to true and perfect happinesse can be perfected and accomplished vntill this corruptible haue put on incorruption and these our mortall bodies become impassible and immortall As for those externall comforts or supplyes which are necessary to that small portion of happinesse which we haue in this life as meate drinke apparell and the like wee shall haue no need nor vse of them in the life to come In that life wee shall bee so fully happy within our selues and in the fruition of God as wee shall neede nothing without vs nothing besides Gods presence and the fruition of our selues The want or penurie of any thing vsefull in this life is a degree or part of misery but not to neede them not to want them is a portion of true felicity And for this reason happely it is that amongst all the good workes and miracles which our Sauiour did wee neuer reade that he made any needy beggers exceeding rich in worldly riches because riches are neither vsefull nor necessary to that happinesse wherevnto all his miracles doe leade and draw vs but as he did neither make nor promise to make his followers rich so hee would not suffer any of them whilest hee liued heere on earth to continue in want or penurie These euils or degrees of misery in this life he often preuented by miracles when they were ready to befall them 18. Here we are by the way to consider that whilst our Sauiour was bodily present with his Disciples and followers none of them were in want or need but he instantly relieued them If any fell sicke he presently cured them if they were in danger by Sea they could no sooner cry out Master wee perish but he as soone checked the winde with the breath of his mouth and turned the storme into a calme he did not suffer them so much as to weepe or mourne but rather ministred continual matter of ioy and comfort vnto them Nay as wee reade Mark. 2. vers 18. It was a solaecisme for them to fast whilest he was with them When Iohns Disciples or the Pharises came vnto him and demanded of him Why doe the Disciples of Iohn and of the Pharises fast but thy Disciples fast not Iesus said vnto them Can the Children of the Bridegroome fast whilest the Bridegroome is with them As long as they haue the Bridegroome with them they cannot fast but the dayes will come when the Bridegroome shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those dayes Thus you see a great difference betwixt the estate of his Disciples whilest he was with them and whilest hee was taken from them the one was an estate of ioy and contentment without bodily grieuance or molestation the other had his ioy and internall comfort mixt with sorrow of bodily discontentments What was then the reason of this difference Surely it was our Sauiours will and pleasure in affording these contentments which did accompany his bodily presence here on earth to exhibit a perfit Map or Modell of that fulnesse of all ioy and contentment which wee shall be made partakers of by his bodily presence with vs in heauen So then for conclusion of the first poynt and for more commodious passage vnto the second our Sauiour by the miracles here mentioned and the like did openly and euidently declare himselfe to be the Author Lord and free doner of all these three rankes or sorts of good things which the Heathen by light of nature saw to be requisite or necessary for the attainement of true felicity or in the fruition whereof in full and perfit measure true and perfit happinesse did consist 19. First for these externals which the Heathens call Bona fortunae as meat drinke apparell or means necessary for maintenance of life without which wee can rather receiue no contentment than be throughly contented with them albeit our Sauiour gaue them in lesse measure than worldly mindes desire them yet his bounty in bestowing of them did herein farre exceed the magnificence of greatest Princes in that hee herewith pleasured his Disciples without any grieuance vnto others This was a foundation of publike happines which no Monarch or State-founder could euer lay in that no man did euer fare a whit the worse because his followers or fauourers how many soeuer they were did fare the better For thus our Sauiour plentifully fedde multitudes of people in the Wildernesse without occasioning any dearth or scarcity of bread or victuals vnto such as remained in the townes or villages The reliques or offalls of the Feasts that hee made were alwayes greater than the prouision it selfe Once wee reade of his feeding fiue thousand men with seuen Barly-loaues and two Fishes and the fragments or broken meate was seuen Baskets full Marke 8. vers 20. Another time of his feeding fiue thousand men with fiue loaues when there remained twelue baskets full of fragments Nor did this his bounty extend onely in cases of necessity or for preuenting want or penury but vnto matter of delight or decency For as hee fed thousands of people in the Wildernesse where no food was to be had for them without miracle so to grace the marriage feast at Cana in Galilie hee turned water into wine not of the worst sort but of the pleasantest and cheerefullest taste Thus when tribute or pole-money was vniustly exacted of him hee did not demand a beneuolence from those men on whom hee had wrought those mighty cures or whom hee had otherwise benefited extraordinarily Hee supplyeth himselfe and Peter with this necessary from a Fish which had no more vse or need of money whereof the Romane Caesar had want than the poore Indian had of the Spaniards gold So that albeit he sent his pole-money to Rome with others yet was there not one penny lesse in Iury than there was before 20. But to come to the second sort or ranke of good things which the Heathens by light of nature saw necessary vnto felicity as bona corporis what greater bodily happinesse could befall the blinde or lame than for the one to be restored vnto his perfit fight the other to the right vse of limbes What could the deafe more desire than to be able to heare or the Lepers than to be cleansed from their leprosie What so great a bodily blessing if any at all besides could be bestowed vpon the dead as to be restored to life againe Yet those and many like blessings our Sauiour bestowed vpon all that were not offended in him by his meere word thereby shewing himselfe to be the Lord and disposer of all the blessings or parts of happinesse which concerne the body And Iohns Disciples might heare and see the parties here mentioned made thus farre truely happy by him Happy they were in respect of all other men happier by much than those men which still continued blinde or lame or leprous or deafe or in that estate of death from which our Sauiour raysed these dead here
