her wombe Whereas first this is to take a common manner of speech out of the common manner of interpreting it Secondly the Lord was not at this very instant come in that manner into her womb But the words onely meane the Lords being with her in regard of that favour and respect which hee was about to shew her as Judg. 6. 12. And this among other things sheweth how senselesse Popery is in its Ave Mâ—aries using these words for a Prayer and if occasion serve for it for a charme As first turning a Salutation into a Prayer Secondly in fitting these words of an Angel that was sent and that spake them upon a speciall message to the mouth of every person and for every occasion Thirdly in applying these words to her now shee is in Heaven which suited with her onely while shee was upon earth As first to say full of grace to her that is full of glory And secondly to say The Lord is with thee to her that is with the Lord. Blessed art thou among womâ—n Not above but among them See Gen. 30. 13. Judg. 5. 24. Vers. 29. And when shee saw him So readeth the Syrian Arabick and generally all other translations but onely the vulgar Latine that swarving as it is to be suspected willfully from the truth of the Originall that hereby there might be the greater plea and colour for the Virgins familiarity with Angels Whereas indeed apparition of Angels till this very occasion to Zachary and the Virgin was either exceeding rare or just none at all What manner of salutation c. Judge how Superstition straineth the text to the Virgin Maries praises when it inferres from hence that she had never been saluted by a man in all her life before An opinion and glosse not worth the examining Verse 31. Behold thou shalt conceive c. From Esa. 7. 14. the Angell giveth her to understand that shee is the Virgin spoken of in that place and of her apprehension of this ariseth her question Vers. 4. And shalt call his Name This followeth the same Prophecy still and is one of the significations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it hath more then one For first it denoteth the third person feminine as Deut. 31. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is to bee taken in that Prophecy And she shall call his Name Immanuel Secondly it betokeneth also the second person as the Chaldee the Lxx and the other two Greeke translations render it and the Angel here And thou shalt call Thirdly it is also applied to the third person plurall as in the Greeke Mat. 1. 23. and in the Chaldee Esa. 60. 18. Jesus The same with Jehoshua in Hebrew as Act. 7. 45. Heb. 4. 8. and Jeshua in Chaldee Ezra 2. 2. These were two renowned ones before the one whereof brought the people into Canaan after the death of Moses and the other that brought them thither out of Babel and so were both lively figures of our Jesus that bringeth his people to the heavenly Canaan Vers. 32. The Sonne of the Highest From 2 Sam. 7. 14. as it is explained Heb. 1. 5. the Angel now draweth the Virgin to remember that glorious promise made to David as the words following concerning an eternall Throne and Kingdome do evince and upon the rumination upon that to reflect upon her selfe and to consider that shee was of the seed of David and so hee leadeth her on by degrees to beleeve and entertaine what he was relating to her Shall give unto him the Throne Psal. 2. 7 8 9. Ezek. 21. 27. Dan. 7. 14. c. Vers. 33. Hee shall reigne over the house of Jacob This terme the house of Jacob includeth First all the twelve tribes which the word Israel could not have done Secondly the Heathens and Gentiles also for of such the house and family of Jacob was full Vers. 34. Seeing I know not a man These words say the Rhemists declare that shee had now vowed Virginity to God For if shee might have known a man and so have had a childe shee would never have asked how shall this bee done And Jansemus goeth yet further From these words saith hee it doth not onely follow that she had vowed but this seemeth also to follow from them that her vow was approved of God See also Aquin. part 3. quaest 28. art 4. Baron in apparatu ad Annal. c. Answ. First among the Jewes marriage was not held a thing indifferent or at their owne liberty to choose or refuse but a binding command and the first of the 613. as it is found ranked in the Benteteuch with the threefold Targum at Gen. 1. 28. and Paul seemeth to allude to that opinion of theirs when speaking of this subiect hee saith Praeceptum non habeo 1 Cor. 7. 6. Secondly among the vowes that they made to God Virginity never came in the number Jephtha's was heedlesse and might have been revoked as the Chaldee Paraphrast and Rabbi Solomen well conceive and David Kimchi is of a mind that hee was punished for not redeeming it according to Lev. 27. Thirdly to die childlesse was a reproach among men Luke 1. 25. and to live unmarried was a shame to women Psal. 78. 63. Their Virgins were not praised that is were not married Now what a gulfe is there betweene vowing perpetuall Virginity and accounting it a shame dishonour and reproach Fourthly if Mary had vowed Virginity why should she marry Or when shee was married why should shee vow Virginity For some hold that her vow was made before her espousalls and some after Fifthly it was utterly unnecessary that she should be any such a votall it was enough that she was a Virgin Sixthly it is a most improper phrase to say I know not a man and to meane I never must know him and in every place where it is used concerning Virgins why may it not bee so understood as well as here Seventhly while the Romanist goeth about with this glosse to extol her Virginity he abaseth her judgment and beleefe For if she meant thus shee inferreth that either this child must be begotten by the mixture of man which sheweth her ignorance or that hee could not be begotten without which sheweth her unbeliefe Eighthly shee uttereth not these words in diffidence as Zachary had done when he said how shall I know this but in desire to bee satisfied in the mystery or the manner as shee was in the matter Shee understood that the Angel spake of the birth of the Messias she knew that hee should bee borne of a Virgin shee perceived that shee was pointed out for that Virgin and beleeving all this shee desireth to be resolved how so great a thing should come to passe Vers. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee c. The Angel satisfieth the Virgins question with a threefold answer First instructing her in the manner of the performance Secondly furnishing her with an example of much like nature
of salvation Psal. 18. 1. 2 Sam. 22. 3. Vers. 70. Which have been since the world began Adams calling his wives name Eve or life in apprehension of the promise of the seed of the woman that should breake the head of the Serpent Eves calling her Sonnes name Cain a purchase because shee had obtained a man even the Lord or the Lord to become a man and her naming her other Sonne Sheth or setled c. these were Prophecies that spake of Christ from the beginning of the world Vers. 71. That wee should bee saved from our enemies This hath sweet reference to the promise given at the beginning of the World from which time he had traced Prophecies in the verse preceding I will put enmity betwixt thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed Hee shall breake thine head Gen. 3. 15. Where in the former words of the verse I will set enmity c. there is an expression who are our enemies namely the Serpent and his seed and in the latter hee shall breake thine head there is an intimation how wee shall be saved namely by Christs breaking the head and power of Satan So that the former verse and this being laid together they arise unto this sense that all the Prophets from Adam and upward had their eye upon the promise in that garden and spake of salvation and delivery by Christ by his breaking the head and destroying the kingdome of the devil Vers. 76. The Prophet of the Highest As Aaron to Moses Exod. 7. 1. Prophecy had been now very long decayed and but little therof had been under the second Temple it is now reviving in an extraordinary manner and this child is to be the first of this race of Prophets that is in rising and to be the Harbinger of Christ himself Vers. 77. To give knowledge of salvation by remission c. The knowledge of salvation that the Law held forth at the first view was by legall righteousnesse and absolute performance of what was commanded but John who was to begin the Gospel brought in another Doctrine and gave the people knowledge of salvation by another way namely by the remission of sinnes as Rom. 4. 6 7. And this is the tenour of the Gospel Vers. 78. The day-spring from an high Greek A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Lxx to translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The branch Esa. 4. 2. Jer. 23. 5. Zech. 3. 9. 6. 12. the name of Christ and so it may bee understood of Christs personall comming and appearance amongst men as God is said to have visited Sarah Gen. 21. 