that use the world as tho they did not use it and tho they be as big as Camels yet they must become as small as a thred to get into this Kingdom Mat. 19.16 21 23 24 26. which only admits the small things of this world Which thing since it is so hard to do tho possible therefore hath voluntary secular poverty ever since the times of the coming of this Prince bin had in such esteem because the poor only in spirit that remain still rich in Fortunes are forced to bear one heavy Cross more than any other poor which many of them sink and miscarry under and are not able to go through with it namely the trouble and anxiety of a prudent dispensing those goods and revenues of which God hath made them only his Stewards not Masters and by possessing living in a continual Temptation from them Now since this Kingdom hath such an Antipathy to this present world First none surely are more fit to entertain or be entertained by this King then those who have least of it Like adheres to its like and had the Great ones bin sent to the Stable to worship this Prince lying amongst their horses instead of the Shepheards likely their knees would have bin more stiffe and they that asked Can such a Prince come out of Galilee or Nazareth would much more Can such a Prince come out of a Stable and scorning to be subject to one so far below them would have become Traitors to Him as Great Herod was sooner then Disciples 2ly None so fit also to preach such a Kingdom to the world as the poor and those who were not themselves full of the possession of those things the contempt whereof they counselled to others § 41 Now to return to the Blessed Virgin and her husband We see how the same night that was so full of straits the joyful Shepheards coming in and relating see Luk. 2.19 as an occasion of their coming their vision the message and song of Angels revives their spirits and recreats their affliction Their heaviness endured not all the night but joy overtook it before the morning and the scandal of the Stable was removed by the glorious appearance in the feild whilst the child despised by earth was magnified by heaven And we may observe that this great humiliation of the Son of God was every where mingled with some state state beyond all other sons of men When conceived a great Angel of presence is sent before with the news of it the Virgin going to Elizabeth She inspired from heaven falls a-magnifying him and his Mother return'd to Joseph an Angel declares to Him the Holy Conception and greatness of this Prince Born in so mean a roome at Bethleem Angels appearing in the Air discover it to the Jews and sing a Gloria in excelsis to Him to counterpoise that ignominy in infimis And a new Star appearing in the heavens at the same time manifests it to the Gentiles And so hereafter when presented in the Temple Holy Simeon and Anna proclaim him The Infants life conspired against by Herod an Angel discovers the plot and afterward in Egypt reveals to them the death of his enemy Baptized by John the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove comes down and fits on his head Upon his fasting and humiliation in the Wilderness Angels come and Minister unto him Before his going up to Jerusalem to suffer Moses and Elias in great glory visit him In his greatest agony and faintings in the Garden an Angel is sent to restore strength to him And to shew the common intercourse he had with Angels and how he had these subjects of heaven continually at his beck and service see what he saith to Nathaniel Jo. 1.51 and to Peter Mat 26.53 Lastly when murthered by the Jews the Sun loseth its light and the earth so trembleth that the Rocks of it rent in peices when his body buried Angels sit at the Head and feet of his Grave After so shameful a death followed so glorious a resurrection and ascension into Heaven in a bright cloud of Angels Thus to great humiliations God not only giveth afterward after a resurrection or so but presently intermingleth great honours and like exaltations and hath given an example thereof in this Head that the same might be securely expected by the members § 42 Now whilst these honours were done Mary's Blessed Infant from on high in which honours of their children Mothers use to glory more then in their own the Evangelist noting the modest and silent behaviour of the Virgin saith that whilst all that heard wondred at and magnified these things she kept and pondered them in her heart Luk. 2.18 19. took great notice without much talk tho her glorying in Him had bin a right glorying being glorying in the Lord. 1 Cor. 1.31 covering all these things that had happened for the present with great taciturnity and humility and perhaps not without some presage of the hatred and envy which her Son was afterward to suffer which things in due time after our Saviours humiliation and resurrection was passed she revealed to the Apostles and other disciples from whom this Evangelist received them Luk. 1.1 Meanwhile we may imagine how these strange accidents still increased if capable of increase the silent and reverent deportment both of Joseph and Mary toward the child Jesus whilst the little Babe in the cratch by the secret influence of his divine power guided all these occurrences and made these persons so near him to do only such things as done might be acceptable to Him § 43 A compleat week was now passed over and the eighth day the number for all perfection was now come at which time the law required Circumcision of all male children Lev. 12.3 so to enroll them into the family of Gods Church and render them heirs of the Covenant made with faithful Abraham of redemption benediction and an eternal inheritance thro his seed that was to come our Lord Christ Of which Covenant Circumcision was from Abrahams time appointed in Gods Church as a Sacrament and seal Gen. 17. The Blessed Virgin therefore and her most â—â—us husband diligently performed to this Holy Babe the solemnities thereof Of which solemnity if we may make where the Law is silent any conjecture of the Ancient from the modern rites the manner of later times is that it may be done by any person even the Father of the Child and we see Moses his Sons were circumcised by their Mother Exod. 4.24 but yet is usually procured to be done by some person well experienced in the practice thereof may be done also in any place either more solemnly in their School or Synagogue or more privatly in their own house Two of the kindred or near relation are as it were a God-Father and God-Mother to the Child the woman bringing the Infant to the place of Circumcision The man sitting down and holding it in the Circumcision after which done with a
16. chap. saying Rabbi thou art the Son of God for so the Baptist also before had several times stiled him thou art the King of Israel that hath bin so long expected by this Nation § 171 Our Lord upon Nathaniels mentioning his Kingship answered that they should hereafter see much greater Confirmation of this their faith and that the time should be when they should behold the Heavens opened and Angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man for so our Lord usually out of humility shall I say or rather a strong love to his Creature man stiled himself ascending and descending upon him as he being alwaies in Heaven as well as on Earth and the sole Mediator between Earth and Heaven who also only had traffick with Heaven and knew all his Fathers secrets there and again when they should see infinite numbers of them attending on him in his appearing at the last day in the full Glory of that his Kingdom which Nathaniel now confessed alluding in all this to the Honour that was done to their fore-father Jacob after his lying in the field alone so desolate and forsaken As also but a little before when our Lord was in the Desart the Angels had descended and ministred unto him In the same manner after this when his Judges asked concerning his being the Son of God he answered them that hereafter they should see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven i. e Clouds of Angels flying and waving about him Mat. 26.64 Jo. 6.58 62. And elsewhere some of his followers wondring at his speech of his feeding them with bread which came down from Heaven What and if saith he ye shall see the Son of man ascend up into Heaven where he was before And so his young Schollar Nicodemus wondring at his Sermon of mans being born again of the spirit he tells him of things of greater wonder Viz. of the Son of Mans ascending up into Heaven again as he had descended from Heaven Jo. 3.9 44. and also was then in Heaven § 172 Thus our Lord often represented to his Disciples and others his future Glory his Resurrection Ascension Coming in great Majesty to Judgment and that their faith in him might not languish from the mean appearance of things present And also this suddain and resolute Confession of Nathaniel who but now disputed the matter must needs be a great corroboration and consolation to the four former Discipies gathered to our Lord. All these five being persons of much zeal and piety tho most of them not wealthy had left their daily imployments and trade for a season to come and hear the Sermons of John receive as his penitents baptism from him and some of them at least were admitted into some more familiar acquaintance with him and by this had more notice of our Lord and God looking upon such their sincerity conferred on them the honour after thus prepared by John to be the first Disciples and Attendants on his Son § 173 In this our Lords journey into Galilee he arrived at Cana Nathaniels Town not far distant from Nazareth and about a daies journey from Capernaum as may be gathered from Jo. 4.47 compared with vers 52. which Cana also our Lord took in his way in the second journey he made from Jerusalem into Galilee See John 4.46 Now so it fell out that on this day he came thither was solemnized a Marriage and hither also were assembled our Lords Mother and his Brethren invited to this wedding probably of some of their near kindred the care our Lords Mother had concerning the Wine and her colloquy with the Servants shewing she had some particular interest therein Hither therefore our Lord coming with his new chosen Disciples they were also invited to the marriage And all this seems punctually so ordered by the Divine Providence that whereas our Lord had led his former life so obscurely Now the dignity of his person and Mission from Heaven and his Father there might be manifested in the first place to these his nearer Relations according to the flesh for the rectifying any their former misapprehensions and their believing on this common Saviour and being made partakers of so great a joy and that also his inauguration into and entrance upon his Office might be celebrated with a festival and this marriage signify that which he was one day to consummate with his Spouse the Church and therefore is he very Emphatically by the Baptist stiled the Bridegroome on whom himself attended Jo. 3.29 that whereas John came with fasting he might enter upon his Office with a feast and the children of the Bride-chamber rejoyce with him therefore also his Miracle here was corresponding changing water and penance into Wine and mirth answerable to Johns baptizing with water and he with the Holy Spirit § 174 To give an occasion to our Lord's first Miracle whereby in this publick meeting he was to manifest who he was whether by the multitude of Guests more than were expected among which was our Lord and his company or by some other disappointment for there being a Governor of the feast besides the Bridegroom and a good attendance of Servants and Wine supplyed in so great a quantity for the Guests are signs that that the Married were no very poor or mean persons it happened so that at the end of the feast there wanted Wine Our Lords Mother perceiving it and solicitous of their credit to whom she had so near relation presently told our Lord of it expecting he should relieve them herein either from his doing formerly some such domestick and private miracles upon some necessity in his youth at Nazareth or from the Holy Virgin 's having some prerevelation concerning this future fact By our Lords reply we may conjecture that this was spoken by his Mother before some of his Disciples or Kindred and perhaps in the midst of some Discourse when as our Blessed Lady imagined some urgent necessity thereof Hereupon our Lord for their Edification returned this answer to her What is it to me and thee woman in this matter my Hour or time is not yet Signifying his already well fore-knowing by his omniscience this want or wine and the due time of supplying it and that he was not to be sweyed in his actions by any human relations or respects how near soever but must act all things only according to the will of his Heavenly Father And thus frequently he takes occasion to Vindicate his Divinity and heavenly Original to beget early in his followers a right apprehension of his person and authority and omniscient conduct Some such answer as here he gives also to his Kindred Jo. 7.6 when they minding him of going up to Jerusalem at the feast and shewing his strange works there saying my time is not yet come So after his desputing with the Doctors he answered his Mother when she told him that they had sought him sorrowing why did they so since he was
his blood to make us friends with God Col. 1.20 See this peace-making explained in his lessons following Mat. 5.24 25 39. c. And the happiness promised to such peace-makers is that they shall be specially called the children of God repeated Mat. 5.45 and see Eph. 4.32 and 5.1 of God who is the great peace-lover and-maker reconciling though by the death of his only Son the world to himself Col. 1.20 and doing good continually even to the unjust and unthankful Mat. 5.45 and that as his children they shall be made Heirs of all things Apoc. 21.7 § 261 Lastly The eight Beatitude is placed after all such peace-keeping with and making between others in suffering through the envy and malice of the world toward all good people many persecutions and hardships Defamations and reproaches for God's and for righteousness sake To which persecuted and sufferers the happiness promised hereafter is an exceeding great and Prophet-like Reward beyond others in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.12 § 262 These are our Lords Blessed ones viz. those living here for the present in many secular sufferings mortifications and restraints For such are 1 poverty and 2 mourning and 3 the not thirsting or longing after any earthly contents or satisfactions but after righteousness 4 Humility and meekness and pardoning all offences 5 Charity and distributing what we can spare to others necessities 6 putting up wrongs and keeping peace with and also making peace amongst all men to the uttermost 7 Not as much as indulging our selves the liberty of thinking any evil or harbouring any unlawful lust or displeasure in our heart against our Neighbour And lastly 8 in and for our doing well suffering evil Not that happiness lies in these things for no suffering for the present is joyous but grievous Heb. 12.11 but that for these it is promised us hereafter our then receiving mercy and being satiated and filled our possessing the Kingdom of Heaven inheriting the new Earth Apoc. 21.1 2. Our seeing God and being made his sons and heirs of all things Apoc. 21.7 and especially the persecuted and sufferers here receiving an exceeding great reward there beyond all others § 263 After the eight Beatitudes on the other side in S. Luke chap. 6.22 Our Lord pronounceth four woes 1 To the rich here 2 To the full 3 To the merry and rejoycing 4 To the by-all-well-spoken of honoured and applauded Viz. to such as would place their happiness and seek their content and take out their good things here on earth Woe unto you saith be because ye have already received your Consolation and because hereafter shall follow to you poverty and hunger and thirst and eternal mourning and ignominy as we know was said and happened to the rich man Luk 16 24 25. § 264 Such therefore being the true woes and the other the true Beatitudes of this present life our Lord continued his speech to them that all should endeavour to be rich in heavenly treasures there alwaies preserved and laid up safely for them not labouring for earthly so soon consumed or easily taken from them And that where every ones treasure is there will also his heart and affections be And therefore these their affections not set on heaven where they ought alwaies to have bin if their treasures be on earth and that according as these affections are rightly or otherwise disposed so will all their affairs go well or miscarry as the eye-sight bad the whole Body walkes in darkness That there is no serving two Contrary Masters but that in satisfying one they must displease the other Therefore that they should lay aside all careful thought for the things of this world for their life what they should eat or drink to sustain it or for their Body with what they should cloth it for that all their care was not able to add one cubit to their stature nor as else-where he saith to make one hair white or black and if they were not able to do that which was least why should they take thought for the greater Luk. 12.26 which is still less in their power Mat. 6.22 That the life it self was much more than meat with which it was nourished and the Body than rayment with which it was covered and that if these were not made by but freely bestowed on them that he that gave them that which was more would give them also what was less and being so bountiful as to give that which was much more valuable would in like manner bestow in their necessity that which was much less considerable viz. food for the one and clothing for the other which also they saw he did to his other creatures much inferiour to themselves without any solicitude of theirs food to the fouls of the Air without their sowing or reaping and apparel to the flowers of the field even with more pure lively and resplendent colours than that of Solomon when in all his glory and this without their carding or spinning is done to the flowers that though so shining to day are to morrow to be cut down and cast into the Oven as also elsewhere he tells them that not so much as a Sparrow that five of them are sold for two farthings is forgotten before his Father nor falls to the ground without his taking notice of it and that they were of more value to him than many Sparrows and the very hairs of of their head all numbred by him Mat. 10.28 Luk. 12.6.7 That their heavenly Father to whom they had now through him the Son acquired so near a relation well knew before all their want and as being such would provide for them that such lower cares took up the thoughts of worldlings but that their 's ought to be raised to higher matters seeking and pursuing after the Kingdom of God and the righteousness and holiness thereof and that all these other necessities should be unsought for sufficiently supplyed that therefore to day the should not be distracting their thoughts concerning to morrow for that the provisions of to day were trouble enough § 265 That the attendance on those higher matters were worthy of their whole intention since the way here that leads to eternal destruction was indeed very wide and broad and so very many took that course but that leading to eternal life streit and narrow and few that found it And that whatever they thought of the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees esteemed so strict a sect a mong them yet if their righteousness was no better than theirs their souls would perish and they fall short of Heaven And that he came not as he was traduced with his new Gospel to destroy or take away the former law of Moses but to fulfil it in all things First for all the Ceremonies and types thereof that they should have in him a perfect completion as to the Realities answering to and prefigured and signifyed by them and all the predictions and prophecies therein be fulfill'd
to God calling him Father in the midst of that severe handling of him and meekly resigning his dying Spirit into his hands Lastly in his dying before the other two and sending out a loud voice at his expiring which shewed his Divinity and that he gave up his life not upon any constraint of torments but voluntarily and when he pleased § 88 Seventhly This manner of death by the lifting up of the body in it towards heaven seems very significative that we now after and in imitation of it should exalt and remove our eyes and affections henceforth from the Earth towards Heaven Therefore our Lord gives it this honourable name of his Exaltation And I saith he if I be exalted from the Earth will draw all unto me Jo. 12.32 And the Apostle calls it his triumph having taken out of the way the Decree that was contrary to us he fastned it to his Cross and having despoiled the principalities and potentates triumphed over them in it Col. 2.15 So also in the nailing and fixing of the flesh of our Lord to the Cross significative of the mortifying and crucifying of the flesh and its lusts that is required of us in imitation of our Lord so disenabling it to stir hand or foot as it were any more to the breach of Gods commands and signifying our now dying to sin as he for it and this death of the Cross is often thus alluded to by the Apostle § 89 Eightly and Lastly the posture of this death carryed in it a lively Representation of his love to mankind with his arms stretched out as it were to embrace and receive all those who would come to him and his head declining to kiss them Having made this Digression upon the Jewes so often vehement demanding and at last Pilats consent to our Lord's Crucifixion to shew the multiplicity of the divine wisdom in the choice of this manner of death rather than any other I proceed now in the relation of the story after Pilats having committed to the Roman Guards the execution thereof § 90 The time now after Pilats four or five returns into the Praetorium and Exits to the Jews whilst he endeavoured by all means to have preserved our Lords life i. e. so far as his own safety with Cesar and his reputation with the Jews would permit and after our Lords being sent to and returned from Herod and the soldiers scourging and dressing him so as to be made a fitter object of the hard-hearted Jews Pity drew well towards Noon Jo. 19.14 Luk. 23.44 about the sixth hour saith St. John and St. Luke though called as yet the third hour by St. Mark because the sixth hardly yet begun The scoffing Soldiers then seizing on our Lord after some further abuses which both in words and actions by Satans instigation were committed both in the way and at the place of Execution as we may gather from the very Theif in the midst of his torments not tempering himself from reviling of him with the rest stript our Lord of his Purple and put on him his own garments whose prize shortly they were to be and so making all speed laid a cross already prepared upon his torn shoulders and so led away this only Isaac of God carrying the wood of his Sacrifice upon his back § 91 And to fulfil a second time after his being coupled with Barabbas the Prophet Esay's cum sceleratis reputatus est Esay 53.12 and that there might be some greater appearance of Justice and our Lord mingled with company whom the people might think like himself there were two notable Thieves on either hand one joined with him and haled along to their Execution but these also or one of them at least railing at him even when suffering with him and such companions he was to have of his greifs as offered him no solace therein And indeed if we consider the person he now took on him what Malefactor or crimes so great as could match him or his for he carried on his shoulders all the sins of the whole world present and past and to come and even those too of these Malefactors and so also this Anathema as the chief was crucified in the midst and the reason in the Prophet of his cum sceleratis reputatus seems very apposite quia ipse peccata multorum tulit Graced with this company and laden with an heavy Cross the long beam thereof being probably more than twice the length of a man for his body was to be stretched at its full length upon it and to be exalted to such a convenient height as might render him a spectacle to all the multitude and de facto so high it was that the Soldier to pierce his side used not his Sword but his Lance and to give him drink they tyed a spunge to the end of a long reed and so reached it to his mouth It was also to carry a Title over his head and to be fastned in the ground and the cross Beam of it also was to equal the breadth of his body and length of his arms I say thus laden he made a painful but most chearful march under it through a good part of the City the Governours Palace being near the Temple on the East side of it and Calvary the place of Execution at the North-West side thereof till when coming without the Gate he fainted away under it his body being now grown very feeble and his spirits exhausted by reason of his cruel scourging and other base usage of the three Guards of Officers Caiphas's Herod's and Pilats he had passed through and of his being kept all night without the least sleep or repose or refreshment or his former temperance having any superfluous humors to feed on Because our Lord alone was unable to bear it any further and it was an ignominious thing to carry or touch the instrument of the Execution of a Malefactor whence the word Furcifer was a common name of reproach by chance a poor man that came then out of the countrey one Simon a stranger of Cyrene in Africk where was then a great Colony of the Jews Act. 2.10 6.9 Joseph de Excid Hieros l. 7. c. 38. meeting them the Soldiers laid hold on him and forced him to bear our Lord's Cross after him either the whole or the heaviest end thereof whose sons Alexander and Rufus are particularly named by the Evangelist Mark 15.21 which shews that they were not only Converts to the Christian Faith but persons of some note amongst the Primitive Christians see Acts 19.33 Romans 16.13 it those the same And it is to be presumed that our Lord rewarded this service done him to their Father also in making him a Member of the Church and of his Kingdom and that he was saved by the Holy Cross he bore who thus had the honour even in the truest sense to take up the cross and follow our Lord and to partake of his reproach and ignominy But the divine Counsel
