Abraham did somewhat rejoice in that which he saw would come, although knowing that many ages and generations must first pass: their exultation far greater, who beheld with their eyes, and embraced in their arms him which had been before the hope of the whole world. We John, have found that Messias, have seen the salvation: “Behold here the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world." These are speeches of men not comforted with the hope of that they desire, but rapt with admiration at the view of enjoyed bliss.

i. 29.

As oft therefore as our case is the same with the Prophet David's; or that experience of God's abundant mercy towards us doth wrest from our mouths the same acknowPsal. exvi, ledgments which it did from his, " I called on the name of +8. the Lord, and he hath rescued his servant: I was in mi

John,

xxi. 22.

sery, and he saved me: Thou, Lord, hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling:" I have asked and received, sought and found, knocked and it hath been opened unto me: can there less be expected at our hands, than to take the cup of salvation, and bless, magnify, and extol the mercies heaped upon the heads of the sons of men? Are we in the case of them, who as yet do only ask and have not received? It is but attendance a small time, we shall rejoice then; but how? we shall find, but where? it shall be opened, but with what hand? To all which demands I must answer.

Use the words of our Saviour Christ; "Quid hoc ad te ?" what are these things unto us? Is it for us to be made acquainted with the way he hath to bring his counsel and purposes about? God will not have great things brought to pass, either altogether without means, or by those means altogether which are to our seeming probable and likely. Not without means, lest under colour of repose in God we should nourish at any time in ourselves idleness: not by the mere ability of means gathered together through our own providence, lest prevailing by helps which the common course of nature yieldeth, we should offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving for whatsoever prey we take to the nets which our fingers did weave; than which there cannot be to him more intolerable injury offered. "Vere et absque dubio, (saith St. Bernard,) hoc quisque est pessimus, quo optimus, si hoc ipsum quo est optimus adscribat sibi;” the

more blest, the more curst, if we make his graces our own glory, without imputation of all to him; whatsoever we have we steal, and the multiplication of God's favours doth but aggravate the crime of our sacrilege: he knowing how prone we are to unthankfulness in this kind, tempereth accordingly the means, whereby it is his pleasure to do us good. This is the reason why God would neither have Gideon to conquer without any army, nor yet to be furnished with too great an host. This is the cause why, as none of the promises of God do fail, so the most are in such sort brought to pass, that, if we after consider the circuit, wherein the steps of his providence have gone, the due consideration thereof cannot choose but draw from us the self-same words of astonishment, which the blessed Apostle hath: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom of Rom. God! how unsearchable are his counsels, and his ways xi. 33. past finding out!" Let it therefore content us always to have his word for an absolute warrant; we shall receive and find in the end; it shall at length be opened unto you: however, or by what means, leave it to God.

3. Now our Lord groundeth every man's particular assurance touching this point upon the general rule and axiom of his providence, which bath ordained these effects to flow and issue out of these causes; gifts of suits, finding out of seeking, help out of knocking; a principle so generally true, that on his part it never faileth.

For why? it is the glory of God to give; his very nature delighteth in it; his mercies in the current, through which they would pass, may be dried up, but at the head they never fail. Men are soon weary both of granting and of hearing suits, because our own insufficiency maketh us still afraid, lest by benefiting of others we impoverish ourselves. We read of large and great proffers, which Princes in their fond and vain-glorious moods have poured forth: as that of Herod; and the like of Ahasuerus in the Book of Mark Esther. "Ask what thou wilt, though it reach to the half Esther of my Kingdom, I will give it thee:" which very words of vii, 2. profusion do argue, that the ocean of no estate in this world doth so flow, but it may be emptied. He that promiseth half of his Kingdom, foreseeth how that being gone, the remainder is but a moiety of that which was. What we give we leave; but what God bestoweth benefiteth us, and from

vi. 23.

him it taketh nothing: wherefore in his propositions there are no such fearful restraints; his terms are general in regard of making, "Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my xvi. 23. name;" and general also in respect of persons," whoso

John,

ever asketh, whosoever seeketh." It is true, St. James Jam. saith, "Ye ask, and yet ye receive not, because you ask iv. 3. amiss;" ye crave to the end ye might have to spend upon

lv. 6.

your lusts. The rich man sought Heaven, but it was then that he felt hell. The Virgins knocked in vain, because they overslipped their opportunity; and when the time was I to knock, they slept: but "Quærite Dominum dum inveniri potest," Perform these duties in their due time and due sort. Let there, on our part, be no stop, and the bounty of God we know is such, that he granteth over and above our desires. Saul sought an ass, and found a Kingdom. Solomon named wisdom, and God gave Solomon wealth also, by way of surpassing. "Thou hast prevented thy servant with xxi. 3. 4. blessings," saith the Prophet David." He asked life, and

Psal.

thou gavest him long life, even for ever and ever." God a Jam. giver; "He giveth liberally, and upbraideth none in any i. 5. wise:" and therefore he better knoweth than we the best times, and the best means, and the best things, wherein the good of our souls consisteth.