1. that is not onely in mercifull dealing with her as to give her a child but also in personally comming unto her in visible appearance as Chapter 18. 14. At the time appointed I will returne c. Or it may be taken in connexion to the sense of the Verses preceding That after the defect of Prophecy the dawning of that gift and after the darknesse of the doctrine of salvation as it was in the law the day-spring of it from an high came now to visit us in the brightnes of the Gospel Vers. 80. And was in the deserts Of Ziph and Maon 1 Sam. 23. 14. 25. which were places not farre from Hebron where John was borne Josh. 15. 54 55. His education was not in the Schooles at Jerusalem but in these plaine Countrey Townes and Villages in the Wildernesse Till the day of his shewing unto Israel That is when at thirty yeeres of age he was to be brought to the Sanctuary service Num. 4. 3. to which he did not apply himself as the custome was but betook himself to another course SECT VI. S. LUKE CHAP. II. CHRIST borne published to the Shepheards rejoyced in by Angels circumcised presented in the Temple confessed by Simeon and Anna. AND it camâ— to passe in those dayes that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the World should bee taxed 2 And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was Governour of Syria 3 And all went to be taxed every one into his owne City 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the City of Nazareth into Judea unto the City of David which is called Bethlehem because hee was of the flock and linage of David 5 To bee taxed with Mary his espoused wife being great with Child 6 And so it was that while they were there the dayes were accomplished that she should be delivered 7 And she brought forth her first-borne Sonne and wrapped him in swadling cloaths and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him in the Inne 8 And there were in the same Countrey Shepheards abiding in the field keeping watch over their flocke by night 9 And â—o the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid 10 And the Angel said Feare not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people 11 For unto you is borne this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a signe unto you yee shall find the babe wrapped in swadling cloaths lying in a manger 13 And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the Heavenly host praising God and saying 14 Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace good will towards men 15 And it came to passe as the Angels were gone away from them into Heaven the Shepheards said one to another Let us now goe even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to passe which the Lord hath made knowne unto us 16 And they came with hast and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in the manger 17 And when they had seen it they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child 18 And all they that heard it wondred at those things which were told them by the Shepheards 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondred them in her heart 20 And the Shepheards returned glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seene as it was told unto them 21 And when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of the child his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the wombe 22 And when the dayes of her purification according to the Law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 As it is written in the Law of the Lord every male that openetâ— the wombe shall bee called holy to the Lord. 24 And to offer a Sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord a paire of Turtle Doves and two young Pigeons 25 And behold there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon and the same
house it inforceth us to look for a literal interpretation in it and not a tropicall Thirdly Aquinas evadeth the reall opening of them with this glosse stranger then both the other and by another intellectuall vision then that that was spoken of before For it may also bee understood saith hee of an intellectuall vision namely that Christ baptisme being â—ow sanctifyed saw heaven open unto men But this exposition the word of Saint Marke newly mentioned confuteth much more then it did the other Fourthly Marke therefore tying us to a literall sense and to understand a reall and proper cleaving of the Heavens indeed the doubt now onely resteth what heaven it was whether the Aâ—reall or Aethereall for so are the heavens properly distinguished according to the significancy of the Hebrew word Shamaiim which importeth a duality or a thing doubled Answer It was onely the Aereall for that is called Heaven and the Firmament Gen. 1. 8. 20. as may bee confirmed by these reasons First Because there needed no further scissure in the Heavens then the renting of the clouds in the middle Region either for the descending of the Holy Ghost or of the voyce or for the satisfying of the eyes and eares of the spectators and hearers that they came from Heaven Secondly Because the Scripture in other places speaking of things which came but out of the clouds yet useth the very same terme to expresse the clouds by that is used here namely Heaven As The Lord that gave the Law out of a cloud Exod. 19. 16. is said to have spoken from Heaven Exod. 20. 22. So the like voyce to this here that came out of a cloud Luk. 9. 35. yet is said to come from heaven 2 Pet. 1. 18. And Elias that by his prayer shut up the clouds that there was no rain is said to have shut up heaven Luk. 4. 25. The opening of the Heavens then was the renting of the clouds as wee see them rent when the lightning comes forth and out of that rent came the Holy Ghost in visible shape and the heavenly voyce And thus did the Gospell or Preaching of Christ begin with the opening of the Heavens which the Law had shut and thus were the heavens shaken when the desire of all Nations came first to bee revealed openly as Hag. 2. 6 7. The very same difference of expression that is betwixt Saint Marke and the other Evangelists is betwixt the Hebrew and the Lxx. in Isa. 64. 1. for the Originall readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wouldest or hast rent but the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou open the Heavens c. Mat. 3. Ver. 16. The Heavens were opened to him To him to whom to Christ or to John Why to the eyes and beholding of them both for in that John saith hee saw the Holy Ghost comming from or out of Heaven like a dove Joh. 1. 32. hee maketh it past deniall that hee saw the opening of the heavens but the word to him in this place must bee reserved and referred in a singular peculiarity to Christ and the opening of the Heavens to him importeth a more emphaticall propriety then their opening to his sight For the Syntax and Grammaticall construction that Marke useth maketh it impossible to fix the words to him any other wayes then upon Christ And straightway saith hee comming up out of the water hee saw the Heavens rent or cloven c. This then being the propriety of the words that the heaven was opened to our Saviour and yet since it was also opened to the sight of John it doth necessarily inforce uâ— to understand it otherwise then onely to his view or beholding namely to his prayer as the phrase is used by him himselfe Knocke and it shall bee opened unto you For had the Evangelist intended onely to shew how hee saw this apertion in the Heaven hee might have joyned John with him in the same sight but hee would give us to understand by the phrase that hee hath used singularly of Christ alone that the heavens were not onely opened to his sight but for his sake And from hence may bee confirmed what was spoken before concerning his prayer namely that it aimed at such a thing as Elias prayed and the heaven was opened and fire came down upon his Sacrifice Thus heaven that was shut to the first Adam because of his sin is opened to the second because of his righteousnesse and to all that by faith are partakers of it Mark 1. Ver. 10. Hee saw the heavens cloven This is to bee understood as that before of Christ onely and after the same sense or to the same purport But since it is certaine that John saw this as well as hee as is also observed before and yet none of the three Evangelists that record the Story have given any undoubted or plaine evidence of any such a thing it may likewise be questioned whether the rest of the people which were there present did see this sight as well as Christ and John Theophylact is peremptory in the affirmative For all of them saith hee saw the Spirit comming upon Jesus lest they should thinke that the voice This is my beloved Sonne had been spoken concerning John but upon the sight of the holy Ghost they might beleeve that that voice was concerning Christ. And of this opinion are very many others with him and no marveile for who could conceive any other thing And yet upon the weighing of these Reasons following wee may very well bee perswaded to beleeve the contrary or that this Heavenly spectacle and divine voice was conspicuous and audible to none but onely to Christ and John First because John after this doth himselfe tell those that were present at this time that there had stood one among them but they knew him not that that was hee that was to come after him For the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1. 26. must of necessity bee rendred in its preterperfect signification for John spake not those words till after Christ was baptized and gone for hee was at that time in his temptation in the wildernesse Secondly because Christ himselfe also telleth the Jewes that they had never heard his Fathers voice Joh. 5. 37. and among those to whom he speaketh were divers that had imbraced the doctrine and baptisme of John Ver. 35. and it may very well bee supposed some that were present at his baptisme at this very time The maintainers of the contrary Opinion have spied this scruple and difficulty arising upon that Text and have gone about to salve it but with a very improper and dangerous plaister holding that though they heard this voice yet they heard not the voice of the Father but of an Angell which spake in his name which shall bee examined by and by Thirdly it is improbable that when Christ had such another testimony from Heaven at his transfiguration that he should conceale it from nine of his Disciples and charge
