The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE Staffordshire-Natives, At St. Mary Wolchurch LONDON, Novemb. 22. 1660.

S. JUDE Vers. 12.

These are spots in your Feasts of Charity.

I Must take up that Stile and Strain of excuse to begin withal, that St. Paul doth to his Countrymen about his Appeal unto Coesar; I have nothing, saith he, to accuse my Nation of, though I have been put up∣on it to make such an Appeal. So I, I have nothing, Dear Country∣men, to accuse this your Feast of Charity of, nor nothing to accuse any of, that are to come to it, though I have chosen these words, that speak so point blank of spots that occurred in such kind of Feasts. But I have fixed upon the words, partly that I might speak in some kind of parity to that discourse that I made to you at our last meeting upon this occasion, and chiefly that I might give you caution against such, that to Feasts are spots, to Charity destructive, and to all meetings dangerous.

Who they were that our Apostle meaneth, I shall clear to you by these two Obser∣vations.

I. That as it was foretold by the Holy Spirit in the Prophets, that the best and most com∣fortable things, that ever should accrue to the Church of the Jews, should accrue to them in the last days, that is, of Jerusalem. (For so is that expression, the last days, in most pla∣ces of Scripture, to be understood.) So was it also foretold by the same Spirit, that the worst things that ever should accrue to it, should be in those last days also. It was fore∣told, that in those last days, Esa. II. 2. That the mountain of the Lords house should be established in the top of the mountains, and should be exalted above the hills, and that all Nations should flow unto it. That in those last days, Joel II. 29, 30, &c. God would pour out his Spirit upon the servants and upon the handmaids; and that he would shew wonders in the Heavens and in the Earth, &c. That in those last days, Hos. III. 5. the Children of Israel should return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and should fear the Lord and his goodness. And all other things of the greatest comfort. So it was also foretold, That in those last days, perilous times and persons should come, II Tim. III. 1. In those last days there should come scoffers, walking after their own lusts, II Pet. III. 3. In those

last days, there should be many Antichrists. I Joh. II. 18. And by this we know that it is the last time.

Among all other the sad things that befel in those last days of Jerusalem and the Com∣monwealth of the Jews, one of the greatest was, that there was a most horrid and very general Apostacy or falling away from Faith in the most Churches of the Jews, that had embraced the Gospel; they turning back to their old Judaism and vain Traditions again. Of this the Spirit had spoken expresly. I Tim. IV. 1. Of this our Saviour had foretold in that sad application of the Parable. Matth. XII. 45. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and findeth none. Then, he saith, I will return into my house, from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. The Devil had been cast out of a very great part of the Nation of the Jews. He thought to find rest there, but found none; such notable success had the Gospel of Christ found in that Nation. Upon which the Devil marshalleth up all his malice, strength and subtility, taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and so he at last prevails, to cause a grievous defection in the People from Christianity: they enter in and dwell there, and their last state was worse than their first. So was it with that generation. Of this he had foretold, Matth. XXIV. 12. And because iniquity shall abound, the Love of many shall wax cold. Of this the Apostle speaketh, II Thess. II. That before the terrible day of the Lord, and his vengeance, against Jerusalem (for •••• that phrase doth signifie almost continually▪ there should be a falling away. Of this you find sad footings in the Church of Galatia. Gal. III. 3. & IV. 9, 10. of Colosse, Col. II. 20. of Ephesus, Revel. II. 4. And indeed you may track the footing of it in all the Epistles of the Apostles.

