things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God Set your affections on things above not on things on earth For yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanenesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is idolatry for which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience But if these workes of the flesh be mortified by the spirit the spirit of God having gotten possession of our hearts doth organize them and frame a true model of the heavenly Sanctuary within our breasts albeit we cannot expresse our affectionate conceits or experimentall representations unto others Christ is present with us or in us by this renovation of our mind or by imprinting these heavenly affections in our soules by following love gentlenesse meeknesse temperance patience c. Christ is really fashioned in us not by converting any substance into his substance or by reall converting his substance into ours but by conversion of our earthly affections into the similitude of his heavenly affections Our affections being thus converted Christ hath his Throne and Habitation in our hearts so answering to his heavenly Throne as the light of the sun gathered in some round body apt to reflect his beames or to be penetrated by them doth resemble the sun which really penetrates and enlightens them For effecting this reall conversion of our affections into the similitude of his affections no other presence of Christ is either necessary or expedient besides the presence of his spirit by which ten dayes after his Ascension he enabled his Disciples to conceive aright of these heavenly mysteries and to convert others unto the truth of his Gospel 4 That Christ's body should descend from heaven unto us or be bodily present by trasubstantiation or some other manner as some conceive we have no reason to hope nor warrant to believe to lift up our bodies unto heaven we have no possibility but to lift up our hearts and spirits unto our Lord now placed in his heavenly Throne we have have peremptory precepts many But how shall wee lift them up or what power have we to lift them up Not so much I confesse as we have to cast our selves downe before his Throne but casting our selves downe before him which we cannot performe without his preventing and assisting grace we have a sure promise that he will lift us up Wee are no where to my remembrance commanded to pray to God that he would cast us downe and yet bound to pray that he would give us grace to cast our selves downe As often then as wee meditate upon this Article of Christ's Ascension or sitting at the right hand of God let us beseech God and him that the Priests may truly exhort their charge his people to lift up their hearts and that the people may as truly answer we lift them up unto the Lord And that we may all joyntly sing that hymne in reverence and true devotion With Angels and Arch-Angels and with all the company of heaven we laud thy glorious name O Christ evermore praising thee and saying holy holy holy Lord God of hosts heaven and earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high AMEN CHAP. 40. How the time of our Saviour's Ascension into heaven upon the fortieth day after his Resurrection from the grave was prefigured by the signe of the Prophet Ionas with the exposition of that signe given by our Saviour Mat. 12. 39. 40. ONe thing more I should have said in the former treatise but now must commend it to the Reader 's observation And 't is this that many of those propheticall passages specially in the Psalmes of bringing great things to passe by the right hand of the Lord have been are and sahll be most punctually fulfill'd of and in the Son of God incarnate since he was placed at the right hand of God the Father That his placing there includes an extraordinary eminency of power more then hath been formerly manifested the Lutheran I am sure doth not and I hope others cannot deny Two speciall manifestations of the power of the right hand of God were exhibited not long after his Ascension The first spirituall as the descending of the holy Ghost from which time the holy Catholique Church bare date or began to be in esse The other was the destruction of Ierusalem and the dispersion of the rejected reliques of Abraham's seed throughout the Nations 2 The circumstance of the time wherein he ascended which is the only point left to be discust is plainely set downe by the Evangelist S. Luke Act. 13. The Queries upon it are two The first how it was prefigured The second what it did portend 3 For the resolution of both these Queries there can be no firmer ground then the explication of a sacred text uttered by our Saviour himselfe Math. 12. v. 38. 39. c. Then certaine of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered saying Master wee would see a signe from thee But he answered and said to them an evill and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe and there shall no signe be given to it but the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly so shall the son of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth 4 But yet for any helpe we have from most Interpreters the explication of this Text is in it selfe more difficult then most of the former alleaged for our Saviour's Resurrection and Ascension Who so will read as many ancient or moderne expositors as Maldonat had done will haply subscribe to his censure of such as he hath read So farre was any of them from cleering this passage that not one besides Hilarius did in his judgment touch the principall difficulty contained in it And he that shall read this learned Writer's Comments upon this place will perhaps not condemnemy opinion of him delivered in former meditations But my desire is rather to explicate his and other Interpreters meaning whom he dislikes then contradict them and to rectifie the parallels intended by them betweene Types or Figures of the Old Testament and their accomplishment in the New 5 The principall dissiculties in our Saviour's parallel are first what manner of signe it was which the adulterous generation sought for The second to what purpose he gave them such a signe as they did not seeke after Our Saviour before and his Disciples after this time had given the Iewes one and other many miraculous signes How then doth hee say that no signe shall be given them besides the signe of the Prophet Ionas Some are of opinion that these Scribes and Pharisees desired some such glorious signe from heaven as Elias and Samuell had shewed
the first day of that weeke wherein our Redemption was wrought our Saviour came in triumphant manner into Ierusalem not only to fulfill the prophecy of Zachary before expounded at large for that might have been fulfilled at any other time or day for its substance but to testifie withall that hee was the true paschall Lambe appointed pointed for the sacrifice of that great Feast that Lambe of God which â—ame too take away the sinnes of the world For upon that very day of the month Abib were it the tenth or ninth in which our Saviour came to Ierusalem saluted with ecchoing cries of Hosanna the Son of David was the legall paschall Lambe according to first institution of the Passeover brought out of the fields unto the place appointed for the publique assembly with greater pompe perhaps and solemnity prescribed by custome than was expressely required in the Law Vpon the fifth day day of this â—acred weeke being as I take it the fourteenth of the month Abib our Saviour being to be offered in sacrifice at the time wherein the paschall Lambe was eaten by seterall families did eate the Passeover with his Disciples and preoccupated the usuall day for eating the paschall Lambe upon necessity In the night following which was the evening of the sixth day hee was apprehended and arraigned in the morning of the same day condemned by the Iewes â— and upon their solicitation adjudged by Pilate to be crucified and executed by the Roman Souldiers In the sixth day or which is all one the sixth evening and morning of the first weeke of times succession God is said to have finished the workes of Creation by making the first man In the sixth day or in the sixth evening and morning of the weeke of our Saviour's Consecration Hee by whom the world was made did solemnely declare the worke of our Redemption to be accomplished in respect of any labour worke or paines to be further undertaken by him For so farie his solemne proclamation upon the Crosse extends consummatum est And so he went into his rest upon the same day about the same houre wherein God was said to rest from all his workes of Creation that is in the close of that day a litle before the evening of the seventh day or Sabbath CHAP. 41. A Parallel betweene the day wherein Adam is thought to have been cast out of Paradise with the day wherein our Saviour was Crucified And betweene the first day of the world's Creation and our Saviour's Resurrection THere is a a tradition or rather a received opinion avouched by many good Authors in their severall writings that Adam the first man should fall and forfeit his estate in Paradise upon the same day wherein he was created The opinion it selfe we cannot disprove nor justly suspect to be a meere conjecture because we know not what warrant the first or immediate Authors of this Doctrine had to commend it to posterity But their language I take it is much mistaken by some later school-men the first Authors meaning or expression of it must be limited or rather extended to the same sense or construction as hath been before observed in the like words of Daniel Chap. 7. That Belshazer was slaine in the same night wherein after his carousing in the boules of the Sanctuary the hand-writing was seen upon the wall or that other 2. of Kings that Senacherib's mighty army was discomfitted upon the night immediately following that day wherein he sent that blasphemous message unto Hezekiah or the day wherein Isaiah returned his message to the good King In both places the same night cannot be understood of the selfe same naturall day and night but of the same night or day after the revolution of one yeare or more In like manner the first man according to the tenor of the former received opinion did fall upon the same day wherein he was created yet not upon the same day numerically individually or identically taken but upon the same day after the revolution of a weeke at least or more that is upon the sixth day and thrust out of Paradise before the Sabbath ensuing for his stealth or presumptuous usurpation of the forbidden fruit Vpon the same day after revolution of many yeares the Son of God or second Adam now consecrated to be a quickning spirit did restore the sons of the first Adam to their inheritance which their Father had lost by giving a true naturall son of the first Adam a thiefe by practise liverie de sezin or actuall possession of the coelestiall Paradise The bequest or legacy was punctuall and solemne Amen dico tibi hodie mecum eris in Paradiso Verily I say unto thee this day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Vpon the sixth day of the first week or week of Creation or vicissitude of times Adam's body was taken out of the substance of the earth Vpon the same sixth day was the body of the second Adam the Son of God shut up into the bowels of the earth after he had commended his spirit into his Father's hands which had given it him That temporall curse denounced against the first Adam In the day wherein thou eatest thou shalt die the death was exactly now fulfilled in the second Adam For in the sixth day of the weeke of his Consecration he died the death of the Crosse and was delivered to the earth whence the first man was taken only he was not to be resolved to dust but rested there without corruption For as God had rested the Seventh day from his works of Creation though not of Preservation so the Son of God was to rest from all his labour or toile upon the seventh day of the week of his Consecration not only to blesse and sanctify that day and make it his own but withall to hallow the grave or the wombe of the earth whence all flesh was taken and by the course of nature must returne by his sweet rest and presence in it So saith S. Iohn I heard a voice from heaven saying Blessed are the dead which hereafter die in the Lord even so saith the spirit for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Rev. 14 ver 13. Their sleepe or quiet rest in the grave thus hollowed by our Saviour's Death and rest in it becomes the evenings or vespers of their everlasting Sabbath 2 The night immediately following the legall Sabbath wherein our Saviour did rest from all his Labours was part of the first evening and morning or of the first naturall day of the weeke His Resurrection upon that day and at that time of the day and at that season implieth a two-fold mystery or the accomplishment of two remarkable divine Oracles First that of Gen. Chap. 1. ver 1. 2. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth and the earth was without forme and void and darknesse was upon the deepe The darknesse made the evening and the separation of the light from
more then commendable arts or naturall skill could afford them either for astonishing or deluding their senses or surprizing their wits However this of the Prophet Ionas being the last signe or forewarning which this evill generation was to expect from our Saviour the consequence of their non-observance or not repenting after the exhibition of it was most contrary to this examplary patterne of the Ninivite's observance of Ionas embassage by turning to the Lord in sackcloth and ashes Iudah was now become more contrary to our God then either her sister Samaria or then Assiria or Niniveh had been and God's waies became more contrary unto her and to her children The Ninivites repenting within the forty daies limited for this purpose God repealed the sentence which he had pronounced against them although Ionas who proclaimed it did murmure or grumble at it For he expected that the Lord whose mouth and messenger he was should at the forty daies end declare him to be a true Prophet by putting his sentence in execution The Son of God expects as long for the repentance of these Iewes which doubtlesse would have pleased him much better then their destruction But seeing they would not repent within the forty daies between his Resurrection and Ascension the sentence proclaimed by Ionas against Niniveh proceeds in fullest measure against this wicked and adulterous generation or degenerate seed of Abraham 5 But shall we be concluded from these premisles to say that Ierusalem and Iudah were destroyed immediately upon our Saviour's Ascension No but this we may safely say that from the day of his Ascension which was the fortieth day after his Resurrection both the City and Nation did ipso facto jure incurre the sentence of woe denounced against Niniveh by Ionas And we may further adde that the destruction both of City and Temple the desolation of Iudea and miserable dispersion of the Iewes throughout the Nations became more necessary and more inevitable then heretofore they had been not for the indefinite substance only of the woe denounced but the very measure of their misery did dayly by the like necessity increase both for intensive decrees and for extension especially in respect of the number of persons which did incurre the sentence or decree pronounced against them and of the time ordurance of the matter of woe denounced in it Yet were none of these necessary but by their continuance in their fore-father's sins and by not repenting of them and by the dayly increase of their owne and their childrens sinnes 6 During the time of these forty yeares after our Saviour's Ascension the City and State had a possibility of being freed à tanto though not a toto though not simply from destruction yet from such fearfull desolation as afterwards befell them But continuing as impenitent all these forty yeares as they had done for the forty daies before his AscensioÌ„ the sentence within forty years after his Resurrection began to be put in execution according to the strict tenour of our Saviour's prediction Luk. 19. 41. 42. 43. 44. During the time of these forty daies God's Iudgments did lay seige against Ierusalem but the son of man Christ Iesus yet conversing as man here upon earth did bear off the punishments due to their iniquity as Ezechiel intitled and in Type the son of man had before prefigured Chap. 4. 6. Thou shalt beare the iniquitie of the house of Iudah forty daies I have appointed thee each day for a year see v. 1. 2. And thus at the end of forty yeares after our Saviour's Resurrection allotting a yeare for every day of his abode on earth the City and Temple were destroied This Calender of a day for a yeare was no new or uncouth account to this people either in the daies of Ezechiel or at the time of our Saviour's Ascension it was a Calender of God's owne making as we may read Numb 14. 33. 34. Your children shall wander in the wildernesse forty yeares and beare your whoredomes untill your Carkeises be wasted in the wildernsse after the number of the daies in which yee searched the land even forty daies each day for a year shall yee beare your iniquities even forty yeares and yee shall know my breach of promise I the Lord have said it I will surely doe it unto all this evill Congregâ—tion that are gathered together against me in this wildernesse they shall be consumed and there they shall die The people were gathered against God when they were gathered against Ioshuah and Caleb and bad stone them with stones ver 10. And the Glory of the Lord which then appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before all the children of Israel had now more personally and visibly appeared in the man Christ Iesus and yet how oft were they ready to stone him to death The former people for their rebellion were to die in the wildernesse without hope of seeing the promised land 7 For the rebellion of this later generation specially after the Glory of God was now revealed by his Resurrection Ierusalem according to Micah's prophecy was to become an heape of stones and Sion the beauty of the whole Nation was to be plowed like a field and the mountaine of the house which was the glory of Sion was to become as the high places of the forrest a more gastly wildernesse then that wherein their Fathers wandred The cause of God's plague denounced Numb 14. was that generations credulity to believe the report of the other spies concerning the land of Canaan contrary to the good report which Caleb and Ioshuah had made of it And the cause why this generation were to die of a more fearfull plague in Ierusalem and why Ierusalem was to become an heape was their distrust unto the promise concerning the Kingdome of heaven whereof the land of Canaan in her highest prosperity was but the mappe avouched by Iohn Baptist the Preacher of Repentance and by Iesus the Son of David which had viewed it and presented the fruits of it unto them And for this their distrust as their Fathers had wandred forty yeares in the wildernesse and never admitted to the land of Canaan so this rebellious generation had forty yeares time before they were cast out of the earthly Ierusalem never to be admitted into new Ierusalem which came down from heaven CHAP. 43. That place of Zachary Chap. 14. v. 3. expounded shewing that God did fight with the Gentiles against the Iews as formerly he had done with the Iewes against the Gentiles How the forty daies of Christ's abode upon earth after his Resurrection was fore-told THis wath of God against Ierusalem was fore-told by the Prophet Zachary Chap. 14. ver 1. 2. 4. Behold the day of the Lord commeth saith the Prophet and the spoile shall be divided in the mid'st of thee that is her enemies should not come against her as rievers ' or boot-halers which dare not stay to divide the spoile where they catch it
full issue or product of all three dimensions we shall be everlastingly blessed in him For the first we may not so much as beg any blessing or good thing at God's hand but for his sake Hence it is that all our prayers are conceived in this forme either expressely or implicitely propter merita Iesu Christi Secondly of those blessings which it pleaseth God to grant for his sake wee may not entreat no not expect their conveyance should be made unto us by any other person or meanes then by him and the vertue of his sufferings And for this reason it is that we usually conclude our prayers Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Iesus Christ our Lord not propter Iesum Christum That is alway expressed or implyed in the body or beginning of the prayer It was the intention of the Ancients to instruct us by those two usuall clauses of our solemn prayers that whatsoever we aske for Christ's sake wee cannot otherwise obtaine then through him And though the Father be the first granter yet the Sonne immediately bestowes all blessings upon us as the places of Scripture late alleaged testify God's blessings descend to us only by him that they may draw us unto him in whom only we are blessed For that everlasting happinesse of the life to come formally consists in our union with him and cannot be manifested or imparted to us but by the participation of his blessed presence 6 Will yee have a more particular map in what manner the blessing of Abraham descends upon us by this our high Priest Then call to mind in what termes Melchisedech blessed Abraham They were these Blessed be Abraham of the most high God Possessor of heaven and earth Melchisedech if the same be Shem had by vertue of his Father Noah's blessings a manifest right unto the land of Canaan and had some part of it in possession and this right and title hee be queaths to Abraham The chiefe matter of his blessing is that Abrahams posteritie should be Kings and Priests in that land And albeit he were a Priest of the most high God yet his Kingdome was of this world and in this world though a type of the heavenly Kingdome But our Saviour's Kingdome was not of this world for since his Resurrection he hath taken possession of heaven as he is man but in the right and title of the eternall Sonne of God God the Father made all things by God the Sonne whom hee hath made Heire of all things as man which were made by him as God not as an heire in his nonage but as joynt Lord with his Father at whose right hand he is placed so that as man he hath more full and more immediate authoritie to dispose of heaven than Melchisedech had to dispose of Canaan for hee bestowed that upon Abraham by way of prayer as became a Priest of the most high God But this our high Priest who is also the most high God shall dispose of heaven to his servants by royall sentence and authoritie as King Then shall the King say unto them that sit on his right hand Venite benedicti patris mei possidete vobis paratum regnum à constitutione mundi Come ye blessed of my Father possesse yee the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world This is the accomplishment of that blessing which Melchisedech bestowed upon Abraham and the second part of his benediction must be the everlasting song of such as are blessed in Abraham's seed Blessed be the most high God who hath delivered our enemies into our hands who hath enabled us to overcome the world the Divell and the flesh And though Christ our high Priest were the Sonne of David and of Abraham as man according to the flesh yet as man hee is the first begotten from the dead and Father of the world to come Melchisedech himselfe in respect of the everlasting blessing is his Sonne and must have his portion in it at the last day For if all Nations if every one of any Nation that is truly blessed be blessed in Abraham's seed Melchisedech himselfe must be blessed in him not only by him And therefore hee is that most high God Possessor of heaven and earth in whose name Melchisedech blessed Abraham 7 But to return to our Apostles next passage He. 7. 11. c. If therefore perfection were by the Leviticall Priesthood for under it the people received the Law what further need was there that another Priest should arise after the order of Melchisedech and not be called after the order of Aaron For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessitie a change also of the Law The full discussion of this twelfth verse because it containes matter of Controversie amongst us Christians and betweene severall profest members of reformed Churches as whether Christ were a Law giver or wherein the Law which hee gave did differ from or excell the Law of Moses whether Leviticall or Morall must be referred to another Treatise The Law saith our Apostle made no thing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did So our later English reads the Text yet proffers to us another reading in the margine which in mine opinion is more consonant to our Apostle's meaning to wit That the Law was an introduction of a better hope by which we draw neare to God And this drawing neare to God is that perfection which the Law could not effect But the principall point whereon our Apostle pitcheth forevincing the priesthood of Christ to be farre more excellent then the Leviticall Priesthood was was reserved to the last place and pathetically though briefly avouched v. 20. And in asmuch as not without an oath for those Priests to wit after the order of Aaron were made without an oath but this to wit Christ with an oath by him that said unto him The Lord sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech By so much was Iesus made the surety of a better Covenant And they truly were many Priests because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death But this man because hee continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Wherefore hee is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing hee ever liveth to make intercession for them And againe v. 28. For the Law maketh men high Priests which have infirmities but the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Sonne who is consecrated for evermore These two last passages require a fuller discussion of a Point often touched upon in some printed Treatises and diverse Sermons A point much neglected by many good Divines and carped at by others through their ignorance in true antiquitie videlicet What the interposition of God's speciall oath doth import more then his largest promises without an oath SECT 3. Of the calling or destination of the Seede of Abraham and Sonne of