returned before hee preached the acceptable yeere of the LORD in Nazareth cannot so easily be gathered from the circumstances of the Euangelist but as all Interpreters I thinke agree this Answer was giuen within the compasse of that yeere wherein our Sauiour was baptized Now this was the last Legall Iubile which this people were to enioy and the first beginning of the Euangelicall Iubile which was to continue here on earth vntill the Worlds end to bee fully accomplished in the World to come So that this great mystery of our eternall Rest and Ioy in heauen had first a shaddow in the Law to wit the Legall Iubile Secondly a Picture in the Prophet Isay or in the History of Hezekias and his miraculous deliuery from the Assynians Thirdly a liue body in the Gospell or dayes of the Messias euery-way answerable to the picture drawne by the Prophet The first conception of this liue body or Euangelicall Iubile was from the day of our Sauiours Baptisme and the birth of it from the deliuery of our Sauiours Sermon vpon the Mount Fourthly the accomplishment ful growth or perfection of this liue body is to be expected onely in the life to come where our Ioy our Rest and Peace shall be for measure boundlesse and for terme endlesse Now according to these seuerall degrees of shaddow of picture of life and growth one and the same Scripture euen according to its natiue and literall sense may be often verified and fulfilled All the former Prophesies likewise concerning the planting of the Wildernesse with pleasant Trees though actually fulfilled according to the importance of the parabolicall or Emblematicall sense in that yeere of Iubile which Iesus of Nazareth did proclaime shall not bee finally accomplished vntill the beginning of that Iubile which shall haâ—e no end Thus much is specified Isay 60. vers 20 21 22. Thy Sâ—â—ne shall no more goe downe neyther shall thy Moone with-draw it selfe for the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light and the dayes of thy mourning shall be ended Thy people shall bee all righteous they shall inherit the Land forâ—euer the Branch of my planting the works of my hands that I may bee glorified A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong Nation I the Lord will hasten it in his time This last verse though partly fulfilled in the conuersion of whole Nations by our Sauiours Apostles and Disciples made Citizens of the new Ierusalem descending from Heauen at our Sauiours Baptisme shall not be accomplished vntill these Trees of Righteousnesse be transplanted into the Heauen of Heauens and set there by the Tree of Life Then shall the least sprig that hath been truely ingraffed into the stock of Iacob the meanest â—â—â—ne of Abraham by faith become more fruitfull in himselfe than Abraham was in his posterity and a greater King and Lord of more than Dauid or Salomon in their prime Thus much is included in that saying of our Sauiour Marke 10. vers 29 30. There is no man that hath left house or Brethren or Sisters or Father or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for my sake and the Gospels but hee shall receiue an hundred fold now in this time houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions and in the world to come eternall life If the least of them that forsake all for Christs sake grow in this life into an hundred how great or strong a Nation euery small one that is not in this life offended in him shall after this life ended become is vnexpressable But we beleeue our Sauiour that the least and smallest of such as forsake all for him and the Gospell shall haue life eternall And wee beleeue Gods Word that life eternall is more than tenne thousand liues temporall though a thousand liues of a mans own be much more worth than a million of other mens liues whereof we might hope to be Lords and Disposers 80. That other Prophesie likewise before mentioned Isay 35. vers 4. though literally verified at Gods first comming into the World to be made man and then punctually fulfilled when IESVS of Nazareth GOD and MAN came to Iohns Baptisme is to be finally accomplished when the same Iesus shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead Then shall hee manifest himselfe to be God the Auenger and God the Recompencer by pronouncing that Sentence from which there shall be no appeale Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels The former part of this Sentence shall proceed from him as hee is God the Rewarder of all such as diligently seeke him The latter part of this Sentence Goe yee cursed c. proceedeth from him as hee is God the Auenger In that accomplishment of dayes which shall vtterly abolish all night and not before shal that other part of the same Prophesie Isay 35. vers 5 6. bee likewise finally accomplished Then the eyes of the blinde shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee vnstopped c. The eyes of many blinde were opened at the time when this Answer was giuen yet not the eyes of all the blinde men then liuing which were not offended in Him but onely the eyes of all the blinde throughout Iudea and neighbour-Regions that came vnto him without offence At his second comming the eyes of all that after perpetuall darkenesse haue beene finally shut vp by death shall bee opened to see the glory of God so opened to see it without offence as they shall neuer be shut againe neuer bee depriued of this beautifull vision In that day shall all the halt and lame that haue not bin offended in him eâ—â—n such as neuer enioyed the vse of limbes from their coÌ„ming out of the wombe vnto their going vnto their graâ—e become more strong agile than the Hart and mâ—re swift and nimble than the Roe Then shall the eares and tongues of all that haue beene borne deafe and dumbe be so vnstopped and vnloosed as vpon the first opening they shall bee enabled to hold consort with the Quire of Angels to descant vpon those hidden mysteries and Prophetique Songs about whose literall sense or plaine Grammaticall meaning there hath beene much discord amongst greatest Criticks and amongst Schoole-men continuall iarres This is all which I haue at this time to say concerning the three particular Branches proposed in the beginning of the second generall Obseruation which was thus What satisfactioÌ„ this answer of our Sauior The blinde receiue their sight c. could giue to Iohn or his Disciples or to any that doubted whether Iesus of Nazareth was He that was to come Somewhat more is to be said concerning the Conclusion Blessed is he whosoeuer shall not be offended in mee MATTH 11. VERS 6. Blessed is hee whosoeuer shall not be offended in mee THe vniuersality
