A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

The Complete Works of Thomas Brooks — Volume 5

Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680 · 375,900 words · 330 reading sections

SECTION 181

Section 181

^ This prophecy is applied to Christ, Luke ii. 32 ; Acts xiii. 47; Gal. iii. 16; Heb. v. 4, 5. And many of the Jews do confess that this place is to be understood of Christ only, Mat. i. 21, 22 ; Luke ii. 10, 11 ; Heb. i. 6. " See Eph. vi. 17; Heb. iv. 12 ; Rev. i. 16, and yi. 2. 334 THE COVENANT OF KEDEMPTION by th…

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SECTION 182

Section 182

indeed desired, yet I do comfort and bear up my heart with this, that my heavenly Father knows that in the office and place wherein he hath set me, I have faithfully done all that could be done for the • salvation of poor sinners' souls, and for the securing of them from wrath to come : ' And my work,' or reward, ' wit…

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SECTION 183

Section 183

^ The Chaldee paraphrast, and some of [the] Jewish doctors, expound this place of the Messiah, Isa. ilii. 1, and liii. 11, &c. VEllY CLEARLY AND LARGELY OPENED. 337 living in a low, despicable condition, exposed to scorn and contempt, and to much affliction, through the whole course of his life, and more especially y…

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SECTION 184

Section 184

» 1 Pet. i. 18, 19 ; Kom. iii. 25, and v. i, 10 ; 2 Cor. v. 19, 21 ; Col. i. 19, 20. ' Heb. vii. 26; John viii. 46, and xiv. 30; 1 John iii. 5. VERY CLEARLY AND LARGELY OPENED. 339 Christ's words and works were upright, just, and sincere. Christ's innocency is sufficiently vindicated, ver. 9. It is true, Christ suffe…

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SECTION 185

Section 185

[6.] Sixthly, Observe with me, that the original cause of this com- pact or covenant between the Father and the Son, hy vii^tue of which God the Father demands a price, and Je&iis Christ pays the price ac- cording to God's demands, is only from the free grace and favour of God: rer. 10, * It pleased the Lord to bruise …

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SECTION 186

Section 186

(6.) The sixth scripture is that, Isa. lix. 20, 21, 'And the Ee- deemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgres- sion in Jacob, saith the Lord. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord ; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of t…

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SECTION 187

Section 187

endeavour to demonstrate. Penmen of the New Testament were not translators of the Old, but only quoted them for proof of the point in hand, so as they were not tied to syllables and letters, but to the sense. That which the prophet speaketh of himself, the apostle applieth to Christ, say some. This may be readily grant…

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SECTION 188

Section 188

because I am without sin, but because my sins are forgiven ; I will not glory because I have profited, or because any hath profited me, but because Christ is an advocate with the Father for me, but because the blood of Christ is shed for me.'i Certainly the popish doctrine of man's own satisfaction in part for his sins…

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SECTION 189

Section 189

with the Father that all those shall be sanctified for whom he has suffered and satisfied. The virtue, efficacy, and benefit of that which ariseth from the aforesaid will of the Father and of the Son is expressed under this word, ' sanctified.' To pass by the notation and divers acceptations of this word ' sanctified,'…

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SECTION 190

Section 190

sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water.' i Here God the Father speaks to Christ, with relation to some covenant be- tween them both ; and what covenant can that be but the covenant of redemption ? All the temporal, spiritual, and eternal deliverances which we enjoy, they swim to us through the blo…

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SECTION 191

Section 191

gone out of his moutli, ' In the day that tliou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die ; ajid the soul which sins shall die/ Gen. ii. 17. Look, as there is not a promise of God but shall take place in time, so there is not a threatening of God but shall take place in time, Ezek. xviii. 4. The faithfulness of God, and the…

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SECTION 192

Section 192

work followed ; in redemption there was doing and dying. The work of redemption could be brought about by none but God. God must come down from heaven, God must be made man, God must be made sin, God must be made a curse, 2 Oor. v. 21 ; Gal. iii. 13. Thirdly, In the creation God arrayed himself with majesty, power, an…

