together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Oxe And the sucking Child shall play on the hole of the Aspe and the weaned Child shal put his hand on the Cockatrice den They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy Mountaine for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the Sea The exact fulfilling of this Prophesie in its literall sense that is according to the strict propriety of natiue or vnborrowed signification of words credat Iudaeus let it bee expected by the vnbeleeuing Iew whose too much credulity to the letter hath brought forth an absolute infidelity concerning the mysteries of his saluation But whilest he expects such a league and amity betwixt the creatures heere mentioned as the words literally import he plainely declares himselfe to be more cruell more rancorous vntamed than the most rauenous beast or most venemous creature heere mentioned For neither the sweet inuitation of our Sauiour nor all the good deeds which he wrought amongst this people whilest he liued on earth nor the punishing hand of God which hath bin alwayes heauy vpon them since his death hath to this day wrought such a placable or reconcileable disposition toward vs Gentiles or toward their owne brethren which trust in Christ as they expect in the dayes of their Messias should be wrought in the Wolfe towards the Lambe or in the Aspe or Cockatrice towards the Child or sucking Infant We may take this amongst others as a sure Argument of our Interest in the Womans Seede in that this generation of Vipers or Serpents as Iohn Baptist termes them haue exercised the venemous enmitie of Serpents against all that haue professed the name of Christ since his death But the greater their enmity is vnto the profession of Christianity or the longer it hath continued the more strange and admirable will that reconciliation or agreement seeme which the Euangelist records to haue falne out at the time of our Sauiours baptisme or anoyntment not only betweene the Iew and the Gentile but between the Pharisee and Publicane betweene the Sadduce and the Roman Soldier all of them communicating together in the solemnity or Sacrament of baptisme For many of euery sort here mentioned were baptized 〈◊〉 in Iordane confessing their sinnes This sudden and vnexpected obedience of all sorts vnto the Summons of Iohns calling to repentance and the strange alteration which followed vpon the sacrament of baptisme and the repentance which Iohn preached aswell in the Iew as in the Gentile is the mystery of the new Testament which the Prophet fore-pictures in the Parable of the Wolfe agreeing with the Lamb of the Leopards reconciliation with the Kid and of the Lions neere familaritie with the Oxe or Asse The Publicanes which before the preaching of baptisme and repentance by Iohn were as rauenous as the euening Wolues became as innocent as the Lambe The soldiers likewise which had bin formerly as fierce and cruell as the Lyon became as tame and gentle as the Oxe or Cow and submitted their necks vnto the yoke of the Gospell Such of the Phaâ—ises likewise as before their baptisme had beene as venemous as the Aspe or Cockatrice did by the worthy receiuing of this baptisme and the grace which God did giue them become as mild and gentle as the sucking Infant or weaned Child 57. This I take to bee the true interpretation and natiue meaning though not of these words which he vseth yet of the Prophet himselfe and that which the holy Ghost did purposely intend to expresse in the fore-cited place But may not the prediction though meerely or for the most part as was obserued parabolical haue some speciall reference to the daies of Noah wherein the like reconciliation of hostile antipathizing natures was literally and historically verefied and experienced Yes doubtlesse the signes of that old world and the signes of the time wherein our Sauiour was baptized doe as exactly resemble the one the other as the shape or image of the face in the glasse doth the picture that produceth it or the picture doth the liue body which it represents And besides the power of God which is able to effect all things without secondary causes or meanes subordinate we cannot imagine any other cause or reason that should moue the Iew and Gentile the Pharise Publican to coÌ„municate together in Iohns baptisme beside that which moued the beasts of euery kind herementioned by the Prophet and others beside them to hold better consort in Noahs Arke or at their entrance into it than they had done whilest they enioyed their naturall liberty in the Fields and open ayre The true reason of both these strange reconciliations coÌ„posals of these inbred fohoods was that which the great Philosopher tels vs will vnite the deadliest enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. The sudden approch or ioynt apprehension of dread or danger alike common and alike imminent to both Now the strange and vncouth dread of this vniuersall deluge could not choose but compell all the Land