II. The chief cursed promoters and procurers of this backsliding, was that multitude of false Teachers of the Jewish Nation, that went about pretending to have the Spirit of Prophesie and Revelation; and many of them working Miracles by the power of Ma∣gick; so sha••••ing the minds of men, and drawing them away from the Faith of the Gospel of Christ. Of these our Saviour had foretold, when he foretold of the miseries that should occur in those last days of Jerusalem, Matth. XXIV. 24. Of these the Apostle foretold, when he spake of the Jewish Antichrist (for of the Jew he speaks, II Thes. II.) and saith, he would come after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders, vers. 9. And of these the same Apostle speaks in that obscure place, I Cor. XII. 3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed. For divers went about pre∣tending to the Spirit, and yet cursed our Lord Jesus. Mention and footing of these you may find almost in all the Epistles of the Apostles, more especially in the second Epistle of S. Peter, and in this Epistle of S. Jude throughout. These are they that the Text saith were spots, certain deceivers crept in, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, vers. 4. men that took on them to have the Spirit, but were sensual, not having the Spirit, vers. 19. and filthy dreamers, vers. 8. These were the Spots.

What these Feasts of Charity were is some scruple. The more general opinion is, that they were Solemn Meals, which every Congregation had, and eat at together at receiving the Sacrament: some think instantly before, some after: And the groundwork of this opinion is that, I Cor. XI. 21. In eating every one taketh before other his own supper. There∣upon Beza without any sticking. At those Feasts, saith he, which they called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they received the Sacrament, as is plain out of I Cor. XI. Whereas such Feasts as these Suppers, were as far from the Apostles meaning, as the Apostle is far from commending or approving them. For you may observe that he doth not only, nor so much, condemn the misde∣meanors at those suppers, as he doth the suppers themselves, as a misdemeanor. For 1. He tells plainly, that by them they vilified the Church, or the place of their publick meet∣ing. 2. That they shamed the poor, who could not bring in so good commons and victuals. And 3. That if they were so hungry, they should eat everyone at home.

There are such dreadful and terrible glosses made of the unworthy eating and drinking at these Feasts here mentioned, that many Christians now a days are terrified from parta∣king of the Lords Supper, for fear lest they fall under this unworthy eating and drink∣ing, and the Judgment consequent upon it. Whereas, I know you will think it strange, if I say it, yet I fear not to say it, that I believe, there is not a Christian now in the World, that receives the Sacrament unworthily in that sence the Apostle speaks of unwor∣thy receiving there. Mistake me not, I say, in that sence that the Apostle speaks of there. For whereas all Churches consisted then of Jews and Gentiles, and this of Corinth par∣ticularly, as appears in the story of its first planting, Acts XVIII. and hence were their divisions: this was the cause of their other divisions, I Chap. I. 12. The Gentile party saying, I am of Paul, &c. The Jewish party, even in all Churches, in this Church un∣doubtedly, hankered too much after their old Judaism, this old leaven that the Apostle

gives them caution against, Chap. V. 8. Two smacks of Judaism you find them tainted with, which the Apostle hints in that XI. Chap. before he speaks of their misreceiving of the Sacrament. The first was, that the men would not pray, but with their faces cove∣red. Which was a meer Judaizing superstition. And the other that they wore long hair: as it appears by his so smartly reproving the thing, which relished of the rite of Naza∣rites, a meer Judaick custom. Upon that very account did Absalom wear his long hair: which some think, he did of pride, because that kind of pride is grown into fashion among us. But he did it as being or pretending to be under a Nazarites vow, II Sam. XV. 8. And as they thus Judaized in those two things, (and I might shew their speak∣ing with strange Tongues, &c. had a smatch of Judaism also) So did they Judaize about the Sacrament.

It was a common and generally received opinion among the Jewish Nation, That Mes∣siah when he came should no whit alter, much less abolish any of their Mosaick Ordinances, but should inhance them to a greater glory. That he should make their Sacrifices, Purifications, Sabbaths, Festivals, and all other usances, far more resplendent and glorious, than ever they had been. According to this opinion did these Jewish Christians of Corinth understand and conceive concerning the Sacrament. They observed not, that it was a Remembrance of Christs death, which the Apostle minds them to observe, vers. 26. nor did they discern the Lords body at all in it, as the Apostle lasheth them for not doing, vers. 29. But they reputed it only as a farther inhancement of their delivery out of Egypt; and that Christ had only ordained it, as a further addition to this Passover, and to that Memorial. Hence those Procoenia were in imitation of the Passover-suppers, Judaizing in them, and in their opinion and receiving of the Sacrament. Which were as far from being any ground for these Feasts of Charity in that sence, that they are commonly interpreted in, as Judaism from Christianity, Error from Truth, as a thing odious and to be abhorr'd in Christianity from a thing laudable and of divine approval.