Elias was yet alive in his body and was to return among them to rectify all things before the coming of the Messias the darkning of the Sun also filled them full of wonder and expectation of some other strange things their hearts also now being somewhat mollified and beginning to entertain another opinion of our Lord than not long before § 103 After this our Lord entring into his last Agony said I thirst as if it were to accomplish the drinking up the last dregs and portion that remained of the cup of Gods wrath against sinners remembring the words that follow in the same prophetick Psalm vers 16. Aruit tanquam testa virtus mea lingua mea adhaesit faucibus meis in pulverem mortis c. and Psalm 68.22 potaverunt me aceto And there being a vessel of vinegar or small sour Wine with which mingled with water the Soldiers and common people used to quench their thirst one of the By-standers running and drenching a sponge in it put this upon the top of a long reed and so applied it to our Lords mouth the darkness now diminishing to refresh him and prolong his life a little in expectation of what perhaps Elias would do for him whether he would come at last and take his Fellow-prophet down from the Cross After our Lord had received the Vinegar which was as it were the last dregs of the bitter cup prepared for him by his heavenly Father to drink he said those precious words so full of consolation to poor sinners consummatum est that all was finished a Passiones consummavi now as he said an opus consummavi before he entred on his passion Jo. 17. All the prophecies being now fulfilled the Sacrifice offered and the Ransome of mankind from Gods wrath and the Prince of Darkness and from eternal Death fully paid And so with another loud and strong voice like the former recommending his now departing Spirit into the hands of his celestial Father in the words again of the Psalmist changing Domine there into Pater and exhibiting this as the last act of his dutiful submission to all his Will he pronounced those last words of his on the Cross In manus tuas Pater commendo spiritum meum Psal 30 And so meekly bowing down his head which perhaps hitherto was held erected towards heaven in prayer see Heb. 5.7 gave up the Ghost not when the torments of death forced it away but when he pleased seeing all now fulfilled voluntarily to regive it Shewing in his strong out-cries his miraculous power and strength to have kept it longer in being about the ninth hour the time of offering up the Evening Sacrifice and in the end of the sixth day of the week as entring into his Sabboath of rest The two Malefactors that suffered with him being both yet alive not that our Lord any way abbreviated for himself the torments of this cruel death but that the barbarous usage of him all that day and the night precedent without any sustenance refreshment or repose and the loss of so much blood under his coronation and scourging had so debilitated and exhausted him which was also seen in his fainting under the Cross that these his last torments on the Cross must needs have a speedier period unless he should have continued his life by miracle § 104 All the passions of our Lord thus at last come to an End and his bloody Sacrifice for our redemption finished the Sun which seemed this while to have sympathized with his sufferings began to recover its strength and now the infernal powers of darkness their hour expired to quake and tremble and with them the Earth also to shake in such a manner that the Rocks were rent asunder with it and particularly that of Mount Calvary where our Lord suffered cleft asunder some two or three foot from the hole wherein our Lords Cross was fastned from one side of the Hill to the other to be seen at this day gaping about an hand breath and the depth of it not to be sounded Yet the infinit mercy and long-suffering of God who to shew his displeasure rent the rocks forbare to take present vengeance on the Murderers of our Lord giving them longer time to repent as some of them also did The veil of the Temple also remote from this place and standing at the other side of the City was rent in two saith the Evangelist from the top to the bottom Which veil divided the Sanctum Sanctorum where was the Ark the symbol of Gods presence from the outer Temple and into which the High Priest entred only once every year carrying in thither the blood of the Sacrifice to sprinkle it before the Ark on the solemn day of Expiation The renting of which Veil at this time was very significative of the effects of our Lords passion 1. To shew now an end and consummation and so Abolishment of all the former Typical Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law this new High Priest succeeding and abrogating now the former Aaronical Priesthood who having offered the only pleasing Sacrifice to God on the Altar of the Cross was to enter with the blood of it into the celestial Sanctum Sanctorum and there with it sprinkled before God's Throne to make an atonement for the sins of the whole world Who saith the Apostle much prosecuting this matter in his Epistle to the Hebrews took away the first covenant that he might establish another following and dedicated to us a new and living way of access to the throne of Grace and entrance into the Holy of Holies through the veil of his Deity that is his Flesh which veil also was rent on the Cross the members of the body rent first and at last his soul also rent from the Body And chap. 9.11 c. Who saith he an High Priest of good things to come by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted to God and so by or through a more ample and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands i. e. the Heavens vers 24. nor by or with the blood of Goats or Calves but by his own blood entred into the Holies eternal redemption being thus found and effected 2. Again to shew that the Partition was now taken away between Jew and Gentile and his service no longer confined to his Temple at Jerusalem but that it was to be every where equally accepted of him and his Church to be spread over the whole world and a general and free access admitted for all people to God the Father and to the Divinity through this veil of our Lords humanity Neither Jew nor Greek saith the Apostle Gal. 3.28 neither bond nor free c. now But all one in Christ Wherefore our Lord foretold to the Samaritan woman Jo. 4. That the time was coming when they should neither in that Mount of Samaria the Temple of Garizim nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father but the true worshippers should worship him every where not with
what they were afterwards to instruct the Jews and all other Nations expounding to them the Law and the Prophets shewing them the many predictions concerning the Messias his Sufferings Resurrection and so entrance into his Glory a many of which they mentioned afterward in their Sermons in the Acts opening their understandings to understand the Scriptures § 128 Afterward more particularly addressing himself to his Apostles he told them in this and several other apparitions made to them before his Ascension that he was very shortly to go into Heaven to his Father and leave them here behind him That all power both in Heaven and Earth was given to him that therefore by this his Authority he also sent them to preach the Gospel to all Nations and witness to them the things they had seen and heard from him but beginning their predication first at Jerusalem and to Gods former people the Jews That they should preach to them repentance and remission of sin thro his name and also the observation of all those things which he had commanded them And that they should also Baptize them In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost instructing them that who so believed in him and were baptized which was the Sacrament instituted for washing away their sins for conferring on them the Spirit of regeneration and for initiating them into his Church should be saved and the unbelieving damned And that great signs also should follow them that believed and were of the Christian profession which signs should bear witness to the truth of their faith and Religion That in his name they should speak strange languages cure the sick cast out Devils and have a special command over all the powers of the Enemy as they are called Luk. 10.19 in taking up or treading on Serpents or in hapning to drink any poison not to receive any hurt from them Not that all Believers should do such Miracles but that these should still remain in the Church or Congregation of true Believers Testimonies and Evidences of Gods special favours to and presence with them § 129 At last he proceeded to their solemn Ordination wherein after he had pronounced a second Pax vobis and a sicut misit me Pater ego mitto vos He breathed upon them with his most Sacred mouth and said these words used ever since by them and their Successors in the ordination of others Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins ye shall forgive i. e. by Baptism or for those committed afterwards by Absolution upon confession and repentance or penance they are forgiven them and whose sins ye shall retain i. e. by not baptizing or absolving or further binding with Church-censures the impenitent and obstinat they are retained And so solemnly promised to be with them and their Successors with his power and protection till the end of the world and the time of his return to judg it § 130 This said he disappeared also to them as he had done several times already to the other which caused in them now less wonder at the former leaving their hearts replenished with great consolation After this done on the second day of the Feast and the first of his Resurrection he absented himself from them till the Eighth when that solemn Festivals Octave was fully ended and the people were upon their return to their own countreyes and habitations Where for this time our Lords glorious Person was together with those other Saints whose Bodyes were raised with him till his Ascension would be too much curiosity to inquire It seems he was pleased to observe the fixed laws of the Divine wisdom for Souls or Persons already translated to the next life viz. to have no more familiar or long-during converse with those of this for so neither did Elias and Moses make any long stay with our Lord in the Holy Mount. As for other good ends so perhaps for this the greater merit of our faith here concerning the life and affairs of the world to come § 131 S. Thomas one of the eleven was absent when our Lord thus appeared where some imagine from the fear he formerly bewrayed John 11.5 that he might not be as yet returned to the Society since their dispersion on Thursday night at our Lords apprehension and so might not have heard as the rest of our Lord 's former appearings at all to the women and to Peter c He whether the same night or afterwards being come to them and informed of their having seen our Lord yet for a greater manifestation still of our Lords Resurrection and for begetting in this Apostle more humility continued in the same incredulity as to their relations though so many as they had done to the other likely perswaded by the Circumstances of his appearing in the night coming through Doors shut and making scarse any stay at all with persons to whom he had formerly shewed so much affection but suddainly vanishing again that it might be some airy spirit subject in his motions to the order of a Superior power And though they related to him also their having seen his scars and touched his body or at least invited to do it yet he fancied that this was not done to purpose but ought to be better examined and that if he had bin there he would have thrust his hand into the Gash in our Lords side and his fingers into the holes made by the nails c Notwithstanding that this person besides his hearing our Lords many predictions to them of his Resurrection was present with the rest at our Lords raising from death after laid upon the Bier the widdows son at Naim and again at his raising of Lazarus out of his Sepulcher when he had lain longer time there than our Lord had done But this too-much suspicious and despondent inclination of his had appeared also several times formerly that we may see what materials our Lords Grace wrought upon and not to be discouraged as in those words of his at our persecuted Lords return into Judea for the raising of Lazarus Jo. 11 16. He then presently resolving that there our Lord and they must lose their lives and in his words again John 14.5 where our Lord telling his Disciples of his departure shortly and that they knew the place and the way whither he went Thomas dejectedly replied that they knew not whither he went and how could they know the way thither To whom our Lord answered that his Journey was a Return to Heaven to his Father whence he came and that He himself believed-in was the way thither Yet after the descent and renovation of the Holy Spirit this Apostle especially was made choice of to be a most eminent Assertor of the same Resurrection and Propagator of the Gospel throughout India and the remotest Nations of the East fulfilling our Lords words Acts 1.8 Et usque ad ultimum terrae and there at last laid down his life for it § 132 Our Lord then
An Historical Narration OF THE LIFE and DEATH OF OUR Lord Jesus Christ IN TWO PARTS Printed at the Theater in Oxford 1685. A brief account of what is contained IN THE FIRST PART of The History of our SAVIOURS LIFE § 1 OUR Saviour came about the year of the world 4000 § 2 when the Scepter of Judah was in the hand of Herod a stranger § 3 S. John Baptist being sent before § 4 an extraordinary person both as to his birth and manner of living § 5 but especially as to his preaching § 6 Virtues actions § 7 and sufferings § 8 Our Saviours conception in Galilee § 9 Of a most pure and holy Virgin § 12 of mean condition § 13 espoused to an husband § 14 and informed by an Angel of this great favour intended her by God § 15 whereupon she went to visit her cousin Elizabeth mother of the Baptist § 16 conversing with her § 17 three months § 18 Whence she with some apprehensions returned to her husband § 19 but he being a very discreet righteous and holy person whilst he was thinking of dismissing her privatly § 20 was admonished by an Angel not to do it because that her conception was by the Holy Ghost § 21 to whom Joseph most readily obeyed and continued to cohabit with her § 22 at Nazareth till the time of her delivery drew neer which was § 23 to be at Bethlehem § 24 whither an Edict of Augustus forced them to go § 25 and there they were necessitated to lodg very meanly § 27 in a Stable § 28 where our Saviour was born § 29 A great exaninition and humiliation of the Son of God! § 31 his parents onely being present and adoring him § 33 Mean-while an Angel published this birth to certain Shepheards there in the field watching their flocks § 35 and was seconded by many more § 36 who glorified God for this birth in a song § 36 as all the host of Heaven rejoyced for and in it § 38 The Shepheards immediatly came to Bethlehem to see and worship this new-born child § 39 Gods great wisdom in thus ordering these affairs § 41 The shepheards relation was a great consolation to both the Parents § 42 But his Mother especially kept this and such other favours of God to her self and pondered them in her heart § 43 our Lord was Circumcised § 46 to 55 A Digression concerning circumcision the nature and effects of it § 55 to 61. Of the giving him the name Jesus and his saving his people from their sins § 61 to 71. The history of the coming of the Wise men § 71 to 77 Of the presentation of him in the Temple § 77 to 80 whom Simeon took up in his arms and openly confessed § 80 as did also Anna a Prophetess § 81 Which publick testimonies alarmed Herod § 82 wherefore the Parents being returned to Bethlehem with him § 83 the Angel of the Lord warned Joseph to flee with them into Egypt § 84 to 89 which they did immediatly and 89 to 94 whilst Herod out of great fury slew all the children in Bethlehem hoping thereby to have slain our Lord himself § 94 they arrived safe in Egypt § 95 where they staied not long till § 96 to 100 Herod miserably died and 100 Joseph was commanded to return into his own countrey § 101 Who hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea durst not go thither but retired into Galilee to his own city Nazareth § 102 Which seems foretold by the Prophets § 103 and prefigured by Samson § 104 Little written of his life or actions there till 30 years old § 105 Tho he was then also filled with all wisdom and knowledg § 108 onely at 12 years old he went up to Jerusalem where he § 109 staied after his Parents were gone away § 112 For supposing him in the company they went homeward without him but returning § 113 to Jerusalem found him among the Doctors § 114 Whereat his mother wondring demanded why he had so used his Parents to whom he answered that he must be about his Fathers business § 115 which answer they seemed not fully to comprehend but his mother § 116 laid this up in her heart where the Doctors and learned men seemed to take notice of his great wisdom After this he went § 117 to Nazareth with his Parents was obedient to them and increased in wisdom but the entire history of his life and actions from this his return to Nazareth till his baptism is not written by the Evangelists § 118 yet by some passages in scriptures divers particulars may be collected § 126 In that time seems to have happened the death of S. Joseph § 127 Our Lord being shortly to manifest himself and enter upon the exercise of his calling John Baptist was sent whose mission and preaching in described § 137 our Lord being to enter upon his ministery went to John to be baptized of him § 139 thence immediatly retiring to prayer the Father gave testimony to him by a visible descent of the Holy Ghost in the resemblance of a Dove and by an audible voice from heaven § 141 Which voice was afterwards several times reiterated and § 142 himself often urgeth it in his preaching § 143 But our Lord in the vehemency of the same spirit newly received departed immediatly into the wilderness where he remained in fasting prayer and other spiritual exercises till § 150 The Devil came to tempt him which he failed not to do divers waies till being foiled in all he departed and § 163 John continuing his preaching and openly testifying of our Saviour § 165 our Lord returned out of the wilderness § 166 shewed himself unto John and § 167 the next day entertained two of Johns Disciples one of them S. Andrew § 168 who brought in his brother Simon and § 170 shortly after our Lord himself called S. Philip and he Nathanael § 172 to whom our Lord forerepresented his future glory § 173 Our Savour going thence to Galilee arrived at Cana § 174 where he wrought the first miracle of changing water into wine § 176 thence to 〈…〉 § 177 with his Mother brethren and Disciples § 178 some whereof also were women § 179 Thence he went up to Jerusalem § 180 Where he first clensed the Temple and afterwards preached to the people § 181 Some of whom desired of him a sign for the confirmation of his authority § 182 But he onely told them that if they destroyed the temple of his body he would raise it again in three daies § 183 Yet some did believe in him § 184 particularly Nicodemus a Ruler with whom our Lord held a long discourse § 186. After the Paschal feast our Lord not trusting to the Hierosolymites went and preached in the countrey of Judea § 187 and ordered his converts to be baptized § 188 Whereupon John withdrew further towards Herods Jurisdiction § 189 Meanwhile there growing a little emulation of some of Johns Disciples seeing
and words comp Mat. 3.2 with 4.17 declaring unto them a Kingdom in Heaven which the Lord that followed him would confer on the worthy and the everlasting torments of Hell-fire which he would inflict on the rebellious telling them of a kingdom of God to be erected not abroad but within them and of the Holy Spirit which this King would baptize them with upon their repentance preached by Him freeing them from the thraldom not of the Romans but of sin nor from their servitude under Herod or Tiberius but under the great Prince of all this lower world Satan their spiritual and only dangerous enemy whose captives and children and not Abrahams they unknowingly were till by this Prince delivered This was the great deliverance to come by Jesus which both Holy Zachary spake of in his Benedictus Luk. ◠77 To give knowledg of Salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins and the Angel in his message to Joseph telling him why he should be called Jesus or Savior Matt. 1.21 because he should save his people from their sins Such punishments and rewards liberty and royalty as the Baptist preached being the only that were here worth the speaking of or looking after Thus was the Baptist appointed to be the beginner of the Gospel and the first open promulgator of this new Spiritual Kingdom The Prophets saith our Savior Mat. 11.12 13. prophecied until John 1. of such a thing to come but from the daies of John the kingdom of heaven began to suffer violence people by troopes now pressing into it and every one striving to gain for himself a share thereof whilst they crowded in such multitudes to Johns Mat. 3.5 and our Saviors baptisms Joh. 3 26. Only John began the publishing of this Gospel afar off as it were not coming into the Temple or the cheif Cities to preach it but staying a loof off in the Wilderness and near Jordan leaving these honors to the Lord who followed Him by whom the Gospel was brought still nearer till it visited at last every small Town and Village § 6 And as John preceded our Savior in his new and Spiritual doctrine so he resembled him much what in his Heroical vertues Both in his magnanimity and courage and in his mansuetude and clemency and in his humility and self-denial which was never in any man so great as in our Savior 1 Using the same boldness toward Herod Luk. 3.19 20 as our Savior afterwards did Luk. 13.32 reproving him for all the evil he had done saith the Evangelist Luke 3.19 and particularly concerning his Wife not fearing the implacable wrath of a woman and a Queen tho this cost him his life Again treating the Scribes the Pharisees and Sadduces whose manners he knew by the Spirit and Revelation not having learnt them by experience at the first sight roughly and severely as their incorrigible Hypocrisy and malice deserv'd reproving them in the very same terms as our Savior comp Mat. 3.7 with 23.33 and calling them Generation of Vipers or Serpents they being the brood of the old Serpent the Devil in the resemblance of their manners see Jo. 8.44 in opposition to their boasting of their being Abrahams seed to whom they were nothing like in their lives 2 Meanwhile toward the soldiers the publicans and others notorious but relenting sinners using the same mansuetude as Christ teaching them their duty for the future without upbraiding their former faults This great Saint not bred in the Court or in ceremonial Society but in retiredness and solitude neither reverencing the secular porte and state of the Pharisee nor despising the meanness and low esteem of the Publican Only in general the Baptist seems to personate a greater austerity then our Lord both in his conversation and his preaching pressing mainly the discipline of repentance and threatning much the wrath to come hell-fire and damnation to the disobedient having something more herein of the Spirit of his type Elias whereas our Saviors language was more benign and indulgent publishing remission of sin and promising a Kingdom to the obedient and also telling his Disciples that the Spirit of Elias did not so well befit them Yet were both our Saviors and Johns dispensations suitable to their seasons the one answering to the beginning of an holy life the other to the end and consummation thereof the one laying the foundation with threats and terrors the other building it up with consolations and mercies the Lord doing the rough part by his servant the gentle and mild by himself 3 Again much resembling our Savior also in his great humility accompanied with such eminency of Sanctity He that was so far above the Prophets yet when the Jews sent to him and asked him whether he was Elias or whether he was a Prophet which is to be understood here as in Mat. 16.14 the Jews then holding a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He answered No without telling them that he was that typified Elias which was for to come or that he was more then a Prophet and expressed himself meanwhile by the most diminutive term that could be thought on that he was only Vox clamantis c. before a greater Person that was then coming after him He stood exceedingly upon his guard of lowliness and disparaged himself upon all occasions as the Jews and his Disciples magnifyed him Being conjectured by them for the Messias he nourished not the mistake for his own honor but saith the Evangelist Jo. 1.20 he confessed and denied not i. e. to speak this truth against his own reputation but confessed that he was not He. And Jo. 3.28 he takes solemn witness of such his confession In comparing himself with him he useth an expression to debase himself beneath the lowest of his servants that he was not worthy stooping to untie the latchet of his shoe Mar. 1.7 and Jo. 3.31 he saith that he being earthly did but loqui de terra speak of the Earth i. e. low and mean rudiments for which S. John useth this phrase see Jo. 3. v. 12. in comparison of Jesus who coming from Heaven above spoke of the greater misteries which he had there heard and seen He every where gave place to our Savior left Bethabara in Judea the more publick place of concourse for our Saviors disciples some of whom had formerly bin his to baptize in and retired himself North-ward toward Galilee to Enon near to Salim Jo. 3.23 He transmitted his Disciples to him Jo. 1.35 and resign'd his former Auditors and the multitudes to his conduct and when the people so soon as they saw his great Miracles and heard his divine words now admired and flockt after Jesus much more then they did after John He rejoiced to hear it with an humble acknowledgment Oportet illum crescere me minui and when his ambitious disciples made a complaint to him of it he answered them that he was but a waiter on this Bridegroome of the Church and his joy was