creatures to keepe the peace of nature before they entred Noahs Arke to forbeare the exercise of wonted hostility whilest they were in it and to entertaine a generall truce whilest the deluge lasted But what feare or dread of danger alike imminent to all could the Pharisee and Publican the Sadduces and the Heathen Soldiers ioyntly apprehend that might mooue them to like peace or consort during the time of Iohns baptisme or before hee was to baptize our Sauiour The Prophet Malachy to my apprehension in the conclusion of his Prophesie intimateth some great plague or curse ready to fall either vpon the whole world or at least vpon the Land of Iewry vnlesse it were preuented by such meanes as the floud might haue beene or as the destruction of Niniueh in the dayes of Ionas was preuented that is by humiliation and true repentance And this humiliation of the people or turning to the Lord by true repentance was to be wrought as Malachy speaketh by the Prophet Eliah that is as you heard before by Iohn the Baptist. The Prophets words are these Behold I will send you Eliah the Prophet before the comming of the great and dreadfull day of the Lord. And he shall turne the heart of the Fathers vnto the children and the heart of the children vnto the Fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse Malac. 4. vers 5 6. The best interpretation of this place is made by the Angell Gabriel Luk. 1. vers 16 17. And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to the Lord their God And hee shall goe before him in the Spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the Iust to make ready a people prepared to the Lord. Vnlesse some competent multitude had beene thus prepared to entertaine the Kingdome of grace or the Gospell or Christ
When this great Nimrod had swallowed as many seuerall Kingdomes or Nations in hope as the Iewes could expect their Messias should in one age conquer the Philosopher asked him What he meant to do after he had conquered the Romanes Then said hee I will conquer the Gaules and Spaniards and when hee had done with them hee would bend his forces against Africa But when you haue conquered them and as many more as you intend to conquer what doe you last resolue vpon His answer was to liue merrily and at ease in plenty and pleasure Why quoth the Philosopher this you may doe already without eyther hazard of your owne or your followers liues for none of these Nations which you intend to vanquish are likely to indanger you so you will not begin with them The present Nation of the Iewes were of Pirrhus his temper and sought after that as it were by a round or circle which was in a manner put into their hands so they would but haue looked neere about them and not haue set their proud imaginations vpon such rouing proiects as Pirrhus did Such amongst them as were thus affected would noâ— acknowledge our Sauiour to bee the Messias or him that was to come because he was a man of peace a man of a meeke and humble spirit If another should haue come as shortly after many false Christs did arise which would haue animated them vnto warre against the Romanes the most of them such as loued peace especially would quickly haue beene weary of him What then was there nothing which both sorts the proudest and humblest the peaceable and contentious did alike affect and hope to see accomplished by their promised and long expected Messias Saint Augustine tels vs of a Mimicke or Iester a kind of artificiall foole which vndertooke to tell euery man in the Towne or City where hee dwelt what he thought or desired when they were assembled to try his skill in the publique Markets all hee had to say was this vultis vos omnes vili emere et caro vendere All of you desire to sell deare and buy good cheape But as this reuerend Father obserueth there was more Mimick wit than solid truth in this conceit For many come to Markets which neyther haue minde to buy nor to sell but to looke on Amongst such multitudes as minde buying and selling some good men there bee which would desire to vse a conscience in both but saith the same Father if hee had said All of you as well the buyer as the seller as they that come onely to heare or see desire to be happy his speech had beene vncontrollably true For happinesse onely is that which all men naturally desire 12. There is no petty good but is desired by some or other That is the chiefe or prime good as the ancient Philosophers haue defined it which is desired by all Did they collect this onely as men or doth not the Scripture eyther say or suppose the same as a ground of truth Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heauens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come I will fill this House with glory saith the Lord of Hoasts Haggai 2. 