate heat again from the fire , or let there be a hole no bigger than the point of a needle to let in any foreign air , they will be quickly severed ; for the tension which the included particles of air do gain by their motion of restitution , and motus nexus , is thereby relaxed : and it is observable , that these hemispheres , if they are kept from heat or perforation , they will remain in this posture of cohesion an hour , nay possibly a day , or week , or more : now if this subtil matter , which must be the means of rarefaction , or extension , according to the cartesian supposition , pervades the vessel so easily , how comes it to pass that it is kept in this straight prison without avolation through the brass hemispheres ? or rather , why doth not a greater quantity thereof pervade the brass hemisphere all this while , and release the air from its hard tension , by separating thereby the hemispheres , and so restoring the air in all parts to its just and natural texture and position ? and certainly if the spirit of nature or hylarchical principle had any thing to do in matters of this nature , or were effective in it , here were a proper business and exercise for it ; but we see that without perforation or accession of heat , nothing of such relaxation is effected , notwitstanding the great stress that the air is under in the hemispheres , and which yet would be inevitably relaxed , if a considerable portion of subtil matter did penetrate through the hemispheres , and mix it self with the included rarefied air , as well as if a little air were let into it through a pin-hole . . in the instance last given , and many other of like nature , that might be given , where the filaments of the air in their relaxation from heat , have a motion of contraction in themselves per viam restitutionis , and a consequential attraction on the vessel including them per modum nexus , it is impossible this can be salved by the supposition of the cartesians and lucretians , which suppose the air to consist of minute particles only joyned together by contiguity , for where there is only contiguity without continuity of parts , that body can never draw another body per modum tractionis , it will be really less tenacious than a rope of sand ; so that such an intromission of particles thus solute , as they state most bodies to be , by a bare contiguity of atoms , could never explicate this visible phaenomenon that ensues upon tension of the air , or after the avolation or extinguishment of heat that first expanded it . . and as this supposition by no means salves the phaenomena of rarefaction of the air , and what ensues thereupon , so it as little salves that of condensation or constipation of air by compression , as we see in wind-guns , and other engines , which upon a discharge , or a motion of that compression , do with a force explode or discharge themselves , and press very hard upon bodies that are in their way ; so that a wind-gun will drive a bullet through a pretty thick piece of wood , which could never be , if this solution of rarefaction and condensation were true . . if the air it self , and also this subsidiary materia subtilissima were but a collection of minute bodies , joyned only in contiguity one to another , all the compression in the world would give it no more elasticity , or that explosive motion , than if a portion of calice-sand were forced into a gun or other vessel , with all the compression imaginable . . but again , in that elastical explosion by the air compressed into a narrower room , what is it that actually exerciseth that explosive elasticity ? is it the subtil matter that was mingled with the included compressed air ? surely no ; for according to this supposition , that is squeezed out and permeated through the barrel or trunk of the wind-gun : or is it the grosser particles of the air that is yet left in the gun , and cannot get out till the obturaculum be removed ? but there is no reason for that to have any elasticity ; for by the avolation of the subtil matter , there is room enough left for it ; and under that narrow dimension that now it hath , yet hath it as much room as before ; for the avolation of the materia subtilis hath made a perfect room for it , and left it a space exactly commensurate to its corporeal moles . but it may be that the materia subtilis that was driven out by the compression , now upon the aperture of the obturaculum , pervades the substance of the gun with that force that it gives the explosion . but it is apparent that neither this can help it ; for it doth appear that the motion of the subtil matter into the orifice of the wind-gun upon the removal of the obturaculum must needs run counter to the explosion of the air , and obstruct it . again , it is apparent that the subtil matter is driven out gradually and with iterated force , and it cannot pervade the iron sides of the gun , but gradually , and with great straining , and to imagine that in a moment , the moment of a motion of the obturaculum , the whole body of that removed matter should pervade the strong and close metal in an instant to give that strong and forcible explosion , exceeds all reason , sense and credibility . and therefore it was but necessary for those that will maintain this assertion to substitute a spirit of nature , or an hylarchical principle , which for the preservation of bodies in their due natural state and position , should act little less than miraculously to supply all these difficulties , which yet notwithstanding must be supposed according to this supposition to act in contradiction to it self and nature also . for when in rarefaction of bodies this spiritus naturae sends supplies of subtil matter to fill the interstitia , it must necessarily rob other parts of the air of some of that subtil matter that properly belonged to its texture and natural constitution ; and so when one portion of matter is gratified , another is impoverished of what belongs to it , which seems wholly unsutable to the office which this vicarious spirit of nature ( according to this new supposition ) is substituted to exercise . chap. ix . touching the third supposition of the method of rarefaction and condensation according to the ancient philosophy , and seems to be the truest . having examined the two former suppositions , and as near as i can , discovered their insufficiency , i now come to the third , which i think to be true , viz. as to that kind of rarefaction and condensation ( which before in the th chapter is stated to be the true matter of the question ) for in rarefaction of a body ( suppose air ) either by heat or tension , there is a real expansion or dilatation of the same moles of matter of the air , and all its parts to a larger space , extent or dimension than it had before ; and in condensation , by cold , ( but more evidently by compression ) the same moles of matter , and all its parts have a narrower or less space or expansion than before . i suppose therefore that although rarefaction and condensation of any body from its natural size and dimension belonging to it , is for the most part , if not alwayes , by the agency or efficiency of some external cause , yet under such circumstances : rarity and density are but natural affections , or rather passions , qualities or modes of such bodies arising from their very texture and make , and are as naturally belonging to them as heat or cold , humidity or driness , smoothness or roughness , or other tangible qualities to other bodies that are more gross and corporeal . . i do suppose that whatever men have talkt or wrote concerning spatia imaginaria , without relation to any bodies to fill it , yet as time or successive duration is a kind of attendant upon successive motion , so space is a kind of entity relative to bodies , and dependent upon them . . to make way to what i have to say herein : it seems to me no kind of repugnancy in nature , but altogether consonant thereunto , and that it is equally possible and reasonable that a body that is much more rare than another , and having in it less of solid corporeity , and consequently of weight , than another , yet may as entirely fill the whole space within the compass of its external superficies , as a body of a denser consistence , so that although gold be times bulk for bulk heavier than air , and near times heavier than water ; and although water be near times lighter than mercury , yet it is no way repugnant , but highly consonant to nature , that all the particles of a tube of air may be as closely united one to another , and as entirely fill that cubical space , as the like cubical body of water or mercury , or gold : and that although it is inherent in the very nature of a rare body , not to have so firm a consistency as that which is more crass and solid ; yet such a rare body may be wholly destitute of pores or interstitia between its parts , as the most solid body imaginable ; for porosity or distance of parts is not an effect necessarily resulting from rarity . for it would be a strange position , that no body that were not summè solidum or crassum , could have been created , that had all its parts commensurate to all the space within the external dimensions , or extima superficies of such body , and yet this must necessarily follow , if such a commensuration ex natura rei , were contradictory to , and inconsistent with any body that is not summè solidum or crassum , whereof possibly there is no instance that is or can be made ; for gold it self is not summè crassum or solidum ; for one piece of gold may be solider , and have more of crass matter than another : which appears by the disparity of weight between two several kinds of gold of the same bulk . nay , upon a strict search it may be found de facto true , that some kinds of wood or metals that are more crass , and consequently more weighty than others , may yet be more porous than some woods or metals that are lighter and of a greater tenuity ; yea , glass or crystal , that is lighter and less crass than some other bodies , may be less porous than such as are heavier and crasser ; or if comparison be made between it and common iron-ore , the like between calice-sand and yellow wax , and many more , whereof the table of the lord verulam , in his historia densi & rari , may yield us many instances . again , we have no better measure of the rarity or density in bodies than their difference of weight , quod rarum , leve ; quod densum , grave . let us resume the instance given supra , cap. . wherein it appears that air is at least times lighter ; and consequently rarer than mercury : now if we should suppose the air in a cubique vessel of a foot square , should fill but / of that space , and the rest , viz. parts of that space must be either totally empty , or supplied with another kind of heterogeneous subtil matter , differing from air : this must be the consequence of the supposition that the moles aeris is not commensurate to all the spaces within the cavity of that cube , and yet it is so evidently against sense , that it is not possible to be admitted , or almost conceivable by any that duly thinks of it . water is subtiler than mercury , by times ; air is subtiler than water by times ; and possibly the aether above the atmosphere , or the elementa stellarum is as much subtiler than common air of our lower atmosphere . it were a wild conceit to think that every given portion of the ethereal world must necessarily have forty thousand equal portions , either of vacuity , or of subtil matter , more refined than aether , and that no one given portion of ethereal matter ; suppose a cubique foot could be exactly commensurate to all the space within that cubique foot , but must have forty thousand interspersed pores , either wholly vacant , or filled with another more subtil matter than it self . i conclude therefore , it is equally consonant to the nature of bodies , that a more rare or subtil body may be , and is equally commensurate to all the spaces within the extent of its ubication , as the crassest body in the world. the thing i drive at is this real truth , viz. that a body though never so rare , may be entirely commensurate to all the space within the compass of its external superficies , as well as the densest or crassest body that is or can be in nature ; and consequently that the same body , if it have at several times several textures , may in these several seasons entirely possess spaces answering such textures ; as , if water gain the texture of air , it may be commensurate to all spaces within its superficies . . it seems to me , that although some particles of air included in the common body of the air , may possibly be more subtil than others , yet as to point of extension or contraction , all the parts thereof , even the minutest parts thereof , as to the quality of rarity and tenuity , and the motion of rarefaction and condensation , are of the same nature , and perfectly homogeneal ; and the like for water ; and although some imaginable parts thereof may be rarer , others crasser , yet they are perfectly mingled together , as common constituents of the same body we call air ; and therefore to suppose the first constituent minute particles of air or water , are hard , or of any other nature than the whole body , is a precarious , inevident and unreasonable supposition . . i do suppose it as a certain , evident truth , that the actual existence of parts or particles of continued bodies ( as most evidently water and air are ) are but only potentially , or by the operations of the understanding in such bodies , and not really existing , as parts , or as divided , till a real and actual separation of them with integral parts , though they may be bigger or less , according to the method of their separation ; yet , . still remain bodies . . cannot be indivisible , no not physically . . are of the very same nature , texture or make with the whole body out of which they are cancelled ; and therefore when the external superficies of the whole bulk in rarefaction is expanded , or in condensation is contracted , the like expansion and contraction happens in proportion in every particle thereof , in a true and proper rarefaction or condensation , whereof the question is stated . . i do not think that corporeity or bodily consistence is the same thing with quantity or trina dimensio ; but that this is but an affection or consequence of it ; for otherwise all bodies that have an equal trina dimensio , must needs have the same density , or an equal mass of matter , or corporeal moles , which is contrary to experience ; for a cubique foot of water hath less of matter than a cubique foot of mercury , as appears by the disparity of their weight , the best indication of the disparity of the moles of matter . these things being thus premised , i now proceed to declare my thoughts touching rarefaction and condensation , holding my self singly to it as it is stated , to be the question in the th chapter , and principally applying my self to those bodies that are most pneumatical or spirital ( i say not spiritual . ) it seems therefore to me , that as several bodies of the same external extent or superficies ; as , suppose a cubical foot of air , water , mercury , or gold , may have , and have yet a close continuity of all their particles without any interstitia of vacuous spaces , or of other matter , to fill them up , and all this arising from the various textures of those bodies , so the same body by a various texture acquired by accidental emergencies either of heat , tension or compression , may acquire a greater or less expansion , according to those varieties of acquired textures , yet without any new accession of substance , or deperdition of any its included particles , but still remaining individually the very same matter . for if several bodies of various textures , may be some more rare , and some more dense , from their very make and texture , and yet as well those that are more rare , as suppose air or water may as exactly fill all the spaces within the compass of their extension , without the subsidiary help of vacuities or other interspersed bodies , as well as those of a more condense consistency ; suppose gold , lead : or mercury ; the very same reason doth enforce that the same body , if its texture be either by force or accident , altered to a greater rarity or density than it had before , may alter its space , and yet be entirely and exactly commensurate to a greater or lesser space , according to such alteration of its texture , as well as those several bodies that had primitively the like variety of texture constant to their nature . for matter or material substance is of it self equally susceptive of a laxer or crasser , a rarer or denser consistence or texture of parts ; only when it is lax or rare , the same portion of matter takes up more space , when it is crass or dense , it takes up less space . for instance , in distillation we will suppose that first by some moderate heat the distillatory vessels , the vessel ( wherein the roses for the purpose are placed to be distilled ) the head of the still , and the recipient to be as much evacuated of air , or the included air attenuated as much as may be , and then the vessels closely luted one to another , the moist matter of the roses by gentle heat is resolved first into a subtil fume or vapour , and so rarefied from what it was in the rose-leaves : then again these fumes or vapors partly by the coldness of the head of the still , partly by the collection and aggregation of the vapors themselves , resolve into drops of water , and so discharge themselves into the receivers : here the very same body by the change of its texture , namely , the watry or moist substance of the roses is first dilated into fumes or vapors , and then contracted into water ; and the first receive a dilatation or expansion into vapors , where it takes up a larger dimension in all its parts , as well as in its ambient superficies , and then a contraction into a narrower compass , when resolved into water , and yet continues still the same body ; but by variation of its textures , assumes a larger or narrower dimension in all its parts without reception of new foreign particles to dilate it , or emission of some of its substance in contraction or condensation . which instance explains what i intend ; namely , that the same individual body , according to the variety of its textures , may acquire a larger or less space , and yet continue the same body , though altered in the textures of rarity or density ; as air hath a larger expansion than water , so if water be converted into air , and thereby its texture altered into a more subtil expansive body , it takes up the same dimension as if it had been never water , but alwayes air. and if air again be converted into water , it takes up the same contracted dimension , as if it had ever been water . and this method of solution of condensation and rarefaction , answers all the evident , apparent and sensible phaenomena in rarefaction and condensation above delivered , and that without any difficulty or strained supposition : for instance , in rarefaction by heat , or by tension of a cubical foot of air in a vessel , it is visible that the air , and every particle of it , gains a larger extent every way ; for it will break the vessel , unless it have vent , which it could not do , unless the entire body were extended , and not barely the superficies , because unless the whole moles were every way expanded , it would have room enough within it self for its reception without breaking the vessel that contains it . again , when the heat decays , and consequently the air relaxed from that extent , it endeavours its own contraction to its just and natural size and texture which it lost for the time , by the foreign violence of expansion by heat or tension , and this by a natural motion of restitution to its natural texture ; and because it cannot gain its relaxation to its former texture by contraction , by reason of the vacuity that would thereupon follow , it doth as much as it may , and lays hold on the internal sides of the vessels wherein it is imprisoned , and pulls them together ; but as soon as it gains a relaxation by the admission of foreign air into it , the very same portion of expanded air that under its expansion filled a cube of a foot square , will subside into a space of less than six inches square , which was its true natural space resulting from the texture it then had , by that admission of foreign air. again , in condensation a portion of air , suppose a cubique foot in its just and natural texture , entirely fills all the space within that cubical foot ( for its texture is suited to such a space ) but being compressed forcibly into a wind-gun or aeolipile , the texture is changed by this violence , and it takes up perchance not the twentieth part of that space : the difference of its extension ariseth from the alteration of its texture by this external compressive force used upon it ; and hereupon it gains an elasticity , which is nothing else but a natural motion or conatus to be restored to its former just and natural texture , and consequently to that just extent , and liberty , and position of space that belongs naturally to it , as a stick , or branch of a tree , or spring of steel being bent beyond , or against its just position , hath its motion of restitution to its former position , with a force or resilition : for the air in its natural constitution , hath a certain determinate texture belonging to it , and consequently a just and natural extension proportionate to that texture . and this it greedily endeavours to keep ; and when disturbed from it , to re-acquire , which is the motion of restitution which i often express by the natural and spontaneous contraction of a lute-string , after an extention beyond its proper texture . and this is the genuine and true cause of that strong and violent explosion that happens in those pneumatical engins of various sorts . so that in these and all other phaenomena of rarefaction and condensation , this plain , and common , and ancient solution squares exactly with them , as might be instanced in infinite more particulars , if it were needful . and with this agree the best philosophers both ancient and modern . aristotle , that great priest of nature , in physicor . cap. . wherein he answers the objections brought by others to prove vacuities from the phaenomena in rarefaction and condensation , tells us that rarity and density properly so called , are not by accession of new matter , or loss of any of the old , but from the potentiality of matter it self , to undergo several textures , and consequently several extensions , si factus est aer ex aqua , eadem materia facta est aer , nulla re insuper alia assumpta sed quod erat potentia , id tandem facta est actu ; & simili modo si orta est aqua ex aere , eadem namque materia nunc in magnam ex parva , nunc in parvam ex magna vertitur molem , &c. qua re ipsa moles sensibilis non ideo extenditur aut constringitur quia materiae aliquid insuper adjicit aut objicit , sed quia ipsa materies utrumque subire potest , quo sit ut idem sit rarum & densum , & utriusque materia una , atqui densum est grave , rarum autem leve . again , the lord verulam , a great inquisitor into nature , and not very friendly to aristotle in his historia densi & rari , after several instances of pseudo-rarefactions , when he speaks of rarefaction of air by heat , pag. . tells us , aer per calorem dilatatur simpliciter , neque enim separatur quippiam , aut emittitur , ut in tangibilibus , sed simpliciter fit expansio . this rarefaction is not therefore by the distraction of the particles of air one from another to a greater distance , and interposing porosities or interstitia either of perfect empty spaces as the vacuists would have it , or filled with adventitious subtil matter , as the cartesians would have it ; neither in condensation are any parts of air , or included in air drawn out , and thereby the remaining particles rendred into a closer order and contiguity one to another : but in the former the extension of the whole portion of air , and of every particle is thereof quaquaversum enlarged , and in condensation the entire extension of the air and every part thereof is quaquaversum contracted , and this variation is no other but a common affection , or rather position or quantity of matter necessarily arising from the various textures that it successively acquires . and therefore the great objections that are made against this method of the ancients in their accounts of rarefaction and condensation , fall to just nothing ; as for instance , . that in rarefaction of the air , it must be softer to the touch , and in condensation harder : i would gladly hear of that man that ever knew de facto air condensed but to its th part yet if it were condensed times , it would not be so dense as water , or what disproportion to the touch he can find between smoke and air , and yet the former is far more dense ; for it is conspicuous to the view : so that he had need be a man of exquisite sense , to make any conclusion from his touch , touching the rarity and density of a pneumatical body . again , if the atomical hypothesis were admitted , it is not conceptible but that all bodies , whether in their natural texture , or under the motions of rarefaction and condensation , must be hard and equally hard , because consisting of a plenitude of atoms , which are all supposed to be hard and infrangible . chap. x. a farther consideration of rarefaction and condensation , and of the supposition of the penetrability or impenetrability of bodies , material substances , quantity , extension , &c. the principal objection against the method of rarefaction and condensation , propounded in the former chapter , is this , that it is impossible the same moles of matter can assume a larger space and dimension , as in rarefaction , without a division of one part from another , and thereby leaving certain vacant interstitia between the parts separated , or without a supposition of a pre-existent penetration of the parts of matter , while in its former more condensed consistence , and in rarefaction thrusting out those parts that formerly penetrated one another , being unfettered in rarefaction , or by admission of new porosities made in the rarefied matter , and reception therein of other foreign matter . again , condensation of the same portion of matter cannot be without supposition of vacant empty spatiola , which are closed up by the strict coalition of parts , or by supposing a penetrability and penetration of the parts of the same portion of matter in its new acquired state of condensation , or by driving out from that portion of matter some of its more subtil parts , whereby the remaining parts are fewer , and take up less room or space than before such condensation : the first is the first way propounded by the vacuists , and is rejected . the second is in effect the way propounded by me in the former chapter , but is said to be inconsistent in nature , because penetrability of bodies or of extension of material substance , is rejected by almost all philosophers ; therefore the last , which is the middle way , contended against in the th chapter , must be the true method of rarefaction and condensation . i answer , it is true , i have laid aside , and that justly , the opinion of the vacuists , in the th chapter , and likewise the opinion of acquest of new matter , and expulsion of part of the old , in the th chapter , and have entertain'd the opinion of the ancient and some of the modern philosophers , in the th chapter . and it is true that this opinion thus by me entertained , cannot well be supported without a supposition of the penetrability of material substances , or somewhat analogal thereunto , viz. contraction and dilatation : and it is true , that although i think that this penetrability of material substance , be a great truth , yet it is some difficulty to explain it ; which nevertheless i shall endeavour to do ; and in doing of it , the answer to the objection will evidence it self . and i shall choose to do it this way , namely , by explication of terms and words , and rendring my apprehensions sutable to those explications , though it may be in a different manner from the usual or scholastick expressions . . concerning penetrability and impenetrability . . concerning material substance . . concerning body , and wherein it differs from the notion of substance . . concerning quantity . . concerning rarity and density . . concerning extension or dimension . . concerning penetrability , how it is or is not applicable to the former subjects . first , penetrability or penetration of matter or bodies , &c. is of three sorts , viz. . the permeation or penetration of one body into or