An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church, Part 1 · Section 4
SECT. IV. The words of the Letter.
THe Chuch of the ſecond ſort was a National Church, conſiſting meerly of Jewiſh perſons, and their Proſelytes for its members, who were inſtrumentally enlightned and led by the Prieſts and Levites, as their ordinary Miniſters; the which kinde of Church-government laſted among them from the life of Moſes to the death of the Meſſias, and no longer, as it is exceeding plaine and cleare to any one that can finde in his heart adviſedly to compare the ſeveral teſtimonies of the Old and New Teſtament together, which will contribute pregnant light to this particular point; ſuch as are Exod. 19.6. Num. 8.10. Deut. 7.7. with Gal. 4 9, 10. Coloſſ. 2.14.17. and Heb. 7.12.
The Replication.
THe ſubſtance of this Paragraph is agreed on alſo. To wit, that the Jews with the Proſelytes were a National Church, taught and led ordinarily by the Prieſts and Levites; extraordinarily by the Prophets; and when they ceaſed, and the Urim and Thummim, God ſpoke ſometimes to us ſo by the Bath Col, or ſilia vocis. And that kinde of government began with Moſes, and ended at the death of the Meſſias, or a little after, as I hinted before, and rather encline to think. For I am ſure actually till then it did not, howſoever it ought to have done, Chriſts death upon the Croſſe putting an end to all the rites and ſacrifices of the Ceremonial Law.
Many things I could here obſerve about their Proſelytes, their Prieſts and Levites, their whole government, which yet I paſſe by, as not ſo neceſſary to the preſent queſtion. One thing onelyonly give me leave to tell you, that ſome of theſe texts are not ſo concluſive to your purpoſe, as you conceive. For firſt out of that of Exodus, that the Jews were a holy Nation and people, will eaſily be deduced, and as much may be ſaid of the Chriſtians, is as evident, if you compare the place with the firſt of Peter 2.9. for to this place of Exodus I make no doubt the Apoſtle alludes, when he affirmes of the Chriſtian Church, that it is a choſen generation, a royal prieſthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar prieſthood, &c. I would gladly know why I may not out of theſe words as well conclude a National Church of Chriſtians, as you do out of the other a National Church of Jews and Proſelytes. And then your National Church will not be proper to the Jewiſh State, but communicable to the State of Chriſtianity alſo.
2. Out of Heb. 7.12. you conclude rightly that the Prieſthood being chang'd, there muſt be a change of the Law, that the Ceremonial Law of Moſes was quite aboliſhed, no more ſacrifices to be offered, legal purifications to be obſerv'd; no nor dayes, moneths, times, years in a Jewiſh ſenſe to be kept up, Gal. 4.9, 10. In a Jewiſh ſenſe I ſay; for this is plaine Galaticari. Tertul.But to prove from hence, as you uſually here do, that no feaſts may be obſerv'd by Chriſtians, was never meant by the Apoſtle. Compare the text with Col. 2.16, 17. and you ſhall finde that theſe were ſhadows of good things to come; ſhadows, and then they muſt point out a body, and that was Chriſt;Amrſ. Medul. lib. 2. c. 15. p. 16. under Chriſt then the ſubſtance of theſe rites muſt be looked for; and here give me leave to put you in minde of a rule of Ameſius, Feſti dies anniverſarii, novilunia, & ſumiles inſtitutiones, quae merè ceremoniales fuerunt, aequitatem iſtam generalem in ſe etiam continent, & adhuc uos docent certos quoſdam & accommodatos dies cultui publico aſſignari debere. But of this more afterward.
That place you produce from Col. 2.14. ſpeaks home to your purpoſe, and I ſhall endeavour to give a further light to it. Thus the Apoſtle begins, verſe 13. And you being dead in teſpaſſes and ſinnes, and the uncircumciſion of your fleſh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all treſpaſſes, blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was againſt, us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his Croſſe. In which words three things are to be obſerved. 1. The miſery of man. 2. Who freed him from it. 3. The manner of his freedome. His miſery was that he was in treſpaſſes and ſins, and uncircumciſion of the fleſh. He who freed, was God in and by Chriſt, quickening, pardoning; it was a work of power and merciemercy; for to raiſe to life and quicken is an act of power; to pardon and forgive, of merciemercy, which was gratuita, & univerſalis; free, for it is foreign, of free grace then; and univerſal, for it is foreign, all treſpaſſes. 3. And then follows the manner, Blotting out the hand-writing. A bond or hand-writing is that act which paſſeth betwixt a Creditor and his Debtor; that put caſe the Debtor ſhould be ſo impudent as to plead non factum, the creditor might have his owne ſeale, act and deed to produce againſt him. This God had againſt man; it was contrary to him; but now through Chriſt it was blotted out, it had no power to condemne, it was taken out of the way, it had no force to keep God and man aſunder, it was nailed to the Croſſe, torne in pieces, thruſt through with nailes, faſtened openly there, and as it were proclaimed publikely that it was cancelled. And in this all Interpreters agree. But what this Chirograph or hand-writing was, they agree not. For ſome reſtraine it to that bond which Chriſt made with Adam, Of every tree of the garden thou mayeſt freely eate, Gen. 2.16.17.but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou ſhalt not eate. Others to that Covenant and ſtipulation which the Jews made with God, All that the Lord hath ſpoken we will do. Exod. 19.8.Which they did not, and therefore it was Chirograph…m contra. A third ſort to that command, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c. To which command the conſcience within bears witneſſe, non dilexi; and this is alſo Chirographum contra, this makes againſt us. The laſt ſort referre theſe words to the Ceremonial Law, to whom you encline, and I do not decline; for the Ceremonies of the Law might very aptly be called Chirographum contra, in that Circumciſion denoted, that our fleſh was polluted in the very birth; the then waſhing and purgations, that we had contracted ſpot and filth; and the Sacrifices that we deſerved to dye; which of theſe ſenſes to fix upon I know not; I ſuppoſe it beſt therefore to take in all, for I am ſure all was nailed to the Croſſe, all blotted out and taken out of the way; whether the curſe that fell upon us by Adams diſobedience, or that guilt we contract by breach of our vowes, promiſes, or undertakings with God, or that horror that ariſeth from an accuſing conſcience, or our original and actual pollutions for which we ought to die. I pray pardon this digreſſion; the richneſſe and comfor of the text drew me into it. After I ſhall ſpeak cloſer to the point, to which indeed now you come, and I ſhall follow you.