the function and Priesthood of the most high God CHAP. 7. In what sense Melchisedech is said to be without Father Mother Heb. 7. 3. Whether he were a mortall man a◠Abraham was though more 〈…〉 where in the similitude betweene Melchisedech's Person and the Person of the Sonne of God doth specially consist THis later opinion is broched and 〈…〉 ptorily maintained by a late learned and smartly elegant writer who though hee he as I conceive as yet no Divine or Priest by profession yet hee takes upon him to censure the most Divines or Interpreters of sacred Writ whether ancient or moderne more sharply then I dare censure him From whom notwithstanding I dissent as freely and as I hope upon better grounds then he doth from them specially if the grounds of his exceptions against thē be not better then the grounds of the opinions which he takes upon him to refute The main ground of his exception against such Divines ancient or moderne as think that Melchisedech who blessed Abraham was either some petty King amongst the Cananites or other Inhabitants of the land promised to Abraham and actually possessed by his feede or Sem the Sonne of Noah is this no Inhabitant of Canaan not Sem himselfe the Sonne of Noah was without father or mother without genealogie without beginning or end of dayes These titles this good writer conceives are peculiar to the Sonne of God though more peculiar in the time of Abraham then at this day But was our high Priest or could he have been at that time the true Sonne of God and the God whose Sonne he was not as truly then his Father as now he is Againe if that Melchisedech who apreared to Abraham at least in the likenesse of man and in the realitie of an high Priest were no other person beside the Sonne of God it will concludently follow that the Sonne of God was then an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech or more then so that Melchisedech was the Sonne of God How then saith our Apostle that the Sonne of God was made an high Priest by the word of the oath which was since the Law and by vertue of this oath consecrated for evermore being as the Author of this opinion supposeth the Priest of the most high God long before the Law was given or if Melchisedech was then the true and only Son of God how is it said by our Apostle Ch. 7. v. 3. that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made like unto the Son of God Was the Sonne of God made like unto himselfe by taking the likenesse of man upon him Or rather was the manhood or likenesse in which he appeared to Abraham made like unto the Sonne of God The former part or division of this dilemma is improbable The later altogether impossible For that man or that likenesse of man who blessed Abraham Gen. 14. had a beginning and an end of dayes unlesse the Author of this opinion will maintaine that the manhood or likenesse of man wherein the Sonne of God appeared to Abraham was coeternall to his person was begotten of God not made before all Worlds and to continue united to him world without end Both parts of this assertion respectively contradict two fundamentall Articles of our Creede The one that all things numerable whether visible or invisible were created of God by his Sonne they had no being from eternity The other that the Sonne of God was made man of a woman in time having no permanent body or likenesse of man when he was so conceived whence it is cleare that the Meichisedech who blessed Abraham was not the eternall Sonne of God nor made like unto him for his eternitie by the body of man which he assumed or appeared in 5 But it is not all one to refell other mens opinions or interpretations of Divine oracles and to maintaine our owne assertions or as the present occasion requireth to clear the forecited place Heb. 7. He to wit Melchisedech was made like unto the Sonne of God being without father without mother without genealogie without beginning or end of dayes For there is an opinion or presumed Doctrine which hath gotten so long possession of many publique Chaires as will hardly brooke any opposition either from the Pulpit or from private writers The opinion is that Melchisedech being without father without mother c. was herein like unto the Sonne of God or the Sonne of God like to him in that he hath no Father in earth nor a mother in heaven But be the Authors of this opinion how great soever their followers how many soever both most acute all the strength which the wit of one can adde unto the authoritie of the other is but as if they should joyne hands or forces to take fast hold on the sheath or scabbard having given the hilts of the sword of the spirit into the hands of the Iew who may at his pleasure turne the points of our own weapons upon us unlesse we learne to keepe them more warily and handle them more skilfully then these men have done For he that hath a Father in Heaven may truly and absolutely be said to have a Father For God is more truly our Father then those whom we call Fathers on earth Hence saith our Saviour Call no man father opon earth for there is but one your Father which in Heaven Math. 23. 9. Yet is this God more truly Christ's Father then he is ours Againe he that hath a true Mother on earth may truly and absolutely be said to have a Mother otherwise all of us should be mother lesse children from our birth For none of us had an heavenly Mother none of our Mothers were brought to bed in Heaven 6 It being then granted that our Saviour had a true Father in Heaven and a true Mother on earth he must needs in both respects be more unlike unto Melchisedech who as our Apostle faith was without father or mother then like unto him in that he had no Mother in Heaven no father on earth Whence if wee should maintaine this similitude intended by our Apostle to consist either in whole or part in Christ's being in this sort without father or mother the Iew might thus retort argumento ad homines efficaci That we Christians were a brood of monsters and not the naturall offspring of men and women because none of us have a man for his mother none of us a woman for his father Besides one of the two Propositions whereon they labour to build our faith by this crosse device is no sound pillar but a broken or crased prop. For if Christ be truly stiled the Sonne of Abraham the Sonne of David he had fathers on earth according to the flesh though not begotten by a carnall generation nor was he the Sonne of Mary by carnall conception yet truly her Sonne and shee truly his Mother and by consequence Abraham as truly his Father Againe to be without father without
mother are but branches of that generall negative without genealogie Now whether we consider him as God or as man he cannot without wrong to the sacred character or sense of the holy spirit be thought or said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without genealogy as Melchisedech is for one generation or descent makes a genealogie Otherwise Cain and Abel should have beene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without genealogie which titles notwithstanding cannot in the Evangelists meaning be applyed unto Adam for he derives all others genealogies from Adam's and Adam's from God Luk. 3. Now looke in what sense Abel Cain or Adam may be said to have a genealogie Christ may in the same sense have two One as he is the Sonne of God another as he is the Sonne of Abraham David and of Marie But so it is that even the wisest and most judicious Writers of times swallow such fallacies in historicall narrations or discourses of matters spirituall especially without any sensible disgust or dislike as would be rejected no lesse then poison unallayed were they exhibited to them in the simplicitie of language or logistick forme To instance in an notorious one much like unto this late mentioned 7 The most ancient Editions of Macrobius mention a jest of Augustus broken upon Herod for killing his Sonne at the same time that he butchered the Hebrew Infants Mallem Herodis esse percum quam filium Some ancient Christians to salve the truth of this narratioÌ„ being somewhat suspicious because Herod at that time had no knowne Sonne that was a child have made the old Tyrant father of a young sonne supposed to be borne unto him by a second wife of Iewish if not of Davids progenie which the age wherein hee lived never laid unto his charge Some later criticks better able to disprove this supposititious broode then apt to reforme that error in themselves which unreform'd in others did beget it have not spared to charge their Bretheren in time their fathers with falsification of Macrobius his Text as if the forecited passage had been inserted by some ancient Christians as many verses in Sibylla's oracles have beene unlesse these and the like Aristarchusses faile in their criticismes But for Macrobius his text it is without question uncorrupt and the Christian Fathers free from that falsification of it whereof late Criticks have accused them The zeale of the ancient Fathers and the censorious sawcinesse of later Criticks did alike overreach their judgments But this as I said is a fault common to us and to those that are farre our betters We maintaine our owne posittions as if wee were waking Wee peruse good Authors as if wee had never lookt upon them but in a