offended in Christ than the fore-mentioned Iewes or Pharises were is to compare our liues conuersations and practice with our Sauiours doctrinall precepts especially with those fundamentall ones solemnely vttered by him in the Sermon vpon the Mount Matth. 5. Amongst which this is a principall and peremptory one I say vnto you that except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of Heauen vers 20. Now from entring into the Kingdome of heauen which is the Kingdome of happinesse nothing can barre vs vnlesse wee be offended in Christ who is the way and doore vnto it Is there any amongst vs that seeketh as earnestly after the prayse of men or after any honour that commeth not from GOD alone as the Iewes mentioned Ioh. 12. Ioh. 5 Is there any amongst vs as couetous as the Pharises were mentioned Luke 16 If any such there be eyther in this or any other Christian Congregation be they many or few all and euery of them are as farre from the Kingdome of Heauen altogether as much offended in Christ as the fore-mentioned Rulers Iewes and Pharises were Is there any amongst vs of disposition towards his Brother or Neighbour or towards any professing the name of Christ as implacable or irreconcileable as the Scribes and Pharises were towards Publicans and sinners Let such a man if any such there be know and remember that whilest hee continueth in this mood he is as much offended in Christ as they were and if hee so continue our Sauiour Christ will bee as much offended at him in the last Day as at those that crucified him Is any man as carefull for the things of this life as these Iewes were Hee is as farre from the Kingdome of Heauen and the happinesse here promised as the Iewes yea as the Heathen were It is our Sauiours inference not mine Take no thought saying What shall wee eate or What shall wee drinke or Wherewith shall wee bee cloathed For after all these things doe the Gentiles seeke For your heauenly Father knoweth that yee haue need of all these things Matth. 6. 31 32. His Precept for our direction followeth But seeke yee first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee added vnto you Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it selfe vers 33 34. This is the perpetuall Law of the Euangelical Iubile whose obseruance was prefigured in the legall obseruation of the seuenth yeere of rest or the yeere of Iubile In both which yeeres as you heard before the Iewes were forbidden to sow or reape commanded to rely vpon Gods extraordinary blessing in the sixth yeere and to rest contented with such things as should grow of their owne accord in the seuenth yeere of rest or yeere of Iubile Not to sow at all or not to reape in these two yeeres was a temporary Law meerely legall or ceremoniall The morall Law hereby prefigured and perpetually to bee obserued by vs Christians is That wee buy so as if wee possessed not that in sowing or reaping or in whatsoeuer other businesse concerning this life wee vse the world as if wee vsed it not That our prime and chiefe care bee in seeking the Kingdome of God or matters of the life to come That euery present day wee take more payne and care in imploring Gods blessings vpon our present and future labours than in contriuing meanes or disposing of labours in worldly coniecture most auaileable for procuring our ends or that good which wee seeke This practice and method our Sauiour had inioyned vs in that prayer which hee hath taught vs. First wee pray that Gods name may bee sanctified and that his Kingdome may come that his will may be done in earth as in heauen and in the next place that he would giue vs bread this day for to morrow and the dayes following that is as the Apostle saith to cast all our care on him who careth for vs all But what auayles it vs to know by how many wayes and meanes wee may bee offended in Christ vnlesse wee know withall by what meanes possible these or the like offences may be auoydable It is true and therefore our Sauiour teacheth a compendious way or meanes for auoyding offences As first in this very Chapter Matth. 11. vers 29. Learne of mee for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest vnto your soules To the same end or purpose are all those places of Scripture addressed which exhort vs to humility to deny our selues to take vp our Crosse and follow Christ. Of these and other good rules to this purpose you may reade at large Luke 14. 90. But others happely will say What auayleth it to propose these good rules vnto vs vnlesse it bee in our power to practise them Wee beleeue it as a dictate or maxime of faith that God giues grace vnto the humble or vnto such as for sake all and deny themselues but what is this to vs vnlesse wee may likewise be assured that God will eyther giue vs grace or some free-will or naturall power to deny or humble our selues Here indeed were the true and fruitfull issue of all these intricate controuersies which in later yeres haue much troubled the peace of the Church as well the Romish as the Reformed The controuersies I meane of Election and Reprobation betweene the Lutherans and the Caluinists betweene the Arminians and the Gomarists as also the controuersie concerning concurrence of Grace and Free-will prosecuted with eager and bitter contention for these many yeeres betweene the Iesuites and the Dominican Friers But of this radicall controuersie about Free-will a poynt necessary to be knowne and yet inwrapped with as many vnnecessary intricate disputes and on all parts as illâ—stated and handled for the most part as any other question whatsoeuer I shall haue fitter occasion to speake at large when I come to handle that argument concerning our seruitude to sin which must be the entrance vnto our knowledge concerning Iesus Christ and him crucified vnto both which these discussions vpon this Text haue beene premised 91. At this time I will onely acquaint you with that which I haue elsewhere deliuered as the true meane betweene the contrary opinions of the Lutherans and the Caluinists betweene the Iesuites Dominicans betwixt the Stoickes and the Pelagians in the poynt of free-will or power of man to worke or not to worke his owne saluation The meane is that albeit man hath no freedome of will or ability to doe that which is good or to dispose his heart for the better receiuing of Grace yet hee hath a true possibility or freedome of will to doe or not to doe something required by God which thing being done by man God will dispose his heart and make it fit for his grace The same thing not being done or neglected