encourage these poor men to go and see and pay their duties to him where they should find no repulse at the Gates nor needed some great Patron to convey them into his Court or bedchamber the place the entertainers and all other accoutrements about the Babe being very suitable to such visitants § 35 And presently after the delivery of this message there came down into the Air above them a great Troupe of the heavenly Militia who rejoycing when repentance happens to one sinner Luk. 15.7 10. did now much more when salvation came to the whole world with great joy celebrating the new birth of their Masters son the Saviour of men and the Lord of Angels and singing his Nativity-song in the sight and hearing of these ravished Shepheards that others also might hear it from them § 36 The subject and matter of which Song was this Peace to the Earth under this new-born Prince not from a Temporal enemy but from the wrath of the Almighty Reconciliation between God and man formerly a child of wrath Eph. 2.3 by this Mediator-Babe God and man Cessation or war between Earth and Heaven the only war which men had cause to dread Mans former offences against God being now cancell'd And the Angel removed that formerly guarded Paradise against us with a drawn sword Gen. 3.24 thro this onlysinless Infant taking our part and being Emanuel God with us Good will towards men yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good-will and well-pleasing such good will to man as God had to this Babe his own Son which he expresseth elsewhere in just the same terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.17 such well-pleasing in man as to make his only Son not an Angel but a man Such peace and Good-will from God toward men below and Glory for it from men and Angels the welwishers of men to God on High But yet perhaps another Glory sung by the Angels to God on High with reference even to themselves For this Babe is said not only to be a Head of men Col. 1.18 but of Angels Col. 2.10 from which it follows that Angels are not only his subjects but also in some sense his members and God the Father is said to gather together in one in Him all things not only which are on Earth but also which are in Heaven Eph. 1.10 and further yet to reconcile unto himself by this babe making peace thro the blood of his cross all things whether they be things on earth or things in heaven Col. 1.20 Even those things in heaven receiving some benefit it seems tho we do not well know in particular what some further sanctification or illumination or recommendation to the Deity thro Him by whom as these Angels were created so it is said that they were created also for Him Col. 1.16 and they as all the rest of the Creation are acceptable and well-pleasing to God only thro Him being of themselves of no value without Him Besides the whole Creation being said Rom. 8.22 to groan under sin the whole Creation may be supposed to be some way or other releiv'd by this Expiatour of sin And Heb. 9.23 there is mention of a purifying even of the heavenly Sanctuary the habitation of these Blessed Angels by this Babe as if that had bin some way polluted by the faln Angels sin as the Earth by man's And 2 Pet. 3.13 T is said that as a new earth so new heavens shal-be made wherein dwelleth righteousness as if the present at least the lower regions of them retain'd some contagion of unrighteousness See Job 15.15 25.5 And Eph. 6.12 there is mention of wickedness dwelling now in heavenly places and Job 1.7 of that filthy Fiend Satan by Gods permission appearing there after his perambulation thro the earth in his presence amongst the sons of God And Rev. 12.10 we read of a war in heaven between the good and bad Angels and of the ejection from thence of the Evil Angels by the power of Christ Pardon this excursion for we can set no certain bounds to the benefit which the whole Creation hath receiv'd thro this Infant of God For whom therefore all the Angels of God as well as men are obliged to sing Gloria in excelsis Deo § 37 And what the Shepheards heard these sing at the same time sung all the rest of the whole Host of Heaven and went and paid their worship and adoration to the child in the Manger according to the Edict of the Almighty Psal 97.7 mentioned Heb. 1.6 Who when he brought in his First-born into the world said And let all the Angels of God worship Him And the Apostle in description of the mystery of the Incarnation 1 Tim. 3.16 after God manifested in the flesh adds seen of Angels perhaps with special relation to this solemn visit and doxology of theirs at his Nativity And S. Peter further saith 1 Pet. 1.12 That they even longed to look into this matter as if they could not be satisfied with seeing it it pleased them so well Of this honour done to the only begotten of God at his Nativity by the Angels how much was made visible to Joseph and Mary in the house besides this that appeared to the Shepheards in the feild we know not but meanwhile are bound gratefully to admire how free from envy the cause of some of their fall and how full of love and benevolence towards man these more noble Creatures were exulting and praising God for this honour done their Inferiours whereby these miserable creatures when sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death eternal objects together with the faln Angels of Gods wrath were now by this Babe advanced into their society and made sons of God and Heirs of Heaven nay in some sense advanced above themselves God passing by the substance of Angels Heb. 2.16 and making this babe his Son eternally to wear the form and fashion of man rather becoming flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone § 38 When the Angels had sung to the listening Shepheards this Song this Troop ascended into heaven again and went out of their sight and the believing Shepheards not valuing the harm which might happen to their forsaken flocks made hast toward Bethleem to see this Lamb of God shal I say or Shepheard of Israel for by both these titles he hath delighted to be stiled Jo. 1.29 10.11 Ezec. 34.23 where they found the Babe as described and fell down and did their homage to Him in a representation of the whole nation of the Jews and we may presume offered some small present as is usual to great Princes by their Subjects and as afterward we read the Magi did for the Gentiles Whom this Spiritual Prince rewarded richly for their pains in spiritual things in illuminating their minds and enflaming their hearts with a love and zeal of his glory for their faith not stumbling at the lowness of his outward appearance his poor lodging his hard bed his course swath his mean
and way-sides are enameld with to give you them in his own language Anemones Calcedoines Ranuncules Narcissus Cyclamens d Iris de toutes especes de couleurs de Moly de Lavende Stecas Ambroise Serpolet Mariolene Origan Nepeta Scordium and many other little Flowers intermingled with Trees and Shrubs that are alwaies green so that the sight of the one and fragrancy of the other makes it seem an Earthly Paradise with an air also so well tempered that little sickness happens there Thus he This of Nazar flos or Surculus a Name in the Prophets applyed to our Lord and this City perhaps having its name from these so plentiful about it § 103 But some Allusion here also may be made for the likeness of the Sound to the Nazarites tho this word not written with a Tsade â— as our Lords name Nazar is but a Zain â— being persons in a singular manner separated and devoted to God And the famous Nazarite Judg. 13.5 Sampson is observed by the Fathers in ortu in pueritia nuptiis suis Leone apibus asini maxilla fonte ex ea prognato Gazae portis coma detonsa exoculatione pistrina Templi Dagon eversione maxime ultranea stupendaque morte Christum praefigurasse being a great Deliverer of Gods people and Conquering their Enemies all alone without Armies or Armes Obtaining the greatest Victory over them by and at his death after their Bonds and fetters triumphantly rising up and carrying away the Gates from their City by his locks cut becoming weak his eyes put out buffetted and made a common mocking-stock but after this avenging himself of all his enemies Out of the dry Jaw-bone issuing a fountain and out of the dead Lyon meat and sweetness Fons Baptismatis regenerationis Mel redemptionis Cibus Eucharistiae Such a Nazarite then also was our Lord. 2. Besides this said of our Lords Name again the same Evangelist observes chap. 4.14 the Prophet Esay's plainly foretelling our Lord's residence in Galilee of the Gentiles and in the land of Zabulon where Nazareth was Esay 9.1 and a great light springing up there to those that sate in darkness This his Habitation then in Galilee at Nazareth was also sufficiently foretold but they not worthy to understand it § 104 Our Lord and his Parents are now arrived and settled at Nazareth Where it is conjectured by some that the Blessed Virgin was an Heiress because S. Matthew hath related the Genealogy of Joseph her husband to shew hers when-as except in such a case it was not necessary that one should match into the same Tribe And from this again it is collected that as their condition as appears from Josephs trade was not very rich so neither very necessitous How our Lord here spent his childhood and youth and indeed much the greatest part of his life as also before of the Employment of the Baptist in the Desart till the thirtieth year of his age very little is expresly mentioned in the scripture And herein me-thinks appears the greatness of our Lord's humility and design to give our ambition and vain-glory an example of imitating him that he should so little value or also ordain it that all those admirable vertues of his and effects of the Divine wisdom and Grace that appeared in all his words and actions and which saith the Evangelist Luk. 2. â—â— were so grateful to those with whom he conversed should during so long a time be save one passage in the twelfth year of his age utterly lost if I may so say and concealed and unknown to the world and only manifest to his Father above and the inhabitants of Heaven When as had it bin his pleasure there were so many that might have delivered this story from the mouth of his Holy Mother who let nothing pass unobserved but was a faithful measures from his first infancy saith S. Luke 2.19 51 of all she saw and heard in or concerning him Little I say is expresly delivered But notwithstanding from the consequences of several texts much may be learned § 105 To attain then a more perfect Notion and Idea hereof we are first to know That our Lord from his very birth as to the perfections of his soul had nothing of a child in him but that he was as full of all light and knowledge of wisdom and of all the Graces and powers of the Holy Ghost of the zeal of his Fathers honour and salvation of man-kind at his Nativity as afterward in the time of his Man-hood and of his preaching and working Miracles In whom wore hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledg saith the Apostle Col. 2.3 And all the fulness of the Divinity dwelling bodily vers 9. And the word was made flesh full of grace and truth saith S. John c. 1. Nor did God give the Spirit by measure unto him Jo. 3.34 All which texts must be verifyed at the Union of his man-hood to the Divinity sutable to the supreme Dignity thereof which Union was at his Conception Nor is there any reason for a temporary suspension of these as of some perfections of the Body in order to our Redemption but rather of the contrary And that the increase in them which S. Luke speaks of chap 2 was only of the more manifestation of the effects thereof in the progress of his Age as also sufficiently appears in that without any the least former application of him to learning or studies or solitude of life like the Baptists when the sacred number of twelve years of his childhood were compleated in going as usually with his parents to the solemn feast he secretly quitted his parents and entring into the Temple Luk. 2.46 47. sate him down in the midst of the Doctors disputing and as king them questions and astonishing them saith the Text with his understanding and answers § 106 This then laid as a foundation 2ly We ought to conceive That he was subject to none of those infirmities of mind usual to children levity and inconstancy love of play and being delighted with toyes peevishness against Superiors and those who take most care of them longing and desiring things hurtful and procuring them when with-held by crying foolish and silly prattle c or also any other which though involving no sin in them yet are the effects of want of knowledg and experience but that all was contrary in him Sweetness modesty gravity seriousness quiet reposed ever well pleased observant and obliging of those to whom was committed his Education And Here we may also the more admire in so great perfections of his Soul his divine patience for our sakes of so many debilities and infirmities of the Body for so long a time enduring them when he perfectly apprehended and was sensible-of them all and when hindred by them from speaking or acting things sutable to his understanding As we may imagine what an affliction it would be for a person that is already in his man-hood and of a wise
all hereby the more to exalt himself § 137 After that these Preparations were made and Our Lord now also had compleated the thirtieth year of his age at which age the Priests as hath bin said and Levits were admitted to administer in the Sanctuary Numb 4.3 23 and at which age his Father David was installed in the Kingdom of Israel and Joseph advanced to the government of Egypt Types of our Lord Now was the full time come that he should throw off his long disguise and manifest himself And herein should first receive in publick before John and all the people a Commission from his Father speaking to the world from Heaven and a Solemn Vnction to his Office from the Holy Ghost He then to whom also and to his Holy Mother all these things done by John were related by their neighbours that he might fulfil all righteousness and shew obedience to all ordinances instituted by his Father Johns Baptism being from heaven and not of men as he argues against the Pharisees Mat. 21.25 as also that he might give good example to other Galileans for which see what he did Mat. 17.27 ut non scandalizemus eos in doing any thing that lookedlike disobedience not many daies after 30 years old went up as many others from Galilee and humbly presented himself among the other multitude to receive Baptism from John as a penitent so habited so mortified with grief and confusion remembring the burden he had taken upon him for our sakes of the sins of the whole world and compleating the Confession and Contrition of all those poor sinners that stood with him desirous of the same Absolution and among the rest even those of the Baptist himself The place of our Lords Baptism probably from John 1.28 was Bethabara viz. where the waters being divided the people of Israel passed over Jordan with Joshua into the land of promise and whither our Lord also coming out of the Desart returned to John And it seems by S. Lukes words chap. 3.21 in which all the people were baptized c that there was a great conflux of people to John at that very time For indeed one end of John's baptizing was that our Lord should be made manifest to Israel Jo. 1.31 § 138 The Baptist tho living in the same house for three Months with him before they were born had never before seen this sacred person whom he was sent to proclame the Divine Providence for avoiding any suspition of fraud or compact so ordering that they should be educated in two remote and opposite corners of Palestine yet presently upon his appearance by the Spirit knew him to be Christ our Lord. For S. Jonn's Non noveram c. Jo. 1.33 as S. Chrysostome and others is to be understood more largely Viz. of the time before our Lords coming from Galilee and before the solemnity of the Baptism in which solemnity because the most evident testimony was the Holy Ghosts descent and sitting upon our Lord therefore it is instanced in by the Baptist as if he had said I knew him not at all formerly till the time when he came to be baptized and the Holy Ghost in the shape of a Dove visible to all sate upon his Head The Baptist then presently knew him and much astonished at his great humility in offering himself to receive this Baptism of sinners with a like humility prostrated himself before him and telling him that himself had need to be baptized of him desired to be excused from so great a presumption whose shoos-latchet he had formerly told the people Jo. 1.27 he was not worthy to untie But our Lord now no way disguising or concealing himself to John with a word that so he ought to fulfil all righteousness removed his fear and scruple and so in all humble obedience to his good pleasure John performed this Office to him § 139 Our Holy Lord so soon as he ascended out of the water without any entertaining himself with his Cosin and servant the Baptist though this was their first interview immediatly put himself upon the banck of Jordan in the posture of praier wherein we may presume he offered himself according to his words in the Psalme Lo I come as in the volume of this book it is written of me to do thy will O my God to all those hard services and sufferings for the redemption of mankind which his heavenly Father expected from him as we find he did a little before his passion Jo 12.17 desiring him to glorify his name at which time also his Father spake to him Jo 12. being in great desolation from heaven in the hearing of all the people Whilst our Lord was thus praying and the Baptist who had had a preindication from God that he should discern his Son by the visible descent upon him at his Baptism of the Holy Ghost and also the people who could not but observe the extraordinary reverence S. John gave to him or also some of them hear his words had fixed their eies upon him Behold the Heavens were opened and first descended from them with a stream of light the Holy Ghost in the appearance of a Dove the innocency and harmless simplicity of which gaulless peaceful and mourning creature Our Lord recommends Mat. 10.16 and several qualities in it observed to resemble those of the Holy Spirit are mentioned by the Apostle Gal. 5.22 1 Cor. 13.4 which streaming Dove rested or sate upon him as was presignified by God to John and probably remained so according to Jo. 1.33 till hasting toward the Desart he was carried out of their sight § 140 This appearance again was seconded with a Voice from the opened heaven and from the Divine Majesty there declaring to the world This person to be his beloved Son in whom he was well pleased The words as also the descent of the Holy Spirit upon him are pre-related in the Prophet Esay 42.1 and cited also by the Evangelist Mat. 12.18 and do reveal to the world this joyful news as if he had said This is my Son the long expected Messias the new and perfect Legislator that declares all my will that is the Compleatment of all the Prophecies the only Mediator between me and sinners the Redeemer and Reconciler of the world unto me and my meek Lamb that takes away the sins thereof the only Holy and Eternal High Priest Lastly the King and Lord of the Universe In whom nothing at all displeaseth me and in whom I have bin pleased from all Eternity and except in whom none other pleaseth me and in whom all others may please me but unless through him I cannot love sinful man concerning whom the time was that it repented me at heart that I had made him Gen. 6.6 but which grief this my Son hath removed and again reconciled all things to me § 141 The same with which words were spoken a second time in the Holy Mount out of a bright cloud nearer hand when this