the Sonne of Iehozadeck's head was the modell of the Crowne of David which was to flourish upon Iesus the Sonne of David's head as it is Psalme 132. v. 18. But upon himselfe shall his Crowne flourish 6 Briefly the protestation which the Angell in the verses following makes to Iesus the Son of Iosedech is but a renewing or repetition of the promise which God had made unto Abraham and David concerning their seede The tenour of God's promise here renewed or repeated unto Iesus the high Priest is the same And the Angell of the Lord protested unto Ieshua saying thus saith the Lord of boasts if thou wilt walke in my wayes and if thou wilt keepe my charge then thou shalt also judge my house and shalt also keepe my Courts and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by These words containe as ample a patent for the temporall or legall Priesthood unto Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech and his posteritie as David had for continuation of the temporall Kingdome in his race or progeny both the promises and patents were conditionall But that there should arise an everlasting Priest as well as an everlasting King one in whom God's promises should not be conditionall but yea and amen that is absolute and irrefragable the Prophet Zachary addes Heare now O Ieshua the high Priest thou and thy fellowes that sit before thee for they are what are they monstrous persons saith our former English or men wondred at saith the later Viri portendentes saith the vulgar The Prophets meaning is that they are men set for types or signes of great matters to come The word in the originall is the same Ezech. 12. 11. Say I am your signe like as I have done so shall it be done unto them that is to the Princes of Ierusalem and house of Israel they shall remove and goe into captivity As Ezechiel his digging through the wall in the peoples sight and carrying forth his stuffe upon his shoulders in twilight with his face covered that hee should not see the ground was a signe or prognostication of Zedechiah's stealth or flight from the Chaldeans army which besieged him So Ieshua the high Priest and all his fellowes in all this action or solemnity specially in laying the foundation of the Altar and Temple were prognosticke signes or prefigurations of Iesus the everlasting high Priest and of the spirituall Temple the holy Catholique Church which he was to build by the ministry of the Apostles So it followeth for behold I will bring forth my servant the branch For behold the stone that I have laid before Ieshua upon one stone shall be seven eyes behold I will engrave the graving thereof saith the Lord of hoasts and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day CHAP. 22. Of the harmony betweene the Prophet Ieremy and the Prophet Zachary concerning the man whose name is the branch How his growth or springing up was prefigured by Zerubbabel the sonne of David His name and title as our high Priest fore-pictured by the name and title of Iesus the Sonne of Iosedech That he was as truly the Son of God before all time as the sonne of David in time THat this man whose name was the Branch was to build the Temple of the Lord that he was to take his investiture unto his priestly dignity by Iesus the Sonne of Iehosadech as by his proxie is apparent from the sixt Chapter of the Prophet Zachary 11. Take silver and gold and make Crownes and set them upon the head of Ieshua the Sonne of Iosedech the high Priest and speake unto him saying thus speaketh the Lord of hasts saying Behold the man whose name is the Branch and hee shall grow up out of his place hee shall build the Temple of the Lord even hee shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both 2 This place and the former are pregnant that the Servant of the Lord whose name was Zemah the Branch whose office was to build up the Temple of God should be a Priest and should sit upon his Throne as Priest But it cannot from either place be gathered it is not so much as intimated that hee should either be a Priest after the order of Aaron or of Melchisedech or of the seede of Aaron as Iesus or Ioshua the Sonne of Iehosedech was But as the Prophet affirmeth not that hee was to be Priest after the order of Aaron or Melchisedech so neither in plaine termes doth hee deny it true but as every Prophet of God speakes nothing but the truth so neither doth one of them speake all the truth or all that is requisite for us to believe concerning Iesus our Saviour That the man whose name was the Branch the same party of whom Zachary here speakes should not be of the seed of Aaron or a Priest after the order of Aaron is evident from the prophecy of Ieremiah Ier. 23. 5. uttered more then seventy yeares before Zachary began to prophecy Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch and a King shall raigne and prosper and shall execute judgment and justice upon the earth In his dayes Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse It is plaine then out of the fore cited prophecy of Zachary that God's servant the righteous Branch was to be a Priest It is evident againe out of Ieremiah that he was to spring out of the seede of David and to raigne as King over Iudah and Israel as David had done And these two put together will directly conclude that this Branch of David was to be that sonne of David concerning whom the Lord had sworne and would not repent that hee should be a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech who was both King and Priest and by interpretation the King of righteousnesse and King of peace both which titles are expressely given to this Servant of God and Branch of David the one by the Prophet Zachary the other by the Prophet Ieremiah 3 But is it intimated or fore-told by either of them that he should be as truly David's Lord as David's Sonne Yes Ieremy implies this in fuller termes then David himselfe doth Psalm 110. for David saith the Lord said unto my Lord Adonai not Iehovah whereas the Prophet Ieremy tells us that the supreame style or title of this Branch of David should be not Adonai Tzadkenu but Iehova Tzadkenu Iehovah our righteousnesse So that hee whom David in spirit calleth his Lord was to be as essentially Lord and God as he that said unto him sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot stoole But was he according unto this name or title
the world ever had besides the concurse and confluence of strangers at the time of our Saviour's Passion The manner of whose death and the signes and wonders then exhibited made the heathen Centurion a man altogether ignorant of these sacred mysteries to confesse that this Iesus whom he had seene crucified was the Sonne of God But the time the manner and consequence of his Resurrection most directly proves as well his Priesthood as his calling to it to have been from God both more excellent then Aaron's was 6 Wee see it experienced Numb 16. 17. that notwithstanding the publique solemnitie of Aaron's Consecration by Moses there wanted not such rebellious spirits then as the world is full of now which thought themselves altogether as holy and as â—it to be high Priests as he After the earth had swallowed up the principals in this conspiracy the â—eaâ—â—â—eâ—â—e multitude though â—eâ—â—â—â—ed for a while with the fearefull disaster of their ring-leaders conspire aâ—â—esh against Moses and Aaron and had utterly perished in this rebellion had not Aaron runne into the midst of the congregation which sought his life and stood with his center as with a shield of defence betwixt them and death But seeing neither the fearefull examples shewed upon Coreh Dathan and Abiram nor Aaron's late compassion towards them when wrath was gone out from the Lord against them and the plague was kindled amongst them were able to quell their jealousies or appease their murmurings the Lord lastly made the Rodde of Levy alone inscribed with Aarons name amongst all the roddes of the Tribes of Israel to bring forth branch leafe blossome and fruit in one night and thus beautified with flowre and fruit which were not to fade in so many yeares as they had been houres inspringing to be laid up in the Arke of the testimony to stay the murmurings of the children of Israel and to be as a witnesse against them whensoever they should question Aaron's calling 7 The Tribes of Israel were never so maliciously and stubbornly bent against Moses and Aaron as the Tribe of Levi and Aaron's successors with their complices were against the sonne of David to whom the Lord destinated the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech by solemn oath Though the earth did quake and the rocks rent in sunder though the graves did open and give up their dead more desirous to swallow up these rebellious miscreants quick then to swallow up Coreh Dathan and Abiram as doubtlesse they had done unlesse this Priest of the most high God had made an Attonement for them saying Father forgive them for they know not what they doe yet their murmurings cease not with his life their malice pursues him into his grave 8 The last and peremptory signe reserved by the wisdome of God either to stay their murmurings or to condemne them with Coreh with Dathan and Abiram unto the everlasting pit was the causing of this Rodde of â—esse this branch of David whom these cruell and mercilesse men had quite stript of flower of leafe of branch bereft of sappe and as it were scorcht and beaked in the fire of affliction to recover sappe and leafe and flower againe to bring forth the fruit which never shall â—â—de now consecrated to be the tree of life to all the Nations enthronized in the heavenly tabernacle and planted at the right hand of God untill his enemies by the rodde of his power be made his footstoole We have seene in part how fitly that testimony of the Psalmist Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee beeing understood of Christ raised from the dead is avouched by our Apostle to prove Christs calling his Consecration and advancement to the Priesthood here mentioned to have been from God and from the event answering to the Psalmist's prophecy and from that other testimony of Psalme 110. often mentioned doth S. Peter cause the murmuring of the people of Israel to cease For from the two premises Act. 2. ver 36. he thus concludes Therefore let all the house of Israell know assuredly that God hath made the same Iesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ that is as much as if he had said both King and Priest by these declarations he gained three thousand soules which otherwise had perished in their murmurings 9 So then the day of his Resurrection is the day wherein the dignity of everlasting Priesthood is actually collated upon him and as he himselfe testifieth All power is given unto mee both in heaven and earth And if all power then as well the power of Priesthood as the power royall And as high Priest he gives Commission to his Disciples to teach and baptize The day of his Ascension or placing at the right hand of God is the day of his solemne enthronization and immediately upon this hee sent forth the Rodde of his strength out of Sion For by this rodde fore-told by the Psalmist Psal 110. we are to understand that power wherewith his Disciples were to be endued from above which they were to expect in Ierusalem at the feast of Pentecost The effusion of the holy spirit and emplanting the Law of the Gospell in their hearts upon that day or the day following wherein the Law of Moses was proclaimed was as a proclamation to all the world that the Priesthood was translated or changed by this manifest translation or change of the Law SICT. 5. Of the Resurraction of the Sonne of God By what Prophets it was fore-told By what Persons or legall Rites it was fore-pictured or fore-shadowed CHAP. 29 In what high esteeme S. Paul did hold the Article of our Saviour's Resurrection and Ascension c. That the want of explicite beliefe to this grand Article of the Resurrection did argue rather a dulnesse or slownesse to believe the Scriptures then any infidelity or incredulity even in such as had seene his miracles and had heard him fore-tell his death and rising againe untill the event did manifest unto them the truth of his former Doctrine and predictions WHen the Doctor of the Gentiles saith He esteemed to know nothing amongst the great Masters of knowledge save Iesus Christ and him crucified this exception no way excludes the knowledge of his Resurrection from the dead or implies that he had not the knowledge of the Article in equall esteeme with the knowledge of his Crosse How highly soever he did esteeme both mysteries it doth not argue that hee did rate the knowledge of his Ascention into heaven his session at the right hand of God or his comming thence to judge the quick and the dead one mite lower The greatest blessing which hee could either praise God for or pray unto him for whether for himselfe or for his beloved Ephesians was the knowledge as he termes it of these grand mysteries Wherefore I also after I had heard of your faith in the Lord Iesus and love unto all the Saints cease not to give thankes for you making mention of you
was to come Yet their bodies were to inherite their Father Adam's curse Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt returne Subject they were to to corruption altogether incapable of incorruption or immortalitie untill their expected Messias became their first fruits for them Christ saith our Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 20. is risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleepe for since by man came death by man came also the Resurrection of the dead So generally true is that of the Apostle that which sanctifieth and that which is sanctified are both of one that is both of one kind Heb. 2. And in this sense that saying of S. Ambrose which some in later ages have much quarrelled is most true When thou hadst overcome the sharpnesse of death thou didst open the Kingdome of heaven to all believers The body of no Saint was capable of entrance into the Kingdome of heaven before this time None could be consecrated unto this service before the Consecration of the high Priest himselfe which was not accomplished till he was begotten from the dead and made the first fruits of them that sleepe 5 Briefly to mould up the scattered or dispersed notions in this and some other former treatises how the fulnesse of all things which were fore-shadowed in the feast of the Passeover with its rites did as our Apostle saith dwel in Christ or how in all things he the preheminence First he is in the literall and most exquisite sense the Israel of God the Son of God which was to passe out of this world unto his Father Secondly hee was the true Paschall Lambe which was slaine for our deliverance from the destroyer and for our safety in this our passage from this world into a better Thirdly he is the reall Moses that must conduct us for he was conductor unto Moses Fourthly he is the first borne of every creature which by his sacrifice did sanctifie all the rest and make them acceptable unto God Fiftly he is the first-borne or first begotten from the dead the first fruits of them that sleepe that is he by whom such as sleepe in death and inhabite darknesse shall be made meete to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light as well in their bodies as in their soules SECT 6. He Ascended into Heaven CHAP. 35. How the Ascension of the Son of God was presigured by the translation of Enoch and by the taking up of Elias And foretold by the Psalmist Psal 15. and Psal 24. THE Son of God in the day of his sufferings as he was man did ascend in soule into that Paradise into which the soules of Patriarchs of Prophets with the soules of holy and just men that dyed immediately after him or at the same time with him were admitted And on that day at least before the dawning of the next which was the Sabbath he consecrated the celestiall Sanctuary or Paradise with his owne blood But his Ascension into Paradise what part soever of Heaven that were on that day is not the Ascension mentioned in our Creed For when it is said HE ASCENDED into Heaven this must be understood of his Ascention thither in body which was forty dayes after his Resurrection from the dead And into Heaven or that part of Heaven mentioned in our Creede hee did not then ascend only as an high Priest but also as King of Heaven and earth The Day of his Ascension as was mentioned before was the day of his solemne enthronization 2 The manner of his Ascension is punctually related specially by the Evangelist S. Luke in the last Chapter of his Gospell and in the first of the sacred history of the Acts of the Apostles The speciall quaerees concerning his or other Evangelicall or Apostolicall avouchments of his Ascension are but two The first how that which they historically relate or avouch was fore-pictured The second how or by what Prophets fore-told in the sacred Writings of the Old Testament And these two quaeries must be discust not by dichotomy or by way of opposition but either severally or promiscuously as the Texts of the Old Testament shall minister occasion 3 The Ascension of this just and holy one of the great Prophet promised by Moses was first prefigured by the translation of Enoch which was long before the Law was given long before Moses was borne But of Enoch's translation litle can be said upon sure grounds or by just warrant of Scripture Only this we know from authentique testimonies that hee was an holy man and one that pleased God A man both in life and in his translation from this life unto a better who did truly fore-shadow him in whom alone God was and is and ever will be best pleased 4 The manner of Eliah's Ascension or rather of his being taken up from earth into heaven or to a farre better place then earth was more visible and more conspicuous and the time of his taking up more publiquely knowne then the time or manner of Enoch's translation was He was taken or caried up out of Elishah's sight who with many others did expect the time and day of his translation in a fiery Chariot a fit embleme of Eliah's propheticall spirit alwaies burning with zeale towards the service of God even to the destruction of the enemies of it or disturbers of the peace of Israel Our Saviour did rather ascend in a Cloud then was taken up by it albeit taken by it out of their sight which saw him ascend from earth to heaven The cloud it selfe in which he did ascend being an embleme of his sweet and milde spirit of those gracious lips which did alwaies distill words of mercy and love allaying the terrible heat and fervency of Eliah's and other Prophets spirits which had fore-told his first comming into and his going out of this world and his second comming to judge it 5 Two illustrious predictions of his Ascension we have Psal 15. Psal 24. but whether the one or both of these Psalmes which illustrate or confirme the truth of the Evangelicall story be meerly propheticall or typically propheticall or mixt id est thus literally verified in the Psalmists themselves or Pen-men of these hymnes and afterward mystically fulfilled in Christ is more then I dare peremptorily either affirme or deny Most probable it is that the Author of the 15 th Psal which doubtlesse was David himselfe did pen his owne part and exercise his hopes and interest in the future Ascension of his Son and Lord of which he had a present pledge or token by his late restitution into the tabernacle of the Lord from which he had sometimes been excluded not for any crime or demerite nor by any Ecclesiasticall censure of excommunication or suspension but by secular violence of hostile persecution During the time of his exile from the tabernacle hee or the sonnes of Chorah for him uttered those patheticall complaints How amiable are thy tabernacles thou Lord of hosts