through another , by porosities of the penetrated body , either found or made by the penetrating body ; this is common almost to all bodies , and is not the penetrability in question . . the separation , distraction or division of the parts of a penetrated body by the force and energy of another body ; as the arrow through the air , or the bullet through the sides of a ship ; this is also usual , and is not the penetration or penetrability in question . . when one part or particle of matter is taken into another portion of matter by a kind of contraction , and swallowed up and drowned as it were , in another portion of matter , by a stricter union than it had before ; whereby the same numerical portion of matter hath a less extension and space than it had before , and yet continues the same portion of matter without diminution or encrease of substance , and this is that which is the subject of the question in hand . and this penetration of matter or bodies may be considered two ways . . when two distinct divided bodies or portions of matter are said thus to penetrate each other . . when the united parts of the same portion of matter do penetrate and swallow each other , as is supposed to be done in condensation ; and though the former be considerable , yet this latter is that kind of penetration touching which the question grows . secondly , matter or material substance is the substratum of bodies ; and although it is not possible for it to exist one moment without a determinate extent and determination into some body compleated in esse corporeo , yet it is of it self indifferent to any particular extension or bodily concrement . this is that materia prima , the subject of all generation and corruption , yet it self ingenerable and incorruptible ; that proteus which in various successions is capable of various forms , extensions and variety of bodies ; as we see in a piece of wood thrown into the fire , that same material substance which but now was wood , assumes several natures and extensions , some more fixed than the wood , as its salts ; some more lax , as ashes and smoke , and accordingly undergoes varieties of extensions different from what the very same portion of matter had before : the very same individual supposed portion of matter is capable of being determined into air , water , or some other body ; and if determined into water , it may be the supposed portion of matter would make up a cubical body of an inch square ; but if determined into air , it would make a cubical body of above times that extension , and yet the individual portion of matter simply the same , and neither more nor less under those different textures and extensions ; for material substance is naturally susceptive successively of various textures and consistences , from whence do necessarily result successively various extents or diminutions of that one individual particle of matter under those various consistences . thirdly , body is nothing else but matter determined into a body of this or that nature , figure , texture , plexus , quality and dimension ; these are superadditions to matter , and being added to it , determine it into body ; and when this body by the power of the agent , assumes another distinct consistence ; then is that body , either essentially changed into another kind of body , or else accidentally altered in figure , dimension , texture , or otherwise , and yet the matter continues entirely the same , as in some bodies ; the very same cubique inch of bees-wax may be moulded into a globe , a cone , a trigone , &c. and yet continues the same numerical and individual piece of wax . fourthly , quantity ; and herein i shall take the liberty to use this word according to my own sense , abstracted from others acceptation : i call therefore quantity that habitude whereby a material substance under any determination is denominated more or less , and is a kind of proper inseparable accident ( if we will call it so ) of material substance , and intrinsick to it , and really differs from extension or dimension : for instance , a cubique inch of water is rarefied into cubique inches of air ; or a cubique foot of air is by heat rarified into five cubique feet of air ; here is variety of extension , and yet the same quantity of matter in the cubique inch of water , and in the cubique foot of air , as is after rarefaction in the cubique inches of air , and cubique feet of air , quantity being closely knit to material substance , but this or that particular extension variable , though the quantity ( i. e. ) the moles , the muchness of substance be the same . and herein , among other things , it differs from extension , that extension is measured by artificial measures of inches , palms , feet , cubits ; but quantity , in my acceptation , is measured by weight , which gives the discrimination of quantity or muchness of matter , where , it may be , the extent is equal ; as a cubique foot of water is equal in dimension to a cubique foot of mercury ; but there is times more weight , and consequently more matter and material quantity in the latter than in the former . fifthly , density and rarity are various qualities both of bodies and material substance ; and they are equally susceptive of those qualities , as they are of colour , figure , variety of texture , or the like , namely , in successive portions of time or duration : and hence it is infallibly true that the same material substance that is now actually rare , is potentially dense ; or that which now is actually dense , is potentially rare , without any admission of new substance , or deperdition of any of the old . and as several portions of material substance are susceptive of , or actually under several degrees of rarity or density , as gold , iron , wax , water , air ; so the same portion of material substance may in successive portions of times be susceptive of several degrees of rarity or density ; for , as i said , they are but several qualities , or if you will , modes of matter . the motion to rarity or density , is that which is usually called rarefaction or condensation ; and though matter or body be susceptive of it ( some more easily , some more difficultly ) yet it is most ordinarily the effect of an extrinsecal agent , as fire , tension , constipation , compression . the method whereby the alteration from rarity to density , or to a less degree of density , and e converso , is effected , is the alteration of the texture of the body so rarefied or condensed into a more dilate or contracted consistence . and this alteration is sometimes so great , that it alters the very nature or species of the body , as when air is condensed into water , or water into air ; sometimes it only alters the texture , without altering the nature ; as when air is compressed into a narrower compass in wind-guns , or dilated by heat in aeolipiles , it remains air still , though under differing texture from what it had before . the effects of rarefaction and condensation are neither increase nor diminution of the substance thus condensed or rarefied , nor of its quantity or muchness : if a cubique inch of brass were condensed into gold , indeed the moles would be less in extent ; but there would be the very same individual portion of material substance in both ; and the very same weight that the cubique inch of brass had , would the portion of gold have upon such a condensation : for weight and not extent is the best measure of equality or disparity of material substance . but indeed as to extension , the measures would differ ; the same moles of matter condensed might not take up half the extent it did before , and being rarefied , might take up ten times its extension or dimension . sixthly , dimension or extension ; though as quantity imports much or little , it be inseparable from the notion of material substance , yet actual extension in this or that determinate measure or degree , is but purely accidental to material substance ; for it may have one extension one hour , and the next hour have another , as its texture is altered : for variety of extension is consequential , and necessarily consequential upon alteration of texture . there are certain distinctions to be observed touching extension , viz. . an actual , and an habitual , aptitudinary and potential extension , although de facto every portion of matter is under some actual extension , yet , as i said , this or that actual extension is not intrinsecal or essential to matter ; for as it is capable of a variation of its texture , so it is capable of a change , variation and alteration of its dimension . but that habitual , aptitudinary and potential extension whereby it must necessarily be at some time or moment under some determinate extension or other , is intrinsick to it , though it be successively alterable as its texture is alterable . again , . we must distinguish between the extension in the superficial and external dimension , and that which is the whole portion of matter ; the former may be without the true and real encrease of extent or dimension ; for possibly by the distraction and separation of the more interior parts of matter , and the production thereby of porosities , the external superficial extent may be enlarged , and yet the whole extent continues the same , but only with a diversified ubication of the more interior parts of matter ; but that extension which is intended by me in rarefaction , is an entire extension of the whole matter and all its parts , without which there is no true and adequate extension ; and that contraction or penetration of material substance to condensation , is the contraction of the whole triple dimension , length , breadth and thickness of the whole body and every part , yet retaining the same quantity or muchness of substance . and as i have shewed that in several portions of material substance , it is not only consistent with the laws of nature , but evidently true in fact that a portion of rarefied matter ( suppose it air ) may be , and is co-extended to all the spaces within the compass of that matter , and fills them as entirely as a most dense body or portion of matter fills all the spaces within its superficial dimension ( as suppose it water , or even mercury or gold it self ) so the same portion of compacted matter , suppose it water or mercury , being rarefied into a more dilated and expanded consistence , as into air or fumes , may upon the very same account fill all the spaces within the extent of that dilated extension , without any hiatus or interstitia of empty spaces , or the acquest of any additional matter , because the texture of that portion of matter is only changed , and a greater extension or dimension is necessarily consequential upon , or concomitant with the variation of the texture of that very same portion of matter to a greater expansion in rarefaction . seventhly , the contraction or evolution and expansion of a spirit or spiritual substance , which is commonly called penetration , is incident to spirits and spiritual substances , that are void of matter ; but this doth not at all impeach that natural penetration of material substance whereof i have spoken ; for they differ toto coelo one from another . . in the principle of each penetration : in material substance it always , or at least , commonly , proceeds from an external efficient or force , as in contraction or penetration of material substances by compression , or by constipations from without ; but the penetration or contraction , or dilatation of a spiritual substance , is from an internal principle , possibly the determination of the will of such a spirit to contraction or evolution . . in the consequent , or rather concomitant of such penetration or expansion : in material substance , upon contraction or penetration , the matter is necessarily thereupon more dense ; and in evolution or expansion , more rare ; for it cannot be one or other without the acquest of a new texture of its parts , viz. more lax in rarefaction , more close and compact in condensation ; but in the contraction or evolution of a spirit , there is no alteration in the texture , or rarity or density of a spiritual substance : for rarity and density are qualities and affections competible only to bodies and material substances , not to spirits or substances purely immaterial ; therefore i do dismiss the penetrability of spirits , as a thing wholly unapplicable to the matter in question , and no way applicable to the argument in hand . eighthly , now to apply the business of penetrability or impenetrability to what hath been formerly delivered . first , in case of several bodies that are under several actual dimensions , and not united one to another by continuation , this concerns not the present question , which is touching one common portion of matter , whose parts are united one to another , and so in a state of union : yet whether that a body may not be of so high a rectified purity and tenuity , that it may penetrate the dimensions of a grosser body without porosities for its transition , either found or made in that penetrated body , may be difficult to determine , because we are unacquainted with the highest degrees of subtilty of bodies , and consequently of those energies that are consequential thereupon : only if light be a body , or if the magnetical effusion be corporeal effluxes as some of the late philosophers assert , it seems to favour such a penetrability of such subtil bodies ; for light will pervade every part of the diaphanum , and magnetical effluxes will pervade the solidest bodies , even gold it self , as experience shews us , without making porosities for its transition . but i dismiss this as not to the question in hand ; and possibly the supposition that light or magnetical effluxes are bodies , is untrue . secondly , as to portions of matter , bodies and extensions thereof , where its parts are united in one common continuity , as in the case of proper rarefaction and condensation , it seems that such a penetration of actual dimensions , or of bodies determined in or under actual dimensions , such a penetration either of bodies or actual dimensions , or extensions , is impossible and contradictory in it self , so long as such actual dimensions continue unaltered by an alteration of the texture of such body , and consequentially of such actual dimensions ; for a cubique body of inches cannot be more or less in extension than it is , so long as it is a cubique body of inches : this is that penetration of bodies and dimensions that we do reject under that name . thirdly , but in as much as the very same portion of material substance is successively capable of several textures , and consequently of several dimensions , there is nothing in nature or reason that prohibits a successive penetration of material substances under such a mutation of textures and actual dimensions , so that one and the very same numerical portion of matter that this moment is under a texture accommodate to the nature of the most subtil air , being condensed into a degree of air less subtil , or condensed into water , its parts will be constipated and contracted into a closer posture , and take up less space according to the degree of its condensation ; which contraction or constipation of its parts , may not improperly be called penetration of material substance , but is not properly a penetration of bodies , or extension actually determined , and remaining unaltered in its texture . and this gives the difference between . penetration of actual dimensions ; and , . penetration of bodies . . penetration of material substance . the two former are impossible without an alteration of the dimension or texture of the body . the third is not only possible but necessary , and necessarily consequential upon the alteration of the texture of the body into a more rare or dense consistency . and the evidence of the truth hereof is , because the same numerical portion of substance material in a state of rarity , is as commensurate to all the particles of space within the compass of its external superficies , and hath as perfect and undivided continuation of its parts one to another ; as when it is condensed into a consistence that bears not the th part or th part of the same superficial dimension ; for otherwise it were not possible to conceive , but that in the whole body of air and aether , for one portion of material substance , there must be portions of empty spaces or nothings , which is against nature . and this sentiment , though not warily enough examined and considered by some philosophical heads , hath made them run on with one common cry against all penetration of material substances , under the name of penetration of bodies and extensions , as a great absurdity : but of latter times , some more considerate and inquisitive persons have searched more freely and impartially into this business ; and though they do reject that impossible and contradictory penetration of bodies and actual extensions or dimension remaining unaltered in the sense before given ; yet do not only allow , as possible ; but also assert , as natural and necessary penetration of the parts of the same individual portion of material substance , consisting in a state of union , and under an alteration of textures , and consequently a change of extensions , as any man may see in the learned treatise of bodies , of sir k. digby , pag. the large dispute of guarinus , guarini disputatione to expensione , . de rarefactione & condensatione . and our learned countrey-man , dr. glisson , in his tractate de natura substantiae energetica , cap. , . wherein , among other clear explications of this matter of penetrability of material substances , he hath these passages , namely , the prejudice that men have taken up against penetrability of matter , is , quod ab incunte aetate consuevimus cogitare & dicere non dari penetrationem corporum aut dimensionum quodque simul pro concesso habuimus penetrationem corporum & substantiarum idem sonare . again , impossibile est , ut manente eadem extensione , mutetur densitas , aut ut hac mutata , illa non mutetur ; mutata dimensione , ut in condensatione , materia partes aliquas sui quasi absorbet in seipsam . and again , sola terminata extensio est quae materiam durante eadem terminatione , & non diutius impenetrabilem pr●stat . neither is this any novel doctrine , but the very natural sense of aristotle in to physicorum , cap. . before cited , and those expressions of the potentiality of the very same portion of matter to become rare or dense , and thereby the extension altered , without any diminution of its matter in condensation , or acquisition of new matter , in rarefaction ; though it mention not penetrability in express words , yet asserts the thing , as it is above declared . upon the whole matter therefore it seems , . there is no necessity of a supposition of a penetration of dimensions on condensation ; neither is it indeed possible where the dimensions continue the same , but would be a kind of contradiction . and , . consequently where the dimensions continue the same without alteration , it is impossible there should be a penetration of bodies or material substances , remaining under the same actual dimension unaltered . . but there is not only a possibility of the change of extension , but the same will necessarily follow upon the change of the texture of the body or matter under such extension : and , . consequently the extension there remaines not the same , but is changed . and , . under such a change of dimension or extension , or together with it , there may be , and will follow that which is called a penetration of matter or material substance ; for that which was the impediment thereof , namely , the actual extension or dimension is not only changeable , but now changed . and , . therefore it seems no absurdity in nature or reason , to suppose such a penetration of material substances , in the case of condensation , and is the most reasonable solution of it . and thus i have given an accompt of what seems probable to me touching this dark and intricate enquiry touching rarefaction and condensation ; and therefore i have been the longer in it , because i would be understood , and because in the ensuing remarks it is often urged against the solution offered of the phaenomena of the torricellian experiment ; and i shall remit the answer of the remarks of that kind to this preliminary discourse ; which , though possibly it may not satisfie every reader , yet it will at least render it evident , that the objections made upon these obscure and intricate suppositions of impenetrability of material substance , are not so effectual , nor indeed proper to evince or prove , unless we had a clearer discovery of the nature and affections of bodies , than we have yet attained . and therefore objections made from this topique , lose their use , in as much as the medium is more obscure than the very thing contended about . and now i shall proceed to the remarks themselves . remarks upon the essay touching gravitation of fluids . remark i. upon the second chapter . this remark fiercely , and in the first greeting , chargeth the second chapter of the essay with contradiction , in that in some places thereof , it is said , that gravity is a quality whereby heavy bodies tend to the center ; and yet in other places it is said , that gravitation is but nisus or conatus ad motum ; and therefore that it is not improper to say , that bodies that have a nisus or conatus ad motum verticalem , do gravitate upward ; which the remarker thinks to have been more properly expressed by levitation ; and to call it gravitation , is repugnant and contradictory to what is said of the quality of gravity . but to avoid a frivolous contention of words , it might have been fairly and easily observed , that in truth all kind of gravitation is but motion or conatus ad motum . but in that conatus or nisus ad motum , we are necessarily to consider two things . . the principium motivum . . the terminus motus , or conatus ad motum . the principium motivum may be various , and tending to various terminations , it may be extrinsecal and accidental ; as when i throw a stone into a bucket of water , the motion of the water is thereby caused upward , and raiseth its superficies , and the motion of the water upward , is not altogether improperly called gravitation upward , coming from an external force . again , the principle of the motion , or conatus ad motum , may be intrinsick , and from that intrinsick principle , may have a motion or conatus ad motum downward , which i call the intrinsick quality of gravity ; this intrinsick quality governs and enclines the motion and conatus ad motum , to a central termination , when it hath no collateral impediment . any man with half an eye may see here is a conatus ad motum of the heavy body to a central motion , which is its gravitation , and yet the principle that impresseth this kind of termination of its motion , is that which i call , and call truly , the quality of gravity in the heavy body . in the very instance of the motion of water in relation to the rundle of wood , specifically lighter than water , we may observe both these gravitations or motions the water presseth downward from its intrinsecal principle or quality of gravity , and thereby undermines and gets below the rundle ; and then by a relative , occasional or accidental motion , in relation to the rundle of wood , it presseth upward , and drives up the rundle of wood with a force and kind of gravitation or motion upward to the superficies of the water : the same water hath these various terminations , one downward , from its own intrinsick quality of gravity , though the exercise thereof be suspended till it find a lighter body within its dimension to exert it ; the other , upward , in relation to the rundle of wood , which by circumpulsion it drives upward . and therefore the kind consequences that i hold , there is nothing but mobility in bodies , and that i use the phrase of gravity according to the vulgar acceptation , and as idolum fori , or that the actual descent of water or other heavy body , is from a distinct being , as is inferred in the first , second and sixth sections of that chapter , are but mistaken collections , and have no concession from me or any thing i have therein asserted , nor are at all true , as i think . as to the th and th illation in that remark , where it is said , the water hath no nisus ad motum upward into the tube immersed , and stopped at the lower end , till opened , that , in the sequel of this enquiry will appear not to be altogether true : but if it were never so true , yet it impugnes not what is above by me delivered ; for the water is driven up into the tube by the weight of the body of the water in the bucket , upon the cavity of the tube filled only with air , and so the rising of the water into the tube , is by the pressure of an accidental position , and the fluidity of the ascending water , meeting with an element in the tube lighter than the water . we see in a pair of scales a weight of two pound in one scale , makes the weight of one pound in the other scale , to ascend , though both are heavy bodies ; and this by mechanique and statique principles : so in the siphon , a b , water poured into the leg a , raiseth the water in the other leg , to an equal superficies , upon necessary statique grounds , without calling in any subsidiary spirit of nature to effect the ascent ; for rhe siphon is a kind of natural libra : and so when the tube stopped with the finger beneath , is immersed into a bucket of water , and then opened , the circumjacent water being both fluid and heavy , is driven up into the vacant tube , till it come to an equal superficies with the rest of the water in the bucket , by a kind of due equipondium . and all this is most regularly and necessarily effected according to the common mechanism of statique principles , without any help from the supposed spirit of nature , to fetch out the air out of the tube , or to raise the water into it . there be many accidental causes of the motion of water vertically upward , which yet consist with its intrinsecal principle or quality , which i call gravity , or conatus to a central motion ; for instance , . it is moved upward by casting into it a heavier body , which takes up some of its room ; as throwing a stone into a bucket of water . . it is moved upward by attraction ; as in pumps and syringes . . it is moved upward , when within its own dimension it meets with a lighter body than it self ; as in the instance of the tube of air immersed , and then unstopped at the bottom ; or where a rundle of lighter wood is immersed in it , it is apparent the water raiseth it , and casteth it to the superficies with a kind of force ; so that it will leap above the superficies of the water , when it comes thither . but these accidental vertical motions do not at all take away the intrinsick principle of its gravity , but consist with it ; and therefore it is no contradiction to say that gravitation is but conatus ad motum , be the motion lateral or vertical , or central ; and yet at the same time to say , that gravity is a quality in heavy bodies , that specificates and determines their conatus ad motum to be central or perpendicular . remark ii. descent of bodies . this remark would surely have have been spared , if the author had been pleased to have read the next page ; where it is affirmed , that water powred through the air , hath a direct central direction and gravitation , pag. . of the essay . remark iii. touching the gravitation of parts of solid bodies one upon another . that every part of a solid body hath its common quality of heaviness , and would in a state of separation , descend , and that every part contributes to the weight of the whole , is no where questioned ; only when the body is in continuity , and of an equal consistence , that there is a suspension of actual gravitation of one part upon another , is that which is affirmed : but where they are of different consistencies , there many times happens actual and sensible gravitation of one part of a solid body upon another . this is observed in the third chapter of the nugae , pag. . and had it been observed , the remark i suppose would have been spared . remark iv , v , vi , vii . upon the fourth chapter . for the rendring my thoughts more intelligible , touching gravitation of fluids , and to make my approaches to it the more easie and fair , i give in that chapter instances of solute solid bodies , and how the pressure of their parts are refracted , i begin with meer gross bodies , square stones of a foot square ; then descend to wheat , shot and sand ; and in these latter , i make my application to their own incumbency upon an egg-shell , because not so easily explicable by a perforation of