to qualify and lessen the great and suddain fame that might be of him which also was done for our example from that publick testimony they saw given by the other persons of the Trinity the Father and the Holy Ghost as also in the rest of his life he used frequent concealments of himself and enjoyned others silence for the non-preventing his future sufferings that so his six weeks absence and non-appearance might a little remit the former expectation and the Baptists immediatly sending all men after him whose manifestation was only to be discovered by certain degrees and therefore when returning from the Desart his stay with the Baptist much proclaiming him was only for two or three daies § 150 After his forty daies abode in this desolate place prostrated as Moses in his Fast before the Divine Majesty in praiers and intercessions and such Contemplations of God as his types Moses and Elias had formerly enjoyed and probably accompanied as they with a suspension of his natural faculties and a perpetual fast our Lord began when such his Devotions were ended and nature returned to its ordinary functions to be vehemently an hungred The Devil even the Prince of them as may appear from Matt. 25.41 Apoc. 12.9 who had narrowly watched Him hitherto and looked upon him with such an envious eye as he did on our first parents in their Innocency but could not attack him whilst in praier when this was ended and he saw also so great an hunger to pinch our Lord which our first parents had not when he prevailed with them to eat forbidden meats had entertained hence some hopes of prevailing upon his infirm humanity as he did on theirs viz. not to wait for his Fathers Provision for him in due time of such food as was necessary but with a power of Miracles presently in an extraordinary manner after such a meritorious Act of forty daies fast to supply himself with it In which Temptation also he hoped to make some advantage in reminding him of the dignity of his person and suggesting unto him that he was the Son of God Especially at this time the honour done him lately not only by the Baptist but from God himself both the Father and the Holy Ghost from heaven and now also the great Change of his life entring upon the office of the Messias might seem to have elevated his thoughts and ambitions above the temper of his former meanly entertained condition For tho the Devil had heard those glorious words pronounced from Heaven but lately at his Baptism and in his ranging every where for prey probably was well acquainted also with all the former miraculous passages of his life lead also hitherto without all sin and with all the prophecies concerning our Lord if we see how readily he afterwards quotes Scripture to him and how in his first accosting of him he pressed his being the Son of God yet since our Lord was also clothed with our infirm flesh he might not so perfectly discern the Hypostatical Vnion of such his lately assumed Humanity with the Deity nor how far it might be invested or assisted therewith and its weakness receive influences from it For this General enemy of mankind saw this his human nature clothed with all the infirmities as here in suffering hungar and passions or affections of it Whereby his flesh or sensitive appetite at that of others did naturally desire things delectable to it as meat drink rest sleep c. But yet these desires were alwaies such as were perfectly subjected to the guidance of right reason and wholly ordered and moderated by it and such wherein he had hitherto never sinned though it is most likely that Satan had not forborn before to tempt him as others to some exorbitancy therein even from his child-hood and again were such wherein he was also by reason of the Hypostatical Union of this nature to the Deity and perfect sanctification thereof by it utterly impeccable though this not known to the Devil Our Lord saith the Apostle not only felt our infirmities Heb. 4.15 but was in all points tempted like as we are i. e. by external objects occurring and inviting his nature to the use of them but without sin this sensitive nature was ever so overruled by reason as never by the least consent of his will to proceed to any excess beyond the bounds set by the Divine Commands Poterat quidem anima Christi saith S. Thomas 3. Q. 15. Art 4. resistere passionibus ut ei non supervenirent praesertim virtute divina sed propria voluntate se passionibus subjiciebat And In nobis quandoque hujusmodi motus non sistunt in appetitu sensitivo sed trahunt rationem quod in Christo non fuit quia motus naturaliter humanae carni convenientes sic ex ejus dispositione in appetitu sensitivo manebant quod ratio ex his nullo modo impediebatur facere quae conveniebant § 151 Therefore from this his liability to passions and the new change of his life Satan conjectured a fair opportunity for begetting in his humanity in his former life hitherto so poorly treated some Elation of mind and vain ostentation of its transcendent dignity and present advancement Or supposing Satan knew such an Union of this his humanity to the Deity as that our Lord could not possibly commit the least sin and that his present temptations were but in vain as all his former had bin yet was his malice to him so extream as it could not let him rest so far as God permitted and he rejoyced to give him some molestation though with a greater mischief to himself a quality we observe also in the Devil's children malicious men who do not forbear to afflict their neighbors in their own suffering much greater dammage § 152 He then as soon as God had relaxed his chain invades our Lord and probably appears to him in some comely and Glorious shape as we may conjecture from his last temptation wherein he desires Adoration from him Or as some think to be more sutable to the place shewed himself in the habit of some religious Hermite Or perhaps not disguising at all who he was which also was well known to our Lord subtilly desired some evidence of the supereminent Dignity of our Lords person as it were for his own satisfaction and that he might know his due subjection to him His request therefore was that if he were the very Son of God as he was lately proclaimed from heaven to be he would for the honour also of his human nature hitherto so meanly treated now shew an act of his Divine omnipotency and taking some pitty of its present necessities command those Stones that lay before him to become so many loaves of bread especially since in that desart place he could expect no other ordinary supply As indeed long ago in the like necessity the same Lord out of the stony Rock in the Desart brought forth water And the more kind
most unreasonably a further sign from him and urged that Moses had given them Manna from Heaven and there also in like manner our Lord presently told them of his Death and his feeding them with his Flesh and Blood and then of their having everlasting life by it and his raising them up at the last day things at which some of them also then took great offence So here also they whether misconstruing his words as if he had said first that he would destroy their Temple for this at his Death they urged against him and the false witness Mark. 14.5 to speak home interposeth that he said he would destroy the Temple made with hands and in three daies raise up another made without hands and then that he in three daies would build it again a Temple that they said was forty six years in building in the one made him impious in the other ridiculous and so turned his mention of this his greatest work for the salvation of mankind into a great scorn and flighting of him and into the cause of a quarel against him till at last they contrived his Death the destroying of the Temple he here speaks of and brought these his words against him to justify it and so He in raising up again this Temple of his Deity thus destroyed exhibited to the World this great Sign which at this beginning of his preaching he engaged here This was the success of our Lords first Sermon and appearance amongst them as to the Pharisees and their followers already much degusted with him and filled with envy § 183 Yet many others there were that seeing his Miracles believed on him at least that he was some great Prophet sent from God among whom was Nicodemus But our Lord saith the Evangelist did not commit himself unto them admitting them not into his familiar society nor relied on their fidelity for he knew well what was in them and that several of them would fall away and especially in his last tryal most unworthily desert him Therefore our Lord usually when at Jerusalem after his publick teaching them in the Temple and his daies work there done withdrew himself and had no private meetings and conferences as he said at his tryal that in secret he had said nothing and many times at night removed with his Disciples out of the City neither though several in the Country are mentioned do we hear of our Lords admitting any entertainments in the City though we may presume he wanted not some Invitations And all this was but necessary for deferring the Conspiracies of his enemies till the due time of his offering-up appointed by his Father § 184 Our Lord continuing his publick teaching in the Temple and doing Miracles during the Paschal feast Nicodemus a Pharisee a ruler of the Jews as he is stiled here vers 1. One of the Sanedrim and a person studied in the law for our Lord chap. 3. vers 10. stiles him a Master in Israel shewing also herein to him that he knew who he was and on that account blames his ignorance being already a Convert as it is said Jo. 12.42 many other among the chief Rulers were afterward but timorous to confess him came privatly to our Lord by night for fear of losing his Reputation with his fellow-Rulers which shews a great envy and hatred toward our Lord already kindled in them to be farther instructed of him in the matters of the Kingdom of God and life eternal confessing to him that his Miracles had convinced him that he was an extraordinary Teacher sent from God Our Lord very courteously received him and in a few words manifested to him fully who himself was and the whole substance of the Gospel At the first he began to acquaint him with the first Foundation of the Christian Religion Regeneration which at the beginning he proposed some what obscurely perhaps to humble Nicodemus his too much conceit of his own knowledg telling him that to enter into the Kingdom of God one must necessarily be born again which word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated here again signifies also from above which Nicodemus much wondring at and speaking of entring again into our Mothers womb our Lord graciously explained it to him that he must be born again not of a woman or the flesh which would produce nothing but flesh but of water the external Ceremony appointed by God to be used in the new birth signifying a being cleansed and purifyed from former sin and of the Spirit which might render a man spiritual and enabled therewith to bring forth good works which spirit inspires as it pleaseth 1 Cor. 12.4 Mark 4.27 unperceived by sense and being as the wind of which we know not whence or whither it goes but by its effects do discern the presence thereof and then gently reflected on Nicodemus his ignorance so to render him more docible and humble that he being a Master in Israel should know nothing of this For this Holy Spirit and our Renovation by it is frequently spoken of in the Old Testament and so also many types of Baptism and of the Sacraments of the new Testament found there See Psal 50.12 13 14 9. 142.10 11. Ezec. 11.36 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. Further told him that these things he now spake to him were the lowest matters but that there was much higher that he came to reveal to mankind from Heaven and from God his Father For that he was the only begotten Son of God descended from Heaven and again ascendeth thither and which also according to his Divinity remains alwaies there who spake nothing but what he knew and had seen with the Father See the like vers 32. and Jo. 8.38 5.19 30. Because God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that men might not perish but have everlasting life i. e so many as believed in him and that as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so he was to be lifted up See the like Jo. 8.28 So acquainting him but obscurely with his death sufferings That whosoever stung with sin beheld and believed on him might not perish but that those whoso did not believe on him were already condemned by occasion of his preaching to them not for their former sins which he came to take away but for their disbelief See Jo. 9.39 12.47 48. without which belief in him no forgiveness of Sin That he was the Light that was come into the world avoided only by those whose works were evil and so who feared the discovery of them by it and therefore made such opposition to him But that he that did truth would come to it as not fearing the manifesting of his deeds by it § 185 All these things he gratiously revealed to Nicodemus which delivered with his accustomed Majesty and Power must needs elevate Nicodemus into the highest admiration and reverence of his person love and gratitude towards his mercy and familiar condescendence especially having already seen his mighty
baptism and to whom his commendation and testimony had procured so much reputation for which they thought he should have had the more respect for John fell on Baptizing also and gathering Disciples and that all people repaired unto him they meanwhile making no mention also of his miracles § 190 To whom the humble Baptist as one over-joyed to hear this news to allay their murmurings answers on this manner and took this occasion to make them a Sermon on this subject the last of his that the Gospel mentions wherein he first told them that no man could advance himself any higher than he had received favours from above to be Jo. 19.11 that they themselves could witness the witness which he had alwaies born to our Lord and how he taught that himself was not the Christ but one sent before to make way for him as a paranymphus to go before him that this indeed was the true Bridegroome of the Church and himself only the Bridegroomes friend who rejoyceth in seeing the Bridegroomes caressing of his Bride and in hearing all the sweet and gracious words he speaks to her and in her amorously gathering and adhering to and panting after him and that in this now his joy was compleated That himself was to decrease and cease this his office after a little time but not so the other but his Kingdom to be dilated and encreased more and more that he being an earthly man could of himself speak only low and earthly things to them but that this was the Son of God to whom his Father gave not the Spirit by measure as to others Col. 2.3 1.19 1 Cor. 12.11 1 Pet. 4.10 Jo. 5.19 20 30. Apoc. 1.1 but that he perfectly knew all his Fathers secrets and was now descended from him and from Heaven to reveal to the world what he had there heard and seen 1 Jo. 5.10 and that whosoever believed his words only set his seal to the truths of God but yet that many were so hard-hearted as not to receive his Testimony finally that God loveth this his Son and hath given all things especially touching mans salvation into his hands and that the whole world being sinners and lâ—ing under the wrath of God he came hither that so many as believed on him should not perish but have remission of their sin and eternal life Jo. 17.2 3. but for those who did not so Gal. 3.10 the wrath of God still remained upon them § 191 Much mitigated and lenifyed with this Sermon somewhat contrary to their expectation Johns Disciples acquiesced in their Masters Testimony Nor had any more contention in this matter But yet after this some scruples and controversy we find made by them concerning our Lords Disciples their non-observing some solemn times or hours of falling as they and those reputed the holyest persons among the Jews the Pharisees did they not knowing that our Lord the Bridegroomes Gracious presence and Virtue supplied to these his attendants all proficience in spiritual matters without the usual preparations and helps belonging thereto By which we see how prone men are even in spiritual things to partiality and siding and factions effects of some relicks of self-love in those who seem most perfect And lastly John after he was imprisoned thought fit to send some of them to our Lord himself to see and so report to the rest his great works for the more confirming their faith of his being the Messias § 192 The Baptist meanwhile a burning and shining light as our Lord calls him continued his preaching in the coast of Galilee not to draw men from but to send them in faster to the Saviour of the world Nor had he long remained in those parts nearer the Kesidence of Herod but that He being though an Idumean by his descent yet a Proselite of the Jews Religion and hearing of his same esteemed by all the people as a Prophet Mat. 21 26. 14 5. either came to his Sermons in the place where John taught and Baptized or which is more probable sent for him to his Court. Of whom the Evangelist further saith Mark 6.20 that he feared John knowing him to be a just and Holy man and that he heard him gladly and did many things according to his advice and directions § 193 Now Herod having bin very faulty in his manners and Government for our Lord calls him a Fox and at last he was for his crimes ejected out of it by the Emperour and died in Banishment the Baptist having access to him and being a preacher of penance and doubtless illuminated by the Holy Spirit to know those affairs and faults of his with which his Education in the Desart could have bin little acquainted freely reproved him for his many evil deeds and among other for his taking his Brother Philips wife contrary to Gods express command Levit. 18.16 20 21. and that whether his Brother were alive or deceased for that his Brother had had a child by her the Daughter that danced so well before Herod And in this thing Herod was still the more guilty because he had already a former wife the Daughter of Aretas King of Arabia whom in his falling in love with Herodias upon a new compact made with her he put away and so provoked Aretas in revenge of his Daughter to make war upon him wherein he was deservedly very unfortunate Josephus imputes the cause of such his ill success Antiq. Judaic l. 18. c. 10. chiefly to his slaughter of the Baptist but however this war happened very opportunely for affording Herod less leasure to look after the motions of our Lord or giving any disturbance to them But returning to the Baptists reproof we find by the words in the Text It is not lawful for thee c. that this was not spoken of Herod in his absence but made to himself whether publickly or in private or the one after the other both being lawful according to several circumstances and the former sometimes necessary 1 Tim. 1 20. is uncertain § 194 This reproof of Herod for marrying her soon came to the ears of Herodias who perceiving Herods good inclinations to John and his obsequiousness in several matters to follow his Admonitions from which she might have some fears of her being removed from his bed and so the troubles of the war also with Aretas declined was fill'd with an implacable wrath and hatred against the Baptist Who coming in the Spirit of Elias and shewing the same zeal tor observance of Gods laws to Herod as the other to Ahab found a like persecution from her as Elias from Jezabel when as the two Husbands were more indulgent Herod overcome with her importunity and the power she had over Him sent his officers and took John and bound him Matt. 14.3 saith S. Matthew and cast him into prison For which imprisonment he wanted not a more specious pretence of fearing from the concourse of people made to him some sedition and tumults
to which the Pharisees also were not wanting to give their assistance in representing John the Author of a new Sect and acting without and against authority which though this crafty man knew to be envy in them yet he made use of this colour to cover the true Cause of this imprisonment and therefore this reason thereof is given by Josephus Antiq Judaici l. 18. c. 12. Veritus saith he cum ad audiendum cum quamplurima multitudo concurreret ne forte doctrinae ejus persuasione populi a suo regno discederent c. and our Lord also intimates the Pharisees and Governours of the Jews to have had a hand in this restraint Mat. 17.12 where he saith that they knew him not but did to him whatever they listed as they should afterward do to himself Thus cast in prison Herodias not appeased or secured herewith next solicits Herod also for the speedy taking away his life but both the fear of the people esteeming John a Prophet and his own reverence of him as yet with-held him from it For which cause also in prison he laying the blame thereof upon his wife indulged him so much liberty as to have some converse with his friends and his Disciples there to come to and attend upon him and so neither here as also afterward S. Paul was he an useless servant to our Lord. § 195 Leaving the Baptist now a Prisoner and an end put to his publick preaching after that our Lord was sufficiently manifested to the people of Israel and begun to be assisted in his work by other new Disciples let us return to our Lord. He had now continued preaching and baptizing in Judea after the Paschal Feast for about some eight Months for when removing hence he came into Samaria it is said Jo. 4.35 that it wanted but foure months to the next harvest and so to the next Pasch which Feast was celebrated at the beginning of the harvest at which time was offered a sheaf of the first fruits of their Corn Lev. 23.10 Deut. 16.9 as at Pentecost the first loaf of bread after Harvest gotten in between these two feasts In this time our Lord converting to the Gospel and faith in him as the Saviour of the world and so baptizing by his Disciples such multitudes of people far beyond the actings of John and this so near to Jerusalem had already alarm'd the Pharisees and rulers of the Jews and more and more incensed their wrath against him who could not rest from devising some way for his death or restraint especially after they had bin so succesful against the Baptist and we find afterward in Jo. 7.1 the reason more plainly given of our Lords residing no more in Judea but in Galilee because the Jews i. e these chief Governours and Leaders of them sought already to kill him By which we see also that our Lord for most of his time after he appeared once went in great danger of his life for in flying from the Pharisees in Judea in Galilee also there was an Herod Therefore Our Lord saith S. John Jo. 4.1 knowing the Pharisees had heard of his making and baptizing more disciples than John Matt. 4.12 and having heard also the severity used toward the Baptist purposed to leave Judea and return into Galilee so to decline for the present the evil designs of the Pharisees a gainst him and also to carry the light or the Gospel into those remoter places where it had not yet appeared and where John was interrupted in his Ministery For though Herod lived in the same quarters yet was he by the Divine providence so diverted by other affairs and especially the new dissentions between him and Aretas and his mind also so much afflicted with the unjust imprisonment of John as that he had little inclination to persecute any more Prophets and when at last after his murthering of John our Lords same from every side sounded in his ears his guilt presently imagined him John reviv'd and so rendred him less inquisitive after matters that would little redound to his Honour § 196 Our Lord thus removing with his Disciples out of Judea into Galilee came in his way hither to a City of Samaria situate in Mount Ephraim called Sychar but the same with the Ancient Schechem or Sychem of which see Gen. 33.18 c. the place where Jacob returning into Palestine from Laban purchased a field of the Children of Hamor Father to Sechem that afterward defloured Dinah and there first erected an Altar probably on Mount Garizim or Ebal since Altars used to be erected on the most eminent places and nearest to Heaven being two tops of the same Hill near one another where also viz. on Mount Ebal God commanded the Israelites that soon after their entrance into Canaan they should erect an Altar See Deut. 27 4. c. and Josh 8.30 c. and also should set up some great Stones on which plaistered over should be written the law and also on these two tops of the Hill one o're against another that there should be solemnly pronounced by the Levites the Benedictions and Curses the people saying Amen Which twelve Curses are there set down the matter of Benedictions being supposed to be the observing the Contrary to these Maledictions of which see more in Deut. 28. Hereabouts also and perhaps in the same place Abraham at his first entrance into Canaan upon Gods appearing to him in that place built an Altar see Gen. 12.6 7. At this place also Joshua assembled Israel before his Death and made a Covenant with them before the Lord c. See Josh 24.1 26. And this Hill Garizim was so near to this City that Jotham is said from the top or side of it to have spoken to the Sychemites Judg. 9.7 and the Samaritan woman calls it this Hill Jo. 4.20 as a place very near to her This City also was the first place as it were for a preludium taken possession of by armes by the seed of Abraham the Sons of Jacob in revenge for dishonouring their Sister Of which see what Jacob saith Gen. 48.22 Afterward being destroyed by Abimeleck Judg. 9.45 it was reedifyed by Jeroboam and made his regal seat Antiq. l. 11. cap. 7.8 and so it was saith Josephus in Sanballats time a Gentile Governour of Samaria under Darius Whose daughter being married to Manasses a Son of the High Priest and he for it ejected out of the Priesthood Sanballet calling him into Samaria by Alexander the Great 's leave who had then conquered those Provinces built a Temple for the worship of the God of Israel on Mount Garizim in emulation of that of Jerusalem in the rebullding of which the Samaritans before had offered their concurrence but was rejected Ezra 4.2 3. wherein Manasses his Son-in-law should officiate This was done some three hundred years before our Lords Incarnation which occasioned a Schism between the Samaritans and the Jews like to that former of Jeroboam Part