the more visible in them it might prepare beliefe the better for this As these two types and fore-runners of those two great mysteries were exhibited so often in the Old Testament that they might prepare credit and entertainment for the other when they should bee exhibited in the birth of Christ so was it most fit that they should bee declared in the birth of him that was to be Christs forerunner indeed and when the mysteries they aimed at were so neere to bee revealed On the right side of the Altar of Incense On the north side of it On Zacharies right hand and on the right side of the house as Ezek. 10. 3. compare Zach. 3. 1. Psal. 109. 6. 31. and 142. 4. The appearing of an Angel in the Sanctuary with a message from God was a thing ever hardly seen or heard of before and it sheweth how Vrim and Thummim the ordinary way of Gods revealing his mind in that place was now ceased For God used to reveale his will to the Priest by a soft voice from off the Arke but now both Arke and Oracle were quite gone and the losse the lesser when the true Arke of the Covenant and the Oracle of the will of God our Saviour Christ was so neere at hand The second Temple wanted five things which were in the first as the Jewes observe upon the want of the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hag. 1. 8. namely First The Arke Secondly Vrim and Thummim Thirdly the 〈◊〉 from Heaven Fourthly the divine presence or cloud of glory And fifthly the holy Ghost or the spirit of Prophecy and power of miracles Masseâ— Iâ—m Yet was the glory of that house to be greater then the glory of the first because of the presence of Christ in it Vers. 13. Thy prayer is heard c. Not that hee was now praying for a child for his age made him incredulous of having a child when the Angel told him of one and then it is not like hee would pray for one and in this place and at this time hee was a person representative of the whole people and therefore was not to make a private prayer for himselfe but either the prayers which he had before made to that purpose were now come into remembrance or rather he was now praying for the delivery of Israel the remission of their sinnes and the comming of Christ in which they without were joyning with him and this his prayer the Angell tells him is so ready to bee answered that his wife should presently conceive a Sonne that should preach remission convert the people and goe before the face of Christ. And now O yee Priests beseech God that hee will bee gracious unto you Mal. 1. 9. And so was Zacharias the Priest at this time doing And the Angel said unto him Thy prayer is heard and thy wife shall beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name John this Name being interpreted importeth gracious as Esa. 30. 18 19. Vers. 16. And many of the Children of Israel shall bee turne Many of Israel shall returne when they shall see signes of redemption Whereupon it is said He saw that there was no man c. Esa. 59. 16. D. Kimchin loc Vers. 17. In the power and spirit of Elias John the Baptist did so neerely represent Elias that hee beareth his very name Mal. 4. Mat. 11. 14. First they both came when Religion was even perished and decaying Secondly they both restored it in an excellent measure Thirdly they were both persecuted for it Elias by Ahab and Jezabel John by Herod and Herodias Fourthly they both conversed much in the Wildernesse Fifthly they agreed in austerity of life Sixthly in the wearing of a hairy garment and a Leatherne girdle 2 King 1. 8. Mat. 3. 4. Seventhly both of them had Heaven opened to them neere Jordan To which two parallels more might bee added if these two opinions of the Jewes concerning Elias might bee beleeved First that hee was of the Tribe of Levi for they take him to bee Phinâ—has as see R. Lev. Gersh on 1 King 17. Secondly That hee restored circumcision when it was decayed from those words in 1 King 19. 14. They have forsaken thy Covenant To turne the hearts of the fathers to the children That is The hearts of the Jewes to the Gentiles For first the hatred of a Jew against a Gentile was deadly and it was a speciall worke of the Gospel and consequently of John that began to Preach it to bring both these to imbrace Christ and for and in him to imbrace one another Secondly Experience it selfe confirmeth this exposition for as the Gospel belonged to the Gentiles as well as the Jewes and as John came for a witnesse that all through him might beleeve so did hee convert and baptize Roman Souldiers as well as Jewish Pharisees Thirdly Baptisme at its first institution was the Sacrament for admission of Heathens onely to the Church and true Religion when therefore the Jewes also begin to desire it and to consent to the Heathens in the undertaking of it then was the heart of the fathers turned to the children Fourthly It is the common and constant use of the Prophets to stile the Church of the Gentiles by the name of children to the Church of the Jewes as Isa. 54. 5 6. 13. and 60. 4. 9. and 62. 5. and 66. 12 13. Fifthly the Talmud expounding these words in Malachi seemeth to understand them of such a communion or reconciliation as is spoken of Vid. R. Sol. in loâ— Malach. Herod saith Josephus Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 7. slew John the Baptist being a good man and injoyning the Jewes that exercising vertue and using right dealing one towards another and piety towards God they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convene or knit together in Baptisme And the disobedient c. In Malachi it is And the hearts of the children to the fathers But first the Holy Ghost is not so punctuall to cite the very letter of the Prophet as to give the sense Secondly it was not very long after the Baptizing and Preaching of John that the Jewes ceased to bee a Church and Nation nay even in the time of John himselfe they shewed themselves enemies to the Gospel and the professors of it as concerning the generall or the greatest part of them therefore hee saith not that the heart of the children the Gentiles should bee turned to their Fathers the Jewes which should cease to bee fathers and should cease to bee a people but to the wisdome of the righteous ones The disobedient As in this clause hee refuseth to use the tearme of Fathers for the reason mentioned so doth hee also of the correlative children because of his refusing that And yet hee coucheth the sense of that title under the word disobedient which word in its most proper and naturall signification reflecteth upon untowardly children disobedient to their parents As therefore by his omitting to