6 7. In what sence our Sauiour Christ for of our Sauiour Christ this place is vndoubredly meant should bee instiled the desite of all Nations is a question which hath perplexed some good Preachers and may exercise the wit of a good Interpreter First how could the Gentiles which were farre more than a maior part of all Nations here intimated be said at that time to desire him in whom they did not in any sort beleeue whom they did not at all expect For how should they expect him how should they beleeue in him of whom they had not heard The Iewish Nation indeed or seed of Abraham had heard of him and did expect him and yet as the Prophet had fore-told so it came to passe that when they saw him they saw no beautie in him that they should desire him Esay 53. vers 2. And was it possible that hee should be the desire of all Nations whom no Nation did desire Yes In as much as God had consecrated him to be the onely Fountaine of that happinesse which all men which all Nations naturally doe desire and which is all that any man of what Nation soeuer Iew Gentile Greeke or Barbarian can desire he is truely instiled by the Prophet The desire of all Nations To say that as many as desired happinesse did desire our Sauiour Christ can seeme no paradoxe if wee consider what no Philosopher will deny that euen such as follow poysoned pleasures seeke after happinesse and life in these by-paths which leade to death and misery Though most men take the high-way to death and misery yet no man desires to dye or to be miserable but their contraries 13. So that our Sauiours answere though it seemed doubtfull in the premises is in conclusion as perfect as if hee had directly and expresly said Goe tell Iohn that I am hee that was to come and that you are not to expect another seeing whatsoeuer you can expect or desire in any one or more whom you may imagine yet to come That you may haue in mee alone for true blessednesse is all that you or any man can desire and Blessed is Hee whosoeuer shall not bee offended in mee Matth. 11. 6. Esay 53. vers 2. But though Iohn and his Disciples could desire no more of him that was to come than to bee truely blessed in him yet might they desire some further proofe than his bare assertion or authority that they might be truly blessed in him For this blessednesse whereof hee speaketh was none of those things which they did heare or see seeing it cannot be knowne by corporall sight or hearing It is like that new name spoken of in the Reuelation which no man can reade but he which hath it All this is true yet not withstanding all this the things which they did heare see were vndoubted pledges visible assurances of this inuisible blessednesse which heere hee promiseth and of which euery man might haue vndoubted experience in himselfe so he would not be offended in him For though our Sauiour with farre better reason might yet did he neuer exact such absolute beliefe vnto his words as the Pope or visible Church of Rome doe to theirs to whatsoeuer they shall decree without eyther expresse warrant or testimony of Gods Word written before or experimentall knowledge in themselues This will better appeare in the second poynt proposed which was what these words did intimate or suggest to Iohn The poynts now to be inquired after are two 1. First what is it to be blessed and happy in Christ or wherein this happinesse or blessednesse which here he promiseth doth consist 2. Secondly how these particulars here mentioned the blinde
vnwritten traditions of the Ancients onely or whether it were grounded vpon the expresse testimony of Scripture or the written Word of God The second 2. Whether Iohn Baptists firme beliefe of Christs baptizing with the holy Ghost and his owne baptizing with water were grounded onely vpon the internall reuelations made to him in priuate by him that sent him to baptize with water or whether they were grounded likewise vpon expresse testimonies of the written Word interpreted and made knowne vnto him by the same spirit by which the Word was written To both these Questions the answere must be affirmatiue as well the ones prenotion as the others distinct beliefe were both grounded vpon the expresse testimonies of the written Word The onely search or inquiry then to be made is vpon what expresse testimony the one or other was grounded and how our beliefe may be grounded vpon the same testimonies 42. I must request you to remember that God in the Old Testament did fore-shew things to come two wayes eyther by expresse testimony or prediction or by matter of fact or reall representation One and the same future euent is oft times declared or fore-signified both wayes Now predictions merely propheticall are of two sorts Sometimes the Prophets fore-tell things to come in proper and literall termes so as euery man at the first hearing may vnderstand their meaning As the Prophet spake to Ahab 1. Kings chap. 20. vers 42. Because thou hast let goe out of thy hand a man whom I appoynted to vtter destruction therefore thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people Sometimes they fore-tell future euents of greater consequence as truely as certainely but by way of parable embleme or allegory Now this kind of prediction and the types