her water-pot behind her ran presently into the City which also was the intent of our Lords talking with her Viz. to communicate the Gospel also to these first fruits of the Samaritans who were half Israelites and Midlings between the Jews and Gentiles And told them that surely the Messias was come and was in the field or at least some great Prophet that had told her all things that ever she had done upon which the men of the City also hasted and came forth unto him § 202 Mean while his Disciples were returned from the Town with provision for dinner and as they came near perceiving his familiar discoursing with the Samaritan woman wondred not a little at it from the strangeness they knew was between the Jew and Samaritan and perhaps from the little converse our Lord had formerly used with wemen especially so alone and commonly his discourse only of the kingdom of God and spiritual matters which to a Samaritan seemed impertinent and such a one little capable thereof But standing in great reverence durst not ask him concerning it but when she was now gone away invited him to take his dinner To which well knowing this their wonder and so intimating to them what he had bin doing he told them transferring the discourse to higher matters as he did that with the woman concerning her water that he had meat to eat that they knew not of that it was his meat to do the will of him that sent him and in all places to finish his work toward those to whom he was sent Signifying to them that he was also among others to intend the conversion and salvation of these poor and despised Samaritans and of that foolish people in Sychem as they are called Ecclesias 50.26 that whereas they reckoned yet fower months unto harvest there appeared a great harvest every where to be gotten in as it were prenoting to them the conflux that would be made to him presently out of this City that the feilds were white already and the world prepared for the reapers the same Metaphor he used again afterwards when in Galilee great multitudes flocked unto him Mat. 9.37 sorry the labourers in this harvest were so few He proceeded also to tell them that they were chosen to be the reapers thereof and to enter upon the former labours and tillage of the Prophets and to gather much fruit to be stored up in life eternal where also both the former sowers and they the latter reapers should at last receive their full wages and rejoyce together in those Heavenly Treasuries § 203 By this time the woman was returned out of the City and a multitude of people with herto see our Lord the Prophet she told them of and to hear his further discourses concerning their Religion To whom our Lord in great compassion having preached as he did formerly in Judea the Gospel and Kingdom of heaven and remission of sins through belief in him the Saviour of the world with such his speeches he so opened their hearts for these were a part of these fields he spoke of that were already white unto harvest that the men overjoyed gratefully cold the woman that they had now received much more satisfaction from our Lord himself than from her relation concerning him and so much importuned him for a longer stay with them where having spent two daies more for their confirmation in the faith he thought fit to depart lest by such his longer conversation with them some scandal might be given to the Jews Among whom also as being the former Church of God the Gospel was in the first place to be published and therefore in sending his Disciples abroad he commanded them not to enter into any Towns of the Samaritans though himself was pleased in passing as it were to reap this first fruits thereof As also elsewhere he healed and converted to believe in him some other Gentiles and not Israelites Mat. 15.26 8.10 whom he saw extraordinarily prepared thereto And it is very observable for a further conviction of the ingrateful obstinacy of the Jews that this poor despised people were the first of his Auditors we read of that after his first called Disciples without also any Miracles of his shewed among them made such a noble confession of him saying We know that this is indeed the Christ and the Saviour of the world Which conversion of the Samaritans our Lord perfected some three or four years after as our Lord was now ascended into heaven by sending his Apostles thither before their spreading further to the Gentiles See Act. 8.5 6. At which time also we find the same credulity and alacrity in this people as is here And the people saith the Text with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake as commonly those more grosly erring are sooner convinced thereof and reduced to truth § 204 After two daies stay in this place Our Lord went on his journey for Galilee and returned to Cana where he had formerly done the Miracle of changing the water into Wine the Fame of which as also the Galileans in their going to the Paschal feast there having seen the great miracles he had also done at that time in Jerusalem made this people to entertain and welcome him with very great applause and concourse and much better prepared for receiving his Heavenly doctrine and counsels the chief business for which he descended from heaven And by the Divine providence so ordering it that our Lord also might be the more welcome and secure among the Capernaites in particular where he designed his chief Residence it then so happened that the Son of a Noble man and Royal Officer in Capernaum fell sick and his life at last utterly despaired of Whereupon his Father hearing of our Lords miracles and of his return into those quarters hasted to Cana and there humbly besought him that he would vouchsafe to come down speedily to Capernaum and heal his Son who lay at the point of Death which also afforded our Lord an occasion of declining Nazareth where he knew his former mean education would render the function of his office less beneficial and the miracle might make also his return to Capernaum much more acceptable and desired § 205 Our Lord making some delay and reprehending his Auditors that without miracles they were so slow to believe the Noble-man again importuned him to make some hast before his Son was dead Whereupon he presently dismissed him with this answer that his Son lived signifying to him that he would heal him as well without going to him Which thing as he believed so he found most true when taking leave of our Lord and departing presently upon it meeting his Servants the next day he perceived from them his Son 's perfect recovery punctually at the time our Lord spoke these words and so he and his whole family were converted to the faith of the Gospel some imagining him to have bin Cusa an Officer of Herod's
take up his bed and walk Upon which the impotent man was instantly cured and carrying his bed on the Sabbath was presently questioned by the Jews probably these inquirers being either the Pharisees great zelots for the Sabbath or some of their Disciples for the breach of it in so doing who answered them that he was bid to do so by the person that cured him But our Lord there being a throng of people in the place he presently conveyed himself away and returned into the Temple All which occasioned the cure to be more taken notice of and the person looked after that had done it nor could the poor man give any account of him But a little after he repairing also to the Temple probably there to render more solemn thanks to God for his cure Our Lord now discovers himself to him and minding him of the mercy he had received exhorted him to amendment of life least a worse thing yet should happen unto him in die irae if not in this Rom. 2.4 5. yet after this life § 245 The man after he had paid his due adoration and thanks hasted to the former busy enquirers after the Author of his cure and told them it was Jesus doubtless thinking he should advance his honour and esteem with them thereby But it happened much otherwise for instead of this they sought his death for his own breaking in doing this cure and causing the other man also to break the Sabbath Our Lord then questioned by them concerning it as he was often for the like and made them great variety of answers and defences for it by which they were still silenced at this time answers them as absolute Lord of the Sabbath that he was to do the works for which God his Father had sent him among which was restoring the lame giving sight to the blind c. Mat. 11.5 whether this were on Sabbath or week daies or whoever should suffer scandal thereat But his answer now again was made by them worse than his fault collecting hence an higher accusation for destroying him because faith the Text he not only hath broken the Sababth Jo. 5.18 but said also that God was his Father and made himself equal with God which equality had the Jews miscollected from our Lords words as the Arrians say they did probably our Lord or the Evangelist would have reflected on it § 246 But our Lord well knowing his time not yet come of being delivered into their hands with the same undaunted courage and infinite charity and zeal after their salvation prosecuted his former discourse and took this opportunity to declare to them plainly and fully who he was his Union and intimacy with God his Father and why he was sent by and from him into the world and with what authority and power that all might provide for their Salvation by the believing in and the honouring of him as they did the Father See his Sermon made to them Jo. 5. The chief Contents whereof were these That in nothing he sought his own will our Lord having the same natural affections as other men but these in all things subjected to the Divine good pleasure and disposal but the will of his Father That he did nothing of himself but what he saw his Father do and that as he heard of him so he judged that all judgment also was by the Father committed into his hands see the like Mat. 11.27 Jo. 3.35 and the power of doing whatever the Father doth That every one who heard his words and believed that God had sent him should not come into condemnation .i. e. for his former sins now remitted in him but was passed from death to life speaking of death and life spiritual and eternal and of their regeneration thereto by the Spirit See 1 Jo. 3.14 that they who marvelled now so much at the present works he did namely in curing of diseases c. should yet hereafter see far greater from him namely upon the hearing of his voice by the Archangel all that are in their graves coming forth and receiving from him their final doome the good to the resurrection of life the evil to the resurrection of damnation the like things of his hereafter coming in the clouds c. he told to them before his passion Mat. 26.64 and to Nathanael Jo. 1.51 Angels waiting upon him and going hither and thither as he sent them that therefore it was the Fathers pleasure that all should believe in and do honour unto the Son as they did to the Father whose words and actions were the same and they saw and heard God the Father in the Son And concerning his being such a person and the words he spake to them Truth that they had an abundant testimony though considering his person his own was sufficient Jo. 8.14 16. First from his Father 1 both that which he gave them from heaven concerning him at his Baptism the like to which was done twice afterwards at our Lords tranfiguration before three witnesses Mat. 17.5 which is mentioned again by S. Peter 2 Epis 1.16 17. and at his solemn entrance into Jerusalem before his passion God the Father then from heaven speaking to him Jo. 12.20 23. perhaps for a testimony also to the Greeks or Gentiles see Jo. 7.35 who then first admitted by the Apostles came to worship and to make their humble addresses to him which foresignifyed salvation to be shortly after communicated to them by his now approaching death And a-again 2ly that testimony which his Father gave to him in the Miracles which he wrought by him which testimony he frequently urgeth See Jo. 10.25 38. 15.24 2ly A Testimony from John the Baptist though having that of God he needed not that of men which John was sent before him amongst them as a burning and shining light till the time he was to be eclipsed and silenced and they some of them at least were willing for a season to rejoyce in his light 3ly Testimony also from the Scriptures in which they thought were contained the way to eternal life which Scriptures had they duly searched they might have found them abundantly witnessing of him Lastly testimony from their lawgiver Moses in whom they had so much confidence who also spake clearly of him Jo. 1.45 Deut. 18.15.18 where upon petitioning that they might not hear again the voice of God nor see that terrible fire c he tells them that God would raise them up a Prophet like unto him and would put his own words into his mouth c and to him they should hearken whose words would sufficiently accuse unto God his Father their infidelity though our Lord should hold his peace But that notwithstanding such witness and evidences they would not believe because they had not the love of God in them nor as our Lord did sought the honour that only cometh from him through whatever worldly disesteem but was envious ambitious which shews he spake chiefly to the Pharisees and
to every tittle that the Body of heaven and earth was after a certain time to vanish and pass away but no so one letter of Gods word Again that for the moral commandements and precepts of the Law much less came he to give any relaxation to mens former obedience thereto but to exact the observance of them to the least iota having procured for them from his Father the Holy Spirit for enabling them also to such observance and that he who did not endeavour to keep those that were slighted and accounted the least of these Commandements some of which he mentions below vers 22 28 34 39. not being angry not lusting in our heart not swearing at all c. not rendring evil for evil c. as well as those thought greater could not reach Heaven or eternal happiness In prosecution of which our Lord began to expound to them the true meaning and just extent of several of these Laws corrupted by the former glosses of the Pharisees and human Tradition That the precept of not killing or committing murder extended not only to not taking away our Neighbours life but to any reproaching or vilifying them by words as calling him silly or a fool which said without cause and in malice toward him incurreth not the sentence of a Civil Judg to some corporal punishment or also death in these lesser Courts in the several Cities or that greater at Jerusalem but even of damnation to hell-fire again extendeth also to any anger or disaffection against him in our heart Therefore that before they brought any Sacrifice offering or gift or made any addresses to God concerning themselves or implored his pardon of their faults or any his favours to them they should call to remembrance if there were any displeasure or disgust between them and their neighbour and should presently procure a reconciliation with him especially if such neighbour have any just quarrel against them on the former account that thus they might wisely prevent their neighbours complaints to God the Supreme Judg of all Whose exact justice upon such wrong done would certainly cast them into prison and before any releasment require of them the uttermost farthing if they were not diligent thus before hand and whist they have opportunity in this life to make their composition and peace with him § 266 Our Lord having said this in exposition of the Commandment proceeds to the second of committing Adultery the most natural impetuous and troublesome of our passions being these two Anger and Lust the one from an excess of hate towards another the other of Love After the bridling of the one he now prescribes that of the other and to this purpose tells them that this precept also of not committing adultery extended not only to not actually lying with our neighbors wife but not to much as looking on her or any other woman not our own wife with any lustful thoughts for that all such persons were guilty of committing adultery already with such persons in their heart And therefore that it even our right eye or right hand should be the instrument or tempter to offend God in such a manner it were better if we could procure no other remedy of committing such sin without doing this even to pluck out this though our right eye or cut off our right hand than to sin against God and so have not this eye or hand only lost but our whole Body cast for such offence into eternal flames Intimating at least our cutting-off the observed occasions of sin even though these seem as precious and dear unto us as our eye or right hand That also in marriage they were religiously to observe such an Holy Contract and patiently bear this great Yoke when not well and discreetly engaged without expecting any relief or indulgement of a separation or divorce afterward contrary to the great liberty they had taken herein except in the case of Fornication And in such case also that the parties might not upon this presently clap up new marriages better suting with their new affections and amours but were to live continently and single for God gives ability in such a separation Things which said by our Lord elsewhere the Disciples so check d at Mat. 19.10 that they concluded it was better to forbear marriage if having so streit obligations upon it § 267 From this he proceeds to some liberties and indulgments they practised contrary to the intention of the Divine Law in their conversation with their neighbour especially in a custome of oaths and other aggravating asseverations mostly coming from an evil root in their discourses and treatings which is contrary to the simplicity and moderation that ought to be in their words and reverence towards God and his creatures in relation to him that ought to be observed in their Oath In which matter he instructs them that the precept concerning an oath Lev. 19.12 and Deut. 6.13 Viz. that they should not forswear themselves and should perform unto the Lord their Oaths did not allow them a liberty to swearing also whenever they spake a truth swearing either by God himself or by any of his Creatures Or secure them that swearing also by some of Gods creatures at least such as by some Consecration had not a more special relation to him as the Sacrifice the Gold of the Temple c. signifyed nothing and had no guilt in it according to their false Glosses thinking reverence in using Oaths was only confined to the name of God and to his name not as to swearing but only false-swearing by it But that Mat. 23.16 excepting where necessity and matters of great consequence required it in which case we find Gods greatest Saints for advancing truth to have used it Heb. 6.16 And an end of all strifes among men faith the Apostle is an Oath their ordinary communication and discourse and dealing with their Neighbour was to be without any swearing at all either by God himself whose name they were at no time to take in vain Or by any of his Creatures over the least of which even an hair they had no power to make it white or black and all which they ought to reverence for the relation they have to him who at the first made them and alwaies replenishes and dwelleth in them But that their ordinary communication should be plain and simple and without endeavouring with any such attestations or artifice to add weight to their words Yea Yea Nay Nay as our Lords Amen Amen their assertion only being reiterated where less credited for that what was more than this came of Evil i. e. some irreverence toward God in himself or in his Creatures and again of evil either others having more jealousy of the truth of our words than they ought which in them is malice or from our own desiring to add more weight to our words than the matter requires which in us is a faulty ambition See this Lesson of our Lord repeated
by it on those who deprive themselves of their share in the sufferings of this Lamb of God Under the weight then of this heavy burden freely undertaken by him for love of us and our eternal safety he falls down on his knees and prayes on this manner Abba Father Mat. 26. peircing words like those of Isaac Gen. 22.7 from so innocent a person and also an onely Son going to the slaughter If it be possible as all things are possible unto thee Mark 14.36 let this cup pass from me And thus far as he being true man Nature for self-preservation presents to God its own innocent and harmless desires and inclinations but then as also being a most faithful Subject and servant obedient in all things to the will of God proceeds further in another Note Nevertheless Not what I will but what thou wilt And herein consisted his innocency not in wanting these natural desires of self-preservation for this would take away all merit of obedience but in submitting them Such desires of nature being sinful not wherever they are but onely where they rule contrary to what a Superiour power exterior or interior commandeth or requireth of them And to instruct us that no man ought to take such desires arising in him so long as the person thus concludes them in Not what I will to be sin the Son of God also for our consolation sheweth them in himself And from him we may also learn that he as we dayly had and underwent all those other harmless appetites and inclinations of Nature respecting food rest apparrel lodging society and other delights of the senses and that in the confining of these within their due limits in obedience to his Fathers commands consisted the merit of his innocency never any one of these appetites throughout all his life though from time to time motioning their natural contents yet having bin for once any way exorbitant or transgressed the bounds his Father and his God had prescribed it § 16 Therefore we find that two or three daies before as he was in the Temple upon the like natural sense of Death he made the like prayer set down by St. John chap 12. as it were in lieu of this in the Garden which that Evangelist wholly omits who it seems writ his Gospel upon occasion of some Hereticks so early denying our Lords Divinity chiefly to Register therein those discourses and works of our Lord which more manifested to the world his Divinity than those discovering his human infirmities In the Temple then certain devout Gentiles by the divine providence now desiring to be brought to him and to be made acquainted with him as it were already suing to be admitted into his fold which thing was only hindred by his death not as yet accomplished our Lord took great notice of it and upon this occasion foretelling the coming in of the Gentiles and how assoon as he was once lifted up upon the Cross assoon as this standard was erected and he displayed upon it he should draw all the world unto him Upon the mention of that cruel death he there also let fall this expression to them Jo. 12.27 Now is my soul troubled and what shall I say And there also first he makes his request as a man sensible of misery Father save me from this hour but then as a Son and a Servant perfectly obedient he with his Superior reason and the Spirit restrains these sensitive desires in their true bounds in saying to himself again But for this cause came I unto this hour and then adds an Act of Resignation Father Glorify thy name i. e. in any sufferings of mine whatsoever which may be for the enlarging of thy Glory even to the Gentiles and to all the world At which time also after his prayer his Father answered him with a voice from heaven which the People called an Angel's speaking to him Jo. 12.29 as here he sent an Angel to him to shew that he alwaies heareth and accepteth prayers joined with such a Resignation from all his sons See Jo. 12 30.-11.42 So again at the Table in looking upon the horrid design of his own Servant against him read in his heart it is said by the same Evangelist that he was troubled in Spirit chap. 13.21 But straight his absolute Resignation to his Fathers will appears in his permission of Satan to enter and act further against him in that malitious Soul and in his saying then That thou dost do quickly So in his last sufferings on the Cross wherein he seems to have undergone a second Desolation of Spirit when he began those words of the 21 Psalm composed by his Father David touching his Passion My God My God why hast thou forsaken me This also was then accompanied with a most placid Resignation of himself into his Fathers hand that smote him saying presently after these words Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit But to return This Request and perfect Resignation being offered together that Model that should be of all our prayers also he returns in this his Agony to receive the solace of the company of his three dearest Disciples left not far behind him as also like an ever-careful shepheard to look to his sheep and so afford them his company and assistance in this hour of their temptation as well as his And behold he finds them being stupified with sorrow Luk. 22.45 and amazement at such a fight of his sorrow and amazement and for the sad presage he had made to them of his approaching death Peter and all fallen a sleep Our Lord straight awakening them asks Peter who had but now made such great promises of going to Prison and dying with him how it chanced that he and his Followers could not for so little a time as he had now to spend with them even for one hour so much as watch a little with him And this for his own sake too to spend it in prayer to be delivered from that great temptation that was coming especially on Peter But this meek Lord what with one word he questioned presently with another he excuseth in saying with much compassion for them The Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak Upon which Flesh of theirs not onely their greif but Satan probably at this time was permitted to have some influence in this first degree of their desertion of our Lord Where also by his mentioning the weakness and infirmity of their Flesh which he now also felt extraordinarily in himself but without sin he excites them also to a stronger vigilancy over it Then repeating again to them the same charge of watching to praier in this dreadful hour of temptation which he gave them before He departs again to a certain distance sore prest with that great weight that lay upon him and on his knees made a second time the same request with an earnestness of Praier Luk. 22.24 increasing according to his Agony when also his innocent words conclude