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SECTION 193

Section 193

by Jesus Christ, is this, it is an eternal, a permanent, a lasting, yea, an everlasting redemption: Heb. ix. 12, 'Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.' Kedemption is in general a freeing one out of thraldom, Ex…

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SECTION 194

Section 194

[5.] The fifth excellent property of that redemption that we have by Jesus' Christ is this — viz. , it is an enriching redemption ; it is a redemption that makes men rich in ' spiritual blessings in heavenly places,' Eph. i. 3. There are many choice and rare spiritual benefits that wait and attend on redemption, that g…

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SECTION 195

Section 195

refer either to the two parties betwixt which he deals, pleading for God to men and for men to God, or to the two natures, mediator of God, having the divine nature, and of men, having the human nature upon him ; one mediator, not of redemption only, as the papists grant, hut of intercession too. We need no other maste…

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SECTION 196

Section 196

kinsman, our brother, ' by spoiling principalities and powers,' Col. ii. 15, rescues us out of that tyrant's hand. (2.) There is a redemption by price or ransom ; to redeem is to buy again, 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' Ye are bought with a price ;' vii. 23, ' Ye are bought with a price.' The word price is added, not by a pleonasmi…

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SECTION 197

Section 197

3 The whole business of our salvation was first transacted between the Father and Christ before it was revealed to us, John vi. 27. The Apostle Peter, speaking of our redemp- tion by the precious blood of Christ, saith that ' Christ was foreordained, thereunto, be- fore the foundation of the world,' 1 Pet. i. 20. 362 …

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SECTION 198

Section 198

legal sacrifices, not in gold or silver, not in tears, Immblings, and melt- ings of my people ; but in my own bosom. That Jesus, that Son of my love, who has lain in my bosom from all eternity, John i. 18, he is that ransom, that by my own matchless wisdom and singular goodness, * I have found.' I have not called a cou…

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SECTION 199

Section 199

^ See John x. 17, aud xvi. 27. VERY CLEARLY AND LARGELY OPENED. 365 with the devil and his angels. Now out of this forlorn estate he can never deliver himself, neither can all the angels in heaven deliver him. Now this being his present case and state, I make this offer to thee, 0 my Son : If, in the fulness of time,…

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SECTION 200

Section 200

(8.) The eighth proposition is this, — viz., That there loere command- ments from the Father to the Son ichich he must obey and submit to. God the Father did put forth his paternal authority, and lay his com- mands upon his Son, to engage in this great work of redeeming and saving poor sinners' souls. He had a command …

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SECTION 201

Section 201

[1.] Ae first, that it is the great dignity and happiness of the elect, that they are, from eternity, given to Christ in the covenant of redemp- tion, as the reward of his sufferings, to come to him in due time ; and that they are given to him in trust, and that he must be accountable for them, as being given by the Fa…

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SECTION 202

Section 202

[3.] In the third place, I shall shew you that the manner or quality of tJie transaction between God the Father and Jesus Christ, ivas hy mutual engagements and stipulations; each person undertaking to perform his part in order to our recovery and eternal felicity. We find each person undertaking for himself by solemn …

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SECTION 203

Section 203

' The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord,' Isa. xi. 2. God the Father fits Jesus Christ for the work of redemption by a large effusion of the graces and gifts of the Spirit upon him. The Spi…

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SECTION 204

Section 204

' Melchizedek was a king and a priest ; Christ was more — a priest, a prophet, and a king ; Samuel was a priest and a prophet ; David was a king and a prophet : but never met all three in any but in Christ aloue. 374 THE COVENANT OF REDEMPTION and set apart to that function ; and thus was our Lord Jesus Christ made a…