slumber yet what punie Logician but would scorne to swallow this fallacy in a dreame Chaerilus fuit vir bonus Chaerilus fuit poeta ergo Chaerilus fuit bonus poeta Chaerilus was a good man and a Poet therefore a good Poet. The forementioned criticall collection is in regard of its forme a like false and disjointed only the matter of it is not so vulgar or palpable The roote of the Criticks erronious censure was this Herod killed the Syrian or Hebrew Infants amongst these Infants hee killed his owne son ergo this sonne of Herod when hee killed him was an Infant That Herod about the same time wherein the fants of Iudah and Bethleem were by his appointment slaine did out of his jealous feare command Antipater his turbulent sonne to be put to death no modern Critick shall be ever able to disprove That the killing of his owne sonne being come to maturity of age with these Infants doth better sort with the analogy of Gods Iustice usually manifested in the infatuation of Politicians and with the literall sense and character of Augustus iest taking it as Macrobius hath expressed it then if hee had slaine the same party in his Infancy shall elswhere by Gods assistance be declared 8 The fallacy for whose discovery these two former have beene produced is in my opinion of all three the most grosse the best forme that can be put upon it is this Melchisedech was without father or mother Melchisedech is like unto the Sonne of God ergo Melchisedech is herein like unto the Sonne of God in that he is without father or mother The premisses are most true but the conclusion if I may so speake more then most false for of all the persons that are or have beene in heaven or earth none are so unlike as the Sonne of God and Melchisedech if wee state the comparison betwixt them according to the naturall tenor or importance of these termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What shall we say then that these titles expressely given to Melchisedech by our Apostle are altogether superfluous needlesse or impertinent to the conclusion intended by him Rather most necessary and most apposite As how Briefly thus This descripâ—tion of him by these titles is a condition or Qualification necessarily supposed or pre-required to the similitude intended betwixt Christ and him It is no proper part or formall terme of the similitude it self That formally consists only in being without beginning or end of dayes and herein they are as like one another as any body and its proper shadow can be 9 Every man that hath a father even AdaÌ„ himself who was without father or mother had a beginning of dayes Every man that hath a Son to succeed him as like wise supposed to have an end of daies Whence it is that no King of Iudah or Israel not Solomon himselfe in all his glory could be any true modell of the Son of God in respect of his eternitie No Priest or Son of Levi not Eleazar Phinehas or Aaron himself though pictured in their pontificall ornaments could beare any colour or resemblance of his everlasting Priesthood For all these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Parents their Sonnes and Successors are exactly registred in the sacred Volume the same Page or Table which expresseth their genealogie doth represent withall their mortalitie that they had a beginning or end of dayes And whosoever hath a beginning or end of dayes can be no true shadow of eternitie or of the Sonne of God as he is eternall CHAP. 8. That the omission of Melchisedech's Genealogie did import a speciall mystery and what that mystery was MAy we hence averre that every man mentioned in Scripture whose birth whose death or genealogie is not expressed may be a true shadow or picture of the Sonne God as he is eternall Wee doe not wee need not say so The day is oftimes mentioned in the Scripture without any mention of the night Yet to seeke after a mysticall sense in all such places were to set our wits a wandring in a waking dream But seeing in the Story of the worlds creation wee find such accurate and constant mention of the evening and morning making one day untill all the works of the sixe daies were
accomplished and no mention of any evening in the seaventh day which God did sanctify for a day of rest wee may with the Ancients safely admit the first sixe daies to be as a Map or Calender of the sixe ages of this transitory world wherein there is a continuall vicissitude of light and darknesse no joy or pleasure without sorrow and griefe for their Successors and companions and the Mosaicall description of the seventh to be an embleme or shadow of the everlasting Sabbath in the heavens which shall be a day of joy and gladnesse without mixture of darknesse or succession of night without any medly of paines or griefe 2 By perfect analogy to this and the like not more mysticall then orthodoxall interpretation of Scripture not merely authoriz'd by the Greeke or Latine Fathers but presuppos'd by our Apostle as unquestionable among the ancient Iewes we may inferre our intended conclusion What was that That the omission of every mans Genealogie whose name or deeds are specified in the sacred Story is alwayes a signe or token of some latent mystery No but rather thus Seeing no King or Priest of Abraham's lineage were he good or bad seeing no Patriarch from whom God's blessings did lineally descend but hath a Genealogie upon sacred record the omission of so great a mans Genealogie as was Melchisedech who was a King and Priest of the most high God a Priest which solemnely and really blessed him in whose seed all the Nations of the earth were to be blessed unto whom Abraham paid Tithes of all that he had The omission of such a mans genealogie doubtlesie includes some great and weighty mystery And if wee stand not as in many like cases we ought not upon the logicall inference which the assertive letter affords but follow the emblematicall or characteristicall sense of the story we may behold this man to be as the Apostle speakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one transformed or turned out of his proper shape or likenesse that hee might be like the Sonne of God The absimilation of this man whosoever he were from himselfe that he might be liâ—e the Son of God consists especially in the abandoning or putting off all references to father or mother to wife or children For these references in man necessarily represent a beginning and end of dayes and by consequency a dissimilitude to the person of the Son of God who is eternall and to his endlesse Priesthood 3 It was the speech of one man but is universally true of all Mortalis mortalem genui and it is as necessarily and essentially true of God Immortalis immortalem gignit For seeing God is more essentially and more immutably immortall more truly eternall then we are mortal Then he which is as truly the Sonne of God as we are the Sonnes of men or Adam must needs be as absolutely eternall as the Deitie or divine nature or as God the Father himselfe Otherwise the generation should be equivocall and imperfect not univocall as contrary to nature it selfe and as prodigious as for a mortall man to beget an immortall Sonne as for a woman to conceive a God And if there were no other places of Scripture as God be praised there are plenty to inferre the absolute eternitie or eternall generation of the Sonne of God against the Arrian or other heretique the very foundation of our Apostles similitude between Melchisedech and Christ in the Chapter following doth clearly represent thus much to all that look not on it with Iewish spectacles To conclude then as the greatnesse and height of Melchisedech's calling serves as a map to represent the high Majestie of the everlasting Priesthood So the omission of his genealogie is an embleme or shadow of the infinite duration or eternitie of the Sonne of God Howbeit if we should take off this borrowed shape or wipe out the artificiall colours wherewith it hath pleased the spirit to set forth this lively picture of Christ yet the very table it selfe whereon the picture is drawne is more apt then any other tree in all the garden of God besides to be made an heavenly Mercurie The fitnesse of it for this purpose will more easily be apprehended if we suppose what the ancient Iewes whose traditions where they are no parties are in no wise to be rejected take as granted viz. That hee whom Moses in the fourteenth of Genesis calls Melchisedech was Shem the great the sonne of Noah This Shem was a man begotten of his father before the world that then was our high Priest our heavenly Mercurie is the Sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worlds before any period or instant of imaginary time even from eternitie it selfe CHAP. 9. What manner of blessing it was which Melchisedech bestowed on Abraham That the manner of the blessing argues Melchisedech to have beene Sem the great as the Iewish Rabbins enstile him the eldest sonne of Noah not by birth yet by prerogative of the first borne IDare not obtrude this tradition of the ancient Iewes as a point of our beliefe yet the matter of it is as probable as any Doctrine whatsoever that is grounded only upon the analogy of faith not upon expresse testimonies of Scripture or conclusions deduced from such testimonies by demonstrative consequences