their base in respect of the exility of their corpuscles . but yet i must tell the reader , that allowing the proportion of their perforated hole in the base , to be but answerable to the exility of their bodies , the coalition of more grains of wheat , shot or granules of sand at the same orifice so proportioned , would stop their subsiding ; as appears to any that thinks it not below him , to observe in hour-glasses , where the passage , though big enough for one granule of sand , will not admit the passage of two or three crowded together ; and wheat will quarre in the binn of a mill if not shaken by the clack . but as to the thing designed by these instances , it is only to shew how by various , especially lateral pressures , the pressure of a column of stone , wheat , shot or sand upon a subjected body , is much broken . and certainly in solid bodies , ita se habent minora ad minora , ut majora ad majora . if we had a good magnifying-glass , we should find the piling of the granules of sand upon sand , though not so regular as is done by masonry ; yet holding a fair and well-near equal analogy to it ; one granule of sand would appear to support two or three , and those again others ; and the declivity of the motion of the sands would be conspicuous , and their bearing against the sides of the vessel , and their declination from the middle of the vessel . but the great objection that is all along made , is , that the corpuscles of water are not to be resembled to those of sand , but are much more minute and glib , and therefore the instances hold no proportion to that of water . if i should admit the remarkers assertion , that water is no continued body , but consists of minute separate corpuscles , yet it would not much advantage the objection , for these corpuscles are not indivisibles , but bodies consisting of trine dimension , and possibly there is not that disproportion between such an atome of water and a granule of sand , as between a granule of sand and a white pease , much less a cube of inches square . and certainly in bodies , ita se habent minora corpora ad minus spatium , ut majora ad majus : but i must not admit of this supposition , that water is no continued body ; for certainly water conjunct , though it be a fluid body , is as really a continued body , as steel or gold. but to render the instances of sand , &c. as reasonably explicative of this phaenomenon in water , i shall subjoin and explicate this rude diagram . suppose c d a vessel of water , with its various lines of declivity , and perpendicular direction , if you please , a , the egg-shell , f , my imaginary cone or cap , impending upon it , b a , and a d , a circle of water in the base of the vessel encircling the egg-shell . i say it is impossible the column of water incumbent on the shell , could press upon it , unless it could press upon and remove the circular base of water , encircling the shell , and unless that sink or remove by the incumbent water , the egg-shell can be pressed no more in the instance of water , than that of sand or pease mentioned , pag. . of the additions to the pamphlet . but since the encircling water b a d , is of the same texture , weight and consistence with the rest of the water , it must remain unmoved as a rock , and bear the pressure both of the perpendicular and declining water , which must necessarily protect the shell from the entire pressure of a column of water commensurate in base to the egg-shell , which cannot be without pressing upon and displacing the circumjacent water , which is not possible ; for now the water incumbent upon the shell , and the circumjacent water , make , as it were , one common basis to the superior water . the analogy therefore between the instance of the sand and water , and the accommodateness of the former to the explication of the latter , in this phaenomenon of the non-gravitation of fluids upon included heavy bodies , consists in these two parallels . . of the upper parts of the sand or water , in relation to the lower parts , viz. premendo the lateral and inclining motion and pressure of both , breaking and allaying their perpendicular or central pressure . . of the lower parts of the sand and water in relation to the upper , viz. sustinendo the base of water or sand , circumjacent to the egg-shell , contributing to the sustentation of the whole superior mass of sand or water , and every particle incumbent upon that base , sustaining a numerous company of other particles , and those again others , so that the whole commensurate column of the superior sand or water ( abating that small proportion , which , for want of a better expression , i call a cap or cone ) incumbent upon the shell , cannot gravitate upon it . and thus i use my masonry of cubique stones to explicate the manner of the gravitation of sand , and the arch of sands , to explicate how the perpendicular pressure of water upon a subjected body in a column commensurate thereunto , is remedied ; only in sand the monads and their mutual sustentation is more conspicuous to the eye , than in water ; but in water the advantage is in some respect more effective of this alleviation by the continuity of its matter . upon remark viii , ix . it is thereby imagined , that the lateral pressure being checked by the sides of the tube should spend their direction perpendicularly downward , and so more endanger the shell , which , as it is evidently contrary to the sense and experience of the fact , so it is contrary to reason ; for the tendency of the lateral motion is still the same as at first , and the bare obstacle of its expansion cannot in a body of this nature , give it a motion of resilition to a perpendicular gravitation ; and if it could , it is impeded by the intervening sand. as to the th remark , it is answered in the observations upon the th and th remark : but by the way , the jumbling of water hinders not its continuity , so long as the parts thereof are in conjunction one with another . remark x , xi . it is agreed between us , that gravitation is nisus ad motum ; but it never was , nor ever can be agreed by me or any person , that thinks before he writes or speaks , that such a gravitation may not be excited and directed by a quality inherent in the subject , which may terminate that motion , and incline and direct its motion to the center . gravity therefore is not of the same extent with mobility , but it is a mobility determined in its termination by the principle that puts it in motion , which , in the instance in hand , is the quality of gravity , which is a determinate specifical principle , determining the mobility of heavy bodies naturally to a central direction , though it may be some time accidentally impeded , and ordinarily impeded by the fluidity of a fluid body . remark xii , xvi , xviii . that the parts of water , when in conjunction one with another , are only contiguous , i do admit by way of argument ; but i no where admit it by way of concession : for if i should , i think i should grant that which is by no means true . i only therefore in that place argue , that were the parts of water solute , and only contiguous , yet even there the actual gravitation of them would be suspended as well as in sand. and because the business of continuity and contiguity often occurs in the remark , and great endeavours are therein used to prove the particles of water and air only contiguous , i shall here once for all , make some observations touching continuity and contiguity , that i may avoid repetition . we learn both from the ancient and modern philosophy , that contigua sunt , quorum ultima sunt simul in situ , & non est possibile quod inter ea cadat aliquid quod habet situm . continuum autem illud , cujus natura est quod inter partes ejus reperitur unus terminus communis , or , quorum ultima sunt unum in actu : which is a little clearer explained by the moderns , that continua sunt , quando ex pluribus quantis fiat unum totum nulla sensibili commissura inter partes remanente ; or , implicatio & incorporatio partium unitarum ; so that they , as it were , run one into another without any sensible discrimination of their moles or situs . although in grosser bodies there is more required than contiguity , to make them continuous , yet in liquids , especially perfectly homogeneal , as water and water , air and air , mercury and mercury , there ariseth a continuity of parts meerly upon their contiguity or contingency ; for thereupon they presently incorporate , implicate and mingle so one with another , that there remaines no possible distinction of the parts united , one drop of water touching another , one portion of air touching another , one little globule of mercury touching another , become perfectly continued bodies without more ado , though they were before divided by their distance , and interposition of another body ; this is apparent to our very sense , that these are undistinguishably united , incorporated and implicated one in another by their very contact , as closely , though not so firmly as lead , iron , or gold , after hammering or fusion . in all bodies that are in continuity , as there is a unity of existence , so ( ordinarily , though not alwayes ) follows a unity of motion . it doth not alwayes follow , because there may intervene something that may disorder or break it . but in things barely contiguous , as they are not in themselves united so regularly ; ad motum unius non sequitur motus alterius , unless united by alligation , as in chains of several links ; by some other accidental intervention , as in the cohesion of distinct contiguous bodies , for the avoiding of vacuity , as in polished marble , &c. and herein we may easily observe the continuity of water . take a siphon , and fill it with water , stopping both legs with your finger , till the shorter leg be immersed into a vessel of water , the water will be entirely drawn out of the vessel by a funiculus of continued water , ascending and descending from the first immersion , as is shewed in the additions to the nugae . but fill the siphon with the finest powder or sand , that traction will never follow upon its immersion into a vessel of the same or the like sand or powder ; for in the former there is a traction by the continued body of water : but in the latter , the particles are solute , and only contiguous , and will not cohere , but gives us the proverb of a rope of sand. and what is here observed touching the continuity of water , and the traction wrought in the virtue of that continuity , is observable touching the air , and the traction wrought by its filaments , as appears most evidently in the magdeburg hemispheres , in the th . chapter of the difficiles nugae , and in the raising and holding up of water in the heated tube or glass , described in the th . chapter , which could never be effected , did the air consist only of contiguous and solute particles , unless we should dream they were fastened together by hooks or chains . and upon what hath been said , it is most apparent , that neither the softness of the air , nor its easie divisibility or separability by a feather or a cobweb , nor the attenuation of the particles of water into vapors , by the heat of the sun , are so much as tolerable reasons against their continuity ; for although the disjunction and separation of the parts interrupt the continuity between the parts , when actually separated , yet the separability or easiness of separability of the parts of it , are not so much as a shadow of argument against their continuity , till such an actual separation be made . no man that thinks twice , can imagine that lead in fusion , is less a continued body , than when it was solid ; or that gold beaten into leaf , is less continued than when in the ingot , and yet the separability of its parts much more facile than before . and therefore the fancy of contiguity only of fluid bodies , is the effect of that idolum democraticum or cartesianum , which with his imaginary globuli , and their ramenta , the materia subtilis , hath disordered mens sentiments , as in many other things , so in this , touching continuity and ratio continui . remark xiii . i am very well contented to be rectified touching the nature of the principium hylarchicum of the learned remarker . i must confess , when i found so much of a spiritual nature attributed to it , and that great and ready accommodation of it to the solving of most of the admirable phaenomena in nature , whether mechanical or vital , i thought it had been some intelligent spirit or intelligence ; but now i understand that it is only plastick and vital , not intelligent , and doubtful whether sentient or not : but of whatever nature it be supposed to be , it seems necessary to prove its very existence by such instances as are not meerly mechanical ; otherwise i fear more is asserted than proved . remark xiv , xix , xx. in these remarks lies most of the elixir of the precedent remarks . and besides , they offer at somewhat of experimental proof of what they assert , besides bare notions ; but how far these proofs are sufficient or effectual , we shall see hereafter : and therefore i shall insist somewhat larger upon them and the observations that are to be made upon them . archimedes , in his third proposition de insidentibus humido , tells us , that if solid bodies , having a bulk or moles , be equally heavy to the water wherein they are placed , being let down into the water , are so immersed , that nothing of the superficies of the water is above them , yet they are not pressed downward . and in the sixth proposition , he tells , that a solid body , lighter than the water , being forced down into the water , is driven up with such a force , as the water having an equal moles to that immersed body , is heavier than that body . and this driving upward of the lighter body , is by that circumpulsion of a heavier fluid body upon another body lighter than it self , which will ( if it can ) take up the place that the lighter body hath invaded within its dimensions , and the limits of its province . and the truth is , the reason of the motion of a ballance or libra artificialis in the air , wherein a heavier weight in one scale , lifts up a lighter weight in the other scale , is in effect the same with this natural libration between the heavier body of the water , and the lighter body of the wood ; only here it seems like a ballance inverted , wherein the counterpoise of the moles of water being greater and more than the like moles of a lighter solid body , must needs overweigh it , and if it be possible , get below and under it , as in this scheme . suppose a , be a cube of wood of inches square , immersed towards the bottom of the cubical vessel of water c d , and lighter than the like moles of water , this cube takes up the room of square inches , which ( were not the cube there ) would be in a great measure taken up by the water . the cube of wood is environed with a quantity of water equal in moles to this cube of wood , but exceeding it considerably in weight , the weight of the water must necessarily preponderate the cube of wood , and consequently must thrust it upward , that it may possess the place the cube of wood hath invaded , and so in this libra naturalis the heavier moles of water must necessarily drive up the lighter moles of wood , as in the artificial scale , the heavier scale raiseth the lighter . and hence it is that without the aid of an hylarchical principle the water bears and carries up the rundle of light wood in the instance so often magnified by the remarker . for unless the rundle were so closely fastned to the base , either by some glutinous matter , or by its strict jointing and adhesion to the sides or base of the vessel , as would be too strong for the water , to displace it , it is hardly possible by any art whatsoever to make the rundle so close to the base of the vessel , but the subtil particles of water will creep between the rundle and the base , and throw it up in spite of the imaginary column of water , commensurate to the rundle that is supposed to keep it down : and herein , as i before observed , the water hath accidentally , and upon this occasion a motion upward , which yet is but the consequent of its motion downward below the rundle . and upon the same account it is , if you take a hollow cane , suppose one inch diameter , inches long , let the base thereof be filled with a quantity of lead for about an inch , then let there be powred in inches of water , and then there will remain inches of air in the upper part of the cane , although the lead be heavier than so much water , and the water in the cane equal in specifical weight to so much water ; yet as long as the whole weight of the cane thus compounded , doth not equal the weight of a like moles of water , this cane immersed into a vessel of water inches deep , will not subside or rest at the bottom of the vessel , but will be driven up to that height in the water , that the parts of the cane subsiding in the water , will countervail a moles of water equal to the weight of the whole cane , and there it will swim erect . experience and the very reason of the thing , makes the truth hereof apparent . stevin ( that next to archimedes , hath written best of hydrostatiques ) in his th book , prop. . supposeth nevertheless , that if this rundle cover a hole in the bottom of the vessel , it will not rise , but will be kept down by the impending column of water commensurate to the base of the rundle . albert girard , the commentator , denies this ; unless the rundle be of equal or greater weight than the like quantity of water . but the truth lies between them both ; for the rundle lighter than the water , will be undermined in the rims and edges , and so the water will get out , do what the artist can , if the rundle be lighter than the like moles of water . but then when the water hath thus gotten a passage to pass through the orifice into the free air ( upon which it hath been shewn , the moles of water commensurate to the passage it hath now , presseth with its full swing ) and if it meets with the rundle in the way of its motion , so long as it stands in its way , it will gravitate upon it till the water hath wholly discharged it self through the orifice . and therefore the reason is obvious why there is some impediment in the ascent of the rundle , when it is thus placed upon an orifice , without calling in any other principle than the natural pressure of the water upon that orifice , now giving it an access to an element that it can press upon , viz. the air below the orifice . just as we see in our kettles and brewing furnaces , when they have a small leak , the servant throws in a handful of bran , which though perchance it would not so readily sink , much less sink to the leak , yet the motion of the water to the leak , will carry those light and small particles thither , which being crouded in by the weight of that column of water that is commensurate to the orifice of the leak , stops it . and the like is done upon a leak in a ship , where a light fardel thrown out into the sea , will be carried down to the leak , and crowded into it by the water , & sometimes stop the leak . and therefore touching the gravitation of the column of water upon the rundle of light wood , where there is a hole under it in the base ( which i add as an exception , pag. . and is no more than what stevin tells us in the th book of his practical hydrostatiques ) both he and i must be understood where any little water passeth under the rundle to the hole , and therefore to clear that experiment , and the reason of it , i made exact trials concerning it , as followeth . then oyling the base and rundle as before , and uniting them , i filled the bucket with water , which by reason of the glutinous oyl , did not pass , nor sever the rundle from the base . then fixing the rundle as before , to a scale , i tried what weight was sufficient to sever the rundle from the base , being under the supposed pressure of that imaginary colum of water of inches deep , and i found that very near the same weight would sever it from the base under water , as did sever it when it lay dry ; and though in several trials there was some little disparity , which might arise from the unequal strictness of the juncture , either by the quantity of oil , or position of the rundle , wherein i could not possibly be exactly uniform , yet the rundle was separated under tnat moles of water , sometimes with seven ounces weight , sometimes with eight ; but at most , with ten ounces . and yet in the column of water commensurate to the rundle , were square inches ; which , according to the exactest computation of the weight of water , amounted to at least ounces weight : and this sheweth that gravitation of the water upon the rundle , is to be understood , when there is some passage to give the water motion . so that it seems to me , the conclusion that the remarker makes from this instance , in favour of the hylarchical principle , or the supposed gravitation of a cylinder of water upon the rundle where no water passeth , must be laid aside , as no way assisting his hypothesis , in impugning mine . and therefore , whereas stevinus in his practical hydrostatique , ubi supra , grants , that the body of a man , or other body , lying flat upon the bottom of a great vessel of water , feels no considerable pressure of the incumbent water , yet if there be a hole in the bottom of the vessel under that body , it shall find a considerable pressure of the incumbent water ; this is to be understood cum grano salis , viz. if the body do not so entirely and closely stop the orifice in the bottom of the vessel ; but that the water finds a passage between it and the base , to discharge it self , the body then indeed shall find a pressure from the superior water at least , according to the weight of such a column of water as can thus discharge it self between the body and bottom through the orifice . but if it stop the orifice so entirely and close , that no water can pass that way , there will ensue no gravitation upon the body , by reason of that hole or orifice thus stopped ; for it is as if it were not : the body becomes as it were part of the entire close base of the vessel . and thus much may serve to explicate the phaenomenon of the orifice or hole in the base of a vessel under the rundle . but now as to the instance given in the th remark , whereunto the learned remarker appeals as an irrefragable instance to take away at once the mechanical accounts of continuity and architecture , i doubt the author gives us this experiment without exact trial ; for if he had tried it , i think he would never have urged it . the experiment , as i take it , is this ; take a cylindraceous bucket of parts in the internal diameter , and let another cylindraceous bucket be of parts external diameter , with sloping holes at the bottom , and put the less into the greater , and fill them up with water to the brims , then take away your hand , and the narrower bucket will emerge , leaving no more in the water than what is equal to the weight of such a moles of water as is equal to the whole vessel in weight . i shall take this instance in pieces , and then we shall see what is in it , and for the better clearing of it , i shall make my way to it by instances , though not altogether like it , yet giving a great light to it , and it may be , to other matters of this kind ; and i shall first consider the comparison between bodies specifically heavier than the fluids , and then in bodies specifically lighter . if there be a bucket or a cylindraceous vessel , suppose inches deep , then take a cylinder of inches high , and narrower than the bucket , but of a material specifically heavier than the like moles of water , as suppose it tin or ebony ; if the vessel be filled with a moles of water of twice or thrice , or ten times the extrinsick weight of that cylinder , yet the cylinder will still sink to the bottom , by its advantage of its intrinsick or specifical over-weight or heaviness more than water . now i shall consider the proportion where the solid body is specifically lighter than water or other fluid body in which it is immersed . i took a cylinder of wood inches deep , and inches diameter , which weighed ounces . the like bulk of water equal in bulk to that cylinder of wood , weighed ounces . so that the water had a specifical or intrinsick weight near double to the wood. and consequently the wood being immersed in a vessel of water , near one half thereof lay above the superficies of the water , as it must do according to the rule of hydrostatiques . i took cylindrous vessels , one of inches diameter , the other of inches diameter ; i put the cylinder of wood into the vessel of inches diameter , and as much water as countervailed the wood-cylinder in extrinsick weight , but not in bulk , and the wood-cylinder would not swim ; for though the intrinsick weight of the water was near double to the weight of the wood , yet the extrinsick weight of both was equal , viz , ounces , and so there was an equipondium between the water and the wood , and consequently that water would not raise the wood from the base of the vessel . but putting in so much water more into that vessel , as that the lateral or ambient water would rise so high as to cover a little more than one half of the cylinder of wood ( namely , such a quantity thereof as was equal to a moles of water , equiponderating the weight of the whole cylinder of wood ) then the cylinder of wood would swim , though the base of the water between the cylinder of wood and the bottom of the vessel had not half an inch in depth . and the reason is , because the entire water both lateral , and at the bottom , is one continued body , and entirely presseth the cylinder of wood upward , in as much as the lateral or ambient water hath gained an height upon the cylinder , somewhat more than the immersed parts of the cylinder of wood proportionable to a moles of water equal to the whole weight which that whole cylinder of wood amounts unto ; for the cylinder of wood weighed but ounces , but the whole weight of the water might be ounces or more . but again , put this cylinder of wood into the cylindrous vessel or bucket of inches diameter close to the base , and pour in four or five times the quantity of water into the bucket more than what was in the former cylindrous vessel of six inches diameter ; as suppose it be five pounds of water , yet unless the superficies of that water rise not to more than the height of half the cylinder of wood , viz. something more than two inches high upon the sides , the cylinder of wood will rest upon the base , and will not swim : and the reason is , because the water presseth according to its altitude , and not according to its amplitude , and therefore though the whole water in the inches bucket be five times more in weight than the cylinder of wood is , if it rise not so high as to take something more than half of the height of the cylinder of wood , namely , such a quantity thereof as is commensurate to a quantity of water equal in weight to the whole weight of the cylinder of wood , the cylinder of wood would not swim , but will stand upon its base at the bottom of the vessel . and this is the reason why a ship or vessel that draws for the purpose fathom of water , will swim in a narrow cut or channel that hath or fathom of water , though the channel be less than fathom over in breadth ; and if the channel were miles over , and of a less depth than the ships draught of water , viz. fathom , the ship will be on ground , and will not swim , and yet the weight and quantity of whole water in the broader channel , is many thousand times more than that in the narrow channel . and the like instance may be given in floats of timber in a deep and narrow channel , and a broad and shallow channel . for the pressure of water is more or less according to the height or depth of water , and not according to its amplitude or breadth , though the water with ampler superficies be a thousand times more in weight and bulk than the deeper water . now to the buckets instanced in the remarks ; if there be a bucket of inches diameter , and another of equal height but of inches diameter , fill the lesser bucket with water , and place it in the middle of the greater bucket , and then fill the circumjacent sides of the greater bucket with water , though the greater bucket hold times the water of the lesser bucket , yet ( allowing , as i must , the wood of the lesser bucket to be but of the same weight with the like moles of water ) the lesser bucket will still remain contiguous to the bottom , and will not rise one inch , and the reason is , because the water without , and the water within the bucket , though of a different moles , yet have the same specifical