people priests; for they all eat of the Mass, and yet none may lawfully sacrifice but priests.

Again: Whereas they say, that the apostle doth here compare the Lord's supper to the sacrifices of Jews and Gentiles; this also is false, if you consider the sacrifices of either Jew or Gentile in the most proper and strict acceptation thereof. For the sacrifices of both the one and the other, strictly taken, was that part of the beast that was offered up unto God or devils on the altar, and not that part which either the priests or offering people did feed on upon their tables; though, by an improper way of speaking, those parts that were eaten may be called sacrifices, because they were parts of those beasts, some parts whereof were truly and properly sacrificed on an altar. That the meaning therefore of the apostle in this place may be cleared, I shall give you the plain sense of the text, and not in my own, but in a paraphrase of Ataides Lusitanus, one of the council of Trent: Quod Paulus dicit de participando sacrificio Judæorum et de mensá dæmoniorum, si accipiantur ritus a Deo per Moysen instituti, et qui ab Ethnicis inter sacrificandum adhibiti, non inde effici eucharistiam. esse sacrificium. Notum esse apud Moysen in sacrificiis votivis, totam victimam fuisse exhibitam Deo; atque unam partem ejus igni absumptam, quæ erat sacrificium: ex eo quod erat reliquum, partem fuisse sacerdotis et alteram partem offerentis; utrumque partem suam comedisse quicum ipsi collibitum esset; neque id vocatum sacrificare, sed sacrificatum participare. Idipsum Ethnicos imitatos; etiam partem eam quæ in altari non absumebatur a nonnullis vendi solitam; atque hanc esse mensam quæ non est altare. Perspicuum ergo Pauli sensum hunc esse, sicut Hebræi, partem eam manducantes quæ ad offerentem spectabat, nempe sacrificii reliquias, participes fiunt altaris, et Ethnici ad eundem modum; ita nos, comedentes eucharistiam, participare sacrificium crucis. In English thus: "When Paul speaks of partaking of the sacrifice of the Jews and of the table of devils, if those rites, as they are instituted of God by Moses, and accommodated by the Gentiles to their sacrifices, be rightly considered, it will not thence follow that the eucharist is a sacrifice. For it is to be noted, that, when Moses speaks of such sacrifices that belonged to vows, he declares that the whole victim or beast was to be brought before the Lord; one part of which was consumed by fire, which was the sacrifice of the other parts that were left, they were divided betwixt the priest and the person that offered, both of whom did eat their several parts as it best pleased them; but that eating was not called 'sacrificing,' but 'partaking of that which was sacrificed.' This very custom the Gentiles imitated; for that part of the victim that was not consumed on the altar, by some was wont to be sold, and is that which Paul calls the table,' which is not an altar. The perspicuous meaning of Paul is, that as the Jews eating of that part which belonged to the offerers, they thereby became partakers of the altar; so we, eating of the eucharist, do thereby partake of Christ crucified." Thus he: the sum whereof is this,—that the apostle doth, in this discourse of his to the Corinthians, prove, that he that did eat at the table of devils did thereby declare, that he religiously owned and worshipped those devils as gods to whom part of that beast of which they did eat was

sacrificed; and that therefore he advised them, as all Christians, from a participation of those feasts, which, he says, is inconsistent with our eating of the Lord's table, which signifies that we own that God to be our God, to whom-not what we eat is sacrificed, but to whom-Christ was sacrificed for us; a remembrance whereof is by Christ's appointment to be had in his church in this supper. But this doth not at all prove the supper to be a proper sacrifice, any more than that what the Jews or Gentiles did eat at their tables were proper sacrifices.

And thus I have answered the most material arguments [which] the Papists have for the proof of the Mass's being a proper sacrifice. From the whole discourse, let us make this

IMPROVEMENT.

First. Let us be awakened hereby to observe what the apostle John hath cautioned us, when he saith, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." (1 John v. 21.)—For, certainly, there hath not been a more abominable idol ever invented than this Popish Mass, wherein, to the dishonour of our Lord Jesus, a piece of bread is made the Saviour of the world, and a proper sacrifice for the pardoning of the sins both of the living and the dead. And that which aggravates this kind of idolatry is, that they make Jesus Christ the institutor thereof, and the holy God to be the former and fashioner thereof, by the miracle of transubstantiation.

Secondly. Let us hereby be awakened into resolutions to keep close to Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, our only sacrifice, and Intercessor at the right hand of God; from whom so many thousand souls have gone a-whoring, under the great apostasy, after this filthy idol.-Christ sacrificed on the cross we know, and Christ at the right hand of God we know; but Christ made of a piece of bread, and again sacrificed in the Mass, we know not. You are certain Christ was once crucified, and that that once was enough to make your peace, and save you; look not after any other sacrifice; for doubtless, as the apostle says, "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." (Heb. x. 26.)