The allegations for this opinion were they exactly calculated or put together amount so high as no assertion contained within the spheare of probability can overtop them The exceptions of Pererius and Maldonate against them are too weake albeit they touch not halfe so many as are diligently and accurately gathered by Dr Willet unto whose labours I referre such as desire further satisfaction in this point neither absolutely necessary nor altogether needlesse One or two reasons not alleaged by him come now to be discussed The first what manner of blessing it was which Melchisedech bestowed on Abraham Heb. 7. The second how the matter and manner of this blessing proves this Melchisedech to be Sem. 2 But what kind of blessing did our Apostle meane Verball only or by way of salutation So the people may blesse their Priests the worst of men their godliest Prelates and wretched'st beggers greatest Kings of such kind of blessing the maxime undoubtedly affirmed by our Apostle cannot be true Of what blessing then is it most undoubtedly true Of reall and solemne blessings authentiquely imparted ex officio as when a Bishop confirmeth children or by way of bequest as when the father bestowes an heritage with his blessing upon the Son As Abraham blessed Isaac Isaac Iacob Iacob Iuda and his Bretheren 3 Whom then may we imagine this man should be which in this sort blesled Abraham who was a man than whom there was none greater amongst the Sonnes of men none in his time Melchisedech only excepted so great in the Church of God No analogie either of sacred rule or of tenets joyntly maintained by the English and Romish Church concerning the never interrupted Succession of the true
solemne calling to be the Sons of God And this part of redemption is common to all who are baptized according to Christs commission given to his Apostles and their Successors to this purpose Another part of our Redemption whether that be altogether distinct from the former or but a consequent to it is our actuall exemption from the rage or tyranny of sinne within our selves whilst we live here in the flesh And this degree of redemption is proper only to those who though they live in the flesh doe not live according to the flesh or the fashions of the world as having their hearts purified by a lively faith in Christs death The last part or finall accomplishment of our Redemption is the exemption of both body and soule from the powers of hell and death by Resurrection unto endlesse glory which is the everlasting salvation here meant And this is proper only unto such as finally shall be sayed by continuance in faith and obedience But let us not deceive our selves for God will not be mocked and wee shall but mock him if we presume to goe to heaven by curious Distinctions or nice Doctrines without a constant progresse in syncere unpartiall obedience Nor will externall conformitie to orthodox all rites or Religion or eye-service suffice to obtaine the salvation here promised to such as obey him or if we be addicted to eye-service or obedience let us performe our obedience not in our own eyes or as in the eyes of sinfull men but as in the eyes and view of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by our Apostle Chap. 4. of this Epistle ver the 9. In whose sight every Creature is manifest all things are open and naked This is that eternall word who is now made our high Priest and shall hereafter come to be our Iudge Let us then account it a principall part of our present and future obedience to powre out our soules in prayers and supplications to this our high Priest for the remission of all our sinnes past and seeing hee was consecrated once for all through afflictions or sufferings for so the current of our Apostles discourse implyes to be a compassionate and mercifull high Priest to his Father for us let us all publiquely and privately dayly and houâ—ely beseech him by his agony and bloody sweat by his Orâ—sse and bitter passion not only to make intercession for us but to powre out the spirit of prayer upon us â—o strengthen us with supplies of grace for â—ubduing the body of sinne which is within us unto the spirit and to quicken our spiâ—ies unto newnesse of life that so we may be able to stand before him in that great day of Iudgment SECT 2. Of the calling or designement of the Sonne of God to be an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech Of the differences and agreements in some particulars betweene the Preisthood of Aaron and the Priesthood of Melchisedech CHAP. 6. Of the Signification or Importance of the word calling used by our Apostle Heb. 5. with the generall Heads or Points to be handled and discust in this 2. 3. 4. Sections THat the making of the Sonne of God perfect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 9. implyes a solemne Calling or Consecration to his high Priesthood is yet more apparant from the words following v. 10. Calledan high Priest after the order of Melchisedech This word Called imports somewhat more then a name imposed upon him though at his Circumcision or at his Baptisme more then a mere title of dignitie But what more then so A solemne Calling or Designement unto this high Office or Prelacy Such a calling but more solemne then Aaron had unto the legall high Priesthood Vnto this Priesthood Aaron is said Chap. 5. v. 4. that hee was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is by speciall Designement or destination advanced to the office of the high Driest during the Law But when the same Apostle speakes of the calling of the Sonne of God unto the high Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech v. 10. The word in the original is more significant and more solemne then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it referres to Aaron for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solemnly declared or pronounced by God to be an high Priest after the order of Mechisedech 2 The method of our present inquiry or search into this grand mysterie must be this First who this Melchisedech was according to whose order the Sonne of God was called to be a Priest or how Melchisedech whosoever he were did represent or shadow out the person of the Sonne of God Secondly wherein the Priesthood of Melchisedech did consist or wherein it differred from the Priesthood of Aaron and what calling hee had to such a Priesthood Thirdly what divine Designement or calling the Sonne of God had to his everlasting Priesthood Fourthly a parallel betweene the Consecration of Aaron or other of his Successors to this legall Priesthood and the Consecration of the Sonne of God to his everlasting Priesthood prefigured or foreshadowed not by Aaron or his Successors but by Melchisedech before the Law was given Fiftly the peculiar acts or exercises of the Sonne of God's everlasting Priesthood This fift or last Point must be referred as an appendix unto the Articles of the Sonne of God's Ascension and his sitting at the right hand of God the Father All these are Points of good use and worthy of deeper and better consideration then they usually are taken into by most Interpreters of sacred Writ or Controversywriters The first Question only may seeme to be too curious And so perhaps it is indeed if wee should take upon us to determine the individualitie of Melchisedech's person after whose order the Sonne of God was consecrated or made a Priest But on the other side it would be presumptuous absolutly to deny this Melchisedech to have been the same individuall person whom the later Iewes generally and many late learned Christian writers take him for The greatest difficulty in this Point ariseth from the Apostles description of Melchisedech Chap. 7. v. 3. Without father without mother without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life but made like unto the Sonne of God abideth a Priest continually 3 From this place some would peremptorily conclude that Melchisedech could be no mortal man no sonne of Adam but either the holy Ghost or the sonne of God then appearing to Abraham in the similitude or likenesse of man For of this Melchisedech save only in the history of Abraham Gen. 14. and 110. Psalme there is no mention at all in the old Testament To wave or rather dismisse their opinion who think Melchisedech was the holy Ghost the third person in Trinitie seeing it is but a conjecture of some few who rather wave then prosecute it Let us see what probabilitie there is that this Melchisedech should be the eternal Word or Son of God appearing to Abraham in the likenesse of man and exercising