or figures of the Law or reall euents haue the same proportion as Poetry and painting It was wittily said Poema est pictura loquens pictura est Poema silens Euery Poem is a kind of speaking picture and euery artificiall picture a kinde of mute and silent Poem And so likewise euery type or ceremony of the Law euery historicall euent portending mysteries Euangelicall is a tacit and silent prophesie and euery propheticall parable was a kind of speaking type or picture of the like euents The euents fore-told or represented by Gods Prophets are alwayes reall and substantiall more than morall more than naturall mysteries truely celestiall and supernaturall Howbeit the representation of such euents or mysteries is oft times merely literall or verball but conceyued in such termes as suppose a feigned metamorpâ—osis in the workes of nature to make the picture more fresh and liuely And this kinde of propheticall expression of things to come we call the emblematicall sence or literall Allegory so that although euery Poet bee not a Prophet yet euery Prophet of the Lord was a true Poet not in faigning euents which neuer were nor neuer should be but in framing pictures of future euents in themselues contingent as exact and fresh as any Painter can make of the man whom hee seeth with his eyes or whose picture hath beene drawne to his hand Now if a Painter could make exact pictures of Children which shall not bee brought forth till the next yeere following we would say he wrought by inspiratioÌ„ of his spirit in whose bookes all their members are written or that his pencill was guided by his hand who found out the birth of man 43. The Prophesies in speciall concerning the manifestation of the Messias and Iohns office or attendance are for the most part conceiued in termes not proper but parabolical or Emblematical that is consisting of literall or verball Allegories Howbeit some of these Prophesies perhaps some passages in all of them point out future euents in literall proper and historicall termes And of euents thus literally and punctually fore-shewed some came not to passe vntill the Messias was reuealed Others were historically verefied long before yet so as the euents which then hapned were by Gods institution true types or shaddowes of mysteries reuealed in the Gospell or to bee reuealed during the time of grace So that one and the same Prophesie is sometimes or in respect of some part of its totall obiect fulfilled according to the plaine literall sense sometimes or in respect of other parts of its obiect it is fulfilled according to the literall Allegory sometimes or in some respect it is fulfilled according to the mystical sense or reall Allegory Amongst other sacred passages which by the confession of the Ancient and moderne malignant Iew haue speciall reference to the dayes of their Messias his reuelation these following are more remarkable Isay cap. 35. cap. 40. of which hereafter And againe I will open riuers in high places and fountaines in the middest of the valleys I will make the wildernesse a poole of water and the drie land springs of water I wil plant in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree and the Myrtle and the Oyle tree I will set in the desart the Firre tree and the Pine and Boxe tree together That they may see and know and consider and vnderstand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it Isaiah 41. vers 18 19 20. Remember yee not the former things neither consider the things of old Behold I will doe a new thing now it shall spring forth shall yee not know it I will euen make a way in the wildernesse and riuers in the desart The beast of the Field shall honour mee the dragons and the owles because I giue waters in the wildernesse and riuers in the Desart to giue drinke to my people my chosen This people the seede of Abraham according to promise haue I formed for my selfe they shall shew foorth my praise But thou hast not called vpon mee O Iacob but thou hast beene weary of mee O Israel That is the seed of Abraham according to the flesh or such as gloried in their carnall prerogatiues of their birth or progeny Isaiah 43 vers 18 19 20 21 22. Goe ye forth of Babylon flee yee from the Caldeans with a voyce of singing declare ye tell this vtter it euen to the end of the earth say ye The Lord hath redeemed his seruant Iacob And they thirsted not when he led them through the desarts he caused the waters to flow out of the rocke for them he claue the Rocke also and the waters gushed out Isaiah 48. vers 20 21. For yee shall goe out with ioy and be led forth with peace the mountaines and the hills shall breake forth before you into singing and all the trees of the Field shall clap their hands Instead of the thorne shall come vp the Firre tree and instead of the bryer shall come vp the Myrtle tree and it shall be to the Lord for a name for an euerlasting signe that shall not be cut off Isaiah 55. ver