this with the Visions of Jacob and Moses with their flocks Gen. 31. 10. Exod. 3. 3. and of Sampsons mother in the field SS Keeping watch over the flocke by night Greek Keeping the watches of the night For the night was divided by the Jewes into foure watches of three houres a piece The first or beginning of watches is mentioned 〈◊〉 8 19. The second and third Luke 12. 38. The fourth Mat. 14. 25. this was called also the morning watch Exod. 14. 24. Howbeit the Talâ—â—ud from Judg. 7. 19. divideth it only into three Be it the one or the other these Shepheards it seemeth observed such an order as that they watched by course while others slept or not to take it so very strictly they lay now in the fields and watched their flocks all night which had been in a manner impossible to have done in the deepe of winter at which time our Kalendar hath placed Christs Nativity Vers. 9. The glory of the Lord 〈◊〉 c. That is an exceeding great glory for so doe the Hebrewes heighten their expressions as Cedars of the Lord that is goodly Cadars Such an exceeding great glory shone about Paul Act. 26. 13. That at noone day this in the dead of the night Vers. 13. A multitude of the Heavenly best c. It might not unproperly be rendred The multitude as importing that all the Quire of Angels or the whole multitude of that â—â—lestiall Militia was now knit together in a consort for the praises and acknowledgment of Christ according to that of the Apostle Heb. 1. 6. When hee bringeth in the first-begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him And thus as all the Angels sang at the beginning of the old world of at the Creation Job 38. 7. So doe they at the beginning of the new and of the redemption Angels are called the Heavenly host 1 King 22. 19. Job 25. 3. And in this sense Rab. Menahem understandeth Gen. 2. 1. Thus were the Heavens and the Earth finished and all their Host that is faith hee the Angels whose Creation Moses nameth not elsewhere Vers. 14. Glory to God in the Highest c. The last words of this verse the Vulgar Latine readeth to men of good will contrary to the Syrian Arabicke and to the ancient Greek Copies as appeareth by Greg. Naziâ—nzen Orat. 42. Andreas Jerusolomitanus in Orat. de Salutatione Angeli c. The whole Verse is but one Proposition or Axiome in which the last clause of all is the subject and the two former are predicated of it And it lieth in this sense The good will of God to men shewed in the Incarnation of our Saviour when God himselfe disdained not to take the nature of man is glory to him in the highest and is peace upon the earth And that this is the genuine and proper meaning and posture of the words may be observed First by the conjunction 〈◊〉 And put betweene Glory to God and peace on earth and none between them and good will And secondly the very sense and matter it self inforceth this construction For first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beareth the same sense here that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth Mat. 3. 17. and 17. 5. of Gods good-will or will-pleasednesse with men Now secondly this well-pleased nesse of his with men was expressed and evidenced at this time in the birth of our Saviour in that God had assumed the nature of men and it had never been so cleered and demonstrated before So that thirdly the birth of Christ being the occasion of the Angels singing this song the good will of God towards men revealed in this his birth must needs bee the subject of their Song And then fourthly the other two things expressed in the two other clauses glory on High and peace on Earth must needs be understood as Predicates seeing that being laid to this expression of God of his good will towards men they are but as fruits and consequences of it And this reading and construction how facil and plaine is it in comparison of these intricacies and obscurities that those readings bring with them that either breake the verse into three distinct axiomes or into two or that read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Genitive case or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Dative as may bee seene in Expositors Now how the good-will and well-pleasednesse of God towards men exhibited and shewed in the incarnation and birth of our Saviour did glorifie God in the highest in all his attributes of wisedome truth justice power mercy c. And how it wrought peace on earth betwixt man and himselfe and man and Angels and man and man and man and his owne coâ—â—cience might bee shewed at large if wee were common placing in stead of commenting Ver. 21. And when eight daies were accomplished for the circumcising c. It was necessary that Christ should bee circumcised that hee might both beare the badge of a childe of Abraham and have upon him an obligation to the keeping of the Law For hee that was circumcised was a debter to the whole Law Gal. 5. 3. Ver. 22. And when the dayes of her purification c. At forty daies old Levit. 12. 1 2 3 4. the Lord commeth to his owne Temple and by an old man and an old woman is proclaimed both to young and old that expected redemption Herod had heard no tidings of him as yet by the Wisemen for otherwise this had beene an opportunity for him to have put in practice his bloody and malicious intent Mary is purified according to the custome of the Law although shee had contracted no pollution by her childing and bringing forth partly that Christ in nothing might bee wanting to the Law and partly that this might bee an occasion for the first publicke declaration of him by Simeon and Anna. Ver. 25. A man whose name was Simeon This Simeon seemeth to bee hee whom the Jewish Authours name for the son of Hillel and who was the first that bare the title of Rabban the highest title that was given to their Doctors and which was given but to seven of them Hillel was the famous head or principall of that Schoole that is so renowned in the Jewish Authours by the name of Beth Hillel Out of which as they relate there came thousands of Schollers but fourescore especially of most renowne Hillel the old they are the words of the Talmud had fourescore Schollers Thirty of them were fit on whom the divine Majesty should rest as it did on Moses Thirty of them were worthy for whom the Sun should stand still as it did for Joshua and twenty were of a middle râ—â—â—e between The greatest of them all was Jonathan ben Uzziel that Paraphrased the Prophets in the Chaldee tongue and the lowest of them was Johanan the son of Zaccai Such a Father had this our Simeon and so renowned but himselfe infinitely were renowned in the thing that is now in
that shone about the Shepheards was that which the wisemen then supposed and do now call a Starre Upon which let us looke a little and see what probability there may bee that it was so First then it is past doubting that the Shepheards saw the glory of the Lord shine round about them and the wisemen the new Star shine at a distance from them at one and the same time namely at the time of our Saviours birth For since both these things were to both these parties as a messenger to impart unto them the tydings of the birth of Christ no reason can bee given or supposed why they should not appeare to them both to doe this message to them at the very time when hee was borne Now the Shepheards at Bethlehem and the Magicians in Arabia seeing on the very same night a light that was to tell them of the very same thing what reason have we to thinke that it was not one and the same light Secondly to conceive that the Wisemens Starre appeared to them in the East part of Heaven maketh the matter farre more difficult to resolve how they came to know that it denoted a King of the Jewes then by supposing that they saw it hanging over the very Center or middle of the Land of the Jews For though we cannot but acknowledge that the spirit of God was their chiefe intelligenâ—er and instructer in this matter and so could have taught them so much wheresoever they had seen the Starre appeare yet can wee not but thinke that it was a likelier way to read this lesson to them by setting this light upon the very place where the King that it betokened was borne rather then in the East part of Heaven where it might seem to denote something among the Indians rather then among the Jewes Thirdly we know it by experience that a great light or fire that happeneth in any place in the night bee it never so great in it selfe or in the eyes of those that are in the place where it is yet to those that are a great distance off it seemeth but as a Star or such a thing And that it might not bee so with the Wisemen in this matter there is neither Analogy of faith probability in reason evidence in Scripture or any thing I know of will deny And lastly it is not to bee omitted without weighing that as soone as the Wisemen after their conference with Herod were gone out of Jerusalem to set for Bethlehem the Starre shewed it self to them againe It appeareth now nearer to them to conduct them to the place where the Child now was as it had appeared at greater distance at his birth to signifie to them that he was borne Then they saw it over or in Judea which directed them to hearken to Jerusalem now they see it at Jerusalem almost over their heads to direct them to Jerusalem Vers. 3. Hee was troubled and all Jerusalem with him Herod for feare of the losse of his Kingdome and Jerusalem for feare of the disturbance of their State For hee having been so long the King of Judea as seven and thiry yeeres and having laid the foundation of a successive royalty to his family in so much policy and cruelty as hee had done how would this make him to startle to heare of a King newly borne unto the Nation whose subjection his thoughts and indeavours had promised to his owne children and to have the certainty of the thing confirmed from Heaven by a wondrous and miraculous light And how must it needs perplexe the Jewes also to heare of a new King over them besides Herod who was set over them by their Lords the Romane For how iâ— would the Romanes take it that their determination and decree of Herods reigning over Judea should bee so affronted as that a new King should rise among them and what could follow upon this but the