meo custodiam cum consisteret Peccator adversum me Psal 37.13 Opprobrium insipienti dedisti me And obmutui non aperui os meum quia tu fecifti Qui inquirebant mala mihi locuti sunt vanitates dolos c. Ego autem tanquam surdus non audiebam sicut mutus non aperiens os suum And Factus sum sicut homo non audiens non habens in ore suo redargutiones Ego in flagella paratus sum dolor meus in conspectu meo Quoniam iniquitatem meam That of the whole world taken upon me annuntiabo cogitabo pro peccato meo i.e. meorum § 34 This silence as the High Priest much wondred at so he little imagined the reason of it seeing the great advantages he had of a Reply And convinced already without his Plea of the vanity and contradiction of the accusation deviseth another way that might succeed better and being the main matter upon the stage that had bin many times undoubtedly heard from him and which either affirmed or denyed must equally ruin him And that he might no way be defeated by his silence he solemnly adjures him by the living God a custome amongst the Jews in their Courts where wanting some other Evidence see 1 Kings 8.31.32 Numb 5.19 1 Thess 5.27 to declare then openly whether indeed he was the Messias and the Son of God Which if he now denyed having before professed it he might pass for a grand Impostor and Deceiver formerly or if he confessed it with the Court it amounted to blasphemy and the punishment thereof Death and which the divine Wisdom then so ordered That what our Lord had so often declared in his life and confirmed with Miracles he might also witness before all the world at his Death and seal this great truth with his blood for the greater confirming of true Believers and greater conviction of all Opposers at the day of Judgment § 35 Thus therefore our Lord presently confessed openly what he was without those qualifications with which formerly he was wont sometimes to veil it thereby not to prevent or anticipate his sufferings His answer there Thou sayest that I am being amongst the Jews a modest way of Asseveration concerning a thing that includes some self-dignity or commendation Thou sayest that I am being as much as thou sayest that which I am See the same language used by our Lord before to Judas Mat. 26.25 and the High Priest his renting his clothes for Blasphemy shews our Lords Answer to be understood as a clear confession Therefore S. Mark puts instead of it more breifly I am And it may be here observed that when as he said the same thing often in his life time and they upon it had charged him with blasphemy and so went about to stone and kill him see Jo. 5.18 Jo. 10.32 c. He there confuted them and stopped their mouths by many proofs that this was no falshood or blasphemy viz. by his so many miraculous works by the Testimony of the Holy Baptist by the immediate testimony of his Father from heaven lastly by the infallible Scriptures calling those Gods to whom God had given some extraordinary commission or authority whereas himself had received beyond them such a Plenitude of Sanctification appearing by the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon him at his Baptism by the Purity of his life and Doctrine and mighty works see Jo. 5.20 21 33 37. the 10.33 37 yet here at their crying Blasphemy he repeats no such defence notwithstanding all the Nation could witness the truth of it but retireth again to his former silence as loath to disappoint their purpose now his hour was come § 36 Only in great pity and charity to his impious oppressors and to remove the scandal taken at that which ought to be infinitely admired his present voluntarily-assumed humiliation he modestly tells them that although these titles he owned might seem somewhat disfutable to his present low condition yet one day their eyes should behold this now so mean a Son of man exalted to sit on the right hand of Power as David had foretold of the Messias Psal 109.1 which Messias his sitting on the right hand of Power and so being Davids Lord the Pharisees could not reconcile with the Messias being also Davids Son when our Lord asked them this question Mat. 22.44 No more than they could now his bonds with it and that they should also see him come in the clouds of heaven as Daniel had foretold of the Messias Dan. 7.13 to judg the world and even them his then Judges Of which he had also in his preaching told his auditory many times before see Mat. 16.27 Where advising them not to mind the gain of this world but to save their poor Souls in the next he tells them that the Son of man for so he stiles himself also there shall come in the glory of his Father which shewed him the Son to another higher than man with his Angels and then reward every one according to his works And this his premonition here given to his unjust Judges shall again bear witness against them in that his day of Judgment when saith the Prophet Zachary chap. 12. Aspicient in eum quem transfixerunt And Ecce venit in nubibus videbit eum omnis oculus qui eum pupugerunt saith S. John Apoc. 1.7 Nay a-modo saith S. Matthew chap. 26.64 very suddenly within three daies after his saying this they should see the beginning of this his Exaltation and Glory He being exalted by the right hand of God saith S. Peter Acts 2.33 after his Resurrection and Ascension hath shewed forth this ye now see and hear In which speech of our Lord thus standing at the bar we may observe that his singular modesty was accompanied with a great freedom Authority and Majesty Nor had their treatment any way daunted him or remitted the resolution and courage belonging to an innocent person to the dignity of his office and to the necessary confession of truth as appears in his whole carriage at his apprehension Are ye come out as against a Theif c. I sate with you teaching in the Temple c. And here at his appearance before the High Priests and Jewish Courts Askest thou me ask them that heard me And afterwards before the Roman Governor sayest thou this of thy self c. And for this cause come I into the world c. And every one that is of the Truth heareth my voice And Thou couldest have no Power against me but what is given thee from above Jo. 19.11 § 37 But this forewarning them of his Exaltation and judgment to come which should have struck some fear into them and in which his Servant S. Paul had better success Acts 24.25 their malice made also ill use of and improved it so much more to compleat his blasphemy And presently the High Priest fell a rending his clothes as it was the manner
the infinite Graces and love and sweetness he discovered in that look all which upbraided his unkindness the posture he left that innocent Lamb of God in sorrounded with and ready to be torn in peices by so many Wolves and also his leaving him so and hasting to save himself all these we may presume so galled and wounded him as that had not the High Priests Gate bin shut upon him he would now have reentred to recant there publickly his former act and run through all hazards whatever with his dear Lord. But the divine Providence had appointed this for one of our Lords sufferings the clear desertion of all his Followers and that he should tread the Wine-press alone § 41 Yet something may be said on the other side in the lessening of the lapse of this prime Apostle That his love and courage seems to be greater than most of the rest in his following his Master to his trial and venturing into the High Priests Pallace when it was he that just before had cut-off the ear of his servant In his denyal its being without any great scandal not in publick but to some idle people standing about a fire and medling with a matter of no concernment to them In that it was done upon a suddain surprisal not done with premeditation or put to any formal Trial of his fidelity and where perhaps hazarding also the reputation of the other Disciple that brought him in might run in his mind and much more his being questioned for Malchus And as it seemed a shame to deny our Lord at the accusation only of a poor Maid-servant so it might seem a thing of no great consequence to confess him before such a mean person But which is most to be noted he denyed not that Jesus was the Messias or the Son of God he renounced no part of his faith no such thing was he asked nor if put to it would he ever have denyed it but he denyed only his knowledg of or acquaintance with such a person Lastly the Fall of this great Apostle God permitted besides for the aggravation of our Lords sufferings by his cheifest Disciple denying as another of them betraying him for many other good ends As to beget a perfect humility in him a little before too confident of himself to shew us what frail things we are the best of us when our Lord leaves us a little to our selves and hath not his eye upon us To comfort poor sinners in their great miscarriages since the greatest Saints as David and Peter have had their falls To shew the infinitness of Gods mercy to Penitents in his pardoning such great offences and that to persons most obliged to him and from whom he had reason to expect the greatest fidelity Lastly to teach Peter the cheif Pastor of his sheep the more compassion to sinners in reflecting on his own infirmities and faults and to bear with those who are tempted and fall in as much as himself stood not when he was so § 42 What became of the other Disciple no mention is made T is probable that better acquainted with the house he went up into the Court and was present at our Lord's trial and seeing the severe proceedings against him after the Council rose quitted the Pallace with the rest where he saw was no safe staying any longer for any friends of Jesus when also he might take Peter presently after his third misadventure there along with him § 43 Now to return unto our Blessed Lord committed to the custody of the High-Priests Officers and Servants until the morning and the reassembly of the Council in the same place in a fuller body These Officers one would think since the time that being sent to apprehend him they returned to their Masters with a Nunquam sic locutus est homo sicut hic homo should now have treated him with some ordinary civility especially no final sentence being yet passed upon him and the Judges being to reexamine his cause the next morning The ear also our Lord restored but two or three hours before to Malchus and his reprehending Peter for his cutting it off might not have bin so soon forgotten by them But indeed now was the Power of Satan and of Darkness and his chain never so much loosened as at this time before the approaching ruin of his kingdom who therefore ceased not by all those his Instruments to act his utmost malice nor to suffer our Lord to rest one minute § 44 The Ministers therefore having as yet no order for the executing of any higher corporal punishment and because our Lord also was to proceed gradatim through all sorts of sufferings instead of indulging him or themselves any repose in which our Lords servant S. Peter was more civilly used Acts 12.6 after their watching all the fore-part of the night compass him about in a ring and notwithstanding his modest silence no way provoking them fall on abusing him both with their tongues and hands as far as was permitted They spit on his face being the greatest note of ignominy and disgrace that was amongst the Jews see Deut. 25.9 where the man was to be used so that would not raise up seed to his brother And they abhor me saith Job in his typical complaint Chap. 30.10 they forbear not to spit in my face when his tyed hands also could not cleanse it They smote him also on the face with the palmes of their hands They punched and thumped him with their fists and by the Prophecies Esay 50.6 it seems they also plucked off his hair being not tondentes but vellentes of this meek Lamb. These Jews also treated him this night as a Mock-Messias as the next day the Gentiles abused him as a Mock-King and after their cruelty wearied in this way and his rare faculty in Prophecying coming into their mind they remembred a Boys-play to this purpose and got a cloath and blindfolded him whereof the Philistines abusing blind Sampson was a Type and fall on beating him a fresh thus hood-winked that he being the Messias and the Christ and the great Prophet that was to come into the world should now so hooded prophecy and tell them who it was that smote him § 45 Cruel and causeless malice for which of his sweet words or mighty works as he once said to you Jo. 10.32 who left heaven to save you and in whom you never saw fault and who went about every where doing good for which of these do you thus treat him And how could the blessed Angels at least that waited on our Lord have the patience to suffer such vile wretches and the dregs of the people to strike and spit on their Creator the Lord of Heaven and Earth but that they well knew it was the pleasure of their great Master out of his infinite charity to suffer this even for the salvation of those his Tormentors and to receive these blows for the satisfaction of their fault that gave them
mitigated their cruelty and malice Ecce Homo as if he had said to them see this rueful spectacle of suffering Innocency and at length have ye some compassion Is not here punishment too much already inflicted where none deserved But they the cheif Priests and officers especially assoon as they saw him in this pickle saith the Evangelist Jo. 19.6 renewed their former clamour Crucifige Crucifige The Governour replyed Take ye him and crucifie him if you can be so unjust for I cannot do it finding no fault in him The Jews seeing Pilat so resolutely still clearing our Lord as to that accusation of theirs which they thought would most take with the Romans Sedition c. retreat again to his blasphemy and his crimes against their Law whereof the Roman President wholly ignorant could not so well discern his or their Guilt saying that they had a Law according to which their Justice had proceeded against him and that by this Law he ought to dye on a higher account than Rebellion against Princes seeing he made himself the Son of God and became thereby guilty of the highest blasphemy against God himself which in their Law was punished with death But were it so this will not bear out or warrant their Crucifige or demanding the death of the Cross § 73 Pilat hearing that he made himself the Son of God and perhaps comparing it with what was reported of his Miracles and with the words also he had heard a little before from him standing at the Bar that he was a King but his kingdom not of this world and that he came into it to teach men Truth began to be seized with a religious fear to the great confusion and shame of our Lord 's own people that there might be some such thing indeed and so to reflect also on his scourging of him and the danger if he should proceed further to Crucifie him For his own Religion also had such opinions in it That the Gods sometimes do descend from heaven and take on them the shapes of men see Acts 14.11 And they also imagine some inferiour Semideos begotten by the Gods of women And perhaps these fables had their first original from some mistaken passages of the Sacred story of God's sometimes assuming a human shape and discoursing with the Patriarchs and from the Prophecies concerning the Son of God to be born of a woman To which may be added the extraordinary Gravity Modesty Fortitude Constancy Prudence and holy reservation so great unconcernedness and neglect as it were of what they said or did to him which he had observed in our Lord as one strangely elevated above all human passions and infirmities Startled I say with this fear and reflecting on his former ill treatment of such a person he returns again from the Jews into the Praetorium and there questions our Lord a-new whence he was i. e. whether of an human or divine race by this question giving our Lord occasion as Herod before to set forth and justly magnify himself the former as to his divine power in shewing some Miracle and this latter as to his divine Nature in declaring his descent But our Lord before him as before the other stood mute and silent not willing to admit the least detrectation or declining of his sufferings or the least endeavours contrary to his Fathers good pleasure well knowing also of Pilat as of the Jews that si responderet non dimitteret and lastly having before answered him sufficiently to this question when he told him that he was a King but not of this lower world that he descended to teach men the Truth of God Nor were those many divine works of his concealed from the Governour 's knowledg which evidenced an extraordinary Mission of him from God § 74 The Governour displeased at this silence after so much kindness as he thought shewed him and so contrary also to his own interest in neglecting all lawful observance of a Person that had him absolutly in his power and studied to release him asked him why he did not answer him in whose free power he knew it was whether this justly or unjustly either to crucify or acquit him but indeed Pilats professing it here in his power to release him whom he alwaies confessed an innocent person aggravates his guilt that followed in condemning him Our Lord here not deserting the vindication of the dignity of his person and Mission formerly declared both to the Jews and to the Roman Governour and referring these his sufferings and death wholly to the will of his Father not the power of man as also he did at his apprehension when he told the Jews this was their hour made a charitable breach of his former silence to check the Governours vaunting of his Power where he shewed so much injustice telling him with a very great gravity and majesty in his words and carrying himself as the very person Pilat feared he was that he could have no power at all against him except it had bin given him from above therefore those who delivered him an innocent person thro malice to him invested from above with such a power had the greater sin In these few words representing to Pilats passion and heat that all this was done by the permission and good pleasure of his Father to which not man's he yeilded this meek obedience as he told the Jews before at his yeilding himself to them in the Garden That he had no power over any person whatever but what a Superiour power who would call him to account permitted and again no just power over any person innocent as to the condemning or crucifying of such an one but yet much more no power over him who was the Son of God and King over all the world a thing he mentioned also to Peter when they called on him for Tribute Mat. 17.24 But yet that though he offended in what he did to him he was through his ignorance though not of his innocency yet of his person much more excusable herein than those others who delivered him to him who both against so many infallible evidences he had given them denyed him to be such a person and with so many false criminations brought him to him as a capital offender and abused the power of the lawful Magistrate to serve their malice thus representing to him both the Jews guilt and his own though withal he modestly excused his fault as much the less § 75 Our Lord 's thus humbling the Governours high language with minding him of a Superiour Authority to which he was accountable and of his sin in such proceedings and compliances against an innocent person yet these qualified with an acknowledgment of the Jews guilt much greater than his the prudence also and gravity of his Answer remitting nothing of his appearance to be such a person as Pilat dreaded him to be whose words were not like other men's but as they entred the ear pierced also the Soul continued still
with our persons Heb. 10.19 § 109 Together with this stream of blood gushed out also another very Miraculous stream of water distinct from it for otherwise by reason of the strong tincture of blood this water could not have bin discerned if mingled with it A Type of which was Moses his smiting the rock and the water gushing out whereof the Apostle also speaking saith the rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 And these two the water and blood lively represented the two Sacraments left by our Lord to the Church for the cleansing of sin and commemoration of his death the Sacrament of Baptism and of the Eucharist And thus as out of Adams side when lying a sleep was formed his Wife Eve so by the water and blood issuing out of Christs lying in the sleep of his death was formed in these two Sacraments his Spouse the Church regenerated in the one by Christs Spirit and nourished in the other with his grace redeemed by the shedding of blood and cleansed by the water § 110 St. John a spectator all this while and diligent observer of all that passed takes great notice of this with these words concerning it And he that saw it bare record and knoweth that he saith true that we might believe By which he saith the Prophecies were fulfilled that the Executioners should pierce his Sacred body but not break a bone and saith that this water and blood in the two Sacraments and the plentiful effusion that was not long after accomplish'd at Pentecost of the Holy Ghost and which also continues to the end of the world begetting and nourishing children to God joined with them are the three Witnesses that here on Earth give testimony continually of this redemption which the same Evangelist that saw this prosecutes also thus in one of his Epistles 1 Jo. 5.6 8. This is he that came by water and blood Jesus Christ not in watâ—r only but in water and blood and in these it is the Spirit that testifyeth that Christ is the Truth For there be three that give testimony in Earth the Spirit Water and Blood Thus S. John Meanwhile abstracting from this contemplation we may imagine what a ruful Spectacle this was to our Blessed Lady and the women with her in beholding such barbarous cruelty used to her Son even after his death and his most precious blood so spilt on the ground § 111 Whilst these things passed Joseph of Arimathea a noble Senator and one of the great Council of the Sanedrim a good man and a just saith S. Luke chap. 23.50 of him one who had not consented to their Counsel and doings but expected the Kingdom of God formerly a Disciple also of our Lord but secretly as also was another great man Nicodemus for fear of the Jews their estates and their Esteem lest either should be lost making them more timorous this Nobleman residing constantly in Jerusalem and rich had in a garden of his close by the place of our Lord's execution newly caused to be hewed out of the soft rock of the hill a Monument or Sepulcher for himself but ordained by the divine predesignment for the interring of our Lord's body near hand so that all things might the better serve for the evidence of his ensuing Resurrection He therefore though so timorous before and who had now also a special reason of not touching or coming near a dead corps because of eating the Paschal Lamb at even prohibited to any unclean as those were to be for seven daies that touched a dead body Numb 19.14 yet probably much animated both by our Lords patient and innocent sufferings and besides his former Doctrine and Miracles the many signs he saw now from Heaven and Earth of the transcendent dignity of his person and that he was what he believed him to be having heard also of the order of the persons executed their being presently taken down or perhaps being one of them also that procured it boldly saith the Text went in to Pilat to beg our Lord's Body of him though well foreseeing he must incur a great hatred from the cheif of the Jews his acquaintance herein Pilat after he had called the Centurion and certainly informed himself of his being already dead and no design herein of saving his life freely gratified him with it and commanded it should be delivered him not prohibiting him a decent Burial whom he had alwaies esteemed an innocent person That Joseph might not undergo this sad office alone without a companion and for the greater honour of our Lords funeral the time of whose humiliation was now expired with his death Nicodemus another great person one that had formerly by night conversed with our Lord and also in the Council spoken in his defence John 7.51 and probably more familiarly acquainted with Joseph by reason of their condiscipleship joined with him in this service mutually encouraging one another against the Priests and Elders of the Jews who must needs be much displeased with this fact as upbraiding them with the Murther if not of the Messias or a Prophet yet of a just person Joseph therefore suddenly prepared fine linnen for a Syndon and Nicodemus a great quantity of Spices about an hundred pound weight saith the Text and so coming to Calvary by the Governours authority took down the naked body from the Cross and removing it into Joseph's Garden close by probably there performed to it all the usual Ceremonies before burial washing his stripes and wounds and cleaning it from all those indignities the malitious Jews and Soldiers had done to it anointing it with sweet Oyles and wrapping it in the linnen filled with the spices and sweet odours and binding a Napkin about his head used for hindring the falling of the Jaws all to make good that in the Prophet Esay 11.10 Et erit Sepulchrum ejus gloriosum In which office we may imagine these great persons were assisted as with their Servants so with the help of the blessed Mother of our Lord and S. John more punctually relating this story than the rest who we may not think left our Lord after expired but waited still in the same place to observe how God would dispose of his Sacred Body and no doubt were much comforted in seeing that authority committed into the hands of those honourable persons our Lords Devotes and formerly known to them as such § 112 The Body thus decently and sumptuously accommodated was presently carried by this small train of Mourners and laid in the new hewn Sepulcher near at hand a place as convenient for the future events of our Lords Resurrection so a Monument durable and not subject to ruin as other the noblest Sepulchers ordinarily are For what more permanent than a Cave made in a Rock but such as also the place wherein he first lay when he came into the world the Manger that might continue to all posterity and such as remains to this day and is continually visited by a great confluence of devout