Thirdly. Bless God night and day that hath kept you from this apostasy: and pray God night and day still to keep you, especially in these times, when there are so many seducers come abroad, to withdraw you from Jesus Christ to this dumb idol.

Many other things I might have added, but it is high time to make an end.

SERMON XXV. (VII.)

BY THE REV. THOMAS DOOLITTLE, A.M.

OF PEMBROKE HALL, CAMBRIDGE.

POPERY IS A NOVELTY; AND THE PROTESTANTS' RELIGION WAS NOT ONLY BEFORE LUTHER, BUT THE SAME THAT WAS TAUGHT BY CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES.

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.Jeremiah vi. 16.

ALL men in this world, having for their constituent parts a mortal body and an immortal soul,* are passing out of this life into another: out of this, because of the mortality of the body; † into another, because of the immortality of the soul. And all, both good and bad, are daily and hourly travelling to an everlasting and unchangeable state; whose bodies shall be quickly turned into lifeless dust, and their souls enter into heaven or hell, and be with God or devil, in joy or torment, when they come to their journey's end: ‡ and according to the way they now walk in, so it will be with them for ever. Those that walk in the way chalked out by God, at the end of this life shall have "the end of their faith" and hope and holiness, "the salvation of their souls;" but those that walk after the flesh and in the ways of sin, shall find hell to be at the end of their walk. Therefore it is of infinite concernment to all to observe and do what is prescribed in the text; in which are contained these parts following: :

1. The duties that are enjoined.-And they are two.

(1.) To ask and inquire after the right way that leads to rest and happiness.-A metaphor taken from a man that is upon his journey ; § and, not [being] well acquainted with the way to his intended place, stands still and asketh, "Which is my way to such a town? I am bound and bent for such a country; and if I mistake my way, I lose myself, my labour, and my business ;" and, being directed, doth heedfully observe what is said unto him, and carefully remembers the marks that are

Ψυχαριον ει βασταζον νεκρον.-EPICTETUS. "Thou art a little soul, carrying a dead body.""-Edit. ↑ In terra orimur, et in terrá morimur, revertentes in cam unde sumus assumpti.-BERNARDUS in Fest. S. Martin. "In the earth is our origin, and in the earth do we die, returning thither whence we were derived."— EDIT. 1 Вопа mors justi propter requiem, melior propter novitatem, optima propter securitatem. Mala peccatorum mors in mundi amissione, pejor in carnis separatione, pessima in vermis ignisque duplici contritione.-Idem, Epist. cv. "The death of the just is good on account of rest, better on account of novelty, best on account of security. The death of sinners is bad in the loss of the world, worse in the separation of the flesh, worst in the double pain and anguish induced by the worm that dieth not and the fire that is not quenched."-EDIT. § Similitudine utitur.-CALVINUS in loc. Facite ut viatores solent, ubi dubitant quà eundum sit.-GROTIUS in loc. Et interrogate, subintellige, alios sapientiores.— ( "And ask,' understand, others who are wiser.'"-EDIT.

VATABLUS in loc.

told him, by which he might conclude that he is in his direct and ready way. Sirs, this is your case: you are bound for heaven; you would all be happy when you die; and if you mistake your way, you lose yourselves, your souls and bodies too, and God and Christ and happiness and all, and that for ever. Stand, then, and "earnestly inquire which is your way," (in) and diligently observe what are the marks whereby you might know that you are in the road to a blessed, glorious life. And these in the text are two.

(i.) It is "the old way" (iv). Seek not out new paths to heaven: keep in the old way, that all the millions of saints, now happy in the enjoyment of their God, went in. If you would get to the place where they be, you must go the same way they did: "The old way that Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob went; the old way that Moses and David, Peter and Paul, and all the holy, humble, and believing, penitent people of God did go."

(ii.) It is "the good way," as well as "old." For though goodness was before wickedness, yet every way that is old is not good. There is the old way of swearing and lying and drunkenness; there is the old way of hypocrisy, impenitency, and unbelief; the old way of whoredom and hating holiness. This hath been the old way, but a bad one, and [one] that leads to damnation. If you be in this way, and hold on in this way, and go forward, and do not turn, and that quickly too, you will be in everlasting torments, and that quickly too. Stand, then, and see that your way be the good and the old way.

(2.) The next duty in the text enjoined is, to walk in this way () both old and good, ‡ when you have found it.-For if a man have the most exact knowledge of his way, and shall sit down or stand still, and not walk in it, he will never come to the place [which] that way doth lead unto. The way is pointed out by God himself unto you : get up, then; arise, and walk therein; and that with hastened speed. Your way is to a long eternity; the night of death is coming upon you: be daily jogging on; do not loiter in your way. Time goeth on; therefore so do you.