INDEX.

INDEX.

1

ABSOLUTION, the extravagant abuse of
it by the papists, ii. 204, 211. What in the
doctrine of the church of England, 206, 207.
Adversity, prayer to be evermore deliver-
ed from it, vindicated, i. 546.

Aerius, his different opinion from Tertul-
Jian about fasting, ii. 56. The first opposer
of the order of bishops, 279.

Agents, natural and voluntary, how distin-
guished, i. 156.

Anabaptists in Germany, their first tenets,
i. 138. By what steps they gained ground,
141. Their bold assertions at last, 143. Their
notions as to the liberty of Christians cen-
sured, 307.

Angels, what law they act by, i. 161. How
some of them came to fall, 163. How dis-
persed after their fall, 164. Their know-
Jedge full and complete, 165.

Antiquity, what deference to be paid to it
in disputable points, i. 418.

Apocryphal books. what denoted by the
word formerly, and what now, i. 452, 453.
The reading of them in churches vindicated,
455.

Apollinarians, their heresy, what, i. 577.
Apostacy, what, ii. 599.

Apostles, in what things they have succes-
sors, and in what not, ii. 244. The danger
of despising their words or preaching, 592.
Appetite, how it differs from will, i. 169.
Archbishop, to what end appointed, ii. 270.
Archdeacon, his office what, ii. 266.
Archpresbyter, his office what, ib.
Arianism, its rise and progress, i. 527.
Athanasian creed, by whom and when
written (according to the judgment of Mr.
Hooker), i. 531. The use of it in our Liturgy
vindicated, 534.

Atheism, when affected, the most opposite
to true religion, i. 408.

Augustine (St.), vindicated, i. 239.

Baptism, in cases of necessity, to be ad-
ministered without the usual ceremonies, i.
598, 606. The necessity of it, 598. The in-
ward grace of it conferred where the outward
means cannot be had, 604. The case of in-
fants dying without it considered, 605. To
be privately administered in cases of neces-
sity, 608. Administered by women and lay-
men valid and effectual (in the judgment of
Mr. Hooker), 612. Administered by heretics,
why rejected by the ancients, 274.-(See Cross,
Interrogatories.)

Benedictus, the use of it in our service
vindicated, i. 521.

Benefice, what the name signifies, ii. 121.

1

Bishops, their order appointed of God, ii.
234. Were in all churches universally, for
1500 years after Christ, ib. In England be-
fore the year 350, and ever since, 235. Whence
they took their name, 237. Their order an-
cienter than their name, ib. A definition of
a bishop, and in what his office consists, 239.
At large, and with restraint, how distinguish-
ed, ib. Their superiority, in what sense dis-
puted, ib. The apostles the first bishops, and
all bishops the apostles' successors, 241. All
bishops originally called apostles, ib. They
were first instituted with restraint, and why,
244. St. Jerome's notion of them vindicated,
246. Their succession from the apostles to
be proved in all churches which the apostles
founded, 252. What their power was origi-
nally, 254. Have the power of ordination in-
vested solely in them, 255. Have the power
of jurisdiction invested solely in themselves,
256. How far they admitted presbyters to
the exercise of jurisdiction, 264. How far
their power extended originally in compass,
268. Some superior to others, and why, 270.
By whom their order was first opposed, 271.
Their interest in civil affairs vindicated, 307.
What honours due to them, and upon what
account, 325, 337. In what instances honour
is to be shewed them, 339. What share they
had formerly out of the public maintenance
of the church, 354. Their behaviour and con-
duct, what it should be, 360. The great sin
of procuring their office by simony, 361. Their
visitation and courts, how they ought to be
managed, 365, 366. The great detriment that
arises from careless bishops to the church,
367. The duty of their clergy and people to
bear with their infirmities, 369. Their reve-
nues and wealth to be carefully protected,
371. Their title to their revenues justified,
376.-(See Episcopacy, Maintenance, and Pre-
lates.)

Bowing at the name of Jesus vindicated, i.
499.

Brazen serpent destroyed by Hezekiah, how
far to be drawn into a precedent, i. 650.

Burial-office, the design of it, ii. 68. Mourn-
ing attire at funerals, lawful and decent, 69.
Processions at funerals, decent and ancient,
ib. Sermons at funerals, the proper use of
them, 70. Funeral banquets or doles, the
decency of them, ib. Testification of our
hope of the resurrection, at such times, how
necessary, 71. Funeral offices used by Jews
and Christians of old, ib.

Calvin (John), born in France, and origi-
nally a lawyer, i. 99. How he introduced

himself into the church of Geneva, ib. Is
banished thence, and recalled thither again,
100, 101. What conditions he required of
them upon his return, 102. The subtilty of
his conditions, and how received by the peo-
ple, 102, 103. Is again disgusted, and takes
his leave of them, 104. His just praise, and
how universally honoured among the foreign
reformed, 105.