When this great Nimrod had swallowed as many seuerall Kingdomes or Nations in hope as the Iewes could expect their Messias should in one age conquer the Philosopher asked him What he meant to do after he had conquered the Romanes Then said hee I will conquer the Gaules and Spaniards and when hee had done with them hee would bend his forces against Africa But when you haue conquered them and as many more as you intend to conquer what doe you last resolue vpon His answer was to liue merrily and at ease in plenty and pleasure Why quoth the Philosopher this you may doe already without eyther hazard of your owne or your followers liues for none of these Nations which you intend to vanquish are likely to indanger you so you will not begin with them The present Nation of the Iewes were of Pirrhus his temper and sought after that as it were by a round or circle which was in a manner put into their hands so they would but haue looked neere about them and not haue set their proud imaginations vpon such rouing proiects as Pirrhus did Such amongst them as were thus affected would noâ— acknowledge our Sauiour to bee the Messias or him that was to come because he was a man of peace a man of a meeke and humble spirit If another should haue come as shortly after many false Christs did arise which would haue animated them vnto warre against the Romanes the most of them such as loued peace especially would quickly haue beene weary of him What then was there nothing which both sorts the proudest and humblest the peaceable and contentious did alike affect and hope to see accomplished by their promised and long expected Messias Saint Augustine tels vs of a Mimicke or Iester a kind of artificiall foole which vndertooke to tell euery man in the Towne or City where hee dwelt what he thought or desired when they were assembled to try his skill in the publique Markets all hee had to say was this vultis vos omnes vili emere et caro vendere All of you desire to sell deare and buy good cheape But as this reuerend Father obserueth there was more Mimick wit than solid truth in this conceit For many come to Markets which neyther haue minde to buy nor to sell but to looke on Amongst such multitudes as minde buying and selling some good men there bee which would desire to vse a conscience in both but saith the same Father if hee had said All of you as well the buyer as the seller as they that come onely to heare or see desire to be happy his speech had beene vncontrollably true For happinesse onely is that which all men naturally desire 12. There is no petty good but is desired by some or other That is the chiefe or prime good as the ancient Philosophers haue defined it which is desired by all Did they collect this onely as men or doth not the Scripture eyther say or suppose the same as a ground of truth Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the Heauens and the Earth and the Sea and the dry Land And I will shake all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come I will fill this House with glory saith the Lord of Hoasts Haggai 2. 6 7. In what sence our Sauiour Christ for of our Sauiour Christ this place is vndoubredly meant should bee instiled the desite of all Nations is a question which hath perplexed some good Preachers and may exercise the wit of a good Interpreter First how could the Gentiles which were farre more than a maior part of all Nations here intimated be said at that time to desire him in whom they did not in any sort beleeue whom they did not at all expect For how should they expect him how should they beleeue in him of whom they had not heard The Iewish Nation indeed or seed of Abraham had heard of him and did expect him and yet as the Prophet had fore-told so it came to passe that when they saw him they saw no beautie in him that they should desire him Esay 53. vers 2. And was it possible that hee should be the desire of all Nations whom no Nation did desire Yes In as much as God had consecrated him to be the onely Fountaine of that happinesse which all men which all Nations naturally doe desire and which is all that any man of what Nation soeuer Iew Gentile Greeke or Barbarian can desire he is truely instiled by the Prophet The desire of all Nations To say that as many as desired happinesse did desire our Sauiour Christ can seeme no paradoxe if wee consider what no Philosopher will deny that euen such as follow poysoned pleasures seeke after happinesse and life in these by-paths which leade to death and misery Though most men take the high-way to death and misery yet no man desires to dye or to be miserable but their contraries 13. So that our Sauiours answere though it seemed doubtfull in the premises is in conclusion as perfect as if hee had directly and expresly said Goe tell Iohn that I am hee that was to come and that you are not to expect another seeing whatsoeuer you can expect or desire in any one or more whom you may imagine yet to come That you may haue in mee alone for true blessednesse is all that you or any man can desire and Blessed is Hee whosoeuer shall not bee offended in mee Matth. 11. 6. Esay 53. vers 2. But though Iohn and his Disciples could desire no more of him that was to come than to bee truely blessed in him yet might they desire some further proofe than his bare assertion or authority that they might be truly blessed in him For this blessednesse whereof hee speaketh was none of those things which they did heare or see seeing it cannot be knowne by corporall sight or hearing It is like that new name spoken of in the Reuelation which no man can reade but he which hath it All this is true yet not withstanding all this the things which they did heare see were vndoubted pledges visible assurances of this inuisible blessednesse which heere hee promiseth and of which euery man might haue vndoubted experience in himselfe so he would not be offended in him For though our Sauiour with farre better reason might yet did he neuer exact such absolute beliefe vnto his words as the Pope or visible Church of Rome doe to theirs to whatsoeuer they shall decree without eyther expresse warrant or testimony of Gods Word written before or experimentall knowledge in themselues This will better appeare in the second poynt proposed which was what these words did intimate or suggest to Iohn The poynts now to be inquired after are two 1. First what is it to be blessed and happy in Christ or wherein this happinesse or blessednesse which here he promiseth doth consist 2. Secondly how these particulars here mentioned the blinde