weight , and ( as to this purpose ) as if it were so much unvesseled water ( i say , as to this purpose , for as to the other purposes , there will be a difference , as i shall shew hereafter . ) but if the lesser bucket be totally empty , or only filled part with water , suppose half way , then the water in the greater bucket , will drive up the lesser ; but not till only so much be immersed as countervails its defect of weight , according to the th . th and th . proposition of archimedes , ubi supra . but now to come to the experiment of the lesser bucket or cylindraceous vessel perforated in the bottom , and then water poured into the greater or lesser ( for it comes all to one account ) will the lesser bucket emerge , unless held down by the hand ? by no means in the world ; for the water will presently pass through the perforations from one bucket to the other , till they come to one common superficial height , and still the lesser bucket will rest upon the base of the greater , because they have an equipondium ; supposing ( as we must ) that the wood of the lesser bucket is of equal specifical weight to the like moles of water . indeed it is true , that if the holes be small , so that there must be a mora before the water can be conveyed from one vessel to another , then if the water be plentifully poured into the sides of the greater bucket , the lesser will rise till it have received so much water as equals the superficies of both , and then the lesser bucket will subside contiguous to the base ; for the water in both buckets being of an equal height , was in aequipendio . so that as the instance it self conduceth little to the ends propounded , were it true ; so i doubt it is mistaken , and upon trial will not be found true . i did expect to have met with an objection which may seem prima facie to impugne what i have formerly delivered ; yet upon a strict examination it would not have any efficacy . take a cube or cylinder of wood of equal intrinsick weight with so much water , suppose it a cube of six inches diameter , and put it into a cylinder or cubique vessel of water of eight inches deep , and twelve inches diameter , this cube or cylinder would rest two inches above the base of the vessel , and would not gravitate either upon the two inches of water in the base of the vessel , nor upon any body that were but two inches thick , and lay between the cube and the base of the vessel of water , yet here can be no lateral pressure or per declive in the cube , it self being solid , and having only a central gravitation ; so that it may seem the lateral pressure which is the subject of the eighth chapter of the essay , applied to the water , is no ingredient into its non-gravitation . i answer , that the fact is true , but the illation thereupon is not consequential . in my observation upon the th , th , and th . remark , i say the non-gravitation of fluids is in relation to the pressure of the upper parts upon the lower , which is per declive premendo : and in relation of the lower parts to the upper sustinendo ; now although in this instance the former hath no part , yet the latter hath . in this instance the cube or cylinder is sustained and born up by the subjacent water , which is as the pedestal upon which it is bottomed ; and therefore neither doth nor can press below the position it holds : but suppose the body subjacent to it , were inches deep , then it would be under the pressure of that cylinder or cube of wood , as much as the weight of inches of the cube amounts to in the water , and the body would be under a pressure commensurate at least to so much weight as the cube , or so much thereof as is thereby driven out of the superficies of the water , exceeds in its extrinsick weight the like moles of water , with so much of the cube as lies in the water . but on the other side , where there is nothing impending upon the subjacent body but the superior imaginary column of water , the subjected body is not compressed at , or inches immersion below the superficies of the water , partly by reason of the mechanism ( i do not say masonry of the water , though that expression is frequently , but needlesly used by the remarker ) and partly by reason of the various termination of the motions of fluid bodies . it shall not be altogether impertinent to subjoin the ensuing experiment . i took a cube of wood inches square , and very near of an equal specifick weight of the like moles of water ; for it did not rise half an inch above the water , and being let down to subside freely in a vessel brim-full of water , it threw over a portion of water very near of the same weight with it self , viz. ounces and a half . this cube being laid into a vessel of inches deep of water , therefore was raised at his base about inches above the water in the base of the vessel , which water sustained it . and now it had been unquestionable that if a body of less than inches thick , had been subjected under the cube , it would have sustained no pressure from the water nor from the cube , which was entirely born up to that height by the subjacent water . but if the body subjected to the cube , had been , or inches thick , it would have been pressed upon by various proportions from the impending cube . for fixing a string and hook to the middle of the superficies of the cube , it required near ounces in the opposite scale , to raise the superficies inches above the water ; near ounces to raise it inches above the water ; and near ounces and a half to raise the lower superficies of the cube equal in height to the upper superficies of the water , which answered the full weight of the cube of wood ; and therefore according to these proportions , it would gravitate upon a subjacent body that gave it the like elevations . but in water we see the pressure different from the pressure of such a wooden cube ; for in whatsoever depth the subjected body is immersed , whether deeper or shallower , it sustains no sensible difference of the pressure of the column of water impending upon it , nor indeed any sensible pressure at all , though at five or ten fathoms deep ; which , as it gives us the difference between the pressure of a solid and fluid body , upon a body in water subjected to it , so it gives us the reason of it , viz. the pressure of the solid body is impeded only by the subjected water , bearing it up , viz. sustinendo . but there are two impediments that hinder the pressure of the superior water upon the lower water on the body under it , viz. the sustentation of the superior water by the inferior ; and likewise the lateral and declivous motion of the water , refracting its perpendicular pressure , while it is solute water . and now because that the various habitudes of heavier or lighter bodies immersed in fluids heavier or lighter than themselves , seems to be a pleasant , and possibly a useful speculation , and yet is difficult to be distinctly , and explicitly , and clearly declared : and possibly in what is before said in this observation , the same is not so distinctly delivered as might be wished ; i shall therefore desire the readers pardon , if i resume and repeat much of what is before said , and digest the whole in somewhat a clearer method . first , i shall declare the difference between the terms of intrinsick and extrinsick weight , whether of fluids or solids , and what i mean by those terms , and how one body is said to exceed another in intrinsick or extrinsick weight , or both ; that body which hath more of bodily moles or matter than another body of the same dimension , is intrinsecally heavier than that body which hath the same dimension , and yet hath less corporeal matter or material substance in it ; and therefore is denser and crasser than the latter , and the indication of that density and crassitude is by the over-weight it hath over the other body ; as a cubique inch of gold is heavier , and therefore hath more of material substance than a cubique inch of brass or iron ; and a cubique inch of mercury is heavier , and therefore hath more of material substance in it than a cubique inch of water . and therefore a heavier body immersed into a lighter fluid , as a cubique inch of gold , brass , iron , &c. into water , though it take up but the room and dimension of a like cubique inch of the water wherein it is immersed , must needs sink into the water , and drive up that cubique inch of water in its motion of descent ; for it out-weighs it : and as in an artificial ballance , the scale that is charged with the greater weight , raiseth up the other that hath the lesser ; so it is in this natural libration between the heavier body and the lighter fluid . and that i may here say it once for all , there is a most perfect analogy between the artificial ballance and this natural ballance , in relation to the motions of and in fluids ; and he that means to have a true image of the latter , must attain it best by comparison of it with the former . a body that is specifically or intrinsecally lighter than another , yet by accession , or accumulation , or acquisition of more parts of matter than another body intrinsecally heavier , hath , may thereby extrinsecally , and in denomination , and also in its effect of preponderation , be heavier than that other ; as two pounds of water is heavier extrinsecally , and in preponderation than a pound of gold , though intrinsecally heavier : and therefore , if a cube or cylinder of wood be supposed intrinsecally lighter than water , yet if such a cylinder of wood , weighing pounds , be immersed into a like cylindrous vessel of water , which water hath not pounds of weight , the cylinder of wood will sink , and will not emerge , because in extrinsick weight it exceeds the extrinsick weight of the water in the vessel into which it is immersed . but if the water be of the weight of four pound and a half ( and in a due position , as shall be shewed ) the cylinder of wood will rise and swim in the water , because , now as well the extrinsick , as the intrinsick weight of the wooden cylinder is over-weighed by the water . if a body that is intrinsecally heavier , be immersed into a body intrinsecally lighter , as gold into water , it will subside , as hath been said : but yet a body intrinsecally heavier than the fluid wherein it is immersed , may accidentally be extrinsecally lighter than the body wherein it is immersed , namely , when it acquires a bulk or capacity so large , that a like moles of water will be of a greater weight than such an immersed body specifically and intrinsecally heavier , and then that body , though intrinsecally heavier , will swim upon the water , and be sustained by it . the most obvious instances of this kind , are two , viz. . when that body intrinsecally heavier is mingled and concreted with other bodies intrinsecally lighter than the fluid wherein it is immersed , and so the whole concrete immersed body weighs less than the like moles of water would weigh ; as where a small quantity of gold or lead is mingled with a greater quantity of wood lighter than water , and so both make up a concrete body lighter than so much water . . when the body intrinsecally heavier , is formed into a cavity , as in tin , silver or lead-bottles , though the material be specifically heavier than water , yet if they have such a dimension as that a quantity or moles of water , of the same external dimension , will exceed such bottle ( as it stands empty ) in weight , this body intrinsecally heavier , yet extrinsecally is lighter than the water wherein it is immersed , and therefore will be sustained by it . and upon this reason it is that ships and other vessels are born up by the water , although they are often lad●● with great ordnance , bullets , and other things intrinsecally heavier than the like quantity of water ; yet in as much as the whole ship or vessel hath a great cavity , and takes up room in the sea , proportionable to that structure , and a moles of water commensurate to the hull of the ship , as it hath that concave posture , is of much greater extrinsick weight than the vessel , therefore it is born up and sustained by it . and thus a body intrinsecally heavier than a fluid wherein it is immersed , may be extrinsecally lighter . . in respect of its concretion or composition . . in respect of its structure and cavity , which gives a greater amplitude to it . that body is said to be both extrinsecally and intrinsecally heavier , when it exceeds another body in both respects , as an ingott of gold that weighs two pounds , is both extrinsecally and intrinsecally heavier than an ingot of silver , weighing only one pound . and thus far concerning weight extrinsick and intrinsick . secondly , the second thing which i intend , is , to declare the various habitudes of heavier or lighter bodies , with relation to the fluids in which they are immersed ; whereby possibly much of the learning and experience de insidentibus humido , may be explicated , namely , . where a body specifically or intrinsecally heavier , is immersed in a fluid intrinsecally lighter than it self , as gold , lead or iron in water . . where a body is immersed into a fluid of equal weight with it self , which though it may be difficult to attain , yet attainable it is , as shall be shewed . . when a body specifically or intrinsecally lighter , is immersed into a fluid , and intrinsecally heavier than it self ; as a globe or cube of fir or elm into water , which is much heavier intrinsecally than such light woods . . when a body intrinsecally lighter , y●● extrinsecally heavier than that portion of fluid wherein it is immersed , be equal in weight to it , as where a globe or cube of fir or elm , weighing six pounds , is immersed into a vessel of water containing just six pounds weight of water , or any quantity less than it . therefore , . if a dense body being immersed in a fluid intrinsecally lighter than it , that dense body will subside to the bottom , though the fluid body in extrinsecal weight be more than forty times of greater extent than such a dense body ; as if a cube or globe of lead or mercury , though but of an inch diameter , be cast into the deep ocean , for the reasons before given , where i treat of the difference between extrinsick and intrinsick disparity of gravity : only it hath those exceptions before given , touching the mixture of such heavier body with a lighter , and the configuration of such dense body into cavity or hollowness , for the reasons there given , which i need not repeat . . if a dense body be immersed into a fluid of an equal intrinsick weight with such dense body , it is generally thought that such dense body will keep any position that it is put into , if placed near the top , or in the middle , or near the ballance of the vessel containing the fluid ( though i have for the most part observed it to rise towards the superficies of the fluid , and hold its upper superficies equal to it ) as suppose a cube of water six inches square weigh pound , a like cubique piece of wood of the same dimension and weight , will stand at all positions in a vessel of or gallons of water ; for such a dense body is as so much water in this respect , they being of equal bulk , and equal intrinsick weight . but it is a very difficult matter to find just such an equality between solids and fluids , being of such different textures . the best expedient is by a hollow vial-glass , reduced to such an equipondium by immission of small leaden shot into it , till the glass and shot arise to the just equipondium of a bulk of water equal to the whole superficies of the glass . . when a body intrinsecally lighter than a fluid is immersed in such fluid , part of that lighter body will rise above the superficies of the water , or other fluid into which it is immersed , and will leave so much of it self under the superficies of the water , as is equal to a body or bulk of water fully commensurate to the whole weight of such immersed body . for instance , suppose a globe of light wood of six inches diameter weigh pound , and a globular portion of water of the like diameter weigh pounds , this globe of wood immersed in a large vessel of water , will rise so that one half thereof will be above the superficies of the water and the other half will be below the superficies of the water ; for the intrinsick weight of the water is double to the intrinsick weight of the wood ; so that a portion of water equal to half the globe of wood , weighs as much as the whole globe of wood . and the like proportion will hold where the globe of wood is lighter than the like portion of water by one third , or one fourth , or one sixth part , mutatis mutandis . . if a gross body ( suppose of wood ) specifically lighter than the like quantity of water , be immersed into a quantity of water extrinsecally lighter than that immersed body , that body , though specifically and intrinsecally lighter , will not rise from the bottom of the vessel , but will sink down to the base or bottom of the vessel , and remain contiguous to it , notwithstanding the intrinsecal overweight of the water to the immersed body ; as if in the former instance , a globe of wood of inches diameter , and pound weight , be lighter by half intrinsecally than the like portion of water , if this globe of wood be immersed into a cylindrous vessel of or inches diameter containing pound weight , nay pound weight of water , the globe of wood shall not swim nor rise from the base of the vessel , and the reason is apparent , because though in intrinsick weight , the water is double to that wood , yet in extrinsick weight the globe of wood in one instance exceeds , in the other instance equals the extrinsick weight of the water , and so the intrinsick weight of the water , is over-matched by the extrinsick weight of the wood , and therefore cannot preponderate it , nor consequently drive it up ; as in a pair of scales , if there be two pound of feathers in one scale , and but a pound of lead in the other , the pound of lead , though intrinsecally heavier than the feathers , will not raise the scale of the feathers , but will be raised up by them ; and if in one scale there be two pound of feathers , and in the other two pound of lead , neither scale will be raised by the other , but stand in a state of rest , because in aequilibrio . . if a cube or globe of wood of six inches diameter , and weighing six pound , be but half so heavy as the like globe or cube of water ( weighing for the purpose pound ) and be immersed into a vessel of water ten or twenty foot square , which is filled with water only to two inches deep ; though this water be of an intrinsick double weight to the cube or globe of wood , and extrinsecally it may be above forty times more weighty than that cube or globe of wood ; yet that cube or globe of wood will subside to the base of the vessel , or rest there in contiguity to it , without any swimming or bearing up above the base of the vessel . and the reason is , because the strength of the pressure of water is alwayes secundum altitudinem vel profunditatem , and not at all secundum latitudinem vel amplitudinem ; and the water in the vessel rising but two inches high , doth not equal the half weight of the cube or globe , which requires somewhat more than three inches of water to overmatch the extrinsecal weight of the cube of wood , without which , it will not be moved by the preponderation of the water ; but the wood will preponderate the energy of that expanded water , or at least be in aequilibrio with it , and so not moved from the base of the vessel . . but if in the instance last given , a globe of wood of six inches diameter and six pounds weight , being but of half the weight of the like globe of six inches diameter of water ( weighing therefore pound ) be immersed into a cylindrous vessel of water of or inches diameter , and of such a depth as may hold or pound of water , without being forced over by the immission of the wooden globe into it , and let there be but or pound of water powred into it , and then let the globe of wood of half the intrinsick weight of the water be put into it ; or let the wooden cube be first put in , and then the pound of water ; here the water between the base of the wooden globe and the base of the vessel , it may be , will not be an inch deep ; but the water in the sides of the cylindrous vessel may rise four , five , or six inches higher . in this instance , this wooden globe will swim , and the reason is plain . . because the water in the vessel is not only intrinsecally , but also extrinsecally heavier than the globe of wood , this weighing only pounds , and the water in the vessel or pounds ; but that over-weight of water alone would not be sufficient to bear up the globe of wood , as is shewed in the next precedent observation . therefore , . the immediate reason thereof is , because the ambient or lateral water between the globe and the vessel , riseth to above half the diameter of the wooden globe , and presseth secundum altitudinem , upon the little portion of water next the base of the vessel , as a weight of water of near or pound and so exceeds the whole weight of the globe of wood . but if by reason of the amplitude of the vessel , the lateral water encircling the globe of wood , had risen but an inch or two above the base of the globe of wood , that would never raise the globe of wood from the base of the vessel , but there it would stand contiguous to the base of the vessel ; or if the globe of wood were put into such a vessel of water , it would sink to the bottom , for it preponderates the weight of the water in such a position ; these figures will explain it . in the lesser vessel a b , where the or pound of water riseth never so little above the diameter of the wooden globe c , the wooden globe of six inches diameter , and pound weight , will swim : but in the greater vessel , or where by reason of its amplitude , the lateral water doth not arise above the diameter of the globe , the globe will not swim , but rest contiguous to the bottom , though the water in that vessel were or pound weight . remark xxi . this remark is sufficiently answered before , where i say that heaviness in bodies , is an intrinsick quality , that it is not mobility at large , but a special or specifick mobility , whereby its gravitation is naturally determined to be central . that mobility upward in heavy bodies , is occasional and accidental , and not purely natural , as a heavy body . i must confess , i do not understand what the remark means , when it says , that water hath no tendency to motion downward , but when it is out of its place , what is meant by the place of water ? is it a place determinate with relation to the position of the vniverse ? if so , we find no place in nature , but the water will descend from it , unless it be in the very indivisible center , which though it be the termination of its motion , was surely never intended for its place , because never ample or capable to receive it ; let the water be in the ocean , or in the middle region of the air , or in the bowels of the earth , it will still , as a heavier body , descend , if it be not impeded : or , is the place of it , that place where any portion of water is placed ; suppose in a vessel upon my table , or upon the top of my house , or on the top of a steeple ; yet there this water will still descend if it be not impeded ? or is it , that the water having gotten into any place in its fluid consistence , it is now become its natural place per occupationem , and all other bodies invading that place , are intruders , and put it out of its place , and so give it a nisus downward ? but the water it self , when i remove a vessel of it out of the river , into a boat , or upon the shore , invades the place that the air before had , and so cannot be the proper place of the water . so that upon the whole account , the water unless otherwise impeded , must necessarily move downward in all positions , though sometimes it hath an accidental or consequential motion upwards ; and by reason of its fluidity , a lateral motion : therefore i confess i am to seek what is meant , when it is said that the nisus of water downward is occasional , and pro re nata as well as upward , namely when it is out of its place . remark xxii , xxiii , xxiv , xxv , xxvi , xxvii , xxviii . i answer to the demand , the mobility of the water downward , is natural , being thereunto , as a heavy body , determined by the principle thereof , viz. intrinsick gravity , but the other motions are either from its fluidity , or occasional . though it be not pertinent to the debate , yet it is plain that at the same time water may have an occasional motion upward or laterally , and yet a natural motion downward . the bucket of water weighing pound , will weigh as much when a tube stopped below and immersed , and then opened below , gives an occasional motion to part of the water upward into the tube . and the same is apparent when it drives up a light rundle of wood from the base to the superficies . the rest of the remark is principally levelled against continuity of water ; the contrary whereof is here affirmed to be proved in the former remarks . indeed i find this often said , but without any proof that i can find . and indeed it requires a very evident proof ; for its continuity is affirmed by all others that i know of , and is evident to some . concerning the motion and pressure of sand , i have said enough ; only where it is said , that an animal is not damnified under a high heap of sand , may have some such reason as the suspension of fluids ; i freely agree herein ; for , as i take it , the animal is protected in both by the mechanism of the incumbent parts , but not by such hylarchical principle as the author supposeth . remark xxix , xxx . that the natural gravitation downward , is not inconsistent with an occasional gravitation lateral ; yea , and in some cases vertical , is most evident by what hath been said upon the last remark : and therefore those other actual gravitations are not bare imaginations , but may be as real effects in nature ; as when a bullet is shot out of a gun in a horizontal line , at the same time there is a conatus ad motum horizontalem & centralem ( for otherwise the bullet could never sink from a straight line ) the former is conatus ad motum violentum , and the latter ad motum naturalem . but as to the distinction that i make between the fluid water in the bucket and the bucket , containing an entire cylinder , constituted both of the bucket and water in it , and that the latter hath one simple motion downward , as a heavy body , or as a keg of ice ; but the fluid water in the bucket , had as a fluid body , those various motions , which in this chapter i assign unto it . i must confess , when i wrote it , i thought , and still think it so plain , and intelligible , and evident , that i wonder it should not be understood , or should be thought a repugnancy in nature . the water in the bucket is perfectly a fluid body , and hath its perpendicular motion downward ; which is simply natural to it as a heavy body , and its lateral motion belonging to it , as a fluid body ; by which it would drive out the sides of the bucket , near the top , especially , were it not well fenced ; and though by the strong gards of the bucket , it be kept in , that it cannot effect what it endeavours ; yet it hath still its conatus ad motum lateralem ; but that conatus is still kept in by the strong sides and bottom of the bucket . but the bucket of water is now one entire aggregate body consisting of wood formed into a cylindraceous form , and water contained within it , and so presseth simply centrally , as if the water were congealed into ice ; or as if water and earth were mingled together into one solid mass , in which instances the bucket of water presseth not as a fluid body of water , but as a common solid aggregate body . and now if you ask , but why doth not the bucket of water press laterally as well as the water in the bucket ? the answer offers it self , even before the question asked ; because the sides of the bucket are solid , and not fluid , and can no more press laterally upon the circumjacent air , than if they were empty of water ; the water within the bucket presseth upon the interior sides and cavity of the bucket , but is restrained from pressing farther by the contignation of the bucket , but the convexity of the sides of the bucket do not , cannot press upon the ambient air ; and so the whole weight is discharged from it in a central direction , as in truth it doth alwayes in a solid body . and the consequence that would be drawn from hence , that then water congealed should be heavier than the same water solute , is the vainest inference imaginable ; for the water as one common body , had the same , and possibly a little more weight before its