If therefore I may have liberty to dissent from an opinion so generally received, I should say, these Feasts of Love were the Entertainment of strangers. It was a constant custom among the Jews, that at every Synagogue a place and persons were appointed for the reception of strangers, as appears by their own Writings. That this custom was translated into Christian Congregations, may be concluded, partly by the necessity of such a thing, at that time when the Apostles and Disciples went abroad to preach without mony or provision of their own, and could not have subsisted without such entertain∣ments, and partly, because we read of Gaius, Rom. XVI. 23. and Phaebe vers. 1. and wo∣men that washed strangers feet.

So did these false Teachers walk abroad, and came as strangers (for they crept in un∣awars, vers. 4.) taking on them to be true: and so the Churches entertained them in such entertainments, in those Feasts of Charity, at the common charge, looking on them as true Ministers and Disciples, but they proved Spots and Rocks (for so the Greek word signifies) in those entertainments. Spots, that shamed the company they conversed with, and soiled them with the filth of Errors and false Doctrines; and Rocks, at which multitudes of Souls dashed, splitted, and shipwracked Faith and their Salvation.

I am not ignorant of the variety of Reading and Interpretation of these words, as much as in most places: but I shall not insist upon that: for it would be but expence of time, since both Antiquity embraceth the Reading, as we do, and an easie discovery might be made by what mistakes other Readings and Interpretations took place.

In the words there are three parts.

• I. The Persons, in the first word These.
• II. One particular act of theirs, hinted in the last words, they crept into their Feasts of Charity.
• III. What and how they proved there, they were Spots or Rocks, and did mis∣chief.

I might take up words by way of Descant upon the present occasion, and tell you what are Spots in the Feasts and Entertainments, Riot and Drunkenness, obscene and fil∣thy Communication, Quarrelling and Contention, Uncharitableness and Forgetting of the Poor; these and other things are Spots. But I keep close to the Apostles meaning, and consider the persons he speaks of, such as I described unto you, false Teachers, that pretended to the Spirit, and to preach and work Miracles by the Spirit. And I shall discourse a little concerning the great delusion that is by pretence of the Spirit: and this the rather that I may speak something like in subsequence to that I treated upon at our last Meeting. Then I exhorted you to hold Communion by the example of Christ. For se∣paration I then told you, was the undoing of our Church. Now I give caution against the pretence of those that Preach and Expound Scripture by the Spirit. For that is the cause of Separation, and hath proved the ruine of Religion.

And although this change of times doth seem to promise that this delusion in time will dye, so that the present discourse may seem not so very pertinent, yet doth that mischief now live, move, delude, and captivate silly souls little less than it hath done all along. Therefore give me leave a little to discover this delusion to you, that you may not only be the better fenced against it, that it do not deceive you, but that you may be the bet∣ter furnished to stop the mouths of those that pretend to it.

For the prosecuting this argument, you must distinguish between the false pretence to the Spirit of Sanctification, and to the Spirit of Revelation. By the former men deceive themselves, by the latter, others. They deceive themselves, by conceiving they have the former, because they have something like it; but these deceive others by the pretence of the latter, though they have nothing like it.

There is no grace, but there is a false coin minted by the Devil to dissemble it. As the Harlot takes the live-child from the unwitting mother, and fosters the dead one in the room: and so lyes the poor woman deceived: and so the poor man is deceived, and thinks he hath saving grace, when tis but common, and the Spirit of Sanctification, when tis but the Spirit of Bondage. But I shall not insist on this. But proceed to the other pre∣tence, viz. to the Spirit of Revelation and Prophesie, whereby these, in the Text, de∣ceived others.