so his glorified Body should not remain alone but have also a great train of other glorified Bodies whom he thought meet to wait upon him and with it ascend to Heaven Who to shew his conquest not only over his own but our death and to confirm to us also our resurrection by vertue of his were together with him the Primitiae dormientium and the primogeniti ex mortuis in whom the divine Wisdom thought fit then to foreshew what is to be performed and made good to the rest of the bodyes of all his Saints now lying in their dust at the great day And some of these Saints also in these their new restored bodyes came into the Holy City saith the Evangelist stiling it so as if now sanctified with their presence and in alluding to the celestial Jerusalem of which these glorified bodyes were now to be eternal Inhabitants and there these also appeared to many saith the Text according as the Divine providence disposed testifying to them the Resurrection of our Lord and further confirming it with their own and so presently disappeared again Now what glorified persons these should be whether some holy men or also Disciples of our Lord that were lately before deceased as the Baptist S. Simeon Anna Zachary S. Joseph or others whose Sepulchers were near the City and well known and now viewed to be opened and empty by such as remembred their interment appearing to such to whom their persons were formerly well known or also whether most of the more eminent former Patriarchs and Prophets that had lain now so long a time in the dust and whom our Lord would gratify with a more early Resurrection we not knowing how far his favours now at this his entrance into his glory might be extended though what S. Peter saith of David Act. 2.34 seems somewhat to weaken such an opinion here I say it would be too curious to inquire further into such a matter hidden from us to whom several things of the Oeconomy of the next world for certain reasons of the Divine Wisdom are as yet but very sparingly revealed § 117 Amidst these extraordinary discourses of our revived Lord by the Guards and by the Saints risen with him the Galilean women who on the Eve of the Sabbath had observed where his Body was laid and knew nothing of the Guards that were set there the next day and having now prepared a more choice composition of spices and odours than the former hast of his burial would permit to Nicodemus in which women also used to be better skilled rose up very early in the Morning to go to the Sepulcher there to visit his precious Body and pay this last office of their duty and love unto it These were Mary Magdalen and Mary our Blessed Ladyes sister-in-law and mother of our Lords Brethren Salome the mother of James and John Joanna the Wife of Herods Steward and some others besides But no mention is there of our Lords Mother the Blessed Virgin amongst them and the reason why she who had a much greater love to and grief for her Son than any other yet was not so active as they in expressing it seems to be either that John to whose prudent care she was committed had restrained her return to the Sepulcher so to put some bounds to her grief and that this might not add sorrow to sorrow or rather because both the faith of his Resurrection before it came to pass was never diminished or ecclipsed in her who also full of Grace laid up in her heart all our words and well remembred what others forgot and also because most probably our Lords consolation of her so soon as he was risen was not at all deferred but that by his immediat apparition to her he afforded her an early recompence of her former suffering those sword-points of sorrow at his Cross and also of the faith which in her alone withered not at that time as in the rest Though our Lord mean-while did not think fit to use her having so near a relation to his person for a witness to others of his return to life which she also might then understand from him was to be discovered by certain degrees for the greater trial of his Disciples and evidence of the fact and so whilst others went to and fro she remained after this beatifical sight all this morning in the posture of so great a Mourner retired continuing in a rapture of joy and uncessant praises and thanksgivings to God For none can here rationally imagine that our Lord who vouchsafed to honour Mary Magdalens love and tears and S. Peters primacy and extraordinary affection to him with a gratious sight of him before the other men or women omitted this to his own Mother more loving and beloved by him § 118 The most Holy Virgin thus retired and the other women as yet busy in ordering their Provisions Mary Magdalen more regardless as formerly Luk. 10.42 of such by-businesses more fervorous and impatient in her affection to be with what was yet left her of our Lord whom only the devout observation of the Sabbath could have restrained from the Sepulcher so long ran before the rest whilst it was yet dark saith S. John with a valour more than a womans to this place there rather to expect and stay for her company For this S. Johns particular story of her as also our Lords appearing to her alone before the other mentioned also by S. Mark Mark. 16.9 He appeared first to Mary Magdalen seems to intimate But here some of the Evangelists writing things more compendiously in which others are more copious and some with more others with fewer circumstances and so for persons also some mentioning more than other do wherein yet is no contradiction whilst I give the substance of what these Sacred Historians have delivered I desire your pardon if I do not or cannot punctually observe the order of every thing done in this so small a time and yet so very full of various occurrences since as S. Jerome on Mat. 28. observes particularly of these women there seems to have bin several excursions to and returns from the Sepulcher made by them and perhaps not of all of them together Crebro abeunt saith he recurrunt non patiuntur a Sepulcro Domini diu abesse aut longius Mary Magdalen then coming thither thus alone when the soldiers were already fled away of whom she knew nothing saw the great stone rolled from the Sepulcher and our Lords body taken thence at which surprized with great wonder and grief she ran back into the city to the house where S. Peter abode with S. John and the Blessed Mother of our Lord probably all the Disciples not lodging together to tell them the sad News See Ink. 24.9 12 24. that the Monument was thrown open and no body there These two the chief of the society and between whom seems to have bin a more particular friendship who also had
the Paschal Lamb his Type without a bone of him being broken Of Moses his smiting of the rock and so water gushing out of it of his nailing a brazen Serpent on a Pole that all who looked with faith upon it might be healed as our Lord also came in similitudine peccati of Aarons dry and withered Rod afterwards rebudding and flourishing of Jonah lying three daies in the Whales belly and afterwards cast up now also he expounded to them Daniels weeks remembred them of Hosea's chap. 6.3 vivificavit nos post duas dies in die tertia suscitabit nos and of Davids Psal 15.10 Non dabis Sanctum tuum videre corruptionem And de torrente in via bibet propterea exaltabit caput Of Zachary's chap. 13.6 7. Quae sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum and his Percutiam Pastorem dispergentur oves These and all the forementioned descriptions of his passion especially in the Prophet Esay chap. 5.3 and in the Ps 21. and 68. he set before them and many more in these Books than man's weak apprehensions hath bin able to discover the whole History and Prophecies of the Old Testament principally prefiguring and representing the great Mystery of the salvation of mankind that was in the latter daies to be wrought by the Son of God These things our Lord discoursed continuing his Speech till they were now arrived at the Village where their business called them whilst their hearts were all on fire in hearing what he said according to that of the Psalmist Ps 18.15 Ignitum eloquium tuum c. Our Lord making as though he would have gone further gave them occasion to shew their hospitality and so importuned by them to stay and eat with them or also to stay all night the day being near an end and they infinitly longing after more of his conversation and discourse he yeilded to their request and so sitting down at Table he took the bread blessed brake and gave it them suddainly appearing to them in his own likeness or also performing this Ceremony in some singular manner of benediction as was formerly his custome well known at least to Cleophas Josephs Brother used to the same table Or because we may imagine our Lords actions done in the most perfect manner in this breaking of bread celebrating with them the memorial of his Passion after his long discourse thereof in the holy Eucharist sometimes expressed by breaking of bread see Acts 20.7 2.46 after he had first sufficiently instructed them in this great Mistery wherein he now when personally departing yet would continue a miraculous presence of himself to his Church to the end of the world After which given them and their hospitality thus amply rewarded upon eating it their eyes also were no longer held but that they clearly discerned with great reverence his Sacred Majesty now in his own form and likeness and knew him and after this he suddainly departed out of their sight § 126 The two Disciples ravished with what they had seen and heard yet by our Lords suddain withdrawing himself their joy not unmixed with some sadness presently returned back that Evening to Jerusalem and told the company there assembled all that had hapned their being two together rendring their testimony more credible where they found the Disciples also relating our Lords appearance to Peter They reported also to them his Sermon and the types in the law and the Prophets presignifying such his sufferings before his entrance into his Kingdom notwithstanding which though many of them were much perswaded yet some others saith St. Mark chap. 16.13 still remained incredulous probably arguing from our Lord 's presently vanishing both from the women and from St. Peter and last from these two at Emaus that it was some Spirit only appearing in his likeness For the same conceit they had also by and by when our Lord appeared to themselves Luk. 24.37 § 127 After so many messages and ocular Witnesses of his Resurrection sent to them for the trial of their faith and all by some of them still discredited now late at night as they were after Supper sitting and debating these things and some it seems still contradicting the doors being fast shut for fear of the Jews who also had spread a report of them that they had stoln away our Lords Body our Lord himself suddainly appeared in the midst of them at which they were at first much affrighted thinking him some night-walking-Spirit knowing the doors to be firmly bolted and perceiving him descending rather then entring in among them But our Gracious Lord soon allayed this astonishment saluting them with a Pax vobis the usual and Antient salutation of the Jews but this pax of his extraordinary and not sicut Mundus Jo. 14.27 working in the Soul the effect whilst he spake with his mouth the words Then mildly reprehended them that they had remained so obstinatly incredulous to the Eye-witnesses that came to them in a matter also so often foretold them nor yet believed their own eyes at present but took him for a Spirit then proceeded to discover and shew them the scars of the wounds he had received in his hands feet and side those noble scars which his glorified Body in heaven still retains eternal Witnesses of his love to mankind and with which he will appear at his second coming for the greater confusion of his Enemies when saith S. John Apo. 1.7 they shall look on him whom they have pierced and whose tender of mercy after it they also rejected He bad them also to feel and handle his true flesh and bones different from Spirits therefore saith the Apostle not only Quod audivimus quod vidimus but manus nostrae contrectaverunt de verbo vitae Then what only remained for their satisfaction whilst the excess of their Joy and wonder still suspended their full assent and belief he called for meat and eat also before them of that poor fare which they were provided of though in this great Feast and to which our Lord also had bin most accustom'd a piece of a broild fish and of an hony-comb the one plentiful in the woods of this countrey and the other a common food among Fishermen perhaps the relicks of their Supper but now ended Of which after he had eaten he gave to them the remainder saith the vulgar in S. Luke chap. 24.43 Et cum manducasset coram eis sumens reliquias dedit eis To partake of what he Sanctified and that they might say they had eat and drunk with him as also those at Emaus See Act. 1.4 After he had thus eaten before them and by all these waies satisfied them excepting only Thomas absent of the truth and reality of that the Testimony of which they were to spread abroad through all the world and for which afterwards to lay down their lives he made much what to them the same Sermon or Discourse as to the two Disciples that went to Emaus instructing them in
ship hazarded sinking by them no tempest rising as formerly in St. Peters passing thro the Sea to our Lord All things now made ready before hand here by our Lord for the Apostles Entertainment and they here feasted by him and eating of the fruit of their labours c The first of these therefore seeming more generally to represent in the present Sea of this world the gathering of Nations by the Net of the Preachers of the Gospel into the external profession of the Christian Faith where some also break these Nets and are lost and by their factions also hazard the Church the Ship that carries them c. But the latter seeming to represent at the end of the world when our Lord is on the shore the collection of the Elect the children of the right hand whereof there is a certain number none lost out of the Net all great and considerable the number of which also exprest viz. 153. which number as St. Austin observes is the summ of a computation of all the numbers from 1. to 17 and as S. Gregory the product of 17. multiplied by 9. or 3 times 3. contains in it some mystical signification which whether relating to the several Nations or to the most eminent Saints converted by them or to some other thing remains to be manifested hereafter where it is observed that the number of people of the Nations that were found in Israel in Salomons daies and by him made Labourers in the building of the Temple came to 153. thousand see 2 Chron. 2.17 not reckoning the Fraction Lastly after all follows our Lords entertaining these his Servants with eternal Joyes and Festivals prepared by him for them See such a fishing alluded to by our Lord Mat. 13.47 in his comparing the Kingdom of Heaven to a Net which at last is drawn to shore and the good gathered into Vessels but the bad cast away And see such an Entertainment mentioned Mat. 12.37 The Lord of the Feast ministring to his Guests Mat. 26.29 8.11 Apoc. 19.9 Assoon as landed they all saw clearly it was our Lord but in great reverence and fear perhaps his appearance being also more full of Majesty than formerly durst not ask him any curious questions who he was where he abode from whence he came thither concerning his stay with them his kingdom c. There also they saw a fire already kindled on the shore and fish of our Lords own providing laid thereon and bread all things miraculously prepared for their entertainment without any necessity of their provision or assistance and that our Lord could feast them from his own store and called to them from the shore to supply their wants not his But also he bad them to bring some of the fish they had taken that they might partake of their own labours and he also receive an Entertainment from them so after his usual Benediction he took the bread and fish and divided and distributed these unto them sitting with him in very great reverence and silence And of this taking their repast with him or that on the night after his Resurrection it seems to be that St. Peter speaks to Cornelius and his company Act. 10.41 That they did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead § 137 After Dinner and our Lord 's thus by a Miracle feeding of them as it was his usual manner to transfer the Discourse to spiritual matters see Jo. 4.10 6.27 7.37 8.34 38. 9.5 he began to speak of their feeding his sheep as also after their former great and miraculous draught of fishes Luk. 5 he discourseth of their catching of men and here he addressed his speech also particularly to Simon Peter as he did after the other miraculous draught Luk. 5.10 Simon fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men and frequently elsewhere see Luk. 22.31 32. Mat. 26.40 Simon Peter being both the cheif of them and also one who now had shewed an extraordinary love and devotion to him when being as yet hardly discovered by him he threw himself into the Sea not minding his fish for hast to come to him Him then he kindly bespake on this manner Simon Bar-Jona lovest thou me more than these As thou hast often Mark. 14.30 31 Luk. 22.33 and now particularly by this last action of thine made great profession of it To whom the Apostle modestly answered passing by any companion with others That our Lord well knew he loved him If thou dost saith he now I the chief Pastor am quitting this world and leaving them to others feed my Lambs these little ones who as yet are but Neophytes in and newly acquainted with the Christian Faith our Lord shewing herein the bowels of his affection not only to the twelve but also those others formerly instructed by him And Qui redempti sunt pretio magno 1 Cor. 6.20 Now to St. Peter our Lord commits here more particularly the feeding of them because he was ordained by God his Father to be the chief and prime Pastor of them under Christ And therefore elsewhere at the first sight of him no doubt from the divine ordination he gave him the name of Cephas Stone or Foundation Jo. 1.42 though Andrew the first called and some say the Elder Brother And again upon the Catholick Confession he made by God the Fathers revealing it to him Mat. 16 17. of our Lords Divine person he further expounded the reason of this name that upon this Cephas he would build his Church And again at his Passion Satan being permitted by God to tempt our Lords Disciples he made some particular intercession for the not failing of S. Peters Faith in such temptation For though Satan laying his closest siege to this cheif Apostle he failed in his confession of our Lord out of fear which was a great fault yet not in his heart out of any infidelity and his conversion from this fault immediatly followed with bitter weeping And as here he enjoines him the feeding of his sheep so there also he recommends to him the confirmation of this faith in the other his Fellow-shepheards of these sheep Tu conversus confirma fratres And to this special Commission here given to Peter over our Lords Flock S. Paul seems to relate Gal. 2.7 where he saith that the Apostles saw the Gospel of the Circumcision committed to Peter which we see it was in this place our Lord then having no sheep or flock when he said this to Peter save the Circumcision in which respect also our Lord himself is stiled by the Apostle signifying his first employments Mat. 25.24 the Minister of the Circumcision Rom. 15.9 and God also more eminently wrought by St. Peter than by the rest the great signs and wonders in converting of the Circumcision as appears in the Acts as he did by S. Paul more than by any other for the conversion of Gentiles Tho for the Gentiles also the honour of the first conversion of them was given to S. Peter