place to conjecture that either Eli himselfe his two lewd sons or his posterity were absolutely that is irreversibly decreed from this time to everlasting damnation Many decrees or sentences denounced by divine oath may be and are absolutely irreversible when as the plague or matter of the curse denounced is only temporary not everlasting But to determine with the life of the party against whom 't is denounced or at the worst to his Successors here on earth it no way reacheth the state of the one or of the other in the life to come CHAP. 19. Of the two things wherein our Apostle saith it was impossible for God to lie THis is our comfort there is no curse nor woe denounced by oath throughout the whole Scripture which either in the assertive or charactericall sense can be extended so farre as the blessing sealed by oath to Abraham and to all the heires of promise So God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsaile bound himselfe by an oath So our former English reads The later thus wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsaile confirmed it by an oath or as the margine interposed himselfe by an oath but with submission of my verdict in this caseto competent Iudges there is somewhat more implyed in the originall then either our English or Latine translations which I have read doe expresse Three or foure words there are in this passage which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or solennia words of form or peculiar to the facultie of Theology First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is somewhat more then to shew as much as authentiquely or solemnely to declare Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports a great deale more then the stablenesse or immutabilitie of his counsell For that God's will or counsell is as he is most absolutely immutable was a point so well knowne to Abraham and to the Sages of the heathen which lived after him as it needed no solemn avouchment or declaration by oath That God most immutably wills mutability in the works of nature and in the government of this inferior world as sometimes though seldome in the course of starres and often in the erection or extirpation of greatest Kingdomes or of royall or sacerdotal succession was a point not doubted of by any that acknowledged there was a God The mysteries in this place declared by solemne oath were these That the blessing before promised and now first ratified by oath unto Abraham his seede not according to the flesh but the spirit should not be only irreversible but unchangeable That the promised womans seede should be one of Abraham's seede That this seede after his Consecration to the office of blessing should not be subject to any change or chance That his Kingdome and Priesthood should be everlasting This last clause may be made more cleare from the renewing and restraining of his glorious promise unto the seede of David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our former English hath two animadversions upon this place which are rather imperfect then erroneous Again what those two things were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what the importance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in this place is a point not so fully determined by most Interpreters but that it is free for every later Interpreter to conjecture or demurre upon the point Our English marginall note implyes that the two things in which it was impossible for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were his word and his oath I should rather thinke his promise made to Abraham and his solemne oath made for the ratification of his promise But whether wee understand his word or promise and his oath for ratification of either they must be taken coniunctim not divisim not severally but conjunctively For God's meere promise without an oath though most sure in it selfe is not so firme an Anchor for poore men to rely upon in temptations as his promise confirmed by oath nor doth the originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place imply any possibility or impossibilite of lying or unsincere dealing in God himselfe but referres to the stabilitie or unstabilitie of the blessing promised A blessing whether of this life or the life to come under meere promise may be subject to contingency or change because the promise it selfe by reason of causes best knowne to divine wisdome may be reversed but a blessing promised by oath is exempted from all possibilitie of reversion if it concerne this life or if it referre to the life to come it must be as that life is not only irreversible but also unchangeable either for qualitie or degree of joy 2 By the two things our Apostle saith it was impossible for God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to suffer his blessing promised to Abraham and to the heires of promise to faile wee may understand without violence to the text or incongruity of sence the oath it selfe and the object of the oath which was God himselfe Hee sware by himselfe saith the originall Genesis 21. v. the 1. The true meaning of which place is most elegantly expressed by our Apostle Hebr. 6. v. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he interposed himself as our English noteth or word by word â—e meâ—â—â—ted by an oath thereby binding as well the person of the sonne who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only Mediator between God and man as his owne Almighty Person And this merces magna promised by God himselfe by oath in the Person of the Father and the Sonne is most suitable to the obedience not of Abraham only but of Isaac whom God as it hath beene observed before did still reward in kind But whatsoever the two immutable things in this place meant by our Apostle were it is evident that his oath was interposed for the consolation and comfort of Abraham and his posteritie so the Apostle tells us expressely v. 18. and 19. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye wee might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us The sheat Anchor of this strong hope or consolation is first the irreversibilitie of the promise Secondly the immutabilitie of the blessing promised of which it is impossible that any such heire of promise as Abraham was when God vouchsafed thus to sweare unto him should either faile or come short This I take to be the true meaning of that uncouth phrase wherein it is impossible for God to lie that is to suffer the blessing promised to faile or change or them to perish who are possessed of it by vertue of this Covenant sealed by oath Every thing in sacred dialect is called a LIE which is subject to mutability hazard or change or on which one too much relying may be deceived or fall into danger So saith the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an horse is
did solemnely confesse and acknowledg Christ Iesus to be as truly God as man The matter or object directly signified by these words is the only true and reall Foundation of faith as Christian of the Catholique Church it selfe Of this ranke or sort of names is the name Iehosadech as it was given unto the Father of Iesus the high Priest but this doth no way import that he was either Iehovah or a man more righteous thē other high Priests had beene and yet so called not by chance or out of vain ostentation of his parents but by divine instinct or appointment of God Or whatsoever intent his parēts might have in giving him this name God did so direct their intentiōs as he did Caiphas his speech to be a kind of prophecy of what was to come We may say of Iehosadech as the Angell said of Iesus and his fellow-Priests that hee was vir portendens his very name and office did portend or bode that Iehovah himselfe the righseous Lord should become our high Priest And in as much as the Sonne of Iehosadech was the first high Priest the first of all the sonnes of Aaron that was called Iesus that is a Saviour this likewise did portend or fore-shadow that the Saviour of God's people the high Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech should be the son not of David only but of Iebovah the righteous Lord or Lord of righteousnesse And if he were to be as truly the Sonne of Iehovah the righteous Lord as he was to be the sonne of David then questionlesse hee was to be as truely Iehovah that is as truly and essentially God as hee is truly and essentially man For the relation betwixt the Father and the Sonne is much more strict in the Divine nature then it can be amongst men 9 Amongst men it will follow that if the Father be a man the Sonne must be a man if the Father be mortall the Sonne must be mortall but it will not follow that if the Father be a righteous or potent man the Sonne likewise must be a righteous or potent man The reason is because they are divided in substance But in as much as the Sonne of God is of the same substance or essence with his Father it will directly follow not only that if the Father be God the Sonne is God but also that if the Father be Lord of righteousnesse the Sonne also must be Lord of righteousnesse Yet in as much as not Iehosadech the Father but Iesus the Sonne became legall righteousnesse or a temporall Saviour to God's people in captivity this truly fore-shadoweth this truth unto us that although God the Father be as truly the Lord of righteousnesse as God the Sonne both being of one substance yet is Iehovah become our righteousnesse and our salvation not in the person of the Father but in the person of the Son CHAP. 23. The obiection of the Iewes against the interpretation of the former Prophecy Ierem. 23. answered In what sense Iudah is truly said to be saved and Israel to dwell in safety by Iesus the Sonne of God and Sonne of David YEt here the Iew will object that this prophecy is not yet fulfilled because Iudah is not fully saved nor Israel planted in their owne land But the Apostle hath fully answered this objection if wee could as rightly apply his solution All saith he are not Israel that are called Israel Rom. 9. 