Creator both of sea and land The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the World and they that dwell therein for he hath founded it upon the seas that is in such a sense as wee say townes and cities are situated upon the rivers on whose bankes they stand and established it upon the flood ver 1. 2. Yet may we not deny that this Psalme may literally referre to the bringing in of the Arke into the hill of Sion and to the exhortation of the Psalmist to admit and entertaine it as the feat of the King of Glory God blessed for ever But this literall sense doth no way prejudice but rather strengthen the force of their argument who hence conclude the deity of the Son of God then admitted in triumph into the hill of Sion or the Tabernacle pitched in it according to his divine nature only this triumphant admission being a sure pledge or earnest of his future admission into his heavenly Sanctuary the place of his everlasting residency as Lord and Christ in our nature No man who acknowledgeth or rightly esteemeth the authority of the Psalmist unlesse abundance of wit hath besplitted his understanding can imagine that the King of Glory whom the Psalmist here mentioneth should be any other party or person besides the Son of God Christ Iesus whom the Iewes when he came to the materiall Temple or Tabernacle wherein his divine nature did in peculiar manner reside did not entertaine in such manner as David enjoyned their fore-Fathers to entertaine the Arke of his presence They would not acknowledge him to be their Messias because they knew him not nor the Scriptures which did foretell this his comming For as our Apostle with speciall reference to the words of this Psalmist teâ—s us had they knowne him to be that Lord of Glory unto whose honour David consecrated this hymne they would not have crucified him But by crucifying or rather by his humiliation of himselfe unto the death of the Crosse he was consecrated as man unto his everlasting Priesthood and made both Lord and King of Glory CHAP. 36. At what time and upon what occasions th 68 Psalme was composed What reference it hath in the generall unto our Saviour's Ascension ANother Psalme there is appointed by the wisedome of the ancient and continued by the discretion of the English Church even since the first reformation to be read or sung as a proper hymne to the festivall of our Saviour's Asoension A Psalme full of mysteries and divine raptures apt to enkindle our hearts with zeal and admiration could we find out or rightly seeke after either the historicall occasions which ministred the matter or ditty of this divine song or the severall parts of Scripture unto which most passages in it according to the literall or historicall sense doe respectively referre The occasion of composing the Psalme to wit 68. Some Iewish Rabbins conjecture to have been that glorious victory which Ezekiah or rather the Lord of hosts in Ezekiah's daies got over Senacherib and his mighty army But the most of the more judicious Christian Commentators with greater probability or discretion referre the occasion of composing this Psalme to that solemne translation of the Arke of God from Kyriath Iearim into Mount Sion at large described 2. Sam. 6. David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand And David arose and went with all the people that were with him from Baal of Iudah to bring up from thence the Arke of God whose name is called by the Lord of hosts that dwelleth betweene the Cherubbims or at which the name even the name of the Lord of hosts was called upon 2 This later opinion is in it selfe perswasible or rather deserves full credanee from the first words of the Psalme Let God arisâ— let his enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him ver 1. These were verba solemnia the accustomed solemne forme of prayer used so often as the Arke of the Covenant which was to this people the most authentique pledge of God's peculiar presence and protection and for this reason called by his name did remove from one place to another during their pilgrimage in the wildernesse And they departed from the Mount of the Lord three daies journey And the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord went before them in the three daies journey to search out a resting place for them and the Cloud of the Lord was upon them by day when they went out of the Campe. And it came to passe when the Arke set forward that Moses said rise up Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee And when it rested hee said Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel Numb 10. ver 33. 34. 35. 36. Moses prayed conceptis verbis that God would arise and take part with his people David out of the fresh experience of God's mighty protection over him his subjects and allies so long as they worshipped him in truth and syncerity in this symbole of his presence seemes to utter Moses song rather by way of congratulation for victories already gotten then by way of instant prayer for present assistance A great part of this most divine most sublime ditty is a recapitulation of the glorious victories which the God of Israel had purchased for his people and upon their deliverance out of Egypt and their other peculiar protections or succours which private men or women in their distresse had found when they were helplesse in the sight of men or oppressed by their neighbours Sing unto God sing praises to his name extoll him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Iah and reioyce before him A Father of the fatherlesse and a Iudge of the widowes is God in his holy Habitation God setteth the solitary in families he bringeth out those that are bound in chaines but the rebellious dwell in a dry land ver 4. 5. 6. The verses following referre to the publique deliverance out of Egypt and the majesticke apparitions about Mount Sinai O God when thou wentest forth before thy people when thou didst march through the wildernesse the earth shooke the heavens also dropped before the Lord even Sinai it selfe was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel c. 7. 8. Some good Interpreters here observe that the Arke itselfe is called Iehovah or the Lord God of Israel by the same forme of speech that the sacrament all pledges are called the one the Body the other the Blood of Christ 3 Now the sweet singer of Israel was confident that the God of their Fathers would be as gracious to himselfe to his people and their successors after he came to dwell in Mount Sinai as he had been to Moses and Ioshun in the wildernesse â—or unto Samuel while the Taber nacle was in Shiloh or elsewhere either in motion or pitched Hence sprung those encomiasticall expressions throughout the Psalme of the
and Embassadours not to the end of the earth but to the ends of the World 4 Some of the Ancients and among the rest S. Austin if my memory faile not thinke they have found out S. Paul charactered in the fore cited prophecy there was litle Beniamin their Ruler c. And assuredly 't was not a matter of meere chance or fancy that this great Apostle of the Gentiles should have his name changed from Saul unto Paul a name borrowed as some thinke from Sergius Paulus and Paulus in the Latine signifies a litle one And this was a name better be fitting this great Apostles disposition after his calling then the name of Saul which was the name of the first King of Israel and one of the greatest of his Tribe That Saul was litle in his owne eyes before hee was King but great after whereas this Apostle Paul was litle in his owne eyes but great in the eyes of the Lord after hee was made Ruler of the people but to wave this conjecture of the Ancients and not to dispute the reason why Beniamin should be called litle by David in that Catalogue wherein hee had the precedency in order of Iudah most other passages throughout this 68. Psal from the 19. ver are eminently propheticall Blessed be the Lord who dayly loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation Hee that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues of death ver 19. 20. These are characters of God incarnate or made man or of the man Christ Iesus made salvation it selfe and of this Iesus raised from death for from this title the issues of death or deliverance from it belong to him as his peculiar More apparently are those passages ver 31. c. literally meant at least exactly fulfilled of Iesus Christ after his Resurrection and Ascension to his holy hill or heavenly Sanctuary Princes shall come out of Egypt Ethiopia shall soone stretch out her hands unto God Sing unto God O yee Kingdomes of the earth O sing praises unto the Lord. To him that rideth upon the heaven of heavens which were of old Loe he doth send out his voice and that a mighty voice Ascribe yee strength unto God his excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the Clouds O God thou art terrible out of thy places the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people Bbessed be God ver 31. 32. c. 5 As for the prayer conceived first by Moses afterwards assumed by David after the removall of the Arke Let God arise let his enemies be scattered let them also that hate him flee before him and all those menaces of fearefull judgments upon God's enemies pronounced by David in this Psalme as appendices to it these were never so exactly fulfil'd either of the Cananites Moabites Philistims or other enemies of Israel whiles the materiall Arke did remove from place to place or setled in Ierusalem as they have been of the seed of Abraham and of Iacob since their God did arise from death in our nature which he consecrated to be the true and living Arke of God Nor can the truth of God's promises unto Abraham David or their seed no not according to the literall sense of the prophecies which concerne them be any way impeached by taking his punishing hand from their heads and laying it more heavily upon his sometimes-chosen people For seeing they became the sworne enemies of the God of their Fathers revealed in the Arke of his flesh the fore-mentioned prayer or imprecation of Moses and David was more literally and punctually directed against them then against Aâ—â—alek Moab Ammon c. For these whether we take them jointly or severally were no greater enemies of God then other heathen Nations were save only in this that they were greater enemies to his Chosen people the seed of Iacob by reason of their vicinity as bordering upon their costs which alwaies nurseth quarrels betweene Nations dis-united in soveraignty or forme of government whereas the Iewish seed of Abraham which had been sometimes God's Elect people without occasion given became the immediate enemies of their God and for his sake more bloody persecutors of the Gentiles yea of their owne brethren according to the flesh after they with the Gentiles had become his Chosen people Now Moses his prayer or David's imprecation did not aime at the persons of men of what Nation soever but at their malicious qualifications or enmities against God whether direct or indirect so that since the seed of Abraham became the enemies of God and his Christ they may be more truly said to have dashed against the Psalmists or Moses curse then it to have falled upon or overtaken them and yet for all this as wee learne from S. Paul Rom. 11. that other prayer of Moses when the Arke rested shall beare date againe shall be fulfilled for the good of these yet cast-awaies When the Ark rested Moses said returnè O God to the many thousands of Israel Numb 10. 36. This strange devolution of God's mercies and judgments from one people to another making the down-fall of one Nation to be the advancement of another to his free grace and mercy not the points of Election and reprobation as there hath been a mist cast upon them by unskilful Controversers whereas S. Paul had left them cleare enough was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose deeper consideration did extort that patheticall ejaculation from him O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearehable are his Iudgments and his waies past finding out c. CHAP. 38. That the manner of our Saviours Ascension was more clearly fore seen by Daniel then by David and most exactly fore-shadowed by matters of fact in Mosaicall and other sacred histories A parallel betweene SaloÌ„mon's Consecration of the Temple and our Saviour's Consecration or sanctisying of himselfe and his heavenly Sanctuary WHether David did distinctly apprehend the manner of our Saviour's Ascension and propagation of his dominion over all things in heaven and earth both which he did fore-tell and fore-shadow by matter of fact and service done to the Arke or whether he did at all fore-guesse or suspect the turning of God's heavy hand upon his seed and Iacob's seed according to the flesh is a point not altogether out of question were it fit to be inquired into But as hath been observed heretofore our beliefe or right apprehension of the truth of divine mysteries doth not depend upon their knowledge or appehension which did fore-tell or relate their prefigurations but on the contrivance of divine â—inerting all-seeing providence by whose inspiration and secret instinct both the Prophets and Evangelists did both speake and write But be the former doubt concerning David's apprehension of these mysteries waved or determined as it may be this wee know and may resolve whatsoever in the former Psalme was fore-told or
that our Saviour should put them off with such an answer as the Muscovite did a Neighbour Prince who to pacifie his anger had sent him a curious celestiall globe Tu mihi coelum mittis redde terras de quibus contendimus The Scribes and Pharisees as these Writers think demand a signe from the heavens above and our Saviour gave them one from the earth or waters below But if they had demanded a signe to prove his divinity as these Writers think The signe of Elia's Ascension had been more illustrious and effectuall to this purpose Maldonat's resolution of this difficulty is that our Saviour speakes not of a signe to perswade them as they sought but of a signe to condemne them and that our Saviour useth as hee doth in many other places quoted by this Author an elegant ambiguity That the men of Nineveh's repentance at Ionas preaching was an infallible argument of these Iews future condemnation or a signe which left them altogether unexcusable for not repenting after our Saviour's Resurrection from the dead no Christian can deny But whether this signe was given them for their condemnation rather then for confirming their beliefe or for provoking them to repentance wee may well doubt and Maldonate if he had been constant to his positions elsewhere must acknowledge the later branch of this division to have been more probable His answer tho to speak the truth brings us out of a blind by path into a fairer way which leads us directly to a labyrinth of disputations concerning the cause or manner of these Iews rejection into which at this time I will not enter 6 The true meaning of our Saviour's words considered with references unto former passages I should conceive to be as if he had said albeit I have done such workes as none but the Son of God could have done amongst you such as would have cheered Abraham's heart to have seen yet this adulterous generation or degenerate kind of men which boast themselves to be the seed of Abraham demand a further signe but though I should give them all the signes possible in the heavens above or in the earth beneath or in the water under the earth there could be no signe like to the signe of the Prophet Ionas Goe therefore and see what that meanes or expect the fulfilling of it by the event otherwise the men of Nineveh shall condemne you for they repented at Ionah's preaching yet was the signe which God had given them by his deliverance from the Whale no signe in comparison of that which I give unto you So that our Saviour's words doe not exclude all other signes either given by him or by his Apostles but only argues that no signe for their instruction or future safety could be given in comparison of this so they would diligently enquire after the meaning of it But seeing they did not whom the meaning of this aenigmaticall fore-warning did most or in the first place at least concerne Let us of this age whom it much concernes to take instruction from their folly as farre as we are able redeeme their negligence in this particular enquiry 7 When our Saviour saith as Ionas was three daies and three nights c. so the Son of man This note of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the ordinary rate of speech implies that the son of man should be fully as long in the belly of the earth as Ionas had been in the belly of the Whale Now the time of Ionas durance there is so punctually exprest Ion. 1 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow up Ionah and Ionah was in the belly of the fish three daies and three nights that any ordinary Reader will conceive it should containe three naturall daies as from fryday in the morning untill the sunne-rising or dawning on Munday or from friday at night till Munday at night that is the whole course of three naturall daies But thus long it is evident our Saviour did not remaine in the Grave For he was interred on the sixth day towards the sun-setting and rose againe the first day with the Sun or a litle before it so that the longest time of his imprisonment in the Grave was but so many houres as he had been weekes in the Wombe 36. or thrice twelve in the one and 36. or thrice twelve in the other The difficulty proposed then whether as it concernes the time of Ionas his abode in the belly of the Whale or of our Saviour's in the Wombe of the earth cannot be cleerly resolved by that construction which Lawyers sometime make in favorabilibus that is for the greater part of three daies nor by that Synechdoche which wee allow in ordinary cases as if a man would prove that his friend had been in the City to attend the Court three daies together it would not be expected that he should make affidavit to prove that he had been three whole daies from morning to evening It would suffice that hee had been in the City some part of every one of the three daies or that hee had attended the Court at competent houres in every one of the three dayes instanced in as suppose Wednesday Thursday Friday The true reason of all such legall allowances of Synechdoches as Grammarians and Rhetoricians terme them is grounded upon that unquestionable rule of reason or Logick Ad veritatem indefinitae propositionis adstruendam sufficit verit as unius vel alterius particularis He that saith the Athenians were learned men is not bound to prove this universall that all the Athenians were learned it were enough to give pertinent instance in somefew for he that covenanteh to pay his day-labourer as his neighbours doe is not bound to pay them as much as any of all his neighbours doe if he make as just payment as any one or two of his good neighbours doe to their hirelings this in legall construction will acquite him from breach of Covenant Now times and seasons dayes weekes and houres have theiruniversall or indefinite extense or limitations as well as men or oher things numerable or measurable That may be truly said to be this daies worke which is done or wrought upon any part of this day currant And according to this Synecdoche or just allowance our Saviour may in legall or logicall construction be truly said to be in the wombe of the earth three daies and three nights that is in some part of Friday all Saturday and in some part of Sunday But this Synecdoche will not either by legall or logicall allowance reach unto three nights That he was two entire nights in the Grave is de fide a point of faith but no point of faith or probability that he should be in the Grave any least part of any third night 8 May wee not then believe that hee was three daies and three nights in the belly of the earth By all meanes we must Maldonat acutely discovers the originall of others error
or rather of the difficulty which had perplext so many of the ancients who made it greater then in his opinion it needed to have been to be this that they made their calculations according to the scale of other Nations or languages not by the Hebrew computation which doth not oppose day unto night but take day and night for one naturall day His observation is true and helps in part to salve the truth of the literall sense if hee had given the true reason of this their account But yet under correction the instances which he brings from the Hebrew accompt of the fasting of Moses and Elias both which are expressed to have fasted forty daies and forty nights doe rather prejudice then cleare the true meaning of our Saviour's prediction That he was to continue three daies and three nights in the belly of the earth For certainly Moses and Elias and so our Saviour in the wildernesse did fast as well forty nights as forty daies or forty naturall daies compleat without any Synecdochicall abatement either of one day or night whereas from the three daies and three nights wherein our Saviour fore-told he was to continue in the wombe of the earth we must abate the one halfe of a naturall day besides the space of one houre or one houre and an halfe at the most This abatement being fully made hee did continue in propriety of sacred dialect in the Grave three daies and three nights if we would measure his divine prediction by the most ancient and originall scale of the Hebrew accompt which Moses used throughout the history of the Creation 9 Briefly the three daies and three nights in the 12 of Mathew are equivalent to three of those evenings and mornings which made up halfe of the six naturall daies wherein the World was created The evening we know was in order of time before the morning whence it is that the Hebrewes begun their naturall day from the vespers ortwilight that which we call Saturday-night was to them the beginning of the first day of the weeke our Sunday at night the begining of their second Munday at night of their third Tuesday night of their fourth Wednesday night of their fifth Thursday night of their sixth Friday night of their seventh day or Sabbath Moses in his description of the six daies of the World's Creation gives the true hint for interpreting our Saviour's words as we have done when he said The evening and the morning were the first second and the third day c. For this is all one as if he had said the heaven and the earth were created in six daies and six nights and albeit he made no mention of any evening or morning of the seventh day wherein God did rest from his worke Yet may we not think but that day consisted of the same parts whereof the other six daies did only the vicissitude of the evening and morning is omitted in the description of that day to represent the everlasting Sabbath whereof it was a Type wherein is no night as the genealogie of Melchisedech in respect of Predecessors or Successors is not mentioned by the same Moses because the holy Ghost by whose direction he wrote would have him brought in without genealogie because hee might resemble the eternitie of our high Priest the Son of God From these premises wee may safely conclude that when our Saviour fore-told he should be three daies and three nights in the belly of the earth this is all one as if he had said hee should be three evenings and mornings in the wombe of the earth The conclusion being granted the former Synecdoehe is in this case most allowable for 't is evident that our Saviour was interred in the sixth evening and morning that is on Friday which was the sixth day of the weeke according to the Hebrewes accompt before the setting of the sun or the evening following which was the beginning of the seventh naturall day or Sabbath during all which as well the whole evening as morning hee rested in his Grave at least untill the dawning of the first day during whose evening or night preceding he likewise rested there So that he was in the wombe of the earth in part of the sixth evening and morning or sixth night and day and all the Sabbath as it consists of night and day and all the whole night succeeding the Sabbath and part of the morning following for he did not arise till after the breake of day or till the sun begun to approach the Horizon 9 This forme of accompting the weeâ—ke by day and night or by evening and morning doth more lively character the sâ—â—â—ession of times or vicissitude of seasons then if we should measure the same space either by nights alone or by daies alone as when wee English describe the space of a compleat week by seven nights or the space of halfe a month by a fortnight or of a yeare by three hundred threescore odde daies minuts But this by the way the Reader may find more for his satisfaction in good Commentators upon these words of Daniel Chap. 8. ver 26. And the visian of the evening and the morning which was told is true c. 11 Bt to returne unto my taske which is the unfolding of our Saviour's prediction in the 12â— of Mathew That as many other prophecies hath his peculiar mysticall sense whose explication must be grounded upon the former literall sense as it hath been now explain'd For that he should be interred in the Grave in part of the sixth day and there remaine in the residue of it and all the Sabbath or Seventh day and for a great part of the first day or of the first evening and moraing wants not a peculiar yea a triple mystery For the illustratioÌ„ whereof it will not be amisse to premise the sweet harmony between the six daies of the Worlds Creation by the Consecration Death and Passion of Him by whom it was first made As there was a weeke of Creation which could not be fore-shadowed by any time precedent So there was a solemne weeke appointed for Redemption for-shadowed partly by the weeke of Creation and God's rest from his workes partly by the weeke of Aarons Consecration and his accomplishment of it upon the eighth day To parallel the acts or workes of every day whether of the weeke of the first Creation or of the weeke of Aaron's Consecration with the like acts or workes of heb dâ—madae sanctae or the weeke of man's Redemption by our Saviour's Consecration would be a worke more difficult to the undertaker whether by pen or preaching then profitable to the Auditor or Reader It shall suffice me to exhibite the Evangelicall Cycle from the first day of our Saviour'e Consecration which was the first day of the week following taking the day as opposed to night or evening or of the time interjacent betwixt the great Feast of the Passion and the Pentecost-following 12 Vpon