for the plaine literall sense accords with the Prophet Isaias words He turneth the wildernesse into a standing water and dry ground into water springs And there hee maketh the hungry to dwell that he may prepare a City for habitation Psalm 107. vers 35 36. Yet because this is but probable or coniecturall wee will make it no ground of our intended inference Supposing then that these predictions were as meerely figuratiue or metaphoricall as the former they might not withstanding truely and prophetically prefigure or by way of Embleme fore-shaddow aswell the internall comfort of the Spirit wherewith Christ baptizeth vs as the externall baptisme of water which Iohn administred The water you know hath two naturall properties from which many metaphors vsuall in sacred Writers are borrowed by which the true intent and meaning of the Prophet Isaias figuratiue or emblematicall expressions of the waters in the wildernesse is to be valued The first naturall property of water specially in hotter countries where thirst is more vehement and waters more pleasant is to refresh or comfort the wearie soule The second to bee the Nurse or Mother of fruitfulnesse aswell in the trees or grasse of the Field as in plants hearbes or flowres of the garden According to this latter property the Prophets prediction of springs bursting out in the wildernesse was a true Poeticall Embleme or shaddow of Iohns baptizing with water who was to be by his office as the Gardiner to water and cherish those fruitfull trees and plants of righteousnesse with which God had promised to adorne the wildernesse For euen the Publicans and sinners Aliens by nature from the Common-wealth of Israel beeing made partakers of the baptisme of Iohn were ingrafted into Abrahams stocke made fruitfull branches of that Vine which GOD had planted in Iewrie and heyres of that heauenly Kingdome which Iohn did preach whilest Abrahams seede according to the flesh were dis-inherited All the people that heard him and the Publicans iustified God being baptized with the baptisme of Iohn But the Pharises and Lawyers reiected the counsell of God against themselues beeing not baptized of him Luk. 7. ver 29 30. vide Matth. 8. ver 11 12. According to the first naturall property of water which is to refresh the weary or such as are ready to faint for thirst the same predictions of springs or waters bursting forth in the wildernesse did prefigure the internall comfort of the spirit wherewith Christ alone baptizeth vs. For though Iohn did plant and water those plants of righteousnesse yet was it Christ alone that gaue the increase And this internall baptisme was really fore-shaddowed not onely by figuratiue or Propheticall manner of speech but by historicall and reall matter of fact And so likewise was the externall baptisme by water literally foretold by the Prophet Isaias that it should be a type or signe of Christs baptisme with the Spirit This internal baptisme to omit other instances was really fore-shaddowed by the waters which issued out of the rocke in the Wildernesse when the people murmured against Moses Aaron as if they had brought thē forth out of Aegypt to haue killed them with thirst in the desart Now this wee take as granted that euery miracle which God wrought in the Old Testament was a true shaddow or picture of some great mystery to bee fulfilled in the New Testament or after the manifestation of Christ. In this the Iewes agree with vs onely they expect that the miracles which their Messias should worke should be more glorious to the eye of sense than those which Moses wrought But wee say they are not onely greater but of another kinde otherwise they shold not be true miraculous mysteries but meer miracles Now that the waters issuing out of the rock were a type or shaddow of this mystical baptisme of the Spirit wee haue the testimonies of the Prophet Esay Chap. 48. verse 28. before cited and of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10. vers 1 2 3 4. Brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our Fathers were vnder the cloud and all passed thorow the Sea and were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea and did all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke For they dranke of that spirituall rocke that followed them and that Rocke was Christ. How was it Christ not literally not identically Christ according to the God-head was not so present in or so vnited to the rocke as he is now to our flesh yet was it Christ the second person in Trinity the Sonne of God which made the water wherewith the Israelites his people were comforted and refreshed in the extremity of their bodily thirst to issue out of the rocke when Moses smote it The mystery portended or fore-shaddowed by this miracle herein consists That the same Sonne of God who was truely God which gaue them plenty of water out of the rock should afterwards become the Rocke of our saluation the Fountaine of life vnto the thirsty and weary soule This internall baptisme which was thus really fore-shaddowed by the waters in the rocke was literally