Priest that after their second Captivity at Babylon conducted the People again into the land of promise and rebuilt the Temple of the Lord formerly demolished Against whom in the visions of the Prophet Zachary cloathed in poor and filthy Garments Satan before the Lord bringing great Accusation God rebukes him Satan for it and commands Joshuahs filthy Garments to be taken away from him and him to be clothed with change of Raiment and a Miter and Crown to be set upon his head See Zach. 3.3 c. and 6.11 c. In both which places is joined a promise concerning this our Jesus called there by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Oriens Or as the Hebrew Germen who was typified by the other and who is our everlasting High Priest That he should build the Temple of our Lord and should bear the Glory and should sit and rule upon his Throne and be a Priest upon his Throne c. § 59 But tho Jesuses these two were before him and both sent deliverers of Gods people after a Captivity and both reconductors of Gods people into Canaan yet far short they came of this Jesus who saved mankind from a far higher slavery and of another kind than those other were and indeed from the only Captivity that could make us truly miserable Viz from the Captivity of sin Satan and death Triumphing in his Cross and Resurrection and descent of the Holy Ghost over these three the only terrible enemies of poor mankind who before that this Saviour came sat in chains and darkness and in the shadow of death trembling under Gods wrath and appointed to eternal torments § 60 This great Saviour came saith the Apostle 1 Thes 1.10 that he might save us from the wrath to come 1 For our salvation from Satan By him saith the Apostle Col. 1.15 we are delivered from the powers of Darkness And 1 Jo. 3.8 for this was he made manifest that he might destroy the works of the Devil And Col. 2.15 He spoiled Principalities and Powers and made an open shew and spectacle and triumph over them both in his life and in a Resurrection from the death that they had most cruelly contriv'd against him 2 And so for our saving from sin Sermo omni acceptione dignus saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.15 a comfortable saying beyond all other sayings this that Jesus came into the world to save sinners Especially when our conscience adds Quorum ego primus 3 Lastly for the salvation from death O Death saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.55 where is now thy sting O Grave where thy victory Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory over these thro our Lord Jesus And for the manner also of our Salvation by this Jesus much more misterious miraculous and indearing it was as to the delivered than that of any other Saviour whatever hath or can be For this Jesus came if I may so say not so much with his power to save us as with his patience and conquered not by his enemies sufferings but his own 1 To conquer those powerful spirits he took upon him weak flesh by this flesh they conquered us and in this flesh he redeemed us 2 To conquer Death Himself under-went and suffered Death but it could not hold him Act. 2.24 and by this his death destroyed Him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 To save our lives he laid down his own Jo. 10.15 and healed our wounds with his own stripes Esay 53.5 3 So for sin He came in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh Rom. 8.3 And to free us from a Curse became himself a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Such was this Salvation of this Jesus and such the way of it worthy a God O Blessed Jesu O ever blessed Name A name and the mistery thereof hid from ages and from generations and now made manifest and revealed What comfort could any other name expressing perhaps the Majesty or power or holiness or justice or eternity of this Prince have afforded to a poor guilty sinner trembling and despairing for the judgment to come but only this Or what comfort would this have aforded if it had bin only a Jesus from some temporal Tyranny from a Pharaoh or a Nabuchadnezzar or a Cesar and not a Jesus from the Devil or Hell or the Grave to which these other deliverances though for a time never so glorious would have left us still in bondage and in fear all our lives after a few daies to be devoured and swallowed up by them for ever Blessed name at which all the Spiritual Apolluons and destroyers of mankind all spiritual Pangs and anguishes of souls all the corporal messengers and arrows of death are afraid and tremble and from which only pronounced they do so often fly away Blessed name a poor sinners only consolation on his death-bed when the Grave opens her mouth for him and these spiritual Foes on every side invade him and Hell-fire eternal burns before him Blessed therefore be this name Jesus and exalted above all names at which Name let every knee bow of things in heaven in earth and under the earth and every tongue confess this Jesus Lord to the Glory of God the Father Amen § 61 After our Lord thus had received Circumcision as a Son of Abraham and entered into Gods Covenant and the name of Jesus as ordained the Saviour of the World and whilst Joseph and Mary abode still at Bethleem because this City near to Jerusalem and their own country very remote expecting the appointed time of the Purification of the Mother and presentment of the Child in the Temple certain persons both rich noble and Learned and probably much addicted to the study of Astronomy being directed by a Star came from the Oriental parts much more famed for wisdom to adore and do homage to this new-Born King and to present him with the most precious things those Countries afforded in behalf of the Gentiles as the poor and simple Shepheards being instructed by an Angel had done formerly in behalf of the Jews The Divine Providence so disposing it that our Lord to the Gentiles more contemplating the Creature should be manifested by a Star rather and the Jew as acquainted with the true worship of the Creatour by an Angel For both Jew and Gentile were now to have an equal share and a General Union in this Prince of Peace And the event corresponding exactly to these beginnings hath shewed us that after some few for the most part poorer and meaner and so humbler sort of the Jewish Nation were for the present by our Lord and his followers converted to the Faith represented by the Shepheards the riches and wisdom of the Gentiles hath bin brought into the obedience of the Gospel represented by the Magi till a compleat harvest of both shall be reaped by the Addition to them of the full Body of the Jews § 62 Now the Adoration and doing homage of the
Gentiles to this Common Lord of Jew and Gentile was effected on this manner A new Star for some time before our Saviours birth had appeared in the heavens probably of an extraordinary splendor and brightness suitable to the person whom it prognosticated Which by the Orientals much given to Astrology was soon discerned and raised in them a great devotion and earnest addresses to the Divine Majesty Creator of the Universe to know for the presignification of what strange effect he had sent it Whereupon probably by some such Revelation made to them in the East as they received afterward in Judea concerning their return Mat. 2.12 they were assured of the Birth of this Messias or great King to whom all the world should become tributary and subject Of which Prince also it is likely in so general an expectation of the Jews as then was that they had heard or also read something formerly Therefore these first believers of the Gentiles crediting all things of this Prince worthy so supereminent a dignity and being persons of high condition as the Magi in those Countries ordinarily were if not Princes made hast to be amongst the first that should profess their subjection and fealty to Him And as the Orientals usually do not approach great Personages without some present prepared some small quantity portable in a journy of the richest Gifts their Country was famed for wherewith to present Him And so setting forth upon this divine Indication either from some nearer parts of Chaldea or of Arabia Felix which lies some six daies journy Eastward from Jerusalem whence also the Queen of Sheba Arabia also being called Ethiopia Numb 12.1 A type of them came with the like gifts to visit King Salomon 1 King 10.2 Within not many daies after our Lords Nativity they arrived in Judea probably the Star that incouraged their journey now disappearing that so they might repair to the Royal City in Quest after the place thereof and so by our Lords special providence be the first Promulgators of the Birth of the Messias and awaken the sloth of Gods own people to make a stricter inquiry after it And well might the Jews at least when our Lord afterward at thirty years of age publickly appeared to them have reflected on this Star and the search of these Oriental Sages and Herods slaughter punctually agreeing with his Nativity Come hither and supposing that what was manifested to them strangers about the time was not concealed to Gods own people they made inquiry in the Metropolis of the Nation concerning the place where they might have access to and adore Him For they imagined that either this Prince the Messias might be of the present Royal Stock or if otherwise was of such a transcendent Soveraignty and descent so favoured from heaven such a King Paramount and extending his scepter over the whole world according to the frequent prophecies made of Him as other inferior Kings should have no envy to but joy therein which conceit was also nourished in them by Herods professing his ready concurrence in the same Adoration so soon as the place of his Residence should be discovered § 63 They coming therefore to Jerusalem and making openly such an inquiry and also declaring their late beholding of the Star that was newly displayed in the Heavens as a publick Herald thereof Herod Himself was not a little startled for in those daies much discourse passed in the world either by the Jewish prophecies divulged and the time prefixed in Daniels weeks now expired or by the Sybils or otherwise of the coming of this Prince of Princes and the return of a golden Age and some called the Herodians named Herod for the person The people also were troubled wondring at this Relation from strangers confirm'd by such a Celestial Messenger at their High Quality their concernment in a King of Israel and their boldness in confessing Him before Herod And expecting also some great change of affairs shortly if their words and prognostications proved true § 64 Herod who was a stranger King to this Nation and that the very first an Idumean by birth sufficiently suspitious of a supplantation and therefore intending mischief became as it were to satisfy these Sages very inquisitive after the place of this new Prince the Christ his Birth whom he seemed to reverence as a Person sent from Heaven rather for advancing and dilating Sanctity and Religion than for pursuing secular Honours The place therefore of his birth he strictly enquired after that so by the Divine providence both time and place might be manifested and proclaimed as it were to the world the one by the Gentiles the other by the Jews The chief Priests and Scribes are assembled about it and readily return answer out of the Prophet Micha Mic. 5.2 that Bethleem Davids City was to be the Place thereof And thou Bethleem Ephrata saith he that art a little one in the thousands of Juda. Out of thee shall come forth unto me he that shall be the Dominator in Israel And his coming forth is from the beginning from the daies of Eternity Having an eternal procession from the Father and an Eternal decree of his Messias-ship This for the place But further whatever certainty they might have also from Daniels weeks or Gen. 49.10 or other places concerning the Time it was not safe for them to pronounce any thing Herod therefore for his better information in this returns to the Sages and very secretly requires of them a punctual account of the first appearance of the Star conjecturing from hence the Age of the Child Which having learnt he desires that after they had found this great Prince they would in their return give him Intelligence of it that He also might pay his Duty to this expected Messias and Heir of all Nations And so dismissed them as the Divine wisdom ordered it without joyning to them any further attendance of his own Court perhaps out of a Countenance to slight the matter and pass things with less noise as also least any such discovery made by persons more interessed than these Strangers might some way or other disappoint his Bloody purpose or have given some jealousy to the parents to have conveyed him away Tho indeed this his secrecy defeated his Design Who was also glad to see the Jews so supinely careless in this affair who began even at his Birth tho thus alarm'd and provoked by the believing Gentiles to neglect and deny this their Lord Except only this stranger Idumean that was vigilant how to dispatch Him § 65 But the Zealous Sages unwearied still pursue their Quest and being not far gone from Jerusalem have this their untired diligence rewarded with a new appearance of their celestial Guide the Star filling them with exceeding great joy Mat. 2.10 after its former so long disappearance because unbelieving Jerusalem was unworthy of such a light and with as much admiration that the day-light obscured not its splendor For Bethleem being not above
Kingdom of heaven which law also he told them he came not to destroy or to relax as he was traduced but to fulfil and vindicate even to the least tittle thereof Lastly He instructs them in their behaviour and in the right performance of the three great Christian Duties of Praier Almes and Fasting § 257 Concerning Beatitude thus he teacheth them that as to this present life It consisted 1 In Poverty poverty either outwardly in their Estate and temporal fortunes or at least in Spirit and without having joy and consolation in wealth and riches possessed which hath made many having in the reaping no benefit to quit also the trouble of them and to make his Disciples and other Auditors happy in this way tend those Counsels of his following in Mat. c. 6.11 19 24. c. to the end and chap. 7.11 The Beatitude of which poor he declares to be their enjoying hereafter a Kingdom in heaven 2 Again consisted in weeping and mourning for the present a beatitude opposed to sensual pleasures and delights as poverty is to riches the frequent occasion of which mourning in this world our Lord shews in his Relation of the eighth Beatitude because men good and virtuous and lovers of him the world will certainly hate and a thousand waies molest them and so for the prefent Job 16 20. Mundus gaudebit saith our Lord vos autem contristabimini And Omnis disciplina with which God exerciseth here his Servants in praesenti quidem saith the Apostle videtur non esse gaudii sed maeroris and lastly All being sinners it must be a continued penitential sorrow here Heb. 12 11. that shall attain Bliss hereafter Now the felicity of these present mourners is promised hereafter to be perpetual Consolations 3ly Consisted in Meekness humility and lowliness of mind a sure companion of poverty and mourning To which meekness appertain those lessons and Counsels of our Lord following in Mat. chap. 5. from vers 21. to 27. and from vers 38. to the end of that chapter and chap. 6.12.14 and chap. 7.1 the observance of these Counsels being an effect of lowliness of heart And as the reward in the other Beatitudes is said to be the Kingdom of heaven so of this the inheritance of the earth alluding to Psalm 36.11 Mansueti haereditabunt terram perhaps partly because the good things thereof are seldom gotten or at least not long preserved or quietly possessed by turbulent contentious and litigious spirits But the ultimate and eternal inheritance of these meek souls is the new Heaven and Earth spoken of Apoc. 21.1 2. to which this promise relates 4ly Consisted in hungring and thirsting after and pursuing with our whole design the Kingdom of God righteousness and Holiness Lessons and advices tending to the which happiness are those following chap. 6.19 c. and from vers 24. to the end of the Chapter and chap. 7.11 But yet by the woe in S. Luke that is opposed to this Blessed here Woe unto you that are full for ye shall hunger and thirst this beatitude like the former seems to include also a great temperance and abstinence and the not satiating themselves with or having any thirst after secular pleasures and contents These two hungers after earthly and after heavenly things not consisting well together For which see what our Lord saith Mat. 6.24 33. Now to this present hunger and thirst the felicity promised hereafter is a full satiety of all good things § 258 From these our Lord passeth to the Beatitudes attainable here in our behaviour toward our Neighbours and placeth the fifth Beatitude in shewing all mercifulness charity and compassion toward them in all their necessities further explained in his Lessons following in chap 5.44 -6.12 14. -7.1 12. viz. in performing such mercy to them as we in our needs would desire from them freely forgiving without wrath and expostulating which is a degree of revenge all their faults and trespasses toward us Nay even loving them when they hate us blessing when they curse us doing good to them when they evil to us The reward of which our mercy to others is promised hereafter Gods like mercy to us in pardoning all our trespasses against him that excludes us from his friendship and from Glory § 259 The sixth Beatitude consisteth in cleanness and purity not only of our actions abstaining from any wicked deeds against our Neighbour but also in heart opposed to the Pharisees munditia carnis abstaining from Lust and concupiscence and irregular passions there towards him explained in these following Lessons in his Sermon chap. 5.19 observing the little commandments again vers 22 28 29. chap. 6.22 -7.1 2 21. Keeping not only our hands from killing but hearts from any passion of anger against our neighbour not only from committing adultery or fornication with but lusting after a woman not only from accusing our neighbour falsly but making any sinister judgment in our hearts of him wherefore think ye evil in your hearts said our Lord to the Pharisees Mat. 9.3 4. when they said none of him And out of the heart proceed the things which defile us Mat. 15.18 19. For out of the heart saith he proceed because in the heart they are transacted murthers adulteries fornications thefts false-witness blasphemies and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and how can ye being evil speak good things Mat. 12.34 and there begining every evil and good work And therefore it is on this part that God chiefly casts his eye 1 Sam 16.7 and there sees the breaches of both tables and the beauty or deformity of the soul And the happiness promised hereafter to such purity of heart is their eternal seeing and beholding of God according to Apoc. 22.4 for without such purity none may see him Heb. 12.14 Apoc. 21.27 And an extraordinary fruition and sense of his Divine presence in such pure hearts also here in this present life Jo. 14.23 § 260 The seventh is placed in the zeal on all occasions of making and preserving peace amongst all first negociating the peace of all men with God which was the Apostles employment 2 Cor. 5.10 to reconcile men to God and especially our own peace with him keeping all quiet and in due subordination within our selves in the obedience of the flesh and inferiour appetites to the Spirit 2ly Again procuring by all means the peace of men among themselves where either they have given us or we them any offence endeavouring a speedy reconcilement contributing here even so far as not to resist the evil received from them patiently to put-up quarrels and endure affronts suffer wrong from rather than go to law with them 1 Cor. 6.7 Taking all things said or done in good part and the best sense See 1 Cor. 7.15 Rom. 12.18 the likelyest waies surely to gain every ones peace with us and lastly making them also friends as much as we can one with another as Christ came down from heaven and shed
often so heavily accused our good Lord. But all this their diligence by the Divine providence was turned quite contrary to their intents and rendred our Lords Resurrection much more clear and evident whilst this very Guard were the first witnesses of it and that to the High Priests themselves and quite took away the pretence which else they might not only have reported but verily believed of his Disciples carrying away his body Which witness of the Watch doubtless confirmed the faith of many who would not give so easy credit to the Disciples Testimony of it and was a means of converting some of the High Priests also And their testifying likewise our Lords prediction of it before Pilat still added more to the truth and reputation of this Event Of all which Daniels being cast into the den of Lyons and the entrance into it being sealed by his Enemies that no fraud might be used in his deliverance out of it seems to have bin a prerepresentation and type § 114 The Sabbath the day of rest thus passed over the time was come that the grave the belly of the Whale that had swallowed him could detain our Lords body no longer nor the sealed Sepulcher or Guards hinder his Resurrection according to his many predictions early in the morning of the third day that is after the six daies wherein the world was created and the seventh wherein was to be its rest the eight day or the first day of the new Creation of all things the day wherein after a week of daies compleated all things shall be perfected in the general Resurrection that shall be A day advanced ever since this act into the solemn Festival of Christians in an eternal memory of the joy of this day Early on this day our Lord resumed and clothed with immortality that most Sacred body of his that had before so highly merited it by passing through so many cruel torments Here also great Multitudes of Angels attended on this our Lord in their white and shining Robes as may be gathered by their frequent apparitions within and without the Sepulcher and the women's discription of them And since a multitude of the heavenly Host appeared praising God at our Lords Nativity and the beginning of his Humiliation we cannot imagine less solemnities at the beginning of his Exaltation and triumph whom also we had found before waiting on him at his former conquest over Satan with prayer and fasting in the Desert And if they shew their Joy at the conversion of a sinner how much more now did they at the Redemption of the world And by these or by our Lord at his rising and for a clear argument also of it the linnen clothes wherein our Lord lay the only prey which a Robber would have looked after were decently folded up and the Napkin about his head as if taken off after them laid in a diverse place from the rest At the same time as before at our Lords death happened a terrible Earthquake And an Angel of great Majesty his countenance like lightning saith the Evangelist and his raiment white as Snow was seen by the astonished Guards to descend and roll away the stone so to expose the open Sepulcher to every ones view after our Lords glorious Body had already passed through it when yet shut up and sealed The All-glorious Angel when he had done this sitting down upon the stone that he had rolled away as if he would now be the sole Guarder of that place So terrible was this sight as also the Earthquake that the Soldiers though they fell not into a sleep as they afterward reported yet fell into a swoon and became for a while saith the Evangelist as dead men Mat. 28.4 After some time recovering a little strength and seeing the Sepulcher thrown open the body gone and only the linnen clothes and spices wrapt up and left behind which though it had bin much for their interest or excuse in raising a report of its being stolen away as well as profit to have taken and their necessity but two daies before had shared his former garments yet they durst not touch but from the Angel's presence speedily fled away and in a great fright some of them came to the chief Priests and related all that had hapned our Lords Body gone the Sepulcher empty the linnens and spices left behind touch them he that durst the terrible apparition of the Angel with an Earthquake breaking their seal and rolling away the stone and there staying and sitting upon it § 115 The chief Priests not a little concern'd in this news of our Lords being revived to which also his Predictions now added some credit who had their hands already embrewed in his blood now repent their late diligence to prevent it whereby the very Soldiers could witness it against them and presently assembled all the Ancients of the Jews before whom on this occasion the Guards relate the like things the Divine Providence thus effecting a great divulging of it and that by such Witnesses as they could not but believe The result of this consultation was that a large summ of mony probably taken out of the same Church-Treasury as also Judas his was should be given to them to report that in the night whilst they were asleep our Lords Disciples came and stole away his Body And because the negligence of these Guards confessing themselves to sleep when they should have watched if coming to the Governours ears was highly punishable the chief Priests engaged also that in any such accident they would satisfy the Governour and secure them considering well if they could not smother and hide the truth in this matter the publick odium and loss of reputation which they should incur both with the People and the Governour in their prosecuting so vehemently against the inclinations of both these the death to say no more of so just and innocent a person Thus one sin to justify it self where no repentance engageth us on another and still makes the sinners condition more desperate Thus were the wily taken in their own craftiness and by their setting the Watch those truths are now declared both to the people and themselves not by the Followers of our Lord but their own Officers and Servants which otherwise they might with some shew of a good conscience have disbeleived and endeavoured to suppress but now acted purely against it § 116 This of the Soldiers flying from the Sepulcher and testifying in the City our Lords Resurrection but besides these were also some other extraordinary witnesses thereof For in the great Earthquake and at the same time as our Lord's were other Sepulchers and graves about the city opened and out of them also by vertue and in honour of our Lords Rising came forth the revived Bodies of many other formerly deceased Saints That as his triumphant Soul entring into the innermost bowels of the Earth brought a multitude of other overjoyed Souls attendants upon it from thence