Romanâ— Armies and the Jewes miserie Or if they understood this King to bee Messias as the Nation now looked for his comming yet could it not choose but breed some perplexity in them partly to think of the rarenesse of the matter and chiefly of their being in subjection to so potent a Nation as the Romanes when their delivered should appeare Vers 4. All the chiefe Priests Since there was properly but one High Priest at once among the Jews by the chiefe Priests so often mentioned in the Gospel some have understood those High Priests that by the Roman Governours or otherwise were turned out of their Office as about these times that matter was ordinary So Josephus recordeth that Valerius Graâ—us first made Ismael High Priest in stead of Ananus then deposeth him and maketh Eleazar Ananus his Sonne him againe he deposeth and maketh Simon Fitz Kamithus and in his roome againe hee setteth Joseph surnamed Caiâ—phas which Caiaphâ—s was also removed by Vitellius and Jonathan Fitz Ananâ—â— placed in his stead And these men thus turned out of Office are called as they suppose both here and elsewhere the chiefe Priests But their opinion is farre more warrantable and agreeable to truth that by the chief Priests understand the severall heads of the families or the chiefe of the foure and twenty courses into which David had divided and ordered the Priests 1 Chron. 24. which are therefore called chiefe Priests not so much for Primacy or Superiority that they had in their Ecclesiasticall function above the rest of the Clergy as 1. because they were heads of their houses And a because they were of the great Councell and made a third part of the seventy Elders SS And Scribes of the people Hee calleth them Scribes of the people to distinguish them from the Secretaries or Clerkes of particular men as Bâ—â—uch 〈◊〉 the Scribe of Jeremy and Seraiah the Scribe or Secretary of David 2. Saâ— 8. 27. But these of whom mentâ—on is here and so very frequently in the Gospel elswhere were not such private or peculiar Clerkes but they were the publick Scribes or Clerkes of the people and this their Office or function consisted in two particulars First they were the men that tooke upon them to copy the Bible for those that desired to have a copy For so great and various is the accuracy and exactnesse of the Scripture text in the mysticall and profound significances of letters vowels and accents that it was not fit that every one should offer to transcribe the Originall or that every vulgar pen should copy things of so sublime speculation Therfore there was a peculiar special order of learned men among the Jews whose Office it was to take care of the preservation of the purity of the Text in all Bibles that should bee copied out that no corruption or error should creep into the Originall of the Sacred Writ and these were called the Scribes of the people or their Scriveners or Writers of the copy of the Bible And hence is it that there is so frequent mention in
vengeance to come upon the impenitent and unfruitfull as wrath to come vers 7. and casting into fire and fire unquenchable ver 10. 12. and therefore it is most proper to expound the Axe as an instrument destroying for judgement or destruction Secondly this place seemeth plainly to have reference to Esai 10. 33 34. Behold the Lord the Lord of hosts shall lop the bough with terror and the high ones of stature shall bee hewen downe and the bâ—ughty shall bee humbled And bee shall cut downe the thickets of the Forests with iron and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one which how the more ancient Jews understood of the destruction of their State and Kingdome and that neere upon the comming of Christ a testimony of their owne in their Talmud in the treatise Beraâ—hoth may sufficiently evidence There was a certaine Jew say they was plowing and one of his Oxen lowed The Oxe lowing told of the comming of the Lord A certaine Arabian passing by heard the lowing of the Oxe and said unto the Jew O Jew unyoke thine Oxen and care not for thine implements for your Sanctuary is destroyed And the Oxe lowed againe and the Arabian saith O Jew yoke thine Oxen and make sit thine implements for your Messias is borne c. Rabbi Abuni said And what need you to learne this of an Arabian The text is plaine in Esay which saith Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one and it followeth And there shall come forth a rod out of the stemme of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his root SS To the root of the treeâ— First by the root of the trees might bee understood the root of Jesse of which mention was made before from Esay 11. 1. For in all the crosses and calamities Warres overthrowes and captivities that had befallen the Nation of the Jewes the stocke of Jesse or line of David could never bee rooted out or extinguished because the promise that Christ should come of it did preserve and keepe it alive in despight of all opposition till hee that was promised did come indeed But now seeing that hee was come and that that line had no more the shelter and preservative of the promise it also must come to ruine and rooting out as well as others Secondly the Axe is now laid to the very root of your confidence aud boasting For whereas yee say within your selves and stand upon it that ye have Abraham to your Father the time is now come that that distinction betwixt who is and who is not of the Seed of Abraham shall be no more regarded nor looked after but every one of what Nation soever that feareth God shall bee accepted of him and the seed of Abraham for not fearing him shall bee rejected and that priviledge not respected at all Thirdly Jerusalem was as the root of the whole Nation from which they derived the sap of religion and policy but now the axe of destruction is laid even to that Fourthly this phrase may be understood as comparing the ruine of the Jewes here threatned with those desolations they had feâ—t before For then as at the captivitie of Babylon for example they were not utterly cut off from their Land for ever but had a promise of returning and returned and were planted there againe but now the vengeance threatned must strike at the very root and quite destroy them from being a Nation for ever and from all hope of returning to their Country any more By the Axe being now laid to the root of the trees may fitly bee understood 1. The certainty of their desolation And 2 the neernes in that the instrument of their destruction was already prepared and brought close to them the Romanes that should ruine their City and Nation being already Masters and Rulers over them Luke 3. vers 10. And the people asked him c. Or the multitude as verse 7. which verse compared with this sheweth that the question what shall wee doe then proceeded from those to whom the Baptist addressed his last speech O ye generation of Vipers c. which were Pharisees and Sadduces as appeareth by Matthew and other multitude mixed among as by Luke Now whether this their question proceeded from the apprehension of the danger threatned or application of the exhortation urged whether they desired to learne how to avoid the evill of the wrath to come or to doe the good workes of repentance when they ask what shall wee doe is neither so materiall to search nor easie to find as it is fit to observe how powerfully the doctrine of the Baptist hath wrought with them when it hath thus brought them to looke off the goodnesse of Abraham in which they trusted and to think after goodnesse of their owne Vers. 11. Hee that hath two coates let him impart to him that hath none c. It appeareth by the Baptists answer that their question demanded what were those good fruits that hee called upon them to bring forth vers 8 9. and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here may seeme to have respect to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those verses His answer is an exhortation to almesdeeds or giving to the needy rather then any other lesson not that thereby they might thinke to satisfie for their sinnes or merit for themselves but for divers other important and considerable ends For 1. he seteth them this as an easie lesson for yet they were but very children in the Evangelicall schoole To have put them at their first entry into this schoole to the hard lecture of self-deniall mortification patience and joy in persecution and other such things as these had been too strong meat for such babes too difficult a taske for such infants to take out and therefore hee setteth them this easie Copy and layeth no greater an imposition upon them then what even the weakest of them might follow and undergoe to impart of their abundance to the poore 2. The tenour of the Gospel is mercy and not sacrifice Hosea 6. 7. Mat. 12. 7. and therefore he putteth not upon them the cost of oblations and offerings which were required by the Law nor the fasting and pining of the body as did many of his owne Disciples but the lovely workes of charitie and mercy the first and most visible of which is reliefe of the needy 3. By this he putteth them to tryall how they forsake the world by parting with their worldly goods how they live by faith in not fearing poverty though they give of their wealth away how they love their neighbour as themselves in making him partner of what they have and how their eyes are fixed on things to come by giving away here and looking for reward thereof in heaven And 4. it may bee very well supposed that among the multitude that stood before him the Baptist saw some rich and some poore some in good cloathing and some in meane and that the present object