fore-told Psalm 36. vers 8 9. They shall bee abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the Riuers of thy pleasures For with thee is the Fountaine of life in thy light shall wee see light 46. Amongst other senses in which the Scriptures of the Old Testament are said to bee fulfilled in the New one and that an especiall one as is elsewhere obserued is when such speeches as are by the Prophets most of all by the Psalmist indefinitely vttered of God but cannot be attributed to the Diuine nature otherwise then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by manner of speech borrowed from the customes or fashions of men doe imprint their strict and proper character vpon God made man and fit his actions as the Seale doth the print in Waxe The Diuine nature is life it selfe an Ocean of liuing waters which we cannot approch but the Diuine nature in Christ is as a Fountaine or Well of life from which euery thirstie soule may draw the water of life without stint without any danger of drowning himselfe or drawing it dry For it is more calme and placid than any Fountaine or Spring though more inexhaustible than the Sea According to this sense is that other place of the Psalmist fulfilled in Christ that is in God made man The Lord shall reigne for euer euen thy God O Sion vnto all Generations Psal. 146. v. 10. That the God of Sion as God should reigne for euer was no new thing no matter of wonder or worth notice-taking to any Inhabitant of Ierusalem or man of Iudah All of them from the least vnto the greatest knew well that Hee which had made the World had no beginning no end of dayes or soueraignety But that this God of Sion who was Lord likewise of
Heauen and Earth should be as visibly enthronized in Sion as Dauid had beene and that hee should begin to erect a Kingdome which was neuer to haue an end this was a wonder worthy to bee taken notice of by all the world Now that this God of Sion by whose protection Moses had led Israel out of Aegypt vnder whose conduct Iosuah brought them into the Land of Promise that hee who had anoynted Dauid King should himselfe be anoynted King ouer Sion was the true and literall meaning of the Psalmist in this and the like places of which hereafter Of this ranke is that Prophesie of Isaias chap. 40. vers 5. with which Iohn Baptist was well acquainted for hee had his Commission from it The glory of the Lord shall be reuealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Such an open distinct and full sight as these words literally import supposeth an obiect truly visible and within ken of ordinary and common sight God in his glory is altogether inuisible to flesh and bloud and though he had taken visible shape vpon him in the Heauens yet so hee had still remayned inuisible to men that haue their habitation here on earth That vnto them hee might become visible and that they might see his glory together so see it as they were seene of it that hee might see them and they see Him with the eyes of flesh He tooke vp our flesh for his Tabernacle and walked and talked amongst vs in more visible and audible manner than Hee did in the Campe of Israel than He did with Moses in the Tabernacle of the Congregation This which Isaias heere speaketh from the mouth of the Lord the Lord himselfe did after vtter with his owne mouth and yet with the mouth of man to wit that hee which had seene him had seene his Father because the glory of God was manifested in Him And when the Prophet saith That the glory of the Lord should bee reuealed and that all flesh shall see it together it is in this speech included that this glory of God should bee reuealed or manifested in the flesh The best interpretation of the Prophets words that I can commend vnto you must bee from Saint Iohn chap. 1. v. 1 14. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst vs and wee beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father full of grace and truth This blessed Apostle might perhaps say of himselfe and some few others in a peculiar sort Wee saw his glory and the glory which wee saw was as the onely begotten Sonne of God for hee with Peter and Iames had seen him transfigured on the Mount But all that saw the man Christ Iesus at his Baptisme with their bodily eyes did so see the glory of God reuealed from Heauen And he was so seene of all flesh Some of all sorts though not all of euery sort did see him baptized and heard him declared from Heauen to be the Sonne of God Some then present were Pharises others Sadduces some Iewes others Gentiles some Publicanes some Priests and Leuites some Samaritanes others Galileans Not at that time onely though the Prophets words be especially meant of that time but euer after all flesh might haue seene the liuely characters of those glorious attributes of Saluation which the Prophets and Psalmist had appropriated to the God of Sion to make distinct and reall impression in the man Christ Iesus These two attributes of glory and saluation are of so neere alliance of such