our Mother Eve That his Resurrection was exquisitely prefigured by Isaack's escape front death and the Propagation of his Kingdome after his Resurrection by the strange increase or multiplication of Isaack's seede A parallel betwixt our Saviour and Ioseph in their affliction and exaltation pag. 225. 31. Shewing the concludency of the allegations used by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul to prove the truth of Christs Resurrection and in particular of the Testimony Psal 2. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee pag. 237. 32. The concludency of S. Paul's second Argument Act. 13. drawne from the 55. of Isaiah pag. 255. 33. That our Saviour's departure and passing out of this world to his Father or his entring into his glory through afflictions was exquisitely fore-shadowed by divers solemnities in the legall Passover and by the Israelites passing through the red Sea pag. 261. 34. The Resurrection of the Sonne of God and the effects or issues of his birth from the grave were concludently fore-pictured by the Redemption of the firstlings of the flockes and of the first borne males and by the offrings of the first fruits of their corne pag. 269. SECTION 6. HE ascended into Heaven CHAP. 35. How the Ascension of the Sonne of God was prefigured by the translation of Enoch and by the taking up of Elias And foretold by the Psalmist Psal 15. and Psal 24. pag. 277. 36. At what time and upon what occasions the 68. Psalme was composed What reference it hath in the generall unto our Saviours Ascension pag. 286. 37. Of the concludency of the Apostles Allegation Ephes 4. 7. 8. Out of the 18. vers of the 68. Psal pag. 292. 38. That the manner of our Saviours Ascension was more clearely fore seen by Daniel then by David and most exactly fore-shadowed by matters of fact in Mosaicall and other sacred histories A paralleâ— between Salomons Consecration of the Temple and our Saviours Consecration or sanctifying of himselfe and his heavenly Sanctuary pag. 301. 39. Into what place or part of heaven our Saviour did ascend or in what manner hee sitteth at the right hand of God are points not so fit to be particularly inquired after nor so apt to be proved or determined by Scripture as the other Articles of our Creed pag. 307. 40. How the time of our Saviours Ascension into heaven upon the fortieth day after his Resurrection from the grave was prefigured by the signe of the Prophet Ionas with the exposition of that signe given by our Saviour Mat. 12. 39. 40. pag. 313. 41. A Parallel betweene the day wherein Adam is thought to have been cast out of Paradise with the day wherein our Saviour was Crucified And betweene the first day of the worlds Creation and our Saviours Resurrection pag. 325. 42. That the sentence proclaimed against Nineveh by the Prophet Ionas was in a full measure executed upon the adulterous Generation of the Iewes not believing or repenting at our Saviours preaching pag. 332. 43. That place of Zachary Chap. 14. v. 3. expounded shewing that God did fight with the Gentiles against the Iewes as formerly he had done with the Iewes against the Gentiles How the forty daies of Christs abode upon earth after his Resurrection was sore-told pag. 341. Errata PAg. 14. Lin. 7 proposition Cor. preposition p. 19. l. 13. earth c. upon earth p. 38. l. 15. fants c. Infants p. 39. l. 24. as c. is p. 73. l. 27. judaicall c. judiciall p. 75. l. 15. ovve c. ovvne p. 76. l. 15. tagendo c. tangendo p. 76. l. 2. deleatur P. p. 79. l. 12. Pâ—idias c. Cydias p. 115. l. 26. sororom c. sororum p. 34â— l. 9. vvath c. vvrath A TREATISE OF THE CONSECRATION of the Sonne of God to his everlasting PRIESTHOOD And THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF it by his Glorious Resurrection and Ascension 1. WANT sometimes of skill sometimes of industry oftentimes of both to sound the mysteries or discusse the generall maximes contained in sacred Scriptures aright hath been one speciall occasion as of breeding so of nursing and continuing endlesse quarrels amongst the chiefe professors of peace Students I meane or Graduates in Theologie Now for composing the most or greatest Controversies which for these late years have disturbed the peace of Christs Church militant here on earth no maxime in the whole Book of God which is the only Fundamentall and compleat rule of faith and manners is or can be of greater or better use than that of our Apostle Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Author of everlasting salvation to all that obey him being called a Priest c. The discussion whereof in a fuller measure and as I hope in a more distinct manner then I have found it discussed by others is the maine end or scope of these present undertakings The maxime it selfe though briefe is the true scale or diametrall line or rule without whose knowledge or distinct survey first taken neither the full distance or disproportion nor the parallel approaches or symmetrall vicinities which many different opinions yet still in debate respectively hold or beare unto the infallible doctrine of salvation and life will ever be fully discovered much lesse clearly determined Besides this great and generall use if we could hit the punctuall meaning of this place or take a true value of the very first word in this text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee might with more facilitie cleare that obscure and difficult place Heb. 11. 40. and informe our selves First what better thing it was which God had provided for the faithfull in later ages in respect of former and secondly what the Apostle there means by being made perfect For in this being made perfect consisteth the betterhood of the faithfulls estate in that time in respect of Abrahams the Patriarchs and the Prophets SECT 1. Of Consecration and of the Qualifications of those that were to be consecrated high Priests CHAP. 1. Of the true value or signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or of being made perfect WHatsoever good thing or perfection it was which the Apostles or Disciples of our Lord did obtaine in this life over and above all that which the Patriarchs in their Pilgrimages here on earth did attaine unto this was wholly from the perfection here mentioned in my Text. Neither the Patriarchs nor Apostles were made perfect untill the Sonne of God was made perfect Their best perfection is but an effct or branch of his perfection or of his being made perfect That the Patriarchs and Apostles should be made perfect is not a thing strange because they were but men and therefore subject to many imperfections but that the Sonne of God who is perfection it selfe should be made perfect this may seeme more then strange a thing impossible and wee were bound to admit a solecisme in the Apostles expressioÌ„ if wee were to weigh it only according to the grammaticall signification of the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Church or the ministers in it will suffer us to think this Melchisedech should be a Canaanite For although we ought perhaps to be as farre from denying as from affirming that God had many chosen vessels amongst the sonnes of Cham yet is it no way probable or to be affirmed that hee had any visible Church amongst them at that time whereof wee speake much lesse any such orthodoxall authentique high Priest as was ex officio to blesse him with whom the everlasting Covenant was to be established within whose family and posterity the true and visible Church was to be confined almost two thousand yeares after Nor doe we in saying thus tie the Almightie as some haply will accuse us to use no meanes but ordinary in bestowing his extraordinary blessings But this we say that where the manner of his calling is most extraordinary and miraculous it is his pleasure to use the ordinary meanes of lawfull ministers for the ratification or declaring of his calling at least for the admissiō of the parties called unto the emoluments or prerogatives of their calling Paul was plucked away from the Synagogue as a sappie branch from a dying tree by the immediate and strong hand of God but to be ingrafted or inoculated into the true Church which is the body of Christ by means ordinary and ministeriall by the hands of Ananias a civill and visible member of Christs mysticall body 4 In like manner we doe not deny that the manner of Gods calling Abraham out of Haran and the matter of the blessings then promised to him to have been both extraordinary in which blessing notwithstanding hee is to be installed by Melchisedech appointed as Gods Deputie or Vicegerent so the hebrew Cohen properly signifieth to ratifie or seale the former promises unto him The manner of the conveyance is formall and legall such as God ordinarily useth in like cases And by probable consequence this Melchisedech whosoever he were was a true principall member of the visible Church which at that time was no where on earth but in Sem his posteritie Of those Sonnes of Sem which are mentioned in Abraham's genealogy most were dead others for ought we read or by analogy can gather from what we have read no way so fitly qualified for this service as Sem himselfe who was then alive For Sem had beene solemnly blessed by his father And although hee be represented unto us in the fourth of Genesis under another name and shape then he receiv'd the blessing in yet the holy spirit seemes to point him speaking in his owne native language and solemnly bestowing that blessing upon Abraham his sonne which his father Noah had bestowed on him Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and let Canaan be his servant Gen. 4. The implication or importance is as if hee had said Shem shall have cause to blesse the Lord his God for making him Lord of Canaan This blessing or bequest wee know was to beare date aswell in Shem's posteritie as in himselfe but principally in his posteritie Now wee no where read of any conveyance or bequest of this blessing made by Shem unto his Successors besides that solemne blessing which Melchisedech whom for this reason we suppose to have been Shem bestowed on Abraham The tenor of his bequest or conveyance is more expresse Gen. 14. 19. Blessed be Abrahā of God most high possessor of Heaven and earth This propheticall benediction implyes that Abraham and his posterity should have cause to blesse the Lord their God for giving them possession of that earth or land which was the type or pledge of their heavenly inheritance and possessions This was the gaine of godlinesse that merces valde magna to have the promise of this life and of that which is to come And as the land of promise or Kingdome of Canaan once possessed was a true pledge or earnest of their title to the heavenly kingdome so Abraham at the very time when Melchisedech blessed him received the pledges of his posterities hopes unto that temporall kingdome 5 For albeit we utterly deny all sacrifice of bread and wine yet may wee not in opposition to the Papist affirme or maintaine that Melchisedech entertained Abraham and his followers only with a vulgar or common refection These elements of bread and wine being confidered with the solemnitie of the blessing have besides the literall sense a symbolicall or mysticall importance and are thus farre at least sacramentall that they served for earnests to secure Abraham that his posterity should quietly enjoy and eate the good things of that pleasant land wherein he was now a Sojourner Briefly Abraham in that sacred banquet which the King of Salem exhibited unto him did as we say take levery de seisin of the promised land as it is probable in that very place which God had destinated for the Metropolis of the kingdome or at least in that place where Iohn did baptize And albeit Melchisedech did no doubt derive the blessing bestowed on Shem or on himselfe by Noah in more expresse termes unto Abraham by inspiration extraordinary and divine yet Abraham at this time had afforded him a fit text or theame to make these extemporary expositions or declarations upon Of all that had proceeded out of the loines of Shem none as yet had ever given the like proofe of his likely hood to become Lord of Canaan as Abraham now had done whom God had enabled to right the King of Sodome and other Cananitish Kings not being able to right themselves against forreigne usurpers 6 For any man of ordinary understanding that had been an Actor in the late warre so happily managed by Abraham and a by-stander at Melchisedech's blessing of him to have conjectured to this purpose had been as easy and as warrantable as it was for the Israelites to divine that Moses should be their Deliverer by the manner of his killing the Aegyptian which had contended with an Israelite Now the holy Spirit seemes to taxe their dulnesse for not apprehending this mystery from the manner of Moses fact Thus we may derive Gods blessings upon mankind since the flood from Noah to Shem from Shem whom we take to be Melchisedech unto Abraham in whose seede all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed This argues Abraham's promised seede to be greater then Melchisedech for Abraham was blessed by Melchisedech not in Melchisedech's name but in the name of the most high God whose Priest hee was Howbeit this promised seed of Abraham was not greater then Melchisedech in externall beauty or prerogative royall till after his Resurrection or second birth During the time of his humiliation hee was rather destinated then consecrated to be the Author or fountaine of blessednesse unto us For as the Apostle argues Heb. 5. 8. Though hee were the Sonne yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered And being consecrated to wit by his sufferings became the Author of eternall salvation unto all them
Confirmation of of leagues and of the fearfull iudgments that usually fall upon them who wittingly and willingly violate them THe use of oaths amongst the Romans was somewhat more ample then all these instances imply though how farre it did extend I leave it to the determination of Civilians A very good Civill Lawyer tells mee and his testimony is most consonant to our Apostles mind in this place Vetus fuit regula iuris causā iureiurando decisam non retractari that a cause or case of Controversie decided by oath might not be traversed or recalled Iustinian's restraint of this ancient rule in some special rare cases rather corroborates then impaires the indefinite truth or generall validitie of it Yet were not oaths assertory more authentique or of more validitie in ancient times for ending Controversies betwixt man and man then oaths promissory such as God's oath in this place is were for maintaining publique peace or confirming leagues betwixt Nation and Nation The examples of heathen aswell as of sacred Princes or Generalls so we would follow them teach us not to retract any thing that we have sworne unto nor to delay performance of any thing which wee have promised by oath albeit the conditions in some cases prove such in the issue as wee would not have subscribed unto them at any hand had we knowne them in others such as wee ought not to have subscribed unto When Alexander the great a Prince otherwise too rash and furious in executing his rigorous designes perceived that the Lampsaceni open Rebells in his interpretation had entertained Anaximenes his fathers old acquaintance to plead for their pardon fearing that this smooth-tongued Orator if hee should permit him to speak his minde at large might somewhat mitigate the rigorous sentence pronounced against them upon the Orator's first approach into his presence takes a solemne oath by the Gods of Greece that hee would doe quite contrary to whatsoever hee would request on the behalfe of the Lampsaceni Then said Anaximenes it will litle boote me to be long in my petition which in briefe shall be this That you would captivate their wives and children destroy their City and set the Temples of their Gods on fire Now albeit this boistrous King had stedfastly purposed to doe asmuch as the Orator's words imply and had interposed a solemne oath to confirme his purpose yet his oath being by the Orators cunning retorted his former resolution did relent and yeeld unto the Orator's first intended serious request And in memory of this great Controversy between this great Prince and his Rebellious Subjects or revolted Confederates thus happily ended by a retorted or inverted oath the Orator had an Olympick statue erected to him by his Clients 2 Thus to save this City with it's Inhabitants could not be more prejudiciall to Alexander's former oath or resolution then it was to Ioshua to make peace or league with any Cananite for God whose Generall hee was had given him expresse command to the contrary Yet in asmuch as that strict commandement given by God was only particular to this purpose the neglect of it especially upon ignorance of circumstances was evill only because forbidden and only so farre evill as it was forbidden But in asmuch as an oath is the most sacred bond in humane societie the breach of it is not only evil because forbidden but therefore forbidden because in it self so evil Whence though it were unlawful for Ioshua to make any league with the Gibeonites being by Nation and Progeny Cananites yet in asmuch as they were men the league once made with them being confirmed by oath might not be violated by him or any of his Successors The legall maxime in this case holds most firmely fieri non debuit factum valet Although Ioshua had formerly sworne to have continuall warre with the Cananites yet the interposition of this oath upon a mistake that they were not Cananites must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an end of hostile quarrell betweene Israel and the Gibeonites or if any haply should here reply that this league did valere de facto was made valid more through Ioshuah's curtesie or scrupulosity of conscience then by the Law of nature Nations or by any strict rule of equitie the severitie of God's judgments upon the house of Saul for violating this league which Ioshua had made by oath more then foure hundred yeares after he had made it will convince him of error Saul sought to slay the Gibeonites in his zeale to the children of Israel and Iudah 2. Sam. 21. 2. but as if Israel had forfeited their estate in the promised land by breach of their former Covenant the earth for three yeares denyed her encrease as it is verse the first Nor could this famine be satisfied otherwise then by the flesh and blood of those men for whose sake the Gibeonites blood had beene unjustly spilt For when David being instructed of the Lord that the famine was sent to revenge their wrongs demanded of the Gibeonites to whom the Lord now had given power of binding and loosing Israel What shall I doe for you and wherewith shall I make the attonement that yee may blesse the Inheritance of the Lord They said unto him Wee will have no silver nor gold of Saul nor of his house neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel But the man that consumed us that devised evill against us that wee should be destroyed from remaining in any of the coasts of Israel let seaven men of his Sons be delivered unto us and wee will hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul whom the Lord did chuse v. 3. 4. 5. 6. But David as it followes spared Mephibosheth at whose life the Gibeonites did specially aime because of the Lord's oath that was betweene them between David and Ionathan the Son of Saul 3 But here least such malevolent eyes or eares as Machiavel's or Machiavilian Politicians should by looking upon or hearing this story read let in suspicion into their unhallowed hearts of some secret complot betwixt the Gibeonites and David for planting the Scepter of Israel in David's stocke by rooting out the whole stock of Saul besides this impotent forlorne branch Mephibosheth we may parallel this prodigious calamitie with others like unto it which in the observation of heathen writers have by the providence of God befalne other royall families for the perjurie of their Progenitors albeit executed upon them by the hands of men The difference will be only this that David in the execution of God's fierce wrath upon the house of Saul did understand his Commission much better then other Executioners of Gods like wrath did who did nothing but what God would have done but without just warrant 4 Could Kindomes be surely founded upon their present strength and greatnesse or states be made stand upright and firme by rule of secular policy the likelyhood was greater that the Macedonian Kingdome should have continued in