2. In the text there is, by what authority you are thus strictly enjoined to ask for and walk in the good old ways.-That is, by divine authority: § "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask," &c. It is the Lord that made thee, that doth thus command thee. It is that Lord that doth preserve thee, in whom thou dost live and move and hast thy being, that hath kept thee out of hell all this while [that] thou hast been going in the wrong way, and running in the paths that lead to destruction and damnation. It is that Lord that can damn thee when he will, and that can inflict the punishments and plagues upon thee

Antiquis per quas iverunt Abraham, Jacob, &c.- GROTIUS.

There is the old way of Cain," (Jude 11; 1 John iii. 12; Gen. iv. 8,) and the old " 'way of Balaam;" (2 Peter ii. 15;) but the way of sin, though never so old, leads to hell. (Matt. vii. 13.) Per metaphoram de vitá, moribus, et actionibus. "The metaphor of walking is here used with respect to life, manners, and actions."-EDIT. § Hic docet propheta, non posse extenuari culpam populi, quasi errore peccasset; quoniam satis superque admonitus a Deo fuerat.-CALVINUS. "The prophet here teaches that the guilt of the people cannot be extenuated, as if they had sinned by error; since they had been sufficiently, and more than sufficiently, admonished by God."-EDIT.

that are due unto thee for thy sin against him, that could this day and hour cast thy body to the dust and thy soul to devils, that doth command thee to stand, and see whither thou art going. He seeth the way wherein thou art walking; and, out of pity to thee, calleth after thee, saying, "Poor sinner! why art thou so swift, and makest such haste, in the way of sin? Why dost thou run with so much speed to a place of torment, as if thou couldest not get thither surely enough or soon enough? whereas the way [which] thou walkest in (except thou turn) will bring thee to eternal misery surely and quickly too. O stand, and see whither thou art going! stand, and see that at the end of this thy sinful walk thou wilt come unto a lake of burning brimstone, to a doleful dungeon, to a place of torment and of utter darkness! O stand, and see, and look about thee, if thou canst behold any that are going to eternal happiness walking in that way and road that thou art daily travelling in! I therefore charge thee, upon pain of everlasting torment, as thou lovest thy soul, or ever wouldest be received unto everlasting joy and happiness, go not on; turn back again: thou art out of thy way to rest and glory; stand, then, and ask for the good old way, and walk therein."

ever.

3. Here is the encouragement propounded, to stir you up to ask for and walk in the good old way. And that is, "rest for your souls:" (DE)* rest, in some measure and from some things, for the present; and rest, perfect and perpetual, in heaven hereafter, for O what ails the sons of men to be so mad upon their lusts and ways of sin, that, though God doth threaten them with everlasting, restless, and (hereafter) remediless torments, [they] will yet go on in the way that leads them thither; and though God promiseth a place and state of rest and love and life, if they will turn their hearts and feet unto the ways that would bring them to it, will notwithstanding keep their sinful course? Which brings to the next part in the words.

4. The obstinacy and wilful rebellion of sinners, and their resolute purpose to the contrary.†-God commands you to walk in a good way, but you will not: he promiseth you rest and happiness if you will, but yet you will not; and doth threaten you with death and hell, and yet you will not. O the hardness of your hearts! O the stubbornness of your wills! How great is it, when [neither] the precepts, nor the promises, nor the threatenings of the great, eternal God, will make you bend, nor bow, nor buckle, to his revealed will! It is your own will that will undo you, if you perish. It is your will that is the great enemy and rebel against the blessed God, against his holy law and ways. Do not plead

• subitò motus, concitatus, volutus fuit; transitive, movit, volutavit; per antiphrasin, quievit. (Jer. xlix. 19; et xxxi. 2; Isai. li. 4.)-SCHINDLERUS. "The root from which the Hebrew word for rest' is derived signifies, 'He was suddenly moved, set in motion, revolved;' transitively, 'He moved, rolled;' by antiphrasis, 'He caused to rest.' --EDIT. Hic significat propheta tantùm stetisse per Judæos quominus fruerentur rebus prosperis et tranquillo statu, et sponte fuisse miseros; quia Deus proposuerat illis felicem statum; sed contemptam fuisse hanc gratiam ab ipsis, idque pervicaciter: nam hoc sonant verba ubi dicunt, Non ambulabimus.-CALVINUS. "The prophet here intimates that it was the fault only of the Jews themselves, that they did not enjoy prosperity and tranquillity, and that they were voluntarily miserable; because God had set before them a happy condition; but they had despised this favour, and that perversely for this is the signification of the words, when they say, We will not walk.'"-EDIt,