equiualent vse that whereas the Prophet had said All flesh should see the glory of God Saint Luke expressing his meaning saith All flesh shall see the saluation of God chap. 3. vers 6. He supposeth as the Prophet meant that the glory of GOD should bee manifested in the saluation of men This glory or saluation of God was then reuealed and became visible to flesh and bloud when God became man and tooke his generall attribute of saluation as his proper name being called Iesus Finally that saluation of God which Simeon saw with such delight at our Sauiours Circumcision all flesh did or might haue seene at his Baptisme 47. But to returne vnto the Testimony of the Psalmist With thee is the Fountaine of life which containeth the mysticall signification of the waters which miraculously issued out of the rocke The best Interpretation of both places is deliuered by Saint Iohn by way of Comment vpon our Sauiours words Iohn 7. 38 39. Hee that beleeueth on mee as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water This intersertion or parenthesis as the Scripture hath said stands like the tongue in a ballance doubtfull to whether part of the Sentence wherein it is contayned it inclineth Some Interpreters would draw it to the first part Hee that beleeueth in mee as saith the Scripture that is in such wise such sort and measure as the Scripture requireth out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water Others would draw it to the later part and render it thus Hee that beleeueth in mee out of his belly shall flow Riuers of liuing water as the Scriptures hath fore-told Though both interpretations may be true though both may stand with the generall Analogy of faith yet the later in my opinion is more pertinent and more consonant to the true intention of this place But then it will be questioned What Scripture hath said that which our Sauiour here doth to wit that riuers of liuing water should flow from such as beleeued in him The very expresse words are no where else to be found in Scripture for they are as most of our Sauiours are when hee speakes of greatest mysteries parabolicall Their importance or reall sense is expressed by Saint Iohn in the same place This hee spake of the Spirit c. Now if by the riuers of liuing water our Sauiour meant as Saint Iohn telleth vs hee did this plentifull effusion of his Spirit the same Scriptures which fore-tell the plentifull effusion of the Spirit whether in termes plainely literall or emblematical fore-tell likewise the riuers of Liuing water which were to flow from true beleeuers The manner of our Sauiours expression of the Spirits effusion by riuers flowing out implyeth it should be powred out in such a plentifull measure as would be not onely sufficient to satiate the soules of them that thirsted after it but in a measure ouer-flowing to the Saluation of others And such were these admirable gifts of the Holy Ghost which after our Sauiours Ascension were bestowed vpon his Apostles and Disciples The Scriptures which particularly fore-tell this plentifull effusion of the Spirit are many these following are if not the principall yet the most apposite to our present Argument Ioel 2. vers 28 29 and 32. And it shall come to passe afterward
Iesus the King in their hearts his first comming had beene as dreadfull to the whole Land as the vnworthy receiuing of his body and blood was to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. God in his wisedome as some of the Fathers very well obserue had so ordained that the same Element by which the old world besides Noahs Family were destroyed should bee consecrated as an especiall meanes for preseruation of the new world The baptisme of water which Iohn administred was as a renouation or ratification of the promise which God had made to Noah a visible signe that GOD had freed the earth or Land of Iewry from that curse which Malachy speaks of and was withall a visible pledge or sacrament of a new blessing Whatsoeuer the curse or anger was which hanged at this time ouer the peoples head the Doue which descended vpon our Sauiour at his baptisme did bring to this generation a more expresse release from it and a more soueraigne pardon for all their sinnes than Noahs Doue did bring of Noahs and his families deliuerance from the curse of waters or from the danger of the Floud when she came with an Oliue branch in her mouth Now inasmuch as Iohns baptisme by water was as the medius terminus or as the way and passage betweene Noahs Arke and that holy Catholike Church which our Sauiour Christ was now to erect whereof Noahs Arke as you heard before was the expre type it is no maruell if that which was literally fulfilled or verefied in the dayes of Noah were fulfilled according to its emblematicall importance or mysticall sense in the dayes of Iohn or at his baptisme The congruity betweene Noahs Arke and the holy Catholike Church or new Ierusalem which was now to descend from heauen doth herein partly consist First not onely Noah and his