especially if such leagues be made when the one hath the other at no advantage And these leagues were of two sorts either mutually defensive only or offensive aswell as defensive as the Greekes say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as the Latines more fully expresse the nature of them ut eosdem haberent hostes socios that hee which was a friend to one party should likewise be held a friend unto the other partie included in the league that hee that should declare himselfe an enemie to the one party should forthwith and for so doing be taken and reputed for an enemy unto the other party Besides this mutuall aid or assistance in times of warre one speciall end of leagues or association was that one Country might be relieved in their want or pleasured in their prosperity with those blessings wherewith others abounded This mutual intercours or exchange of commodities betweene Nation and Nation is alway cut off or much impaired in time of hostility or warre Neither party can with security enjoy the good things which their owne land affords much lesse can they with safety be partakers of those commodities wherewith God hath blessed their enemies And in case it so fell out that a people rich in money or merchandize but destitute of corne or wine or other such necessaries should fall at variance with those who were accustomed to supply their wants their estate in the middest of their wealth was but miserable and would enforce them to seek peace upon termes unequall So we read Acts 12. 20. When Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon a people for wealth inferior to none they came to him with one accord and having made Blastus the Kings Chamberlaine their friend they desired peace What reason had they to become suitors for peace with him against whom they had been able to have waged warre whom perhaps they were able to out-match with number of men and weight of money S. Luke gives the reason in the next verse Because their Country was nourished by Herod's Country 3 But infinitely more miserable then the forlorne estate of any one people can be in respect of the most potent and cruell Adversary was the estate of all mankind whilst heaven and earth were at enimity For albeit God in mercy suffered his Sunne to rise aswell upon the unjust sonnes of Adam as upon Adam in his integritie yet were all utterly deprived of all commerce with the Inhabitants of heaven All were excluded from the tree of life without whose fruit this bodily life which wee lead here on earth even whilst wee live in greatest pleasure or prosperitie is but as a short walke or progresse from the wombe unto the grave as it were from a prison to a place of torment or execution Reason wee had to desire peace of heaven and to become humble Supplicants for the League or Covenant whereof God here preventeth Abraham Reason wee had to have sought this league upon what termes or conditions soever In respect of the parties which enter this league or association it was a league of the former kind quod victores victis dabant God was our Lord by a higher title then the right of conquest we were worse then his meanest vassailes not his servants but his condemned Prisoners It was in his power to have cut us off from all possibility of any league or amitie save only with hell and death which we and our Fathers had chosen for our confederates And yet the conditions of this league wherewith God preventeth Abraham for he sought it at Abraham's hands when Abraham did not seeke it at his are conditions aequi faederis It is made upon as good termes or conditions as any league betweene free-states and Kingdomes independent was ever proffered or performed It is more then a league offensive and defensive More then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this league is but a ratification of that promise which God had made to Abraham Gen. 12. 2. 3. And I will make of thee a great Nation and I will blesse thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing And I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse him that curseth thee And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed And yet it is said Chap. 17. ver 19. that God would establish his league with Isaac but with Isaac only as in the type or as hee was the pledge only on Abraham's part For it is a thing not to be imagined that the Lord in giving sentence of blessing and cursing would tye himselfe unto such strict conformitie as this promise imports with the parties to be judged by him as that hee would blesse all whosoever blessed Abraham or that he would curse them that cursed Abraham or Isaac or their seed in their own persons or for their own actions How then doth God performe this promise unto Abraham Not in Abraham or Isaac's person but in another seede of Abraham of whom that is expressely avouched Chap. 22. 16. 17. 18. which in the 12. Chap. was implicitely or avouched of him as he was indefinitely comprehended in Abraham's seede or potentially contained in Abraham's person In thee saith God to Abraham Gen. 22. 18. shall all the families of the earth be blessed By my selfe have I sworne saith the same Lord God Chap. 22. 16. For because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy Sonne thine only Sonne that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy Seede as the starres in heaven and as the sand which is upon the Sea shore c. Thy Seed shall possesse the gates of his enemies And in thy Seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice By Abraham's seede in this place hee meant not Isaac with whom this Covenant was established but another seede of Abraham and another sonne of promise in whom this Covenant was to be accomplished So our Apostle interprets this place Galat. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his seede were the promises made He saith not and to his seedes as of many but as of one and to thy seede which is Christ that is as truly the Sonne of God as the seede of Abraham who is as truly and properly God as he is man This interpretation of our Apostle is grounded upon the matter or subject of the promise For it is impossible that all the families of the earth even Abraham himselfe and Melchisedech who blessed Abraham should be blessed either in Isaac or in Abraham's seede either indefinitely or universally taken or in any seede of Abraham who was not as truly God as man or who was not that most high God in whose name Melchisedech blessed Abraham In this seede and by this seede all the Nations are blessed that shall be blessed And whatsoever blessings any man or people receive from God in him as hee is the Sonne of God or for
of God in which the Godhead dwelleth personally it is of force and vertue sufficient to purifie and cleanse our sinfull nature and to make us partakers of the divine nature CHAP. 18. What the Interposition of God's oath for more abundant Confirmation of his promise to Abraham did import over and above all that which was included in the literall or assertive sence of the League betwixt God and Abraham LEaving it to the learned Professors of Lawes Canonicall Civill or Municipall what speciall obligement a solemne oath induceth more then a meere Covenant or paction without an oath can require our next inquiry must be what the Interposition of God's oath first made to Abraham and afterwards renewed with more expresse exemplifications unto David did import according to the Charactericall or Emblematicall sence This is a point of Divinitie often mentioned in this long worke of Commentaries upon the Creed and diverse other of my meditations in my younger and better dayes and the oftner intimated because it hath been so seldome handled or thought upon by most Commentators or Controversy-writers although in my opinion continued ever since I began these Commentaries it be the very key without which there can be no Lawfull entrance into no safe retire out of those usuall debates concerning Election Predestination or other positive Points of Divinitie whereon the resolution of these doth most depend Now the resolution of this point wee are to learne not from any practice of humane Courts Iudiciall or Coercive for determining Pleas or Controversies betweene partie and partie For in all Processes of this nature the determination must be according to the literall grammaticall and assertive sence of Lawes in this case provided and of Testimonies produced or exhibited according to Law The Question now in handling with its decision depends much upon Tradition or received rules whether of ancient heathen Iewes or Christians What oath made either by the true and only God or by the imaginary Gods of the heathen did import more then ameere promise or threatning To begin first with the ancient heathen 2 Albeit that which the Apostle saith of the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hee had no greater by whom hee could sweare could have no place at least suitable to the estimation of the Gods by which the heathens did sweare or call to witnesse yet when Iupiter the greatest God amongst them was either provoked or voluntarily pleased to sweare by such parts of this universe as were conceived to be his coequalls his full peeres if not his betters it was generally presumed or beleeved that the doome or sentence so pronounced were it bliffull or dismall was irreversible For this reason the oath by Styx is called by Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grand or greatest oath But so called I take it by a Synecdoche For if Iupiter had sworn by Phlegeton or by the Elysian fields it had beene all one as if hee had sworne by Styx or other parts of the infernall Region all or every one of which were in heathenish Divinitie more venerable then this middle visible region wherein we live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Not Iupiter only but Iuno in Homer's Divinitie did hold the oath By Styx to be inviolable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libro 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such doome or sentences as the heathens accounted fatall even the awards of the weyred sisters themselves the conceived Spinsters of fates and fortune did derive the necessitie of their execution from interposition of some oath or other And in case the fates or weyred sisters had sworne the destruction of any Nation or people Iupiter had no authoritie to release the parties thus design'd from destruction but a power only to punish ultra condignum or beyond the measure of punishment decreed by the weyred sisters or fates A memorable speech to this effect a stately Roman Poet hath put into Iupiter's mouth Vos ô superi meus ordine sanguis Ne pugnate odiis neu me tentare precando Certetis sic sat a mihi nigraeque sororem Iuravere colus Manet haec aborigine mundi Fix a dies bello populique in praelia nati Quod nisi me veterum poenas sancire malorum Gentibus diros sinitis punire nepotes Arcem hanc aternam mentisque sacraria nostrae Testor Elysios etiam mihi numina Fontes Ipse manu Thebas correptaque moenia fundo Excutiam versasque solo super Inacha tecta Effundam turres ac stagna in caerula vertam Imbre superjecto licet ipsa in turbine rerum Iuno suâ—s colles templumque amplexa laboret The last clause of this patheticall oath beares a counterfeit or adulterate character of that solemne oath of the true and only God As I live saith the Lord though Coniah the sonne of Iehoiakim King of Iudah were the signet upon my right hand yet would I pluck thee thence and I will give thee into the hand of them whose face thou fearest even into the hand of Nebuchadnezar King of Babylon and into the hands of the Chaldeans And I will cast thee out and thy mother that bare thee into another Country where yee were not borne and there shall yee die Ierem. 22. 24. 25. 26. c. But unto the land whereunto they desire to returne thither shall they not returne Is this man Coniah a despised broken I dol Is he a vessell wherein is no pleasure Wherefore are they cast out he and his seede and are cast into a land which they know not O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Thus saith the Lord write yee this man childlesse a man that shall not prosper in his dayes for no man of his seede shall prosper sitting upon the throne of David and ruling any more in Iudah 3 With the Hebrew Rabbins this tradition or received rule concerning the importance of God's oath is so authentique as it makes them more peremptory in their resolution for the expiration of Soloman's Line in Ieconiah then most Christian Interpreters upon that place have beene unlesse it be such as in this point follow them Yet can I not perswade my selfe nor conceive any suspicion that either the Iewish Rabbins should take their hints for thus interpreting the fore-cited or any other place of Scripture wherein God's oath is interposed from the Divinitie of the heathen Much lesse did the ancient Poets or Philosophers who were the best Divines the heathens had borrow their fancies or conjectures from the Iewish Rabbins who were their punies nor were the Fathers of the Greeke and Latine Church the Fathers or first Authors of this Catholique rule or tradition All of them rather were beholding to the ancient Hebrewes or to Mosaicall or Propheticall writings for such prenotions or confused apprehensions as in this subject they had The consent of the ancient Christian Writers or
ceremonies and chang'd into the Lords day And the Lords day besides the representation of God's rest from his workes of creation upon the Seventh day containes a weekly commemoration of our Redemption from the bondage of finne and powers of darknesse represented by the thraldome of Israel in Egypt through the Resurrection of our Lord and Redeemer Againe no solemnity in all the sacred Calender of legall foasts was more peremptorily enjoyned or strictly observed then the feast of Expiation or Attonement yet was not this anniveriary feast so properly abolished as accomplished or advanced by that one everlasting attonement made once for all by the Sonne of God upon the Crosse For albeit that attonement in respect of the sacrifice or offring was but once made yet the vertue or efficacy of it is not circumscriptible by time nor interruptible by any moment or instant of time Though hee dyed but once to make satisfaction for us yet he liveth for ever to make intercession for us and is a perpetuall propitiation for the sinnes which we dayly and hourely commit and for his sake and through his propitiation all our sinnes who truly beleeve in him and supplicate unto him for his intercession shall be not in generall only but in particular freely pardoned Not doth the absolute everlasting perfection of this attonement any way prohibite us Christians to keepe a solemne commemoration of the day whereon it was made once for all But whether this commemoration were ordained or observed by the Apostles themselves or taken up by voluntary tacite consent of the Church after the Apostles had finished their pilgrimage here on earth I dare not take upon mee to determine But whether from this or that authority or example most Christians are ready to humble themselves on the Friday before Easter acknowledge it to be a good day because it is the Commemoration of our Saviour's Passion and attonement made by it And albeit this humiliation were much more ritually and severely observed by all of us then it is by some few we should not transgresse any Law of God nor swerve from the analogie of Christian faith but rather accomplish the true intent and purport of the Law given by Moses for the strict observation of the day of legall Attonement The humbling of our selves upon that day by fasting and Prayer is a like common and lawfull both to the Iew and Christian and the representation or Commemoration of Christ's bloody Death upon that day by Communication of his Body and Blood under the sacramentall signes and pledges is rather an accomplishment then an abolishment of the legall sacrifices or other ceremonies of the Priest's entring into the Sanctum Sanctorum upon the tenth day of the month Tisri A commemoration of which day the moderne Iewes to this day celebrate with foolish and phantasticke ceremonies as by tormenting of a cock especially a white one Yet these phantasticke practices serve as an imprese or embleme of that sacred truth which wee Christians beleeve and acknowledge as hath beene observed at large in the fift Book of Commentaries upon the Creed Chap. 4◠Parag. 2. 3. 4 May wee Christians then call the Friday be fore Easter our day of Attonement or the Dominicall next after it the great Sabbath For assoiling this or the like Querie about the use of words especially such as are legall I know no fitter distinction then that plaine maxime of the Schooles Omne maius continet in se suum minus non formaliter tamen sed eminenter Every greater containeth the lesse of the same kind not formally but by way of eminencie It were no branch of untruth to say that a quadrangle is two and that a five-angled figure is three triangles yet would it be a solecisme to say the one were three triangles and the other two triangles If wee should be directly demanded what manner of figure this or that were the only true and punctuall answer must be that the one is formally a quadrangle the other a quinqangle To deny any King of England for the time being to be Duke of Lancaster would be censured for more then an errour or Logicall untruth for since the annexion of that great Dukedome to the Crowne every King of England hath had as just and full a Title to it as to the Kingdome it selse or ancient Crown-lands And yet if a Lawyer or other skilfull in drawing legall instruments should in those very Charters or donations which the royall power grants not as King of England but as he is Duke of Lancaster enstile him only thus H. by the grace of God Duke of Lancaster c. doe give and grant to N. omitting his royall Titles it would be a dangerous solecisme in Law Now the legall titles or names of feasts or of the services are so contained in the Evangelicall services and solemnities as two triangles are in a quadrangle or as Duke of Lancaster is in the royall Title of King of England It is no sinne to say that the Friday before Easter is the day of our Attonement or that the first day of the weeke on which Christ rose from the dead is the Christian Sabbath but the more Evangelicall or royall Style is to nominate the one the Lords day rather then the Sabbath and the other rather Good-Friday or feria quinta in hebdomade sancta that is the fift day besides the precedent dominicall in the holy weeke then the day of our Attonement The like may be said of all other Christian festivals instituted as solemne commemorations in testimony of the accomplishment of the legall rites or services by the suffrings Resurrection and other glorious actions of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ To conclude this short digression with Erasmus his resolution of a question lesse needfull then the former yet agitated by some as it seemes in his dayes or before him Non hic agitab◠quaestionem An in Christum competat servi vocabulum qui favent ejus dignitati malunt filium dici quam servum quirespiciunt ejus humilitatem ad mortem usque obedientiam non horrent servi vocabulum Filii nomine magis gaudent sacrae literae ipse dominus patrem saepius appellat quam Dominum aut Deum suum tamen Paulus scribit illi susceptam formam servi hoc est hominis ut interpretantur quidam nec servi modo verùm etiam servi mali verberibus digni quemadmodum dictus est eidem venisse in similitudine carnis peccati Sed absit hac de re inter conservos contentio qui servum appellare gaudent imitentur illius obedientiam quibus magis arridet filii nomen imitentur illius charitatem qui utrolibet nomine agnoscunt Dominum Iesum utrumque pro viribus exprimant In rebus enim spiritualibus nihil vetat eundem nunc servum nunc filium appellari Erasmus in Psal 85. ver 2. 5 But seeing wee Christians affirme that our high Priest did
give the month wherein that deliverance was wrought the preheminence of all the months in the year whereas before that time the month of September in which the feast of Attonement was celebrated was for order of time or accompt the first as being the season according to the tradition of the Hebrewes and in all probability of reason wherein the world was first created And after the month of Abib had by God's appointment got the preeminence of all other months yet the month Tisri or September still retaines the precedency in the civill accompt of the Hebrewes for matters temporall or secular The accompt of their yeares in matters of contract or bargaine as of morgage or purchase was alwaies to be taken from Iubile to Iubile or from one Sabbaticall or seventh yeare to another And the yeare of Iubile or Sabbaticall yeare did alwaies begin and end in the month of September And as wee of this land have two accompts the one from the yeare of the Lord the other from the raigne of the King so had the Hebrewes two accompts of the yeare more distinct and certaine then ours are The one for matters civill or secular according to which accompt September was the first month and March the seventh month The other for matters Ecclesiasticall or spirituall and according to this accompt the month of Abib or March was the first month and September the seventh month And because matters spirituall or belonging to the service of God or state of his Church were the matters which God did principally respect in the institution of his Law therefore the month Abib or March after this peoples deliverance from Egypt though not before was to be accompted the prime and principall month 8 So then albeit the feast of Attonement and the feast of the Passeover differ as much in respect of the distance of time as any two feasts in the yeare can doe as having just halfe a yeare betwixt them yet for identity of season or congruity of other circumstances they agree the best Both of them are in their kinds the first months light and darknesse hold the same proportion in both Both of them distribute day and night by equall ballance to all the inhabitants of the earth Iohn Baptist's conception fell upon the feast of Attonement and the solemnity of this feast was in diverse respects accomplished by our Saviour at his Baptisme or Consecration to his propheticall function Our Saviour's owne conception was about the feast of the Passeover and fitting it was for congruity of time that hee should finish the course of his mortall life and accomplish all the legall sacrifices by the bloody sacrifice of himselfe upon that day at that time wherein hee had received the first beginning of life as man fitting it was that he should be conceived to life immortall in the wombe of the earth upon the same day or at that time wherein he had first been conceived in the Virgins wombe to the miseries and fraile estate of mortality Briefly then in the alienation of preheminence or precedency from September to March the translation of the Attonement or Expiation from the one month or the other was included and foreshadowed The month Abib was by God's appointment made the first and principall month of the whole yeare with reference to this great worke of finall Attonement or Expiation which was to be wrought in it by the bloody sacrifice of the high Priest in which all other sacrifices and solemnities had their end and finall accomplishment There was no legall feast of Attonement to be celebrated after it 9 Againe for circumstance of time it was most fitting and congiuous that the second tabernacle should be erected at the same time and season wherein the first tabernacle was erected that the high Priest of the new testament or everlasting tabernacle should be consecrated at the same season wherein the high Priest of the Old Testament or earthly tabernacle was consecrated Now the first tabernacle was erected and Aaron the high Priest thereof consecrated in the first month Abib as is apparent from Exod. 40. v. 2. The tabernacle was begun to be set up upon the first day of that month and was twelve daies in erection Aaron was seven daies in his Consecration but whether he was consecrated in the first seven daies of the month or whether his Consecration begun from the eighth day and lasted to the fifteenth is all one for congruity of circumstance between the Consecration of Aaron and the Cōsecration of our high Priest Sometimes it so falls out that the Evangelicall misteries begin where the legall shadowes doe end and are as it were ushered in by them some-times againe the misteries fulfilled upon the same day wherein the legall services or solemnities which fore-shadowed them were or ought to have been celebrated But it is more then probable from many circumstances Levit. 8. that Aaron's Consecration did not begin till the seventh or eighth day of the month Abid and ended the fourteenth or fifteenth CHAP. 25. In what respects the Consecration of Aaron and of his sonnes did especially prefigure the Consecration of the Sonne of God and in what respects they specially differ That the Consecration of Aaron did in diverse respects serve as a foile to set forth the excellencie of the Consecration of the Sonne of God COncerning the Consecration of Aaron and his sonnes you may read at large Exod 29. Levit. 8. Their Consecration consisted partly in the sacrifices offered by Moses for them partly in other services or solemnities either performed by them or done unto them The Priests of the Law even Aaron the first high Priest himselfe was to be consecrated by Moses the man of God The high Priest of the New Testament was to be consecrated by God the Father by him that had sworne to make him a Priest after the order of Melchisedech Wee are not to parallel the Sonne of God and Aaron according to every part or solemnitie of their Consecration at least we are not to compare every part or particular in kind For in Aarons Consecration there be many circumstances which necessarily imply presuppose or argue such imperfections and defects either in Aaron's person or in the sacrifices or rites by which he was consecrated as may not so much as be imagined in our high Priest in his sacrifice or any part of his service But rather these imperfections in Aaron's person in his sacrifice or Priesthood doe serve as foiles to set forth the excellent and absolute perfection of our high Priests person of his sacrifice and of his Priesthood First it was a defect or imperfection in Aaron's person that hee should stand in neede of a sinne-offring or of an offring of Attonement to make him capable of the dignity of legall Priesthood or of his Consecration to it This dissimilitude betweene the Person of the high Priest of the Old Testament and the high Priest of the New is exprest by our