congealing , than after ; and though its congealing hinder the various motions of it as a fluid body , it doth not encrease nor considerably impair its weight upon the scale as a heavy body . methinks the reasoning of the remarker in this case , is just as if a ship were sayling from north to south , a man should say it were unconceptible that a passenger should walk upon the deck from south to north ; for then he should be moved with two contrary motions , and of contrary terminations at the same time , and yet is apparently true , that at the same time he is moved ad motum navis , from north to south , and ad motum proprium , from south to north : so the same vessel of water , as it is one entire heavy bulk , hath simply its central termination ; yet the several included fluid parts in their fluid consistence , have and may have various terminations , as well lateral or inclining , as perpendicular or central . but to put a period to this debate , when i speak of the various motions of fluids as fluids , i speak of the motions of the parts of that common body which is fluid , and those are horizontal , per declive , lateral and central . but when i speak of its motion as one common body , then it is true the motion is central , which is its motion of natural gravitation upon the scale ; and therefore pound of water without relation to the vessel wherein it is , will weigh still pound upon the scale , and yet its parts have those several motions before described , which abate not the weight of the whole mass , but correct the particular pressures of it , and the several parts thereof while in fluore . and by way of illustration of what i say , take these few instances ; a barrel of new wine or beer , suppose it weigh pound , after a little time , it will gain a motion of fermentation ; which by reason it proceeds from heat , is principally upward , towards the superficies , yet notwithstanding this motion , the barrel of beer or wine , will as a heavy body , weigh as much as before the excitation of tha● motion , unless some of the liquor b● spent at a vent , or break the barrel . in animals there is a great variety of the motions , not only of the spirits , but of the blood , the chyle , the lympha , and most considerably upward towards the head and superio● parts of the body , whereupon it wa● supposed by some learned men , tha● the body of a dead animal that by such death had lost none of his blood should weigh more than the same body living ; but upon strict trials it hath been found that the weight continues the same upon the scale ; so that the various motions of the blood , humors , chyle and lympha , which are of a different , yea , and in many respects , of a contrary termination to that of natural gravity , doth not only consist with the proper motion of gravity of the whole moles corporea , but doth not so much as abate it ; yet these particular partial motions of the blood , humors , chyle and latex , may one correct the other . and the same i say of water ; though there be particular motions of its parts , as a fluid body , and those correct and refract one another ; yet the motion of the entire moles corporea , as constituting one entire body , retains its entire weight upon the scale , viz. pound , and this without any repugnancy to , or diminution of the laws of nature , in relation to the descent of heavy bodies to the center . take a ballance , and charge one scale with pound weight , the other with pound weight , the preponderation of the scale with pound weight , will raise up the scale with pound weight , so that in a relative consideration between the weights , the latter hath no sensible gravitation , and yet the hand that holds the ballance , will sustain and feel in both scales together the weight of pound ; and it were an unreasonable way of argumentation to urge , that because the lighter weight hath lost its actual gravitation in relation to the heavier weight , therefore the weight of both should be but pound , which is the preponderating weight of the heavier scale . . that notwithstanding this aequipondium in this instance between the pound and pound , whereby the relative weight of each is abated , yet the entire engin with its weights , will weigh pound besides the weight of the engin. . that by the declivity of the motion of d , it loseth half of that weight that it would have in a direct descent from c to b ; and so this accidental interposition of a motion per declive , corrects that natural gravitation that is truly central and perpendicular . . but yet it doth not wholly remove or take it away , only the declive termination or direction takes off one half of the actual perpendicular or central gravitation . and this instance explicates , and in a great measure proves what i have said , and evinceth that these , remarks are not of that moment as the remarker takes them to be . so that upon the whole matter , though a tun of water in a vessel , weigh pound weight , and that a man being laid upon his back in the bottom of that vessel , be subjected to a pile or column of water , equal in base to the half of that tun of water , yet the man shall not be pressed with pound weight of water , nor the th part thereof ; and yet the whole vessel of water , or the whole water in the vessel , shall nevertheless weigh pound , upon the reasons given in the th and th chapters of the essay , without the help of an hylarchical spirit , whether intelligent , sentient , or plastick only . and thus i have done with the remarks upon the pamphlet , called , an essay touching the gravitation of fluids : the brief of what i have herein and there delivered , are as followeth . i. that there seems to me a double reason of the non-gravitation of fluids upon bodies within them of a narrower base at least , than the base of the whole moles of the water incumbent upon them ; namely , . mechanical , which is principally sustinendo ; the inferior parts of the water sustaining and bearing up the superior , as analogical to the sustentation of the superior parts of sands or other minute bodies by the inferior . . natural , premendo ; which is the motion of the parts of water it self , as a fluid , though withal a heavy body ; which being per declive , and very near horizontal , corrects the central gravitation . ii. that although the moles of water , considered as one common mass or moles , moves as a heavy body , in a central termination , yet the water and its parts considered in their fluid consistency , have differing motions , as a fluid body , and with various terminations , viz. central , lateral , and per declive , which check and refract the pressure of each other ; so that the entire pressure of the parts of water is not all one way , because a fluid body , though as one entire moles , it press with one single central termination as a heavy body , yet the parts thereof in their common consistency , have various motions or conatus ad motum . iii. that although the various conatus ad motum of the parts of water in fluore , do correct the motions of water , in relation to their terminations , as a fluid body , whereby divers ( urinatores ) are not pressed to death , yet these motions of its parts , as a fluid body , do not abate or alter the common motion of the whole moles , when in one collection , in its central termination , as a heavy body . iv. that besides these motions incident to water , as a heavy or a fluid body , there are or may be certain accidental motions ab extrinseco , which may give water a vertical ascending motion of pressure , by an external force , as that motion which ariseth by circumpulsion , where it meets with a lighter body below the superficies , as in that of the rundle of a lighter body , as a rundle of wood , the rising up of water into a tube full of air , the instance of the value given in the ensuing remarks ; all which , though they partly happen from the fluidity of water , yet they are effected from an accidental interposition , and most ordinarily are consequential upon a descent of the water first , all which motions of parts of fluids arising either ab extrinseco , or from its fluidity , yet are consistent with its intrinsecal quality of a heavy body , and the motion or conatus ad motum of the entire moles thereof in a central termination or motion towards the center , which i usually express by a central motion or termination . touching the remarks upon difficiles nugae . remark i. i now come to the second course of remarks upon difficiles nugae , and begin with the first . in this remark the learned author hath fallen upon one of the subtillest subjects in philosophy , and such as would require more than a small treatise to give a tolerable accompt touching it , namely , rarefaction and condensation . i have more largely given an account of my thoughts touching it , in the beginning of this book ; whereby it will appear whether the principles i take up , are unproved ; or whether they or the remarkers principles be , or can be proved by any experiment or reason in nature , or whether his principles or mine are such as are repugnant to reason , and absurd , if we closely canvass them , and more considerately search into them . it was not in that place here remarked upon , necessary to prove them , but to suppose them ; the proof was therefore there omitted : i having therefore now in the beginning supplied that defect in some measure . remark ii. the learned remarker mistakes the scope of the assertion ; it is true that the conjunction of solid heavy bodies contribute to their weight , and consequently to the motion of the whole solid body downward . but the actual gravitation of one part upon another , is suspended by their continuity , the lower parts receiving , and sustaining , and so de facto suspending the actual gravitation of the upper parts upon the lower ; so that although the superior parts contribute to the total weight , yet they do not superately and actually gravitate upon the lower parts . remark iii. i must confess the substiturion of an hylarchical principle to perform all the phaenomena of motions in natural bodies , is a compendious and easie way for the answering of all difficulties : but he that but observes the instance here endeavoured to be confuted , will find ( as in many others , that i shall hereafter mention ) they do not stand in need of such a help ; for it is meerly mechanical , from the various librations of the water and oyl , at various immersions , by a kind of inverted natural ballance between the water and oyl in these various positions ; therefore i shall refer the truth of the solution to the readers trial , and what hath been before said upon the former remarks . remark iv. it is cautiously said , that ( in a manner ) i acknowledge what is endeavoured to be proved in the first remark : for in the atmosphear the air is more compounded than above it ; and yet all are connexed together by continuity , and so , in a manner , i do not acknowledge it also . touching the continuity of the air , it is said by the author to be sufficiently disproved ; but it is only said so : and i think the continuity of the air is sufficiently proved , and in it self most evident , if no proof were offered of it . remark v. the exclusion of innate gravity , because the parts compressed will sensibly gravitate , but do not sensibly gravitate before compression , seems to me as strange a consequence , as if a man should say , a feather hath no sensible gravitation , but a peck of feathers put together , have a sensible gravitation ; therefore there is no such thing as intrinsick gravity in the feather . remark vi. and i have before noted , that continuity consists not in the facility or difficulty of separation of parts , which yet till such separation , are in continuity , and when that separation is past , may grow together into continuity again , by the first contact of the separated parts , as the air and water do upon removing of what separates their parts . remark vii . in the th chapter , pag. . of the nugae , i have given an account touching the various pressure of solute and included water ; namely , that in a siphon there described , the water in the open air poured into the longer leg , being inches , depressed the mercury inches and ¼ , and drove it out of the short leg ; but the solute water in an open tube incumbent upon the shorter leg , drove back only one inch , the longer leg being empty : now if the impelling down of inches and ¼ of mercury by the inches of water in the longer leg , be no more than the pressing down of one inch of mercury , by the solute water of inches deep in the shorter leg , the remarker is in the right , and i was in the wrong ; but if these be differing pressures , and the pressing down of one inch of the mercury by the solute water leaning upon the short leg , be less than the pressing of two inches and ¼ by the inches of water included in the longer leg , then i was not mistaken ; and a little arithmetick will serve to discover it . the remark gives this answer to this part of the experiment , that more was impelled up by the solute water , because the shorter leg was wider , and so required more mercury in the other leg to counterpoise it . but to give the remark satisfaction herein , i have made a most exact scrutiny into this part of the experiment ; and to the objection i give these answers . . the cavity of the siphon in the shorter leg was ⅛ parts of an inch , or ¼ of half an inch , the breadth of the cavity of the longer leg was not the th part of an inch less than the shorter , which is so small a disproportion that it could scarce be sensible , and this upon an exact admeasurement : and again , when the mercury in the shorter tube was depressed an inch by the solute water incumbent upon it , there was not any visible difference between the extent of the mercury driven up in the longer , and depressed in the shorter leg , both being indistinguishably the same , viz. an inch subsiding in the shorter , and an inch only rising in the longer leg , which evidenceth the imperceptibleness of the difference . . if it gave an advantage of raising of the mercury , it must be to the shorter leg , because it had a greater moles of mercury in it , and of water upon it . . but the truth is , the pressure of water or mercury in an inverted siphon , is equal , though the amplitude of the legs differ ; for fluids in that instance , press secundum altitudinem or longitudinem , not secundum amplitudinem . a siphon inverted , having one leg of inches diameter , and the other but of an inch diameter , filled with water or mercury , will have their superficies of equal heights , notwithstanding the disproportion of their amplitude . this part of the experiment therefore stands unshaken by the remark , and therefore surely the experiment it self , nor the collection thereupon made by the remark , gives little countenance to the magnified demonstration mentioned in the remark , but concludes effectually against it . indeed as to the second instance or trial , which i call the double trial , pag. . it hath reasonably given a just cause of exception , yet not without some mistake in the remark , because it was tried when two inches and more of the mercury was first driven out of the siphon , by the water poured into the longer leg , and therefore i lay no weight upon it ; yet even there , there is a disparity in the pressure of the solute and enclosed water , there being a greater height of water pressing upon the mercury in the shorter leg than in the longer : but because this second trial is less evident , i lay it aside ; yet howsoever this doth not impeach the former trial , nor the conclusion which i lay upon it , viz. that the force of the same column of water contracted in the longer leg of the siphon , and having no other base but the mercury it self , is of greater force than the like column of solute water in the open vessel impending upon the shorter leg , especially since in the one case and the other , the open air gives the most fair trial to the energy of both : and therefore the disparity of the pressure of enclosed and solute water , which the remarker is pleasantly disposed to call the masonry of the water , is not hereby impeached , nor the notable demonstration in the enchiridion metaphysicum , by the rundle of wood any way relieved . and for evidence of the truth of the pressure of water secundum altitudinem , and not secundum amplitudinem , and also the disparity of pressure of solute water , and water under a constriction to a narrow basis , i have observed that if a tube of half an inch diameter , and foot high , with a lumen of a quarter of an inch diameter in the side near the base , be filled with water , the parabolical line that the water will make out of that vessel in its first exsilition , will be as long , yea , and somewhat longer than the like parabolical line made in the first exsilition , by the like lumen out of a vessel of six inches diameter , and the same height , which must needs proceed from the greater pressure by that column of water that hath an equal height , but a base of more equality to the lumen , according to the subjoined figure . remark viii , ix . the true reason of the rising of the rundle of wood is neither from the spirit of nature , nor from an hylarchical principle , but from the plain common known rules of hydrostaticks , whereby necessarily a fluid body drives up a solid body lighter than it self , to the superficies , if it can by any means in the least proportion , insinuate it self between the rundle and the base of the vessel , and this is done by circumpulsion . but as touching stevinus his experiment of the rundle covering a pertuse or hole in the basis of the vessel , i must needs say , stevinus delivers it in his observations upon the th . proposition of his hydrostatiques , from whence i transcribe it , pag. . of the nugae . i have said enough touching this business before upon remark , . upon the essay ; i shall therefore shortly collect somewhat of what is there more fully delivered . if the rundle of wood be specifically lighter than a portion of water equal to its moles , and the rundle be pressed down as contiguous as may be to the plain basis of the vessel , yet it will rise ; for by reason of the porosities and chamfers of the wood , all the industry imaginable will not press it so close , but there will be some interstitia between the rundle and the basis or bottom of the vessel into which the water will creep , and so undermine and drive up the rundle to the superficies of the water , by an ascending pressure of the water , which ascending pressure is nevertheless wrought and effected first by a descent of the water round the sides of the rundle , and so by a kind of ballance , overweighing the rundle of wood , and thereupon necessarily weighing it up . . if the rundle be closely fixed to the bottom by a viscous , or glutinous , or thick oylie matter , that the water cannot get under it , the rundle will not rise , upon this double account . . because that adhering oyl by the mutual adhesion to the rundle and base , renders the rundle consequentially , and effectively , and extrinsecally heavier by its adhesion , than the like moles of water , whereby the water cannot raise it . but , . and principally , because the interposed viscous oyl doth obstruct the migration or insinuation of the water between the rundle and basis or bottom of the vessel , and so it cannot get under it to drive it up ; but stands now as one common fixed base of the vessel united to the true base thereof , . if there be a hole in the bottom of the vessel , suppose of two inches diameter , and the rundle of light wood be inches diameter , and so overlap the orifice , the rundle will not rise , because the water , notwithstanding all the care imaginable , will creep under the sides of the rundle , and discharge it self gradually through the hole ; for the water having never so little passage through the pertuse or hole , though not commensurate to the th . part of its amplitude , will contend and press that way , and so gravitate upon the rundle that lies in its way , by its conatus ad motum to that orifice , where it finds never so little vent that it may discharge it self ; for the water pressing upon and through the orifice , doth necessarily press upon the interposed rundle . . and if the rundle of wood could be kept so close to the bottom , either by its own exquisite smoothness ( which is hardly possible ) or by any viscous oyl , or by any fixation to the bottom or base of the vessel , now it stands as one common base to the water , as the rest of the bottom of the vessel doth , and is of no use to explicate the phaenomenon ; for it is all one as if it were one continued solid base to the vessel , unmoved and unmoveable by the water . and this upon more than one trial , i find true ; and when duly weighed , it makes nothing in favour of the remarkers hypothesis , or to the disadvantage of my supposition in the essay , though i confess it doth more distinctly and clearly explicate the phaenomenon . remark x. the adequate reason is truly given by me , if the glass were excessively strong , or if it were filled with water , it would not break , because the internal water bears as strongly against the external pressure of the external water , as that can downward against it . as we see in making new cuts and rivers ; if there be a river with a small or weak bank on its south side , and another cut of water be made on the south side of that slender bank , the water in the river will not break the bank ; for the adjacent cut filled with water , strengthens the bank by its renitence ; but if the cutt be empty of water , the bank of the river will break , because the conterminous air is not of strength enough to balance it . the sides of the glass-bottles of themselves being too weak to protect them , and the included air capable of compression by the heavier element of water , it wants strength to protect it , and so breaks . but as for the air being out of its place when under water , i have observed enough before of the vanity of that reason , and the ensuing remarks will give me occasion to re-inforce it . remark xi . if the remarker had been pleased to take notice of what is so often mentioned in both the tracts upon which he remarks , and is of infallible truth , that the pressure of water in this instance and divers others , is never secundum amplitudinem , but secundum altitudinem : much of this remark might have been spared , and the censure of absurdity would have been reserved to better purpose ; for the water in the pipe of one quarter of an inch diameter , must be counterpoised with a cylinder of external water , of equal height and length to that in the tube . and if the height be less , though the amplitude of the water be more , it will not counterpoise it in this motion . remark xii , xiii . i come to the instance which i call the valve , he calls the obturaculum . i have given my reason of that phaenomenon , why the obturaculum will not subside in such an immersion into water ; this is the subject of cap. . nugarum , pag. , &c. and in the observation upon the remark ; which is this in effect . when the whole tube with its valve closed , is counterpoised with a portion of water of greater , or at least , equal weight to the whole instrument , and of equal bulk to so much thereof as is immersed in the water , the whole engin must necessarily swim ; for it is in aequilibrio with , or preponderated by so much water , which it displaceth by its immersion . and it is in effect no other , than if a cylindrical body , suppose a cane , were of two inches diameter , and of two foot long , the bottom filled about an inch with lead , and then inches with water , and the rest with air , and suppose the whole cane were lighter than the like bulk of water , so that a moles of water countervailing inches of this cylinder , would counterpoise it , it is absolutely necessary that this cylinder must swim perpendiculary and erect in the water at an immersion of twelve inches ; for the water bearing against its basis , must necessarily sustain it at that height . and perfectly the same reason is that which keeps up the obturaculum , by pressing against it at the bottom ; which now is as it were one common piece of the whole latin cylinder or valve ; and this aequilibrium is the true cause of its sustentation . but the remarker hath given us another kind of solution ; which if i understand aright , is to this purpose , that in this instance the air is out of its place being in the latin cube below the superficies of the water , and that the spirit of nature , or the principium hylarchicum , to rescue it from this inconvenience , draws up the air , and drives down the contiguous water , and therewith draws and drives up the obturaculum , which by the abituriency ( as it is called ) of the air , is sustained : and as a strong proof hereof , it is said both in the remark , and in the enchiridion metaphysicum , that if the tube be stopped near the sucker or obturaculum , it will by no means be sustained ; because now the obturaculum is not concerned in the abiturience of the air thus separated from it by the interposed obstruction . this i call an obscure solution ; and had i then searched into it , as i have done since , i should have stiled it a mistaken solution ; for so it is . . i do not understand how the air is out of its place , when it fills the tube below the superficies of the water , any more than if the vessel were placed upon a steeple , the air on either side reaching below the fund of the vessel , it may be yards , were out of his place , because the bucket of water stands above it . . neither do i understand how the spirit of nature is concerned to fetch up the air out of the tube , or to bring the water into the tube ; but it is performed by a plain statical necessity , and the relative pressure of the water upon the basis of the tube , being lighter than the like moles of water . . be it in his place , or out of his place ; if the instance given by the remarker of the falling off of the valve or obturaculum , when another obturaculum is interposed , were as true as it is confidently affirmed , there might have some relief thereby been given to the solution , which i called obscure : but most plainly it is not true ; and by frequent trials i have found that notwithstanding that interposed stopping a little above the sucker , or obturaculum , the obturaculum will continue suspended as well as if there were no such interposed stoppage . i took a latin tube of two foot five inches long , and one inch and a quarter diameter , with its valve and obturaculum closely fitted each to other , but so as with its own weight the obturaculum would subside in the open air , the weight of the whole engin weighed ounces and a half and d weight . i stopped the tube within less than ah inch above the obturaculum with cork , so every way encompassed with a strong cement , that all possible intercourse between the superior air and the lower brazen obturaculum was entirely stopped . the valve or obturaculum being put up , and the tube immersed into a full vessel of water , subsided to inches depth , and thereby drave over a portion of water equal in weight to the weight of the engin , and equal in bulk or moles to the inches of the engin immersed in the water ; and all this while the obturaculum stuck fast ; i therefore gently raised the engin till it came within or inches of the superficies of the water , and yet it continued sustained till it was raised to such a height as the weight of the obturaculum counterpoised a column of water commensurate in weight unto it , and so long the obturaculum continued suspended ; but when the tube was lifted higher , so that the aequipondium between the obturaculum and the like moles of water was lost , then the obturaculum fell down , as in the instance of the valve , that had no such interposed obstruction . this was the event of this experiment often made , and will doubtless fall out upon any other mans trial , if it be carefully and soberly put in ure . only this must be remembred , if the obturaculum be not very true and exact , but that the water comes in considerably between the obturaculum and the valve , the obturaculum will fall off after a little while at least , as well in this , as in the unstopped tube described in the fifth chapter of the nugae , partly by reason of the laxness of its adhesion , and partly by reason of the additional weight of water getting in above the lower obturaculum . and yet it must be remembred also , that though there be the greatest care imaginable used , if the obturaculum be so lax as to fall from the valve in the open air , though it be so close as to stick together in the water , the water will creep between the