Church-polity, see Ecclesiastical Polity.
Churching of women, the lawfulness of the
rite, ii. 66. The woman not before excluded
the church as unholy, 68. The attire of a
woman at churching to be decent. Oblations,
a proper name for her offerings at such times,
ib.

Civil powers, see King.

Clergy (Jewish), their distinct orders and
offices, ii. 91. Their distinct jurisdiction, 148.
Their plentiful maintenance allotted by God,
351, 352.

Collects, the shortness of them vindicated,
i. 504, 505.

Clergy (Christian), three orders of them
Catechizing, the design and usefulness of mentioned in the New Testament, ii. 99, 101.
it, i. 443, 444.
-(See Maintenance.)
Ceremonies, what meant by them, i. 326,
337. The use of them, 307.643. How univer-
sal, 338. How far we may vary from the
primitive ceremonies, 340, The objections
that are made against our ceremonies as
popish, 343, These objections contradict
themselves, 346. Not to be abolished upon
account of the boasts and hopes of the papists,
361. The grief of those that are disturbed
at them, by whom to be remedied, 365. Not
always to be rejected, because originally de-
rived from the Jews, 367. When scandalous,
and when not, 379. When to be removed for
fear of scandal, and when not, 381. Not ne-
cessary to be formed after the pattern of elder
churches, 384. The moderation and prudence
of the church of England in establishing
them, 392.

Christ hath the second person in the Tri-
nity united with him, i. 563. Is but one per
son, 565. Hath two natures entire and dis-
tinct, 568. What his humanity gained by its
union with the Deity, ii. 572.580, 581. His
body not every where present, $78. In what
sense he may be said to be present every
where as man, 581. In what manner, and by
what means, he is united with his church,
584. Has the same authority in the govern
ment of the world as in the government of
the church, ii. 412.

Chrysostom (St.), vindicated as to his no-
tion of the jurisdiction of bishops, ii. 261.

Church, what it signifies, ii. 17. Mystical
and visible, sound and unsound, how distin-
guished, i. 269. How united with Christ,
584. What power we attribute to it, in the
making of laws, 327. What deference due to
her judgment, i. 421. How it is distinguished
from the commonwealth, ii. 380. Both one
and the same society, 381. 384. The notion
of their being two separate societies, whence
it arises, 382.

Churches, the decency of dedicating them
solemnly to God, i, 430, The lawfulness of
distinguishing them by the names of angels
and saints, 434. The fashion of them vindi
cated, 435, Ought to be stately and sump-
tuous,, 436. Not to be abolished, because
formerly abused to superstitious uses, 440,
441.

Church-goods, lands, offerings, and reve-
nues, &c. the property of them in God, ii.
344. The right of the clergy to receive and
use them, 349. Sacrilege to alienate them,
359. The sad consequences that would at
tend a sacrilegious alienation, 372. 374.

Common prayer, the place where perform
ed to be decent and solemn, i. 483. The mi
nisters that perform it to be zealous and fer-
vent, 484. The several exceptions made
against it, 487, 508. The objections to it as
popish considered, 489. Not to be postponed
to any foreign liturgies, 490. The easiness
of reading it considered, 501. The length of
it vindicated, 502. The shortness of the col
lects vindicated, 504, 505. The frequent pe
titions for temporal blessings vindicated, 508.
—(See Forms of prayer,)

Commonwealth, see Church-Prayer.
Communion, see Eucharist.

Communion of saints, wherein it consists,
i. 592.

Conference, see Disputation.

Confession, how practised by the primitive
church, ii, 157. How practised among the
Jews, 161. How practised by the protestants
abroad, 183. How it stands with the church
of England, 184.

Confession (auricular) the pretended texts
of Scripture for it examined, ii. 162. The
rise, progress, and discontinuance, of it in
the primitive church, 165. How abused by
the papists, 176. How far practised by the
church of England, 185.

Confirmation, the antiquity of it, i.658. An
office peculiar to bishops, 660. Why sever-
ed from baptism, 661.

Contrition, wherein it consists, ii. 155.
Councils to be called and dissolved by the
civil powers, ii. 422.

Courts (of bishops) how pernicious, if cor-
rupt, ii. 365.

Cross in baptism, justified, i. 641. Its an
tiquity and use, and why made in the fore-
head, 644. Not to be discontinued because
abused by the papists, 649.

Cyprian (St.) vindicated, i. 240. 291. 295-
322.

Deacons, their order and office, ii. 96.
Death (sudden), the petition against it in
the Litany vindicated, i. 542.

Diocess and province (of a bishop), how
they differ, ii. 272. Whence the distinction
at first arose, ib.

Discipline and doctrine, the difference be-
tween them, i. 282. (Penitential), the severity
of it in the primitive church, ii. 198. The
danger of too easily remitting it, 200. llow
abused by the papists,201. (Of the puritans),