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SECTION 205

Section 205

Levites'; their institution was without an oath, Christ's institution was with an oath. The argument may be thus framed : that priesthood which is established by an oath, is more excellent than that which is without an oath ; but Christ's priesthood is with an oath, and theirs without, ergo. ... It is here taken for gr…

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SECTION 206

Section 206

' Christ displaces all Rabbis, by assuming this title to himself, ' one is your doctor and master, eren Christ,' Mat. xxiii. 8-10. VERY CLEARLY AND LARGELY OPENED. 377 and sheweth him all things that himself doth/ by a divine and un- speakable communication. God the Father shews to Jesus Christ all things that he dot…

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SECTION 207

Section 207

kings of the earth ; he is the prince of the kings of the earth ; he is Lord of lords, and King of kings,' Ps. Ixxxix. 27 ; Kev. i, 5, and xvii. 14, I remember Theodosius the emperor and another emperor did use to call themselves the vassals of Christ ; and it is most certain that all the emperors, kings, and princes o…

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SECTION 208

Section 208

to what I have done. Again, the Lord, in a promissory way, approves and establisheth this king by a firm decree : Ps. ii. 7, ' I will declare the decree,' not the secret decree, but the decree manifested in the word. I, the Son of God, will, by my everlasting gospel, proclaim my Father's counsel, concerning the establi…

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SECTION 209

Section 209

^ Christ is our Lord, but in the work of redemption he was the Father's servant. VERY CLEARLY AND LARGELY OPENED. S&l enemies, bears up bravely under all his sore temptations and trials, and ' triumphs over principalities and powers,' Mat. iv. 11 ; Luke xxii. 43 ; Col. ii. 15. And certainly if Christ had not had sing…

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SECTION 210

Section 210

Fifthly, God the Father pi'omiseth to Jesus Christ rule, dominion, and sovereignty, Ps. ii. 8, 9. This sovereignty and rule is promised to Jesus Christ in Isa. xl. 10, ' His arm shall rule for him.' ' He shall sit in judgment in the earth, and the isles shall wait for his law,' Isa. xlii. 4- — not the Jews only, but th…

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SECTION 211

Section 211

Seventhly, God the Father promiseth highly to exalt Jesus Christ, and nobly to rewat^d him, and everlastingly to glorify him. ' And nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy Grod, and for the Holy One of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee/ Isa, xlix. 4-6, and xl. 10. These are the words o…

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SECTION 212

Section 212

ful death of the cross ; upon which account the Father rewards him highly by exalting him to singular glory and transcendent honour. Look, that as the assumption of the human nature is the highest in- stance of free mercy,, so is the rewarding thereof in its state of exalta- tion the highest instance of remunerative ju…

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SECTION 213

Section 213

ture. Ye all know that man consisteth of two parts, wHch are some- times called flesh and spirit, and sometimes called soul and body. Now by a synecdoche, either of these parts may be put for the whole : and so sometimes the soul is put for the whole man, and sometimes the body is put for the whole man, as you may see …

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SECTION 214

Section 214

is suitable, and a very great congrnity, that God, having made all things by his Son, should now repair all things by liis Son ; that he that was the middle person in the Trinity should become the mediator between God and man ; that he that was ' the express image of the Father's person' should restore the image of God…

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SECTION 215

Section 215

humble myself to the death of the cross, Phil. li. 8, I will ' tread the wine-press of my Father's wrath/ Isa. Ixiii. 3, I will fully discharge all the bonds, bills, and obligations that lie in open court against any of those whom by compact thou hast given me, Col. ii. 13-15, let their debts be never so many or never …

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SECTION 216

Section 216

Now as the Father of old hath rested and relied on the promise and engagement of Christ, so Jesus Christ doth, to this very day, rest and stay himself upon the promise of his Father, that he shall, in due time, * see all his seed,' Isa. liii. 10, and reap the full benefit of that full ransom that he has paid down upon …