fissures of the obturaculum and the valve , with a force , if it have any room to receive it . and whether even that very pressure of the water upwards through that fissure , may for a while contribute to the bearing up of the valve ( as in the instance of the rundles of wood covering the orifice in the base , it contributes to the keeping down of the rundle ) may be considerable . but howsoever , if it receive too much water , it presseth the obturaculum the more downward , and thereby in time weakens the adhesion thereof . and now what part hath this spiritus naturae to act in this case ? i shall therefore conclude this remark upon which so great a stress is laid to prove the hylarchical principle , and the manner of its sustaining the obturaculum , by evocating the air , and its ready obsequious abituriency , to be not so much an obscure , as a mistaken solution , and bottomed upon a mistaken experiment . remark xiv . in this remark , the author is pleasant with his hylarchical principle , attributing to it a pretty kind of intelligence , only where he sayes , that it is the pulp , not the skin of the finger that feels the monition of the hylarchical principle ; it is certainly both ; for the pulp cannot be attracted , unless the intervening skin be attracted . the th . remark will come to be considered hereafter . remark xvi . exception is taken because i say , regularly bodily effects are wrought by contact of some active body upon the patient : the remarker might , if he had pleased , have taken notice that i often say , in bodily motions some things act from an inward active principle inherent in them , as the descent of heavy bodies . other things there are that are moved by an external or foreign active principle , or at least , some other body put into motion , as in a clock , the descent of the weight of lead is ab intrinseco principio , and not by any contact , but the turning about of the wheels of the clock , is by the connexion of the line to the weight , and its circumvolution about the wheel per contactum . to the former i never apply this axiom , as he calls it , as he himself after in his th remark fairly confesseth . this active intrinsick principle i call the law of nature alligated to heavy bodies ; and if he had called it an hylarchical principle , i should not have contended with him about the word : but in these motions ab extrinseco , i dare think at least , he will not deny it to be regularly true . remark xvii , xviii , xix , xx. there is no great matter in these , but only touching the porosity of glass ; and the difficulty of the transition of the materia subtilis through it , by the renitence of the air ; upon which little more need to be said than what occurs before . only where the remarker subjoynes that upon the gentle gradual inclining of the tube of mercury , yet when it comes to an erect posture the mercury subsides to inches , is an argument that there are no such effluvia from the mercury , to supply the derelicted space in the top of the tube . this , though often repeated by him in the subsequent remarks , seems to be no objection ; for whether the subsiding be more gradual , or more sudden , the compression of the mercurial parts , and traction upon them , are equal when it attains its perpendicular pressure ; as to use my old comparison , if a man strain a lute-string from a lower to a higher note , suppose from an eighth to a third , if he do it rapidly , he shall indeed endanger the lute-string ; but whether it be wound up swifter or slower , the tension of the lute-string is the same at an equal height , in both motions of the pin : indeed while the inclination continues , the pressure and gravitation of the mercury upon it self , is less , and consequently the tension weaker ; and therefore the portions of effluvia sent or drawn out in that posture , are less ; but when it comes to an erect perpendicular posture , the pressure and gravitation , and traction and tension is equal , whether that posture be attained suddenly or more leisurely . as to the length of the tube , or its capacity in the top to receive more mercury , as i have made the objection ; so the answer that i give , that the more mercury descends , the more effluvia are emitted , seems to me a sufficient answer , whether the tube be leisurely or suddenly brought to a vertical posture . remark xxi , xxii , xxiii , xxiv , xxv , xxvi , xxvii . there is in these remarks no difference between us ; for it seems i write herein according to his sense ; only in the solution by me given by tension , and rarefaction , and attraction thereby wrought , it agrees not to his judgment , as contradicting the instance of the sustaining of the embolus of the air-pump , upon which the enchiridion layes great stress to prove an hylarchical principle ; therefore most of the ensuing remarks are levelled against that solution . remark xxviii , xxix , xxx , xxxi . touching the various position of the mercury upon the top and bottom of a hill , i need not say more than what is said in my th chapter of the nugae , and therefore i spare repetition . touching the reason assigned by the remark of the swelling of a bladder , and the raising of bubbles out of water and spirit of wine in the air-pump , by me attributed to tension and attraction , thereby wrought ; but by the remarker to a tumultuary agitation of the parts of water , &c. as he is little satisfied with my explication , so i am as little satisfied with his ; both indeed produce an agitation of the water in the glass ; but that which i assign , is regular , orderly and sutable to the effect produced ; but the tumultuary agitation of the remarker , is confused , irregular , and unproductive of such regular motion ; and besides , is unevident , and contradicted by phaenomena of like nature ; as we shall see plainly in the magdeburgh hemispheres . the ludicrous instance , as i call it , of the attraction of tobacco through water , is properly brought in by me in this place , to shew that in many instances , attraction may be made through water , which was seasonable in that place , and proper enough . remark xxxii , xxxiii . in these two remarks the remarker endeavours to shew , . the groundlessness of the solution offered by me to the torricellian phaenomena . and , . it s repugnancy . the former he saith he hath shewn in remark . but all that is done to shew it , is to substitute certain inevident , and i think , mistaken suppositions : as , . the perviousness of glass to the subtiler aerial particles ; this indeed he hath often said , but no where proved ; and if it were admitted , would not only perfectly destroy the apparent phaenomena in that instrument , but would utterly confound his answer to the resiliency of the mercury upon a sudden lifting up and separation of the tube from the restagnant mercury : for what need such a violent resilition where the top of the tube admits the subtiler aerial particles to pervade the glass ? . the gentle inclining of the tube to prevent the tumultuary agitation of the mercury . but what i have shewn in my observation upon remark , &c. i think sufficiently discovers the impotence of this objection . . the gravitation upward by a circle of motion , is utterly unapt to salve the resilition ; for that circulation can be but a slow , gentle motion , and cannot possibly have so rapid a motion by the imaginary straightness of the channel ; as we may suppose in the streights in the sea ; upon which the ocean presseth ; but this neither can nor need receive a greater portion of subtil air to relieve it than possibly inches in height , and the th part of an inch in diameter , where the amplitude of the tube is no greater . as to the second , namely , the repugnancy which is assigned . . in that i deny a vacuum , which he saith cannot be by another way prevented , but by the transition of the subtil particles of air through the glass ; but such a course of argumentation seems to be of kin to that which is called petitio principii , he knows i assign another cause , though he dispute the truth of it . then he proceeds to the leisurely inclining of the tube ; which i confess is often repeated , but i think need not be more than once answered , which i think is done in my observations upon remark , &c. then he proceeds to the argument touching rarefaction , and the inconvenience of the penetration of dimensions , and so endeavours to prove repugnancies in what is said by a problem that deserves more discussion than the argument in hand , as hath been shewed in the beginning of this book , wherein i have nevertheless expressed my thoughts touching it . i cannot tell what the remarker imagines or conceives against the cohesion of grosser bodies by the tension of lighter bodies , but i can tell what is evident to my sense , and so may any that will give his senses leave freely to determin , without stifling them by notions , namely , that there is as plain a cohesion in the magdeburgh hemispheres ; yea , and in the torricellian engin , as there is between things fastned each to other by a string : and therefore i cannot so over-readily change the conviction of my senses , for a notion or conception asserted and magnified , but not proved . but to infer that because water , which is above times crasser than air , is not compressible to a sensible smaller room by a great weight , therefore a portion of subtil matter cannot be extracted out of it or mercury , with so small a weight as the mercurial cylinder , or that the effluvia of water or mercury , which are as subtil as air , cannot be expanded by a less weight than water compressed into a sensible narrower room , seem hard illations , and very inconsequential ; for we see the heat of a mans hand will expand air in weather-glasses to near a double extension . remark xxxiv . i do prove the attraction of tensed bodies by the plain evidence of sense , and i assign the preservation of the continuity of the universe , as the end thereof , and the supream efficient cause thereof to be , the most wise and powerful creator of all things , and the immediate effective cause , that instituted law that he hath placed in things natural ; the immediate instrumental cause in many motions that are not primitive in their subjects , to be from the singular disposition of the part of the universe , & their admirable mechanical adaptation each to other . and as to the vicarious spirit of nature , as a distinct incorporeal subsistence , when the author hath given us better proofs thereof than the suspending of mercury in the torricellian experiment , the driving up a rundle of light wood by the water , and potentia attractiva of the embolus of the air-pump , and such like petty instances , together with his bare notion touching it : it may possibly obtain a better entertainment than yet i find it doth , at least with me . remark xxxv . this instance in the bladder and cupping-glasses , is passed over in this remark very lightly , and it was necessary so to be dealt with , because too troublesome to be explicated otherwise than by tension and attraction , and it would require an admirable process in the hylarchical principle ; to effect this , and some proof besides single notions and conceptions of such explication by such a principle . remark xxxvi . the instance here given , hath put the remarker to a great deal of pains to find a solution for it and the consequences of it ( for the hypothesis of attraction is confidently said to be fully confuted , though it be only so said , but not so done . ) but yet the hylarchical principle is at length furnished with an hylostatical libration and hylostatical power of union of the several parts of water , air and glass : and at this rate i confess there will never want a ready solution to any difficulty ; for it is but asserting that the spirit of nature is furnished with that effectual power , and the knot is untied or cut , though there be not a syllable of proof offered for it ; but it is only graffed on to the hypothesis of the spirit of nature by the wit of the assertor , to accommodate the hypothesis . remark xxxvii . i refer my self to what is said before in the first chapter of this book , and upon the same remark , there need not be said more . the laws of nature were the laws of god imprinted upon the nature of physical beings by his almighty fiat ; and though as to particular beings , he hath substituted particular active principles , usually called essential and vital forms ; yet as to the universe it self , it seems to be too great an empire to be put into the vicariat hands of that which is here called the spirit of nature . the great god that gave the laws of nature , is sufficient without such a substitute , and is only sufficient for the regiment of so great an empire ; and this may serve also to remark . we are not disputing whether such a spirit of nature be possible to be , but whether de facto it be or not , or that it is necessary that it should be , at least as to those motions which have so evident explication from other principles . remark xxxix . herein we differ not as to the rejecting of the great elasticity of the air. remark xl. i confess when i read the beginning of this remark , i hoped to meet with such a solution to the instance remarked upon , as would be close and clear ; because this instance bears so hard against most of what the remarker hath before affirmed ; but i was deceived herein . in this instance of the magdeburg hemispheres , these things are most evident to any mans sense . . that the included air is certainly expanded and rarefied by the heat , beyond its natural size . . that while they are so hot , and the air so expanded and lax , they do not at all cohere . . that as they grow cold , they do most evidently cohere ; so that they will not be divulsed without a considerable strength . . that most necessarily as the included air grows cold , and the heat which was the cause of its expansion ; decayes , so the air must needs endeavour its restitution to its natural dimension , by contracting it self inward to its natural size . . and yet if it have such a degree of heat , as again gives a more lax state to the included air , the cohesion will cease , and the hemispheres fall asunder . . and as the remarker confesseth , and the most clear evidence of sense evinceth , those phaenomena are not wrought , nor indeed possible to be wrought , either by the weight , pressure or elasticity of the external air , as the elaterists would have it . the consequence of all which is , that certainly as far as sense can lead us , the air is rarefied by the heat ; and as the heat decayes , the air endeavours its own contraction , and there necessarily follows , even to our sense , an attraction upon the sides of the hemispheres , whereby they cohere ; and that cohesion will continue till relaxed by another accession of heat , or admission of more air. but now what doth the remark propound in this instance ? marry , an hylostatical spirit , which , pro re nata , works these various phaenomena , which is only a conjecture , and hath no evidence to prove it besides notion or imagination ; but the method of the effecting it by this hylostatical spirit , is more admirable , though it is pleasantly offered , that thereby all goes off glibly . and it is to this effect , as i take it . the hylostatical spirit finding the subtilty of matter imprisoned in an undue place between the hemispheres , presently makes up an occasional gravitation or elasticity in the ambient air to squeeze out the included subtil matter , and give it liberty , and thereby presseth the hemispheres together . and so in this glib hypothesis the remark doth two things . viz. . it creates a weight or elasticity in the ambient air pro re nata , which as it is in effect contrary to all that he hath before delivered against the weight or elasticity of the air , so it hath this disadvantage , as is proposed by the remark , that it is infinitely more incredible than the common supposition of the elaterists , and indeed little less than miraculous . and . it is a conatus of this hylostatical spirit to no purpose at all , and meerly frustraneous , unless by such an admirable condensation of the ambient air it could break the brazen ribs ; whereas indeed it makes the prison the stronger . i must confess , this fetch goes not down so easily with me , nor i believe with many more . remark xli . i come to the remarks upon the phaenomena of the glass-pump , wherein i attribute the raising of the water in the glass to the traction made by the tensed air in the shank of the pump , and the dilatation of the air in the top of the glass , by the extraction of the water . and the reason why after iterated evacuations of the water by that suction or traction , no more will rise , to be , because the air in the bottle hath undergone as great a tension or dilatation as a pump of that length can give it . these things i must observe touching this pump . . the length of the shank or pump if self above the glass , was not much above fourteen inches , and the embolus proportionable thereunto , if it had been longer , the attractive force must have been greater , and would probably have given a stronger traction , and consequently a greater expansion , tension or rarefaction to the air in the upper part of the glass . . that in this instance here is no misplacing of the air or water ; upon which the author builds much of the activity of his hylarchical principle in divers of his remarks ; for the air in the bottle , and in the shank of the pump , are both above the scituation of the water in the bottle . and here the author , after some recourse to the impossibility of penetration of dimensions , which he so often inculcates , gives us his solution , returns to the activity of the hylostatical principle , which because the subtil matter misplaced , invigorates the external air to do something in this business , but tells us not expresly what , or how , in this place : we shall hereafter , it may be , find what is meant . only he tells us two things . . that it is impossible so heavy a body as water , should rise so high into so extream a thin body in the glass , and that without fresh air succeeding . . that the embolus that at the first pumping , overcame the consistence of the air should as reasonably overcome it still . as to the first , it seems he is now pleased to admit an intrinsick gravity in the water , which renders it unwilling to ascend ; but besides , according to the authors assertion in his remarks , the more subtil parts of the air will pervade the glass , if that were true , there would be supplemental subtil air at least , to supply the evacuation of the water to the last drop . as to the second , there is nothing more plain to our very sense , than that any extendible or tensible body till it be broken , doth more easily yield to the first attempts of its extension , which yet with more difficulty , succeeds afterward as is evident in the air-pump and a lute-string , which is an instance i frequently use , i confess ; but it explains my meaning ; so that this remark concludes nothing against what i have delivered in relation to my glass-pump , nor to evidence the interposition therein of the supposed hylarchical principle . remark xliii , xliv , xlv , xlvi . before i come to my observations upon these remarks , it may be convenient to give an explication of the dimensions of the glass-pump that i made use of ; referring my self to the figure thereof , described in the nugae , fig. . the whole length from the upper end of the embolus to the bottom of the glass-globe , was near inches ; whereof the embolus reaching to d , near as low as h , where the water was to be pumped out , was about inches from h , to the upper surface of the glass , near inches ; from the upper surface of the glass to the bottom of it , about inches , which was the diameter of the globular glass ; the continued pipe of the pump being less , running into the glass about inches , and so at e , opening and ending about inches from the bottom of the globular glass ; consequently from the lower end of the sucker at d , to the middle of the globular glass about inches and a half or inches ; the cavity of the pump it self near two inches diameter or thereabouts ; so that the air between the bottom of the embolus and the top of the glass , might be a cylinder of near inches diameter , and about inches long ; by the tension whereof , the water in half the glass is by me supposed to be attracted and raised . the other and upper half of the glass contains the other half of the globe , and is filled with air , which contained about pints ; which was more than twenty times the quantity of air contained in the pump , between the lower end of the embolus and the top of the water . i say , by iterated pumpings i drew out a quart of water , which made the water subside in the lower half of the bottle above an inch and an half ; and consequently the air in the upper half of the bottle expanded so , that now it contained about pints of air ; after which , it was not capable of a greater expansion by my small pump : the engin it self is more punctually described in the th chapter of the nugae ; but the dimensions not so fully mentioned there as here . this instance i use as an evidence to prove the attraction of the water by the tension of that little portion of air in the cavity of the pump and the sequaciousness of the water to relieve that tension , and to preserve the continuity of the mundana materia which in these remarks is opposed by my learned antagonist . and the instance is opposed upon this account , that the air in the glass is tended from to ; whereas the air in the pump is tended from to spaces at least , which is said , is an evidence that there is no such tension ; for if there were , the air in the glass would receive a greater tension than from to , when the air in the pump is supposed to be tended from to , which is ever proportionate to the tension of the air in the glass . but surely this is an objection of no force , for apparent reasons : though the expansion of to , is not in proportion the same with the expansion from to , yet such a proportion need not , nor indeed is possible in this case ; for as the body of the air in the glass , is above times the quantity of the body of the air in the pump , so such an expansion serves its turn , as may make good the space that is left by the evacuated water , which being no more but one quart , the air in the glass can receive no greater amplitude of expansion than one quart of space more than it had before . the measure of the extension of the air not being governed by the bare proportion which happens in another distinct portion of air , and that of a less dimension : but by the room or space that is left by its next contiguous body that must be supplied by its expansion . in the th remark , that which was before wanting , seems now to be supplied , viz. the method which the hylostatical spirit useth in raising the water in this and in other pumps , viz. by a circular pressure and gravitation of the air and water incumbent upon the superficies of the water that the bottom of the pump is on , which jointly gravitates upwards , in regard of that subtil element in the top of the tube , that there may be no bare subtil matter in the pump ; which gravitation and circulation is carried on by the hylostatical principle , that there may be no misplacing of the elements of the universe , whereof the materia subtilis is one . this is the solution in substance , and very near the words of the learned author . this solution , in my understanding , is not only wonderful inevident , but also very improper . . here is granted an occasional elasticity of the air and of the water also , though supposed to be effected by the spirit of nature or principium hylarchicum ; which elasticity i had thought the author would not have granted to air , much less to water . . but the supposition of this circulation encounters it self : for either the materia subtilis ( which is supposed subtil enough to pervade the glass , though the crasser parts of the air cannot ) is either a distinct element of it self , not incorporated with the air , but of a distinct consistence ; or else is part of the aery concretion of the air , the subtil part thereof , and mingled with the air as one constituent part thereof , though in some cases severable from it ; which way soever we take it , the difficulties of the authors supposition are unanswerable . it is plain , the air in the upper part of the glass , upon the exsuction of a quart of water , takes up a quart more of room or space than it had before : if this be caused by the perforation of the glass by the materia subtilis , as a distinct element , and so uniting it self to the air in the glass , then this materia subtilis ( which in respect of its purity , must needs have its proper place rather above the place of the air , by the laws of nature , and not below it ) is called down by the spirit of nature , from its proper position into the cavity of the glass , and so the natural order , position and taxis of the parts of the universe disordered and discomposed . again , if the materia subtilis be but a constituent part of the air , then is the fas ; ter external air robbed of part of its constitution , and impoverished of what naturally belongs to it , to supply the space in the glass derelicted by the exhausted water , and that portion of air in the glass furnished with a greater portion of the materia subtilis , then belongs to it ; and all this done by the spirit of nature , which is supposed to be an active plastick principle to conserve the order of the universe , and not to disorder it ; which according to the learned authors supposition , must yet be the necessary consequence of this imaginary transposition of the materia subtilis in this circulation . . again , in this circulation and circular pressure , we shall find the chain broken , and the circulation interrupted , or a worse inconvenience ; the air in the glass moves upon the water , and that again presseth upward , and moves upon the subtilized air in the pump , and then it is thrown out in the open external air , and so moves upon that : it remains therefore , for the compleating of the circle , that now at last by ther interposition of the hylostatical principle , the external air must circulate by a pressure upon the air in the upper part of the glass , and so the dance is finished . but . we must note that even the author himself agrees that the grosser parts of the air cannot pervade the glass , but it must be the materia subtilis . i demand therefore , whether this materia subtilis pervades the glass , and is united to the air in the top of the glass or not ? if it do not , surely the circle is broken , and with it , the circular pressure or gravitation . if it do pervade the glass , and be united to the air included in the bottle , these insuperable difficulties ensue . . the hylostatical spirit , whose office it seems is to keep the universe in its due libration , and to preserve the air it self in its just size and consistency of gross and subtil matter , as is above observed ; breaks that order that it is placed there to conserve ; for it takes too great a proportion of subtil matter from the common external air which is due to it , and crowds it into the air in the top of the glass , which hath already more , or at least , as much as belongs to it . . it would follow that by such a current of subtil matter through the pores of the glass , that the water should rise into the pump even to the last drop ; for here is a perpetual spring and supply of subtil matter , strained every where through the glass into the air or aery space that was in the head of the glass , and no fear of any vacuum to ensue by the passing away of the water ; so that it may ( to use the authors word ) as glibly pass to the last drop , as at the first , which is evidently contrary to experience . this circular gravitation therefore is but a supplemental invention , to help the flaws that arise from the hypothesis of the interposition of the hylarchical principle , as the true cause of this phaenomenon . remark xlvii . i shall not need say any thing upon this remark ; for herein we are very much agreed ; and he useth me and my book with much civility , and is pleased to contribute his own learned observations in favour of it . the conclusion . i shall not spend many words touching the conclusion . in some things therein mentioned , we very well agree ; namely , in the exclusion of that prodigious gravity and elasticity of the air , whereunto the late philosophers attribute the solution not only of the torricellian experiment , but many other phaenomena . in some things we differ ; he from me , in my solution of many of the