by Gods Saints yet doth not this title any way import that they haue absolute independent power or Monarchicall Soueraignety ouer the ayre but onely that He who is supreme Lord of Heauen Earth of all the World and of all in it oft times permitteth those infernall spirits for the iniquity or sins of men to exercise such power in the ayre as hee neuer permitteth them to vse or exercise in the higher Region whence they are vtterly banished or excluded So that albeit they oft times know much and more than man by meanes naturall can doe concerning the alteration or change of weather yet can they know no more concerning these or like effects than God permitteth them to know or suffereth them in his iust iudgements to effect or worke Againe for the managing of ciuill affaires of gouernement of States or Kingdomes GOD by his euerlasting Decree hath left vnto men such variety of choyce such a contingency in their consultations such a freedome of will in contriuing or proiecting their seuerall ends as it is impossible for any man liuing in this Age though he should consult with Witches or familiar spirits to prognosticate or fore-tell what the successe or finall issue of what hee himselfe at this present proiects or plots shall bee an hundred or two hundred yeeres hence From this faculty or rather facility in fore-telling things of this nature which for diuers Generations after shall certainely come to passe the Lord himselfe doth pleade and proue his Title of infinite wisdome that He is the onely wise immortall God that besides him there is none that can doe or say as He doth Produce your cause saith the LORD vnto the Heathen gods and their worshippers Bring forth your strong reasons saith the King of Iacob Let them bring them forth and shew vs what shall happen Let them shew the former things what they bee that wee may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare vs things for to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that wee may know that yee are gods yea doe good or doe euill that wee may bee dismayed and behold it together Behold you are of nothing and your worke of nought an abomination is hee that chooseth you Isay 41. vers 21 22 23 24. And againe chap. 47. vers 5 6 7 8 9. Sit thou in silence and get thee into darknesse O Daughter of the Chaldeans for thou shalt no more be called the Lady of Kingdomes I was wroth with my people I haue polluted my Inheritance and giuen them into thine hand thou diddest shew them no mercy vpon the ancient hast thou very heauily layde the yoke And thou saidst I shall bee a Ladie for euer so that thou diddest not lay these things to thine heart neyther diddest remember the latter end of it Therefore heare now this thou that art giuen to pleasures that dwellest carelesly that sayest in thine heart I am and none else besides mee I shall not sit as a Widdow neyther shall know the losse of Children and widdowhood they shall come vpon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries and for the great abundance of thine enchantments This speech you must consider is directed in particular to the Chaldeans who were the most curious Inquisitors after things to come the cunningest Southsayers as they tooke and professed themselues in the world And for this reason it is that the LORD sendeth that peremptory challenge vnto them v. 12 13 14 15. Stand now with thine Inchantments and with the multitude of thy Sorceries wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth if so bee thou shalt be able to profit if so bee thou mayest preuaile Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy Counsels Let now the Astrologers the Starre-gazers the monethly Prognosticators stand vp and saue thee from these things that shall come vpon thee Behold they shall be as stubble the fire shall burne them they shall not deliuer themselues from the power of the flame there shall not be a coale to warme at nor fire to sit before it Thus shall they be vnto thee with whom thou hast laboured euen thy Merchants from thy youth they shall wander euery one to his quarter None shall saue thee 28. Let mee giue you two instances or examples of things fore-told by God by his Prophet Isay concerning the strange alteration of States or Kingdomes both which predictions were exactly and remarkeably fulfilled and accomplished the one about an hundred the other about one hundred and seuentie yeeres after the Prophet from the mouth of the LORD had fore-told them The former is related in the second Booke of Kings chap. 20. and in the 39. of Isay vers 6 7 8. The summe of both those Stories is this After Hezekiah had shewed his House and all his Treasure vnto the King of Babylons Embassadour which came to congratulate his late recouery from that dangerous sicknesse of which the Prophet Isayas had by Gods appoyntment cured him hauing first secured him not onely of his instant recouery but of the continuance of his former health and prolonging of his dayes by a signe from Heauen the same Prophet came vnto him and telleth him that this his kindnesse or courtesie to the Embassadours in shewing them his Treasury was factum malè ominatum and did abode a future misery to his posterity Heare the Word of the LORD saith Isaiah to Hezekiah Behold the dayes to come that all that is in thine House and that which thy Fathers haue layed vp in store vntill this day shall be carryed to Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord. And of thy sonnes that shall issue from thee which thou shalt beget shall they take away and they shall bee Eunuches in the Palace of the King of Babylon Now if wee consider the strength of Iudah and of Aegypt in those times and the small power which the Babylonian had in respect of his Neighbour the mightie King of Assyria who then layde clayme to Iudah the accomplishment of this Prediction or Prophesie was in all politique esteeme or humane coniecture more improbable and more incredible than if a man in this Age should take vpon him to fore-tell that the Duke of Saxony or some other Prince of Germany should conquer the Low-Countries France and Spaine and leade all the Royall Race of both those Kingdomes Captiues vnto Dresden or to some other Princely Court of Germanie within these hundred yeeres next following He that should fore-tell thus much at this present would be recoūted a true Prophet or Messenger from God in the ages following by such as liued to see the euent or prediction fulfilled or verified Now there was not one part or circumstance of the former Prophesie but was notoriously and remarkeably accomplished in Iehoiakim Zedekiah and their Children both of them being sons to good King Iosiah both of them being confederates with the King of Aegypt whose ioyned strength could not