6. Yet many are true Israelites indeed which are not so in name Nor is he a Iew that is one outwardly but that is one inwardly The Apostle in the same place gives us to understand that many are Iewes or of Iudah inwardly which are not of Iudah outwardly or so called by name Whosoever is inwardly or in heart that which the name of Iudah importeth he is truly of Iudah though not the seede of Iudah or of Abraham concerning the flesh Now the name of Iudah or Iew importeth as much as a confessor or true professor of Abraham's faith and every one is a true Israelite that is so qualified as Nathaniel was one in whose spirit there is no guile unto all such and only unto such the Lord imputeth no sinne and all they unto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne all such as truly confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God and promised Branch of David are saved by him whether they be the somes of Iacob or of Abraham or Gentiles according to the flesh So that in conclusion all ludah and all Israel according to the full extent of this prophecy are saved by this Iesus for all of them dwell in safety they are not become afraid of themselves but possesse their soules with patience To become Iewes or Israelites in this sense is the first degree of salvation and this degree they likewise have from Iesus through whom and in whom they are to expect the accomplishment of their salvation Christ then first saves us from our sins that are inherent in us or as the Apostle speaks hee first sets us free from the Law of sinne by the spirit of life which is in him and finally exempts us from the wages of sinne which is everlasting death And thus much is contained in that fore-cited promise Ierem. 16. and in the close and conclusion of that prophecie Ierem. 23. concerning the saving of Iudah and Israel by the branch of David whose name or title is The Lord our righteousnesse Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that they shall no more say the Lord liveth which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt but the Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seede of the house of Israel out of the North country The Hebrew phrase Meeretz zaponah according to the usuall and ordinary rate of that language signifies indeed from the North-land yet the originall of this signification or importance of these words was from a conceit which the Iews or such as had their habitation neere unto the Aequinoctiall line had That those parts of the world which were more remote from the Aequinoctiall or Southerne climes were hidden from the sun and were at least in respect of their Country lands of obscurity and darknesse The very prime and native signification of the originall words in the Prophet rendred by our English from the North land or Country is verbatim from the land of obscurity or darknesse And whatsoever the land of Chaldea whereof Babylon was the chiefe City or Metropolis was unto others it was unto the captive Iewes a country of darknesse a land of obscurity the very shadow of death And their deliverance from it was a true type or shadow of our deliverance from the region or land of darknesse it selfe The full importance of the Evangellicall mystery included in the fore-cited passage of the Prophet Ieremy according to the most proper and most exquisite literall sense is expounded unto us by our Apostle S. Paul Coloss 1. 12. 13. God the
were two The first the solemne memorial the commeration or reiteration of God's Covenant made with Abraham and with his seede or the continuall acceptance of it by performing the obedience which God required at their hands in all their sacrifices The second was a perpetuall representation of the accomplishment of this Covenant on God's part in and by the promised Seede or Messias God had promised by oath to Abraham that in his seede not only Abraham's seede after the flesh but all the Nations of the earth that follow the steps of Abraham should be blessed And in this promise confirmed by oath it was implied as hath beene often mentioned before that the Sonne of God should become Abraham's seede and that the seede of Abraham thus made the Sonne of God should be offered up to God in such a manner as God required Abraham to offer up his sonne Isaac that is in a true and bloody sacrifice Isaac's approach to death was a type a figure or representation of our Saviour's bloody death Isaac's strange deliverance from this bloody death menaced by his Fathers outstretehed hand armed with a bloody knife was a type or shadow of our Saviour's Resurrection from death which God his Father had not only threatned but inflicted upon him Now as that which Abraham intended to have done to his sonne Isaac was accomplished by God upon his only sonne so Abraham's words to Isaack when hee intended to offer him up in bloody sacrifice became a true prophecy of our Saviour's bloody sacrifice Isaac bearing the wood of the burnt offering upon his back and observing his Father to cary fire in the one hand and a knife in the other no creature in the world besides themselves being present moved this question Behold the fire the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt offring And Abraham answers God will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering my Sonne Gen. 22. 7. 8. Whatsoever the naturall construction of Abraham's answer in these words might import Abraham at this time had no other intention then to offer up his son Isaack for a burnt offering Howbeit his words without wrong to their grammaticall construction in the originall might imply as much and as the Hebrewes conceive they did to Isaac's apprehension imply as much as if hee had said God will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering even thee my Sonne or God will provide theâ— my Sonne for a burnt offering And from this apprehension or construction of Abraham's words Isaac as the Hebrewes have a tradition forthwith became willing to be offered up in sacrifice for a burnt offering suffering himselfe to be bound upon the Altar by his Father being able if he had been so disposed to make resistance as being now at least 25 years of age 2 However it were Isaac was as willing to be offered as Abraham was to offer him And yet Abraham's former words are more exactly fulfilled even for the present then if Isaac had been then offered upon the Altar For though God had commanded Abraham to offer his only begotten sonne Isaac for a burnt offering yet hee had been a burnt offering of Abraham's providing but the Ramme which was caught by the hornes in the thicket was a burnt offering of God's provision meerly It was no part of Abraham's store of Abraham's provision fore-cast or fore-sight The Ramme questionlesse came not thither from any neighbour place by chance God did provide it for a burnt offering by a manner extraordinary and miraculous For if David would not offer a sacrifice to God of that which cost him nothing or of that which was another mans by former possession untill he had made it his owne by a better title then by free donation or his owne by a just price or valuable consideration Abraham doubtlesse would not have offered a sacrifice unto the Lord of that which he might justly suspect to be the goods of another man untill he had bought it of the known owner But knowing this Ramme to have been of God's own or meere provision by meanes miraculous or extraordinary hee forthwith offered it for a burnt offring instead of his son So then the League or Covenant betwixt God and Abraham is concluded and subscribed unto on Abraham's part with the sacrifice of a Ramme and was to be continued or accepted of by Abraham's posterity with continuation of like sacrifices The high Priests themselves who were in their ranke and order mediators or intercessors for continuing and establishing this Covenant between God and Abraham's seede were to be solemnely consecrated by the sacrifice of Rammes And in memoriall or commemoration of Isaac's deliverance from death the Iewes did celebrate that day wherein God provided this sacrifice instead of Isaac that was according to their Kalendar the first of September or feast of Trumpets with the sacrifice of Rammes But they considered not that in the words of God's oath to Abraham it was implyed that God would give his Sonne his only Sonne for such a bloody sacrifice or burnt offering as Abraham intended to have made of his sonne Isaac They considered not that in Abraham's answer to Isaac The Lord would provide himselfe of a burnt offering and in the miraculous provision of the Ramme for a burnt offering instead of Isaac it was implyed or fore-signified as well by matter of fact as by expresse word of prophecy that God would provide matter of sacrifice when he should offer his only Sonne after a more excellent miraculous manner then he had now done the Ramme instead of Isaack For seeing the Sonne of God as God could not dye he therefore provides him a mortall body taken from the seede of Abraham the substance of the blessed Virgin and so unites it to his divine person that whilst this seede of Abraham was offered in sacrifice the Sonne of God was likewise offered that whilst Abraham's seede was thus consecrated by bloody sacrifice the Sonne of God was likewise consecrated to be the high Priest after the order of Melchisedech that is to be the Author Donour and Dispenser of that blessing which Melchisedech in the name of the most high God whose Priest he was bestowed on Abraham and which God upon Abraham's readinesse to offer Isaac did by solemn oath bind himselfe to perform and to performe it in Abraham's seede The necessary consequence or abstract of which oath as it is before manifested was this that Abraham's seede should be that most high God in whose name Melchisedech had blessed Abraham 3 The unusuall and unexpected fulfilling of Abraham's words to Isaac Gen. 22. 8. Iehovah lireh the Lord will see or the Lord will provide himselfe a Lambe for a burnt offering gave Abraham occasion to name that place Iehovah â—ireh as also to a common Proverbe taken up from the name of this place and from the event In the Mount of the Lord it shall be seene Gen. 22. 14. or as the originall without straining will more