phaenomena mentioned in my pamplets , by rarefaction , condensation and attraction . i differ also from him , and the state of that difference i set down shortly thus , both in the negative , and in the affirmative . . i do not deny , but do really assure my self , there are created spirits , some simply void of all corporeal or physical matter ; others , that though possibly they may have a material or physical hypostasis or substratum ; yet it is so subtil , that it may deserve the name of a spiritual being in common expression . . i do not conclude it impossible in nature , but that there may be such a kind of common spirit of nature as the author would have , and not much unlike to helmonts archeus , which he puts into a middle office between the soul and body , or the colcoda of avicen . . but yet i do say i am not satisfied that there is sufficient evidence clearly to evince the same ; & the rather , because i see no necessity for such a being , in as much as almighty god and his intimate presence with all his works , and the laws that he hath alligated to the natures of things , abundantly supply all the general offices for the common good and order of the universe , deputed to this spirit of nature : and the particular active forms or principles of life or motion , placed by the god of nature in the several ranks of beings , supplies what is necessary for their particular motions , operations and instincts . . that the existence of a spirit of nature is not at all proved by those motions and effects in nature , that are either purely mechanical , or that have any other immediate cause of greater , or but as great probability as such an unseen spirit of nature . . that consequently the rising of a rundle in the water , or the suspension of a weight in the embolus of an air-pump , the phaenomena in the torricellian experiment , or in the magdeburgh hemispheres , or in pumps or siphons , are non only invalid arguments to prove such an hylarchical spirit , but very improper and disadvantageous to the supposition it self . . but if there be any such hylarchical spirit , the proofs thereof should be made from such things as seem to have in themselves the principles of their own motions , or at least , no other visible or probable immediate external cause of such their motions . . that if there be such an hylarchical principle as is contended for , and that he doth interpose in many things that are not automata , yet it is most reasonable to suppose that the most exquisite methods of mechanism are the most probable media whereby it performeth such operations . . that therefore the author of the remarks should not be too much averse to the mechanism of those motions in nature , as purely inconsistent with his hylarchical hypothesis ; for hereby he renders it less credible , by denying things that are evident to sense , and transposing them beyond credibility , lest they should seem to prejudice his supposition of an hylarchical principle . it is too much the fashion of men engaged in suppositions , to run into extreams , and that even in this instance of mechanism and mechanical motions in natural bodies ; as i have shewed in the second preliminary chapter of this book ; some attributing too much to the mechanism of things in nature , and some too little . and it seems to me that the learned author of these remarks , out of the zeal he hath for the asserting of a most certain truth , namely , the existence of incorporeal spirits , hath gone farther than was either fit or needful , in the attribution of these phaenomena in nature , whereof we have been debating , to the immediate operation of an incorporeal vital spirit ; which he calls the spirit of nature ; which yet are reasonably salved by the mechanism of bodies , and the most wise order , institution and laws setled by the great creator of all things , which laws are called the laws of nature . finis . books printed for , and to be sold by william shrowsbury , at the sign of the bible in duck-lane . an essay touching the gravitation or non-gravitation of fluid bodies , and the reasons thereof ; in . stereometric , or the art of practical gauging ; shewing in two parts , . diverse facile and compendious ways for gauging of ●uns and brewers vessels , of all forms and figures , either in whole , or gradually from inch to inch , whether the tun or vessels bases above and below be homogeneal , or heterogeneal , parallel , and alike situate or not . . the gauging of any wine , brandy , or oyl-cask ; be the same assum'd as sphaeroidal , parabolical , conical , or cylindrical , either full , or partly empty , and at any position of the cask , or altitude of contained liquor ; performed either by brief calculation , or instrumental operation . together with , a large table of area's of a circles segments , and other necessary tables , and their excellent utilities and improvements ; with a copious and methodical index of the whole ; rendring the work perspicuous and intelligible to mean capacities . by john smith , philo-accomptant : in . franconis burgersdicii idaea philosophiae naturalis , sive methodus definitionum & controversiarum physicarum . editio novissima . huc accessit idea oeconomicae & politicae doctrinae , eodem auctore . opus posthumum . . de antiqua ecclesiae britannicae libertate , atque de legitima ejusdem ecclesiae exemptione à romano patriarchatu diatribe per aliquot theses diducta : autore i. b. s s. theol. professore . . contemplations moral and divine , first and second part ; in . spadacrene dunelmensis ; or , a short treatise of an ancient medicinal fountaln , or vitrioline spaw near the city of durham . together with the constituent principles , virtues and uses thereof . by e. w. doctor in physick . a confutation of atheism from the origin and frame of the world. part ii a sermon preached at st. martin's in the fields, november the th, : being the seventh of the lecture founded by the honourable robert boyle ... / by richard bentley ... bentley, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : g, : ) a confutation of atheism from the origin and frame of the world. part ii a sermon preached at st. martin's in the fields, november the th, : being the seventh of the lecture founded by the honourable robert boyle ... / by richard bentley ... bentley, richard, - . boyle, robert, - . p. printed for h. mortlock ..., london : . appears on reel : as the seventh title in the author's the folly and unreasonableness of atheism, . reproduction of originals in the british library and the huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng religion and science -- early works to . nature -- religious aspects -- early works to . christianity and atheism -- early works to . atheism -- controversial literature. atheism -- early works to . atheism -- sermons. sermons, english -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jason colman sampled and proofread - jason colman text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a confutation of atheism from the origin and frame of the world . part ii. a sermon preached at st. martin's in the fields , november the th . . being the seventh of the lecture founded by the honourable robert boyle , esquire . by richard bentley , m. a. chaplain to the right reverend father in god , edward , lord bishop of worcester . london , printed for h. mortlock at the phoenix in st. paul's church-yard . . imprimatur . ra. barker , r mo in christo patriac d no d no johanni archiep. cantuar . à sacris domest . lambhith , novemb. . . acts xiv . , &c. that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living god , who made heaven and earth and the sea , and all things that are therein : who in times past suffer'd all nations to walk in their own ways . nevertheless , he left not himself without witness , in that he did good , and gave us rain from heaven , and fruitfull seasons , filling our hearts with food and gladness . when we first enter'd upon this topic , the demonstration of god's existence from the origin and frame of the world , we offer'd to prove four propositions . . that this present system of heaven and earth cannot possibly have subsisted from all eternity . . that matter consider'd generally , and abstractly from any particular form and concretion , cannot possibly have been eternal : or , if matter could be so ; yet motion cannot have coexisted with it eternally , as an inherent property and essential attribute of matter . these two we have already established in the preceding discourse ; we shall now shew in the third place , . that , though we should allow the atheists , that matter and motion may have been from everlasting ; yet if ( as they now suppose ) there were once no sun nor starrs nor earth nor planets ; but the particles , that now constitute them , were diffused in the mundane space in manner of a chaos without any concretion and coalition ; those dispersed particles could never of themselves by any kind of natural motion , whether call'd fortuitous or mechanical , have conven'd into this present or any other like frame of heaven and earth . i. and first as to that ordinary cant of illiterate and puny atheists , the fortuitous or casual concourse of atoms , that compendious and easy dispatch of the most important and difficult affair , the formation of a world ; ( besides that in our next undertaking it will be refuted all along ) i shall now briefly dispatch it , from what hath been formerly said concerning the true notions of fortune and chance . whereby it is evident , that in the atheistical hypothesis of the world's production , fortuitous and mechanical must be the self-same thing . because fortune is no real entity nor physical essence , but a mere relative signification , denoting only this ; that such a thing said to fall out by fortune , was really effected by material and necessary causes ; but the person , with regard to whom it is called fortuitous , was ignorant of those causes or their tendencies , and did not design nor foresee such an effect . this is the only allowable and genuine notion of the word fortune . but thus to affirm , that the world was made fortuitously , is as much as to say , that before the world was made , there was some intelligent agent or spectator ; who designing to do something else , or expecting that something else would be done with the materials of the world , there were some occult and unknown motions and tendencies in matter , which mechanically formed the world beside his design or expectation . now the atheists , we may presume , will be loth to assert a fortuitous formation in this proper sense and meaning ; whereby they will make understanding to be older than heaven and earth . or if they should so assert it ; yet , unless they will affirm that the intelligent agent did dispose and direct the inanimate matter , ( which is what we would bring them to ) they must still leave their atoms to their mechanical affections ; not able to make one step toward the production of a world beyond the necessary laws of motion . it is plain then , that fortune , as to the matter before us , is but a synonymous word with nature and necessity . it remains that we examin the adequate meaning of chance ; which properly signifies , that all events called casual , among inanimate bodies , are mechanically and naturally produced according to the determinate figures and textures and motions of those bodies ; with this negation only , that those inanimate bodies are not conscious of their own operations , nor contrive and cast about how to bring such events to pass . so that thus to say , that the world was made casually by the concourse of atoms , is no more than to affirm , that the atoms composed the world mechanically and fatally ; only they were not sensible of it , nor studied and consider'd about so noble an undertaking . for if atoms formed the world according to the essential properties of bulk , figure and motion , they formed it mechanically ; and if they formed it mechanically without perception and design , they formed it casually . so that this negation of consciousness being all that the notion of chance can add to that of mechanism ; we , that do not dispute this matter with the atheists , nor believe that atoms ever acted by counsel and thought , may have leave to consider the several names of fortune and chance and nature and mechanism , as one and the same hypothesis . wherefore once for all to overthrow all possible explications which atheists have or may assign for the formation of the world , we will undertake to evince this following proposition : ii. that the atoms or particles which now constitute heaven and earth , being once separate and diffused in the mundane space , like the supposed chaos , could never without a god by their mechanical affections have convened into this present frame of things or any other like it . which that we may perform with the greater clearness and conviction ; it will be necessary , in a discourse about the formation of the world , to give you a brief account of some of the most principal and systematical phaenomena , that occurr in the world now that it is formed . ( . ) the most considerable phaenomenon belonging to terrestrial bodies is the general action of gravitation , whereby all known bodies in the vicinity of the earth do tend and press toward its center ; not only such as are sensibly and evidently heavy , but even those that are comparatively the lighted , and even in their proper place , and natural elements , ( as they usually speak ) as air gravitates even in air and water in water . this hath been demonstrated and experimentally proved beyond contradiction , by several ingenious persons of the present age , but by none so perspicuously and copiously and accurately , as by the honourable founder of this lecture in his incomparable treatises of the air and hydrostaticks . ( . ) now this is the constant property of gravitation ; that the weight of all bodies around the earth is ever proportional to the quantity of their matter : as for instance , a pound weight ( examin'd hydrostatically ) of all kinds of bodies , though of the most different forms and textures , doth always contain an equal quantity of solid mass or corporeal substance . this is the ancient doctrine of the epicurean physiology , then and since very probably indeed , but yet precariously asserted : but it is lately demonstrated and put beyond controversy by that very excellent and divine theorist mr. isaac newton , to whose most admirable sagacity and industry we shall frequently be obliged in this and the following discourse . i will not entertain this auditory with an account of the demonstration ; but referring the curious to the book it self for full satisfaction , i shall now proceed and build upon it as a truth solidly established , that all bodies weigh according to their matter ; provided only that the compared bodies be at equal distances from the center toward which they weigh . because the further they are removed from the center , the lighter they are : decreasing gradually and uniformly in weight , in a duplicate proportion to the increase of the distance . ( . ) now since gravity is found proportional to the quantity of matter , there is a manifest necessity of admitting a vacuum , another principal doctrine of the atomical philosophy . because if there were every-where an absolute plenitude and density without any empty pores and interstices between the particles of bodies , then all bodies of equal dimensions would contain an equal quantity of matter ; and consequently , as we have shewed before , would be equally ponderous : so that gold , copper , stone , wood , &c. would have all the same specifick weight ; which experience assures us they have not : neither would any of them descend in the air , as we all see they do ; because , if all space was full , even the air would be as dense and specifically as heavy as they . if it be said , that , though the difference of specifick gravity may proceed from variety of texture , the lighter bodies being of a more loose and porous composition , and the heavier more dense and compact ; yet an aethereal subtile matter , which is in a perpetual motion , may penetrate and pervade the minutest and inmost cavities of the closest bodies , and adapting it self to the figure of every pore , may adequately fill them ; and so prevent all vacuity , without increasing the weight : to this we answer ; that that subtile matter it self must be of the same substance and nature with all other matter , and therefore it also must weigh proportionally to its bulk ; and as much of it as at any time is comprehended within the pores of a particular body must gravitate jointly with that body : so that if the presence of this aethereal matter made an absolute fullness , all bodies of equal dimensions would be equally heavy : which being refuted by experience , it necessarily follows , that there is a vacuity ; and that ( notwithstanding some little objections full of cavil and sophistry ) mere and simple extension or space hath a quite different nature and notion from real body and impenetrable substance . ( . ) this therefore being established ; in the next place it's of great consequence to our present enquiry , if we can make a computation , how great is the whole summ of the void spaces in our system , and what proportion it bears to the corporeal substance . by many and accurate trials it manifestly appears , that refined gold , the most ponderous of known bodies , ( though even that must be allowed to be porous too , being dissoluble in mercury and aqua regis and other chymical liquors ; and being naturally a thing impossible , that the figures and sizes of its constituent particles should be so justly adapted , as to touch one another in every point , ) i say , gold is in specifick weight to common water as to ; and water to common air as to : so that gold is to air as to . whence it clearly appears , seeing matter and gravity are always commensurate , that ( though we should allow the texture of gold to be intirely close without any vacuity ) the ordinary air in which we live and respire is of so thin a composition , that parts of its dimensions are mere emptiness and nothing ; and the remaining one only material and real substance . but if gold it self be admitted , as it must be , for a porous concrete , the proportion of void to body in the texture of common air will be so much the greater . and thus it is in the lowest and densest region of the air near the surface of the earth , where the whole mass of air is in a state of violent compression , the inferior being press'd and constipated by the weight of all the incumbent . but , since the air is now certainly known to consist of elastick or springy particles , that have a continual tendency and endeavour to expand and display themselves ; and the dimensions , to which they expand themselves , to be reciprocally as the compression ; it follows , that the higher you ascend in it , where it is less and less compress'd by the superior air , the more and more it is rarefied . so that at the hight of a few miles from the surface of the earth , it is computed to have some million parts of empty space in its texture for one of solid matter . and at the hight of one terrestrial semid . ( not above miles ) the aether is of that wonderfull tenuity , that by an exact calculation , if a small sphere of common air of one inch diameter ( already parts nothing ) should be further expanded to the thinness of that aether , it would more than take up the vast orb of saturn , which is many million million times bigger than the whole globe of the earth . and yet the higher you ascend above that region , the rarefaction still gradually increases without stop or limit : so that , in a word , the whole concave of the firmament , except the sun and planets and their atmospheres , may be consider'd as a mere void . let us allow then , that all the matter of the system of our sun may be times as much as the whole mass of the earth ; and we appeal to astronomy , if we are not liberal enough and even prodigal in this concession . and let us suppose further , that the whole globe of the earth is intirely solid and compact without any void interstices ; notwithstanding what hath been shewed before , as to the texture of gold it self . now though we have made such ample allowances ; we shall find , notwithstanding , that the void space of our system is immensly bigger than all its corporeal mass . for , to proceed upon our supposition , that all the matter within the firmament is times bigger than the solid globe of the earth ; if we assume the diameter of the orbis magnus ( wherein the earth moves about the sun ) to be only times as big as the diameter of the earth ( though the latest and most accurate observations make it thrice ) and the diameter of the firmament to be only times as long as the diameter of the orbis magnus ( though it cannot possibly be less than that , but may be vastly and unspeakably bigger ) we must pronounce , after such large concessions on that side and such great abatements on ours , that the summ of empty spaces within the concave of the firmament is million million million times bigger than all the matter contain'd in it . now from hence we are enabled to form a right conception and imagination of the supposed chaos ; and then we may proceed to determin the controversy with more certainty and satisfaction ; whether a world like the present could possibly without a divine influence be formed in it or no ? ( . ) and first , because every fixt star is supposed by astronomers to be of the same nature with our sun ; and each may very possibly have planets about them , though by reason of their vast distance they be invisible to us : we will assume this reasonable supposition , that the same proportion of void space to matter , which is found in our sun's region within the sphere of the fixt starrs , may competently well hold in the whole mundane space . i am aware , that in this computation we must not assign the whole capacity of that sphere for the region of our sun ; but allow half of its diameter for the radii of the several regions of the next fixt starrs . so that diminishing our former number , as this last consideration requires ; we may safely affirm from certain and demonstrated principles , that the empty space of our solar region ( comprehending half of the diameter of the firmament ) is hundred thousand million million times more ample than all the corporeal substance in it . and we may fairly suppose , that the same proportion may hold through the whole extent of the universe . ( . ) and secondly as to the state or condition of matter before the world was a-making , which is compendiously exprest by the word chaos ; they must suppose , that either all the matter of our system was evenly or well-nigh evenly diffused through the region of the sun , this would represent a particular chaos : or all matter universally so spread through the whole mundane space ; which would truly exhibit a general chaos ; no part of the universe being rarer or denser than another . which is agreeable to the ancient description of it , that * the heavens and earth had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , one form , one texture and constitution : which could not be , unless all the mundane matter were uniformly and evenly diffused . 't is indifferent to our dispute , whether they suppose it to have continued a long time or very little in the state of diffusion . for if there was but one single moment in all past eternity , when matter was so diffused : we shall plainly and fully prove , that it could never have convened afterwards into the present frame and order of things . ( . ) it is evident from what we have newly proved , that in the supposition of such a chaos or such an even diffusion either of the whole mundane matter or that of our system ( for it matters not which they assume ) every single particle would have a sphere of void space around it hundred thousand million million times bigger than the dimensions of that particle . nay further , though the proportion already appear so immense ; yet every single particle would really be surrounded with a void sphere eight times as capacious as that newly mention'd ; its diameter being compounded of the diameter of the proper sphere , and the semi-diameters of the contiguous spheres of the neighbouring particles . from whence it appears , that every particle ( supposing them globular or not very oblong ) would be above nine million times their own length from any other particle . and moreover in the whole surface of this void sphere there can only twelve particles be evenly placed ( as the hypothesis requires ) that is , at equal distances from the central one and each other . so that if the matter of our system or of the universe was equally dispersed , like the supposed chaos ; the result and issue would be , not only that every atom would be many million times its own length distant from any other : but if any one should be moved mechanically ( without direction or attraction ) to the limit of that distance ; 't is above a hundred million millions odds to an unit , that it would not strike upon any other atom , but glide through an empty interval without any contact . ( . ) 't is true , that while i calculate these measures , i suppose all the particles of matter to be at absolute rest among themselves , and situated in an exact and mathematical evenness ; neither of which is likely to be allowed by our adversaries , who not admitting the former , but asserting the eternity of motion , will consequently deny the latter also : because in the very moment that motion is admitted in the chaos , such an exact evenness cannot possibly be preserved . but this i do , not to draw any argument against them from the universal rest or accurately equal diffusion of matter ; but only that i may better demonstrate the great rarity and tenuity of their imaginary chaos , and reduce it to computation . which computation will hold with exactness enough , though we allow the particles of the chaos to be variously moved , and to differ something in size and figure and situation . for if some particles should approach nearer each other than in the former proportion ; with respect to some other particles they would be as much remoter . so that notwithstanding a small diversity of their positions and distances , the whole aggregate of matter , as long as it retain'd the name and nature of chaos , would retain well-nigh an uniform tenuity of texture , and may be consider'd as an homogeneous fluid . as several portions of the same sort of water are reckon'd to be of the same specifick gravity ; though it be naturally impossible that every particle and pore of it , consider'd geometrically , should have equal sizes and dimensions . we have now represented the true scheme and condition of the chaos ; how all the particles would be disunited ; and what vast intervals of empty space would lye between each . to form a system therefore , 't is necessary that these squander'd atoms should convene and unite into great and compact masses , like the bodies of the earth and planets . without such a coalition the diffused chaos must have continued and reign'd to all eternity . but how could particles so widely dispersed combine into that closeness of texture ? our adversaries can have only these two ways of accounting for it . either by the common motion of matter , proceeding from external impulse and conflict ( without attraction ) by which every body moves uniformly in a direct line according to the determination of the impelling force . for , they may say , the atoms of the chaos being variously moved according to this catholic law , must needs knock and interfere ; by which means some that have convenient figures for mutual coherence might chance to stick together , and others might join to those , and so by degrees such huge masses might be formed , as afterwards became suns and planets : or there might arise some vertiginous motions or whirlpools in the matter of the chaos ; whereby the atoms might be thrust and crowded to the middle of those whirlpools , and there constipate one another into great solid globes , such as now appear in the world. or secondly by mutual gravitation or attraction . for they may assert , that matter hath inherently and essentially such an intrinseck energy , whereby it incessantly tends to unite it self to all other matter : so that several particles placed in a void space at any distance whatsoever would without any external impulse spontaneously convene and unite together . and thus the atoms of the chaos , though never so widely diffused , might by this innate property of attraction soon assemble themselves into great sphaerical masses , and constitute systems like the present heaven