I shall not need to shew you how this hath been the great cheat in all times. There were false Prophets before the captivity, and false Prophets after it; such pretenders almost in all times. I shall strip this delusion naked, and whip it before you by observing these four things.

I. No degree of holiness whatsoever doth necessarily beget and infer the Spirit of Revelati∣on, as the cause produceth the effect. It is the first cheat that these men put upon them∣selves and others by concluding, I am a Saint, therefore I have the Spirit, and I preach and expound Scripture by the Spirit: whereas, I say, no degree of Sanctification doth neces∣sarily beget and produce that of Revelation. I clear this from the nature of the thing it self, and by examples.

First, From the nature of the thing. The Spirit of Holiness and Revelation are far different, therefore the one is not the cause of the other. The cause and the effect have a parity and similitude one with another; but these are far from being so.

• 1. They are impartible to different subjects: Holiness only to holy men; the Spirit of Revelation sometimes to wicked men. So it was imparted to Balaam, Numb. XXIII. so likewise to Judas and Caiaphas.
• 2. They are bestowed upon different ends: Holiness for the good of him that hath it, Revelation for the benefit of others.
• 3. They are of different manners and operations. The Spirit of Sanctification changeth the heart; Paul is a Saul no more; Revelation doth not. Judas is Judas still.
• 4. They are of different Diffusion in the Soul: Sanctification is quite through, I Thess. V. 23. Revelation only in the understanding.
• 5. They are of different Effects; Sanctification never produceth but what is good: Revelation may produce what is evil. Knowledge puffeth up.

Now see what a cheat they are in This to themselves, (if they believe it themselves) and to others that believe it, in this argumentation, I am holy, therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation.

To the further confuting of this, add but two Examples.

• 1. The first Adam. He was as holy as created nature could be, and yet had he the Spirit of Revelation? Not the Spirit at all. He was most holy, yet had not the Spirit of Sanctification, most full of knowledge, yet had not the Spirit of Revelation: but all his holiness was founded only in his nature, as he was created. God made him holy, and left him to stand upon his own holiness, and had not the assistance of the Spirit at all. So he had great knowledge, yet not the Spirit of Revelation, either to know things to come, or to know things beyond their natures and causes. But
• 2. Consider the second Adam. He was holiness it self, yet had he not the Spirit of Revelation by that holiness. In Christ there were two things. The holiness of his person, by union with the Godhead, and the Indowment of the Spirit upon his person. He was so holy that he was not only without sin, but he was impeccable, Rom. VIII. 2. as we are a Law that cannot but sin, so he contra. Now this holiness of Christs person or nature is to a clean different end to what the guifts of the Spirit upon him were. His person was so holy, that he might perform the Law, satisfie justice, pay obedience, conquer Satan. But the guifts of the Spirit were to fit him for Mediatorship, to cast out Devils, to reveal the will of God, to work Miracles to confirm that Doctrine.

As these differ in their ends, so are they from different originals; holiness from the pu∣rity of his nature, indowments by extraordinary donation. If he had the Spirit in extra∣ordinary guifts of Revelation and Miracles, by vertue of his holy nature, why was that

Spirit given so visible, Matth. III. and given when he was to begin his Mediation? Con∣sider his own words, Mark. XIII. 32. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son but the Father: Some are ashamed to confess their ignorance of any thing, yet he doth it plainly. For the Divine Nature in Christ acted not to the utmost of its power. Tis clear from this passage of Christ, that by his nature he had not the Spirit of Revelation, but he had it by the immediate guift of God. For it pleased not God so to reveal that day and hour to him, while he was here on Earth. So that by this example you may see much more the fallacy of that argu∣ment, I am a Saint, therefore I have the Spirit of Revelation. Whereas Christ himself could not say so.

II. The Spirit of Revelation is given indeed to Saints, but means little that sence, that these men speak of, but is of a clean different nature. The Apostle prays, Ephes. I. 17. That God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him. And God gives this Spirit; but in what sence? Not, to foresee things to come, not to understand the Grammatical construction of Scripture without study, not to preach by the Spirit: but the Apostle explains himself, vers. 18. The eyes of their understanding being enlightned, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints. So that the Revelation given to the Saints is this, that God reveals the experience of those things, that we have learned before in the Theory from Scripture, a saving feeling of the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of his in∣heritance. Here let me speak three things.