that he beheld might bee some occasion to him to propose this lesson to be put presently in practice SS That hath two coates c. Hee requireth not wilfull poverty but almes-deeds of their superfluity not to give away their coat if they have but one but if they have two then to give one of them and to the same purpose hee useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meats in the plurall number not to goe naked themselves that they may cloath others nor to prevent others begging by their almes and to beg themselves but what they have above their owne necessaries to contribute to the necessities of the needy and first to love themselves and then their neighbourâ— as themselves Ver. 12. Publicans Publicans at the first were such as gathered the tributes and custome of the Romanes in those Countreys and provinces that were under their dominion And this at that time was an honourable place and calling For Tullie commending M. Varro to Brutus giveth these two reasons of the strong tie of friendship betwixt them The one is saith he because hee is versed in my way of studies in which I am chiefly delighted And the other because hee betooke himselfe maturely to the company of the publicans which indeed I would not have had him to have done because hee had suffered great losses and yet the cause of that common order of mee most highly esteemed made our friendship the stronger And in his Oration for Plaâ—ciuâ— hee saith That the flower of the Romane Knights the ornament of the City the strength of the Common-wealth is comprehended in the order of the Publicans And so it was an honourable memoriall that was left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To him that had played the good Publican Suetonius in vita Vespasiani statim sub initio But in after times the quality of the Office it selfe and the conditions of the Officers became very much altered For now men of inferiour ranke farmed those places and tooke the Office upon an yeerely rent and quickly brought the calling into disgrace So that in the Gospel Publicans are branded with a speciall note of infamy above other men and still goe hand in hand with the most notorious sinners And this first generally every where because of their coveteousuesse and racking exactions which are the common fruits of buying or farming of Offices Tacitus calleth them immodestiam publicanorum the immodesty of the Publicans and mentioneth a generall complaint against them in the time of Nero and some reformation of their injuriousnesse And Suidas giveth them this character The life of the Publicanes is open violence unpunished rapine an unseasonable trade and a shamelesse merchandise Secondly More especially were men of this profession odious among the Jewes because whereas they held themselves to bee a freeborne Nation and that they ought not to subject to any nor pay tribute but onely their dues to God and homage to their own King these wretches as enemies to the common Liberty did help forward their subjection in exacting of custome though they were of the same Nation themselves complying too much with the Romanes company contrary to Jews punctualnesse of sequestration from the Heathen and too too much with their tyranny in augmenting those burdens of bondage which they had made heavy enough before Ver. 13. Exact no more c. By this answer is approved what is said immediately before about their extortion that not onely they sided with the Romans in putting the Jews their own Nation to tribute but also did aggravate the burden themselves by exaction of more then was required by the Romane Governours Now it is observable that of the Pharisees and Sadduces the Baptist requireth affirmatively some duties to bee done Hee that hath two coates c. because these people stood upon their own righteousnesse and pleaded perfection therefore will hee try them by the touchstone of action but of the Souldiers and Publicans hee requireth only negatively some enormities to bee forgone for they being notoriously and scandalously wicked it was necessary they should first cease to doe evill before they 〈◊〉 learn or bee brought to do good Ver. 14. The Souldiers These were Romanes or some of other Nations under the Romane pay for no one can think that the Romanes would use the Jews for their garrisons in their own Countrey leâ—t they should rebell and here do the Gentiles first hearken to the Gospel SS d ee violence to no man c. The Baptist in his answer tyeth both hand tongue and heart deed word and thought from the injury of another their profession especially tending so much toward injuriousnesse First hee forbiddeth them open violence in act whether by blows ravishing plunder firing or such like mischiefes as attend the warres and goe with Souldiers Secondly secret underminings by false accusing abusing the power of the Superiour to the wrong of another when their own could not reach and sewing the Foxes skinne to when the Lions was too short And Thirdly discontentation and repining at their wages which indeed was the cause and originall of both the other And so is that a main argument used by Percennius which moved the great mutinie of the three legions in Pannonia in the very entry of the Reign of Tiberius Denis in diem assibus corpus animam aestimari How poore a thing it was that their lives and bodies were rated and set to sale but at ten farthings a day Tacit. Annal. lib. 1. It is observable in both the answers of the Baptist to the Publicans and to the Souldiers that hee gainsayeth not their professions but their abuse of them to the one hee forbiddeth not to gather tribute but to exact more and to the other not to exercise Souldiery but to practice violence Ver. 15. As the people were in expectation c. Divers things there were that concurred to make the Jewes to thinke of Christ when they saw the Baptist and to muse in heart whether hee were hee or no. First the first and the prime one was the agreement of the time For they had learned by diverse pregnant evidences both in the Law and in the Prophets that this was the time when Christ should come for now was the Scepter departed from Juda now was the Law-giver or Sanhedrin slaine by Herod now were the Romanes Lords of their Nation and now were Daniels seventies expired by which they knew that this was the time and now they looked that the Kingdome of Heaven should appeare Luk. 19. 11. and they gather together from all Nations to Jerusalem to see its appearing Act. 2. as was hinted before When therefore secondly in this time of their great expectation they behold the excellent sanctity piety and zeale the admirable strictnesse austerity and Spirit And Thirdly the strange unusuall and powerfull manner of the preaching of the Baptist it is no wonder if they entertained a doubtfull and musing thought of him whether hee were the Christ or no. And Fourthly
SECT X. Christ installed into his Ministery by baptisme and by the unction of the Holy Ghost his Pedegree by his Mother Mary St. Matthew Chap. III. St. Marke Chap. I. St. Luke Chap. III. Ver. 13. THen 〈◊〉 Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to bee baptized of him ver 9. AND it came to passe in those dais that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee  14 But John forbad him saying I have â—â—ed to bee baptized of thee and commest thou to me 15 And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer it to be so now for this it becommeth us to fulfill all righteousnesse Then hee suffered him   16 And Jesus when hee was baptized went up straightway out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him 17 And lâ—e a voice from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am wel pleased and was baptized of John in Jordan 10 And straightway comming up out of the water he saw the Heavens opened and the spirit like a Dove descending upon him 11 And there came a voice from heaven saying Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased ver 21. NOw when all the people were baptized And it came to passe that Jesus also being baptized and praying the heaven was opened 22. And the holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a Dove upon him and a voice came from heaven which said Thou art my beloved Son in thee I am well pleased 23 And Jesus himselfe began to bee about thirty yeeres of age being as was supposed the Sonne of Joseph which was the sonne of Heli 24 Which was the sonne of Mattâ—at which was the sonne of Levi which was the sonne of Melchi which was the sonne of Janna which was