and earth . this is all that can be proposed by atheists , as an efficient cause of a world. for as to the epicurean theory , of atoms descending down an infinite space by an inherent principle of gravitation , which tends not toward other matter , but toward a vacuum or nothing ; and verging from the perpendicular * no body knows why nor when nor where ; 't is such miserable absurd stuff , so repugnant to it self , and so contrary to the known phaenomena of nature ( yet it contented supine unthinking atheists for a thousand years together ) that we will not now honour it with a special refutation . but what it hath common with the other explications , we will fully confute together with them in these three propositions . ( . ) that by common motion ( without attraction ) the dissever'd particles of the chaos could never make the world ; could never convene into such great compact masses , as the planets now are ; nor either acquire or continue such motions , as the planets now have . ( . ) that such a mutual gravitation or spontaneous attraction can neither be inherent and essential to matter ; nor ever supervene to it , unless impress'd and infused into it by a divine power . ( . ) that though we should allow such attraction to be natural and essential to all matter ; yet the atoms of a chaos could never so convene by it , as to form the present system : or if they could form it , it could neither acquire such motions , nor continue permanent in this state , without the power and providence of a divine being . i. and first , that by common motion the matter of chaos could never convene into such masses , as the planets now are . any man , that considers the spacious void intervals of the chaos , how immense they are in proportion to the bulk of the atoms , will hardly induce himself to believe , that particles so widely disseminated could ever throng and crowd one another into a close and compact texture . he will rather conclude , that those few that should happen to clash , might rebound after the collision ; or if they cohered , yet by the next conflict with other atoms might be separated again , and so on in an eternal vicissitude of fast and loose , without ever consociating into the huge condense bodies of planets ; some of whose particles upon this supposition must have travell'd many millions of leagues through the gloomy regions of chaos , to place themselves where they now are . but then how rarely would there be any clashing at all ? how very rarely in comparison to the number of atoms ? the whole multitude of them , generally speaking , might freely move and rove for ever with very little occurring or interfering . let us conceive two of the nearest particles according to our former calculation ; or rather let us try the same proportions in another example , that will come easier to the imagination . let us suppose two ships , fitted with durable timber and rigging , but without pilot or mariners , to be placed in the vast atlantick or the pacifique ocean , as far asunder as may be . how many thousand years might expire , before those solitary vessels should happen to strike one against the other ? but let us imagin the space yet more ample , even the whole face of the earth to be covered with sea , and the two ships to be placed in the opposite poles : might not they now move long enough without any danger of clashing ? and yet i find , that the two nearest atoms in our evenly diffused chaos have ten thousand times less proportion to the two void circular planes around them , than our two ships would have to the whole surface of the deluge . let us assume then another deluge ten thousand times larger than noah's . is it not now utterly incredible , that our two vessels , placed there antipodes to each other , should ever happen to concur ? and yet let me add , that the ships would move in one and the same surface ; and consequently must needs encounter , when they either advance towards one another in direct lines , or meet in the intersection of cross ones ; but the atoms may not only fly side-ways , but over likewise and under each other : which makes it many million times more improbable , that they should interfere than the ships , even in the last and unlikeliest instance . but they may say , though the odds indeed be unspeakable that the atoms do not convene in any set number of trials , yet in an infinite succession of them may not such a combination possibly happen ? but let them consider , that the improbability of casual hits is never diminished by repetition of trials ; they are as unlikely to fall out at the thousandth as at the first . so that in a matter of mere chance , when there is so many millions odds against any assignable experiment ; 't is in vain to expect it should ever succeed , even in endless duration . but though we should concede it to be simply possible , that the matter of chaos might convene into great masses , like planets : yet it 's absolutely impossible , that those masses should acquire such revolutions about the sun. let us suppose any one of those masses to be the present earth . now the annual revolution of the earth must proceed ( in this hypothesis ) either from the summ and result of the several motions of all the particles that formed the earth , or from a new impulse from some external matter , after it was formed . the former is apparently absurd , because the particles that form'd the round earth must needs convene from all points and quarters toward the middle , and would generally tend toward its center ; which would make the whole compound to rest in a poise : or at least that overplus of motion , which the particles of one hemisphere could have above the other , would be very small and inconsiderable ; too feeble and languid to propell so vast and ponderous a body with that prodigious velocity . and secondly , 't is impossible , that any external matter should impell that compound mass , after it was formed . 't is manifest , that nothing else could impell it , unless the aethereal matter be supposed to be carried about the sun like a vortex or whirlpool , as a vehicle to convey it and the rest of the planets . but this is refuted from what we have shewn above , that those spaces of the aether may be reckon'd a mere void , the whole quantity of their matter scarce amounting to the weight of a grain . 't is refuted also from matter of fact in the motion of comets ; which , as often as they are visible to us , are in the region of our planets ; and there are observed to move , some in quite contrary courses to theirs , and some in cross and oblique ones , in planes inclined to the plane of the ecliptick in all kinds of angles : which firmly evinces , that the regions of the aether are empty and free , and neither resist nor assist the revolutions of planets . but moreover there could not possibly arise in the chaos any vortices or whirlpools at all ; either to form the globes of the planets , or to revolve them when formed . 't is acknowledged by all , that inanimate unactive matter moves always in a streight line , nor ever reflects in an angle , nor bends in a circle ( which is a continual reflexion ) unless either by some external impulse , that may divert it from the direct motion , or by an intrinsec principle of gravity or attraction , that may make it describe a curve line about the attracting body . but this latter cause is not now supposed : and the former could never beget whirlpools in a chaos of so great a laxity and thinness . for 't is matter of certain experience and universally allowed , that all bodies moved circularly have a perpetual endeavour to recede from the center , and every moment would fly out in right lines , if they were not violently restrain'd and kept in by contiguous matter . but there is no such restraint in a chaos , no want of empty room there ; no possibility of effecting one single revolution in way of a vortex , which necessarily requires either an absolute fulness of matter , or a pretty close constipation and mutual contact of its particles . and for the same reason 't is evident , that the planets could not continue their revolutions about the sun ; though they could possibly acquire them . for to drive and carry the planets in such orbs as they now describe , that aethereal matter must be compact and dense , as dense as the very planets themselves : otherwise they would certainly fly out in spiral lines to the very circumference of the vortex . but we have often inculcated , that the wide tracts of the aether may be reputed as a mere extended void . so that there is nothing ( in this hypothesis ) that can retain and bind the planets in their orbs for one single moment ; but they would immediately desert them and the neighbourhood of the sun , and vanish away in tangents to their several circles into the abyss of mundane space . ii. secondly we affirm , that mutual gravitation or spontaneous attraction cannot possibly be innate and essential to matter . by attraction we do not here understand what is improperly , though vulgarly , called so , in the operations of drawing , sucking , pumping , &c. which is really pulsion and trusion ; and belongs to that common motion , which we have already shewn to be insufficient for the formation of a world. but we now mean ( as we have explain'd it before ) such a power and quality , whereby all parcels of matter would mutually attract or mutually tend and press to all others ; so that ( for instance ) two distant atoms in vacuo would spontaneously convene together without the impulse of external bodies . now we say , if our atheists suppose this power to be inherent and essential to matter ; they overthrow their own hypothesis : there could never be a chaos at all upon these terms , but the present form of our system must have continued from all eternity ; against their own supposition , and what we have proved in our last . for if they affirm , that there might be a chaos notwithstanding innate gravity ; then let them assign any period though never so remote , when the diffused matter might convene . they must confess , that before that assigned period matter had existed eternally , inseparably endued with this principle of attraction ; and yet had never attracted nor convened before , during that infinite duration : which is so monstrous an absurdity , as even they will blush to be charged with . but some perhaps may imagin , that a former system might be dissolved and reduced to a chaos , from which the present system might have its original , as that former had from another , and so on : new systems having grown out of old ones in infinite vicissitudes from all past eternity . but we say , that in the supposition of innate gravity no system at all could be dissolved . for how is it possible , that the matter of solid masses like earth and planets and starrs should fly up from their centers against its inherent principle of mutual attraction , and diffuse it self in a chaos ? this is absurder than the other : that only supposed innate gravity not to be exerted ; this makes it to be defeated , and to act contrary to its own nature . so that upon all accounts this essential power of gravitation or attraction is irreconcilable with the atheist's own doctrine of a chaos . and secondly 't is repugnant to common sense and reason . 't is utterly unconceivable , that inanimate brute matter ( without the mediation of some immaterial being ) should operate upon and affect other matter without mutual contact ; that distant bodies should act upon each other through a vacuum without the intervention of something else by and through which the action may be conveyed from one to the other . we will not obscure and perplex with multitude of words , what is so clear and evident by its own light , and must needs be allowed by all , that have any competent use of thinking , and are initiated into , i do not say the mysteries , but the plainest principles of philosophy . now mutual gravitation or attraction ( in our present acception of the words ) is the same thing with this ; 't is an operation or vertue or influence of distant bodies upon each other through an empty interval , without any effluvia or exhalations or other corporeal medium to convey and transmit it . this power therefore cannot be innate and essential to matter . and if it be not essential ; it is consequently most manifest ( seeing it doth not depend upon motion or rest or figure or position of parts , which are all the ways that matter can diversify it self ) that it could never supervene to it , unless impress'd and infused into it by an immaterial and divine power . we have proved , that a power of mutual gravitation , without contact or impulse , can in no-wise be attributed to mere matter : or if it could ; we shall presently shew , that it would be wholly unable to form the world out of chaos . but by the way ; what if it be made appear , that there is really such a power of gravity perpetually acting in the constitution of the present system ? this would be a new and invincible argument for the being of god : being a direct and positive proof , that an immaterial living mind doth inform and actuate the dead matter , and support the frame of the world. i will lay before you some certain phaenomena of nature ; and leave it to your consideration from what principle they can proceed . 't is demonstrated , that the sun , moon and all the planets do reciprocally gravitate one toward another : that the gravitating power of each of these is exactly proportional to their matter , and arises from the several gravitations or attractions of every individual particle that compose the whole mass : that all matter near the surface of the earth , for example , doth not only gravitate downwards , but upwards also and side-ways and toward all imaginable points ; though the tendency downwards be praedominant and alone discernible , because of the greatness and nearness of the attracting body , the earth : that every particle of the whole system doth attract and is attracted by all the rest , all operating upon all : that this vniversal attraction or gravitation is an incessant , regular and uniform action by certain and established laws according to quantity of matter and longitude of distance : that it cannot be destroyed nor impair'd nor augmented by any thing , neither by motion nor rest , nor situation nor posture , nor alteration of form , nor diversity of medium : that it is not a magnetical power , nor the effect of a vortical motion ; those common attempts toward the explication of gravity : these things , i say , are fully demonstrated , as matters of fact , by that very ingenious author , whom we cited before . now how is it possible that these things should be effected by any material and mechanical agent ? we have evinced , that mere matter cannot operate upon matter without mutual contact . it remains then , that these phaenomena are produced either by the intervention of air or aether or other such medium , that communicates the impulse from one body to another ; or by effluvia and spirits that are emitted from the one , and pervene to the other . we can conceive no other way of performing them mechanically . but what impulse or agitation can be propagated through the aether from one particle entombed and wedged in the very center of the earth to another in the center of saturn ? yet even those two particles do reciprocally affect each other with the same force and vigour , as they would do at the same distance in any other situation imaginable . and because the impulse from this particle is not directed to that only ; but to all the rest in the universe , to all quatters and regions , at once invariably and incessantly : to do this mechanically ; the same physical point of matter must move all manner of ways equally and constantly in the same instant and moment ; which is flatly impossible . but if this particle cannot propagate motion ; much less can it send out effluvia to all points without intermission or variation ; such multitudes of effluvia as to lay hold on every atom in the universe without missing of one . nay every single particle of the very effluvia ( seeing they also attract and gravitate ) must in this supposition emit other secondary effluvia all the world over ; and those others still emit more , and so in infinitum . now if these things be repugnant to human reason ; we have great reason to affirm , that universal gravitation , a thing certainly existent in nature , is above all mechanism and material causes , and proceeds from a higher principle , a divine energy and impression . iii. thirdly we affirm ; that , though we should allow , that reciprocal attraction is essential to matter ; yet the atoms of a chaos could never so convene by it , as to form the present system ; or if they could form it , yet it could neither acquire these revolutions , nor subsist in the present condition , without the conservation and providence of a divine being . ( . ) for first , if the matter of the universe , and consequently the space through which it 's diffused , be supposed to be finite ( and i think it might be demonstrated to be so ; but that we have already exceeded the just measures of a sermon ) then , since every single particle hath an innate gravitation toward all others , proportionated by matter and distance : it evidently appears , that the outward atoms of the chaos would necessarily tend inwards and descend from all quarters toward the middle of the whole space ( for in respect to every atom there would lie through the middle the greatest quantity of matter and the most vigorous attraction ) and would there form and constitute one huge sphaerical mass ; which would be the only body in the universe . it is plain therefore , that upon this supposition the matter of the chaos could never compose such divided and different masses , as the starrs and planets of the present world. but allowing our adversaries , that the planets might be composed : yet however they could not possibly acquire such revolutions in circular orbs , or ( which is all one to our present purpose ) in ellipses very little eccentric . for let them assign any place where the planets were formed . was it nearer to the sun , than the present distances are ? but that is notoriously absurd : for then they must have ascended from the place of their formation , against the essential property of mutual attraction . or were each formed in the same orbs , in which they now move ? but then they must have moved from the point of rest , in an horizontal line without any inclination or descent . now there is no natural cause , neither innate gravity nor impulse of external matter , that could beget such a motion . for gravity alone must have carried them downwards to the vicinity of the sun. and that the ambient aether is too liquid and empty , to impell them horizontally with that prodigious celerity , we have sufficiently proved before . or were they made in some higher regions of the heavens ; and from thence descended by their essential gravity , till they all arrived at their respective orbs ; each with its present degree of velocity , acquired by the fall ? but then why did they not continue their descent , till they were contiguous to the sun ; whither both mutual attraction and impetus carried them ? what natural agent could turn them aside , could impell them so strongly with a transverse side-blow against that tremendous weight and rapidity , when whole worlds are a falling ? but though we should suppose , that by some cross attraction or other they might acquire an obliquity of descent , so as to miss the body of the sun , and to fall on one side of it : then indeed the force of their fall would carry them quite beyond it ; and so they might fetch a compass about it , and then return and ascend by the same steps and degrees of motion and velocity , with which they descended before . such an eccentric motion as this , much after the manner that comets revolve about the sun , they might possibly acquire by their innate principle of gravity : but circular revolutions in concentric orbs about the sun or other central body could in no-wise be attain'd without the power of the divine arm. for the case of the planetary motions is this . let us conceive all the planets to be formed or constituted with their centers in their several orbs ; and at once to be impress'd on them this gravitating energy toward all other matter , and a transverse impulse of a just quantity in each , projecting them directly in tangents to those orbs. the compound motion , which arises from this gravitation and projection together , describes the present revolutions of the primary planets about the sun , and of the secondary about those : the gravity prohibiting , that they cannot recede from the centers of their motions ; and the transverse impulse with-holding , that they cannot approach to them . now although gravity could be innate ( which we have proved that it cannot be ) yet certainly this projected , this transverse and violent motion can only be ascribed to the right hand of the most high god , creator of heaven and earth . but finally , though we grant , that these circular revolutions could be naturally attained ; or , if they will , that this very individual world in its present posture and motion was actually formed out of chaos by mechanical causes : yet it requires a divine power and providence to have conserved it so long in the present state and condition . we have shewed , that there is a transverse impulse impress'd upon the planets , which retains them in their several orbs , that they be not drawn down by their gravitating powers toward the sun or other central bodies . gravity we understand to be a constant energy or faculty ( which god hath infused into matter ) perpetually acting by certain measures and ( naturally ) inviolable laws ; i say , a faculty and power : for we cannot conceive that the act of gravitation of this present moment can propagate it self or produce that of the next . but 't is otherwise as to the transverse motion ; which ( by reason of the inactivity of matter and its inability to change its present state either of moving or resting ) would from one single impulse continue for ever equal and uniform , unless changed by the resistence of occurring bodies or by a gravitating power ; so that the planets , since they move horizontally ( whereby gravity doth not affect their swiftness ) and through the liquid and unresisting spaces of the heavens ( where either no bodies at all or inconsiderable ones do occur ) may preserve the same velocity which the first impulse imprest upon them , not only for five or six thousand years , but many millions of millions . it appears then , that if there was but one vast sun in the universe , and all the rest were planets , revolving around him in concentric orbs , at convenient distances : such a system as that would very long endure ; could it but naturally have a principle of mutual attraction , and be once actually put into circular motions . but the frame of the present world hath a quite different structure : here 's an innumerable multitude of fixt starrs or suns ; all of which are demonstrated ( and supposed also by our adversaries ) to have mutual attraction : or if they have not ; even not to have it is an equal proof of a divine being , that hath so arbitrarily indued matter with a power of gravity not essential to it , and hath confined its action to the matter of its own solar system : i say , all the fixt starrs have a principle of mutual gravitation ; and yet they are neither revolved about a common center , nor have any transverse impulse nor any thing else to restrain them from approaching toward each other , as their gravitating powers incite them . now what natural cause can overcome nature it self ? what is it that holds and keeps them in fixed stations and intervals against an incessant and inherent tendency to desert them ? nothing could hinder , but that the outward starrs with their systems of planets must necessarily have descended toward the middlemost system of the universe , whither all would be the most strongly attracted from all parts of a finite space . it is evident therefore that the present frame of sun and fixt starrs could not possibly subsist without the providence of that almighty deity , who spake the word and they were made , who commanded and they were created ; who hath made them fast for ever and ever , and hath given them a law , which shall not be broken . ( . ) and secondly in the supposition of an infinite chaos , 't is hard indeed to determin , what would follow in this imaginary case from an innate principle of gravity . but to hasten to a conclusion , we will grant for the present , that the diffused matter might convene into an infinite number of great masses at great distances from one another , like the starrs and planets of this visible part of the world. but then it is impossible , that the planets should naturally attain these circular revolutions , either by intrinsec gravitation or the impulse of ambient bodies . it is plain , here is no difference as to this ; whether the world be infinite or finite : so that the same arguments that we have used before , may be equally urged in this supposition . and though we should concede , that these revolutions might be acquired , and that all were settled and constituted in the present state and posture of things ; yet , we say , the continuance of this frame and order for so long a duration as the known ages of the world must necessarily infer the existence of god. for though the universe was infinite , the fixt starrs could not be fixed , but would naturally convene together , and confound system with system : for , all mutually attracting , every one would move whither it was most powerfully drawn . this , they may say , is indubitable in the case of a finite world , where some systems must needs be outmost , and therefore be drawn toward the middle : but when infinite systems succeed one another through an infinite space , and none is either inward or outward ; may not all the systems be situated in an accurate poise ; and , because equally attracted on all sides , remain fixed and unmoved ? but to this we reply ; that unless the very mathematical center of gravity of every system be placed and fixed in the very mathematical center of the attractive power of all the rest ; they cannot be evenly attracted on all sides , but must preponderate some way or other . now he that considers , what a mathematical center is , and that quantity is infinitly divisible ; will never be persuaded , that such an universal equilibrium arising from the coincidence of infinite centers can naturally be acquired or maintain'd . if they say ; that upon the supposition of infinite matter , every system would be infinitly , and therefore equally attracted on all sides ; and consequently would rest in an exact equilibrium , be the center of its gravity in what position soever : this will overthrow their very hypothesis ; at this rate in an infinite chaos nothing at all could be formed ; no particles could convene by mutual attraction ; for every one there must have infinite matter around it , and therefore must rest for ever being evenly balanced between infinite attractions . even the planets upon this principle must gravitate no more toward the sun , than any other way : so that they would not revolve in curve lines , but fly away in direct tangents , till they struck against other planets or starrs in some remote regions of the infinite space . an equal attraction on all sides of all matter is just equal to no attraction at all : and by this means all the motion in the universe must proceed from external impulse alone ; which we have proved before to be an incompetent cause for the formation of a world. and now , o thou almighty and eternal creator , having consider'd the heavens the work of thy fingers , the moon and the starrs which thou hast ordained , with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify thy glorious name , evermore praising thee and saying ; holy , holy , holy , lord god of hosts , heaven and earth are full of thy glory : glory be to thee , o lord most high. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e serm. v. p. , . serm. v. p. , . mr. boyle's physicom . exp. of air. hydrostat . paradoxes . lucret. lib. . newton philos . natur. princ. math. lib. . prop. . mr. boyle of air and porosity of bodies . mr. boyle ibid. newton philos . nat. principia . math. p. . * diod. sicul. lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . apoll. rhodius lib. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . * lucret. nec regione loci certa , nec tempore certo . serm. v. p. . newton ibidem p. . vide serm. vi. & serm. viii . newton philosophiae naturalis princ. math. lib. iii. psal . . psal . .