• 1. To feel the experience of Grace is not by new Light, that was never known before, but by application of what was known before. As the Queen of Sheba first heard of the Fame of Solomon, then found by experience. Compare we our knowledge of Spiritual things to a Banquet, to your Feast this day. A man before Grace sees the banquet God hath provided for his people, hath by the word learned the nature and definition of Faith, Repentance, Holiness, Love of God, and Love to God, but as yet he does but see the banquet; when Grace comes, then he sees and tastes these things in experience and sence in his own Soul. He had a light before from the Word, now it is brought so near his heart that he feels warmness, he feels life and sence and operation of these things, is as it were changed into these things; as in II Cor. III. 18. We with open face beholding as in a gl••ss the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory. Now this is no•• the Spirit of Revelation in that sence, that these take it in, but tis so called, be∣cause it▪ is by a light and operation above natural light and operation. As common grace is called grace, because 'tis above the ordinary working of nature, so this is called revelati∣on, because above the work of common light.
• 2. How do men come to assurance of pardon and salvation? Not by the Spirit of revelation in their sence, not by any immediate whispers from Heaven, but another way. As in Rom. XV. 4. Through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we have hope. In Scrip∣ture is your comfort, and in your own conscience; and in them is your assurance. A Saint makes this holy Syllogism.
  • Scripture, Major, He that repents, believes, loves God, hath the pardon of his sins.
  • Conscience, Minor, Lord, I believe, Lord, I love thee.
  • Saint, from both makes the Conclusion, Therefore I am assured of the pardon of my sins, and my Salvation.

Thus Christ would bring S. Peter to assurance of his Estate after his denial, by this trial, Lovest thou me? Not by any revelation that Christ loved him, but it was assu∣rance enough, if he loved Christ. And here by the way let me speak one word for trial, whether we have the Spirit of Sanctification, that we be not deceived in the rest. Never believe you have the Spirit of Sanctification, unless your heart be changed to love God. Among many signs this is the most sensible and undoubted. I say, unless the heart be changed, and changed to love God. Change of heart is the mother habit of all Graces. God speaks enough in Ezek. XXXVI. 26. A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. In that question about perseverance and loss of grace, as in the case of David, Peter, &c. we say, That the Act may be suspended and lost for the present, but the Habit not. Now by habit we mean not the particular seed of this or that Grace, but the change of the Heart, the materia prima of all Graces. That is never unchanged back again: the stone is taken away. The heart indeed may freez into ice, as Davids and Peters, but never turn into stone again.

I say further▪ To love God. A man may feel some kind of change of heart in common grace Common grace is Gods ordinary way for working Saving grace; his keys, Illumi∣nation, stirring of Conscience, fear of Hell, some kind of Grief. Now though these go not so far as to come to saving grace, yet saving grace comes not but by the inlet of these. And here many are deceived, if they have some such stirrings within them, if startled, pricked, have some sorrow for sin, though all from the Spirit of bondage, yet think they have repentance, godly sorrow enough. And here were an insuperable dif∣ficulty of discerning a mans estate, whether yet under common grace only, but that this resolves it, If I Love God. Peters startling of Conscience, grief, tears, were good signs, but never sure signs, had not this seasoned all, Lord I Love thee.

So that a mans assurance of his happy estate is not by any Spirit of Revelation, but of Sanctification, not from Inspiration, but from the work and testimony of a good Conscience; the Spirit of God in grace bearing witness to our Spirits.

3. I may add, A Saint in Heaven finds nothing, but what he knew before in little, what he tasted before in little, but then is filled. As he hath heard, so now he seeth in the City of God: hath heard of the Beatifical Vision, of partaking of God, of Eternity; now he enjoys it, not by any new Revelation of the Spirit, but by blessed experience. So that the dearest Saint of God hath no further promise of Revelation, then in this sence.