12 13. 44. From these the like particulars in this Prophet we may obserue this generall That in all or most places wherein the manifestation of the Messias or propagation of his Kingdome is mentioned there is still foretold some strange miracle or wonder to be wrought in the desart and in particular the bursting out of waters The question is in what sense these and like places haue beene fulfilled or whether the predictions were plainely literall or rather by way of Parable or Allegory Whatsoeuer may bee said or thought of some of these predictions certaine it is that others of them were neuer verefied or fulfilled according to the literall plaine or natural sense of the words either before or about our Sauiours manifestation in the wildernesse That is as much as to say The mysteries heere truely foretold vpon Iohns baptisme were not fore-shaddowed or prefigured by matter of deed or fact or by any such reall representation as these words properly imply or by any naturall or visible alteration of the soyle or trees in the wildernesse Onely the manner of the Prophesie or prediction is Emblematicall or Allegoricall that is the mysteries heere fore-told were such in respect of mens soules bodies or affections as these alterations in the soile or trees of the wildernesse if they had literally falne out might haue beene true shaddowes or pictures of them To begin with that place whence Iohns Commission tooke his beginning Isaiah 40. vers 3 4. The voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse Prepare yee the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a high way for our God Euery Valley shall bee exalted and euery Mountaine and Hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made streight and the rough places plaine We are not hence to beleeue as some later Iewes foolishly dreame that all the Hils in the wildernesse or place where the Messias was to be maÌ„ifested were to be leuelled with the Valleys or lower ground or that all the high-waies for men to come vnto him should be made as plaine smooth as a bowling-Alley or Garden walke The intent or purport of the Prophet was that this Cryer in the wildernesse was so to prepare the hearts the affections and dispositions of mens minds that they should not bee offended in Christ or the Messias when he should be reuealed that they should remoue all stumbling blockes of pride arrogancy couetousnesse peruersnesse hypocrisie or the like which did hinder them from comming vnto him with all their soules and all their hearts So when it is said The Lord would turne the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree in the wildernesse we must not imagine such a reall or corporeall transmutation vpon our Sauiours approach For if this Metamorphosis had bin made Iohn should not haue been a Cryer in the wildernesse but in the garden What then doe the words according to the Prophets naturall meaning and intention import As true as reall and strange an alteration in mens soules and affections which thus harkned to the Cryers voice as the supposed change of the thorne into the Firre tree or the bryer into the Myrtle tree or the change of the wildernesse it selfe into a garden if that had beene really and miraculously wrought could haue fore-pictured or fore-shaddowed The Metapâ—â—â— or Aâ—â—gory is no other then that of the same Prophet Isaiah 5. vers 7. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel and the men of Iudah his pleasant Plant and hee looked for Iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but beheld a cry Thaâ— this is the intent and meaning of Isaiahs poeticall manner of prediction or figuratiue kinde of speech on the fore-cited places may bee gathered from Iohn Baptist himselfe whose Interpretation of them in this place is liâ—erall though his speech be metaphoricall and suteable to the former Allegorie For the tenour of his proclamation or crying in the wildernesse was Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand Now Repentance according to the strict and proper sense of the originall imports a mutation of the mind And Iohn in the very next words expresseth wherein this change of mind whereto he exhorts them doth consist Bring foorth fruites worthy repentance Math. 3. vers 8. This he spake vnto the Pharises and Sadduces when they came vnto his baptisme whom he termeth a generation of vipers more barren vnto all good workes or fruits of the Spirit then the thornes in the wildernesse or the Brambles in the desart and yet as proud that they were Abrahams sonnes as the bramble in the parable of Iotham Iudges 9. vers 15. which sought to bee anoynted King ouer the trees of the Forrest All of them expected to bee heires of the Kingdome of Heauen which they rightly beleeued should bee established in the dayes of the Messias or Christ. Howbeit they thought the chiefe glory of this Kingdome should consist in their tyrannizing or domineering ouer the Gentiles like Lords and Kings For quelling this humour and working that change of mind wherein true repentance consists Iohn admonisheth them Thinke not to say within your selues We haue Abraham for our Father This proud conceit was as a Mountaine which was to be remoued ere they could come to Christ For I say vnto you that God is able out of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham Matth. 3. This last clause in its literall and proper sense imports a more miraculous change than the turning of the bramble into the Myrtle or the thorne into the Firre tree than the exalting of valleyes into mountaines And yet rather then Gods promise should not haue beene accomplished this speech of Iohn must haue been fulfilled in its strict and proper sense Howeuer literally fulfilled it was in the adoption of Publicans and sinners of whom it was meant by Iohn to be Abrahams seede and heires of promise But the Baptist continueth his former Allegory or parabolicall speech according to the Prophet Esaiah's intent and meaning Now also the Axe is laid to the roote of the trees therefore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe and cast into the fire vers 10. None are excepted no not the Of-spring of Abraham for vnlesse vpon the baptisme of water which Iohn administred they become fruitfull like the Vine or Oliue they must be accounted amongst the thornes and brambles and be sentenced vnto the fire 45. But what shall we say of the waters bursting forth in the Wildernesse so often mentioned by the Prophet Isaias Were these predictions as meerely figuratiue as the former and not at all fulfilled according to the literal plaine historicall sense It is probable that they were thus fulfilled and that God had shewne some wonders in the wildernesse in causing springs of water to burst forth in dry and barren places betweene Isaias and Iohn Baptists dayes perhaps before the 107. Psalme was penned which