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
for seeing the first-lings of the heards though offered in sacrifice unto the Lord could not sanctify the use of their flocks unto them but the use of every dumbe creature was to be sanctified unto them by a sacrifice of one of the same kind As the use of their Lambes or Sheepe was to be hallowed by the sacrifice of a firstling-male Lambe and so the goates by the firstling-male kid and their oxen and cattell by the sacrifice of the firstling calves or bullocks who could in reason expect that the sacrifice of a Lambe of a Kid of a Bullock or any other dumbe creature should be a sufficient price for the Redemption of their first borne males or able to sanctifie or consecrate both male and female in their severall families unto the Lord Hee that sanctifies and they that are sanctified are all of one saith the Apostle Men were to be redeemed and sanctified by man and if the first borne male in every family had been sacrificed for the rest this would have made no satisfaction no sanctification seeing the first born was by nature as uncleane as the rest and every dumbe creature which was by Law uncleane and could not be sacrificed was to be redeemed by the sacrifice of a firstling-male which was by its kind cleane as the asse because it was by its kind unclean was to be redeemed that is the use of it was to be sanctified or made lawfull unto its owner by the sacrifice of a firstling Lambe 2 But who amongst all the first borne of women was in his kind or by nature cleane Not one besides the Sonne of the blessed Virgin who was likewise the only Son of God It is hee alone that was to redeeme and sanctifie the rest of mankind which were all by nature uncleane And with reference to the former Law our Apostle instiles him primogenitus omnis creatura the first borne of every creature Coloss 1. 15. Now though it be most true that Christ was before all things that all things were created by him whether visible or invisible that all things consist by him as hee is the only Son of God begotten of his Father before all Worlds yet this is not the true and full meaning of that most sacred maxime Est primogenitus omnis creature he is the first borne of every creature One part of the Apostle's meaning in that admirable passage 1. Coloss 13. to the 20. is that unlesse Christ had been the Son of God from eternity all fulnesse could not have dwelled in him nor could he have had preheminence in all things which the Apostle there mentions Another part of the Apostle's meaning there is that in the same Christ as man it pleased God that all fulnesse should dwell and that as man he should in all things have the preheminence and in as much as all fulnesse dwelleth in him as man and that in all respect he hath preheminence he is likewise as man the first-borne of every creature that is all the prerogatives which the first-borne males had before the after-borne or females are contained in his prerogative and fulnesse as man Now as the first-born males amongst the offsprings of dumbe creatures did sanctifie all the rest of the same kind So Christ as man doth sanctifie all things make all things acceptable unto God which are capable of sanctification or acceptance As man likewise hee had all the prerogatives of the first-borne in the families of the Patriarchs which were especially two The Priesthood and the principalitie or civill dominion over their brethren and posteritie For Christ as man is made both King and Priest and albeit Abraham Isaac and the Patriarchs and Melchisedech who blessed Abraham were both Kings and Priests over their families and children yet these prerogatives they had by a solemne right derived from him which was to come who was to be a Priest after the order of Melchisedech Againe in respect of the character of the first borne male or of that which gave it the prerogative of the after-borne he hath the preheminence for he opened the wombe or matrix in such a manner as no creature had done or shall doe after him for he was made true man and truly borne of a woman yet not begotten by any man And albeit Melchisedech Abraham and David were dead long before he was conceived by the holy Ghost long before he was born or made man of a woman though he be truly enstiled the seed of Abraham and the Sonne of David which for this reason were of necessity to be before him Yet this precedency was a precedency only of time a precedency in respect of this mortall and miserable life In respect of that better life he hath the precedency even of time for he is the Father of the World to come and as our Apostle hath it 1. Coloss 18. He is the first borne or first begotten from the dead that in all things hee might have the prehemi nence 3 Christ by his divine Power had raised the widowes sonne of Naim and his freind Lazarus the one some two yeares the other but a few dayes before from death to life but neither of them nor any before them which had been so raised could be truly said to be begotten from the dead but rather begotten to die againe for to be borne and begotten from the dead includes an everlasting freedome from the power or approach of death as it is in the hymne for the morning prayer upon Easter day Christrising againe from the dead now dyeth not death from henceforth hath no power upon him According to this notion or importance of primogenitus ex mortuis of being the first borne or first begotten from the dead Christ hath the prehe minence every way hee was the first in order of time and was raised from death to an endlesse life Hee was the only prime in respect of power or causalitie whosoever thus hath been or shall be raised or begotten from death to an immortall life is thus raised and begotten by vertue of Christ's Resurrection Albeit the soules of Abraham of Moses and David c. were before this time seated in blisse Yet were not their bodies so much as capable of dowry oâ— joynture with them in the state of blisse before such time as the Sonne of God was thus begotten from the dead yea might the soules of those and other righteous men have looked upon their bodies oâ— reliques in the dust they would have loathed their company and abhorred cohabiration with them as being things polluted and uncleane 4 How cleane or well winnowed soever the corne were before it was sowne yet the offspring of it after it dyed in the ground was uncleane The use of greene eares was not lawfull unto this people untill the first fruits were offered up unto the Lord. In like manner albeit Abraham Moses and David were justified whil'st they lived in the flesh even sanctified persons through beliefe in Christ which
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
that obey him And is called of God from the time of his Resurrestion or exaltation an high Priest after the order of Melchisedech CHAP. 10. Wherein the Priesthood of Melchisedech did differ from the Priesthood of Aaron That Melchisedech did not offer any sacrifice of bread and wine unto God when he blessed Abraham THe office of Aaron and of his Sonnes wee have described Deuteron 10. 8. At that time the Lord separated the Tribe of Levi to beare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse in his name unto this day And againe Deut. 18. 