the sonne of Joseph 25 Which was the sonne of Matthias which was the sonne of Amos which was the sonne of Naum which was the sonne of Esli which was the sonne of Nagge 26 Which was the sonne of Maath which was the sonne of Matthias which was the sonne of Semei which was the sonne of Joseph which was the sonne of Juda 27 Which was the sonne of Joannâ— which was the sonne of â—hâ—sa which was the sonne of Zorobabel which was the sonne of Salâ—thiel which was the sonne of Neri 28 Which was the sonne of Melchi which was the sonne of Adâ—i which was the sonne of Cosam which was the sonne of Elmodam which was the sonne of Er 29 Which was the sonne of â—â—se which was the sonne of Eliezâ—â— which was the sonne of Joram which was the sonne of Matthat which was the sonne of Levi 30 Which was the sonne of Simeon which was the sonne of Judah which was the sonne of Joseph which was the sonue of Jonan which was the sonne of Eliakim 31 Which was the sonne of Melea which was the sonne of Menan which was the sonne of Mattatha which was the sonne of Nathan which was the sonne of David 32 Which was the sonne of Jesse which was the sonne of Obed which was the sonne of Booz which was the sonne of Salmon which was the sonne of Naasson 33 Which was the sonne of Aminadab which was the sonne of Aram which was the sonne of Esrom which was the sonne of Phares which was the sonne of Juda 34 Which was the sonne of Jacob which was the sonne of Isaac which was the sonne of Abraham which was the sonne of Thara which was the sonne of Nachor 35 Which was the sonne of Saruch which was the sonne of Ragan which was the sonne of Phaleg which was the sonne of Heber which was the sonne of Sala 36 Which was the sonne of Cainan which was the sonne of Arphaxad which was the sonne of Sâ—m which was the sonne of Noah which was the sonne of Lamech 37 Which was the sonne of Methusala which was the sonne of Enoch which was the sonne of Jared which was the sonne of Maleleeâ— which was the sonne of Cainan 38 Which was the sonne of Enos which was the sonne of Seth which was the sonne of Adam which was the Sonne of God Reason of the Order THere can be no doubt or scruple about the subsequency of the beginning of this Section to that that was next before for the three Evangelists have so unanimously ranked them together that the order needeth no more confirmation But about this latter part or the genealogy of Christ there is something more difficulty For some Harmonists have brought this line of Luke and that of Matthew together some bringing Matthews hither with Lukes to Christs baptisme and others this of Luke to the time of Matthews to Christs birth But as the Evangelists have laid them asunder so are they to be kept asunder and to be disposed in the harmony according as they lie for pregnant reasons may be given why the two have laid them at times so far distant Why Matthew at our Saviours birth the reasons were given there in their proper place and why Luke at his baptism may bee the better seen by looking on the promise Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the woman shall breake the head of the Serpent Matthew wrote his Gospel chiefly for the Jewes and therefore it was necessary for him to shew and approve Jesus for the Messias by his Pedegree which was the mainest and the chiefest thing that that Nation looked after for the judging of the true Christ this he doth therefore at the Story of his birth and beginneth it from Abraham who was the ultima Analysis or the furthest that they cared to looke after as concerning his descent But Luke a companion of the Doctor of the Gentiles in all his travailes writeth his Gospel for the Gentiles as well as for the Jewes and therefore hee sheweth Christs descent at the Story of that time at which hee was first borne toward the Gentiles that is at his revelation at his baptisme from whence hee first began to preach the Gospel The first words of the promise the seed of the woman the Evangelist sweetly expoundeth in this genealogie shewing through seventy five descents that he was the seed of the woman promised to Adam in the garden and therefore hee draweth his line from Adam in whose loines the Gentiles were for whom he writeth as well as the Jewes when the promise was made The latter words Shall breake the head of the Serpent begin to take place from the baptisme of Christ and forward and first in his victory against Satans temptations which is the very next story that the Evangelist handleth and then in his preaching of the Gospel the power of which must destroy the kingdome of Satan from that time forward Harmony and Explanation Mat. 3. ver 13. Then Jesus commeth c. THe Tabernacle in the wildernesse was six moneths current in working and preparing for before it was finished and set up For on the tenth day of the moneth Tisri
two great squadrons consisting either of them of so very many thousands marched in an extraordinary breadth because they were to passe over in a reasonable time it will follow hereupon even past all denyall that this their passage took up all the length of Jordan that it had in Judea or very neere it so that the place wee seek for is within this compasse and by this wee may observe the substance sweetly answering to the figure and way made through the waters of Jordan to the heavenly Canaan by baptisme in the very same place where there was to the earthly by its drying up Thirdly The manner of his baptizing differed not from the common manner that John used with others save in one particular For hee went into the water had water sprinkled on him and prayed as well as they but whether John used the same forme of words in baptizing of him that hee did to the other or some other or none at all is some question and scruple The least is of the first for it may bee readily resolved that hee baptized not him in the same words that hee did the others because hee then should have baptized him in his owne name which who can imagine and into him or in his name which was to come which had been to have pointed out another Christ. Betwixt the two latter the scales are ballancing and they weigh so even that it is not much materiall which way your allowance doth turn them for the Quere it selfe is of farre more curiosity then necessity For why might not John baptize him in varyed words As I baptize thee with water to the Preaching of the Gospel or why might hee not baptize him without any words at all since hee received baptisme not so much for a Sacrament as for satisfaction of the typicall Law Let the Readers judgement weigh down the scale Mat. 3. Ver. 16. Hee went up straight out of the water The invention of Auricular confession hath invented a strange Exposition of this clause For the rest of the people say some standing in the waters I know not how deepe after they were baptized confessed their sinnes unto John before they came out being detained there by him untill they had so done but Christ because hee had no sinne needed no such confession and therefore hee came suddenly out of the water after hee was baptized A glosse that includeth impossibilities For neither was it possible that so great multitudes should bee baptized in so short a time if every one made a singular confession of their sinnes to John nor was it possible that John should indure so long in the water as this worke would require and never come out for if they stood up to the neck in the river I cannot think but that hee also stood some deepnesse in the water But this speedy comming of our Saviour out of the water after hee was baptized is expressed by the Evangelist only to shew how neere and close the opening of the heavens was to his baptizing namely that it was almost in the very same instant as Marke explaineth it And straightway comming up out of the water hee saw the heavens opened c. Luk. 3. Ver. 21. And praying This it seemeth was the manner of those that were baptized as soon as they were baptized to come up out of the water and pray and this explaineth that before about confessing their sinnes that it was not to John but to God as soon as they came out of the water Now since Christ had no sinnes to confesse of his owne the tenour of his prayer tended to another purpose If wee think it was for the glory of God for the conversion of many by his Ministery which hee was now beginning for the preservation of the Elect and the sanctifying of the Church and the like wee thinke not much amisse since wee finde his prayers in other places to bee made and tendered to the same effect But it seemeth rather that his prayer at this time was for what followed upon his prayer the sending down of the holy Ghost and the glorifying of him by a testimony from Heaven For first the Text hath laid his prayer and the opening of the Heavens so closely and so consonantly withall together Jesus praying the Heavens were opened as that it seemeth to point out what was the tenour of his prayer by the consequâ—nt upon it Secondly In another place there is the like returne upon the like prayer Joh. 12. 