work any As indeed hee did worke no miracles besides the turning of water into wine at the marriage feast at Cana in Galilee which as Saint Iohn the Euangelist â—elleth vs was the beginning of miracles or as a proofe or assay of his ability to worke miracles when his houre was come which was not till Iohn was imprisoned But immediately after Herod had imprisoned Iohn our Sauiour left Iudea and went into Galilee where by Gods appointment the Kingdome of heauen whose approach Iohn at his baptisme had fore-told was to bee proclaimed and established The matter of fact to wit his going into Galilee vpon Iohns imprisonment is expressely related by Saint Iohn cap. 4. vers 1 2 3. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharises had heard that Iesus made and baptized moe Disciples than Iohn though Iesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples he left Iudaea and departed againe into Galilee not so much for feare of the Iewes as to accomplish that for which he was sent into the world The end of his going into Galilee at this time after Iohn had performed his office of baptizing and was now to decrease is more expressely noted by Saint Matthew chap. 4. vers 11 12 13 14 15 16. Then the Diuell leaueth him aâ—d behold Angels came and ministred vnto him Now when Iesus had heard that Iohn was cast into prison hee departed into Galilee And leauing Nazareth hee came and dwelt in Capernaum which is vpon the Sea-coast in the borders of Zabulon and Napthaly That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the Prophet saying The Land of Zabulon and the Land of Napthaly by the way of the Sea beyond Iordane Galilee of the Gentiles The people which sate in darknesse saw great light and to them which sate in the Region and shaddow of death light is sprung vp In particular to shew you the whole manner how this Prophesie was fulfilled by our Sauiours going out of Iudaea into Galilee by his leauing Nazareth and repairing to Capernaum would require a longer discourse than is fitting for the Pulpit Some touch of it perhaps I shall giue you in the conclusion of our Sauiours answere to Iohn as it concernes the first place of Isay whereto he referreth him That which I would now haue you to obserue out of the Euangelist Saint Matthew is this First that this Prophesie was fulfilled in our Sauiours promulgation of the Gospell in those places Secondly albeit our Sauiour was anoynted King of Iudah and inaugurated to the Kingdome of heauen at his baptisme yet hee did not take actuall possession of his Kingdome or giue Lawes vnto his subiects he did not fully exercise his Regall authority ouer Satan and the vncleane spirits his angels nor establish the Kingdome of Grace by signes or wonders vntill the time of Iohns imprisonment Thus much is euident from the words of Saint Matthew Chap. 4. vers 17. From that time to wit from Iohns imprisonment Iesus began to preach to say Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand From the same time he did choose his twelue Apostles and gaue Authority to them and to the seuentie Disciples to preach the Kingdome to heale all manner of diseases and to deliuer the people from the tyranny of Satan From the same time our Sauiour began to make that excellent Sermon vpon the Mount whereof you may reade Matth. 5 6. which is the fundamentall Charter by which the Kingdome of Heauen heere on earth is established Now albeit Iohn did worke no miracles himselfe nor had seene our Sauiur worke any before his imprisonment yet hee had ingaged his credit and reputation with the people who tooke him for no lesse than a Prophet that Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized in Iordane should worke such miracles as Isaias the Prophet had foretold the Rod or Branch of Iesse should worke and accomplish all which the said Prophet had foretold should ensue vpon the voice crying in the wildernesse That Iohn had thus far ingaged himselfe for winning reputation to his Lord and Master is euident from the fruites or effects of this his ingagement manifested in the people Iohn 10. v. 39 40 41 42. After our Sauiour had escaped out of the hands of the Iewes hee went away againe beyond Iordane into the place where Iohn at first baptized and there hee abode And many resorted vnto him and said Iohn did no miracle but all things that Iohn spake of this man were true And many beleeued on him there Now albeit Iohn after hee had seene the holy Ghost descend vpon our Sauiour did neuer doubt whether he was the promised Messias or no yet what greater comfort or satisfaction could Iohn receiue being now imprisoned than to haue an acquittance from his former Ingagement for our Sauiour sealed by such visible and sensible euents as are heere related and solemnly acknowledged and deliuered by him for whom Iohn stood ingaged who had fully discharged whatsoeuer Iohn had promised on his behalfe That this answer of our Sauiour did really discharge Iohn of his former ingagement and fully acquit him from all suspition of collusion or compact with Iesus of Nazareth whom he baptized and proclaimed to be the Messias might easily haue appeared to the most malicious Iewe then liuing that would but haue compared the miracles heere related with the predictions of the Prophet Isay laying both of them to heart and weighing them with the circumstances of the seuerall times The testimonies are two The first prediction of the Prophet Isay whereto our Sauiour in this answere referreth Iohn and all such as should seeke satisfaction from him is Isay 35. but especially vers 3 4 5 6 7. Strengthen yee the weake hands and confirme the feeble knees Say to them that are of a fearefull heart Bee strong feare not behold your God will come with veâ—igeance euen God with a recompence he will come and saue you Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the eares of the deafe shall bee vnstopped Then shall the lame man leape as an Hart and the tongue of the dumbe shall sing for in the Wildernesse shall waters breake out and streames in the desart And the parched ground shall become a poole and the thirstie Land springs of water in the habitation of dragons where each lay shall bee grasse with reedes and rushes 69. The Testimonies before cited out of Isay albeit they were abundantly sufficient to beget faith in Iohn himselfe and others that did vnpartially consider and compare them with the signes of the time and other circumstances of which you haue heard yet were they not so apt or effectuall to conuince the froward and partiall hearers as this last cited Testimony was and is Against the former places and the expositions which Iohn made of them to himselfe and to his Disciples pride malice or fretting iealousie might haue made these or the like exceptions plausible enough to discontented minds or