3. This shall be the Priests duty c. For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy Tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord him and his Sonnes for ever ver 5. Could Melchisedech's office be greater or his patent ampler especially for duration For sacrifice prayer and blessing are the trinall dimensions of the Priesthood howsoever taken This difficultie perhaps did occasion a foule error in the Romish Church or encourage her followers to maintaine this error brought forth it may be upon other occasions to wit that the office of Melchisedech should properly consist herein especially differ from the Priesthood of AaroÌ„ For that when he met Abraham he offered up bread wine by way of proper sacrifice unto God as a type or pledge of the unbloody sacrifice of the masse unto which the Romanists for the most part restraine the exercise of Christ's Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech 2 To omit their chymicall conceits who labour in vaine to extract some act of sacrificing out of the originall word hotsi Maldonate the most zealous and laborious pleader in this argument because Calvin had held the monkish allegorizars to the literall and gramaticall sense of Scriptures holds it no sin to put a trick of Grammar so they would admit it upon Calvin's followers upon the very text it self For whereas the Romish Interpreters who went before him admit the vulgar edition Et erat Sacerdos Dei altissimi This Critick to despite Calvin will correct Magnificat and renders it thus Et erat sacrificans Deo altissimo His reason for this innovation is because the hebrew Cohen is for it's form a participle of the present tense but surely he was better read in his Gramar then in his Lexicon although better read in that then in the Hebrew Text for although the Hebbrew Cohen be usually taken for a Priest yet to sacrifice is no part of the proper formal signification of the radicall verb Cahan That directly imports no more then ministravit or Sacerdotem egit Whence though it be most true that every Sacrificer is a CoheÌ„ is a Priest or Minister of God yet is not this truth simply convertible that is Every Cohen Priest or Minister of God is a Sacrificer specially if we speak of times before the Law was given or since it expired much lesse will it follow that every act or function which the Minister of God performs should be a sacrifice So that albeit we should give the Criticall Iesuit leave to degrade the Hebrew Cohen and turne it out of a noun in which form and habit it was taken by all his Predecessors into the nature and value of a Participle the Grammaticall sense will amount to no more then this Et erat Ministrans or Sacerdotio fungens Deo altissimo and all this Melchisedech might doe and this he verily did in blessing Abraham not in bringing forth or offering bread and wine The letter of the Text runnes thus And Melchisedech King of Salem brought forth bread and wine and hee was a Priest of the most high God Suppose a man should here interrupt the Reader or relater of this History thus What if hee were a Priest of the most high God To what purpose is this clause inserted The holy Ghost in the next words clears the doubt or rather prevents the Question And he blessed Abraham In what forme or sort Blessed be Abraham of the most high God! So then Melchisedech is instiled a Priest of the most high God to shew his warrant to blesse in the name of the most high God And for this interpretation I have the warrant or confirmation from Cyril of Alexandria 3 As for his bread and wine hee offered these to Abraham and not to God as Philo Iudaeus a competent witnesse in this Controversie hath informed us For this good Author opposeth Melchisedech's hospitalitie towards Abraham unto Amalech's niggardly and uncharitable disposition towards Israel comming out of the house of affliction Amalech saith hee was excluded from the congregation of the Lord because hee met not Israel with bread and water whereas Melchisedech had met our father Abraham laden with the spoâ—â—es of his enemies with bread and wine He hath not in my opinion erred much in taking the symboles or elements of bread and wine for emblemes of that true pabulum animae which consists in contemplation of heavenly things And yet I am perswaded hee had no expresse knowledge of the true object of such contemplation to wit the body and blood of Christ or of the benefit conveyed to us from them since they were offered in sacrifice unto God by the elements of bread and wine not as mere signes but as undoubted pledges of his body and blood to be communicated to us 4 And although Suidas in his second Paragraph on the word Melchisedech will have our Saviours Priesthood after the order of Melchisedech to take beginning from the night before his passion wherein he tooke bread and wine and blessed them yet in his third Paragraph upon the same word he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine unto Abraham But let us suppose what the Text will not support that Melchisedech did offer up a sacrifice of bread and wine to the most high God thus much being granted wee may draw that net which the Romanist sets for others upon himselfe for our next interrogatory should be this Of what sacrifice may we by any analogie of faith imagine this supposed sacrifice of Melchisedech to be the type of the dayly reiterated sacrifice of the masse or of the one only sacrifice of the Sonne of God Surely if Melchisedech be a true type of the everlasting Priest his sacrifice must be a type of this Priest's everlasting sacrifice Now as we read not though Maldonate's reading of the former pâ—â—â—e were true that Melchisedech did offer any sacrifice besides this supposed sacrifice of bread and wine so wee must undoubtedly beleeve that the Sonne of God did offer no more sacrifices then one and that one never to be reiterated because the value of it being truly infinite the efficacy of it must needs be absolutely everlasting If otherwise wee should with the Romanists admit of a sacrifice by succession or multiplication as everlasting as this transitory
is all this which hath beene said concerning the sacred use of oaths amongst men and the plagues executed upon such as violate those sacred oaths to the oath which God interposed to Abraham or to their assurance which rely upon him Much every way For the speciall if not the only reason why God's hand hath light so heavy upon all perjured persons is because God himselfe who vouchsafed to sweare to Abraham for our comfort is so true in all his promises and so unpartiall in awarding lustice that hee would not punish mens neglects or contempt of solemne oaths so severely as usually he doth were he not beyond comparison or comprehension more observant of his oath when he swears by himselfe then we are of our oaths which we take in his name Briefly albeit some in this age among the most zealous Professors of Christianity escape his visible punishments or sometimes prosper better in worldly estate for their perjury then many amongst the heathen did yet by this practice they forfeit their interest in the assurance which God made by oath unto the heires of promise Every one that hopes to be blessed with faithfull Abraham or to be partaker of the blessing promised by oath unto him must in this particular be perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect Every one that hath beene tainted with this foule finne how great a gainer soever hee be by it in worldly courses must purge himselfe from it by the solemn proper acts of faith that is by true Repentance Almes deeds and full Restitution of accursed gaines to the parties whom he hath wronged For as our Apostle tells us every one that hath this hope that is to be the Son of God with faithfull Abraham must purifie himselfe as he is pure 1. Ioh. 3. 3. CHAP. 15. In what cases solemne oaths were or are to be taken and administred AMongst others truly instiled golden verses of Pythagoras every verse containing some one or other morall rule of good life this was a principall one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 The Comment or Paraphrase of an heathenish Writer though a profest enemy to us Christians at least to such as lived in his age is very Christian as many other parts of his Commentations upon Pythagora's morall rules are to use the words of that learned French Civilian Tiraquel most Divine 2 Whilst I revise these and the former observations of the heathen concerning oaths and consider how exactly parallel they are to the sacred rules of God's written Lawes and Cases determined by divine Iustice I cannot but resume the Prophet Ieremiah's wish or prayer Oh that my head were turned into a well or fountaine that I might weepe day and night for the sinnes of this people And of this age wherein a man may more safely beleeve a Turke swearing by Mahomet or a canting Beggar by his Salomon or a rude pit-man or coale-worker by spitting upon a coale then many witnesses who beare the name of Gentlemen and good Christians whilst they sweare in Courts of Iustice by the Lord God of their salvation kissing the Booke wherein their interest in the promises made to Abraham and their hopes of the life to come are contained Nor is this the fault of false witnesses only but of Law-makers or Interpreters or of men in Authoritie that a man may be sworne out of his inheritance out of his lively hood and good name by one uncatechized Clowne or Atheist who neither knowes by whom nor unto what he sweares ready at all times to lend that which he heares called an oath unto his friend or brother in mischiefe An oath being a speciall part of Religion it were to be wished it were never to be administred or exacted by such as give more proofe to shew their authoritie and power in being enabled by humane Law to give it then either of their desire or abilitie to instruct the party swearing unto what he ought unto what he ought not to sweare or in any other principall point of Religion Many cases are often determined by one mans oath which are not possible to be proved by the oaths of any ten men living though men of life and manners unsuspected And yet in case the person swearing to his neighbour's utter undoing might be convicted of wilfull perjury the