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SECTION 217

Section 217

is an eclipse of the lustre of any glory to have a date and a period. The very thought that such a glory shall one day cease, will cast a damp upon the spirit of him that enjoys that glory. Christ's con- stant sitting at the right hand of his Father is a clear evidence that he has finished and completed the work of our…

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SECTION 218

Section 218

^ 2 Cor, vi. 16, ' I will dwell in them.' The words are very significant in the original, lvoiK-fi<Tw h dvToit, ' I will indwell in them.' So the words are. There are two ins in the original, as if God could never have enough communion with them, 2 Thes. i. 10. VERY CLEARLY AND LARGELY OPENED. 397 guilty, the accuser…

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SECTION 219

Section 219

Now from the serious consideration of this comjoact, covenant, and agreement, that was solemnly made between God and Christ, touching the whole business of man's salvation or redemption, I may form up this tenth plea as to the ten scriptures that are in the margin, i^ that refer to the great day of account, or to a man…

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SECTION 220

Section 220

(2.) Secondly, Hoio should this covenant of redemption spirit ani- mate and encourage all the redeemed of God,, to do anything for Christ, to suffer anything for Christ, to venture anything for Christ, to part with anything for Christ, to give up anything to Christ, who, according to the covenant of redemption, hath do…

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SECTION 221

Section 221

of the covenant of redemption, he could never have saved us, nor have satisfied divine justice, nor have been admitted into heaven. That Jesus Christ might make full satisfaction for all our sins, ' he was made a curse for us, whereby he hath redeemed us from the curse of the law,' Gal. iii. 13. All his sufferings were…

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SECTION 222

Section 222

^ Eccles. X. 9, and xii. 14 ; Mat. xii. 14, and xviii. 23 ; Luke ivi. 2 ; Rom. xiv. 10 ; 2 Cor. V. 10 ; Heb. ix. 27, and xiii. 17 ; 1 Pet. iv. 5. ^ ' Neighbouring.'— G. 404 OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, OUT OF WHICH scripture that is under our present consideration runs parallel with that Dan, xii. 1-3, and several other plac…

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SECTION 223

Section 223

main. There shall be a renovation of all things, say most, and that only the fashion of the world, that is, the outward form and corruptible qualities, shall be destroyed ; and so the earth shall be found no more as it was, but shall be made most beautiful and glorious, being to be * delivered into the glorious liberty…

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SECTION 224

Section 224

The parties judged, who stand before the throne, are, (1.) Generally * the dead,' all who had died from Adam to the last day. He calls them ' the dead,' after the common law of nature, but then raised from death to life by the power of God, Eph. ii. 5 ; Col. ii. 13. He speaks not of men dead in sins and trespasses, but…

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SECTION 225

Section 225

[2.] Secondly, There is the booh of providence, wherein all parti- culars are registered, even such as atheists may count trivial and in- considerable : Mat. X. 30, * But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.' And where is their number summed up ? Even in the book of provideuce. The three worthies were taken ou…

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SECTION 226

Section 226

US before God. In this great day the book of every man's conscience shall be opened for their conviction, wherein they shall read their guilt in legible characters ; for that is a book of record, wherein men's actions are entered. And although now it be shut up close, and sinners will by no means be brought to look int…

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SECTION 227

Section 227

412 OF THE BOOK OF LIFE, OUT OF WHICH story be upon the reporter ; but upon the credit of the word of God, if we believe, really, savingly, and repent unfeignedly, all our sins shall be blotted out ; and a book of clean paper, in respect of sin, shall be presented to the judge. But, [6.] Sixthly and jfastly. There is…

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SECTION 228

Section 228

written in this book of life and the obtaining of eternal life were not peremptory, what reason could there be of opening this book in the day of judgment? The book of life is a book of sovereign grace, upon which lies the weight of my salvation, my happiness, my all ; and therefore by that book I desire to stand or fa…

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SECTION 229

Section 229

they are not their own, they are bought with a price, 1 Cor. vi. 20, and vii. 23 ; and therefore to him they must be accountable for their lives, liberties, &c., and therefore they had need be very wary how they part with them. We must not step out of our way to take up a cross. The three worthies were passive,! Dan. i…