28. Father glorifie thy name there came therefore a voice from heaven c. Thirdly it being considered that our Saviour was to enter now upon the great worke of Redemption and the preaching of the Gospell it will bee the lesse strange to conceive that hee prayed for the visible sealing of him to that work and office by the Holy Ghost and for a testimony of him that hee was the Messias Mat. 3. Ver. 16. Loe the heavens were opened There is no materiall difference in the thing though Luke hath put the Heaven in the singular number and Matthew the Heavens in the plurall for one followeth the Idiome of the Hebrews and the other of the Greekes For the Hebrews cannot call the Heaven by its proper name but in the plurall or duall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heavens but the Greekes can in the singular And so little doth the Syriack make of this difference of number in the two Evangelists that hee translateth it just crosse Matthews plurall in the singular and Lukes singular in the plurall About the opening of the Heavens or the manner of the same as it is of farre more consequence to inquire so is it of difficulty to resolve because of diversity of opinions and probabilities severall wayes First Some deny the opening of the heavens at all but understand that Christ saw them opened and the Holy Ghost descending intellectually onely or by spirituall vision as Ezekiel saw the Heavens opened Ezek. 1. 2. But this exposition is very improper for John saw the same also and the descending of the Holy Ghost was in a bodily shape and not imaginary and the voyce was articulate and Audible and not visionary Secondly Others deny also the opening of the Heavens but with another manner of evasion and exposition For there was say they no scissure or parting of the Heavens asunder because they are incorruptible but a great glorious and miraculous light shone round about Christ as if the very highest heaven had been open and the light thereof imparted cleerely to the earth But this opinion also is confuted by the word that Marke useth differing from the other two For though the phrase The Heavens were opened would admit of such a Metaphoricall or comparative exposition yet when Marke saith expressely that the heavens were cloven or parted asunder for so is his word in the Originall the Syriack expresseth it by the very same word that the Chaldee Paraphrast useth in Lev. 11. for parting of the
the three silence that heard it and saw what was done Matth. 17. 9. and yet should let this voice and vision from Heaven bee so publike as to bee heard and seen of all the people Fourthly John himselfe telleth that this Revelation was given chiefly if not onely for his sake Joh. 1. 33. Fifthly the preaching of the Baptist was the meanes that God had ordained to bring the people to the knowledge of Christ John 1. 7. 31. and this Revelation to bring the Baptist to it Sixthly had all the people been partakers of this sight and voice John had needed no more to have pointed Christ out but the people would have knowne him as well as hee nor could the opinion have ever prevailed as it did that valued John above him Sixthly when John shewed him forth with the singer with Behold the Lambe of God presently Disciples followeed him which they would have done much more had they thus seene and heard him pointed out from heaven but it is plaine they did not the one and thereupon it may be boldly concluded that they did not the other Eighthly to which may be added that God ordained preaching partly of John partly of Christ himselfe and partly of his Disciples the way to bring the world acquainted that hee was Messias And these divine revelations were for the instruction and confirmation of them his preachers who were chosen witnesses for such a purpose that they thereupon might the more confidently confirm the people And hereupon it is observable that while the Baptist was at liberty our Saviour contented himselfe with his testimony and preaching but wheâ— he was shut up then instantly chose he others Now if any doubt of the possibility of this and question how could John see and heare these things and the other company that was present not doe so as well as hee The answer may bee readily given by example of Elishaes servant 2 King 6. 17. and the two men that went to Emmauâ— Luke 24. For the mountaine was full of Horses and Chariots of fire and Elisha perceived them but his servant did not till his eyes were opened in a more speciall manner And Christ it is like was in the same shape and appearance upon the way when they knew him not that he was in the house when they did but til then their eyes were holden Yet if any one will suppose that the people saw the flashing of the opened Heaven and heard the noice of the voice that came from thence and tooke the one for lightening and the other for thunder as Joh. 12. 29. we will not oppose it for now was the season of the yeere fit for lightning and thunder but that either they saw the holy Ghost or distinguished the words of the voice any more then Pauls companions did Acts 9. 7. compared with Act. 22. 9. the reasons alledged doe inforce to deny till better information Mat. 3. vers 16. And hee saw the Spirit of God The syntax and construction of Marke doth tye and six these words Hee saw onely to our Saviour as it did those before and both for the reason mentioned namely to shew the return and answer of his prayer But these words of Matthew are not so strict but that they may equally bee applied unto John For first there may be observed a distinction in the verse and a kind of difference of speech betwixt what goeth before about the opening of the heavens and this fight of the holy Ghost For of that hee speaketh thus And Jesus being baptized went straightway out of the water and lâ—e the Heavens were opened unto him And then commeth hee on with a distinct clause concerning the other And be saw the Spirit of God descending leaving it at the least in an indifferency whether to apply it to Christ or John But secondly it seemeth rather to bee understood of John because hee saith himselfe that this descending of the holy Ghost was given to him for a signe and that he saw it and if it bee not to bee so taken herâ— none of the three Evangelists have mentioned it in the story at all And thirdly the rather may it bee taken of Johns seeing it because he saith He saw him descending and comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon on him Had it been said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon himselfe it must needs have been understood of Christ upon whom the Spirit came that hee saw the Spirit comming upon himselfe but since it is 〈◊〉 him without any reciprocation it may be the better applyed to John that hee saw it It is true indeed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes signifieth reciprocally himselfe as our Lexicons doe give examples and as it is of force to be taken in Saint Marke in this place like as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes doth not signifie reciprocally as in the Lxx in Judg. 7. 24. But why should wee take the word out of its commonest and properest sense unlesse there were necessity to doe it which in Matthew there is not though in Marke there bee Fourthly and lastly these words hee saw being understood of John it maketh that the three Evangelists being laid together the relation ariseth out of them the more full and the story more plain For Luke telling that the Heavens were opened and the Holy Ghost descended Marke addeth that Jesus saw this and Matthew that John Mat. 3. Ver. 16. The Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 2. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters in the beginning of the old world and so doth it here of the new It is needlesse to instance how oft in Scripture the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of God as Gen. 41. 38. Exod. 31. 3. Numb 24. 2. and very many other places but it is most necessary to observe that wheresoever hee is so called it is in the Hebrew the Spirit of Elohim in the plurall number and sheweth his proceeding from more persons then one Contrary to the opinion of the Greek Church that holdeth that the holy Ghost proceedeth not from the Father and the Sonne but from the Father onely Luk. 3. Ver. 22. The Holy Ghost As hee is called the Spirit not so much in regard of his owne nature as in regard of his manner of proceeding so also is hee called Holy not so much in respect of his person for the Father and Sonne are Spirits and are holy as well as hee but in regard of his worke and Office which is to sanctifie the Church of God And in this respect hee is called by the Hebrews not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Spirit onely but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruahâ— bakkâ—desh the Spirit of Holinesse for this phrase the Holy Ghost is taken from the common speech of the Jews And so is hee called by Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 4. and so doth the Syrian call him Ruhâ—a dekudsha in this place SS The Holy Ghost descended This