sting or teeth upon the Godhead as he did But whilst he sought to swallow the bait of his flesh hee hath lost his sting hee hath broken his teeth and spoiled his jawes by medling with the Godhead 3 But more plainely by much was our Saviour's Resurrection and victory over death fore-pictured by Isaac's narrowescape from death Gen. 22. 9. The Altar was built on purpose for him the wood was couched and Isaac fast bound upon it the knife was in his Father's hand whose arm was stretched forth to strike him But God by his Angell and a voice from heaven delivers him from this imminent danger as it is v. 11. 12. This only Son of Abraham this child of promise the only hope or pledge of that promised seede which was expected from the beginning was to come thus neere unto death and yet to be delivered from it that the faith of Abraham concerning the Death and Resurrection of Christ the promised seed might be tried or rather that by his triall our Saviour's Death and Resurrection might be truly represented or fore-pictured by Isaac's danger and delivery So saith the Apostle Heb. 11. 17. 18. 19. By faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten Sonne of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called Accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead from whence also he received him in a figure to wit of the Reâ—urrection of Christ or the promised seed 4 The later part of this promise belongs meerly and properly unto Christ in whom alone it could be fulfilled For the more in number Abraham's children according to the flesh were before the promised seed did come and the greater their temporall prosperity or happinesse were the worse it must needs goe with other Nations or kindreds of the earth If the Messias or promised seed should have erected such a temporall Kingdome here on earth as the Iewes expected the Nations of the earth could not have beene blessed in him as God promised by Oath to Abraham for it is no part of happinesse but rather misery to have the Iewes or seed of Abraham according to the flesh for their Lords and Masters 5 Notwithstanding the former promise was in part fulfilled in the mighty increase of Abraham's posterity by Sarah this was a pledge of the later part which was to be fulfilled in Christ Through faith saith the Apostle Sarah received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of acâ—ild when shee was past age because shee judged him faithfull who had promised Therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the starres of the â—kie in multitude and as the sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable Heb. 11. v. 11. 12. 6 It was one of the great wonders of the world that from a woman that had been barrentill after fourscore yeares of age there should proceed above six hundred thousand men within lesse theÌ„ four hundred yeares Thâ—miracle notwithstanding had been lesse if her children had been more but she brought forth no more sonnes then Isaac and this mighty Nation did spring from Iacob who was but one branch of Isaac â— Sarah was as good as dead when she conceived Isaac and Isaac himself was at death's doore before he gave life to others So powerfull is God to raise strength out of weaknesse and to make the barren a fruitfull Mother of many children How beit this wonderfull increase of Sarah's or Isaac's posterity was but a shadow a draught or mappe of that great miracle which was to be exhibited in the promised seed More admirable it was that the blessed Virgin should beare a Sonne then that Sarah should conceive More strange and miraculous that Christ being put to death should become the Father of more people then Isaac had beene Yet this wee see hath God performed For since his Resurrection hee hath begotten more sonnes to God throughout the Nations then all the children of Abraham or Isaac according to the flesh 7 This miraculous birth of the Church and this mighty increase of her children the Lord did as it were point out to future ages in the fore-mentioned increase of Sarah's posterity that the world might know the body or substance when it should appeare by the picture which hee had made of it And that Abraham's posteritie according to the flesh might stedfastly believe the spirituall promise by the temporall pledge Of which pledge every one of them was a part 8 To this end and purpose saith God himselfe by his Prophet Esay Chap. 51. v. 12. He or ken to mee yee that follow after righteousnesse yee that seeke the Lord Looke unto the Rock whence yee are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence yee are digged Looke unto Abraham your Father and to Sarah that bare you for I called him alone and blessed him and in creased him 9 It was more remarkably true of us Chrstians whether the poore remnant of the sonnes of Abraham according to the flesh which were converted or of us Gentiles the seed of Iaphet then it was of the Israelites which were borne in Egypt Wee were not the greatest but the least of all people or Nations It was not our owne wit or strength made us so great a Nation as we are But the Lord our God which loved Abraham loved us in Christ and bestowed the blessing of Isaac in fuller measure upon us It was his power his love and wisdome that did thus multiply and increase us The Rock whence we were hewen and the hole of the pit whence we were digged was our Saviour's grave After his death saith the Evangelist S. Luke Chap. 23. v. 52. 53. Ioseph of Ariâ—â—t 〈…〉 t to Pilat and begged the body of Iesus and tooke it downe and wrapped it in linnen and laid it in a Sepulchre that was hewen in stone wherein man never before was laid 10 This Rock was the quarrie out of which the whole Church of God which is now spread farre and wide over the face of the whole earth was digged Our Saviour's Resurrection from the dead was the first opening of it And by vertue of his Resurrection such as were dead in sinnes and trespasses such as without it should have consumed to dust in the grave are become living stones even Pillars in the house of God Abraham's children according to proâ—â—se for out of stones hath God raised up children ante Abraham 11 This Application of the Type is warranted by the Prophet Esay Chap. 53. v. 8. Hee was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare his generation What generation did the Prophet meaneâ— The eternall generation of the son of God So indeed some of the ancients have interpreted this place and too many moderne interpreters have herein followed them But this were to runne-counter upon the Text. No print or footstep of the Prophet's progresse in this
him a name which is above every name that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father Philip. 2. verses 9. 10. 11. Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Iesus whom yee have crucified both Lord and Christ Act. 2. 36. CHAP. 31. Shewing the concludency of the allegations used by the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul to prove the truth of Christ's Resurrection and in particular of the Testimony Psal 2. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee NOt to repeat other Types or propheticall testimonies of Christ's entrance into immortall glory by the sufferings of death of which the Reader may find plenty as well in Postillers as Commentators nor to dilate upon such generall testimonies whether meerly typical or propheticall or typically propheticall as have been heretofore handled in the seventh and eighth Booke of these Comments upon the Creed as that of Psal 82. c. I make no question but those testimonies out of the Psalmes or Prophets which are avouch'd to this purpose by the Apostles themselves specially by S. Peter and S. Paul were expounded by our Saviour himselfe unto the two fore-mentioned Disciples which did accompany him unto Emmaus 2 Now the testimonies most insisted upon by the Apostles as well for convincing the Gentiles as the Iewes are specially three that of Psal the 2. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and Psal the 6. Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption the third The Lord hath sworne and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech or which is much what the same The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstoole The extraordinary successe of all these allegations abundantly testifies that they were most concludent for many thousand soules at two severall times besides others were converted by them The testimony out of Psal 2. is prest home by S. Peter Act. 2. v. 6. to the 37. to the Iewes specially and by S. Paul both upon Iews and Gentiles Act. 13. Though with better successe upon the Gentiles The force and strength of this testimonie and likewise how farre it was meant of David and fulfilled in Christ hath been at large discust before The point at which these present endeavours aime is to declare how these two testimonies 1. Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and 2. Thou art a Priest after the order of Melchisedech doe concludently and irrefragably inferre the Resurrection of Christ that Iesus whom the Iewes had crucified being both the Sonne of God and sonne of David and his Consecration to his everlasting Priesthood for unto this later point both testimonies are drawne by our Apostle Heb. 5. v. 5. and 6. But how close they reach this point whether jointly or severally is not so cleerly set forth by most interpreters as that the Reader unlesse his understanding farre surpasse mine will easily collect The generall meaning of our Apostle hath been declared in the first Section and in the close of the fourth of this Booke it is punctually thus Seeing Aaron's calling to the dignity of Priesthood was publiquely manifested to be from God no man after might take upon him to erect a new Priesthood no not to the temporall prejudice of Aaron and his successors much lesse to abolish this Priesthood which God had erected unlesse he could manifest to man and Angels that his Commission for thus doing was immediately from God and authentique being sealed by oath and solemnely executed And seeing no man might therefore Christ though God and man did not glorifie himselfe as the Apostle addes to be made an high Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee did put this dignity upon him Many Interpreters have stretcht their wits to make the literall sense of this Psalmist's words reach home to our Apostle's purpose Others so slight it as if they would give us to understand or cause to suspect our Apostle himselfe did not much stand upon it but only passe by it unto the second testimony Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Albeit in my opinion the later testimony proves his fiat or Commission the former his ordination or execution of his Commission I will not wrong the judicious Reader 's patience with profering variety of such expositors unto his choise as his wisdome cannot approve Cajetan hath Ribera's approbation and of all the expositors which went before him drawes the Psalmist's Oracle Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee neerest to the point in question So farre I am from carping at any thing which those two expositors have said to the point now in question that I will endeavour to explicate and extend their meaning in the best sort I can The Priesthood saith Cajetan as Ribera expounds him before the Law given was annexed as a prerogative to the first borne and descended from Abraham to Isaac and by speciall dispensation to Iacob Now the whole dignity of the first borne being lost by Ruben was divided amongst three of his Brethren The Soveraignty or Principallity fell to Iudah the Priesthood to Levi and the double Portion to Ephraim And in Aaron the sonne of Levi was the Priesthood established long before the Kingdome was established in David the sonne of Iudah and to the Priesthood so established David's sons had as litle right as Aaron's sonnes had to the Crowne or Diadem God's peremptory decree for thus dividing these two prerogatives Azariah is not afraid to plead unto King Vzziah's face Chron. 2. 26. And his speech did take impression for hee had no sooner made an end of speaking but the leprosie begunne to appeare in King Vzziah's face and for his usurpation of the Priest's office and intrusion into the house of God he is utterly excluded from his pallace and enforced to resigne the government unto his Sonne But inasmuch as he of whom the Psalmist speakes is solemnely registred and by him declared to be the first borne and Sonne of God it is not lawfull only but expedient but very necessary that all the branches of the first borne's prerogative which Ruben had scattered should be reunited in his Person Againe in that he is the promised seed hee is the compleat heire of all the blessings bequeathed to Abraham and out of whatsoever tribe this promised seed was to spring the honour of Priesthood was as due unto him as the Kingdome Levi and Aaron were but as foefes in trust for conveying the Priesthood as Iudah and David were for making over the Kingdome unto him 3 All those suppositions and others perhaps more then Cajetan or Ribera though
thing The Kings of the earth stood up and the Rulers of the earth were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For of a truth against thy holy child Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoever thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done Acts. 4. from verse 23. to 28. This joyfull newes thus brought by Peter and Iohn did raise the spirits of the other Disciples if not to prophesy as David had done yet to make a more lively expression or interpretation of his prophecy then either he himselfe or any Prophet before our Saviour's Resurrection could have compos'd As indignation sometimes will hammer out verses or rimes from wits of duller metall so extraordinary exultation or uncouth matter of spirituall joy will bring forth sacred hymnes and poesies or interpretations of Scripture equivalent to the spirit of prophecy 11 I cannot dismisse this testimony without some short paraphrase upon it for setting the parallel betwixt the Type and the body according to the rules formerly delivered Why doe the heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the earth set themselves and the Rulers take counsell together against the Lord and against his anointed Psal 2. v. 12. All these are truly and literally meant of David's affaires for he had enemies both amongst the people of Israel and among neighbour nations of the heathen which did oppose the flourishing estate or growth of his Kingdome which they fear'd would bring their posterity unto subjection Hence they said let us breake their bonds asunder and cast their cords from us v. 3. The same words likewise aâ—e literally fulfill'd of the Sonne of God in a more exquisite sense For as the Disciples mentioned Act. 4. expresse the fulfilling of this prophecy both Herod and Pontius Pilat with other Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together against him Who was not only the anointed of the Lord as David was but the Christ or Messias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In those words following likewise ver 4. Hee that sitteth in the heaven shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision David had a peculiar interest for they literally referre to the defeates of malicious conspirators against David and his Kingdome and the good successe which notwithstanding those hee ascribes unto the good providence of his God v. 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Sion Now there was no defeate either wrought or hoped for on David's part or on Salomon's his sonne which was not a true shadow and picture and no more then so of those strange defeates which HEE who then sate in the heavens and now sits there in our nature did bring upon all those which conspired against the anointed of the Lord the man or as the Disciples call him holy child Iesus Which description I take it referres unto him only whilst hee was in the forme of a servant By defacing this forme they made him Lord. For albeit the malicious and cruell plots of the high Priests to take away his life and fame were so subtlely contrived and so accurately executed as if they had continued the Aaronicall Priesthood and bloody sacrifices to no other end and purpose save only that they might become more cruell butchers or slaughter-men of the anointed of the Lord then their Predecessors had been of beasts or reasonlesse sacrifices Yet not hee only but the heavenly powers Saints and Angels had mater enough of joy and gladnesse to contemplate how the heathens and this worse then heathenish seed of Abraham could doe nothing unto him save that which hee that sate in the heavens would have to be done albeit they did that only which Satan would have them to doe They had consecrated themselves wholly unto his service and yet he that sits in the heavens made both their master and them to be his instruments for accomplishing the Consecration of the Son of David to his everlasting Priesthood and Kingdome CHAP. 32. The concludency of S. Paul's second Argument Act. 13. drawne from the 55. of Isaiah THe second testimony avouched by S. Paul Act. 13. v. 34. borrowed from Isaiah 55. v. 3. is for ought I can observe meerly propheticall or a vision For however the Prophet might take his rise from former Oracles concerning David yet his prophecy according to the literall sense could not be meant of any person or party either in the Prophets owne time or in the intermediate space between his time and the exhibition of the seed promised to Abraham and to David in our flesh in whom alone specially from the houre of his Resurrection from the dead it was punctually verified and once for all fulfil'd that is as we say begun to beare date or be in essereali The whole Chapter containes as cleere a propheticall vision of the exercise of Christ's propheticall and sacerdotall function as any other passage of like quantity in all the writings now extant of this Evangelical Prophet The Readers whom the knowledge of this great mystery most neerly concernes may find more usefull observations in many learned Commentators upon that Chapter then I dare either take upon me to repeat or represent unto them having resolved to insist upon no more then are pertinent to the point now in hand nor to touch upon any save only in the passage to the third verse thus the Chapter begins Ho every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and he that hath no money come yee buy and eate yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Vnto this sacred Fountaine of truth our Saviour often directs his Auditor's testifying both by words and practices that all these promises or rather the blessings here promised were actually exhibited in Him as first those words of his in the Sermon upon the Mount Blessed are they which doe hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled v. 6. referre as punctually to this place as to Esay 65. v. 13. Therefore thus saith the Lord God behold my servants shall eate but yee shall be hungry Behold my servants shall drinke but yee shall be thirsty though punctually to that But as the Prophet in this place speakes they were satisfied without any cost or charges for he taught the people without fee or reward and declared himselfe to be not only the inexhaustible Well Fountaine but the bread and strength of spirituall life by his miraculous provision of bodily food for all such as did hunger and thirst after his heavenly Doctrine It followes in the second verse Wherefore doe yee spend money for that which is not bread And your labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me and eate yee that which is good and let your soule delight it selfe infatnesse Vpon these words our Saviour himselfe doth paraphrase Iohn the 6. verse 27. Labour not for
by the Church for the feast of the Resurrection The institution or occasion of it you have set downe from ver 2. unto the 12. The meaning of the word or quid nominis we have in the 12. v. It is the Lord 's Passeover for I will passe through the land of Egypt this night and will smite all the first borne in the land of Egypt both man and beast And against all the Princes of Egypt I will execute judgment I am the Lord. And the blood to wit of the paschal Lamb shall be to you for a token upon the houses where yee are and when I see the blood I will passe over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt So then it is called the Passeover because the Lord when he passed through Egypt and visited every house with a fearfull visitation he passed over all the houses of the Israelites which lived amongst them upon whose door-poast the blood of the paschal Lambe was shed Whether this visitation of the Egyptians were held by some good Angell or by that spirit or Angell whom S. Iohn calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Moses Exod. 12. 23. entitles this visitor the destroyer I will not dispute seeing it is certaine the visitation or judgment it selfe was the Lords And by his appointment the visitor or executioner whosoever hee were good Angell or bad one or more was to passe over the houses of the Israelites as being exempted from his commission whil'st he smote the first borne of man and beast that pertained to any house of the Egyptians But at this present Passeover wherein the Saviour of the world became a sacrifice hell as we say was broken up and let loose the powers of darknesse were become as a raging Sea or swelling tyde overflowing her bankes and had wrought a more ruefull desolation upon all mankind upon the face of the whole earth then the flood of Noah had done unlesse by God's providence they had been restrained The flood in the time of Noah was a flood of waters only this was a streame of fire and brimstone which the breath of the Lord had kindled unlesse his wrath had been appeased and the flame quenched by the blood of the paschall Lambe The commission of the destroying Angell throughout Egypt did extend no further then to the first borne of man and beast and was to endure but for one night the powers of darknesse did aime at all and lye in waite till the worlds end to devour all whose hearts are not sprinkled with the blood of this paschall Lamb which was shed not for a few houses but for all Every house in Israel was to have their severall Lambe or two houses at the most could be priviledged by the blood of one Lambe but our paschall Lambe as he was slaine by the whole congregation of Israel cryed down to death by the Priests the Scribes and Pharisees and the whole multitude so his blood was sufficient to redeeme all the Israel of God from the Destroyer even as many throughout all ages and Kingdomes as will submit themselves unto his Lawes and acknowledge him for their Redeemer And for this reason he was slaine without the City as a publique sactifice in the open aire The Crosse whereto he was nailed was as the doore-posts of that house of which hee is the Builder and Maker that is of the whole world it selfe Now it is to be presumed that the blood of that sacrifice which was to redeeme and sanctifie all unto the worlds end which seek Redemption and Sanctification by him should not be as blood spilt upon the earth which cannot be gathered up As hee was to give life to others by his blood so he was to give life to himselfe againe 3 But is it imported in the institution of the Passeover or in any solemnitie belonging unto it that the Lambe of God which was to take away the sinnes of the world by his Death should himselfe be restored unto life againe Yes This word Passeover besides the former signification of passing over the houses of the Israelites hath another fignification or importance to wit That all those families which were priviledged from the power of the destroying Angel which smote the Egyptians should passe out of the land of Egypt or house of bondage through the red sea into the land of their rest and liberty under the conduct of Moses who had the great Angell of the Covenant for his guide in this passage For the Reader 's better apprehension how the mysteries of the Gospell concerning our Saviour's Passion and Resurrection were fore-shadowed in the solemnitie of the Passeover we are to consider that there is a two-fold sense of Scripture the one literall the other mysticall The literall sense consists in the immediate or grammaticall sense or signification of the words The mysticall sense is that which the Facts or Persons immediately signified by the literall or grammaticall sense of the words doe fore-shadow Thus by Israel in the sacred story sometimes Iacob the Father of the twelve Tribes sometimes the twelve Tribes themselves are literally meant And Israel taken in this sense is literally called the Son of God but by this name Israel Christ Iesus is mystically meant He it is alone qui tanti mensuram nominis implet Hee it is which prevailed with God and is more properly called the Son of God then either Iacob or his posterity were And that which according to the literall sense was meant of Iacob's posteritie When Israel was a child then I loved him and called my Son out of Egypt Hos 11. 1. was literally fulfilled of Christin a more full and exquisite sense as the Evangelist instructs us Math. 2. 15. For God called this his only Son out of Egypt literally taken that is out of the same land or Kingdome wherein Iacob's seed had been sojourners into the selfe-same land of Canaan into which he had brought them so that every word in this prophecy is in the literall sense truly verified as well of Christ as of Iacob's seed But Egypt and Canaan besides this literall sense and signification have a further mysticall sense or importance The state of Israel or the Sons of Iacob in Egypt was a map or shadow of our slavery and bondage unto the powers of darknesse Their passage out of Egypt into the land of Canaan through the red sea was a type of our passage from the bondage of sinne into the Kingdome of light through the region of death it selfe Thus the paschall Lambe literally taken was a picture of Christ's sacrifice upon the Crosse and so was Moses which instituted the sacrifice and conducted God's people out of Egypt but a shadow of Christ Ioshuah or Iesus the Son of Nun which brought them into the land of Canaan was no more The great Angell of the Covenant which was with Moses and with Ioshuah as their guide and protector