III. There is no promise in Scripture, whereupon the Spirit of Revelation is to be expected after the fall of Jerusalem. It is a delusion by which the men, we speak of, deceive themselves and others, when they think and assert, that what promises are made of Re∣velation, or of great light, are to be applied to these times. How have these places been as it were worn thread-bare by them for this purpose, Esay LIV. 13. All thy Chil∣dren shall be taught of the Lord; and Jer. XXXI. 33, 34. And this is the Covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my Law in their in∣ward parts, &c. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, &c. and others; as if they had been directly aimed for these very times, and as if directly for England: whereas I say again, there is no pro∣mise, upon which the Spirit of Revelation is to be expected after the fall of Jerusalem. This assertion is more important and proveable, than seems at first sight. I limit Prophesie to expire at the fall of Jerusalem. Whosoever saith not so, will not know where to limit it, and what that age was wherein it was extinguished. And if no limit, than how great is the danger we are in, who live in these times, when so many of contrary minds pretend to Prophesie: and then there were no age, but there would be some persons Ora∣cular as Moses. If any limit then, where is it fixed? I say at the fall of Jerusalem. And I will prove it by what they bring to prove Prophesie for these days, Act. II. 17. And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and their sons and their daughters shall Prophesie, &c. By the last days, they would understand it of the World, I, of Jerusalem. So in divers places besides. That it is so to be under∣stood in the place, S. Peters application makes out. Who applies this place of the Old Testament unto himself and the Christians at that time; upon occasion of their speak∣ing strange Languages. What absurdity would there also be in his applying this place?

The old Oeconomy is as the old World, the Evangelical is the new Heaven and the new Earth. So that the last days of the old World are the last days of the old Oeconomy. Hence the destruction of Jerusalem is spoke of as the destruction of the old World, and Christs coming is said to be in the last days. So that if we take not the pouring out of the Spirit in the last days, in that sence, we swerve from the sence of the phrase in Scripture. And hence it appears that Spirit to be in those last days, and that it was affixed to them from propriety of phrase.

To this we might add, the manner of imparting the Spirit in those times: It was either by effusion upon many together, Act. II. & X. or by imposition of hands upon some single ones. Now who dares think that ever was since the fall of Jerusalem, such manner of gi∣ving, or ever will be? And these are the only ways of imparting the Spirit that are spoke of since Christ ascended.

To all we might add, that at the fall of Jerusalem all Scripture was written, and Gods full will revealed; so that there was no further need of Prophesie and Re∣velation.

Therefore those places they cite, are misapplied both as to the time and also as to the proper sence of them. So that here is a discovery of the third delusion, that Prophesie still continues, whereas it was to cease at the fall of Jerusalem, and there is no promise, whereupon any hath reason to expect it in these times.

IV. The standing Ministry is the ordinary Method that God hath used for the instruction of his Church. It has ever been Gods way, since he first wrote words, to teach his Church by a studious learned Ministry, who were to explain the Scripture by study, not by the Spirit. Mistake not, this Ministry consisted not of Prophets, (they were occasional, and of necessity,) but of Priests and Levites. We are sent to them, Hag. II. 11. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, ask now the Priests concerning the Law, Mal. II. 7. For the Priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. We have mention made of the sons of the Prophets in the Old Testa∣ment; these were not inspired, but understanding was instilled into them by Elias, and they sat at his feet; such were those of Issachar. So the Disciples sat at the feet of Christ. The true Apostles indeed were inspired because there was a necessity of it. But when the New Testament was written, there was no further need of inspiration. And then the Church was sufficiently instructed by ordinary Ministers, therefore was Timo∣thy left at Ephesus, Titus in Creet. Thefore was the Imposition of Hands, Hebrews VI. 2.

I conclude all with that suitable advise of St. John, I Chap. IV. 1. Beloved believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits whether they are of God, because many false Prophets are gone out into the World.