with him and shall returne vnto his owne Family and vnto the possession of his Fathers shall hee returne 77. If you desire to knowe the Euangelicall mysteries prefigured by these Legall priuiledges of the Iubile or fiftieth yeere and the manner how all these prefigurations were fulfilled by our Sauiour at the time when he sent this answere vnto Iohn you must consider that no seruant throughout the Land of Iewrie whether an hyred seruant of the seed of Abraham or a bond-man of the Nations was euer in so great a bondage or hard seruitude vnto his master as all the sonnes of Abraham yea of Adam were vnto Satan This acceptable yeere of the Lord in number the thirtieth Legall Iubile being first proclaimed by Iohn afterwards by a voice from heauen at our Sauiours baptisme and lastly by our Sauiour himselfe after Iohns imprisonment was the time appointed by God for the manumission or setting free of his people and all mankinde from the bondage and seruitude to Satan Nor did our Sauiour onely proclaime this acceptable yeere of the Lord but did by deed and fact declare himselfe to be that Lord which had giuen the Law of Iubile vnto the Iewes and was now come in person to put the true intent and full meaning of it in execution which was to set free all such as did hearken vnto his voice and sought to be eased from their slauerie and thraldome Of this present freedome or manumission euen these bodily miraculous Cures heere mentioned in my Text were vndoubted effects and so many ocular or sensible demonstrations All these defects or imperfections of body as blindnesse lamenesse deafenesse dumbnesse crookednesse and the like were as the bonds and chaines of Satan Thus much is euidently proued by our Sauiours Argument against the Ruler of the Synagogue which was displeased because our Sauiour had healed a poore woman vpon the Sabbath day whose body was bowed together Thou hypocrite saith our Sauiour doth not each one of you on the Sabbath day loose his Oxe or his Asse from the stall and leade him away to watering Luk. 13. vers 15. And ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham whom Satan hath bound lo these eighteene yeeres be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day vers 16. Saint Peters words are more generall for he saith He healed all that were oppressed of the diuell Act. 10. v. 38. But the speciall document and the fullest assurance of this present freedome or manumission by our Sauiour was the often-mentioned Euangelization of the poore in spirit that is their participation of that Oyle of gladnesse wherewith he was anoynted aboue his Fellowes or adherents This includeth as well terminum ad quem as terminum à quo that is it includeth not onely a manumission or deliuerance from the seruitude of Satan but withall an accomplishment or fulfilling of that which was prefigured in the second priuiledge of the Legall Iubile and this priuiledge was that euery man might returne vnto his possession or to the inheritance of his Fathers although he had formerly pawned or mortgaged it Now Paradise you know was the possession which all of vs lost in our first Parents from entering into it we were all excluded so long as wee continued the seruants of sinne and Satan And vnto this possession did the Womans Seed or second Adam the Anoynted of the Lord whereof the Prophet Isay speakes Chap. 61. actually restore the poore in spirit that liued and conuersed with him This restauration or returning to the possession or inheritance of their first parents was first proclaimed and the possession it selfe in part first giuen or bequeathed to his Disciples a little before Iohn sent vnto our Sauiour this message whereto my Text containes the answere The Proclamation was our Sauiours Sermon vpon the Mount 78. It is a point worth your obseruatioÌ„ that our Sauiour beginneth that Sermon which as wee said before was the fundamentall Charter of the Kingdome of God or Euangelicall Law from the beginning of the fore-cited 61. Chapter of Isay. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee saith the Prophet therefore hee hath anoynted mee to euangelize the poore or meeke in spirit He opened his mouth saith the Euangelist Matth. 5. vers 3. that is after long silence and expectation hee began to proclaime the acceptable yeere Blessed are the poore in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Thus our Sauiour expressed the meaning of this Phrase in my Text paâ—peres euangelizantur for the poore in spirit are therefore blessed because instated in the Kingdome of Heauen and instated they were in the Kingdome of Heauen by beeing euangelized Another part of his Embassage or effect of his anoyntment was to comfort all that mourne to giue to them that mourne in Sion beauty for Ashes and the oyle of ioy for sorrow Esay 61. The second Branch of his Embassage or Proclamation was Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Matth. 5. vers 4. Saint Luke Chap. 6. addeth which is not expressed in Saint Matthew that at the same time he pronounced a woe vnto the rich a woe vnto the full a woe vnto such as laughed to wit in an vnseasonable time when God had called to fasting and mourning and a woe vnto the vain-glorious or men-pleasers v. 24 25 26. As well the woes as the blessings here solemnely pronounced were expresly fore-told by the Prophet Isay chap. 61. vers 2. So it is said That the Lord had sent him to proclaime the acceptable yeere of the LORD and the day of vengeance of our God This powerfull denunciation of woe and blessing was that Fanne wherof Iohn Baptist speaketh Matt. 3. vers 12. His Fanne is in his hand and hee will thorowly purge his floore and gather his Wheate into his Garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire Both our Sauiours Sermon and Iohn Baptists description of his Fanne as also that of Malachy 3. vers 2 3 4. are but exegeticall expressions of that fundamentall Prophesie Isay 35. vers 4. wherein it is implyed that when GOD should come to saue his people hee should come as well Deus vltor as Deus remunerator as well God the Reuenger as God the Rewarder But did our Sauiour giue any document of this his power at the vttering of this Sermon It came to passe saith the Euangelist when Iesus had ended these sayings of woe and blessing of vengeance and recompence the people were astonished at his doctrine For hee taught them as one hauing authoritie and not as the Scribes Matth. 7. vers â—8 29. Thus when our Sauiour expounded the for 〈◊〉 Prophesie Isay 61. vers 1. in the Synagogue at Nazareth All bare him witnesse and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth 79. The precise time of the yere or moneth wherein our Sauiour made this Sermon or returned this answer here in my Text vnto Iohn or whether it were