Israel at all times as the matter shall require v. 49. That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is none else ver 60. This part is rather accomplished then parallel'd by our Saviour Ioh. 17. I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine ver 9. And for their sakes I sanctify my selfe that they also might be sanctified through the truth Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve on mee through their word that they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us That the world may believe that thou hast sent me v. 19. 20. 21. CHAP. 39. Into what place or part of heaven our Saviour did ascend or in what manner he sitteth at the right hand of God are points not so fit to be particularly inquired after nor so apt to be proved or determined by Scripture as the other Articles of our Creed BVt however Hee whose prayers were alwaies heard did thus pray for his followers a litle before his agony and bloody Passion and bestow his solemn blessing upon them immediately after his Resurrection and before his Ascension Yet the extraordinary blessings which hee prayed for and promised in his Fathers name were not really conferred untill he was actually enthronized but shortly after showred downe in abundance upon his Apostles and those that beleeved through their report So he fore-told them when he was ready to ascend Behold I send the promise of my Father upon you But tarry ye in the City of Ierusalem untill yee be endued with power from on high Luk. 24. 49. The exhibition of the blessings here promised was Act. 2. ver 32. 33. 34. This Iesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and heare For David is not ascended into the heavens but hee saith himselfe the Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand untill I make thy foes thy footstoole When he saith David is not ascended into heaven this must be understood of his Ascension thither in body and this negative he had strongproved before But whether David's soule had ascended or was carried into heaven before this time this place doth neither warrant us to affirme or deny David's soule before this was in a place of blisse in heaven it selfe not in limbe But whether in that heaven or that part of heaven into which our Saviour did now in body ascend is more questionable then determinable Some good Writers with great probabilitie and equall modesty affirme that Christ did now ascend in body farre higher then the mansions of blisse appointed for the Saints Prophets Apostles c. or for Angels of the highest ranke And to this purpose is that of our Apostle alleaged by them Ephes 4. 10. Hee that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all heavens that hee might fill all things other like places wherein he is said to be exalted above all powers and principalities Some grave Postillers or discreet Preachers would perswade us that Christ's Throne of Majesty was pitched in luce inaccessâ in that region of light and blisse which is inaccessable to any meere creature man or Angell as being reserved for the peculiar mansion of the invisible God and Father of lights and for his Son both God and man enthronized as as King and Priest on his right hand But whether the exaltation of the Son of God unto the right hand of his Father farre above all Powers Dominions and Principalities doe include a superiority not of soveraignty or dominion only but withall of place according to locall distance or a supereminent Throne of Majesty if the Lutherane will not be too cholerick or Maldonat's associates too censorious may be in fitter place soberly debated 2 But however the one or other of these may be affected the best is we need not be too curious in these points especially with men apt to quarrell about phrases or expressions Other Articles concerning Christ we are bound to beleeve distinctly and explicitely according to the plaine literall or grammaticall sense of the words wherin the Evangelists and Apostles have expressed them without the vail of any rhetoricall trope or allegory And strange it is not if our beliefe of other Articles or knowledge of them be literally required seeing the matter contained in them is sensible and comprehensible to reason sanctified by grace As his conception although it were wrought immediately by a supernaturall cause albeit the manner of it were miraculous yet for substance it was univocally the same with our conception He was as truly and properly conceived as wee are conceived Hee was as truly made of the substance of his Mother as we are made of the substance of our Parents or as Adam was made of the earth Hee was as truly and as properly borne as we are borne He was really and as properly circumcised as any other child of Abraham was He suffered truly and as properly as any man can suffer Hee was as truly and as properly crucified dead and buried and rose againe as any man ever was crucified dead and buried or can rise againe But for the place whither he ascended or for the manner of his sitting at the right hand of God these cannot be so distinctly conceived by us because they are not in such proper termes exprest by the holy Ghost but are wrapt up in a vaile of legall shadowes or representations Concerning the place whither he ascended wee know in generall that it was a place of joy of blisse and glory but which place the Apostle himselfe could not better represent unto us then by the sanctum sanctorum or the most holy place in the Tabernacle or Temple This hope wee have Heb. 6. 19. as an anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entreth within the vaile whither the forerunner is for us entred made an high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech So S. Iohn emblazons the glory of Christ by the Pontificall attire and robes of Aaron as likewise he doth the beauty of Christ's Kingdome by the feast of Tabernacles 3 The best and safest meanes for conceiving aright at least for not conceiving amisse of these two heavenly mysteries is not by criticall scanning the literall sense or importance of the Prophet's words in their descriptions of them but by sincere practise of those knowne duties whereto our beliefe of these unknowne mysteries bind us The most generall and necessary duty wherto wee are bound by beliefe of our Saviour's Resurection and Ascension into heaven is that of our Apostle Goll 3. ver 1. 2. 3. 4. If yee then be risen with Christ seeke those
darknesse made the morning of the first natural day God faith Moses divided the light from the darknesse and called the light day and the darknesse he called night and the evening and the morning were the first day As was the condition of this visible world or form lesse earth before the Creation of light or the division betwixt it and darknesse such altogether was the condition or state of the intellectuall world before it was new made or redeemed by the Son of God The corrupted masse of mankind was overspread with darknesse and covered with the mantle of Death but this long darknesse became more palpable then that of Egypt during the time of the Son of God's surprizall and his inclosure in the region of Death These were the houres wherein it was permitted the powers of darknesse to domineere but these powers were conquered and the darknesse dispelled by his Resurrection from Death which was on the same day and at the same houre wherein God the Father by him did first divide darknesse from light From this houre of his Resurrection the night is gone and the day is come as many as believe in him raised from death and adore the Son of righteousnesse who as the Apostle saith having abolished death brought life and immortalitie to light they are the Sons of God Heires of Glory but such as love darknesse more then the light of his gospel they must remaine the sons of darknesse and of death All this and more is implied in the circumstance of the time and place which the day and houre of his Resurection had in that holy weeke being the first houre of the first day The other mystery is implied in the circumstance of the time and place which the day of his Resurrection held in that solemne feast of unleavened bread 3 So it fell out by the sweet disposition of God's speciall providence that the day of our Saviour's Resurrection should for that yeare fall upon the second day of the Feast of unleavened bread or the morrow after the Sabbath of that great solemnity Now on that precise day the Israelites were peremptorily bound by a strict Law to offer up the first fruits as eares and blades of corne unto the Lord Lev. 23. 10. 11. When yee become into the land which I give unto you and shall reap the harvest thereof then ye shall bring a sheafe of the first fruits of your harvest unto the Priest and he shall wave the sheafe before the Lord to be accepted for you on the morrow after the Sabbath the Priest shall wave it From this peculiar reference or parallel of the circumstance of time between the day of our Saviour's Resurrection and the day appointed for this legall feast of offering the eares of corne The analogy or parallel between the Type and the substance is thus As the use of the corne was not allowable to the people untill some eares or blades of the same kind were offered up in sacrifice by the Priest unto the Lord So neither could the seed of Adam or of Abraham or of any man else seeing all had been sowen in corruption be either holy or acceptable to the Lord or partakers of his Table or prefence or put on incorruption untill the high Priest of our soules the Son of God had offered a sacrifice of the same kind to wit a body subject to like mortality as ours are untill it was consecrated to glory and immortality by the sufferings of Death 4 All were sanctified all were reconciled to God by this one oblation of himselfe as the first fruits of them that sleepe Yet even such as were upon the day of his Resurrection really sanctified and actually reconciled unto God the very Apostles themselves were not made up or wrought into one body or loafetill fifty daies after not until that very day wherein the new reaped corne made into bread was solemnly offered and presented to the Lord. Lev. 23. 15. 16. 17. And yee shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath from the day that yee brought the sheafe of the wave offering seven daies shall be compleat even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall yee number fifty daies and yee shall offer a new meat offering unto the Lord yee shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth deales they shall be of fine flowre they shall be baken with leaven they are the first fruits unto the Lord. The one holy Catholique Church and Communion of Saints which we professe in our Creed did not begin to be in esse as by God's helpe it shall appeare hereafter or heare true life untill the effusion of the holy Ghost which is the soule of the one holy Catholique Church or of the mystioall Body of Christ And that was upon the fiftieth day inclusively from the day whereon the eares of corne or sheafe of blades was offered unto the Lord. On that fiftieth day the holy Curch received the first fruits of the spirit it being likewise another solemne day appointed for the legall offering up of the first fruits 4 Thus much of the accomplishment of the Type of Ionas his imprisonment in the belly of the Whale and of the mysteries contained in those three speciall daies and nights or evenings and mornings wherein our Saviour was in the wombe of the earth and the time of his rising againe But the two former queries First what our Saviour's abode forty daies on the earth from his Resurrection to his Ascension or which is all one what the signe of Ionas did portend to this evill and adulterous generation of the Iewes Secondly how the space of his forty daies abode upon the earth after his Resurrection was prefigured are points worth the discussion and for ought I know will make the fittest Period of this long work concerning the knowledge of Christ and him crucified CHAP. 42. That the sentence proclaimed against Nineveh by the Prophet Ionas was in a full measure executed upon the adulterous Generation of the Iewes not believing or repenting at our Saviour's preaching THat a state so strong and mighty as Niniveh was then when Ionas was sent unto it should upon these or the like briefe Summons of a forrainer Yet fory daies and Niniveh shall be destroied be so deeply stricken on a suddaine with extreme feare of death and ruine Or that a Court so dissolute luxurious and proud as that Court was should so readily change their soft rayment into sackcloth and laying aside their perfumes and sweet odours as the Text saith the King himselfe did may well seeme a greater wonder to a Reader qui ad pauca respicit then God almost at any time had wrought in Israel But the strangenesse of the suddaine change perswades or rather assures me or any diligent Reader that the constant fame of Ionas his miraculous deliverance or escape out of the Whales belly had come before him into Niniveh and made way for the efficacy of
his preaching or due entertainment of his Embassage And as Naaman the Syrian from the experiment of his strange recovery of his health brake forth into that acknowledgment Now I know there is no God in all the world except in Israel So these Ninivites did collect that he who had delivered Ionas from the danger whereinto hee had cast him was able to kill and to give life to whom he pleased And as they dread his anger for transgressions past so they conceive hope of mercy upon their true repentance and amendment But however it was not so strange that Ninivie upon Ionas summons should so quickly repent as wondrous that the Iewish Nations should not repent after this signe of the Prophet Ionas was so peremptorily and punctually given them by him that was farre greater then Ionas by a Prophet of their owne according to their apprehension in their calmer thoughts mighty in word and in deed The speciall points wherein the Ninivites condemne this present generation of Scribes and Pharisees are first their unpartiall diligence in examining the truth of the miracle wrought on Ionas Secondly their readinesse upon testification of it to believe God's Iudgments and his Mercies of which the one did impell or drive the other gently lead or draw them to repentance 2 But that which the Apostle saith of the Iews in general was remarkably true of this evill and adulterous generation in this particular They had most grieviously displeased God by putting his only Son to most cruell Death and after they had thus grieviously displeased God they became contrary to all men to the most grievous sinners of other nations in special to these Ninivites which must rise or stand up in Iudgment against them The Ninivites upon Ionas his preaching or embassage being ushered or countenanced by the fame of his miraculous deliverance repented in sackcloth and ashes To have repented in a more ample more deepe or better manner then the Ninivites did this present generation of the Iewes had motives many all in themselves or absolutely more forcible then these heathens had First to search more unpartially after the truth of that great miracle wrought by and upon our Saviour Christ being fore-shadowed by the deliveverance of the Prophet Ionas He who was much greater and had been in greater danger then Ionas was fore-told them almost in the beginning of his propheticall function when he said unto them desiring of him a signe why he did those things he gave them this signe Ioh. 2. 19. Destroy this Temple and in three daies I will raise it up But this was a kind of riddle unto them and so it was to his Disciples till after his Resurrection for he meant it of the Temple of his body But this riddle or aenigmaticall prediction he vouchsafed at this time to explicate or unfold not to the vulgar or common sort of people but unto the Scribes and Pharisees who were the most curious Criticks or Cavalists of the Law and Prophets and of the ceremonies Types or Shadowes contained in them provoking or inviting them withall by this preamble There shall no signe be given to it but the signe of the Prophet Ionas diligently to observe the parallel between the Type or shadow exhibited in the Prophet Ionas and the body or antype to be exactly accomplished in himselfe Some at least of the Scribes of the Pharisees and Elders saw him die or linguering in the paines of Death upon the Crosse All or most of them and of this adulterous generation had the manner of his Death both for circumstance and substance testified unto them by authenticall witnesses And to prevent all possible occasions of false rumors or impostures which might be procured or attempted by his followers they provided a band of Souldiers to watch or guard his corps in the Sepulchre during the time presixed by him for his Resurrection All this notwithstanding he who commanded the Whale to restore the Prophet Ionas whom she had swallowed up in the sea did now command the earth or hard rock wherein our Saviour's Sepulchre was made to yeeld up this her prisoner within three daies and three nights after his buriall within the time limited and prefigured by Ionas his imprisonment in the fishes belly and to yeeld him up not unto the earth or sea but unto heaven whence he descended The sea was his and he prepared the dry land both sea and land and all that are in them and upon them were absolutely and equally at his command and disposall and so was the heaven of heavens it selfe The earth now trembled at his rebuke and men of warre were affrighted at the sight or presence of his heavenly messengers If these Roman Souldiers or all their legions had offered the least resistance to his person or to his Resurrection these heavenly Souldiers would have fought for him and for his Kingdome which now began to be propagated through the world though it was told the Roman deputy it was not of this world 3 All the circumstances which besides these mentioned might be alleaged were they put together and pressed home might well occasion on halfe Christian or diligent Reader or unpartiall observer of times and circumstances rather to suspect the truth of the Evangelicall story then fully perswade him that it were possible either for the Iewes to attempt the subornation of the Roman souldiers to testifie so grosse an untruth as they did or for them to yeeld upon any termes to so foule a temptation But whether we resolve this spirit of contradiction in these Iewes unto their own unrelenting spleen and malice or unto divine infatuation or respectively unto both it would be a task more easy then safe to parallel their stupidity and subtle disposition with with the like or worse blindnesse in many which verily believe the truth of our Saviour's Resurrection with the circumstances and would be very ready to confirme their belife of it and most particular points of faith with their blood For the light and evidence of divine truth can hardly suffer a totall ecclipse in any man professing Christianity no not in men of spleen-bitten braines yet many fearful partiall ecclipses it suffers in these men in respect of the particulars at which their spleen doth rise or interpose its dismall shade whilst they are maintained or illustrated by others whose good parts they envy or whose persons they hate but of this argument much hath been spoken before in other meditations and more if God permit may be added in a treatise promised as the Reader may observe in the Preface prefixed to the first two Books of these Commentaries 4 But for the Iewes which upon the fight or uncontroulable fame of our Saviou's miracle had traduced him for a conjurer or sorcerer it was no new wonder in them either not themselves to believe or to perswade the Roman Souldiers being first halfe blinded with bribes to believe or suspect that his Disciples might use some meanes