Family but the Beasts as well cleane as vncleane which entred into the Arke were all preserued from bodily destruction So not onely the Off-spring of Abraham which was pre-figured by Noahs Family nor such Proselyâ—es onely of the Gentiles as were made visible members of the Iewish Church which answered in proportion to the cleane Beasts in Noahs Arke but euen the worst sort of the Gentiles such as had most oppugned the Children of Abraham in their Religion so they will be admitted into the Holy Catholique Church or mysticall body of Christ shall be as vndoubtedly preferued both in body and soule from the curse of Hell-fire as the vncleane Beasts which entred into Noahs Arke were from the curse of waters 58. That the admission of the Heathens which had been no Proselytes of the Iewish Church before into the Catholique Church now erected by Christ was prefigured by the vncleane beasts is more than probable vnto vs from the Vision which Saint Peter saw Acts 10. vers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Peter after his prayer became very hungry and would haue eaten but while they made readie he fell into a trance and saw Heauen opened and a certaine vessell descending vnto him as it had beene a great sheete knit at the foure corners and let downe to the earth wherein were all manner of foure-footed beasts of the earth and wilde beasts and creeping things and Fowles of the Ayre And there came a voyce to him Rise Peter kill and eate But Peter said Not so Lord for I haue neuer eaten any thing that is common or vncleane And the voyce spake vnto him againe the second time What GOD hath cleansed that call not thou common This was done thrice and the vessell was receyued vp againe into Heauen The opening of Heauen and the letting downe of the vessell wherein were all manner of beasts as well vncleane as cleane did signifie that the Kingdome of Heauen or gates of the new Ierusalem were now set open to all beleeuers and the way to true beliefe manifested to all of what Nation soeuer they were the one as open and the other as manifest to the Italians or Romanes which neuer had beene Proselytes as to the seed of Abraham or the Proselytes which they had made That matters of fact or emblematicall representations by vision or apparences are as truely doctrinall as words vttered and vnderstood according to the literall sense wee neede no further proofe than Saint Peters application of this vision vers 28. And hee said vnto them vnto Cornelius and his Italian friends and attendants Ye know how that it is an vnlawfull thing for a man that is a Iew to keepe company or come vnto one of another Nation but God hath shewed mee not in expresse words but by vision or representation emblematicall that I should not call any man common or vncleane Nor did Peter in expresse termes or conceit deem any man vnclean Onely hee had said whether in expresse words or in thought onely I haue neuer eaten any thing that is vncleane Yet when answere was made What God had cleansed that call not thou common hee knew by the circumstances of the time and by the tenor of Cornelius his message vnto him that God in this answer did not meane beasts or things edible but men represented by vncleane beasts whose vse the Lord at this time had sanctified vnto his people in token that men or Nations before vncleane were now capable of sanctification The mystery included in this vision was fulfilled in the baptisme with the Holy Ghost and was prefigured by the admission as well of Publicans Roman Souldiers as of Pharises Iewes or Proselytes vnto the Baptisme of Iohn Now S. Peters owne interpretation of this vision will warrant our former Interpretation of the Prophet Isay cap. 11. vers 6. as also of most other places in this Prophet which as you heard before were to bee vnderstood not according to the literall plaine and Grammaticall signification of the words but according to their poeticall or emblematicall importance Howbeit when we affirme that the aforesaid Prophesie Isay 11. vers 6. was specially fulfilled according to its poeticall parabolicall or emblematicall sense we no way deny that it might in part be verified or exemplified according to the plaine literall or historicall signification of the words Certainely it was so verified in our Sauiour whilest hee remained after his Baptisme in the Wildernesse And immediately after his Baptisme the Spirit driueth him into the Wildernesse And hee was there in the Wildernesse fortie dayes tempted of Satan and was with the wilde beasts and the Angels ministred vnto him Mark 1. ver 12 13. Wee doe not reade that any wilde beast or noysome creature of which the Wildernesse had plenty did eyther annoy our Sauiour or attempt any violence against him whilest hee was with them Wee doe not reade that Satan did euer tempt Him to encounter with a Lyon or a Beare as his Father Dauid had done or to tread on Serpents or Scorpions to see whether they would sting him or no because he saw by experience that this Iesus of