best remedy that the Law or Custome affords him will prove much worse then the disease it selfe that is beget a tedious suit in some costly Court But neither did the primevall Church of God nor the ancient Lawes of heathen Nations admit of any such Custome Exceptions against lewd persons or suspected witnesses were admitted before they were permitted to sweare Or in case any were detected to swear falsly the detection was without any great cost and the punishment severe and speedy In case a man had sworne falsly against his neighbour in matter of debt hee was besides other punishments to pay as much as his neighbour should have been damnified by his oath In case of infamy and slander hee was adjudged to undergoe the same punishment which his oath had it beene admitted would have brought upon the party accused If hee had sworne against another in a matter capitall his perjury was punished with death and so were false accusers albeit they did sweare or accuse on the behalfe of the Prince or Emperour One of the best Catechismes that I dare commend unto such as have power to minister solemne oaths or unto such as are bound to answer upon oath or ready when occasions require to interpose oaths voluntary is the Comment of the fore-cited Philosopher upon that golden verse of Pythagoras IUSIURANDVM COLE Fuerit autem cultus ejus servandi optima ratio cura si eo nec frequentèr utaris nec temerè nec quibuslibet in rebus nec ad sermonis amplificationem nec ad narrationis confirmationem atque fidem sed quantum fieri potest rebus tantum necessariis simul atque honoriâ—icis adhibeatur â—oque tempore cum nulla salus alia quà m ex sola iurisjurandi veritate expectatur Invenient verò fidem isthaec apud eos qui audiunt si congruum jurijurandâ— modum adhibuerimus sique suspicionem omnem non ijs solum qui juramento abstinent sed qui utuntur etiam sustulerimus quicquid in mortaliumrebus veritate maius nobis haberi Hierocles in 2 um aurèum carmen Pythagorae God's oath at all time when it pleased him to sweare was a voluntarie oath no Authoritie could exact it of him But how free or voluntarie soever his oath to Abraham was it was not gratis dictum but interposed to some good use or purpose The speciall uses or purposes of this first oath of God which is upon record comes in the next place to be discussed 3 It is on all Sides agreed that the Article or matter unto which God did sweare was of great consequence and weight For men ought not to make solemne oaths or protestations but in such
the meate which perisheth but for that meate which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of man shall give unto you For him hath God the Father sealed And againe ver 32. 33. Then Iesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven For the bread of God is hee which cometh downe from heaven and giveth life unto the world And ver 35. I am the bread of life Hee that cometh to me shall never hunger And he that beleeveth on me shall never thirst In all these and the like passages whether avouched by our Saviour himselfe or by his Apostles after him we are taught no other Doctrine then the Prophet in his name and by his spirit had taught the people verse 3. Incline your eare and come unto me heare and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Was this Covenant yet to make being made before first with Abraham then renewed with David The Apostle for conclusion tells us Heb. 11. v. 39. Neither Abraham nor any other of the Patriarchs or holy men though in their generations renowned for their faith did receive the promise and if not the promise then not the everlasting Covenant whereof the Prophet here speakes What was that The reall object of the Covenant or blessing promised But if it be demanded what this blessing promised was It was Christ Iesus not only as he was exhibited in the flesh but raised from the dead as is more largely declared in a treatise upon v. 40. Chap. 11. to the Heb. to be annexed unto this present Treatise 2 All this hath been implied or intimated before in that of our Apostle Heb. 5. And being made perfect he became the Author of eternall Salvation to all them that obey him v. 9. that is to reflect upon the Prophet Esay's expression of this mystery to all that incline their eares unto him and faithfully heare him THE EVERLASTING COVENANT taken in this sense that is for the everlasting blessednesse or that degree of blessednesse exprest in the Gospell is not actually made with any none are reall partakers of it but such as are true and lively members of Christ's body such members of it as Abraham and David were not before the Son of God the Son of David was consecrated to his everlasting Priesthood and Kingdome 3 According to the most strict and genuine sense of the Prophet and our Apostle's interpretation of it Christ Iesus being raised from the dead is the very Covenant it selfe For so the words of the Prophet and our Apostle's interpretation of them runne verbatim without any interruption or obliquitie in construction I will make an everlasting Covenant to wit the sure mercies of David or as the Latine more fully misericordias illas stabiles Davidis That these words directly signifie the Person of Christ and his benefits is most cleere from v. 4. Behold I have given him for a witnesse to the people a leader and commander to the people So that Christ is called the sare mercies of David because in him and through him all God's promises or mercies promised to David are Yea and Amen that is were actually perform'd and made everlasting not in promise only but in esse Betwixt the Hebrew Text and the seventy Interpreters whose translation S. Paul in the fore-cited place doth follow a meere Grammarian or curious critick might observe some variation in words yet no difference or diversity in sense worthy the notice of a true Linguist or rationall Divine The Apostle when hee avoucheth this propheticall Oracle Esay 55. 3. as a confirmation of the concludency of the former testimony out of Psal 2. Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee omits the first part of it I will make an everlasting Covenant with you as being fully contained in the later part which is indeed an authentique exegeticall exposition of the former to wit God's promise or Oath to give this people and Nation in the time appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the holy and faithfull things of David saith our English But the full and punctual expression of our Apostles meaning will best appeare from the manner how he inferres that conclusion which he twise in this place avoucheth from the often mentioned place of the Prophet Isaiah For after that inference * v. 33. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee he addes for confirmation v. 34. 35. And as concerning that he raised him from the dead now no more to returne to corruption hee said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David Wherefore hee saith also in another Psalme ◠Thou shalt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption The briefe or extract of the Prophet Isaiah's meaning in S. Paul's construction is this THAT GOD BY RAISING VP CHRIST IESUS from the dead never to die againe did really exhibite or actually performe that Covenant made by Oath to David Psal 89. ver 28. My mercy will I keepe for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him c. and v. 35. Once have I sworne by my holinesse that I will not faile David his seede shall endure for ever and his throne that is not the successive throne of David but the throne of David's SEED as the Sun before me 4 David in the dayes of his flesh did receive the the promise or Covenant if you take it in the active or formall signification as for promissio quâ Deus promitit or pactum quo Deus paciseitur but if wee take this promise or Covenant in the passive sense id est for the blessing promised or covenanted that was not perform'd till Christ was raised from the dead and glorified as it followes Esay 55. v. 5. In this sense Zacharias calls the exhibition of the promised seed though yet in the wombe the performance of the Oath which God had sworne to give unto Abraham and his offspring So that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faithfull things of David is contradistinct not to dissimulation or any suspicion of faining in the promiser but to the reversible or mutable state of the blessing promised It implies the immortalitie of the Son of David according to the flesh or the immutability of his holy Priesthood and Kingdome Briefly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is equivalent and somewhat more then so unto the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 't is used by S. Peter Epist 2. Chap. 1. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure or rather firme and strong v. 10. in which place the word election must of necessitie be taken not in the formall or active sense but in the passive materiall or reall sense not for electio quâ Deus nos eligit but for the irreversible state in grace which is the effect
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
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
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-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