Ierusalem For questionlesse he did not call or gather them against Ierusalem to fight for it against them but for them against it This version of the originall is most consonant to that prediction of the Prophet Isaiah 63. 10. Hee became their enemy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fought against them The full and just Paraphrase of the whole verse is in plain English thus The Lord will as remarkably shew himself to be the Lord of hosts or the Lord mighty in battaile by fighting for the Nations against Ierusalem as he formerly had done by fighting for Israel against Pharaoh and his hosts or for Gideon against the Madionites for Barak and Deborah against Iabin and Sisera or in other like famous victories which he procured for his people unto some one or other of which most Interpreters referre these words as in the day of battaile Zachary 14. 3. But the adequate or compleat object of the literall sense is not one or two but all the famous victories which the Lord of hosts had bestowed upon his people And hee that will diligently peruse Iosephus History of the Iewish warres especially the sixth Book may find as many pregnant documents of God's displeasure and powerfull hand against the Iewes and of his peculiar temporall favour towards the Nations under the conduct of Titus as had been shewed in any one age against the Nations on the behalfe of Israel or the Iewes 3 It hath been observed before that the best Commentators upon most prophesies in the Old or New Testament are such historians as did least remember or understand them or had no other aime or intention save only to relate matters of fact unpartially The best Commentary that the ordinary Reader shall easily find upon this fourteenth Chapter of Zach. is the fore-mentioned history of Iosephus lib. 6. and the best Mercury or director that I can commend unto him for finding out the accomplishment of this prophesie according to the literall sense by the events or accurrences recorded in that history is Danaeus who besides the literall explication is in this particular most orthodoxall for the morall sense of the Prophet concerning Gods gracious goodnesse unto these Iewes in fore-telling so long before from what place the City should be assaulted and by whom and in what manner taken The place from which the City was first assaulted and the defendants most prejudiced was clearly fore-told by this Prophet ver 4. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before or over against Ierusalem on the East and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the East and toward the West c. This part of the prophesie concerning the feet of God which were to stand upon the Mount of Olives was never before so literally verified as in the day of our Saviour's Ascension Many strange miraculous reports are extant concerning the print of our Saviou's feet which continued more then foure hundred years after his Ascension if we may believe traditions anciently recorded and poore travellers are made to believe that the Print continues the same unto this day But to let these traditions passe tanquam via navis in mari certaine it is that whilst our Saviour's feet did as upon the day of his Ascension stand upon the Mount of Olives the feet of that God of whom the Prophet their speakes did stand upon it Now the time allotted for the Iewes repentance being expired and peace not made with him before his Ascension the very dust of his feet much more the print of his feet did remaine as a witnesse against them At the same time was that other passage of the Prophet ver 3. Then shall the Lord goe forth to wit our of Ierusalem literally fulfilled If his feet had not stood upon the Mount of Olives as a witnesse against them the Roman army had never stood there to execute his wrath upon them For to omit allegories or forced interpretations concerning the cleaving of the Mount of Olives mentioned by the Prophet their conjecture is more then probable who thinke the prophesie was literally verified when the Romans besieged the City and cast their trenches upon the Mount of Olives The time was now come that the Nations were to tread Ierusalem under their feet and the Iewes which were Christ's enemies were to become his footstooles These be the issues of his setting his feet upon the Mount of Olives as it concernes Ierusalem and the Iewes Vnlesse the Lord of hosts had set his feet upon Mount Olivet to fight for the Nations against Ierusalem it had never come into Titus his head to give command or directions nor into his souldiers hearts to put his directions conceived by himselfe contrary to the several advisements of his counsell of warre in execution by raising that mighty wall mentioned by Iosephus l. 6. cap. 13. in the space of three daies His relation concerning the raising of that wall would have been to me incredible or a lying wonder unlesse the Prophet Zachary had fore-told it ver 4. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the middest thereof toward the East and toaeard the West and there shall be a very great valley and halfe of the mountaine shall remove toward the North and halfe of it toward the South The wall without question was not of stone for to have attempted that had been a madnesse but at the most de cespite vivo of earth and turfe Now the digging up of so much earth as would suffice to make a wall of that height and so many furlongs in length as Iosephus describes would necessarily cause or occasion such a valley as the Prophet decyphers 4 It is well observed by Danaeus and so I presume by many others that Ierusalem should be distressed and exposed to ruine from that place wherein her rulers had apprehended her native King and supreme Lord as a malefactor with swords and staves and that her Lord and God should make her amore miserable prey to the Roman Souldiers then they had made his son and his followers to the Roman Deputy or such as were under his command But to parallel the miseries which befell Ierusalem and her children by the rules of divine retaliation according to all that shee had done unto her Lord and King or to set the exact proportion between Ionas his fore-warning to Nineveh Yet forty daies and Nineveh shall be destroied and our Saviour's fore-warning unto Ierusalem as Ionas was three daies and three nights c. and the issues or executions of both fore-warnings the one upon Ierusalem for her pepetuall non-repentance the other upon Nineveh for returning to her vomit about forty yeares after her repentance within the forty daies prefixt by Ionas would require a large volume Thus much for the present must suffice for answer unto the former of the two queries last propos'd to wit what our Saviour's abode forty daies here on earth after his
Resurrection did portend 5 The second was how these forty daies of his abode here on earth after his Resurrection were fore-pictured or fore-told 6 This second querie is in part already answered in the explication of the signe of Ionas for as he expected forty daies what should become of Nineveh so our Saviour did respite the solemne declaration of Ierusalem's doome as many daies Nor can I mislike their opinion who think that the forty daies intervenient betwixt the houre of his Resurrection and Ascension were prefigured by his forty daies fasting in the wildernesse after his Baptisme as that questionlesse was by Moses fasting forty daies and forty nights in the Mount Moses did then beare as himselfe doth witnesse the iniquities of the people to wit as in the Type but our Saviour as well in that long fast after his Baptisme as in the forty daies after his Resurrection did beare their and our sinnes really and according to the mysticall and compleat meaning of Moses words 7 But if wee should descend unto more exact search of the particular cricumstances of time as it includes the day of his Resurrection and Ascension with the other thirty eight daies intervenient these were most punctually and admirably fore-shadowed and represented by the day of his first birth from the wombe and by the day of his blessed Mothers Purification and his Presentation in the Temple in Ierusalem 8 Inasmuch as all the first-borne are called holy unto the Lord and God requires them expressely of his people Exod. 22. 29. The first-born of thy sons shalt thou give unto mee This did imply that there should be some one first-borne amongst them that were borne of women in whom the light and life of holinesse that holinesse it selfe of which all the legall titles of holinesse were but shadowes or glimmerings should reside or be incorporated as light in the body of the sun Now that Iesus the Son of Mary was this first-borne in whom the true and compleat holinesse did thus reside the holy Ghost did declare or proclaime by the mouth of Simeon at that very time wherein our Saviour according to the Law of the first-borne was to be presented unto the Lord in his Temple to wit the time of his Mothers Purification Simeon saith S. Luke came by the spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought in the child Iesus to doe for him after the custome of the Law then tooke he him up in his armes and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eies have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel And Ioseph and his Mother marvailed at those things which were spoken of him And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his Mother Behold this child is set for the fall and rising againe of many in Israel and for a signe which shall be spoken against 9 They good soules came not to the Temple with any such intent or expectation but to observe the Law of the first-borne male as S. Luke tels us Chap. 2. 22. 23. 24. And when the daies of her Purification were accomplished according to the Law of Moses they brought him to Ierusalem to present him to the Lord as it is written in the Law of the Lord every male that openeth the wombe shall be called holy to the Lord and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord a paire of turtle doves or two young pigeons The ordinary offering which the Law in like case did require was a Lambe as you may read Levit. 12. 6. yet with this expresse dispensation that if the party were not able to offer a Lambe two turtle doves or two young pigeons should suffice The Blessed Virgin whether by reason of her husband's poverty or as I rather think by reason shee was delivered of her Son in a strange place without the Country or Province wherein she dwelt was content to use the benefit of this dispensation 10 But though our Saviour had this peculiar prerogative of the first-borne that he was most holy unto the Lord and although as he said at his baptisme it became him to fulfill all legall righteousnesse yet it is questionable whether hee were redeemed at other first-borne were The sacrifice mentioned by S. Luke was ordinary at every womans Purification whether the child brought forth were male or female As for our Saviour of all first borne he only needed no legal Redemption because he was destinated from his birth not to be redeemed but to be offered up in sacrifice for the Redemption of others And in this he did fulfill that legall rite or shadow of redeeming those usefull creatures which were by the Law uncleane by the sacrifice of such as by the Law were accounted cleane 11 But was he exempted by any more peculiar right from the Law of Redemption then the blessed Virgin his Mother was from the Law of Purification To this demand it might be answered that the blessed Virgin was not free from all taint of originall sinne as he was But this reply or answer being admitted it would be a foule heresie or worse then so to say that she was either legally or naturally uncleane during all or any part of the time of her separation from the Sanctuary or holy assembly for she was free from any actuall sinne in the time or manner of her conception and from all legall uncleanenesse either in her travaile or for forty daies after it Otherwise that holy one which was borne of her might have been conceived or brought forth or nourished by her milk in her uncleannesse which to avouch or conceive were foule blasphemy Was her observation then of the Law concerning Purification either a will-worship or affected worke of supererogation Rather an excellent patterne or exemplary rule of obedience unto all the sons and daughters of Adam that desire or intend to be the sons and daughters of Abraham The rule is that even such of either sexe as know themselves not to be conscious of the occasions nor much lyable to the temptations which publique Lawes or sacred Canons seeke to prevent or restraine from bursting out into matter of fact shall doe both wisely and religiously if they submit themselves to the observance of such decrees or injunctions as are usefull or needfull for most other men to observe For it well becomes and behoves the most strong and sound members of any body naturall or civill of Christ's mysticall body especially to sympathize thus farre at least with unsound or decaying parts of the same body as to restraine themselves from using that liberty which they for their owne parts might safely enjoy were the object or matter prohibited void of danger unto other members of the same society which have more forcible temptations to the contrary or want skill
poesie whereof this and the eighteenth Psalme with some others beare lively characters were partly the triumphant victories which he had already gotten over the enemies of Israel's peace and the confederators or conspirators against his Crowne and dignity partly the glorious promises which through patient expectation of deliverance hee had obtain'd for the further establishment and advancement of his throne and the enlargement of his hereditary Kingdome Before the composition of the second Psalme hee had the glorious and gracious promise of which Ethan the Esrait so curiously descants Psalm 89. I will make him my first borne higher then the Kings of the earth c. Now it can be no solecisme to say that hee who in sacred language is instil'd the first borne should have the title of the first begotten among the Princes of the earth Seeing the title of begetting is oftimes in sacred language to be measured not by the scale of Philophes'â— or naturalist's dialect â—ut of morall or civill language or interpretation For they that are sonnes by adoption only or next heires in reversion to a Crowne or dignity are said to be begotten of those which adopt thâ—â— or of whom they be the immediate heares or successors and in this sense in the sacred genealogy Ieconiah is said to have begotten Salathiel So that David upon his owne occasions whether upon his anointing to the Crowne of Iudah in Hâ—â—ron or of Israel in Sion might in the literall sense avouch these words Psalme 2. of himselfe I will preach the Law whereof the Lord said unto mee thâ—â— art my Sâ—â—t his day have I begotten thee 7 For David to call the day of his Coronation or of his designâ—ment unto the Crowne of Iudah or of all Israel his birth-day or begetting by God by whose speciall power and providence hee was crowned is not so harsh a phrase as some haply would deeme it that either know not or consider not that it was usuall in other states or Kingdomes beside Iudah to celebrate two nâ—tales dies two solemne 〈◊〉 or birth-dayes in honour of their Kings and Emperours the one they called diem natalem imperatoris the other diem natalem imperij The one the birth-day of the Emperour whereon he was borne of his naturall Mother the other the birth-day of him as he was Emperour which wee call the Coronation day The reason might hold more peculiar in David then many other Princes because he was the first of all the seed of Abraham that tooke possession of the hill of Sion and setled the Kingdome of Iudah fore-phophecied of by his Father Iacob upon himselfe and his posterity 8 But whatsoever may be thought of David or of his sonne the day of our Saviour's Resurrection may be as truly and properly called the day of his nativity as the day wherein he was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary This was his birth-day or nativity to his mortall life as he was the son of man that was the day of his nativity or begetting to immortality the birth-day of his Kingdome and royall Priesthood The most concludent testimony though least observed by most Interpreters is that of the Apostle before mentioned Heb. 5. v. 4. No man taketh this honour to wit of Priesthood but hee that is called of God as was Aaron So also Christ glorified not himselfe to be made an high Priest but hee that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee It was hee that did glorifie him with this title as he also saith in another place thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedech The Apostles drift and meaning is that our Saviour did not intrude himselfe into the Priesthood but had as solemne a calling and Consecration â—o it by God his Father as Aaron had to the legall Priesthood by Moses And he did deprecate his calling or Consecration to this Priesthood more earnestly and fervently then any high Priest or Bishop did their Consecration Although they say Episcopari nolâ— they have no desire to be consecrated But sure our Saviour spake as hee meant when hee prayed unto his Father Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me Now thus he prayed after God had begun to anoint and bath him in his owne blood unto the Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech as Moses had anointed Aaron with the blood of beasts unto his legall Priesthood And this place of our Apostle concludes the point before handled to wit that our Saviour did begin his Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech from the day of his Resurrection for upon that day was the Psalmist's prophecy fulfilled Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee 9 The fulfilling of this Oracle meant of David according to the literall according to the mysticall sense in Christ Iesu the Son of David is most divinely exprest by S. Luke Acts 3. 4. in which two Chapters many passages above all others in this sacred history are worthy of serious and frequent mediations specially in respect of the circumstances of time and some other occurrences The holy Ghost as it is at large related Chap. 2. had been first powred out upon Christ's Disciples a litle before the ordinary time of the morning's service or devotions at this solemne feast of Pentecost And upon the same day as 't is very probable from the first verse of the third Chapter Peter and Iohn went together unto the Temple at the houre of praiers being the ninth houre and bestowed a better almes upon a poore creeple then after many yeares profession of that poore trade he durst presume to begge at their hands or pray to God for 10 The ungainsayable truth of the miracle wrought upon this creeple by Peter and Iohn who had they been as ambitiously minded as their examiners might have challenged the glory of it to themselves did not so much grieve the Priests and captaines of the Temple with the Sadduces as that upon this occasion they taught the people and preached the Resurrection of the dead through Iesus Christ Chap. 4. ver 2. 3. Vpon this griefe conceived at first by some few there present the next morning the high Priest with the whole host of his assistants and kndred did injoyne these two Apostles not to teach at all or speake in the name of Iesus but upon that magnanimous reply whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge yee ver 19. made joyntly by Peter and Iohn to the high Priest's and Elders peremptory injunction being let goe they made report of the whole businesse with the successe unto their owne company who when they heard it lift up their voice to God with one accord and said Lord thou art God which hast made heaven and earth and the Sea and all that in them is who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said why did the heathen rage and the people imagine a vaine
fore-shadowed by David concerning the manner of our Saviour's Ascension or propagation of his Kingdome was more clearly fore-seen by Daniel and as punctually foreshadowed by matter of fact in Mosaicall histories To begin with the testimony of Daniel which was meerly propheticall a pure vision And I beheld invisions by night behold one like the son of man came in the clouds of heaven and approached unto the ancient of daies and they brought him before him And he gave him dominion and honour and a Kingdome that all people Nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall never be taken away and his Kingdome shall never be destroyed In that he saith he was like unto the Son of man this doth not import that hee was not truly man or only like to man but that more glory was due unto him then to any meere sonne of man and that he was the true sonne of that ancient of dayes unto whom hee was brought And as our Apostle saith that being in the forme of God and equall unto God yet he was found in the liknesse and shape of man that is as essentially like to man as like to God The Prophet describes his presentation to his Father by the Angels and coelestiall powers attending him which our Evangelist relateth not because haply this could not be seen by waking and mortall eyes but only by vision or rapture of spirit The same Prophet likewise describes the manner of his Ascension as exactly as if he had been a waking spectator of it with the Apostles and Disciples 2 But to resume the Prophets words Behold saith the Prophet one like the sonne of man came in the clouds of heaven and approached unto the ancient of daies hee doth not say hee was brought up in the clouds of heaven for the motion was his owne Hee was the agent or mover as well as the party moved in this Ascension So the Evangelist saith Act. 1. 9. And when hee had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up for a cloud tooke him out of their sight and whilst they looked stedfastly towards heaven as he went Behold two men stood by them in white apparrell which also said yee men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven Emphasim habent verba hee videntibus illis It was remarkably said that hee was taken up his Disciples looking on for this imports as some of the ancients observe that Christ did ascend by litle and litle as it were by certaine steps that hee might feed the eyes and refresh the soules of his Disciples He was not raught up as Elias was who had but one witnesse nor as S. Paul who had no witnesse besides himselfe scarce himselfe a witnesse of his rapture for whether hee were taken up in the body or out of the body God knowes saith he I cannot tell But our Saviour went by the power of his omnipotency he descended when hee would and when he would ascended appointing what spectators or witnesses it pleased him with the place the time the very day and houre 3 As S. Luke's description of our Saviour's Ascension is a compleat explanation of Daniel's vision so is that vision of the mysticall sense of Mosaicall or other histories concerning the Arke or Tabernacle For the unfolding of this point we are to take the fore-mentioned prenotion for our rule to wit that the Arke of the Covenant wherein God was said to dwell was but a Type or shadow of the humane nature of Christ in which the God-head dwelleth bodily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other branch of this prenotion is as cleare that the Tabernacle which Moses erected in the wildernesse in which he placed the Arke was but a petty modle of that celestiall Tabernacle into which Christ is entred of which the Temple built by Salomon was somewhat a fairer draught yet no more then a litle mappe Now immediately after Moses had finished the worke of the Tabernacle A cloud covered the Tent of the congregation and the Glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle Exod. 40. ver 34. c. More expressly Numb 9. v. 15. And on the day that the Tabernacle was reared up a cloud covered the Tabernacle namely the tent of the testimony and at even there was upon the Tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire untill the morning The most memorable history to this purpose is 1. King 1. v. When Salomon had assembled all the Elders of Israel and heads of the Tribes to bring up the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord out of the City of David to the Temple ver 1. And it came to passe when the Priests were gone out of the holy place that the cloud filled the house of the Lord so that the Priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud for the Glory of the Lord had filled the House of the Lord. v. 11. The Son of God in whose breast as he is the Son of David the Covenant made with mankind is registred most exactly and kept safer then the Tables of the first Covenant were in the Arke when it was brought into the Temple had his Throne and Sanctuary prepared of old or to use our Apostle's dialect non erat hujus structurae they were not thrones or Sanctuaries made with hands yet to be consecrated by the blood of our high Priest and being thus prepared a cloud did cover this living Arke of God and high Priest upon the day that hee was to enter into the holy place After the cloud tooke him from his Disciples sight hee filled the everlasting Tabernacle with his Glory being more reverently adored by all the host of heaven then he had been either by Salomon or the Elders of Israel when they brought the Arke of his Covenant into the Temple or by his Apostles after his Resurrection 4 At the same time wherein the Arke was brought by the Priest into the most holy place Salomon kneeling before the Altar of the Lord first blessed God and consecrated the Temple by that divine prayer never to be forgotten by good Christians And as soone as he had ended his prayer he rose up and blessed the congregation of Israel with a loud voice saying Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promises which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant 1. King 8. v. 56. c. His praiers to God and blessing of the people are more then parallel'd by our Saviour's prayers for his owne Consecration and the spirituall blessings thence to be derived upon his Apostles Ioh. 4. 14. c. One part of Salomons praier when he blessed the people was this Let these my words wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night that he maintaine the cause of his servant and the cause of his people