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SECTION 230

Section 230

iii. 12. A man may have many faint wishes and cold desires after godliness, and yet escape persecution ; yea, he may make some essays and attempts as if he would be godly, and yet escape persecution ; but when a man is thoroughly resolved to be godly, and sets himself in good earnest upon pursuing after holiness, upon …

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SECTION 231

Section 231

' Judas and Spira will rather sin than suffer ; but who ever suffered more on this side hell than they suffered ? ' De Civit., lib. vi. c. 10. 420 A GENERAL EPISTLE vi. 24 ; whereby many young persons might think that Eleazar, being fourscore and ten years old, were now gone to a strange religion. Thus also one of th…

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SECTION 232

Section 232

the gospel's sake ? He that shall attempt to save his life by crossing his light, by shifting of the truth, or by forsaking of Christ, shall lose it. It is a gainful loss to suffer for the truth ; it is a lossful gain, by time-serving and base complying with the times, the lusts, the wills, the humours of the men of th…

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SECTION 233

Section 233

3 ^iXeti/ is here used of excessive and preposterous love. He that so loveth his life, that, out of a desire to save it, he denieth me and my gospel : so this Greek word is used, Mat. X. 37. TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS. 423 who, by sinful attempts to save his life, shall lose a better life than ever he can save. But, 5.…

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SECTION 234

Section 234

* Paul rattles his chain which he did bear for the gospel's sake, and was as proud of it as a womau of her ornaments, saith Chrj-sostom. TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS. 425 deal of pleasure in his sufferings for Christ : 2 Cor. xii. 10, ' Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecu- t…

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SECTION 235

Section 235

TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS. 427 commands, and pollutions in worship do sadly reflect upon the name of God, the honour of God, the truth of God ; and therefore his heart rises against them. Defilements in worship do sorely reflect upon the wisdom of Christ and the faithfulness of Christ, as if he were not faith- ful enoug…

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SECTION 236

Section 236

' No histories are comparable to the histories of the Scripture — (1.) for antiquity; (2.) rarity; (3.) variety; (4.) brevity; (5.) perspicuity; (6.) harmony; (7.) verity; all which should greatly encourage Christians to a serious perusal of them. TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS. 429 of God/ Col. ii. 23. God gave Moses a pat…

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SECTION 237

Section 237

^ There will come a day when Jews, Turks, and Papists shall pay dear for adding to the Scriptures. * Spelled ' wander.' — G. • A term of endearment, e.g. Ford. ' I know, quoth I, I am his white-boy.' — Tts Pity, &c., i. 3. Subsequently applied polemically. — G. TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS. 431 others, and might eat the …

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SECTION 238

Section 238

[9.] Ninthly, They that plead for the reduction of all ordinances, worship, church-government, and discipline, to the primitive pattern and institution, in opposition to all human and antichristian inven- tions, traditions, and innovations in the toorship of God, they have a 1 Scultet. Annal. » Scultet. Annal., 274, T…

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SECTION 239

Section 239

^ Phil. i. 29. A priest might enter into a leper's house without danger, because he had a calling from God so to do. And we may follow God dry-shod through the Red' Sea when God gives a call. TO ALL SUFFERING SAINTS. 435 [1.] First, When the truth luill suffer, and the name of God suffer, and the gospel will suffer…

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SECTION 240

Section 240

' Brooks is enumerating the engravings of his favourite folio. Clarke, as before. — G. * Basil in xl. Mart. Cone. Item Greg. Xyssen de iisdem, Orat. 2. •' Eccles. Hist., lib. v. c. 1. ■* Socrat. Hist., lib. iii. c. 13. * Mag. Cent. iv. c. 3, €i Tkeodoreto. * Euseb. Eccles. Hist., lib. v. c. 1, lib. viii. c. 6, 7, &…

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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.